AN unidentified woman is suspected to have been killed and dumped in a Bulawayo City Council manhole in Pumula South Suburb.
Her body was discovered by two council employees who were attending to a blocked sewer pipe on Monday morning.
Sources said the woman whose body was already decomposing was drenched in sewer while wrapped in a cloth fuelling suspicions that she was killed and her body dumped in the manhole to conceal the crime.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Chief Inspector Precious Simango confirmed the death and said investigations were underway.
“We are investigating a sudden death case where a woman suspected to be in her early 30s was found dead in a manhole in Pumula South suburb.
The body was discovered by two council employees who were attending to a blocked sewer pipe in the suburb following complaints by residents. They informed their superiors who together with police attended to the scene and the body was retrieved by council’s Fire Brigade Department,” said Chief Insp Simango.
She said the body was taken to United Bulawayo Hospitals for post-mortem.
Chief Insp Simango said police could not immediately comment on circumstances leading to her death.
“Our investigations are in progress. That’s all we can say at the moment. We can’t speculate on what could have led to her death. We are still waiting for the post-mortem report which will guide our investigations,” Chief Insp Simango said.
Pumula South’s ward 27 councillor Alderman Siboniso Khumalo said the incident has left the community shocked.
“It’s not something that we expect as a community. It’s saddening and many people suspect she was murdered,” said Ald Khumalo.
— Chronicle
Farai Dziva|MDC deputy president, Obert Chaurura Gutu has stunned all and sundry by justifying police brutality against hapless civilians.
Gutu claimed police brutality against MDC Alliance supporters was necessary since they were dealing with a violent organisation.
“What do you expect the Police to do when they’re dealing with a renegade, violent, terrorist organisation? Do you expect the Police to fold their arms & watch as violent hooligans run amok? Come on! Give us a break,” tweeted Gutu.
On Wednesday police officers brutally assaulted opposition members and ordinary citizens before MDC leader Nelson Chamisa’s Hope of The Nation Address.
Farai Dziva|MDC deputy president, Obert Chaurura Gutu has brewed a shocker by justifying police brutality against hapless civilians.
Gutu claimed police brutality against MDC Alliance supporters was necessary since they were dealing with a violent organisation.
“What do you expect the Police to do when they’re dealing with a renegade, violent, terrorist organisation? Do you expect the Police to fold their arms & watch as violent hooligans run amok? Come on! Give us a break,” tweeted Gutu.
On Wednesday police officers brutally assaulted opposition members and ordinary citizens before MDC leader Nelson Chamisa’s Hope of The Nation Address.
Farai Dziva|MDC deputy president, Obert Chaurura Gutu has stunned all and sundry by justifying police brutality against hapless civilians.
Gutu claimed police brutality against MDC Alliance supporters was necessary since they were dealing with a violent organisation.
“What do you expect the Police to do when they’re dealing with a renegade, violent, terrorist organisation? Do you expect the Police to fold their arms & watch as violent hooligans run amok? Come on! Give us a break,” tweeted Gutu.
On Wednesday police officers brutally assaulted opposition members and ordinary citizens before MDC leader Nelson Chamisa’s Hope of The Nation Address.
Former Cabinet Minister, Ignatius Chombo’s, latest application for the temporary release of his passport has been granted by the High Court.
As a condition for the temporary release of the passport, Chombo was ordered to surrender title deeds for his Marlborough property as surety. The tittle deeds will be returned to him in exchange for the passport.
The order compels Chombo to return the passport on 3 December. Chombo is currently on bail on several charges including criminal abuse of office and violating Section 4(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act (Chapter 9:16) by allegedly conniving with Psychology Chiwanga, Rejoice Pazvakavambwa, Iben Fransisco, James Chiyangwa, Theresa Chenjerayi, Elias Choto and Lazarus Chimba to forge documents used to transfer a Glen Lorne, Harare, property from the Harare City Council to Alois Chimeri.
It is the State’s case that the duo acted in connivance with Chombo, Chiwanga, Francisco, Chiyangwa, Chenjerayi, and Choto. Allegations are that on a date unknown to the State, Chimba wrote a memo dated June 13, 2008 to the City of Harare, indicating he had no objection to a double transfer of a property in Glen Lorne to Chimeri.
He also did not object to Chimeri being given title deeds to the said property, which had been acquired illegally and sold to him by Chombo. According to the State, Chimba also influenced Harare City Council to illegally get compensation for the said piece of land, which had been sold by Chombo.
Pazvakavambwa, it is alleged, authored another document on June 25 the same year addressed to the City of Harare, confirming the property had been sold to Chombo.
Pazvakavambwa, who is the deputy director of valuations and estate management in the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing and Chimba (70), who is the registrar of valuers, have since been arrested as Chombo’s accomplices.
They are accused of facilitating the transfer of council property worth over $900 000 into Chombo’s name.
They appeared before Harare magistrate Josephine Sande on charges of violating Section 4 (a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act (Chapter 9:16).
Farai Dziva|MDC deputy president, Obert Chaurura Gutu has stunned all and sundry by justifying police brutality against hapless civilians.
Gutu claimed police brutality against MDC Alliance supporters was necessary since they were dealing with a violent organisation.
“What do you expect the Police to do when they’re dealing with a renegade, violent, terrorist organisation? Do you expect the Police to fold their arms & watch as violent hooligans run amok? Come on! Give us a break,” tweeted Gutu.
On Wednesday police officers brutally assaulted opposition members and ordinary citizens before MDC leader Nelson Chamisa’s Hope of The Nation Address.
Ranganai Zimunya a member of the Young Journalists Association (YOJA) was Wednesday assaulted by anti-riot police officers while covering MDC President Nelson Chamisa’s Hope of the Nation Address, evidence that the state continues to disregard basic media rights despite continued complaints by journalists.
Zimunya who is with Community Radio Harare (CORAH) received two baton stick lashes despite identifying himself as a journalist.
He suffered a swollen back.
Zimunya who is accredited with the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) said officers ignored him when he identified himself as a journalist.
Also beaten were journalists from Open Parly, Daniel Chigundu and Loreen Tadzingwa.
We appeal to reason amongst those in power and control of state security agents.
We appeal to the Minister of Information Monica Mutsvangwa to add a voice in defence of freedom of the media, freedom to receive and impart information and the right to personal dignity.
Her silence is too loud and doing us more harm than good.
To officers in command, YOJA respectfully asks that you control your agents as their action continues to taint our country’s name on the international stage.
Journalism is not a crime and actions of junior officers should reflect that they are indeed undergoing Basic Human Rights courses.
Pauline Mangezi, a 45 year old widow with 5 Children who lives in Mugori village, Gutu, Zimbabwe was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018, her husband the main bread winner passed away in 2015.
Pauline was under treatment at Karanda Hospital, Zimbabwe (a cancer specialist centre). Following surgery on her left breast she started undergoing chemotherapy, sadly she developed sores on the breast area as seen in the photo and could not continue with the chemotherapy and is on medication to manage the pain.
We need your help! This is an urgent need, your support will be greatly appreciated.
On speaking to Pauline on the morning of Tuesday, 19th November she informed me that she has 5 children: Daugher, Mildred 23 (main carer) Son, Denford, 19 in Form 3; Son, Adrian, 14 in Form 2; Daughter, Madeleine 10 in Grade 4; Son, Taonaishe, 4.5 years old.
The family have no income and are at risk of starvation as well as face challenges with the younger children continuing their education due to lack of school fees. – CLICK HERE TO DONATE
By A Correspondent- The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) water crisis has worsened with the local authority revising weekly water shedding hours from 72 hours to 92 hours.
Last month the council increased weekly water shedding hours from 48 to 72.
In a statement yesterday, Bulawayo Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube said the new shedding schedule comes into effect on Monday.
He warned that high lying areas are likely to be affected beyond the scheduled times.
“The City of Bulawayo would like to advise members of public of the review of the current 72-hour weekly water shedding programme to 96 with effect from Monday 25 November 2019. The programme is being reviewed in a bid to stabilise the reservoirs and prevent them from depleting further. It is further being implemented in a bid to raise the raw water reservoir level to a comfortable buffer level of 5,5 metres. The current level of 0,76 metres (14 percent) is not safe for the city given the high demand being experienced,” he said.
Mr Dube said the water shedding programme is subject to change if the raw water reservoir level improves or deteriorates beyond the critical level.
“All the areas that are on high ground and are affected for more than 96 hours will be supplied with water by council bowsers,” he said.
Mr Dube said Zesa power cuts and increase in the water consumption levels have worsened the situation.
“The city continues to face the following challenges in connection with the water supply situation: (1) Intermittent power supply to Ncema Water Treatment plant and Fernhill pumping station, Umzingwane, Inyankuni dams and now Mtshabezi dam. (2) Interruption of water supply into Magwegwe reservoir from Nyamandlovu Aquifer due to power supply disruptions. (3) Limited raw water pumping due to old KSB pump which constantly breaks down,” he said.
Mr Dube said the city’s water consumption averages 155 megalitres per day against the capacity of 110 megalitres.
He said Umzingwane Dam, which is at 4,85 percent, will be decommissioned in the next few days.
The council recently reintroduced the big flush to encourage residents to simultaneously flush their toilets as a way of curbing sewer pipe bursts in the morning between 6am-6:30 am and in the evening between 8pm and 8:30pm.
By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) has not yet quantified the amount of Customs and Excise duty it had lost following the smuggling of 433 vehicles into the country.
Zimra spokesperson Francis Chimanda told a local publication that the Authority could still seek for the arrest of those implicated in the smuggling of the vehicles.
He said:
Prejudice can only be determined after the vehicles are subjected to proper customs clearance processes.
Zimra systems indicate that the vehicles listed did not pay duty at all. The exercise is intended to regularise this irregularity.
Zimra last week issued an advertorial in a government-controlled weekly, inviting the owners of the vehicles it had listed to report to its Harare loss control office with import documents of the vehicles.
As of Wednesday (yesterday), NewsDay could not find out whether or not owners of the vehicles whose names appeared in the advertorial had complied.
I am not sure how Parliament works regarding unbecoming behavior outside Parliament building, but while carrying out official duty in their constituencies.
One thing for sure is that this Chiredzi West Member of Parliament, Farai Musikavanhu, has been publicly involved in acts that cost people’s lives on two documented occasions.
First was when he ordered the withdrawal of hospital equipment, including an ambulance, that had been donated to a hospital presumably in Chiredzi West constituency by a Zimbabwean citizen based in the United Kingdom for political reasons. And now he is at it again, vowing that supporters of the MDC will not receive any assistance as shown in the video accessible on the link accompanying this article.
If there are no rules that can be used to reprimand parliamentarians who are a nuisance to society in this manner, I would encourage Parliament of Zimbabwe to seriously consider creating regulations that would allow rogue parliamentarians such as Farai Musikavanhu to be brought to book. But Musikavanhu is not alone.
Zanu PF branded vehicles were seen hijacking Cyclone Idai food aid, and there were testimonies from people who had been identified as MDC supporters who were denied assistance.
In Tshabalala in Bulawayo a few weeks ago Zanu PF officials were at it again and members of the general public had to revolt against this Zanu PF practice.
The interesting thing about it all is that President Mnangagwa then tells a lie to the world that resources are being equitably distributed to all those who deserve. But why does President Mnangagwa protect such rogue behavior from his officials?
Two things are true here: either he is part of all this that is why he turns a blind eye to reports on such inhuman behaviour by his officials, or he genuinely doesn’t know that such things are happening, but on both counts, he is not fit for office and must go.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa must just go, because the atrocities that used to be committed on innocent Zimbabwe just because of their different political opinion from the Zanu PF way of thinking have increased and have been perfected to disguise the hideous acts in some cases. But thank God some daring Zimbabweans have been able to capture some of the acts on camera as evidence, but this is just the tip of the iceberg.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa must admit he has failed to control and leave, and Mr. Speaker Sir Jacob Mudenda, please think of the possible ways of reviewing regulations around parliamentarians conduct to ensure that incidents of this nature do not continue to occur.
MDC Namibia salutes the valour exhibited by Social Democrats in the face of brutal ‘Zanupf ‘ police.
MDC Namibia condemns the heavy-handedness of the supposed defenders and protectors of the citizens of Zimbabwe at the party headquarters yesterday.
As MDC Namibia, we are greatly perturbed and mesmerised by the thugocratic tendencies displayed at Morgan Tsvangirai house by the captured Zimbabwe Republic Police which has reduced itself to a Zanu PF functionary.
Unreformed Zanu PF under Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has unravelled its cynicism in the social, economic and political life of Zimbabweans in the Motherland.
Civil disobedience and dangerous freedom become inevitable in a Pariah state where the supposed peacemakers are the ones authoring violence and torture to innocent civilians.
It was really sad to witness the police suddenly turning satanic against social transformers who had gathered to listen to the much awaited “HOPE OF THE NATION” address from the People’s President Nelson Chamisa.
Zanu PF government under ED must cease masquerading as the new dispensation, the state-sponsored brutality on hungry, desperate innocent MDC supporters is incontrovertible evidence of their toxic politics and gross misgovernance.
MDC Namibia has vowed that the captured army and police are not big enough to ban the Constitution of the land since it is the Supreme law governing even power politicians.
We shall remain resolute in as far as championing the will of the people in Zimbabwe through political, diplomatic pressure and financial assistance for the party to undertake internal and external activities. The struggle in Zimbabwe will go on and the hope for socio-economic transformation shall not die easily.
Zanu PF’s intention to ban the Constitution of the country must be resisted with equal measure. What boggles the mind is that, initially, the MDC had applied for permission to stage the event at the Africa Unity Square in the central business district (CBD).
However, the partisan police refused to grant them permission on grounds that angry masses would take advantage of the meeting and vent their anger on the Mnangagwa establishment.
We can’t continue to depend on a clueless government that is always shivering in front of their people.
Zanu PF has turned the ZRP into a party security wing meant to protect stomach politicians looting the national cake that has gone beyond the reach of many nationals.
The ordinary people in the Motherland are experiencing hardships since they are scratching their heads for the next meal, from poor civil servants to the orphaned and widowed.
As MDC Namibia, we salute all the social democrats who paid heed for the clarion call for the (HONA) Hope of the nation address by the President of the people Advocate Nelson Chamisa in the wake of a blood-stained state-sponsored violent police.
We wish a speedy recovery of the victims of politically motivated torture in the name of the revolution.
Dangerous Freedom is the panacea to victory against peaceful slavery. Aluta continua Usacheuke muridzo. Hope is real.
By A Correspondent- An opposition leader in Zimbabwe has defended police brutality against MDC Alliance supporters saying it was necessary since they were dealing with a violent organisation.
Obert Chaurura Gutu, Vice President of the opposition MDC led by Dr Thokozani Khupe was speaking after the police violently dispersed MDC supporters and reporters who were gathered at Morgan Tsvangirai House where MDC-A leader, Advocate Nelson Chamisa was delivering his Hope of The Nation Address this Wednesday. Posting on Twitter, Gutu said:
“What do you expect the Police to do when they’re dealing with a renegade, violent, terrorist organisation? Do you expect the Police to fold their arms & watch as violent hooligans run amok?
“Come on! Give us a break!”
Gutu used to be the spokesperson of the MDC during the time of the late founding father of the party, former Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai.
The legal expert who has been accused of being a Zanu PF agent resigned from the party citing intraparty violence and he joined the MDC-T led by Khupe which also came out of power wrangles within the party which became apparent immediately before the death of Tsvangirai.
By A Correspondent- Former Minister of Welfare Services for War Veterans, War Collaborators and Former Political Detainees, Tshinga Dube has criticised the government over its lack of commitment to solve the White City bombing saga.
The former liberation fighter said that had the incident happened in other jurisdictions, heads would have rolled over the matter.
Referring to the explosion that took place on 23 June 2018 at a ZANU PF rally held at White City Stadium, Bulawayo, where President Emmerson Mnangagwa was addressing party supporters in preparation for the July harmonised elections, Dube said:
What happened at White City was very serious. In other countries, security forces would definitely not have been spared. In other countries, the head of security … military, intelligence and so forth would have been fired. But this did not happen because it is not in our culture in this country.
A number of presidential guard personnel lost their lives in the event whilst VP Kembo Mohadi, Mary Chiwenga and Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mabel Chonomona and other senior government officials sustained injuries.
Mnangagwa was whisked away by his security personnel and left the scene hurriedly, and yet, a year later, authorities have no clue as to who was responsible for the explosion.
By Nomusa Garikai- Two years ago yesterday, 19 November, 2017, Zimbabweans poured out into the streets in their hundreds of thousands in support of Emmerson Mnangagwa and his junta’s military coup that ousted the country’s long servicing corrupt and murderous tyrant, Robert Mugabe. Yes we all wanted to see the back of Mugabe but only the naive and gullible would embrace Mnangagwa and company as the nation’s liberators given they were the ones who had kept Mugabe in power all along.
The best course of action then was to welcome the demise of Robert Mugabe and go on to demand the demise of Mnangagwa and company too.
“Let’s give Mnangagwa a chance!” came the chorus. The origins of that folly was Chris Mutsvangwa and the others members of the junta and the seed quickly geminated and thrived in the fertile minds of the naive and gullible.
When he got into power, Mnangagwa proclaimed that “Zimbabwe is open for business!” from the roof tops. He was cocksure this was going to open a flood gate of new investors. Two years later it is clear the world heard his acclamations but were not convinced that the country had changed in any meaningful way.
Mnangagwa has continued to wear the multi-coloured scarf associated with the “Zimbabwe is open for business!” mantra. But everyone knows that the mantra itself is dead in the water!
Mnangagwa promised to hold free, fair and credible elections but never implemented even one democratic reforms. Not one!
“Zanu PF ichatonga! Igo tonga! Imi muchingohukura! Nokuhukura!” (Zanu PF will rule! And rule! Whilst you (calling for reforms) bark! And bark!) Mnangagwa assured his Zanu PF supporters repeatedly on his taking over power.
Only the usual suspects, the naive and gullible, were therefore surprise that Mnangagwa blatantly rig last year’s elections and, to rub salt and chilli into the eyes, has the arrogance to claim the elections were ‘freest and fairest elections and it is utopian to expect anything better!”
The last two years have shown that Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF cronies are corrupt, incompetent and beyond the democratic pale. It is therefore shocking that anyone, anyone at all with half a brain, would still want Mnangagwa and company to remain in public office even for one more day!
In his address to his MDC supporters and the public at large, Nelson Chamisa has repeated his call for the formation of the National Transition Authority (NTA). A Zanu PF and MDC power sharing arrangement in which he, Chamisa and a few other MDC leaders will hold cabinet position in the Mnangagwa administration.
Chamisa maintains that the NTA will implement the democratic reforms leading to the holding of free, fair and credible elections. This is nonsense! The NTA is nothing more than a watered down version of the 2008 to 2013 GNU; Zanu PF will have its 2/3 parliamentary majority for example. The GNU failed to get even one reform implemented and it is rich to expect the NTA to do any better.
“This (NTA) is not about power!” Chamisa tried to assure the public in his speech, dubbed Hope. The truth is, it is all about power and nothing else but power!
The NTA will enable Nelson Chamisa, Tendai Biti, David Coltart and possible two or three other MDC leaders to hold cabinet positions in this Mnangagwa government complete with all the ministerial limos, salary, etc., etc. And as for Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF junta, they too will be able to hang to their public office jobs as the NTA will legitimise their illegitimacy!
As stated above, the NTA will not result in the implementation of the reforms and thus deliver free, fair and credible elections. The NTA is just another feeble excuse for giving Mnangagwa another chance to stay in power and, just as happened with the November 2017 coup before it, there will be nothing gained, just more wailing and gnashing of teeth!
The only rational way forward is for the nation to accept that Mnangagwa and his cronies rigged last year’s elections, they have been rigging elections for the last 39 years and have got away with it setting the dangerous precedence.
This nation has paid dearly for this foolishness, the root cause of the country’s economic and political crisis is its failure to remove this corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship.
The only sure way to end the crisis is for the nation to finally grasp the nettle and demand that Mnangagwa and company step down so we can finally implement the reforms and end the curse of rigged elections!
By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) has confiscated Gweru City Council equipment which they use to install incandescent light bulbs to coerce the local authority to adopt energy-saving bulbs for public lighting.
The local government authority is currently using incandescent lights for public lighting in the Central Business District and on tower lights which is a restraint on Zera’s efforts to improve the efficient use of electricity in the country.
Gweru Mayor Councillor Josiah Makombe addressed Council on Monday and urged the council engineering department to accelerate compliant measures in the earliest possible time. He said:
Zera has descended on us and has given the local authority an ultimatum to adopt energy-saving bulbs for public lighting. We have no option but to comply with the directive from Zera. Some of our equipment has already been confiscated.
The development comes at a time when the country has a huge power deficit attributed to a number of factors including the shrinking of water levels at Kariba Dam and the ageing equipment at Hwange Power Station.
Zimbabwe is currently importing some of its electricity from South Africa and Mozambique.
By A Correspondent- Farmers in southern Africa should from this year, adapt and plant drought-resistant crops, concentrate on short season varieties and rear drought-tolerant livestock breeds as the frequency of droughts intensifies. Farmers should also be encouraged to grow traditional crops that are more drought-resistant and adaptable to climate change.
Hybrid varieties of both livestock and crops as well as long season varieties should be the preserve of those with irrigation.
Zimbabwe and most other SADC countries should step up efforts to harness water from dams and other sources to promote irrigation and enhance water supply to the region’s rapidly urbanising population.
In addition, governments across the region need to urgently plan to mobilise humanitarian assistance to support food requirements of the vulnerable populations.
This comes as southern Africa — which is in the grip of a crippling drought — is set to experience another severe round of drought in the 2019–2020 cropping season, worsening the food security situation which has left millions in need of food assistance, The Herald can reveal.
According to the latest Global Agricultural Geo-monitoring Initiative (GEOGLAM) special report on the Southern Africa 2019 -2020 cropping season, the entire Southern African region is forecast to receive below-average rainfall that may affect crops and reduce yields sharply.
The GEOGLAM forecast, to some extent, contradicts the SADC regional rainfall forecast for the 2019-2020 cropping season which predicted that most SADC countries were likely to receive normal to above normal rainfall.
Predictions issued by climate experts at the 23rd Southern African Regional Climate Outlook Forum (SACORF-13), which was held in Angola in September, indicate that the bulk of SADC is likely to receive normal to above normal rainfall for most of the period October to December (OND) 2019.
By A Correspondent- The Minister of Local Government, July Moyo has warned “unregistered” survivors of the Tropical Cyclone Idai against trying to benefit residential stands in the expected resettlement programme.
Speaking on Wednesday after talking to the majority of the survivors, Moyo said that they expressed the desire to be relocated from their current location. He added that only registered survivors will get residential stands.
He said:
I have heard that there are at least 32 tents which are currently being occupied by unregistered survivors. They should not attempt to be given residential stands, they won’t stand a chance.”
The survivors had earlier rejected the government’s offer to have them relocated to Nedziwa with some citing unfavourable farming conditions.
The cyclone destroyed houses and other properties and killed livestock in Manicaland whilst scores of residents, including popular traditional healer, Sekuru Ndunge, lost their lives.
By A Correspondent- A 10 month-old is among eight people who were arrested on Wednesday 20 November 2019 as Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers cracked down on citizens in Harare’s central business district.
Said the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights:
“The 10 month-old baby is currently detained at Harare Central Police Station together with her mother, who was arbitrarily arrested by ZRP officers on Wednesday 20 November 2019.
The minor was arrested together with seven other people while in the central business district and charged with disorderly conduct in a public place as defined in section 41 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
The eight people who are represented by Nontokozo Dube-Tachiona and Tonderai Bhatasara of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), include Collen Mubandarikwa aged 32 years, Gift Ben aged 30 years, Rose Chitsungo aged 30 years, Maria Tinago aged 36 years, Shoko Zindoga aged 42 years, Godfrey Karembera aged 42 years, Victor Maramba aged 20 years and Honzeri Zondani aged 37 years.
By end of day on Wednesday 20 November 2019, ZLHR lawyers were trying to convince ZRP officers to agree to release the baby and her mother, who was arrested while on her to the bank.”
By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesperson, George Charamba has said that POLAD was the only platform where national dialogue can take place.
His remarks come after opposition MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa, who snubbed POLAD, has once again called for dialogue between himself and Mnangagwa.
But Charamba said talks must not exclude other players who are regarded as equals under POLAD.
He said:
POLAD is the only framework and there is no other. Let that point be driven home. POLAD incorporates all political players as equals regardless of organisational status or results of 2018 elections.
Chamisa cannot at one level demand talks between equals while at the same time creating exclusion and inequality for others.
Whilst Chamisa wants a dialogue mediated by a “foreign and credible” mediator and also demands Mnangagwa’s legitimacy to be on the dialogue agenda, Charamba has said that POLAD which was initiated by the president will not involve outsiders and will “not resurrect the political question which was long decided in 2018 elections”.
It appears that SA’s foreign policy is underpinned by hostility to property rights in favour of crony state economy and violent repression, DA MP Mat Cuthbert said.
As Zimbabwean police clamped down on the opposition party MDC, the DA condemned the “legitimisation of strong man politics by International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor”, who in a recent answer to a written parliamentary question said South Africa “unequivocally stand in solidarity” with Zimbabwe despite alleged human rights abuses.
DA MP Mat Cuthbert asked Pandor what the South African government’s position was on the economic sanctions placed on Zimbabwe by the US and European Union (EU), whether it supported a human rights-based foreign policy and whether the government stood in solidarity with the Zimbabwean government despite its alleged human rights abuses.
“Our stance toward Zimbabwe’s economic sanctions is primarily guided by the positions of the Southern African Development Community [SADC] and African Union, which calls for the immediate lifting of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the US and EU,” Pandor in the answer that was distributed on Tuesday.
“South Africa’s foreign policy is premised on the observation and respect for human rights and this also guides our bilateral engagements.
“South Africa’s developmental aspirations and future are inextricably linked to that of the southern African region, as such South Africa unequivocally stands in solidarity with all SADC member states, including Zimbabwe. The UN Human Rights Council remains the UN’s mandated body to promote and protect human rights globally, not unilateral states’ decisions.”
On Wednesday Cuthbert said this negates the human rights-based foreign policy approach that has been adopted by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation in recent history.
“This is an explicit admission that Minister Pandor is not interested in the fact that daily abuses of power such as violence towards civilians, suppression of the independent press and electoral fraud are meted out by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.”
He said it appears that South Africa’s foreign policy is underpinned by hostility to property rights in favour of crony state economy and violent repression.
“This should not be the case as South Africa’s constitution is underpinned by the rule of law and democracy. Most disturbingly, it signifies an intent by the Minister to adopt an approach that is more favourable towards the National Democratic Revolution as opposed to the National Development Plan – which is in clear contradiction of national policy.”
He said the DA will not stand by while the government “throws its lot in with the strong men of continental politics”.
“Rather, we will continue to pursue an economic agenda that places human rights at the core of our policy offer.”
He said the DA believes that South Africa and Africa needs strong institutions to support democracy underpinned by the rule of law, not strong men arbitrarily creating and applying laws to suit their personal agendas or facilitate corruption and repression.
“This is crucial in us restoring our image as a beacon of light to the rest of the developing world.”
On Wednesday, Zimbabwean riot police fired tear gas and beat opposition supporters on Wednesday after barring a planned address by the main opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa, AFP reported.
Hundreds of supporters had gathered outside the headquarters in Harare of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) after the party was denied permission to hold a rally in the city’s Africa Unity Square.
Chamisa had been expected to make the address from the office balcony instead.
As the crowd danced to party songs blaring from speakers on the balcony, baton-wielding police arrived to disperse them.
An AFP correspondent saw a man with a bleeding gash on the head and a swollen arm after being hit with a truncheon as he left a food outlet.
By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union, the largest workers union in Zimbabwe has said that citizens have to be capacitated to defend themselves against state brutality.
The Union speaks after state police violently dispersed MDC supporters who were gathered at their party headquarters in Harare where party leader, Nelson Chamisa was set to deliver his Hope of The Nation Address.
Posting on Twitter, ZCTU suggested that it was a waste of resources to train security personnel. The Union said:
Wasted resources.
We always argue that instead of wasting resources on perpetrators of violence and brutality against citizens, better use those resources on the victims.
Best way forward is capacitating citizens for them to stand against the dictatorship.
ZCTU was responding to @PiersPigou who was “rhetorically” asking what had happened to the training on human right which the United Nations had earlier said Zimbabwe police had undergone.
UNDP in Zimbabwe had earlier said that Zimbabwe police had trained in upholding human rights for elections.
By Dorrothy Moyo| Vice President Constanino Chiwenga’s wikipedia profile has alleged the general is dead.
The port further alleges that he was relieved of his duties on the 10th November this year.
On the date of the death, it says he passed on on the 18 November 2019 at the People’s Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Sources close to the general however told ZimEye he is still alive and is recovering well while at the said hospital.
The Wikipedia report does not have any source trace.
Meanwhile, mystery surrounds sirenes that were heard 3 weeks in Borrowdale, Harare coming from the same vehicles that are recognised to be part of his regular motorcade. BELOW IS AN EXTRACT FROM THE PAGE:
State Media|National Social Security Authority (NSSA) managers awarded themselves between $100 000 and $460 000 in housing, vehicle and personal loans in many cases, without following laid down procedure and there was no subsequent enforcement on repayments, leaving many in arrears.
Checks such as capacity to repay based on monthly salary were ignored.
A consultant hired by NSSA to establish how loans were dished out, says they were approved without any “quality control”, with some beneficiaries that had not yet fully paid back earlier loans being given new loans.
Critically, some of the loans were approved without all those responsible for approval signing off on the loans, exposing corporate governance shortcomings.
The consultant says seven managers and eight executives have loans ranging from $100 000 to $460 000. The money was borrowed between January 2017 and December 2018.
NSSA board chairman Dr Cuthbert Chidoori yesterday confirmed that there are traces of irregularity in the parcelling out of loans, and vowed to recover the money.
“We are looking at loans issued in contravention of conditions of service. The NSSA conditions of service specify what loans staff are eligible for and what we have been given in that forensic (audit report) are numbers and figures which clearly, are in violation of those stipulations in the conditions of service,” said Dr Chidoori.
“So our interest is really to fall back and systematically go through whatever it is that has been unveiled and give an opportunity also to interrogate staff.
“And where indeed there is violation, the money has to be paid back. There will be recovery enforcement.
“This will affect even staff that have left NSSA. If they have left NSSA, we will have to institute civil recoveries.”
According to the consultant’s report, two executives who benefited from the loans, former general manager Elizabeth Chitiga and former investments director Chamunorwa Shadreck Vera, have since been fired.
NSSA chief occupational, health and safety and rehabilitation centre officer Dr Betty Nyereyegona, allegedly received a personal loan of $10 000 with a loan interest rate of 6,5 percent on October 1, 2017.
She started making monthly repayments on February 1, 2018, indicating that no payments were made in the first three months from receiving the loan.
Dr Nyereyegona went on to access another loan of $1 000 for home improvement. However, the consultant found that the section that is supposed to be completed by loan officers was not fully signed.
“The application form wasn’t completed by the accounts department and the salaries and loans department. The loan application form contains six sections, but only four sections were completed,” reads the report.
There was potential financial prejudice of US$3 451,84 due to non-repayment of loans.
NSSA group legal and corporate secretarial executive Ms Cynthia Mugwira allegedly received a personal loan of $2 500 on October 1, 2017, with an interest rate of 6,5 percent.
No monthly payments were made for six months from November 1, 2017 to May 1, 2018 towards the initial loan received.
“Mugwira C. T then further received another loan of $2 650 on 1 May 2018 with the same loan interest. This indicates that
there was no close monitoring of loan repayments hence low compliance and a risk of non-payment of loans,” observed the consultant.
In terms of housing loans, it was found out that no proper documentation is “being maintained, first on the qualifications. The policy stipulates that the loan qualification amount shall be as per prevailing building schedules or as directed by the board from time to time”.
However, the consultant couldn’t get documents in support of that. The policy states that money advanced to an applicant should be deposited into the third party account and receipts are to be obtained.
Dr Nyereyegona had a housing loan of $30 000, which was deposited into her personal account but she allegedly didn’t produce receipts.
Chitiga is also alleged to have obtained a housing loan of $300 000 on February 7, 2017.
The application form was not fully approved, with the head of department not signing it. In this instance, NSSA was potentially prejudiced to the tune of US$15 783,93 resulting from no loan repayments.
The consultant said Chitiga had a due housing loan balance of $355 739,72 on April 1, 2018 that attracted a loan interest rate of 5 percent.
For nine months between April 1, 2018 and December 1, 2018, no payments were made.
Emerson Mungwariri is alleged to have applied for a vehicle loan of $75 900 on January 5, 2017, but it was recorded as $90 000 in the executive loan listings.
Other bosses who got vehicle loans but did not honour monthly payments are Chiuta J. T who got $57 000 on September 18, 2017.
Former NSSA general manager Barnabus Matongera had a vehicle loan due of $3 399,36 on December 1, 2017.
The loan attracted an interest rate of 7 percent. According to the report, no payment was made between December 1, 2017 and January 1, 2018.
Ms Mugwira also applied for a vehicle loan with a purchase price of $68 950 but an anomaly was noted as the executive loan list shows an amount of $70 000.
The NSSA system is understood to be so faulty that Chitiga, who borrowed a personal loan of $10 000, had continuous deductions from January 1, 2018 to April 1, 2018, despite having paid the initial loan in full.
Chitiga is now owed $3 337, 61 by NSSA for that loan, although owing on other loans, and the consultant says the beneficiary might have an outstanding loan which was not recorded that she is servicing or the system is misrouting transactions.
Tensions are running high between the military and President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government after a soldier stationed at State House emptied an AK 47 magazine in the ai
According to former Zanu-PF spin doctor Professor Jonathan Moyo, the soldier has since been arrested and detained by the military police.
“A young presidential guard soldier emptied his magazine firing in the air at State House in Harare this morning. He was arrested as he was reloading,” said Prof Moyo.
A young presidential guard soldier emptied his magazine firing in the air at State House in Harare this morning. He was arrested as he was reloading. He complained of hardships and said he “can’t survive in dead economy’. He’s been detained by the military at its holding cells!
“He complained of hardships and said he ‘can’t survive in dead economy’. He’s been detained by the military at its holding cells.”
The army helped Mnangagwa to the presidency with its former General and present Vice President Constantino Chiwenga leading a coup to dethrone former President Robert Mugabe.
There has been tensions between Mnangagwa and the army who have not been spared the effects of the downward spiraling economy.
Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri recently told Parliamentarians that the soldiers were now living in squalid conditions.
Temba Mliswa, the Norton MP suggested that government gives the army tenders for capital projects.
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An anti-riot policeman in Zimbabwe kicks a woman as they dispersed a crowd gathered to hear an address by the leader of the MDC Alliance, Nelson Chamisa, at Morgan Tsvangirai House, in Harare, on November 20 2019. Image: Jekesai NJIKIZANA / AFP
The MDC Alliance has vowed that the army and police were not “big enough” to stop it from championing the will of the people.
This was said by party leader Nelson Chamisa’s spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda after police moved in to violently disperse crowds at the party headquarters in Harare.
“The police and the army are not big enough to stop Chamisa and the MDC. The struggle of Zimbabwe will go on and hope will not die. We are surprised at the behaviour of the police today.
“We are not spoiling for a fight with them but they are the ones spoiling for a fight with the people of Zimbabwe. Today there was a peaceful, not violent, gathering until the police came and the only violence we saw was from the state,” he said.
On Wednesday morning, armed riot police moved in swiftly and allegedly beat up MDC Alliance supporters that had gathered to listen to Chamisa’s “Hope Of The Nation” address.
Initially, the MDC Alliance had applied for permission to stage the event at the Africa Unity Square in the CBD. However, police refused to grant them permission on grounds that angry masses would take advantage of the meeting and vent their anger on the Mnangagwa establishment.
“The ordinary citizens in the country are experiencing economic hardships so any call for the public meeting in the CBD might be taken advantage of by the already agitated citizens and violence might erupt,” the police said in the response.
But the opposition defied the police order, and instead chose to stage the address at Morgan Tsvangirai House.
Before Chamisa could arrive, the police instructed people to leave. When nobody listened, police moved in.
Human rights advocate Pedzisayi Ruhanya called it “Mnangagwa’s authoritarian signature”, while MDC Alliance senator David Coltart on Twitter posted pictures of people who sustained head injuries.
“To all those apologists of the Mnangagwa regime – look into the eyes of these innocent victims of gross ZRP brutality this morning. Old men and women included,” he tweeted.
This year alone at least five MDC Alliance rallies and public meetings have been banned.
Paul Nyathi|Parents with children at Bulawayo’s Dominican Convent School in Bulawayo were in for a rude awakening after school authorities announced school fees for January 2020.
Under the proposed fee structure, parents will be expected to pay ZWL12500 for the first term with an initial deposit of ZWL3900 being due by 29 November.
Check out the letter that was sent to parents below.
State Media|The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) water crisis has worsened with the local authority revising weekly water shedding hours from 72 hours to 92 hours.
Last month the council increased weekly water shedding hours from 48 to 72.
In a statement yesterday, Bulawayo Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube said the new shedding schedule comes into effect on Monday.
He warned that high lying areas are likely to be affected beyond the scheduled times.
“The City of Bulawayo would like to advise members of public of the review of the current 72-hour weekly water shedding programme to 96 with effect from Monday 25 November 2019. The programme is being reviewed in a bid to stabilise the reservoirs and prevent them from depleting further. It is further being implemented in a bid to raise the raw water reservoir level to a comfortable buffer level of 5,5 metres. The current level of 0,76 metres (14 percent) is not safe for the city given the high demand being experienced,” he said.
Mr Dube said the water shedding programme is subject to change if the raw water reservoir level improves or deteriorates beyond the critical level.
“All the areas that are on high ground and are affected for more than 96 hours will be supplied with water by council bowsers,” he said.
Mr Dube said Zesa power cuts and increase in the water consumption levels have worsened the situation.
“The city continues to face the following challenges in connection with the water supply situation: (1) Intermittent power supply to Ncema Water Treatment plant and Fernhill pumping station, Umzingwane, Inyankuni dams and now Mtshabezi dam. (2) Interruption of water supply into Magwegwe reservoir from Nyamandlovu Aquifer due to power supply disruptions. (3) Limited raw water pumping due to old KSB pump which constantly breaks down,” he said.
Mr Dube said the city’s water consumption averages 155 megalitres per day against the capacity of 110 megalitres.
He said Umzingwane Dam, which is at 4,85 percent, will be decommissioned in the next few days.
The council recently reintroduced the big flush to encourage residents to simultaneously flush their toilets as a way of curbing sewer pipe bursts in the morning between 6am-6:30 am and in the evening between 8pm and 8:30pm.
Members of Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) staged a protest outside OK supermarket along 6th Avenue and Lobengula Street, popularly known as Egodini on Wednesday, alleging the company’s management recruited people from outside Matabeleland a few weeks ago.
The exercise, which lasted about 30 minutes brought to halt customers and people who were going about their normal business, as MRP members perched themselves outside the supermarket’s premises and held handwritten placards.
Some of the placards were written ‘Bulawayo jobs for local people,’ ‘Shutdown OK,’ ‘No to Tribalism’ as the MRP members denounced OK’s alleged unfair job recruitment process.
Staff from OK supermarket were surprised by the happenings and only watched in silence.
In an interview with CITE, MRP’s Communications Officer, Velile Moyo, said the party recently wrote a letter to the OK management, asking them to review the manner in which they had carried out their recruitment process.
“The company recently recruited seven new staff members and only two of them were people from Matabeleland. Did they fail to find capable locals that they had to bring in workers from Harare? What we did today is the first phase. We were here to show OK management that we were serious when we expressed our concern in the letter we wrote,” he said.
Moyo noted that the economic situation was bad for everyone in the country, which was why locals had to benefit from local opportunities.
“This protest is a sign that we mean business. If they do not address our concerns soon enough we’ll be back here again. Devolution should not be used as a tool for campaigning but we need it to be exercised throughout,” he said.
MRP has over time grown a reputation for challenging practices by various stakeholders, who they feel sideline people of Matabeleland from benefiting from local resources and opportunities.
Rodney Ncube, a member of the party, added that “Bulawayo people” were constantly denied opportunities to work in local companies.
“When people bring in businesses to the city they must pay back to the community by creating jobs for locals. It makes no sense for a big company such as OK to have more employees that come from outside the city.
“Local people are the ones who buy from these shops and it’s only fair that locals be employed in these places too. We have enough qualified and experienced people in Bulawayo and Matabeleland to work in these companies,” he pointed out.
Paul Nyathi|Mpilo Central Hospital held its nurses graduation and prize giving day under the protection of police at the Bulawayo Large City Hall Wednesday to thwart off any interference from members of the public who might feel hard done by the recent ‘controversial ’ nursing recruitment at the institution.
The central hospital was caught up in a storm recently where out of its 24 newly recruited nurses only four students are local which raised the ire of activists and political parties.
ZAPU besieged Mpilo’s nursing school and temporarily halted lessons demanding a fresh recruitment that would include more locals.
Previously, hospitals advertised nurse training vacancies and did the recruitment but this year, the government decided to use an online application system and recruitment process which led to the controversy.
A ZAPU delegation led by its national organising secretary, Retired Lieutenant Colonel John Zolane Dlamini met with the Mpilo CEO, Leonard Mabhandi, Clinical Director, Dr Solwayo Ngwenya, and other administrative staff over the recruitment process.
Dlamini inquired what government policy was in place which neglected locals in their own setting and one that institutions such as Mpilo implemented without questioning.
In the run up to the graduation ceremony rumours went around the city that Mthwakazi Activists and ZAPU supporters were going to disrupt the ceremony to attack the so claimed predominant Shona graduate nurses.
Police were deployed both at the hospital in the morning and at the graduation venue in anticipation of trouble.
However no trouble took place, as the graduation went ahead as scheduled.
Paul Nyathi|Government will soon revive the Zimbabwe Mass Media Trust that is mandated to oversee operations of State owned media companies.
This was said by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Mr Nick Mangwana when he appeared before the Portfolio Committee on Information, Media and Broadcasting Services on Wednesday.
The Zimbabwe Mass Media Trust was established by government in 1981 to oversee the operations of news organisations owned by the State.
The last board of the ZMMT which was chaired by Harare lawyer Honour Mkushi was dissolved in December 2000.
The trust had responsibility over the Zimbabwe Newspapers (Zimpapers) group, Kingstons, Zimbabwe Information Services, and the national news agency, Ziana.
The decision to disband the Trust was taken after Mkushi discussed the dissolution with the then Minister of state for information and publicity, Prof Jonathan Moyo.
Yesterday around 3.30 I had a long chat with a colleague who is working at a local hospital who told me my brother the state in our hospitals is extremely bad, despite the State paper and other propaganda machinery aimed at spinning information, people are dying in huge numbers. Mortuaries are flooded with dead bodies and they are working with other companies like Nyaradzo to accommodate more bodies. For those who were thinking that everything is normal, there is nothing like that.
Let’s come closer come, I find it very difficult and surprising that my learned colleague, Muthuli Ncube who was a professor in all those reputable institutions, and moreover he worked at African Development Bank as a Vice President, he also worked in South Africa in one of the most recognised universities, before switching to London, and later alone the collapsed bank. I’m failing to come to terms with reality that the whole Government fail to declare ” A state of emergency” in the health sector.
Honestly what is Mnangagwa doing to resolve the crisis? I went through the budget statement, I’m not sure who drafted the statement, budget allocating 88 Million to a non -existing looting facility called ” POLAD” is extremely worry some. Is Polad an arm of the state? Recently the failed project, anti -sanction march gobbled over 4 Million with university students scrambling for chicken slice left overs.
That 4 million United States dollars could have gone to all State Hospitals and doctors’s allowances. Whats wrong with Zanu PF Government? If these political parties subscribed to Polad project were really sincere and genuine with a proper national agenda, they would have declined that whole some 88 million. If I’m not mistaken, if you count those opposition members under POLAD, they are less than 100 people country wide including their supporters and reality is they will receive perks and other benefits. This is a mockery and no investor will take this country seriously.
Instead my brother is talking of launching a satellite project and other non-existing imaginations and he has already allocated resources for that.
We have health, education, industry and other critical sectors of the economy and if you go through the statement you are run short of concluding that this was a poetry done by economics student in the first year at UZ.
Today we have a state Vice President who has gone under medical checks using state funds, we have ministers and other senior officials who have been seeking medical assistance outside the country and some are flown on emergency flights gobbling millions of dollars. Recently few months back, we buried the former President Robert Mugabe, who was seeking in foreign lands seeking medical assistance.
Takatadzeiko? The common person can’t afford a loaf of bread, and even a decent meal.
Four million people face starvation, we have no grain in stock, yet RBZ released over 5.9 billion United States dollars in the name of Command Agriculture. Public Accounts Committee chaired by Biti ( Harare East Lawmaker & Barrister) summoned the Command Agriculture chief and he is nowhere to be seen.
In short from 2017 to 2019, Zimbabwe has lost over 9 Billion USD ( United States dollars) .
The world over this kind of looting has not been recorded, ours have reached alarming levels !!!
Something must happen !!!
Chanhuwa chinhu ichi.!!!
Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo – Doctor of Philosophy Candidate ( Women’s University in Africa), B.A Solusi University, MA University of Lusaka, Zambia, Post Grad in Project Management – University of Zimbabwe & B.Sc Development Studies Candidate ( Zimbabwe Open University) and he can be contacted at [email protected]
Paul Nyathi|Newly appointed Sports, Youth Arts and Recreation deputy minister Tinoda Machakaire has rejected a government vehicle allocated to him after his appointment last week, sources have revealed.
The vehicle he rejected is a latest top of the range Toyota Land Cruiser V8.
“Deputy Ministers appointed in the Cabinet reshuffle were given cars for use, but Tinoda Machakaire who is the deputy Minister of Sports, Youth and Recreation refused to take the car, saying he was okay. He asked the government to use it in other departments that are facing transport shortages,” he said.
The very wealthy deputy minister, who is director of Tinmac Transport and Logistics, is said to have said that he had enough of those vehicles before suggesting that it could be used in other departments.
Machakaire hit headlines recently when the Zanu PF Youth League listed him amongst the country’s most corrupt people.
The Youth League cleared Machakaire of any wrongdoing after the youthful legislator reportedly availed his business financial reports and bank accounts to the party organ to scrutinise his dealings.
Contacted for comment on his refusal of the vehicle, Machakaire professed ignorance.
“Why are you worried about me having a car, we have several issues we need to deal with as a nation, the youths and the arts sector have problems that need to be dealt with. Those are issues I am busy liaising with my boss Minister (Kirsty) Coventry to address not to dwell on issues that have nothing to do with development or delivering the promise,” he said.
He reportedly requested that all Sports, Arts and Recreation Ministry offices should be housed at the same building to allow smooth operations.
Dr Charles Muzamhindo drives a United States of Africa brilliant Agenda
South African based medical practitioner and Intellectual Dr Charles Weggy Muzamhindo launches a United States of Africa project which will spearhead a pan African agenda. Muzamhindo, an intellectual comes up with a brilliant idea for Africa. A United States of Africa idea which will give birth to the following :
1. One passport
2. One currency
3. No borders
4. One Love
5. One idea
6. Africa Networking
7. Key resolutions
8. Nkwame Nkurumah idea & 1900
9. Removes trade barriers
10. Leadership rotational
11One Army
12. Several Pan-African congresses
Marcus Garvey idea and resolutions to be implemented
Muzamhindo a scholar and brilliant academic pushes for a Pan – African Developmental idea which will be a relief to many African states who are finding difficult to liberalize their economies leading to Under- Development concept similar to the Gunter and Prebisch theory. Prebisch Raul made it clear in his Dependency theory that African particularly the Sub-Saharah continent will remain under-developed as long as Developed countries come to wipe all our resources.
Despite Zimbabwe with all minerals remain the most poorest countries within the continent. We are the second largest platinum producer in Africa if not in the world, we own huge gold reserves, we have chrome, we have diamonds and what do we have as Africans, thunders Muzamhindo.
Muzamhindo one of the few respected medical practitioners within Southern Africa because of his specialty in key chronic diseases has made it clear that Africa can do its best by owning it’s own resources, ideas with a Pan African Developmental idea.
Dr Charles Weggy Muzamhindo can be contacted on [email protected] or twitter united stated of africa.
State Media|Government claims to have met officials from the Chinese Embassy in Harare on Wednesday and reached an agreement on funds extended to Zimbabwe by Beijing this year.
Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube issued a statement claiming that they had agreed on figures with the Chinese officials but did not however reflect the new figures on his statement.
“On the 19th of November 2019, the Chinese Embassy in Harare queried figures captured in the 2020 National Budget Statement. On the 20th of November 2019, officials from the Embassy of the People’s Republic and the Government of Zimbabwe held a cordial meeting.
“The two sides have reached an agreement on the facts and figures contained in the statement issued by the embassy on the 19th of November 2019 and the 2020 National Budget Statement.
“The two sides agreed to continue on a common accounting mechanism.”
Prof Ncube said some of the projects China assisted Zimbabwe to undertake included upgrading of the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, the New Parliament Building in Mt Hampden, rehabilitation of Hwange 7 and 8, Cyclone Idai, Mahusekwa District Hospital (which was officially opened by President Mnangagwa last Saturday), food aid and borehole drilling programme.
He said China had also provided Zimbabwe with loans and grants for various other development projects.
“The Government of Zimbabwe appreciates the support it continues to receive from its all-weather friend, the People’s Republic of China, and acknowledges the determination of China to develop closer cooperation with Zimbabwe,” said Prof Ncube.
Below is the full statement by Mthuli Ncube:
On Tuesday, Government said it would engage the Chinese Embassy in Harare to establish a common accounting position on how much Harare received from Beijing as development partner support for 2019.
In the Budget statement, delivered on Thursday last week, Prof Ncube had captured US$3,6 million as the funding that Government had received from China.
However, the Chinese Embassy said it had provided US$136,8 million.
State Media|The Southern Africa region — which is in the grip of a crippling drought — is set to experience another severe round of drought in the 2019–2020 cropping season, worsening the food security situation which has left millions in need of food assistance, state run Herald newspaper has revealed.
According to the latest Global Agricultural Geo-monitoring Initiative (GEOGLAM) special report on the Southern Africa 2019 -2020 cropping season, the entire Southern African region is forecast to receive below-average rainfall that may affect crops and reduce yields sharply.
The GEOGLAM forecast, to some extent, contradicts the SADC regional rainfall forecast for the 2019-2020 cropping season which predicted that most SADC countries were likely to receive normal to above normal rainfall.
Predictions issued by climate experts at the 23rd Southern African Regional Climate Outlook Forum (SACORF-13), which was held in Angola in September, indicate that the bulk of SADC is likely to receive normal to above normal rainfall for most of the period October to December (OND) 2019.
GEOGLAM, a Geneva-based satellite monitoring observation system, said the rainfall pattern will worsen the region’s food security position following last year’s drought which ravaged the entire sub-continent.
“The latest seasonal forecast models indicate below – normal December to February (DJF) rainfall across the southern half of the region, spanning from southern Zambia to Namibia and south through South Africa,” read part of the report.
“Persistent drier than normal conditions during this DJF period may affect crop establishment and suppress crop yields.”
Planting in Zimbabwe and most other SADC countries was already underway for the 2019 – 20 summer crop.
The region’s rainfall season usually runs from around mid-October through to March the following year.
The report indicated that rainfall received so far in the Southern Africa region has been below average across a number of countries.
“Areas forecast to receive below – average rainfall include those areas impacted by the 2018 -19 drought. Food security and access will be of increasing concern if forecast below-average rains materialize,” GEOGLAM reported.
The Geneva-based agency coordinates satellite monitoring observation systems in different regions of the world in order to enhance crop production projections and weather forecasting data.
A November 14, weather forecast from the NOAA Climate Prediction Center (CPC) predicts that most parts of Southern Africa could see mixed rainfall conditions during the remainder of November.
Drier than normal conditions are forecast in central and southern South Africa, which constitute some of the key cereal-producing provinces of the country.
“Seasonal rainfall across Southern Africa normally spans from October to March, with key rainfall occurring during the December and February DJF period, during which the bulk of the rains are received,” read part of the report.
“However, recent forecast models indicate DJF rainfall will likely be below – average across much of the region during the 2019/20 main cropping season. The latest forecast from the North American Multi-Model Ensemble (NMME) predicts below – normal DJF rainfall for the southern half of the region, spanning coast to coast from Namibia to Mozambique, and southwards from Zambia through South Africa.”
The NMME predicts a 40 to 50 percent chance of below – normal DJF rainfall throughout a large area of Southern Africa.
“Higher chances of below – normal DJF rainfall, at 50 to 60 percent, are predicted by the NMME in north-eastern South Africa, southern Zimbabwe, and southern Mozambique, as well as in parts of north-eastern Namibia, eastern Botswana, and eastern South Africa,” the report noted.
“Affected areas are forecast to experience moderate to severe seasonal rainfall deficits. While seasonal forecasts are inherently uncertain, there is agreement from multiple models as to below-normal rainfall being likely across southern areas of the region.
“This increases confidence in the forecast. The signal appears related to a forecast rainfall dipole consistent with the recently observed pattern of enhanced rainfall in tropical eastern Africa.”
According to the NMME, there is a 40 to 60 percent probability of above-normal DJF rainfall in Kenya, Tanzania, and northern Mozambique.
“In addition, dry conditions could limit the recharge of already depleted water reservoirs, further reducing the water available for irrigation and contributing to the continuation of reduced electrical output from the Kariba Dam, which could further affect irrigation potential in Zambia and Zimbabwe,” the report said.
“Ongoing evaluation of the latest observations and forecasts will be critical for early identification of potential drought impacts on crops.”
Extreme drought across Southern Africa has led to water rationing, falling dam water levels, livestock deaths, widespread crop failure and the declaration of drought emergencies in most countries.
The region recorded the lowest rainfall in nearly four decades in the 2018-2019 cropping season, leading to increased food insecurity and water shortages in all the countries.
The drought also affected water supplies for domestic, industrial and agricultural — irrigation and livestock — usage.
The impact of the drought that swept across the SADC region last season has been felt across all sectors, including agriculture, food and nutrition security, tourism, energy, health, water and sanitation and education.
A majority of small-scale farmers are struggling to produce enough food to feed their families owing to the drought that ravaged most parts of the region.
Dam levels have dropped to their worst levels in decades, while pasture and water scarcity has decimated livestock and crops running into millions of dollars.
Over nine million people in Southern Africa are facing severe hunger following a harsh drought that hit the entire sub-continent in the 2018-19 cropping season, according to the United Nations.
The UN World Food Programme said about 9,2 million in southern Africa were ‘acutely food insecure,’ and that the number could rise to more than 12 million in the lean period between now and March 2020.
The UN agency plans to assist approximately 5,4 million people with life-saving assistance and critical livelihood interventions in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho, Eswatini, Namibia, Madagascar, and Malawi.
Climate change is increasingly becoming a major challenge for most African countries, with the continent’s poorest people hardest hit.
Scientists say people in Africa have limited capacity to deal with hazards that are coming with extreme weather conditions that have in recent years led to large-scale destruction.
Even climate experts say it’s becoming more complex to make predictions due to rapidly changing conditions and interactions between humans and their environment.
Said Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE) climate scientist Professor Desmond Manatsa: “Climate change has destroyed the relationship between weather, environment and human activities.
“Climate change has destroyed that relationship that we used to have. This has brought uncertainty, which is now affecting forecasting. We do not fully comprehend what climate change has in store for us.
“Dimensions that we used to have to make predictions with high predictability has been eroded. We are moving towards chaos.”
Ecocash services remained subdued yesterday with no improvement in sight but with the firm assuring customers that the platform would soon stabilise as it was working “round the clock” to optimise “a few components”.
The setback which has left millions without means of making payments, followed a weekend upgrade that started on Saturday and was expected to end on Sunday.
In a statement last night, Cassava Smartech Zimbabwe, the company that owns EcoCash, said the process of stabilising its new platform was “nearly” complete and pleaded for patience as it worked to “optimise” the performance of the service.
It described the new upgrade as more secure.
“We once again would like to thank our valued customers for bearing with us during this critical period in which we are now optimising the various EcoCash services in a live environment,” said Mr Eddie Chibi, the CEO of Cassava Smartech Zim- babwe.
“The core of our platform is now working quite well, but some work is still continuing on the optimisation of a few components that involve integration to third parties. We sincerely apologise to our customers for the inconvenience this may have caused them.”
Mr Chibi said their engineers, along with experts from Comviva — the international platform vendor of the EcoCash platform who have been on the ground in Zimbabwe for a month in preparation for the major upgrade — were working around the clock to resolve all outstanding issues.State media
Ecocash services remained subdued yesterday with no improvement in sight but with the firm assuring customers that the platform would soon stabilise as it was working “round the clock” to optimise “a few components”.
The glitches, which has left millions without means of making payments, followed a weekend upgrade that started on Saturday and was expected to end on Sunday.
In a statement last night, Cassava Smartech Zimbabwe, the company that owns EcoCash, said the process of stabilising its new platform was “nearly” complete and pleaded for patience as it worked to “optimise” the performance of the service.
It described the new upgrade as more secure.
“We once again would like to thank our valued customers for bearing with us during this critical period in which we are now optimising the various EcoCash services in a live environment,” said Mr Eddie Chibi, the CEO of Cassava Smartech Zimbabwe.
“The core of our platform is now working quite well, but some work is still continuing on the optimisation of a few components that involve integration to third parties. We sincerely apologise to our customers for the inconvenience this may have caused them.”
Mr Chibi said their engineers, along with experts from Comviva — the international platform vendor of the EcoCash platform who have been on the ground in Zimbabwe for a month in preparation for the major upgrade — were working around the clock to resolve all outstanding issues.
EcoCash announced a planned major upgrade of its platform last week to improve system availability, user experience, security and long-term capacity issues.
EcoCash services have remained depressed causing major business prejudice since the platform handles about 86,5 percent of Zimbabwe’s transactions and 99 percent of mobile money transfers.
Few services such as buying airtime, data and other transactions were possible with supermarkets and fuel service stations short-cut systems still down thereby leaving several businesses hamstrung.
The unavailability of other services has made buying goods and services basically impossible. State Media/Herald
JOHANNESBURG– The 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers wrapped up for this international break with seven matches across the continent on Tuesday, with the headline result being Ethiopia’s surprise victory over West African heavyweights Ivory Coast.
The afternoon matches saw Morocco pick up their first win in Group E, thumping Burundi 3-0 away from home thanks to goals from Noussair Mazraoui, Youssef En Nesyri and Achraf Hakimi, while Ethiopia claimed a famous 2-1 win over Cote d’Ivoire in Group K.
Serge Aurier put the Elephants ahead early on, but the Wayla Antelopes struck back through Sufarel Dagnachew and Shimelis Bekele for their first three points.
In the early-evening games, Madagascar opened up a three-point lead at the top of Group K with an emphatic 6-2 away win over Niger, led by a brace from Lalaina Nomenjanahary.
Zambia’s awful start to the qualifiers continued with a 2-1 home loss at the hands of arch rivals Zimbabwe (whose goals were both scored by Khama Billiat), and Mauritania have joined Morocco at the top of Group E with a 2-0 home triumph over Central African Republic.
The night matches both came from Group J, where Tunisia have taken a strong grip on top spot with a 1-0 win away to Equatorial Guinea (Wahbi Khazri netted for the Carthage Eagles in the second half), while Libya leapfrogged Tanzania by defeating the Southeast African side 2-1 in Monastir thanks to goals from Sanad Al Warfali and Anis Saltou.
Ethiopia came from behind to shock the Ivory Coast 2-1 and Madagascar crushed Niger 6-2 in fierce heat as 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) match-day two qualifying concluded on Tuesday.
Hundreds in a huge crowd at the 60 000-seat Bahir Dar stadium ran on to the field at full-time to salute an Ethiopian side composed of 10 home-based footballers plus one who plays in Egypt. – AFP.
THE 2019 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season will spill over into the second week of December due to a tight fixture congestion that involved the Warriors and Caf club competitions.
Delta Channel Marketing executive Irimayi Muzorewa told a panel of experts, who include Sports Editors, at a pre-Soccer Stars of the Year selection meeting in Harare yesterday that they had agreed with the PSL that the last games of the season be played on December 14.
The season suffered fixture disruptions due to the Warriors’ participation in the Cosafa competition in South Africa as well as the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Defending league champions FC Platinum and Triangle United’s participation in the Caf Champions League and Caf Confederation Cup respectively also frustrated the PSL’s fixtures programme hence the unprecedented overlap into the second week of December.
As a result of the season overlap, Muzorewa said the Castle Challenge Cup, which is supposed to be the last game of the season, had been shelved to the beginning of the 2020 season.
The Castle Challenge Cup pits the league champions and winners of the Chibuku Super Cup. Highlanders will clash against Ngezi Platinum Stars in this year’s Chibuku Super Cup final at Barbourfields Stadium on November 30.
“The Castle Challenge Cup will now be the season opener for 2020 because we want to give the players time to rest after what has been a long season,” said Muzorewa.State media
Emmerson Mnangagwa will not participate in any talks outside the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD), a home-grown national framework where all political parties are equal and no outsiders are allowed.
Presidential spokesman and Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Mr George Charamba said this in response to MDC-Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa’s call yesterday for bilateral talks between his party and Zanu-PF party, without the participation of other political parties.
Addressing his supporters in Harare yesterday, Mr Chamisa said his party was prepared for dialogue between the country’s two biggest parties — Zanu-PF and MDC-Alliance.
“We want to engage with President Mnangagwa for the betterment of the people. We do not want a Government of National Unity, but sharing the vision, the union of ideas that take the country forward,” he said.
But, President Mnangagwa’s spokesman ruled this out.
Said Mr Charamba: “POLAD is the only framework and there is no other. Let that point be driven home. POLAD incorporates all political players as equals regardless of organisational status or results of 2018 elections.
“Chamisa cannot at one level demand talks between equals while at the same time creating exclusion and inequality for others.
“POLAD will not involve outsiders. It’s a national dialogue managed nationally and involving nationals of Zimbabwe. It does not resurrect the political question which was long decided in 2018 elections.
“It merely enlists the collective national mind in resolving the burning questions which are economic and diplomatic.”
Zanu-PF national spokesperson Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo said the party was clear on the need to engage in dialogue with all political parties. “The President is ready to talk to anyone. I understand the MDC-A leader met with Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC).
“Chamisa told Bishop Mutendi that MDC-A was willing to talk to President Mnangagwa anytime. He must do a follow up with the envoy. I hope that is the right thing to do,” said Cde Khaya Moyo.
Mr Chamisa also said that he wanted a transitional authority to prepare comprehensive reforms that would usher in a new dispensation.
“We have to come together to find the definition of our problems. We are appealing to SADC to call Zanu-PF and MDC-A to engage each other for the national cause. The main show should be between Zanu-PF and MDC-A, but it should be done outside the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD).
“We are committed to dialogue outside POLAD,” said Mr Chamisa. But, Mr Charamba said Mr Chamisa was desperate for talks because he was facing dwindling support.
“Clearly, the young man (Chamisa) is mistakenly believing that he embodies the hope of this nation yet in reality he is a politician suffering a fast diminishing profile and influence.
“Secondly, he doesn’t realise that he who begs for talks cannot set and choose the conditions,” said Mr Charamba.
He said MDC-A must stop dreaming of forming a Government of National Unity (GNU).
“So anyone dreaming about transitional nonsense and GNU are men and women of yesterday. GNU closed in 2013 and Chamisa cannot wish for a GNU.”
Emmerson Mnangagwa has already opened dialogue with all political players who participated in the 2018 harmonised elections, except the MDC-A, which has decided to remain on the sidelines.
Ambassador Moyo said the President has repeatedly said his door was open for dialogue to move the country forward. – State Media/Herald
THE walk out by Zanu-PF legislators on the Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts chaired by MDC Alliance vice president Mr Tendai Biti last week was long overdue as the ruling party can no longer allow the opposition to disrespect President Mnangagwa.
The Zanu-PF legislators on Friday walked out on the Mr Biti led committee, a day after the MDC Alliance legislators snubbed the 2020 national budget presentation by Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube.
The MDC Alliance legislators have been walking out on President Mnangagwa saying they do not recognise him.
“I think this was long overdue,” said Matemadanda in reference to the Friday walk out.
“We have three arms of Government, the executive, legislature and judiciary and without one of the three then we do not have a Government and this should be understood very well by MDC people because the party has many lawyers as members including their leader. They must know this.”
Matemadanda said it was hypocritical for MDC Alliance to refuse to recognise President Mnangagwa after their court challenge to nullify the Presidential elections won by President Mnangagwa was thrown out.
“There is no government that can be there on earth without the executive.
You have a confused lot, just four days earlier, they were in Victoria Falls receiving hefty allowances and I know that many have been complaining going to Parliament to say they were not paid allowances in full and yet they do not want to recognise the full process of even getting those allowances,” said Matemadanda.State media
National Social Security Authority (NSSA) managers awarded themselves between $100 000 and $460 000 in housing, vehicle and personal loans in many cases, without following laid down procedure and there was no subsequent enforcement on repayments, leaving many in arrears.
Checks such as capacity to repay based on monthly salary were ignored. A consultant hired by NSSA to establish how loans were dished out, says they were approved without any “quality control”, with some beneficiaries that had not yet fully paid back earlier loans being given new loans.
Critically, some of the loans were approved without all those responsible for approval signing off on the loans, exposing corporate governance shortcomings.
The consultant says seven managers and eight executives have loans ranging from $100 000 to $460 000. The money was borrowed between January 2017 and December 2018.
NSSA board chairman Dr Cuthbert Chidoori yesterday confirmed that there are traces of irregularity in the parcelling out of loans, and vowed to recover the money.
“We are looking at loans issued in contravention of conditions of service. The NSSA conditions of service specify what loans staff are eligible for and what we have been given in that forensic (audit report) are numbers and figures which clearly, are in violation of those stipulations in the conditions of service,” said Dr Chidoori.
“So our interest is really to fall back and systematically go through whatever it is that has been unveiled and give an opportunity also to interrogate staff.
“And where indeed there is violation, the money has to be paid back. There will be recovery enforcement.
“This will affect even staff that have left NSSA. If they have left NSSA, we will have to institute civil recoveries.”
According to the consultant’s report, two executives who benefited from the loans, former general manager Elizabeth Chitiga and former investments director Chamunorwa Shadreck Vera, have since been fired.
NSSA chief occupational, health and safety and rehabilitation centre officer Dr Betty Nyereyegona, allegedly received a personal loan of $10 000 with a loan interest rate of 6,5 percent on October 1, 2017.
She started making monthly repayments on February 1, 2018, indicating that no payments were made in the first three months from receiving the loan.
Dr Nyereyegona went on to access another loan of $1 000 for home improvement. However, the consultant found that the section that is supposed to be completed by loan officers was not fully signed.
“The application form wasn’t completed by the accounts department and the salaries and loans department. The loan application form contains six sections, but only four sections were completed,” reads the report.
There was potential financial prejudice of US$3 451,84 due to non-repayment of loans.
NSSA group legal and corporate secretarial executive Ms Cynthia Mugwira allegedly received a personal loan of $2 500 on October 1, 2017, with an interest rate of 6,5 percent.
No monthly payments were made for six months from November 1, 2017 to May 1, 2018 towards the initial loan received.
“Mugwira C. T then further received another loan of $2 650 on 1 May 2018 with the same loan interest. This indicates that
there was no close monitoring of loan repayments hence low compliance and a risk of non-payment of loans,” observed the consultant.
In terms of housing loans, it was found out that no proper documentation is “being maintained, first on the qualifications. The policy stipulates that the loan qualification amount shall be as per prevailing building schedules or as directed by the board from time to time”.
However, the consultant couldn’t get documents in support of that. The policy states that money advanced to an applicant should be deposited into the third party account and receipts are to be obtained.
Dr Nyereyegona had a housing loan of $30 000, which was deposited into her personal account but she allegedly didn’t produce receipts.
Chitiga is also alleged to have obtained a housing loan of $300 000 on February 7, 2017.
The application form was not fully approved, with the head of department not signing it. In this instance, NSSA was potentially prejudiced to the tune of US$15 783,93 resulting from no loan repayments.
The consultant said Chitiga had a due housing loan balance of $355 739,72 on April 1, 2018 that attracted a loan interest rate of 5 percent.
For nine months between April 1, 2018 and December 1, 2018, no payments were made.
Emerson Mungwariri is alleged to have applied for a vehicle loan of $75 900 on January 5, 2017, but it was recorded as $90 000 in the executive loan listings.
Other bosses who got vehicle loans but did not honour monthly payments are Chiuta J. T who got $57 000 on September 18, 2017.
Former NSSA general manager Barnabus Matongera had a vehicle loan due of $3 399,36 on December 1, 2017.
The loan attracted an interest rate of 7 percent. According to the report, no payment was made between December 1, 2017 and January 1, 2018.
Ms Mugwira also applied for a vehicle loan with a purchase price of $68 950 but an anomaly was noted as the executive loan list shows an amount of $70 000.
The NSSA system is understood to be so faulty that Chitiga, who borrowed a personal loan of $10 000, had continuous deductions from January 1, 2018 to April 1, 2018, despite having paid the initial loan in full.
Chitiga is now owed $3 337, 61 by NSSA for that loan, although owing on other loans, and the consultant says the beneficiary might have an outstanding loan which was not recorded that she is servicing or the system is misrouting transactions. – State Media/Herald
A WOMAN from Matobo allegedly struck her husband with an axe twice on the head after the man assaulted her over a missing hoe.
Charity Sithole (29) of Lushongwe Village is expected to appear in court on December 16 facing an attempted murder charge after striking Elias Dube (58) with an axe.
“On 23 September at around 10PM, Mr Dube arrived home from the local bottle store drunk. A misunderstanding arose between them over a hoe which had been misplaced by their children.
“Mr Dube demanded the hoe from his wife and accused her of being careless and failing to properly look after their household property.
“They started fighting and Sithole took an axe and struck her husband twice on the head and he fell to the ground and bled profusely.
“Upon realising that her husband had been injured, Sithole reported the matter to the police who attended the scene.
“Mr Dube was rushed to Masiye Camp Clinic where he was further referred to United Bulawayo Hospitals,” read the State papers.
In another case, a Filabusi man has appeared in court for assaulting his neighbour.
Nicodemus Siziba (29) pleaded not guilty to assault when he appeared before Gwanda magistrate, Mrs Nomagugu Sibanda.
He was remanded in custody to November 25 for trial.
Prosecuting, Mr Silent Shoko said Siziba attacked Okay Shoko on September 11.
“On September 11 at around 11PM at Base 2 Umzingwane Panning Site in West Nicholson, Okay was having a dispute with his wife in their tent and she went out.
“Siziba got out of his tent and asked Okay what was going on between him and his wife.
Okay became furious and ordered Siziba to stay out of his family issues.
“Siziba then grabbed Okay by the belt and pushed him to the ground.
“He kicked him several times and further picked up a stone and struck Okay on the right jaw.
“Okay screamed for help and neighbours intervened and restrained Siziba from further assaulting him,” he said.
— Chronicle
Former Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) president and businessman Philip Chiyangwa’s two sons — Edmund and Brian — are facing an $800 000 lawsuit for failing to settle a debt from Getbucks Microfinance Bank Limited.
The brothers risk losing their upmarket Grange property in Harare which was registered as surety for the loan.
Getbucks is suing Edmund and Brian together with their companies World Grain (Pvt) Limited and Padley Enterprises (Pvt) Limited.
In court papers, Getbucks claims that through a written agreement on February 26, 2019, they extended $600 000 to World Grain (Pvt) Limited.
The two brothers stood as sureties and co-principal debtors.
“Edmund and Brian undertook to pay legal practitioners’ collection commission and legal costs on the legal practitioner and client scale and they also renounced the benefits of division,” read the summons.
“Part of the agreement was that interest would accrue at the rate of four percent per month and a penalty rate of 15 percent per annum would be levied in the event of default.
Getbucks says, in breach of the loan agreement, World Grain (Pvt) Limited failed to pay the principal and interest on the loan on the due dates, resulting in arrears of $846 041, 52 accruing as of November 7, 2019.
The micro-finance company also said the defendants undertook to settle the balance by October 31, 2019 but have failed to do so.
The financial institution is now demanding an order for the payment of $846 041, 52 together with interest at the rate of 87 percent from November 8 to the date of full and final payment.
It is also seeking an order for the property that was pledged as surety to be declared executable, so that it can be sold to offset the debts. -state media
WARRIORS coach Joe Antipas has sensationally announced his departure from the national team, exactly 24 hours after masterminding the downfall of Zambia in a Total Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Heroes Stadium in Zambia.
The Warriors, against all odds, shocked the 2012 African champions, beating them 2-1 through a brace by poster boy Khama Billiat, who scored in either side of the half to register Zimbabwe’s first win over Chipolopolo in an Afcon qualifier.
“I take a bow,” said Antipas whose local club Chicken Inn is in the hunt for their second league title in five years.Credit:Chronicle
By A Correspondent- Home Affairs Minister, Kazembe Kazembe and Justice Minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi have been sued by a Chitungwiza man for the death of his son who died due to injuries sustained after a mob and police officers assaulted him.
Christopher Mashereni, the father of the deceased Witness Mashereni is demanding $420 000 compensation for the death of his son who died after he was severely attacked by members of the public in February this year.
In his affidavit, Mashereni alleges that members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) violated a number of his son’s rights including the right to know why he was being arrested and the right to have access to medical attention. Mashereni said:
The facts giving rise to the claim are that on or about February 14, 2019, the plaintiff (Mashereni)’s 44-year-old son Witness Mashereni was assaulted by a mob in Chitungwiza that accused him of loitering in the late hours.
He was taken to Makoni Police Station where he was arrested and detained for trespassing. While in police custody, he was further assaulted all over his body by police officers.
Mashereni further claims that the state failed or neglected to provide medical attention to his son despite being ordered to do so by the by Chitungwiza Magistrate.
By A Correspondent- A Mutare man is on the run after allegedly murdering his girlfriend’s lover.
Chengetai Trinity Jimu allegedly stabbed Hugh Chivingwa Makombe and slit his throat after finding out that he was having an affair with his girlfriend Rumbidzai Mangandu.
Makombe and Mangandu were both students at Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University (ZEGU) students in Bindura.
A source has revealed that after Jimu found out that Mangandu was cheating on him with Makombe, he failed to control himself and allegedly went on to kill the latter for dating his girlfriend.
He shifted his rage and went on to pour a bucket of acid on Mangandu accusing her of cheating on him while he was in Mutare.
“Mangandu was engaged to Jimu but the former always complained to her friends about being in an abusive relationship.
“Makombe was confronted by Jimu before but he didn’t take note so Jimu travelled from Mutare to Bindura and stabbed Makombe at his place of residence where he was having a good time with Mangandu.
“Jimu allegedly stabbed Makombe twice with an unknown object, he poured acid on his girlfriend and has since gone into hiding after committing these crimes,” said the source.
Contacted for comment, ZEGU dean of students Zunguze said that he had no comment and immediately hung the phone on the H-Metro reporter.
Mashonaland Central police spokesperson Milton Mundembe confirmed the incident.
“We are still following up on this crime.
“The suspect is still on the run but we are tirelessly making an effort to apprehend him,” said Mundembe.
By A Correspondent- A Harare woman was yesterday ordered to pay a fine of $250 after she was found guilty of sending abusive messages to her ex-husband’s wife.
Laiza Musakara (43) appeared before Mbare magistrate Ms Elizabeth Magomore facing charges of sending offensive messages via mobile phone to Sibusisiwe Dube (48)
In her ruling, Ms Magomore said the court took into consideration that Musakara was a first offender who pleaded guilty to the offence of sending offensive or false telephone messages. “The court does not support Musakara’s behaviour of using abusive messages via the cellphone, which the national law of sending and receiving messages does not support at all,” she said.
“However, the court takes into consideration that the matter is not criminal in nature, hence suitable to be given a light sentence.”
Prosecutor Mr Allan Mandishona alleged that on August 14 2019, Dube was in Mberengwa when Musakara send text messages insulting her, saying she was a witch doctor, as well as a prostitute.
Musakara went on to threaten Dube that she would come to her residence and work place to embarrass.
State Media|JOEY ANTIPAS insists that he has not quit his post as Zimbabwe Warriors coach but that the mandate, which he had been given by Zifa to take charge of the senior soccer team, has virtually expired.
Antipas, who is also coach of top Premiership side Chicken Inn, was hired by Zifa as interim coach on August 19, with a mandate to guide the Warriors until December 31.
It’s now 42 days before that contract expires.
But with the Warriors having completed their assignments for 2019 when they upstaged Zambia 2-1 in a 2021 Africa Cup at National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka on Tuesday night, it meant that Antipas’ interim term with the national team has for now ended.
The veteran coach told Sunday Mail Online, moments after his return from Zambia Wednesday, that he was now awaiting feedback from Zifa on the next move.
Critically the former Motor Action coach who also had a stint at South Africa’s AmaZulu, left the door open for the Zifa board to re-engage him “if they still want to”.
“I was given a mandate to lead the Warriors until December 31, 2019. Six games! My mandate is now over so it’s up to the Zifa board if they still want to engage me.
“I did not say that I quit but my mandate is done,” Antipas said.
He remains substantive Chicken Inn coach and Zifa would also have to negotiate with the Premiership club should they want Antipas to continue guiding the Warriors, whose next international engagement is the CHAN tournament in Cameroon in January next year.
Chipolopolo player Fashion Twitted last night that his legs had 3 goals in them, which he contend he would have made against Zimbabwe.
The Chipolopolo star says he gets demotivated when people talk I’ll about him that he is selfish on the ball. Sakala says, he believes in himself and that he offers the best quality but some of his team mates don’t like that.
“Sorry guys we lost. I had 3 nets in my legs but until envy and jealous ends, the remain uncultivated”
He said in a Twit.
Yesterday, Zambia was panel beaten by Zimbabwe national team at Heroes stadium in AFCON qualifying match.
With less than 24 hours after masterminding Zambia’s downfall in second match of the Africa Cup of nation (AFCON) qualifiers, Warriors interim coach Joey Antipas has tendered his resignation.
Antipas, who is also head coach of ambitious Castle Lager premiership side, Chicken Inn has been working with Harare City’s Lloyd Chitembwe and Dynamos Tonderai Ndiraya as his assistants with Tembo Chuma being the goalkeepers coach.
Reasons for his resignation could not be established, but sources close to this publication cited a busy schedule as well as commitment to his paymasters, Chicken Inn.
“I think Joey Antipas needs to give it all to his paymasters. The scenario that happened last week when the Warriors played Botswana here in Harare was not good at all. Antipas and other coaches and local based players had to break camp to be with their clubs for the league matches. Prince Dube for example had to hitch-hike to Zvishavane where Bosso played FC Platinum. On its own, it was an ugly and taxing moment. No coach or player would want to do that,” said the source close to Antipas.
However, football experts have called on the local football governing body, PSL to cancel all league matches whenever there is an international break, as is the norm worldwide.
“What is so special about our own league, they can’t organize league matches during the international break in the middle of two national team assignments. That was not necessary at all.
Contacted for comment, Zifa Communication manager Xolisani Gwesela said he was not in a position to comment on the issue as he had not received the communication that Antipas had resigned.
“I cannot comment for now because I haven’t received the communication that the coach has resigned,” Gwesela said.
Mafero, as Antipas is well-known in football circles started the AFCON qualifiers journey on a low note after playing a goalless draw against the Zebras of Botswana at home before clobbering Zambia in Lusaka last night.
Despite Khama Billiat producing two fine goals which earned Zimbabwe a vital 2-1 win over Zambia in Lusaka on Tuesday, the player was involved in a somewhat controversial incident in the second half.
The jersey No 11 forward received a yellow card five minutes into the second period when he argued with the referee after he was ordered to leave the pitch and change his short.
Billiat had swapped shorts with right-back Ian Nakati who wears jersey No 2. The short numbers, however, were not clearly visible as the patches had peeled off.
This mix-up happened before the game started and the referee only came to know about it in the second half.
Khama Billiat warming up before the game. He was wearing Ian Nekati’s short number. Pic: FAZ
As Billiat protested against the referee’s order, it caused a two-minute stoppage. He received a booking for remonstration and that is when Nekati rushed and took his team-mate to the sideline and changed the shorts.
The stoppage happened when the hosts were attacking and this, with no doubt, affected their momentum.
But they regrouped moments later and the Warriors were forced to play deep again and relied much on counter-attacks using long balls.
Billiat’s match-winning goal came in the 79th minute after Ovidy Karuru intercepted a long through ball and quickly launched a counter-attack. The 29-year old scored the opening goal in the 10th minute but Patson Daka restored parity nine minutes later.
Zimetro|Chengetai Trinity Jimu allegedly stabbed Hugh Chivingwa Makombe and slit his throat after finding out that he was having an affair with his girlfriend ‘Rumbidzai Mangandu’.
Rumbidzai Mangandu with Lover Chengetai Jimu
Makombe and Mangandu were both students at Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University (ZEGU) in Bindura. A source has revealed that after Jimu found out that Mangandu was cheating on him with Makombe, he failed to control himself and allegedly went on to kill the later for dating his girlfriend.
“Mangandu was engaged to Jimu, but the former always complained to her friends about being in an abusive relationship. Makombe was confronted by Jimu before, but he didn’t take heed, so Jimu traveled from Mutare to Bindura and allegedly stabbed Makombe at his place of residence, where he was having a good time with Mangandu.
Hugh Makombe
“Jimu allegedly stabbed Makombe twice with an unknown object, he poured acid on his girlfriend and has since gone into hiding,” said the source.
Contacted for comment, ZEGU Dean of Students, only identified as Mr Zunguze, said that he had no comment and immediately hung up the phone on H-Metro.
Mashonaland Central police spokesperson Inspector Milton Mundembe confirmed the incident. “We are still following up on this crime. The suspect is still on the run, but we are tirelessly making an effort to apprehend him,” said Inspector Mundembe.
Paul Nyathi|The State today dropped charges before plea against Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions leader Peter Mutasa and His Generation Church leader Pastor Evan Mawarire accused of plotting to overthrow President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration through organising anti-government protests in January.
The State will proceed by issuing summons against President Mutasa and Pastor Mawarire if it intends to prosecute them.
Mawarire Tweeted the development.
After almost 11 months of detention on bail the state has withdrawn their fake treason charges. We should never have been arrested to begin with. Thank you for yo prayers & support. We keep speaking up for the abused & vulnerable of our country @ZLHRLawyers@AmnestySARO@HRFpic.twitter.com/WGIO8M3CJY
Paul Nyathi|Police in South Africa are investigating a case of murder after a 49-year-old school teacher was shot and killed for his cellphone.
The incident happened early on Monday morning in Delft South as Henry Chikutuva was on his way to work.
Henry, a Zimbabwean national, came to South Africa three months ago for work, and leaves behind a wife and three children.
He was shot twice in the left side of his chest, close to his heart and in his left shoulder.
He died of his injuries before paramedics arrived.
According witnesses five armed men came out of the bushes and demanded Henry’s cellphone and taxi money.
There was a struggle and several gunshots went off, says one woman who lives opposite the veld.
She says the skelms ran off over the field while Henry lay bleeding in the road.
According to the deceased’s sister-in-law, Florence Chigume, 43, he lived alone in a flat around the corner from her Kershout Street home.
SCENE: Sister-in-law Florence Chigume, 43, in Delft South
“Henry had not been feeling well on Sunday and told me his blood pressure was wrong,” she says.
“When the neighbours came to call me, I ran to where he was lying in the road.
“He was closing his eyes and could not speak. It was bad and a horrific way for him to die.
“He was hard-working and loved his family enough to live in another country to support them. We as a family are traumatised.”
She says Henry graduated from the University of Zimbabwe, and had recently taught at the University of Namibia, but opted to come to Cape Town three months ago when he got a job to teach at the Bright Student Learning Centre in Summer Greens, a private school specifically for Zimbabwean nationals.
Police spokesperson Siyabulela Malo says a case of murder has been opened for investigation with no arrests so far.
By A Correspondent| Three minors reportedly died while several others are in a critical condition after they were struck by lightning in Goromonzi.
While details of the tragedy were still sketchy by the time of writing, sources privy to the development said several other victims were left nursing injuries.
The Metereological services department has issued a stern warning to citizens of heavy rains expected between 20 to 22 November.
Added the Civil Protection Unit in a text message to citizens:
“WARNING! Heavy Rains Expected between 20 to 22 Nov. Unsecure roofs can be blown off or unsafe buildings may collapse. Exercise caution!”
Paul Nyathi|An old man was reportedly injured when anti-riot police were violently dispersing MDC supporters who had gathered at their party headquarters for Nelson Chamisa’s Hope for The Nation Address.
Warning: Video contains graphic content. Courtesy: Team Pachedu
Correspondent|The opposition MDC has accused ZANU of using State apparatus ban its activities and its existence in the country.
The remarks were made by the Spokesperson of the MDC leader Nelson Chamisa, Dr Nkululeko Sibanda.
Speaking to the media after the supporters had been violently dispersed by the police Sibanda said, “We had an event that we notified police about. the President was going to address the nation which he is still going to do. MDC cannot be banned by ZANU PF. We are shocked that Mnangagwa wants to use the military and the police to stop Chamisa and the party programs.”
Sibanda added that the use of the security forces by Mnangagwa will never give him legitimacy.
“Mnanaggwa must know that he remains illegitimate. The police and the army are not big enough to stop Chamisa and the MDC. The struggle of Zimbabwe will go on and hope will not die. We are surprised at the behaviour of the police today. We are not spoiling for a fight with them but they are the ones spoiling for a fight with the people of Zimbabwe. Today there was a peaceful not violent gathering until the police came and the only violence we saw was from the state.”
Sibanda further said they had held meetings with the police and discussed the matters relating to the program and had agreed.
The police have been refusing to sanction MDC activities because the people of Zimbabwe may take advantage of them.
“The ordinary citizens in the country are experiencing economic hardships so any call for the public meeting in the CBD might be taken advantage of by the already agitated citizens and violence might erupt,” the police told the MDC on Tuesday.
Paul Nyathi|Gunshots have been fired at President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s home raising a major alarm in the safety of the President.
According to former Zanu-PF spin doctor Professor Jonathan Moyo, a young soldier fired a whole magazine of an AK47 rifle complaining that his income can no longer sustain him.
The soldier has since been arrested and detained by the military police.
“A young presidential guard soldier emptied his magazine firing in the air at State House in Harare this morning. He was arrested as he was reloading. He complained of hardships and said he “can’t survive in dead economy’. He’s been detained by the military at its holding cells!”
“He complained of hardships and said he ‘can’t survive in dead economy’. He’s been detained by the military at its holding cells.”
A young presidential guard soldier emptied his magazine firing in the air at State House in Harare this morning. He was arrested as he was reloading. He complained of hardships and said he "can't survive in dead economy’. He's been detained by the military at its holding cells! pic.twitter.com/DL8m2D5mAa
Warriors coach Joey Antipas says Zambia played an open game and coming into the match with a right mentality, they managed to win the Afcon qualifier played in Lusaka on Tuesday.
Khama Billiat scored a brace which earned Zimbabwe a vital 2-1 victory to move into the second position of Group H with four points, two behind leaders Algeria.
“Botswana parked the bus and it was difficult to break them but against Zambia, it was an open game,” Antipas said after the game.
“I would say Zambia has quality players who gave us major problems. We came with the right mentality to win the game. ”
Billiat put a brilliant combined performance with Knowledge Musona who set him up in both goals.
The first goal came in the 10th minute when the winger headed in a Musona’s corner-kick to open the scoring. The second strike followed in the second half when he tapped in a cross from the captain.
Zambia got their consolation from Patson Daka in the 19th minute.
Khama Billiat struck twice as Zimbabwe recorded their first victory of the 2021 AFCON qualifying campaign, a hard fought 2-1 triumph over Zambia at the National Heroes Stadium today.
Joey Antipas’ men came into the encounter under scrutiny for their performance in the previous game against Botswana but silenced their critics is some style.
Khama Billiat’s brace was all that the Warriors needed to collect all three points on the road and move to second on the table behind run-way leaders Algeria.
The Kaizer Chiefs star thrust Zimbabwe into the lead as early as the 9th minute and then doubled their advatage in the 78th minute after Red Bull Salzburg star Patson Daka had restored parity fot Chipolopolo before the interval.Soccer24
Farai Dziva|Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo has claimed the ruling party is unaware of the opposition MDC’s demands prior to dialogue.
Khaya Moyo also accused the opposition of playing games with the people and should concentrate on the 2023 elections for them to be relevant.
Moyo, quoted by NewsDay said:
“What are their demands? They should tell us their demands.
We are not aware of them. These people have been saying a lot, they are playing games with the people.
The issue of legitimacy is irrelevant. The matter went to the Concourt (Constitutional Court) and it made a ruling that the legitimate leader is President Mnangagwa.
What can we do about what was said by the highest court on the land? They want us to reverse that.”
Farai Dziva|Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo has declared that Emmerson Mnangagwa is the legitimate leader of Zimbabwe because the legitimacy issue was resolved by Constitutional Court.
Khaya Moyo also accused the opposition of playing games with the people and should concentrate on the 2023 elections for them to be relevant.
Moyo, quoted by NewsDay said:
“What are their demands? They should tell us their demands.
We are not aware of them. These people have been saying a lot, they are playing games with the people.
The issue of legitimacy is irrelevant. The matter went to the Concourt (Constitutional Court) and it made a ruling that the legitimate leader is President Mnangagwa.
What can we do about what was said by the highest court on the land? They want us to reverse that.”
THE Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is set to employ teachers to fill 5 000 posts.
The move comes after Government recently approved and authorised the education ministry to recruit in the 2020 financial year.
In a statement, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Tumisang Thabela said registration will begin today.
“As such all prospective Teachers should register only once with their nearest District Education offices from 18 November 2019 to 23 November 2019.
“Register only with one district education office and indicate only two provinces of your preference,” she said.
Thabela added;
“For the infant module, applicants should provide proof of proficiency in the local languages (especially for formerly marginaslied indigenous languages) spoken in the district of the preference.”
She said already registered teachers must also check with their district education offices.H-Metro
Farai Dziva|Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo has declared that Emmerson Mnangagwa is the legitimate leader of Zimbabwe because the legitimacy issue was resolved by Constitutional Court.
Khaya Moyo also accused the opposition of playing games with the people and should concentrate on the 2023 elections for them to be relevant.
Moyo, quoted by NewsDay said:
“What are their demands? They should tell us their demands.
We are not aware of them. These people have been saying a lot, they are playing games with the people.
The issue of legitimacy is irrelevant. The matter went to the Concourt (Constitutional Court) and it made a ruling that the legitimate leader is President Mnangagwa.
What can we do about what was said by the highest court on the land? They want us to reverse that.”
WARRIORS coach Joey Antipas has sensationally announced his departure from the national team, exactly 24 hours after masterminding the downfall of Zambia in a Total Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Heroes Stadium in Zambia.
The Warriors, against all odds, shocked the 2012 African champions, beating them 2-1 through a brace by poster boy Khama Billiat, who scored in either side of the half to register Zimbabwe’s first win over Chipolopolo in an Afcon qualifier.
“I take a bow,” said Antipas whose local club Chicken Inn is in the hunt for their second league title in five years.Credit:Chronicle
Watch video- Police unleash violence on civilians to thwart Chamisa's #HONA Barbra brutally assaulted and had her leg broken pic.twitter.com/hZa4vB3Mgc
FULL TEXT: MDC Namibia exhibited unconditional love to the victims of a fatal accident that claimed two souls on their way for their church gathering in Windhoek. PICTURES –
Upon hearing the occurrence of a fatal accident towards Andara hospital, Social Democrats paid a visit to fellow Zimbabweans who were in need. The Mdc family in Rundu displayed maturity, tolerance and the spirit of Ubuntu given the recent public scathing of our beloved President of the people Advocate Nelson Chamisa. After calling our President “a pathological lier unfit to be a Pastor”, Social Democrats did not give space for hate and revenge but unconditionally offered solidarity to our fellow Zimbabweans who are recovering well at Rundu Hospital.
MDC Namibia also made contributions to help fellow Zimbabweans who are recuperating in hospital. I applaud Mdc Rundu branch for the empathy and sympathy displayed. Let the spirit of Solidarity and Ubuntu be a permanent feature of humanity in Social Democracy. As Mdc Namibia, we wish the victims a speedy recovery and we say rest in peace to the deceased. We mourn together with the bereaved.
Information dept
Mdc Rundu Spokesperson
Robson Ruhanya
Farai Dziva|Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo has said the opposition should concentrate on making preparations for the 2023 polls- to remain relevant.
Khaya Moyo also accused the opposition of playing games with the people and should concentrate on the 2023 elections for them to be relevant.
Moyo, quoted by NewsDay said:
“What are their demands? They should tell us their demands.
We are not aware of them. These people have been saying a lot, they are playing games with the people.
The issue of legitimacy is irrelevant. The matter went to the Concourt (Constitutional Court) and it made a ruling that the legitimate leader is President Mnangagwa.
What can we do about what was said by the highest court on the land? They want us to reverse that.”
Farai Dziva|MDC leader Nelson Chamisa will not enter into dialogue with his political rival Emmerson Mnangagwa as long as Zanu PF does not take note of opposition party’s preconditions.
This was said by MDC chairperson Thabitha Khumalo.
“We have spoken about dialogue and its benchmarks, it is up to Zanu PF to take it or leave as they stole the election,” Khumalo told NewsDay.
“There is no contemplation of holding talks with Zanu PF and its leader Emmerson Mnangagwa before the end of the year to solve the economic and political crises the country is facing.”
ational Social Security Authority (NSSA) managers awarded themselves between $100 000 and $460 000 in housing, vehicle and personal loans in many cases, without following laid down procedure and there was no subsequent enforcement on repayments, leaving many in arrears.
