By A Correspondent- Three Mvurwi men who robbed a drinking mate after offering him a plate of sadza were jailed yesterday by Guruve resident magistrate Shingirai Mutiro.

The trio Gilbert Kahari , Chamunorwa Kamukoyani and Memory Kembo were sentenced to 48 months in jail by Mutiro and an additional one year was conditionally suspended.

Prosecutor Carson Kundiona told the court that on September 20 the trio were drinking beer at a local club in Mvurwi when they met the complainant in the same club and started drinking together.

The trio observed that the complainant had money in his pocket and invited him for sadza at Kamukoyani’s place of resident and he complied.

Upon arrival sadza was dished before Kamukoyani and Kahari hatched a plan to go out leaving the complainant and Kembo who is wife to Kamukoyani together.

Kamukoyani and Kahari took a few minutes outside and stormed the room accusing the complainant of having an adulterous affair with Kembo.

They started assaulting him with open hands and forcibly took his ZWL$450 and US$5 which Kembo took and hid in her underwear.

The complaint tried to wrestle and get his money back but he was over powered and chased away from the scene where they shared the loot.

He filed a police report leading to the trio’s arrest.

In mitigation, Kembo wept uncontrollably before being whisked away by a giant prison officer.

By A Correspondent- The Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe says the figure of the Chinese bilateral support that was announced by Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli  Ncube during his budget statement is a misrepresentation of the correct figure on the ground.

Ncube said China had given Zimbabwe a support of US$ 3,631,500.

In a statement the Embassy said:

“The People’s Republic of China in Zimbabwe has taken note of the release of 2020 National Budget Statement by the Zimbabwean government. The Embassy appreciates the positive role the budget will play in promoting the policies and propagating the facts and figures related to the economic development of the country.

In the meantime, the Embassy has noted that in the statement, among Development Partner Support (on Page 51) received by the Zimbabwean government through bilateral channels, the figure of bilateral support provided by China to Zimbabwe is 3,631,500 USD. This is very different from the actual situation on the ground.”

Setting the record straight, the Embassy said the amount given to the country is US$ 136.8 million.

“According to our record, from January to September 2019, the actual bilateral support provided to Zimbabwe by China is 136.8 million USD. Such a figure does not include the other bilateral supports such as the expense of expert assistance, Embassy’s donations to local vulnerable groups and so on.

“The Embassy wishes that the relevant departments of the Zimbabwean government will make comprehensive assessments on the statistics of bilateral supports and accurately reflect its actual situation when formulating budget statement.

“The Embassy believes that with the efforts of Zimbabwean government and people, and with international support, Zimbabwe will achieve prosperity and development and realize the vision 2030.”

By A Correspondent- Residents here have expressed concern over acute water shortages citing fears of water borne diseases as the rainy season begins.

Mabvuku and Tafara residents said their right to water was compromised calling on government to help alleviate water woes for urban dwellers who are at risk of contracting typhoid and cholera among other diseases.

Said the Harare Residents Trust in a statement:

“A right to water campaign meeting was held here on 5 November 2019. Residents expressed concerns on the acute water shortages, and complained that they have gone for a long time without adequate and consistent water supplies.

The meeting was conducted using a focus group discussion in order for residents to express their experiences on the water services, bring out challenges and mapping the way forward.

The focus group discussions was made up of residents drawn from Chizhanje, Kugarika Kushinga, Mabvuku, New Tafara and Old Tafara comprising of twelve men and forty five women. The Act Alliance, an international organisation, supported the meeting.

Residents expressed mixed feelings during the discussions. A majority of them felt that their constitutional right to water was being violated, while others said the residents should always pay for their water when it is delivered to them.  

Water is life and it has no substitute hence the availability of water is very crucial. Kugarika Kushinga and some parts of Old Tafara have gone for more than twenty years without receiving tap water, provided by the municipality.

In Mabvuku, residents said those who reside in low-lying areas receive water frequently while those on higher ground have no chance of receiving water.  Residents in Chizhanje V area said their water taps are symbolic and most of the taps are corroded.

Residents said women and children are the most affected group with the state of water, as they have to look for other sources like community boreholes, which they spend four to five hours queuing to draw water.”

Reported the Harare Residents Trust: Hundreds of residents in Tynwald South, Harare have fallen sick with suspected typhoid or cholera after allegedly drinking contaminated water from a community borehole.

This is happening at a time council nurses are claiming incapacitation due to extremely low salaries and conditions of services, since 4 November 2019.

Jane Jack, a member of the HRT suburban committee in the suburb, said the situation became known recently on 14 November 2019 after residents fell suddenly sick, experiencing vomiting and running stomachs, and they suspect that this was caused by contaminated water that they had fetched from one of their community boreholes.

Jack said one of the sick residents visited a private clinic for medical attention. She was told that they suspected food poisoning. The HRT is investigating the matter and will be providing updates.

Meanwhile the City Health Department has been alerted, and residents await their reaction to this emergency.

For further details, please contact the HRT leadership on 0772629292
Contact details: [email protected], [email protected], 08677109781, 0772380927 and 0772869294, www.hrt.org.zw

By A Correspondent- In his yet to be released autobiography, former War Veterans minister Tshinga Dube , has reiterated claims that the late Retired General Solomon Mujuru could have been murdered after a political or business deal went sour.

Mujuru died in 2011 in a fire at his Beatrice farmhouse just outside the capital Harare under mysterious circumstances.

“There were some people who were malicious; they even went to claim she (Joice) was responsible for her late husband’s death. For some unknown reason, perhaps out of fear and respect, Mujuru did not defend herself. There has been no explanation to date about her husband’s death in an inferno in their Beatrice house,” wrote Dube in his autobiography Quiet Flows The Zambezi to be launched on Friday.

Dube’s autobiography was edited and published by Pathisa Nyathi’s Amagugu Publishers.

“What led to his death may have been political or some business enterprise that went wrong. There are people who think it was to do with a diamond mine in which he had some shares,” Dube wrote.

“At the time of his death, some shares were set to be disposed of as part of the community share ownership scheme. Mossad, the Israel intelligence outfit, is alleged to have been involved. Anyway, such inexplicable political events are part of Zimbabwe.”

An inquest into Mujuru’s death concluded that there was no foul play despite speculation to the contrary.

Dube adds that Mujuru was destined to be the country’s leader had it not been for then First Lady Grace Mugabe’s surprise entry into politics and her ambitions for the lofty post.

“…The turning point came when the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe entered the political fray when she had never been a politician. Amai Mugabe burst into something unknown seeking to oust VP Joyce Mujuru.

“All indications had been that President Robert Mugabe was ready and willing to pass on the baton to his VP Joice Mujuru. In her typical crude style, Amai Grcae Mugabe made accusations against VP Mujuru, some of which bordered on witchcraft and pr0stitution.”

Mujuru was fired from government in 2014 alongside eight other ministers for allegedly plotting to overthrow Mugabe.

Ministers who were fired include Didymus Mutasa, Webster Shamu, Francis Nhema, Olivia Muchena, Dzikamai Mavhaire, Nicholas Goche, Simbaneuta Mudarikwa and Munacho Mutezo.

-Newsday

It appears the minimum airtime purchase you can make on EcoCash might be getting a 150% increase from $2 to $5. That’s currently the message popping up when users try to buy airtime for anything less than $5:

There is a bit of confusion on whether these are permanent changes or if they are tied to the fact EcoCash has been going through serious problems and we couldn’t reach EcoCash representatives at the time of going to press.

What further puts this in doubt is that in the morning a similar error was popping up but with the minimum being $3.

Techzim

By A Correspondent- Six pupils at Nedziwa Secondary School in Chimanimani were hit by a bolt of lightning this afternoon.

They were rushed to Mutambara Mission Hospital. Chimanimani district medical officer Dr Godwin Choga was not answering his mobile phone when a comment was sought from him.

However, Chimanimani East legislator Cde Joshua Sacco confirmed the development.

“It happened this afternoon. They were rushed to Mutambara hospital,” he said.

—StateMedia

Paul Nyathi|Government has indicated that it is meeting with Chinese officials to establish a common ground over figures of Chinese assistance given to Zimbabwe and presented by Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube during his budget speech in parliament last week.

The Chinese Embassy dismissed figures presented by Mthuli Ncube declaring them to be incorrect leading to a huge furore from Zimbabweans across the country.

Paul Nyathi|Government has moved in to put up measures that will avoid clashes with militant Mthwakazi Activists on the upcoming teachers recruitment exercise.

Speaking through the Ministry Of Information, government said that people will be recruited to teach in areas where they can speak the local languages an issue that has been high on Mthwakazi Activists’ fights.

In the last recruitment of teachers, communities in Bulawayo and its hinterland led by Mthwakazi Activists expressed dismay over the continued deployment of non-Ndebele speaking teachers in the region.

This came after the ministry of Education released names of teachers to be deployed to different parts of Zimbabwe.

Most of those deployed into the Matabeleland region had Shona surnames.

Neutrals believe that the problem should not be the deployment of teachers from other regions into Matabeleland, but that it can only become an issue if they fail to speak the local language and to communicate meaningfully with the students.

But the militant Mthwakazi Republic Party insisted that Matabeleland jobs belong to people from the region and anything less than that would not be acceptable.

TellZim|A Form 6 pupil at Danhamombe High School in Masvingo District had to be rushed to Chivi Rural Hospital after she allegedly gave birth during a Shona examination.

School head Emmanuel Muvengi confirmed the incident but said the girl, identified as Hazel Titos, delivered at the hospital.

“I am not authorised to speak to the media but the girl did not give birth in the examination room. She was rushed to the hospital where she delivered her baby. If you want more information please get in touch with my superiors,” said Muvengi.

Provincial Education Director (PED) Zediaus Chitiga said he was yet to get a report on the matter.

“You are breaking the news to me. If it happened then the report will eventually reach my office but right now it will still be handled at district level.

“The district will do thorough investigations before submitting a report,” said Chitiga.

Other sources, however, said Titos started complaining about abdominal pains during the examination and is said to have lied to the invigilators that she was having her monthly flow.

Thirty minutes into the examination, Titos is said to have fallen off the chair and her water broke.

Female teachers then realised that Titos was in labour and asked male teachers and other pupils to exit the room so that they could help her.

The examination had to be delayed and female teachers are said to have helped Titos deliver her baby safely before taking her to the hospital where she later finished her examination.

Titos is said to have given birth to a premature baby who was seven months.

When asked who the father of the baby was, Titos is said to have told the nurses that it was Tawanda Mudziwedare who stayed at the same house with the pupils.

Titos came from Muregeri village, some distance away from Danhamombe High School, and she was renting at the Madziware homestead where she was impregnated.

Johanne Masowe eChishanu apostolic sect leader Edward Manyara has died.

He was 67.

The leader popularly known as Madzibaba Edward died upon admission at Avenues clinic yesterday after being involved in an accident near his Westlea home at Maplanka area, along the Harare-Bulawayo Highway. A car he was aboard overturned leading to him being thrown by the wayside.

Family spokesperson Mr Krebe Kaeruza said the body will be collected tommorow from the mortuary and lie in state at his Westlea house. The body will be taken to his Centinary farm on Thursday where it will again lie in state ahead of burial scheduled for Friday.

More to follow…

By Dorrothy Moyo| The British-visa-denied POLAD member, Linda Masarira has accused the United States embassy for bribing her with USD 2 million so she could travel to European countries to demonise Emmerson Mnangagwa’s party, ZANU PF.

Her allegations are contained in a leaked audio message whose transcript is supplied courtesy of ZimEye.com below.

Masarira begins by saying:

Leader Chanda. Thank you for your input and I want to respond to you in regards to your input. You should also understand that I have been a regular visitor to the American embassy and there are a lot of things that I know which a lot of Zimbabweans do not know.

AUDIO LOADING BELOW…

And after realisation that I cannot sell Zimbabwe’s sovereignty for my own luxuries I decided to do the right thing. Remember in 2016 I was imprisoned for insulting the office of the President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe and I was arrested once again after the march in Mufakose which I was not involved in.

When I was released eight, nine days later, the people paying my bills were the Americans. I had several meetings and interviews with them, they wanted to give me 2 million they wanted to get me to America, give me a green card, and take me on tours to European countries so that I demonize my country but I am not that person. I am not that person I love my country more than anything else. I could have gone anywhere I wanted, in 2016 after I came out of prison but I chose to serve my country. I am not mad. We cannot survive on the mercy of America or Europe or Britain, we are Zimbabweans first before we have something else. We all have a duty and a responsibility to protect our sovereignty, and that is what is lacking in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe thinks that America or Europe or UK is going to save us. No. No one is going to save us.

The solutions to the crisis at hand we have in Zimbabwe lies within zimbabweans lies with us understanding who we are as a people. Live with us understanding that we are zimbabweans we are Africans and that we have got vast mineral resources that we should exploit to the benefit of the people of Zimbabwe. But as long as we think that white imperialists are our saviours we are not bringing any justice to ourselves. I don’t subscribe to that ideology. We need to redefine who we are as a people and the chart and chart the way how we are going to do that. LEAD as a political party is not going to beg for funds to operate from America, UK, EU or whatever, we are going to use our subscriptions we’re going to use the business unit to make our own money.

We have to decide on the course of action that we are going to do and as much as I am appreciative of your concerns we will never be a colony of any western imperialist or eastern imperialist.

Reported the Harare Residents Trust: Hundreds of residents in Tynwald South, Harare have fallen sick with suspected typhoid or cholera after allegedly drinking contaminated water from a community borehole.

This is happening at a time council nurses are claiming incapacitation due to extremely low salaries and conditions of services, since 4 November 2019.

Jane Jack, a member of the HRT suburban committee in the suburb, said the situation became known recently on 14 November 2019 after residents fell suddenly sick, experiencing vomiting and running stomachs, and they suspect that this was caused by contaminated water that they had fetched from one of their community boreholes.

Jack said one of the sick residents visited a private clinic for medical attention. She was told that they suspected food poisoning. The HRT is investigating the matter and will be providing updates.

Meanwhile the City Health Department has been alerted, and residents await their reaction to this emergency.

For further details, please contact the HRT leadership on 0772629292
Contact details: [email protected], [email protected], 08677109781, 0772380927 and 0772869294, www.hrt.org.zw

By A Correspondent- In his yet to be released autobiography, former War Veterans minister Tshinga Dube , has reiterated claims that the late Retired General Solomon Mujuru could have been murdered after a political or business deal went sour.

Mujuru died in 2011 in a fire at his Beatrice farmhouse just outside the capital Harare under mysterious circumstances.

“There were some people who were malicious; they even went to claim she (Joice) was responsible for her late husband’s death. For some unknown reason, perhaps out of fear and respect, Mujuru did not defend herself. There has been no explanation to date about her husband’s death in an inferno in their Beatrice house,” wrote Dube in his autobiography Quiet Flows The Zambezi to be launched on Friday.

Dube’s autobiography was edited and published by Pathisa Nyathi’s Amagugu Publishers.

“What led to his death may have been political or some business enterprise that went wrong. There are people who think it was to do with a diamond mine in which he had some shares,” Dube wrote.

“At the time of his death, some shares were set to be disposed of as part of the community share ownership scheme. Mossad, the Israel intelligence outfit, is alleged to have been involved. Anyway, such inexplicable political events are part of Zimbabwe.”

An inquest into Mujuru’s death concluded that there was no foul play despite speculation to the contrary.

Dube adds that Mujuru was destined to be the country’s leader had it not been for then First Lady Grace Mugabe’s surprise entry into politics and her ambitions for the lofty post.

“…The turning point came when the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe entered the political fray when she had never been a politician. Amai Mugabe burst into something unknown seeking to oust VP Joyce Mujuru.

“All indications had been that President Robert Mugabe was ready and willing to pass on the baton to his VP Joice Mujuru. In her typical crude style, Amai Grcae Mugabe made accusations against VP Mujuru, some of which bordered on witchcraft and pr0stitution.”

Mujuru was fired from government in 2014 alongside eight other ministers for allegedly plotting to overthrow Mugabe.

Ministers who were fired include Didymus Mutasa, Webster Shamu, Francis Nhema, Olivia Muchena, Dzikamai Mavhaire, Nicholas Goche, Simbaneuta Mudarikwa and Munacho Mutezo.

-Newsday

Jane Mlambo| Opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa has responded to South Africa’s International relations minister Dr Grace Pandor who said the solution to the multi-layered problems facing the country lies with Zimbabweans themselves.

Responding to Pandor, Chamisa urged South Africa to mobilize donor fund to help pay doctors and end the genocide in the country’s hospitals.

Below is the full thread;

1/3) For months now, we have been asking our African brothers and sisters to look into the man-made governance crisis in Zimbabwe & help us restore the dignity of citizens.We are heartened by Minister Pandor’s correct diagnosis of the major problem in Zimbabwe as toxic politics

(2/3)We in the MDC stand ready to welcome South Africa and SADC’s mediation in Zimbabwe to end the suffering that has gone on for far too long, and give our people hope. In the face of provocation and persecution, our commitment to a sustainable, peaceful outcome has not shirked.

(3/3)Dr Pandor has called for “practical solutions”. I wish to plead with SA, in the interim, to help set up a donor fund for our people from which we can pay our doctors a decent wage. There is a silent genocide in hospitals which cannot wait for politicians to find each other.

Farai Dziva| MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has said his party is ready for a process of genuine dialogue.

Said Chamisa:For months now, we have been asking our African brothers and sisters to look into the man-made governance crisis in Zimbabwe and help us restore the dignity of citizens.

We are heartened by Minister Pandor’s correct diagnosis of the major problem in Zimbabwe as toxic politics.

Dr Pandor has called for “practical solutions”. I wish to plead with SA, in the interim, to help set up a donor fund for our people from which we can pay our doctors a decent wage.

There is a silent genocide in hospitals which cannot wait for politicians to find each other.

We in the MDC stand ready to welcome South Africa and SADC’s mediation in Zimbabwe to end the suffering that has gone on for far too long, and give our people hope. In the face of provocation and persecution, our commitment to a sustainable, peaceful outcome has not shirked.

Farai Dziva|The MDC has accused Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda of attempting to nail the opposition party MPs using cheap political gimmicks.

See full statement :
The MDC parliamentarians would like to set the record straight and correct certain misconceptions and innuendos that have arisen following the Budget Presentation where we were not in attendance due to genuine issues that had been highlighted to the Speaker of the National Assembly but which he decided not to disclose for reasons best known to himself.

For the record the Budget presentation is technically called in terms of Section 305 of the Constitution a statement of the estimated revenues and expenditures of the Government in the next financial year which must be presented to the National Assembly in the timeliness prescribed by the relevant section.

At this stage its merely a proposal and there is no debate on the date of presentation. In fact a post budget seminar is then held followed by Committee Consultations and these processes are usually held in the following week after the Presentation.

Traditionally this has always been a ceremonial event that some Members of Parliament have chosen not to attend across the political divide as one can equally follow it from the comfort of their homes and in fact due to space constraints Members of the Senate follow proceedings from TV monitors placed in the Chamber.

There has never been any issue about the non attendance of anyone and it is in this context that the people of Zimbabwe must understand that the grandstanding in the National Assembly was motivated by reasons other than the purported disdain of proceedings by the genuine representatives of the people who are the MDC. The truth of the matter is that we did not shortchange the electorate in any way more particularly because we had genuine reasons attending to the Funeral of Members of the party from Mashonaland East who were involved in an accident.

The Speaker of the National Assembly was informed in writing by the Leader of the Opposition Honourable Tabitha Khumalo of the unavailability of the MDC parliamentarians and if he had any honour he should have disclosed to the House and the nation at large that he was in receipt of such communication notwithstanding his misguided belief that he has power to decide and direct what members of a political party should do.

What is also critical to understand is that Members of Parliament are not compelled to attend any particular sitting and in fact there is no requirement to seek any prior approval and the letter was merely written as a matter of courtesy. It’s only if one misses 21 consecutive sittings without prior approval of the Presiding Officer that the relevant house can proceed to make a resolution to declare the seat vacant as provided for in terms of Section 129(f)of the Constitution.

If anything the Speaker is guilty of double standards as he has not shown the same enthusiasm to deal with errant Ministers who violate the preemptory provisions of Section 107 which compel them to attend Parliament to answer questions and in their case the Standing Orders actually provide for contempt charges to be brought against them in terms of Standing Order No 63 of the National Assembly.

The hypocrisy and machinations of the Zanu PF Chief Whip Pupurai Togarepi who never says anything meaningful in Parliament is exposed as he has never stood up for the Institution of Parliament when Ministers are in flagrant breach of Constitutional provisions but of our own rules which are sacrosanct and must be binding as the Bible is on us Christians.

We reiterate that there is no provision in either the Constitution or our Rules which require the compulsory attendance of the Members of Parliament but such rules exist for Ministers. But as the people s representatives we acquitted ourselves very well at the processes prior to the presentation of the Budget and we will be articulating the people s concerns at the subsequent processes.

The Speaker of the National Assembly in undue haste and clearly acting on emotions not only made a Ruling that there was a prima facie case of contempt of Parliament but went on to convene a sitting of the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders in order to set up a Privileges Committee. This is unprecedented as notice of less than 24 hours was given but ironically could not proceed due to the lack of a quorum as ZanuPf Members did not turn up while the MDC members were compelled to return from their homes.

We believe that the People of Zimbabwe must not be fooled and hoodwinked by members of a political party that is politically bankrupt and has become obsessed by the desire to have their president respected and recognized. The people know who they voted for and strong arm tactics will not confer legitimacy on any one who stole elections and the economy has passed a verdict and until we accept that the only way out of this quagmire is sincere and genuine dialogue we are going nowhere.

Innocent Gonese
MDC Secretary for Justice and Legal Affairs

By A Correspondent- A famous Warren Park Prophet Madzibaba Edward of the Zimbabwean Jowani Masowe eChishanu Warren Park shrine was involved in an accident yesterday and died on the spot.

Below is the accident damaged car which claimed the life of Madzibaba Edward.

This is a developing story. Refresh this page for latest details.

Jane Mlambo| Over four million Zimbabweans are still practicing open defecation, according to a World Health Organisation (WHO).

Posting on the World Toilet Day, UNICEF noted that 4.2 billion people did not have safely managed sanitation. According to UNICEF, this is more than half of the global population.

Of the 4.2 billion, Zimbabwe contributes 4 million people who still use bush toilets, something that should come as a shame to the national leadership who have of late come under criticism for prioritizing things like globetrotting while neglecting basics such as sanitation.

Can you imagine life without a ??
That is the reality for 4.2 billion without safely managed sanitation. This is more than half of the global population. In Zimbabwe, over 4 Million people are still practicing open defecation (WHO/UNICEF JMP 2019) #WorldToiletDay pic.twitter.com/VTbCn1yqAT

— UNICEF ZIMBABWE (@UNICEFZIMBABWE) November 19, 2019

By A Correspondent- Zanu PF Member of Parliament for Gutu North, Yeukai Simbanegavi has been embroiled in a fight over the presidential input scheme which she declared was for the ruling party supporters only.

According to a leaked chat with one of the local leaders, Simbanegavi said there was no logic in MDC supporters getting aid from President Emmerson Mnangagwa when their leaders claimed he was illegitimate and were unapologetic about it.

The National Housing deputy minister confirmed the leaked chats to NewsDay yesterday and said she meant what she said.

Responding to an inquiry from one of the people who claimed had received complaints from victims, Simbanegavi said:

“Why would you want seed from a President you claim to be illegitimate?”

Responding to NewsDay on the leaked chat, the young deputy minister said:

“I saw the chats and it doesn’t matter. My thoughts are exactly as I told him. He was talking to me as an individual and not as representing anyone. He was asking me and what I told him is what I think. There is no need for someone to seek relevance on the seed he doesn’t know where it is coming from,” she said.

“I responded to him knowing he will go to town with the chats and I don’t care. He is bitter as I defeated him in the elections,” she said.

Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya-Moyo, however, said it was not Zanu PF policy to abuse food aid and the Presidential input scheme and challenged the opposition MDC to report all allegations of food aid abuse by party members in rural areas to the police.

“We have no such policy and we have said it several times that if anybody is found doing that he must report to the police. Let them report and give police the information,” Khaya-Moyo said.

This follows evidence provided by the MDC on several people in rural areas complaining over abuse of food aid from the international donor community by Zanu PF to garner votes.

The MDC has claimed Zanu PF was using food aid to win votes in rural areas and a report to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has since been made, but nothing has been done.

MDC secretary for elections Jacob Mafume said: “Expecting the police to arrest Zanu PF officials is like expecting hyenas to arrest each other for eating goats.”

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- The opposition MDC led by Nelson Chamisa has said that the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MOPA) was the same old Public Order And Security Act (POSA) which MOPA sought to replace.

POSA has been criticised for infringing upon human rights and freedom of association. We present the MDC’s statement issued after the government gazetted the MOPA.

Enactment of MOPA another missed opportunity for ED’s illegitimate regime

The enactment of the MAINTAINANCE OF PEACE AND ORDER ACT (MOPA) represents another missed opportunity for ED’s illegitimate regime to demonstrate that its claims that it is committed to genuine reforms are sincere and bona fide and exposes it for its hypocrisy.

MOPA is just the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) by another name and retains all the draconian provisions of the Law and Order Maintainance Act under the racist regime and reminiscent of the apartheid regime.It does not add any value as it undermines the letter and spirit of the progressive Constitution that the people of Zimbabwe overwhelmingly voted for in 2013; particularly Section 59 which provides for the right to demonstrate and present petitions.

The people of Zimbabwe will not be hoodwinked by this charade and pretence that we are in a new dispensation as the people’s representatives in both the National Assembly and Senate brilliantly articulated the deficiencies of MOPA but were overcome by the tyranny of numbers and refusal of Zanu PF to put the interests of the country first by illustrating that indeed we are neither in a New Dispensation nor New Republic and hence there is nothing to celebrate.

The MDC is clear that the powers given to the Regulating Authorities are the antithesis of a democratic dispensation and the suppression fundamental rights constitute sanctions against the people and together with corruption bad governance and fiscal indiscipline, are responsible for the economic downturn and poverty and suffering which we have had to endure under this illegitimate regime.

We remain clear that the only way out of this quagmire is to acknowledge the fact that engagement and genuine dialogue is the precursor to the solution. As such, no amount of pontificating and propaganda will alter this ghastly reality. So the sooner the illegitimate regime realize this, the better for our nation.

But like an ostrich, they have decided to bury their heads in the sand and we will be seeing more of this pretence in future with other Bills brought to Parliament.

The MDC Members of Parliament will soon be presenting an alternative Legislative Agenda on critical areas such as Electoral Reform and the freeing up of the media and democratic space to show the way and direction that the country should take.

Innocent Gonese
MDC Secretary for Justice and Legal Affairs

By A Correspondent- Heavy rains which are currently pounding Gweru have overwhelmed the city’s cemeteries where de-watering of graves has become a nightmare.

The revelations came out at a full council meeting held at Town House yesterday. Ward 11 councillor, Albert Chirau implored city management to urgently address the problem saying council workers and bereaved families were facing serious challenges when burying their loved ones.

“The problem that we are facing is that council is still using manual means to dig graves. Due to the rains, graves are being submerged. We do not have equipment to deal with the crisis,” he said.

“We have some chemicals that will be in the water and grave diggers use bare hands to dewater the graves. That situation exposes our workers to diseases,” added Chirau.

Councillor Trust Chineni weighed in saying some families were de-watering the graves on their own due to manpower shortages at the cemeteries.

“I saw some families using buckets to de-water graves manually. It does not augur well. Council needs to get modern machinery to deal with the problem,” he said. Mayor Josiah Makombe promised that council would swiftly deal with the problem.

“We are in the process of formulating the 2020 budget. Such a critical item of expenditure will need to be included. I understand we only have one machine for de-watering graves, but our cemeteries are many. Council will take measures to address that situation,” he said.

Last week council was found wanting after the rains also submerged the city’s drainage system, with motorists struggling to drive around town.

Newsday

By A Correspondent- A married prophet’s church in Mutare is on the verge of collapsing with accusations that the man of cloth snatched his right hand man’s well-endowed girlfriend.

Prophet Brighton Gweru of Family Faith Church’s messages with his aide Tapiwa Mwapaura leaked and are circulating on WhatsApp group of the church which forced the church leader to relocate to Harare together with his church.

Prophet Gweru is alleged to have been dating Mwapaura’s girlfriend Marvellous Tariro Mupungu knowing that she was his aide’s girlfriend.

Mwapaura has since left the church as, upon confronting his girlfriend, he learnt that the two had been seeing each other behind his back for nearly a year. He described Prophet Gweru as a womaniser and marriage wrecker.

“I joined the church four years ago and have been serving the man of God faithfully not knowing that he was dating my girlfriend,” said Mwapaura.

“Prophet is married but he was seeing my girlfriend behind my back for almost a year and I have been with her for over a year now.“It affected my faith and I feel betrayed by the person who pretended to help and map my future when he was planning to destroy my future.

“From 2014 we would experience a full house as people attended the church whole heartedly but later we lost many souls after the scandal.

“I confronted the prophet over this and he apologised and deleted some of the WhatsApp messages. He did not know that I had saved the messages,” said Mwapaura showing this publication the messages.

There are also audio messages between him and his girlfriend over the illicit affair.Marvellous confirmed the story saying she had since resolved the issue with Mwapaura.

“I left Prophet Gweru some months ago and I do not know more about what is happening at his church,” said Marvellous.

“I have since resolved the issue with Mwapaura that it is now water under the bridge,” she said promising to furnish H-Metro with more information which she never did.

Contacted for comment, Prophet Gweru said he was conducting a church service near Copacabana in Harare while denying the allegations. He even said he does not remember any Tapiwa.

“I will get back to you after church ndiri paCopacabana ndava kuda kutopinza church izvezvi. Tapiwa waunotaura ndamukanganwa ini,” said Prophet Gweru.

“He told you falsehoods and I do not even remember that Tapiwa. I am in Harare,” he said.Prophet Gweru never answered his phone for the next four days when this publication called him.”

-StateMedia

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday declared that he will implement political and economic reforms at his own pace, and insisted that the impetus for change and reform comes from within.

In a statement reflecting on his two-year rule after taking over power at the back of a coup that toppled long-time ruler, the late Robert Mugabe in November 2017, Mnangagwa said the sanctions being used by the West as a tool to demand reforms, were not achieving their desired effect.

Mnangagwa’s statement came at a time the European Union and United States of America were insisting on reforms as a precondition for the removal of economic sanctions imposed on the country two decades ago over gross human rights abuses by Mugabe’s administration.

The Zanu PF leader, who released the statement after leaving the country for the

United Arab Emirates for an economic forum, said his government had tried to make reforms in line with the demands of the international community, and will continue to do so, not as a result of pressure from sanctions, but for the good of the country.

“These have been key demands of the international community, and should be interpreted as a sign of our commitment to reform,” Mnangagwa said.

“Yet the impetus for change and reform comes from within. We are not reforming to appease the nations of the world, but because reform is necessary to build the future our people desire. Of course, there is still much work to do, but we are heading in the right direction.”

He added: “If the goal of sanctions is to stimulate the reform process, their effect is the opposite. They slow down our progress, inhibit our economic recovery and empower those who do not wish to see Zimbabwe change. Their removal will, therefore, be an important step on the road to a better future for all the people of this country.”More in News

When Mnangagwa took over power, he claimed he was a reformist, promising to embark on a new political journey of reform and international engagement.

Insiders in his government, however, claim there are some hardliners stalling the reform process, warning him that he risked reforming himself out of power.

Upon returning to Zimbabwe last week, EU ambassador Timo Olkkonen raised the ire of Zanu PF supporters, when he said the putting up of expensive billboards to denounce non-existent sanctions was disingenuous.

“Good to return to Harare after a busy week in Brussels. Heard about these billboards (how much do they cost?) on all major airport roads, but hadn’t seen one due to having had few flights recently. Seems there still are things that need to be clarified,” Olkkonen said.

The EU and the US have insisted that Zimbabwe has been hurt more by corruption than the sanctions, calling on government to deal with the scourge instead of hiding behind a finger.

For the sanctions to be lifted, the West has been demanding legislative, political and electoral reforms, including bringing to book members of the army and police involved in the brutal killings of innocent civilians during the post-election demonstration on August 1, 2018 and the January 14 to 16 demonstrations which left a combined 23 civilians dead.

In his statement, Mnangagwa, however, was silent about the killings and the closure of the democratic space, which has seen the opposition being denied their rights to take to the streets through a brutal crackdown by the police.

Instead, he claimed that his presidency had opened up democratic space and done away with the old Mugabe ways.

“Coming into office a few days later, we committed to saying goodbye to the ways of the past, and to doing things differently. I immediately moved to give the people their voices back, opening new channels of communication between the people and their representatives.

“Criticism of the government and the presidency would no longer be taboo, but welcomed, even encouraged. I answered tough questions on my Facebook page, as I promised to be a listening President.”

Mnangagwa’s claims contradict a report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur Clément Nyaletsossi Voule which concluded that human rights violations and stifling of the freedoms of expression were growing under his government.

Currently there are also several cases before the courts of people facing charges of insulting Mnangagwa.

“Just last week, we removed the much-maligned Posa (Public Order and Security Act), a remnant of the old Zimbabwe that limited the right to protest, and replaced it with a new Maintenance of Peace and Order Bill, devised with input from civil society and our friends around the world,” Mnangagwa said.

Turning to the economy, Mnangagwa claimed he took over from Mugabe when the country was in an economic mess and has moved with speed to balance the country’s books through his Finance minister Mthuli Ncube, who he described as an “internationally” recognised minister.

“Of course, too many Zimbabweans still suffer, but austerity is a painful, but necessary part of the recovery process. Led by our internationally recognised Finance minister, Mthuli Ncube, we will continue to restructure, revamp and rebuild our economy. We cannot and will not hold up our hands. We must reform or perish,” he said.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- In what may come as a surprise to many, Raunchy dancer Beverly Sibanda, who has gained notoriety for her prowess in erotic dance moves, recently booted out S_exy Angels dancer for allegedly having ‘loose morals.’

S_exy Angels group member, Glee Bafana, was recently booted out of the group after a fall-out with Sibanda for allegedly engaging in commercial s_ex work which is in violation to the group’s code of conduct.

In an interview with the local publication, DailyNews, Bev revealed that she recently fired Bafana because of Aikechesa, a colloquial term for commercial s_ex work. Bev also added that adult entertainers do not have loose morals in contrast to popular belief that they are prostitutes.

Gonyeti was no longer coming to shows because of many relationships that were now interfering with our work. We also clashed over her failure to send her child to school while spending money on booze.

I believe we should be able to look after our children because after all, we work for them. I was again not happy with the nature of her relationship which affected our work. Aikechesa. (She engaged in commercial s_ex work). She would at times fail to come for shows.”

Bafana confirmed that she had indeed fallen out with Sibanda but disputed the immorality allegations.

I was having issues in my life and I also got sick at some point that I could not attend shows. I only have one man whom I was also having issues with, it’s not true that I was having several affairs.

Bafanai also added that she had assembled her own group, which is the reason why Sibanda is making the spurious allegations so as to derail her.

-StateMedia

ZANU PF Member of Parliament for Gutu North, Yeukai Simbanegavi has been embroiled in a fight over the presidential input scheme which she declared was for the ruling party supporters only.

According to a leaked chat with one of the local leaders, Simbanegavi said there was no logic in MDC supporters getting aid from President Emmerson Mnangagwa when their leaders claimed he was illegitimate and were unapologetic about it.

The National Housing deputy minister confirmed the leaked chats to NewsDay yesterday and said she meant what she said.

Responding to an inquiry from one of the people who claimed had received complaints from victims, Simbanegavi said: “Why would you want seed from a President you claim to be illegitimate?”

Responding to NewsDay on the leaked chat, the young deputy minister said: “I saw the chats and it doesn’t matter. My thoughts are exactly as I told him. He was talking to me as an individual and not as representing anyone. He was asking me and what I told him is what I think. There is no need for someone to seek relevance on the seed he doesn’t know where it is coming from,” she said.

“I responded to him knowing he will go to town with the chats and I don’t care. He is bitter as I defeated him in the elections,” she said.

Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya-Moyo, however, said it was not Zanu PF policy to abuse food aid and the Presidential input scheme and challenged the opposition MDC to report all allegations of food aid abuse by party members in rural areas to the police.

“We have no such policy and we have said it several times that if anybody is found doing that he must report to the police. Let them report and give police the information,” Khaya-Moyo said.More in Home

This follows evidence provided by the MDC on several people in rural areas complaining over abuse of food aid from the international donor community by Zanu PF to garner votes.

The MDC has claimed Zanu PF was using food aid to win votes in rural areas and a report to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has since been made, but nothing has been done.

MDC secretary for elections Jacob Mafume said: “Expecting the police to arrest Zanu PF officials is like expecting hyenas to arrest each other for eating goats.”

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- The opposition MDC led by Nelson Chamisa has said that the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MOPA) was the same old Public Order And Security Act (POSA) which MOPA sought to replace.

POSA has been criticised for infringing upon human rights and freedom of association.

Below is the full text of the MDC’s statement issued after the government gazetted the MOPA.

Enactment of MOPA another missed opportunity for ED’s illegitimate regime

The enactment of the MAINTAINANCE OF PEACE AND ORDER ACT (MOPA) represents another missed opportunity for ED’s illegitimate regime to demonstrate that its claims that it is committed to genuine reforms are sincere and bona fide and exposes it for its hypocrisy.

MOPA is just the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) by another name and retains all the draconian provisions of the Law and Order Maintainance Act under the racist regime and reminiscent of the apartheid regime.

It does not add any value as it undermines the letter and spirit of the progressive Constitution that the people of Zimbabwe overwhelmingly voted for in 2013; particularly Section 59 which provides for the right to demonstrate and present petitions.

The people of Zimbabwe will not be hoodwinked by this charade and pretence that we are in a new dispensation as the people’s representatives in both the National Assembly and Senate brilliantly articulated the deficiencies of MOPA but were overcome by the tyranny of numbers and refusal of Zanu PF to put the interests of the country first by illustrating that indeed we are neither in a New Dispensation nor New Republic and hence there is nothing to celebrate.

The MDC is clear that the powers given to the Regulating Authorities are the antithesis of a democratic dispensation and the suppression fundamental rights constitute sanctions against the people and together with corruption bad governance and fiscal indiscipline, are responsible for the economic downturn and poverty and suffering which we have had to endure under this illegitimate regime.

We remain clear that the only way out of this quagmire is to acknowledge the fact that engagement and genuine dialogue is the precursor to the solution. As such, no amount of pontificating and propaganda will alter this ghastly reality. So the sooner the illegitimate regime realize this, the better for our nation.

But like an ostrich, they have decided to bury their heads in the sand and we will be seeing more of this pretence in future with other Bills brought to Parliament.

The MDC Members of Parliament will soon be presenting an alternative Legislative Agenda on critical areas such as Electoral Reform and the freeing up of the media and democratic space to show the way and direction that the country should take.

Innocent Gonese
MDC Secretary for Justice and Legal Affairs

THE trial of former Tourism minister Priscah Mupfumira, who is facing corruption allegations involving US$95 million, has been postponed to December 9.

Mupfumira yesterday appeared before Harare magistrate Hosea Mujaya who postponed the trial proceedings.

The former minister and Zanu PF politburo member was arrested on July 25, 2019 by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, becoming the first sitting minister under President Emmerson Mnangagwa to be arrested for graft.

She is being jointly charged with Ngoni Masoka, the former permanent secretary in the Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare ministry.

Another charge, which is also before the trial court, emanated from an incident where she allegedly used money from the ministry to sponsor people who attended her daughter’s wedding in Cape Town, South Africa.

Meanwhile, the unavailability of witnesses who were supposed to testify during the trial of flamboyant businessman Wicknell Chivayo forced provincial magistrate Francis Mapfumo to defer the trial to December 10.

Chivayo is facing bribery charges after his company, Intratrek, transferred $10 000 to former Zimbabwe Power Company board chairperson Stanley Kazhanje’s personal bank account to ostensibly influence the outcome of a tender process.

The court heard that the trial was supposed to commence, but an application for postponement was submitted because the witnesses in this case were not around.

-Newsday

A court in Zimbabwe awarded a trans-gender activist the equivalent of $25 000 in compensation after she was arrested for using a ladies toilet, she said in a statement Monday.

Ricky Nathanson, whose age was not given, was arrested and detained for 48 hours in 2014 and charged with criminal nuisance after she used a women’s toilet at a hotel in Bulawayo, the country’s second-largest city.

She was acquitted by a local magistrate’s court and approached the High Court seeking $2.7 million damages for unlawful arrest, illegal detention, malicious prosecution and emotional distress.

On Thursday she was awarded 400 000 Zimbabwe dollars.

“This has been a long, emotional roller coaster for me,” Nathanson said in a statement jointly issued with a Johannesburg-based legal charity, the Southern African Litigation Centre (SALC).

“I have waited almost five years for this moment. I am elated,” she said in the statement.

“This is an incredibly life-changing decision. It is a great moment for Zimbabwe,” said Nathanson, who is now living in America where she works as an activist for a human rights organisation.

Homosexuality and transgender are generally frowned upon in Zimbabwe.

In 2010, former president Robert Mugabe described gays as being “worse than pigs and dogs… (and) those who do it, we will say, they are wayward.”

Nathanson said the ruling “affirms and recognises the fundamental human rights, freedoms and dignity of all its citizens. My wish is for society to be more tolerant and where LGBT persons are not in constant fear of being targeted”.

At the time of her arrest, she was forced to undress in front of five male police officers to “verify her gender”, and underwent “invasive and humiliating medical (and) physical examination,” said SALC.

A local daily quoted High Court judge Francis Bere as saying Nathanson “was not only deprived of her liberty, but was subjected to forced anatomical examination in the most crude and naked manner by adventurous members of the police”.

“As if that was not enough, she was subjected to further invasive examination at two different medical institutions all because of her trans-gender status, something that she did not invite upon herself.”

-News24

By A Correspondent- Zanu-PF and MDC Alliance will square off in the Shurugwi South Ward Six by-election on December 14 after their respective candidates successfully filed nomination papers last Thursday.

The nomination court for the first by-election in the Midlands province since the 2018 national polls was held at the Tongogara Rural District Council offices setting the stage for the two-horse race.

The seat fell vacant following the death of incumbent councillor Cde Edmond Chitera of Zanu PF early this year.

Zanu-PF controls Shurugwi South constituency which is held by MP Cde Edmund Mukaratigwa.

Cde Edward Chitera Junior, the son of the deceased councillor was duly nominated to represent Zanu-PF while Ms Mary Choga was declared candidate for MDC Alliance.

Cde Chitera, in an interview, said he was confident that the ruling party would retain the seat.

“I am confident of winning the election. My father won it in the last election and it’s prudent that we win it for him and the party leadership.

“This is a Zanu-PF stronghold and we are confident of winning it. The opposition has nothing to offer,” he said.

Zanu-PF Midlands Provincial chairperson Engineer Daniel MacKenzie Ncube said they had put in place a formidable campaign team led by the Provincial Political Commissar Cde Thompson Dlamini to make sure that the party retains the ward.

“We had primary elections where 5 candidates contested and Cde Chitera convincingly won. We are confident that we will retain the seat. We have put together a formidable campaign team led by our Political Commissar Cde Dlamini, “he said.

Eng Mckenzie Ncube said the party was taking this by-election seriously to cement its support base in the province.

“Our eyes are looking ahead to 2023 and this is an opportunity to cement our support base,” he said.

Ms Choga also expressed hope of winning the by-election.

“I am a dedicated lady who will push for equal opportunities in moving towards 50-50 representation at all levels of governance in Shurugwi once I am elected,” she said.

-StateMedia

South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor has appealed to Zimbabwe’s political leaders to make a united call if they want intervention from other countries on the removal of United States targeted sanctions and economic recovery.

Pandor said Pretoria strongly believes that Zimbabwe’s challenges can only be fixed by the country’s millions of citizens, aided by friendly neighbours like South Africa and countries in the region.

Delivering a keynote address at a symposium hosted by the South African department of international relations and cooperation (Dirco) at the University of South Africa in Pretoria, on Monday, under the theme: “Best path to prosperous Zimbabwe”, Pandor said South Africa is ready to assist but without imposing on Harare.

“I think it’s important to begin by saying the social, political and economic situation that is confronting Zimbabwe is one of the most challenging facing us in this southern Africa region. I think this is a stark fact, a reality that all of us can agree upon. This symposium, we regard it as our modest contribution to [the] beginning of a process of finding solutions to the many complex challenges which we believe will be resolved primarily by the people of Zimbabwe with the assistance of all the countries in the [Southern African Development Community] SADC region,” she said.

“There is no sense of arrogance that as South Africa we have the solution. The real, sustainable solutions will come from the people of Zimbabwe and we should not fool ourselves [to think] we have the solution. We would like to be a party to assisting and finding a way of resolving the problems as they confront our brotherly and sisterly country.”

Pandor said South Africa supported the resolution of the August SADC summit which set aside October 25 as a day for calling for the end to sanctions against Zimbabwe. She said, however, the regional bloc may have to approach the institutions and nations which slapped Zimbabwe with the embargos.

“We felt that we might need to go one step beyond such a call and perhaps initiate a process of reflecting on the solutions that could be considered to actively address the challenges. I’ve seen this over the last six months as international relations minister that we are all very competent at addressing, formulating and adopting resolutions yet far too inadequate in informed reflection on what solutions or approaches may be practicable,” she said.

“SADC may need to go beyond the resolution adopted [in August] and engage those who have imposed sanctions to agree on lifting sanctions to support the recovery of sectors such as health, agriculture and education”.

Pandor said Pretoria has an appreciation of the difficult challenges faced in Zimbabwe.

“By all accounts, there are serious and seemingly intractable political factors that might need attention if solutions are to be effective or implementable. The political formations in Zimbabwe remain at loggerheads and have apparent deep antipathy toward each other which makes joint decision making and planning extremely difficult,” she said.

“It seems clear that even as we support the call for an end to economic sanctions, the political dynamics are inextricably linked to the economic and thus should be confronted simultaneously. This can only be led from Zimbabwe and would certainly ease the development of SADC contributions in response to the emergent compact.”

Zimbabwe’s ambassador to South Africa David Hamadziripi said the United States demands to return property seized in the land reform programme will not be honoured.

The US has made this a condition for sanctions to be lifted.

He said most European Union sanctions have been removed but the US continued making demands.

Hamadziripi said the US sanctions were a result of the country’s land reform.

“It is only when Zimbabwe decided in 2000 to embark on the fast track land reform programme that the sanctions were imposed. So, it’s not a coincidence that the EU sanctions came in 2002.”

He said progress was made with the EU and the country will hold more talks with that region this week but Hamadziripi says the latest US demands will not be met

“They want us to return the land to those who used to own it but as the President [Emmerson] Mnangagwa has said, there is no reversal of the land reform.”

Other panelists at the event included Unisa’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal Mandla Makhanya, Unisa’s Somadoda Fikeni, Philani Mthembu of the Institute for Global Dialogue and Shingirirai Mutanga of the Africa Institute of South Africa.

Former deputy prime minister Arthur Mutambara also spoke at the highly-attended event.

Additional reporting: ANA

By A Correspondent- Norton legislator, Temba Mliswa has said that it was useless for Tendai Biti, the vice president of the MDC led by Nelson Chamisa to be posting his grievances on social media when he boycotted Parliament where those matters are discussed.

Biti had posted on Twitter saying:

On Thursday the regime published the Financial Adjustments Bill H B 19 of 2019 in respect of which it seeks condonation of unauthorized expenditure of $ 10 679 603 044 ( ten billion six hundred & three million forty-four thousand dollars) siphoned off between 2015 & 2018.

In response, Mliswa observed that Biti was addressing the wrong audience. He said:

With all due respect @BitiTendai this is why you should always be in Parly. Commenting on Twitter won’t help. I’ve always said let’s deal with these issues in Parly. It’s not everyone who reads the Hansard or is as brilliant as you TB. How many of your MPs can comprehend this?

You have experience, you were a former Finance Minister & to you, this must be elementary, however to others it isn’t & needed your elucidation. Now you’re just speaking alone & yet may have enjoyed the support of many.

You’re commenting on something you snubbed & yet when it’s debate time you debate. The same Bills you debate on are signed by the same @edmnangagwa you walk away from &the same @MthuliNcube appointed by that very same @edmnangagwa I’ve never understood the strategy behind this.

MDC MPs have been boycotting events which were attended by President Emmerson Mnangagwa whom they regard as illegitimate.

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Republic Police have blocked the Hope of the Nation Address (HONA) which the opposition MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa intended to deliver this Wednesday.

The police cited that they feared that the gathering would degenerate into chaos hence the need to block it.

In a letter written to the MDC, the police said:

As discussed in a consultation meeting on November 15, 2019, in my office, I am not in a position to sanction the event due to the following reasons.

The current situation in the CBD is volatile, the volume of both human and traffic has tremendously increased as we approach the festive season coupled with the payment of bonuses to government workers.

For this reason, the chances that your intended gathering will be taken advantage of by some rogue elements are very high.

Despite the MDC assurance that its demonstrations would be as peaceful as a church service, the state has so far blocked a number of MDC demonstrations saying that they had gathered “concrete evidence” suggesting that they all would degenerate into anarchy.

The MDC and other civic organisations intended to embark on a spate of marches over the deteriorating state of affairs.

-DailyNews

MDC acting president Lynnete Karenyi-Kore has called on Zimbabweans to occupy all democratic spaces to demand accountability and an end to unchecked deaths at government hospitals as a result of the ongoing strike by government doctors who are demanding better wages and working conditions.

Addressing hundreds of supporters who braved the rains to attend a rally in Mabvuku, Harare, Karenyi-Kore said time was ripe for Zimbabweans to take the country’s political destiny into their hands and map a way forward ending their suffering at the hands of an “illegitimate” government.

“For how long do we keep watching this failure which is claiming lives; a government that has failed to deliver health to its people; doctors not being paid; the hospitals themselves have dilapidated infrastructure, making them unsafe for patients; and doctors who work in them?” she charged.

The opposition executive said the failure to adequately fund health had taken its toll on women especially pregnant mothers who are now delivering at home through traditional methods.

“Women are losing lives during birth and child mortality rate is rising on a daily basis while those who claim to govern are firing all the doctors and their wives are celebrating home deliveries in this day and time,” she said.

The MDC, which has maintained that Mnangagwa and his government are illegitimate, says the problems the country is facing are caused by the contest around the 2018 presidential elections which was decided by the Constitutional Court in favour of Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Its leader Nelson Chamisa has insisted that his government will reintroduce the United States dollar as the official currency, doing away with the local currency which has not been fully accepted as it continues to lose value against the greenback.

Chamisa, who was supposed to address the rally, was still in Sweden and is expected back home for the Hope of the Nation Address (Hona) which he plans to deliver in the African Unity Square, next to Parliament on Wednesday.

The party is still, however, waiting for a police clearance for the event.

-Newsday

Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda yesterday said this week’s Cabinet meeting has been deferred to Thursday.

No reason for deferment was given, but President Mnangagwa is away on national duty in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the 5th Global Business Forum on Africa 2019 and is accompanied by several Cabinet ministers who include Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube.

Cabinet meetings are usually held on Tuesdays.

-State media

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has explained the reason why he is always wearing the “Zimbabwean scarf” especially when attending national events both locally, regionally and internationally.

He said challenges or no challenges, he remained proudly Zimbabwean adding that the scarf with the national flag colours that he wears all the time is a symbol of the pride he takes in being a Zimbabwean despite the challenges the country is facing

He said the scarf, which has become his trademark, distinguishes Zimbabweans at any platform.

Several people have been wondering why President Mnangagwa always wears a scarf and he made the clarification after being asked about its significance at the official opening of the 5th Global Business Forum on Africa in Dubai Monday.

Said Mnangagwa:

“Let me say that for the past two decades, Zimbabwe has been in isolation, but now since the new dispensation which came about two years ago, we want to be embraced by the rest of the nations of the international community again.

“To do so, we must be distinct. If you look around, you can easily see that is a Zimbabwean. So it is easy for the rest of the nations to identify us. We want to belong to the family of nations. This is the flag of my country and we are proud to carry it.

“There is no other meaning except that we want to be distinct and say we are Zimbabweans, we are proud to be Zimbabweans and in spite of what is happening to my country, we still remain proud.”

-StateMedia

Two people were killed yesterday when a commuter omnibus parked in Mbare, Harare, was hit by a falling old tree during a thunderstorm that gener­ated intense winds.

This comes as the Meteorological Services Department(MSD) is forecast­ing the wet spell to spread to all parts of the country until tomorrow.

The two people, who were inside the kombi, bring the weather-related death toll this rainy season to three after a seven-year-old boy was killed when Komba Primary School in Lupane was hit by a storm.

Scattered thunderstorms yesterday occurred in areas along and north of the watershed, with heavier falls reported in Harare Metropolitan, Mashonal­and West and Mashonaland Central provinces.

Notable falls were recorded at Bel­vedere 31mm, Chibero 26mm, Sanyati 22mm while Kariba and Zvimba both recorded 21mm.

The Mbare accident occurred around 2pm when heavy rains characterised by exceptionally violent winds uprooted old trees in several places around Harare.

When The Herald arrived at the scene, the two bodies were already covered and crowds from the area were jostling to catch a glimpse of the scene.

Police spokesman Assistant Com­missioner Paul Nyathi said the names would be released once their next of kin had been informed.

A close friend to the deceased, Ephraime Mandizva, who was with the two only minutes earlier, said he was shocked by what had happened.

“We were together in the vehicle before I decided to go back to work. At first they tried to stop me from going, but I insisted. When I came back, I received the sad news.”

Many trees along roads in older Harare, the area between Josiah Ton­gogara and Kenneth Kaunda avenues and in Mbare roughly where the tragedy occurred yesterday, were planted in the early 1900s.

Several species, such as the jacaranda, do not live much beyond a century and, in any case, are more vulnerable to storms as they grow older.

After a few decades, trees do not grow taller but broader, creating a greater surface for wind to blow against, and this with the older weaker roots makes uprooting more likely.

In Kariba, roofs were blown off on Sunday night while early yesterday some buildings in Chegutu had their roofs damaged.

Mashonaland West provincial development coordinator Mrs Cecilia Chitiyo said there have not been any major damage except for that in Chegutu and at Kutama in Zvimba District.

In Mashonaland Central, more than 100 families in Kachuta Village, Grey City, Dande Farm, and Flame Lily in Guruve were left homeless, while schools and clinics had roofs blown off by strong winds accompanying heavy rains that pounded the area last Saturday.

The most affected villagers in Ward 18 lost food and inputs they had recently received under the Presidential Input Scheme.

At Chemachinda Primary School, 40km West of Guruve Centre, five houses, a classroom and an administration block were badly damaged while Kachuta Clinic was damaged and medicine at the clinic pharmacy needs to be salvaged.

At Grey City, Dande and Flame Lily farms, most tobacco bans and inputs storages were badly damaged.

Guruve North Member of Parliament Cde Grover Dzapasi said the affected areas needed help.

“Chemachinda Primary School as well as the secondary school have more than 10 blocks which had their roofs blown off, while the infrastructure was also damaged. This includes laboratories and the administration block. Some of the laboratory equipment was also destroyed.

“What makes the situation dire is that the medicine which the clinic received from Natpham recently was badly affected,” he said.

Village head, Mr Minshod Gengezha said their grain stores were not spared.

“We have nowhere to start and we are appealing for food aid. We are also afraid we may experience water-borne diseases,” he said.

The storms destroyed billboards at the Bindura Provincial Magistrates’ Court and affected buildings at N. Richards Wholesalers.

Energy Park Service Station was forced to stop selling fuel after its office was flooded.

In Chipadze high-density suburb, some buildings had their roofs blown off.

District provincial Civil Protection Unit chairman Mr Richard Chipfuva said they were still to receive reports of the damaged property, but said they will send teams to do a property impact assessment.

In a statement yesterday, the Meteorological Services Department said today, it is expected to be cloudy and warm with scattered afternoon and evening thundershowers in Matabeleland North, Midlands, Matabeleland South, northern parts of Manicaland, Bulawayo and Harare Metropolitan as well as all Mashonaland provinces.

Localised heavy downpours cannot be ruled out, especially in Matabeleland South, Masvingo and South of Manicaland.

“Southern districts of Manicaland and Masvingo should be mostly sunny and hot with chances of isolated afternoon thundershowers.

“In case of severe thunderstorms, do not seek shelter under a tree or in isolated sheds as these a prone to lightning strikes. Gusty winds may pose danger being blown off unsecure roofs of classroom blocks and homes. Do not rush outside; it is safe to be under a desk or table,” said the MSD.

Meanwhile, the cloud band affecting Mashonaland provinces and Matabeleland north should spread to cover much of the   country.

-State Media

ByA Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has pledged commitment towards working to ensure that he lures investors in the fuel and energy sectors as a way of putting Zimbabwe back on its feet.

Mnangagwa, who is currently in the cash-rich United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the 5th Global Business Forum on Africa 2019 which is being held under the theme, “Scale Up Africa” said:

“In Dubai, sharing our story and incredible potential with entrepreneurs and investors, particularly in the crucial sectors of fuel and power. I will continue to toil both at home and abroad to put Zimbabwe back on its feet!

Correspondent|Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Nelson Chamisa has revealed in an interview with Daily News that he met with Mnangagwa’s godfather and confidant Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi of ZCC. Chamisa and Mutendi discussed about the current political crisis of which Chamisa complained about MDC’s treatment from Mnangagwa’s government.

Chamisa also told Mutendi that MDC is willing to talk to Mnangagwa anytime. Last year Emmerson Mnangagwa narrowly won the presidential elections ahead of Chamisa, a result the MDC leader disputed claiming it was rigged. Ever since the MDC and Chamisa have refused to recognize the legitimacy of Mnangagwa’s presidency. Most recently the MDC MPs boycotted the 2020 Budget Speech by Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube because Mnangagwa was also attending.

Part of Chamisa’s comments about the meeting:

“I told Bishop Mutendi that Mnangagwa must stop seeing the MDC as an enemy. The MDC is not a fly-by-night party . . . it’s a party of the infrastructure of politics in the country and must be respected in that regard. Mnangagwa is not helping anything by disfiguring the MDC. That doesn’t help at all. We are saying . . . we are open to frank and open discussions with Mnangagwa. We have said this openly, but they can’t prescribe the parameters of dialogue.

I told Bishop Mutendi that we are willing to talk to Mnangagwa anytime. I impressed upon him that he (Mutendi) should give Mnangagwa sound advice.This country lacks a nation builder because Mnangagwa is acting like a party leader. The nation needs a father, but we have none. I also told the bishop that churches must continue to pray for the country so that we get out of the current crisis.”

Paul Nyathi|South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor addressed a public lecture at University of South Africa (UNISA) in which she admitted South Africa is benefiting from Zimbabwe’s political and economic crisis.

Naledi Pandor is also of the opinion that economy crisis in Zimbabwe can’t be solved without addressing the political crisis. Below is her full speech.

Address by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, MP, at UNISA, on 18 November 2019

SYMPOSIUM “BEST PATH TOWARDS A PROSPEROUS ZIMBABWE”

Colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, the social and economic situation confronting Zimbabwe is one of the most challenging facing the southern African region.

We are hosting this symposium as a modest contribution to beginning a process of finding solutions to the many complex challenges which will be resolved primarily by the people of Zimbabwe with the assistance of all countries in the region.

The theme of this meeting indicates our belief that we will have to find ways of acting in solidarity with Zimbabwe, it reflects our posture that multilateral solidarity and practical informed action are the best means toward resolving international problems.

At the August SADC summit, we all supported a resolution proposing October 25th as a day for calling for an end to sanctions against Zimbabwe.

As DIRCO we acted on that SADC decision, but we felt that we may need to go one step beyond such a call and begin a process on reflecting on the solutions that could be considered to actively address the challenges.

We have all become very competent at addressing and adopting resolutions yet far too inadequate in informed reflection on what solutions or approaches may be practicable.

I am very pleased that some of our academic institutions and civil society organisations agreed to assist us in exploring this theme.

As the department, we have some appreciation of the nature of the challenges and the various economic and social imperatives. By all accounts, there are serious and seemingly intractable political factors that might need attention if solutions are to be effective or implementable.

The political formations in Zimbabwe remain at loggerheads and have apparent deep antipathy toward each other which makes joint decision making and planning extremely difficult.

It seems clear that even as we support the call for an end to economic sanctions, the political dynamics are inextricably linked to the economic and thus should be confronted simultaneously. This can only be led from Zimbabwe and would certainly ease the development of SADC contributions in response to the emergent compact.

All reports on the economic situation point to a debilitating crisis and social situation that is worsened by international sanctions. The impact on citizens, on public services and public institutions, is well known to most of us present here.

Basic services are inadequately available, those offering critical services earn very little income and the cost of essential goods such as basic food items is beyond the ability of millions. Sanctions have failed to provide any aid in addressing these problems and may have worsened them.

The situation has been equally negative for those with a livelihood and those without. Zimbabwe has experienced a significant loss of skills in the past decade and this has harmed the possibility of efficient management of key economic sectors and institutions.

South Africa has been a beneficiary of the loss of key skills and there has been substantial migration to different parts of South Africa.

Finding solutions to this loss of skills will be an important part of the practical actions we should consider. We may have to devise innovative forms of institutional collaboration that would help sustain and perhaps restore the efficacy of critical institutions.

SADC may need to go beyond the resolution we adopted and engage those who have imposed sanctions to agree on lifting sanctions to support the recovery of sectors such as health, agriculture and education.

I hope our panellists will share ideas from work that they have been leading in their respective disciplines. They may be more alert to the possibility of initiating an inclusive political dialogue or be alert to economic sectors that could promote increased employment and future growth.

We do not have the answers as DIRCO and we hope to benefit from the wisdom of this dialogue. The imposed sanctions have not resulted at an end to the problems thus we need a move beyond describing the problems and the identification of key steps toward real change, growth and stability in Zimbabwe.

Thank you

Watch video downloading below:

Zanu-PF and MDC Alliance will square off in the Shurugwi South Ward Six by-election on December 14 after their respective candidates successfully filed nomination papers last Thursday.

The nomination court for the first by-election in the Midlands province since the 2018 national polls was held at the Tongogara Rural District Council offices setting the stage for the two-horse race.

The seat fell vacant following the death of incumbent councillor Edmond Chitera of Zanu PF early this year.

Zanu-PF controls Shurugwi South constituency which is held by MP Edmund Mukaratigwa.

Edward Chitera Junior, the son of the deceased councillor was duly nominated to represent Zanu-PF while Ms Mary Choga was declared candidate for MDC Alliance.

Chitera, in an interview, said he was confident that the ruling party would retain the seat.

“I am confident of winning the election. My father won it in the last election and it’s prudent that we win it for him and the party leadership.

“This is a Zanu-PF stronghold and we are confident of winning it. The opposition has nothing to offer,” he said.

Zanu-PF Midlands Provincial chairperson Engineer Daniel MacKenzie Ncube said they had put in place a formidable campaign team led by the Provincial Political Commissar Thompson Dlamini to make sure that the party retains the ward.

“We had primary elections where 5 candidates contested and Cde Chitera convincingly won. We are confident that we will retain the seat. We have put together a formidable campaign team led by our Political Commissar Cde Dlamini, “he said.

Eng Mckenzie Ncube said the party was taking this by-election seriously to cement its support base in the province.

“Our eyes are looking ahead to 2023 and this is an opportunity to cement our support base,” he said.

Ms Choga also expressed hope of winning the by-election.

“I am a dedicated lady who will push for equal opportunities in moving towards 50-50 representation at all levels of governance in Shurugwi once I am elected,” she said.

State Media

NewsDay|MDC acting president Lynnete Karenyi-Kore has called on Zimbabweans to occupy all democratic spaces to demand accountability and an end to unchecked deaths at government hospitals as a result of the ongoing strike by government doctors who are demanding better wages and working conditions.

Addressing hundreds of supporters who braved the rains to attend a rally in Mabvuku, Harare, Karenyi-Kore said time was ripe for Zimbabweans to take the country’s political destiny into their hands and map a way forward ending their suffering at the hands of an “illegitimate” government.

“For how long do we keep watching this failure which is claiming lives; a government that has failed to deliver health to its people; doctors not being paid; the hospitals themselves have dilapidated infrastructure, making them unsafe for patients; and doctors who work in them?” she charged.

The opposition executive said the failure to adequately fund health had taken its toll on women especially pregnant mothers who are now delivering at home through traditional methods.

“Women are losing lives during birth and child mortality rate is rising on a daily basis while those who claim to govern are firing all the doctors and their wives are celebrating home deliveries in this day and time,” she said.

The MDC, which has maintained that Mnangagwa and his government are illegitimate, says the problems the country is facing are caused by the contest around the 2018 presidential elections which was decided by the Constitutional Court in favour of Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Its leader Nelson Chamisa has insisted that his government will reintroduce the United States dollar as the official currency, doing away with the local currency which has not been fully accepted as it continues to lose value against the greenback.

Chamisa, who was supposed to address the rally, was still in Sweden and is expected back home for the Hope of the Nation Address (Hona) which he plans to deliver in the African Unity Square, next to Parliament on Wednesday.

The party is still, however, waiting for a police clearance for the event.

State Media|PUPILS have been warned against taking part in vuzu parties this festive season as action will be taken against those who do so.

Bulawayo Provincial Education Director (PED) Mrs Olicah Kaira said the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education will not fold its hands while children engage in the parties.

Speaking on the sidelines of the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA) event in Mzilikazi suburb on Sunday where nine church youths were being honoured after they graduated from university this year, Mrs Kaira said pupils should not take advantage of the festive season to abuse alcohol and drugs.

“I am calling on all learners in Bulawayo Metropolitan province that they should not make Christmas time a time of disaster where they are seen taking alcohol and drugs. This is not for you, time will come for you to choose such things when you are adults,” she said.“At the moment you have books, you have your learning areas where you should commit yourselves to. You don’t have time to waste on drugs.”

The PED said they are fighting against social ills that are associated with vuzu parties.

“We don’t want to promote early child marriages, early teenage pregnancies. We have youth centres in our communities and they can even go for soccer matches not vuzu parties,” said Mrs Kaira.

She challenged churches to assist the Ministry so that children do not go astray.“We are calling upon faith based organisations like churches to assist the Ministry of Education in grooming these children because it takes the whole village to raise a child,” said Mrs Kaira.

She urged pupils not to resort to suicide when troubled. “If you have problems as pupils report to your teachers, consult us, don’t make fatal decisions like committing suicide when things are not going well. Learn to speak out about what’s troubling you. Tell your leaders in churches or your neighbours. There is the learner welfare in the ministry that looks into the welfare of pupils,” she said.

In her speech during the ceremony that was also attended by the Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Edgar Moyo, Mrs Kaira challenged youths to make use of their talents as sources of livelihood.

She said achievements do not come in the form of gowns and caps only but in one’s ability to make an achievement which may come through entrepreneurship.

The PED challenged youths that can use their voices, bodies, or inanimate objects to convey artistic expression to make use of such God-given gifts as they are potential sources of income. “Entrepreneurs are people with broad imaginations, they are dreamers who will stop at nothing to realise their dream,” said the PED.

State Media|INTERNATIONAL investors should consider investing in Zimbabwe as it has removed restrictions that hindered investment, President Mnangagwa said yesterday.

He stressed that Zimbabwe was open for business and was implementing eco­nomic and political reforms to ensure investments were safe.

Zimbabwe had already scrapped the Indigenisation and Economic Empow­erment Act which limited foreigners to 49 percent of new investments, reserv­ing 51 percent for Zimbabweans.

He made the remarks yesterday while fielding questions during a discussion at the ongoing Global Business Forum on Africa that opened here yesterday.

The President said since not all coun­tries dislike Zimbabwe, the country decided to cooperate to have global funding.

“To do so, however, we needed to introduce reforms. Since I came into office barely two years ago, we have introduced reforms — a raft of economic reforms, a raft of political reforms in order to attract global capital into Zimbabwe,” he said.

“As I said, the current foreign pol­icy of my country is to re-engage. But we don’t expect that global capital will just come because we are just asking it to come. We must create an environ­ment where it (investment) feels safe and comfortable.

“We are also competing with many other jurisdictions in the region or developing countries which also wish to attract global capital and investors to come and develop their economies.”

President Mnangagwa said since the introduction of economic reforms, the country has climbed 16 steps on the world ease of doing business index, which underscores that the reforms were being accepted.

“I am happy to have been invited here and I hope that I meet global partici­pants in investments and we are saying Zimbabwe is open for business.

“But perhaps the next country is saying we are also open for business. Another country, perhaps in Asia, is saying we are open for business. You must create conducive conditions for investment.

“For those who want to make money, Zimbabwe is open, so come and make money in agriculture, in mining, in industry, in energy,” he said.

The President said due to climate change, electricity generation was now down, especially at Kariba because of low water levels.

“We cannot generate any power any­more but I know that among the people who are here, some have skills; tech­nology in renewable energy like solar.

“We have sunshine from January to December but we don’t have the capital to do it, so I am here to make sure that Zimbabwe is open to do business in those areas.”

President Mnangagwa said Zimba­bwe was fortunate to be endowed with vast natural and human resources that could save as a catalyst to economic development.

He said the country had several opportunities in different sectors that investors could take advantage of.

As the country intensifies efforts to rebuild the economy under the “Zim­babwe is Open for Business” mantra, President Mnangagwa urged Zimba­bwean technocrats to come back home and develop their motherland.

“The issue is that we have hundreds of our top brains outside Zimbabwe as a result of the sanctions. Our young people in the Diaspora we are saying to them come back.

“After all, the fact that we have brain-drain is also giving us an advantage. Most of our Zimbabwean technocrats are in high places.

“They have been exposed to global expertise and they must come back and develop their

By Dorrothy Moyo| The controversial POLAD member Linda Masarira has accused the United States embassy for bribing her with USD 2 million so she could travel to European countries to demonise Emmerson Mnangagwa’s party, ZANU PF.

Her allegations are contained in a leaked audio message whose transcript is supplied courtesy of ZimEye.com below.

Masarira begins by saying:

Leader Chanda. Thank you for your input and I want to respond to you in regards to your input. You should also understand that I have been a regular visitor to the American embassy and there are a lot of things that I know which a lot of Zimbabweans do not know.

AUDIO LOADING BELOW…

And after realisation that I cannot sell Zimbabwe’s sovereignty for my own luxuries I decided to do the right thing. Remember in 2016 I was imprisoned for insulting the office of the President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe and I was arrested once again after the march in Mufakose which I was not involved in.

When I was released eight, nine days later, the people paying my bills were the Americans. I had several meetings and interviews with them, they wanted to give me 2 million they wanted to get me to America, give me a green card, and take me on tours to European countries so that I demonize my country but I am not that person. I am not that person I love my country more than anything else. I could have gone anywhere I wanted, in 2016 after I came out of prison but I chose to serve my country. I am not mad. We cannot survive on the mercy of America or Europe or Britain, we are Zimbabweans first before we have something else. We all have a duty and a responsibility to protect our sovereignty, and that is what is lacking in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe thinks that America or Europe or UK is going to save us. No. No one is going to save us.

The solutions to the crisis at hand we have in Zimbabwe lies within zimbabweans lies with us understanding who we are as a people. Live with us understanding that we are zimbabweans we are Africans and that we have got vast mineral resources that we should exploit to the benefit of the people of Zimbabwe. But as long as we think that white imperial list our Saviour’s we are not bringing any justice to ourselves. I don’t subscribe to that ideology. We need to redefine who you are as a people and the chart and chart the way how we are going to do that. LEAD as a political party is not going to beg for funds to operate from America, UK, EU or whatever, we are going to use our subscriptions we’re going to use the business unit to make our own money.

We have to decide on the course of action that we are going to do and as much as I am appreciative of your concerns we will never be a colony of any western imperialist or eastern imperialist.

Two die as a tree falls on kombi. Two people died when a tree fell on top of a commuter omnibus parked in Harare’s Mbare suburb during a storm that hit the capital on Monday afternoon.

The cars were parked under an old tree and with the heavy rains the country received recently it was inevitable.

The tree fell on two civilian vehicles and a kombi…

Source – State Media

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

There was an accident on the Trans-Zambezi Highway in the Bwabwata National Park in the Kavango-East Region which claimed the lives of two people Monday morning.

The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation reports saying: The accident occurred about 40 kilometres north of Divindu via Kongola, where the driver of a foreign registered seven-seater minibus lost control and overturned around 07h00.

Two female passengers died on the spot and had to be pulled out of the wreckage.
Eyewitnesses assisted in removing five passengers, including the driver, from the wreck.

They suffered slight to serious injuries and are being treated at the Divundu Hospital.

Although the Namibian Police could not confirm, those at the scene say the vehicle’s occupants are all Zimbabwean nationals.

Several sources told the ZimEye.com the members are those from the spiritist preacher Talent Chiwenga’s church.

“They had finished church and were now heading back-to Zimbabwe,” a source told ZimEye.

Another source told ZimEye she lost her aunt in the accident.

“My aunt died in the accident.”

In a twist of emotions, she also appeared to be complaining about the church’ conduct saying they were irresponsible since they took time informing the families. She made other allegations in her complaint that cannot be published at this present time of grieving.

The two deceased are women and their identities will be published once all their next of kin have been notified. -NBC/ZimEye

– MORE TO FOLLOW

State Media|SOUTH African Express Airways yesterday landed at the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport in Bulawayo in an introductory flight ahead of the airline’s Johannesburg-Bulawayo route launch soon.

It touched down at JM Nkomo International Airport at 15:45hrs with 50 passengers including officials from the company on board the Bombardier CRJ 200 aircraft.

In an interview after touching down at JM Nkomo International Airport, the airline’s divisional operations manager, Mr Jacques Beck, said:

“This flight is just an introduction to the route to make people aware of the route by the airline. There will be an official launch of the route. That date will be communicated very soon.”

SA Express is seeking to consolidate its network across the continent while offering the most convenient connections to business and leisure customers.

As Bulawayo is the country’s industrial hub, the airline is confident that the planned flights into the city will further promote growth of the route through the stimulation of frequency.

“We remain focused on growing and optimising our route network – especially within the region. The new routes offer customers the convenience of a growing network that is positioned to complement our enhanced flight schedule,” said SA Express acting chief executive officer, Ms Siza Mzimela.

The launch of the Johannesburg-Bulawayo route will see SA Express operating six days a week.

There won’t be any flights on Wednesdays but there would be two flights into the city on Fridays.

At present, SA Express flies to 11 destinations and the addition of the Johannesburg-Bulawayo is expected to make air travel on the continent even easier for customers.

In a separate interview, Bulawayo Publicity Association director Mr Moreblessings Tshuma welcomed the launch of flights into Bulawayo by SA Express saying this would impact positively on the tourism sector.

“This is a welcome development as it will impact the transport network into Bulawayo positively. We have been pushing for a long while to have more airlines flying into JM Nkomo International Airport because tourists do not want to spend the better part of their holiday on the road hence the coming in of SA Express will encourage movement between Johannesburg and Bulawayo.

“This also gives travellers an opportunity to choose an airline of their choice considering airfares and services,” he said.

“We also anticipate that this will encourage more airlines to consider flying into Bulawayo.”

In 2013, Government commissioned JM International Airport after the facility went through a major facelift under Phase I of the airport’s rehabilitation programme.

In September, the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (Caaz) announced that construction of a new air traffic control tower and a fire station under Phase II of the JM Nkomo International Airport expansion project was scheduled to begin soon.

Since the ushering of the new political dispensation led by President Mnangagwa in November 2017, there has been a growth in passenger movement at the JMN International Airport.

Official figures from Caaz show that passenger movement at JM Nkomo International Airport last year rose to172 709 from 149 620 in2017.

During a recent tour of JM International Airport, the Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development chaired by Cde Oscar Gorerino told this newspaper that they had observed the need for Government to support the airport to improve its utilisation.

Paul Nyathi|South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor has appealed to Zimbabwe’s political leaders to make a united call if they want intervention from other countries on the removal of United States targeted sanctions and economic recovery.

Pandor said Pretoria strongly believes that Zimbabwe’s challenges can only be fixed by the country’s millions of citizens, aided by friendly neighbours like South Africa and countries in the region.

Delivering a keynote address at a symposium hosted by the South African department of international relations and cooperation (Dirco) at the University of South Africa in Pretoria, on Monday, under the theme: “Best path to prosperous Zimbabwe”, Pandor said South Africa is ready to assist but without imposing on Harare.

“I think it’s important to begin by saying the social, political and economic situation that is confronting Zimbabwe is one of the most challenging facing us in this southern Africa region. I think this is a stark fact, a reality that all of us can agree upon. This symposium, we regard it as our modest contribution to [the] beginning of a process of finding solutions to the many complex challenges which we believe will be resolved primarily by the people of Zimbabwe with the assistance of all the countries in the [Southern African Development Community] SADC region,” she said.

“There is no sense of arrogance that as South Africa we have the solution. The real, sustainable solutions will come from the people of Zimbabwe and we should not fool ourselves [to think] we have the solution. We would like to be a party to assisting and finding a way of resolving the problems as they confront our brotherly and sisterly country.”

Pandor said South Africa supported the resolution of the August SADC summit which set aside October 25 as a day for calling for the end to sanctions against Zimbabwe. She said, however, the regional bloc may have to approach the institutions and nations which slapped Zimbabwe with the embargos.

“We felt that we might need to go one step beyond such a call and perhaps initiate a process of reflecting on the solutions that could be considered to actively address the challenges. I’ve seen this over the last six months as international relations minister that we are all very competent at addressing, formulating and adopting resolutions yet far too inadequate in informed reflection on what solutions or approaches may be practicable,” she said.

“SADC may need to go beyond the resolution adopted [in August] and engage those who have imposed sanctions to agree on lifting sanctions to support the recovery of sectors such as health, agriculture and education”.

Pandor said Pretoria has an appreciation of the difficult challenges faced in Zimbabwe.

“By all accounts, there are serious and seemingly intractable political factors that might need attention if solutions are to be effective or implementable. The political formations in Zimbabwe remain at loggerheads and have apparent deep antipathy toward each other which makes joint decision making and planning extremely difficult,” she said.

“It seems clear that even as we support the call for an end to economic sanctions, the political dynamics are inextricably linked to the economic and thus should be confronted simultaneously. This can only be led from Zimbabwe and would certainly ease the development of SADC contributions in response to the emergent compact.”

Zimbabwe’s ambassador to South Africa David Hamadziripi said the United States demands to return property seized in the land reform programme will not be honoured.

The US has made this a condition for sanctions to be lifted.

He said most European Union sanctions have been removed but the US continued making demands.

Hamadziripi said the US sanctions were a result of the country’s land reform.

“It is only when Zimbabwe decided in 2000 to embark on the fast track land reform programme that the sanctions were imposed. So, it’s not a coincidence that the EU sanctions came in 2002.”

He said progress was made with the EU and the country will hold more talks with that region this week but Hamadziripi says the latest US demands will not be met

“They want us to return the land to those who used to own it but as the President [Emmerson] Mnangagwa has said, there is no reversal of the land reform.”

Other panelists at the event included Unisa’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal Mandla Makhanya, Unisa’s Somadoda Fikeni, Philani Mthembu of the Institute for Global Dialogue and Shingirirai Mutanga of the Africa Institute of South Africa.

Former deputy prime minister Arthur Mutambara also spoke at the highly-attended event.

Additional reporting: ANA

TWO people were killed yesterday when a commuter omnibus parked in Mbare, Harare, was hit by a falling old tree during a thunderstorm that generated intense winds.

This comes as the Meteorological Services Department(MSD) is forecast­ing the wet spell to spread to all parts of the country until tomorrow.

The two people, who were inside the kombi, bring the weather-related death toll this rainy season to three after a seven-year-old boy was killed when Komba Primary School in Lupane was hit by a storm.

Scattered thunderstorms yesterday occurred in areas along and north of the watershed, with heavier falls reported in Harare Metropolitan, Mashonaland West and Mashonaland Central provinces.

Notable falls were recorded at Belvedere 31mm, Chibero 26mm, Sanyati 22mm while Kariba and Zvimba both recorded 21mm.

The Mbare accident occurred around 2pm when heavy rains characterised by exceptionally violent winds uprooted old trees in several places around Harare.State media

PRESS STATEMENT BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY TO THE PRESIDENT AND CABINET ON THE APPOINTMENT OF PERMANENT SECRETARIES

1. The Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet is pleased to announce that His Excellency the President has, in terms of Section 205 [1] of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment [No. 20] Act 2013, appointed Dr John Basera as the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement and Engineer Silibaziso Chizwina as the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities.
2. Dr John Basera is a holder of a degree in agronomy, an MBA and a PhD in agribusiness. He has extensive experience in agriculture with a focus on agronomy, agricultural extension services, agricultural value chain management, agricultural strategy, finance and marketing in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi and Namibia.

Dr Basera joins the Ministry at a time when Government is focusing on revitalizing agriculture as a critical component of national efforts to realize Vision 2030.

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Dr Basera has worked in the private sector including Seed-Co and is currently the Technical Director in charge of the agricultural portfolio at CBZ. The appointment of Dr Basera is with effect from 1st January 2020.

1. Engineer Silibaziso Chizwina holds degree qualifications in civil and water engineering; project management and business administration.

She brings a wealth of experience in real estate planning, investment and development, which she gained at NOCZIM, NSSA and the Ministry of Education and at UDCORP.

She joins the housing sector to give impetus to national efforts to energize the housing delivery value chain. Her leadership will be critical in delivering housing and integrated social amenities, particularly in peri-urban, rural and resettlement areas where challenges abound.

She will also be responsible for addressing the urgent issues of integrating resilient design into the development of national housing and social amenities, in the context of the emerging challenges wrought by climate change-related phenomenon. The appointment of Engineer Chizwina is with immediate effect.

CHIEF SECRETARY TO THE PRESIDENT AND CABINET
18 NOV 2019
Dr Misheck J M Sibanda

Leader of the opposition party,
Zimbabwe Development Party (ZDP), Kisinoti Mukwazhe has died, at the age of 49.

Mukwazhe died on Sunday night at Karanda Mission Hospital after a short illness.

He died after being admitted complaining of a sore throat.
Mukwazhe is survived by his wife Shaderah and seven children.

Mourners are gathered at 11 Ceres, Hatfield, Harare burial arrangements will be announced in due course.State media