Former Higher Education Minister Jonathan Moyo says suggestions that he was the brains behind former First Lady Grace Mugabe are preposterous because that would have meant coming between President Robert Mugabe and his wife.

In an interview with Alex Magaisa, Moyo said: “It’s news to me that you say many saw me as the brains behind Mrs Mugabe. But the presumption that anyone, especially a person like me could become the brains behind Mrs Mugabe is preposterous and can only come from people who know nothing useful about Mrs Mugabe and especially about President Mugabe.

“Becoming the brains behind Mrs Mugabe would have meant coming between the President and his spouse. That would have been reckless and suicidal.

“This equally applies to the notion that I should have restrained Mrs Mugabe. As who? Surely, only her husband and family members could do that.

“In any event, my respect for President Mugabe would never have allowed me to poke my nose into his family. Never.”

Below is an excerpt from the interview:

BSR: Mrs Mugabe took centre stage in the firing of both vice presidents, Joice Mujuru in 2014 and Emmerson Mnangagwa in 2017. It worked in the case of Mujuru but backfired spectacularly in the case of Mnangagwa as the tables were turned against Mugabe. Many people thought Mrs Mugabe took it too far in both cases. You went along to most of her rallies and many saw you as the brains behind the instrument that she was. Were her actions part of the plan or she was a loose cannon? Did you have any misgivings about her approach? Did you ever try to restrain her?

ANSWER: I am aware of the view that Mrs Mugabe took centre stage in the firing of both Joice Mujuru in 2014 and Mnangagwa in 2017 but I think the view is not entirely correct. The movers and shakers and the brains behind the firing of Joice Mujuru in 2014 were Chiwenga and Mnangagwa.  They did this as part of their 2008 succession handshake. Mrs Mugabe was their recruit in 2014 but she was not the main player. It’s important to understand that in 2014, Chiwenga, Mnangagwa, and President Mugabe acted in and with a common purpose against Joice Mujuru in 2014. While Mrs Mugabe did hold rallies and said some tough and even nasty things against Joice Mujuru, she did not take centre stage in Mujuru’s firing. The three men did the job with a supporting cast that had others, including me as then information minister. This too is a story yet to be properly told.

The 2017 scenario was different, and indeed Mrs Mugabe took centre stage in the firing of Mnangagwa on 6 November last year. It’s news to me that you say many saw me as the brains behind Mrs Mugabe. But the presumption that anyone, especially a person like me could become the brains behind Mrs Mugabe is preposterous and can only come from people who know nothing useful about Mrs Mugabe and especially about President Mugabe. Becoming the brains behind Mrs Mugabe would have meant coming between the President and his spouse. That would have been reckless and suicidal.This equally applies to the notion that I should have restrained Mrs Mugabe. As who? Surely, only her husband and family members could do that. In any event, my respect for President Mugabe would never have allowed me to poke my nose into his family. Never. People who say the nonsense that I was the brains behind Mrs Mugabe or that I should have been the one to restrain her must know that I did not go to school only to come out as naïve as suggested by their nonsense.

Otherwise, clearly many things went wrong last year. Many. A lot that was said and done at those interface rallies was unwise and most unfortunate, not least because it gave hostage to fortune.

BSR: During the offensive against Mujuru and her faction in 2014, you all seemed to be united, including Mrs Mugabe, Chris Mutsvangwa and Mnangagwa. However, no sooner had Mnangagwa settled into office as the new Vice President than factions began to emerge, and the fights started again. What was the cause of the quick fallout? Did you not know that the fall of Mujuru would open the way for Mnangagwa which would place him in pole position to succeed Mugabe?

ANSWER: As I have already indicated, it is not correct to say factions began to emerge no sooner had Mnangagwa settled into office as one of the two vice presidents. Factions preceded Mnangagwa’s elevation to the vice presidency. But I think the important question you ask is whether we knew that the fall of Joice Mujuru would open the way for Mnangagwa and place him in pole position to succeed Mugabe. Frankly, we did not know that. More accurately, I should say I did not know. And here is why.

It is important to understand that the Joice Mujuru saga in 2014 directly pitted her against President Mugabe. The proverbial system presented her as using her position as vice president to fight President Mugabe to force him out of office. Throughout the Mujuru saga in 2014, there was never an indication that Mujuru’s ouster would open a door for Mnangagwa. This is because it was always clear that Mujuru’s replacement, in the event she was removed from office as vice president, would be Oppah Muchinguri. This was the deal. The idea that a man would replace a woman was a no, no. We all understood that.

More significantly, I drafted the amendments to the party’s constitution ahead of the Zanu PF December 2014 Congress. I did the drafts for Mnangagwa and Chiwenga who would comb through them and cause me to redraft 70 by 70 times. I used to have endless meetings with Mnangagwa at his office, many more with one of his assistants but most of the meetings were between Mnangagwa, Chiwenga and myself at Chiwenga’s house or at some house used by Mnangagwa on Churchill Avenue, just after Second Street towards Avondale. During the drafting, the only position that was contemplated for Mnangagwa was that of Prime Minister in government and National Chairman in the party. But the Vice Presidency was always going to Oppah Muchinguri, for her to replace Joice Mujuru.

Closer to the December 2014 Congress, about two or so weeks, inexplicable concerns started mushrooming about Oppah Muchinguri’s suitability as a replacement for Joice Mujuru. Mnangagwa asked me to remove from the amendments we were working on, the provision that “one of the two vice presidents shall be a woman”. He said this was a directive from President Mugabe. This was the bombshell that caused the fallout. I could not believe my ears. I did as I was directed and from then on, the draft amendments were not sent back to me as had become the approach but were finalised between Mnangagwa and Patrick Chinamasa with Mnangagwa saying he was working directly with President Mugabe.

BSR: Many people were concerned that Mrs Mugabe was on a relentless drive to succeed her husband. When we wrote the story of Mamvura driving the bus, it was because there was a clear possibility that she could take control of the bus and yet she seemed ill-equipped and ill-experienced for the job. Did you understand people’s concern that she could actually end up on the wheel? Do you think she was ready to drive the bus?

ANSWER: I think every rational person understood the various permutations and possibilities but none of them justified a military coup. The proposition that the coup was done to stop Mrs Mugabe from succeeding her husband is uncivilised and undemocratic. But on whether I understood people’s concerns that Mrs Mugabe could have ended up on the wheel, the answer is yes, of course I did. How could I not? I however think that people should have been equally concerned about Mnangagwa ending up on the wheel. The fact of the matter is that Mamvura is now driving the bus.

State Media|At least 5 000 teachers will be recruited in 2020 following concurrency from Treasury, Primary and Secondary Education Secretary Mrs Tumisang Thabela has said.

In a statement, Mrs Thabela said recruitment will be done in two batches. She said the Ministry will soon start registration of all unemployed but qualified teachers to fill in the vacant positions.

“The Government approved and authorised the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to recruit 5 000 teachers in 2020. These teachers shall be recruited in two batches. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education will be carrying out a registration exercise for prospective teachers who will possibly fill in vacancies for the 2020 financial year,” said Mrs Thabela.

She said all interested unemployed and qualified teachers should approach nearest district education offices for registration starting tomorrow. For the registration process, Mrs Thabela said the teachers are expected to bring original teacher qualification certificates, birth certificates and identity documents.

She said prospective teachers already registered should approach the same district offices to check if their names are still appearing on the database.

GUKURAHUNDI could have been avoided if the late vice-president Joshua Nkomo had accepted the post of ceremonial president at independence, former War Veterans minister Tshinga Dube has said.

Instead, the veteran nationalist opted for a ministerial post, only to be fired two years later by then prime minister Robert Mugabe on charges of plotting to overthrow his government.

Mugabe claimed arms meant to overthrow his government had been uncovered on farms owned by Zapu and its military wing, Zipra — a development that marked the beginning of Gukurahundi.

Dube, in his book Quiet Flows The Zambezi published by Pathisa Nyathi’s Amagugu Publishers set to be officially launched this week, argues it was political miscalculation on the part of Nkomo to turn down the ceremonial presidential post.

“He (Mugabe) perceived Nkomo to be a threat to his rule. In line with that perception, Mugabe proposed that Nkomo assume a post of ceremonial president,” Dube wrote.

“He knew very well that the Lancaster House constitution was entrenched for only a period of 10 years, after which amendments could be made.or him to be ceremonial president and thus turned down the offer opting for the ministerial post of Home Affairs.

“Nkomo was afraid the ceremonial post was going to undermine his dignity and he was going to be thrown away when the time came.

“I am, however, of the view that if Nkomo had become ceremonial president, the Gukurahundi would have been avoided. Things would have been avoided.

“Things would not have gone that bad if he appreciated what a man Mugabe was — one who would not countenance opposition. Signing the Unity Accord on 22 December, 1987 was too late…”

As a result, over 20 000 people are said to have been killed in Matabeleland and Midlands in the internationally condemned crackdown that Mugabe defended as necessary to fight dissidents bent on toppling his government.
Mugabe never apologised for the mass killings, only describing them as a “moment of madness”.

Dube wrote that Mugabe had an over-inflated ego, believing that no one but him could rule Zimbabwe, a belief he argues triggered his ouster.

– Standard.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

By Own Correspondent| A 16 year old boy has been brutally assaulted at the Marange Diamond fields.

The development comes against the backdrop of denials by the government that there are no more human rights abuses there.

But the 16 year old lad (name withheld) was assaulted up to blood gushing levels.

The Marange Diamond Trust leader Moses Mukwada said,

” We have one young man aged 16yrs. Akarorwa me ZCDC guards zvakaipisisa mushu mekunge abatwa achitsvara kunze kwe fireguard ye ZCDC.” – THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY

VIDEO LOADING BELOW

Zimbabwe’s month-on-month inflation rate quickened to 38,75% in October from 17,7% the previous month as analysts warned that Finance minister Mthuli Ncube’s 2020 budget will be rendered useless by soaring prices.

On Friday, the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (Zimstat) said the inflation rate had hit a four month high in October, a day after Ncube said the monthly inflation rate would fall to single digits in the first quarter of 2020.

According to Zimstat figures, a surge in the prices of food and alcoholic beverages was behind the resurgence in the inflation rate.

Ncube unveiled a $63,6 billion budget for next year where he said the economy was expected to grow by 3% after a 6,5% contraction in 2019, but analysts and industrialists described the figures as too ambitious.

“I think it has to be appreciated that this budget is coming against a background of a slowing economy,” Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce CEO Chris Mugaga said.

“Projections of a fiscal deficit on the gross domestic product (GDP) of 1,5% are not realistic.

“We also look at the issue of expenditure pattern. I don’t think we can have an expenditure of below $80 billion for 2020 given the inflationary trends we are having.

“So generally if we look at the numbers, I think I will agree to say a supplementary budget will certainly be on the way.

“I don’t think I will be surprised with a supplementary budget of a minimum of about 30% of the $63,6 billion.”

Ncube said the budget deficit in 2020 was projected at 1,5% of the GDP from 4% this year. He said economic growth would be driven by better agriculture output and improved electricity supplies.

“Balancing books will be a tall order in 2020 and with the realities of inflation, they are way off the mark,” Mugaga added.

“We can’t have inflation below three digits.”

Former Finance minister Tendai Biti said Ncube’s projected revenues of $58,6 billion next year were “an illusion.”

“A budget of $63 billion is an illusion and unachievable but also reflects the extent of hyperinflation,” Biti said on Twitter.

“Without sorting currency issues, power shortages, corruption and productivity constraints, Zimbabwe is now in recession and decisive measures are required.”

Mugaga said the cut in corporate tax to 24% from 25% was not likely to incentivise the private sector as the taxes remained too high amid the economic meltdown and power cuts.

Ncube also announced that value added tax would be reduced to 14,5% from 15% next year.

But Sekai Kuvarika, the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries CEO, was upbeat, saying some of the incentives contained in the budget were steps in the right direction.

“What is important for industry is an enabling environment,” she said.

“When we have a stable currency, a stable macroeconomic environment and competitive business environment, we are able to generate that growth.

“I don’t want to comment on whether this is the right quantity of incentives, but what I can clearly say is that when you have your income tax reduced by 1%, it has been reduced.

“So it’s a step in the right direction and I think it will be incremental.

“Our expectation is that this direction will continue over the next few years.”

Nigel Chanakira, a former banker and prominent businessman, said Zimbabwe’s economic recovery depended on improved international relations.

Chanakira said the country’s biggest challenge was lack of foreign currency.

“The exchange rate is running away and that triggers hyperinflation and the expectation becomes very bad.”

Chanakira said Zimbabwe needed to sort out its politics first if it expected economic relief.

A stalemate between President Emmerson Mnanagagwa and the opposition following a disputed election last year has cast a shadow of uncertainty over Zimbabwe, which is struggling to recover from almost two decades of economic stagnation.

Source:  – The Standard November 17, 2019

By Douglas Togaraseyi Mwonzora|Recently, the government of Zimbabwe, through the Minister of Home Affairs, introduced the Maintenance of Peace and Order Bill to Parliament (MOPA). This Bill, that has since replaced the reviled Public Order and Security Act (POSA), inter alia seeks to govern public demonstrations and gatherings. It is therefore a very important factor in Zimbabwe’s march towards democracy.

What is striking is that out of the 23 in POSA the new Act retains a whopping 20 Clauses as they are word for word. It makes minor amendments to 2 Clauses and repeals only a single provision of POSA. Further key provisions of this Act are duplicated word for word from the Regulation of Public Gatherings Act No. 205 of 1993 of South Africa enacted before that country attained its independence. This Act is therefore simply POSA by another name and appears not to have been made with any democratic design in mind.

The Act completely repeals section 27 of POSA which gave the police power to temporarily ban demonstrations in certain geographical districts.This provision had already been successfully challenged in the Constitutional Court anyway. The other change is that whereas under POSA, the Minister of Defense had the power to authorise the deployment of the army to assist the police during public demonstrations, this power is now vested with the President. The third change is that while under POSA the police had the power to detain any person who failed to produce identity documents, the Act now allows those persons seven days to produce same without the need to detain them.

The Act still contains a provision for the police to ban possession of certain items which could be used as weapons for a period of three months in any police district. These items include knives, machetes, axes and any “traditional weapon whatsoever”. Anybody who is found in possession of these items during the ban is liable to up to six months imprisonment. What the government failed to realise is that some of these items are tools of trade in poorer communities. The bans therefore effectively interferes with the livelihoods of these communities.

The Act enjoins organisations who want to embark on public processions, demonstrations and public meetings to appoint conveners and deputy conveners for these events. These people are supposed to write and sign all correspondence regarding these events as well as hold necessary consultative meetings with the police. In their notice to the police they are supposed provide their names and addresses. The law does not place an obligation on the part of the police to protect these conveners from anyone who may want to harm them in the performance of their duties as conveners. However, what is fundamentally important is that conveners are made criminally and personally liable for acts done in violation of the law during the events that they would have convened.

Although our law recognises that organisations can be liable to criminal prosecutions this law places criminal liability on the part of the convener personally. Further conveners are personallyliable for civil damages brought at the instance of third parties for deaths, injuries or destructions to property that can occur during the demonstrations even if these are not caused directly by them.

To add to their lot these conveners, once convicted in a court of law, can be ordered to personally pay compensation for loss of life, injury or property even in the absence of a civil suit by any affected person. What the law is effectively seeking to do here is to completely indemnify organisations while creating full and sometimes strict liability on the part of conveners who are mostly relatively junior officers in their political parties or organisations. The result is that because of these civil and criminal liabilities to conveners no person may be keen to convene public demonstrations or meetings irrespective of the justice of the cause for these demonstrations or public meetings. Effectively therefore this law bans demonstrations.

The Act gives the police wide powers to interfere with the demonstrations. Among other things they have the power to change the routes of demonstrations, place conditions as well as halt any demonstration at any time. Further this Act outlaws demonstrations in the vicinity of the Parliament, courts as well as other protected areas.

However, in the case of Parliament, the Act allows demonstrations within the precincts of Parliament only where there is written authority of the Speaker of Parliament. It is clear that if the target of the demonstration is the Parliament itself then this consent may never be given. Similarly demonstrations in the vicinity of courts can only be allowed where there is written consent of the Judge President or the Chief Justice. Otherwise no demonstration is allowed within 100 meters of any courtroom!

Apart from their power to halt demonstrations and disperse the participants therein even in the case of a lawful demonstration, the police are given the right to use both lethal and non-lethal force. If a person who is participating in a demonstration or who is interfering with a lawful demonstration kills or injures, attempts to kill or injure or shows manifest intention to injure or kill anybody the police are allowed to use the lethal force of firearms.

Similarly where a participant or non-participant in a demonstration destroys or attempts to destroy property, the police can use lethal force. Unfortunately the law does not specify as to who the lethal force will be used against. Thus for lethal force to be attracted, all what the opponents of an otherwise lawful demonstration need to do is initiate violence. This provision is dangerously prone to abuse by police officers who may side with any of the parties in the clash.

While the law now provides that a person who cannot produce an identity document when called by the police to do so has up to seven days to produce same, it nevertheless makes it a criminal offence for anyone to fail to produce the documents after the period. This completely ignores the fact that failure to produce these document may not be due to the fault of the accused person. For example one may fail to produce the documents because of administrative inefficiencies of the government, or because they are orphaned or because they may be offspring of victims of Gukurahundi who may not have the papers. The law just creates strict liability for them.

The police are given power to cordon certain areas in order to contain or forestall pubic violence and disorder. Once they have established the cordon they can search anyone without warrant. Anyone who leaves or enters a cordoned area is criminally liable and may be jailed for up to six months imprisonment.

MOPA also allows the police to search without warrant any person, vehicle or vessel entering or leaving Zimbabwe. In that search they are allowed by this law to “seize anything”. Unfortunately, this law allows stops and searches in respect of any persons and vehicles within Zimbabwe. This is an unnecessary violation of other people’s rights.

Perhaps the most controversial part of this Act is the power given to the President to deploy the army to assist the police during public demonstrations. The question is whether it is even necessary to deploy the army against its own people at all. Firstly, the army is not trained in law enforcement. Secondly, the recent history of Zimbabwe has shown that deployment of the army leads to unnecessary loss of life. After all, the police are well trained in law enforcement including the suppression of violence. They do have and can use firearms if necessary. In the case of Zimbabwe relevant police units which can deal with violence do exist. Further even under the Regulation of Public Gatherings Act of apartheid South Africa, after which the Bill borrows so much, the suppression of violent demonstrations remained the duty of the police and not the army.

Section 59 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe allows people the right to peaceably demonstrate. Although this right is not absolute there is no reason to unduly interfere with it as this Bill does. Therefore this Act unnecessarily abrogates the fundamental rights and freedoms of the Zimbabwean people. It is a bad law.

Douglas T Mwonzora is an opposition MDC Senator for Manicaland and a practicing constitutional lawyer

This article is extracted from a contribution to The Standard when the Act was still a Bill.

By Own Correspondent| A 16 year old boy has been brutally assaulted at the Marange Diamond fields.

The development comes against the backdrop of denials by the government that there are no more human rights abuses there.

But the 16 year old lad (name withheld) was assaulted up to blood gushing levels.

The Marange Diamond Trust leader Moses Mukwada said,

” We have one young man aged 16yrs. Akarorwa me ZCDC guards zvakaipisisa mushu mekunge abatwa achitsvara kunze kwe fireguard ye ZCDC.” – THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY

ONE person died on the spot while several others were hospitalised after an object believed to be a grenade exploded in their house in Silobela.

The incident happened in Dambridge area Mtshogwe Village under Chief Malisa Silobela last Monday. Police confirmed the death of a 19-year-old teenager when the object which was picked by one of the children while playing, later detonated and left the rest of the family members injured.

“For now, we do not have finer details as to what exactly happened, our officers are still on the ground but I can confirm that there is a suspected case of a grenade that exploded in Silobela area. 

“More details will come as investigations continue,” said Midlands police spokesman Inspector Joel Goko.

Kwekwe Civil Protection Unit (CPU) chairperson who is also Acting Kwekwe District Development Co-ordinator Mr Fortune Mpungu also confirmed the incident.

“It is true, we received reports of a grenade that exploded within a homestead killing a 19-year-old student on the spot. 

“Three other family members who were injured were rushed to Silobela Hospital while others were rushed to Gweru Provincial Hospital depending on the magnitude of the injuries,” said Mr Mpungu.

He said the grenade was picked up by a child who brought it home.

“I am told that it was a child who was playing who then brought the explosive home which later exploded causing the unfortunate loss of life. As the CPU we therefore urge villagers to avoid picking up strange things and bringing them home. 

“Children should be closely monitored when playing,” he said.

He said they were in the process of engaging the services of the Zimbabwe National Army to assist in raising awareness as well as searching the area.

“This is not the first incident, just a few months back another grenade was picked up by the road side though it did not injure anyone. 

“We are therefore engaging the ZNA to come and assist in raising awareness to the villagers not to pick anything up when playing. We also want the forces to conduct a search of some sort in the area as it seems to be infested with these explosives,” said Mr Mpungu.

-State media

Zimbabwe’s economy will rebound next year, as Government has set a solid foundation for growth despite being plagued by the worst drought in four decades in the 2018/2019 season, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.

He warned cash barons who were abusing the newly introduced $2 and $5 notes, adding that authorities have since identified some of the culprits, who will soon face justice. Government’s bold decision to reintroduce a new currency, he said, will help to industrialise the economy and create jobs.

Speaking at an anti-sanctions rally after commissioning a state-of-the-art hospital in Mahusekwa, Mashonaland East province, President Mnangagwa said the country’s economic progress was unique since it was being undertaken without support from international financial institutions.

The expansion of the hospital was bankrolled by China, as relations between Harare and Beijing continue to strengthen.

“We are happy that when we instituted austerity measures, yes, the economy went down by minus 6,5 (percent) in terms of growth. But when everything has stabilised, through what we call fiscal consolidation of expenditure and revenue, next year, which is just the month after the next, our economy will start to rebound from minus 6,5 (percent) in 2019 to plus three percent in 2020,” he said.

“There are other countries that are undergoing economic and political reforms, like we are doing ourselves. Egypt got US$12 billion, Argentina got US$100 billion, Greece several billions to resuscitate their economy, but not a single cent has been given to Zimbabwe in the process of reforming our economy.”

Notwithstanding the teething challenges experienced in transitioning from a multi-currency system to a mono-currency, he added, a local currency was a prerequisite for development.

“Firstly, there is no single country which has developed its economy, which has industrialised its economy, without its own currency. You go to South Africa, they have the rand; Botswana they have the pula. In Zambia, they have the kwacha. All these countries suffer good and bad times with their currencies and they forge ahead. Should we continue with other people’s currencies? No! We should have our own. That is why we said let us take the brave route.”

The country would leverage on domestic resources and fiscal discipline to grow the economy, he said, adding Government would continue to responsibly manage its finances.

President Mnangagwa said: “We were eating what we did not kill. Government was borrowing needlessly and we have stopped that and told ourselves that we should not continue on that path. We said let us make do with what we have because excessive borrowing will catch up with us.”

Authorities, the President added, had identified some of the ring leaders of illegal cash trading, including a prominent woman.

“We have seen those that want to abuse our new money. There are two banks that we identified. There was also a woman, and some officials whose names we will not mention. But we know them and they are going to face the music. Shamhu yemunyu irikuuya. We say no to corruption!”

President Mnagagwa said economic growth can only be attained in a peaceful environment, and law enforcement agents are now better trained to deal with civil disobedience following lessons learnt from opposition-led unrest in August last year and January this year. 

“We are going to continue to consolidate that growth. What is required is unity among our people. What is required is peace among our people. We must shun violence and violent demonstrations in this country because we want to build. You don’t build fighting. When the children of Babylon wanted to build a tower, God threw different tongues, so when there is chaos, we will not build.

He added: “After last year’s elections, the MDC caused violence. They claimed they had won, but we asked them how they had won. They went to court and the law allows ballot boxes to be opened. They did not go that route because they had gone for a workshop in Livingstone where they gave themselves votes. In January, they caused violence, killing and beating our police officers . . .We will not tolerate violent demonstrations. The Constitution allows peaceful demonstrations and you must not violate the freedom of other people or destroy the property of other people.”

President Mnangagwa applauded Sadc for standing behind Zimbabwe in campaigning against sanctions.

-State Media

The Provincial Chiefs Council in Matabeleland North has reportedly removed Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni from his post.

Chief Ndiweni, from Ntabazinduna, also has a pending court case after his brother based in the UK challenged his ascendancy to the throne.

Chief Ndiweni is not the first born in the family and he is said to have received backing from his mother to take the crown, something that did not go down well with other family members resulting in the court challenge about five years ago.

The Mat North chiefs deliberated on his status in a meeting on Saturday and resolved to recommend to the national chiefs council that he be removed as he was not the rightful heir to the throne.

“His appointment has always been controversial and so was his installation. His family is divided on the issue but as per tradition he is not a chief because he is not the first born and his elder brother is still alive and he went to court to fight for the throne,” a source said.

Chief Ndiweni has of late been caught in the eye of a storm after dabbling in politics and was also arrested for destroying a villager’s property. He was convicted and later appealed against the conviction and sentence.

-State media

By A Correspondent- Gukurahundi could have been avoided if the late vice-president Joshua Nkomo had accepted the post of ceremonial president at independence, former War Veterans minister Tshinga Dube has said.

Instead, the veteran nationalist opted for a ministerial post, only to be fired two years later by then prime minister Robert Mugabe on charges of plotting to overthrow his government.

Mugabe claimed arms meant to overthrow his government had been uncovered on farms owned by Zapu and its military wing, Zipra — a development that marked the beginning of Gukurahundi.

Dube, in his book Quiet Flows The Zambezi published by Pathisa Nyathi’s Amagugu Publishers set to be officially launched this week, argues it was political miscalculation on the part of Nkomo to turn down the ceremonial presidential post.

“He (Mugabe) perceived Nkomo to be a threat to his rule. In line with that perception, Mugabe proposed that Nkomo assume a post of ceremonial president,” Dube wrote.

“He knew very well that the Lancaster House constitution was entrenched for only a period of 10 years, after which amendments could be made.

  “Nkomo knew what it meant for him to be ceremonial president and thus turned down the offer opting for the ministerial post of Home Affairs.

“Nkomo was afraid the ceremonial post was going to undermine his dignity and he was going to be thrown away when the time came.

“I am, however, of the view that if Nkomo had become ceremonial president, the Gukurahundi would have been avoided. Things would have been avoided.

“Things would not have gone that bad if he appreciated what a man Mugabe was — one who would not countenance opposition. Signing the Unity Accord on 22 December, 1987 was too late…”

As a result, over 20 000 people are said to have been killed in Matabeleland and Midlands in the internationally condemned crackdown that Mugabe defended as necessary to fight dissidents bent on toppling his government.

Mugabe never apologised for the mass killings, only describing them as a “moment of madness”.

Dube wrote that Mugabe had an over-inflated ego, believing that no one but him could rule Zimbabwe, a belief he argues triggered his ouster.

-Standard

By A Correspondent- Exiled former cabinet Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo has for the first time posted pictures of his journey after crossing Ruya river to Mozambique fleeing the armed soldiers of the then Commander Zimbabwe Defence Forces General Constantino Chiwenga.

Posting on Twitter Moyo said:

“Sight after crossing Ruya River into Mozambique. At this time Trevor Ncube was lying on Twitter and to readers of his newspapers that we were under arrest at KGVI barracks. The other gentleman is a Mozambican. Details are in a coup story, yet to be told!”

By A Correspondent- Mike Burns together with his playing partner Neil Nesbitt, are excelling in neighbouring SA’s Inter-provincial Masters doubles competition as they have won their section.

The South African Masters, a yearly competition for squash players above 35 has another Zimbabwean Bulawayo duo, Darshan Vaghmaria and Kalpesh Parshotam, who came second in the same section.

Speaking about their recent victory, Neil Nesbitt said:

It was a very good experience, very tight matches but some of the points went our way this year where they haven’t gone our way in previous years so we managed to pull through.

Experience from previous years helped a lot and we were just more consistent than other years, the luck of the certain points going our way, against Border it was 11-10, 10-11 and 11-10 so that gives you an idea of how one point the other way would have been a different outcome.

Burns and Nesbitt are both from Bulawayo, the Country’s second-largest city.

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- An SDA Pastors’ wife has taken to social media to raise 4 000 lunchboxes and other commodities to help the inmates at Chikurubi who according to her post are being treated in an inhumane way as some of them are eating on the ground and drinking dirty water.

Posted Nyary Moyo on her Facebook:

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to visit Chikurubi maximum prison and the situation on the ground is baaad.

With the current economic crisis, it’s bad for inmates. I saw men eating from the ground because they don’t have plates, I saw people eating from patched lunchboxes, how bad can it be to patch an old ice cream lunch box.  Because of the water crisis, everyone gets a bucket of grey water to drink, bath, and use the bathroom per day, the poor ones have no shoes, no decent uniforms and no soap.

To not do something would be criminal, please help us raise 4 000 lunchboxes and slippers to donate to these inmates.

Lunchboxes come in handy because they get their supper before their locked up in their cells at 3pm, so they use them as storage to eat later.

Please help with used ice cream lunchboxes and slippers. For more info contact 0738 135 849 or 0773 728 388

This post has exposed how the economic meltdown has made ZPS treat inmates as they fail to provide even the most basic human need, clean water.

By Own Correspondent| Speaking during an 1873fm discussion last night, Zvimba South MP Phillip Chiyangwa said people will be quieter and more sober when they have money.

He said once you discover money you will stop talking too much; the reason why you are so loud and noisy is you are still in hunger, and poverty. He said, “ukaziva mari kutaura kwako kunoita kushoma. Waona? Kutaurisa kwese uku inzara poverty, everything! ” VIDEO:

………. 

State Media|THE Bulawayo City Council reportedly got no objections to its 2019 supplementary budget and 2020 budget projections and have since forwarded the two to the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works for final determination.

This means residents will over the coming couple of months — if the budget is approved — have to endure a rate increase of 716 percent divided between the two budgets. According to an update report posted to councillors by the local authority’s director of financial services, Mr Kimpton Ndimande at the close of the objection period on 25 October, the local authority received no objection to the rates and rental increases.

“In line with the Urban Councils Act, I hereby submit a report on the status of the 2019 second supplementary revenue and capital budget and the proposed revenue and capital budget for year 2010, after the closure of the objection period on 25 October 2019. At the close of the objection period, council had not received any objections from ratepayers. In view of this, council has submitted to the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works the 2019 second supplementary budget and the proposed 2020 revenue and capital budgets,” reads part of the report.

According to the Urban Councils Act, a budget statement is subject for review if at least 30 residents register their objection to it.

The Act reads; “If a statement has been advertised within the period stipulated of 30 days objections to the proposed tariffs, charges or deposits are lodged by 30 or more persons who are voters or who are users of the services to which the tariff, charges or deposit relates. Whether there are less than 30 such users of services concerned but not less that 50 per centum of the number of such users, such tariffs, charges or deposits shall be recommended by the council, together with the objections so lodged, and they shall not come into operation unless resolution is again passed by a majority of the total membership of the council.”

According to a council confidential report, the local authority is pushing for an initial immediate 300 percent increment before further increasing the rates by a further 416 percent in January as part of its 2020 budget projections. This will, however, be not the end of the ballooning rates as the local authority has already stated that these rate will be further reviewed in June 2020.

The report states that while some councillors noted that the budgetary increments were rejected by a majority of residents the proposed rates will, however, carry forth after being endorsed by a joint sitting of the finance and development committee and the general purposes committee.

The local authority recently resolved to set up a crisis committee, comprising of the finance and development and general purposes committee, that will be responsible of monitoring budget performance and take any action inclusive of rates increase without consulting residents, with the chamber secretary, Mrs Sikhangele Zhou, revealing that this was a strategy that was also implemented during the 2007-2008 financial year. The setting up of this committee means council does not have to continuously consult residents as the crisis committee would just increase the service charges without consultations.

VETERAN freedom fighter and former Cabinet Minister Retired Colonel Tshinga Judge Dube has penned his autobiography which is set to be launched at the National Art Gallery in Bulawayo on Friday.

In his autobiography titled: Quiet Flows The Zambezi, Rtd Col Dube tells his story in a riveting way, documenting his early life, taking the reader through his participation in the armed struggle up to the time of the ceasefire.

Rtd Col Dube then reveals in the book untold stories about tensions that characterised the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) in its formative years because of great suspicions between the Zipra, Zanla and Rhodesian Army forces. 

He takes the reader through the Gukurahundi period, tells the story of how he set up a trap that resulted in the apprehension of mercenary leader, Simon Mann, who with other mercenaries were en route to Equatorial Guinea where they were going to stage a military coup against President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo in 2004.

The riveting account ends with the historical political events in Zimbabwe where Rtd Col Dube gives an insight into the ushering of the New Dispensation through Operation Restore Legacy in November 2017 when President Mnangagwa took over from President Mugabe. 

The autobiography edited by Fikile Nyathi was published by Amagugu Publishers. 

The book’s cover sums up what is contained inside as there are two pictures of Rtd Col Dube one in a suit and the other in military camouflage during his days in the armed struggle. There is also the picture of Mann in prison garb while the other picture is that of late Zipra commander Rogers Alfred Nikita Mangena.

Rtd Col Dube said the book is an autobiography of a former Zipra cadre.

“Basically the book is a story of a former Zipra cadre who like most of the boys grew up in a village in Matopo. 

He began to taste the cruelty of colonial regime when they were flushed out of their land to a desolate area far away. 

He proceeded to study in a missionary school and was influenced to the nationalist movement. He later joined and trained as a guerilla fighter and met all the hazards that go with the war.” 

Rtd Col Dube was born on 3 July 1941 at Fort Usher in Matobo District, Matabeleland South. He holds an MSc Degree in Electrotech from MADI Institute of Engineering in Moscow, Russia. 

An expert in military communications, Rtd Col Dube also holds a Higher Diploma in Chemical Weapons Convention in the Hague and has chaired the Zimbabwe National Authority of OPCW for 15 years. 

He once served on the board of the United Nations Disarmament to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and served both Dr Butros Gali and Dr Kofi Annan.

A long-time chief executive of the Zimbabwe Defence Industries for 22 years, Rtd Col Dube served on many parastatal boards. On the political field he was the Member of Parliament for Makokoba in the last parliament and also served as Minister of War Veterans in the Old Dispensation.

Standard|MDC leader Nelson Chamisa will on Wednesday make an address to the nation from Harare’s Africa Unity Square in what could be a test to police, who are being accused of effectively banning the opposition party gatherings.

Chamisa’s “hope of the nation address” will be done in front of party supporters and diplomats, his spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda said.

He said police were yet to clear the event.

“Yes, I can confirm that the president will give his ‘hope of the nation address on Wednesday at the Africa Unity Square. The address is set to be attended by church leaders, diplomats, women, children and other political parties,” he said.

“Having the meeting at the Africa Unity Square is important because he is addressing the country, Africa and the world. 

“So there is no obvious reason to anticipate that the police will block the address.”

Police have sanctioned only one out of 10 MDC rallies that were scheduled across the country.

“The MDC looks like a banned organisation in Zimbabwe,” Sibanda said.

“Nine out of 10 rallies have been banned by the police. Our rallies are literally banned everywhere.

“We now have what appears to be a competitive authoritarian regime and I am sure the greenlight given to today’s rally (in Harare) is aimed at creating a façade that there is democracy in the country.

“We are in a worse situation than during the late former president Robert Mugabe, at least he would not ban everything as it were.”

He said police appeared to have banned MDC activities, especially in Harare. They have lately been seen camping outside the MDC party headquarters, Morgan Tsvangirai building in the capital.

“That in itself, makes the MDC appear like a banned party ,” he said.

Chamisa, who was in Sweden, is expected back home on time to address a rally in Mabvuku today.

Correspondent|A 19-year-old high school pupil has been sentenced to two years in prison for stealing US$4 200 from a car that had been involved in a road accident last August along the Chivhu-Gutu road.

Tambaoga Dovi, a Form Four student at Chiriga Secondary School, has however appealed against both conviction and sentence at the High Court.

High Court Judge, Garainesu Mawadze heard that Dovi and one Jonathan Chikoromondo, on 21 August this year at around 0300 hours witnessed an accident along the Chivhu-Gutu road, in which a 41-year-old man was involved. The pair rushed to the scene, but did not help any of the injured persons.

Instead, the two opened the driver’s door and stole US$4 200 which they later shared. Nothing was recovered.

They were sentenced to 24 months in prison each, with six months imprisonment suspended for five years.

However, Dovi’s sentence was set aside on appeal by Justice Mawadze who ruled that he was still a pupil and it was also unwise for him to restitute the stolen money.

“What pricked my judicial conscience is the fact that the 19 year-old accused is not only a youthful first offender but is currently in form four at Chiriga Secondary School,” Justice Mawadze said.

“The implication of an effective prison term is that the accused is no longer attending school, thus ruining his future. Currently other pupils are busy writing their examinations.”

However Justice Mawadze said there was no doubt that Dovi’s moral blameworthiness was very high.

“The accused exhibited a very high degree of cruelty. He decided not to help the injured but to steal the money. Such conduct is immoral and deserves censure.

“Be that as it may, some degree of leniency was required. The accused is a youthful first offender. He is no longer attending school as he was incarcerated. There was an element of sudden temptation when he saw the cash,” the judge said.

Justice Mawadze added that the trial magistrate had conceded that he did not carry out proper inquiry to properly assess the sentence and this constituted a misdirection.

“Further, the sentence of 24 months imprisonment is rather severe in view of the accused’s age, the amount involved and other mitigatory factors.

“I shall direct the trial magistrate to immediately call the accused from prison and to carry out proper inquiry into community service. The trial magistrate should take into account the period that accused has already served from 9 September 2019 and also that he is attending school possibly writing examinations,” said the High Court Judge.

State Media|ONE person died on the spot while several others were hospitalised after an object believed to be a grenade exploded in their house in Silobela.

Silobela is one of the areas that was hardest hit by the highly armed 5th Brigade Gukurahundi Soldiers who were trying to track then notorious dissident Richard Gwesela.

The soldiers used almost full war time arms and equipment in the area as they butchered innocent citizens who were accused of hiding Gwesela.

Local residents in the area have in several documentaries confirmed that the soldiers would close people inside a but before bombing the hut with hand grenades.

The latest incident happened in Dambridge area Mtshogwe Village under Chief Malisa Silobela last Monday.

Police confirmed the death of a 19-year-old teenager when the object which was picked by one of the children while playing, later detonated and left the rest of the family members injured.

“For now, we do not have finer details as to what exactly happened, our officers are still on the ground but I can confirm that there is a suspected case of a grenade that exploded in Silobela area.

“More details will come as investigations continue,” said Midlands police spokesman Inspector Joel Goko.

Kwekwe Civil Protection Unit (CPU) chairperson who is also Acting Kwekwe District Development Co-ordinator Mr Fortune Mpungu also confirmed the incident.

“It is true, we received reports of a grenade that exploded within a homestead killing a 19-year-old student on the spot.

“Three other family members who were injured were rushed to Silobela Hospital while others were rushed to Gweru Provincial Hospital depending on the magnitude of the injuries,” said Mr Mpungu.

He said the grenade was picked up by a child who brought it home.

“I am told that it was a child who was playing who then brought the explosive home which later exploded causing the unfortunate loss of life. As the CPU we therefore urge villagers to avoid picking up strange things and bringing them home.

“Children should be closely monitored when playing,” he said.

He said they were in the process of engaging the services of the Zimbabwe National Army to assist in raising awareness as well as searching the area.

“This is not the first incident, just a few months back another grenade was picked up by the road side though it did not injure anyone.

“We are therefore engaging the ZNA to come and assist in raising awareness to the villagers not to pick anything up when playing. We also want the forces to conduct a search of some sort in the area as it seems to be infested with these explosives,” said Mr Mpungu.

Additional reporting: Paul Nyathi ZimEye.com

State Media |NOTORIOUS fortune seekers, mostly gold panners, have announced themselves on Harare’s door step.

The illegal miners have set up camp at Kintyre Estates, where they are tearing into a mountain supporting the walls of Lake Chivero.

As a consequence, they are increasing the pollution of an already toxic Lake Chivero through the use of chemicals such as mercury.

Harare Mayor Councillor Herbert Gomba confirmed this: “The illegal miners are discarding heavy chemicals such as mercury into Lake Chivero and as such have put the water body and human life at risk. We have referred the issue to both Government and the police so that they can be stopped.”

The gold panners and their supporting businesses have sought accommodation in nearby Norton, where they have invaded the usually sleepy town, which until recently enjoyed a low crime rate, affordable housing and prospects of economic prosperity.

Others have been operating in Hatcliffe Extension, where they are threatening anything that stands in their way — be it roads, entire suburbs, schools, Glen Forest cemetery and any other important infrastructure.

According to Chiedza Chipangura, an official with the Zimbabwe Miners Federation and a former chairperson of the Norton Miners Association, “gold is everywhere in Zimbabwe”.

This means if left unchecked, these fortune-seekers could soon be digging up buildings in Harare and disturbing the network of fibre optic, electricity cables and water pipes.

“As I speak, there is a gold rush in Chidamoyo, Hurungwe. Even Harare is sitting on top of gold and if the illegal miners are not tamed, we might wake up to see them digging up the streets,” Chipangura said.

Harare can actually learn from what these makorokozas have done to towns such as Shurugwi, Kwekwe and Kadoma, where they turned everything upside down in search of gold.

Chegutu and Norton are the latest victims of the marauding gold panners, who will stop at nothing to get the precious mineral.

Norton’s plea

Until recently, Norton was just a small town some 40km west of Harare, a bastion of tranquillity and economic growth. Strategically located near Lake Chivero, Harare’s major source of fresh water, Norton’s rich farm lands and vast organised mining activities came under attack with the arrival of the gold panners.

Founded in 1914, the town prides itself in having factories, a pulp and paper mill and even a brewery.

Thousands of people, the majority of them coming from Harare and Chegutu, flocked to Norton. Among those that fell in love with the town included the late national hero and music superstar, Oliver Mtukudzi, who called Norton his home until he breathed his last.

However, the town’s reputation as one of the fastest growing and safest urban settlements came to a screeching halt when illegal gold panners began scouring for the precious metal in areas surrounding the town.

The influx of the machete-wielding miners has resulted in some of the residents regretting their decision to set base in this town.

As a result of all the bad things associated with the violent panners, Norton has, to a larger extent, become an undesirable destination for many.

Among the prime farming areas that have been invaded by the panners are Kent Estates, Westband and Donnington farms, thereby reducing agricultural land to dangerous pits and gullies.

The panners, among them the feared “Mashurugwi” gangs, are travelling from as far afield as Shurugwi, Silobela, Gweru, Gokwe and Mutare. Apart from stealing and forcibly taking ore from mines, the panners are also wreaking havoc at shopping centres.

Most bars are now no-go areas for locals, as the panners, who have a penchant for violence, attack locals at the slightest provocation. Rival illegal panners often take their feuds to the drinking spots, resulting in some of the locals being caught up in the crossfire.

Many locals are believed to have lost both life and limb.

As news of the miners’ violent activities become more frequent, distressed calls by Norton residents for authorities to put an end to this madness are growing louder by the day.

The burning down of a house in Norton Ward 12 by a gang of panners who were fighting over a commercial sex worker has proved to be the final straw.

Civic and political leaders, farmers, miners and the residents have since joined hands as they moot ways of ending this menace.

Laston Tachiona, the Norton Ward 12 councillor, is regretting the residents’ decision to rent out accommodation to the illegal miners.

“This is a disaster. Since the miners are our fellow brothers and countrymen, we embraced them and rented out rooms to them. It appears we are now being punished for being compassionate,” Tachiona said.

Ward 12 covers the high-density suburbs of Maridale, Kingsdale and Garikai, where the majority of the panners are living. Tachiona says as a result of the panners’ violent dispositions, the residents are now observing a curfew of some sort.

“We are telling locals not to patronise the drinking spots that are frequented by the miners. We are also encouraging them not to drink late into the night. As residents, we need to stay away from these people whose motives are always dangerous,” said Tachiona.

Letwin Nyagano, vice-chairperson of the Norton Development Association, said the presence of the violent panners is bad for both social and economic development.

“They come here, forcibly take gold ore and beat up beerhall patrons. The gold they forcibly take is channelled towards the black market and we are not in any way benefiting from associating with the illegal miners,” Nyagano said.

Her counterpart, Liziwe Musevedza, the chairperson of the Norton Residents Development Trust, echoed the same sentiments.

“All they do is drink and fight. They are not adding any value to our community,” Musevedza said.

Temba Mliswa, Norton House of Assembly member, has been very vocal on the issue, calling upon authorities to find ways of dealing with the panners.

Mliswa even suggested that locals take up martial arts as a way of defending themselves from the dangerous miners.

Mululeki “Mayor” Ncube, a Norton-based journalist, said the local authority has seemingly run out of ideas in their efforts to bring sanity to the town.

“The panners are a law unto themselves and the residents are distraught and helpless. Something must be done urgently,” Ncube said.

Chipangura, who represents the Zimbabwe Miners Federation in Mashonaland West Province, said the problems that are associated with illegal gold miners are not only confined to Norton.

“There are people holding on to mining claims and are not productive, resulting in panners invading such claims. If those that own claims can be productive, we can do away with such problems,” Chipangura said.

The illegal miners have also encroached onto farming land in nearby Zvimba East.

Ruzai Muchaurawa, the Ward 25 Councillor in the Zvimba Rural District Council, confirmed the presence of artisanal miners in Zvimba.

“The illegal miners are coming from Norton and are giving us sleepless nights. Something should be done urgently,” Muchaurawa said.

With the gold panners’ foot already in the country’s capital city Harare, will authorities finally take notice and curb this marauding force of brutality, destruction and thievery?

Only time will tell.

By Farai D Hove| The same person who embarrassed herself endorsing the recent rigged Mozambican elections, Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri has been appointed to lead a SADC Observer Mission (SEOM) to Namibia, for presidential and legislative elections scheduled for November 27.

The Mozambican polls were marred by clear vote rigging filmed on camera with the incumbent, hiring buses to carry non Mozambican nationals to vote at polling stations outside the country, in places as far as Masvingo, Zimbabwe.

Oppah was appointed by her boss, Emmerson Mnangagwa. The state media reported saying her appointment is in line with Mnangagwa’s mandate as the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation chairperson.

The revelations are contained in a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade statement which the spokesperson, Mr Sheperd Gwenzi said Munchinguri will be accompanied by an Alternate Head of Mission Patrick Chinamasa and other Government officials.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri is expected to launch SEOM in Namibia tomorrow before releasing a preliminary election statement on Friday.

“Zimbabwe as chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation will lead the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM) to the Republic of Namibia’s presidential and National Assembly elections to be held on 27 November 29,” said Mr Gwenzi.

“As mandated by His Excellency, President Emmerson D. Mnangagwa, the Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, Hon Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, the Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs will lead the SEOM to Namibia covering the period 13 November 2019 to 4 December 2019,”

He added that the team would ensure that the elections are held in a transparent manner.

“The core mandate of the SEOM shall be to determine the adherence of the Republic of Namibia to democratic values and principles envisioned in the SADC Treaty, the Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation; the provision of the Revised SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections,” he said “Elections will be observed based on three-phases, the pre-election phase, the election phase and the post-election phase.”

Paul Nyathi|President Emmerson Mnangagwa has signed the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MOPA) into law making the end of the Public Order and Security Act, POSA.

The Companies and Other Business Entities Act was also assented to by the President last week.

Mnangagwa told people who attended an anti-sanctions rally in Mahusekwa yesterday of the new development.

“We now have a new law. We have removed POSA and it has been replaced by what we call MOPA. I signed MOPA into law just last week,” the President said.

In addition to granting the right to protest, the new law also regularises the way the military is deployed to assist the police in maintaining law and order.

On the Companies and Other Business Entities Act, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Permanent Secretary Mrs Virginia Mabiza said new Companies Act was major milestone for business.

“It combines the private business corporations and companies into one. It also introduces electronic registration and transactions. This was not present in the old Bill, now we can do electronic transactions from wherever we are, even company registrations or any other company transactions,” she said.

“There is also a provision of mergers and takeovers, something that was not provided for in the old Bill. Above all, in line with our ease of doing business reforms, the new Act replaces criminal liabilities with civil penalties. You find that we have substituted wherever we had criminal penalties with civil penalties that are implemented through the office of Chief Registrar of Companies.”

She said the new Act also compels directors to be more transparent and disclose any issues to do with conflict of interest.

Mrs Mabiza added: “It also provided for re-registration of companies. This is important in that there is going to be a grace period in which companies are going to be re-registered and this will be coordinated through our companies’ office.

“We are in the process of finalising regulations for implementation of the Act.”

Over a year and 2 months ago, the US government funded Voice Of America journalist, Marvelous Mhlanga Nyahuye signed a contract to work for the man who has killed more blacks than apartheid South Africa, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

As late as October this year, Mnangagwa was found boasting on camera at a business meeting in Bulawayo that he will end the lives of critics.

The job was to do social engineering work, and create PR packages for Mnangagwa. A year later she would be found interrogating a distraught, disturbed, and terrified victim of torture, Dr Peter Magombeyi leading to his arrest in September this year.

Added to this revelation, official communications sent ZimEye.com by VOA itself have confirmed that they as an organisation are behind the secret contract with Mnangagwa. Are we safe?

VIDEO BELOW –

Zimbabwe’s economy will rebound next year, as Government has set a solid foundation for growth despite being plagued by the worst drought in four decades in the 2018/2019 season, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.

He warned cash barons who were abusing the newly introduced $2 and $5 notes, adding that authorities have since identified some of the culprits, who will soon face justice.

Government’s bold decision to reintroduce a new currency, he said, will help to industrialise the economy and create jobs.

Speaking at an anti-sanctions rally after commissioning a state-of-the-art hospital in Mahusekwa, Mashonaland East, President Mnangagwa said the country’s economic progress was unique since it was being undertaken without support from international financial institutions.

“We are happy that when we instituted austerity measures, yes, the economy went down by minus 6,5 (percent) in terms of growth. But when everything has stabilised, through what we call fiscal consolidation of expenditure and revenue, next year, which is just the month after next, our economy will start to rebound from minus 6,5 (percent) in 2019 to plus 3 percent in 2020,” he said.

“There are other countries that are undergoing economic and political reforms, like we are doing ourselves. Egypt got US$12 billion, Argentina got US$100 billion, Greece several billions to resuscitate their economy, but not a single cent has been given to Zimbabwe in the process of reforming our economy.”

Notwithstanding the teething challenges experienced in transitioning from a multi-currency system to a mono-currency, he added, a local currency was a prerequisite for development.

“Firstly, there is no single country which has developed its economy, which has industrialised its economy, without its own currency.

“You go to SA, they have the rand; Botswana they have the pula. In Zambia, they have the kwacha. All these countries suffer good and bad times with their currencies and they forge ahead.

Should we continue with other people’s currencies? No! We should have our own. That is why we said let us take the brave route.”State media

By Rujeko Hither Mpambwa

Patsaka Nyaminyami Community Radio- Political Correspondent

Kariba residents furiously expressed their sentiments over maize seed which they claim was being distributed on a partisan basis since Monday.

Abundance of people were heard complaining that they were being discriminated politically on seed distribution which they say ZANU PF supporters were the sole beneficiaries of the project.

On Monday soon after distribution, a pseudo named figure, Pengere, posted on a WhatsApp platform that he witnessed Mr Samu Mawawo and his crew distributing seed using ZANU PF structures. Pengere went further saying ZANU PF leadership was walking around ward 3 where Farai Mageva of MDC is the councillor, with registers under their armpits visiting their party members’ houses.

In another note, a woman who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed that ZANU PF leaders were engaging in whirlwind tours charging the already poor people $3s prior to receipt of maize claiming that these were for transport to ferry the seed.

“Vana Mugumbate, Musokota naSichaya varikufamba vachinyora vanhu vachivabhadharisa ma$3 vachiti ndeetransport ekutakurisa mbeu yacho,” she exposed.

Many elderly people in ward 5 and 6 have not managed to get in touch with logic and the rationale connecting this seed distribution to those distributing it! What raises many’s eyebrows is that distributors are those who lost the July 2018 elections!

However, Kariba constituency Member of Parliament Hon. John Houghton challenged the practise saying that distribution of food aid and farming inputs on a partisan basis was in violation of the constitution of Zimbabwe and the humanitarian charter!

The MP, this afternoon, went further articulating on social media that benefiting from the government was everyone’s right! And it is therefore, a criminal offence to bar a citizen to access such benefits.

The MP requested to be furnished with names attached to such politically discriminatory activities so that the matter could be investigated and any alleged culprits be brought to justice.

Supplementary to the above, His worship, Mayor George Masendu also spoke on the matter saying he had called the Agritex officer regarding the issue of partisan distribution of maize seed but was directed to the District Administrator. The mayor then turned to call the DA, who promised to call back. Last Monday, the DA was notified that the seeds were being distributed in wards but took no response.
According to the Mayor, the DA was just buying time by putting him on hold since when he called him again as a follow up he went mute.

Mr Masendu also confirms that a ward meeting was held in his ward 4 where Mr Dickson Magombedze, a ZRA worker and a ZANU PF leader was seen chairing without the councillor’s knowledge. The meeting resolved that neither an MDC member nor supporter was ever to get the maize seed.

In response to the MP’s concerns on the maize seed issue, Mr Mawawo, being a residents association chair lamented over how the MP was more concerned with maize seed in a town where residents were going for dozens of days without water. He even insulted the MP calling him bad names but the Hon. member did not throw back a word. Instead, just went on leave!

Join our mailing list to get news and updates about Kariba by emailing [email protected]

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Daily News|THINGS took a turn for the worse in the warring MDC on Tuesday when party hooligans stormed a meeting that was being chaired by its leader Nelson Chamisa, threatening to deal with former secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora in full view of the party’s big guns, the Daily News reported.

Tuesday’s ugly developments were confirmed by both Mwonzora and the MDC itself – badly exposing the folly of some of the main opposition’s officials, including Chamisa’s spokersperson Nkululeko Sibanda, who have ridiculously accused journalists of writing falsehoods about the party’s upheavals.

A senior party official who attended the Tuesday meeting told the Daily News yesterday that had Chamisa not intervened and asked the thugs to leave – before ordering MDC security personnel to escort Mwonzora after the meeting – the former SG would have been “mincemeat”.

Molokele also confirmed Tuesday’s incident, which came hard on the heels of an attack on Mwonzora’s car by some MDC youths during last weekend’s meeting of the national executive council (Nec).

This comes as there is growing animosity towards Mwonzora by some party officials. This week, in a move which has seen its former SG’s political future coming even more under the spotlight, the MDC said it would initiate disciplinary proceedings against him — fuelling growing suspicion that the party’s bigwigs are pushing him to the exit door.

Mwonzora, a widely respected member of the MDC’s Nec, has never been forgiven by some officials after he expressed interest in challenging Chamisa for the leadership of the MDC ahead of the party’s congress which was held in Gweru in May this year.

MDC secretary-general Chalton Hwende fuelled the talk that the country’s biggest opposition is readying itself to jettison Mwonzora when he said this week that the party’s leadership is taking allegations by the youths against his predecessor very seriously, and would initiate disciplinary proceedings against him.

Mwonzora has had a love-hate relationship with some MDC bigwigs and youth assembly members since he expressed his interest to contest Chamisa at the party’s Gweru congress.

The Zimbabwe Power Company has advised that it was making progress as far as restoring power at Hwange Power Station is concerned.

This follows the rolling out of stage 2 of load shedding which connotes about 18 hours of power cuts after a fault at the power generation plant.

Posting on Twitter last night, ZPC urged patience from consumers. The power company said:

We are pleased to announce that we are making great progress with restoring power at Hwange Power Station. Units 4 &2 were successfully synchronized onto the grid. Please bear with us as we continue to work flat out to restore all viable units within the next few hours.

Zimbabwe has a huge power deficit and the electricity which is being imported from Mozambique and South is not enough to meet the demand.

Local power generation is on low keynote due to shrinking water levels at Kariba Dam and ageing equipment at Hwange Power Station.

Some Zimbabwean nationals demonstrated against president Emmerson Mnangagwa during the Zimbabwe-Botswana 2021 Total AFCON qualifier match played at the National Sports Stadium, Harare last night.

Some were placards branded “ED IS A DICTATOR”, “SUB REF ED OUT!”, “ED = ECONOMIC DISASTER”. See pictures below.

By A Correspondent- Heavy winds struck Shashe community in Beitbridge, Matebeleland South Province on Thursday leaving two people injured and some houses, schools, churches and some structures at the business centre uninhabitable.

The storm also destroyed solar panels at Shashe clinic, a development that will affect the storage of medicines especially vaccines that need temperature control.

ZBC News reported that the winds also blew away the roof of a classroom block at Shashe High school while some teachers’ houses were also affected.

The publication also reports that Electricity pylons were also brought down, leaving the business centre and the school with no power, while some shops were also badly damaged.

Beitbridge District Administrator, Kelibone Ndou and his team have since gone to assess the situation on the ground.

Meanwhile, Manicaland Province was also affected by the storms leaving some classroom blocks without roofs whilst a grade 1 pupil died in Lupane as the violent storm struck the school.

-StateMedia

Vice President, Rtd General Constantino Chiwenga’s military generals who were key in executing the November 2017 coup against President Robert Mugabe, have allegedly declared war on President Emmerson Mnangagwa, and are said to be a step closer in launching another military operation to relieve Mnangagwa of his duties, Spotlight Zimbabwe, has been told.

The reports come hard on the heels of news last week, that the Chinese government and leadership have reportedly told Mnangagwa that his time to vacate office is up, and he should either retire or resign, or risk facing unspecified political action from Beijing, despite continuing to wear a brave face in public and making a symbolic cabinet reshuffle.

Some of the top generals in cabinet who include foreign affairs minister, Sibusiso Busi Moyo, who according to speculative media reports has been suddenly taken ill for treatment in South Africa this week and lands and agriculture minister, retired Air Chief Marshal, Perence Shiri, are said to be now at odds with Mnangagwa’s leadership and appalling statecraft, which has seen the economic situation deteriorating to stratospheric levels.

There are also growing fears around minister Moyo’s family circles, that he might have been poisoned just like VP Chiwenga, who has survived his alleged poisoning through the skin of the teeth, after undergoing special medical operations at a military hospital in China.

Defence ministry sources said another quartet of generals forced to retire and take up ambassadorial postings by Mnangagwa early this year, are understood to “have declared war against Mnangagwa” and want him removed following alleged damning intelligence, that his political faction in government and Zanu PF could be responsible for the spate of poisoning affecting influential military leaders.

The four retired generals include: retired Lieutenant Generals Martin Chedondo, Douglas Nyikayaramba, Anselem Sanyatwe and Air Vice Marshal Shebba Shumbayaonda.

Mnangagwa removed them from their posts in February and “promoted” the quartet to diplomatic service, while Chiwenga was absent in India for treatment, resulting in suspicion that Mnangagwa was taking advantage of Chiwenga’s absence to coup-proof himself by purging the VP’s close allies in the armed forces, all who were pivotal during Mugabe’s ouster.

“There is a damning military intelligence document with information, that Mnangagwa’s backers and faction in government and the ruling party could be responsible for the spate of poisoning affecting influential leaders in the army,” a senior official close to defence minister, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri’s office said.

“VP Chiwenga’s advisor, former Ethiopian ruler, Mengistu Haile Mariam, who also had an advisory hand in Operation Restore Legacy two years ago, after getting worried about Chiwenga’s health advised the military to conduct investigations into the VP’s poisoning, and it appears that almost all the generals involved in Mugabe’s coup have been exposed to poisoning of some sort, including minister Moyo, although the official line is that he is suffering from a kidney ailment.

“So it’s basically an all out war, and we are nudging towards another putsch. Those generals are angry, and the operation itself now depends on Chiwenga giving the greenlight.”

Mnangagwa himself suffered ice-cream poisoning in Gwanda in August 2017, and was ironically rushed to South Africa for treatment via air, through Manyame Air Base upon instructions from an alert Chiwenga, who was still Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) Commander, at the time.

A September report in a wide circulating British newspaper, reported that Mnangagwa is so afraid of being poisoned by rivals that he no longer eats in public.

Spotlight Zimbabwe, first reported in May this year, that a hardline military faction backing Chiwenga’s political doctrine and ambitions, was on the verge of booting Mnangagwa out of office, through another subtle military intervention, allegedly called ‘Operation Restore Economy’, and the operation might have started to slowly be in motion, so it might seem.

Further compounding the situation for Mnangagwa is defence minister, Muchinguri-Kashiri’s tacit admission that the country’s 30,000-strong defence force is hungry, sick and ill-equipped.

“We are expected to host other defence forces but no-one wants to come here because of these conditions,” she told parliamentarians at a conference to plan for finance minister Mthuli Ncube’s budget speech last Thursday.

“We can’t beg for food for soldiers. These are people who have sacrificed themselves. We need food rations, as we are expected to provide 30 items, but we are only giving them 10.

“We are expected to provide four sets of uniforms but they have only one. You can identify a Zimbabwean soldier by their worn-out uniforms,” said Muchinguri-Kashiri, in remarks published by South Africa’s Sunday Times newspaper.

Spotlight Zimbabwe

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwean born Al Jazeera reporter, Harugumi Rozabela Mutasa has posted a controversial post on Twitter in which she suggested that she thinks she was going to die young.

She posted:

I think I am going to die young …. there I said it. Don’t be shocked when it happens . Don’t know why, just a feeling.

It is not known why she tweeted such a negative post but others have suggested that she was depressed.

On 15 October 2019, Mutasa announced on Twitter that she was leaving twitter due to cyber bulling on the platform.

Whilst several studies have shown that usually, depressed people are likely to commit suicide, a number of Haru’s followers on Twitter urged her to seek professional help whilst urging Al Jazeera to assist her.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has heaped rare praise on former cabinet Minister Sydney Sekeramayi saying he comes a long way with the once powerful politician.

He was speaking in Mahusekwa in Mashonalanda East where senior party leaders led by Sekeramayi were in attendance.

Speaking on Saturday Mnanagwga said, “Their journey together started in Lusaka, then Mozambique and in government. He said the last time he was in Mahusekwa was when Dr Sekeramayi brought him to the villages when they were both much younger and today they stand together.”

In 2017 Mnangagwa side-lined the former defence minister when he left him out of the cabinet when he took over power from the late Robert Mugabe.

Sekeramayi’s name was thrown into the then ZANU PF succession fight by exile Professor Jonathan Moyo

Moyo had made stark comparisons between Mnangagwa and Sekeramayi, arguing the latter was more senior and more suited to be successor to Mugabe.

Said Moyo then, “The notion peddled by the so-called Team Lacoste that its leader (Mnangagwa) is the only one who is above or senior to everyone else below President Mugabe is false and that falsehood should stop. There are others that are senior to the leader of the so-called Team Lacoste.

“One of them, by way of an important example, is Dr Sydney Sekeramayi whose loyalty to President Mugabe, the party and country; whose liberation credentials, experience, consensus-style of leadership, stature, commitment to the nationalist project and humility have no match.”

Before he died President Mugabe announced that he wanted to handover power to Sekeramayi.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has heaped rare praise on former cabinet Minister Sydney Sekeramayi saying he comes a long way with the once powerful politician.

He was speaking in Mahusekwa in Mashonalanda East where senior party leaders led by Sekeramayi were in attendance.

Speaking on Saturday Mnanagwga said, “Their journey together started in Lusaka, then Mozambique and in government. He said the last time he was in Mahusekwa was when Dr Sekeramayi brought him to the villages when they were both much younger and today they stand together.”

In 2017 Mnangagwa side-lined the former defence minister when he left him out of the cabinet when he took over power from the late Robert Mugabe.

Sekeramayi’s name was thrown into the then ZANU PF succession fight by exile Professor Jonathan Moyo

Moyo had made stark comparisons between Mnangagwa and Sekeramayi, arguing the latter was more senior and more suited to be successor to Mugabe.

Nick Mangwana@nickmangwana

President says him & Dr Sekeramayi go back a long way. Their journey together started in Lusaka, then Mozambique and in Govt. He says the last time he was in Mahusekwa was when Dr Sekeramayi brought him to the villages when they were both much younger. Today they stand together.

Said Moyo then, “The notion peddled by the so-called Team Lacoste that its leader (Mnangagwa) is the only one who is above or senior to everyone else below President Mugabe is false and that falsehood should stop. There are others that are senior to the leader of the so-called Team Lacoste.

“One of them, by way of an important example, is Dr Sydney Sekeramayi whose loyalty to President Mugabe, the party and country; whose liberation credentials, experience, consensus-style of leadership, stature, commitment to the nationalist project and humility have no match.”

Before he died President Mugabe announced that he wanted to handover power to Sekeramayi.

Zim Mail

Machete attackers leader Taurai Mutandwa was shot dead on Thursday in a gun exchange with the police during a gold rush near David Whitehead in Chegutu.

Mutandwa, who was also known as Kwadez, was on the police wanted list allegedly for spearheading most of the machete-related crimes here.

He was said to be the leader of the dangerous gang called “Team Barca”.

Chegutu District Development Coordinator Mr Tariro Tomu told The Herald yesterday that about seven people had been injured in machete wars between artisanal miners during the gold rush, while 33 had been arrested by Thursday.

“Gold was discovered on 12 November at a dumpsite near David Whitehead in a trench,” he said.

“There was a rush of miners. A total of seven people are said to have been injured in the attacks between the gold panners armed with some machetes.

“Police managed to disperse the gold panners and had to camp on the site. On Monday, there was an exchange of gunfire between the police and groups of artisanal miners.

“One person was shot on the leg and abandoned the vehicle, but was rescued by his colleagues who took him to Kadoma for treatment at a private clinic.”

Mr Tomu said police had engaged Chegutu RDC chairman Councillor Tatenda Gwinji to assist with equipment to close the pit, a mission that was accomplished on Wednesday.

“Taurai Mutandwa was shot dead during the gunfire that took place between the group and police on site, and so far more than 33 people have been arrested and five vehicles recovered.”

Chegutu West MP Cde Dexter Nduna called upon artisanal miners to be patient and desist from violence while the authorities were working on paperwork to regularise their operations.

Zimbabwe Miners Federation youth chairman Mr Timothy Chizuzu condemned the use of machetes by artisanal miners and called for stiffer penalties on perpetrators.

“As ZMF youths, we condemn the use of machetes on other citizens and fellow miners,” he said.

“This has tarnished the image of all miners and is against our ethics.

“Sanity should prevail in our mining industry as we support Government in boosting investor confidence. We appeal to Government to consider putting stiffer penalties for perpetrators.”

Mr Chizuzu proposed that perpetrators should not be granted bail, but get no less than five years in jail.

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has warned corrupt councillors and council officials who convert public funds to personal use, saying Government will not hesitate to punish them.

Addressing delegates during an Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe (UCAZ) annual conference yesterday, President Mnangagwa said he was concerned with the level of corruption in local authorities.

“I am concerned by appalling levels of corruption and mismanagement of public funds and properties by both councillors and council officials who play hide-and-seek with Government officials in the process of financial management.

“Those who are prone to corruption, the sun is setting. As public servants, your duty is to protect such public assets in your local authorities for the improvement of the welfare of your communities.

“I exhort you to guard against putting self-interests ahead of serving the electorate and those who engage in corrupt activities shall be punished. Forewarned is forearmed.

You must monitor the activities of your fellow councillors and council officials in order to get rid of councils and indeed our society of this cancer of corruption.”

President Mnangagwa said under the Second Republic, there was need to build a legacy of good governance, accountability and transparency for the prosperity of the country.State media

Information coming from Matabeleland North indicate that Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Felix Ndiweni of Nhlambabaloyi has been removed as Chief by the Matabeleland North Provincial Chief’s Council.

Reports that were obtained by this reporter indicate that Chief Ndiweni was removed because his appointment was not in accordance with the Traditional Leaders Act because he was not the first born in the family.

The motion was said to be moved by a Chief from Binga.

After much discussion the motion sailed through the council.

The decision has been sent to the National Chief’s Council for it to be adopted at national level.

The Traditional leaders Act says the President shall appoint chiefs to preside over communities inhabiting Communal Land and resettlement areas.

(2) In appointing a chief in terms of subsection (1), the President—
(a) shall give due consideration to—
(i) the prevailing customary principles of succession, if any, applicable to
the community over which the chief is to preside;

After the death of the paramount Chief Khayisa Ndiweni his eldest son Joram Khayisa  filed an urgent chamber application at the High Court in Bulawayo 5 years ago seeking to block his brother Nhlanhla Felix, from being installed as substantive chief.

In the application Bulawayo lawyer Sindiso Mazibisa formerly of  Cheda and Partners Legal Practitioners, Umguza District Administrator Ennety Sithole, Nhlanhla Ndiweni and the former Minister of Local Government Public Works and National Housing Dr Ignatius Chombo were cited as the first, second and third respondents.

Thambo Joram, who is based in the United Kingdom, was seeking an order stopping the installation pending determination by the courts on who should be substantive chief Ndiweni.

Commenting on the matter Ibhetshu likaZulu Secretary General Mbuso Fuzwayo said, “It is very unfortunate that chiefs are allowing themselves to be abused by politicians especially ZANU PF. Chief Ndiweni was becoming a thorn in the flesh of the oppressive regime. His independence and political tolerance to divergent views was threatening the oppressive regime n was going to liberate other chiefs.”

Source: Byo24

Hope of the nation message. ..

HARARE ward 44 councillor Renias Masunda has died.

Masunda died at a local hospital in the capital yesterday after a long illness.

Confirming the death, Harare MDC provincial chairman Wellington Chikombo said the party had lost one of its dedicated cadres who has been in the struggle since the formation of the opposition party in 1999.

“We have lost as Harare province and the MDC family. We have lost a vanguard of the struggle. He was a member of the party since its formation in 1999. He was councillor from 2008 to date,” Chikombo said.

“He came up with various programmes in his ward. He ran the Masunda Foundation, where he was doing philanthropic work. He had a burial society and as you can see, he was a hard worker and not a spectator.”

Other councillors described Masunda as a dedicated city father who had endeared himself to his ward, which he represented since 2008.

Masunda’s ward covered Kuwadzana and Kuwadzana Extension, where he was known for his philanthropic work.

— NewsDay

HARARE town clerk Hosea Chisango has questioned the competence of directors at Town House, accusing them of failing to deliver to the expectation of the local authority.

Chisango, a former director of water, was appointed town clerk in 2018, replacing former banker James Mushore, whose appointment was mired in controversy.

It emerged that Chisango told councillors during a recent meeting of his displeasure at the performance of some bosses at Town House and has got full backing of councillors to push for competence.

“The town clerk drew the attention of the Environmental Management Committee to its inquiry regarding whether he was happy with the performance of some managers,” the committee heard.

“The town clerk reiterated that, just like council, he was not impressed with the performance of some managers. He had accordingly met with all the heads of department at Town House, where he had expressed concern at the performance of some heads of department and the managers as well as warning them of dire consequences of dereliction of duty.”

The committee is said to have applauded Chisango’s stance, with several councillors saying they were impressed with his approach to work and his push for competence.

“The committee applauded the town clerk for the action he had taken and urged him to strongly stamp his authority,” parts of the minutes of the meeting read.

Machete attackers leader Taurai Mutandwa was shot dead on Thursday in a gun exchange with the police during a gold rush near David Whitehead in Chegutu.

Mutandwa, who was also known as Kwadez, was on the police wanted list allegedly for spearheading most of the machete-related crimes here.
He was said to be the leader of the dangerous gang called “Team Barca”.

Chegutu District Development Coordinator Mr Tariro Tomu told The Herald yesterday that about seven people had been injured in machete wars between artisanal miners during the gold rush, while 33 had been arrested by Thursday.

“Gold was discovered on 12 November at a dumpsite near David Whitehead in a trench,” he said.

“There was a rush of miners. A total of seven people are said to have been injured in the attacks between the gold panners armed with some machetes.

“Police managed to disperse the gold panners and had to camp on the site.

On Monday, there was an exchange of gunfire between the police and groups of artisanal miners.

“One person was shot on the leg and abandoned the vehicle, but was rescued by his colleagues who took him to Kadoma for treatment at a private clinic.”

Mr Tomu said police had engaged Chegutu RDC chairman Councillor Tatenda Gwinji to assist with equipment to close the pit, a mission that was accomplished on Wednesday.

“Taurai Mutandwa was shot dead during the gunfire that took place between the group and police on site, and so far more than 33 people have been arrested and five vehicles recovered.”

Chegutu West MP Dexter Nduna called upon artisanal miners to be patient and desist from violence while the authorities were working on paperwork to regularise their operations.

Zimbabwe Miners Federation youth chairman Mr Timothy Chizuzu condemned the use of machetes by artisanal miners and called for stiffer penalties on perpetrators.

“As ZMF youths, we condemn the use of machetes on other citizens and fellow miners,” he said.
“This has tarnished the image of all miners and is against our ethics.

“Sanity should prevail in our mining industry as we support Government in boosting investor confidence.

We appeal to Government to consider putting stiffer penalties for perpetrators.”State media

HARARE ward 44 councillor Renias Masunda has died.

Masunda died at a local hospital in the capital yesterday after a long illness.

Confirming the death, Harare MDC provincial chairman Wellington Chikombo said the party had lost one of its dedicated cadres who has been in the struggle since the formation of the opposition party in 1999.

“We have lost as Harare province and the MDC family. We have lost a vanguard of the struggle. He was a member of the party since its formation in 1999. He was councillor from 2008 to date,” Chikombo said.

“He came up with various programmes in his ward. He ran the Masunda Foundation, where he was doing philanthropic work. He had a burial society and as you can see, he was a hard worker and not a spectator.”

Other councillors described Masunda as a dedicated city father who had endeared himself to his ward, which he represented since 2008.

Masunda’s ward covered Kuwadzana and Kuwadzana Extension, where he was known for his philanthropic work.

— NewsDay

Harare town clerk Hosea Chisango has questioned the competence of directors at Town House, accusing them of failing to deliver to the expectation of the local authority.

Chisango, a former director of water, was appointed town clerk in 2018, replacing former banker James Mushore, whose appointment was mired in controversy.

It emerged that Chisango told councillors during a recent meeting of his displeasure at the performance of some bosses at Town House and has got full backing of councillors to push for competence.

“The town clerk drew the attention of the Environmental Management Committee to its inquiry regarding whether he was happy with the performance of some managers,” the committee heard.

“The town clerk reiterated that, just like council, he was not impressed with the performance of some managers. He had accordingly met with all the heads of department at Town House, where he had expressed concern at the performance of some heads of department and the managers as well as warning them of dire consequences of dereliction of duty.”

The committee is said to have applauded Chisango’s stance, with several councillors saying they were impressed with his approach to work and his push for competence.

“The committee applauded the town clerk for the action he had taken and urged him to strongly stamp his authority,” parts of the minutes of the meeting read.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Zengeza West legislator Job Wiwa Sikhala has come out guns blazing accusing speaker of parliament of cheap politicking adding that Jacob Mudenda must “stop using parliament as a ladder to the pinnacle of his political ambitions”.

Sikhala said the speaker’s ruling against opposition legislators who boycotted President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s attendance at parliament during the 2020 Budget presentation (Thursday) reflected that Mudenda was not only violating Parliamentary Standing Rules and Orders but his “obsequious rulings based on the laws of the jungle aimed at turning Parliament into a Stone Age forest”.

He accused the speaker of being a “hater of democracy” who turned a blind eye to ministers and Zanu PF legislators who are in the habit of boycotting parliament but only come when their leader was attending parliamentary sessions.

Below is the full statement by the MDC National Vice Chairperson:

In life when you see someone hating you without any cause or foundation you have got two or at most three options available to deal with the problem.

The first one is to ignore the bastard and go about your business without giving attention to the fool.

Secondly, is reciprocity. Giving back in equal measure. The third one is not so important. The deontological parcelling of reciprocity and business as usual attitude, that is, application of the two.

The third option is born out of moral value system where human beings understand by nature that such people exist and are among ourselves on a daily basis.

Ignoring a hater is a model that has been used by the most successful in life. They don’t have space in their life for the narrow minded self-pain inflicting moron.

These are characters who do not want to be detracted from their dreams or goals in life by negativists popping up or around them in their lives. These are people who dream big. People who turn a misfortune into gold. Those who keep the eye on the ball.

This group of people avoid, people of negative mind disposition near them. They just greet you and pass. They avoid engagement in an meaningful debate with you nor need your advice in their dreams.

This group is congested with the most successful ones in life. Their focus is to achieve the goal of their dream.

The reciprocity theorem, is drived from the old testament theological point of view. Eye for an eye. If you hate me, I hate you back ten fold. The borne of contention from the grounds that you hated me first without having injured you or crossed your path at all from the beginning.

I have been struggling for sometime now to locate which of the three options above deserve to be given to the Speaker of Parliament of Zimbabwe Jacob Mudenda in light of developments that have been taking place in recent past.

In my three term periods as a Member of Parliament, I have had an experience to carry out my Parliamentary business under three different Speakers.

From 2000 to 2005, Emmerson Mnangagwa was the Speaker. From 2005 to 2008, John Landa Nkomo presided over Parliamentary business. Despite Emmerson Mnangagwa’s illegitimacy as the current head of the Executive, if you ask anyone who was in Parliament would tell you that he would not treat us, the opposition Legislators as trash.

Some of us were young and exuberant, but he avoided open hostility with whosoever was in Parliament. At no particular point would he give rulings that would left the entire civilised world in shock.

John Landa Nkomo was carefree. Would allow diversity to manifest. Would not frown at the existence of the opposition or trying to appease Mugabe with ridiculous rulings which are not supported by any Standing Orders and Rules of Parliament nor any statute or law.

The conduct of business in Parliament was in full conformity with the doctrine of separation of powers. The Legislature is an independent arm of government as confirmed by the Founding Values and Principles of the Zimbabweans constitution and is governed in terms of its rules called the Standing Orders, as the judiciary is governed by its own rules of the Court from the Magistrates Court rules to the Constitutional Court rules.

The Standing Orders and Rules of Parliament have been couched in the manner to be in tandem with international best practices where Parliaments should be protected from the inquisitive appetite of the Executive to overreach its authority.

It is reported that the Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe ruled that he is going to punish the MDC MPs who absented themselves from Parliamentary business on the day of budget presentation by Mthuli Ncube.

Sometimes, you feel like laughing and then you will come to the conclusion that, this is not a laughable joke or a laughing matter at all.

I dare Mudenda to try it. Under which rule of Parliament or a constitutional violation or which Statute of Zimbabwe is he depending upon to make such silly rulings.

Even judgement of the Courts including those of the Constitutional Court which is the highest Court on the land, are prone to intellectual scrutiny and criticism so as to avoid the tyranny of the judiciary.

The devoid view by the Speaker that his rulings are not subject to criticism are without foundation in the jurisprudence of Parliamentary democracy.

Decisions that frowns our constitution will not be let go and must be dealt with as they come. Of the two thirds of ZANU PF MPs in Parliament a quarter of them have been absenting themselves from Parliament all way round.

Ministers who in terms of the Constitution and the Standing Orders should present themselves for question time, have been absenting themselves without leave ad infinitum.

There are MPs who only appear when the 21 consecutive days is about to clock and we never heard Mr Speaker Sir raising a finger or him talking of punishing them.

The Parliamentary attendance register shows that a large number of ZANU PF MPs are not attending Parliament. They only come when Mnangagwa is coming to show face.

And this Speaker of ours make such obsequious rulings based on the laws of the jungle and try to turn Parliament into a Stone Age forest.

Some of us who are adherent disciples of the rule of law and constitutionalism will resort to reciprocity if the Speaker becomes the center of converting Parliament into an institution breaking the constitution of Zimbabwe.

The Speaker of parliament must not create his own rules to seek appeasing his masters in the Executive.

I have discovered that the Speaker hates all tenets of democracy and does not respect upholding the fundamental rights enshrined in our constitution. Gloves are off for reciprocity Mr Speaker.

If his misapplication of the law is based on his political ambitions in his political outfit he must be warned that as legislators we are not going to fold our arms when he wants to use his abuse of our fundamental rights as a ladder to the pinnacle of his political ambitions.

These political ambitions can only be fulfilled is he demonstrate to his master Mnangagwa that he has been dealing with the MDC MPs on his behalf.

Such is cheap politics. The era of abusing certain segment of the society is late in this 21st century. This will be resisted. Enough is enough Mr Speaker Sir.

Zanu PF legislators yesterday walked out of a Tendai Biti-chaired Public Accounts Committee sitting, where Sakunda Holdings was expected to give oral evidence regarding about US$3 billion advanced to the company for Command Agriculture without parliamentary approval.

The boycott was in retaliation to the refusal by the MDC MPs to recognise President Emmerson Mnangagwa and occasionally walking out of Parliament each time the Zanu PF leader attends Parliament.

After the boycott, the meeting, which was supposed to clear the air on the abuse of money under the government’s ambitious Command Agriculture programme, was aborted for lack of a quorum.

The MDC has refused to recognise Mnangagwa as the legitimate leader, accusing the Zanu PF leader of stealing last year’s elections.

MDC MPs walked out on Mnangagwa’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) last month, following a similar incident in September last year.

Earlier this year, they snubbed Mnangagwa again when he graced Parliament for the mid-term budget presentation by Finance minister, Mthuli Ncube.

The boycotts forced Mudenda to withdraw their allowances for five months and ban them from asking questions during the question-and-answer sessions.

But on Thursday, the opposition MPs were at it again, snubbing Ncube’s budget presentation which was graced by Mnangagwa, insisting that they would continue to snub Mnangagwa because he was an illegitimate leader.

But Zanu PF yesterday hit back, walking out on Biti and forcing the abandonment of the much-awaited questioning of Sakunda executives, claiming there was no justification to attend a meeting addressed by someone who does not recognise Mnangagwa.

Sakunda Holdings chief executive Chitambo Mberikwazvo said he only found out the meeting had been cancelled soon after arriving.

“I arrived here at Parliament at precisely 11:29am and was told to wait in the sitting lounge.
About 10 minutes later, I was told that the meeting had been cancelled. I was told that I will be notified on when I should come back. I was told I should expect to come back on November 25,” Mberikwazvo told journalists.

Speaking to journalists after the snub, Norton legislator Temba Mliswa (independent) said Zanu PF MPs were justified to walk out of the meeting as long as the opposition MPs refused to recognise Mnangagwa.

“They asked why they were supposed to be compelled to sit for the meeting when their counterparts could not recognise the President of the country. They concluded to wait for the resolution to be made by the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders,” he said.

Mliswa said Parliament should not be used for political agendas, but ought to be used as a space where discussions on development of the country were topical.

“My position on this issue is very clear: Parliament should not be used as a war zone between politicians. Even Americans and the European Union recognised President Emmerson Mnangagwa and, therefore, this continued rift should stop,” he said.

“Even the much-needed dialogue in the country cannot happen under these circumstances. Legitimately, Zanu PF has got a strong reason for what they did today, but the strategy being used by MDC is not working.”

Meanwhile, the MDC has come under immense criticism for boycotting the budget presentation by
Ncube after participating in the pre-budget seminar in Victoria Falls, earning huge amounts in allowances.

Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda said due process would be followed on the matter, but refused to shed more light on the kind of action he was going to take.

“There is a process that has to be followed and we are following that process and that is all I can say for now,” he said.

Zanu PF said the action by the MDC was self-defeating and an embarrassment to those who voted them into Parliament.

“Such action is immaturity of the highest political order. One wishes to advice MDC-A that Zimbabwe is not a charity nation. We must all focus on productivity, growth and job creation. The time for political Lilliputians is over. Zimbabwe is, indeed, not for sale,” Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya-Moyo said.

Political analyst Alexander Rusero said the MDC parliamentarians would regret their antics at some stage, describing their action as shameful.

But analyst Ibbo Mandaza said the boycott by the MDC was successful in irritating Mnangagwa as well as hyping the legitimacy issue.

He said it was best to highlight the legitimacy issue because Mnangagwa “lost” in last year’s polls.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- There is strong suspicion that a 26-year-old woman from Chief Magombedze’s area in Gutu who slipped and drowned in a river met her tragic end as she tried to wade off a prophet’s attempts to rap_e her.

Priviledge Mabasa was found firmly clutching the self-styled prophet Benson Mutuzungara’s shirt in her hands when her body was retrieved by the Police from Mutorahuku River on Thursday last week.

A family spokesperson said elders agreed to bury Mabasa with the shirt clutched in her hands after they failed to remove it.Masvingo Province Police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa confirmed the matter and urged the public to conduct baptizing activities at safe places and in the presence of life savers.

Emotions were high at Mabasa’s burial at Rwambiwa Village under Chief Chitsa in Gutu with her parents accusing Madzibaba Benson of rap_ing and murdering their child.

Mabasa came from Rwambiwa but was married to Brighton Chimbeu of Magombedze.

The late’s uncle and family spokesperson Team Shereni Mabasa said Madzibaba Benson failed to explain why he removed his shirt when he was baptizing the deceased.

He also failed to explain why it was his wife Irikidzai Mhlanga who first discovered the floating body in the river.

Efforts to get a comment from Madzibaba Benson were fruitless but in an audio shared by Mabasa, the prophet says the deceased and her sister-in-law Tendai Chimbeu put up at his place on Sunday while waiting for baptism on Monday.

He said that a strong wind blew as he baptized the deceased and she slipped out of his hands, fell into the river and disappeared.

He said he reported the matter to the village head and the deceased’s family. 

“We suspect that Madzibaba Benson did something to Privilege because she died whilst holding his T-shirt in her hands and Madzibaba cannot explain why he removed the T-shirt.

“We buried her with the T-shirt because we failed to pull it out of her clutching hands,” said Mabasa.

Mabasa added that they buried Privilege in a body bag because her body was in an advanced state of decomposition.

A distraught Privilege’s husband Chimbeu said his wife had asked him to accompany her somewhere but did not say where. He said she later left with his sister while he was away to an unknown destination.

-Mirror

By A Correspondent- USA-based preacher, Passion Java has dismissed the Gorindemabwe Frontier 100 most influential Zimbabweans under 40 list saying he deserved to be first.

Java said it is sad that Mambo Dhuterere was nominated ahead of people of great influence including Winky D and Jah Praysah.

Below is the list.

1.  Tendai Mtawarira
2. Passion Java
3. Mangaliso Ndlovu
4. Thabani Mpofu
5. Lewis Matutu
6. Mambo Dhuterere
7. Lawrence Moyo
8. Fadzai Mahere
9. Marvellous Nakamba
10. Chamu Chiwanza
11. Obey Sithole
12. Kirsty Coventry
13. Joana Mamombe
14. Alson Darikai
15. Charles Mushinga
16. Pokello
17. Arthur Evans
18. Comic Pastor
19. Kharma Billiat
20. Enso Ishall
21. Vimbai Mutinhiri
22. Winky D
23. Gonyeti
24. Gilmore T
25. Arthur Marara
26. Tafadzwa Zimoyo
27. Mabasa Sasa
28. Napoleon Nyanhi
29. Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa
30. Frank Buyanga
31. Chris Mugaga
32. Jah Prayzah
33. Genius Kadungure
34. Acie Lumumba
35. Mkhululi Bhebhe
36. KVG
37. Wicknell Chivhayo
38. Mai Judah
39. Calvin
40. Tamy Moyo
41. Zororo Makamba
42. Larry Kwirirayi
43. Samuel Dimmairo
44. Tendai Garwe
45. MisRed
46. Carl Joshua Ncube
47. Oscar Pambuka
48. Ishan
49. Tich Mawoni
50. Janet Manyowa
51. Gemma Griffiths
52. Madam Boss
53. Sibongumusa Dhlodhlo
54. DJ Fantan
55. Butterfly
56. Mcdonald Gurura
57. Misheck Gondo
58. Sandra Ndebele
59. Munya Gwatidzo
60. Taku Chingonzo
61. Maud Chifamba
62. Vusa Blaqs
63. Tinashe Nyaruwanga
64. Mbo Mahocs
65. Munya Takawira
66. Michael Mahendere
67. Titus Gwemede
68. Aldrian Harrison
69. Toneo Rutsito
70. Kim Jayde
71. Terrence Mathe
72. Wilford Mwanza
73. Plot Mhako
74. Shaun Benjamin
75. Kanyisile Madonko-Nderezina
76. Melissa Mwale
77. Mzoe 7
78. Oscar Habeenzu
79. Mathias Mhere
80. Ti Gonzi
81. Tawanda Gudhlanga
82. Clive Chigubhu
83. Grace Chirenje
84. Pepertual Siyachitema
85. Hamilton Masakadza
86. Andy Cutter
87. Penny Pangeti
88. Nicholas Bhero
89. Mai Titi
90. Karen Paida
91. Sylent NQO
92. Tanya Muzinda
93. Prince Dube
94. Axcil Jeffreys
95. POY
96. Emitty Smooth
97. Ronald Mapamula
98. ASAPH
99. Lorraine Guyo
100. Vimbai  Zimuto

By A Correspondent- Secretary-general of the Zimbabwe Hospitals Doctors Association (ZHDA) Dr Mthabisi Anele Bhebhe has regarded first lady, Auxillia Mnangagwa’s “endorsement” of a traditional midwife as taking the nation backwards. 

Posting Twitter, Dr Bhebhe said:

They’re taking us back to (the) dark ages. Kwatirikuyenda ndokwatabva. (We’re headed where we came from).

He speaks after Mrs Mnangagwa yesterday visited popular Mbare-based traditional midwife Ms Esther Zinyoro, also known as Mbuya Gwena after reports suggesting that she was helping pregnant women to deliver babies at her home.

This is happening when health caregivers in public health institutions are on the 76th day of salary and better working industrial action which left patients stranded.

The first lady donated groceries to Mbuya Gwena which made some to conclude that she was endorsing traditional midwifery at the expense of formal health institutions.