Paul Nyathi|Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube and his Reserve Bank Governor John Mangudya have been buoyant over the newly introduced currency claiming that it has come as a solution to the country’s cash crisis. The effectiveness of the currency will be tested this weekend when the country will be without its dominant mobile money platform, EcoCash.

The country’s biggest mobile money service provider announced during the week that it will suspended service over the weekend for almost thirty six hours while undergoing major system upgrade.

Banks started distributing the new money in $2 and $5 notes as well as $2 bond coins on Tuesday a day after its official expected launch.

Government including President Emmerson Mnangagwa himself have expressed hope that the new notes, worth about ZWL $30 million (about US$2 million on the official exchange), will end a cash crisis that has ravaged Zimbabwe for more than two years.

The big question that will be put to test at the weekend will to see if the money introduced will be enough to keep the monetary system running in Zimbabwe if there’s also a mobile money shutdown.

The impact of the cash crisis has been best captured by consumers being forced to pay premiums of up to 50% to get their cash from mobile money agents as well as a run-away Zimdollar vs US Dollar parallel market exchange rate currently at 1:20 against 1:15 on the official interbank market.

The new bank notes means Zimbabwe now has official currency notes since 2009 when the country, ravaged by massive hyperinflation, abandoned its own currency and embraced multi-global units such as the US Dollar and the rand from neighboring South Africa.

Nonetheless, Zimbabwe again slipped into hyper-inflation but the government, which brought the quasi-currency bond notes into the finance system in 2016, is adamant that having a substantive currency is the best way forward. The new notes have evidently been on demand, with banks forced to institute withdrawal limits of ZWL100 (about $7) per day.

In the absence of cash, Zimbabweans have over the past few years heavily relied on mobile money and point of sale platforms for settlement of transactions. According to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s latest stats, mobile and internet based transactions amounted to ZWL14.57 billion (around $1 billion) for the month of August 2019, representing a 17.2% increase from the previous month. It is against this backdrop that Zimbabweans will likely feel the hard pinch of a planned mobile money outage. EcoCash says it “will be carrying out a major system upgrade”. All services on the platform will be down starting 9pm local time this Saturday till 9pm the following day.

For some, the disruption to EcoCash has come earlier, with some users taking to Twitter to express their frustrations at being unable to make payments at supermarkets. Zimbabwe listed Cassava Smartech, which now holds EcoCash, confirmed via Twitter that online merchant services were currently down as of Tuesday evening. For many shoppers, cash is always the default option but then cash has been in short supply in Zimbabwe.

Demand for cash has somewhat always been elevated in Zimbabwe despite the over reliance on mobile money, most likely because money supply is low. The Monetary Policy Committee of the Zimbabwean central bank admits that the country’s “broad money supply of 4% is low compared to regional and international levels of 10% to 15%”.  In a

, the reserve bank says “cash-based transaction values increased by 17.7%, to close at $1,046.71 million” for the month of August 2019. Transactions settled using bank cards were however also higher, rising by 20.46% to ZWL2.22 billion for the same month.

My wife had to use cash around 11am this morning after failing for some time to use #ecocash. I heard this 4rm countless other people. The sight in BM borrowdale now is bewildering. If you're swiping you are being asked to come to the front of the queue because ecocash irikunetsa

— wilfred marerwa (@vamarerwa) November 12, 2019

In EcoCash’s absence this weekend, the newly introduced bank notes will certainly find more takers and users but as has been the case over the years, they may not be enough, with even more shoppers and users likely to be stranded. There is even more skepticism among economic analysts that the new notes will effectively help solve the financial crisis.

“We believe that the introduction of new notes will do little to alleviate (cash) shortages… cash withdrawals from banks have dried up due to severe shortages of physical cash, leaving the public reliant on mobile money agencies who are charging a premium. There is a growing risk that the government will revert to printing money to fund the fiscal deficit, a policy that contributed to hyperinflation in the 2000s,” said Nathan Hayes, an analyst at The Economist Intelligence Unit, on Wednesday.

QZ

Paul Nyathi|There has been widespread reporting that the Nelson Chamisa led opposition MDC has dropped a key position questioning the legitimacy of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, paving the way for possible talks between the chief political rivals to resolve Zimbabwe’s political and economic crises.

The opposition party has refused to recognise Mnangagwa’s presidency since the disputed polls of July 31 last year, and accused the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) of poll theft.

Chamisa has often referred to Mnangagwa as an illegitimate president.

But Mnangagwa has remained resolute that any talks must be predicated on the opposition recognising his poll victory.

The issue became a stumbling block and scuppered numerous efforts to bring the two protagonists together.

Media reports have since Monday declared that when the MDC’s national executive council (Nec) met at the weekend and reversed the party’s challenge of Mnangagwa’s legitimacy because it allegedly released a statement that did not refer to the legitimacy of Mnangagwa and, instead, concentrated on electoral reforms only.

But it’s this really what the MDC said?

Below is the full statement released by the MDC from which claims that the party endorsed Mangwana are made.

“The MDC national executive met today (Saturday) for seven hours and spent the better part of the meeting deliberating on the deteriorating situation in the country, particularly the worsening plight of the ordinary citizens. The executive, a key organ of the party, discussed and charted the way forward on the following key national issues.

1.The national situation
The national executive deliberated on the deteriorating political, economic and social situation in the country. In particular, the executive noted the rising cost of basic commodities as well as the slow genocide in the country’s hospitals, where the illegitimate regime has fired yet another batch of doctors for raising legitimate concerns about their wages and working conditions. They haven also raised issues about lack of medicines and other medical consumables to enable them to save lives.

2.Food insecurity
About 8,5 million people in the country are food insecure and the party noted with serious concern that the illegitimate regime had begun politicizing food in the rural areas. The party resolved to do all within its remit to stop the abuse of a key livelihood issue such as food.

3.Legitimacy crisis
The executive affirmed that the economic governance crisis in the country and the challenges facing the nation are symptomatic of the legitimacy crisis arising out of the stolen election of 2018. Unless and the until the legitimacy crisis is resolved, there will be no reprieve on the dire national situation as the people running government do not have the requisite confidence and mandate from the people.

The executive noted that the legitimacy crisis has led to the breaking down of the social contact, particularly between the leading and the led.

4.Elections
The party’s continued participation in by-elections has exposed the dire need for prudent electoral reforms. A compromised election management system, the murkiness around voting material, the abuse of traditional leaders and the use of food as political weapon continues to be rampant in the countryside, justifying the need for genuine electoral reforms. To this end, the party’s parliamentary caucus will table an alternative Electoral Bill that guarantees the holding of credible and legitimate elections that do not breed contested outcomes.

5.Increasing brutality against citizens and the leadership
The party noted the increasing brutality against the citizens and the people’s leadership and affirmed that the illegitimate regime of Mr. Mnangagwa will not succeed to break the collective spirit of the MDC in prosecuting the democratic struggle. The party stands in solidarity with citizens and leaders that are being persecuted.

The party resolved to set aside a day every year to remember and salute all survivors of political violence, living or dead, who have been victims of State-sanctioned brutality.

6.Parliament
The party deliberated on developments in parliament, particularly Zanu PF’s attempt to reverse the democratic gains enshrined in the Constitution. The national executive resolved that the people’s deployed to the August House must use the arena of Parliament to table alternative Bills as well as pro-poor motions that further citizens’ rights, widen democratic space and further the people’s democratic agenda. The party resolved to continue pressing for alignment of laws to the Constitution, and not amendment of the Constitution, itself made and affirmed by the people themselves in a referendum.

7.Dialogue
The party reiterated its commitment to a sincere, honest and credible dialogue process. The dialogue must unlock the impediments that have stood in the way of credible, free and plebiscites. As such, any honest and credible dialogue process, under a mutually agreed convener, must focus on a comprehensive reform agenda to ensure the security and freedoms of citizens as well as ensuring a free, fair and credible election that must yield a people’s government.

1. Local government
   The executive noted the challenges faced by MDC-led councils and bemoaned the fact that in most of these councils are MDC-led but are not MDC-controlled. Zanu PF has centralized most of the key operations of local authorities, such as procurement. The party noted that Zanu PF has usurped key operations of councils in a manner that has curtailed the autonomy and the full independence of local authorities, in the process grossly interfering with service delivery. The party resolved to continue supporting the local authorities that it runs to ensure that they deliver prudent and affordable services to the people.

9.Resolving the national crisis
The party resolved to stand on the side of the people. The party will continue mobilizing locally and internationally for a cogent and robust #FreeZimbabwe campaign that must eventually yield a legitimate people’s government.

MDC Communications

Special Notice from The MDC|President Chamisa is away attending the Progressive Alliance Forum, a grouping of Socialist, Labour and Social democratic parties. In his absence Hon Lynnette Karenyi has been appointed the Acting President of the Movement For Democratic Change.

Independent|FINANCE minister Mthuli Ncube faces a daunting task of devising a cocktail of fiscal measures to stabilise the rapidly imploding economy when he presents the 2020 national budget this afternoon amid widespread pessimism.

The budget presentation comes at a time Zimbabwe is in the throes of a deepening economic crisis characterised by a debilitating liquidity crunch, an acute foreign currency shortage, low capacity utilisation estimated to be less than 30%, power outages lasting up to 18 hours and runaway inflation estimated at 353% (year-on-year).

Ncube will present his 2020 budget with little to show from last year’s budget. Some analysts say his 2019 budget proposals are virtually dead in the water.

Among the highlights of the 2019 US$8,2 billion budget was a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annual growth projection of 3,1%, the privatisation of five parastatals to generate US$350 million, 5% salary cuts for senior government officials with the declaration that the multi-currency regime remains in place.

However, a year later, the reality on the ground depicts a totally different picture to what had been envisaged by Ncube in his fiscal statement last year.

The devastating impact of the power cuts, which last up to 18 hours daily, the drought and the catastrophic Cyclone Idai in the eastern parts of the country, among other challenges, have rendered government’s 3,1% growth projection way off the mark.

The International Monetary Fund has projected that the economy will instead contract by 7,2% this year.

The multi-currency regime has since been banned through Statutory Instrument 142 of 2019 issued on June 24 this year, making the Zimbabwean dollar the sole legal tender.

He presents a budget at a time the local currency has been severely weakened against the United States dollar, resulting in runaway inflation that has eroded incomes to the extent that civil servants have warned that it will not be business as usual as they are incapacitated.

Doctors have withdrawn their labour since last month, saying they cannot cannot continue to work because of poor wages. Their colleagues in the civil service rejected a 60% increment they say has since been eroded by inflation.

The ravaging effect of inflation makes a mockery of the tax-free threshold of ZW$700 introduced by Ncube in his mid-term fiscal budget earlier this year. He will present the budget looking to come up with a package to placate a restive civil service, including striking doctors.

He will present the budget amid calls by the business sector to remove the 2% tax on electronic transactions, which was introduced on October 1, 2018, as they argue that it is punitive and counter productive.

In his 2020 budget paper, Ncube speaks of the 2020 budget enhancing revenue collection through advancing the ongoing Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and other administrative reform initiatives on broadening the tax base and closing revenue leakages.

He has projected a growth rate of 4,6% based on an improved rainfall season to enhance agricultural production and electricity generation, improved foreign currency availability and recovery in aggregate demand among other factors.

He projects nominal GDP of ZW$209,3 billion in 2020, revenues at ZW$24,8 billion and expenditures at ZW$28,5 billion. However, economist John Robertson said the 2020 budget is likely to be much ado about nothing.

“I expect a lot of waffle that adds up to promises that again will not be kept and the government ends up looking for someone to blame,” Robertson said. “The best we can hope for is a stable exchange rate, but there is not much to show that will happen.”

He projected the GDP growth rate to contract substantially due to the rolling power cuts and the drought.The budget, Robertson said, would be hindered by political decisions that are contrary to what needs to be addressed to resuscitate the economy.

He pointed out that lack of reforms will render most proposals in the budget futile.“I do not think there is nothing to look forward to. I just hope next year will not be worse. They are always talking about reforms but I cannot see any evidence of it,” Robertson said.

Business consultant Simon Kayereka said the Treasury boss should address a number of issues among them the 2% tax on electronic transactions and money supply.

“Issues that should be addressed include removing the 2% tax, which is punitive. He should reduce money supply which is stoking inflation, as well as putting measures to ensure currency stabilisation,” he said.

FORMER Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko will stand trial on December 3 for alleged criminal abuse of office after a Harare magistrate dismissed his application for exception.

Mphoko, represented by Advocate Tawanda Zhuwarara, wanted to have the charges quashed claiming they were calculated to “prejudice and embarrass him.”

He said the charges forced him to reveal sensitive information protected by the Official Secrets Act (OSA).

Ruling on the application was nearly postponed to another date as regional magistrate Mr Hoseah Mujaya was busy, but Advocate Zhuwarara submitted that Mphoko had no home in Harare and would be forced to sleep in a car.

Mr Mujaya dismissed the application, saying the charges had reasonable clarity and the ex-Vice President would not be prejudiced in any way when he entered a plea.

In the application, Mphoko said State papers did not particularise which provisions of the Constitution he allegedly violated.

“The charges are vague to the point of being indecipherable,” said Adv Zhuwarara.

“The charge does not particularise whom the accused is alleged to have ordered to release, Moses Juma or Davison Norupiri.

“The charge forces the accused to reveal information precluded from publication or conveyance by the Official Secrets Act.

“The accused is at the pain of the law and has trouble responding to the charges. The law requires that he tells you everything, yet he will be exposing himself to the possibility of another charge under OSA.”

Adv Zhuwarara said Mphoko needed immunity before revealing his defence.

The State represented by acting Prosecutor-General (PG) Mr Nelson Mutsonziwa said the application was in the wrong forum because Mphoko never approached the PG with the issue of the alleged classified information.

“We don’t know the information that he has,” he said.

“What if he has nothing? The procedure was for him to bring the information before the PG who after applying his mind to the application could issue a certificate of nolle proseque.

“Where evidence is sensitive, it can be led in camera. The court cannot decide on such a matter. It is in the wrong forum and it is invalid.

“There is no ambiguity in the charge and it is not misleading in any way. The police who were ordered to release two accused persons at Avondale Police Station are witnesses in the matter.”

State Media|Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda yesterday reversed the ruling he made last month barring MDC-Alliance legislators from posing questions to Cabinet ministers.

He made the decision after finding certain constitutional rights overrode his decision.

Adv Mudenda had banned the MPs during the Question Time on October 23 after Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said it was improper for opposition legislators to expect their questions to be answered by ministers appointed by a President they did not recognise.

This followed the walk-out by MDC-Alliance legislators on President Mnangagwa when he presented the State of the Nation Address and officially opened the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament.

“Following my ruling on the 23rd of October regarding eligibility of MDC-Alliance parliamentarians to question vice presidents, ministers and deputy ministers during question time, I have reconsidered my ruling taking into consideration provisions of Section 119 of the Constitution,” said Advocate Mudenda.

He said the section provided for the role of Parliament in protecting and upholding the Constitution, adding that the Parliament’s Standing Rules and Orders also gave private members’ questions precedence on Wednesdays and Fridays as part of their oversight.

Adv Mudenda said the vice presidents, ministers and their deputies were also obliged by the Constitution to attend committees and Question Time to respond to issues they were collectively or individually responsible for.

He said because of the said provisions, he had decided to reverse the earlier ruling.

“In light of the above, my ruling of the 23rd of October is suspended sine die (indefinitely) to avoid the collapse of Parliament process,” said Adv Mudenda.

Norton legislator Mr Temba Mliswa, who had moved a motion requesting the Speaker to reverse the ban, thanked him for the decision.

“I want to thank you Mr Speaker Sir for reversing the decision which shows that you are a listening leader,” said Mr Mliswa.

Adv Mudenda warned that he would soon invoke provisions of the Parliament’s Standing Orders by charging ministers that continue to bunk Parliament’s Question Time.

He gave the warning after he wrote to the President during the course of the First Session of the Ninth Parliament raising concern on the behaviour of some ministers who do not attend sessions without seeking leave of absence as required by the Standing Rules and Orders.

State Media|Government has outlawed the fitting of new electric geysers, but existing geysers can continue to be used.

Owners of electric geysers are encouraged to switch to solar, while new solar geysers can have an electric back-up, although that must be set to operate outside peak demand periods.

The ban was announced by Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi in regulations gazetted last Friday.

Energy experts have noted that heating water in geysers absorbs 40 percent of electricity used by an average home and that Zimbabwe has over 250 000 electric geysers.

The regulations banning the use of new electric water heaters, dubbed the Electricity (Solar Water Heating) Regulations, are contained in Statutory Instrument 235 of 2019.

They were promulgated in consultation with the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) in terms of section 65 (q) of the Electricity Act.

The banning of new electrical geysers is part of Government efforts to reduce demand for electricity and promote the use of renewable sources of energy.

“These regulations are meant to regulate the installation, licensing, operation, repair, maintenance, retrofit and upgrade of solar water heating systems for the production of sanitary hot water to save electricity,” reads section 2 of the regulations.

The regulations shall apply to all property developers, architects, engineers and users of electricity and users of hot water, but will not apply to existing premises with electrical geysers.

Exemptions allowing new electric geysers are possible, but have to be approved by Zera.

There are four grounds for exemption: premises with technical limitations; premises supplied with hot water from a co-generation plant in or next to the premises; premises using electricity generated from renewable energy and the excess is used to heat water as a dump load; and such other premises as the authority may determine.

Zera has to process applications in 30 days and give reasons if it turns the request down.

Back-up water heating systems may be installed to cater for when there is extended cloud cover or a breakdown.

“The back-up water heater systems that utilise traditional fuels, including electricity, gas, or similar fuels, may be separately installed in buildings or be integrated into the solar heating system to ensure that there is an adequate supply of hot water at all times, especially during periods of extended cloud cover,” reads the regulations.

“The conventional back-up system shall be designed to supplement a solar water heating system by operating when absolutely necessary to supply the energy deficit from solar collectors due to adverse weather conditions or solar water heating system defects.

“All geysers with an electricity back-up to be inhibited from using electricity during peak hours.”And the regulations make it clear that as before, all geysers have to conform to local authority by-laws.

Those installing solar water heaters now have to be more professional and issue an installation certificate giving the date of installation, capacity of the solar water heating system, details of the installer and warranty for the premises.

Solar geysers will help the country to save 300MW a year.

Chiredzi Town is in mourning after residents lost six of their own in a head-on collision between a commuter omnibus and a haulage truck at Maranda turn off, 166km from Masvingo on the Beitbridge Highway on Tuesday.

The six have now been identified by police as Reuben Madzingo (24), Tawonga Mazana (28), Farai (38) and Collen Ernest Chipungu (37), Delight Zireva (31) and Vimbai Beta (41).

Beta was a farm manager at Farmware in Chiredzi.

Information gathered by The Herald shows that five of the six were businesspeople involved in commodity broking and were travelling to Polokwane, South Africa, on a routine business trip, while Madzingo had been sent by his father to buy spare parts for their tractor.
Chipungu owned the kombi and was driving.

They left Chiredzi around 3am, and three hours later, the lorry coming north encroached into their lane, resulting in the vehicles colliding head-on.

Zireva was a newly-wed after tying the knot in April last year and he left behind a wife who is expecting. Beta lost his wife some years back in a car accident, and is survived by three children.

Madzingo was a former student of Zimbabwe School of Mines, who was waiting for his final examinations results, while Mazana was still cutting his teeth in business.State media

Government has outlawed the fitting of new electric geysers, but existing geysers can continue to be used.

Owners of electric geysers are encouraged to switch to solar, while new solar geysers can have an electric back-up, although that must be set to operate outside peak demand periods.

The ban was announced by Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi in regulations gazetted last Friday.

Energy experts have noted that heating water in geysers absorbs 40 percent of electricity used by an average home and that Zimbabwe has over 250 000 electric geysers.

The regulations banning the use of new electric water heaters, dubbed the Electricity (Solar Water Heating) Regulations, are contained in Statutory Instrument 235 of 2019.

They were promulgated in consultation with the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) in terms of section 65 (q) of the Electricity Act.

The banning of new electrical geysers is part of Government efforts to reduce demand for electricity and promote the use of renewable sources of energy.

“These regulations are meant to regulate the installation, licensing, operation, repair, maintenance, retrofit and upgrade of solar water heating systems for the production of sanitary hot water to save electricity,” reads section 2 of the regulations.

The regulations shall apply to all property developers, architects, engineers and users of electricity and users of hot water, but will not apply to existing premises with electrical geysers.

Exemptions allowing new electric geysers are possible, but have to be approved by Zera.State media

Watch video below. ..

Watch video below. ..

Farai Dziva|Deputy Information Minister Energy Mutodi has claimed the G-40 faction wants to use house maids to eliminate Government Ministers.

“Team G40 is back again with dirty tactics this time using house maids to administer poison, explosives and other harmful substances including ambushes.
Ministers be warned,” wrote Mutodi on Twitter.

However former Higher and Tertiary Education Minister, Professor Jonathan Moyo has said Mutodi is afraid of his own shadow.

“This coming from a deputy minister of
@InfoMinZW
? Paranoia has hit town as things fall apart for the embattled regime. Next they’ll start suspecting their spouses to be in bed with the enemy…”

#PostCabinetPressBriefing Cabinet remains seized with the current power outages that are adversely impacting on production across all sectors of the economy. More power augmentation projects are being implemented countrywide. pic.twitter.com/zEUgqFcf5S

— Ministry of Information, Publicity & Broadcasting (@InfoMinZW) November 12, 2019

By A Correspondent- Government has professed ignorance over the load shedding of electricity in Beitbridge hospital that has led to the health facility shutting its mortuary.

On Wednesday afternoon opposition Member of Parliament for Mabuku Tafara James Chidakwa asked the Deputy Minister of Energy and Power Development Magna Mudyiwa, “Government mortuaries are rejecting dead bodies citing lack of electricity so where are people supposed  to take these bodies since its government responsibility to preserve these bodies?”

Mudyiwa said:

“I don’t know why these mortuary are rejecting the bodies, but we have tried as a ministry to ring fence areas that have mortuaries so that they will always have electricity

“Our responsibility as a ministry is to provide electricity which we are doing with the little energy that we have.”

Beitbridge  hospital told the public that the electricity challenges affecting them did not allow them to fully operate the mortuary.

Zimbabwe has been facing electricity challenges that have forced the power utility to load shed electricity at some instances up to 18 hours.

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) has been hit by mass resignations, with at least 12 top executives reported to have resigned.

The resignations have been prompted by alleged interference, endemic corruption, harassment and threats from some board members, a local publication reported:

Quite a number have resigned and it is now an everyday thing. People are frustrated and there is a feeling that things can’t continue like this.

They know that if they are accused of anything, processes are manipulated and they will not win so they are opting out. The situation is bad.

Officials who have allegedly resigned include Simpson Mandizha (administration), Tanyaradzwa Mandisodza (finance), Wilfred Chiroodza, Anyway Mudodo (finance manager), Hazel Tlou (finance tolling) and Daphne Charamba (finance tolling).

Vikani Lulamani (finance tolling) Muthetheleli Mpofu (finance tolling, engineer G Kufa (management), Gift Kanotangudza an ICT manager, Shadreck Matengabadza (audit manager) and company secretary Mathlene Mujokoro are reported to have resigned as well.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- The Health Minister is expected to appear before the parliament to explain the reason why the govt fired 286 doctors and why the doctors have been on strike for 70 days.

MDC legislator and vice president Tendai Biti expressed concern over reports that the UK has reportedly said it will relax its visa requirements to recruit more doctors from other countries.

Tendai Biti in parliament said:

I have been to Karanda Hospital and it is flooded with patients. Now the United Kingdom has given special exemptions for visa requirements for foreign doctors and we stand to lose our professionals, so I suggest that when Mthuli presents his $40 billon budget he must consider doctors and other health workers’ conditions of service.

Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda endorsed Biti’s calls and said he will engage Obidiah Moyo after Mthuli presents his budget. The govt has so far fired 286 striking doctors and proposed to give doctors flats and Zupco buses as part of their benefits. 

By A Correspondent- A Filabusi businessman lost US$20 660, R72 300 and $1 100 among other valuables to four men armed with pistols who stormed his home in a pre-dawn raid, police confirmed yesterday.

Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele said the incident occurred on Monday at around 2AM.

He said Mr Douglas Chitengo, who owns Spacebird Garage in Filabusi, was sleeping with his family when the gang, armed with three pistols, barged into his house.

“I can confirm that we recorded an armed robbery case which occurred in the low-density suburbs in Filabusi. Mr Douglas Chitengo was asleep in his home when four unidentified men who were armed with three pistols and an iron bar forcibly opened a sliding door and gained entry.

“They demanded cash and took US$20 660, R72 300, RTGS1 100 which was in a wardrobe. They also took eight cellphones, a laptop, groceries and children’s clothes and fled from the scene. The matter was reported to the police who attended the scene,” Chief Insp Ndebele said.

He said investigations were underway and appealed to members of the public that may have information on the identity of the suspects and their whereabouts to contact any nearest police station. 

Chief Insp Ndebele also urged members of the public to desist from storing large sums of money in their homes.

“As police we continue to urge people to desist from storing large sums of money in their homes as that puts them at risk of being attacked. This is especially so when it comes to business people who handle large sums of money as they become targets of robbers hence the need for them to be careful,” he said.

A source close to the investigations said Mr Chitengo was sleeping at home with his wife and two children when the suspects arrived. 

The source said the gang held Mr Chitengo at gunpoint and ordered him to give them cash. 

He said Mr Chitengo tried to resist but they threatened to shoot him and his family and he gave in to their demands and showed them the cash which was stashed in a wardrobe.

The source said after collecting the money, the suspects switched off the lights and locked Mr Chitengo and his family in the house and fled from the scene. 

He said Mr Chitengo and his family were assisted by a neighbour

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- Government has expressed concern over vandalism of electricity infrastructure describing the acts as sabotage to the country’s productive sectors.

Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa told the media that government was in the process of setting up measures to curtail this negative trend by unruly members of society.

She said:

“…Of major concern is the vandalism that is being perpetrated by unruly elements on electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure.

Measures to curtail this trend, which is tantamount to sabotage, are being instituted. Investors are being invited to participate in the development of alternative technologies intended to minimise the acts of vandalism and theft of essential equipment.”

Watch the video below for the full text of the press statement…..

40th Cabinet Meeting Decisions Matrix: 12th November, 2019

1. Memorandum of Understanding between the Republic of Zimbabwe and Life Academy on Cooperation in the Field of Energy

Cabinet considered and approved the Memorandum of Understanding between the Republic of Zimbabwe and Life Academy on Cooperation in the Field of Energy.

The memorandum provides a governing framework for cooperation and investment in the development of renewable energy sources, thereby boosting the use of clean energy in the country. The memorandum of understanding underscores Government’s commitment to enhance local generation of energy, which is expected to lead to increased access to affordable, reliable renewable energy and access to electricity by the vulnerable and disadvantaged communities.

Life Academy is a global actor in capacity building and knowledge exchange for sustainable development, and was commissioned by the Swedish Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) to plan and implement a Global Capacity Development Programme on Renewable Energy to contribute to the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The programme will be premised on three pillars, which are as follows:

learning and knowledge transfer;

change management;

and experience sharing to include policy formulation, technology solutions and investments.

The programme will seek to develop modern and sustainable energy systems inclusive of all forms of renewable energy such as solar, wind, hydro, bio (including waste to energy) and geothermal. The development of these renewable energy sources will promote sustainable use of natural resources and environmental conservation.

The envisaged training programme, which has already commenced, will be expanded to benefit many Zimbabweans as part of the broader human capacity development programme for the nation in line with Vision 2030.

2. Update on the industrial Action by Doctors and City of Harare Nurses

Cabinet was briefed on the industrial action by doctors and City of Harare nurses by the Minister of Health and Child Care.

The strike by the doctors over conditions of service has now gone beyond over seventy days. The Minister informed Cabinet as follows:

a) Harare City Council Nurses

The situation at the municipal clinics remains constrained as only 35 out of the expected 104 nurses turned up for duty at the five polyclinics and one hospital.

The nurses had withdrawn their labour over delayed salary payments and are refusing to resume duty even after receiving their salaries.

The action by the nurses is illegal, and the employer has been advised to commence disciplinary processes on the striking nurses in line with the country’s laws.

As such, therefore, only those nurses reporting for duty will be paid while their conditions of service are being looked into.

Meanwhile, and mindful of the hardships innocent patients are likely to face as a result of the illegal job action, Harare City Council has rationalised services to polyclinics as follows: Mabvuku, Tafara, Kuwadzana, Mufakose, Hatfield and                 Glen View. The Beatrice Road Infectious Diseases Hospital is also attending to patients.

Cabinet is concerned about doctors and pharmacies that are demanding payment for their services as well as for medicines in United States dollars. The practice is illegal and should be stopped forthwith.

Those unwilling to comply with the laws risk a withdrawal of their licences.

b) Ministry of Health and Child Care Hospital Doctors

A total of 322 disciplinary cases have so far been heard and the 286 doctors were found guilty have been discharged.

A further 93 doctors from Central hospitals and 55 from provincial hospitals will have their disciplinary hearings concluded by 15th November and 22nd November 2019, respectively.

Government is still committed to dialogue with the striking doctors, and a meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, 14th November, 2019.

Government is working flat out to ensure availability of resources in the health institutions as well as improve the conditions of service for all health personnel. In particular, the provision of institutional accommodation is being pursued in order to alleviate the challenges that affect service delivery in the short, medium to long term.

Government is also taking firm steps to ensure the engagement of nurses who have hitherto been unemployed, and to expedite recruitment of personnel for training as health practitioners.

3. National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill, 2019

Cabinet considered and approved the National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill, 2019 which the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs presented.

The proposed amendments are primarily aimed at improving the operations of the National Prosecuting Authority, and revamping its governance structures.

The amendments will thus pave way for the creation of the National Prosecuting Authority Board headed by a chairperson appointed by His Excellency the President.

The deputy chairperson shall thus be free to devote more time to the prosecutorial duties relating to his office. The chairperson and the deputy chairperson shall be of different genders. A secretary will be appointed to serve on the board.

The other members of the board shall be a commissioner of the Civil Service Commission appointed by the chairperson of the Civil Service Commission; and five members appointed by the President after consultation with the Minister responsible for Justice. To ensure consistency in the country’s laws, Section 7 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act shall be amended in accordance with the Amendments to the National Prosecuting Authority Act.

Once enacted into law, the National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill, 2019 will make the Authority more effective and efficient in carrying out its Constitutional mandate as part of the reforms being undertaken by the Second Republic.

4. Country’s Power Supply Situation

Following presentation by the Minister of Energy and Power Development on the country’s power supply situation, Cabinet remains seized with the current power outages that are adversely impacting on production across all sectors of the economy.

Of major concern is the vandalism that is being perpetrated by unruly elements on electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure.

Measures to curtail this trend, which is tantamount to sabotage, are being instituted. Investors are being invited to participate in the development of alternative technologies intended to minimise the acts of vandalism and theft of essential equipment.

Cabinet further wishes to inform the nation that the fault which occurred around midnight on 11th November has since been attended to successfully, resulting in the restoration of expected power supplies early morning today.

As the country’s power generation capacity faces challenges mainly as a result of the drought that has adversely affected the main hydroelectric power station at Kariba, power augmentation projects are being implemented countrywide.

5. Tugwi-Mukosi National Programmes and Projects

Following a presentation by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement on the preparations for the 2019-2020 agricultural season, the Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development briefed Cabinet on the projects that Government has approved for women under the Tugwi-Mukosi development initiative.

The ministry has managed to register a total of 241 fishery cooperatives as follows: Chivi District, 128 cooperatives; Chiredzi District, 20 cooperatives; Masvingo District, 69 cooperatives; and Mwenezi District, 16 cooperatives.

Cabinet has further informed that a total of 45 women farmers have so far been assisted and referred to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement to enable them to apply for irrigation plots and commercial land at Tugwi-Mukosi.

It is expected that the empowered women will soon make a significant contribution to household and national food security.

By A Correspondent- National Patriotic Front (NPF) member and businessman Agrippa Bopela Masiyakurima has accused presidential spokesperson George Charamba of corruption alleging that he turned down the later’s offer that sought to manipulate tender.

Masiyakurema revealed this on twitter, claiming that he turned down Charamba’s offer of awarding him a tower construction tender at the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC).

He accused Charamba, of attempting to recruit him into Zanu PF’s Lacoste faction in return for a bribe.

We publish below the full thread:

“Jojo, I assumed you’re intelligent enough to interpret and analyse that my life did not revolve around NetOne?

“If I was desperate, I could have taken your offer for ZBC towers, bribe you and join Lacoste. You failed to recruit me. Only dead fish go with the flow,” Bopela’s tweet read.

Charamba championed all digitalisation programmes implemented by Transmedia.

He clapped back in vernacular, accusing Bopela of being bitter.

He also insinuated that kharma was at play in Bopela’s life, as his fortunes were waning.

“Chaiseva chotemura!! Kutoita zvihasha nhai!! ( loosely translated to from grace to grass),” Charamba tweeted.

According to sources, the tiff between the two arose when a 2016 forensic audit at NetOne, unearthed that Bopela’s company was involved in alleged corrupt deals at NetOne.

“His company was cherry picked for a contract where it was supposed to supply and install base stations at 100 sites for the Mobile Broadband Project at a cost of US$52 000 per base station,” said our source.

“He was given an advance payment of US$500 000 and used strong connections to speed up payments for contracts he was not contracted to carry out,” further revealed our source.

Bopela is, however, on record vowing that he was not scared of Zanu PF’s alleged intimidatory tactics, including the potential freezing of his business accounts.

He has since ventured into solar energy business, giving credence to his claim that “my life does not revolve around NetOne”, in his jab aimed at Charamba. 

-ZimMorningPost

By A Correspondent- Schools in Zimbabwe may permanently close this year if the government does not address the challenges facing the teachers who are incapacitated to go to  their workplaces of work the Zimbabwe Teachers Association has said.

In a statement issued on Wednesday ZIMTA said:

“The wheels are fast grinding to a halt in the education sector due to the crippling but circumstantial incapacitation.

Most schools now risk permanent closure this year, a situation that calls for government to urgent consider alleviating the plight of educators whose working conditions have now reached unbearable levels.”

Teachers in some areas are now attending school just for two days a week.

ZIMTA also condemned the announcement by government that teachers will be paid bonuses in December arguing that the money would have lost value.

Read the full statement below:

By A Correspondent- Information Minister Energy Mutodi has claimed the G-40 faction wants to use house maids to eliminate Government Ministers.

“Team G40 is back again with dirty tactics this time using house maids to administer poison, explosives and other harmful substances including ambushes. Ministers be warned,” wrote Mutodi on Twitter.

However former Higher and Tertiary Education Minister, Professor Jonathan Moyo has said Mutodi is afraid of his own shadow.

“This coming from a deputy minister of @InfoMinZW? Paranoia has hit town as things fall apart for the embattled regime. Next they’ll start suspecting their spouses to be in bed with the enemy…”

video loading below………….

By A Correspondent- Government has warned striking nurses that their actions warrant disciplinary action from their employer as it was illegal to go on strike.

This was revealed by Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa while speaking to the media following the 40th cabinet meeting Tuesday.

She said:

“….The action by the nurses is illegal, and the employer has been advised to commence disciplinary processes on the striking nurses in line with the country’s laws.

As such, therefore, only those nurses reporting for duty will be paid while their conditions of service are being looked into.”

Below is the full text of the 40th Cabinet Meeting Decisions Matrix held on 12 November 2019

1. Memorandum of Understanding between the Republic of Zimbabwe and Life Academy on Cooperation in the Field of Energy

Cabinet considered and approved the Memorandum of Understanding between the Republic of Zimbabwe and Life Academy on Cooperation in the Field of Energy.

The memorandum provides a governing framework for cooperation and investment in the development of renewable energy sources, thereby boosting the use of clean energy in the country. The memorandum of understanding underscores Government’s commitment to enhance local generation of energy, which is expected to lead to increased access to affordable, reliable renewable energy and access to electricity by the vulnerable and disadvantaged communities.

Life Academy is a global actor in capacity building and knowledge exchange for sustainable development, and was commissioned by the Swedish Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) to plan and implement a Global Capacity Development Programme on Renewable Energy to contribute to the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The programme will be premised on three pillars, which are as follows:

learning and knowledge transfer;

change management; and

experience sharing to include policy formulation, technology solutions and investments.

The programme will seek to develop modern and sustainable energy systems inclusive of all forms of renewable energy such as solar, wind, hydro, bio (including waste to energy) and geothermal. The development of these renewable energy sources will promote sustainable use of natural resources and environmental conservation.

The envisaged training programme, which has already commenced, will be expanded to benefit many Zimbabweans as part of the broader human capacity development programme for the nation in line with Vision 2030.

2. Update on the industrial Action by Doctors and City of Harare Nurses

Cabinet was briefed on the industrial action by doctors and City of Harare nurses by the Minister of Health and Child Care.

The strike by the doctors over conditions of service has now gone beyond over seventy days. The Minister informed Cabinet as follows:

a) Harare City Council Nurses

The situation at the municipal clinics remains constrained as only 35 out of the expected 104 nurses turned up for duty at the five polyclinics and one hospital.

The nurses had withdrawn their labour over delayed salary payments and are refusing to resume duty even after receiving their salaries.

The action by the nurses is illegal, and the employer has been advised to commence disciplinary processes on the striking nurses in line with the country’s laws.

As such, therefore, only those nurses reporting for duty will be paid while their conditions of service are being looked into.

Meanwhile, and mindful of the hardships innocent patients are likely to face as a result of the illegal job action, Harare City Council has rationalised services to polyclinics as follows: Mabvuku, Tafara, Kuwadzana, Mufakose, Hatfield and                 Glen View. The Beatrice Road Infectious Diseases Hospital is also attending to patients.

Cabinet is concerned about doctors and pharmacies that are demanding payment for their services as well as for medicines in United States dollars. The practice is illegal and should be stopped forthwith.

Those unwilling to comply with the laws risk a withdrawal of their licences.

b) Ministry of Health and Child Care Hospital Doctors

A total of 322 disciplinary cases have so far been heard and the 286 doctors were found guilty have been discharged.

A further 93 doctors from Central hospitals and 55 from provincial hospitals will have their disciplinary hearings concluded by 15th November and 22nd November 2019, respectively.

Government is still committed to dialogue with the striking doctors, and a meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, 14th November, 2019.

Government is working flat out to ensure availability of resources in the health institutions as well as improve the conditions of service for all health personnel. In particular, the provision of institutional accommodation is being pursued in order to alleviate the challenges that affect service delivery in the short, medium to long term.

Government is also taking firm steps to ensure the engagement of nurses who have hitherto been unemployed, and to expedite recruitment of personnel for training as health practitioners.

3. National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill, 2019

Cabinet considered and approved the National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill, 2019 which the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs presented.

The proposed amendments are primarily aimed at improving the operations of the National Prosecuting Authority, and revamping its governance structures.

The amendments will thus pave way for the creation of the National Prosecuting Authority Board headed by a chairperson appointed by His Excellency the President.

The deputy chairperson shall thus be free to devote more time to the prosecutorial duties relating to his office. The chairperson and the deputy chairperson shall be of different genders. A secretary will be appointed to serve on the board.

The other members of the board shall be a commissioner of the Civil Service Commission appointed by the chairperson of the Civil Service Commission; and five members appointed by the President after consultation with the Minister responsible for Justice. To ensure consistency in the country’s laws, Section 7 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act shall be amended in accordance with the Amendments to the National Prosecuting Authority Act.

Once enacted into law, the National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill, 2019 will make the Authority more effective and efficient in carrying out its Constitutional mandate as part of the reforms being undertaken by the Second Republic.

4. Country’s Power Supply Situation

Following presentation by the Minister of Energy and Power Development on the country’s power supply situation, Cabinet remains seized with the current power outages that are adversely impacting on production across all sectors of the economy.

Of major concern is the vandalism that is being perpetrated by unruly elements on electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure.

Measures to curtail this trend, which is tantamount to sabotage, are being instituted. Investors are being invited to participate in the development of alternative technologies intended to minimise the acts of vandalism and theft of essential equipment.

Cabinet further wishes to inform the nation that the fault which occurred around midnight on 11th November has since been attended to successfully, resulting in the restoration of expected power supplies early morning today.

As the country’s power generation capacity faces challenges mainly as a result of the drought that has adversely affected the main hydroelectric power station at Kariba, power augmentation projects are being implemented countrywide.

5. Tugwi-Mukosi National Programmes and Projects

Following a presentation by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement on the preparations for the 2019-2020 agricultural season, the Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development briefed Cabinet on the projects that Government has approved for women under the Tugwi-Mukosi development initiative.

The ministry has managed to register a total of 241 fishery cooperatives as follows: Chivi District, 128 cooperatives; Chiredzi District, 20 cooperatives; Masvingo District, 69 cooperatives; and Mwenezi District, 16 cooperatives.

Cabinet has further informed that a total of 45 women farmers have so far been assisted and referred to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement to enable them to apply for irrigation plots and commercial land at Tugwi-Mukosi.

It is expected that the empowered women will soon make a significant contribution to household and national food security.

By A Correspondent- Addressing the media at a post cabinet briefing, Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa warned striking council nurses that their actions were illegal hence the employer was starting disciplinary processes to rectify the anormally.

Mutsvangwa said:

” The situation at the municipal clinics remains constrained as only 35 out of the expected 104 nurses turned up for duty at the five polyclinics and one hospital.

The action by the nurses is illegal, and the employer has been advised to commence disciplinary processes on the striking nurses in line with the country’s laws.”

Watch the video loading below for the full post cabinet statement……

40th Cabinet Meeting Decisions Matrix: 12th November, 2019

1. Memorandum of Understanding between the Republic of Zimbabwe and Life Academy on Cooperation in the Field of Energy

Cabinet considered and approved the Memorandum of Understanding between the Republic of Zimbabwe and Life Academy on Cooperation in the Field of Energy.

The memorandum provides a governing framework for cooperation and investment in the development of renewable energy sources, thereby boosting the use of clean energy in the country.

The memorandum of understanding underscores Government’s commitment to enhance local generation of energy, which is expected to lead to increased access to affordable, reliable renewable energy and access to electricity by the vulnerable and disadvantaged communities.

Life Academy is a global actor in capacity building and knowledge exchange for sustainable development, and was commissioned by the Swedish Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) to plan and implement a Global Capacity Development Programme on Renewable Energy to contribute to the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The programme will be premised on three pillars, which are as follows:

learning and knowledge transfer;

change management; and

experience sharing to include policy formulation, technology solutions and investments.

The programme will seek to develop modern and sustainable energy systems inclusive of all forms of renewable energy such as solar, wind, hydro, bio (including waste to energy) and geothermal. The development of these renewable energy sources will promote sustainable use of natural resources and environmental conservation.

The envisaged training programme, which has already commenced, will be expanded to benefit many Zimbabweans as part of the broader human capacity development programme for the nation in line with Vision 2030.

2. Update on the industrial Action by Doctors and City of Harare Nurses

Cabinet was briefed on the industrial action by doctors and City of Harare nurses by the Minister of Health and Child Care.

The strike by the doctors over conditions of service has now gone beyond over seventy days. The Minister informed Cabinet as follows:

a) Harare City Council Nurses

The situation at the municipal clinics remains constrained as only 35 out of the expected 104 nurses turned up for duty at the five polyclinics and one hospital.

The nurses had withdrawn their labour over delayed salary payments and are refusing to resume duty even after receiving their salaries.

The action by the nurses is illegal, and the employer has been advised to commence disciplinary processes on the striking nurses in line with the country’s laws.

As such, therefore, only those nurses reporting for duty will be paid while their conditions of service are being looked into.

Meanwhile, and mindful of the hardships innocent patients are likely to face as a result of the illegal job action, Harare City Council has rationalised services to polyclinics as follows: Mabvuku, Tafara, Kuwadzana, Mufakose, Hatfield and                 Glen View. The Beatrice Road Infectious Diseases Hospital is also attending to patients.

Cabinet is concerned about doctors and pharmacies that are demanding payment for their services as well as for medicines in United States dollars. The practice is illegal and should be stopped forthwith.

Those unwilling to comply with the laws risk a withdrawal of their licences.

b) Ministry of Health and Child Care Hospital Doctors

A total of 322 disciplinary cases have so far been heard and the 286 doctors were found guilty have been discharged.

A further 93 doctors from Central hospitals and 55 from provincial hospitals will have their disciplinary hearings concluded by 15th November and 22nd November 2019, respectively.

Government is still committed to dialogue with the striking doctors, and a meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, 14th November, 2019.

Government is working flat out to ensure availability of resources in the health institutions as well as improve the conditions of service for all health personnel. In particular, the provision of institutional accommodation is being pursued in order to alleviate the challenges that affect service delivery in the short, medium to long term.

Government is also taking firm steps to ensure the engagement of nurses who have hitherto been unemployed, and to expedite recruitment of personnel for training as health practitioners.

3. National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill, 2019

Cabinet considered and approved the National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill, 2019 which the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs presented.

The proposed amendments are primarily aimed at improving the operations of the National Prosecuting Authority, and revamping its governance structures.

The amendments will thus pave way for the creation of the National Prosecuting Authority Board headed by a chairperson appointed by His Excellency the President.

The deputy chairperson shall thus be free to devote more time to the prosecutorial duties relating to his office. The chairperson and the deputy chairperson shall be of different genders. A secretary will be appointed to serve on the board.

The other members of the board shall be a commissioner of the Civil Service Commission appointed by the chairperson of the Civil Service Commission; and five members appointed by the President after consultation with the Minister responsible for Justice. To ensure consistency in the country’s laws, Section 7 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act shall be amended in accordance with the Amendments to the National Prosecuting Authority Act.

Once enacted into law, the National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill, 2019 will make the Authority more effective and efficient in carrying out its Constitutional mandate as part of the reforms being undertaken by the Second Republic.

4. Country’s Power Supply Situation

Following presentation by the Minister of Energy and Power Development on the country’s power supply situation, Cabinet remains seized with the current power outages that are adversely impacting on production across all sectors of the economy.

Of major concern is the vandalism that is being perpetrated by unruly elements on electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure.

Measures to curtail this trend, which is tantamount to sabotage, are being instituted. Investors are being invited to participate in the development of alternative technologies intended to minimise the acts of vandalism and theft of essential equipment.

Cabinet further wishes to inform the nation that the fault which occurred around midnight on 11th November has since been attended to successfully, resulting in the restoration of expected power supplies early morning today.

As the country’s power generation capacity faces challenges mainly as a result of the drought that has adversely affected the main hydroelectric power station at Kariba, power augmentation projects are being implemented countrywide.

5. Tugwi-Mukosi National Programmes and Projects

Following a presentation by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement on the preparations for the 2019-2020 agricultural season, the Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development briefed Cabinet on the projects that Government has approved for women under the Tugwi-Mukosi development initiative.

The ministry has managed to register a total of 241 fishery cooperatives as follows: Chivi District, 128 cooperatives; Chiredzi District, 20 cooperatives; Masvingo District, 69 cooperatives; and Mwenezi District, 16 cooperatives.

Cabinet has further informed that a total of 45 women farmers have so far been assisted and referred to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement to enable them to apply for irrigation plots and commercial land at Tugwi-Mukosi.

It is expected that the empowered women will soon make a significant contribution to household and national food security.

State Media|Chiredzi Town is in mourning after residents lost six of their own in a head-on collision involving a commuter omnibus and a haulage truck at Maranda turn off at the 166km peg along the Masvingo-Beitbridge highway yesterday.

Police national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the six are Messrs Reuben Madzingo (24), Tawonga Mazana (28), Farai (38) and Collen Ernest Chipungu (37), Delight Zireva (31) and Vimbai Beta (41).

Mr Beta was a farm manager at Farmware in Chiredzi.

Information gathered by The Herald shows that five of the six were business people involved in commodity broking and were travelling to Polokwane in South Africa on a routine business trip while Madzingo had been sent by his father to purchase spare parts for their tractor.

The vehicle they were travelling in was being driven by the owner Collen and they left Chiredzi around 3am. Zireva was a newlywed after tying the knot in April last year and he left a wife who is expecting. Beta lost his wife some years back in a car accident and is survived by three kids. Madzingo was a former student of the School of Mines, who was waiting for his final examinations results while Mazana was still cutting his teeth in business.

Mr Reuben Madzingo (snr) told The Herald today that he was still devastated and in shock.

“Reuben is my son and he has just completed his final examinations at the School of Mines,” he said.

“One of my tractors has not been operational and I had sent him to procure some spare parts in South Africa. I am the one who called his colleagues to come and pick him up on their way to South Africa and they left Chiredzi around 3am. I then tried to call Reuben around 8am and his mobile phone was no longer reachable. I tried to call the people in South Africa where he was supposed to buy the spare parts and they said he had not yet arrived.”

Eastern Zimbabwe lost electric power for almost three hours from 1am yesterday when a regional interconnector tripped and stopped generation at Kariba South Power Station.

Consumers in Harare, Masvingo, Mutare and Gweru called The Herald yesterday saying they had gone for hours without electricity and wanted to know why.

Zesa spokesperson Mr Fullard Gwasira said there was a “system disturbance” at 1:08am which technicians had since fixed, but which hit consumers from Gweru to Mutare.

“The disturbance was caused by an interconnector carrying 280MW that tripped and resulted in the loss of power generation at Kariba South Hydro Power Station,” he said.

“The technical fault affected the eastern parts of the country that include Harare, Mashonaland, Masvingo and Midlands, while the eastern part that encompasses Matabeleland and Bulawayo remained on supplies.”

Mr Gwasira said restoration of service was complete at 4am yesterday, just over an hour before most homes were switched off as normal load shedding started. “Since the stabilisation of the system also due to the successful restoration of the unit that tripped yesterday owing to a technical fault at Hwange, our national shortfall was below 1 000MW today (yesterday) and we are back to Level 1 load-shedding.”

Zimbabwe is battling acute electricity shortages due to a combination of declining water levels in Kariba Dam and three decades of inadequate maintenance and refurbishment at Hwange.

Yesterday, the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) was generating 504MW from all its generation plants.

Munyati was churning out 16MW, Hwange 235MW (out of an installed (20MW) and Kariba 253MW.

A 17-year-old Form Two boy from Zvishavane has been slapped with a five-year prison term for having se_xual intercourse with his minor girlfriend which resulted in preg_nancy.

The teen impreg_nated his 14-year-old girlfriend, also from the same area in Zvishavane town.

He pleaded guilty when he appeared before Zvishavane magistrate Archie Wochiunga facing one count of having se_xual interc0urse with a minor.

Passing judgment, Wochiunga said the accused had no right to sleep with the complainant as she was still young to consent to se_x.

“You had no right to sleep with the complainant even though you two were dating. She is still young therefore she cannot consent to se_x.

“You are therefore sentenced to five years in prison for the crime you committed. The sentence is, however, wholly suspended on condition that you do not commit a similar crime in five years,” he said.

In mitigation, the teen told the court that he was not aware that he was committing a crime when he had se_x with the complainant.

“Your worship, l admit that l had se_xual interc0urse with her, but l did not know that I was committing an offence,” he said.

Circumstances surrounding the matter are that, sometime in June this year, the teen proposed love to the complainant and his proposal was accepted.

The two started dating and had se_xual interc0urse on several occasions up to the month of September 2019. The complainant later discovered that she was preg_nant but did not tell anyone.

On September 25, the complainant opened up to her mother about the preg_nancy after a confrontation.

The complainant’s mother then made a police report and a medical examination was made. Taurai Muzvinwe represented the State.

— BMetro

At 25 ministers, 18 deputy ministers and 10 provincial ministers, Mnangagwa’s cabinet could now be larger than that of its southern neighbour, South Africa

Zimbabwean President  Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday fired more than 200 doctors who were striking for better pay but went on to recruit six new ministers for his cabinet.

The new ministers will come at a huge cost to government, as they will receive handsome salaries and benefits at a time the country has refused to award doctors a meaningful increment, arguing that it does not have the money.

On the same day, Mnangagwa announced the appointment of a new ministry as well as five new deputy ministers. 

At 25 ministers, 18 deputy ministers and 10 provincial ministers, Mnangagwa’s cabinet could now be larger than that of President Cyril Ramaphosa. Zimbabwe has a population of 14-million, slightly more than a quarter of SA’s population of 58,78-million.

It has also ballooned compared with the one he inherited from the late president Robert Mugabe whom he deposed and replaced.

Mnangagwa appointed his friends and close allies to the new portfolios, with associate Daniel Garwe taking over the newly created ministry of national housing.

Another Mnangagwa ally, Kazembe Kazembe is the new minister of home affairs, a promotion from his previous position as ICT minister, which is now occupied by Jenfan Muswere.

Former commerce & industry minister Mangaliso Ndlovu was reassigned to take over from from Prisca Mupfumira, who was fired as environment and tourism minister in  August following her arrest on fraud charges.

The new deputy minister posts were created for the finance, foreign affairs, local government, sport and housing ministry.

Political analyst Hopewell Chingono said the ministerial appointments were “much ado about nothing”. The showed  that government had misplaced priorities.

Zimbabwe is grappling with its worst economic crisis in a decade, amid triple-digit inflation, rolling power cuts and shortages of US dollars, medicines and fuel.

Doctors in Zimbabwe, who earn about $150 a month, have been on strike for more than two months to demand better pay. The  decision to fire them has left the country’s health system in shambles.

In a statement on Friday, the health services board said 211 doctors employed by the government had been fired while 516 out of 1,601 doctors on the government’s payroll —  a third of the total —  face disciplinary hearings for participating in the work boycott.

Last week, the government fired another 77 doctors for going on strike. It said it had approached the Cuban government for help and had deployed its military doctors to help in state hospitals.

The doctors’ strike has seen some patients being turned away without treatment while others have died prematurely.

Business Live

Health Minister Obadiah Moyo says he was prepared – if he were to fall sick sometime – to seek treatment at Parirenyatwa government hospital, moreso, by the same doctors he has seemingly antagonised through low wages and poor working conditions.

Moyo said this when quizzed by journalists during a post-cabinet media briefing in Harare Tuesday if he was prepared to subject himself to run-down hospital infrastructure that has become of the country’s public health institutions.

“I would go for treatment at Parirenyatwa,” Moyo said.

The former Chitungwiza General Hospital CEO is under fire for presiding over poorly equipped Zimbabwean hospitals that have been shunned by top government officials.

Moyo said under his leadership, the country has ensured Zimbabwean hospitals were also able to attend to emergency situations.

“We have made sure that there are emergency systems in place at all our central hospitals, the clinical officers, directors, CEOs are instructed to ensure that they can be able to provide a certain level of emergency cover.

“So, yes if there was an emergency and I had to go to Parirenyatwa Hospital, I am sure some arrangement will be made so that a life is saved. You know that is what we have said, that is what we want to see happening.

“At the end of the day, you have to look after patients the way you were trained not to let patients die.”

Moyo was speaking in the context of an ongoing crippling strike by public hospital doctors over poor wages and working conditions.

Government has blamed the critical health staff for allegedly prioritising wages while lives continued to be lost in public hospitals due to the continued absence of doctors.

Hundreds of public hospital doctors went on a crippling job action more than two months ago and have refused to return to work if their grievances were not addressed.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, his deputies and cabinet ministers have all abandoned local public hospitals for treatment outside the country.

In instances in which they have been treated locally, the country’s rulers have sought the services from expensive private hospitals.

Five Hwange Advanced level exam cheats have been convicted of contravening the Zimbabwe School Examination Council Act.

Arthur Delight Chuma, Nkosilomsa Sibanda, Kegan Mduduzi Chigubu, Albertina Mbebe and Tamica Dube all from Gebhuza Secondary School in Hwange were found guilty by Hwange Magistrate Godfrey Ntando Dube who ordered them to perform 350 hours of community service.

Allegations are that on the 28^th of this, the five unlawfully accessed a ZIMSEC A’level economics paper three before seating for the exam.

It was further alleged that the five went on to make photocopies of the paper but things went wrong when a fellow classmate Mandras Mandira caught them in the act.

The classmate reportedly discouraged them from relying on papers circulated on social media but was shocked to find the exact contents of the photocopied paper when they sat for the exam.

Mandira reported the matter to the school Headmistress who subsequently made a police report which led to the arrest of the five exam cheats.

zbc

WARRIORS coach Joey Antipas yesterday presided over the team’s first training session ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Botswana on Friday and was impressed by the quality that he has got in camp, but warned that the Zebras will pose a big challenge for Zimbabwe.

Antipas’ mind has been torn between focusing on the Warriors’ cause and his domestic topflight league club Chicken Inn’s league match against Mushowani.

Chicken Inn are chasing the league title and Antipas will travel with them to Bindura this afternoon to preside over their match before returning to rejoin camp.

What has been encouraging is that Antipas feels he has got good quality in camp and the group of players at his disposal have been warming up to his demands with ease.

Zimbabwe kickstart their Group H campaign with a match against Botswana at the National Sports Stadium on Friday before they take on Zambia in their next match on Tuesday away from home.

“It’s a great group with quality players. You don’t have to constantly break down training to give them instructions. It makes it easier for the coach and all you have to do is to implement your game plan,” Antipas said.

The Warriors gaffer has put together some of the best players that the countries has, despite a few pulling out due to injuries and other reasons.

But while he was purring at the quality that he is working with for the two important matches, he warned that Botswana, the lowest ranked in a pool that also contains Algeria, were not to be underrated as their current crop has played together for a long time.

“One thing we must never do is to underestimate them (Botswana). They are very difficult opponents. They have got a few foreign-based players but the core of their team has always been playing together for years. We have to get into the match and give hundred percent,” he added.

The coach, however, trained without England-based midfielder Marvelous Nakamba, skipper Knowledge Musona who plays his club football in Belgium as well as defender Teenage Hadebe who plies his trade in Turkey.

While Hadebe was expected to arrive last night, Nakamba and Musona are set to arrive tonight for the clash.

Antipas had planned to field Charlton Athletic striker Maccauley Bonne against Zambia which would have been his first competitive match after he secured his passport to become eligible to play for Zimbabwe. However, the forward announced he would not be able to feature for the Warriors on medical grounds.

Big defender Cliff Moyo who also plays in England but in the lower divisions could be given his first cap for the Warriors.

The Warriors are hoping to make it to the Cameroon finals where they expect to make up for this years’ disappointment after exiting the African Cup of Nations in Egypt in the group stages with only a point from the 1-1 draw against Uganda.

These will be the last two matches that Antipas will preside on before Zifa appoint a substantive coach, which they promised they would do in January.

Antipas wants to leave the job with the Warriors’ campaign in a healthy state and he will be targeting maximum points in the two matches.

NewsDay

Jane Mlambo| Tryson Chimbetu has received a DSTV and four Open View decoders from a Dendera fan.

The unnamed fan has also donated a laptop and fuel for band errands.

After receiving the donations, Tryson Chimbetu posted this message on his Facebook page;

“Special thanks to one of our big fans for availing a lovely package to us.
We got 4 Open View decoders and one Dstv Decoder, fuel for band errands and a laptop to use in our digital marketing and music related work.
We wish our supporter all the best in life and business endeavours,”

The Health Minister is expected to appear before the parliament to explain the reason why the government fired 286 doctors and why the doctors have been on strike for 70 days.

MDC legislator and vice president Tendai Biti expressed concern over reports that the UK has reportedly said it will relax its visa requirements to recruit more doctors from other countries.

Tendai Biti in parliament said:

I have been to Karanda Hospital and it is flooded with patients. Now the United Kingdom has given special exemptions for visa requirements for foreign doctors and we stand to lose our professionals, so I suggest that when Mthuli presents his $40 billon budget he must consider doctors and other health workers’ conditions of service.

Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda endorsed Biti’s calls and said he will engage Obadiah Moyo after Mthuli presents his budget. 

The government has so far fired 286 striking doctors and proposed to give doctors flats and Zupco buses as part of their benefits. 

-DailyNews

By A Correspondent- Nurses who are on strike will tomorrow set the record straight regarding the ongoing industrial action which has further crippled the country’s health’s delivery system.

Said the Zimbabwe Urban and Rural Council Nurses Workers Union in a notice to the media:

“You are all invited to a Press Conference tomorrow Thursday 14 November  2019, to be addressed by Zimbabwe Urban & Rural Council Nurses Workers Union. Details are as follows; 

Agenda: Setting the record straight following various media reports on incapacitation of Harare City Council nurses.
Date: Thursday 14 November 2019 

Time: 0930hrs

ZimEye will be livestreaming the press conference. Refresh this page for latest updates.

FIRST Farai insists he is still in the game and this Saturday the burly singer unveils his 17 th album titled Dzinodhonza Ngoro.

Dzinodhonza Ngoro is the sungura artiste’s new motto as he seeks to weather all storms at a time fellow artistes have either fallen by the wayside or sunk into oblivion.

And to show his commitment, the 41-year-old who has been in the game for more than two decades, says he would not give up even when the going gets tough.

Born Aliah Mwanambo, the Hurudza Express boss reckons he has struck right chords on this album which comes on the heels of yet another successful project Earthquake-Chandengenda released last year.

Being his early Christmas present, Dzinodhonza Ngoro carries six tracks of superior quality namely Mbudzi inodya
payakasungirirwa, I Have Moved On, Kochekera, Nguva Inonetsa, Rutendo Rwemunhu and the title track.

“It’s no secret that the going is now tough nowadays so I decided to name my album Dzinodhonza Ngoro.

“By its Shona meaning, only the courageous ones and hardworking people can survive during the times we are living in.
“As someone who solely depend on music, I can’t quit because music comes first.

“As for other projects that I pursue for a living, it was music which laid the foundation,” he said.

Recorded at Trutone Studios by revered producer Jabulani Ndlovu, the Hurudza Express says he decided to hold a free launch for the sake of his real fans.

“Over the years, we would launch our albums in the CBD where some of our fans cannot afford to come.

“This time around, we decided to launch it in Fio (Highfield) at an open air venue so that we can meet our real fans who cannot afford buys fare to travel to the elite launches that we used to hold,” he said.

To ensure it’s purely a sungura night not to be missed, First Farai who visited our offices accompanied by two of this handlers – Bruno Mhembere and Teddy Ndibhwo – said he has invited equally talented artistes at the launch to provide cover.

These comprise Romeo Gasa, Howard and Tatenda Pinjsi, Mark Ngwazi, Jah Jecha and Tendai Dembo.

Eastern Igwe Brian Samaita is the guest speaker at the event where Dr Johannes Marisa will be the guest of honour.

Besides Dr Marisa, Itai and Regis Munhenzva are some of the invited guests along with Blessing Boyi Boyi who are sponsoring the launch.

Back to his latest album, the former Music Crossroads Interregional winner has worked with talented artistes this album.

These comprise Willard Lot who played the lead guitar, Emmanuel Mupariwa (rhythm), Emmanuel Sajeni (bass guitar) and drummer Moses Masangano.H-Metro

Farai Dziva|Deputy Information Minister Energy Mutodi has claimed the G-40 faction wants to use house maids to eliminate Government Ministers.

“Team G40 is back again with dirty tactics this time using house maids to administer poison, explosives and other harmful substances including ambushes.
Ministers be warned,” wrote Mutodi on Twitter.

However former Higher and Tertiary Education Minister, Professor Jonathan Moyo has said Mutodi is afraid of his own shadow.

“This coming from a deputy minister of
@InfoMinZW
? Paranoia has hit town as things fall apart for the embattled regime. Next they’ll start suspecting their spouses to be in bed with the enemy…”

A Zimbabwean living in the diaspora has castigated government’s move to fire nearly 300 medical doctors from their jobs.

Netsai Makarichi, a Zimbabwean based in the United Kingdom, said the move vindicated their demonstration against Foreign Affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo in July this year.

“When we demonstrated against SB Moyo, people thought otherwise,” she said.

“The firing of the doctors shows the regime is not for the people. Instead of talking with the life savers, the government is busy firing them from their jobs. The government is worsening the situation in hospitals. What is happening is a soft genocide.”

In July, Moyo, who was in the company of Information permanent secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana and other officials, scurried for cover into their waiting vehicle as protesters, some carrying Zimbabwean flags, hurled insults and pelted them with various items while others, sprayed water.

The visibly-shaken delegation was coming out of Chatham House, where Moyo had just given a presentation.

Makarichi said President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration had committed murder against its citizens and, therefore, should be tried at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

“They shot and killed innocent civilians last year and this year, they have done more. They should be tried at the Hague,” she said.

“We love our country, but when leaders turn against their own people, then there is a problem. I am a victim of Zanu PF, which claims to be democratic. I had to find a new home here in the UK after Zanu PF activists hounded me.”

Doctors have been on strike for more than 60 days citing incapacitation owing to poor salaries and working conditions.

Government last week fired over 200 doctors on allegations that they failed to report for duty.
Zimbabwe has about 1 600 doctors, and at least 516 of them face the axe in a country with a population of 15 million.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association has alleged that student doctors were forced to sit for examinations unprepared as their supervisors have not been reporting for duty for over 60 days after declaring incapacitation.

In a statement, the association accused government of trying to replace the fired and striking doctors with this batch of students.

“We believe this is a well-thought-out move by government to fast-track the release of our juniors into the field,” the striking doctors said.

The doctors argued that this would bring out half-baked graduates with inadequate training to deal with the lives of the people.

“This also affects the credibility of the degree programme, the quality of doctors produced and subsequently the quality of care provided to the patients,” the doctors added.

Student doctors have not had lectures since September when the senior doctors downed tools demanding an increase in salaries.

It is against this background that the association says the student doctors are not ready for the examinations.

“The juniors last week stressed that they had not received enough training due to the ongoing impasse which has resulted in them not having seniors to teach them and patients to learn from,” ZHDA said.

The association urged the Medical and Dental Practitioners Council of Zimbabwe and the University of Zimbabwe to guard against the “terrible” practice.

Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights board spokesperson Fortune Nyamande urged government to reconsider its decision to fire doctors.

“Both parties must be alive to the need for dialogue over escalation, and achieving a functional health delivery system in the shortest time framework possible. The right to health and sanctity of life must be the guiding principles in this dialogue,” he said.

-Newsday

#PostCabinetPressBriefing Cabinet remains seized with the current power outages that are adversely impacting on production across all sectors of the economy. More power augmentation projects are being implemented countrywide. pic.twitter.com/zEUgqFcf5S

— Ministry of Information, Publicity & Broadcasting (@InfoMinZW) November 12, 2019

Farai Dziva|
The leader of Divine Alliance for Vitalisation of Inspired Development (DAVID) opposition political party,
Melbah Dzapasi has declared that individuals who are convicted of corruption should be sentenced to death.

In an interview with The Herald, the leader of the little known opposition party called for deterrent sentences to eradicate corruption.

“If we had it our way as a means of fighting corruption, we would take the radical action of bringing back the death sentence for all those who partake in corruption.

… In my opinion, corruption has become a moral deficiency among Zimbabweans as it has now spilt to the private sector and even the Judiciary,” said Dzapasi .

By A Correspondent- There was drama at the Harare Magistrates Courts on Tuesday after tempers flared between the State counsel, Nelson Mutsonziwa, and former Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko’s defence lawyer, Zibusiso Ncube over accusations of trial ambush.

The verbal exchange came after Mutsonziwa alleged Mphoko’s lawyer was involved in shenanigans meant to stall the start of trial.

The pair squared off in court before regional magistrate Hosea Mujaya after Ncube had filed an application of exception of the charges shortly after serving the State with the application two minutes before the start of the trial.

Initially, Ncube had indicated that he was going to apply for a postponement of the trial to which the State had advised that it would oppose and had prepared the arguments.

However, Mutsonziwa, who was being assisted by three other State counsels was caught unawares when Ncube served him with the application of exception of the charges.

After the court had adjourned, Mutsonziwa registered his displeasure with Ncube’s conduct while walking in the court gallery.

“What you have done is unethical. You are indirectly trying to postpone the matter after I told you we were going to oppose your application. I don’t do such shenanigans,” Mutsonziwa said.

However, Ncube was not amused and warned Mutsonziwa to take cognisance that besides him being Mphoko’s lawyer he was also an official of the court.

“Don’t talk to me like that. You should not tell me that I am involved in shenanigans. You should understand that I am also an officer of the court, you should not use such language talking to me,” Ncube said as they walked out of the courtroom.

Earlier in court Ncube filed an application of an exception to the charges and Mutsonziwa advised the court that although the State had been “ambushed” they were going to respond at 2pm. The matter was postponed to today for hearing.

Mphoko faces abuse of office charges after he allegedly instructed junior officers at Avondale Police Station in Harare to release former Zimbabwe National Road Administration acting chief executive Moses Juma and former board member Davison Norupiri from the cells.

However, both have since been jailed for the offence.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Bulawayo city fathers have advised ratepayers to engage private plumbers to attend to leaking and burst pipes because the local authority is battling manpower shortages.

This came to light yesterday during a water crisis meeting held at the Small City Hall, where residents hit out at council for failing to timely attend to leaking pipes, among other problems.

“We encourage community-based workers to engage private local plumbers to repair leaking pipes to save water,” said council engineering director Simela Dube, who pleaded incapacitation on the part of the council.

After the introduction of a 72-hour water-rationing regime, there has been an upsurge in burst pipes, blamed on ageing reticulation infrastructure.

According to council, as much as 90 water leak faults were received daily by the local authority.

Residents at the meeting were adamant that council had poor rapid response mechanisms to attend to water leaks, claiming for example BCC’s faults telephone numbers were always engaged.

Dube denied the charges before claiming that council was planning to launch an application that could make reporting water leaks easy for residents.

Residents advised council to adopt water conservation strategies in the face of dwindling levels at supply dams — and to embark on water harvesting projects and recycling of waste water.

BCC recently introduced a 72-hour water-rationing schedule after Upper Ncema Dam was decommissioned in July 2019, leaving the city with five out of six supply dams.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Independent election watchdog, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (Zesn) has urged electoral stakeholders to support voter education campaigns in the face of an increasing trend of voter apathy in by-elections.

Zesn cited by-elections held on Saturday in Tsholotsho South ward 16 and 20 and in Hwedza that showed a marked decrease in the number of people that cast their vote in the polls compared to the 2018 harmonised elections. Zanu PF won the by-elections. A Zesn analysis of the by-elections shows that Hwedza registered 62% of the votes (947) cast against 86,01% (1 322) in the 2018 polls. In Tsholotsho’s ward 16, there was a drop from 79% of the votes (1 117) registered in 2018 against 55% (777) on Saturday.

In Tsholotsho’s ward 20, there was a 60% (441 votes cast) voter turnout. Zanu PF won the seat uncontested in 2018.

“The turnout in the by-elections is indicative of apathy that has become characteristic of by-elections in Zimbabwe. Nevertheless Zesn commends the political contestants, their parties and supporters for engaging in peaceful campaigns during the by-election,” Zesn said in its report.

“Based on its observations, Zesn proffers the following recommendations: Civil society organisations should continue supporting civic and voter education initiatives, emphasising the importance of voting in by-elections and the correct identification documents that are required on polling day. Political parties should do more to encourage the participation of women as electoral candidates.”

According to Section 67 of the Constitution, “every Zimbabwean has the right to vote”, but Zesn notes that there is a low uptake particularly among the youth in exercising this constitutional right. This is more prevalent in by-elections.

Zesn argues that voter apathy dilutes the value of democracy, noting that the trend has been ongoing from as far back as the 1980s as noted in its report on the July 31, 2013 harmonised elections.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Two MDC activists in Mashonaland East died in a road accident on Sunday night when their vehicle collided head-on with another near Ruwa while on their way from Harare, where they had gone for a rally.

Paul Chikuni (34), a Marondera ward 1 branch chairman, died on the spot while Admire Takawira, who was driving the Honda Fit vehicle they were travelling in, was pronounced dead on arrival at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals. Another party supporter, who was in the vehicle, Moreblessing Maradza, escaped with minor injuries.

Marondera Central legislator Caston Matewu (MDC) said the trio had gone to Harare to attend the rally which was banned by the police at the last minute.

Takawira, a former police officer, who was leading the opposition party’s security and intelligence portfolio in Marondera district, will be buried in Masvingo today while funeral arrangements for Chikuni are still in progress.

Chikuni had a pending case of obstructing course of justice before the courts after he and an MDC councillor, Charles Ngwena, allegedly barred three police officers from arresting a banana vendor.

The two allegedly told the police officers to arrest President Emmerson Mnangagwa for organising an anti-sanctions march on October 25.

MDC Marondera district secretary spokesperson, Farai Nyandoro, said the opposition party had lost dedicated cadres.

“We are saddened as a party because of the demise of our comrades who sacrificed their all for the attainment of a better Zimbabwe,” he said.

“The most worrying thing is that their vision had been cut short courtesy of our roads which are in bad state. We have also lost four members within a short space of time, but their death is going to make our resolve even stronger in our quest to see to it that the (Zanu PF) regime is removed.”

-Newsday

By Jane Mlambo| A Durban South Africa based Zimbabwean, Adell Rumbidzai Chivasa and friends have donated four bales of various clothing to victims of the Cyclone Idai in Chipinge.

Cyclone Idai left a trail of destruction in Chipinge and Chimanimani, leaving thousands without shelter, access to clean water and other basic necessities including identification documents.

The donations were sourced by Wellington Mugwagwa, the secretary of Harare-based Sports Excellence Trust (SET) who travelled from the capital over the weekend to handover the donated goodies to Platform for Youth and Community Development (PYCD) for distribution.

The donations were received amid ululation by villagers who gathered at Takwirira Secondary school for a match pitting Katanga and Takwirira schools finals on Sunday.

PYCD, who documented the affected victims of cyclone, together with the local leadership, will then distribute the clothes in accordance with the needs of the various people in affected areas, ranging from children, grandmothers and widows.

Mugwagwa expressed joy at the donation.

“We, as a Trust, are grateful for the donation by our brother in South Africa. Yes, we understand things are not well that side but he has gone to great lengths to source clothing for the affected victims.

“We are grateful for this gesture and we believe that more partners will come to support these people who are in serious need of psycho-social support. We will be holding another football tournament in Chimanimani very soon and with the kind of support we got for this one, I am sure, more businesses will partner us,” Mugwagwa said.

Mugwagwa was accompanied Dynamos legend July Sharara, who promised to grace the next event in Chimanimani.

SET is chaired by businessman Albert Kamhunga deputized by former Dynamos and Warriors international leftback Harlington Shereni.

By A Correspondent- Urban local authorities are set to brief President Mnangagwa on how they are embracing Government programmes, while working to ensure that the nation attains an upper middle-income status by 2030, an official has said.

The Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe (UCAZ) will from today to Friday, hold its annual conference at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre in Bulawayo where President Mnangagwa and some ministers are expected to attend.

In an interview yesterday, UCAZ president and Gweru mayor Josiah Makombe said the President was set to address the urban local authorities gathering on Friday.

The conference will be running under the theme: “Urban local authorities embracing devolution with the mantra of an upper middle income by 2030.”

“As local authorities, we feel that there are some challenges that the President must know personally not just get reports so that he can also proffer solutions,” said Mr Makombe.

“The President has already met councillors from rural authorities and likewise we would also want him to meet councillors from urban authorities.”

Mr Makombe said their conference will also bring out how they are embracing devolution.

He said urban local authorities provide services to a lot of people hence it would be critical for the President and Government to have first-hand information on some of their pressing issues.

He said several Government officials will address guests during the three-day conference as their responsibilities are in sync with operations of urban local authorities.

“It will be ideal for us to share information on those challenges and come up with solutions and how we can tackle the challenges that local authorities are facing,” said Mr Makombe.

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- Government, which is on record through the Finance minister Mthuli Ncube boasted of a huge surplus, is reportedly broke and has been forced to fire 286 doctors because it cannot afford to pay them what used to be their United States dollar salaries at the prevailing interbank rate.

Health minister Obadiah Moyo, speaking at a post-Cabinet briefing Tuesday said through the Finance ministry, government had tried to show the striking doctors that their pockets were empty.

Watch the live video loading below for the full text of the post cabinet statement….

“The issue of dialoguing never stopped. As a ministry, we have been talking to the junior doctors. We have been talking to the senior doctors. The other time, I had junior doctors who came to my office.

We made each other see the reality that there is no money. We even invited personnel from the Ministry of Finance who explained to them in detail and they were left without any doubt that there was no money in government coffers,” Moyo said.

This comes after government announced that it had fired 286 doctors, with 95 others who are yet to appear before the Health Services Board still facing the guillotine.

“A total of 322 disciplinary cases have so far been heard and the 286 doctors who were found guilty have been discharged. A further 93 doctors from central hospitals and 55 from provincial hospitals will have their disciplinary hearings concluded by November 15 and 22, 2019, respectively. Government is still committed to dialogue,” a government brief on the bloodbath in the health sector read.

Moyo said there was no going back in dealing with government workers refusing to report for duty. Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said government was also seized with reports that Harare City Council nurses had also downed tools and there was also a drive to get them fired.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- More than 22 cattle in Rushinga’s Chimandau village have died while several goats got stuck in muddy pools while searching for water.

Rushinga legislator Tendai Nyabani said the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) was in the process of rescuing villagers, scooping mud from three dams and drilling boreholes.

“We visited Chimandau village last week and more than 22 cattle died due to lack of water. Several goats got stuck in the mud in search of water, hence we sought for help from Zinwa,” Nyabani said.

“They are currently on the ground to remove mud from the dams and drilling boreholes to help mitigate water shortages in Rushinga.”

Three dams in Rushinga — Nyamakuni in Chimandau village, Nyaukurungo in Chitangi village and Nyanhewe in Nyanhewe village — have been severely affected by silt, leaving villagers in serious shortage of water.

“We are suffering from a serious drought as our cattle are dying daily due to water shortage.

The situation is really bad and we hope this programme by Zinwa will not take long as we are counting our losses daily,” a villager, Janet Chitangi, said.

-Newsday

Paul Nyathi| The Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association has revealed that the Emmerson Mnangagwa led government is pushing the University of Zimbabwe to fast trek the production of new Junior Doctors by getting the students to sit for their examinations way ahead of time.

The Association claims that the students are being made to sit for examinations on content they have not covered which is a serious risk to their would be patients.

The full revelation by the doctors posted on the ZHDA Twitter account reads as follows:

We have been following closely the developments concerning the training of medical students. They are being forced to sit for exams they have not received enough teaching on. We believe this is a well thought out move by GVT to fast track the release of our juniors into the field.

The juniors last week stressed that they had not received enough training due to the ongoing impasee which has resulted in them not having seniors to teach them and patients to learn from. Sitting for exams under this situation goes against the University of Zimbabwe regulations.

This also affects the credibility of the degree programme, the quality of doctors produced and subsequently the quality of care provided to the patients.

We Urge all the responsible authorities, including MDPCZ and UZ to safe guard the profession and the general safety of the public as it is evident that the silent genocide is being escalated!!!!!!!

By A Correspondent- A 37-YEAR-OLD woman has been struck and killed by lightning in Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park suburb, the third person reported to have died in the suburb due to a lightning strike since January this year.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Chief Inspector Precious Simango confirmed the incident which occurred on Sunday at around 2PM near Caravan Police Base.

Chief Insp Simango said the woman, whose name was not released, was going home with two others when they were struck by lightning and they all fell to the ground.

The woman died on the spot and two of the people she had been with reported the matter to the police.

Police did not say where the three were coming from when the incident occurred.

“Circumstances are that at around 1400hours, the now deceased was accompanied back home by the informant and one other person. Upon arrival near caravan police base, they were struck by a bolt of lightning and they all fell to the ground,” said Chief Insp Simango.

She said the woman died and the two survivors rushed and reported the matter at ZRP Cowdray Park Caravan Base.

Chief Insp Simango urged members of the public to observe laws of nature.

“We are appealing to members of the public to observe the laws of nature so as to spare lives, they must stay indoors during heavy rains especially those that come with a high magnitude of thunder and lightning,” she said.

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- The woman who snatched a four-year-old girl from her home in Bulawayo and took her to Tsholotsho wanted to hand over the child to a cross border transport operator (umalayitsha) in a human trafficking ring where she was to be paid R500.

This emerged when Cynthia Tshuma (19), who used an alias of Simpiwe Mlilo, appeared in court for kidnapping the girl from her home in Emganwini suburb before keeping her captive in Tsholotsho for nine days.

Tshuma pleaded guilty to a kidnapping charge before Western Commonage magistrate, Ms Sibongile Marondedze.

She was remanded in custody to today for sentencing.

Prosecuting, Ms Samantha Gubede on October 30 at a round 1PM, Tshuma allegedly visited the girl’s home and found her in the custody of her grandmother.

“The accused person said she needed to buy airtime to call the complainant’s mother who was in Gwanda and requested the complainant to accompany her to buy airtime at the shops near Emganwini Secondary School,” she said.

“The accused person together with the complainant, however, boarded a commuter omnibus to Bulawayo city centre where they proceeded to Tsholotsho without the knowledge of the complainant’s guardians.”

Testifying in court, the girl’s mother, Ms Simelinkosi Ncube, said she did not suspect that Tshuma could steal her child.

“I found Tshuma stranded in town and then I took her home. We stayed with her for two weeks and helped her look for a job. She worked for two days and came back home saying she was no longer interested. I told her that I can’t provide her with shelter anymore since she didn’t want to work and she left. She then came back after a month and stole my child,” she said.

The court heard that Tshuma was arrested on Friday last week when police received an anonymous tip-off that she was in Tsholotsho with the girl.

-StateMedia

NON-MANAGERIAL staff at the National Building Society (NBS) has resolved to sleep at the company premises together with their families until their concerns are addressed as economic hardships deepen.

The workers said they could no longer afford to commute to work, hence the decision to camp at company premises.

“In response to your email, NBS non-managerial staff met and the fact on the ground is that we are now incapacitated and are no longer able to go home and report back to work tomorrow (today) going forward,” the notice to management read.

“As staff, we love our jobs and to fulfil that mandate, we thus need to stay at work and not go home so that we are ready to serve and do our duties tomorrow morning.”

The workers said they asked their families to join them and had already brought blankets and other materials.

“We have also asked our family members to join us at the end of today (yesterday) so that we do not have problems at home and thus our family members will be joining us,” the notice read.

The NBS workers have joined many across the country, including lecturers, health practitioners, teachers and others, who have declared incapacitation due to the biting economic crisis that has hit the country.

By A Correspondent- Controversial preacher, Talent Madungwe has claimed he had a meeting with God and they agreed to ban all bibles except the King James Version.

Said Madungwe:

“I was in heaven in October, from the meetings I had with God, political opposition parties must be banned not only in Zimbabwe but worldwide because they are rebel parties causing the suffering of people.

So long there is opposition parties, nations won’t prosper because there must be a one party state just like China has been.”

“God is also not happy with WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter.

“The social media platforms are causing people to do all sorts of evils such as pornography, gossiping and other bad things but God also said if it’s used for business, its ok”.

Madungwe further spoke of his controversial encounters with God in heaven.

“I go there in heaven for meetings since I am the deputy commander of the army just behind Michael.

“Sometimes we meet here on earth but many times I just prefer to go there. I can even summon the almighty to come.

“We decided to ban all the bibles except the King James Version because other bibles were not correctly translated.

“At first I was very disturbed by what people thought of me being delusional or mad but I have since gotten over it,” concluded Madungwe.

-StateMedia

The RBZ has released $30 million of new notes and coins to commercial banks, with account holders accessing their cash from banks starting from today (Tuesday).

RBZ governor John Mangudya on Monday addressed reports that the central bank had failed to release cash to banks on Monday.

Mangudya said: “It’s not true that there is no money (released to the market). The banks are collecting the money, so today (Monday) is the day for collection of the money.
Those ones that were able to be served in the morning should be able to give their customers.”

Individuals will be able to withdraw a maximum of $300 per week as the RBZ said it has put measures in place to counter the channelling of cash from banks to the black market.

A 37-YEAR-OLD woman has been struck and killed by lightning in Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park suburb, the third person reported to have died in the suburb due to a lightning strike since January this year.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Chief Inspector Precious Simango confirmed the incident which occurred on Sunday at around 2PM near Caravan Police Base.

Chief Insp Simango said the woman, whose name was not released, was going home with two others when they were struck by lightning and they all fell to the ground.

The woman died on the spot and two of the people she had been with reported the matter to the police.

Police did not say where the three were coming from when the incident occurred.

“Circumstances are that at around 1400hours, the now deceased was accompanied back home by the informant and one other person. Upon arrival near caravan police base, they were struck by a bolt of lightning and they all fell to the ground,” said Chief Insp Simango.

She said the woman died and the two survivors rushed and reported the matter at ZRP Cowdray Park Caravan Base.

Chief Insp Simango urged members of the public to observe laws of nature.

“We are appealing to members of the public to observe the laws of nature so as to spare lives, they must stay indoors during heavy rains especially those that come with a high magnitude of thunder and lightning,” she said.

-State Media

By A Correspondent- Government and striking doctors will meet Thursday to discuss a proposed package of improved working conditions that includes accommodation, transport and food,, it has emerged.

The development comes amid revelations that more doctors had been sacked by their employer for the ongoing strike which has crippled the already ailing health delivery system.

Speaking at a post-Cabinet briefing in Harare yesterday, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo said the Government was working to address the doctors’ concerns and had allocated money for the procurement of medicines to restock hospitals.

Dr Moyo said they were reviewing conditions of service with special focus on the provision of accommodation and transport for junior doctors.

“Government is still committed to dialogue with the striking doctors and a meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, 14th November, 2019,” he said.

“Government is working flat out to ensure availability of resources in health institutions and to improve the conditions of service for all health personnel.

“I want to assure them that we have ordered more medicines and Government has allocated money towards restocking of medicines at public hospitals to ensure proper health care service is provided to the people.”

Dr Moyo said the provision of institutional accommodation was being pursued to alleviate service delivery challenges in the short and long-term.

It was important for doctors to be accommodated at their work stations to cut transport costs.

“Government is in the process of identifying flats to ease accommodation challenges facing junior doctors and Zupco buses will be availed to ferry them to and from their work stations,” said Minister Moyo.

“Food will also be provided at their work stations while all the surgical materials will be availed in all the health institutions as required.

“We shall continue dialoguing and make sure we talk from the same direction. We have to talk to find solution.”

The strike by doctors over conditions of service has gone on for more than two months and a total of 322 disciplinary cases have so far been heard, with 286 doctors being fired for absenteeism.

The doctors insist that they are incapacitated to report for duty and are further demanding to have salaries set in US dollars with any payments in RTGS dollars to be done at the prevailing interbank rate.

Dr Moyo said the situation at Harare City Council clinics remained constrained after nurses went on strike citing “incapacitation”.

Only 35 out of the 104 nurses turned up for duty at the city’s five polyclinics.

“The nurses withdrew their labour over delayed salary payments and are refusing to resume duty even after receiving their salaries,” said Dr Moyo.

“The action by the nurses is illegal and the employer has been advised to commence disciplinary processes on the striking nurses in line with the country’s laws.

“Only those nurses reporting for duty will be paid while their conditions of service are being looked into.”

Council is offering limited services at polyclinics in Mabvuku, Tafara, Kuwadzana, Mufakose, Hatfield and Glen View.

-StateMedia

THERE was drama at the Harare Magistrates Courts yesterday after tempers flared between the State counsel, Nelson Mutsonziwa, and former Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko’s defence lawyer, Zibusiso Ncube over accusations of trial ambush.

The verbal exchange came after Mutsonziwa alleged Mphoko’s lawyer was involved in shenanigans meant to stall the start of trial.

The pair squared off in court before regional magistrate Hosea Mujaya after Ncube had filed an application of exception of the charges shortly after serving the State with the application two minutes before the start of the trial.

Initially, Ncube had indicated that he was going to apply for a postponement of the trial to which the State had advised that it would oppose and had prepared the arguments.

However, Mutsonziwa, who was being assisted by three other State counsels was caught unawares when Ncube served him with the application of exception of the charges.

After the court had adjourned, Mutsonziwa registered his displeasure with Ncube’s conduct while walking in the court gallery.

“What you have done is unethical. You are indirectly trying to postpone the matter after I told you we were going to oppose your application. I don’t do such shenanigans,” Mutsonziwa said.

However, Ncube was not amused and warned Mutsonziwa to take cognisance that besides him being Mphoko’s lawyer he was also an official of the court.

“Don’t talk to me like that. You should not tell me that I am involved in shenanigans. You should understand that I am also an officer of the court, you should not use such language talking to me,” Ncube said as they walked out of the courtroom.

Earlier in court Ncube filed an application of an exception to the charges and Mutsonziwa advised the court that although the State had been “ambushed” they were going to respond at 2pm.
The matter was postponed to today for hearing.

Mphoko faces abuse of office charges after he allegedly instructed junior officers at Avondale
Police Station in Harare to release former Zimbabwe National Road Administration acting chief executive Moses Juma and former board member Davison Norupiri from the cells.

However, both have since been jailed for the offence.

-Newsday

TWO war veterans in Chivhu were recently suspended from their association on allegations of selling State land without following procedure, resulting in fights among land seekers.

Justice Munhapa, who was the secretary for lands in the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association’s Chikomba district, and John Chinakidzwa, who heads the association’s administration, were suspended following an executive meeting held on October 22, which they snubbed.

Chikomba district war veterans association chairperson Joachim Chivandire could not confirm the development as he repeatedly said he was attending meetings.

But according to documents seen by NewsDay, Munhapa and Chinakidzwa have since been served with suspension letters pending investigations.

“The executive committee has resolved to suspend you with immediate effect on allegations of corruptly issuing, signing recommendation letters and allocating land without the authority of the executive committee and not following correct procedures,” the letters read.

The allegations also include misconduct and bringing the war veterans association’s name into disrepute.

Munhapa confirmed that he was on suspension, but refuted the allegations saying he had the necessary documents to exonerate himself.

Chinakidzwa could not be reached for comment as his mobile phone was not reachable.

Last year at the Chivhu Magistrates Courts, a local white farmer, Craig Kenneth Campbell, was granted a peace order against Munhapa, whom he accused of harassing him in an attempt to grab Constantia Estate Farm from him.

Newsday

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesperson, George Charamba, said that families of deceased people should quickly bury their dead rather burden the state by keeping the bodies in morgues.

Charamba made the comments using his Twitter handle @jamwanda2 in an apparent reference to a statement by Beitbridge District Hospital in which it said that it had temporarily suspended mortuary services due to power cuts. Said Charamba:

Why should corpses be kept? Bury them! Keep your corpse at your house if you love the bizarre. Just don’t burden the state with corpses.

In a memo dated November 9, the Hospital blamed lengthy power cuts and high temperatures being experienced in the area for its decision to immediately halt mortuary services.

Rolling power cuts that have been ongoing for several months have negatively affected every sector of the country’s economy – mining, farming, retail, telecommunications, health – and households.

The MDC is set to initiate disciplinary proceedings against its former secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora after the party’s youths accused him of hobnobbing with the ruling ZANU PF party to derail the opposition and its president Nelson Chamisa.

This was revealed by the party’s secretary-general Chalton Hwende in an interview with the Daily News on Monday. Said Hwende:

Yes, we have received the youth assembly statement and we are taking action because if an organ of the party launches a complaint against any person, the secretary-general is duty-bound to initiate disciplinary action through the appropriate channels.

As of today (yesterday), I will forward the case to the relevant organs so that due process is pursued. This is not a witch-hunt, but a fair and formal process that applies to everyone, and in this case Douglas Mwonzora.

Reports suggest that Mwonzora may be expelled from the party, with some Chamisa loyalists having never forgiven him for challenging for the party presidency ahead of the congress which was held in Gweru in May this year.

Chamisa was eventually elected party president uncontested while Mwonzora received a single nomination but was soundly beaten by Hwende to the post of secretary-general.

More: Daily News

Two MDC activists in Mashonaland East died in a road accident on Sunday night when their vehicle collided head-on with another near Ruwa while on their way from Harare, where they had gone for a rally.

Paul Chikuni (34), a Marondera ward 1 branch chairman, died on the spot while Admire Takawira, who was driving the Honda Fit vehicle they were travelling in, was pronounced dead on arrival at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals. Another party supporter, who was in the vehicle, Moreblessing Maradza, escaped with minor injuries.

Marondera Central legislator Caston Matewu (MDC) said the trio had gone to Harare to attend the rally which was banned by the police at the last minute.

Takawira, a former police officer, who was leading the opposition party’s security and intelligence portfolio in Marondera district, will be buried in Masvingo today while funeral arrangements for Chikuni are still in progress.

Chikuni had a pending case of obstructing course of justice before the courts after he and an MDC councillor, Charles Ngwena, allegedly barred three police officers from arresting a banana vendor.

The two allegedly told the police officers to arrest President Emmerson Mnangagwa for organising an anti-sanctions march on October 25.

MDC Marondera district secretary spokesperson, Farai Nyandoro, said the opposition party had lost dedicated cadres.

“We are saddened as a party because of the demise of our comrades who sacrificed their all for the attainment of a better Zimbabwe,” he said.

“The most worrying thing is that their vision had been cut short courtesy of our roads which are in bad state. We have also lost four members within a short space of time, but their death is going to make our resolve even stronger in our quest to see to it that the (Zanu PF) regime is removed.”

At least 12 top executives have resigned from the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) in protest over alleged interference, endemic corruption, harassment and threats from some board members.

The officials, from different departments including finance and tolling, administration, information communication technology, audit, among others, have joined several others who have resigned from the organisation citing interference, among other problems.

Sources said those who resigned include Simpson Mandizha (administration), Tanyaradzwa Mandisodza (finance), Wilfred Chiroodza, Anyway Mudodo (finance manager), Hazel Tlou (finance tolling) and Daphne Charamba (finance tolling).

Others are Vikani Lulamani (finance tolling) Muthetheleli Mpofu (finance tolling, engineer G Kufa (management), Gift Kanotangudza an ICT manager, Shadreck Matengabadza (audit manager) and company secretary Mathlene Mujokoro.

“Morale is at its lowest. The environment is bad. People are resigning every day and you wonder what kind of a company is run like that. Hearings were done and the committees found the involved people not guilty. The CEO, claiming to be working under instruction from the board, overrides that. What is that?” the source privy to the details asked rhetorically.

“Quite a number have resigned and it is now an everyday thing. People are frustrated and there is a feeling that things can’t continue like this. They know that if they are accused of anything, processes are manipulated and they will not win so they are opting out. The situation is bad.”

Zinara board chairman Michael Madanha was not answering calls last night, but is on record accusing those making all sorts of allegations against his board of being “thieves” unhappy with the cleansing process.

The Zimbabwe Revenue and Allied Workers Trade Union yesterday said the situation at the roads authority was worrying and accused Zinara acting CEO Saston Muzenda of overriding decisions of a disciplinary committee comprising three managers and two workers representatives.

“Information at hand shows that Muzenda has a clear instruction from his board to dismiss employees regardless of disciplinary hearing outcomes. We are aware of the plot to dismiss long-serving workers and replace them with new employees. In this regard, ZIMRATU will not let Zinara cruise on the arbitrary path. We are going to defend our members and expose all the lies and misrepresentation,” ZIMRATU general secretary Lovemore Ngwarati alleged.

NewsDay has it on good authority that the committee found most of the workers not guilty and ruled that they should return to work.

But Muzenda allegedly refused to budge.

“One of the reasons why some of the workers were fired was based on reports from Univern, but it was established that, for example, some government vehicles have two number plates. This was confirmed by the Zimbabwe Republic Police after their vehicle was captured passing at a tollgate,” the source said.

“During the hearings, it was also established that one of the vehicles was part of Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga’s motorcade and the committee found the accused person not guilty. The acting CEO, however, wrote that the workers should be found guilty regardless.”

Muzenda was not reachable yesterday.

NewsDay