File Picture: African ladies captured soliciting for men in Dubai
Dangwe News|With a pressing economy back home most Zimbabwean ladies are turning to high level prostitution in United Arab Emirates. It is believed the ladies are offered huge money by the rich Arab men in the Arabian country. Most of the trips are organised by South African based brokers who in turn get paid a commission for the services.
In 2018 two South African girls made headlines when they posted videos on social media bragging about how they made millions in a week after Dubai trip.
Speaking to Dangwe News Grace (not real name) who is based in Avondale Harare described the culture as satanic.
‘I went there four times on these sex trips after a friend introduced me, the money is good but it is dirty money. On my first trip three men would poop on me for more than four days, it was never about sex but more of being treated like an animal’. Grace said she made over U$15,000 on her first trip while all her expenses were catered for.
The trips are so popular that most girls fail to make the cut. On her last trip Grace told us how she was made to have sex with teenage boys.
‘The boys were virgins and the dads wanted them to have sex and teach them how it is done, it all happened in a packed room it is good none of them were recording the session. The so called girls trips to Dubai are all about this’. So bad is the practice that even married ladies are doing it while some girls as young as 17 years are being forced to join by other family members.
The economic situation in Zimbabwe has forced many into deep poverty with some men based in Cape Town South Africa turning to homosexuality in order to make ends meet. The tourist rich city has seen many Zimbabwean men sell their bodies to foreigners.
Masimba who once stayed in the mother city opened up about the dirty game ‘these are normal guys that need the extra money and it all starts after one is given a huge tip at a restaurant, many of them do it for money and are not even gays’.
There are risks Zimbabwe’s fight against HIV will be lost if the economy continues to melt as is the case now. Locally the prices of condoms have gone beyond the reach of many a situation that will force many to have unprotected sex. The country had recorded good gains on the fight against HIV with new infections going down and almost 90% of those infected being put on treatment.
Highlanders fans captured at Barbourfields Stadium
Highlanders coach Hendrik Pieter de Jongh thinks the club has the best supporters in the country.
The gaffer made the comments after guiding Bosso to the 2019 Chibuku Super Cup final in front of a sizable crowd at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday. The Bulawayo giants beat ZPC Kariba 1-0 courtesy of a first-half goal by Prince Dube to set up a date against Ngezi Platinum Stars.
“They are the best fans in the country,” he said. “I like the way they are passionate (about their team). The atmosphere was great today (on Sunday).”
de Jongh who hasn’t lost a match since taking over at Highlanders in September was impressed by his team’s performance on Sunday.
“We deserve to be in the final. It doesn’t matter that we didn’t play that good because what we wanted was to be in the final. We scored at the right time, at the perfect time,” he added.
The government last week inadvertently dismissed doctors who were on maternity leave and some who were training outside the country even though they did not take part in the ongoing strike.
This was revealed by Senior Hospital Doctors Association (SHDA) president Shingai Nyaguse in a statement. He said:
Junior and middle-level doctors have been dismissed from work for not being able to report for duty due to incapacitation.
Some on maternity leave and some who are training outside the country have also been served with letters accusing them of absenteeism.
Hundreds of doctors were served with dismissal letters for failing to report for duty without leave, with 500 more expected to be sacked when the disciplinary hearings are concluded.
The Minister of Health and Child Care, Obadiah Moyo, defended the dismissals claiming that the doctors, who have cited incapacitation, were in breach of the law.
A project by Bulawayo-based war veterans to produce “affordable” bread using Dutch ovens has been described as a waste of time since it has no capacity to meet the city’s demand for the commodity.
On Tuesday, the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) Bulawayo commissioned their “bread bakery”, which is located at their Entumbane high-density suburb offices.
ZNLWVA Bulawayo spokesperson Christopher Sibanda said they started producing bread on the day of the launch after receiving a donation of wheat from Provincial Affairs minister Judith Ncube.
“We have already started baking bread and we have groups of 10 people who work, so they take turns in working… on the day of launch bread was being sold for ZW$ 5,” Sibanda told Southern Eye on Sunday on Thursday.
“We have the capacity to produce cheap bread compared to what other confectionary companies are charging,” Sibanda said.
He was, however, evasive on the number of loaves they intend to produce per day from their bakery.
The price of bread, like other basic commodities and services, has been skyrocketing as producers cite inflation and a harsh operating environment.
A fortnight ago one of the confectionary giants, Bakers Inn reduced the price of the commodity from $15 to between $14 and $14,50.
Bulawayo commentator Reginald Shoko doubted that the war veterans’ project will be a solution to the ever rising cost of bread..
“Bulawayo needs over 10 000 loaves of bread a day, their oven is operated manually so this won’t help the community because their production will be too low,” he said.
“Even if their bread is cheaper, the demand will be high. Can they meet a demand of more than 10 000 a day?” Shoko questioned.
Shoko said the oven did not have the capacity to meet the demands of the Bulawayo community and likened it to a teaspoon in an ocean..
The project comes two months after more than 100 residents including war veterans underwent training on how to make bread in Bulawayo using Dutch ovens as part of Zanu PF’s empowerment projects.
Party supporters also underwent training in confectionery, petroleum jelly making, shoe polish making, floor polish making, building of Dutch ovens and the making of dust ovens.
The trainings were held at Zanu PF’s Bulawayo Davies Hall offices.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said the party wants to construct makeshift traditional bakery ovens in every ward in the country to compete against “profiteering” bread companies.
MDC leader Nelson Chamisa still insists he was robbed of his victory
Correspondent|PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa will be in parliament yet again on Thursday for Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube 2020 national budget presentation, will MDC Parliamentarians walk out on him?
MDC national spokesperson Daniel Molokele, in an interview, set the record straight the main opposition still did not recognise Mnangagwa as legitimately elected national leader.
Molokele said the stance was not spontaneous but was a party policy not to grant Mnangagwa the respect of national President.
“We do not recognise ED, full stop. The decision we made is based on the party resolution so neither the Standing Rules and Orders of Parliament nor the Speaker Jacob Mudenda can challenge the party decision,” he told reporters on Monday.
Mudenda was last year forced to summon some police officers into the legislative chamber to drag out MDC MPs one after the other in front of live television coverage on national broadcaster, ZBC-TV.
He was reacting to the defiant legislators’ failure to join their Zanu PF counterparts in standing up in recognition of Mnangagwa who had entered the house of assembly for the 2019 budget presentation.
Some of the MPs were injured in the process.
September this year during official opening of parliament by Mnangagwa, MDC had another trick up their sleeves; walking out on Mnangagwa as he presented his address.
The action elicited a backlash from Mudenda who decreed the withholding of five months of their allowances.
Mudenda has further blocked MDC MPs from directing any questions to cabinet ministers during parliament’s question and answer session.
Meanwhile, MDC will this Tuesday hold its caucus to deliberate on Thursday’s budget presentation on whether to attend the event or not.
NewsDay|A 35-YEAR-OLD Gweru man was last week acquitted on charges of illegally dealing in foreign currency.
Paradzanai Hamanu of Mkoba 11 appeared before magistrate Edwin Marecha facing a charge of illegally dealing in foreign currency.
Allegations were that Hamanu was seen by detectives holding wads of bond notes, United States dollars and South African rand which he was reportedly trading on the streets.
Through his lawyer, Nomore Hlabano, Hamanu denied the charge and said police officers forcibly took the money from his vehicle, which (money) he intended to pay the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority for the house he had bought and that part of the money was paid after his car had been hired.
He told the court that he had CCTV footage which showed the police randomly searching his car before taking the money.
Marecha ruled that the State had failed to prove its case before acquitting Hamanu.
The State’s case was that on August 20 this year at around 3pm, detectives, who were on patrol, saw Hamanu holding a bunch of currencies and saying in vernacular, “tinochinja mari pano (we exchange money)” to passersby.
Police approached and arrested him and recovered $2 000, R5 680, US$161 on his person and a further $2 880 from a satchel stashed in his car.
Mambo Dhuterere dominates the Permican Awards nominees list after his songs were nominated in five different categories, ahead of other renowned musicians.
Mambo Dhuterere was nominated in the Best Song Writer, Best Traditional Song, Best Newcomer, Best Collaboration and Song of the Year categories.
He is rocking the entertainment scene with his latest album “Dare Guru”.
The Permican Gospel Awards were last held in 2016 and will mark their return this year with the ceremony slated for November 22 at the City Sports Centre in Harare.
Running under the theme “Creatively Touching Souls” the awards are aimed at motivating and promoting local gospel musicians.
Also on the nominees list is Michael Mahendere, Janet Manyowa, Tembalami and Spirit Praise Choir.
Awards director Courage Ted Lazaro said preparations for the ceremony were at an advanced stage.
“We want to push gospel music to step out of the ordinary,” he said.
“There is a tendency of saying gospel musicians do mediocre things because they have an audience which is mostly church people.
“We want them to push the boundaries and to be creative while touching souls.”
Lazaro said they failed to hold the awards ceremony in the past two years because of financial constraints.
“The Permican Awards are a corporate funded event so our main sponsors failed to come through, but we are happy that this year it is bigger and better,” he said. “We have old and new sponsors who have also came on board. We want to push the awards because artistes were complaining about not having awards.
“Now I can promise to maintain the standard and we hope to continue working with our sponsors so that we do it annually.”
Lazaro said there were not many changes to the awards planning and programming, adding that they stayed with the regular 17 awards categories.State media
Own Correspondent|ZANU PF Youth League Secretary for Administration Tendai Chirau has launched an attack on former First Lady Grace Ntombizodwa Mugabe over reports that she hired thugs to invade a farm allegedly owned by 6 farmers who were allocated the farm some years back.
Writing on Facebook Chirau said, “Grace Marufu Mugabe Marufu reportedly hired some hoodlums in a bid to invade a farm owned by six farmers who were allocated the land some years back. During the old dispensation she tormented the people of Mazhou in Mash Central.”
Chirau said Grace Mugabe’s bid to own multiple farms will not succeed.
“In the new dispensation, she is destined to fail and her insatiable appetite for owning multiple farms will be brought to end. The farm in question is in Pomona.”
Grace Mugabe’s accusers have offer letters that are stamped and dated 2007, and were signed by former Minister Didymus Mutasa.
Commenting on the matter political analyst Shephard Dube said the move by the ZANU PF Youths was aimed at seeking revenge on Grace Mugabe for burying former President Mugabe in Zvimba in line with his wishes.
“President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s people are vindictive and are targeting a widow who refused to have her husband buried at the heroes acre and presided over by ZANU PF people. After failing to defeat her plans they are now moving after her assets. If grace Mugabe did any wrong let her be taken to court and let the court do its role. We must not have people who are law unto themselves and threatening other citizens.” Dube said.
MWENEZI – Pupils at Turf Primary School in Ward 15 has over the past 17 years ran without even a single classroom block and has recorded a zero percent pass rate in grade seven examinations ever since.
During lessons, many pupils sit on the ground under makeshift structures built of wooden poles and dagga with thatched roof.
Turf Primary School Teacher-in-Charge (TIC) Bernard Mahutse said the school was facing some of the worst conditions a school could ever face in the country.
“Grade seven classes use these facilities during their final examinations. We have a total enrolment of 368 pupils and we have few pieces of furniture such that some of our pupils learn seated on the ground,” said Mahutse.
Teachers do not stay longer at the school as there are no houses for them, and none of them is motivated to stay at the school for a long time.
“There are five teachers here and that shows you how understaffed we are. Different grades are combined into one single class to make it easier for teachers to cope. Teachers do not stay for long and pupils are taught by new faces all the time,” said Mahutse.
Local parents also lamented the conditions at the school which they described as good as a play centre for their children to pass their time.
“Nothing is learnt at Turf as our children just go there to grow up and socialise with their age-mates. During the rainy season, many parents would rather have their children herding cattle and goats than to going to school where they benefit nothing except to come back home with dirt uniforms,” said female parent.
Ward 15 Cllr Edson Chauke said the school faced a serious predicament as the Ministry of Lands was yet to officially authorise the school’s location.
“Conditions there are really bad and that is tragic to the future of our children there. The Ministry of Land is backtracking on pegging the school to make its siting permanent.
“We briefed our MP (Priscilla Moyo) about the state of affairs at the school and she promised to assist in that regard. We will keep pushing to ensure that a way out is found and conditions there are improved,” said Chauke.
Mwenezi Rural District Council (RDC), which is the responsible authority, through the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Albert Chivanga acknowledged the state of affairs at the school.
Chivanga told TellZim News in a telephone interview that schools which were unpegged and are on private properties are difficult to develop until certain issues got clarified.
The entire Mwenezi district has a total of 172 schools, 102 of which are satellites, having been born out of the often chaotic Land Reform Programme.
Most satellite schools in the district are in a sorry state, with Turf Primary being just but an epitome of worse things going on.
Former Zipra fighters have dismissed Jonathan Moyo’s protest over the removal of Cain Mathema by President Emmerson Mnangagwa from the Home Affairs Ministry as spitting on the 1987 Unity Accord.
The Unity Accord brought together Zapu and Zanu then under Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe respectively and ended the Gukurahundi massacres targeted at Nkomo’s supporters in the Matabeleland region and Midlands province.
In a cabinet reshuffle last Friday, Moyo said the removal of Mathema whom he claimed was an ex Zapu for the first time saw ex Zapu members in Zanu-PF shut out from security portfolios.
But the Zipra veterans said Mathema joined Zanu before the unity accord.
“When Mathema was sent to school after he and his friends staged a mutiny during the war, he joined Zanu and ceased being Zapu. It is wrong for Moyo to say Mathema represents ex Zapu/Zipra cadres. Mathema just like Obert Mpofu defected to Zanu long before the unity accord was signed so technically, they are Zanu people,” said a Zipra veteran.
“He is right when he says ex Zapu people are no longer in the security ministries but that basis should not be on the recent removal of Mathema from the Home Affairs ministry.”
Mathema was removed from Home Affairs and was assigned to the ministry of education as Mnangagwa replaced him with Kazembe Kazembe.
State Media|FOUR men ganged up and defrauded Pretoria Portland Cement (PPC) Zimbabwe of more than US$26 500 after cloning the company’s ATM card and using it to conduct illegal Point of Sale (POS) transactions at various outlets in Bulawayo.
This emerged when one of the accused persons, Malcolm Stanley Migogo (37) of Cowdray Park approached the High Court in Bulawayo seeking bail pending appeal.
Migogo teamed up with Divine Gandawa (36) of Nkulumane, Farai Gandawa (30) of Pumula South and Cylous Ndlovu (39) of Pumula South before they defrauded the cement manufacturing company of US$26 529, 39 over a period of seven months last year.
They were last month convicted of fraud by Bulawayo regional magistrate, Ms Sibonginkosi Mkandla.
The four men were each sentenced to five years in jail of which one year was suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.
A further two years were suspended on condition that they restituted the stolen money leaving each one of them with an effective two years to serve.
Migogo, through his lawyers Mutuso, Taruvinga and Mhiribidi Attorneys, yesterday filed an application for bail pending appeal at the Bulawayo High Court citing the State as the respondent.
In his bail statement, Migogo said there was no likelihood of absconding if granted, arguing that he had prospects of success on appeal.
“It is submitted that there is no hint of any likelihood of abscondment by the applicant as he is a family man with minor children and a wife to look after. He is gainfully employed and has never exhibited signs of flight,” argued Migogo’s lawyers.
He said his charge was framed by the State and argued that it was capable of being quashed in terms of section 178 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act because he was not accorded a fair trial.
Migogo said no evidence was placed before the court proving that there was commonality between himself and his co-accused’s conduct.
“It is respectfully submitted that the charge as drafted by the State is clear in that it alleges that the act of misrepresentation was the use of a cloned bank card to the prejudice of the complainant. It was therefore upon the State to prove that indeed the applicant knew that the card was cloned at the time that he transacted with it at OK Mart and that his intention was to prejudice the complainant,” said the lawyers.
Migogo said he had a reasonable arguable case warranting the High Court to interfere with both his conviction and sentence.
He said the lower court misdirected itself by taking a speculative approach to the evidence before it, and argued that the State failed to proffer enough evidence linking him to the offence.
Migogo said the sentence imposed on him was excessive and induced a sense of shock.
He offered to pay $300 bail and to report twice a week at Bulawayo Central Police Station as part of the bail conditions.
According to court papers, on May 1, 2007, Mr Ian Donald David Sheasby who was employed by PPC Zimbabwe as a commercial director was issued with a Stanbic Visa Card bearing number 4069091005173868.
On March 31, 2018, Mr Sheasby resigned from the company and handed over the card to Ms Joan Patricia Alexander who secured the card by locking it in a drawer in her office.
Between March 31 and October 23 in 2018, Migogo and his accomplices unlawfully acquired the card information and went on to duplicate it.
They then went to various shopping outlets in Bulawayo and used the cloned card to conduct several POS transactions.
They bought groceries, electrical gadgets and beverages and in the process prejudicing the company of US$26 529, 39.
PPC Zimbabwe discovered that there were financial transactions being debited from their account. The company alerted its banking institution, Stanbic, which subsequently blocked the card.
A report was made to the police and investigations were conducted leading to the arrest of the two Gandawa brothers who implicated the other two accomplices.
Police recovered several Samsung LED television sets, which were purchased from OK Mart in Bulawayo.
State Media|Commercial banks were collecting $30 million new notes and coins yesterday from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) and account holders should be able to start accessing their $300 weekly cash withdrawal rations starting today. With the weekly cash withdrawal limit at $300, at least 100 000 account holders should be able to withdraw cash this week, unless there is another injection from RBZ.
As bank vans started congregating at RBZ to collect the new $2 and $5 notes and the new $2 bond coins, RBZ Governor Dr John Mangudya said measures had been put in place to counter the channelling of cash from banks to the black market and the locking up of the new cash into the informal sector.
He did not go into detail, but the withdrawal limits, the small change-denominations, monitoring to ensure businesses bank cash and general checking are all likely to be part of that process.
Dr Mangudya said he expected all banks to start dispensing the new notes and coins today.
While withdrawal limits remain at a maximum of $300 a week, the authorities intend to review them when the situation improves in line with the thrust of restoring normalcy in the economy.
Banks are also expected to start feeding money into automated teller machines (ATMs) soon.
Dr Mangudya said the RBZ will closely monitor the movement of cash from banks to depositors to prevent the channelling of money to illegal cash dealers who have been selling notes and coins to desperate people at premiums of up to 50 percent.
Most of the premiums are paid by people needing kombi fares as other purchases are normally only cheaper for cash if no premiums are paid.
“Money moves from formal to informal sector; it gets trapped there,” said Dr Mangudya.
“So, it means we need to make sure that the economy is formalised. We need to improve production to grow the circle of the formal sector. We need to address the structural challenges.”
On enforcement of legal instruments to preserve cash in the formal system, Dr Mangudya said: “It’s a must; our teams will be on the ground to ensure that compliance is done. We also need to ensure that shops that receive cash bank it in line with the Bank Use Promotion Act. Big outlets will be monitored.”
Dr Mangudya said reports that the RBZ had not released cash to banks yesterday were incorrect.
“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.”
His remarks followed long queues of seemingly frustrated depositors at most banking halls.
The RBZ chief said cash supply will keep improving in the next few days as monetary authorities continue to drip-feed the market.
The introduction of new notes and coins is expected to increase the amount of cash in circulation from about $855 million to almost $1,9 billion.
Dr Mangudya has said the RBZ aims to increase the amount of cash in circulation to 10 percent of total money supply, which is close to the standard global thresholds.
Bankers Association of Zimbabwe (BAZ) vice president Mr Ralph Watungwa confirmed that banks started receiving cash from the RBZ yesterday.
“I can confirm that the new notes are being taken from the central bank and normal processes for takeover of the notes are underway,” he said.
“Some banks have already collected the notes while others are still in the process. The public was expecting to hold the cash today, but it’s a process. As BAZ we are confirming that the banks will start dispensing the new notes tomorrow (today).”
A lot of arbitrage has been in progress for some months.
Yesterday, there was still around a 35 percent premium on notes and coins sold for mobile money and foreign currency dealers were giving a similar discount on US dollars bought for cash.
Prices of many goods at the tuckshops and street vendors level are also around a third lower for cash.
Many informal traders then sell the cash they get as they buy their goods in the formal sector for digital money.
It is expected that as more cash circulates, these arbitrage gaps will diminish.
Premiums for cash payouts should fall, the gap between the cash and mobile money price of a US dollar banknote on the black market should narrow and the prices charged by informal traders for cash should start approaching the prices charged by formal traders regardless of the payment system.
Paul Nyathi|ZESA is implementing prolonged load-shedding of up to 18 hours a day following a fault at Hwange Power Station yesterday afternoon.
The power utility said it was moving to Stage 2 load-shedding.
According to Zesa, Stage 1 load-shedding happens to the first group of customers as listed on its schedule and these are switched off as the power shortfall will be within planned limits.
In the event that the power shortfall increases beyond the planned limits, load shedding will move to Stage 2.
Zesa said while it was importing electricity to augment national supplies, power would remain constrained.
“While all efforts are being made to improve the power supply availability through imports, the supply situation remains fragile,” said Zesa.
“Customers are advised to use the available power very sparingly and will be updated as the situation improves. The inconvenience caused is sincerely regretted.”
The first two stages at Hwange Power Station suffer frequent breakdowns because of skipped and skimped maintenance and refurbishment over the past 35 years.
Hwange and modest imports from South Africa and Mozambique have to carry the Zimbabwean load because the regional drought has severely limited output from Kariba South, the largest station.
Kariba, Zimbabwe’s largest power plant with a capacity of 1 050MW, is churning out less than 10 percent of its capacity as water levels at the lake, where neighbouring Zambia also draws water for its power plant on the northern bank, are fast dwindling.
At peak periods of demand, the country requires about 1 800MW, but is currently able to produce an average of 500MW, at best, due to the effect of drought on Kariba water levels and the antiquated equipment at Hwange Power Station.
Given that water levels in the Kariba dam only reach peak inflows around middle of each calendar year when plains up north where the river originates will have saturated, the dam may not supply power for more than half the year in 2020.
Two brand new large boiler-turbine-generator units are being commissioned at Hwange, but the extra 600MW will not start coming on stream until mid-2021.
Hwange is also operating with critically low stocks of coal due to reduced feedstock supplies from the miners amid concerns that the situation could also trigger stoppages of power production.
Recently, Zesa claimed that it was not getting enough supplies from the coal miners — Hwange Colliery, Makomo Resources and Zambezi Gas.
Its target stock is 300 000 tonnes, which is equivalent to 45 days of power generation at 600MW. But ZESA is only receiving an average of 85 000 tonnes, enough for only 11 days.
Importing power is also a challenge as some of the regional suppliers, particularly Eskom of South Africa, are struggling to keep generating units in service. A scarcity of foreign currency has also resulted in Zimbabwe struggling to pay for power imports.
Paul Nyathi|President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday signed into office his newly appointed Ministers at a ceremony at the State House. Amongst those was the new Minister Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Dr Jenfan Muswere.
Dr Muswere was previously a completely unknown Deputy Minister in the same ministry.
His promotion to head up this crucial ministry clearly tells that President Mnangagwa doesn’t know the importance of technology or that he doesn’t care or both. Muswere should not be anywhere near his position.
Here is a video of Muswere being interviewed about Artificial Intelligence at the AI for Good Conference in Geneva in May this year. It will make you look for a rock to crawl under… What did we ever do to deserve this?
WARRIORS coach Joey Antipas has criticised the failure by the Premier Soccer League to observe the FIFA international break.
Antipas, who also doubles as the national team coach, is expected to go in camp today with the Warriors to prepare for the back-to-back 2021 AFCON qualifiers against Botswana and Zambia.
This has left him with added pressure as he needs to take care of his side Chicken Inn’s title charge in an away match against Mushowani Stars at Trojan tomorrow.
Chicken Inn edged to within two points of leaders CAPS United with a controversial 2-1 win over Triangle at the weekend.
There are four games remaining in the season and it is getting tense at the top.
“It’s only fair that I have to give due attention to my team because that’s my bread and butter,’’ said Antipas.
“So, I will see how I will balance the scales. But this whole thing is a mess because this is a FIFA week. Everywhere in the world there are no local games being played.
“Mind you, the national team games take priority over the domestic programme.
I think we had too many stoppages during the season and now it is the clubs that are paying heavily for that.”
Ironically, Antipas’ boss at Chicken Inn, Lifa Ncube, is the Premier Soccer League vice-chairman.
The Premier League have put together a full programme for the midweek and another full menu is expected at the weekend in a bid to end the season on time.State media
The wait for Chippa United’s first win of the 2019/20 ABSA Premiership season is finally over after Norman Mapeza guided them to a 2-0 win over Amazulu at the Princess Magogo Stadium today.
The Port Elizabeth side arrived in Durban with no win this campaign and having lost their last three league games but William Twala’s second half strike ensured that would be a thing of the past.
Tonight’s win will be a welcome boost for Mapeza, who has been tasked with getting the Chilli Boys out of the mirky waters of relegation.
Despite the win, Chippa are still bottom of the table with 7 points from 11 outings.Soccer 24
South African retail giant, Edcon has completed the disposal of its shareholding in Zimbabwe-based clothing chain Edgars Stores Limited to Mauritius incorporated entity SSCG Africa Holdings, as the group realigns operations to remain sustainable.
Edcon controlled a 41 percent stake in Edgars Zimbabwe, which has 25 branches across the country as well as 25 Jet Stores, a micro-finance business and Carousel garment manufacturing factory in Bulawayo. The transaction entails SSCG’s acquisition of a 100 percent shareholding in Bellfield Limited which is an investment vehicle owned by Edcon. The investment limited holds the 41 percent stake in Edgars Zimbabwe.
In a notice to its shareholders, Edgars indicated the completion of the transaction between Edcon and the Mauritian-based SSCG.
“The Company has received notice from SSCG Africa Holdings Limited that it has recently concluded a transaction in which it has acquired from Edcon Limited 127,138,510 shares (through Bellfield Limited) representing approximately 41,07 percent of the issued share capital of the Company,” said Edgars.
The Edgars transaction is not the first by SSCG Africa in Zimbabwe, as the firm also took a stake in resources group, Vast Resources with an US$8 million transaction- split into two with an equal amount for payment of shares and as a loan. By close of Friday trading on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE), Edgars was at 20,3 cents which represented a 9 percent decline on prior week level. – state media
The Zanu-PF Youth League has commended Emmerson Mnangagwa for appointing more younger people into Government, saying the development was a clear commitment to the inclusive agenda.
In a statement yesterday, Zanu-PF Youth League national Secretary for Administration Tendai Chirau said Mnangagwa “lived up to his word” by fulfilling his promise made during the second national assembly meeting of the Youth League 2019.
During that meeting, Mnangagwa promised to increase the number of younger ministers in Government.
Chirau said by appointing youths into Government, Mnangagwa demonstrated his desire to blend old and young generations for the development of the country.
“The unrelenting recognition of young people by His Excellency President Mnangagwa’s new government and the new dispensation is an endorsement of the inclusive philosophy of generational blending where the young are blended with the elders in charting the developmental trajectory of our motherland,” said Chirau.
He said the appointments and reappointments of young ministers and deputy ministers encouraged intergenerational dialogue in solving some of the country’s challenges.
“The intergenerational paradigm marks a radical changeover from the traditional one-way perspective whereby only the elderly were considered for Cabinet posts to a novel two-way paradigm that promotes and sustains mutual reciprocity between generations,” said Cde Chirau.
He congratulated the ministers, and urged them to discharge their duties and responsibilities well for the benefit of the country.
Mnangagwa recently reshuffled his Cabinet last Friday and injected more young blood as he continued to show faith in youths.
Dr Jenfan Muswere (38) is the new Information, Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Minister.
Former Industry and Commerce Minister Nqobizitha Ndlovu (38) was reassigned to be Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister.
Former Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation Deputy Minister Yeukai Simbanegavi was reassigned as Deputy Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities.
Mnangagwa appointed Tinoda Machakaire (36) as Deputy Minister of Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation, while Dingimuzi Phuti (38), is Deputy Minister of ICT. – state media
Farai Dziva|Controversial preacher, Talent Madungwe has claimed that God condemned WhatsApp and Facebook -among other social media platforms.
“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,” he told H-Metro.
“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.
Political commentator Ken Mufuka, has advised Foreign Affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo against picking up a needless fight with United States of America President Donald Trump.
The remarks come after Moyo used language towards the US Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Brian Nichols, that “has been associated with Zanu PF apparatchiks, who visit opponents by night”.
Wrote Mufuka:
Trump loves a fight. If Moyo lives on planet earth, he would know that the world does not owe Zimbabwe anything and that Trump is a street fighter.
Trump’s reaction is unpredictable.
Trump is like a drunken Irishman, who joins a street fight without knowing what the fight was for. Trump can easily cut off food aid to the eight million starving Zimbabweans.
There is really nothing called illegal sanctions. If the US refuses to trade with Zimbabwe and cuts off Visa, MasterCard and American Express Services, there is nothing we can do about it.
Minister Moyo issued a strong-worded statement railing Nichols for blaming Zimbabwe’s economic crisis on a kleptocratic ruling elite rather than the so-called illegal sanctions. Credit :The Standard
Political commentator Ken Mufuka, has advised Foreign Affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo against picking up a needless fight with United States of America President Donald Trump.
The remarks come after Moyo used language towards the US Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Brian Nichols, that “has been associated with Zanu PF apparatchiks, who visit opponents by night”.
Wrote Mufuka:
Trump loves a fight. If Moyo lives on planet earth, he would know that the world does not owe Zimbabwe anything and that Trump is a street fighter.
Trump’s reaction is unpredictable.
Trump is like a drunken Irishman, who joins a street fight without knowing what the fight was for. Trump can easily cut off food aid to the eight million starving Zimbabweans.
There is really nothing called illegal sanctions. If the US refuses to trade with Zimbabwe and cuts off Visa, MasterCard and American Express Services, there is nothing we can do about it.
Minister Moyo issued a strong-worded statement railing Nichols for blaming Zimbabwe’s economic crisis on a kleptocratic ruling elite rather than the so-called illegal sanctions. Credit :The Standard
Farai Dziva|Emmerson Mnangagwa has said political actors who are not unwilling to join POLAD should wait for the 2023 polls.
Addressing a Rally in Tshovhani Stadium in Chiredzi saluted political actors who are part of the dialogue.
Mnangagwa said those who were not part of the dialogue should wait for 2023 elections.
“We said all parties should come on the table for dialogue.
There are some who did not come on the table for the dialogue.
Most parties have come on board and we discuss with them on how we can move forward.
Elections are held once in every five years. After five years, we go back to our political parties and seek a new mandate from the people,” declared Mnangagwa.
Farai Dziva|Emmerson Mnangagwa has said political actors who are not unwilling to join POLAD should wait for the 2023 polls.
Addressing a Rally in Tshovhani Stadium in Chiredzi saluted political actors who are part of the dialogue.
Mnangagwa said those who were not part of the dialogue should wait for 2023 elections.
“We said all parties should come on the table for dialogue.
There are some who did not come on the table for the dialogue.
Most parties have come on board and we discuss with them on how we can move forward.
Elections are held once in every five years. After five years, we go back to our political parties and seek a new mandate from the people,” declared Mnangagwa.
Farai Dziva| Zimbabwean opposition leader Pastor Timothy Chiguvare of the People’s Progressive Party says God has anointed him to rescue the African continent from perennial misery.
Said Pastor Chiguvare in a statement:
GOD HAS ANOINTED ME TO STOP THE TEARS OF MANKIND AND TO PUT A QUALITY SMILE ON THE FACES OF THE MOST SUFFERING NOT ONLY IN ZIMBABWE BUT THROUGHOUT THE AFRICAN CONTINENT.
If you all Zimbabweans have also witnessed what I have seen so far , this entitles us all as a nation to take the most appropriate action against the offenders – ZANU PF must go yesterday! TOGETHER WE CAN TURN OUR CHALLENGES INTO OPPORTUNITIES.
As an apostle of peace ; love ; forgiveness ; reconciliation ; justice and democracy I am here to warn the entire African continent that :- “A people that elect corrupt politicians are not victims but accomplices. An accomplice is a person who helps another in a crime etc.”
“Yes! I have a dream that one day Zimbabwe, a nation sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression; will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.”
A self styled prophet from Johanne Marange Apostolic Church has sent his sixth wife packing because she breached church rules by delivering her fifth baby in hospital.
Cuthbert Masembure (45) said he had to part ways with his wife because she breached church rules which do not allow members to get treatment from hospitals.
On Tuesday last week Masembure was dragged to court by his wife Nyaradzo Makuvari (37), who now stays at her parents’ home for maintenance.
However, Murambinda Resident Magistrate Dennis Mangosi was left in a dilemma after he found himself dealing with a maintenance case where the defendant has five different wives and a total of 18 children.
Masembure told Mangosi that paying maintenance for three children involved in the claim is difficult as he has 15 other children sired with five different wives.
He left the court in stitches when he said he looked forward to more children.
Masembure married Makuvari who was the wife of his late brother.
Makuvari was claiming $100 dollars per child and Mangosi ordered that Masembure pays $95 for each child.
– Mirror
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has vowed to have all corrupt councillors removed from their positions.
Speaking at the commissioning of 76 Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) buses in Bulawayo last week, Mnangagwa said that the treasury was disbursing funds to promote and enhance devolution.
He added:
However, I warn those running RDCs and urban councils to shun corruption. If you shun corruption, I will shun removing you. Those who commit corruption and I will part ways.
His remarks come when his critics have often opined that his anti-corruption campaign is only rhetoric which lacks concrete action to back it.
Meanwhile, a number of prominent government officials including former Tourism Minister, Priscah Mupfumira, former Local government Minister, Ignatius Chombo and former Transport Minister, Joram Gumbo were recently arrested over corruption with some saying they will soon be released, as is always the case.
By A Correspondent-Heralded by Zimbabwe’s central bank and its President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the answer to an acute cash shortage that has hamstrung the country’s economy, new low-denomination banknotes were due to enter circulation on Monday.
But by noon (1000 GMT) they had seemingly failed to arrive.
Banks visited by Reuters were yet to receive the new bills, and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor John Mangudya said he could not immediately comment on why they had not been distributed.
The dearth of cash, along with shortages of staple goods exacerbated by a long drought, has crippled the economy, sending inflation – which economists estimate is running at 380% year-on-year – to its highest since 2008.
In that year, hyperinflation wiped out many people’s pensions and savings and forced the country to dump the Zimbabwe dollar currency.
The government unexpectedly re-introduced the Zimbabwe dollar in June to end a decade of dollarisation.
It hopes the new notes, at lower denominations than those currently in circulation, will help end the cash shortage, bring down inflation and speed up the restoration of the long-neglected domestic currency.
The RBZ said it would issue new 5 dollar and 2 dollar notes as the next stage of that process, similar in design and colour to the bond notes that were introduced in 2016 as a surrogate for U.S. dollars.
It has said it plans to inject 1 billion Zimbabwe dollars in cash into the economy the next six months.
But many locals and market analysts are unconvinced that new notes will do much to alleviate the crisis.
“If only they had introduced higher denomination notes like 50 dollars that would have made more sense. What do you do with 5 dollars?” said Rachel Mandeya, a 28-year-old street foreign currency trader.
The 5-dollar note, the highest new denomination, is worth just 32 U.S. cents and is only enough to buy a bottle of soda.
Tony Hawkins, a professor of business studies at the University of Zimbabwe said the central bank was trying to deal with “symptoms of a bigger problem.”
That included foreign currency shortages, lack of foreign investment, inflation and lack of confidence in policy.
“The new cash will not resolve the economic problems we face… What it means is that we will probably have more cash around to feed the black market for currency,” he added.
Many businesses discount prices by up to 40% for customers paying cash and charge more for those using mobile money or bank cards.
By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority(ZESA) has announced that a plant at Hwange has experienced a technical fault.
In a statement released this afternoon, ZESA notified customers of the implementation of Stage 2 load shedding seeing people being plunged into more hours of darkness.
ZESA HOLDINGS (PVT) LTD
INCREASE IN LOAD SHEDDING DUE TO FAULT AT HWANGE
ZESA Holdings would like to advise its valued customers countrywide that there was a technical fault at Hwange Power Station this afternoon Monday 11 November 2019, resulting in an increase in load shedding outside the publicized schedule.
Load shedding is now being implemented at Stage 2 until the fault at Hwange has been rectified. Whilst all efforts are being made to improve the power supply availability through imports, the supply situation remains fragile.
Customers are advised to use the available power very sparingly and will be updated as the situation improves. The inconvenience caused is sincerely regretted. Public Relations (11 November 2019).
By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) Bulawayo has said that its bakery situated at the association’s offices at Entumbane high-density suburb has already started producing cheap bread.
ZNLWVA Bulawayo spokesperson, Christopher Sibanda told Southern Eye that they started producing bread on Tuesday, the day of the launch, after receiving a donation of wheat from Provincial Affairs minister Judith Ncube. Sibanda added:
We have already started baking bread and we have groups of 10 people who work, so they take turns in working…on the day of launch, bread was being sold for ZW$ 5.
We have the capacity to produce cheap bread compared to what other confectionary companies are charging.
The development comes after the ruling party this year also launched community bakeries to head off the huge shortage of bread grounding the country due to the depletion of wheat reserves.
Meanwhile, some observers believe that the war veterans’ project will not meet a demand of more than 10 000 a day in the City of Queens and Kings considering that their ovens are operated manually._Newsday
By A Correspondent- Advocate Thabani Mpofu of the “fulcrum”, the “pith” fame who is representing opposition MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa in his leadership wrangle with Thokzani Khupe has said the alleged break-in into his house was not enough to warrant his silence.
The defiant lawyer said he had “every reason to believe” that the raid was carried out by State agents looking for information.
He added:
They took my laptop, my wife’s phone and cash. They had all the time to even re-arrange stuff. I think we had passed out.
So far there are a number of incidents which are puzzling which have been experienced by the lawyer. In June, Mpofu sustained minor injuries as his vehicle where he was a passenger overturned in Muzarabani days after he had been roped in by Chamisa to represent him again in the above-mentioned matter.
A few weeks later, some “mysterious” men were photographically captured red-handed, fiddling with the right left-wheel of Advocate Thabani Mpofu’s car.
Some analysts opined that this spate of unfortunate incidents was artificial, designed by Chamisa’s opponents to silence the lawyer.
By A Correspondent- Former Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) chief executive, Patrick Mavhura and ex-head Finance, Administration and Human Resources, Benenia Shumba were this Monday back in court facing new corruption charges.
Mavhura and Shumba are alleged to have connived with ZBC’s former manager of Administration and Human Resources, Stephen Kundishora to facilitate a change of ownership of a vehicle from ZBC into Shumba’s name at no cost.
Magistrate Hoseah Mujaya remanded them to November 25 on $1500 bail each also ordering them to report twice a week to the police and not to interfere with state witnesses.
The duo also have a pending corruption case before the same court in which they allegedly siphoned more than US$340 000 in advertising revenue from the national broadcaster
According to a new report, WhatsApp users could be banned permanently from using the cross-platform messaging app if they are participants of groups with an illegal or malicious name. WhatsApp has apparently started taking action against some users by banning them from using the app permanently for being part of a group with a name that promoted illegal activities, as pointed out by Reddit user Mowe11.
The user, named Mowe11, said that he and his fellow group members were permanently banned from using the Facebook-owned app after one person from their University WhatsApp ground changed the group’s name to “Child’s Pornography.” Each and every participant of the group was banned from using the app without notice. When they reached out to WhatsApp, they received automated responses stating that they had violated the rules of the messaging app.
A similar post has been shared by another user on Reddit as well. “Our whole group of about 50 persons was permanently banned because somebody thought it would be funny to scare the rest of us by changing the name of the group to such a disgusting topic for less than 1 minute (as the name was changed back to normal almost immediately),” the user wrote. “It was noon when the name change happened, that same night, all of us woke up with the news that all our accounts were permanently banned.”
However, the user added that the group members were able to recover their account after nearly a month. The disciplinary action taken against members of a group with a malicious name comes as a surprise given that WhatsApp is a private messaging app. Moreover, WhatsApp messages are protected with end-to-end encryptions, which means the texts aren’t being read.
WABetaInfo believes WhatsApp could be enforcing bans using an automated process to detect illegal activities via metadata. Nevertheless, you can avoid the ban by changing the group settings to allow only the group’s admin to edit the group’s information including its name. Giving only the admin the power to edit the group’s information will ensure mischievous elements in a group do not mess about or do something that can get the entire group banned.
BULAWAYO City are now 90 minutes away from making a quick return into the Premier Soccer League after grinding a result against a determined Mosi Rovers in a Zifa Southern Region Division One match played at Chinotimba Stadium yesterday.
An eighth minute scrambled goal by on fire Cannan Nkomo was all that fans witnessed although both teams had some goal scoring opportunities. Watched by club board members Horace Ndubiwa and Ernest ”Maphepha” Sibanda as well as five Zifa councillors, Amakhosi gallantly defended their slender lead with the defence of experienced Zephania Ngodzo and Zibusiso Sibanda standing firm.
“As we have always said, we are playing each game as a cup final and grinding results which is what we did today. We played a very tactical game and the boys stuck to our game plan. We now need to wrap up the campaign with a win next week, we remain fully focused to achieve that,” said Try Ncube.
His opposite number Mandlenkosi Moyo expressed his disappointment at the loss as his boys played extremely well.
“Look, football is about goals and that lucky goal was all that made the difference. It’s unfortunate that we had to lose like this,” said Moyo.
City’s closest rivals, Talen Vision won 2-1, taking the race to the final game of the season, with City at the top of the log.
Outspoken Zanu PF Buhera South MP, Joseph Chinotimba has attended the installation of the new Mufundirwa headman in Bikita amid loud whispers that he was eyeing the position at the next opportune time.
Chinotimba belongs to the Mufundirwa clan and his house is the next in line of the headmanship. There are eight houses with a claim to the headmanship of the Mufundirwa which is of the Shumba totem. Traditional chiefs from all over Bikita gathered at Madziire Primary School where the installation of Shayamano Jiri who becomes Headman Mufundirwa took place.
Jiri is under Chief Budzi and he succeeds Chipapa Muchara who died in 2015. Headman Mufundirwa told The Mirror that his appointment took him by surprise as there are many houses with a claim to the chieftainship and any of them could have landed the post.
“I’m honored to be the new Headman Mufundirwa. There are eight households and I am in the third household. Our people are scattered all over including in Buhera, Chimanimani and Bikita. They migrated to different places after our land was turned into a conservancy”, he said. The area under Mufundirwa is in Ward 24 and it stretches from Dewure River to Save Valley Conservancy.
Chief Budzi said one of Headman Mufundirwa’s key tasks is to stop deforestation that is rampant in the area. The event was attended by MP Anna Ranganai, Bikita District Development Coordinator (DDC) Bernard Hadzirambwi and Masvingo Provincial Development Coordinator (PDC) Fungai Samuel Mbetsa.
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime has finally eroded all semblance of residual sanity anticipated from any government run by people with brains between their ears.
Sibanengi Dube is a Zimbabwean journalist based in South Africa
By Sibanengi Dube|The carnivorous regime has just bared its rotten teeth that are stained with human blood. The brute’s lethal smile, this time around, is emitting more fatal drool.
The consequences of such claptrap are just too ghastly to envisage. The former freedom fighters cum oppressors’ appetite for the suffering of Zimbabweans knows no constraints. Where and how on earth can any government chase away rare medical service providers?
This is twaddle at its best. I am feeling like reaching for my knobkerrie in my boot and head towards Health Minister, Obadiah Moyo’s Borrowdale residence to whack some sense in his greying head, maybe next time, he will spare us this kind of riff-raff.
The naked truth which is eluding his tired brains is that, Zimbabweans need medical doctors more than him. I suppose my initial plan to re-arrange his brain cells using the services of a knobkerrie is not bad at all.
Not even an aorta of lucidity can validate the firing of the much needed 211 medical doctors. The regime’s failure to meet such elementary legitimate demands from under-resourced doctors earning R1000 a month is 100% rubbish and genuine nonsense.
Fools entrusted with serving the lives of patients in Zimbabwe turned the nation’s 1848 hospitals and primary health care facilities into death camps. These counterfeit characters are consistently displaying obliviousness to the mission statements of their offices.
The 60% salary increment which the government offered the doctors is not only irrational, but way below the more than 300% inflation. Instead of preserving such precious services by awarding the striking doctors the 300% salary increment to cushion them from daily galloping inflation, the predatory administration saw it fit to mortgage the lives of poor patients by terminating services of life savers.
Do these leaders have brains or bronze in their heads? Kwanzi naED ‘kana kwanga kunekwainonokogwa mari taindonokora tovapa.’ Ko mari yekutengera madzishe mota vakainokora kupi? Such beerhall statements are unpresidential and serves to confirm that a wrong man is sleeping at the Zimbabwe State House.
It costs Zimbabwe taxpayers more than $1 million to send one student through a nine year medicine training programme. The training is intense apart from being a preserve for the excessively bright students who are talented in science subjects and mathematics.
The political leadership of the new era doesn’t seem to see any value in keeping medical doctors who honed their skills at such a whooping cost to taxpayers. Zvakuri kurasha mvura zvese nemwana.
In any case, these political quacks, rarely step their feet in local hospitals whenever they fall sick. Instead they prefer to be treated in foreign countries anywhere.
One of their own Robert Mugabe met his death in Singapore while the current Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is fighting for his life in China.
Mnangagwa had to be airlifted to Gordon Clinic in South Africa in a comatose state after consuming ‘poisoned ice cream’ in Gwanda a few years ago. Former President John Nkomo also died in South Africa. These chaps surely care less about the local health system which they never utilize anyway.
The patriotic and erudite doctors whose services are required in other countries with better economies like Australia, Botswana, UK and Namibia are not only demanding salary adjustments but provision of basic medical accessories like gloves, bandages and painkillers.
None specialist medical doctors are paid an average of R35k a month in the SADC region and R300K a month in Australia. Can anyone show me any fool in this world who can’t see sense in what the doctors are demanding? UK and Australia have just relaxed Visa requirements for health migrant workers to attract the rare skill.
Shockingly the new dispensation of Zimbabwe which touted itself as a second republic in 2017 when it swept to power through a military coup wants everyone to believe that Zimbabwe medical doctors were worthy R1000 a month. Such a paltry amount is even less than what fulltime house-girls, security guards and waiters take home in South Africa.
Health Minister Moyo, confirmed the rampant catastrophic situations brewing in hospitals, but outrageously went on to sanction the firing of the much needed doctors. Members of the rogue ‘new dispensation’ seem to be entertaining warped priorities.
They have been getting everything wrong since coming into power despite all the bright promises which they spewed seemingly to summon good omens from the auspicious gods of politics. This time they confirmed everyone’s suspicion that these ‘gorillas’ need immediate psychiatric treatment.
I suppose everyone is keen to know what exactly these chaps discuss during their politburo and cabinet meetings. These guys’ priority is war in a time of peace. The Defense Ministry got the biggest chunk of the national budget.
What is clear is that R25 billion will be used to buy bullets, teargas, and tankers instead of medicines. One would expect a contemporary government to finance life preserving facilities and not killing machines. Day in and day out vanenge vachitigadzirira shamhu dzinemunyu?
They don’t seem to be learning anything from their mistakes. The ‘second republic’ banned demonstrations, intensified state abductions, killed civilians on 1 August 2018 and maintained repressive laws.
These ruling monsters are forever limping from one disaster to another. The nation must as well just wait for another mortal hokum from fellows who entrusted themselves with the welfare of the citizens.
President Mnangagwa accompanied by Vice President Kembo Mohadi and Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda pose for a picture with newly sworn in ministers and deputy ministers at State House.
President Mnangagwa has sworn in two Cabinet Ministers and six deputies at State House this afternoon after he announced a Cabinet reshuffle on Friday where he re-assigned others and created new portfolios.
The two Ministers and deputies took oath of loyalty to the Constitution and their office. The new Ministers are Dr Jenfan Muswere who assumed the Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services while Cde Daniel Garwe became the Minister of newly created portfolio of National Housing and Social Amenities portfolio.
Deputy Ministers who were sworn include Cde Marian Chombo who was appointed Deputy Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Cde Dingimuzi Phuti, (ICT, Postal and Courier Services), Cde David Musabayana, a former Minister of State for Mashonaland East Province, is the new Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
Other Deputy Ministers include Cde Tinoda Machakaire, (Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation), Cde Clemence Chiduwa (Finance and Economic Development,) and Cde Raymore Machingura (Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation and Science and Technology Development.)
Pretoria – Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has signed a waiver which allows foreign children to enter the country without carrying additional supporting documents such as birth certificates and consent letters, the department said on Sunday.
The waiver has been applicable since Friday, after the minister’s signature, it said in a statement.
“This improvement in our admissions policy builds on the work the department has been doing to contribute to economic growth and investment. As of Friday, 8 November 2019, foreign children can enter and depart the country without being required to provide birth certificates, consent letters, and other supporting documents relating to proof of parentage,” Motsoaledi said in the statement.
The department had communicated the changes to immigration officials at ports of entry and to the airline and maritime industries.
South African children were still required to provide supporting documents, in line with the requirements of the Children’s Act. The same applied to unaccompanied foreign children, he said.
Paul Nyathi|The High Court has removed from the court roll a case involving the late former President Robert Mugabe in which three Mazowe farmers are challenging their eviction from Teviotdale Farm in 2009.
The case will only resume once the late former President’s estate is registered. High Court Judge Justice Owen Tagu said an application for substitution of Cde Mugabe as a respondent with another party is not yet before the court because selection of an executor of his estate is not yet complete. There was no order as to costs.
The farmers, Adonia Makombe, Sahungwe Hungwe and Nyika Chifamba, claim that they were evicted from the farm to pave way for the former first family’s company, Gushungo Holdings (Private) Limited.
Meanwhile, former First Lady Grace Mugabe earlier today pounced on the three farms in Mazowe in the company of her daughter Bona and son-in-law Simba Chikore and caused havoc, threatening to shoot workers while also shouting that President Emmerson Mnangagwa was running the country like a tuck-shop.
The Former First Lady also told farmers in Mazowe that in three years’ time, both the farmers and the current government of President Mnangagwa will be “history”, as she went about trying to evict farmers who have offer letters which they got when her husband was still in power.
“When we showed her the offer letters we got in 2006 when her husband was still in power, she shouted obscenities at the current President and said she wanted nothing to do with his government and just wanted the farm.
The opposition Movement for Democratic change will be launching a fully-fledged media empire soon.
The Secretary General of the MDC Charlton Hwende announced that the party is recruiting media practitioners to be employed by the project.
Said Hwende, “Vacancy for media personnel MDC Changing Times newspaper , MDC online Radio and MDC TV. Journalists interested please email your CV to [email protected].”
The spokesperson of the MDC Daniel Molokele confirmed that the party will be applying to the relevant authorities to get media house licences.
The MDC has always complained that the state owned media is not covering the party in a fair anad balanced manner.
The RBZ was expected to circulate new $2 and $5 notes to ease liquidity challenges
Although the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) say they have issued new notes and coins in a move anticipated to ease the country’s cash challenges, A snap survey around the country indicates that the majority of ordinary Zimbabweans waiting for the new money with baited breath were yet to access it.
However, some corporates said their withdrawals had gone through. Mobile money agents and foreign currency dealers say they have not yet received the new bond coins and notes. Some EcoCash agents were also still charging people a certain percentage ranging between 35 and 50 percent for them to cash out these old bond notes.
A survey in Harare by state media revealed that most of these dealers were still issuing old bond notes in $2 and $5 denominations to the people. These areas include along First Street, Ximex Mall, along Speke Avenue, Fourth Street and Copa Cabana bus terminuses.
Central bank governor, Dr John Mangudya said the money is part of ZWL1 billion expected to be drip-fed into the economy over the next six months.
While efforts to get a comment from the Bankers Association of Zimbabwe were futile, central bank sources said the initial injection has been made and the money was now accessible throughout the country at financial institutions. The central bank is expected to announce new withdrawal limits this week. The new notes and coins will be withdrawable from Automated Teller Machines.
However, bank managers who spoke to The Herald dismissed the assertion and said they were yet to receive any money from the Central bank.
Central bank data shows that Zimbabwe has about $19 billion in circulation, yet only 4,5 percent of this is cash. The new cash injections will bring this ratio up to around 10 percent. The lack of cash in circulation had created arbitrage opportunities, driving a parallel market for cash which was being sold at a premium for those trying to exchange their RTGS balances.
FORMER First Lady Grace Mugabe pounced on three farms in Mazowe in the company of her daughter Bona and son-in-law Simba Chikore and caused havoc, threatening to shoot workers while also shouting that President Emmerson Mnangagwa was running the country like a tuck-shop.
The Former First Lady also told farmers in Mazowe that in three years’ time, both the farmers and the current government of President Mnangagwa will be “history”, as she went about trying to evict farmers who have offer letters which they got when her husband was still in power.
“When we showed her the offer letters we got in 2006 when her husband was still in power, she shouted obscenities at the current President and said she wanted nothing to do with his government and just wanted the farm.
The farms in question are under the ownership of Sahungwe Hungwe, Adonia Makombe and former Dynamos executive member Nyika Chifamba, all of whom got their offer letters from former Minister Didymus Mutasa in 2006.
“She invaded my farm and wants to take it over but I am the one with offer letter. She came with her security team and Simba Chikore and locked the gate and threatened to shoot my gate keepers,” Hungwe told Zimbabwe Voice on Monday.
“She hired bouncers from Mbare and Gushungo Diary security guards who came and tormented our farm employees. What happened first is that Simba Chikore came alone on Saturday morning and threatened us out. When we showed him offer letters, he calmed down but proceeded to call Grace Mugabe who came in less than an hour in the company of Bona.”
Bona, the only daughter of Grace and the late former President Robert Mugabe, is married to Simba.
Hungwe said Grace has previously shown interest in the farms even when her husband was still in power, but Mugabe specifically told Didymus Mutasa not to give in on Grace’s demands to out-muscle the indigenous farmers who got the offer letters in 2006.
“She came with her daughter in tow, and caused pandemonium. She said lots and attacking His Excellency (President Mnangagwa), yet the farms were given to us by Mugabe’s administration. Akati majaira ku runner nyika se tuckshop (Mnangagwa is running Zimbabwe like his tuckshop). I will call my son right now, and in three years’ time you will all have left this farm,” Grace is quoted as having said.
By “son”, she meant Saviour Kasukuwere, a former Zanu-PF politcal commissar who is now in self-imposed exile following the removal of power of Mugabe.
“She tried calling Kasukuwere, but the phine would not get through. She made threats that in three years’ time we will all be history.
“We got the offer letter in 2006, when her husband was the President,” Hungwe narrated his ordeal. “We did not fight or insult
them back; we need to prepare for farming on our farm, but Grace continues disrupting our activities and she wants to own and control all farms in Mazowe.”
The offer letters, which Zimbabwe Voice is in possession of, was issued on 3 July 2006 by Didymus Mutasa, who then was Minister of State for National Security, Lands, Land Reform and Resettlement in President Robert Mugabe’s office.
“Where is Grace Mugabe getting those powers from? She has been allowed free reign and has been bullying the whole of Mazowe even when she has no offer letters for some of the land she claims is hers. We have the offer letter and she doesn’t have papers.
“We have been there since 2006 but she has been eyeing this farm. She called Borrowdale police and when I showed them farm offer letters. They went back vakatoti hatidi kubatiswa madhaka. They locked us out; they removed our farm security and replaced with 28 guards from Gushungo Diary.
“She was clearly spoiling for a physical fight but we respected her; hatina kudzorera (we did not fight back despite the provocation) even though she clearly wanted to cause a scene,” Hungwe said.
Grace Mugabe is also said to have gone to a gold mining claim in Mazowe and told a consortium of war veterans mining there that in three years, they will kneel down to her.
Sources told Zimbabwe Voice that after Grace failed to nudge Didymus Mutasa into pushing the three farmers out, she somehow managed to seize the farms in 2011 under controversial circumstances.
Hungwe says the three – him, Makombe and Chifamba – then approached the High Court in 2018 to settle the ownership issue once and for all. According to the High Court ruling, which cited as respondents Grace Mugabe, her late husband, police commissioner Godwin Matanga and the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
Part of the crowds gathered around Simba Chikore as Grace Mugabe threatened to evict farmers
The High Court ruling, under case number HC 5860/18, ordered Grace and her proxies to vacate the property and not to interfere with activities at the 104 hectares farms.
“Whereupon, after reading all documents… it is ordered that… eviction of all persons claiming possession of subdivision 1, 2, 3 of Lot A of Teviotdale Farm, Mazowe District, Mashonaland Central province,” reads part of the ruling delivered in February this year.
Sources say Grace Mugabe also tried to reach out to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s office for help with evicting the three farmers, but has met no assistance. The police also refused to help when Simba Chikore tried to enlist them to assist with the eviction, as they said the High Court ruling was clear who owned the farm.
Macauley Bonne has been ruled of the Warriors’ Afcon Qualifiers scheduled to start this week.
According to ZTN Sport, Bonne who was set for his competitive debut after getting a Zimbabwean passport last week has been “excused to undergo some medicals at his club”.
National team manager Wellington Mpandare confirmed the development to the website.
“So he is out of the game along with Kadewere (Tinotenda). We will not be replacing those two players. We will work with the 22 players that we already have,” said Mpandare.
Kadewere is out of the team after picking a hamstring at his French club Le Havre over the weekend.Soccer 24
The Warriors are set to start camp today with several foreign-based players expected to arrive from this afternoon.
The national team is set to host Botswana in Harare on Friday in the 2021 Afcon Qualifiers.
The boys will then travel to Lusaka four days later to play their second Group H match.
Those expected to arrive today include the players based in South Africa and midfielder Marshall Munetsi, who plies his trade in France with Ligue 1 side Stade de Reims.
Aston Villa star Marvelous Nakamba who featured featured yesterday against Wolves is scheduled to jet in tomorrow while Knowledge Musona will arrive on Wednesday.
Macauley Bonne is still to confirm he is coming and was expected to fly out of England last night.
The Charlton Athletic striker who received his Zimbabwean passport last week is reported to have been weighing an option to pursue a dream playing for England.
Political commentator Ken Mufuka, has advised Foreign Affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo against picking up a needless fight with United States of America President Donald Trump.
The remarks come after Moyo used language towards the US Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Brian Nichols, that “has been associated with Zanu PF apparatchiks, who visit opponents by night”.
Wrote Mufuka:
Trump loves a fight. If Moyo lives on planet earth, he would know that the world does not owe Zimbabwe anything and that Trump is a street fighter.
Trump’s reaction is unpredictable.
Trump is like a drunken Irishman, who joins a street fight without knowing what the fight was for. Trump can easily cut off food aid to the eight million starving Zimbabweans.
There is really nothing called illegal sanctions. If the US refuses to trade with Zimbabwe and cuts off Visa, MasterCard and American Express Services, there is nothing we can do about it.
Minister Moyo issued a strong-worded statement railing Nichols for blaming Zimbabwe’s economic crisis on a kleptocratic ruling elite rather than the so-called illegal sanctions. Credit :The Standard
The wait for Chippa United’s first win of the 2019/20 ABSA Premiership season is finally over after Norman Mapeza guided them to a 2-0 win over Amazulu at the Princess Magogo Stadium today.
The Port Elizabeth side arrived in Durban with no win this campaign and having lost their last three league games but William Twala’s second half strike ensured that would be a thing of the past.
Tonight’s win will be a welcome boost for Mapeza, who has been tasked with getting the Chilli Boys out of the mirky waters of relegation.
Despite the win, Chippa are still bottom of the table with 7 points from 11 outings.Soccer 24
The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) insists that polystyrene material known as kaylite remains banned according to the Statutory Instrument 84 of 2012.
The agency has since arrested 80 kaylite distributors within Harare since last month.
Speaking during a tour at Planas Pvt Ltf, a Polythylene Telephthalate (PET) and Polypropylene Plastic (PP) manufacturer and distributor, EMA Inspector Gilbert Mugunzva said:
“According to the SI 84 of 2012, manufacturing and commercial distribution of polystyrene known as kaylite remains banned.
“As a result Planas which used to be the major producer of kaylite have since changed their production lines, machines and they are now producing a packaging material which is called PP and PET.
“These are the packaging material according to legislation.”
Added Mugunzva:
“We are here to try and publicise that kaylite is still banned in Zimbabwe.
“The manufacturing, distribution is prohibited and people who are still using the product are doing it against the law.”
As an agency, Mugunzva said they have arrested 80 people within Harare.
“Those who are still using kaylites risk being arrested and the public should desist from buying food packed in kaylites for health reasons.”H-Metro
Farai Dziva|Emmerson Mnangagwa has said political actors who are not unwilling to join POLAD should wait for the 2023 polls.
Addressing a Rally in Tshovhani Stadium in Chiredzi saluted political actors who are part of the dialogue.
Mnangagwa said those who were not part of the dialogue should wait for 2023 elections.
“We said all parties should come on the table for dialogue.
There are some who did not come on the table for the dialogue.
Most parties have come on board and we discuss with them on how we can move forward.
Elections are held once in every five years. After five years, we go back to our political parties and seek a new mandate from the people,” declared Mnangagwa.
Farai Dziva|Emmerson Mnangagwa has said political actors who are not unwilling to join POLAD should wait for the 2023 polls.
Addressing a Rally in Tshovhani Stadium in Chiredzi saluted political actors who are part of the dialogue.
Mnangagwa said those who were not part of the dialogue should wait for 2023 elections.
“We said all parties should come on the table for dialogue.
There are some who did not come on the table for the dialogue.
Most parties have come on board and we discuss with them on how we can move forward.
Elections are held once in every five years. After five years, we go back to our political parties and seek a new mandate from the people,” declared Mnangagwa.
Farai Dziva| Highlanders coach Hendriek Peiter De Jongh gaffer has said his team deserves to be in the Chibuku Super Cup final.
Bosso floored ZPC Kariba yesterday.
Speaking to Chronicle the Dutchman said :
“I’m very happy that we are in the final. It doesn’t matter that we didn’t play that good because what we wanted was to be in the final. We scored at the right time, at the perfect time.
We deserve to be in the final because we beat Dynamos away in the first round (1-0) and also beat FC Platinum (3-0) in the quarter-finals.”
A self styled prophet from Johanne Marange Apostolic Church has sent his sixth wife packing because she breached church rules by delivering her fifth baby in hospital.
Cuthbert Masembure (45) said he had to part ways with his wife because she breached church rules which do not allow members to get treatment from hospitals.
On Tuesday last week Masembure was dragged to court by his wife Nyaradzo Makuvari (37), who now stays at her parents’ home for maintenance.
However, Murambinda Resident Magistrate Dennis Mangosi was left in a dilemma after he found himself dealing with a maintenance case where the defendant has five different wives and a total of 18 children.
Masembure told Mangosi that paying maintenance for three children involved in the claim is difficult as he has 15 other children sired with five different wives.
He left the court in stitches when he said he looked forward to more children.
Masembure married Makuvari who was the wife of his late brother.
Makuvari was claiming $100 dollars per child and Mangosi ordered that Masembure pays $95 for each child.
– Mirror
Farai Dziva| Zimbabwean opposition leader Pastor Timothy Chiguvare of the People’s Progressive Party says God has anointed him to rescue the African continent from perennial misery.
Said Pastor Chiguvare in a statement:
GOD HAS ANOINTED ME TO STOP THE TEARS OF MANKIND AND TO PUT A QUALITY SMILE ON THE FACES OF THE MOST SUFFERING NOT ONLY IN ZIMBABWE BUT THROUGHOUT THE AFRICAN CONTINENT.
If you all Zimbabweans have also witnessed what I have seen so far , this entitles us all as a nation to take the most appropriate action against the offenders – ZANU PF must go yesterday! TOGETHER WE CAN TURN OUR CHALLENGES INTO OPPORTUNITIES.
As an apostle of peace ; love ; forgiveness ; reconciliation ; justice and democracy I am here to warn the entire African continent that :- “A people that elect corrupt politicians are not victims but accomplices. An accomplice is a person who helps another in a crime etc.”
“Yes! I have a dream that one day Zimbabwe, a nation sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression; will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.”
Farai Dziva|Controversial preacher, Talent Madungwe has claimed he had a meeting with God and they agreed to ban all bibles except the King James Version.
“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,” he told H-Metro.
“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.
Farai Dziva|Controversial preacher, Talent Madungwe has claimed that God condemned WhatsApp and Facebook -among other social media platforms.
“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,” he told H-Metro.
“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.
Farai Dziva|Controversial preacher, Talent Madungwe has claimed he is the deputy commander of the heavenly armies.
“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,” he told H-Metro.
“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.
Farai Dziva|Controversial clergyman, Talent Madungwe has claimed God revealed that opposition parties should be banned.
“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,” he told H-Metro.
“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.
Controversial Prophet Talent Madungwe is at it again as he delved into divisive Prophet Passion Java and took a swipe at Apostle Talent Chiwenga saying “he is not a preacher but studies errors in people and churches”.
In an interview with H-Metro, the astonishing prophet waded into flashy Prophet Java saying only God is perfect.
“Some prophets are in it for the money, they’re open for business.
“God is not happy with some prophets who concentrate on earthly things which are benefiting them and not the word.
“They have realized how desperate and ignorant people of Africa are, that’s why you’ll never see them in America doing what they do here in Zimbabwe
“It’s bad, but no one is perfect expect God alone, so people shouldn’t put much faith into these kind of prophets as if they are angels and start worshipping them,” he said.
Prophet Madungwe also dug into controversial Harare pastor, Apostle Talent Chiwenga whom he lambasted as a provocative church leader.
“That one, he does not preach but he studies errors in various churches and in other pastors and prophets.
“That is what he always does.
“He must preach the word of God and not to concentrate on other people’s errors.
“As a pastor or prophet whose job is to preach the word of God, you would wonder if he is really what he claims to be,” said Madungwe.H-Metro
By A Correspondent- A self styled prophet from Johanne Marange Apostolic Church has sent his sixth wife packing because she breached church rules by delivering her fifth baby at hospital.
The woman had complications and had to deliver by caesarean.
Cuthbert Masembure (45) said he had to part ways with his wife because she breached church rules which do not allow members to get treatment from hospitals.
On Tuesday last week Masembure was dragged to court by his wife Nyaradzo Makuvari (37), who now stays at her parents’ home for maintenance.
However, Murambinda Resident Magistrate Dennis Mangosi was left in a dilemma after he found himself dealing with a maintenance case where the defendant has five different wives and a total of 18 children.
Masembure told Mangosi that paying maintenance for three children involved in the claim is difficult as he has 15 other children sired with five different wives. He left the court in stitches when he said he looked forward to more children.
Masembure married Makuvari who was the wife of his late brother.
Makuvari was claiming $100 dollars per child and Mangosi ordered that Masembure pays $95 for each child.
By A Correspondent- Cattle are dying “like flies” in Buhera District, Manicaland province, from a tick-borne disease – January disease or theileriosis.
Buhera veterinary officer Dr Samson Chiduku said the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) has failed to implement the national communal dipping service meant to protect cattle from tick-borne diseases due to a shortage of chemicals.
He said:
“We are failing to provide enough dipping chemicals to villagers and we have abandoned the routine schedule of dipping cattle weekly in summer and fortnightly in winter and autumn.
We are dipping at least once in two months. While we encourage the farmers to buy their own dip chemicals, the harsh economic situation in the district is making it impossible for people to afford dip chemicals.”
Reports indicate that to date, 4 000 cattle, with an estimated value of $1,5 million, have succumbed to the disease, leaving farmers despondent.
Theileriosis is caused by not dipping cattle regularly and is transmitted by brown ticks.
By A Correspondent- The government last week inadvertently dismissed doctors who were on maternity leave and some who were training outside the country even though they did not take part in the ongoing strike.
This was revealed by Senior Hospital Doctors Association (SHDA) president Shingai Nyaguse in a statement.
He said:
“Junior and middle-level doctors have been dismissed from work for not being able to report for duty due to incapacitation.
Some on maternity leave and some who are training outside the country have also been served with letters accusing them of absenteeism.
Hundreds of doctors were served with dismissal letters for failing to report for duty without leave, with 500 more expected to be sacked when the disciplinary hearings are concluded.
The Minister of Health and Child Care, Obadiah Moyo, defended the dismissals claiming that the doctors, who have cited incapacitation, were in breach of the law.
By A Correspondent- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) has published statistics that show that 20400 primary school children dropped out of school last year due to a number of reasons chief among them financial constraints.
The UNESCO report read in part:
Reasons for dropping out include absconding, death, expulsion, illness, marriage, pregnancy and financial constraints. A total of 9 200 pupils absconded school under unclear circumstances and 6 717 dropped out due to financial challenges.
About 1 154 pupils died during the same year and 2 164 dropped out due to other reasons which were not specified during data capturing. A total of 112 students were expelled while 180 dropped out of school due to early and unintended pregnancy and an additional 231 dropped after they were married off
Reasons for dropping out vary but the most dominant are financial constraints and absconding, which accounted for 15 919 drop outs.
According to the state media, the government has since put measures in place to ensure every school going kid has access to education.
By A Correspondent- The health ministry has started rolling out a new HIV drug, Dolutegravir (DTG) which is said has a better viral load suppression rate and fewer side effects the state media.
This was confirmed by the Ministry’s Dr Mugurungi who said:
“I can confirm that we have started rolling out DTG and the medicines have started coming in. We started in September and in October when we were rolling it out to new clients, those who would have tested HIV positive for the first time.
Effective from November 1 this year, we will then start rolling it out to patients who are already receiving medication and we will take into cognisance the viral load so the medication is effective.”
About 1.4 million people are living with HIV in Zimbabwe.
By A Correspondent- Addressing a Rally in Tshovhani Stadium in Chiredzi the president thanked the political actors who are part of the dialogue and said those who were not part of the dialogue should wait for 2023 elections.
Said the President:
“We said all parties should come on the table for dialogue.There are some who did not come on the table for the dialogue. Most parties have come on board and we discuss with them on how we can move forward. Elections are held once in every five years. After five years, we go back to our political parties and seek a new mandate from the people.”
POLAD last week headlined for resolving to take the anti-sanctions calls to the western community and the UN and setting aside an $88 Million budget.
By A Correspondent- In a statement released Sunday 10 November, Zacc said, “The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission would like to advise its stakeholders and the general public that Investigations Officer, Mr. Augustine Mahwana aka Chigadzamabwe National Registration Number 26-108754-E23 0772108005 has been suspended and relieved of his official duties with effect from 1 November 2019 until further notice.
“Stakeholders and the general public are advised not to deal with him on any matters concerning the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.”
The anti-graft body did not state the reason why Chigadzamabwe was suspended.
By A Correspondent- Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has signed a waiver that allows foreign children to enter the country without carrying additional supporting documents such as birth certificates and consent letters, the department said on Sunday.
The waiver has been applicable since Friday, after the minister’s signature, it said in a statement. This improvement in our admissions policy builds on the work the department has been doing to contribute to economic growth and investment.
As of Friday, 8 November 2019, foreign children can enter and depart the country without being required to provide birth certificates, consent letters, and other supporting documents relating to proof of parentage,” Motsoaledi said in the statement.
The department had communicated the changes to immigration officials at ports of entry and to the airline and maritime industries.
South African children were still required to provide supporting documents, in line with the requirements of the Children’s Act.
The same applied to unaccompanied foreign children, he said. Foreign children who required a visa for South Africa did not need to carry the supporting documents for inspection at a port of entry, as these would be processed together with their visa applications.
“It is significant that we have completed the policy changes in the week in which President Cyril Ramaphosa hosted the second investment conference. We anticipate that this change will have a positive impact on tourism as we approach the holiday season,” Motsoaledi said.
By A Correspondent- A four year old girl who was snatched away from her home in Bulawayo’s Emganwini suburb by a stranger has been reunited with her family after she was found in Tsholotsho.
Nosipho Ndlovu went missing on October 30 from her grandmother’s home after a destitute, Simphiwe Mlilo (21), took her on the pretext that she wanted to buy her some chips.
Mlilo was arrested on Friday after she was found with the girl in Tsholotsho.
In an interview, the mother of the girl, Ms Simelinkosi Ncube, confirmed that her child was safely back home though she could not give further details.
“We are happy she is back home and I am still traumatised by the whole incident. However, I am not at liberty to make any comments as there are some family formalities that we have to follow,” said Ms Ncube.
“We are also trying to do investigations and map a way forward and only then can we open up and share the story with members of the public”.
The family approached the state media last week seeking assistance in locating the girl who was reportedly found with no injuries.
“I’m deeply humbled by their support and thank all of them from the bottom of my heart. I sent alert messages to all the borders and contacted the police force everywhere in Zimbabwe and it worked.”
According to former ZBC DJ Ezra Sibanda, the girl’s return was a collective effort from all members of the public.
“We contacted Police Chiefs in Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and South. Three Officers under Lupane-Tsholotsho, namely, Constable Nyoni, Sergeant Sibanda & Constable Mpofu took up the case.
“On Friday afternoon they found the woman who stole the child, recovered the young girl but the woman ran away though she was finally caught.”
Narrating the family’s ordeal to the state media last week, Nosipho’s grandmother Mrs Moli Nkomo said they did not suspect that Mlilo could disappear with her grandchild.
“Simphiwe came to my house last week on Wednesday looking for Nosipho’s mother, Simelinkosi Ncube. However, she was not around.
“We know Simphiwe as she was staying with my daughter-in-law who had found her stranded in town. When she arrived here, she asked to go with Nosipho to buy airtime so that she calls her mother, I did not suspect anything. She told my granddaughter that she was going to buy her chips and she agreed to accompany her,” said Mrs Nkomo.
HARARE – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says his government will fast track visa applications for foreign doctors and nurses – opening new opportunities for over 500 Zimbabwean doctors facing the sack for demanding improved pay.
Johnson, who faces a general election next month, said the scheme would enable the National Health Service (NHS) to continue to attract the finest medical staff after Britain has left the European Union.
The Conservative Party’s new “NHS visa” will ultimately form part of the party’s planned points-based immigration system to be introduced after Brexit.
The move reflects concern within the health service that it will struggle to attract the staff it needs when Britain is outside the EU.
Under the scheme, the cost of a visa for health professionals would be halved from £928 to £464, while applicants would be guaranteed a decision within two weeks.
Applicants going to work in the NHS would receive preferential treatment with extra points under the points-based system, and no cap on numbers entering through the NHS route.
They would also be able to pay back the cost of the immigration health surcharge through their salary if the charge is not already covered by the NHS trust offering the job.
The Conservatives have already announced a fast-track visa route to attract specialists in science, engineering and technology.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said an Australian-style points-based system would allow Britain to control the numbers coming into the country while remaining open to essential professions such as nursing.
“That means the best of both worlds – attracting talent from around the world so our NHS continues to provide brilliant service while ensuring that it isn’t put under strain by opening Britain’s borders to the entire world,” she said.
Zimbabwe faces a health services calamity after the government last week sacked 211 doctors, set to rise to over 500 – a third of doctors working in public hospitals.
A strike over pay which has been ongoing since September 3 has paralysed public hospitals for two months.
The country is in the grip of a major downturn that has provoked biting shortages of fuel, medicine, and currency as well as surging prices, which doctors’ unions have said means their members are struggling to afford even the cost of transport to work.
State doctors say the value of their pay shrank 15-fold over the past year.
The doctors last month defied a court order to return to their wards, rejecting a pay rise offered by the government that they said failed to meet everyday costs.
With the government playing hardball with the doctors, an exodus that would leave Zimbabwean hospitals in a parlous state could be on the horizon, with the United Kingdom the likely destination.
Last year, Britain cancelled 79,000 operations because of staff shortages and equipment failures, according to official data. Vacancies continue to put the health service under strain, with the NHS reporting last year it was short of 100,000 staff including, 10,000 doctors and 35,000 nurses.
By A Correspondent- The National roads administrator has shown 30 cashiers the door on fraud and theft allegations.
The cashiers were all allegedly involved in scams involving 4 tollgates and the supervisors and police officers manning those tollgates are reportedly involved in the scams.
The ZINARA CEO confirmed the story to a local publication and said:
The dismissed cashiers have been using various methods to steal from the organisation, which included punching registration numbers of exempted vehicles on non-exempted ones.
They would punch details of exempted cars on any other vehicles without exemption. The system would automatically record that an exempted car has passed, when cameras showed that it was actually another vehicle not on exemption.
However, during the congestion moment, cashiers would be collecting cash from motorists by opening the boom gate manually. This allowed some vehicles to just pass through without being issued with receipts,
ZINARA is suspecting that it might have lost millions due to activities similar to this which may never be unearthed. However, ZINARA has been rocked with scandals of different nature in the past few years.
By A Correspondent- A teacher at Premier High School in Bulawayo has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for rap_ing a 12-year-old pupil that he was coaching English extra lessons.
Shadreck Kantsholo (47) from Pumula South suburb rap_ed the minor at her home.
Kantsholo pleaded not guilty to a rap_e charge before Western Commonage magistrate Ms Sibongile Marondedze who convicted him due to overwhelming evidence.
The magistrate sentenced Kantsholo to 15 years in prison and suspended five years on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within the next three years.
Kantsholo said: “I’m so shocked that I’m being charged with rap_e of all things imaginable! When the police came to arrest me, I thought it’s for some relish that I didn’t pay for. I never rap_ed the girl; I just went to their home to teach her English.”
For the State, Ms Samantha Gubede said the teacher committed the crime on September 22 at around 1PM.
“While the complainant’s parents had gone to church, during an English lesson, the accused person went behind the minor, stretched his arms and f0ndled her brea_sts and pressed her against a table,” she said.
The court heard that he undressed and ordered the minor to take off her clothes. He rap_ed her but stopped after noticing that the door was open.
Ms Gubede said when the teacher was about to rap_e her again, the minor bolted through the front door and alerted neighbours who came to her rescue.
The minor was referred to Mpilo Central Hospital for examination.
The complainant’s father reported the matter to the police leading to Kantsholo’s arrest.
Correspondent|Zimbabwe has suspended imports of livestock and meat from South Africa for the second time this year after an outbreak of foot and mouth in the north of South Africa the agriculture ministry said on Friday.
The agriculture ministry said in a statement that it had been notified by South African veterinary services that the latest outbreak had been identified at a farm in Limpopo province, close to the border with Zimbabwe. Importation of live cattle, goats, sheep and pigs and related products have been suspended as authorities seek to identify the virus strain and extent of the outbreak. “The suspension of imports from South Africa is a precautionary measure designed to prevent the spread of the infection into Zimbabwe,” the ministry said.
Zimbabwe joins Botswana and Eswatini in suspending meat imports from South Africa following the outbreak of the highly contagious foot and mouth disease.
State Media|HIGHLANDERS’ man-of-the-moment Prince Dube returned from suspension to score a beautiful curler as the resurgent giants stormed into the Chibuku Super Cup final.
Bosso will face Ngezi Platinum Stars in the final.
Bosso were under siege for the better part of the first half, but scored on their first attempt at goal in the 35th minute when ZPC Kariba switched off.
A quick counter attack saw Dube receiving a pass from Tinashe Makanda on the right wing, cut inside and bend the ball with his weaker left foot, beating a diving ZPC Kariba goalkeeper Takabva Mawaya.
It was a quality goal by Dube; something for the archives, almost reminiscent of yesteryear goals by Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.
When referee of the day Hardly Ndazi blew the final whistle, multitudes of Bosso fans, who braved the light rain, were in a joyous mood and took the party to the city centre as well as amusement spots.
For Highlanders’ coach Hendrik Pieter de Jongh, whose stock continues to rise with each game, it was a sweet victory, something that the club deserved.
“We deserve to be in the final,” De Jongh declared boldly.
To the Dutchman, it didn’t matter that Highlanders had to grind victory, as they played second fiddle to their opponents.
“I’m very happy that we are in the final. It doesn’t matter that we didn’t play that good because what we wanted was to be in the final. We scored at the right time, at the perfect time,” said De Jongh.
“We deserve to be in the final because we beat Dynamos away in the first round (1-0) and also beat FC Platinum (3-0) in the quarter-finals.”
Dube has scored in every stage of the tournament, getting the solitary goal against Dynamos, chipping in with another when they eliminated FC Platinum.
“That goal is something we do at training. We practice to score from outside the box,” De Jongh said.
Highlanders had survived early scares from ZPC Kariba, who got four free-kicks from the edge of Bosso box in the opening 15 minutes, but Munyaradzi Kunyarimwe and Talent Chamboko took turns to waste the set pieces.
ZPC Kariba did well to suffocate Highlanders’ midfield, with former Chicken Inn holding midfielder Brian Juru bossing the middle of the park, ably supported by Collen Muleya, Daniel Chakupe and Godwill Gwara.
The electricity generators pinned Highlanders in their own half, but failed to trouble Bosso keeper Ariel Sibanda.
To their credit, Highlanders defended well, with Peter Muduhwa keeping veteran forward Tawanda Nyamandwe under lock, while the midfield trio of Nqobizitha Masuku, Adrian Silla and Brian Banda tried to keep up with their opponents.
Dube and Makanda tried to run into the visitors’ defence, but the weakest link in Highlanders’ starting 11 was Denzel Khumalo, who failed to justify his selection as he overworked his teammates, while lazing around on the pitch.
A minute into the second-half Talent Chamboko shot straight at Sibanda after being set up by Nyamandwe.
Muleya blew a golden opportunity to draw level in the 59th minute by shooting wide, with acres of space in front of him inside the box.
Makanda then rattled the cross bar in the 75th minute, with Mawaya beaten.
Then came a moment of madness by ZPC Kariba’s Ian Nekati, who elbowed Highlanders’ winger Godfrey Makaruse in a desperate effort to stop the speedster. Ndazi showed him a straight red card.
ZPC Kariba coach Godfrey Tamirepi said: “In all fairness we gave a really good account of ourselves in this game. I think from the onset my guys did very well in all aspects of the game. In the first half, Highlanders came at us, but they did not create many chances. But we had a lapse in concentration in the switch of play and were caught napping and Highlanders capitalised on that.”
Teams
ZPC
Kariba:
Takabva Mawaya, Ian Nekati, Munyaradzi Kunyarimwe, Boid Mutukure, James Marufu, Brian Juru (Tinotenda Chiunye, 71st minute), Daniel Chakupe (Tsepo Ranthokoane, 61st minute), Collen Muleya, Tawanda Nyamandwe, Godwill Gwara (Kinga Nasama, 61st minute), Talent Chamboko
Highlanders: Ariel Sibanda, McClive Phiri, Mbongeni Ndlovu, Andrew Mbeba, Peter Muduhwa, Nqobizitha Masuku, Adrian Silla, Brian Banda, Denzel Khumalo (Godfrey Makaruse, 80th minute), Prince Dube, Tinashe Makanda (Bukhosi Sibanda, 90th minute)
Correspondent|CONSTRUCTION of a mausoleum at the National Heroes Acre in Harare which was meant for the burial of former President Robert Mugabe is currently underway.
Construction work started in September, as a special honour to the country’s founding President, who has already been buried at his rural home Kutama, Zvimba, at the insistence of his family. At the time of Mugabe’s burial on September 28, Government had started working on a mausoleum the family had earlier requested.
The former President’s two sons, Robert Jnr and Chatunga, were part of those who went to identify the site. Government conferred special honour on Mugabe and decided to construct the mausoleum at the hilltop at the National Heroes Acre.
In an interview yesterday, National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ) executive director Dr Godfrey Mahachi confirmed construction of the project was currently underway.
“The construction of the mausoleum at the national shrine is currently underway, but we do not have much details pertaining to the project, since it is still under the Department of Public Works.
“There were people on site yesterday (Saturday), meaning the construction of the mausoleum is on course.
“I talked to our curator who works at the National Heroes Acre this morning and he advised us that the Department of Public Works is handling all issues to do with the project,” said Dr Mahachi.
In addition, Dr Mahachi said the mausoleum will only be handed over to National Museums and Monuments once complete.
“After the project has been completed it will then be handed over to the National Museums and Monuments department. This is what we have been advised by the Department of Public Works,” he said.
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or people.
John Cena says he chose to embrace Sho Madjozi’s hit song.
TimesLive|American wrestler John Cena has been praised for embracing SA rapper Sho Madjozi, after he apparently refused to sue the star for making a song named after him.
The star recently appeared on A Little Late With Lilly Singh, where he spoke about the song’s success.
When asked how he knew about it, he said he had learnt about it through social media and messages from people concerned that she was mocking him or using his name for clout.
“So I woke up one day, flooded with messages like, ‘man, you need to check out this link, you need to check this out right now. This girl is singing about you.’ I said, ‘that’s great’, and they said, ‘no it’s not, this girl is making fun of you, she’s using you in a song, you’ve got to stop this’.”
John said while there were calls for him to take legal action against Sho for copyright infringement, he was impressed with her.
“So, it’s two schools of thought. Yes, she’s mentioning my name and referencing what I do for a living, and I could easily be like, ‘yo, that’s IP copyrighting’ or I could say, ‘wow, she is a South African artist and my contribution at WWE has sparked creative inspiration to someone halfway across the world’. She can do whatever she wants.”
John said he doesn’t take himself too seriously and, to show support for Sho, posted her picture on his Instagram account to acknowledge her and her work.
“WWE kind of wanted me to issue a statement about it, but I didn’t want to take away her efforts and I didn’t want to make it about me. So I posted a picture of her basically saying I see you and I won’t interrupt your flow here. You have a great song and just know that I am watching you and I’m grateful.”
The wrestler also announced that the song will be featured in his new film, Playing With Fire, as part of his character’s early-morning ritual.
The endorsements came just hours after he surprised the star during her performance of the song on The Kelly Clarkson Show, sending her into a fit of excitement.
Meanwhile, fans were over the moon with John’s decision to celebrate Sho and flooded social media TLs with praise for the star.
Paul Nyathi|ZANU-PF recorded an outright victory in the Tsholotsho and Hwedza Rural District Council by-elections held at the weekend.
The ruling party retained council seats in Tsholotsho Rural District Council’s Ward 16 and 20.
In Ward 20 Zanu PF candidate Tshoni Mkandla polled 414 votes beating MDC Alliance’s Mazithulela Khupe who came a distant second with a paltry 21 votes.
In Tsholotsho’s Ward 16, Zanu-PF’s Isaac Moyo polled 623 votes to beat his rival Soul Ncube from the opposition MDC Alliance who got 147 votes.
The party also won a council by-election held on the same day in Wedza, Mashonaland East.
The ruling party’s Matabeleland North chairperson, Richard Moyo, commended the party leadership in the province, saying the victory was a show of confidence in President Mnangagwa’s leadership.
“Our victory in the two wards in Tsholotsho is a clear sign that the electorate still has confidence in our President and the party despite the economic challenges in the country. However, we would like to assure our people that the Zanu-PF led Government is people oriented and we are in the process of addressing the challenges facing the nation,” he said.
MDC Alliance’s Matabeleland North provincial deputy chairperson Jabulani Hadebe accused the ruling party of vote buying and intimidation.
The Tsholotsho by-elections were called after Zanu-PF expelled the sitting councillors on charges of embezzling Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (Campfire) funds.
Matabeleland North Provincial Elections Officer Mr Mark Ndlovu said the by elections in the two Tsholotsho council wards were conducted in a peaceful manner.
The latest victory for Zanu-PF in by-elections held post the 2018 harmonised elections, comes barely three months after the ruling party retained the Mangwe, Lupane East National Assembly seats, two wards in Bubi and Nkayi districts and Masvingo North Ward 1 council seat.
The ruling party has also won in Nyanga, Bikita, Bulawayo and Masvingo, with MDC Alliance managing to win only the recently held Glen View South National Assembly by-election.
Cain Mathema tying the knot with a college student
Paul Nyathi|Newly appointed Education Minister, Cain Mathema is faced with am immediate dilemma of solving the issue of high students drop out from schools, particularly girls, throughout the country.
Mathema whose appointment to the Education Ministry has been highly condemned by critics is himself a victim of dicing with girls still of school going age.
He hit headlines in 2016 when he married 23 year old Bathabetsoe Nare his current wife while she was a university student who was an intern at his offices.
Mathema reportedly left his first wife for a house helper, whom he married customarily in 2009. The maid was only 20-years-old at the time. He later left her for Nare after her met her while she was on attachment at a government complex in Bulawayo in 2014.
About 20 400 pupils in the country dropped out of primary school in 2018, some after being married off, statistics by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) have shown.
The Government has since put in place measures to ensure every child has access to education.
Reasons for dropping out vary but the most dominant are financial constraints and absconding, which accounted for 15 919 drop outs. “Reasons for dropping out include absconding, death, expulsion, illness, marriage, pregnancy and financial constraints. A total of 9 200 pupils absconded school under unclear circumstances and 6 717 dropped out due to financial challenges,” read the report.
“About 1 154 pupils died during the same year and 2 164 dropped out due to other reasons which were not specified during data capturing. A total of 112 students were expelled while 180 dropped out of school due to early and unintended pregnancy and an additional 231 dropped after they were married off.”
According to Unesco, 624 primary school pupils dropped out of school due to illness.
“According to the statistics, about half the boys who dropped out had just absconded from school compared to girls. Of the total figure of pupils who dropped out of primary school in 2018, boys accounted for 11 070,” read the report.
In an interview, former Primary and Secondary Education Minister Professor Paul Mavima said Government was already working towards addressing the challenge.
“First, I believe some pupils end up dropping out because of the ignorance of their parents and guardians. According to Government policy, no child should be excluded from school due to non-payment of school fees and we have since reinforced that in the new Education Amendment Bill,” said Prof Mavima.
He reminded members of the public that the Government runs the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) which is still operational to help the less privileged.
“It’s the duty of every parent and guardian to ensure that less privileged children have access to free basic education. School heads are also obligated to ensure that no child is sent home for non-payment of fees as we have programmes like BEAM to cater for those with challenges,” the Minister said.
According to Prof Mavima, the countrywide school feeding programme was rolled out so that children do not drop out due to hunger or poverty challenges.
“The Government has since provided resources to cater for the protein component of the feeding scheme which includes beans, soya chunks and cooking oil. Yes, we were having challenges with the programme due to grain shortages but it is improving and we are happy that some schools are sourcing the grain through various partnerships,” he said.
Prof Mavima urged schools to use their resources to source grain while Government works on providing resources so that pupils have enough food during lessons.
He said schools that afford to roll out the feeding programme without assistance from the Government should go ahead so that the number of drop outs is reduced.
“Besides these programmes, we recently launched a programme meant to end early and unintended pregnancies as these account for a lot of drop outs in both primary and secondary schools. Together with our partners we are confident that when these projects are fully implemented, the number of drop outs will go down,” said Prof Mavima.
At least four people were seriously injured at Morgan Tsvangirai House, the MDC headquarters in Harare, in a suspected ugly intra-party violence on Saturday.
Property worth thousands of dollars, including a vehicle belonging to party National Executive Member Douglas Mwonzora, was damaged.
The violence took place while the party’s Standing Committee, chaired by President Nelson Chamisa, was holding a meeting at the headquarters.
Sources within the party yesterday said the fight erupted after supporters aligned to Mr Mwonzora came to the head office after they got wind that youths sympathetic to Mr Chamisa wanted to stop the former secretary-general from attending the crucial meeting.
Mr Mwonzora has been in the eye of a storm within the party for his outspokenness and calling for an extraordinary congress to select new leadership after the High Court nullified the appointment of Mr Chamisa and Engineer Elias Mudzuri as co-vice presidents three years ago.
This follows an application by the party’s Gokwe district organising secretary, Mr Elias Mashavire, challenging the decision by the late MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai to unilaterally hand-pick party leadership ahead of others in the contest to succeed him.
Since then, Mwonzora has been accused of working with former vice president Dr Thokozani Khupe, who is now leading a splinter party — MDC-T.
At least three party activists and a passer-by were left injured at Harvest House and filed reports of assault with the police.
Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the skirmishes and said investigations were in progress.
“We have received reports on intra-party political violence at Harvest House on Saturday. Youths aligned to different factions clashed and left some injured. We have four people who have filed reports of assault including a passer-by who was caught in the crossfire,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
“We have one Bernard Nyaika, aged 35, who made a report of assault. Other people who filed reports are Neighbour Login Masale and one Blessed Mushonga, and a passer-by who was caught in the crossfire. As police we are carrying out thorough investigations to establish what took place on the day in question.”
Last week, Mr Mwonzora launched a scathing attack on the party leadership accusing them of paying youths to issue “irresponsible statements”.
Showbiz Reporter| The man who together with Jah Prayzah have us the 3 million hit “Mweya Mutsvene Nditakure” has done it again and this time with a blasting Chamunyurududu.
Announcing the heavy sound, Sebastian Magacha, had the following to say:
“Today is an exciting and emotional day for me.
“So much has happened but I am so grateful to God because he has remained faithful in my life.
“I know many of my fans and followers have kept me in prayer and you have been patient while I took some time off, thank you, you are loved and appreciated.
“I am pleased to present to you my new song CHAMUNYURUDUDU and the official video available on my VEVO account MagachaSabastianVEVO.
“This is the first of many amazing songs and videos that my team and I have been working on over the last few months! I can safely say, Sabastian Magacha is officially back! Please Check it out, Share and Subscribe! “
Chamunyurududu is available on iTunes, please see link below!
Tell Zim|MDC national vice chairperson Job Sikhala, who is battling subversion charges and last week had his case moved from the Bikita Magistrates’ Court to Masvingo High Court, has said he will not be cowed into silence by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.
The fiery opposition leader said his party will take the offensive to Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa’s doorstep.
Sikhala, who addressed an impromptu rally outside the Bikita Magistrates’ Court after his court appearance last week, said he knew the law very well and was convinced he did not commit any crime.
He claimed that what he is alleged to have said about removing Mnangagwa from power was within his rights.
“I am not just the accused person but I am one of the best and most brilliant lawyers in this country. I am not bothered at all about this process. In authoritarian and tyrannical systems that are founded on abuse of the rule of law and constitutionalism, this is very common.
“There is nothing to be surprised about because our regime, like its sister regimes of the past, try to survive on the use of various institutions of the State to thwart any form of perceived or real threat to their grip on power,” said Sikhala.
Sikhala declared that Zanu PF could silence any other person but not him, saying he was prepared to die fighting for the freedom of the people of Zimbabwe.
“You can silence other people but not Job Sikhala. A person like me will never be silenced, there will be blood. We are prepared to die for the freedom of the people of Zimbabwe.
“Just like the great military commander Josiah Tongogara, who died fighting for the freedom of our people, Job Sikhala is prepared to die. This generation of today has its own liberation fighters in the form of Advocate Nelson Chamisa and Job Sikhala.
“If they think they will cow us into submission, they are mistaken because this is the beginning and we are now coming for them. Hokoyo Mnangagwa! We will never be afraid. We shall keep demanding the freedom of our people. As long as our people are suffering we will never be silenced,” said Sikhala.
He said Mnangagwa did not care about the suffering masses as he lives an extravagant lifestyle hiring private jets from Dubai to fly him even on local trips to the tune of millions of dollars.
“We have relatives who are teachers whose salaries cannot even buy underwear but we have a President who spends millions hiring private jets. People have no jobs and we will not be silent about it.
“The use of the judiciary for purposes of settling political scores has never been a sustainable strategy in several jurisdictions including our own during the period of Ian Smith. Command justice is only applied by people who lack confidence on how to manage the state of affairs.
“Since the coup in November 2017, we noticed excessive use of military and police power to abuse citizens of our country. We will keep fighting for our people. Even Smith never thought one day he would be removed from power but it happened,” said Sikhala.
Sikhala rallied people to throng the Masvingo High Court on January 27 to send a message to President Mnangagwa that he will not subvert the will of the people.
“We need to flood the High Court on January 27. We need thousands of our supporters to come and make a statement that we stand with our leaders when they are demanding our freedom and our liberation. Musi wa27 hakudyiwi kuMasvingo,” said Sikhala.
Sikhala found himself in trouble with the law in July while campaigning for the Bikita East Ward 30 local authority by-election when he allegedly said that he would remove President Mnangagwa from power.
MDC national youth secretary for information and publicity Steven ‘Sakorzy’ Chuma said the Zanu PF government needed to be removed from power ‘because it has caused immense suffering in the country’.
State Media|THIRTY Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) cashiers have been fired for fraud and theft .
This comes after the authority uncovered systematic scams at four tollgates involving cashiers, supervisors and police officers manning the gates.
The loot was shared with everyone involved, from the supervising tollgate controllers down to the cleaners on an agreed hierarchy scale.
Fourteen of the fired cashiers were based at Skyline tollgate along the Harare-Masvingo Highway, while the other 16 were from Dema, Shurugwi and Shamva tollgates.
Investigations are now moving to other tollgates.
At the Shamva tollgate, the stupidity of a cashier made discovery easy.
This crook used the registration number of an exempt diplomatic car to let another 46 vehicles through in just one week, pocketing the $460 in fees paid by unsuspecting drivers.
But records show that the diplomatic car went through the gate one-way 46 times, and never returned in the opposite direction, raising suspicion and making detection easy.
Zinara now suspects it might have lost millions of dollars over the years if fraud was as widespread and as sophisticated as is feared.
Even some police officers deployed at tollgates for security reasons were sucked into the scam.
On a “good day” a cashier and a police officer could each pocket more than $200.
In the latest disciplinary actions, some cashiers have only been transferred to other tollgates, possibly because there was inadequate proof.
It is only recently that Zinara has installed systems that allow proper auditing of tollgates.
Investigations by The Herald showed that the cashiers were sold out by the sophisticated control system which showed videos and registration numbers for all vehicles that pass through the gates daily.
A mismatch between the punched registration numbers and the plates on the actual vehicles that passed through the gate, were noted by the system, prompting the security company to compile reports for Zinara’s attention.
The previous leadership reportedly did not act on the reports, but that changed with the new board chaired by Mr Michael Madanha, who acted on the report.
Zinara’s acting chief executive officer Mr Suston Muzenda confirmed the corrupt activities by employees.
“The dismissed cashiers have been using various methods to steal from the organisation, which included punching registration numbers of exempted vehicles on non-exempted ones,” he said.
“They would punch details of exempted cars on any other vehicles without exemption. The system would automatically record that an exempted car has passed, when cameras showed that it was actually another vehicle not on exemption.”
Mr Muzenda said cashiers also took advantage of busy times of the day where they manually opened boom gates as a way of “easing” traffic congestion.
“However, during the congestion moment, cashiers would be collecting cash from motorists by opening the boom gate manually. This allowed some vehicles to just pass through without being issued with receipts,” he said.
One of the fired cashiers, who was based at Skyline tollgate (name withheld), narrated how they milked Zinara using the manual payment system.
He disclosed that each cashier would contribute a fixed amount, which will be shared among other workers like police officers and cleaners who had no access to cash.
“All cashiers were instructed through their senior cashiers from the tolling controller that they had to subscribe on daily basis and the proceeds were to benefit everyone providing manpower at the tollgate.
“At the end of every shift, each cashier would contribute money, which could have been left by motorists.
Cashiers also contributed money from Point of Sale (POS) machine settlements which would not have been receipted.”
The senior cashier, according to the report, would get $25 from each cashier, pocketing $100 a shift. The tolling controller would also get $25 from each cashier every shift and he would control three toll gates at once.
Drivers and cleaners would get $5 and $3 respectively from each cashier.
In August, the Government increased toll fees and other traffic related fees, light motor vehicles now pay $10 from $2, mini buses $15 from $3, buses $20 from $4 heavy vehicles $25 from $5 and haulage trucks $50 from $10.
“However, following the fees increase, subscriptions were also increased with senior cashiers pocketing $300 per shift and the tolling controller getting at least $600 per shift,” reads the report.
The Shamva cashier (name withheld) who used an exempt diplomatic vehicle’s details on 46 occasions in a short space of time, ran out of luck when the system captured pictures and videos of the actual vehicles that passed.
In most occasions, the cashier would record details of the diplomatic vehicle yet a haulage truck would have passed, and then she would pocket the $50 per passage.
A similar case of abuse of exempt registration numbers was detected at Shurugwi tollgate, and the report was handed over to Zinara.
Allegations also arose that supervisors who have been trained to observe odd tolling transactions from the back office at every site seemed to be compromised in executing their duties.
The Herald visited the security company, Univern Enterprises, where the organisation’s chief executive officer Mr Phil Mushosho confirmed that the system picked anomalies and the rot at various toll gates.
He said various mechanisms are being put in place to plug loopholes.
“Our system is capable of picking up these anomalies. It can also report back information which can be used for auditing purposes.
“We are aware that these cashiers have been using various methods to pocket Zinara money. They were actually caught on camera,” he said.
Mr Mushoshe said there was need to ensure efficient back-up power supply for continuity even during power cuts to avoid manual operations, prone to abuse.
Paul Nyathi|The biggest question on most motorists’s mouths at the moment is how much they will be parting with by festive season to buy a litre of fuel.
Fuel was selling at $1.05 at the beginning of the year and has been going up almost on a weekly basis surging towards the $20 per litre terrifying price.
The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) yesterday announced fuel price increases of 11 cents and 10 cents for petrol and diesel, respectively.
The price of petrol which was at $16,66 per litre is now $16,77, while diesel is now $17,53, up from $17,43 per litre.
According to the authority, the price changes are due to the FOB (Free on Board) price movement and the revised duty regime.
Zera said operators may, however, sell at prices below the cap depending on their trading advantages.
ZRP Anti Riot officers attending the accident scene
Paul Nyathi|Anti Riot police in full gear were yesterday dispatched to attend an accident scene involving a contracted ZUPCO Bus and a train in Harare.
Pictures from the accident scene show members of the police Support Unit in their anti riot head gear with button sticks attending to the accident scene not officers from the Traffic Section within the police force.
20 passengers onboard the overcrowded bus contracted to ZUPCO were critically injured after the bus was hit by a train at Lytton Road rail crossing in Harare.
The injured people were ferried to Harare Hospital where no doctors were not available to attend to them.
Government last week fired over two hundred doctors following a sixty day industrial action.
State run Sunday Mail revealed details on the accident in an official Tweet on Sunday.
A bus contracted to ZUPCO which plies the City – Southlands route was hit by a train after the driver failed to stop at the Lytton Road rail crossing in Harare. The bus was overloaded and over 20 passengers were injured and ferried to Harare Hospital – Pictures by Kuda Hunda pic.twitter.com/7Ex7vpqtwg
The bus which plies the City –Southlands route collided with the train after the driver failed to stop at the rail crossing. Most of the old buses contacted to ZUPCO visible look road unworthy.
Finance ministry permanent secretary George Guvamatanga
Finance ministry permanent secretary George Guvamatanga has revealed that the government is not considering removing the 2% tax on mobile transactions despite criticism that it is fuelling inflation.
The government collects an average of $100 million every month through the tax, which was declared illegal by the High Court in September.
Guvamatanga (GG) told Alpha Media Holdings chairman Trevor Ncube (TN) on the platform In Conversation with Trevor that assessments by the government had shown that assertions that the tax was causing price instability on the market were not true.
The former banker also spoke about the state of the economy, command agriculture and the austerity measures, among other issues. Below is an excerpt from the interview.
TN: You have moved from the private sector as the managing director of Barclays Bank, being the president of the Bankers’ Association of Zimbabwe, you are now in government, how has that transition been to you?
GG: Actually, it is just over a year since I crossed over from the private sector to government, and it has been a very good experience, which is quite different from a narrow view within the banking sector where all you need is to create value for one or a couple of shareholders.
The difference now is that in government, you need to make value for 14 million shareholders and that’s the biggest difference.
So you are not only looking at one issue, aspect or one sector.
There is need to take full consideration that there are over 14 million shareholders whom you have to please all the time — that is the difference. TN: What’s been your biggest surprise coming into this job?
GG: My biggest surprise is everything that you hear about people in government not working.
You need to carry an extra jacket on your chair so that when you leave your office to your other activities, it would appear that you were in the office.
People actually work and there are lots of professional individuals in government, who are highly qualified, dedicated and committed people.
There is actually better structure in government than you would find in the private sector in terms of governance and guidance.
You have the executive, legislature and Parliament and that is why at times you will find, when things are not well sometimes we have to answer to Parliament.
This is very different from the private sector where you sit with your board and sign a resolution and you are done.
Government is very different as the structure that is there is much more pronounced than in the private sector.
For me that has been a great surprise when I noticed that there is much better structure, more policies, guidance and most of the leadership is not discretionary. So the room for discretion in government is very narrow than what you would find elsewhere.
TN: You are filling big shoes really where there has been big men before you like the late Charles Kuwaza and the late Elisha Mushayakarara. These were men that were feared and were bigger than life. I hear whispers that you are the same. People are scared of George, is that true?
GG: I wouldn’t say that I am feared or that my preference is to be feared. My preference is to be supported.
However, what people are supposed to understand as well is that I am the treasurer of the country.
Technically, I could be the de facto financial director for the country. If you are a CEO and you find that your finance director is liked by everyone, then he is not doing the job because he would have to manage very limited resources and manage them well and there are various conflicting and competing demands.
Sometimes there comes a delegation of 20 and I would have said 10 and it will be 10.
Something comes and we believe that it is not the best value for the use of government resources and we say no, this is not the way we are going to deal with this. You, therefore, become unpopular. But you see it is not a populist contest.
I have said that if you are sitting on a budget and I need departments and ministries who are saying they are the best men who have to control the budget, I think we have got a problem.
TN: Let’s move on to the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP), is it still on track?
GG: I will say largely it is still on track by understanding what we want to achieve with the TSP. The major achievement we wanted was fiscal consolidation. We wanted to be able to control deficit. We were running deficits, which were in double figures and government sometimes could pay the civil servants two months late.
So we needed to address those issues and make sure that we lived within our means.
We also wanted to contain the trade deficit or trade gap that was also running away.
Those were two of the major objectives of the TSPs to say how do we stabilise the economy and we have managed to achieve that.
The budget deficit for 2019 will definitely come in single digits and we have narrowed the trade deficit from around $1,7 billion or $1,8 billion previously to around $300 million to $400 million, which to us were the major objectives of the TSPs.
The other major objectives of the TSPs was actually to slowly deal with structural issues that were there in the market.
Some subsidies that we were running in the market like for fuel, power and grain, much as we are aware that these reforms are very difficult on our people, it does not necessarily mean that this is the wrong thing to do, but actually the right thing to do.
We are particularly cognisant of the impact on our people and how do we then alleviate the difficulties and the challenges facing our people?
That is why we have come up with various social protection nets to make sure that while we carry out reforms, we make sure that we do protect the more vulnerable members of society.
TN: Then tell me about fuel. Are you no longer subsidising fuel as a fact?
GG: With the move of the last price change on Monday, oil companies buying fuel are doing so at the interbank rate.
The subsidising rate is gone, so there is no longer any subsidy.
Anyone who is saying that people are benefitting and there is cross movement of money, that is gone and we have dealt with that.
TN: The other issue you raised were the social safety nets. Which are the key social safety nets that you have come up with so that people deal in a sort of comfortable way with the austerity that they have to face?
GG: We have sort of always run a harmonised cash transition programme to identify vulnerable groups in our society.
We have also run other programmes like (the Basic Education Assistance Module) Beam, which is really to support in the education sector. In the past we used to run into arrears but we have made sure that given the difficulties that people are facing, the expense on the social side is always met. People might actually be surprised that government pays out cash to certain members of society.
That amount would range from anything from about $85 upwards per person.
On the global figure what we have spent on the protection excluding grain and everything else goes in excess of $543 million, an amount as government we have spent to make sure that we protect the vulnerable members of society.
It is also part of our (Staff Monitoring Programme) SMP where there is a social protection target, which we have met.
TN: You said that the TSP has largely succeeded, then what have been the failures?
GG: The failures have been around inflation. We are out of the inflation target and we are also out of our reserve money target.
The growth of money supply has been much larger than what we expected or planned for.
Those two areas have actually been failures and we now need to go back on track and deal with those as well.
TN: What have been the reasons for those two failures?
GG: When we came up with the TSP we did not factor in the drought, we still believed that we would have a good season.
We did not factor in Cyclone Idai and we did not even consider that because our power is largely generated off water and that if you have a drought then you do not have water at Kariba Dam, which is currently at 19% capacity.
Because of that the electricity generation also went down and when it did, productivity came down.
So we have had to deal with three major shocks and trying to manage those shocks also created its own challenges and then resulted in certain aspects and TSPs getting off target.
TN: Finance minister Mthuli Ncube has spoken about command agriculture becoming smart agriculture. Explain to us what the difference is between the two.
GG: I will also link that to the TSP because one of the elements is that we talk about a market-led economy where we want to reduce government’s involvement in the market. When we talk about the market-led economy despite the price madness that we are seeing now, government has never come in with price controls even when we have seen how wild market players have been.
As part of the TSP we sincerely believe that the market should lead the economy.
The transition or the movement from how we now fund agriculture is that rather than government funding directly through injection of money and treasury bills, we have said to the banks, we will give you guarantees. Play your traditional role as banks.
We are working with CBZ, Women Empowerment Bank and we are working with Agribank and all the others that are now coming on stream.
TN: There is always a question to ask, why those banks?
GG: Those were the first ones to react and the others wanted to get a feel of how this would look and now that they have seen it is working because to date working with the partners that I have already alluded to we have enrolled and funded half the contracted hectrage for 2019 and 2020.
TN: What is the quantum in terms of the money that the government has provided?
GG: At the moment, our partners have actually disbursed money off their liquidity while we finalise on the numbers.
To date, we almost have a billion disbursed into agriculture through smart agriculture.
We have got another scheme and there is always confusion around agriculture schemes, we have got the command agriculture, where people actually have to borrow and have to repay and they do repay.
I was looking at the numbers for the 2018-2019 season, we have actually had the highest repayments despite the fact that we have a drought and I will explain why this is so.
We have already received about $105 million to $120 million of repayments from last season, which account for about 20-25% of the total disbursement.
As a banker, 25 % is still not good enough but it is better than nothing and, therefore, it is not a free scheme because people have to repay and there is now an understanding that why did people repay faster this season, it is because now we have moved to the banks and they do not lend money to people who do not pay back.
I think all the farmers had to make the call on whether they are called or labelled a defaulting farmer and be unable to access funding from the participating bank or I pay whatever I owe now and be able to access a bigger loan for the season of 2019-2020.
TN: Clarify to this, is the traditional command agriculture dead?
GG: Yes, traditional command agriculture is dead. It is gone.
TN: No politicians behind the scenes?
GG: There is no way you can come in as a politician. There is no way because for one to be able to access the inputs, you have to go to the banking partners, open an account and be credit rated and then one is given an electronic voucher you take wherever you pick up the inputs, so you cannot go as a politician to the partners and say “I am Guvamatanga the secretary and I need money,” because you need to have a voucher and you need to have signed to the money being used.
It’s very easy for us now to reconcile the inputs distributed against the voucher because there is no room in that process for anyone to ask for money and inputs.
Command agriculture in its traditional form as we said in the TSP, is dead even in our budget as well.
TN: Let’s move on to how much, the numbers have been bandied all over, how much has been disbursed towards command agriculture — the traditional one under your watch?
GG: Under my watch, I came in when there was an outstanding amount from the previous season, which was around $71 million and that is what I signed off and it was paid. Let me explain that since inception in 2016, the total for command maize, wheat and soya is just over $900 million.
So when people come here and sit and talk amounts of $3 billion, I do not know where they are getting those figures because it’s not more than a billion since inception.
We have got another programme, which targets vulnerable members where they get 20kg of seed, 50kg of fertiliser and a little bit of chemicals — that one is not paid back.
It is for the people in the deep rural areas to secure themselves in terms of food and that has also run from 2016 up to date and it accumulated approximately $600 million since inception. For this season we have contracted over $200 million for that scheme.
TN: Who handles that amount, is it Treasury or you have contracted a company to handle that as well to give the money and seeds to the vulnerable people?
GG: In terms of the contracting and so forth we obviously have the Ministry of Agriculture taking a position and then they come to Treasury for funding and then we fund them and that is how government works.
I know there is also a name that is always thrown around. Sakunda does not participate in the presidential scheme in any way or form. In the presidential input scheme there is cotton as well in there which is actually the bigger part of that scheme, which is managed by the Cotton Company of Zimbabwe.
TN: So we have the United States ambassador making allegations around Sakunda being given $300 million, so you are basically dismissing those allegations.
GG: That’s not correct, there is an issue that is there of the legacy debt owed to Sakunda and let me explain. When we had all these schemes, government was also making a commitment with all of the suppliers that would provide them with foreign currency because what we were issuing was local currency.
For anyone who wanted to import like the fertilisers and chemicals imported and some of the equipment is imported as well and so for all of those suppliers, whether it is FSG, Sakunda e.t.c., there is not one single contractor in all these schemes. They then have to import the inputs and we had promised as government from 2016 that we would provide foreign currency and we never provided that enough foreign currency and we do have issues that we are dealing with at the moment for various players and most people are affected by what we are calling legacy debts.
As government we had unsettled foreign obligation with Sakunda. We then had to design a mechanism to settle the debts.
The issue for Sakunda became more urgent because we also wanted assistance from them.
TN: How much did you owe Sakunda?
GG: I think what we owed for the legacy debt was just over $150 million that we had not settled. We gave them the local [part], but the $150 million, they had to use their own resources and their own bankers to fund. So their own bankers were now coming to them and saying we are not giving you inputs for 2019. We are not giving you fuel because within their partners, there are also suppliers of fuel and that was going to create a grid lock and so we had to find a mechanism of bridging while we finalised on the overall legacy debt issue with them.
TN: Thank you for clarifying the issues around Sakunda. Let us move on to the spectacular collapse of the local currency end of August and September. What is your understanding of what caused that?
GG: There are various reasons, which would actually cause a currency to collapse. But let me give you facts and figures. As of today we are sitting on over US$650 million in foreign currency accounts. The money is here. We have about $150 million in cash with banks and I am not talking about cash in people’s pockets, mattresses and various other corners.
We are already on US$800 million. Then we do have over half a billion dollars of United States dollars sitting offshore for export proceeds that have not been repatriated to Zimbabwe.
If you check the trends, we normally sit on US$200 million because that is an acceptable number, as you export the money comes in, but US$500 million starts to show you a developing trend.
In total officially we are sitting on US$1,3 billion that should have come into the market but is being held for one reason or the other.
So when you now start to be holding that money to increase what you are holding, it means that what you are feeding into the market is reduced and when you reduce supply and there is demand then the rates will go up.
Let me explain another phenomenon, traditionally when we were in our best years, Zimbabwe’s currency always moved in October and November.
In fact, when I was a trader at the bank that is how I used to make money because I would create my cash flow so that in October, November and December that is when all my cash flows would actually come through because you then have your tobacco, which is one of the major sources of foreign currency in the country drying up and as you get into November and December, it will start to affect mining activities, mines flood and the mining output is reduced, but we had the impact of reduced power, which also affected gold production and we started to feel the impact during the same period.
We then have a reduction in gold, tobacco going away and an increase in demand, which normally comes from the need to fund agriculture.
We need to change that model and we are in the process of doing so. What is very interesting is that we want to fund our agriculture in August and September in foreign currency requirements during our worst foreign currency infill period.
Our best is April to July, which means that if this is an agricultural economy, we should be able to pay for our agricultural inputs.
TN: Are we changing into that now?
GG: We will be changing it. That increased demand and reduced supply naturally you would find that the rates increase because everyone will now panic and say there is no foreign currency, but foreign currency is there.
TN: We saw after that the RBZ freezing certain accounts, Sakunda being one of them. The impression given being that these entities were playing the market, is that a fact?
GG: The central bank will always deal within normal banking systems. If there is increased activity in an account, you would normally want to see what is happening within that account.
There were several accounts that were frozen by the RBZ, but the freezing of accounts does not necessarily mean that there is a problem.
Every day all the banks in this country report to reserve bank and all the transactions that are considered to be suspicious or abnormal, and every bank as part of the regulation now is supposed to have someone called an anti-money-laundering officer, which is now a requirement. We will soon be requesting that even the mobile operators have the same officer.
TN: Is there anything concrete happening in the mobile payment system and monitoring of them to ensure that there is no money laundering happening. Is there a concrete bill coming up?
GG: We are now also considering having anti-money-laundering officers within the mobile money operation systems because there has been an increase in activities there and we need to make sure there is monitoring and these things happen from time to time but they are never reported.
TN: So your answer basically is that these guys were not playing the market.
GG: No, they were not playing the market.
TN: Let’s move onto the monetary policy committee, which met last week and it looks like the interbank market is still being fine-tuned to use your words. Why is it taking so long to do this thing and why don’t we just go to the ideal situation?
GG: The ideal situation is really transparent and you need an electronic system that cannot be manipulated for you to monitor the system and that is what the RBZ governor announced. That we are actually moving to a real trading system that cannot be manipulated because there is real time.
As the market is trading, the exchange rates are monitored.
What we have heard now is that the market is trading at some kind of rate whilst the RBZ is reporting another.
Once we have an electronic platform to trade, this will increase the level of transparency, but at the moment there is so much information asymmetry in the market and that is really a recipe for inefficiency and abuse, which is what we have actually seen.
TN: Any specific time as to when the Reuters system is going to start operating?
GG: I think the central bank is working towards a time that is before the end of this year.
TN: Let us move on to whether there is a new currency that is coming out?
GG: We already have a new currency, which is specified by the law called the Zimbabwean dollar with a simple ZWL, which is the local currency. So there is no new currency that is coming in. We brought in the new currency when we introduced the local currency. What we are now simply doing is to alleviate the problem and challenge of notes and coins because when the new currency was introduced it was not supported by its own notes and coins and we adopted the bond notes and coins as a form of the physical cash to support the new currency and we are saying that the time is right to bring in notes and coins, which support the currency that is already there.
So that is what we are now simply doing by bringing in notes and coins, which are proper money. TN: So the ZWL is going to be a note that is not going to look like a bond, but will look like a new note, which formalises what has already been put in place.
GG: Yes, we will then expect that those who were trading in cash that their business is going to die and those who were actually working on having one price for cash and another one for electronic money and mobile money transfer, that will no longer work because the cash will be available in the bank, on ATMs and we want to normalise the situation again.
TN: Obviously you are not going to be telling the viewers when this is going to happen otherwise there is going to be a stampede.
GG: No, I think if there is going to be a stampede this time around, it is going to be a good one because the one that can happen now is one that as government we will be happy to see. We will be happy to see everyone now going under their mattresses and bringing our bond notes back into the banking system.
The bond note will still be working though. So I am not saying rush in buying or using it.
Initially the bond notes and the new notes will be working side by side and they will be having the same value. At some point we will cut them off and we will not tell you when we will be removing them. At some point we will decide to just to remain with the new notes and coins. We are ready for that stampede.
TN: Let us move on now to the IMF staff monitored programme, my understanding is that the scheme that was there in September is being recommended to the new managing director that the SMP should be suspended, which could be dire for this country. Is that your understanding as well?
GG: That is not my understanding of that situation. We had a team in Washington during the annual meetings, which had extensive discussions with the IMF. I think in terms of the targets, which are also public, most of them according to the SMP are on course as we have met those targets. But we were off when it comes to the inflation, reserve money and the discussions we were having with IMF were around how we can recalibrate and get back on track, but our view actually is that we want to continue with the plan as it was.
TN: So you are comfortable with the plan that you have said is on course?
GG: We are comfortable with the plan. If we need to recalibrate, it may be one or two targets but everything else we do not want to change.
We want to remain on course and continue with the SMP. The point I am making — the SMP is not some secret document, it is there on the IMF website and obviously in due time they can make an announcement in terms of how we have fared. When it comes to the performance and we do acknowledge that there were some mistakes, which the IMF was concerned about, but when you look at the overall programme if you were going to mark it, I think it’s a pass.
TN: The minister of Finance has said that austerity is behind us and that now we should brace ourselves for growth. What are some of those changes that some of us are not seeing?
GG: We have been given the weather forecast for the 2019-2020, which seems to indicate that we will have from normal to below normal rainfall in certain areas. I think that Zimbabwe being an agricultural economy, we have taken adequate measures that there is availability of inputs so that people can grow crops. We should be able to grow our food and feed ourselves for starters.
At the moment we have been derailed because we had to import food and that required forex that we could have been using for other developmental issues within the economy. So with a good rainfall and agricultural preparation, we then expect that agriculture would pick up.
But we are also then saying on power generation, which is critical for production, we are now questioning where we are going to find power on a realistic level to say even if we have good rains, Kariba can only go back to normal levels of power generation around June/July because of the inflows, which will take time.
So if that is the case, where do we get additional power so the Ministry of Energy has been working hard to make sure that we have additional power, which can support both mining and agriculture?
Once we have taken care of those issues we believe we would have created a stable platform for growth and productivity.
A commentator, Ken Mufuka, has advised Foreign Affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo against picking up a needless fight with United States of America President Donald Trump.
The remarks come after Moyo used language towards the US Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Brian Nichols, that “has been associated with Zanu PF apparatchiks, who visit opponents by night”. Wrote Mufuka:
“Trump loves a fight. If Moyo lives on planet earth, he would know that the world does not owe Zimbabwe anything and that Trump is a street fighter.
“Trump’s reaction is unpredictable. Trump is like a drunken Irishman, who joins a street fight without knowing what the fight was for. Trump can easily cut off food aid to the eight million starving Zimbabweans.
“There is really nothing called illegal sanctions. If the US refuses to trade with Zimbabwe and cuts off Visa, MasterCard and American Express Services, there is nothing we can do about it.”
Minister Moyo issued a strong-worded statement railing Nichols for blaming Zimbabwe’s economic crisis on a kleptocratic ruling elite rather than the so-called illegal sanctions.
Paul Nyathi|Two Bills, the controversial Maintenance of Peace and Order Bill (MOPA) and the Companies and Other Entities Bill are ready and now await President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s signature to start functioning.
The controversial and highly condemned MOPA seeks to repeal the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) and provide mechanisms to regulate the conduct of demonstrations.
The bill which the ruling ZANU PF party claims to open up the maximum democratic space has been tagged a reincarnation of POSA, as it still heavily limits the people’s right to demonstrate and be heard by government.
The Companies and Other Entities Bill will make business much easier by modernising the 1951 legislation.
Parliament has sent the two Bills passed by both Houses, plus the Micro-finance Amendment Bill, to the President for his assent, before they become law.
The Micro-finance Amendment Bill reduces the types of institutions that can do this business to credit-only micro financiers and deposit-taking micro financiers, omitting money-lenders.
The three Bills were passed in the last session of Parliament.
Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa on Friday conferred immunities and privileges to foreign nationals employed by the United Nations Office for Project Services.
The conferment of the privileges and immunities to the UNOPS and its foreign employees exempts them from lawsuits and legal processes and taxes and rates and other taxes on the importation of goods as is accorded to the government of any foreign State, among other benefits.
The President’s conferment of the privileges and immunities as stated in General Notice 2021 of 2019 was published in Friday’s Government Gazette in terms of the Privileges and Immunities Act (Chapter3:03).
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has suspended one of its investigations officers.
In a statement released Sunday 10 November, Zacc said, “The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission would like to advise its stakeholders and the general public that Investigations Officer, Mr. Augustine Mahwana aka Chigadzamabwe National Registration Number 26-108754-E23 0772108005 has been suspended and relieved of his official duties with effect from 1 November 2019 until further notice.
“Stakeholders and the general public are advised not to deal with him on any matters concerning the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.”
The anti-graft body did not state the reason why Chigadzamabwe was suspended.
Paul Nyathi|Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister Dr Sithembiso Nyoni says her ministry is not recruiting, contradicting her earlier sentiment that they were failing to get people to recruit as ward development coordinators in Matabeleland North Province because the people there didn’t have the minimum five O’Level five subjects passes.
The ministry came under heavy attack after principal director in the Ministry, Air Commodore Evan Dumba (Retired) reading a contribution on her behalf told legislators during the 2019 pre-Budget seminar in Victoria Falls last week that they advertised for jobs in July and were failing to get people with just 5 O’level passes from the province.
However, Members of Parliament criticised the ministry for failing to execute its mandate.
In a statement, Minister Nyoni disassociated herself with the statement saying that there was a job freeze, hence her ministry was not recruiting as claimed by the senior official in a speech attributed to her.
“The Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development wishes to advise the public that there is currently a national recruitment freeze for the above posts.
“Treasury has not given concurrence to fill up the posts. The recruitment falls under the remit of the Public Service Commission (PSC) not the ministry. Until such concurrence has been given the posts remain frozen,” said Minister Nyoni.
Infiltration and destabilization of the people’s party will be resisted.
The MDC Youth Assembly is deeply disturbed by the provocative moves of what is visibly state sponsored violence on our party headquarters and its leadership.
While our national leaders from all the provinces were busy discussing possible solutions to the national crisis, we were all shocked that some 25 hired individuals working in cahoots with state actors attempted to divert our NEC meeting by bringing placards to demonstrate urging the party to support Zanu pf in the call for the removal of sanctions.Curiously, the hired individuals were chanting slogans calling for the readmission of Khupe into the party.
As MDC Youth Assembly we would like to give a clear warning that being the last line of defense of the party we are not going to fold our hands while our leadership and party headquarters is under attack.
Conspicuous by their absence during the skirmishes was the police who always park their vehicle adjacent to our headquarters.
As such we have every reason to believe that yesterday’s attempted attack on our party had traces of state involvement written all over.
We also have it on good authority that a NEC member working in cahoots with political renegade Rhino Mashaya organized a clandestine meeting somewhere near Africa Unit Square to ambush and attack our leadership while in a NEC meeting.
This is not the first time when this NEC member has proven beyond any doubt that he is a threat to the stability of the party, we are very much tolerant but our tolerance must not be taken for granted.
The presence of The Herald photographers embedded in company of some hired rogue youths whom we later discovered were borrowed from ZANU PF is a clear pointer that the whole thing was preconceived and pre-planned to soil the image and name of the party in the event of a respond by our youths.
As MDC Youth Assembly, we would like to make it clear that we are not going to treat those who betray in our midst with kids’ gloves. In this regard, we demand that Mr. Mwonzora be investigated on these allegations.
We also want to categorically make it clear that the leadership question within the party was resolved at our 5th elective Congress held in Gweru.
We will remain resolute in defending the party and its values.
Just like the 2018 elections, the subsequent by-elections have been marred by serious electoral malpractices.
Regrettably, several attempts by the MDC to engage ZEC, have not surprisingly, failed to any positive results.
Indeed, it is evident to the MDC, that both the by-elections in Tsholotsho and Wedza have not been spared.
Intimidation of voters through village heads continues.
A declaration of resettlement areas as no go areas for the MDC continue to stuff out right to campaign as well the right of citizens to make political choices in line with section 67 of the Constitution.
We therefore place it on record that the election environment is still characterised by closure of democratic space and abuse of state entities to the benefit of ZANUPF.
ZEC continues to look the other way where complains are raised.
Clear electoral fraud, bribery and criminal abuse of office by Obadiah Moyo was ignored, resultantly ZANUPF has found an incentive to continue on that path.
The run up to today’s by- elections at Tsholotsho was full of abuse of State institutions to ZANUPF’s advantage including biased distribution of food aid.
The long and short of it is that the by-election results will without doubt reflect a dividend of lack of holistic electoral reform.
ZEC had no capacity to run a credible election it must be disbanded, reconstituted and allow Zimbabwe to be on a new path towards a cure of the crisis of legitimacy which is causing unpalatable suffering of the masses.
It is no longer an MDC issue, but a national one; electoral reforms are urgent.
This also explains why the MDC, through its RELOAD strategy, is insisting that until comprehensive reforms are conducted; elections results will never be a true reflection of the Zimbabwean voters.
Kaizer Chiefs stand-in skipper Willard Katsande, who led his side to an entertaining 3-2 win over bitter rivals Orlando Pirates at the FNB Stadium today, says the derby comes out to who wants it more and they did.
Amakhosi beat their arch-rivals in the league for the first time since 2014 and the Zimbabwean midfielder praised his teammates for a job well-done.
Speaking to SuperSport TV after the tension-filled encounter, Katsande said:
“Derbies are always difficult, they are not based on the previous game, you can do the profiling but at the end of the day it comes down to who wants it more.”
“We did slip up a bit, conceding two goals after leading 2-0. We knew they were going to throw everything at us in search of the winener, but we kept our balance,” Katsande said.Soccer24
The MDC is totally unimpressed and unmoved by the Cabinet reshuffle. Worse still, the reshuffle means Zimbabwe now has a useless and expensive bloated Cabinet that will only prove to be a real waste of hard earned tax payers money.
It is our strong and unequivocal stance that no matter how many times the Cabinet maybe reshuffled; this will in no way make any difference to end the crisis in Zimbabwe.
Indeed, the crisis in Zimbabwe is much bigger than a mere Cabinet reshuffle.
The crisis in Zimbabwe is clearly a crisis of political legitimacy and continued bad governance as demonstrated by the ever rising high levels of corruption in the country. Zimbabwe will remain in perpetual crisis because it has a lack of visionary leadership that is derived from a popular mandate from the long suffering masses of Zimbabwe.
The people’s party remains clear and resolute in its stance that as long as the head of the Cabinet is not a popularly elected President; no amount of reshuffles will be able to turn the dire Zimbabwean situation around.
In line with its RELOAD strategy document, the MDC is very clear that the first step towards the restoration of normalcy in Zimbabwe will only happen once there is unconditional acknowledgment that there is real need of a genuine or credible all inclusive national dialogue facilitated by a neutral convenor.
The same dialogue process must also be able agree on a transitional mechanism that will facilitate the implementation of comprehensive reforms. Once this is all done, free and fair elections will then be held, that will enable Zimbabwe to have an undisputed popularly elected President.
As such, unless and until that happens first; no Cabinet reshuffle will be able to end the crisis in Zimbabwe.
MDC@20: Celebrating Courage, Growth and the People’s Victories
Daniel Molokele
National Spokesperson
Movement For Democratic Change
The MDC is totally unimpressed and unmoved by the Cabinet reshuffle. Worse still, the reshuffle means Zimbabwe now has a useless and expensive bloated Cabinet that will only prove to be a real waste of hard earned tax payers money.
It is our strong and unequivocal stance that no matter how many times the Cabinet maybe reshuffled; this will in no way make any difference to end the crisis in Zimbabwe.
Indeed, the crisis in Zimbabwe is much bigger than a mere Cabinet reshuffle.
The crisis in Zimbabwe is clearly a crisis of political legitimacy and continued bad governance as demonstrated by the ever rising high levels of corruption in the country. Zimbabwe will remain in perpetual crisis because it has a lack of visionary leadership that is derived from a popular mandate from the long suffering masses of Zimbabwe.
The people’s party remains clear and resolute in its stance that as long as the head of the Cabinet is not a popularly elected President; no amount of reshuffles will be able to turn the dire Zimbabwean situation around.
In line with its RELOAD strategy document, the MDC is very clear that the first step towards the restoration of normalcy in Zimbabwe will only happen once there is unconditional acknowledgment that there is real need of a genuine or credible all inclusive national dialogue facilitated by a neutral convenor.
The same dialogue process must also be able agree on a transitional mechanism that will facilitate the implementation of comprehensive reforms. Once this is all done, free and fair elections will then be held, that will enable Zimbabwe to have an undisputed popularly elected President.
As such, unless and until that happens first; no Cabinet reshuffle will be able to end the crisis in Zimbabwe.
MDC@20: Celebrating Courage, Growth and the People’s Victories
Daniel Molokele
National Spokesperson
Movement For Democratic Change
The new bank notes and coins that are set to be introduced into the market tomorrow are expected to ease cash shortages and save the transacting public from being charged extortionate premiums by mobile money operators when getting hard cash, President Mnangagwa has said.
The President said there is no going back on the ban of the multi-currency system.
He said no country can develop without its own currency.
The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces made these remarks at his first anti-sanctions rally at Tshovani Stadium here yesterday.
The rally follows the Sadc-initiated anti-sanctions campaign that saw the region resolving to set aside October 25 as a day to send a message to the United States that the embargo is no longer necessary.
“Right now people are being pained by the ever increasing prices in shops, it is because we are in a transition.
“We are transitioning from the low levels and we need to resuscitate our economy.
“We have no choice but to resuscitate our economy. ln that process, we have some people who want to take advantage to profiteer.
“You were not getting money from the banks, but on Monday (tomorrow) we are going to inject more money in the banks until we reach a level where you lose appetite to go and get cash from EcoCash.
“You will simply go to the bank if you have money in your account and withdraw it to buy what you want. Right now, we are told that if you want $100 bond you should transfer $150 into an agent’s
account.
“You are losing the other $50 for nothing.
This is because there are cash shortages in the banks. We are now injecting money in the banks to correct that.”State media
The new bank notes and coins that are set to be introduced into the market tomorrow are expected to ease cash shortages and save the transacting public from being charged extortionate premiums by mobile money operators when getting hard cash, President Mnangagwa has said.
The President said there is no going back on the ban of the multi-currency system.
He said no country can develop without its own currency.
The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces made these remarks at his first anti-sanctions rally at Tshovani Stadium here yesterday.
The rally follows the Sadc-initiated anti-sanctions campaign that saw the region resolving to set aside October 25 as a day to send a message to the United States that the embargo is no longer necessary.
“Right now people are being pained by the ever increasing prices in shops, it is because we are in a transition.
“We are transitioning from the low levels and we need to resuscitate our economy.
“We have no choice but to resuscitate our economy. ln that process, we have some people who want to take advantage to profiteer.
“You were not getting money from the banks, but on Monday (tomorrow) we are going to inject more money in the banks until we reach a level where you lose appetite to go and get cash from EcoCash.
“You will simply go to the bank if you have money in your account and withdraw it to buy what you want. Right now, we are told that if you want $100 bond you should transfer $150 into an agent’s
account.
“You are losing the other $50 for nothing.
This is because there are cash shortages in the banks. We are now injecting money in the banks to correct that.”State media
