England were left heartbroken by a 32-12 defeat to South Africa in the Rugby World Cup final in Yokohama on Saturday.
The Red Roses found themselves on the back foot just three minutes into the contest when prop Kyle Sinckler was knocked out in an accidental collision and had to be replaced.
South Africa seized the initiative and produced a dominant display to take a commanding 12-6 lead into the interval.
England fought back to convert four penalties through captain Owen Farrell, though they never looked capable of reeling in the ruthless Springboks.
It was a harrowing way to spoil what could’ve been the end of a 16-year wait for glory, and the ensuing disappointment among the England camp was palpable.
Eddie Jones said in his post-match interview, per BBC Sport: “They were too good for us at the breakdown today. That’s the great thing about rugby, one day you’re the best team in the world and the next a team knocks you off.”
“The silver medal is not as good as the gold medal, but it is a silver medal and I am proud of my players,” he added, per The Sun.
“We struggled to get on the front foot, they had dominance and it’s hard to play on the back-foot ball.
“South Africa are worthy winners, but I can’t fault the effort of our players, my team are hurting badly.”
The England head coach was full of praise for his players, they didn’t show the same appreciation for their performance when collecting their prize.
Certain members of the squad questionably removed their runner-up medals while the ceremony continued on the pitch.
Flanker Maro Itoje even refused to wear his medal at all.
Despite sharing the anguish of the loss, fans were incensed by the players’ lack of grace in defeat, with many taking to social media to voice their disapproval.
While it’s not a good look, the heat of the moment probably got the better of the England players in this instance.
The hours following a World Cup final defeat must be agonising, but there’s certainly no shame in being second-best on the biggest stage in international rugby.
DEFENDING Champions FC Platinum blew away a realistic chance of reclaiming pole position on the Premier Soccer League standings after they were stunned 1-0 by Bulawayo Chiefs Mandava stadium yesterday.
There was commotion after the match as irate FC Platinum fans, blocked head coach Lizwe Sweswe’s vehicle as he was about to leave the stadium. The coach was forced to make a public apology to the fans for the team’s tame performance.
The platinum miners came into the game with a spring in their step following a mid-week win over Ngezi Platinum. They were, however, handed a reality check by relegation threatened Chiefs who played with so much passion and determination in their bid to maintain their PSL status.
FC Platinum’s defeat might have also ceded more ground to current log leaders CAPS who themselves face another relegation threatened side TelOne this afternoon.
Desire Shumbanhete was the hero as he scored the solitary goal that earned Chiefs maximum points.
Shumbanhete nodded home a neat cross whipped by Aurthur Musiyiwa on the 69th minute mark, helping Amakhosi scale up the ladder to 34 points.
Meanwhile, FC Platinum remained on second place with 49 points on their tally. And the result was so painful to Sweswe that he laid the blame on poor match officiating.
“This was a tough game but it is unfortunate that it was decided by another person, he said”
“I cannot comment much about the officiating but I feel we could have done better had some decisions not been made. We are still in the race and we must not lose hope at all costs. We need to remain focused” .
His counterpart Thulani Sibanda was elated with the win and declared that his team has the pedigree to beat anyone in the league.
“We can beat any team in this league because we have the character which we showed today, he said.”
“This win is very important to us in the relegation fight and I think the fear of being eliminated was the main driving force.”
Castle Lager Premier Soccer League results and fixtures:
Yesterday: Ngezi Platinum Stars 1-0 Manica Diamonds, FC Platinum 0-1 Bulawayo Chiefs, Herentals 0-0 Harare City
Today: Dynamos v Highlanders (Rufaro), Yadah v Chapungu (National Sports Stadium), ZPC Kariba v Black Rhinos (Nyamhunga), TelOne v CAPS United (Ascot), Hwange v Mushowani Stars (Colliery)
State Media|MARVELOUS NAKAMBA put on another assured performance for Aston Villa but could not save his side from a late Liverpool surge in an English Premiership tie at Villa Park yesterday.
Villa, who dropped to 16th on the log after the defeat, went ahead in the 21st minute through Egyptian star Mahmoud Ibrahim Hassan. lt was 1-0 until half-time.
Nakamba and his teammates then seemed on course to end Liverpool’s unbeaten start to the season, which has stretched on for 11 games. But the home fans watched in despair as Nakamba’s Villa saw their lead slipping away in the 87th minute when Liverpool’s left back Andy Robertson ghosted from the blind side to head home a Sadio Mane cross.
It then got worse for the hosts deep into time added on when Senegalese talisman Mane won it for The Reds with a 94th minute header off a Trent Alexander-Arnold corner.
Warriors coach Joey Antipas, who was watching the match, was impressed by Nakamba’s show as the countdown to the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers begin.
The Warriors play Botswana at Barbourfields on November 15, before facing Zambia in Lusaka four days later.
“Nakamba is a player any coach would love to have in his team and his high work ethic keeps the midfield ticking. He is a very confident ball player and he does the basics right, plus he is having a stellar season at Villa,” said Antipas.
While he is impressed with the way Nakamba has started life in the EPL Antipas also spoke about striker Knowledge Musona, insisting he is not worried about the former captain’s lack of game time because he believes the Anderlecht forward’s presence in the Warriors dressing room is good enough.
The 29-year-old Musona, who has vowed to fight for his place at Anderlecht after regaining full fitness recently, last played a Belgium First Division match on March 10 when he was still on loan at Lokeren.
Musona only has 14 league appearances in the last 16 months, but Warriors gaffer Antipas is not reading much into those statistics.
“Just his presence is good enough. When Knowledge is here, you know he gives you 100 percent effort,” Antipas told The Sunday Mail Sport yesterday.
“Musona is needed for the Warriors and I don’t doubt his ability because he is a true champion. I know he had some injury woes but he is now fit and raring to go,” said Antipas.
The Warriors begin their 2021 African Cup of Nations qualifiers with a date against Botswana at Barbourfields on November 15, before playing Zambia in Lusaka four days later.
Antipas wants all the best players for the opening two qualifiers.
The Chicken Inn gaffer is excited by the news that the England based Macauley Bonne and Adam Chicksen could get Zimbabwean passports in time for the match against Botswana.
Bonne has netted five goals in eight league appearances for Championship side Charlton Athletic while Chicksen has made six appearances for League One team Bolton Wanderers.
The duo now has Zimbabwean birth certificates.
Antipas included Douglas Nyaupembe (Stockport County), Tivonge Rushesha (Swansea City), Cliff Moyo (Kidderminster Harriers), Jordan Zemura (Bournemouth) and Hamburger SV’s Jonah Fabisch in his provisional squad.
However, Fabisch turned down the call-up due to club commitments.
None of the aforementioned players has featured for the Warriors in any competitive match before. For some of them, it will be their first time to play in the African football jungle.
Antipas is prepared to throw the foreign based players into the deep end.
“Players like Macauley Bonne and Adam Chicksen are doing great for their clubs. Bonne is scoring goals for his side and is a towering striker who is very good at holding up the ball for other players to get involved in and around the box.
“Chicksen is a polished left back, tactically astute and very good on the overlap, he is a modern full-back,” said Antipas.
“The British brigade players have been through top academies, learning the game from a very young age and graduating to the clubs they are playing for. Besides, they are very tactically aware of the needs to play basic football.”
Antipas has also been impressed by Marvelous Nakamba’s storming start at English Premier League side Aston Villa, who played UEFA Champions League kings Liverpool at Villa Park yesterday.
“Nakamba is a player any coach would love to have in his team and his high work ethic keeps the midfield ticking. He is a very confident ball player and he does the basics right, plus he is having a stellar season at Villa.”
Meanwhile, Warriors team manager Wellington Mpandare is hopeful Bonne and Chicksen will get their passports before the game against Botswana.
The duo has featured for Zimbabwe before, albeit in friendlies.
“It has not been easy at all, remember Bonne came for the friendlies against Lesotho and Namibia with the hope that his things would be sorted in time for the 2019 AFCON qualifiers.
“Chicksen also came for the four-team tournament in Zambia in 2018 and we expected his papers to be processed before the start of the 2019 AFCON qualifiers. lt was all in vain.
“It has been frustrating for me as the manager, knowing the coaches wanted the players but not able to help in availing the players because of the passport issues,” Mpandare said.
Reuters|Tens of thousands of American Airlines’ flight attendants fear for their safety and will not work on Boeing 737 Max planes if they return to the air in 2020, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) union’s president wrote in a letter to Boeing’s CEO this week, reported Reuters.
“The 28,000 flight attendants working for American Airlines refuse to walk onto a plane that may not be safe and are calling for the highest possible safety standards to avoid another tragedy,” APFA President Lori Bassani said in the letter (seen by Reuters).
Reuters noted the letter was dated Oct. 30, which followed several days of Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg being grilled by lawmakers in Washington after two Max crashes killed 346 people and led to a worldwide grounding of the plane in March.
Muilenburg, during the hearing, told US lawmakers that Boeing made “mistakes” and “have learned from both accidents and identified changes that need to be made.”
Lawmakers accused Boeing of knowing about flight control issues in the plane’s MCAS system, which has been identified by the flight regulators as a significant factor behind both Max crashes.
Bassani told Muilenburg that the hearings in Washington reveal “breakdowns in the supervision of the 737 MAX and raise questions about the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) resources for oversight,” said Reuters.
The letter told Muilenburg that American Airlines’ flight attendants won’t step on the plane until her union has all the safety reports.
Since the grounding of the Max in March, Boeing has been desperately trying to get the planes back in the air as carriers across the world are abandoning Max orders for Airbus planes.
Boeing has a credibility crisis. They will need to rebuild confidence in the Max with not just flight attendants but also the American people, along with global carriers and regulators.
To do this, you’ll hear it here first, Boeing will have to go on Good Morning America, followed by a 60 Minutes segment, to reach as many people as possible, all in the attempt to restore confidence. If Boeing can’t regain trust, they should rebrand, something President Trump said earlier this year.
Highlanders coach Hendrik Pieter de Jongh feels their current form could help them come out with a positive result against bitter rivals Dynamos today.
The two sides clash at Rufaro Stadium in Harare this afternoon at 3 pm in the reverse fixture of the Battle of Zimbabwe.
Bosso go into the match with an eight-game unbeaten run in which they won four times.
Speaking ahead of the encounter, the gaffer said he is banking on his team’s form, and the quest to finish in respectable position following a slow start to the campaign.
“It’s not an easy game playing Dynamos,” said de Jongh. “But we have good spirit, we’re going the right direction because we want to finish in a good position.
“What we have in mind is three points.”
Highlanders, meanwhile, have dominated the tie in recent meetings with their last loss coming in 2017 following a boardroom decision to give the match to Dynamos after it was abandoned in the first half.
Their last game played in Bulawayo in June ended 1-0 in favour of Tshilamoya.
As a young child growing up in the tough Zwide township of Port Elizabeth, Siya Kolisi would play with bricks because his family couldn’t afford toys.
Yesterday, South Africa’s first black rugby captain had a new favourite possession – the 10lb, gilded silver Webb Ellis Cup.
Born a day after the repeal of apartheid in 1991, Kolisi’s journey from grinding poverty to holding aloft the greatest prize in his sport is every inch as remarkable as the Rainbow nation’s third win in the tournament since 1995.
Kolisi was just four when Nelson Mandela – barely a year after being elected as South Africa’s president – handed the trophy to the country’s blond-haired Afrikaner captain Francois Pienaar in a moment that transcended sport.
As a young child growing up in the tough Zwide township of Port Elizabeth, Siya Kolisi (Pictured left with Prince Harry and As a young child growing up in the tough Zwide township of Port Elizabeth, Siya Kolisi would play with bricks because his family couldn’t afford toyswould play with bricks because his family couldn’t afford toys
Kolisi – raised by a grandmother who would scrub kitchens to make money, bedding down each night on a pile of cushions – expressed the hope yesterday that his team’s victory would ‘pull the country together’. ‘Growing up, I never dreamed of a day like this at all,’ he said.
‘When I was a kid all I was thinking about was getting my next meal. A lot of us in South Africa just need an opportunity and there are so many untold stories.’
His life changed when he was 12 and he was awarded a scholarship by an exclusive private school in Port Elizabeth after a rugby scout spotted his raw talent during a youth tournament.
A few years earlier, he had run out for his first ever game of rugby wearing boxer shorts because there wasn’t enough spare cash to buy kit.
In 2007, then aged 16 and with no TV at home, he crowded into a township bar to watch South Africa’s skipper John Smit receive the cup after his side beat England in the final in France.
His life changed when he was 12 and he was awarded a scholarship by an exclusive private school in Port Elizabeth after a rugby scout spotted his raw talent (Pictured: Kolisi with the Webb Ellis Cup)
Twelve years later, he emulated Smit with his proud father, Fezakel, watching in the Yokohama stadium, having left South Africa for the first time in his life.
As South Africans yesterday celebrated in poor townships and rich suburbs alike, Kolisi, 28 – who was joined by his wife Rachel and children Nicholas and Keziah on the pitch before being congratulated by Prince Harry – said he hopes triumph on the rugby pitch will bring greater unity off it.
‘We are so grateful to the people of South Africa,’ he said.
‘We have so many problems in our country. The team come from different backgrounds and different races and we came together with one goal and we wanted to achieve it.
‘I really hope we’ve done that for South Africa, to show that we can pull together if we want to achieve something.’
His words were echoed by Smit. ‘For me, even as a guy who won it, this was a far bigger occasion because of where we’ve come from and where we’re going,’ he said.
‘I always thought, was it too much of a fairytale to see Siya lift that trophy?
‘It couldn’t have come at a better time. This will have a significant impact on our country.’
A Zanu PF youth leader has accused a deputy minister of sabotaging President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s economic reforms by refusing to embrace the local currency, in yet another sign of widening rifts in the ruling party.
Lewis Matutu, the deputy secretary for youth affairs and close ally of Mnangagwa from the Midlands, claimed Industry deputy minister Raj Modi’s businesses were charging in foreign currency. Matutu also accused Modi of corrupting police officers in Zvishavane.
“Deputy minister of industry and commerce demands US dollar payments at his businesses, pays police officers for protection and police in Zvishavane are making a lot of money out of it, no to corruption,” he tweeted early yesterday morning.
“The vision of the president is simple, no to corruption and that for us to have a strong economy we need our own currency and all government ministers and party members especially leaders should support that.”
The government last month outlawed the use of foreign currency in local transactions.
This was after Zimbabwe in June ended a decade of dollarisation and began the process of reintroducing a local currency.
Matutu has been on a warpath against senior Zanu PF officials, whom he accuses of sabotaging the economy by fuelling the foreign currency parallel market and engaging in corruption.
Modi, however, said his businesses were not charging in foreign currency and that he had no business interests in Zvishavane.
“I do not own any business in Zvishavane and I certainly don’t charge in US dollars at my businesses in Bulawayo,” he said.
“The allegations that I am paying off police are totally false and I just don’t know where this is coming from.
“I don’t know what will be going on in his mind as he makes those allegations or what is motivating him, I am not sure why he is after me.”
Zanu PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu is suing Matutu for $10 million after the youth leader accused the former minister of corruption.
Mpofu’s name was included in a list of alleged corrupt government and ruling party officials that was released by Zanu PF youths led by Matutu early this year.
On Friday, Mnangagwa seemed to be backing Matutu when he said the issues must be resolved internally.
Zanu PF has set up a committee to investigate allegations that some of its senior officials are corrupt and are behind the forex black market.
As drought grips Zimbabwe, it’s not just humans who are suffering; grazing has been wiped out and thousands of cattle have died in the country’s arid southern provinces.
On Thursday, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube told MPs that Zimbabwe’s economy was expected to shrink by 6.5% due mainly to the effects of the drought.
Officials say more than 4,500 cattle have so far died in Matabeleland south province.
The worst-affected district is Beitbridge, close to the border with South Africa.
State media is reporting that in the Midlands province, more than 2,000 cattle have died due to lack of grazing.
These are just the reported livestock deaths, so the actual toll could be higher.
Commentators are urging farmers in the hardest-hit areas to sell some of their animals to buy supplementary food.
Cattle are an important source of draught power and aid agencies said their loss would hamper farmers as they prepared for next year’s crops.
The flow at Africa’s biggest waterfall is at its lowest since 1995, highlighting the threat posed by a drought to tourism and electricity generation in Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Flow has slumped to 109 cubic meters-per-second (3 850 cubic feet) at Victoria Falls, a 1.7-kilometre (1.1 mile) curtain of falling water at the peak of a normal wet season, according to the Zambezi River Authority. The falls on the Zambezi river straddle the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia and the flow of the watercourse fills the Kariba Dam, the site of the two countries’ largest power plants.
The drought threatens to deter tourists from visiting the site, could curtail a lucrative white-water rafting industry in the gorge below the cataract and may see the power plants at Kariba shut down, worsening power cuts in both countries. Elephants at nearby game parks are dying of hunger, further damaging the tourism industry.
“Some of the tourism products that we boast of can be a thing of the past if climate change and global warming are not quickly addressed,” said Godfrey Koti, a spokesman for the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority.
Key among Victoria Falls’ attractions is a rain-forest fed by the spray of the thundering waters. That spray gives Victoria Falls’ its local name – Mosi Oa Tunya – The Smoke That Thunders.
“Rafting activities and visits to the rain-forest have declined,” said Clement Mukwasi, president of the Employers Association for Tourism and Safari Operators. “There isn’t much that we can do except for us as an industry to promote awareness of climate change.”
The flow at the falls is volatile. The lowest on record is 99 cubic meters-per-second in October 1996 while the record is 6 172 cubic meters-per-second in April 1977, according to the authority.
This year’s paucity, which has left Kariba 15% full, has already cut power generation at the Zimbabwean plant to just over a 10th of its usual output.
”We are dangerously close to a level where we have to cut off power generation, “ Mthuli Ncube, Zimbabwe’s finance minister, told lawmakers in Victoria Falls town on Thursday.
Rains in Zimbabwe normally begin in November and end around April.
SPECIMENS for new notes and coins to be introduced later this month will start being circulated as from tomorrow to give members of the public enough time to familiarise themselves with the money.
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr John Mangudya last Tuesday announced that he will be issuing new $5 notes and $2 coins, to cushion citizens who are being fleeced of their hard-earned money by unscrupulous retailers who charge premiums on other forms of payment other than cash. In an interview on Friday, Dr Mangudya said the specimens will be out soon after the gazetting of the Statutory Instrument by Government which will give the green light to the introduction of the new notes and coins.
“We will start having them (specimens) on Monday,” he said.
A Statutory Instrument 231 of 2019 has since been issued by the Government paving way for the introduction of the new notes and coins. The SI details the designs of the news notes. “The design of the two dollar and five-dollar banknotes shall be as follows,
a) On the front side of both the two and the five dollar note, the dominant feature shall be the logo of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (three balancing rocks) with the visually impaired recognition feature to the left, latent image showing the denomination, optical variable ink with colour shift from gold to green, security thread with the inscriptions “RBZ” and see through of the Zimbabwe Bird looking to the left in the perfect register, as secondary features.
b) In respect of the two dollar note, on the backside there shall be an impression of the Parliament of Zimbabwe Building and the Eternal Flame. c) In respect of the five dollar note, on the back side shall be an impression of the three giraffes and three trees.”
Dr Mangudya added the new coins and notes will address the cash problem. “As we have said many times there is shortage of cash here and people are selling cash through these agents. This is not debatable; I don’t know why people want to debate that one. What I did is needful and it is the requirement, that is the role of the Central Bank to make sure that we have assessed the amount of money in the economy and put it there,” he said.
Dr Mangudya said the introduction of the new notes and coins was a response to normalise the economy which was now being distorted even on the pricing front. Goods sold in cash are cheaper compared to those sold in plastic money, a situation that has resulted in the sprouting of cash shops in many major urban areas.
People, including pensioners, are also being forced to sleep in bank queues to access cash. Some banks in Bulawayo have gone for about three weeks without disbursing cash to clients. Dr Mangudya is also set to announce new cash withdrawal limits which are currently pegged at $300 per week for individuals.
The new two and five Zimbabwe dollar notes that are set to be introduced into circulation by mid-November will have the same appearance and features as bond notes of the same value that are already in circulation, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development has said.
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) announced on Tuesday it will by mid-this month introduce new bank notes as it moves to end long running cash shortages in the economy.
Reports indicate up to $1 billion will be gradually injected into the market over time to avoid fuelling inflation.
In a government gazette published late yesterday, the Ministry of Finance said the new $2 and $5 notes will be green and purple in colour, the same as the bond note denominations of the same value in circulation.
The Zimbabwe dollar notes and bond notes will also have the same value, 1:1.
“On the front side of both the two dollar note and five dollar note, the dominant feature shall be the logo of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, three balancing rocks, with the visually impaired recognition features to the left, latent image showing the denomination, optical variable ink with colour shift from green to gold, security thread with the inscription “RBZ”, watermark highlighted inscription “RBZ” and see-through of the Zimbabwe bird looking to the left in perfect register, as secondary features,” the Ministry of Finance said.
The two Zimbabwe dollar note, like the $2 bond note, will have the Parliament of Zimbabwe building and the eternal flame as main features on the backside.
On the other hand, the five Zimbabwean dollar will have an impression of three giraffes and three palm trees on the backside, which is the same as the $5 bond note.
The injection of new bank notes will come as a relief to Zimbabweans who have endured cash shortages for years, a situation that led to the birth of a thriving parallel market cash selling business at premiums of up to 50 percent of the value of a physical bank note.
In addition, the shortage also led to the creation of a multi-tier pricing system in the economy, depending on the mode of payment.
This pushed up the cost of goods and services, and ultimately stoked up inflation in the country.
The shortages became particularly acute early this year when the government scrapped the use of the multi-currency system which had been in place for 10 years, dominated by the United States dollar, and re-introduced the Zimbabwe dollar as a mono-currency.
But it did not immediately introduce a new replacement local currency, but instead retained the surrogate bond notes that were in circulation in conjunction with the multi-currencies.
Specimens of the new Zimbabwe dollar bank notes are likely to be made public this coming week.- New Ziana
Standard|The government has suspended for two years customs and excise duty on spares and equipment imported by the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) in a move that is set to bring relief to the struggling power utility.
Zesa, which is choking under the weight of huge foreign debts, has been failing to maintain most of its ageing thermal power stations at a time the country’s main source of power — the Kariba Hydro Power Station — is operating at a third of its installed capacity due to a severe drought.
According to the latest government gazette, Finance minister Mthuli Ncube suspended duty for “power equipment, critical spares and transformer components imported by Zesa for a period of two years with the effect from June 1, 2019.”
Zesa subsidiaries that will benefit from the duty waiver are Zesa Enterprises, Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution company (Zedtc) and the Zimbabwe Power Company.
Some of the power equipment covered under the duty waiver includes electricity meters, liquid meters, signal generators, fuses, motor control panels, overhead travelling cranes on fixed support, test benches, thermostats, manostats and oil and petrol filters, among others
Zetdc recently said it was owed $1,2 billion and it was targeting to recover the money from mining, agriculture commercial and domestic users.
The power utility has to contend with obsolete coal-fired electricity generators, which constantly break down.
On Friday, Zesa was generating 472 megawatts (MW) of electricity, which is less than half the country’s peak demand.
The Bulawayo and Munyati thermal power stations were not producing anything as a result of breakdowns. Kariba was generating only 81MW, while Hwange was pushing 376MW and Harare contributed 15MW.
Zimbabwe is importing about 400MW from South Africa and Mozambique but the electricity is still not sufficient to keep the lights on and industry running.
Since June the country has had to endure the long hours of load shedding, which is crippling households and industrial operations.
Earlier this month, Zetdc increased electricity tariffs by 320% in order to meet the cost of power imports.
In the effort to acquire more foreign currency, Zesa opted to price electricity for the mining industry in United States dollars, at a cost which is slightly lower than the pricing structure prior to the recent monetary devaluation.
Zesa said it had intensified its revenue collection and will use the money to import electricity, improve, local power generation and import spares for network maintenance.
SOARING temperatures experienced across the country have forced Mashonaland Turf Club (MTC) to put on hold their racing activities for the good of the horses.
According to horse racing analysist Sheldene Chant, this is a noble decision by MTC as it puts the health of the horses first.
“The commendable, but difficult, decision to hold off on this meeting was made by the MTC stewards on Monday. They have put the horses first which is the right thing to do. The decision was reached because of unsuitable soaring temperatures in Harare which have undermined attempts to irrigate and improve the turf.
“The penetrometer reading at the October 20 meeting was (15) firm to hard and conditions during this week are unlikely to change for the better,” wrote Chant.
According to the racing manager Betina Gurajena, the Jacaranda Race that was set for yesterday was cancelled due to the condition of the course while maintenance works continue.
“Due to the condition of the course we see it not suitable for racing because it is hard, in view of that the 2 November race has been cancelled. However, course maintenance through irrigation continue while waiting for the state of the course to improve though I am not yet sure when that will be,” said Gurajena.
A total of seven events were set to be held on the day each carrying $30 000 in stakes money for taking away by the winner as well as the placed runners.
The main act of the day was the 1 200m Jacaranda Free Handicap race set for which four runners had already gone through some of the pre-race qualifying stages.
Less than six races are still outstanding on the calendar before the year 2019 comes to an end according to the programme pushed our early this year by MTC.
POWER company Zesa, has recorded its lowest power generation capacity at Kariba in years amid fears that the country’s main source of electricity could be decommissioned this month.
According to statistics posted at Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) website on Friday, Kariba Power Station was producing just 81 Megawatts out of the installed capacity of 1 050 MW. The other power stations were also at below capacity with Harare producing 15 MW while Hwange is only generating 376 MW bringing it to a total of 472MW. Bulawayo and Munyati are off.
In an interview, Zesa Holdings acting group chief executive officer Engineer Patrick Chivaura said there were fears that the Kariba Power Station could be decommissioned due to low water levels. Eng Chivaura said Kariba has dropped to maximum of 190 MW from its designed capacity of 1 050 MW.
Eng Chivaura said provided the rains come early then the power station might not be decommissioned.
“We received good rains a few days back and if we continue to have good rains our hope is that the station will not be decommissioned,” he said.
Zimbabwe is importing supplementary power from South African power utility, Eskom and Mozambican power utility Hydro Cahora Bassa (HCB).
Meanwhile, Zesa has continued to assure customers that its billing system has not changed, saying that charges do not differ and will remain the same at any given day of the month.
“The correct position is that customers can buy the first 50 units at 41 cents, the next 150 units (51-200) at 91 cents and any other purchases beyond the 200 units are charged at $3,87,” read part of the statement, stating that charges apply at any day of a given month.
Last Friday, hundreds of Bulawayo residents thronged the Zesa revenue halls in the city in the mistaken belief that the power utility had a promotion to sell electricity at discounted tariffs on the first day of every month.
State Media NATIONAL airline, Air Zimbabwe has announced that it has started billing foreigners in foreign currency with immediate effect.
However, locals, the company said, will continue to be billed in local currency.
“Please be advised that Air Zimbabwe can only sell tickets to Zimbabwean residents in local currency, however, willing residents can pay for their tickets in foreign currency.
“Therefore, with immediate effect, the following are required to pay their air tickets in foreign currency including domestic travel. Holders of foreign passports or foreign National IDs, Embassies, International Organisations, Non-Governmental Organisations and residents whose flights are originating from outside Zimbabwe,” said the company.
Air Zimbabwe added that international chartered flights by residents will also be billed in foreign currency. The company is reportedly facing huge operational challenges with reports that it only has one plane to service both the domestic and regional routes.
The plane, a Boeing 767-200, reportedly services Harare to Bulawayo and Harare to Victoria Falls on the domestic routes while it also flies to Johannesburg, South Africa and Dar es Salam, Tanzania.
Recently, the plane was impounded at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa over a debt owed to Airports Company of South Africa.
It was later released after Air Zimbabwe negotiated a payment plan.
MPILO Central Hospital Clinical Director Dr Solwayo Ngwenya has said his staff will continue to attend to patients seeking medical services despite the ongoing strike by some doctors.
In an interview last Thursday, Dr Ngwenya said he was pleased with the dedication and patriotism shown by a majority of doctors at the institution, as most of them were reporting for duty.
He said from a complement of 204 doctors, 144 were at work, while a majority of medical experts across the country were on strike demanding an upward review of salaries and working conditions.
“I am proud of the doctors and other staff at Mpilo. About 71 percent of doctors across all grades are at work. We have eight who are on leave and 52 doctors who are on strike. While we cannot operate as smoothly as we would wish, we are still able to attend to everyone who comes to the hospital. We attend to over 200 patients every day. We have 600 patients admitted to various wards and they are all getting medical care.
“We have the maternity wing operating fully and we deliver about 30 babies a day with about 10 deliveries through Caesarean operations. This should tell you that we are really doing our best under the circumstances. Whether the doctors who are at work are happy or not is neither here nor there. What is important is that they are dedicated to their work and are on the ground helping people. The problem is that they constantly get threats from some quarters over why they did not join the strike, but we have taken a stance as an institution that we should be here helping our people as not everyone can afford private doctors or private hospitals. Imagine a granny bitten by a snake or crocodile in Lupane, where would she go? We don’t want people to sell their cows and goats because they need medical services. Let those who go to private institutions go there out of their own free will,” said Dr Ngwenya.
Dr Ngwenya said they were screening patients as they come and those with serious ailments and chronic conditions were given special attention.
“Our Intensive Care Unit and theatre section are operational so if you need an operation to save your life we can go there right away. We have a doctor at the outpatients and casualty departments. I can assure the nation that we run lifesaving procedures and we give that vital treatment. We cannot just sit and watch our people die when we can help. In fact, we have not recorded any deaths which we can say could have been avoided if there was no strike by doctors,” he said.
However, Dr Ngwenya said the hospital was facing a challenge of nurses who have decided to work for a few days per week citing incapacitation.
“Nurses, through their union in Harare, have written to us saying they will work two days per week because they do not have money to come to work because of low salaries. This means those who report for duty have to carry all the load. But I understand the Government is looking at that issue to solve it as soon as possible, and I hope doctors and Government also find a solution so that normalcy returns in hospitals across the country.”
The Clinical Director said Mpilo Hospital was a strategic safety net institution which should be available to people all the time.
“What people have to understand is that Mpilo Hospital is the biggest referral hospital in our region and even in the Sadc region. It caters for people from Bulawayo, Masvingo, Midlands, Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North provinces. We cannot interrupt such a vital service provider. Imagine we have a nursing school, midwife training, training of medical students from the National University of Science and Technology and junior doctors. The strike by doctors has taken a long time to be resolved and some hospitals are not functional at all, but at Mpilo we can’t do that. This is a strategic institution in terms of safety nets for our people,” he said.
Nonetheless, when Sunday News visited the health facility on Thursday morning, there were few patients in the casualty and outpatients sections, who were being attended to by nurses.
“There are some people who were seen by nurses and have since gone back to their homes, but I was advised to wait for a doctor. My son is not feeling well and I fear I might lose him. I just have to be patient until the doctor comes as nurses said. I have no other option, even if it means waiting the whole day,” said Mrs Anna Ndlovu from Emakhandeni.
In other hospitals, specialised medical procedures have been suspended, with patients being rebooked and advised to come back when the strike by doctors has ended. Some patients in need of eye specialist attention at Richard Morris at the United Bulawayo Hospitals were rebooked to as far as January 2020.
Meanwhile, disciplinary hearings for striking doctors were scheduled to start last Thursday, with the Health Services Board (HSB) set to pass default judgments on those that absconded the process. The strike was declared illegal by the Labour Court.
HSB board chairman Dr Paulinus Sikosana told our sister paper, The Herald that in the event doctors snub the hearings, the Labour Act provided for default judgments. The doctors went on strike on 3 September.
State Media|FINANCE and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube says Government will this year pay its workers the 13th cheque right on time, this month, because public finances are now in a healthier state than before thanks to austerity measures.
He said previously reckless Government spending through the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe overdraft window and Treasury Bills wasted resources, creating the surplus electronic dollars within the market that increased demand for and caused the acute shortage of US dollars.
Zimbabwe does not print US dollars and must export to generate significant inflows of any hard currency, which the economy currently has constrained capacity to do although fundamentals remain good, apart from other sources.
The Treasury chief said this during a presentation to parliamentarians during a National Budget seminar with the lawmakers, at Elephant Hills in Victoria Falls, ahead of the presentation of the 2020 fiscal plan, which is scheduled for November 14.
Minister Ncube said under expenditure management, being done in terms of the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP), a lot had been done to contain Government expenditure, enabling the Treasury to plan and time its financial obligations with a lot more ease than before.
“You remember there was a time when civil servants didn’t know when they would get paid, they didn’t know. Now, they know they will get paid on such-such a date, it is published and we will stick to that date.
“Also there was a time when civil servants didn’t know whether they will get a bonus or not, but now they will get a bonus every November as promised and that is what will happen at the end of this month.
“We have a biometric system, which is clearing up all the ghost workers. We are cleaning all of that up, and we are containing Government waste.
“On the revenue collection front, again our (revenue) collection systems are getting better every day; we are tightening up every day. Zimra is working hard to make sure our systems get better and all of this has resulted in better finances. That’s what austerity for prosperity has achieved; that is what it was designed to achieve,” he said.
Minister Ncube said between January and August this year, Treasury had consistently operated in surplus position, however, pointing out that after August the public finances entered some deficit position.
Nonetheless, the minister expressed strong conviction that with about two months still to go before year-end, the public finances were expected to end the year in a surplus and healthy state.
“We will still end the year on target within 4 percent of GDP in terms of our deficit target, so I can assure you Mr Speaker Sir and colleagues the (Government) finances are well managed and they are sound.
“I also confirm that we have stopped using the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe window; you recall at the end of 2018 in the last Budget we had an exposure of about $3,5 billion that central Government, through Treasury, was borrowing from the central bank.
“That era is over. Since January 2019, we have not borrowed a cent from the central bank and it should be like that and that also gives the central bank a bit more independence,” Minister Ncube said.
While the fiscal deficit was now under control, Minister Ncube said the external position of the country, defined in terms of the state of the current account, was equally under control, which augurs well for efforts to stabilise the Zimbabwe dollar.
“The external deficit, which is your current account and so forth, is also under control. So what has happened is that the gap between exports and imports (trade deficit) has narrowed, if you compare 2018 and 2019 and the previous years.
“You need that when you are reforming. Why? Because if your deficit on the external front is huge it becomes an additional risk to your currency.
“It means you are living beyond your means in terms of demanding other people’s goods other than your goods and exporting to them and that is not healthy.”
He said because austerity measures had achieved their objective, it was now time to transition to productivity across all sectors and overall economic growth.
The Treasury chief pointed out that the containment of public expenditures and the declining current account deficit was what gave authorities the confidence to re-introduce the local currency.
“Those were key risks to introduction of a domestic mono-currency; that gave us confidence to do so,” he said. “Zimbabwe first introduced local currency, under the multi-currency regime, in February this year through Statutory Instrument 33 of 2019 and then totally removed the foreign currencies on the 24th of June through SI 142 of 2019.
“But, in doing that we also realised that we had a challenge in terms of store of value for ordinary citizens, including myself, so we needed to allow the citizens to retain the foreign currency accounts.
“Those foreign currency accounts should not be touched by the Government. We have to make that commitment; we have made that commitment,” he said.
Philanthropic works by First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa, which have spread across the length and breadth of the country, have helped to shine a light on living conditions of most Zimbabweans, prompting Government to intervene to complement her efforts in some cases, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.
Addressing guests at State House on Friday during an appreciation dinner hosted by the First Lady for partners who worked with her philanthropic arm, Angel of Hope Foundation, the President said he was “touched” by some of the work that the foundation has done so far.
President Mnangagwa, who chairs the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation, spent the better part of Friday in Botswana to witness the inauguration of that country’s fifth President, Mokgweetsi Masisi.
“My dear wife said I should attend. I was in Botswana and had to rush here soon after landing. Looking at the audience here, I feel very much touched by the work Angel of Hope is doing. It is only slightly more than a year since it was founded,” said President Mnangagwa.
“When my wife discussed with me about it, I have a principle in my life that you do not stand in the way of ideas by people — good or bad. It turned out that this was something else. Possibly, she must have chosen a good team also,” he said.
The First Lady, he said, always had a passion for philanthropic work and within a short space of time, her foundation has been to places where he, as a politician, had never visited before.State media
A memorial service for the late former President, Mugabe, was secretly held on October 19 by a section of his family, but many of his close relatives, including his sons, did not attend.
The majority of chiefs from the Gushungo clan snubbed the event.
The former president died on September 6 in Singapore and was buried 22 days later at the family rural home in Zvimba, Mashonaland West Province.
Just as the nation was left waiting on where and when the late founding father of Zimbabwe would be interred, there were equally questions on when the memorial service would be held.
However, it has since emerged that the former First Family actually held a memorial mass in Zvimba and distributed Mugabe’s belongings in accordance with traditional custom.State media
A memorial service for the late former President, Mugabe, was secretly held on October 19 by a section of his family, but many of his close relatives, including his sons, did not attend.
The majority of chiefs from the Gushungo clan snubbed the event.
The former president died on September 6 in Singapore and was buried 22 days later at the family rural home in Zvimba, Mashonaland West Province.
Just as the nation was left waiting on where and when the late founding father of Zimbabwe would be interred, there were equally questions on when the memorial service would be held.
However, it has since emerged that the former First Family actually held a memorial mass in Zvimba and distributed Mugabe’s belongings in accordance with traditional custom.State media
– Same minister involved in the failed USD5,2bln diesel from coal project, behind the expenditure
By Farai D Hove| One would expect point of sale software that is wired to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, Zimra, not a ministerial government office, and worse still, the President’s Office – The Zimbabwean government has blown over USD300,000 just so Emmerson Mnangagwa can monitor all fuel stations around the country.
The development comes despite criticism of Mnangagwa now publicly labelled the nation’s most notorious fuel-cartel-warlord. When he held a whole press conference to announce fuel price increases on the 14th January 2019, a task too junior for a clerk in the Ministry Of Energy all that criticism was not enough to discourage him. As if all that criticism he received back then was not enough, Mnangagwa’s administration has gone ahead to invest in a special software so he can control all petrol stations around the country.
The revelations are contained in a state media news release in which while it was reported that the fuel monitoring system is an initiative of the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, the same report said the software’s wiring will be centralised to state house.
The new fuel monitoring management system which is being developed by Matsimba Technology will monitor fuel at individual garages, transmitting the data to the office of the president in real-time, the report said.
Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Amon Murwira was quoted by The Sunday Mail saying that the released funds will help make the project possible.
“The development of the fuel monitoring system is an initiative of the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education.
“The Ministry of Finance (and Economic Development) has now released US$300 000 to start the project,” said Prof Murwira.
MADRID— Real Madrid’s 5-0 thumping of Leganes on Wednesday was their biggest win in the Spanish La Liga football since his first spell as coach but Zinedine Zidane was hardly in a celebratory mood.
In the press conference after the match, one expectant journalist asked if it was Madrid’s best performance of the season. “No I don’t think so,” Zidane said.
Another suggested this was at least their most complete showing so far.
“There are people who will think it’s our best game,” Zidane said. “Not for me, but we have to be happy.”
A third finally questioned which matches did Zidane prefer, to which the Frenchman proposed the season’s opening win over Celta Vigo or last week’s 1-0 victory over Galatasaray in the Champions League.
The fact is there are few candidates, from a campaign in which Real Madrid have produced only in spurts, flitting between commanding and chaotic even within individual matches, let alone from week-to-week.Soccer 24
A 42-YEAR-OLD man – suspected to be mentally challenged – allegedly murdered his father for failing to prepare his meal on time so that he could take his prescribed medication.
The accused, James Mandeya, of Yorkshire 7B, Headlands struck his father Collius James Mandeya (73) with a hockey stick several times on the head, leaving him bleeding profusely on the ground.
Manicaland provincial spokesperson Inspector Tavhiringa Kakohwa confirmed the death of Mandeya.
“I confirm that the late Collius Mandeya was brutally assaulted on October 25, 2019 at his homestead and later died at Rusape General Hospital,” he said.
James Mandeya appeared before Rusape magistrate Mr Gift Manyika on Saturday facing murder charges.
He was not asked to plead and was advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
Mr Binoni Makuwire prosecuted.
Mr Makuwire told the court that the accused assaulted his father seven times on the head with a hockey stick, accusing him of failing to prepare food on time.
“The late Collius Mandeya had an argument with his first born son James, who wanted his breakfast so that he takes his medication, but was told to wait until the meal was ready.
“Out of rage, James picked up a stick and repeatedly smashed his father with it on the head until he was unable to move and ran away.
Headman Kwanda, who was passing-by Mandeya’s homestead, heard him screaming for help and rushed to investigate. He arrived when Mandeya was motionless on the ground and called others villagers for help. They took him to the hospital,” said Mr Makuwire.
Members of the public are urged, especially those living with mentally challenged relatives, to help them take their medication on time to avoid such incidents. The matter was remanded to November 11, 2019.Manica Post
ZANU PF leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday praised his own wife, Auxillia’s said “philanthropic” work.
Addressing guests at statehouse on Friday, Mnangagwa praised his wife for her charity club, called the Angel of Hope Foundation.
“My dear wife said I should attend, Mnangagwa was quoted by the official state publisher, The Sunday Mail.
He continued saying: “I was in Botswana and had to rush here soon after landing. Looking at the audience here, I feel very much touched by the work Angel of Hope is doing. It is only slightly more than a year since it was founded.
“When my wife discussed with me about it, I have a principle in my life that you do not stand in the way of ideas by people — good or bad. It turned out that this was something else. Possibly, she must have chosen a good team also.” -Sunday Mail/State Media
Former President Robert Mugabe’s family held a secret memorial for the late for him.
The state owned Sunday news reports that the memorial which took place on the 19th October, didn’t have some family members and some Zvimba traditional chiefs.
The family spokesperson, Walter Chidakwa spoke to the publication and he said: “Yes, we had the memorial service two weeks ago, on October 19, but it was a private family function. Why are you interested in knowing who attended the memorial service, is there anyone who comes to you asking details of those attending memorials at your own family events.”
The development comes as it was revealed before the official burial at the late’s rural home, the family had held another secret burial, which the family later said had involved only Mugabe’s clothes.
Farai Dziva|Zimbabwe cannot experience economic stability when there is political instability, social media analyst Blessing Simpson Madzima has said.
Below is Madzima’s presentation:
First and foremost we need to look at the environment if it is able to foster economic growth.
What opportunities does Zimbabwe have in terms of investment and development? Is there any political stability that can lead our country to its economic growth? Is there any possibility of citizens, government and other institutions dialoguing and finding each other in finding a common ground to work together in finding solutions to our challenges? The need to value our country and our communities should make it inevitable for us to unite and work together for the love of our country.
The moment we start realising that economic growth and stability are related in the area of investment, the more we are urged to make our country’s environment attractive to investment and investors. No company or individual, whether local or international, would feel comfortable making any kind of Capital Investment in any country where the political climate is characterised by upheavals and a lot of uncertainty.
Any investment has the aim to make a profit, so such a risky investment would lack guarantee as to the safety of the investments.
In the case of Zimbabwe, even our local businessmen are refraining from making any significant investment in their economies, and such a situation is affecting our economy as a whole.
Foreign direct investment which also plays an important role in the development of our economy is impeded by such challenges of instability and lack of confidence in our markets.
Zimbabwe has now a low rating in terms of stability and cannot be a source of attraction for investors looking for international markets in which to invest. This is resulting in low employment opportunities, and a lower turnover rate for much needed finances to facilitate any economic development. The notable effect of Zimbabwe’s lack of stability is the reduction in its Gross Domestic Product(GDP) and also a reduction in the general standard of living for the majority of our people.
Hope of any entrepreneurism is very little, and has affected the ability of our citizens to find employment.
Majority of Zimbabwean population are unable to spend money on various types of consumables, which has resulted in a slump in the economy and increased inflation rate. Due to all those challenges, there is no Capital to invest in infrastructure and employment build projects that will help develop our country. This is creating tensions and much more uncertainty in terms of government change or removal due to economic challenges.
The need for maturity and advocating for a sincere dialogue and engagement among Zimbabweans is vital at this juncture.
Zimbabwe has come a long way under political turmoil, poverty, economic decay and persecution of citizens by government due to those challenges.
The only hope for a better Zimbabwe can only come from us citizens of the land, recognising the fact that responsibility and accountability are the cornerstone of any investment and commitment towards freedom. Our freedom can only be guaranteed by creating a better environment and positive stability of our country.
It is now the duty and responsibility of every citizen and our military to come together objectively and put our country first. It is not an easy thing to do especially with the amount of toxicity in our politics and the military matrix.
This can be done and Zimbabwe can be a better country for us all. We have been a peaceful and stable country before and I have belief we can do it again. Elections and fraudulent electoral process has been the genesis of all our challenges and this can easily be resolved if we allow ourselves to a fair playing field and let people choose the government and leadership they want.
Power should also remain in the hands of the people to ensure accountability, transparency and easy process to remove and install another government in case of failure to deliver. These are the norms of a transformed society and a transformed economy. It has been proved to be successful and it serves the interests of the people.
SOMVUBU High School headmaster Khumbulani Sibanda thought he had saved a life when he responded to a sudden call for help to ferry a collapsed player to Mpilo Central Hospital using his personal car only to be told the devastating news that the 18-year-old promising star had long died when they arrived at the health institution.
The player was Mpopoma High School pupil Cedric Dube who at the time of his collapse was playing for Talen Vision in a Zifa Bulawayo province Division Three league match against Bulawayo City at Barbourfields Stadium’s outside grounds.
“Cedric was chasing the ball and he just fell and there were calls for me to assist carry the boy to the hospital since I was the only spectator with a car close by.
I drove my car to the centre of the field and together with team manager Jacqualine Ngwenya and one Khulekani Siziba we carried the boy and put him in my car,” said Sibanda.
He said he quickly drove to Mpilo Central Hospital where upon arrival they asked for a stretcher as they frantically tried to save a young life.
“At that moment I was convinced the lad would soon be with us again. We were attended to by a female doctor with a Moyo surname and after a few moments, she came back with the most devastating news.
She told us that she tried all she could but the boy was already dead when we put him on a stretcher from my car. Inyembezi zendoda ziphelela esifubeni but that day it wasn’t the case with me. It didn’t matter that the boy was not my relative as I was only a spectactor because of my love for the game but surely why would he die just like that. I thought of his peers, his parents who at that time knew nothing of the tragic turn of events,” said Sibanda.
He said Ngwenya later called Talen Vision bosses and the now deceased’s mother using his mobile phone since they had left theirs at the ground.
“I also could see sympathy in the eyes of the young doctor who probably thought she will be blamed for failing to save a life but it was clearly not her fault. The boy was gone and I was to later learn that he was also a student at Mpopoma High School and was their Under-20 captain,” said Sibanda.
Nicknamed Spoonky, Dube was recruited to the Highlanders Under-14 side by Dumaza Dube before crossing the floor to join Talen Vision. At the beginning of the year, he trained with the Bosso developmental side that is coached by Melusi Mabaleka Sibanda but his grandfather Caleb Sibanda advised him to stay in junior football for another year before he could further his football career.
It was never to be.
Dube was laid to rest last Wednesday at Athlone Cemetery at a moving funeral attended by scores of people who included high profile soccer personalities and pupils from different schools.
— Herald
A TEACHER at Coghlan Primary School in Bulawayo allegedly hanged herself in her bedroom.
Ms Sibhekinkosi Moyo (35) from New Magwegwe suburb was found hanging from a roof truss by her father on Thursday.
Sources close to the incident said yesterday that Ms Moyo had not been feeling well for some time and had been on sick leave.
She recently suffered a stroke. According to a close family source Ms Moyo told her daughter a day before she was found hanging that she would leave and not come back.
“She told her daughter on Wednesday that she was leaving and was not coming back” said a close family member on condition of anonymity.
The source said on the fateful day Ms Moyo woke up in the morning and did household chores without showing any signs of distress.
At around 9AM Ms Moyo’s father was shocked to find her hanging from a roof truss in her bedroom. He immediately alerted neighbours before reporting the matter to the police.
Ms Moyo is survived by two children. Bulawayo police spokesperson Chief Inspector Precious Simango confirmed Ms Moyo’s suspected suicide by hanging.
Teachers at Coghlan Primary School declined to comment on the issue and referred the news crew to the Bulawayo Provincial Education Director Mrs Olicah Kaira.
Mrs Kaira confirmed that Ms Moyo who lived with her father, two siblings and her two children, was not feeling well.
She said increasing cases of suicide by teachers and pupils was a cause for concern and urged those facing challenges to seek counselling. “We received two cases of suicide in the city in one week and I urge those suffering stress or depression to seek counselling,” said Mrs Kaira.
On Tuesday, a Form Two pupil at Maranatha High School in Bulawayo’s Nketa suburb was found hanging at his home in Nketa 7 in a suspected case of suicide.
Nqobile Lusinga (15) allegedly hanged himself from the roof trusses of the family’s bedroom in the afternoon after his teachers questioned him about money and a cell phone that he had brought to school.
It is suspected that Nqobile stole $100 from his aunt and bought the cell phone.
When his parents were summoned to the school, he was sent home to collect the rest of the money. Instead of returning to the school, he allegedly committed suicide. — Chronicle
A TEACHER at Coghlan Primary School in Bulawayo allegedly hanged herself in her bedroom.
Ms Sibhekinkosi Moyo (35) from New Magwegwe suburb was found hanging from a roof truss by her father on Thursday.
Sources close to the incident said yesterday that Ms Moyo had not been feeling well for some time and had been on sick leave.
She recently suffered a stroke. According to a close family source Ms Moyo told her daughter a day before she was found hanging that she would leave and not come back.
“She told her daughter on Wednesday that she was leaving and was not coming back” said a close family member on condition of anonymity.
The source said on the fateful day Ms Moyo woke up in the morning and did household chores without showing any signs of distress.
At around 9AM Ms Moyo’s father was shocked to find her hanging from a roof truss in her bedroom. He immediately alerted neighbours before reporting the matter to the police.
Ms Moyo is survived by two children. Bulawayo police spokesperson Chief Inspector Precious Simango confirmed Ms Moyo’s suspected suicide by hanging.
Teachers at Coghlan Primary School declined to comment on the issue and referred the news crew to the Bulawayo Provincial Education Director Mrs Olicah Kaira.
Mrs Kaira confirmed that Ms Moyo who lived with her father, two siblings and her two children, was not feeling well.
She said increasing cases of suicide by teachers and pupils was a cause for concern and urged those facing challenges to seek counselling. “We received two cases of suicide in the city in one week and I urge those suffering stress or depression to seek counselling,” said Mrs Kaira.
On Tuesday, a Form Two pupil at Maranatha High School in Bulawayo’s Nketa suburb was found hanging at his home in Nketa 7 in a suspected case of suicide.
Nqobile Lusinga (15) allegedly hanged himself from the roof trusses of the family’s bedroom in the afternoon after his teachers questioned him about money and a cell phone that he had brought to school.
It is suspected that Nqobile stole $100 from his aunt and bought the cell phone. When his parents were summoned to the school, he was sent home to collect the rest of the money. Instead of returning to the school, he allegedly committed suicide. — Chronicle
The MDC is a pro-poor people’s movement whose idealism remains firmly rooted on the principles of Social Democracy.
The people’s party would like to confirm that all its legislators who are currently attending the annual pre-budget workshop at Victoria Falls, have the full mandate from the people’s party.
They are attending the workshop to both strategically represent and also promote the interests of the long suffering masses of Zimbabwe.
Each of the MDC legislators is actively articulating the people’s pro poor and strong social strategic approach towards our national budgeting process
Indeed, previous pre-budgetary workshops have been used by our MDC legislators to effectively promote the people’s party pro-poor agenda especially in such sectors as Health, Education, among others.
Further, it is also through the active influence or effectiveness of the people’s party deployees at Parliament that the 2020 budget is clearly going to be influenced heavily by the SMART policy document that was launched prior to the 2018 elections.
The MDC is appealling to all people’s party leaders and members who have any issues of concern to use the appropriate internal channels and structures.
MDC@20: Celebrating Courage, Growth and the People’s Victories
Ngozidzase Magura: Tendai Mtawarira did not wait for Zimbabwe to kill his dreams. Zimbabwe is just a place, it should not define your destiny. It's just a place of birth. Don't allow those old folks with no vision to define your destiny. The world is an oyster! pic.twitter.com/Y9F1mIFRmf
Foreign Affairs Minister, Sibusiso Moyo’s threats against USA ambassador to Zimbabwe, Brian Nichols destroys all possibility of re-engagement with the US government.
Political analyst, Eldred Masunungure said, Moyo threatened to dismiss the diplomat for allegedly acting in a manner contrary to international law when he made comments on Zimbabwe’s anti-sanctions march(the latter which in turn criticises his nation.)
Said the academic:
It was, in a way a reflex action (Minister Moyo’s statement) that could have been influenced by some people in Government, the ruling party or the ministry itself by the US ambassador’s statement and the embassy’s subsequent tweets.
There is little doubt that the statement erodes the potential of re-engagement with the US. The situation has escalated in the past few weeks to make it difficult now in terms of understanding how it will end.
The MDC is a pro-poor people’s movement whose idealism remains firmly rooted on the principles of Social Democracy.
The people’s party would like to confirm that all its legislators who are currently attending the annual pre-budget workshop at Victoria Falls, have the full mandate from the people’s party.
They are attending the workshop to both strategically represent and also promote the interests of the long suffering masses of Zimbabwe.
Each of the MDC legislators is actively articulating the people’s pro poor and strong social strategic approach towards our national budgeting process
Indeed, previous pre-budgetary workshops have been used by our MDC legislators to effectively promote the people’s party pro-poor agenda especially in such sectors as Health, Education, among others.
Further, it is also through the active influence or effectiveness of the people’s party deployees at Parliament that the 2020 budget is clearly going to be influenced heavily by the SMART policy document that was launched prior to the 2018 elections.
The MDC is appealling to all people’s party leaders and members who have any issues of concern to use the appropriate internal channels and structures.
MDC@20: Celebrating Courage, Growth and the People’s Victories
The congestion in a Zupco bus could not stop a man’s sexual hormones from surging at the sight of a 32-year-old woman in front of him.
Even Dube (55) was allegedly left with nowhere to hide after attention from the busy bus shifted to him when Nothabo Moyo screamed and exposed him for allegedly rubbing his erect manhood on her buttocks and caressing her privates with his hands.
Record has it that on 21 October at around 7am in Nkulumane 12, Dube and Moyo boarded the same bus and couldn’t get seats so they were standing next to each other facing the same direction headed for the city centre.
Moyo, it is alleged, suddenly felt Dube’s erect manhood rubbing her buttocks but she tried to ignore it since the bus was full, leaving no space for one to freely move.
“He went on to caress the top of my privates with his hand and I instantly rebuked him and asked what he was doing,” stated Moyo.
Dube reportedly apologised to Moyo who was already fuming at the old man.
When the bus got to town, it is reported, Dube had already dropped off along the way, making it difficult for Moyo to locate him to initiate legal action.
However, he was spotted the following morning by Moyo in a bus queue and she quickly reported Dube for indecent assault to a police officer that was patrolling the bus queue leading to his arrest.
Appearing before Bulawayo magistrate Jokoniah Ncube last week, Dube denied the charges of indecent assault and said he never saw Moyo in the bus on the day of the incident although he confirmed being in the bus going to town at that time.
He was remanded out of custody on $300 bail and is set to appear in court on Friday for continuation of trial.B-Metro
By A Correspondent- A 42 year old man – suspected to be mentally challenged – allegedly murdered his father for failing to prepare his meal on time so that he could take his prescribed medication.
The accused, James Mandeya, of Yorkshire 7B, Headlands struck his father Collius James Mandeya (73) with a hockey stick several times on the head, leaving him bleeding profusely on the ground. Manicaland provincial spokesperson Inspector Tavhiringa Kakohwa confirmed the death of Mandeya.
“I confirm that the late Collius Mandeya was brutally assaulted on October 25, 2019 at his homestead and later died at Rusape General Hospital,” he said.
James Mandeya appeared before Rusape magistrate Mr Gift Manyika on Saturday facing murder charges. He was not asked to plead and was advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
Mr Binoni Makuwire prosecuted.
Mr Makuwire told the court that the accused assaulted his father seven times on the head with a hockey stick, accusing him of failing to prepare food on time.
“The late Collius Mandeya had an argument with his first born son James, who wanted his breakfast so that he takes his medication, but was told to wait until the meal was ready.
“Out of rage, James picked up a stick and repeatedly smashed his father with it on the head until he was unable to move and ran away. Headman Kwanda, who was passing-by Mandeya’s homestead, heard him screaming for help and rushed to investigate. He arrived when Mandeya was motionless on the ground and called others villagers for help. They took him to the hospital,” said Mr Makuwire.
Members of the public are urged, especially those living with mentally challenged relatives, to help them take their medication on time to avoid such incidents. The matter was remanded to November 11, 2019.
By Own Correspondent| ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa caused a major traffic jam in Masvingo Saturday. Mnangagwa blocked a whole road for 50 minutes just so his convoy could pass. Unlike Mnangagwa, the late President Robert Mugabe’s traffic disruptions would last less than 10 minutes.
Motorists rushing about for business were stranded for nearly an hour in a never-seen-incident described by some as “totally insane.”
https://youtu.be/j-uB0qvwalU
Complaints came from far and wide with the MDC saying, “those who thought Mnangawa is a People’s President were opened their minds today as security forces closed roads for 50mins so that ED may pass. ED is not a People’s Leader, just a Dictator.”
In the below video we compare Zimbabwe with Russia.
Following South Africa’s rugby world cup victory in Japan, Africa has joined hands to congratulate the triumphant Springboks and among a host of the who is who includes President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his nemesis Nelson Chamisa.
Mnangagwa took to Twitter to congratulate South Africa for lifting the World Cup for the record third time.
So proud to be an African! Africa is the champion of the world.Congratulations @Springboks on a fantastic show and victory in the Rugby World Cup final. Kudos to South Africa for shining on behalf us all. Sport inspires,Sport empowers.@CyrilRamaphosa #RWCFinal
By Own Correspondent| The central bank, The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has released Statutory Instrument (SI) 231 of 2019 to inform the public about the new notes which are expected to be introduced this month.
SI 231 of 2019 RBZ describes the features, design and material of the new $5 and $2 notes.
The features on the new notes are similar to those on the $2 and $5 bond notes which are already in circulation.
By Own Correspondent| President Emmerson Mnangagwa has conferred various degrees and diplomas to 4936 graduates this Saturday at the Great Zimbabwe University graduation ceremony.
Emmerson Mnangagwa caps a GZU graduate
Among them was ZANU PF Youth League Assembly deputy secretary, Lewis Matutu who graduated with an MBA.
Lewis Matutu
Said the Ministry of Information:
GZU graduation ceremony
President @edmnangagwa conferred various degrees and diplomas to 4936 graduates today at the Great Zimbabwe University graduation ceremony. Congratulations, Makorokoto, Amhlope! pic.twitter.com/NDdDSHimBU
— Ministry of Information, Publicity & Broadcasting (@InfoMinZW) November 2, 2019
By A Correspondent|Opposition MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa has told supporters in a Facebook live-streamed video that the party leadership was taking a cocktail of measures to solidify the party.
Among other things, he said that the party was targeting grassroots support and capacity building which the party intends to achieve through the Morgan Tsvangirai School of Thought (SOLID).
The optimistic Chamisa said that victory was certain considering that president Emmerson Mnangagwa has failed to deliver to the public.
By Own Correspondent| ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa caused a major traffic jam in Masvingo Saturday. Mnangagwa blocked a whole road for 50 minutes just so his convoy could pass. Unlike Mnangagwa, the late President Robert Mugabe’s traffic disruptions would last less than 10 minutes.
Motorists rushing about for business were stranded for nearly an hour in a never-seen-incident described by some as “totally insane.”
https://youtu.be/j-uB0qvwalU
Complaints came from far and wide with the MDC saying, “those who thought Mnangawa is a People’s President were opened their minds today as security forces closed roads for 50mins so that ED may pass. ED is not a People’s Leader, just a Dictator.” SEE PICTURES:
EFF Spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi was at the receiving end of social media backlash following his rather racist remarks against the South African national rugby team who beat England to lift the World Cup.
In his tweet that has caused so much noise on social media, Ndlozi singled out the Spingboks captain Siya Kolisi while mocking the rest of the team dominated by whites to get congratulations from the British royal family, Prince Harry.
Most South Africans found the tweet to be in bad taste and slammed Ndlozi for being racist.
The ailing Vice President Retired General Constantino Dominic Nyikadzino Chiwenga is coming back to Zimbabwe after more than three months on medical pilgrimage in South Africa and China. Sources in the Office of Vice President Chiwenga who spoke to this publication told this reporter that the General has now fully recovered and the Chinese doctors are satisfied that he can resume his duties.
“The Honourable Vice President has been certified to have been fit by the Chinese medical personel and the Zimbabwean team attending him,” the Source said.
“We should be expecting him in the country in the next 14 days all things being equal.
“You are aware that he had to undergo extreme surgery so he has to take some rest before resuming normal duties. He has started eating solid foods and since he has been visiting the gym in China, he has regained some of the strength.”
Chiwenga recently underwent a major operation to clear part of his oesophagus September, before undergoing another operation in October.
Because of the blockage, officials told private media, Chiwenga was unable to eat, resulting in him becoming emaciated due to illness and lack of food.
He was rushed to hospital on landing where he was admitted in the intensive care unit of a state-of-the-art hospital in a high security area before being moved to a private ward, security sources said.
Officials who spoke to the media said that after intensive tests and intensive intravenous feeding, Chiwenga was deemed strong enough to undergo an initial operation to clear his oesophagus. The operation was successful, paving way for the second procedure, which was also a success.
The Ministry of health and child care was not immediately available for a comment.- Byo24
MADRID— Real Madrid’s 5-0 thumping of Leganes on Wednesday was their biggest win in the Spanish La Liga football since his first spell as coach but Zinedine Zidane was hardly in a celebratory mood. In the press conference after the match, one expectant journalist asked if it was Madrid’s best performance of the season. “No I don’t think so,” Zidane said.
Another suggested this was at least their most complete showing so far.
“There are people who will think it’s our best game,” Zidane said. “Not for me, but we have to be happy.”
A third finally questioned which matches did Zidane prefer, to which the Frenchman proposed the season’s opening win over Celta Vigo or last week’s 1-0 victory over Galatasaray in the Champions League.
The fact is there are few candidates, from a campaign in which Real Madrid have produced only in spurts, flitting between commanding and chaotic even within individual matches, let alone from week-to-week.Soccer 24
MDC President Nelson Chamisa will next week drop a hope of the nation address. The man made the announcement on Saturday afternoon in the below live video address. He assured the nation that his party is not lying idle while people suffer.
MDC President Nelson Chamisa will next week drop a hope of the nation address. The man made the announcement on Saturday afternoon in the below live video address. He assured the nation that his party is not lying idle while people suffer.
The Zimbabwe Energy regulatory Authority has announced fuel prices for week starting 4 November with petrol going down by nine cents, in what is likely to be respite for hard pressed citizens now used to endless price hikes.
According to ZERA, petrol will be sold at $16.66 while diesel will be going for $17.43.
FINANCE minister Mthuli Ncube and his Labour ministry counterpart Sekai Nzenza are in a quandary as civil servants yesterday declared a massive demonstration next Wednesday over unfulfilled promises by government.
The Apex Council leadership said yesterday they have had enough of unfulfilled promises by government on salary demands.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s broke government has repeatedly said it could not afford the demand while the International Monetary Fund warned that a civil servants’ salary hike would trigger inflation.
Apex Council organising secretary Charles Chinosengwa told NewsDay that the workers’ body had already given notice to the police of the strike, where they also expect all 16 civil service unions, including the health professions to join in.
Currently, Ncube is in Victoria Falls where he is discussing 2020 budget proposals with legislators and other stakeholders.
The civil servants plan to march to his offices on Wednesday next week.
Chinosengwa said civil servants now want the lowest paid to be remunerated US$475 equivalent at the prevailing intermarket bank rate in the face of the spiralling cost of living, where the bread basket for a family of six is now pegged at $4 000.
“The Apex Council met yesterday (Wednesday) and the main agenda was to discuss on lack of feedback by government on our demands, whereby the employer promised to come back to us within two weeks, but there has been no response,” he said.
Diabetes is a condition that impairs the body’s ability to process blood glucose, otherwise known as blood sugar.
In the United States, the estimated number of people over 18 years of age with diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes is 30.2 million.
The figure represents between 27.9 and 32.7 percent of the population.
Without ongoing, careful management, diabetes can lead to a buildup of sugars in the blood, which can increase the risk of dangerous complications, including
stroke and heart disease.
Different kinds of diabetes can occur, and managing the condition depends on the type. Not all forms of diabetes stem from a person being overweight or leading an inactive lifestyle. In fact, some are present from childhood.
Types
There are several types of diabetes.
Three major diabetes types can develop: Type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes.
Type I diabetes: Also known as juvenile diabetes, this type occurs when the body fails to produce insulin . People with type I diabetes are insulin-dependent, which means they must take artificial insulin daily to stay alive.
Type 2 diabetes: Type 2 diabetes affects the way the body uses insulin. While the body still makes insulin, unlike in type I, the cells in the body do not respond to it as effectively as they once did.
This is the most common type of diabetes, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and it has strong links with
obesity .
Gestational diabetes: This type occurs in women during pregnancy when the body can become less sensitive to insulin.
Gestational diabetes does not occur in all women and usually resolves after giving birth.
Less common types of diabetes include monogenic diabetes and cystic fibrosis-related diabetes. -MNT
By Farai D Hove| Zanu-PF’s secretary for Youth, Lewis Matutu, was last night arrested while trying to force his way into a Zvishavane night club where Selmor Mtukudzi was playing.
The incident saw Matutu allegedly assaulting a police officer while announcing that he is a politburo member who must be given free access into the night club.
Contacted for a comment, Matutu responded briefly saying “I am under attack.”
Without denying outrightly, he then said he was on Saturday morning in Masvingo, an hour’s drive from Zvishavane.
“I’m actually in Masvingo for my MBA graduation,” he said.
Writing Friday night, Daily News editor Stanley Gama said Matutu was arrested, after assaulting a police officer. I’m told he wanted to force his way into a night spot without paying where Selmor Mtukudzi is playing right now. He was arrested just before midnight.
A source said Matutu, displaying thuggish behavior demanded to enter the show without paying saying as a politburo member, he could do whatever he wanted. But the police would have none of it and barred him from entering and in a fit of rage, assaulted the officer.
Matutu is being held at a Zvishavane police station. The behavior he displayed is common among Zanu PF officials throughout the country who are in the habit of threatening pple demanding free services and goods. A few days ago, Matutu threatened to storm the US embassy.
The latest information on him is that he was released into the custody of Zvishavane lawyer Tichaona Chivasa in the early hours of this morning. He was released purportedly to seek medical attention as the cuffs had reportedly lacerated him.
According to infor at hand, Matutu’s lawyer negotiated with police for his release saying besides seeking medical attention, the foul mouthed seeking Zanu PF youth leader wanted to attend an important event in Masvingo this morning. The lawyer profusely apologized to Dispol.
Gama concluded saying, “it’s not clear yet if Matutu was charged or not but the cop who was assaulted and others who witnessed the violence had reportedly completed their statements nailing the bullying youth leader. Whether this is the end of the case or not, Matutu, lawyer & the cops know.”
So after threatening to storm @usembassyharare last week @MatutuLewis was arrested last night as he attempted to storm into a Zvishavane nightclub without paying. Hanzi ndiri politburo member ?
If he can't even storm into a mere nightclub what more of a whole embassy? ? ? ?
Warriors coach Joey ‘Mafero’ Antipas has revealed his desire to lead the country’s senior men’s national soccer team to the World Cup finals slatted for 2022 in Qatar.
Antipas made the comments in the wake of Registrar General Clement Masango’s confirmation that passports for British-born Zimbabwean players will be out before this month’s two AFCON qualifiers against Botswana and Zambia.
“We want to play at the World Cup and we need to have all our players available for selection to have a strong chance,” Antipas told The Herald.
“I have been following most of these players with Zimbabwean origins, and I feel players like Bonne, Zemura and Chicksen deserve a chance with the team.
“But it is not only those three, but all the players included in the squad, that is why we extended the invite to them.
“My appeal to authorities is the quick processing of the players’ passports so that we have them for the Botswana and Zambia games,” added the Chicken Inn coach.Soccer 24
Chippa United coach Norman Mapeza faces perhaps one of his biggest challenge since he took over the reigns at the Chilli Boys when they face Mamelodi Sundowns in the quarter-finals of the Telkom Knockout on Sunday.
The former FC Platinum coach’s side host Pitso Mosimane’s Masandawana for a place in the last eight of the knockout tournament under very conflicting scenarios.
The first one is that Chippa United are the only team in the ABSA Premiership still to win a single league game in this campaign. They are bottom- placed and relagation possibilities are already being whispered.
The second scenario is that they beat Bloemfontein Celtic 1-0 to set up a quater -final date with Sundowns and even though they are struggling in the league, a win on Sunday will enable a realistic chance of a title shot.
The game with Sundowns comes perhaps at a wrong time for Mapeza, who last week publicly admitted that his current squad is not good enough and asking for it to excel wil be asking for him to “perfom miracles”.
Anything but a win would further dent his charges’ confidence as the season progresses.Soccer 24
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa is facing enormous pressure from senior Zanu PF officials and the military to reshuffle cabinet and fire some senior government officials for failing to stem the economic crisis, the Zimbabwe Independent can report.
He is also under pressure to reshuffle the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) by injecting young blood and people with fresh ideas, sources said.
Mnangagwa, who swept to power through a military coup in November 2017 which toppled long-time late leader Robert Mugabe, is struggling to steady the ship and reverse the economic implosion.
This comes amid growing agitation within the Zanu PF hierarchy which fears the party could lose the 2023 general election if the ongoing economic decline persists.
As reported by the Independent last week, senior Zanu PF officials, who fought in Mnangagwa’s corner in the race to succeed Mugabe, led by secretary for administration Obert Mpofu, two weeks ago resolved to pile pressure on Mnangagwa to allow them to superintend over ministers presiding over critical economic portfolios as they feel that cabinet ministers are failing to deliver.
Mpofu has been chairing weekly meetings attended by heavyweights such as Simon Khaya Moyo, Patrick Chinamasa, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and Paul Mangwana, who were deployed to work full-time for Zanu PF although they preferred cabinet posts.
Mnangagwa’s cabinet has served for over one year and critics say ministers have already proven their ineptitude by failing to turn around Zimbabwe’s fortunes.
In response, sources said Mnangagwa has been meeting some of the targeted ministers individually over the past month to enquire about their plans, including Finance minister Mthuli Ncube, Transport minister Joel Biggie Matiza, Energy and Power Development minister Fortune Chasi, Home Affairs minister Cain Mathema and Industry and Commerce minister Mangaliso Ndlovu.
“Although Mthuli (Ncube) is liked by Mnangagwa, he appears to be the one targeted the most by Zanu PF officials. They seem to have lost all faith in him. The army has also been giving out very negative reports about his economic policies of late. He however enjoys support from the President himself as of now,” a senior government official said.More in Home
“Chasi has also been summoned by the President a few times to explain his plans, especially in light of these crippling power cuts. He is also under fire over how he has handled the Zesa board issue. You remember he dissolved the board as soon as he became minister in May and he is yet to appoint a new board five months on.”
Matiza has been under pressure to deliver on key projects that fall under his purview, chiefly the US$400 million National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) recapitalisation project and the rehabilitation of the Beitbridge-Chirundu highway.
Instead of implementation, he has revoked the NRZ project amid self-interest and corruption allegations, coming under immense scrutiny.
The Ministry of Information has been giving Mnangagwa headaches and might undergo a shake-up as officials, including minister Monica Mutsvangwa and her deputy Energy Mutodi, who have been engaged in public squabbles since their appointment while permanent secretary Nick Mangwana is largely viewed as out of depth.
Mutsvangwa refused to comment on the developments, saying the appointment and dismissal of ministers or senior government officials was solely Mnangagwa’s prerogative.
“I don’t know anything like that. In fact, you should not be asking me about those things because the appointing authority is the president and only he can know if there is anything like that,” Mutsvangwa said.
Sources described the developments as a mirror reflection of the wider Zanu PF factional fights pitting Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga.
As reported by the Independent last week, a clique of Zanu PF members is reportedly plotting to unseat Chiwenga on grounds of incapacitation as part of the intensifying factional fights.
There is also pressure for Mnangagwa to elbow presidential spokesperson and OPC Deputy Chief Secretary George Charamba out of office.
The situation got worse this week after Charamba posted what appeared to be a pornographic video on his Twitter account, on which he uses the @jamwanda handle.
He had also stirred the hornet’s nest by posting on the same account pictures of Mnangagwa eating boiled cattle hooves, while aboard a luxurious private jet on his way from attending Uganda’s 54th independence anniversary last month.
“There is serious jockeying and shadowboxing taking place in the OPC and in the information department. On one hand there is Mangwana who is extremely unpopular with officials in that office for employing guerrilla tactics to run the department.
So he thinks he is being sabotaged by Charamba. Nick came here and brought changes which have not gone down well with everyone. For instance, he sends information officers on reporting assignments, something which was not done before. So the environment there is poisonous,” a senior government official said.
“So when Charamba made those tweets, they seized the opportunity to lobby intensely for his sacking. I am sure you noticed that he at some point disabled the Twitter account before bringing it back up a couple of days later. That was the time when the situation had deteriorated.
So there were high-level meetings over the issue last week, some of which involved the chief secretary (to the President and Cabinet Misheck Sibanda). He got solid backing mainly from the army guys in the OPC and the case fell apart, but you can bet they will come back again,” the source said.
Efforts to get comment from Sibanda, Charamba and Mangwana were fruitless.
Matches between Dynamos and Highlanders have been dubbed “ The Battle of Zimbabwe ” as the two clubs are considered the most successful in the country. The clubs meet in the first round of the 2019 Chibuku Super Cup this Sunday at Rufaro Stadium.
The controversial Zion Christian Church (ZCC) leader Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi has blasted MDC leader Nelson Chamisa’s presidential bubble saying the young politician is a puppet of the West who are using him as a front to recolonize the country, while ordaining President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the rightful king send by God.
Speaking during the Chief Nhema senatorship festival recently, Mutendi said there is a difference between a king and a rightful king saying the latter comes from God.
Zion Christian Church (ZCC) leader Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi
Mutendi, whom many questioned whether his message was coming from the spiritual realm or his head, said that Chamisa still has a long road to travel to be the rightful king for the country as he lacks the merits of a true leader.
“The whites are still bitter that we took our country from them. They have for long tried to make their way back into the country but have failed so they have now devised a new strategy to retake our country using a puppet Chamisa.
“Do not be fooled by the opposition because they are being used by the whites who have a hidden agenda. They know they will not be able to have their way in this country with Zanu PF in power which is why they have chosen Chamisa.
“This is why we have sanctions and all these problems which are being caused by Chamisa. Do not blame the government because it is trying to better the lives of its people though it will not happen overnight,” said Mutendi.
Mutendi said the people of Zimbabwe have faith in the ruling Zanu PF party and have shut out Chamisa because they know he is not right for the country.
“The people of Zimbabwe know that MDC is a project of the West which is why they fail to win elections. The people do not want Chamisa to rule the country because they know the whites will come back and occupy our land.
“For person to be a right king, he should learn first the history of the country and appreciate it from those in power. Chamisa does not know the history of this country and cannot be the right king,” said Mutendi.
Mutendi said the reason why the opposition has failed to take over power from Zanu PF is because no man can fight what God has chosen and be successful.
Newsreaders Friday night requested we republish the full Jacob Mudenda interview in Serbia on 13th October 2019.
MUDENDA WITH SIMBA CHIKANZA FOR AN INTERVIEW- Begins with the humiliation Zim is receiving here, a Tanzanian politician says “Zim is now 7 times worse than it was under Bob.” Mudenda asks why. He is told it’s because you’re torturing MDC MPs and 1 Aug victims.. FINAL VIDEO ON ZIMEYE pic.twitter.com/23KwitUSSM
INTERVIEW OF ZIMBABWE’S SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT WITH SIMBA CHIKANZA AT THE IN-HOTEL IN SERBIA ON SUNDAY 13TH OCTOBER 2019.
Jacob Mudenda speaking to ZimEye at the In Hotel, Serbia
The interview by Simba Chikanza (SC) with Adv Jacob Mudenda was recorded partly on audio and the rest on video. It began with Simba Chikanza showing Adv Mudenda his official name badge presenting himself as a journalist doing research over the Interparliamentary Union (The Union of all parliaments around the world).
Adv Mudenda was happy doing the brief interview which later became heated.
Watch video below. ..
FULL VIDEO OF INTERVIEW (PLUS AUDIO) LOADING BELOW…
SC: Many of the things that are coming on Zimbabwe; right now, I have just met some Tanzanians who were criticising us, heavily, just here.
Well, we are being told that we are now 7 times worse, more, than when we were during Robert Mugabe times. I think that is one matter that I am going to need a short engagement with you Sir.
Mudenda: There are exigencies (sic)
SC: Excuse me?
Mudenda: There are exigencies (sic)
SC: Let me just, while we are, let me just get a picture with you if you don’t mind Sir.
SC: Right, where are we here? Right so, here. Meeting Advocate Mudenda.
Mudenda: Thank you.
SC: You seem to have forgotten me, I don’t know why.
Mudenda: Yeah, I am trying to recollect.
SC: Splendid. Looking forward, I will be with you shortly.
Mudenda: Yeah
SC: Thank you Sir.
Mudenda: Someone will be joining me soon.
SC: Oh, someone will be joining you?
Mudenda: Yes.
SC: Okay, so someone will be joining you. Okay. So what I will do maybe, once they come maybe, I will go away. I am just having a very light one.
Mudenda: Okay.
SC: Oh, thank you Sir. Yeah, the criticism against us is very scathing, it is very heavy, this gentleman from Tanzania who was saying he runs an NGO, and works between Uganda and Tanzania, and he says your country is now 7 times worse than when Robert Mugabe.
Mudenda: What reasons does he give?
SC: Err, we didn’t go into deep, we didn’t get deeper than that, other than him saying the conduct of both government and institutions. He alleges the judiciary as well, and parliament and he mentioned specifically the withdrawal of allowances. Sir.
Ndokutorerai (shall I get you a ) chair?
SC: Sir, the withdrawal of allowances Advocate Mudenda, that has extremely, extremely criticised yourself. On what basis. You have here a topic, local and international policy analysts here, they say you have caused the deterioration of parliament, and.
Mudenda: I have what?
SC: You have made parliament to deteriorate. The value of parliamentarianism is, should be.
Mudenda: Into what?
SC: You are now a spokesman of a military cartel rather than parliament. And in this case Advocate Mudenda, you have a discussion, a topic, that you yourself, you allowed into parliament, you brought this discussion, and that is the 1 August brutality. It is clear even ZBC broadcast this.
Mudenda: (nod and sound in affirmation).
SC: They broadcast this, announcement that the military would be used to change 2018 election results.
Mudenda: (nod and sound in affirmation).
Mudenda: Yes
SC: The same MPs who are meant to be part of your own parliament Advocate Mudenda, they are part of your parliament. And you are the one who allowed this discussion to get into. You allowed it to be discussed.
Mudenda: No, you see the members of parliament have threatened to go to court, so that matter is subjudice.
SC: Sorry?
Mudenda: The matter is subjudice and I am not discussing that.
SC: Because they have threatened to go to court?
Mudenda: Yeah I’m not discussing that.
SC: But then, Sir, aren’t you concerned?
Mudenda: I am not discussing that.
SC: Aren’t you concerned?
Mudenda: I am not discussing that. I am not discussing that.
SC: That we have a clear matter.
Mudenda: I am not discussing that.
SC: You talked about a threat Sir, you talked about a threat advocate.
Mudenda: I am not discussing that.
SC: You talked about a threat.
Mudenda: Can you stop it. Alright?
SC: Advocate, Advocate, a crime is being committed right now. People are dying.
Mudenda: Go to court. Go to court.
SC: Go to court where? People are dying right now in Zimbabwe advocate.
Mudenda: I am not.
SC: I have got; I have got victims of 1 August.
Mudenda: Can you also respect my point of view. Alright?
SC: Do you also respect the people who are suffering, Sir? Do you respect the victims who still have bullets in their bodies, Sir…the victims who still have bullets in their bodies right now?
Mudenda: Can you stop it. Alright. Can you stop it.
SC: Advocate, Advocate, you are the highest you are the most respected person in Zimbabwe you are here to represent parliamentarianism. What parliamentarianism is. You are the person we refer to; we respect you sir. We respect you. And I’ve come to you to ask you about this thing which we are being criticised for; our nation is being criticised right here, Sir.
Mudenda: Can you still stop it. This is not the forum.
SC: Why is it not the forum Sir?
Mudenda: Can you stop it.
SC: But you are the Speaker of Parliament.
Mudenda: Can you stop it. Haaah.
SC: I have got people who are crying I have got victims. Are you concerned that you are no longer the Speaker of Parliament you are now the Speaker of a military cartel?
Mudenda: Can you stop it.
SC: Stop what advocate, stop what?
Mudenda: Can you stop it.
SC: Stop what?
Mudenda: Can you stop it.
SC: But you are destroying our country. You are destroying a whole community. You are right now, even the perception of our nation (sic) Advocate Mudenda.
Are you happy that parliamentarianism has been violated advocate Mudenda? Tell me.
Mudenda: [NO RESPONSE]
So you are not willing to address concerns about parliamentarianism, you are here to represent parliamentarianism and you are mentally torturing MDC MPs adding to the physical torture to victims of violence on 1 August which was done to change election results and this was broadcast on the ZBC. Advocate Mudenda, you are a respected man. You are the highest, the most respected person Sir.
Mudenda: Can you slow down so I can eat.
SC: I shall slow down, but I hope you realise here, that I have got people who are dying, there is a crime that is being committed.
Mudenda: Can I have my breakfast?
SC: You can sir, you can sir, I shall wait.
A crime is being committed Advocate.
Mudenda: Can you move off can you move off.
SC: I am not Sir.
I have got a legitimate criminal concern here, a legal concern sir;
I have got a legitimate legal concern.
UNKNOWN/ UNNAMED MAN – MUDENDA’S AIDE TRAVELED WITH HIM FROM ZIMBABWE:
Sorry sorry I thought I had given you enough time.
SC: No you can’t do this.
SC: Advocate Mudenda people are dying right now people are dying right now and you are mentally torturing MDC MPs. On what basis do you withdraw their allowances for 5-months merely because they are expressing what you brought before Parliament?
Mudenda: Can you move out.
SC: I am here I am not going to move out I am a guest here and I am also; I am very much here; I am very much here; but I will wait on you because this is important, because you are an employee; you are a civil servant Sir; you are a civil servant. This is your job. This is your job, to be accountable to members of the public; to the international community; to prove that you’re doing the job of a speaker of Parliament not a speaker of a military cartel advocate Mudenda.
UNKNOWN/ UNNAMED MAN:
No you cannot shut me I’m going to slow down I will allow him to eat but I’m not going to leave here. I am here I am a guest here; I am an invitee to this conference where you are as well; Thank you.
Tine vanhu varikufa right now hamadzedu dzirikufa kuZimbabwe, akomana, varume, mauya kunoku imimi, saka ndanyarara ikozvino. Ndakumirirai. Ndakumirirai.
This is a legal matter, it is also a criminal matter; I am waiting here.
UNKNOWN/ UNNAMED MAN:
I think the honorable speaker has come here to have something to eat.
SC: Yes I will wait for him. I will wait for him Sir
As you can see I have withdrawn, I have withdrawn, I was sitting there when you are sitting so now I have moved away now so we will wait sir. I have got Zimbabweans who are waiting across inside Zimbabwe and around the world. They’re waiting; this is the most respected person; The highest person in the country in Zimbabwe next to Emmerson Mnangagwa.
UNKNOWN/ UNNAMED MAN:
So why are you shouting?
SC: I am not shouting I am waiting sir.
UNKNOWN/ UNNAMED MAN:
I think it is more about threatening than anything.
SC: What threat did you hear? What threat did you hear there?
UNKNOWN/ UNNAMED MAN:
I haven’t heard.
SC: No no no. Please don’t be unreasonable what threat did you hear here? What threat did you hear tell me, can you justify what you said.
UNKNOWN/ UNNAMED MAN:
Know what I am simply saying you know when you are talking on top of your voice if you really want to interview you the Speaker you should interview in a manner that is (sic).
SC: According to your allegations I am quiet. Thank you.
UNKNOWN/ UNNAMED MAN:
Thank you.
POLICE ARE THEN SUMMONED IN AND DISRUPT THE INTERVIEW THEN THE BELOW HAPPENS….
BREAKING – JACOB MUDENDA HUMILIATED AFTER SENDING SERBIAN POLICE TO CHASE AWAY JOURNALIST AFTER BEING CONTRONTED OVER MENTALLY TORTURING MDC MPs AND 1 AUG VICTIMS, WHICH WAS DONE TO CHANGE 2018 ELECTION RESULTS | FULL STORY TO FOLLOW pic.twitter.com/RQwnMVX86m
By Alice Majola| Zimbabwean youth, the time is now for us to rise up against Zanu PF. It is our future which is at stake here. If we don’t do anything, these old men will leave us a cesspit of a country. Mnangagwa is 77 years old, he barely has one more decade on this planet. The Zanu leadership are in their late 60s early 70s – those old men do not have long either. But the damage they are doing to our country will last for generations. We simply cannot stand aside and watch our future being destroyed by these cruel men.
The youth need to rise up. If a revolution is to happen in Zimbabwe, it will be the youth leading the charge. This has always been the case in history. During the Rhodesian era, the current Zanu leadership were in their youth and they stood up against racist colonialism. They were fighting for their future. Today’s youth, we should be doing the same for it is our future which is at stake. No one will fight on our behalf, no one will serve us a functional democracy on a platter, we have to go out and get it.
The time for a revolution is now. But before we rise up against Zanu, we need to be organised and united. We need to use the tools at our disposal. We need to make use of technology. We need to collect intelligence. We need to identify the Zanu crooks who are ruining Zimbabwe and then do everything in our power to sabotage their corruption. We have to start small. A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Forget the military for now, let’s go after the ministerial crooks. We need to create a database of ministers’ business interests. We want to know where they bank their money, how much they earn per month, what businesses they own and where they are sending their children overseas for education. We need to campaign for western restrictions on these politicians because their corruption is facilitating human rights abuses in Zimbabwe. If we find out that Minister X is stealing public money to finance his supermarket businesses, we should demonstrate forthrightly against the minister where ever he goes. We need to make it uncomfortable for these people to carry on as per usual. We need to create inconveniences in their lives just like they have done to Zimbabweans in the last 39 years.
Two Bulawayo men lost cash amounting to ZAR 8850, RTGS $40 and various properties through robbery at 292km peg along Bulawayo- Beitbridge road on 1/11/19 at about 0100 hours. The victims had sustained a tyre puncture on their Toyota Hiace Vehicle towing a trailer and
they decided to sleep in the vehicle on the roadside. After about 20 minutes, 6 accused persons armed with machetes and axes pounced on the vehicle and smashed the front passenger window. They assaulted the victims with fists and open hands before searching them and
4 accused persons force marched the complainants into a nearby bushy whilst 2 others were searching for valuables. We urge motorists to quickly move away from dark spots at night after vehicle breakdowns.@ZimEye@DailyNewsZim@InfoMinZW
Beirut, November 1, 2019 — Hamas security forces should immediately release journalist Bassam Mohammad Moheisen, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
On October 23, officers of the Hamas-affiliated Internal Security Forces arrested Moheisen, a reporter for the Palestinian National Authority-affiliated Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation in Gaza, at the forces’ headquarters west of Gaza City after the journalist responded to a summons, according to a statement by Moheisen’s employer and news reports.
The journalist’s family has not been able to visit him in detention, and authorities have not announced any charges or reason for the arrest, his brother Baha Moheisen told the regional press freedom group Skeyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom.
“Hamas authorities in Gaza have again demonstrated how low press freedom ranks in their priorities,” said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Representative Ignacio Miguel Delgado. “Hamas forces must immediately release Bassem Moheisen and allow journalists to do their jobs freely and without fear of reprisal.”
In a statement published on Facebook on October 25, the Fatah-affiliated Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate said that Moheisen had been arrested for his posts on social media.
On the days prior to his arrest, Moheisen made severalposts on Facebook in support of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ bid for re-election, and posted a video about journalist Hani al-Agha, who has been held by Hamas Internal Security Forces since September 25, as CPJ reported at the time.
In a statement released on October 27, Ola Kassab, deputy director of the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation for Gaza, said that Moheisen has a health condition and requires weekly medical tests. According to newsreports, Moheisen has worked for the broadcaster for 19 years as director of the radio station “Voice of Palestine” in Gaza.
The Hamas Internal Security Forces did not immediately reply to CPJ’s request for comment via messaging app. – CPJ
By A Correspondent| A promising soccer star reportedly collapsed mid-match in Bulawayo and was rushed to the hospital by the school head only to be pronounced dead on arrival.
18-year-old Mpopoma High School pupil Cedric Dube was on the day in question playing for ZIFA’s Bulawayo province division 3 Talent Vision match against Bulawayo City when his life abruptly ended.
The headmaster who carried Cedric to Mpilo hospital narrated the ordeal and said:
Cedric was chasing the ball and he just fell and there were calls for me to assist carry the boy to the hospital since I was the only spectator with a car close by. I drove my car to the centre of the field and together with team manager Jacqualine Ngwenya and one Khulekani Siziba we carried the boy and put him in my car,
At that moment I was convinced the lad would soon be with us again. We were attended to by a female doctor with a Moyo surname and after a few moments, she came back with the most devastating news. She told us that she tried all she could but the boy was already dead when we put him on a stretcher from my car. Inyembezi zendoda ziphelela esifubeni but that day it wasnt the case with me.
It didnt matter that the boy was not my relative as I was only a spectactor because of my love for the game but surely why would he die just like that. I thought of his peers, his parents who at that time knew nothing of the tragic turn of events.
By Own Correspondent| The expelled MDC renegade, Thokozani Khupe, together with her colleagues in Emmerson Mnangagwa’s POLAD cult are booked into the posh Rainbow Towers Hotel at the HICC since Thursday, ZimEye can reveal.
HICC, Rainbow Towers
The development was confirmed by the former deputy prime minister’s personal aide who speaking to ZimEye said “the meeting is now private.”
Mr Witness Lee briefly spoke to ZimEye via phone at 12 noon Saturday.
It could not be established at the time of writing what the agenda of the meeting is.
The development comes at a time when members of Parliament most who are from Emmerson Mmangagwa’s ZANU PF party continued on a week-long expensive budget review excursion in Vic Falls where a quarter of a million US dollars is being blown.
ZimEye has been following through whistleblowing by the below Twitter user:
By Mari Matutu| I just took my memory back to my first year in School. Grade one at Mudzami Primary School in Bikita.
My teacher was also a cousin of mine. I was very interested in one of his rules in class, “no speaking Shona in Class.” This was a punishable offence.
I just thought to myself what this by “law” actually meant. All of us there were born speaking Shona and non had even met a White man. However the teacher- Teacher Nyasha, wanted everyone in that grade one to speak only English or else you are in trouble.
I cannot remember how we managed to speak in English then and it is still not making sense to me.
This is exactly what we are all doing to a regime that got into power with a coup. We say No to corruption and expect corrupt free country from them.
If it happens that with Teacher Nyasha’s method all Grade one class at Mudzami school woke up speaking English because of the rule then it will also happen that the regime will be corrupt free and competent.
I rest my case
By A Correspondent| A former soldier from Bulawayo, Tafadzwa Mahlahla (35) from Pumula East suburb has appeared in court for allegedly breaking into a butchery twice and stealing meat worth $18536.
The accused who was based at Imbizo Barracks in Bulawayo before retirement was on September 24 arrested after police received a tip-off that he had opened a mini butchery at his place.
Mahlahla pleaded not guilty to two counts of unlawful entry and theft charge before Western Commonage magistrate, Mr Urgent Vundla saying that he had bought the meat for a funeral.
He said:
I bought the meat from Sindiso Moyo for a funeral that was at our place. I didn’t steal it.
A self-styled Congolese preacher jailed for 10 months, for fraud, has returned to Zimbabwe(watch the below video release).
VIDEO LOADING BELOW (please note it might take 20 seconds to load)…
See posters of his latest church programs below…
Bishop Charles Motondo who duped ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa into believing he’s the one who anointed him leader, was jailed fabricating car crashes in order to claim thousands of pounds from insurance companies. Motondo bought policies using personal details of two people in his congregation and then rang insurers posing as them.
The 40-year-old, who preached at a Pentecostal church in Leeds, had admitted fraud and money laundering.
Police said Motondo “was completely immoral in his actions”.
Leeds Crown Court heard Motondo used another person’s information to buy a fake policy with an insurance company.
He later contacted insurers First Central claiming to be the policy holder, stating he had crashed his Vauxhall Corsa into a parked Range Rover and took full responsibility.
The parked car actually belonged to Motondo, who contacted insurers this time as himself and made a damages claim and one for the cost of a hire vehicle.
Inconsistencies were uncovered in his claim and it was eventually rejected.
An investigation was started by the City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department after First Central raised suspicions.
Inquiries found the Corsa could not have been in the alleged accident as at the time it was in a yard at a church where Motondo delivered sermons.
Officers also discovered he had earlier made a fraudulent claim with another insurer when he pretended his partner’s Jaguar, as well as his Range Rover, had been involved and he tried to claim personal injury costs for a fake passenger.
Det Con Jamie Kirk said: “Motondo was completely immoral in his actions, and had no issues using other people’s personal details to make fraudulent claims so that he could make a financial gain.”
Motondo, of Nowell Walk in Leeds, pleaded guilty at a hearing in April to three counts of fraud by misrepresentation and one count of possessing criminal proceeds.- BBC/Additional Reporting
By Farai D Hove| Zanu-PF’s secretary for Youth, Lewis Matutu, was last night arrested while trying to force his way into a Zvishavane night club where Selmor Mtukudzi was playing.
The incident saw Matutu allegedly assaulting a police officer while announcing that he is a politburo member who must be given free access into the night club.
Contacted for a comment, Matutu responded briefly saying “I am under attack.”
Without denying outrightly, he then said he was on Saturday morning in Masvingo, an hour’s drive from Zvishavane.
“I’m actually in Masvingo for my MBA graduation,” he said.
Writing Friday night, Daily News editor Stanley Gama said Matutu was arrested, after assaulting a police officer. I’m told he wanted to force his way into a night spot without paying where Selmor Mtukudzi is playing right now. He was arrested just before midnight.
A source said Matutu, displaying thuggish behavior demanded to enter the show without paying saying as a politburo member, he could do whatever he wanted. But the police would have none of it and barred him from entering and in a fit of rage, assaulted the officer.
Matutu is being held at a Zvishavane police station. The behavior he displayed is common among Zanu PF officials throughout the country who are in the habit of threatening pple demanding free services and goods. A few days ago, Matutu threatened to storm the US embassy.
The latest information on him is that he was released into the custody of Zvishavane lawyer Tichaona Chivasa in the early hours of this morning. He was released purportedly to seek medical attention as the cuffs had reportedly lacerated him.
According to infor at hand, Matutu’s lawyer negotiated with police for his release saying besides seeking medical attention, the foul mouthed seeking Zanu PF youth leader wanted to attend an important event in Masvingo this morning. The lawyer profusely apologized to Dispol.
Gama concluded saying, “it’s not clear yet if Matutu was charged or not but the cop who was assaulted and others who witnessed the violence had reportedly completed their statements nailing the bullying youth leader. Whether this is the end of the case or not, Matutu, lawyer & the cops know.”
So after threatening to storm @usembassyharare last week @MatutuLewis was arrested last night as he attempted to storm into a Zvishavane nightclub without paying. Hanzi ndiri politburo member ?
If he can't even storm into a mere nightclub what more of a whole embassy? ? ? ?
The MDC is a pro-poor people’s movement whose idealism remains firmly rooted on the principles of Social Democracy.
The people’s party would like to confirm that all its legislators who are currently attending the annual pre-budget workshop at Victoria Falls, have the full mandate from the people’s party.
They are attending the workshop to both strategically represent and also promote the interests of the long suffering masses of Zimbabwe.
Each of the MDC legislators is actively articulating the people’s pro poor and strong social strategic approach towards our national budgeting process
Indeed, previous pre-budgetary workshops have been used by our MDC legislators to effectively promote the people’s party pro-poor agenda especially in such sectors as Health, Education, among others.
Further, it is also through the active influence or effectiveness of the people’s party deployees at Parliament that the 2020 budget is clearly going to be influenced heavily by the SMART policy document that was launched prior to the 2018 elections.
The MDC is appealling to all people’s party leaders and members who have any issues of concern to use the appropriate internal channels and structures.
MDC@20: Celebrating Courage, Growth and the People’s Victories
Marange villagers have declared that they fully support the US govt decision to block diamonds from Zimbabwe. The villagers say government must first sort out issues of human rights abuses in the diamond mines and furthermore set out a clear agenda on how funds from the diamonds will be channelled back into the community.
Zimbabwe former first lady wife Grace Mugabe attends the Zanu-PF youth interface Rally in Bulawayo on November 4, 2017. PHOTO | ZINYANGE AUNTONY | AFP
The gloves are off.
Grace Mugabe—once an eccentric and untouchable figure in Zimbabwean politics—is at loggerheads with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government and the ruling Zanu-PF party over the family’s properties.
Government officials recently invited “miners, potential mines and approved prospectors to show interest” in mining activities on the four farms owned by the late Robert Mugabe’s family and believed to have rich gold deposits.
The farms, located west of Harare, have a dairy products factory, a private school and an orphanage, which were all started by Mrs Mugabe.
The farms are part of real estate worth millions of dollars she acquired during the violent takeovers of white-owned farms at the height of government land reforms in the past decade.
The government’s actions are seen as revenge against Mugabe’s widow over long-standing bad blood between herself and insiders in the ruling party Zanu-PF, and more recently the public tussle between her family and the government over Mugabe’s burial.
Former first lady Grace Mugabe looks on as she walks behind Robert Mugabe coffin during the burial of the former Zimbabwe leader at his home village in Kutama, on September 28, 2019. PHOTO | JEKESAI NJIKIZANA | NMG
The family had initially agreed to a government request to bury him at a hero’s square in Harare reserved for leaders of Zimbabwe’s 1980s liberation struggle.
The agreement was only reached after President Mnangagwa agreed to build a $1 million hilltop mausoleum that would set him apart from his colleagues.
However, at the last minute Grace decided to have Mugabe buried in his rural home. The slight was taken as a blow by the government and party functionaries who have never hidden their disdain for her alleged role in alienating the former president from fellow war veterans and national leaders.
Grace had been accused by the military in 2017 of hounding out her husband’s successor and other veterans of the liberation struggle, just before the palace coup that brought President Mnangagwa to power.
The government’s recent move is therefore seen as hitting back at the former first lady.
Even before the former president was buried, at the height of the tussle over burial arrangements, it is alleged that President Mnangagwa’s emissaries threatened to seize a house he had gifted Mugabe’s daughter.
The house in Mt Pleasant had been built for Mugabe by Zanu-PF and the party still holds the title. However, President Mnangagwa has publicly said that the party was in the process of handing over title deeds to the house and the family’s Blue Roof mansion in Harare’s Borrowdale district built by government funds.
The late president Robert Mugabe, left, and his wife Grace Mugabe, at the country’s 37th Independence Day celebrations on April 18, 2017. Grace was an eccentric and untouchable figure in Zimbabwean politics, as long as Mugabe was president. PHOTO | JEKESAI NJIKIZANA | AFP
Settle old scores
Alex Magaisa, a Zimbabwean academic based at the University of Kent in the United Kingdom, says that the new administration was likely to go after Mrs Mugabe to settle old scores.
The former first lady was linked to a faction in the ruling party that briefly forced President Mnangagwa into exile in South Africa before he returned a couple of days later to seize power in the palace coup.
Grace has remained virtually untouched since President Mnangagwa took power, yet those in the faction that backed her in the battle against the then vice president have since been forced into exile or have been arrested.
“Former president Mugabe was her shield,” Dr Magaisa added.
“They could never have publicly humiliated former president Mugabe during his lifetime for fear of upsetting neighbouring governments whose support the regime needs. President Mnangagwa knew that Mugabe still commanded a great deal of respect across Africa. They would have regarded any action against him as humiliating and disagreeable,” he said.
“After all, they had supported President Mnangagwa when he usurped power and in return, he was expected to treat the old warrior with dignity. Likewise, going after his wife would have been regarded as an indirect assault on the former president.”
Dr Magaisa said the relationship between the former first lady and President Mnangagwa was likely going to be strained.
“Life after Mugabe will be precarious and uncertain for Grace and her family,” he added.
“Grace’s allies know their future lies in a post-Mnangagwa era but there is far too much animosity for there to be any trust between them.”
In June, President Mnangagwa said the former first lady “has about 16 farms yet the law says one family one farm.”
He alluded that the farms would be repossessed once the government completed an audit to identify senior officials who allocated themselves more than one farm during Zimbabwe’s controversial land reforms programme.
The Mugabe family spokesperson Leo Mugabe said they had been assured that their properties would not be seized.
“The issue of properties is being handled by the president,” he told state controlled media. “He is handling the issue to ensure that the family is safe.”
Own Correspondent|MDC National Executive Member, Lillian Timveous has shared with ZimEye.com that President Emmerson Mnangagwa is misleading the nation that fuel shortages hitting the country are caused by sanctions.
In a post on ZimEye.com Facebook page, Timevous shared as follows:
“The President is daily blaming sanctions for everything including fuel shortages.
“But here is the truth about the fuel cartels run by his close business associates and companies linked to himself.”
By Tendai Biti
ZIMBABWE’S fuel is being sourced exclusively through Trafigura, the Singapore-based commodity brokerage firm with ties to Sakunda Holdings.
In the past, Zimbabwe through NOCZIM purchased its fuel directly from oil producing countries such Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Kuwait, though, was the main source.
In recent years, NOCZIM or NOIC as it is now known, has lost its pivotal procurement role to middlemen, particularly Sakunda boss Kudakwashe Tagwireyi and his partners from Singapore.
Trafigura is of course imposing serious fees and commissions on this. So, Zimbabwe’s fuel is expensive because of cartels, not the so-called sanctions.
Then you have the fuel pipeline from Beira, which nominally is leased to Glencore but in reality another cartel directly linked to very senior people in the Zanu PF hierarchy controls it.
A few months ago, Zimbabwe rejected an offer by a South African company to construct an alternative pipeline from Beira.
Then you have the fuel retail sector which essentially is monopolized by two key players, ZUVA and PUMA. The shareholding of these two companies is fascinating.
The pipeline cartel controls ZUVA, and PUMA Zimbabwe is a marriage between Tagwireyi’s Sakunda fuel outlets and Trafigura’s global fuel retailing franchise PUMA (no relation of course to the German sportswear manufacturer using the same name).
Enter Billy Rautenbach and his Green Fuel into the mix.
Zimbabwe is the only country in the world that has both demand side and supply side monopoly on blended fuel.
By operation of a dubious 2013 Statutory Instrument which was challenged in court in 2014 (the Constitutional Court is still to hand down judgment), ethanol can only be purchased from a company that is in a joint venture agreement with the government. That in fact is a euphemism for Rautenbach.
Then, contrary to the position in most countries, consumption of blended fuel is also compulsory. Rautenbach charges around US$1.20 per litre for his product, yet one can import from Brazil a litre of ethanol for US$0.50 Free On Board.
Once again the sanction issue is just a ruse. An instrument of deflection, diversion and deception.
Evidence received before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee is that fuel importers, a euphemism for Tagwireyi and his lot, are receiving heavy subsidies from the RBZ.
Whilst every importer is purchasing US$ from the central bank at the interbank rate (truth is there is no interbank market and everyone is operating from 4th Street), fuel companies are being offered US$ at premium rates way below the interbank or street rate. That preferential rate has been ranging between 1:8 and 1:13.
The sad thing is that the fuel subsidy to Tagwireyi and his lot can easily ensure that Zimbabwe purchases the 400 MW required to eliminate the primitive 18-hour load shedding.
The suggestion that the authorities should simply dollarise all fuel transactions in Zimbabwe to eliminate arbitrage and rent behaviour has flatly been rejected. This is for the simple and good reason that if the market were to operate normally, the cartels would collapse.
The truth, however, is that with dollarisation there will be both price and supply stability. So with great respect, the sanctions argument cannot and does not sell or sail.
Tendi Biti is the MDC vice president and MP for Harare East
Veteran radio personality Xolani Gwala has died at the age of 44 after succumbing to a lengthy battle with cancer.
The family confirmed the news on Friday on 702.
In September 2017, Xolani confirmed that he had been diagnosed with colon cancer during an interview on 702.
Chatting to Stephen Grootes at the time, Xolani said that the cancer was “quite advanced”.
“After thorough investigations, they found that I have colon cancer which was advanced. Quite advanced.”
The presenter admitted that the diagnosis was sudden and unexpected, saying that he was gearing up for a fight. “It’s going to be a very difficult fight, and a long fight. But I am ready for a fight.”
After being off air for a few months, the popular personality managed to combat the disease, returning to the airwaves in August of 2018, and during an on-air interview with Azania Mosaka, said he was doing “very, very good.”
Originating from the small town of Impendle outside of Pietermaritzburg, Xolani had more than two decades of experience in broadcasting. His experience in the industry includes working as a reporter, news anchor, producer, talk show host and current affairs presenter and spans across radio and television.
By A Correspondent| An Indian family members and a Zimbabwean have appeared before a Harare Magistrate on charges of defrauding a British national his £67 400 in a scam involving their travel agent.
It is the state’s case that the 4, Musa Ahmed Yousaf (83), former director of Carefree Travel, Musa Akil Yousaf (51), Yousaf Aisha Musa (80), former managing director of Carefree Travel, as well as Rutendo Berejena (44) in September 2017 made the complaint Mohammed Ahmed. to believe that their Travel agent, needed capital in order to finance a facility which they claimed to have with Emirates Airlines.
The facility they told Ahmed would enable them to sell tickets to their customers at a discount, Ahmed injected his £67 400 into their travel agency and lost all his money and never recovered anything.
By Farai D Hove| Zanu-PF’s secretary for Youth, Lewis Matutu, was last night arrested while trying to force his way into a Zvishavane night club where Selmor Mtukudzi was playing.
The incident saw Matutu allegedly assaulting a police officer while announcing that he is a politburo member who must be given free access into the night club.
Contacted for a comment, Matutu responded briefly saying “I am under attack.”
Without denying outrightly, he then said he was on Saturday morning in Masvingo, an hour’s drive from Zvishavane.
“I’m actually in Masvingo for my MBA graduation,” he said.
Writing Friday night, Daily News editor Stanley Gama said Matutu was arrested, after assaulting a police officer. I’m told he wanted to force his way into a night spot without paying where Selmor Mtukudzi is playing right now. He was arrested just before midnight.
A source said Matutu, displaying thuggish behavior demanded to enter the show without paying saying as a politburo member, he could do whatever he wanted. But the police would have none of it and barred him from entering and in a fit of rage, assaulted the officer.
Matutu is being held at a Zvishavane police station. The behavior he displayed is common among Zanu PF officials throughout the country who are in the habit of threatening pple demanding free services and goods. A few days ago, Matutu threatened to storm the US embassy.
The latest information on him is that he was released into the custody of Zvishavane lawyer Tichaona Chivasa in the early hours of this morning. He was released purportedly to seek medical attention as the cuffs had reportedly lacerated him.
According to infor at hand, Matutu’s lawyer negotiated with police for his release saying besides seeking medical attention, the foul mouthed seeking Zanu PF youth leader wanted to attend an important event in Masvingo this morning. The lawyer profusely apologized to Dispol.
Gama concluded saying, “it’s not clear yet if Matutu was charged or not but the cop who was assaulted and others who witnessed the violence had reportedly completed their statements nailing the bullying youth leader. Whether this is the end of the case or not, Matutu, lawyer & the cops know.”
So after threatening to storm @usembassyharare last week @MatutuLewis was arrested last night as he attempted to storm into a Zvishavane nightclub without paying. Hanzi ndiri politburo member ?
If he can't even storm into a mere nightclub what more of a whole embassy? ? ? ?
ZAKA – The controversial Zion Christian Church (ZCC) leader Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi has busted MDC leader Nelson Chamisa’s presidential bubble saying the young politician is a puppet of the West who are using him as a front to recolonize the country, while ordaining President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the rightful king send by God.
Speaking during the Chief Nhema senatorship festival recently, Mutendi said there is a difference between a king and a rightful king saying the latter comes from God.
Mutendi, whom many questioned whether his message was coming from the spiritual realm or his head, said that Chamisa still has a long road to travel to be the rightful king for the country as he lacks the merits of a true leader.
“The whites are still bitter that we took our country from them. They have for long tried to make their way back into the country but have failed so they have now devised a new strategy to retake our country using a puppet Chamisa.
“Do not be fooled with the opposition because they are being used by the whites who have a hidden agenda. They know they will not be able to have their way in this country with Zanu PF in power which is why they have chosen Chamisa.
“This is why we have sanctions and all these problems which are being caused by Chamisa. Do not blame the government because it is trying to better the lives of its people though it will not happen overnight,” said Mutendi.
Mutendi said the people of Zimbabwe have faith in the ruling Zanu PF party and have shut out Chamisa because they know he is not right for the country.
“The people of Zimbabwe know that MDC is a project of the West which is why they fail to win elections. The people do not want Chamisa to rule the country because they know the whites will come back and occupy our land.
“For person to be a right king, he should learn first the history of the country and appreciate it from those in power. Chamisa does not know the history of this country and cannot be the right king,” said Mutendi.
Mutendi said the reason why the opposition has failed to take over power from Zanu PF is because no man can fight what God has chosen and be successful.
Own Correspondent|Government has for ages denied the fact that soldiers and other state security agents deployed in the Marange Diamond Fields are looting the precious gem.
In an exclusive interview with ZimEye.com in Marange on Friday, highly placed authorities within the diamond mining sector confirmed that the soldiers and state security agents are working in cohorts with some illegal diamond miners known as Magweja to loot the diamonds for personal benefits.
Zimbabwe Diamonds and Aligned Workers Union leader Ms Billian Matambo told ZimEye.com that the soldiers engage the illegal miners into the fields to mine diamonds and thereafter share the loot.
Watch the full interview with Mr Matambo in the video downloading below:
By A Correspondent| A Media defence lawyer Chris Mhike has drawn parallels between ED and Mugabe when it comes to harassing journalists and has said the 2 dispensations are the same in reference to the harassment of journalists.
Mr Mhike was speaking on the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists yesterday in Harare when he said:
We also want to take note of the fact that the statistics of violence against the media leave a lot to be desired. There have been too many arrest of journalists and assaults. We have seen journalist also being threatened by all sorts of players, not just government.
As a legal defence attorney, I have been extremely busy, particularly in the period 2018-2019. The incidents of harassment of journalists have been rising phenomenally and we are constantly referring to the second republic doing things differently.
We will not be able to achieve that dream to differentiate the second republic from the first republic, with the recent statistics that we have been hearing in the past months or in the past two years in particular.Mr Mhike’s remarks are coming a few days after the police harassed a female journalist in Harare and she had to seek medical attention.
Own Correspondent|Villagers in Marange communal lands have warned government that they will soon lose patience over unresolved issues of concern in the diamond mining fields within their area.
Speaking to ZimEye.com in an exclusive interview on Friday in Marange, community leader Moses Makwada said that villagers are giving government up to March next year to attend to several issues that have been presented over the years but never attended to.
Ezra Tshisa Sibanda|Disgraceful, shameful & cruel Minister of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Sithembiso Nyoni has caused resentment & anger lying that his ministry has failed to employ Ndebele people in rural Matebeleland as Ward Coordinators because they dont have O levels.
What an insult to the people of Matabeleland from this old goat, a crazy heartless and insensitive woman.
The horrible speech to Mps attending Pre-Budget seminar in Victoria Falls and read on her behalf by Acting Minister of Women’s affairs, Hon Joram Gumbo, the out of touch, clueless & irresponsible minister exposed her naivety and stupidity of the highest order. It answers why people from Matabeleland are denied jobs and opportunities because of people like her.
This was said by a lazy Minister that has never attended any government seminars or parliamentary questions and every time when there is a pre-budget seminar she travels away, obviously too dumb to answer any questions on how her ministry spends its allocated budget.
This is the most useless ministry run by one of the worst ministers which delivers nothing for the people of Zimbabwe. Decades of Sithembiso Nyoni running the same ministry but Zimbabweans yet to see any tangible projects. She is simple one of the biggest flops and useless ministers ever seen in Zimbabwe and God knows why she is still in that position.
You wonder which small business is her ministry supporting? Which women or women’s groups have been empowered or benefited from her ministry? What has she done for Girl Child? Lets say her stupid claims are true, what has she done to help Matabeleland kids go to school or get scholarships in 25 years in Government? Her disgusting statement is embarrassing and l am happy both sides of the isle angrily condemned her stinking speech. MDC and Zanu PF Mps were really aggrieved by her reckless statement and lies.
I am willing to give her over a 1000 jobless people from each province with 5 or more O levels in 15 minutes if she wants.
With the exit of Mugabe, whose administration had been associated with recycling ‘deadwood,’ corruption, dictatorship, many forms of injustice and inequalities, most Zimbabweans expected new blood and ‘fire’ in the new administrations but sadly deadwood like Sithembiso Nyoni who is nearly 70 years old are hanging up there with nothing to offer the country.
Zimbabweans also expected ministers chosen on merit and from across the board, a more representative cabinet and a government moving away from the heavy-handedness, divisive, corruption, discrimination, tribalism, nepotism associated with Mugabe’s administration. Sithembiso Nyoni should be forced to resign for misleading the parliamentarians, the people & the country!
Paul Nyathi|Former Botswana President Ian Khama has shunned the second inauguration of his successor Mokgweetsi Masisi.
Masisi took his second oath as the fifth president of Botswana on Friday morning, flanked by his wife Neo.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa attended the inauguration in the capital Gaborone which was also attended by former President Festus Mogae.
Mnangagwa, who chairs the Sadc Organ for Politics, Defence and Security, was joined by his Mozambican and Zambian Counterparts Presidents Filipe Nyusi and Edgar Lungu to witness President Masisi taking the oath of office before Chief Justice Terrence Rannowane inside a packed auditorium.
South Africa was represented by Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu.
The Botswana Democratic Party won 38 of the 57 constituencies, giving it another mandate to govern.
Masisi will lead the country for five more years.
“…and diligently discharge my duty and perform my functions in the high office as president of the Republic of Botswana.”
And he’s wasted no time with his promise to transform the economy.
“As trade is the lifeblood of all nations and the global economy, the diversification of our economic base is imperative.”
Unsurprisingly, Khama – who last week announced he had voted for the Botswana Patriotic Front – did not attend Friday’s proceedings.
This was the first time in the history of Botswana that a living former president did not attend an inauguration.
Khama, the BPF and main opposition UDC alleged grand rigging of the election.
They have 30 days from the final announcement last week to contest the outcome.
