Watch video below. ..

By Simba Chikanza | The former local government minister, Saviour Kasukuwere has won his court case in which the Prosecutor General had appealed against his High Court win 2 months ago.

The victory at the Supreme Court means the former ZANU PF National Commissar is now a free man in the case in which he was being charged for abuse of office. Below was the comment by his lawyer Adv Harrison Nkomo:

https://www.facebook.com/ZimEye/574978283305547/

Please be advised that the Midlands State University 2019 second graduation ceremony will be held on Friday, the 22nd of November 2019 at the Main Campus, Multi-Purpose Hall, in Gweru.

Graduands should note the following:
Graduands and Guests are required to be seated by 0800 hours.

Outstanding Fees:

Please note that only graduands whose fees are paid in full will be allowed to attend the ceremony. The deadline for payment is the 19th of November 2019.

Graduation Fee (Excluding academic regalia) is RTGS $490 for both Undergraduate and Masters graduands. Payment can be made through the following modes:

Swipe or cash at MSU Cash Offices at all the campuses or RTGS using: CBZ Bank 01820772520046, ZB Bank 4575 486039 200 quoting transaction code 102.

Please ensure that you pay in time for the money to reflect in the University accounts before or on the 21st of November 2019.

Alternatively, visit your e-learning account for instant online payments using ecocash or visit www.msu.ac.zw/ecocash.

Academic Regalia:

Graduands can purchase the approved MSU academic regalia from the following manufacturers:

Academic Regalia Pvt Ltd 74 L Takawira Between Banks and R Mugabe Harare | 25 Bahudur Centre Opposite Midlands Hotel Gweru | 0772806698

Mutare Garments No. 5 Industrial Rd Heavy Industrial Site Mutare | 36 Century House Ground Floor Cnr N Mandela and J Nyerere Harare | 0773753250

Zoe Manufacturers 12th ave Between 5th Street and G Silundika Bulawayo | 0777994492

Mes Clothing Shop No 51 Main Street Gweru 0772849578

SODEW Investments No. 3 Trafford Rd Heavy Industrial Site Gweru | 0779195619

NB: Graduands are required to present themselves in the recommended academic regalia. The University reserves the right to bar graduands who do not have the approved academic regalia from the graduation arena.

Please note that academic regalia will not be sold at any of our campuses.

Graduands are advised to wear dark colours

Invitation cards will be available for collection on a date to be advised.

Please note, graduands are required to produce their MSU student IDs as well as their national IDs on collection of invitation cards. Please note that invitation cards will not be issued on graduation day.

Rehearsals will be held on Thursday, the 21st of November 2019 at 1400 hours at the Gweru Main Campus.

It is mandatory for all graduands to attend the rehearsals in order to participate in the ceremony.

Food: Please note: No cooked food will be served to graduands and their guests.

MSU Security Checkpoint: All graduands and their guests will pass through an MSU Security check point where their invitation cards will be verified.

Only two persons per graduand holding invitation cards will be allowed into the Graduation Arena and ONLY these TWO will be entitled to seats.

Temporary Road Closure: Please be advised that the Town–Senga/MSU route will be closed at the Senga turn- off traffic circle after 0900 hours and thereafter all guests and graduands will have to use the Fletcher – MSU route.

For more information, please contact the Information and Public Relations Office on +263 054- 2260568/ 2260632/2260596/ 2260416/2260404 Exts 2111/ 2415 or directly on +263 054-2260359.

Alternatively, students can log on to the website: www.msu.ac.zw or visit our official Facebook page, Midlands State University

Video loading below……

By Simba Chikanza | Former local government minister, Saviour Kasukuwere has won his court case in which the Prosecutor General had appealed against his High Court win 2 months ago.

The victory at the Supreme Court means the former ZANU PF National Commissar is now a free man in the case in which he was being charged for abuse of office.

watch the video loading below…

https://twitter.com/nickmangwana/status/1189472829454082048?s=19

By A Correspondent| In an interview with journalists at the National Sports Stadium recently on the sidelines of the anti sanctions march, Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said government was doing its best to support civil servants.

Said Ncube:

“We are going to have another adjustment as I speak, then we are going to pay the bonus in November. So we are doing our best in gradually supporting civil servants.”

It could not be immediately established when the latest increment will come into effect.

The lowest paid civil servant presently earns $1 023, which their representatives say has since been overtaken by inflation resulting in some allegedly having challenges reporting for duty.

Once the salary adjustment comes into force, it will be the third this year alone after reviews in April and July.

-StateMedia

Jonathan Moyo, once considered one of the fiercest government critics, says he never considered himself a government critic but was more of a critical academic.

“I never at that time styled myself as a government critic or an opposition politician. Being a government critic cannot be a career,” he told Alex Magaisa in an interview.

“I was an academic doing research and teaching undergraduate and graduate courses on electoral politics, state politics and public policy in Zimbabwe and in developing countries.

“Prior to that when I was a student in California, I had been an active member of ZANU-PF and had served as the party’s political commissar in Los Angeles. I had also worked at the party’s offices in New York.

“If you revisit my record as a lecturer at UZ, you will find that I was not just a government critic, as you put, but I was public analyst critical of various public institutions including the ruling party, government as well as other public players including opposition parties, civil society, churches and international organisations.

“I was critical of ZANU-PF as I was of PF-ZAPU joining ZANU-PF and I was brutally critical of ZUM and Edgar Tekere as I was complimentary of ZUM’s challenge to the one-party state in 1990.

“The same is true of my criticism of Enoch Dumbutshena’s Forum party, despite the excellent personal relationship I had with Dumbutshena whom I immensely respected.

“I was not a member of any political party and I did not want to be associated with any. I did not then nor would I now, as I look back, consider myself a government critic. No. I considered myself a critical academic. Full stop.”

 BSR: There is a widespread belief that it was a bloodless coup. However, you have challenged this claim. There have been whispers that it was indeed bloody, but no one has been forthcoming with specific details. What more can you tell us about the casualties of the coup? Is it true that there were fatalities?

ANSWER: Yes, there were fatalities. I intend to detail these in my two books. What I can say for now is that, President Mugabe was told of fatalities by security organs the day he officiated his last state university graduation ceremony as Chancellor at Zimbabwe Open University during the coup on 17 November 2018. Otherwise, yes, there were fatalities and the truth will soon or later come out as it always does. Otherwise, it is not surprising that this information remains suppressed. People who to this day are suppressing the information on Gukurahundi fatalities cannot tell the truth about coup fatalities. There were fatalities on 1 August 2018 and shameless efforts were done to hide those fatalities by getting spineless medical doctors to try and falsify the cause of death from gun wounds to something else. But in the end the truth prevailed.

BSR: What do you think about the role of the regional and international community during the coup? Why didn’t anyone from the region or internationally intervene to back Mugabe when it was clear that he was being forced out by the military? Is there any truth in the claim that some regional leaders were unimpressed and would have intervened?

ANSWER: I am not sure what is meant by the assertion that no one backed President Mugabe. There were opportunities for President Mugabe to get support. Some were squandered, and others became too little, too late. I know for a fact that initially there are some leaders who offered to help as soon as the news of the coup broke out, but President Mugabe was not keen to consider that. In fact, as I indicated earlier, President Mugabe believed that the situation would be resolved internally.  He was committed to that. The fact that this message of an internal resolution was conveyed, through SADC emissaries when they were in Harare on 17 November 2017 slowed things down.

Some countries, certainly within SADC, guaranteed President Mugabe’s security by letting the coup makers know, in no uncertain terms, that any harm on the President or his residence would attract a swift and stern response. Some elements among coup makers wanted to invade Blue Roof, especially on 18 November 2017 but the coup commanders new only too well that such an action would have triggered a reversal of the coup.That is why the coup announcer declared in his coup broadcast that President Mugabe was safe. So, the theory that President Mugabe was isolated is not altogether correct.

Otherwise, even going by the public record, it’s clear that Britain and China supported the coup. The immediate past British Ambassador was a coup busybody. I would not be surprised to learn that her CV now lists “toppling Mugabe who appeared invincible” as her most outstanding diplomatic feat in her career. In any event, it’s a fact that the anti-Mugabe sentiment was strong in and outside the country and the coup makers took maximum advantage of that.

BSR: You have had a fascinating and controversial political career. Before joining government, and wearing your academic hat, you were a well-known and much-admired critic of the government upon whom many people relied. These people felt betrayed when you became a vociferous defender of the Mugabe regime. Do you, when you reflect upon it now that you are outside government once again, understand why people felt this way? What would you say to them?

ANSWER: You are referring to the period when I was at the University of Zimbabwe, between 1988 and 1993. I never at that time styled myself as a government critic or an opposition politician. Being a government critic cannot be a career. I was an academic doing research and teaching undergraduate and graduate courses on electoral politics, state politics and public policy in Zimbabwe and in developing countries. Prior to that when I was a student in California, I had been an active member of Zanu PF and had served as the party’s political commissar in Los Angeles. I had also worked at the party’s offices in New York. If you revisit my record as a lecturer at UZ, you will find that I was not just a government critic, as you put, but I was public analyst critical of various public institutions including the ruling party, government as well as other public players including opposition parties, civil society, churches and international organisations.

I was critical of Zanu PF as I was of PF Zapu joining Zanu PF and I was brutally critical of Zum and Edgar Tekere as I was complimentary of Zum’s challenge to the one-party state in 1990. The same is true of my criticism of Enoch Dumbutshena’s Forum party, despite the excellent personal relationship I had with Dumbutshena whom I immensely respected. I was not a member of any political party and I did not want to be associated with any. I did not then nor would I now, as I look back, consider myself a government critic. No. I considered myself a critical academic. Full stop. I was a full time academic and I did not then dabble in partisan politics. I cherished academic freedom and distinguished it from political or civil freedoms that all human beings are entitled to regardless of their station in life. Not all human beings are entitled to academic freedom because not all of them are academics.

If as you say, as politicians or activists, people relied on my academic work in my UZ days between 1988 and 1993, that’s good news to hear but it cannot be my responsibility as to what they did with my academic work in the pursuit of their politics.My academic work was not communal or associational, it was my work as an academic and I am very proud of that work even today. That is why I have never withdrawn any of it or apologised for it. Ahead of the coup, Chiwenga publicly and shockingly cited things I wrote in my preface to my book, “The Politics of Administration in Africa” published in 1992 as evidence of my alleged treason in 2017.

Anyhow, the notion that academics should be for this or that political party as academics is repugnant and unacceptable to me. An academic cannot research or teach well, using a party manifesto. While political affiliation is like faith, in that it dictates regardless of facts, academic pursuit is not like that. Academic theories follow practice, they follow facts. And facts are stubborn.

When I joined the Constitutional Commission in 1999 and became its spokesperson, some people, I guess including those you say felt betrayed by my political choices, threw brickbats at me wanting me to boycott the Commission only and only because they were boycotting it for their own political reasons which had nothing to do with me. That offended me. I joined the Commission as an academic with practical experience in African countries that had gone through instructive constitution-making experiences. I had relevant experience which I was ready, willing and happy to offer.The draft constitution produced by the Commission was very progressive. If it had been adopted in 2000, Zimbabwe would have averted some of the calamities that have visited the nation since then. But I of course respect the fact that the people rejected that draft in a referendum.I have no regrets whatsoever about that.

And when I joined Zanu PF, a party that I had been associated with as a student, I did not do so as an academic. I did so as a human being, of course also as a Zimbabwean citizen exercising my human rights as an individual. I was making a personal decision, not a group decision. It cannot be right that you say people felt betrayed by my decision to exercise my individual rights. Freedom of association is a fundamental, inalienable and therefore natural,  right that each and everyone of us is born with and thus entitled to enjoy. Significantly, freedom of association is enshrined in our Constitution. There would be no point in having this right so enshrined if its exercise requires that I consult you or anyone else to get your permission as to how I should exercise or enjoy it. For me this is fundamental. I don’t owe anyone any explanation about the exercise of my God given human rights that are constitutionally enshrined. I deal with this question extensively in my forthcoming autobiography.

Former vice president Joice Mujuru said that people should listen to her as she has vast experience in politics despite some considering her foolish.

Speaking to the Daily News on Monday, the widow of General Solomon Mujuru revealed that she was ready to meet President Emmerson Mnangagwa to deliberate on issues affecting the country. She said:

No matter how daft I might look in the eyes of some people, I know something about this country. You cannot throw away 34 years of experience just like that.

People should learn to listen to me and also to listen to other voices. It is important for me to meet and share ideas with the president because there is nothing wrong with seeing our leaders.

Mai Mujuru, as she is affectionately called, has been in the political wilderness since she was hounded out of the ruling ZANU PF party on April 2, 2015.

Her expulsion followed a period of sustained decampaigning by the then first lady Grace Mugabe, who was alleged to have been eyeing Mai Mujuru’s position in both the party and the government.

• Daily News

PUBLIC examinations in Zimbabwe have been thrown into disarray as teachers, who also act as invigilators, have resolved to report for duty two days a week.

Progressive Teacher’s union president Dr Takavafira Zhou told ZTN that teachers can no longer afford bus fare and will only report for duty on Mondays and Fridays.

“Teachers are incapacitated and can only report for work twice a week. We don’t invigilate when we are not teaching,” he said.

Dr Zhou said efforts to engage the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council have been futile.

“Zimsec are arrogant,” he said.

“We have engaged them to pay invigilators and they refused. The trend in the region is that invigilators are paid and we don’t know why our invigilators are not being paid”.

Zimsec spokesperson Nicky Dhlamini declined to comment.

Meanwhile, the affected schools have resorted to hiring invigilators to oversee examinations which began this month.

ZTN

NewsDay|The World Food Programme (WFP) has said it will give assistance to the country’s urban poor and food insecure households under its cash transfer programme to alleviate hunger.

This comes as the latest food situation assessment in urban areas observed that an estimated 2,2 million urbanites — haunted by poverty, unemployment and the spiralling costs of basic commodities — are food insecure just like the rural folk.

WFP country director Eddie Rowe said currently the cash transfer programme was having a dry run in Epworth where they are piloting it with 20 000 people.

“According to the urban assessment of food situation three weeks ago, an additional 2,2 million people are food insecure. It is coincidental that of the 2 million that we plan to assist, the US has provided us with resources to cover one million from now to April. Had it not been for the resources, we would be struggling. We would not have had the resources, we expect to be able to support the most vulnerable and chronic food insecure households across the country,” Rowe said.

“So yes, we are looking at providing the cash benefit in towns. Mobile money transfers are easy in urban areas and also the goods are available than in rural areas. What we will be careful about is the price fluctuations. We prefer cash transfer in urban areas.”

He said they are targeting to reach 200 000 urbanites by January next year.

“We will be doing the cash transfer program for the urban poor. Currently, we are carrying a pilot programme in Epworth for 20 000 people where each is getting US$13. We plan to reach 200 000 residents in eight urban areas by January next year,” he said.

Rowe said the government’s ban on the use of the United States dollars and disbanding the multi-currency regime had taken a toll on the WFP’s cash transfer programme.

“We are very much affected (by the ban on the use of the US dollars). In fact, one of the obvious impacts was our ability to continue with the cash transfer programme,” he said.

“In the interest of the beneficiaries to ensure that we maintain the same ration, we made the decision to switch to in-kind (giving them foodstuffs) because even if we give them cash, they could not get the same amount of goods they would get if given foodstuffs.”

The Meteorological Services Department (MSD) said that some parts of the country should expect isolated thunders showers in the afternoon and evening this Wednesday.

MSD head of forecasting, Tichaona Zinyemba, said that Mat South, Bulawayo, Midlands, Manicaland and Masvingo provinces should expect scattered rainfall activity. He said:

It is expected to be hot with chances of scattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms in Matabeleland South, Bulawayo Metropolitan, Midlands, Manicaland and Masvingo tomorrow (today).

High temperatures are expected in the Mashonaland provinces. The MSD advised members of the public to wear loose-fitting and light-coloured clothing as well to take lots of fluids to stay hydrated and stay out of the sun while it is at its hottest.

By Own Correspondent|LEAD party founder, Linda Masarira has admitted she is truly in possession of her husband, Gilbert Kaingidza’s passport, drivers license, and bank cards.

Speaking to ZimEye.com Wednesday evening, Masarira said she did not at all seize the man’s cards and passport, alleging that Kaingidza left them in their house on his own. Communication correspondence in ZimEye’s possession shows that she has been refusing to hand the identity particulars for some days.

She however said she will nevertheless hand them to Avondale Police station tomorrow morning.

The development comes after her husband announced that he has fled from her skipping the border into South Africa in fear of his life. He spoke in a wide-ranging interview saying that she wants to get him killed. That is when he also alleged that she has seized his passport, driver’s licence and bank cards.

Meanwhile below were the LIVE interview interactions:

Popular singer Jah Prayzah fears political affiliation will ruin his musical career, says a source at the Information ministry. This follows reports that the talented musician snubbed a ZWL $50 000 offer to perform at the anti-sanctions gala that was held at the National Sports Stadium last week, citing that the event would ‘kill’ his brand.

Sources at the Ministry of Information said frantic efforts by the organisers to get the musician were fruitless.

“He (Jah Prayzah) was offered ZWL$50 000 to perform but he turned it down. The organisers then begged him to name the amount he wanted, but he said he did not feel comfortable performing at the gala citing an incident when he was attacked at Glen Forest cemetery,” said the source.

The Kune Rima hitmaker’s songs in his 2017 album “Kutonga Kwaro” became synonymous with the 2017 military coup that ousted president Robert Mugabe and led to the ascendence of his predecessor President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Consequently, his music assumed a political connotation.

The musician who is the cultural ambassador of the Zimbabwe National Army seems to have started rebranding earlier this year, even dumping his signature military costume, after the military’s image was soiled following a brutal crackdown in January which led to the death of at least 17 people.

Source – iHarare

All Africa.com|A losing candidate in a 2018 Bulawayo council election has turned his home into a drug rehabilitation centre in attempts to help local youth addicts deal with substance abuse.

Thulani Chauke lives in Gwabalanda high density suburb and was an election candidate in Ward 16.

He lost to an MDC candidate when he contested under Nkosana Moyo’s Alliance for People’s Agenda (APA).

Chauke has put his election loss behind and is now concentrating on helping his community deal with the scourge of drug addiction through his so-christened Hope Mental Trust.

“I formed this trust with only one thing in mind, things are tough nowadays. Things are changing too quick in this world which we are living in.

“There is high unemployment in our country and this leads to some educated but unemployed youths to end up involved in some anti-social behaviour of abusing drugs and alcohol,” Chauke said.

The Hope Mental Trust was formed three years ago.

“I am on a mission to expand this institution because I have come to discover that the drugs which the youth especially teenagers use, are so dangerous that they (youths) end up in hospital or even at Ingutsheni Mental Hospital,” he added.

The youth nowadays use various intoxications like BronCleer cough syrup, marijuana, Amethamine, Diazepam popularly known as mangemba, alcohol, among others.

Chauke pleaded with well-wishers in the corporate world and individuals to help him find a more suitable place for his rehabilitation centre so as to accommodate more drug addicts.

“Currently, I am operating at my house in Gwabalanda, which is not a safe place because they (drug addicts) may get back to those drugs as soon as leaving my place.

“So, I was calling for help to the general public to help in building a proper rehabilitation centre away from Gwabalanda that could even accommodate others who want help, a place where those that are rehabilitating can stay up to the end of their courses,” said Chauke.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Husband alleges saying, that car she got it from the CIO director generals office, and she is on ZANU PF payroll she is getting paid… $5,000…dont be foooled by @lilomatic that she is the LEAD president. That LEAD is meant to buttress ZANU PF. @LynneStactia pic.twitter.com/2klj6ybO9y

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) October 30, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTv_sf0KXvs

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Husband alleges saying, that car she got it from the CIO director generals office, and she is on ZANU PF payroll she is getting paid… $5,000…dont be foooled by @lilomatic that she is the LEAD president. That LEAD is meant to buttress ZANU PF. @LynneStactia pic.twitter.com/2klj6ybO9y

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) October 30, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTv_sf0KXvs

VIDEO LOADING BELOW. ..

VIDEO LOADING BELOW. ..

Farai Dziva|Zanu PF is denying Glen View South residents access to borehole if they do not have party cards.

See below a statement released by Glen View South residents:

Arlet :
GLENVIEW South, Ward 31 a borehole drilled during the recent by-election campaign is being politicised by Zanu PF youths.

Only those with party membership cards are allowed to fetch water There is a Zanu PF youth called Kulombo who is manning the borehole situated between 4th and 5th Crescent and makes sure that only Zanu PF members get water.

Once party members get water he removes the pump handle so that nobody else gets access to the precious liquid.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has said it will give assistance to the country’s urban poor and food insecure households under its cash transfer programme to alleviate hunger.

This comes as the latest food situation assessment in urban areas observed that an estimated 2,2 million urbanites — haunted by poverty, unemployment and the spiralling costs of basic commodities — are food insecure just like the rural folk.

WFP country director Eddie Rowe said currently the cash transfer programme was having a dry run in Epworth where they are piloting it with 20 000 people.

“According to the urban assessment of food situation three weeks ago, an additional 2,2 million people are food insecure. It is coincidental that of the 2 million that we plan to assist, the US has provided us with resources to cover one million from now to April. Had it not been for the resources, we would be struggling. We would not have had the resources, we expect to be able to support the most vulnerable and chronic food insecure households across the country,” Rowe said.

“So yes, we are looking at providing the cash benefit in towns. Mobile money transfers are easy in urban areas and also the goods are available than in rural areas. What we will be careful about is the price fluctuations. We prefer cash transfer in urban areas.”

He said they are targeting to reach 200 000 urbanites by January next year.

“We will be doing the cash transfer program for the urban poor. Currently, we are carrying a pilot programme in Epworth for 20 000 people where each is getting US$13. We plan to reach 200 000 residents in eight urban areas by January next year,” he said.

Rowe said the government’s ban on the use of the United States dollars and disbanding the multi-currency regime had taken a toll on the WFP’s cash transfer programme.

“We are very much affected (by the ban on the use of the US dollars). In fact, one of the obvious impacts was our ability to continue with the cash transfer programme,” he said.

“In the interest of the beneficiaries to ensure that we maintain the same ration, we made the decision to switch to in-kind (giving them foodstuffs) because even if we give them cash, they could not get the same amount of goods they would get if given foodstuffs.”

— NewsDay

Farai Dziva|MDC vice president Lynette Karenyi has slammed Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government for undermining fundamental women’s rights.

See full statement below :
The recent Cabinet resolution to extend the Parliamentary Women’s Quota by 10 years was done in bad faith and must be condemned by all progressive forces in the struggle for women equality in Zimbabwe.

Indeed, why is our country now going backward from the SADC call of 50/50 gender representation in parliament? Added to that; there is the compelling need to respect our own national Constitution through its Section 17 and 56 calls for 50/50 gender representation

Alternatively; in an effort to achieve 50/50 representation, the Women Quota may stay, but on condition that we further reserve more constituencies for women representatives.

Furthermore, it is more essential that going forward, the implementation process of the 50/50 representation principle places more emphasis on promoting the rise of young women leaders.

Further, the current Women Quota only gives 60 parliamentary seats to women out of the total of 210 nationals seats. It is my strong view that this system has actually not helped the issue of promoting gender equality since all political parties no longer give aspiring women candidates the desirable constituencies.

Worse still, other Parliamentary candidates have started to label the women elected through the Parliamentary quota system as ‘Baccosi’.

This is a derogatory slang word used by some citizens when referring to things given for free.

In short, the Women Quota now seems to be disadvantaging women more.

So as a way forward, it is time we resort to the demands of our Constitution and and all fight towards 50/50 gender representation.

The government should now put in place a mechanism that will ensure that by 2023, Zimbabwe will have 50/50 parity in terms of gender representation in our Parliament.

It is common cause that a legislature full of women will help the nation in raising important motions affecting the women who are the majority in Zimbabwe

Indeed, the whole concept about 50/50 gender representation is meant to inspire women to start raising their voices, be it at work, on the streets, Goverment, Local Authorities or Civic Societies.

Women are suffering; women are still being discriminated; women are still being rated as second citizens.Yet we have a government that still wants to be congratulated for simply extending the Women’s Quota by 10 years.

It is my strong view that the Goverment of the day must now come up with a clear process that will totally enable a 50/50 gender representation in our Parliament. Indeed it is time that we as Zimbabwe went beyond mere rhetoric and start to fully resolve the issue of equal representation for women.

The time has now come for all of us to seriously start to work together towards total 50/50 gender representation in all aspects across Zimbabwe. In this regard, the Parliament of Zimbabwe must show true leadership by leading by example.

I further call upon the Zimbabwe Gender Commission to also intensify its leadership role in terms of the initiative to achieve full gender equality in the country.

I also call upon both male and female Parliamentarians to totally reject the recent Cabinet resolution to extend the Women’s Quota by 10 years.

Last but not least, l strongly call upon our Cabinet to start working on mechanisms that will ensure that Zimbabwe totally achieves 50/50 gender representation by 2023.

Lynette Karenyi
MDC Vice-President

A NYANGA family is suffering incessant torment from suspected goblins that have killed more than 10 family members, prompting some members to seek spiritual healing and protection.

Troubled family members last week approached a local prophet who allegedly exposed the culprit behind their torment.

The beleaguered Nzvenga family literally camped at Madzibaba Shepherd Nzira’s shrine in the Hobhouse.

The prophet, who leads the Zvakazarurwa Zvevapostori Church, allegedly retrieved suspected witchcraft paraphernalia comprising of a creepy-like goblin, lance, knobkerrie tied with hyena tail and clay pot filled with blood.

The paraphernalia allegedly belonged to one of the family members (name withheld).

Family members who spoke to The Manica Post after the cleansing rituals in Nyanga confessed being haunted with mysterious deaths among other unexplainable calamities.

“Family members have dying mysteriously until we established that there was witchcraft in the family. We could not figure out who exactly was behind the death of about 10 family members and then engaged Madzibaba Nzira, who exposed the culprit.

“I once confronted him before. I had weird dreams in which he would be trying to stab me. We are happy that Madzibaba Nzira got to the bottom of the mystery and fished out the culprit. He was exposed him. What shocked us most is that inside one of the clay pots was a paper with a list of people that had died mysteriously and earmarked to die. We hope the cleansing rituals will eradicate our problems,” said Mr Francis Nzvenga.

Madzibaba Nzira, who specialises in exorcising evil spirits and settling spiritual battles in families, said more deaths were on the family’s way had they delayed seeking his services.

“People who appeared on a list in the clay pot were bound to die in the near future. I prayed first, and summoned the goblins to expose themselves. The family will not be haunted again,” he said.

—State Media

By A Correspondent- Senior doctors at public hospitals have accused government of committing a silent genocide by refusing to accede to their junior counterparts’ salary demands which has culminated in a two-month-long strike.

In a letter dated October 24 and addressed to Health minister Obadiah Moyo, Senior Hospital Doctors Association (SHDA) said the stand-off was likely to drag on as long as the government continues to persecute junior doctors and cast a blind eye to the current incapacitation at health institutions.

In their letter copied to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the doctors said there was no justification for government to refuse to pay them United States dollar-benchmarked salaries when the cost of most services and goods were pegged in the same currency.

“Goods and services are pegged in US dollars, making our demand reasonable in order to sustain service delivery,” the letter read.

“It is our view that the government is currently committing a silent genocide by casting a blind eye to the current incapacitation in hospitals. May we remind you of the constitutional mandate of the government as spelt out in section 29 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe of 2013.”

The two-month-long strike by members of the Zimbabwe Hospitals Doctors’ Association (ZHDA) has effectively forced hospitals to shut down.

“As doctors, we work as a team, we need junior and middle-level doctors to be able to function. We are against victimisation of our junior colleagues through hearings and threats of suspensions, yet they are finding it difficult to come to work because of poor earnings. Their incapacitation must be resolved,” the letter added.

Government has withheld salaries of all doctors who have been on strike, saying they will not be paid unless they return to work.

“The SHDA finds the withholding of the paltry salaries to be a joke. If there was a salary to talk about, we would have reason to worry. We hope you shall use the withheld cumulative amounts to capacitate hospitals,” SHDA said.

Nurses have been allowed to work flexible hours by coming to work at least two days a week to ensure that they avoid incapacitation, but SHDA said this arrangement was not good for the health delivery system.

“The flexi hours for nurses and other hospital staff system must be abolished with immediate effect as it is detrimental to patient care, causing avoidable morbidity and mortality. No hospital can function and be able to offer services under such arrangements. Senior doctors are not returning to work in flexi-hours system,” the letter read.

-Newsday

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By A Correspondent- The World Food Programme (WFP) has said it will give assistance to the country’s urban poor and food insecure households under its cash transfer programme to alleviate hunger.

This comes as the latest food situation assessment in urban areas observed that an estimated 2,2 million urbanites — haunted by poverty, unemployment and the spiralling costs of basic commodities — are food insecure just like the rural folk.

WFP country director Eddie Rowe said currently the cash transfer programme was having a dry run in Epworth where they are piloting it with 20 000 people.

“According to the urban assessment of food situation three weeks ago, an additional 2,2 million people are food insecure. It is coincidental that of the 2 million that we plan to assist, the US has provided us with resources to cover one million from now to April. Had it not been for the resources, we would be struggling. We would not have had the resources, we expect to be able to support the most vulnerable and chronic food insecure households across the country,” Rowe said.

“So yes, we are looking at providing the cash benefit in towns. Mobile money transfers are easy in urban areas and also the goods are available than in rural areas. What we will be careful about is the price fluctuations. We prefer cash transfer in urban areas.”

He said they are targeting to reach 200 000 urbanites by January next year.

“We will be doing the cash transfer program for the urban poor. Currently, we are carrying a pilot programme in Epworth for 20 000 people where each is getting US$13. We plan to reach 200 000 residents in eight urban areas by January next year,” he said.

Rowe said the government’s ban on the use of the United States dollars and disbanding the multi-currency regime had taken a toll on the WFP’s cash transfer programme.

“We are very much affected (by the ban on the use of the US dollars). In fact, one of the obvious impacts was our ability to continue with the cash transfer programme,” he said.

“In the interest of the beneficiaries to ensure that we maintain the same ration, we made the decision to switch to in-kind (giving them foodstuffs) because even if we give them cash, they could not get the same amount of goods they would get if given foodstuffs.”

— NewsDay

By A Correspondent- A 10 year old girl was buried yesterday while three of her siblings are battling for life at Mpilo Central Hospital after they were burnt following an alleged petrol explosion at their home in Bulawayo’s Gwabalanda suburb.

The mother of the four children, Mrs Lydia Mbadzi, told the state media that she ordered five litres of paraffin from a backyard dealer to make floor polish but was given petrol which caused the fatal explosion.

Mrs Mbadzi was also burnt in the explosion and was hospitalised only to leave Mpilo without being discharged after she heard that her daughter Nokuthaba Mbadzi, a Grade Five pupil at Mazwi Primary had died at the same hospital on Friday.

Mrs Mbadzi’s three other children, all girls aged 19, 17 and four years are in a critical condition at Mpilo following the explosion that occurred last week on Sunday, claiming Nokuthaba’s life.

Nokuthaba was buried yesterday at Luveve Cemetery.

The Chronicle yesterday visited the Mbadzi family home in Gwabalanda.

Mrs Mbadzi in the company of her relatives detailed how the petrol, she thought was paraffin exploded burning her and her four children.

She said she sent her children to buy paraffin which she uses to make floor polish but they were sold petrol.

The petrol triggered an explosion as she started making the polish at around 9PM last week on Sunday.

“It was on Sunday last week, there was no electricity so I decided that I should start making my floor polish. Earlier, in the day I had sent my daughters Nokuthaba and her younger sister who is four years old to buy five litres of paraffin worth $75. They brought it but little did we realise that they had been sold petrol as opposed to paraffin. As I started to make the floor polish, I realised that the flame was too intense, with one of my relatives warning that I should try to put out the fire as it was petrol instead of paraffin,” said Mrs Mbadzi, who had bandages on her right hand.

She said the flames jumped to Nokuthaba who rushed into the house, spreading the fire.

There was an explosion and Mrs Mbadzi and her other children were burnt.

“All of my children sustained serious burns as the whole house caught fire and we were taken to the hospital. Sadly, Nokuthaba passed away on Friday and this forced me to leave the hospital even without being discharged by authorities. But the other children are still at the hospital and in a critical condition. They are in pain, they need medication, they need to dress their wounds, we have tried our best but we still fall short,” she said.

“Each of them needs approximately US$150 every two days to dress their wounds. They each drink approximately 10 litres of water just to remain cool. It’s painful for us, it’s even harder when we visit them and see them in such pain. We can no longer do it on our own. We need help. We are asking for help. May well-wishers and Government chip in and help us, we are in desperate need of assistance to take care of them in hospital.”

Mrs Mbadzi said the children also lost all their property including clothes and blankets in the fire and they would need help in that respect.

She said those who are willing to assist the family can get in touch with her on cell number 0782065024 or visit their home at number 5160 Gwabalanda.

She said one of her daughters has even missed her Form Four public examinations due to the injuries she sustained.

Mrs Mbadzi said what pains her more is that the person who sold them the fuel has not paid them a visit even though he stays nearby.

“It could have been a mistake, we are humans. But he has not even said a word in the spirit of ubuntu. We expected that after the news broke about the disaster, they would have approached as a family but nothing has happened. We are not saying we want payment but in the spirit of ubuntu we expect that by now they should have even sent local leadership to come and explain how we ended up having the highly flammable petrol instead of paraffin as we had ordered,” said Mrs Mbadzi.

Mr Mbadzi was not at home during the time of the interview.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Chief Inspector Precious Simango said investigations are in progress.

-StateMedia

A 10-YEAR-OLD was buried yesterday as three of her siblings were battling for life at Mpilo Central Hospital after they were burnt following an alleged petrol explosion at their home in Bulawayo’s Gwabalanda suburb.

The mother of the four children, Mrs Lydia Mbadzi, told The Chronicle that she ordered five litres of paraffin from a backyard dealer to make floor polish but was given petrol which caused the fatal explosion.

Mrs Mbadzi was also burnt in the explosion and was hospitalised only to leave Mpilo without being discharged after she heard that her daughter Nokuthaba Mbadzi, a Grade Five pupil at Mazwi Primary had died at the same hospital on Friday.

Mrs Mbadzi’s three other children, all girls aged 19, 17 and four years are in a critical condition at Mpilo following the explosion that occurred last week on Sunday, claiming Nokuthaba’s life.

Nokuthaba was buried yesterday at Luveve Cemetery.

The Chronicle yesterday visited the Mbadzi family home in Gwabalanda.

Mrs Mbadzi in the company of her relatives detailed how the petrol, she thought was paraffin exploded burning her and her four children.

She said she sent her children to buy paraffin which she uses to make floor polish but they were sold petrol.

The petrol triggered an explosion as she started making the polish at around 9PM last week on Sunday.

“It was on Sunday last week, there was no electricity so I decided that I should start making my floor polish. Earlier, in the day I had sent my daughters Nokuthaba and her younger sister who is four years old to buy five litres of paraffin worth $75. They brought it but little did we realise that they had been sold petrol as opposed to paraffin. As I started to make the floor polish, I realised that the flame was too intense, with one of my relatives warning that I should try to put out the fire as it was petrol instead of paraffin,” said Mrs Mbadzi, who had bandages on her right hand.

She said the flames jumped to Nokuthaba who rushed into the house, spreading the fire.

There was an explosion and Mrs Mbadzi and her other children were burnt.

“All of my children sustained serious burns as the whole house caught fire and we were taken to the hospital. Sadly, Nokuthaba passed away on Friday and this forced me to leave the hospital even without being discharged by authorities. But the other children are still at the hospital and in a critical condition. They are in pain, they need medication, they need to dress their wounds, we have tried our best but we still fall short,” she said.

“Each of them needs approximately US$150 every two days to dress their wounds. They each drink approximately 10 litres of water just to remain cool. It’s painful for us, it’s even harder when we visit them and see them in such pain. We can no longer do it on our own. We need help. We are asking for help. May well-wishers and Government chip in and help us, we are in desperate need of assistance to take care of them in hospital.”

-State Media

By A Correspondent- A Mbare man was yesterday knocked down by a car at the New Government Complex while trying to escape with a stolen iPhone 7.

The incident occurred at corner Simon Muzenda Street and Central Avenue, attracting the attention of passers-by.

Identified as Tatenda Bhirindewere, the man snatched the cellphone from an unidentified woman’s hand and tried to escape but was hit by an on coming car.

Tatenda was taken by the police but later escaped again when they arrived at New Government Complex and was chased by the mob again.

Efforts to get comments from the victim were fruitless as the woman was still in shock.

Onlookers said Tatenda was not alone as he had other gang members that were prepared to help him steal the cellphone.

“We noticed the boys from afar but did not think that they were going to steal at such an open place but little did we know that he had other plans.

“The woman was on her phone and Tatenda came from behind and snatched the phone from the woman,” said an onlooker only identified as Ben.

Another witness named BaMaka said Tatenda was not beaten by anyone but jumped on to an on coming car trying to escape.

“No one touched Tatenda, people only stopped him from escaping with the lady’s cellphone, the guy wanted an iPhone 7 that the woman had.

“Those blood stains on his shirt are a result of being hit by the car as he tried to escape.”

-StateMedia

HIGH Court judge Justice Edith Mushore has ruled in favour of the once exiled businessman James Makamba in a long-drawn Telecel Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd share ownership battle with a war veterans organisation, Magamba eChimurenga Housing Trust.

In the initial application, Magamba eChimurenga Housing Trust, was claiming 24% shareholding in Empowerment Corporation (Private) Limited, the indigenous group that owns shares in Telecel Zimbabwe.

However, in an order granted on October 18, Justice Mushore dismissed the trust’s application with costs.“Whereupon, after reading documents filed of record and hearing counsel, it is ordered that; the application be and is hereby dismissed with costs on an attorney client scale,” she ruled.

Makamba and his firm, Kestrel Corporation (Private) Limited, Empowerment Corporation (Private) Limited, Jane Mutasa, Indigenous Business Women’s Organisation, Selpon Investments (Private) Limited, Carlton Consultancy (Private) Limited, Harare lawyer Gerald Mlotshwa, Telecel and former Information Communication Technology and Cyber Security minister Supa Mandiwanzira were cited as respondents in the matter.

In its founding affidavit, the trust said the government fostered a thrust to empower its citizens through an indigenisation economic policy and the move allowed indigenous groups and entities to take part in the creation of a third cellular network, which resulted in the formation of Telecel.

“Thus, several indigenous groups and individuals, responded to the government clarion call and empowerment drive for the upliftment of the indigenous businesses in the telecommunications industry,” the trust said in its court papers. It added that the companies that formed part of the business included Kestrel Corporation (Pvt) Ltd, the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association led by the late Chenjerai Hunzvi, Indigenous Business Women’s Organisation, Leo Mugabe’s Integrated Engineering Group and Philip Chiyangwa’s Affirmative Action Group, among other entities.

The Andrew Ndlovu-led Magamba eChimurenga had further submitted that the indigenous groups responded to the government quest for indigenisation of the economy in 1997 and that these acted as promoters for the birth of the Empowerment Corporation (Pvt) Ltd, an assertion dismissed by the court.

A LOCAL economist Prosper Chitambara has described Finance minister Mthuli Ncube as a scholar, who is not fit to be Finance minister, because he has an academic and theoretical approach to financial and economic matters.

Chitambara made the remarks in Mutare on Monday while addressing the Labour and Economic Development Research Institute of Zimbabwe-organised media workshop.

“I think our Finance minister Mthuli Ncube is a scholar. I believe when he came in as the Finance minister he believed that he knew everything and that was wrong. He has not done well as the Finance minister of this country,” Chitambara said.

“At the same time, it is also difficult to judge him because he might be running someone’s vision. If President Emmerson Mngangagwa said no to a policy, what would he say?” he pondered.
When Ncube was appointed to head the Finance ministry in 2018, he promised to turn around the country’s economic fortunes, but has not succeeded.

Chitambara also said the country needs at least US$12 billion for infrastructure development.“The government needs to scale up infrastructure development in the country, mainly targeting rural areas and we will be focusing on agriculture, building roads, irrigation and energy, which is key to any development in the country,” he said.

“We need about US$12 billion to develop our infrastructure into the modern era, but we have a lot of political divisions, we have not yet reached political maturity; leadership should not be feared,” he said

“Development should not divide us, but should unite us. Our resources have not benefited us Zimbabweans.”

Zimbabwe is losing billions of dollars to corruption and has been ranked 160 out of 180 countries in the 2018 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index.

Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has claimed that the Finance ministry “passed a live snake” to Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor John Mangudya after instructing him to issue more Treasury Bills (TBs) amounting to US$202 million to different companies without seeking legislators’ approval.

Mangudya last week appeared before Parliament where PAC, led by Tendai Biti, quizzed him over TBs that were unprocedurally issued as bailouts to different companies in 2017 and 2018.

PAC member Edwin Mushoriwa (MDC Alliance) asked Mangudya to explain some of the TBs that were issued for the Presidential Input Scheme with no supporting letters showing that the RBZ was given authority by the Finance ministry to issue them.

“There were US$202 million TBs with no proof or authorisation letters,” Mushoriwa said.

“For the FSG (Fertiliser Seed and Grain), there were six TBs of US$9,3 million, US$8,1m for Quton, US$8,8m for Windmill, US$132m for Sedco and another US$12m for Windmill, US4,3m for Sable Chemicals and US$8,9m for ZFC, and US$12,8m for Hwange Colliery, among others,” he added.

“The ministry spent money outside the blue book and they said it is not their problem and then they passed the live snake to you. US$2,1 billion was spent in 2017 and US$1,5 billion in 2018 and it means that the bulk of the money was spent outside Parliament approval and outside the Appropriation Act.”

On Monday, the PAC members said they were also keen to grill FSG managing director Steve Morland over US$400m his company allegedly got from Command Agriculture.

Mangudya confirmed that all TBs were authorised by the Finance ministry.

“I would like MPs to learn and understand the role of the central bank because sometimes I think it is blurred. The central bank is a banker to government through the Finance ministry and it is adviser to all banks. It is adviser and fiscal agent to the State and once you (MPs) know the definition it will be easy to understand who gives what.

“Section 6 (1) (g) of the RBZ Act defines our functions, which is the stability of the exchange rate. Section 8 of the RBZ Act says the bank shall act as vendor to the State and carry transactions in such a manner that the State may require and make necessary arrangements. So all the instructions were authorised by the Finance minister,” Mangudya said.

The committee has re-summoned the Finance ministry to appear again before it, as well as FSG, Sakunda and Croco Motors which benefitted from the funds.

Flamboyant businessman Wicknell Chivayo, who is facing a charge of bribery after his company, Intratrek, transferred $10 000 to former Zimbabwe Power Company board chairperson Stanley Kazhanje’s personal bank account to try to influence the outcome of a tender process, is set to stand trial on November 18, 2019.

Chivayo and Kazhanje appeared before Harare provincial magistrate Francis Mapfumo, who remanded them to November 18 for trial.

Allegations are that in September 2013, ZPC invited bids for the construction of the Gwanda solar project and Chivayo, through Intratrek Zimbabwe, expressed interest.
In October 2015, the ZPC board held a meeting with Kazhanje as board chairperson.

During the meeting, Kazhanje allegedly directed that the ZPC management should award the tender to Intratrek.

It is averred that in the same month, the contract was signed between ZPC management and Intratrek without the latter providing a bank guarantee.

Chivayo then reportedly transferred $10 000 bribe money from an Intratrek bank account to Kazhanje’s account.

The prosecution alleged that Kazhanje received the money knowing fully well that it was bribe money to influence the ZPC board into picking Intratrek for the project.

Paul Nyathi|TWO people were on Monday 28 October 2019 set free after they were arrested and charged with undermining police authority and defeating or obstructing the course of justice for allegedly passing on some offensive comments about the anti-sanction march organised by government last week.

ZRP officers arrested Charles Ngwena, the Councillor for Ward 4 in Marondera Central constituency and Paul Chikuni, a municipal police officer employed by Marondera Municipality on Saturday 26 October 2019 and charged them with undermining police authority as defined in Section 177(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act or alternatively with defeating or obstructing the course of justice as defined in Section 184(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

Prosecutors told Marondera Magistrate Patience Chirimo that Ngwena and Chikuni, who were represented by Tinashe Chinopfukutwa of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, undermined police authority when he questioned why the ZRP officers were arresting some vendors who were struggling to make ends and yet they were not bothered about apprehending President Emmerson Mnangagwa whose government organised an anti-sanctions protest last week.

Ngwena reportedly uttered the following words; “Mapurisa munopenga munosunga vanhu vanotambura endai munosunga Emmerson ari busy kuita ma anti sanctions” which was translated to mean “Police you are mad. You are arresting poor people. Go and arrest Emmerson who is organising anti-sanctions”.

On the charge of defeating or obstructing the course of justice, prosecutors accused Ngwena and Chikuni of hindering three ZRP officers from executing their duties when they grabbed a pushcart containing some bananas and which belongs to Patrick Chabvata, a vendor and pushed it away.

The incident reportedly took place near Marondera Municipality offices as the ZRP officers were escorting Chabvata to Marondera Police Station after arresting him for illegal vending.

Prosecutors claimed that an altercation ensued between Ngwena, Chikuni and the three police officers and this attracted members of the public who gathered around the scene resulting in the law enforcements agents leaving the scene fearing for their safety.

Ngwena and Chikuni, prosecutors charged, had no right to act in the manner they did.

Magistrate Chirimo granted $100 bail each to Ngwena and Chikuni and ordered them to continue residing at their given residential addresses and not to interfere with State witnesses until the matter is finalised.

The duo returns to court on Monday 11 November 2019, where their trial is expected to commence.

Source; Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights

www.zlhr.org.zw

IOL|Fuel prices and telecom tariffs in Zimbabwe have been hiked, with consumers in the economically country taking a further knock and prices as well as commuter fares expected to increase further.

Zimbabweans are currently grappling with austerity measures under Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube’s economic reform program. Petroleum pricing were liberalised earlier this year as the government removed subsidies.

Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority said late last night that blended petrol will cost ZWL16.75 per liter, up from ZWL14.97 while the diesel price has also risen from ZWL15.64 to ZWL17.47.

“For the first time since the interbank was introduced, the fuel price has been aligned with the prevailing interbank rate of the day,” said economists at Market Watch Zimbabwe on Tuesday.

According to ZERA, the interbank exchange rate for petroleum imports is currently pegged at 1:15.57. However, accessing forex on the interbank market has been problematic, according to business executives inside Zimbabwe.

Moreover, exchange rates on the parallel markets have surpassed 1:20. Telecom companies have also been battling against the exchange fluctuations and have been adjusting data prices in line with the exchange rates movements.

Econet Wireless, the biggest telco in Zimbabwe, on Tuesday advised its subscribers “to take note of our new tariffs effective 29 0ctober 2019 via text message. The new tariff adjustments have affected both voice and data calling costs on the network

According to a schedule released by the company, it now costs ZWL0.96 to call for a minute on the Econet network. Data tariffs have now been pegged at 0.19 per Megabyte.

“Whilst Econet and NetOne have adjusted pricing around similar times, at the time of writing NetOne hasn’t adjusted their pricing and their bundles are much more competitive than what is being dangled by Econet. Where ZWL20 gets you 250MB with Econet, the same amount gets NetOne subscribers 1GB of data,” commented the Techzim blog.

There have been calls for data prices to fall but the Posts and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe has defended operators in the industry – which also include state owned NetOne and Telecel as well as fixed phone operator TelOne – saying they have foreign currency denominated components on their cost structures.

Zimbabweans can now expect a further rise in inflation as retailers and commuter operators will likely pass on the costs to consumers. 

President Emerson Mnangagwa cautioned against further increases of prices of goods and commodities by retailers and other businesses.

His administration has also resisted instituting price controls. United States based economist, Steve Hanke measures Zimbabwe’s “annual inflation at 754%” although Ncube says the country’s month on month inflation is slowing down after the government discontinued publication of year on year inflation data.

Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) yesterday increased the price of fuel by 12 percent, after keeping the price unchanged for previous two consecutive weeks.

The temporary reprieve had come as a relief to motorists and consumers who had become used to weekly price hikes since the once-a-week reviews were introduced over two months ago.

The authority said the price of petrol, effective October 28, would be $16.75 per litre from $14.97, while diesel was up by $1.83 to $17.47 per litre.

“Operators may, however, sell at prices below the cap depending on their trading advantages,” Zera said.

The price increase was mainly influenced by exchange rate movements as the local currency continues to slide against major currencies. At the last price review, the floating inter-bank rate was US$1 to ZWL$13, but in the past two weeks it had depreciated to US$1 to $16.

From August, Zera had been increasing fuel prices weekly in tandem with the floating exchange rate and international price movements, much to the chagrin of motorists. This was after Government stopped subsidising the price of fuel, allowing sellers to buy foreign currency on the open market to import the commodity.

But inspite of the constant price increases, the commodity has remained scarce, with winding queues a common feature at most fuel stations. Government blames foreign currency shortages for the fuel shortages, which have persisted for years. — New Ziana

State Media|AT least 2 865 Zimbabweans have been arrested in South Africa for committing various criminal offences between 2016 and this year, a situation that left Zimbabwe with the highest number of arrested nationals in the neighbouring country.

According to statistics by the Johannesburg Metro Police Department posted over the weekend, Zimbabwe had the highest number of arrested nationals during the past three years.

The statistics were posted on Sunday by the outgoing Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba.
South Africa Police Services (SAPS) arrested 2 865 Zimbabweans in the period in question, while Nigerians were second with 765 arrests.

SAPS also arrested 420 Malawians, 334 Tanzanians and 91 Ugandans.
The highest number of Zimbabweans were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, while others were arrested for theft and possession of counterfeit goods.

At least 691 of the Zimbabweans were arrested for murder, while 37 were nabbed for bribing South African officers.
Meanwhile, more than 30 Zimbabwean women suspected to be victims of human trafficking were rescued by South African police from brothels in eMalahleni, formerly Witbank, in Mpumalanga Province where their captors used them as sex slaves.

According to reports, the Zimbabweans were part of a group of 50 victims, among them males from other countries which included the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and locals.

South African provincial police spokesperson for Mpumalanga Brigadier Leonard Hlathi said the suspected victims of human trafficking were rescued in a pre-dawn raid on Friday last week targeting various houses in eMalahleni.

“As police, we acted on a tip-off and raided houses which were used as brothels in eMalahleni to rid the area of drugs and prostitution and rescued 50 foreign nationals,” he said.

“They were all undocumented, a majority of whom were from Zimbabwe.

“We also arrested more than 60 people for various offences, including prostitution, possession of drugs and human trafficking.”

Brig Hlathi said the area targeted was believed to be harbouring prostitutes, drug dealers and illegal foreign nationals.

“We raided that place informed by an incident that happened during the week in which a 39-year-old woman reported to the taxi people that she was subjected to severe rape and fed with drugs in a particular house in Witbank,” he said.

“The taxi rank people then went to torch three houses, as well as a business believed to belong to foreign nationals.”
During the operation, police barricaded the streets and raided the houses.
Brig Hlathi said similar operations would be conducted in other towns in the province.

State Media|FINANCE and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube has the unenviable task of prescribing a set of policies and measures to breathe life into a sluggish economy beset by galloping inflation and currency volatility when he presents the 2020 National Budget tentatively set for next week. Treasury sources told The Herald Finance and Business that the finance minister will present his budget statement on November 4, 2019 amid high expectations and a myriad of economic issues to address in order to stabilise the economy and place it on sustainable and fast growth path.

The minister needs a coterie of measures and policies that stabilise unrelenting battering of the economy from galloping prices caused by constantly rising exchange rate, shortage of foreign currency needed for imports as well as acute power shortage.

Amid reform induced currency and economic instability, Zimbabwe’s inflation has raced from a lowly 5,39 percent in September 2018 to 175,5 percent by June this year, eroding purchasing power for the majority of people whose incomes have not grown in tandem with fast rising prices.

Further, the Treasury chief will announce measures to further drive the reform agenda under Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP), as

well as interventions to grow the economy, which is projected to contract by up to 6 percent this year on account of drought and impact of Cyclone Idai.

Already, inflation has skyrocketed from a lowly 5,39 percent in September 2018 just before the onset of ongoing reforms and a series of policy changes aimed at putting in place sustainable economic growth policies and measures.

The interventions will also seek to entrench initiatives targeted at fiscal consolidation and cutting budget deficits.

Other challenges in the economy include low industrial and agricultural production, little investment inflows, high cost of business, ease of doing business constraints, multiplicity of taxes and poor infrastructure.

State Media|The High Court has ordered Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo to pay $306 793 to the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) for electricity supplied at his Mavesere Farm in Kwekwe.

High Court judge Justice Mary Zimba-Dube granted the order in favour of ZETDC on October 15 after the parties signed a deed of settlement.

“The defendant (Moyo) shall pay the sum of $306 793 to the plaintiff (ZETDC) together with interest thereon at the prescribed rate of interest calculated from May 13, 2019 to date of payment, both dates inclusive,” said Justice Dube.

“The amount shall be paid in terms of deed of settlement made and entered by and between the parties. The defendant shall pay the plaintiff’s cost of suit.”

ZETDC took Minister Moyo to the High Court over a US$414 775,79 debt, which he denied owing.

“The defendant has failed, neglected or refused to pay the above sum/amount despite demand,” said ZETDC.

“By reason of the said failure, neglect or refusal to pay the above sum/amount, the defendant is obliged to pay the same with interest thereon at the prescribed rate which is currently five percent per annum.

“Defendant specifically avers that the customer information printout does not correctly reflect the electricity consumed by defendant. Defendant denies utilising the electricity reflected in Annexure A. Plaintiff is accordingly put to the strict proof of the fact that they consumed the said electricity.

“Alternatively, defendant avers that plaintiff’s claim has prescribed. The alleged claim being for a debt or liquidated demand is now prescribed. More specifically, the claims from February 11, 2013 to May 11, 2017 are all prescribed.

“Defendant further avers that the figures inserted in Annexure A are fictitious, as evidenced by the claim of US$155 414,27 which appears on invoice number 356572323 dated July 23, 2014 and the claim for US$11 566,33 which appears on invoice number 536872434 dated November 14, 2017.”

In the plaintiff’s replication, ZETDC vowed to prove that it was owed the amount being claimed. The utility insists that the debt was acknowledged and periodic payments were made.

“The contract of supply of power is current and ongoing, plaintiff continues to supply while defendant continues to receive power, on the other hand,” read the papers.

State Media|Zimbabwe can expect a more stable exchange rate and prices going forward after the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) froze bank accounts holding idle funds that were being used to speculate on currency. The frozen accounts held about $1 billion paid from Treasury Bill maturities and the money was being used to buy foreign currency on the market in a manner that caused exchange rate instability.

The accounts include but are not limited to those for Sakunda, Access Finance, Spartan Security, Croco Motors and related companies, which were frozen last month by the bank’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).

Authorities said yesterday that the funds had since been “sterilised”, meaning they can no longer be used for speculative currency buying, which caused the run on the exchange rate and stocked inflation.

A high exchange rate drove prices in the imports-dependent economy given the rate’s cost implications on imported products at a time Zimbabwe is facing industrial and agricultural production challenges.

The speculative currency buying, which was rife on both formal and informal markets inadvertently drove the domestic currency exchange rate run and exerted pressure on prices as well as inflation.

This had seen Zimbabwe’s annual inflation skyrocketing from 5,39 percent in September last year to about 175,5 percent when official yearly inflation figures were last announced for June this year.

Publication of annual inflation has been suspended until February next year, following currency changes in February and June, to allow like-for-like comparison of pricing trends based on domestic currency induces.

Inflation is projected to fall in the outlook, with the monthly rate dropping from 39,26 percent in June this year to 18,07 percent in August and 17,72 percent in September. The figure is seen at 10-12 percent by year-end.

RBZ governor Dr John Mangudya said at a briefing with media and bank executives in Harare after the bank’s first Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting this week that the idle funds had been sterilised.

“We have addressed the speculative tendencies that came with the increase in money supply; the reserve money. The money that increased due to increases in reserve money; we have sterilised it here at the bank.

“In other words, the money that caused the increase in the exchange rate and therefore inflation; we have sterilised it and that is some of the money that we are going to redeploy for the agricultural sector this year.

“That we have addressed, as the MPC, we deliberated on the matter extensively and came to the conclusion that we are satisfied with sterilisation of that money. Sterilisation is mopping of money from the market and putting it at the central bank to remove its effect of causing other havocs on the market.

“The foreign exchange generating capacity of this economy is still sufficient to support a stable exchange rate. This is also reflected in the projected narrowing of the current account deficit to 1,5 percent by year end,” he said.

Dr Mangudya also said only 50 corporates hold half the total banking sector deposits of $19 billion and were behind money market activities that were hurting the domestic currency introduced in February this year.

“So, 50 corporates account for 50 percent of the deposits in this country. Fifty percent of that $19 billion is in the hands of 50 corporates. It means we are predominantly poor because the rest of the people own the other 50 percent of the deposits.”

Dr Mangudya said the central bank and the MPC had taken note of the irregularities, adding it is “very easy for us to monitor the movements of money in those accounts because they are not too many”.

The central bank chief said measures had been put in place to contain money supply growth, which has already expanded by 80 percent since January, within the 50 percent band by the end of this year.

The exchange rate weakened to US$1 to $15,6 from US$1 to $2,5 when the exchange rate was liberalised and interbank market introduced in February, but the RBZ says it should be around US$1 to $5-$8.

Dr Mangudya said the economy, which has generated US$5,7 billion since the beginning of the year, and registered US$1,3 billion trades on the interbank market, had capacity to sustain a low exchange rate.

Economist and MPC member Mr Eddie Cross said the Government and central bank had frozen the accounts to hold the cash used to buy foreign currency, which will stop the run on the exchange rate and help stabilise prices.

“What happened was that certain Treasury Bills that were due, were paid out and this resulted in a massive injection of liquid currency into the market and the beneficiaries of that payment started buying foreign exchange on the market and that drove the (exchange) rate up,” Mr Cross said.

State Media|THREE Form Six pupils at Gebhuza Secondary School in Hwange were allegedly found with an Economics examination question paper before the exam.

The Economics A’ Level paper was written on Monday.

One of the three candidates (names provided) allegedly told school authorities that he got the soft copy of the question paper from a WhatsApp group where it was allegedly posted and he sold it to the other two.

Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) spokesperson Ms Nicky Dlamini confirmed the leakage and said an investigation into the matter had been opened.

“We received a report about the issue and our officers are on the ground carrying out investigations,” she said.

“We understand that police went to the school to talk to the head and have taken the students involved for questioning.

“We are still investigating circumstances around the alleged leakage as this becomes the first paper to leak this exam period.”

Acting Matabeleland North police spokesperson Sergeant Namatirai Mashona could not comment on the issue.

A source at the school told our Bulawayo Bureau that an Economics teacher, a Mr Mandira, exposed the three pupils.

“The pupils approached their teacher before the exam and asked to be helped to answer some questions,” he said. “He told them to focus on what he had taught them, but after seeing the paper he noticed that all the questions they asked him about were in the question paper.

“The teacher reported the matter to the headmistress who summoned the pupils upon which they said they got the question paper from a WhatsApp group where it had been posted.”

The source said some members of the alleged WhatsApp group started exiting after getting wind about the investigations.

State Media|New $5 notes and $2 coins will be in circulation within a fortnight to ease cash shortages that have resultedin cash barons charging premiums of up to 60 percent and the unscrupulous breaking of the law with two-tier pricing for digital money and cash.

This was announced by Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor Dr John Mangudya yesterday.

The new notes and coins will not be inflationary as RTGS dollars will be removed from circulation as cash is issued.

Briefing the media after a two-day meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) yesterday, Dr Mangudya said the new notes and coins will circulate alongside bond coins and notes and have the same value.

The injection of additional cash into circulation will also see an upward review of daily withdrawal limits. These will be announced later.

Explaining why more cash will not fuel inflation, the governor said: “When you are substituting your cash for plastic money, you don’t increase inflation, but what it does, it will help the population . . . to the extent that people are going to use their money without being charged premiums.”

Zimbabwe has experienced cash shortages over the past few years despite the introduction of bond notes in 2016 to supplement the US dollars, a dominant currency under the multi-currency regime adopted in 2009, but ended in June this year.

But the supply of local dollars remained limited, with cash hoarders pulling enough out of circulation to cause the premiums.

Most Zimbabweans need cash for kombi fares and, if they can get cash without a premium, they can buy cheaper goods in the informal sector where two-tier pricing is rampant.

Mobile and digital money has largely replaced cash for most transactions, but these two areas still remain and raise effective prices for those forced to pay the premiums to commute to work or use nearby vendors and tuckshops rather than pay expensive fares to reach a shopping centre.

Dr Mangudya said the committee had noted that the level of physical cash in the economy was inadequate to meet transactional demand, considering that the current proportion of cash to broad money supply of four percent was lower compared to regional and international levels of 10 to 15 percent.

This low ratio had resulted in an undesirable cash premium which the “committee would like to see eliminated.”

“In this regard, the committee noted with satisfaction the fact that the domestic economy in 2019 achieved new heights in terms of the utilisation of electronic systems for market transactions,” said Dr Mangudya.

“However, the committee felt that there was a need to boost the domestic availability of cash for transactional purposes through a gradual increase in cash supply over the next six months.”

On why the MPC decided to issue smaller denominations given recent inflation, Dr Mangudya said: “We thought of being conservative and we will graduate with time.”

Monthly inflation is expected to drop to between 10 and 12 percent by year end.

Dr Mangudya said while the economy will contract by 6,5 percent this year due to the effects of drought and Cyclone Idai, basic economic fundamentals “remain sound” to meet the country’s stabilisation and development objectives.

The country’s foreign currency generation capacity is also sufficient to support a stable currency.

At US$780 million, funds in nostro accounts are at their highest level since 2009, while forex receipts are averaging US$500 million a month.

Economist Mr Brains Muchemwa said the immediate impact of increasing the supply of cash would be the disappearance of “unreasonable” premiums on cash.

“The reluctance to inject more cash (by RBZ) was so worrying because we can’t have poor citizens, already ravaged by inflation, to pay so huge premiums charged by mobile money agents and retailers when transacting using other form payments,” he said.

“This will definitely bring sanity.”

Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said the new notes and coins were “not a new currency”.

“We have that already,” he said. “What is happening is a cash injection to deal with the cash shortages and reduce arbitrage opportunities. The new currency was introduced on the 24th of June through Statutory Instrument 142.”

Prof Ncube could not divulge how much of the new notes and coins would be circulated, saying he was leaving the “technicalities to the RBZ”.

Consumers hope the introduction of more physical notes will not only eliminate premiums on cash, but also remove multi-tier pricing that was prejudicing citizens of the true value of their earnings.

“We hope this is not just mere talk and we expect the central bank to release enough cash to meet demand,” said Ms Judith Marizane, a Harare roadside fruit vendor.

“The general public has suffered for quite long. Their spending power is being eroded by huge premiums and we hope this will bring all this madness to an end.”

GOVERNMENT has appointed a seven-member commission to consider Zvishavane Town Council’s application to be accorded municipality status.

In a notice published in the
Government Gazette, the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, July Moyo, appointed the commission to make recommendations to him.

The Minister said the commission would be chaired by former Kwekwe City Council town clerk Mr Emmanuel Musara.

“Other members of the commission are chief director Urban Local Authorities, Ms Erica Jones; Engineer Edward Njoma; Spatial planner, Ms Abigail Chitika; Finance Advisor, Mr Thompson Marufu; Legal officer Ms Kudzai Murefu and administrative officer, Mr David Maurukira who will be the commission secretary,” said Minister Moyo in the Gazette.

In an interview yesterday, Zvishavane Town Council secretary Mr Tinoda Mukutu said the local authority is excited that the ministry is finally according them an opportunity to prove that they are ready to be a municipality.

He said they applied for municipality status last year.
“We applied sometime last year for municipal status and Government has responded positively and the commission is coming in to see if we deserve the big status but we feel we do,” said Mr Mukutu.

He said Zvishavane was growing and now has a Midlands State University (MSU) campus.

“We have the infrastructure from roads to sewer and treatment works. Our Central Business District (CBD) has shops such as OK Supermarket, Pote Holdings, Pick n Pay and financial services are also there. We have Mimosa Mine and other companies that are supporting the ever growing population,” said Mr Mukutu.State media

Watch video below. ..

CHIMURENGA guru Thomas Tafirenyika Mapfumo has announced that his days of live performances are numbered as he now wants to rest after a career that has spanned over six decades and over 25 music albums.

Mukanya, as he is affectionately known, is currently on a tour of South Africa and held his first show at Ekurhuleni Boksburg Hotel on Saturday night.

“There is a time for everything.
Izvi zve ma live performances very soon tirikumira. We will do one last world tour to say farewell.

We will only be performing here and there on special occasions asi toramba hedu tirimo mu music industry but zve stage we will not be doing so. This will happen very very soon, as soon as next year,” said Mapfumo, speaking alongside his manager Sam Mataure.
The Oregon-based Mapfumo is currently working on a new album which he says is going to be different from the usual Chimurenga beat.

“Music evolves and in our upcoming album we will fuse in new things never heard before. We are not completely dumping our beat but will enhance it. Just wait and see in the coming few months,” he added.

On who he thinks will succeed him he said Zimbabwe has a lot of talent that can take the baton from the older generation and run with it into the future.

“There are a number of young men and women who are doing well in Zimbabwe. They must remain original. Pane anonzi Andy Muridzo akatuma vamwe amai kuti vandifonere. Aiti anoda collaboration ndakatomumirira izvozvi . That way we can pass on what we know to the younger generation.H-Metro

Farai Dziva|
A Rio Tinto Agricultural College lecturer is being accused of s_xually exploiting female students.

He is also accused of victimising those who turn down his advances.

According to ZBC News, the lecturer identified as Nkululeko Lozane, denied the allegations and blamed “haters” for the rumours.

“There is politics here, I am aware of the allegations but I did not do anything wrong. I am a married person I have my family. These students are being sent by haters to destroy me. Can I call you later; can I call on this number? Please write a balanced story,” the lecturer told ZBC News.

Baba Manyeruke says Sanctions divide the people #sanctionsmustgo pic.twitter.com/exZPCqp2nM

— Nick Mangwana (@nickmangwana) October 29, 2019

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