Farai Dziva|MDC deputy spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka has said the opposition party has nothing to do with the old police helmets that were reportedly found in the basement of a building near Morgan Tsvangirai House on Saturday.
Said Tamborinyoka : It’s all choreographed. They are desperately trying to link the so-called discovered helmets with the MDC.
This illegitimate regime is just getting desperate.
Police have laid siege at the MDC headquarters in Harare. We are a peaceful people’s movement and we see a desperate attempt by this regime to clamp down on legitimate political activity in the country.”
Armed police have laid siege at the MDC headquarters starting early this morning in what is clearly a choreographed attempt to clamp-down on the peaceful people’s movement.
First was a story in the Zanu PF-controlled media in which the police said they had discovered anti-riot and municipal helmets at Robinson House in Harare which they are surprisingly trying to link to the party headquarters.
For the record, the MDC is a peaceful and non-violent political movement with a Constitution that clearly stipulates the peaceful manner in which the party will always prosecute its democratic struggle.
A few months ago, the police purported to have discovered catapults and stones again near the MDC headquarters. Today’s attempt is the second attempt in the past few months to link the people’s peaceful movement with a primitive, barbaric and Stone Age political script that involves stones, bricks and catapults.
The illegitimate regime is getting desperate and all these are frantic attempts to ban and proscribe legitimate political activity; just as they have done with peaceful demonstrations. For the record, we are a peaceful, law-abiding political party that poses no danger to human life. Available evidence points to the fact that in the past 12 months, it is the Mnangagwa regime that has killed people, both in August 2018 and in January 2019 and the perpetrators have not been brought to book.
It is this regime that poses a threat to the safety of citizens and any attempt to implicate the MDC will not wash. Zimbabweans know that it is Zanu PF that is violent and it is Zanu PF that has a blood-soaked history.
Instead of clamping down on prices, a deteriorating economy, unemployment and power and fuel shortages, the ED regime has thought it prudent to clamp down on a legitimate political party going about its business.
MDC@20: Celebrating courage, growth and the people’s victories.
Farai Dziva|The MDC has described claims that the police discovered old helmets near Morgan Tsvangirai House as a desperate attempt by government to stop the struggle for democracy.
Below is the party’s full statement :
Armed police have laid siege at the MDC headquarters starting early this morning in what is clearly a choreographed attempt to clamp-down on the peaceful people’s movement.
First was a story in the Zanu PF-controlled media in which the police said they had discovered anti-riot and municipal helmets at Robinson House in Harare which they are surprisingly trying to link to the party headquarters.
For the record, the MDC is a peaceful and non-violent political movement with a Constitution that clearly stipulates the peaceful manner in which the party will always prosecute its democratic struggle.
A few months ago, the police purported to have discovered catapults and stones again near the MDC headquarters.
Today’s attempt is the second attempt in the past few months to link the people’s peaceful movement with a primitive, barbaric and Stone Age political script that involves stones, bricks and catapults.
The illegitimate regime is getting desperate and all these are frantic attempts to ban and proscribe legitimate political activity; just as they have done with peaceful demonstrations. For the record, we are a peaceful, law-abiding political party that poses no danger to human life. Available evidence points to the fact that in the past 12 months, it is the Mnangagwa regime that has killed people, both in August 2018 and in January 2019 and the perpetrators have not been brought to book.
It is this regime that poses a threat to the safety of citizens and any attempt to implicate the MDC will not wash. Zimbabweans know that it is Zanu PF that is violent and it is Zanu PF that has a blood-soaked history.
Instead of clamping down on prices, a deteriorating economy, unemployment and power and fuel shortages, the ED regime has thought it prudent to clamp down on a legitimate political party going about its business.
MDC@20: Celebrating courage, growth and the people’s victories.
‘Dictators like Mnangagws are impervious to reason. The only voice a dictator like him listens to is his own voice.
Political repression is an effective weapon in the hands of Zimbabwe despots.
Opposition parties are either outlawed or accorded very little political leeway. Key opposition leaders are arrested, intimidated and even killed.
Cowed into submission, some intellectuals in the opposition tend to switch camps. In other words, they become political prostitutes eg (Khupe). Though highly educated with PhDs, a multitude of them have sold off their consciences, integrity and principles as they kowtow to the diktats of barbarous dictators.
As prostitutes, they have partaken of the plunder, misrule and repression of their people’,
A dictator is a dictator. “The only good dictator is a dead one like Mugabe”.
The crux of my argument in this article is that Zimbabweans and other people chaffing under the yoke of despotism should steer clear of confusing ideological with systemic dictatorship -dictatorship that emerges from faulty institutions and systems. Any political system that concentrates power in the hands of one person, will inevitably degenerate into a dictatorship same like what ZanuPf is doing in our country. The culprit is the system—not ideology or culture.
“It takes an intelligent or smart opposition party or leader to make a democracy work”, not the pamberi – pamberina noisy type that simply chants ‘ ED or Chiwenga or Mohadi or ZanuPf must go!’. Dictators have triumphed mainly because the opposition parties are fragmented, lack focus and prone to squabbling.
All too often, opposition parties that set out to liberate their countries from tyranny wind up selling out, fighting among themselves, and sowing seeds of discord.
Some opposition leaders are themselves closet dictators, exhibiting the same dictatorial tendencies they so loudly den.
Farai Dziva|The former First Lady of Zimbabwe, Grace Mugabe has been ordered to surrender part of her Blue Roof property by Wednesday.
According to Daily News, the High Court ordered Grace to surrender part of her Blue Roof yard.
The Sherriff reportedly issued Grace with a warrant of ejection that she should surrender the property she is holding onto by Wednesday.
The warrant of ejection sent to Grace on 4 October reads:
Now therefore you are required and directed to eject … all persons claiming through it, its goods and possessions from and out of all occupation and possession whatsoever of the said premises, and to leave the same, to the end that the said Farai Nigel Chitsinde and Nyasha Amanda Chitsinde duly represented by Constance Tsitsi Chitsinde may peaceably enter into and possess the same, and for so doing this shall be your warrant.
By A Correspondent- Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe have issued a statement on their first day of industrial action saying that they are incapacitated to execute their duties and responsibilities.
The teachers are demanding interbank indexed salaries. They also said that they will not take it to the streets, but will just stay at their homes until their grievances have been addressed.
Farai Dziva|The former First Lady of Zimbabwe, Grace Mugabe is set to lose part of the Blue Roof yard.
According to Daily News, the High Court ordered Grace to surrender part of her Blue Roof yard.
The Sherriff reportedly issued Grace with a warrant of ejection that she should surrender the property she is holding onto by Wednesday.
The warrant of ejection sent to Grace on 4 October reads:
Now therefore you are required and directed to eject … all persons claiming through it, its goods and possessions from and out of all occupation and possession whatsoever of the said premises, and to leave the same, to the end that the said Farai Nigel Chitsinde and Nyasha Amanda Chitsinde duly represented by Constance Tsitsi Chitsinde may peaceably enter into and possess the same, and for so doing this shall be your warrant.
We have noted with deep shock and anger a notice put up by the Midlands State University arbitrarily forcing poor students to defer their studies for having failed to meet registration requirements in this economic hell.
Even by MSU standards, this is not only inconsiderate and insincere but diabolically inhumane. This criminalization of poverty should not have seen the light of day, considering what ordinary students have been through already this semester.
We have paid humongous amounts of money for rentals (in some instances in foreign currency), forced to consume undeservedly expensive food which has made the clinic the most visited place on campus, to paying large for a medical aid plan that never delivers service beyond paracetamol. This was the last thing the students needed.
We demand that the Admin retracts this ill thought and insincere decision that should never have been. Let the students write exams like before and they surely shall pay. They have incurred far too big a cost for them to be sent away now.
We hope and are expecting in all sincerity a public retraction before Wednesday the 16th of October 14:00hrs, failure of which we shall seek refuge in the Constitution of Zimbabwe and explore all avenues therein to raise our displeasure and make our anger registered with clarity. If any student is chased out of a lecture, there surely shall not be a single lecture at MSU.
In pursuit of the right to accessible education.
For and on behalf of the Zimbabwe National Students Union Midlands Province
There is a heavy anti-riot police presence in Harare central business district following reports of the discovery of 256 helmets and threats of protests over deteriorating economic situation in the country.
A snap survey by ZimEye has shown that First street in the CBD has hundreds of police officers who are seated in groups of 10s while some are on patrol holding batton sticks in what is meant to instill fear among citizens against protesting the worsening economic crisis that has seen prices of basic commodities going up by over 500 percent
Earlier on, MDC Secretary General Charlton Hwende wrote on Twitter that the police had blocked access to their headquarters at Harvest house.
The President Emmerson Mnangagwa administration has so far portrayed itself as worse off than the late former President Robert Mugabe regime in terms of human rights abuses and over reliance on State apparatus to crush opposing voices.
MDC secretary general Charlton Hwende on Monday said police had sealed off their headquarters following the reported discovery of 256 police and municipal helmets at Robinson House.
“According to the police, anyone breaking the law in the CBD is MDC? Our head office is Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House at the corner of Nelson Mandela and Angwa Street. We have no office or basement at Robinson House. Our offices were attacked early this year by known Zanu PF thugs and to date no one was arrested,” Hwende said on Twitter.
Police spokesman Paul Nyathi said: “A group of rowdy elements attacked a police officer who was about to meet his relative at Robinson House. These elements have declared the area a no-go area for police.
“Some officers who were nearby came to intervene but were also attacked, forcing them to call for back-up from Harare Central Police Station. When the hooligans saw that they were now being overpowered, they ran into the basement with the officers in pursuit.
“It was during the chase that they came across the helmets stashed in one of the rooms in the basement.”
The late former President Robert Mugabe came close to divorcing his wife Grace on allegations of infidelity, the DailyNews reports.
According to the publication, a close Mugabe relative said that former Vice President Joice Mujuru had to intervene at one point to stop the marriage’s collapse.
Said the relative:
“There were marital problems that emanated from infidelity. At some stages, Mai Mujuru had to intervene to stop the collapse of the marriage.
“A few years later, Mugabe used this wise counsel from Mai Mujuru to stop the marriage between an army general and his wife from breaking up.
“It was public information within the security circles that it was not all roses in the late president’s marriage.”
Mugabe died on 6 September this year and declared a national hero. However, his family chose not to have the body buried at the National Heroes Acre, instead choosing to have the remains interred at his rural home.
When Robert Mugabe died, the country had long since stopped hoping things would be better under his successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Brendan Seery
We had friends from Zimbabwe staying with us recently and the conversations about their country were depressing because the decline north of our border is accelerating and we had the sense that we were all looking into the crystal ball at South Africa’s future. Electricity and water supplies only happen a few hours each day, garbage collections don’t happen because there is no fuel for the vehicles, there are no drugs in government hospitals, the main road to South Africa is pitted with potholes and there is no currency to speak of. Our friends have, on more than one occasion,…
We had friends from Zimbabwe staying with us recently and the conversations about their country were depressing because the decline north of our border is accelerating and we had the sense that we were all looking into the crystal ball at South Africa’s future.
Electricity and water supplies only happen a few hours each day, garbage collections don’t happen because there is no fuel for the vehicles, there are no drugs in government hospitals, the main road to South Africa is pitted with potholes and there is no currency to speak of.
Our friends have, on more than one occasion, seen their life savings disappear through hyperinflation or because the government won’t allow them access to the little foreign currency they have managed to acquire.
When Robert Mugabe died, the country had long since stopped hoping things would be better under his successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa, the former security minister who took over power in a quiet coup in 2017.
When Mnangagwa arrived to pay his respects to the Mugabe family at the garish, oriental-looking mansion called “The Blue House” in the Harare suburb of Borrowdale, he arrived in a stretch Mercedes limousine.
Not even Cyril Ramaphosa has one of those.
That enclave of wealthy people and top Zanu-PF politicians has its own sewage plant and petrol station.
I saw a video of an Mnangagwa “blue-light brigade” convoy which contained 42 vehicles and made our equivalents look positively anorexic.
As I write, Mnangagwa is gallivanting around the world in a private jet, courtesy of a man who has made big bucks out of that suffering country.
And then I thought about Rwanda.
This year, the country which was ravaged by genocide in 1994 will have one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, never mind Africa.
There is not a single piece of litter in the capital, Kigali. Littering is a serious offence under President Paul Kagame’s government.
And there is Wi-Fi internet access in many Kigali buses.
Most other African major cities are rubbish dumps and buses seldom run on time, never mind have Wi-Fi ..
Doing business in Rwanda is easy: companies like Wilderness Safaris and Volkswagen have set up operations there with a minimum of red tape and a maximum of bureaucratic efficiency.
In SA, we have a much-vaunted “human rights culture”, which is an important safety net – but the compulsion to listen to everyone and offend no one means no one in authority issues the bitter medicine we need for things like crime, civil obedience and general government efficiency.
Kagame is a dictator, just like Mnangagwa.
The difference is that Rwanda’s leader genuinely wants to make his country better, whereas his Zimbabwean counterpart just wants power and the luxuries that come with it.
Many ANC leaders are in the Mnangagwa category and there is no Kagame on the horizon.
That’s a pity because Rwanda has shown how a country can prosper with an enlightened, patriotic dictator.
I could certainly trade a slice of freedom for reliable power supplies, efficient government and harsh punishments for the corrupt.
For the past 20 years, we the people of Zimbabwe have endured untold economic and political suffering — unprecedented ever since we attained independence from British colonial rule in 1980 — characterised by the shortage of nearly everything that sustains human life — ranging from foreign currency, our own local currency, fuel, vital medications in our public hospitals, books in our schools, and prices of basic commodities that keep skyrocketing on a daily basis, out of the reach of the majority.
Understandably, various sections of our nation have proffered varied reasons for this unbearable existence — with the government and its allies blaming so-called Western-imposed sanctions, saboteurs and even transitional austerity measures, while the opposition and a large section of the population have placed the blame squarely on the government’s doorstep — citing gross economic incompetence, corruption, political instability and human right abuses.
Of late, however, the Zimbabwe government has been emboldened in its case by the unquestioned support and lifeline it has received from the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) and African Union (AU), who have embarked on an “anti-sanctions” drive — taking the message to the recently held United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York – culminating in planned solidarity demonstrations throughout regional countries on October 25, 2019.
Needless to say, Zimbabwe authorities are on the proverbial “Cloud Nine” as they have found willing allies in their crusade in defending their economic and political performance over the past 40 years.
However, before anyone starts printing Remove Zimbabwe Sanctions T-shirts, we need to take a sober and indepth analysis of these sanctions, as well as exactly what impact they have had on our daily lives as Zimbabweans.
Precisely, how have these sanctions caused untold suffering?Firstly, the question that everyone in the Sadc and AU would be asking is: “What led to the imposition of these sanctions, in the first place?”
After the formation of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in September 1999 — in the wake of the genesis of Zimbabwe’s economic crisis — the Zanu PF government went into panic mode, especially after losing a referendum in its 2000 bid to introduce a new Constitution. With critical parliamentary elections slated in only a few months, the ruling party could see imminent defeat, and thus, embarked on a very violent land reform programme — in which, scores of white commercial farmers and their workers were brutally murdered and forcibly kicked off the land.
This violent campaign was touted as a programme to “correct historical imbalances”, in which a very few white commercial farmers owned vast tracts of land, while the majority of indigenous people were crowded in infertile communal areas. However, this turned out to be nothing more than a well-calculated move to cut off perceived funding from white farmers to the MDC, as well as a means to intimidate any opposition supporters. Furthermore, the land reform programme ended up benefiting only a few party bigwigs with the best multiple farms, and token resettlement of party faithfuls.
Although Zanu PF narrowly won the 2000 parliamentary elections, the brutal crackdown on the opposition intensified barely two years later, with the advent of the presidential election pitting the now late President Robert Gabriel Mugabe and MDC’s Morgan Richard Tsvangirai — which were largely regarded as having been rigged in favour of the former.More in Home
This period was characterised by widespread intimidation of opposition supporters, with the climax being the beating up of perceived opponents, burning of their homes, and reported killings.
This is when the so-called sanctions were imposed by Western countries, mainly the European Union (EU) and the United States of America (US).
These sanctions were largely travel bans and the freezing of any overseas investments for a targeted group of senior Zanu PF and government officials, and their interests — and had absolutely nothing to do with the ordinary people.
However, despite these seemingly punitive measures, Zanu PF atrocities reached boiling point after the 2008 harmonised elections, in which Tsvangirai narrowly beat Mugabe in the first round — though, officially failing to attain an outright majority to declare him the winner.
The subsequent wave of violence was unparallelled ever since the 1980s genocidal massacre of over 20 000 innocent men, women and children in the Matabeleland and Midlands provinces.
This ultimately led to Tsvangirai pulling out of the run-off presidential elections, in protest at the violence — culminating in the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) spearheaded by Sadc through South African former President Thabo Mbeki.
In fact, over the preceding years, although human rights abuses continued unabated — targeted sanctions, especially by the EU were substantially watered down — subsequently leaving only Mugabe and his wife Grace — such that, currently, due to Mugabe’s recent death, there are virtually no EU sanctions to talk about.
That is where we find ourselves today. What sanctions are the Zimbabwe government, Sadc and the AU making so much noise about? The only sanctions left are those imposed by the US — the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (Zidera) — which were imposed only on 141 entities and senior officials in the Zimbabwe administration largely over violation of human rights, and economic mismanagement.
So, why would Sadc and the AU stand in solidarity with Harare in calling for the lifting of these targeted measures? Have the conditions that invited the sanctions been addressed?
Ever since the 2017 military intervention that toppled Mugabe, ushering in his long-time protégé President Emmerson Mnangagwa, both the human rights and economic record of this once envy of the African continent, has turned it into a shameful image of what being an African means.
As much as Mnangagwa’s so-called “new dispensation” came into the fray with loud proclamations of the respect for human rights and “heaven on earth” economic growth, the situation on the ground over the past two years has been anything, but rosy.
The 2018 post-election period was greeted by the gunning down of at least six unarmed people during protests in Harare, which the subsequently established commission of inquiry led by former South Africa President Kgalema Motlanthe concluded that security forces — deployed to quell these disturbances — were responsible, and that the culprits should be held accountable.
Zimbabwean authorities have done nothing in that regard.Thereafter, in January 2019, more people were reportedly shot and killed during violent fuel price hike protests in the country’s major cities with allegations rife of further intimidation, brutalisation and rape of innocent citizens in their residential areas by suspected State agents.
Again, no one was held responsible with only the alleged violent protestors being brought to book.Furthermore, this year alone, there have been more than 50 reported cases of abductions of opposition, civil society and labour activists with no one being prosecuted for these crimes.
The opposition MDC was barred by the police from conducting any marches or demonstrations throughout the country from their initial intended gathering in August 2019.
State Media|Former Econet Media’s partner Dr Dish’s fears that the mobile company could conceal or destroy accounting statements it needed to confirm any payments due to it warranted the intervention of the court, the High Court has ruled.
Dr Dish, which is owed over $6,8 million by Econet Media as part of their revenue sharing deal when Kwese TV was launched, won its case early this year.
It had applied for an Anton Pillar award, which empowered it to raid the premises of Econet and two other companies to retrieve the information.
Justice Edith Mushore said Dr Dish established a prima view basis for the intervention which comes with an Anton Pillar award.
“Accordingly, I grant the relief sought,” she said in her reasons for the judgment granting Dr Dish an order to search premises belonging to Cassava Smartech and Econet, early this year.
Econet wanted the reasons for the court’s ruling to enable it to prosecute its appeal in the Supreme Court.
The parties are quarrelling over the supposed claim by Econet that they only had 38 Kwese TV subscribers in Zimbabwe during the subsistence of the multimillion deal and hence the money owed to Dr Dish was a paltry US$58 000.
However, in her ruling, Justice Mushore noted that Econet Media, Kwese TV and Cassava Smartech have the information, which Dr Dish requires.
“The accounts detailing the subscriber fully paid up revenue form the basis of applicant’s potential claim for its five percent fee are in respondents’ custody,” she said.
“It is also not far-fetched for the applicant to entertain a fear that the respondents may hide the documentation.
The judge also noted that all the points required for the Anton Pillar award to succeed were present in the Dr Dish’s case.
Dr Dish had in its application claimed that Econet never gave them subscriber records as their agreement required. This prompted the company to apply to the High Court for relief in February this year and it was granted.
When they went to the Cassava Borrowdale offices with the Sheriff of the High Court to execute that order, the sheriff was stopped and asked to leave mid-way through the search on EcoCash records.
After that the sheriff went to police to report a case of obstruction of justice against Econet and Cassava. Econet on their part, filed an urgent application at the High Court against the order.
In their argument they said the records that were being perused by the sheriff when they stopped him were EcoCash records and not Cassava records.
They went on to issue media releases to the same effect. Dr Dish’s lawyer, Mr Clement Kwirira argued against the position by Econet and Cassava that EcoCash was separate and excluded from the court order that was issued. But the court agreed with Dr Dish saying EcoCash as a 100 percent owned subsidiary of Cassava Smartech and could not be separated from its parent.
MDC Alliance legislators have resolved to sue Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda after he ignored demands to reverse the docking of their allowances.
The dispute arose two weeks ago when the opposition MPs refused to stand when President Emmerson Mnangagwa entered parliament for his state of the nation address.
The MDC legislators accuse Mnangagwa of being an illegitimate leader who won the 2018 presidential elections through electoral malpractices.
Their action prompted Mudenda to announce that the MDC legislators would not receive their sitting allowances for the day.
Mudenda, who is a member of Mnangagwa’s ZANU-PF party, also stated that legislators who remained seated or walked out on Mnangagwa would not receive payment of sitting allowances they have been owed for the past five months as “their conduct was unpalatable and undermined the dignity of parliament”.
He was initially given 48 hours to reverse the decision.
Through their lawyer, Alec Muchadehama, the legislators said they were suing the Speaker in his private capacity. Muchadehama confirmed he had drafted the papers and would file them early this week.
“Nowhere in the constitution is the Speaker of the National Assembly empowered to do what you did. The Parliament of Zimbabwe, National Assembly Standing Rules and Orders do not allow you to do so either,” reads a letter sent by Muchadehama.
“As you might be aware, any unlawful and unjustified delay in paying of the sitting allowance will greatly prejudice our clients,” the letter reads.
The legislators argue they are entitled to the constitutional rights of freedom of assembly and association, freedom to demonstrate, freedom of conscience, freedom of expression and political rights.
The walkout is the latest since the MDC began protesting against Mnangagwa, who unseated Robert Mugabe in a coup in November 2017.
Opposition MPs were also kicked out of Parliament for “disrespecting” Mnangagwa in November 2018 by refusing to stand when he entered the chamber before the presentation of the national budget by finance & economic development minister Mthuli Ncube.
In the ensuing scuffle after riot police tried to remove them from parliament, MDC MPs Amos Chibaya, Thabitha Khumalo and Lynette Karenyi sustained injuries.
The three MPs are now suing the government for more than $20 000 as compensation for what they say was a violation of their rights.- TimesLive
Botswana’s influential former president Ian Khama on Sunday threw his weight behind the opposition, a fierce critic of his when he was leader, in a bid to oust his handpicked successor in the country’s upcoming elections.
Botswana former president Ian Khama on Sunday threw his weight behind the opposition
Earlier this year Khama dramatically defected from the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which has ruled the southern African country since it gained independence from Britain in 1966.
His departure and condemnation of President Mokgweetsi Masisi has thrown the party into an internal crisis ahead of a high-stakes general election on October 23.
The vote will test the strength of the BDP after more than five decades in control of the diamond-rich country, which has a reputation as a beacon of stability in a troubled continent.
Khama, a 66-year-old former general whose father led the country to independence, had a bitter fall-out with his former deputy Masisi after he took office last year.
At a rally in his eastern home town Serowe on Sunday, Khama told thousands of supporters that the BDP — which was co-founded by his father — was dead.
“The party of the founding father of the republic is no more. It is dead,” he said.
“Let us go and vote BPF and UDC,” Khama said, referring to the Botswana Patriotic Front, a party formed by his allies who split from the ruling party, and the main opposition coalition Umbrella for Democratic Change.
He urged voters to cast their ballots for the UDC in constituencies where the BPF was not fielding a candidate.
Khama even endorsed the UDC’s leader Duma Boko.
“Life will be good like before,” if voters elect Boko, he said.
It represents a remarkable turnaround from Khama’s time in office from 2008-2018, when the UDC was a fierce critic.
In the run-up to the 2014 election, Boko even claimed he was on a hit list of Khama’s party.
The former president has said he regrets having chosen “autocratic, intolerant” Masisi as he successor.
Khama is a traditional chief of Serowe, which sits in a central region that has been a traditional BDP stronghold and could be critical in the elections.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s ruling Botswana Democratic Party is up against former president Ian Khama’s Botswana Patriotic Front
President of Botswana Mokgweetsi Masisi (right). Picture: ROMAN PILIPEY/REUTERS
On October 23, Botswana will go to the polls to choose who will govern the country for the next five years.
Voters could perhaps break the hegemony of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) that has been in power since 1966 when Sir Seretse Khama became the country’s first president.
The official coalition opposition party, the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) has been hoping to build on its gains in the 2014 election when it won 17 out of 57 seats, a result that was seen as a protest against Khama’s autocratic rule. The BDP won with 37 seats, 46% of the vote. In 2009 it won 45 seats or 53.3%.
That the BDP has been in power so long, does not detract from its democratic principles, says President Mokgweetsi Masisi, who took over from Ian Khama 18 months ago when the former president resigned in terms of constitutional restrictions.
“Since independence, Batswana have been presented with a choice every five years and we are thankful to them that in this free and fair process they have retained the BDP as a governing party. We remain positive that they will choose the BDP again because its policies are more in tune with their aspirations than are those of the competition,” he said.
Masisi said the BDP is expecting a big increase in the popular vote, saying that since April 2018 when he took over the presidency, the party had transformed and its policies and solutions are more in step with the expectations of Batswana.
Pundits say that under Khama, the BDP had lost sight of his traditional mandate, and that a lot of work had been put in to get it back on track to serve the people and not the interests of the few elites.
Working for Khama was not easy and Masisi has certainly paid his dues. Before becoming vice-president in 2014, he served as a minister in a number of portfolios. He has publicly said working for Khama was difficult, but he kept his own counsel and carried on doing his job. It would appear that Khama expected it would be business as usual, once his deputy took over the presidency, with Masisi allegedly doing his bidding. But he could not have been more wrong.
After Masisi told Khama that he now was calling the shots, his former boss allegedly threw a tantrum. Masisi had also allegedly refused to appoint Khama’s brother, Tshekedi (TK), as his vice-president. It is likely that the final straw for Khama was that Masisi fired his close ally, Botswana intelligence boss Isaac Kgosi and charged him for various corrupt practices and obstruction of justice.
Transparency International has described Botswana as the least corrupt country in Africa. Masisi told Business Day that his presidency refuses to tolerate any type of corruption and is working hard to to nip it in the bud.
“My administration does not tolerate corruption. All those who are implicated are investigated and those who should face prosecution will have their day in court,” he said.
After the showdown with Masisi, Khama quit the BDP, the party his revered father had founded, and in July formed his own party, the Botswana Patriotic Front. Khama appointed one of his former BDP acolytes, Biggie Butale as party president. TK remained in the BDP as minister of the environment but quit the BDP last week to join his brother’s party. However, the Weekend Post reported that TK was a founding member of the BPF, which would indicate he had a serious conflict of interest for the past few months.
Former president Festus Mogae said in an interview with The Voice, a Botswana daily, earlier in 2019 that Khama was “a strong-headed, manipulative and divisive character who throws tantrums if he does not get his way”.
Mogae said he had appointed Khama to succeed him to help unify the BDP, but instead he did the opposite. “Ian is nothing like his father, he is a disappointment,” he said.
Earlier in 2019, Khama accused Masisi of becoming an autocrat and threatening the country’s reputation as a beacon of stability in Africa.
A liability?
The former president said that some BDP officials feared the party may be headed for an election defeat because Masisi was now a “liability”.
Masisi was criticised for lifting the wildlife sports hunting ban imposed in 2014 and Khama accused him of cracking down on dissent.
“When he was my vice-president he never displayed any of these issues we are now seeing, [he was] always very intelligent, very supportive of all these policies that he is now reversing,” Khama said.
The UDC, headed by Duma Boko, has been hoping to build on the promising results in the last election but his efforts may well now be frustrated by Khama. The BDP is part of the UDC coalition, which from the start was anti-Khama and on which it built its success.
The four presidential candidates. Masisi, Boko, Butale and Ndaba Gaolathe of the Alliance of Progressives (also part of the UDC) coalition, have much in common. They all are well educated and sophisticated. Boko has a law degree from Harvard, Masisi a master’s degree in education from Florida State University, Butale is a pastor and has a law degree from the University of Botswana, while Goalathe has a business degree from Wharton in the US.
They are all capable, but Masisi has the most comprehensive experience in running a government.
Masisi says his first order of business is job creation.
“We are focused on attracting FDI [foreign direct investment]. In the recent past, we have created over 7,000 jobs by attracting 3.2-billion pula of FDI into the country. The mining sector is showing positive growth and we also looking at the possible reopening of Selebi-Phikwe mine with private investors. We will transform the economy, make it more investor attractive for both citizens and international investors.”
Masisi appears to be a force to be reckoned with because seeing off Khama was no mean feat. He has proved that he is his own man, thankfully free of Khama. Boko must most certainly wish he could say the same.
All attempts to contact Boko, Butale and Gaolathe proved to be unsuccessful.
Movement for Democratic Change vice-president and Public Accounts Committee chairman Tendai Biti is to square it off with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe this morning when he hears oral evidence from the central bank on payments it made to the Presidential input scheme and the command agriculture programme.
The Harare East legislator in August grilled treasury officials over US$1.03 billion that was paid to Sakunda which is owned by Kudakwashe Tagwirei, one of the advisers to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Biti queried why the Ministry of Finance had paid such a hefty amount to the company since 2017 when there were no vouchers to show what goods or services had been delivered.
Sakunda was fingered by the central bank as one of the companies that were fuelling the foreign currency black market and had its accounts frozen.
It has, however, reportedly been roped in in the current command agriculture programme though the government said that the finances for the programme would now be handled by commercial banks.
Biti, who was yesterday reported to be a better MDC leader than current president Nelson Chamisa, is likely to grill central bank officials and score political points for himself as a no-nonsense guy.
Though a darling of the West, Biti has no political base and may be forced to play second-fiddle to Chamisa because he has the numbers.
Former Zimpapers projects manager and Capitalk radio presenter Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa has joined the ZBC, according to ZimLive.
The 31-year-old is joining the monopoly TV broadcaster’s news and current affairs division, just over a year after she was pushed out of Zimpapers.
The daughter of former cabinet minister and Zanu PF’s secretary for health David Parirenyatwa, Ruvhi – as she is known by her fans – is expected to host a current affairs interview programme and join the team for live broadcasts.
Parirenyatwa was forced out of Zimpapers in August last year after her guest on her Capitalk show, National Patriotic Front spokesman Jealousy Mawarire, criticised Vice President Constantino Chiwenga and the former British ambassador to Zimbabwe, Catriona Laing.
The incident illustrated the Zanu PF government’s control of the public media, which is even firmer at the ZBC which is wholly-owned by the state.
Last week, Ruvhi hosted the YouthConnekt Africa Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, where she got the opportunity to introduce President Paul Kagame.
The summit, which is the largest youth gathering on the continent, attracted some 8,000 delegates from across the continent and beyond. Participants were drawn from 91 countries.
Parirenyatwa declined to be interviewed, as did the ZBC’s acting CEO Wisdom Hombarume.
State Media |VICE-President Kembo Mohadi yesterday said the recent questionable recruitment of student nurses in Bulawayo and other nursing schools in the country’s southern region was against Government’s policy of equality and appropriate measures would be taken to rectify the issue.
Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Minister Judith Ncube briefed VP Mohadi about the latest development during a Zanu-PF meeting at the party’s Bulawayo provincial headquarters, Davies Hall.
Minister Ncube last week pledged to engage responsible authorities to resolve the issue. She made the commitment after a number of people visited her office and raised concern over the low number of Matabeleland recruits who were selected to undergo training at hospitals in the region.
VP Mohadi described the unfair recruitment of nurses as unacceptable saying there is need for fairness and true representation of people in line with the Government’s policy on devolution.
“I heard that recently there was a recruitment of trainee nurses for Bulawayo hospitals and I am told the process didn’t go well with people from this region after many applicants failed to secure places. We are not happy and as Government, we will address this issue. Government policy is that the recruitment must be done equitably. We don’t want bias in that regard. We are going to look into it so that it is rectified,” he said.
VP Mohadi said the recruitment of nurses should resemble that of the police and the army, which have national representation through a quota system. “You will find that whenever there is a recruitment drive in the army or police, they have what they call a quota system where each and every province brings its own people. The recruitees are then chosen from every district so that the entire country is represented,” he said.
Last week, Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo recruited 24 trainee nurses and 20 were reportedly from Harare, Mashonaland East and Mashonaland Central. At the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) it is claimed 23 out of the 27 trainees are from outside the southern region.
The southern region is made up of Bulawayo, Masvingo, Midlands, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South provinces.
Days after publication of the story in the Chronicle, a handful of names of people from the region were allegedly added to the list, seven at Mpilo Central Hospital and three at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH).
Statistics from the Ministry of Health and Child Care show that students from Harare province dominated recruitment even after the additions.
The 13 nursing schools in the region recruited 34 percent of their students from the capital, Bulawayo contributed 20 percent, Masvingo 6,3 percent, Midlands 8,4 percent while two percent each were enrolled from Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South provinces. Officials at the hospitals said they were not consulted on the enrolment of nurses as they just received lists of names of those who had made it from Harare.
Statistics from the northern region which includes Harare, Manicaland, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West and Mashonaland Central provinces are yet to be availed.
The 13 hospitals that enrolled trainee nurses in the southern region are Tsholotsho and St Luke’s in Matabeleland North, Mashoko, Gutu, Morgenster, Masvingo and Musiso in Masvingo and St Theresa and Muvonde from Midlands.
According to the analysis, UBH only recruited one student each from Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South but 10 from Harare. Only four are from Bulawayo and Midlands also contributed.
The Health and Child Care Ministry recently introduced an online nurses’ application forum after investigations by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission concluded there were unacceptable levels of bribery in the old system.
The Ministry’s public relations officer Mr Donald Mujiri said the recent selection was done by a digital system based on qualifications.
Temba mliswa|We seem to want to go for the indigenous people who’re alleged to have captured the state but look at people like Rautenbach, why’re we quiet? Call it personal if you will but the facts are he was given the Todal concession worth USD2b; he didn’t mine it, he speculated&sold it.
2/ He’s been given a Hwange concession in fact the Western section which is the life of Hwange & strategic to the country; no mining activities have taken place, speculation again?
3/ Chisumbanje he was supposed to be part of the indigenisation through the ethanol scheme; he didn’t do it. Why does he have monopoly & why is ethanol so expensive & content in fuel so high to the detriment of vehicle performance?
4/ He’s taken land in the Kambuzuma/Marimba area without title deeds; Rothmans had title which they gave to Govt & during RGM’s time it was given to the people. They’ve settled there & built houses Out of the blue he comes with letters claiming to falsely own title
5/ People were given offer letters but because Rautenbach is working with political heavyweights, Chidau allegedly one, there’s an ominous silence. @PoliceZimbabwe with AK47s are equally being abused by being deployed to patrol the area as a method of intimidation.
6/ They go door to door forcing people to sign papers to vacate the area. In the absence of a court order one wonders on what authority this is carried out? Houses are being wantonly demolished; 20,000 innocent people are crying out loud but it’s falling on deaf ears.
7/ Should we honestly just watch this happening with folded arms? He has a penchant for working with the army & is alleged to be one who plundered in the DRC; we were quiet. He’s never been an honest business person & the illegal land deals are all he’s got going for him.
8/ He’s on the verge of receiving more land for another sugar plantation in Chirundu. Why are @zeraenergy & @official_MOEPD quiet regarding this monopoly? @edmnangagwa why is he getting away with this?
9/I’ve advised those of Joshua Nkomo Housing Co-op to write a letter to @edmnangagwa on the land issue which I’ll deliver; this is a fight we’ll battle whether Rautenbach is white or not, gone are the days of racism&the use of higher offices to gain favours, he’s not untouchable
10/ It’s important the Govt knows if they’re unable to defend people in such instances they’ll lose the trust of the people& ultimately lose votes. We need leaders who represent people, we need leaders who care for people.
11/Billy was never victimised by RGM; he enjoyed good relations with him & benefitted accordingly. Land barons are crying foul but have caused untold suffering to the people. Why can’t these developments be handed over to @UdcorpZim which can be empowered to safeguard the people?
12/ @ZANUPF_Official doesn’t seem to learn&has lost urban votes through failure to deal with these land issues. There’s literally been one Govt since 1980; land barons aren’t from opposition. In Norton land barons will never win & I urge other legislators to defend the people too.
13/ They’re people like Zivhu & Mpame who’re @ZANUPF_Official involved. Three MPs including @JusticeMayorW are involved in Marshlands, the land barons are merciless but I’ve long decided I’ll fight these land barons for the people.
14/Those in housing developments, don’t pay rates unless you’ve title. Get title 1st then it’s your liability. Many Town Councils have been captured by land barons&issue fraudulent sub division permits. Where’s the physical planning dept in @LocalGovernme13 to govern compliance?
15/ The prevalence of such fraud is sad & has destroyed our country. Whilst the Land Commission has made positive inroads it will take long. The land barons take advantage of people’s ignorance & lack of funding to seek legal representation to exploit them.
16/I’ve stepped in to fill that gap&will one day have a meeting with all housing developments to take such matters to @edmnangagwa as he’s being misinformed about land barons. The sooner he’s told the truth&acts, the better. Where’re security agents in all this to tell the truth?
17/ @JusticeMayorW is involved in Marshlands, where he’s alleged to have demanded money from people through his directorship at Adore Gold with Madzima. Coetzee has title & has rightly refused to give title to those where he hasn’t received money. Nothing personal
18/ I’ve pledged to fight corruption & it’s unfortunately been against some I know but why should people be prejudiced & exploited?
19/ @ReserveBankZIM @ZimTreasury @MthuliNcube @GGuvamatanga why aren’t investigations going on at @metbankzw ? A forensic audit is critical. It’s common knowledge it’s receiving protection but it must end. The principals are Ozias Bvute & Enock Kamushinda; we need to fight this.
20/ @matandamoyo @ZACConline there’s a lot of work to be done &we’re prepared to divulge a lot but we hope it doesn’t go to waste. If the investigating teams can’t perform then change is needed. These investigations require a high level of sophistication&personnel with experience.
21/ Mai Mupfumira is out, what’s being done & why can’t a quick trial happen? The thorough Parly recommendations are a valuable asset in going after perpetrators of crime & detail is available on people like Obert Mpofu half the work’s already been done.
22/ Economic problems divert our attention from dealing with corruption & yet it’s the biggest contributor to our woes. We concentrate on the Tagwireyis but he didn’t give himself the money. Let there be accountability from Treasury.
23/There’re no sacred cows, let’s look at corruption holistically regardless of race. Who’re the gold barons of this country?Nobody wants to talk about it; we can’t work like that.For as long as we don’t account for the country’s resources we’ll never be the economy we want to be
State Media|A 38-YEAR-OLD man was struck and killed by lightning in Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park suburb on Thursday.
Bulawayo acting police spokesperson, Inspector Abednico Ncube said the incident occurred near Pick n Pay supermarket in the suburb.
He said police are yet to identify the deceased who is said to be a resident of Magwegwe North who was working in Cowdray Park.
“Circumstances are that on Thursday October 10 at 1630 hours, the now deceased of Magwegwe North suburb was standing outside a trench holding a shovel. The area experienced some light showers accompanied by thunder and lighting. The now deceased was struck by lightning and he died on the spot,” said Insp Ncube.
In January this year, a woman was struck and killed by lightning in the same suburb while her two children, one strapped on her back, escaped with serious burns.
Hilda Chibharo (28) was on her way home with her two minor children when tragedy struck.
Meanwhile, a Grade One pupil from Nesigwe Primary school in Nkayi district of Matabeleland North province was last week killed by lighting while three others survived,
The four pupils were going home after knocking off from school.
Nkayi Rural district council chairperson councillor Jameson Mnethwa confirmed the incident which happened on Thursday afternoon.
“Yes I can confirm that we received the sad news of the death of Nqobani Moyo after being struck by lighting while coming from school, They had just knocked off from school when the unfortunate incident happened,” he said.
Cllr Mnethwa said the other three pupils survived the bolt but were very shaken and would need counselling.
Harare, Zimbabwe (News of The South) – The countdown to the African Netball championships set for the Bellville Velodrome, Cape Town, South Africa, has already begun in earnest but Zimbabwe is yet to announce the team to participate at the continental showpiece.
The African championship tournament is set to kick off from the 18th until the 22nd of October and Africa’s best eight teams will be going head to head for the continents netball ultimate prize in Cape Town in a few days time. Zimbabwe it would appear is not ready or are far from from it.
Zimbabwe netball gems made a huge impression at the Vitality Netball World Cup in Liverpool England in July, where they finished a credible 8th out of 16 teams. Stiff and intense competition is expected over the five days which requires great athleticism and player mangement. A demanding schedule of almost 8 games in five days will be the ultimate physical test for the girls and push them to their limits.
Mental health and overall well-being of players will be an important factor as well physical fitness. Some of the players have not played competitively since the worldcup following the failure of the Zimbabwe Netball Super League to take off.
They now carry a huge weight of expectations on their shoulders and the nation expect the girls to be challenging for honours and improve their ranking.
The Gems of Zimbabwe beat Northern Ireland in a thriller of a game which catapulted Zimbabwe into the Tournament’s Top 8 Teams and also raised their World ranking as Ireland ranked at number 9 and Zim Gems ranked 13th.
Now that the draw is out, Zimbabwe is expected to be making thorough preparations but off court bickering by administrators has stalled the game’s progress and deflated the nation’s expectation.
The African Netball championship is run by the International Netball Federation (INF) whose portfolio includes high quality international events such as the Netball World Cup, the Netball Youth Cup (Under21) as well as the Fast 5 Netball World Series.
Following their impressive showing at the 2019 Netball World Cup where they finished a credible 8th, Zimbabwe were recently drawn in Group B together with rivals and defending champions Uganda who finished 7th in Liverpool, Kenya and Tanzania while Group A consists of South Africa who finished 4th in Liverpool, Zambia, Malawi who also finished 5th in Liverpool and Lesotho.
Hosts SA are the top ranked side after their 4th place finish at the Liverpool Vitality World Cup, followed by Uganda who finished 7th and Malawi 6th who were part of the four team African contigent at the world netball showpiece.
Zimbabwe Head Coach, Lloyd Makunde, and Assiststant Ropafadzo Mutsauki are in a limbo and are waiting to hear from the Zimbabwe National Netball Association, on when to call for a camp and make the much-awaited team announcement.
“…Am waiting to hear from the national association, I take instruction from the national association, maybe if you talk to the president, Mai Chipandu she would be in a better position…” said Makunde.
The media have made several inquiries on the African championships and have been told the squad, the final preparations and other details will be made available soon.
“…when things shape up soon , I will advise but zvirikuita,” said Zimbabwe Netball President Letticia Chipandu when asked about the impending African Championships, team preps and team announcment vis-a-vis state of the game at the moment.
The Zimbabwe “Netball Gems” team is expected to be in top form and to book a place in the top three. The ZimGems technical team is not expected to make any major changes but maybe a few tweaks here and there to strengthen the team.
It is never easy to play any of the African countries especially those teams that competed at the 2019 Netball World Cup did very well, and all finished in the top Ten.
The technical team should never underestimate, any of the teams at the African championships because they are very physical and have height advantage as they ZimGems discovered at the 2019 World Cup in Englands.
Zimbabwe needed to prepare very well and make sure that they are physically and conditioned better especially against Uganda during their opening game of the African championships on the 18th as well as on saturday 19th against Kenya, and Sunday 20th against Tanzania if they want to advance to the next stage of the tournament on Monday the 21st of October.
The ZimGems should never lose sight of the goal and dream to win this tournament and become the best ranked team in the continent, they need to beat the best on the African continent especially after a top 10 finish at the world cup.
From the team that participated at the World Cup in Liverpool, 37 year-old captain Perpetua Siyachitema, Australian based 36 year-old mother of three and Goal Shooter Joice Takaidza and 30 year-old Pauline Jani of ZRP Queens are understood to have expressed their desire to retire from international duty after the world’s sporting showpiece. Mercy Mukwadi recently returned to England in search of greener pastures.
Zimbabwe who took a big squad of 20, although only 12 played. The ZimGems still have UK based 21 year-old Adelaide Muskwe, 20 year-old law student Claris “Advocate” Kwaramba Platinum Queens in Zvishavane , Goal Defenders/Keeper Rudo Kwaramba, Felistus Kwanga is expected to assume the captaincy, centre Ndaiziveyi Madzikangava, wing attack Patricia “Savanna” Mauladi, Sharleen Makusha, Sharon T Bwanali and goal attack Ursula Ndlovu to choose from.
Zimbabwe should still be very competitive, judging from their performance in England they have the skill, agility, depth and reserves in players such as Beauty Sithole, Lorraine “lolo” Gamu Manjoro, Melannie “Mel C Mel” Mariri, Progress Moyo, Stembile Chitiva and Tafadzwa Mavangoh among others who were part of the squad that travelled to the World Cup.
It is critical at this level of competition where the schedule is tight to manage the girls physical, mental and emotional resources for the tournament to ensure they perform to best potential throughout with a recovery programme to avoid suffering from setbacks as the tournament progresses.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Netball Association which is under fire from all corners stand accused of maladministration and incompetence after failing to secure sponsorship to run a national league, the Netball Super League where the majority of players that went to the world cup including those from the development side were drawn from.
In the midst of all this bickering, the team and it’s final preparations for the African Championships remain shrouded in secrecy.
The Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation other corporate partners are also quiet and will they rally behind the Girls once again? Will the corporates and the public keep up the support for these extraordinary ladies. Without any meaningful match practice and competition behind them, are Gems going to blow our minds with another amazing performance yet again?
The ZimGems at the World Cup in Liverpool last July told a powerful rhetoric about the resilience of a strong and intelligent Zimbabwean woman, as we they known to be. It was such a proud moment to watch our ZimGems competing at the highest level in their maiden appearance despite their humble backgrounds.
Zimbabwe’s sporting glory all belongs to girl-child but the girls have not been empowered outside of Netball with their personal lives. Players have an identity outside of netball and otheres needed to pursue other interests and need support with those interests that they may be pasionate about since netball in Zimbabwe in semi-professional.
But will the ZimGems shine once again in Cape Town, as they prepare to take on the best of the best in African netball from the 16th of this month?- NewsOfTheSouth
National Blood Services Zimbabwe (NBSZ) has justified the pegging of an equivalent of US$120 of a pint blood as cost of collection and transfusion processes.
NBSZ spokesperson Ms Esther Massundah said NBSZ does not make any profit from blood. Ms Massundah said blood collection cost includes transport for mobile teams, fuel and blood bags.
“Blood costs approximately US$9,25 per bag. Collection also include clinical consumables such as test tubes, lancets, refreshments, syringes, gloves, eldon cards, forceps and most of these items are imports. Blood collection is done by qualified registered general nurse with further in-house training,” said Ms Massundah.
She said on laboratory tests, once collected, blood goes through five different tests namely; HIV-1 and HIV-2; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis C & Syphilis; all of which cost US$15 per donation.
In addition, she said NBSZ needs at least US$311 000 every two months to import reagents used in the laboratory.
“Donated blood is grouped using an automated blood grouping machine, Neo Iris, and the cost of reagents required is about $176 000 per month.The separation of donated blood is done by qualified scientists who are responsible for processing of components using blood separators, which are imported.
“Further processing of platelets is done using docking devices and pooling kits. Apheresis also requires kits and reagents for processing of single donor platelets — all of which are imported,” she said.
On storage and distribution, Ms Massundah said blood is stored at prescribed temperatures which are monitored daily and the maintenance is outsourced. She said processed blood undergoes quality tests before it is released to hospitals.
“Apart from imports, NBSZ is not exempt to local costs such as fuel; toll gates; employment salaries; rates and maintenance of equipment and vehicles,” she said.
Ms Massundah said in public health institutions, these costs are borne by Government resulting in patients seeking services there, getting blood for free.
Responding to concerns from members of the public after one patient posted their bill amounting to RTGS$9 450 for blood and blood products on social media, Ms Massundah yesterday, said while these products were free in Government institutions, patients receiving treatment from local authorities and private institutions were required to pay as they are not covered under the Government subsidy.
“The cost of producing a safe unit of blood is USD$120, which is recovered at the prevailing bank rate.
“This production cost has been the same for the past five years and this is the very same fee that the Government is paying to the NBSZ for every unit of product that is issued to a patient in the public institutions,” said Ms Massundah.
She said while blood is donated, there was a value chain between donation and transfusion, which brings the cost of blood to USD$120 without any profit.
“There is no profit that is made from blood and the financial statements of NBSZ are publicly available for scrutiny as testament to this,” she said.
The RTGS$9 450 posted on social media included three pints of blood and six units of other blood products.
She, however, said owing to the current strike by doctors in public health institutions, financially disadvantaged patients were forced to seek services from private sector, from which there is a user fee.
Ms Massundah said institutions such as local authorities can engage with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, should they wish their patients to also benefit from this same provision.
She said people who have donated blood for at least 10 times in their lifetime can, with their immediate family members, get free blood or its products regardless of where they are receiving treatment from.
State Media|President Mnangagwa has appointed Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo to lead the Sadc Election Observer Mission for Botswana elections to be held tomorrow.
The President made the appointment in his capacity as chairperson of the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.
Foreign Affairs and International Trade spokesperson Mr Shepherd Gwenzi confirmed the appointment of Minister Moyo, adding that Patrick Chinamasa would be the alternate head of the mission
“The Republic of Zimbabwe, as Sadc Chair on the Organ of Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation will lead the Sadc Elections Observer Mission to the presidential, provincial and legislative elections to be held on October 15, 2019 in Botswana.
“His Excellency, President Mnangagwa, the Chairperson of the Sadc Organ of Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation mandated Lieutenant-General Dr S.B Moyo (Retired) the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to lead the SEOM to the Republic of Botswana from the period running from 9-30 October, 2019.
“The Head of Mission will be accompanied by Cde Patrick Chinamasa who will be the alternate Head of Mission and senior Government officials,” Mr Gwenzi said.
He added that the team would ensure that the elections were held in a transparent manner.
“The core mandate of the SEOM shall be to determine the adherence of the Republic of Botswana to democratic values envisaged in the Sadc Treaty, the Sadc Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, the provisions of the revised Sadc principles and guidelines governing Democratic elections (2015), the Constitution and the Electoral Act of Botswana.
“Honourable Moyo will work closely with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that the elections are conducted in accordance with the domestic and Sadc relevant statutes. Elections would be based on a three-phase approach, the pre elections phase, the elections phase and the post-elections phase.”
Minister Moyo is expected to officially launch the SEOM today and will release the preliminary statement on the polls on October 25.
According to Sadc’s preliminary statement, Botswana is ready and prepared to conduct the elections as scheduled.
INTERVIEW OF ZIMBABWE’S SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT WITH SIMBA CHIKANZA AT THE IN-HOTEL IN SERBIA ON SUNDAY 13TH OCTOBER 2019.
Watch video below. ..
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
FULL VIDEO OF INTERVIEW (PLUS AUDIO) LOADING BELOW…
The interview was recorded partly on audio and the rest on video.
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….
LIVE: MUDENDA CONFESSES MNANGAGWA USED MILITARY TO KILL PEOPLE TO CHANGE 2018 ELECTION RESULTS https://www.zimeye.net/2019/10/15/live/ via @ZimEye
State Media|In a development likely to inspire changes in the proposed Marriages Bill that seeks to have unregistered customary law unions itemised, a High Court judge has called for a countrywide database of married individuals to reduce bigamy.
Bigamy occurs when a legally married person enters into a second marriage contract with another without dissolving the first.
Currently, individuals wishing to marry are required to provide passport size colour photographs of their images and fingerprints to discourage bigamy.
However, Justice Sylvia Chirawu-Mugomba said this was not enough in this era of technology.
She said there was nothing that prohibited the Registrar of Marriages from having a real-time online database for all married persons.
“Every marriage officer must be mandated to search the database whether or not the person intending to marry is free from other legal impediments,” said Justice Chirawu-Mugomba.
“Additionally, or alternatively, every person who intends to marry must produce a certificate of ‘present status’ obtained from the Registrar of Marriages as a form of clearance.”
The judge made the remarks while handing down judgment in the case in which a widow, Ms Susan Mobape, was suing Master of the High Court Mr Manyadzwa Kamuchira N.O. and Ms Cynthia Chaitezvi, over maintenance from the deceased estate.
Justice Chirawu-Mugomba’s remarks come against the backdrop of the proposed Marriages Bill and even proposed criminal sanctions for those found lying under oath.
She said the Registrar of Marriages could also consider obtaining affidavits from intending spouses declaring that they are nor married to anyone else under customary law (including unregistered customary law unions) or general law in addition to a certificate of present status.
“Those found to have lied under oath about their marital status must face the wrath of the law,” the judge said. “Perhaps these measures will reduce the number of bigamous marriages.”
Ms Mobape had approached the High Court seeking a review of the Master of High Court’s decision to dismiss her application for maintenance in the estate of her late husband Lovemore Mobape.
The Master of High Court threw out Ms Mobape application on the basis that she lacked the required legal footing in terms of Section 2 of the Deceased Persons Family Maintenance Act.
She was asking for a combined US$1 380 maintenance to cover herself for groceries, salaries for drivers, two security workers, church meetings, car maintenance and licensing fees.
The couple had lived together as husband and wife for 42 years under unregistered customary law union until the demise of the former in November 2017.
During the subsistence of their unregistered customary law marriage the couple had founded a church, New Gospel Church of God. But at the time of his death, Mr Mobape was still married to Ms Chaitezvi under civil law (Marriage Act (Chapter 5: 11).
The Master of the High Court had ruled that Ms Mobape was not entitled to an award of maintenance from the deceased estate in question.
In her ruling, Justice Chirawu-Mugomba upheld the decision by the Master of High Court saying Ms Mobape was not qualified to be a dependent in the estate of the deceased.
“In the final analysis, the applicant (Ms Mobape) has failed to show that she is dependent as contemplated in Section 2 of the Deceased Persons Family Maintenance Act,” she said.
Justice Chirawu-Mugomba directed the registrar of the High Court to distribute her judgment to the attention of the Master of the High Court, executive secretary of the Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ)and chairperson of the Estate Administrators Council of Zimbabwe as well as the registrar of marriages.
Paul Nyathi|Not only was President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s faction preferred candidates defeated at the all important ZANU PF District Coordinating Committee(DCC) elections for Harare over the weekend, but the much revered nephew of the President was also embarrassed.
Controversial former ZANU PF terror leader Ephraim Fundukwa defeated Mnangagwa’s much fancied nephew Tongai Mnangagwa polling 2 163 votes against the younger Mnangagwa who polled 1652 for the chairmanship of Zone 6 district.
Tongai Mafidi Mnangagwa is currently the Member of Parliament for Harare South constituency and the only ZANU–PF MP representing Harare Province.
Some former provincial executive members who were previously rejected for suspected disloyalty to President Mnangagwa also emerging victorious.
Notables who won the elections include former Zanu-PF Harare provincial chairman Godwills Masimirembwa, former provincial youth chairman Godwin Gomwe, Fundukwa, Kudakwashe Damson and Rosemary Bwititi
Former President Robert Mugabe’s blue eyed boy, broadcaster Robson Mhandu and also found his way into the leadership of the party grassroots in the capital together with Betty Kaseke and businessman Gilbert Muponda.
Masimirembwa won the Zone 4 chairmanship after garnering 475 votes against Stalin Mau-Mau’s 252. Gomwe landed the Zone 2 chairmanship after getting 1 270 votes against Martin Mambo’s 490.
Other chairmen are Damson (Zone 5), Mafuratidze Goodwell (Zone 1) and Chiminhi George (Zone 3).
Zanu-PF national political commissar Victor Matemadanda hailed the election results and urged members to put the interests of the party ahead of their own.
Addressing those who took part in the exercise yesterday, Matemadanda said: “Those elected into positions should take it as an assignment to coordinate, drive the party policy and ideology to the people. Of late DCCs were used by some members as a money-making machine through imposing candidates who pay bribes to get either Parliament or council positions.
“No one owns a person. Stop the imposition of candidates. The upper organ of the party is superior than the lower organ. The majority is superior than the minority, so you should be not caught off guard. Zanu-PF is a people’s party, so those elected should be driven by the will to save the people and be loyal to the President and the party,” said Matemadanda.
He said the party used the democratic process to ensure it comes up with the right candidates.
Speaking at the same occasion, Zanu-PF secretary for Security Lovemore Matuke said DCC elections were meant to strengthen the party.
“The setting up of DCCs will coordinate party programmes from cell to provincial level. They are not meant to create factionalism. Factionalism has no room in the New Dispensation. Members should be driven by the party ideology and policy.
“We want development in Harare. We should stop sloganeering but put more focus on development for the betterment of the people,” he said.
He urged party members in other provinces stop canvassing support for DCC elections before getting instructions do so by the party.
The huge loot of anti riot gear police claim to have recovered in Harare Cbd
Paul Nyathi|Police claim to have recovered 210 anti-riot and 46 municipal police helmets stashed in the basement of Robinson House at the corner of Kwame Nkrumah Avenue and Angwa Street in Harare on Saturday, according to state media.
The police also claim to have recovered stones, bricks and sticks stashed together with the police attire adding that they believed that the loot was earmarked for use in street violence.
The police have not yet explained how the helmets that are kept as a security item at police stations had been collected.
According to state run media, the cache was stumbled upon after police pursued a group of alledged thugs that had attacked a police officer who reportedly was waiting for someone at the building.
National police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said police tried to aid the poor officer but the rowdy youths only retreated into the basement after additional reinforcements arrived.
“A group of rowdy elements attacked a police officer who was about to meet his relative at Robinson House, these elements have declared the area a no-go area for police,” he said.
“Some officers who were nearby came to intervene but were also attacked, forcing them to call for back-up from Harare Central Police Station. When the hooligans saw that they were now being overpowered, they ran into the basement with the officers in pursuit.
“It was during the chase that they came across the helmets stashed in one of the rooms in the basement,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.
He said 12 people have since been arrested in connection with the incident.
“Those who were arrested are Helton Tamangani (29), Evans Chinganga (39), Tichaona Maziya (22), Petros Kaesa (44), Adoration Tafadzwa Madziwa (23), Lovemore Chitengo(42), Terrence Nyadundu (24), Robson Mutseta (31), Hillary Nyawasha (29), Wambo Denford (41), Blessing Chirodza (41) and David Tawanda Tedere (35).”
Ast-Comm Nyathi said they were carrying out investigations to ascertain the origin of the helmets.
KELVIN NDEBELE scored a contender for the Goal of the Season while the resurgent Ronald ‘’Rooney’’ Chitiyo provided a moment to remember as CAPS United went back five points clear of the chasing pack.
On a beautiful sunny day, there was a marked increase in the number of fans in the stands, most of them wearing the green-and-white colours of the hosts.
And, it’s likely, they all got fair value for making the trip to watch this Castle Lager Premiership match. This was the Green Machine, showing, in more ways than one, that they have slipped into the mood of becoming champions this year.
There was so much to watch, so much to admire and, when you play well, the fans respond. They have won four matches on the trot and lead FC Platinum by five points while Chicken Inn are now a distant seven points behind.
With their main rivals having played on Saturday, FC Platinum beating Yadah 3-1 and Chicken Inn being held by Black Rhinos, the challenge was thrown at the Green Machine.State media
ELEVEN constables from different police stations, were last week arrested in Borrowdale while trying to extort money from a businessman they accused of illegally dealing in foreign currency and gold.
One of the 11 was on suspension for misconduct, but had just been roped in to execute the plan. The gang reportedly stormed the premises of Mr Vaya Sanjay Keshavji (48) in Borrowdale on Thursday afternoon, while driving in two unregistered vehicles.
The 11 are: Tafadzwa Chidawa (31) who is currently on suspension, Prosper Chimbumu (28), John Gwinyai Matandaware (34), Thomas Nyika (35), Archby Mano (26), Daniel Mwanadi (31), Simbarashe Ndungwa (31), Doit Kunyumbe (33), Levison Nhongo (34), Walter Mapfumo (30) and Francis Kudzai Munatswa (25). Three of them were wearing riot police uniform while eight were in plain clothes.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said he was still checking the details of the case.
Sources close to the investigations yesterday said on Thursday at around 1400 hours, the 11 teamed up and went the premises while driving in two unregistered vehicles, a Black Nissan Caravan and a cream Nissan Sunny.
They reportedly introduced themselves as officers from Harare Central operations section. They allegedly indicated to him that they had received information that he was illegally dealing in gold and foreign currency before demanding to see documentation authorising him to operate.
It is alleged that the businessman became suspicious and told the suspects to remain at the reception before he went into his office where he alerted the police.
A reaction team comprising of a strong team from the Criminal Investigations Department and Support Unit then swooped in where they arrested the 11.
The 11 policeman contended that they had received information from Chidawa that there was a person who was dealing in ivory in the CBD. They then reacted to the information using Chidawa’s vehicle and made a follow up to the businessman’s premises.
According to police, the 11 further alleged that they demanded to carry out a search within the businessman’s premises, but they were prevented from doing so. The matter is being investigated under case number RRB 4105407.State media
Police recovered 210 anti-riot and 46 municipal police helmets stashed in the basement of Robinson House at the corner of Kwame Nkrumah Avenue and Angwa Street in Harare on Saturday.
Also recovered were stones, bricks and sticks believed to be earmarked for use in street violence. It was not immediately clear how the helmets had been collected and for what purpose.
The cache was stumbled upon after police pursued a group of thugs that had attacked a police officer who reportedly was waiting for someone at the building.State media
Lloyd Chitembwe was relieved after Harare City picked their first victory in five games on Saturday against Mushowani Stars.
The Sunshine Boys won the match 3-2 to ease relegation fears as they moved out of the drop zone, at least for now.
“Sometimes it is not about playing pretty football, it is about making sure the job is done,” said Chitembwe after the game.
“I am happy with the three points, that is what we desperately needed.
“This will give us confidence going into the next game.”
Mushowani opened the scoring through Blessing Phiri in the fourth minute but William Manondo restored parity just after the half hour mark.
Ishmael Wadi gave City the lead for the first time in the game three minutes after the break, but his effort was cancelled by Charles Rukwanhi in the 75th minute.
Manondo came back again ten minutes from time and secured the winner for Harare City.Soccer24
Leonardo Castro and Khama Billiat scored as Kaizer Chiefs ran riot in the first half to eventually thump Mamelodi Sundowns 4-2 in the Shell Helix Ultra Cup at the FNB Stadium.
The Colomobian opened the scoring as early as the 8th minute, quickly reacting to a Billiat shot which had hit the upright to put Amakhosi ahead.
He reacted again in the 31st minute, after another Billiat shot was punched back into play by the Sundowns goalkeeper to double Chiefs’ advantage.
Castro completed his hat-trick in first half time added on heading home to pile more misery on his former paymasters.
Just as it looked as if the two teams would go to the break seperated by Castro’s hat-trick, Billiat made it four, the Colombian the provider this time for the Zimbabwe international to fire home from close range.
Sundowns got their two goals from substitute Jose Ali Meza on the hour mark and a late penalty from Gaston Sirino.Soccer24
THE Government is aware of clandestine plans by some rogue opposition activists and the civil society to infiltrate and capitalise on the anti-sanction campaign scheduled for October 25 to engage in criminal activities, Vice-President Mohadi has said.
Speaking during a Zanu-PF rally at Stanley Square in Bulawayo’s Makokoba suburb yesterday, VP Mohadi said police will be deployed in numbers to maintain law and order and ensure public safety during the march.
“As Government, we have got information that there are covert plans by some members from the opposition and the civil society who want to take advantage and infiltrate. “In fact, they want to engage in acts of violence and looting shops like what happened in January.
“It is therefore important for police to be ready and they should be out in full force to deal with such elements,” he said.
Sadc has declared October 25 as the solidarity day against illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe and resolved to conduct various activities in their respective countries on the day to resoundingly call for the immediate removal of the sanctions.
Zanu-PF national political commissar Cde Victor Matemadanda said the party has lined up a number of programmes to accommodate all political parties.
VP Mohadi said the United States, the UK and their allies imposed sanctions against Zimbabwe because of the land reform programme.
“We took back our land because our land is our wealth. The land is the anchor of our nationhood and that is why we repossessed our land, which is why the British decided to impose sanctions against us,” he said.
“As long we are still there as your leaders, we will overcome the sanctions because we liberated this country without any help from the West.
“I therefore urge the people of Zimbabwe to be patient because I know we have so many doubting Thomases. We are going to turn around this economy whether they like it or not.”State media
A Masvingo-based policeman is battling for life in hospital after he was accidentally shot in the lower abdomen by a colleague last week.
The police officers had just recovered a firearm from a suspect and wanted to verify whether or not it was licensed.
Sources close to the case said a cop at Masvingo Central Police Station accidentally pulled the trigger of the pistol before a stray bullet hit his colleague.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the incident occurred at Jazira Shopping Centre in Rujeko C at around 9.30am.
He said the names of the police officers would be released in due course. “We are investigating a case in which a police officer was accidentally shot in the abdomen by a colleague while on duty. This occurred when our officers confiscated the fire arm during interrogation,” said Asst-Comm Nyathi. “It was during interrogation process that he pulled the trigger and accidentally hit a colleague on the lower part of the abdomen.
Names of the injured policeman and the other four will be released in due course once investigations are complete.”
Asst-Comm Nyathi said while on patrol at Rujeko A Shopping Centre, five police officers came across a man armed with a pistol.
He said the team followed the man to Jazira Business Centre in Rujeko C, where they accosted him before searching and discovering a firearm from his pair of denim trousers’ pocket.
Asst-Comm Nyathi said the police details then took the loaded pistol intending to confirm its certification. “One of the police officers accidentally pulled the trigger which hit his colleague on the lower part of the abdomen leaving the bullet inside,” he said.
The victim, he said, bled profusely from the wound and was rushed to Masvingo General Hospital where his condition is reportedly critical.State media
Farai Dziva|Students will on Tuesday stage nationwide protests at Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.
See full statement :
Enough is enough. We have endured the harsh economic conditions of our beloved country and now we say it’s enough.
The clueless government of ED has absolutely failed to turn around the economy and we students are the victims of the aftermaths. Fees hikes, high rentals, transport costs for off campus students, power cuts, high prices for basic commodities, water shortages among others and no jobs afterwards.
Our lives are now miserable. We have endured for so long and we can’t be fooled by the so called 2030 vision which is only a myth not a reality given the previous deceits by ED such as ‘100 day plan’!
The crisis is manmade therefore it’s solvable. We demand that ED humbles himself and go to the negotiating table with President Advocate Nelson Chamisa for a dialogue and solve the illegitimacy crisis which happens to be the root for our suffering and bring about economic reforms.
We are shutting down all colleges across the country on Tuesday till our message reaches ED.
Education which is our right according to section 27 of the constitution should not be a hard earned thing and useless.
Comrades of the academic struggle, the intelligentsia! No one is attending any lecture on Tuesday the 15th of October till ED accept the dialogue with Chamisa, resolve the legitimacy crisis from which we are suffering.
There is nothing to fear except fear itself. Mwana asingacheme anofira mumbereko. It’s time to wake up from our slumber, unite as one and fight for the Zimbabwe we want.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday received an Honorary Doctorate in Peace and Governance from Bindura University of Science and Technology (BUSE) for his role in promoting peace and development.
The honour was bestowed at BUSE’s 18th graduation ceremony in Bindura yesterday.
The university said it had accorded the President with the doctorate for policies that promote the rule of law, deepen democracy and strengthen international cooperation.
BUSE applauded President Mnangagwa for his “intellectual dexterity to steer the State with unparalleled skill”, as well as for being a reformer who has opened the country to business and investment.
In his acceptance speech, President Mnangagwa dedicated the doctorate to peace-loving Zimbabweans for promoting harmony in the country.
“I wish to express my deep sense of gratitude to the Bindura University of Science and Technology for the conferment of Honorary Doctor (Honoris Causa) in Peace and Governance. I humbly dedicate this award to all Zimbabweans who have, over the years, remained committed to peace, security, unity and stability of our beloved country.”
President Mnangagwa said his administration will continue to promote peace and stability, as these are key ingredients to develop the country.
“Rest assured that my Government, under the Second Republic, will continue to entrench these tenets as we strive for sustainable economic development and prosperity.
“In addition, the strengthening of strong, transparent, accountable and ethical institutions will remain key as we deepen democracy in our country, building the Zimbabwe we all want.”
The Second Republic, he said, tolerates divergent views that are relayed without threatening the country’s peace and stability.
“All our activities across the socio-economic and political spectrum must therefore be underpinned by unity of purpose, love, peace, harmony, as well as an environment where divergent views are accepted and tolerated.”
The President implored the successful graduates to be patriotic and aim to develop the country though the knowledge and skills attained at the university.
“Love your country, serve your communities and families with humility and compassion. Be patient, bold, confident, upright and courageous.
Our future is bright. No matter the challenges you may encounter, be strong and persevere; the knowledge and skills gained from this great institution – Bindura University of Science and Education – are invaluable and will surely lead to your success, when appropriately applied.”State media
President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday received an Honorary Doctorate in Peace and Governance from Bindura University of Science and Technology (BUSE) for his role in promoting peace and development.
The honour was bestowed at BUSE’s 18th graduation ceremony in Bindura yesterday.
The university said it had accorded the President with the doctorate for policies that promote the rule of law, deepen democracy and strengthen international cooperation.
BUSE applauded President Mnangagwa for his “intellectual dexterity to steer the State with unparalleled skill”, as well as for being a reformer who has opened the country to business and investment.
In his acceptance speech, President Mnangagwa dedicated the doctorate to peace-loving Zimbabweans for promoting harmony in the country.
“I wish to express my deep sense of gratitude to the Bindura University of Science and Technology for the conferment of Honorary Doctor (Honoris Causa) in Peace and Governance. I humbly dedicate this award to all Zimbabweans who have, over the years, remained committed to peace, security, unity and stability of our beloved country.”
President Mnangagwa said his administration will continue to promote peace and stability, as these are key ingredients to develop the country.
“Rest assured that my Government, under the Second Republic, will continue to entrench these tenets as we strive for sustainable economic development and prosperity.
“In addition, the strengthening of strong, transparent, accountable and ethical institutions will remain key as we deepen democracy in our country, building the Zimbabwe we all want.”
The Second Republic, he said, tolerates divergent views that are relayed without threatening the country’s peace and stability.
“All our activities across the socio-economic and political spectrum must therefore be underpinned by unity of purpose, love, peace, harmony, as well as an environment where divergent views are accepted and tolerated.”
The President implored the successful graduates to be patriotic and aim to develop the country though the knowledge and skills attained at the university.
“Love your country, serve your communities and families with humility and compassion. Be patient, bold, confident, upright and courageous.
Our future is bright. No matter the challenges you may encounter, be strong and persevere; the knowledge and skills gained from this great institution – Bindura University of Science and Education – are invaluable and will surely lead to your success, when appropriately applied.”State media
Dear Editor- I am presently at Law and Order attending to 11 vendors who were severely assaulted and detained by ZRP Friday evening.
Upon arrest they were not informed of the charges but were beaten severely with most of them sustaining serious injuries.
Four of the victims have broken limbs from the brutal assault.
Furthermore the arresting detail also illegally confiscated significant amounts of money and phones which they forcefully took from the 11 vendors and did not even bother booking all items taken from the victims…
This is yet another brutal crackdown by the regime on innocent civilians..
More update to follow…
Agency Gumbo
Sec For Justice and Legal Affairs- MDC Youth Assembly
The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority has issued a price circular effective tomorrow 14 October 2019 which shows the price of fuel did not increase byt remained at last week figures.
Last week, ZERA shocking the motoring public after announcing a price hike of fuel from around $12 to $15.
During the course of the week, there have been countless fake circulars announcing that the price of fuel was set to get to around $18, though ZERA dismissed the announcements as fake.
A stracker machine loads coal mined to a conveyor belt at stock pile area at an open pit coal mine Bloomberg
Zimbabwe’s Hwange Colliery has set its eyes on exporting coal to South Africa to wriggle its way out of a financial crisis exacerbated by debts and obsolete equipment.
Hwange currently exports largely to Zambia. The company said South Africa and Zambia could boost its export market.
“Trial orders of industrial coal to new blue chip customers in Zambia and South Africa were also undertaken (in the period under review),” said acting managing director, Charles Zinyemba.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is in the dark on former president Jacob Zuma’s next legal move regarding his corruption charges.
Zuma is facing a litany of corruption, fraud and money laundering charges stemming from the late 1990s multi billion arms deal where it is alleged he received bribes via convicted Durban fraudster, Schabir Shaik.
The NPA’s spokesperson in KZN, Natasha Kara, told Independent Media on Sunday that the authority will just go to the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Tuesday and see what transpires.
“The matter has been set down for the trial from 15 to 18 October. We will have to wait for Tuesday to see what will transpire and how the matter will proceed,” Kara said.
On Friday a full bench of the Pietermaritzburg High Court, led by Judge Bhekisisa Mnguni, working with Judges Thoba Poyo-Dlwati and Esther Steyn, ruled that the prosecution of Zuma must proceed.
Zuma had applied to have his charges quashed, citing long delays and political interference as his reasons.
The NPA has always maintained that it was ready to continue with the prosecution after reinstating the charges against Zuma in March last year, shortly after he was recalled as the country’s president by his party, the ANC.
While Zuma is mum on his next move, his nephew, Inkosi Siphiwe Zuma of Impendle in the KZN Midlands where the Zuma clan originated from, said his uncle should appeal the ruling.
According to Simphiwe Zuma, the Zuma clan he felt his uncle would not win the case as its outcome was predetermined.
“You cannot continue with such a case if it is clear that there are people who are hellbent on destroying Msholozi (Zuma),” Simphiwe Zuma was quoted as saying by IOL.
Jacob Zuma’s lawyer, Advocate Daniel Mantsha, did not respond to queries about their next legal move on the matter.
Filipe Mahajane, spokesperson for the Matavele family, holds a portrait of murdered Executive Director of the Non Governmental Organisation in Gaza province (FONGA) Anastacio Matavele on October 11, 2019 at Xai-Xai in the Gaza Province, Mozambique. (Photo by GIANLUIGI GUERCIA / AFP)
The gunmen left nothing to chance. The dark green four-wheel drive has no less than 10 bullet holes lodged into the driver’s side door.
It was an execution.
Anastacio Matavele, the 58-year-old head of a local election observation mission, was shot dead at the wheel of his car in the southeastern Mozambique city of Xai-Xai on Monday.
It was just over a week before elections in the southern African nation, and the shocking assassination of a prominent election observer — as well numerous other violent incidents across the country during an increasingly fraught campaign — has heightened tensions ahead of the vote on Tuesday.
Filipe Mahanjane recalls the death of his friend.
“That day Anastacio had organised training for observers who wanted to follow the electoral process,” he says. “He made the opening speech then had to leave for the city centre.”
“He was alone in the car, no one saw what happened,” says Mahanjane, standing beside the bullet-riddled car, now parked in front of the victim’s house.
The mother of murdered Executive Director of the Non Governmental Organisation in Gaza province (FONGA) Anastacio Matavele, mourns together with other family members and relatives on October 11, 2019 at Xai-Xai in the Gaza Province, Mozambique. (Photo by GIANLUIGI GUERCIA / AFP)
“We just know that he was shot and taken to hospital. He didn’t survive.”
With no witnesses, those behind the murder could have easily gotten away with it.
But in their haste fleeing the scene, the alleged killers smashed into another car.
Two of them were killed in the crash, two were wounded and a fifth managed to run off.
Locals quickly recognised the men — they were police officers, members of a special rapid intervention unit.
Mozambique’s national police had no choice but to admit the identity of its officers, suspend the two wounded and launch an investigation. The police have said they will not comment further pending the probe’s outcome.
– ‘Death squads‘ – But for the local candidate of Renamo, the country’s main opposition party, the motive is clear.
“This guy was working to make the election transparent,” says Mouzinho Gama Gundurujo.
“So they killed him.”
By “they”, he is referring to the ruling Frelimo party of President Filipe Nyusi, who is running for his second term in office.
Frelimo has been in power since Mozambique gained independence from Portugal in 1975 and is expected to prevail once again in presidential, parliamentary and provincial elections on Tuesday.
The country is still struggling to shake off the legacy of decades of violent conflict between Frelimo and former rebel group Renamo after the two sides sealed a historic peace treaty in August.
Xai-Xai is the capital of the Gaza province, a key Frelimo stronghold three hours north of the capital Maputo.
Campaigning in Gaza was bitter, marred by numerous incidents of intimidation and threats.
“We know that death squads exist and that the police conduct special operations to silence politicians and activists. They serve as an arm of the ruling party,” says Renamo’s Gundurujo.
“Above all, we know that a huge fraud is being prepared here.”
Before his death, the observer non-governmental organisation Matavele belonged to had revealed a series of irregularities in Gaza’s electoral lists.
Enrolment has more than doubled in Gaza in five years, from 591,000 to nearly 1.2 million — by far the biggest increase in the country.
Civil society groups and the head of the National Institute of Statistics have expressed concern about the size of the jump.
But the National Electoral Commission (CNE) has confirmed its calculations and increased the number of Gaza seats from 14 to 22.
“There is no scientific explanation for those figures,” says Ericino de Salema, commentator, and lawyer at the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa.
However he did indicate a potential political advantage for Frelimo.
“Gaza is the only province in the country where the opposition has never elected a single MP.”
– ‘Ghost voters‘ – Several local observer NGO groups in Xai-Xai estimate there are around 300,000 “ghost voters” in Gaza — names on the electoral roll not aligned with real, potential voters.
And some observers in the province said the CNE had been slow to grant them accreditation for polling day.
“We were the first to speak out about the extravagant number of registered voters, so they are doing everything they can to keep us out of the process,” said one observer on the condition of anonymity.
On the ground, Frelimo candidates don’t want to discuss such accusations.
“I have nothing to say about the irregularities, nor on the subject of Anastasio’s death,” says candidate Raimondo Savenca, wearing a red Frelimo cap in Xai-Xai. “I have nothing to say,” he repeats.
Frelimo’s national spokesman is more talkative.
“The opposition complains about problems just to gain sympathy because it has no programme,” says spokesman Caifadine Manasse.
“There will always be opportunists to create disorder and attribute blame to Frelimo and the police.”
Meanwhile the friends and family of Anastacio Matavele wait for answers.
“He trained those who needed to observe the voting process, which you want to be free, fair and transparent. He only championed that,” a grief-stricken Mahanjane said.
“So we want to know who is responsible for this crime.”
Human Rights Lawyer Doug Coltart With Members of the Rural Teachers’ Union
*ARTUZ ZVIMBA DISTRICT* ARTUZ Zvimba district joins the entire ARTUZ family countrywide to down tools on the 14th of October 2019.
Every teacher in Zvimba district is encouraged to heed the call for a strike. It is meant to ensure that dignity is restored in the teaching profession.
Teachers have been reduced to mere beggars at the hands of the government of our day.
The so-called austerity for prosperity measures are turning out to be austerity for poverty.
As Zvimba district we cannot just sit and wait for someone to fight for us. The fight for a living wage is for us teachers, let not cowardice ruin our fight for a living wage.
Do not fear fellow cdes, there is no amount of intimidation that must stop us from fighting a good cause.
Future generations will demand answers from us if we let the government take away the dignity of the teaching profession.
Oliver Chipfuwamiti ( ARTUZ Zvimba district Chairperson) 0773517256
Zambia is on the brink of an energy crisis that threatens to hike tariffs for consumers already feeling the economic hardship caused by the country’s rocketing debt service bill. Load shedding is so severe that power cuts of up to 16 hours have hit the capital, Lusaka. The official explanation is drought, causing low water levels at the Kariba dam, a major source of the country’s energy. But experts and insiders at state power utility Zesco also blame mismanagement and corruption.
Zesco has now lost financial support from the World Bank because it refuses to restructure its bloated workforce and cannot properly account for how funds are spent, we understand, ending its chances of raising a planned US$500 million bond (AC Vol 59 No 10, A swirling fog of debt).
Faced with the prospect of Kariba running dry by December, Zesco announced on 24 September it would import 300MW of emergency power from Eskom, South Africa’s state power company, at a monthly cost of $20.5m. The deal was meant to last six months, starting from 1 October, but no imports have yet begun. Zesco blames bureaucracy, but Eskom’s spokesperson Dikatso Mothae told local media no deal had been signed because Zesco had failed to meet the necessary conditions. These include addressing the outstanding debts Zesco has to Eskom, we understand.
Businesses question why Zesco continues to export power to Namibia and Congo-Kinshasa, instead declaring force majeure domestically to raise tariffs for emergency power. Patriotic Front insiders say the crisis benefits the elite. A deal signed in November 2015 with Turkish company Karpower supplied diesel-generated power to Zambia from a ship stationed off the coast of Mozambique at a hefty 23 cents per kwH. The high price covered commissions paid to politically connected brokers of the deal, including former President Rupiah Banda’s son Henry, Africa Confidentialcan reveal. Banda and Zesco Managing Director Victor Mudende are on close terms, say PF insiders, who say that Mundende only remains in post because he is complicit in Zesco being used as a cash cow for PF elites. – Africa Confidential
Nehanda|Former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono has shed an astonishing 35kgs in 9 months after investing in a home gym and hiring the services of well-known personal trainer Kenny Murungweni.
Personal trainer Kenny Murungweni and Gideon Gono
Gono who also occasionally uses the services of a fitness trainer and Norton independent MP Temba Mliswa, says he is now putting on suits he used to wear 20 years ago.
In an exclusive interview with Nehanda Radio, Gono who turns 60 in November said “My Weight-loss journey has been a long and consistent one. It’s just that I have been out of the public eye for a very long time so those seeing me today think that it’s been a miracle-Weight loss or an event… no
“It’s a journey characterized by discipline, dedication to a voluntary cause, determination to achieve one’s set goals and objectives, good dieting where one eats to live not live to eat as I used to do, good sleeping habits, persistent and irritating frequency in the gym and on road-walks and runs.”
“I invested a lot in a home gym and hired a well-known personal trainer by the name Kenny Murungweni aka in the fitness circles as The Rambo. We have literally been training every day for the past 8 months and our mutual addiction to the fitness cause is now legendary among my friends and family. Those around me get my “V11s” or workout evidence on a daily basis.”
Speaking to Nehanda Radio, Mliswa said; “I was his personal trainer for a long time and then left, then got Guramanyanga Gerald to work with him and so forth. Listen he is one person that understands the lifestyle that is needed in terms of one being healthy and he invests a lot in that.
“First of all the time he invests. Religiously he would wake up at 5am, train for an hour, we would monitor every session, we would record every session and so forth. He is one person I can say mentally he has the propensity to put on weight, he also has the propensity to lose weight.
“In one month that I was training him he lost 22kgs, so that weight loss has nothing to do with any economic challenges or anything. Its his mental strength, if he wants to lose weight, he will lose weight….kudos to him, great mental strength… his work ethic is out of this world.
“I coached national team players and they would complain but Gideon never complains. He is a person who works like the military where he complains after duty and I’m not an easy person when it comes to the aspect of physical training….
“But again Gideon will want to put on weight again, that’s him and then he will lose it again, so he could be like that, how long he wants to be like that for, I don’t know but it’s been awesome seeing him in that shape, just that he has to invest in a new wardrobe,” Mliswa told Nehanda Radio.
Gono meanwhile has advice for anyone seeking to start their own fitness journey;
“The starting point for anyone wanting to lose weight ought to be regular walking and running outside. Between September 2018 and February 2019, my wife and I walked/ran a combined total of about 1200 kms or an average of 10 kms a day 5 days a week.
“The records are there for evidence. Then daily gyming began in February 2019 and we do on average 1,5 hrs a day, six days a week. People like Hon Temba Mliswa have come to my home for competitive gyming and anyone is free to get a testimony from him. He is one hell of a gym fanatic but he will tell you stories about my training and competitions with him.
“We have these competitions on video. Therefore, yes, for me and my wife and family, it’s now a way of life. I have lost 35kgs in 8-9 months and my shirt sizes have reduced from 6XL to just XL and I’m putting on suits I used to wear 20 years ago, am enjoying my body as much as I did then.
“I hope to start a weight loss academy soon for those like me who believe that Failure is not an option. Once it’s up and running, I will want to impart my experiences to others. Many people are moving around carrying hanging gardens of Babylon and we must deal with these life-styles and change for the better. Obesity and overweight is a killer my friend.
“I’m happy that I have dealt with it and am determined to stay younger! For those suggesting that I’m sick or have some dreaded disease(s), I’m willing to undergo any form of medical examination, public or private, in return for a sponsored new wardrobe of my choice!( kikikiki).”
As a former governor of the central bank Gono could not resist an economic analogy, telling us;
“If we are to deal decisively with our economy, there is need to start at the personal levels and show commitment to sweating for rewards, for discipline, consistency, determination, perseverance then you can tackle the macro-economy with the same understanding that without pain, there is no gain!
“Those are the parallels I can draw between personal sacrifices and the outer world… no pain, no gain and failure must never be an option,” Gono told Nehanda Radio
Dear Editor-I am presently at Law and Order attending to 11 vendors who were severely assaulted and detained by ZRP Friday evening.
Upon arrest they were not informed of the charges but were beaten severely with most of them sustaining serious injuries. 4 of the victims have broken limbs from the brutal assault.
Furthermore the arresting detail also illegally confiscated significant amounts of money and phones which they forcefully took from the 11 vendors and did not even bother booking all items taken from the victims…
This is yet another brutal crackdown by the regime on innocent civilians..
More update to follow…
Agency Gumbo
Sec For Justice and Legal Affairs- MDC Youth Assembly
The late former President Robert Mugabe used his nephew Leo Mugabe’s cattle to pay lobola for his second wife, Grace, in Chivhu in 1992, four years after he had sired Bona in an “adulterous” relationship as Sally (his first wife) was still alive.
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe looks at cows with his counterpart the President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema (out of the picture) 31 August 2007 at the Harare Agricultural Show, which was formally opened by the Equatorial Guinea President. AFP PHOTO/Desmond KWANDE / AFP PHOTO / DESMOND KWANDE
Leo told the Daily News on Sunday that Mugabe later refused to reimburse the cattle on the pretext that Leo’s father had not fully paid lobola for Mugabe’s sister (Sabina). Said Leo:
The story is that I was sent by sekuru (Mugabe) to go and marry Grace in Chivhu. Indeed, most people believed I had married Grace for myself. I was sent by sekuru to marry her.
I was accompanied by my late brother Innocent. Sekuru told me to use my cattle to pay the lobola, with the promise that he would replace them.
Later, sekuru declined to replace my cattle, arguing that my father had not paid lobola fully when he married our mother. Still, I was happy for sekuru when he married Mbuya Grace, as he wanted children.
Leo, who is Sabina’s son, revealed that the reason why Mugabe married Grace while Sally was still alive was that he wanted children badly.
Mugabe and Sally had one child, Nhamodzenyika, who reportedly died before independence while Mugabe was detained by the colonial government.
Mozambique holds a general election on Tuesday that will test the country’s fragile peace as the Frelimo party, faced with economic crisis and chronic conflict, prepares to relinquish at least some control after 44 years in power.
The impoverished southern African nation has seen one of the most violent campaigns in its brief and turbulent history, raising fears that the presidential, parliamentary and provincial polls could be marred by bloodshed.
Frelimo has ruled Mozambique since independence from Portugal in 1975 and — barring a major upset — is expected to again beat it arch-rival Renamo, a former rebel group turned opposition party.
Frelimo and Renamo, who fought a brutal civil war from 1975-1992 that left a nearly million people dead, signed a peace deal in August hoping to turn the page on decades of conflict.
But an armed breakaway faction of Renamo has splintered off, rejecting the treaty and threatening to attack campaign events.
“This election will be a test for democracy,” said Ericino de Salema of the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa.
“For the first time, the political geography of the country may change substantially, it may even lead to confrontation.”
A bitter, violent campaign
Under the peace deal, Frelimo will have to loosen its stranglehold on power.
Mozambique’s 13 million voters, out of a population of nearly 30 million, will elect provincial governors for the first time — they were previously appointed by the government — who will have expanded powers.
Renamo is expected to gain control of between three to five of the country’s 10 provinces.
“For the very first time, the ruling party is facing the risk of losing something… and there is no way they are going to let it go,” said Zenaida Machado of Human Rights Watch.
“These elections are on track to be one of the most violent that we have ever seen.”
The increasingly bitter campaign has seen candidates threatened, election material destroyed, and clashes break out between supporters of both sides.
The lowest point was the brutal murder of a prominent election observer, with four police officers suspected of being responsible.
Civil society groups have already denounced numerous irregularities, including thousands of “ghost voters” on the electoral roll, and intend to deploy thousands of observers for the vote.
Cyclone, conflict and scandal
Frelimo enters the election in an unprecedented position of weakness after its worst-ever performance at the ballot box last year, winning 51.8 percent of votes in local elections.
The party’s popularity took a hit when it was revealed the government had secretly borrowed $2 billion, sparking one of Mozambique’s worst financial crisis.
For one of the world’s poorest countries, which is heavily reliant on aid, the “hidden debt” scandal severely tarnished the regime’s image in the eyes of donors and investors.
Mozambique is also still picking up the pieces after Cyclone Idai decimated the second city of Beira in March, leaving nearly two million people displaced.
And the government has struggled to respond to an insurrection by a shadowy jihadist group that has killed hundreds of people in the northernmost Cabo Delgado province since 2017.
President Filipe Nyusi, who hails from the province, has vowed to restore order, but with little success.
The violence has threatened to delay the exploitation of vast gas reserves in the north, which could pose a problem for Nyusi, who has touted future “petrodollars” in his campaign speeches.
Renamo leader Ossufo Momade has had his own difficulties.
Only rising to prominence after the death of long-time leader Afonso Dhlakama in 2016, Momade pushed for the peace deal but has struggled to rally his party behind it, with the breakaway faction threatening to revive hostilities.
With tensions so high, some fear a return to the bad old days.
“Renamo didn’t hand over its weapons. It therefore shouldn’t surprise anyone if it decides to resort to violence again,” warned Machado.
Nyusi, who is running for his second five-year term in office, urged calm as he wrapped up his campaign on the outskirts of capital Maputo on Saturday.
“We call on our supporters not to respond to provocation and to avoid violence,” he told thousands of supporters.
At his own rally in the central city of Nacala, Momade pledged that his party would win and “put an end to corruption”.
“Let’s remove Frelimo from power so we can give Mozambicans back their dignity,” he said.
1/3 Supporters of Mozambican main opposition party RENAMO hope to win some of the country’s provincial governor posts for the first time2/3 How Mozambique ranks compared to other selected nations in southern Africa3/3 An armed breakaway faction of Renamo has splintered off, rejecting the treaty and threatening to attack campaign events
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 cause you’re torturing MDC MPs and 1Aug 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.
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
(I will get you) Kasukuwere faction takes centre stage in ZANU PF.
Exiled former ZANU PF Political Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere’s name has been fingered in a chaotic ZANU PF DCC election held over the weekend in Harare South.
Sources said during the election the voters were in favour of candidates that are deemed to be loyal to Kasukwuere and one Shadreck Mashayamombe while the Party leadership had their own preferred candidates.
“There as massive rigging during the DCC elections especially in Harare South. Some senior leaders did not want some candidates to win because they were said to be loyal to former PC,” The source said.
“What you must understand is that the has not released enough membership cards so people were using payment receipts to prove that they were paid up members. The faction that is aligned to the senior leaders dished out the receipts to a number of people and they could use those to vote in a number of zones.”
The source alleged that Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri was being blamed for the chaos because she wanted her people to win so that she can use them to further he r Vice Presidential ambitions.
DCCs were recently re-instated after being dissolved years ago when candidates that belonged to the then Vice President Joice Mujuru lost the elections to the Emmerson Mnangagwa aligned candidates.
Kasukuwere has been touted as the person that should take over the Presidency from Mnangagwa.
The military has become a very powerful political institution in Zimbabwe.
Tanzania recently hosted the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Summit and, as part of the resolutions, the leaders condemned sanctions against Zimbabwe. They agreed to make October 25, 2019 a “day of political action against sanctions” in solidarity with Zimbabwe.
The ruling Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF), celebrated the resolution as a victory. But, as the summit was going on, in Zimbabwe, the opposition had organised national protests, which were brutally stopped by the police backed by the military. While the leaders in Tanzania revived the liberation movement solidarity that historically existed in the pan-African project to liberate Zimbabwe, the people of Zimbabwe themselves were protesting the worsening socio-economic conditions.
While showing solidarity with the political class in Zimbabwe, the citizens have been abandoned. It is likely that the country will face more social unrest.
LIBERATION
The leaders meeting in Tanzania did not pay adequate attention to the way Zimbabwe’s crisis has been manufactured by nationalist elite, who have abandoned the liberation project of transformation and are now focused on an accumulation project, which has killed the country’s economic prospects.
No amount of “liberation solidarity” is going to rescue a leadership that is imploding. The International Monetary Fund has said that Zimbabwe’s economy will experience negative growth. Power generation has almost ground to a halt, as electricity is now only available for a few hours at night. Incomes for the working class have collapsed so badly that the average worker now earns almost $40 a month and unions are threatening strikes.
Inflation has been spiralling out of control and close to five million Zimbabweans have crossed the borders into South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Mozambique. Others have gone to Australia, Europe and the US. If there were no crisis in printing passports, more citizens would leave.
But this crisis cannot be explained by the noise over sanctions. The economic collapse can be blamed on the way the nationalist-liberation movement in the country has degenerated because of corruption, incompetence and unwillingness to promote economic and political reforms.
After the removal of Robert Mugabe in November 2017, the military has become a very powerful political institution. Just before Mugabe left, the Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces issued a warning that as a “result of squabbling” within the ruling party, “there has been no meaningful development in the country for the past five years” and that the economic impasse had “ushered in more challenges to the Zimbabwean populace.”
Increasingly the military has been dabbling in the electoral landscape in the country and openly supporting one faction against another in the ruling party.
MILITARY INVOLVEMENT
While the involvement of the military in politics can be traced to the early 1980s, it intensified after 2000, when the ruling political class faced a formidable challenge from the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) then led by the late Morgan Tsvangirai.
In 2008, the military took complete charge of the ruling party machinery and engaged in operations across the country to make sure that Mugabe was retained in the election. The election was so bloody that the opposition leader fled, hundreds of opposition members were brutalised, the Africa Union and SADC refused to endorse the results and the mayhem only ended when a government of national unity was formed.
Since then, the military has continued its march into civilian institutions. Men — and a few women — from the army, especially those associated with the liberation army of the 1970s, are now occupying very powerful positions across the bureaucracy.
Vice-President Kembo Mohadi was in the military in the 1970s; the other vice-president, Constantine Chiwenga was recently the Commander of the Zimbabwe Defences Force (ZDF). The ministers of Agriculture and Foreign Affairs are former army generals. What this means is that while Zimbabwe has constitutional democracy institutions like parliament, judiciary and holds periodic elections, the real political power now lies elsewhere — in what has been called the “junta” or the “system.”
This is a network of very powerful military elites who make decisions that override civilian institutions and the result has been catastrophic on several fronts. Routinely, the military and its resources are deployed against citizens and the election campaign of 2018 was run by a political commissar, who is a former army general.
SANCTIONS AND THE RULING CLASS
The ruling political class has been very quick to point to the sanctions imposed by the US as a stumbling block to economic transformation. There is no doubt that the sanctions have restricted the ability of Zimbabwe to access financial facilities from the likes of the IMF and the World Bank. But the story goes further than this.
Zimbabwe’s growth prospects have been hampered by widespread corruption. When the army generals placed Mugabe under house arrest and then he subsequently resigned, they cited corruption around the president as a cause of political instability in the country. What has since emerged is that for the past four decades in Zimbabwe, the ruling elites have inserted themselves in every corner of the economy – the political class is now the business class.
Officials from the Ministry of Finance recently admitted, in parliament, that the ministry had irregularly disbursed $3 billion. Year in, year out, the Auditor-General has diligently pointed to how state resources have been pillaged and nothing has been done. The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission is chaired by Loice Matanda-Moyo, the wife of Foreign Affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo.
It was significant that the SADC Summit was held in Tanzania. First, Tanzania’s founding president Mwalimu Julius Nyerere was a pan-Africanist who maintained solidarity with the liberation project in Africa. Second, post-colonial Tanzania has remained politically and socially stable, with leadership changes, and has escaped the scourge of regionalist and ethnic movements that have torn apart most independent African countries. Third, and most importantly, Tanzania, especially the University of Dar es Salaam, provided intellectual space for pan-Africanists, Marxists, nationalists and radical activists of all shades who challenged colonialism and apartheid.
So notable was Tanzania in the pan-African solidarity that Dr Walter Rodney made it his home when he was researching, teaching, and wrote How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, which became a seminal text in understanding Africa’s underdeveloped political economy.
But Africa has changed and the nationalist movements have been in power for a while now. The nationalist movement has been in power in Zimbabwe for almost four decades and they have made a mess of things. Unless the regional leaders confront the real problem of militarism in Zimbabwe’s politics, the cycle of repression and protest will continue and more Zimbabweans will continue fleeing poverty. As Nelson Mandela once said, the Zimbabwe crisis is a leadership crisis.
On Doctors’ Continued Incapacitation 13 October 2019 1245hrs
Today marks the 42″ day since doctors nationwide declared incapacitation. Despite numerous efforts to engage with the Health Services Board about the harsh economic challenges doctors are facing due to the continued erosion of their salaries, there has been little meaningful progress made to date.
It must be noted with great concern, that only three formal meetings have taken place between the ZHDA National Executive Committee (NEC) and the Health Services Board in the last six weeks, since incapacitation was declared. The first two meetings ended in a stalemate, with the Health Services Board offering an increment of 30% and 60% respectively despite the reality that doctors’ salaries have been eroded by more than 1500% over the past few months.
On Friday 11th October another meeting was held with the Permanent Secretary, Mr Madyiradema, in attendance; however, no progress was made as the Health Services Board has reiterated the offer of a 60% increment.
The ZHDA has tabled a proposal to have on-call allowances reviewed monthly in accordance with the prevailing interbank rate. However, the Health Services Board has rejected this offer due to their inability to peg salaries to USD.
The ZHDA has requested that the Health Services Board reconsider what viable options exist that will not leave doctors in a continued state of incapacitation and reflect a genuine appreciation for the prevailing economic environment and the reality of the financial predicament that has left doctors unable to offer their services.
The ZHDA will continue to negotiate for a viable solution to end this unfortunate impasse and has noted with great dismay the verdict of the Labour Court calling for doctors to return to work on Monday 14′ October 2019. While doctors would want nothing more than to return to work in service of their patients, they continue to be incapacitated and lack the resources to allow them to comply with the Labour Court judgement.
An appeal will be lodged with the supreme court. ZHDA continues to advocate for quality health services which include adequately stocked hospitals and fairly remunerated staff. We remain hopeful that a sincere and lasting solution will be found.
For latest updates you can visit our web page www.zhda.org *Solidarity meeting: Monday (tomorrow) 14/10/2019 Time 0900hrs Venue Parirenyatwa Main Entrance All Members of the media are invited.
Lloyd Chitembwe was relieved after Harare City picked their first victory in five games on Saturday against Mushowani Stars.
The Sunshine Boys won the match 3-2 to ease relegation fears as they moved out of the drop zone, at least for now.
“Sometimes it is not about playing pretty football, it is about making sure the job is done,” said Chitembwe after the game.
“I am happy with the three points, that is what we desperately needed.
“This will give us confidence going into the next game.”
Mushowani opened the scoring through Blessing Phiri in the fourth minute but William Manondo restored parity just after the half hour mark.
Ishmael Wadi gave City the lead for the first time in the game three minutes after the break, but his effort was cancelled by Charles Rukwanhi in the 75th minute.
Manondo came back again ten minutes from time and secured the winner for Harare City.Soccer24
A Chiredzi man (25) has been arrested after being found in possession of a live pangolin at his homestead without a licence. The protected animal was being kept in a granary and waiting to be sold. Meanwhile the pangolin was taken to National Parks and Wildlife.
Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon are considering renaming their home ground – Estadio Jose Alvalade – after former prodigy Cristiano Ronaldo.
The venue is currently named after founder, Jose Alvalade. It has been known as such since 1956 but club president Frederico Varandas has revealed the plans to change the name and Ronaldo is being considered for that honour.
Varandas confirmed the news to Tuttosport saying: “Calling the stadium ‘Cristiano Ronaldo’ is an option that, right now, we are not against.
“It would be a source of great pride for us.”
The 34-year-old who is now at Juventus joined Sporting in 1997 as a 12-year-old and worked his way up to the first-team, making his senior debut in the 2002/3 season.
He played for one season before joining Manchester United in 2003.
“Cristiano played 31 times and scored five goals in the 2002/03 season, his last campaign before joining United,” the president added.
“He is and always will be one of the great symbols in the club’s history.
“We are very proud to be associated with Cristiano and that the name of the best player of the world is associated with Sporting.”Soccer24
LIVE- BREAKING: We Hunt Down MDC MP Chibaya To Respond To Mudenda’s Allegations https://www.zimeye.net/2019/10/13/live-breaking-we-hunt-down-mdc-mp-chibaya-to-respond-to-mudendas-allegations/ via @ZimEye
Farai Dziva|MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has described the party’s founding president Morgan Tsvangirai as great visionary who laid the foundation for the struggle for democracy.
See Chamisa statement :”With hindsight, I can see now that people-power alone can be an insufficient instrument for an effective power transfer. As long as a possibility exists for deep political subversion, both the people and the process must be right in order to achieve a disired goal. Change must be visible; change requires national ownership; change must have a meaning.( At the Deep End Morgan Tsvangirai pg 63)
Thank God. Our founder’s hindsight is our foresight.Thank you Dr Tsvangirai!
Revolutionary greetings comrades of the academic struggle, the intellectuals.
Enough is enough. We have endured the harsh economic conditions of our beloved country and now we say it’s enough.
The clueless government of ED has absolutely failed to turn around the economy and we students are the victims of the aftermaths. Fees hikes, high rentals, transport costs for off campus students, power cuts, high prices for basic commodities, water shortages among others and no jobs afterwards.
Our lives are now miserable. We have endured for so long and we can’t be fooled by the so called 2030 vision which is only a myth not a reality given the previous deceits by ED such as ‘100 day plan’!
The crisis is manmade therefore it’s solvable. We demand that ED humbles himself and go to the negotiating table with President Advocate Nelson Chamisa for a dialogue and solve the illegitimacy crisis which happens to be the root for our suffering and bring about economic reforms.
We are shutting down all colleges across the country on Tuesday till our message reaches ED.
Education which is our right according to section 27 of the constitution should not be a hard earned thing and useless.
Comrades of the academic struggle, the intelligentsia! No one is attending any lecture on Tuesday the 15th of October till ED accept the dialogue with Chamisa, resolve the legitimacy crisis from which we are suffering.
There is nothing to fear except fear itself. Mwana asingacheme anofira mumbereko. It’s time to wake up from our slumber, unite as one and fight for the Zimbabwe we want.
A man is believed to have killed his girlfriend and then went on to steal the identity details of another individual to forge a claim that they are the deceased. An exclusive investigation now reveals that the person whose identity particulars were stolen is alive and well. WATCH BELOW –
Farai Dziva|Students will on Tuesday stage nationwide protests at Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.
See full statement :
Enough is enough. We have endured the harsh economic conditions of our beloved country and now we say it’s enough.
The clueless government of ED has absolutely failed to turn around the economy and we students are the victims of the aftermaths. Fees hikes, high rentals, transport costs for off campus students, power cuts, high prices for basic commodities, water shortages among others and no jobs afterwards.
Our lives are now miserable. We have endured for so long and we can’t be fooled by the so called 2030 vision which is only a myth not a reality given the previous deceits by ED such as ‘100 day plan’!
The crisis is manmade therefore it’s solvable. We demand that ED humbles himself and go to the negotiating table with President Advocate Nelson Chamisa for a dialogue and solve the illegitimacy crisis which happens to be the root for our suffering and bring about economic reforms.
We are shutting down all colleges across the country on Tuesday till our message reaches ED.
Education which is our right according to section 27 of the constitution should not be a hard earned thing and useless.
Comrades of the academic struggle, the intelligentsia! No one is attending any lecture on Tuesday the 15th of October till ED accept the dialogue with Chamisa, resolve the legitimacy crisis from which we are suffering.
There is nothing to fear except fear itself. Mwana asingacheme anofira mumbereko. It’s time to wake up from our slumber, unite as one and fight for the Zimbabwe we want.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday received an Honorary Doctorate in Peace and Governance from Bindura University of Science and Technology (BUSE) for his role in promoting peace and development.
The honour was bestowed at BUSE’s 18th graduation ceremony in Bindura yesterday.
The university said it had accorded the President with the doctorate for policies that promote the rule of law, deepen democracy and strengthen international cooperation.
BUSE applauded President Mnangagwa for his “intellectual dexterity to steer the State with unparalleled skill”, as well as for being a reformer who has opened the country to business and investment.
In his acceptance speech, President Mnangagwa dedicated the doctorate to peace-loving Zimbabweans for promoting harmony in the country.
“I wish to express my deep sense of gratitude to the Bindura University of Science and Technology for the conferment of Honorary Doctor (Honoris Causa) in Peace and Governance. I humbly dedicate this award to all Zimbabweans who have, over the years, remained committed to peace, security, unity and stability of our beloved country.”
President Mnangagwa said his administration will continue to promote peace and stability, as these are key ingredients to develop the country.
“Rest assured that my Government, under the Second Republic, will continue to entrench these tenets as we strive for sustainable economic development and prosperity.
“In addition, the strengthening of strong, transparent, accountable and ethical institutions will remain key as we deepen democracy in our country, building the Zimbabwe we all want.”
The Second Republic, he said, tolerates divergent views that are relayed without threatening the country’s peace and stability.
“All our activities across the socio-economic and political spectrum must therefore be underpinned by unity of purpose, love, peace, harmony, as well as an environment where divergent views are accepted and tolerated.”
The President implored the successful graduates to be patriotic and aim to develop the country though the knowledge and skills attained at the university.
“Love your country, serve your communities and families with humility and compassion. Be patient, bold, confident, upright and courageous.
Our future is bright. No matter the challenges you may encounter, be strong and persevere; the knowledge and skills gained from this great institution – Bindura University of Science and Education – are invaluable and will surely lead to your success, when appropriately applied.”
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 Jonathan Moyo|The death of former President Robert Mugabe at a hospital in Singapore on Thursday September 6, 2019 rang memory bells about the hush-hush, but spirited conversations that Zanu PF comrades used to have about this day, during the 2013 election campaign in which his advanced age and mortality were campaign issues.
General Chiwenga
In one such conversation, General Constantino Chiwenga was adamant that calls, which were then spreading and getting louder, for Mugabe to name a successor and retire were misguided because “as a founding leader Mugabe was entitled to die in office like his departed co-founders Joshua Nkomo, Simon Muzenda and Joseph Msika, who had died in office with the dignity of the office befitting a founding leader”.
This view became the Chiwenga gospel.
None of the comrades imagined a situation in which some day there would be media reports that “former President Robert Mugabe” has died out of office.
This possibility was taken as an unacceptable indignity to be avoided at all cost.
Yet this is what happened on the dark day of September 6, 2019.
Mugabe died not only out of office, but also out of the country with the attendant indignity in Singapore where, despite government claims that he was being accorded State facilitation and assistance, his regular mode of transport there was uber taxis, as he had to make do with very little.
Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa
It remains a known unknown why Emmerson Mnangagwa’s cabal that deposed Mugabe in a military coup on November 15, 2017, while claiming not to be targeting him, but alleged criminals surrounding him, tormented and subjected the former president to inexplicable hardships.
Time will tell.
Meanwhile, a debate is raging about Mugabe’s legacy.
The debate has taken centre stage ahead of Mugabe’s burial, which is all but certain to be at the national Heroes Acre, after the denial by key family members of initial media reports that Mugabe made a dying declaration to be buried at his ancestral home in Zvimba; because he did not want his tormentors who deposed him in a military coup to pontificate over his body at the national shrine in Harare.
The legacy of founding leaders in historically divided societies or in countries founded after an armed struggle or war, such as Zimbabwe, is invariably mixed.
George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who are among America’s highly regarded founding leaders, were slave owners and slave traders.
Yet African Americans, the victims of the slave trade in the United States, generally acknowledge Washington and Jefferson as American heroes.
The world media loves Jefferson for his oft-quoted 1787 line that “it is better to have newspapers without government, than to have government without newspapers”.
Mugabe’s critics allege that his legacy is of a liberator-turned-tyrant.
While crediting him with leading a successful liberation struggle to the exclusion of other founding nationalist leaders who played pivotal roles such as Joshua Nkomo, Ndabaningi Sithole and Herbert Chitepo, critics of Mugabe’s legacy say that he had an exemplary start at Independence and that, under his stewardship, Zimbabwe was an African jewel, a breadbasket for the continent and an economic success story founded on Mugabe’s celebrated “reconciliation” policy he extended to Rhodesians from 1980 to about 1990.
To his critics, Mugabe became a tyrant with the advent of the “hondo yeminda” land reform programme from 2000 onwards, a period which coincided with the formation of the MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirai.
Critics emphasise that this period was characterised by economic meltdown, hyperinflation and socio-economic ruin; which eroded standards of living and destroyed livelihoods.
The compulsory acquisition of land from white farmers and its redistribution to indigenous Zimbabweans, along with the brutalisation and suppression of the opposition, especially but not only in the 2008 presidential election, are cited as the high points of Mugabe’s tyranny.
The problem with the version of Mugabe’s legacy as told by his conventional critics is that it’s self-serving, ahistorical, unbalanced, without nuance and in fact false.
It is not true that since independence in 1980 Zimbabwe has had two periods: one a paradise and the other a lost paradise.
This narrative is peddled by beneficiaries of Zanu PF largesse in the first decade of independence.
For example, beneficiaries of free basic education and university grants in the 1980s predictably consider that period to have been a golden age, which they credit to Mugabe’s legacy.
Yet the beneficiaries of those grants did not include children in Matabeleland and parts of the Midlands provinces who had no schools, no schooling and no birth certificates because of the Gukurahundi atrocities which gripped that region of the country in the
1980s.
As a matter of fact, the untold and unacknowledged truth is that modern Zimbabwe, as it is known today, has never experienced peace or a golden age since 1893 when Cecil Rhodes assassinated King Lobengula; and the attainment of independence in 1980 did not
create a new paradigm.
A false start was made in 1980 when Zanu and Zapu did not contest the independence elections as the Patriotic Front, despite having negotiated as a common forum at the Lancaster House constitutional talks.
The 1980 unity government was shortlived as the Gukurahundi onslaught became the order of the day from 1981 to 1987; reinforced by the continuation of the notorious Rhodesia state of emergency from 1980 to 1990.
It is a staggering contradiction for critics of Mugabe’s legacy to assert that the 1980s are Zimbabwe’s golden years of economic and educational success, when that is precisely the period of the Gukurahundi years during which some 20 000 people were massacred
in Matabeleland and parts of the Midlands.
Although its commitment to establish a one-party state was treacherous and notwithstanding the fact that it amounted to the swallowing of Zapu, the 1987 Unity Accord was a milestone that puts Mugabe’s legacy in good, if not better, stead.
This is because it marked a meeting of minds between him and Nkomo with an opportunity and promise for a fresh beginning to correct the false start in 1980.
The fact that Nkomo served as Zimbabwe’s vice-president under Mugabe for some 11 years following the Unity Accord is of untold historic significance.
A question with a bearing on Mugabe’s legacy, but which has not received the attention it deserves, is why the Unity Accord fell short of its promise and failed to usher in a truly new era.
The answer is blowing with the wind: it is because Mugabe did not rule as a system unto himself.
Mugabe was a product of a vicious system that imposed him in 1975 at Mgagao in Tanzania; confirmed that imposition in Mozambique in 1977, got him elected prime minister in 1980; reposed him in power for 37 years and cruelly deposed him on November 15, 2017 to
the detriment of his health.
The system that imposed, reposed and deposed Mugabe was responsible for blocking the Patriotic Front from contesting the 1980 elections as a united platform; it was responsible for collapsing the 1980 unity government; responsible for retaining the Rhodesian
State of Emergency for 10 years; responsible for triggering Gukurahundi and responsible for wrecking the 1987 Unity Accord despite the best efforts of Mugabe and Nkomo.
Over the years, it is this system that kept Mugabe in power and used him less as its leader and more as its spokesperson.
It is this system that blocked Mugabe from handing over power to Morgan Tsvangirai after he lost the 2008 election.
Despite this setback, Mugabe was able to forge a government of national unity (GNU) with Tsvangirai.
This was a major milestone in Mugabe’s legacy, whose implications are yet to be felt in the Zimbabwean body politic.
On the back of the 2009 GNU, Mugabe agreed with Tsvangirai to author a new constitution for Zimbabwe.
This is another milestone of Mugabe’s legacy not yet fully appreciated, but certain to reverberate far and wide in the future.
In the meantime, the system—which engineered Gukurahundi, wrecked the Unity Accord, blocked Mugabe from handing over to Tsvangirai in 2008 — did not and does not support the new 2013 constitution.
This system literally ran the Zanu PF election campaign in 2013 to put itself in a position to tear apart the new constitution when it staged a military coup on November 15, 2017 under the false pretext that it was stopping Mugabe from handing over power to
his wife Grace by allegedly targeting the so-called criminals around him.
Before independence this system was Zanla’s High Command; after independence it became the Joint Operations Command (JOC).
The repugnant ideology of this system is that the gun dictates politics.
Mugabe sought to reverse this ideology, to get politics to dictate the gun, when it was too little too late to do so.
Given the foregoing, the pillars of Mugabe’s legacy whose ideals will withstand the test of time are the Unity Accord with Nkomo; land reform; indigenisation and economic empowerment for the youth; the GNU with Tsvangirai and the new 2013 constitution.
Jonathan Moyo is the former Higher and Tertiary Education minister. He is one of Mugabe’s associates who fled the country following the 2017 coup.
Paul Nyathi|Four candidates will be on the ballot on Tuesday for the presidential election in Mozambique, including outgoing head of state Filipe Nyusi who is a favorite.
Filipe Nyusi
Filipe Jacito Nyusi, 60, succeeded his mentor Armando Guebuza as head of Mozambique in 2014.
Until then little known to the general public, he became the first head of state not to be from the south of the country – he was born in the province of Cabo Delgado (north) – and the first to have not participated in the independence struggle.
The son of veterans of this liberation war, Filipe Nyusi joined the Frelimo (Mozambique Liberation Front) at a very young age. He studied in Brno, Czech Republic, and Manchester, UK, before making a career with the national railway and port company (CFM).
Driven by President Guebuza, he joined the government in 2008 in the portfolio of Defense, then is invested Frelimo candidate for the presidential election of 2014.
Winner with 57% of the votes, Mr. Nyusi then presents himself as “the bee who will make honey for all”, in reference to his surname which means “bee” in his native language.
But under his mandate, the country’s economy, which grew at a rate of 7% per annum, slows down sharply, victim of a scandal provoked by a secret lending affair which has fueled a massive corruption operation at the highest summit of the country. Mozambican state.
Filipe Nyusi approaches the election in a position of weakness, further destabilized by an Islamist insurgency that has bloodied his home province for two years.
Ossufo Momade
At the age of 58, Ossufo Momade has hardly taken over for a year the succession of the historic leader of the National Resistance of Mozambique (Renamo), Afonso Dhlakama, who died suddenly in his stronghold in the mountains of Gorongosa (center).
He entered the army very young and joined Renamo shortly after the beginning of the civil war (1975) until he became one of the main military leaders at the signing of the 1992 peace agreement.
His movement officially joined the opposition to the regime and Mr. Momade was elected MP in 1999, a mandate he has retained to this day.
Secretary General of the party from 2007 to 2012, he then directs the military department, especially during the resumption of armed hostilities with the regime (2013-2016), until the brutal death of Afonso Dhlakama in May 2018.
Bombed then at the head of the ex-rebellion, he follows the footsteps of his predecessor by signing in August with the government a peace agreement supposed to end the conflict.
But this agreement, which provides for the disarmament of Renamo’s armed wing, is not to the taste of the whole party. One faction denounces him and denies the authority of Mr. Momade, however, inducted his party candidate Filipe Nyusi.
Daviz Simango
At 55, he is the third man of the vote. The son of a Frelimo leader who was purged by the ruling party, Daviz Simango embarked on politics with Renamo before seceding in 2009 to form the Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM).
An engineer by training, he has been the mayor since 2003 of the second city of Beira country, ravaged six months ago by cyclone Idai.
Candidate for the first time in the presidential election in 2009, he won nearly 9% of the vote. But he fails to push his influence beyond it and has to settle for just 6% five years later.
His party also shrank in last year’s local elections, garnering only 8.5 percent of the vote nationally. Daviz Simango had managed to keep his stronghold of Beira.
Mario Albino
Surprise guest of the presidential election, Mario Albino presents himself in the name of a United Movement for Integral Salvation (AMUSI), created by former MDM members dissenting.
Originally from Nampula, he went to the town hall last year but received only 4.2% of the vote.
Paul Nyathi|Police say that a woman was hit and killed by a vehicle while she was fighting with a man in the middle of the road along the Harare-Bulawayo road on Friday.
The driver of the Ford Ranger involved in the incident fled from the scene. Police said in a statement on Twitter:
Police in Gweru are investigating a case of a fatal road traffic accident where a woman (26) was hit by a car at the 264 kilo metre peg along Harare-Bulawayo road whilst fighting with an unknown man on the middle of the road on 11 October 2019 at 0400 hours.
The man is alleged to have quickly driven away in a Ford Ranger, AEX 6370, after the accident. Police are investigating this case to find out the motive behind the parties who were fighting on the centre of the road and circumstances leading to the accident.
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 supporting Zimbabwe’s oppressive government, SADC risks setting a very low bar for democracy in southern Africa.
By Tafi Mhaka Al Jazeera|Following a decision made in August by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) secretariat, the body’s 16 member states are expected to organise simultaneous activities on October 25 to show solidarity with Zimbabwe and demonstrate their disapproval of sanctions imposed on the country by the European Union and the United States.
Zimbabwe is still subject to sanctions that date back to the reign of former President Robert Mugabe, who was ousted in late 2017 after 38 years in power. The EU sanctions consist of an arms embargo and targeted asset freezes and travel bans, while the US has imposed financial restrictions and travel sanctions against selected individuals and entities.
Following Mugabe’s ousting, a swift return to democracy and consequent lifting of sanctions were expected. Mugabe’s successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa, however, proved to be a far more brutal leader than him. Under his watch, anti-government protests stemming from an ever-deepening economic crisis have been repressed with unprecedented force. In August 2018 and January 2019, for example, soldiers reportedly killed and raped scores of unarmed civilians participating in peaceful anti-government demonstrations.
In response, the US and the EU extended the sanctions they previously imposed on the country and vowed to keep all sanctions in place until Mnangagwa’s government allows protests and changes laws that restrict media freedoms.
SADC, nevertheless, claims the “illegal sanctions” have “an adverse impact on the economy of Zimbabwe and the region at large”, and calls for their immediate lifting to facilitate “socioeconomic recovery in the country”. Were it genuine, SADC’s public concern for the wellbeing of ordinary Zimbabweans would be welcome and much appreciated. However, SADC is lobbying against sanctions not to help Zimbabwe’s democratic and economic progression, but to whitewash the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front’s (ZANU-PF) repressive tactics and policy failures.
SADC has not only failed to censure Harare for violently stifling dissent and ignoring Zimbabweans’ core constitutional rights, but also claimed that “internal groups, in particular, NGOs, supported by external forces” are the ones that are destabilising the country.
The SADC leadership’s shocking reaction to repeated incidents of state-sanctioned violence in Zimbabwe and insistence that any opposition to ZANU-PF is a product of foreign intervention show that they believe Zimbabwean citizens cannot possibly embrace progressive ideals and make simple democratic choices for themselves.
To label democratic dissent a form of foreign-funded destabilisation is to create a polarising political binary and deny Zimbabweans the right to enjoy the full measure of liberal and constitutional freedoms. Furthermore, SADC is being extremely disingenuous about the source and nature of Zimbabwe’s intricate challenges. The ebb and flows of Zimbabwe’s multifaceted problems always match its ever-soaring political temperature. But SADC has never adopted a robust and dynamic approach to either monitoring or resolving Zimbabwe’s long-standing political and economic challenges. It only feigns dogmatic, obligatory interest in Zimbabwe’s affairs mainly before and after mostly disputed elections.
Why has SADC been reluctant to condemn repressive tendencies and the recurring use of excessive, deadly force against unarmed, peaceful demonstrators in recent times? Human rights defender Tatenda Mombeyarara, MDC youth leader Blessing Kanotunga, comedian Samantha “Gonyeti” Kureya and President of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association Dr Peter Magombeyi were reportedly abducted and tortured earlier this year. SADC has not explicitly condemned any of these politically motivated abductions or other crimes committed against unarmed, peaceful individuals.
By openly and unreservedly siding with an increasingly authoritarian government masquerading as a reformed and progressive “Second Republic”, SADC is making light of a pressing and ever-expansive need to enact serious political, media and security reforms in Zimbabwe out of “brotherly” love.
And it is undermining a substantial need for ZANU-PF to belatedly take straightforward stock of its countless failures, public sector corruption and gross inefficiency.
Various reports published by Auditor-General Mildred Chiri in June have detailed flagrant accounting malpractices as well as excessive and unauthorised expenditure amounting to billions of dollars at state entities, ministries and local authorities.
SADC, though, continues to relentlessly beat the anti-sanctions drum without paying appropriate, consistent attention to the multidimensional threat of corruption, political unaccountability, dodgy elections and rampant impunity manufactured by ZANU-PF since President Mnangagwa’s inauguration in November 2017.
By supporting the ZANU-PF-led government and disregarding the credible cries of long-suffering Zimbabwean citizens, SADC runs the risk of setting an incredibly low bar for democracy in southern Africa and continually watering a growing trend of political denialism among former liberation war parties.
The undeclared slide to authoritarian populist rule favoured by ZANU-PF has created an economic quagmire and political survival, not Western sanctions or economic revival, seemingly occupies the top of the government’s agenda.
It’s a political strategy that SADC is awfully comfortable with, because the organisation has failed to transform into a strong, progressive-thinking political outfit.
It’s a fallacy to believe that a post-independence failure by a former liberation war party could possibly vindicate colonial rule or diminish past achievements. As things stand, ZANU-PF certainly helped to liberate Zimbabwe, but it has failed to build the Zimbabwe it promised before and just after independence. Still, this should not compromise or diminish the democratic ideals cherished by progressive-minded Zimbabweans and residents of southern Africa.
SADC must in fact create a solid and effective political surveillance system to closely monitor democratic developments within the region, a facility that will lead the charge against enduringly delinquent administrations such as Zimbabwe’s. Undeniably, SADC should not have to wait for Western nations to point out glaringly obvious constitutional transgressions or human rights abuses. Besides, a still-murderous “new dispensation” cannot be persuaded to freely adopt democracy without establishing measures that proactively punish repressive deeds.
A distorted brand of pan-Africanism, where the voluntary, self-gratifying need to maintain old, wartime relationships trumps people-centred necessities and expressions, will obviously fail and simply cause further widespread social, economic and political instability in southern Africa.
To be sure, what Western powers demand of Zimbabwe’s government does not really matter in the greater scheme of life, but the humanitarian needs, liberal freedoms and democratic choices of Zimbabweans always will. So, if anybody should rebuke Zimbabwe’s government, it should be SADC.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.
A KZN ward councillor was gunned down shortly after a municipal meeting.
KwaZulu-Natal councillor Khaya Sithole has been gunned down in full view of his constituents.
The fatal shooting took place shortly after a council event on Thursday evening.
“Preliminary information indicates that the slain councillor was participating in a municipal event when unknown assailants fired a hail of bullets at him,” said KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Sipho Hlomuka.
He “was gunned down in full glare of the public,” said Hlomuka.
Offering condolences to Sithole’s family and constituents, Hlomuka said: “We are saddened to learn that the councillor was murdered with his boots on while working to advance the course of service to his community.”
Hlomuka urged law enforcement agencies to “leave no stone unturned in apprehending the perpetrators of this crime and in bringing them to justice speedily.”
“We have consistently spoken out against violence perpetrated against public representatives in this province and we will continue to do so. Violence is never the answer. Violence must be tackled with the full might of the law and this is what we all expect to happen now,” said Hlomuka.
The opposition MDC has given a facelift to its headquarters Morgan Richard Tsvangirai house.
The party had over the years come under heavy criticism from the public for failing to properly manage its home with some questioning their capacity to run the country when they were failing to properly keep their headquarters in good shape.
Following the last elective congress that ushered in a new leadership, one of their first priority areas was to give a facelift to their home and within a year, they have done that.
Below are pictures from the ongoing renovations taking place at the formerly Harvest House.
President Emerson Mnangagwa pictured putting on his scarf, eating sadza and zondo in the skies. What could be the intentions of the photographer? pic.twitter.com/sT3EMFx5ih
Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi says Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) leader Dr Peter Magombeyi faked his abduction in order to get a scholarship from the the US government.
Magombeyi was reportedly seized by unknown men in early September and held captive for five days before he was dumped in Nyabira.
The issue caused an international outcry given he had been leading demands from medical doctors for a review of their salaries and allowances.
But Ziyambi told participants to a discussion organised by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum on Thursday that the whole thing was an act aimed at portraying the government in bad light.
“I honestly want to believe that there are people who are conducting this (abductions) for their own ends.
“I will give a brief a good example of the good Doctor Magombeyi, he announced his abduction, and the abductors has the liberty of allowing him to send a message that I have been abducted,” said Ziyambi.
“He announced his own discovery, I listened to him speaking on Studio 7 and he never accused anyone he just said I have been found my friends are coming to get me.”
Ziyambi added amid howls of disapproval from the audience: “And he left he found a scholarship and now he is going to study for his post graduate.”
“Perhaps that is what he wanted to achieve, I do not know. He made the necessary noise to award him a scholarship and so far nobody knows who abducted him because he never accused anyone he announced everything and it was only him who knew.”
The Justice Minister said there was littlle police could have done in the Magombeyi case.
Magombeyi was airlifted to South Africa where he has been receiving specialist treatment.
Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum organized the event under the theme: The Role of Government in safeguarding Human Rights; What can be Sate do to guarantee the safety of its citizens.
Nehanda|At an estimated USD$10 000 a day, flamboyant businessman and Intratrek Zimbabwe Managing Director Wicknell Chivayo has hired one of South Africa’s best lawyers in Advocate Francois Joubert SC to beef up his legal team comprising Wilson Manase and Advocate Lewis Uriri.
Wicknell Chvayo and Advocate Francois Joubert SC
A slew of cases against the businessman have been crumbling like a deck of cards in the courts but he has had to deal with a string of appeals that many feel have little chance of success.
Joubert, a practicing advocate of the Supreme Court of South Africa will represent Chivayo in cases between him and the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), a Supreme Court appeal and another one in which he is being jointly charged with former ZPC board chairperson, Stanley Kazhanje.
Nehanda Radio understands Chivayo had initially filed an urgent chamber application with the High Court seeking nullification of a decision by the Justice Minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi who had denied Joubert a residential exemption certificate so that he can practice in Zimbabwe. We understand Chivayo has since withdrawn his application after the Minister submitted a favourable affidavit.
Intratrek Zimbabwe Managing Director Wicknell Chivayo
Chivayo rose to fame after winning various government tenders worth USD$600 million dollars. The primary accusation thrown at him was that he leveraged his close relationship with former President Robert Mugabe’s family to get the tenders, an accusation he strongly denies.
Some of the tenders he won were the Gwanda 100 MW solar ($202 million) with his technical partner Shanghai giants Chint Electric Co Ltd, Munyati refurbishment 100 MW ($113 million) with Indian partners Jaguar Overseas, Gairezi Hydro 30 MW Bharat heavy Equipment Limited at ($112 million) and Harare Repowering ($171 million dollars) with Jaguar Overseas Ltd.
After the November 2017 military coup that toppled Mugabe, Chivayo’s legal problems began. Some of the cases brought against him appeared frivolous or without evidence. The cases predictably collapsed in court with stinging rebukes coming from judges who were not amused.
A defiant Chivayo has continued to fight successfully after winning all his High Court cases and being acquitted by regional magistrate Morgan Nemadire.
Wicknell Chivayo with his lawyers Wilson Manase and Advocate Lewis Uriri
Ten days ago Chivayo took another giant step towards quashing all the cases against or involving him before the courts after a judge granted $1 000 bail pending appeal to the former Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) board chairman Stanley Kazhanje.
Kazhanje was convicted and sentenced to an effective one-year jail term for allegedly concealing a US$10 000 payment from Chivayo, the Intratrek Zimbabwe chief executive. It is the reasons given by Justice Amy Tsanga in granting bail however that will have cheered both Kazhanje and Chivayo.
Justice Tsanga noted that Kazhanje may not have disclosed his past relations with Intratrek but it equally could not have been said on the basis of facts that were argued, that he had an interest in the transaction, being the Gwanda Solar Project.
“Strictly speaking, there was no evidence placed before the court a quo that he had a personal interest in the Gwanda solar project,” she said.
“The prospects of success on conviction are, in my view, therefore, not manifestly doomed to failure. If there is a possibility of conviction being set aside, it stands to reason that so will sentence.”
New developments … Intratrek director Wicknell Chivayo in front of the newly-built engineers’ office block
Last month a ‘ray of light’ in the saga emerged as construction at the Gwanda Solar Farm resumed with Chivayo personally on site to supervise progress. This was after High Court judge Tawanda Chitapi’s ruling wherein he ordered Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) and Intratrek Zimbabwe to find common ground with a view of fast tracking completion of the solar power project.
The judge submitted that ZPC and Intratrek must not “merry dance in boardrooms and court rooms but must go to successfully implement the project for the benefit of Zimbabwe” adding that the power to be generated was not for use by Wicknell Chivayo and Intratrek but for the nation at large.
ZPC had a pending appeal at the Supreme Court whose motive Justice Chitapi described as “improper.” “It is disgraceful that national projects are stalled by contracting parties having merry dances in boardrooms instead of project sites and seeing the project to fruition,” the judge said.
The Gwanda Solar Power Project underway
“The public wants electricity for use at home and in industries. The public is not interested in bickering for self-interest and egos on the part of State actors and their contractors.”
If ZPC wished to cancel the contract, the judge said, it had to pay Intratrek US$25 million dollars in damages.
“It has already been observed that the subject matter of the contract is of national importance. It is of public interest. The public wants electricity for use at home and in industries.
The public is not interested in bickering for self-interest and egos on the part of State actors and their contractors,” Justice Chitapi said. Nehanda Radio
South African government is looking to revive the Cybercrimes and Cybersecurity Bill which lapsed automatically when parliament was dissolved on 7 May 2019.
The bill aims to bring South Africa in line with other countries’ cyber laws as well as the ever-growing threat of cybercrime.
While the majority of the bill focuses on criminalising the theft and interference of data, it has also introduced new regulations surrounding any ‘malicious’ electronic communication.
These malicious messages include:
Data messages which incite damage to property or violence;
Data messages which threaten persons with damage to property or violence;
Distribution of data message which contains an intimate image without that person’s consent.
The bill states that any person who is found guilty of sending these types of messages is liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three years or to both a fine and such imprisonment.
FPB Act
Should it be revived, the proposed Cybercrimes and Cybersecurity Bill will likely be used alongside the Film and Publications Amendment Act which was signedinto law by President Ramaphosa at the start of October.
Known as the ‘internet censorship bill’ by some of its opponents, the act introduces a number of changes including harsher rules to protect children from disturbing and harmful content, and to regulate the online distribution of content such as films and games.
Notably, the act states that any person who knowingly distributes private sexual photographs and films without prior consent and with intention to cause the said individual harm shall be guilty of an offence and liable upon conviction.
This includes a possible fine not exceeding R150,000 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years and/or to both a fine and imprisonment not exceeding two years.
Where the individual is identified or identifiable in said photographs and films, this punishment rises to a R300,000 fine and/or imprisonment not exceeding four years.
The act also states that any person who knowingly distributes a message which amounts to propaganda for war, incites imminent violence, or advocates hate speech, shall be guilty of an offence.
This includes a possible fine not exceeding R150,000 and/or imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years.
While the FPB Act has been signed into law, it will only come into effect on a date decided upon by President Ramaphosa in a government gazette.
Zimbabwe teachers unions today said the government should pay invigilators of the on-going third term national examinations allowances pegged to the United States dollar.
While Grade Seven students already finished writing their final examinations, ordinary and advanced level students are still in the process.
The teachers unions say government, through the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and the Zimbabwe Schools Examinations Council, had earlier this year committed to payment of the allowances before new currency reforms were ushered in later in the year.
But as examinations had already started, the government was yet to make its position clear on the matter.
Teachers unions said they want to be paid US$7 per hour for invigilating practical tests and US$5 per hour for other examinations.
The official exchange rate is currently pegged at 15.3 to the greenback.
“What the teachers are requesting is not outside the examination cycle as other players, such as exam markers, items writers and cluster heads, are already being paid similar allowances,” the teachers unions said in a letter addressed to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.
“We demand that this issue be treated with the urgency it deserves.”
Five unions including the Zimbabwe Teachers Association, Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe signed the letter.
Besides the examinations allowances, teachers are already tussling with government over review of their salaries which they also want linked to US dollars.- New Ziana
State Media|AT least 65 percent of patients that are attended to in Bulawayo suffer from some form of mental disorder with drugs, among other issues, cited as a major cause of the problem.
Health experts told Sunday News that extreme cases have been referred to Ingutsheni Central Hospital where more than 600 patients are admitted due to extreme mental disorder. An accredited drug prevention and rehabilitation specialist, Mr Mthabisi Ndlovu said the problem was being worsened by drug lords who have taken over the city targeting the youths.
He said while 65 percent is the recorded figure, the percentage could be higher as there are other challenges such as economic hardships that are causing mental trauma to people.
“They could be almost 80 percent but 65 percent is the documented figure,” he said.
Mr Ndlovu said drug peddlers were now vulnerable schoolchildren to push their business. The scary statistics comes as Zimbabwe joined the rest of the world to commemorate World Mental Health Day on Thursday last week.
“Mental issues emanate from substance abuse of drugs like marijuana, codeine and mood stabilisers usually put in muffins sold at school which when eaten confuse the individual and thus we end up labelling users as mentally unstable,” said Mr Ndlovu.
He said most drugs make the mind blank as the drugs are “fat loving” and with the brain containing a lot of these fats, the drugs get stuck in the brain, making the person go blank. Mr Ndlovu said community leaders should educate people, especially the youth, on the dangers of substance abuse.
Ingutsheni Central Hospital clinical director Dr Wellington Ranga said the mental institution was also recording an increase in the number of patients admitted. He, however, said some of the cases were not entirely linked to drugs but other societal problems.
“We have a rough estimate of about 606 patients diagonised with mental issues in our hospital. I can say the reason behind is that we tend to overlook some of the small issues affecting those around us and concentrate on issues like drug abuse yet there is more to that,” he said.
Dr Ranga said although substance abuse may be the most cited causes, issues like depression, stress, and anxiety were contributing to mental health problems.
“Half the time when consulting patients we do communicate with them and with time we then realise that the primary cause lies within issues to do with family, that is abuse and other things related to that,” Dr Ranga added.
In June, the Government revealed that more than one million people in the country were suffering from mental health or neurological disorders. However, most of them are not seeking treatment making efforts to deal with the problem difficult.
“Despite the availability of treatment, nearly two thirds of persons with a known mental disorder never seek professional help. In most cases stigma, discrimination, neglect and limited knowledge prevent care and treatment from reaching people with mental and neurological disorders, hence the need for awareness campaigns so that communities are empowered and they take an active role in reducing morbidity due to mental ill health,” Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo said then.
THE contentious top-flight relegation saga has resurfaced with a strong proposal to reduce the number of teams that are demoted from the Premier Soccer League being made at the international football symposium which ended in Victoria Falls yesterday.
Currently, four teams are chopped from the league at the end of each season.
lnternational speakers who presented at the indaba expressed concern at the high turnover.
After months of waiting, the inaugural PSL international football symposium exploded into life in the resort town on Thursday amid huge expectations that the expo would finally transform the domestic game into a big industry.
Fifteen of the 18 PSL teams were represented, with financially crippled Mushowani Stars, Triangle and basement outfit Yadah failing to send delegates.
Ambitious Division One clubs ZPC Hwange and Talen Vision who are within reach of booking tickets in the 2020 PSL season attended the symposium.
Zifa president Felton Kamambo, who was part of the cast of officials here, revealed that the relegation issue will be discussed at the mother body’s next annual meeting in February 2020.
“That proposal is welcome but as usual, it has to decided by the assembly.
“Relegating four teams in a league of 18 teams is too much, we are losing experience every year.
“Initially we had 16 teams, now we have 18. We also don’t have a national league for Division One.
“We are busy looking for sponsorship so that we can have a national league, that will solve the demotion and promotion issue,” said Kamambo.
PSL chairman Farai Jere described the symposium as a success story.
“The symposium lived to its expectations, our expectations were to have these clubs here so that they learn how things are done out there.
“We learnt a lot on issues of corporate governance, the legal aspect of the game and how football can be turned into a big industry.
“On the issue of relegated teams, the presenters were actually shocked, Zimbabwe is probably the only country in the world where four teams are relegated from the top-flight.
“If you look at the South African ABSA Premiership, they demote one, the second bottom placed team goes for the play-offs.
“I was happy with the representation we had. We got support from the Sport and Recreation Commission who sent their director-general,” Jere said.
For years, Zimbabwe’s football has been long on business potential but terribly short on delivery, with the elite league now paying a measly $100 000 to the winner of the championship.
The country’s flagship sport has also been grappling with compliance issues on fundamentals such as club licensing, with some of their efforts being weighed down by a tough economic environment which has left them operating on shoe-string budgets.
World League Forum general secretary Jerome Perlemuter headlined the cast of experts who descended on Victoria Falls for the indaba.
He presented a paper on sports corporate governance and development.
“For Zimbabwe, the potential is on the pitch. You have good players, those players like Marvelous Nakamba are proof that you can do it. “Talent is key to developing a good competition, but you need to have proper structures in football to be able to develop.
“The potential is there, the willingness is there, you could hear from the engagements,” said the French lawyer, who was appointed as the general secretary of the WLF in April 2017.
The WLF Forum represents professional football leagues worldwide and fosters cooperation between them. It notably focuses on improving the regulatory framework of professional football and its development around the world.
The PSL are a member.
The La Liga Global Network delegate in South Africa, Enrique Suay, spoke on how football can realise its full commercial value. He used the Spanish league as a case study.
Other high-profile speakers who attended included Cape Town-based Cameron Calder, managing director at Hype Sports, who talked about driving fan engagement through digital technology.
Marc Juillerat, chief legal officer of the Swiss Football league, enlightened local administrators on club licensing benefits and the future of football.
World soccer governing body Fifa endorsed the symposium by seconding their safety and security manager Lee Davidson, who presented a paper on managing safety and security at match venues.
“Africa is high up there in terms of stadium disasters because of the infrastructure, and the manner in which fans enter the stadium,” Davidson told The Sunday Mail Sport on the sidelines of the symposium.
Zimbabwe experienced a tragic event on March 24 when a woman lost her life owing to a stampede as fans jostled to get into the National Sports Stadium for the Warriors’ final 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo Brazzaville.
Premier Soccer League chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele urged clubs to implement what was discussed in Victoria Falls.
“I am very happy that the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation was represented here. They are currently working on a strategic plan. The symposium was an eye opener.
“The topics were created in a manner that covered a lot of aspects.”
Sports Commission director-general Prince Mupazviriho challenged the clubs to unlock their business potential.
“Obviously the problem could be our reluctance to implement what has been learnt here.
“We should be proactive leaders who are willing to turn things around. Sport is business and it has to be run as such.
“The club leaders should always bear this in mind and work hard for this,’’ Mupazviriho said. Delta Beverages channel marketing executive Irimayi Muzorewa said the league’s sponsors were bowled over by the “highly engaging” symposium.
“At the end of the day, we need to make sure that we play a role in the development of football,” said Muzorewa.
Former Minister Of Local Government (who was also ZANU PF political commissar) Saviour Kasukuwere addressed an ANC meeting held in honour of the late president Robert Mugabe.
Prices of goods and services in Zimbabwe are pegged at an average of 50 percent above those obtaining in South Africa despite relative convergence between the Rand and the local unit on the interbank market over the last month.
While wages and fuel — the biggest contributors to production costs — are lower in Zimbabwe compared to South Africa, local products and services are priced inordinately higher than the neighbouring country. Economic analysts believe this could indicate unfair pricing models by local businesses through arbitrage.
NHMK Capital founder and chief executive Mr George Manyere contends that since the convergence of the Zimbabwe dollar and the South African unit last month, prices of goods in the two countries should align.
“As from 23 September 2019, the prices of goods and services in Zimbabwe and South African including the cost of labour should theoretically be expected to be aligned since the currencies are at par according to the interbank exchange rate,” he said.
“However, this is not the case as the Zimbabwean economy continues to suffer from the threat of hyperinflation and significant rent-seeking behaviour caused by the huge arbitrage opportunities that exist in the market.”
A comparison of prices in the two countries shows that a 2kg pack of brown sugar is retailing at R19,60 while it costs $29,99 locally, which is a variance of 53 percent.
While a 2 litre bottle of cooking oil costs R32,50 in South Africa, it is selling for $51,99 in Zimbabwe giving a price difference of 60 percent.
There is a 43 percent difference in the price of a 2kg box of Maq washing powder which is pegged at R39,99 in South Africa and $56,99 locally.
A 2kg pack of rice costs 122 percent more in Zimbabwe at $54,99 while in South Africa it is selling at R24.75.
Zimbabwean workers earn at least 90 percent less than their South African counterparts and this, according to the analysts, indicates local workers are subsidising their employers.
“Prices in Zimbabwe are on average 51 percent higher than those in South Africa implying that there is scope for downward revision of prices if the country pegs the currency to the ZAR or adopts it as the reference currency,” Mr Manyere.
“In essence, poverty levels are increasing in Zimbabwe resulting in huge salary gaps when compared to South Africa.
“The adoption of the ZAR as reference currency will indeed result in a gradual increase in salaries and a reduction in prices, thereby resulting in the market self-correcting and improvement of people’s lives.
“It will also result in improved competitiveness as wages will not respond instantaneously.
“Lower wages will attract new investment and expansionary projects.
Confederation of Zimbabwean industries president Mr Henry Ruzvidzo said businesses were placing a premium on the products to ensure that they can replace their stock.
He said the Rand exchange rate was stable, but the currency in Zimbabwe was volatile.
“There is a premium put (by business) on the pricing which may not relate directly to the exchange rate if you are comparing with the Rand,” said Mr Ruzvidzo.
“What is needed in Zimbabwe is stability of the exchange rate; people need to be able to predict in a month, in a year or two years the movements of the exchange rate.
“But, at the moment the movements are totally unpredictable and this makes businesses very vulnerable.”
Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce chief executive Dr Chris Mugaga also concurred that the price differences in South Africa and Zimbabwe were reflection of the volatility of the local unit.
He said inflation was not the only driver of the exchange rate.
“If one thinks when the Zimbabwean dollar is trading at 15 to the US dollar then it means it is at par with the South African Rand, that is actually a myth that needs correcting.
“Or when the Kenyan shilling is at 100 to the dollar and the Zimbabwean dollar is trading at 15 then the Zimbabwean dollar is actually stronger, that is another myth.
“In currency determination, we do not use the absolute number, we use the real exchange rate determination. “The issue of pricing in Zimbabwe is a function of the exchange rate, it’s a function of confidence, it’s a function of money supply and other factors that include foreign currency shortages.
“If the market is to stabilise today and businesses wants to increase prices of their goods, they will lose customers because people will simply not buy.
“We all know that salaries are low and this is a reflection of imbalances, not a reflection of overpricing,” said Dr Mugaga.
Consumer protection advocates are now calling for immediate introduction of the Consumer Protection Bill which was gazetted last year. The Bill seeks to protect consumers by establishing the Consumer Protection Agency and Regulation of Consumer Advocacy Organisations.
Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) executive director Rosemary Siyachitema said slow progress in promulgating the Consumer Protection Bill was hampering efforts to fully protect consumers.
“Last year, we had Parliament doing consultations and we went with them. This was a step forward,” she said.
“Unfortunately, all of a sudden the Bill has become stuck. (There is) no progress whatsoever.
“The Bill will allow many people to participate in consumer protection matters.
“We are a very small organisation trying to do big things,” she said.
Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Industry and Commerce chair Joshua Sacco said Parliament had now passed the Bill. It now awaits Presidential assent.
