FINANCE minister Mthuli Ncube has been dragged to the High Court by National Social Security Authority (Nssa) employees who, in conjunction with members of the Zimbabwe Pension and Insurance Rights Trust (ZimPIRT), are seeking an order to declare as unconstitutional, null and void his unilateral decision to ban annualised inflation figures.

In his mid-year budget review and supplementary budget presented in the National Assembly on August 1 this year, Ncube announced that with immediate effect, the publication of figures for annualised inflation by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) would be suspended for a year until February 2020.

Annualised inflation rate is the percentage change in prices from one year to the next, or year-on-year.

In a joint High Court challenge filed through their law firm, Tendai Biti Law, the Nssa Workers’ Union (Nssawu) and ZimPIRT said Ncube’s decision was illegitimate, illegal and unconstitutional.

Nssawu is acting through its president Joseph Chimhanda, while Martin Tarusenga is standing for ZimPIRT in his capacity as the organisation’s general manager.

Ncube was cited as the first respondent, while ZimStat was cited as the second respondent in the application, filed at the Masvingo High Court on September 30.

In their founding affidavit, the applicants argued that the decision by Ncube was irrational and was neither supported by law nor logic.

They also stated that by so doing, Ncube was in violation of Section 10:28 of the Administrative Justice Act, which prohibits ministers from interfering in administrative affairs of statutory institutions as well as the Census and Statistics Act.

The applicants further accused Ncube of banning annualised inflation figures out of embarrassment and as a means to cover up for government’s failure to address issues that drive inflation.

They further submitted that his decision offended the principle of good governance and transparency which are codified in the constitution of Zimbabwe.

Nssawu, on its part, argued that it derived its locus standi from the fact that it negotiates employee salaries annually, with primary considerations being inflation and the consumer price index as derived from annualised inflation figures.ZimPIRT said because of the move, it was

unable to calculate pension values, which will result in pensioners significantly losing out.“The applicants’ grounds of review are that the first respondent is irrational and not supported by the law or logic. The decision is grossly unreasonable such that no reasonable person properly applying his mind would have arrived at the same. The decision is in any event illegal, illegitimate and not supported by any provision in any law, in particular in the Census and Statistics Act. In any event, the decision of the first respondent offends the principles of good governance and transparency codified in the Constitution of Zimbabwe,” court documents read.

“The first applicant is a trade union duly registered according to the laws of Zimbabwe whose key function is to represent its members, the employees of Nssa. Its core business is to engage and negotiate with the employer on conditions of service, in particular wage negotiations. In these negotiations, the issue of inflation is critical.”

The applicants further argued that Ncube’s decision was a violation of Zimbabweans’ constitutional rights since the concerned statistics are classified as a public good which is critical for household and corporate budget planning.

“At a high level, statistics are used in many ways by individuals, government, business and academics. Inflation statistics impact on everyone in the same way as they affect interest rates, tax allowances benefits, pensions, savings rates, maintenance contracts and many other payments,” court documents read.

“The general public uses consumer price statistics to understand the impact of inflation on their personal and household budgets and understand incomings and outgoings linked to inflation (such as taxes, benefits, pensions, wages and other costs) are likely to change. By banning year-on-year inflation figures, Zimbabweans have been deprived of the ability to plan their lives for periods beyond a month.”

The applicants also argued that Ncube’s decision to ban publication of year-on-year inflation figures has seen many pensions not being adjusted in line with actual inflation and, as such, many such pensions have been arbitrarily deemed worthless and removed from the books by pension administrators not adequately informed and guided about inflation in Zimbabwe, which the minister has caused.

“In so arbitrarily removing such pensions from the books, such pensioners have been prejudiced of thousands of RTGS$ in savings that they made over periods averaging 25 years. Without the year-on-year inflation figures and related statistical information, pension funds are unable to determine how much they need to set aside in order to be able to pay the increased pensions for as long as the pensioners are alive, and to pay pension benefits for other categories of pension fund members,” the documents further read.

The applicants also argued that Ncube’s ban, effected without consulting key stakeholders, has adversely affected interest rates since they are premised on annualised inflation figures.

They further argued that by banning the publication of the inflation figures, Ncube erroneously ensured that the economy in Zimbabwe is void of interests and thus unable to assess the opportunity cost of holding the RTGS dollars. Pensioners and other economic actors are in these circumstances prejudiced.

They further argued that since businesses, in their planning, require data on annual inflation in order to determine their cost and pricing structures, annualised inflation assists businesses in ascertaining real trends in production, sales, purchases, profits and other values.

In addition, since inflation is a key determinant of the cost of capital as measured by interest rates, businesses which have to make key investment decisions were being prejudiced.

“The decision therefore to ban the publication of data on annualised inflation is clearly an emasculation by the minister of key obligations of the second respondent (Zimstat). The Census and Statistics Act (section seven) makes it clear that operations of the agency shall only be controlled by the board and no one else.

“The first respondent’s decisions assault the functions of the board and indeed the second respondent of promoting and protecting the credibility, integrity and partiality of official statistics. We contend that the first respondent, the minister, has no power or right to interfere with the professional independence of the agency,” the lawyers argued. Zimbabwe Independent

Nurses at Parirenyatwa hospital reportedly joined doctors on industrial action this Thursday, a development that worsened an already dire situation.

Public Hospital doctors have been on strike since the 3rd of September this year saying that their salaries had been eroded by inflation to an extent that they were now incapacitated to perform their duties and responsibilities.

Some senior nurses at Parirenyatwa hospital told the News Day that they were overwhelmed since the doctors went on strike and that patients were dying because the nurses could only administer care within their limited scope. Said one nurse:

We cannot even afford bus fare to come to work. We beg for transport from good Samaritans, a situation which is humiliating…

Another one said:

The doctors have been away for over a month and we had to handle the patients on our own, but some cases require the expertise of a doctor. It is heartbreaking to watch them die.

Health workers like all workers from other sectors, including teachers, have been demanding that their salaries be indexed in United States dollars using the interbank rate of the day.

By Sibusiso Moyo In The Australian Spectator|In recent weeks Zimbabwe has taken a crucial step forward towards rejoining the Commonwealth, the 53-country group of nations we exited in 2003.

After meeting Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa at the side-lines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland stated: “there are a number of areas where Zimbabwe has made real reforms” – and that the process of re-joining “is being accelerated as quickly as possible”.

This is worlds away from two years ago, when I played my part in persuading the late president Mugabe to relinquish office after 37 years in power – and much has now changed.

“Important gains were made” in the historic 2018 General Election: the highest turnout contest in Zimbabwean history, with a “markedly improved pre-election environment, where all parties were generally able to campaign freely” – according to the Commonwealth Election Observer Group which included Australian Gary Dunn, the organisation’s former Deputy Secretary-General.

Major reforms that repeal and replace laws infringing personal and economic freedoms are underway, leading a rise in global rankings for freedom of expression – and place Zimbabwe amongst the top-twenty improver nations in the World Bank’s Doing Business 2020 index.

Yet, after two decades of isolation, blanket change is required. Our reform agenda has only just started, and therefore is today, partial – and we do not pretend otherwise. Currently, we are undertaking all these reforms – all the painful processes that are needed and necessary – without any form of external assistance.

But, ultimately, we cannot go it alone – and that’s why Zimbabwe now looks to Australia for support to expedite our re-admission to the Commonwealth. Put simply, our speed and capacity to complete reforms after Mugabe-era isolationism can be accelerated by our Commonwealth return. Similarly, the bilateral partnership between Australia and Zimbabwe and opportunities for Australian businesses only benefit from the inclusion of both nations within the Commonwealth family.

Despite calls by the Commonwealth Observer Group immediately before the history 2018 vote for the losing side to “look at the larger picture of a successful election” the day after the contest was marred, tragically, by post-election violence. Without international institutional support or funding the Government swiftly established a fully independent, internationally-led inquiry – the Motlanthe Commission, with its international commissioners (including a former president of South Africa, a British human rights barrister, a former Commonwealth Secretary-General) all hailing from Commonwealth nations.

Zimbabwe has rapidly begun the task of implementing the Commission’s key recommendations – that include reforming legislation on law and order, freedom and liberalisation of the media and electoral reform – and we can expect prosecutions of those responsible to begin next year, after the police and prosecution services have completed their post-inquiry investigations.

This process – backed by development assistance in support of the rule of law, good governance, media development, electoral reform and technical cooperation for which the Commonwealth is exceptional (all programmes for which Australia is a key driver) – could only strengthen our own efforts for reconciliation and justice.

The Government’s economic changes are making Zimbabwe once more open for business – and the potential for economic collaboration is enormous in the areas of mining, energy and agriculture where Australia is acknowledged as world leader. To foster a new, liberal business environment, the government has repealed and replaced Mugabe-era laws that restricted majority foreign ownership in these sectors.

Specifically, the Government has implemented ground-breaking reforms to land tenure laws – and is dispersing compensation to former white farmers removed from farmland dating back to the late nineties and early 2000s – events which led first to Zimbabwe’s suspension from the Commonwealth in 2002 after decision of a “troika” of Commonwealth leaders – including then prime minister John Howard, and later Zimbabwe’s unilateral withdrawal.

Under new laws, farmers are provided with tradable 99-year leaseholds; agriculture sector majority ownership and farmland leases are fully available to both to overseas nationals and international businesses – including, of course, from Australia.

In 2004, only months after Zimbabwe’s withdrawal, John Howard said: “The Commonwealth continues to be an important force for good, extending assistance to its members in time of need and giving hope to those who struggle for freedom and democracy,” adding “We hope one day soon to see a return to democracy in Zimbabwe and for that nation, once again, to be a respected member of the Commonwealth”.

We believe that day has come. And we ask for Australia’s support.

Sibusiso Moyo is Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade for the Republic of Zimbabwe.

Paul Nyathi|The Labour Court has ordered incapacitated government hospital doctors to find their way to work within the next forty eight hours.

In a shocking but somewhat ruling passed late Friday afternoon, the court declared the industrial action by medical the doctors unlawful and ordered them to terminate the action.

The doctors stopped reporting for work on September 3 indicating to its employer the Health Services Board that they no longer had the capacity to report for duty as their income was not even enough to cover transport costs to work.

The doctors went on to press for an improvement of their working conditions and a salary hike.

Justice Lawrence Murasi today ruled that the strike was illegal thereby asking the Zimbabwe Hospitals Doctors Association members to terminate the collective job action.

“It is ordered that the collective job action engaged by members of respondent on September 3 2019 be and is hereby declared unlawful. The said collective job action be and is hereby ordered to be terminated forthwith,” he ruled.

Judge Murasi however did not state where the doctors will get the money to get to work.

In a widely expected move, the Labour Court which reserved its ruling on an appeal by the government to force doctors to report for work, has finally issued its verdict ordering the medical professionals report for duty.

Part of the order reads, “the collective job action engaged by members of the respondent on 3 September 2019 be and is hereby declared unlawful.

“The said collective job action be and is hereby ordered to be terminated forthwith.

Members of the respondent who participated in the said collective job action be and are hereby ordered to report for duty within forty-eight hours from the date of this order and the applicant shall be entitled to take disciplinary action against members of respondent who fail or neglect to comply with this order,”

A BULAWAYO landlord will live to regret the day she offered a tenant a room to rent as asking for her money at the end of the month results in a thorough bashing from the occupant.

Simelinkosi Ncube said she is fed up of Bekezela Maphosa’s abusive tendencies and wants the tenant out of her house in Magwegwe North suburb.

“I am having problems with my tenant Maphosa who resides at one of the houses that I own. She is so abusive whenever I ask for my rentals. She shouts at me using abusive language and even goes to the extent of teaming up with her children in assaulting me.

“At one time she assaulted me with open fists and I sustained injuries on my hand,” said Ncube.
The landlord pleaded with the court to grant her a protection order and wants the tenant to move out of her house.

“I’m very uncomfortable with her continued stay at my house as I now fear for my life and I am therefore applying for a protection order compelling her to stop insulting and assaulting me. In her response Maphosa denied the allegations levelled against her.

Western Commonage magistrate Urgent Vundla granted an interim order.B-Metro

Farai Dziva|Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume has defended the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations’ position on the postponement of elections.

See Ngarivhume’s argument below :
As Transform Zimbabwe political party, we acknowledge the role of the church in changing and transforming our nation, pre and post Independence.

The church has a pivotal role in the politics of the nation and even in the bible, they gave guidance to the Kings and Queens of the time.

Our nation has grossly suffered from dibilitating economic challenges, fragmented society, lawlessness and intense polarization. The political, social and economic situation is continuing to deteriorate and surely, a Transitional government is the way for our nation to recover. The electioneering mode in Zimbabwe refuses to die down because for a very long time now, we have not had conclusive elections. Zanu Pf has always found ways to manipulate the outcomes. The courts have equally not assisted, with the supreme court failing to conclude the previous election.

As Transform Zimbabwe, we applaud the church for at least coming up with a practical solution in solving the political, social and economic crisis our nation is facing. The current electoral system has failed to usher change and transformation into our country. In this kind of situation, elections won’t yield any positive results up and until we have revived the genuine ethics and values of politics. Our politics has been so toxic that they are suffocating the people of Zimbabwe. So it’s time as nation, we prioritize national interest above political interests. We need to revive our country, put food on the table for the general population, genuinely engage in electoral reforms before we go to another general election. Zanu Pf will continue to enjoy the advantage of incumbency and their grip on key institutions will never allow for free and fair elections. Therefore elections in the current setup will not change our fortunes.

So we salute and applaude the call by the church under ZHOCD (Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations) to suspend all electoral process. Thinking that the idea is trampling above people’s constitutional right is hypocricy because we have a situation where ZanuPf has clearly rigged, MDC has failed to respect the Constitutional court ruling. This proves how our laws and current electoral system is polluted.

As Transform Zimbabwe, we propose and support, an extra judicial solution. This will be a people driven process without political meddling.

When you are stuck in a pit, you should stop digging. As Zimbabwe, we are in a dungeon because of this polluted electoral system.

So an extra judicial solution, which ushers in a transitional arrangement, is a genuine solution to the national cancer.

As Zimbabwe, let’s embrace the idea of extra judicial to make sure that we put food on table, address electoral reforms and emerge stronger than ever. A church led process will once again deliver this nation, everything else has failed.

God bless you and God bless Zimbabwe.

Jacob Ngarivhume
TZ President

By A Correspondent- Ecocash agents in the central business district are demanding 150% for cash out, ZimEye can reveal.

A snap survey in the city centre revealed that the agents who operate outside Eat n Lick along First street in Harare are demanding one to part with $25 for one to cash out $10.

Others are however charging between 30 to 60 percent asking one to part with between $13 to $16 for one to get $10 coins.

Said one disgruntled woman only identified as Faina:

“I don’t know why they opened the Ecocash platform again because these agents are thieves. They should have just closed the platform for good and avail cash in the banks.”

Added another man who also could not stomach the latest development:

“This is just too much. How can i give the ecocash agent more than what i am getting? Where are they getting the money to steal from us like this? Government should act unless they are part of these stealing agents.”

Several people who also spoke to ZimEye called on government to just make cash available as a way of dealing with the ecocash agents.

Added one woman identified as Shylet:

“Citizens must just team up and boycott ecocash. if they continue doing what they are doing, we will end up beating them up and take the law into our own hands because it seems the police are failing to reign them in. This is daylight robbery.”

I would like to congratulate my brother & Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed @PMEthiopia, for winning the @NobelPrize for peace.
This is a victory for Political Reforms, Peace & for all the progressive leaders on the African continent. At 43 years of age, you have prevailed! pic.twitter.com/dYXv4sX1aZ

— nelson chamisa (@nelsonchamisa) October 11, 2019

By A Correspondent- Vice President Kembo Mohadi will on Sunday address a rally in Bulawayo.

Zanu-PF Politburo member Absolom Sikhosana yesterday told our Bulawayo Bureau that the rally will be held at Stanley Square at 2pm and called on the people of Bulawayo to attend.

He said VP Mohadi is expected to speak at length on economic challenges in the country and how the party and Government are working to address them.

“Everybody agrees that the situation we are experiencing now is a difficult one.

“When a nation experiences such hardships, it becomes important for the leadership to avail itself to the people so that they can respond to the concerns of the people.

“This will also help instil confidence by way of explaining some of the challenges that people are facing and are unable to comprehend. VP Mohadi will therefore address a rally at Stanley Square at 2pm on Sunday, where all residents of Bulawayo are invited to attend,” said Sikhosana.

He said VP Mohadi will answer questions and concerns from the people, which will make a difference to their minds and  lives.

“VP Mohadi’s address will help us tackle our challenges as a nation and move in one direction with a clear understanding of where we are and where we are going.

“I’m appealing to the people of Bulawayo in their various formations, be it churches, political parties, social clubs and other institutions to come and listen to the Vice President,” said Sikhosana.

-StateMedia

A hapless 48-YEAR-OLD Chivhu teacher was hospitalised after he was allegedly struck on the head with an iron bar by a former student who had been nursing a grudge against him.

NewsDay reports that Elliot Magaya (18) a former student at Masasa Secondary School in Chikomba assaulted his former teacher, Bernard Nyika, in a bid to avenge the beatings he got during his school days.

Mashonaland East provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tendai Mwanza confirmed the incident, saying despite the brutal attack, Nyika was admitted at Harare hospital and now in a stable condition.

“We are against all forms of violence and those who are caught perpetrating it will be arrested and charged accordingly. The complainant, a teacher in Chivhu, is currently in a stable condition while the suspect is in remand facing attempted murder charges,” he said.

The incident is reported to have occurred on  September 29 at around 7 pm at Bonda Bottle Store where  Nyika and Magaya were drinking beer with other patrons.

Magaya, who was expelled from school while doing Form 2 after he was found in possession of a traditionally brewed illicit beer known as chikokiyana, picked a fight with one of Nyika’s colleagues, saying that he wanted to revenge the canning he experienced whilst at school. This prompted Nyika to intervene so as to stop the quarrelling, but the suspect then turned on him.

After realising that the suspect was now attacking him, Nyika went outside the bottle store and due to darkness, did not see that Magaya was following him.

The suspect, armed with an iron bar, struck Nyika on the head and he fell down with blood gushing out.

The matter was reported at ZRP Masasa who attended the scene and arrested the suspect.

Nyika was taken to Sadza Hospital, where he was admitted before being transferred to Harare for further medical assistance.

-Online

Today is the International Day of the Girl Child, commemorated every year on October 11 since 2012. It is the observance day declared by the United Nations and this year the day is being commemorated under the theme “Empowering the girl child for a better tomorrow.”

The MDC today salutes the girl child and the tribulations she has overcome. We believe strongly that empowering the girl child is empowering the whole nation as no nation can develop without involving women since they are equal stakeholders in sustainable development.

The Assembly of Women has observed that the Zimbabwean society is still patriarchal to the extent that girls and boys are treated differently according to gender roles that have been socially constructed be it in the homes, schools churches and even work-places. The girl child in most cases is still expected to play the role of performing household chores like cooking, washing, fetching water and firewood whilst the boy child is playing soccer or reading his books.

Child marriage cases continue to rise because of religious beliefs and famine. It is against this background that the MDC Assembly of Women sees it fit to commemorate this day so as to take stock of what the government has done so far in protecting the girl child from the vagaries of cultural and religious norms.

We note with concern the continued abuse of the girl child in tertiary colleges by selfish old men and lecturers. They are abused and sexually harassed in return for higher marks or financial support. All this happens despite the fact that Zimbabwe is a signatory to regional and International Conventions such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child as well as the UN Millennium Development Goals (SDGs) which targets the equality of girls and boys in attaining education.

As the Assembly of Women we feel that the issue of sexual rights is not being adequately addressed as cases of gender based violence continue to rise. The Ministry of Health is not doing enough in equipping the girls and the general population on their sexual rights.

We have noted with concern that as the economic crisis bites in the country, the girl child remains vulnerable to commercial sex work. Of great concern remains the continued rise in prices of basic commodities which are now unaffordable to many. Three steady meals per day are now a thing of the past as life has become unbearable to many citizens, particularly the vulnerable girl child. Sanitary pads are no longer affordable and have become a luxury to many family budgets yet they must be at the top of the priority list. Tree barks, old clothes and newspapers which are hazardous to health are now being used as pads.

While providing condoms for free by the government is good, we feel the government must equally be providing free sanitary pads for the girl child. In fact, it would be a positive step towards creating a healthy, safe environment as well as dignity for the girl child.

The Women’s Assembly demands that the Zimbabwe Government looks into issues affecting the girl child, acknowledges and addresses them as a matter of urgency. We are worried by the government’s misplaced priorities at the expense of the citizens. It must be able to protect and promote the rights of the girl child and those of its citizens by listening to the cries of its people.

We call upon all sectors to support the efforts of the girl child in every sphere in order to build a better Zimbabwe as the future lies in the hands of the girl child.

MDC Assembly of Women proudly and boldly asserts that: Educate a Girl Child, Educate a Nation.

Barbara Tanyanyiwa
Spokesperson – Women’s Assembly

 By Talent Gondo- A man from Bulawayo has pleaded with the courts to grant him a protection order against his former girlfriend of one week who subjects him to assaults and insults whenever they meet.

Davison Ngirazi of Njube suburb is fed up of his ex-girlfriend, Khanyiso Ndlovu and he told the court he has had enough from his former lover.

“She always follows me wherever I am and throws stones at me. She also insults me using vulgar language,” said Ngirazi.

What seems to pain Ngirazi more is that at a time he has found love elsewhere, Ndlovu is not willing to give up.

“We fell in love for a period of a week and then separated. I am now in love with someone else. The respondent is now disturbing our affair as she makes unnecessary calls at midnight. She is just forcing me to fall in love with her again but I have moved on and I don’t want anything to do with her. May the court assist me so that the respondent stays away from me. I don’t want to see her near me. I wish to live in peace,” said Ngirazi.

Responding to Ngirazi’s accusations, Ndlovu said he was just a heartless man.

“I have understood everything Ngirazi said but all I can say is that he is so insensitive. He did not tell me that he was in a relationship so he was just using me,” she said.

Western Commonage magistrate Urgent Vundla ordered Ndlovu to refrain from emotionally and physically abusing Ngirazi.

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- A New Lobengula man, with the intention of hitting a drinking mate that he had been arguing with, missed the target and instead struck his best friend with a stone who died on the spot, before fleeing the scene. 

A group of acquaintances had been drinking at a house in New Lobengula suburb when an argument ensured between Simon Moyo and Tafadzwa Katuwi. 

The circumstances are that on the afternoon of 27 September, in a failed attempt to hit Katuwi with a stone, Moyo missed the intended target and hit his close friend Busi Ncube on the chest. 

Ncube never made it to the hospital and was pronounced dead on the scene. 

“Moyo threw a stone with the intention of hitting Katuwi after the two had been involved in a heated argument over beer. 

“Katuwi dodged the stone and it hit Ncube on the left side of the chest at close range. 

“Ncube collapsed and died on the spot,” said a close family member who spoke on condition of anonymity.

A case of murder was opened at Magwegwe Police Station. 

Bulawayo acting police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident and said police are investigation a murder case. 

“We are investigating a murder case and the circumstances are that the accused, who is now on the run, wanted to hit another person with a stone but missed and killed his best friend. 

“The deceased was hit on the left side of the chest and he died on the spot.

“We appeal to anyone with information that may lead to the arrest of the accused to report at their nearest police station,” said Inspector Ncube.

Inspector Ncube urged members of the public to restrain from violent behaviour and to solve problems amicably. 

“Members of the public must solve their differences amicably especially when they have been drinking alcohol. 

“Fighting is an offence and people are urged to resolve matters in a peaceful manner,” he said. 

-StateMedia

The current bank exchange rates for the ZWL$ today are as follows:

USD = ZWL$15.3076
ZWL$ = RAND0.9820
Data according to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe

Black Market Rates:

USD = ZWL$19 zimrates
USD = ZWL$18.60 zwl365 [10 October 2019]
USD = ZWL$19 bluemari
USD = BOND12.50 bluemari

Africa Confidential reports that with 8.5 million people facing serious food shortages next year, the discovery that some senior state officials are profiteering by importing 17,000 tonnes of grain at double the world market price is the latest blow to the diminishing credibility of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.

Africa Confidential understands that the grain was brought in from Tanzania – Mnangagwa and President John Magufuli are allies – at a price of US$600 a tonne; the world price is currently $240 a tonne. An expert in the regional commodity trade said the only explanation for the inflated price of the consignment is a ‘vast corrupt rake-off’. Now the keys question are, says the expert, who knew about the deal and who benefited from it.

Senior officials in international organisations have confirmed the pricing of the deal and say it helps explain the slow response to the United Nations’ call for emergency funding to alleviate Zimbabwe’s food shortfall. It comes as relations between the government and Western states falter again, after a brief improvement following the ousting of President Robert Mugabe in November 2017 (AC Vol 58 No 25, A martial mind-set).

Although the main cause of the food crisis is the drought which has hit most countries in the region, corruption and mismanagement are making it worse. The World Food Programme (WFP) estimates at least half Zimbabwe’s population of 16.5 million are now ‘food insecure’, a staggering failure in a country that was the breadbasket of the region.

Those at risk in Zimbabwe are not far short of the 9.7m needing food aid in all the 17 countries of the Sahel and West Africa combined.

Nor is Zimbabwe’s crisis confined to the rural areas where 5.5m people are food insecure. Another 3m in towns and cities also face chronic shortages. At the start of the crisis, it was estimated that it would cost $300-500m to feed 7m people; now another $100m will be needed.

Some 800,000 tonnes of wheat and maize may have to be imported to avert disaster. This doesn’t include the grain needed to keep farm animals alive: up to half of all cattle could die in some areas. In July, some agency estimates suggested Zimbabwe would need 1.3-1.4m tonnes – 850,000 tonnes of white maize, 350,000 tonnes of wheat and 80,000 tonnes of soya and cooking oil. That includes animal feed.

But trust in the government is low. A WFP ‘flash appeal’ has so far secured pledges of only about $150m: $89m from the United States, €9 mn ($10m) from the European Union and £50-60m ($60-75m) from the United Kingdom.

If money can be raised for emergency imports, there are still big logistical challenges that increase the risk of starvation. Zimbabwe has enough grain to support its population for the next three months. Drought has affected the whole region, so most imports will have to come from outside Africa.

-Africa Confidential

The trial of former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, who is facing charges of criminal abuse of office, will take place from November 12 to 15.

Mphoko allegedly instructed junior officers at Avondale Police Station in Harare to release of former Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) acting chief executive Moses Juma from the cells.

Juma had been arrested on abuse of office charges.

Prosecutor Mr George Manokore served Mphoko’s lawyer Mr Zibusiso Ncube of Ncube and Partners Legal Practitioners State papers saying he was ready for trial from November 12 to 15.

Mr Ncube requested time to prepare his client’s defence but consented to the trial dates proposed by the State.

Harare regional magistrate Mr Hosea Mujaya deferred the matter to November 12 for trial commencement.

According to the State papers, Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) received a case in which Juma and Davison Norupiri, who was Zinara’s finance committee chairperson, were being accused of fraud and criminal abuse of office on May 6 2016.

Investigations resulted in the arrest of the two for criminal abuse of office.

Warned and cautioned statements were recorded on July 12, 2016.

The two were detained at Avondale Police Station, Harare pending court appearance on July 14, 2016.

“On the same date at around 6pm, Mphoko, who was then Acting President of Zimbabwe, went to Avondale Police Station where on arrival, he abused his duty by ordering the immediate release of the two accused persons from police custody.

“The officer-in-charge stood his ground challenging the unlawful instruction, but eventually succumbed to pressure from the accused and released the two accused persons from police cells.

“The accused then drove away in his vehicle,” read part of the request for remand form.

This was done without ZACC’s knowledge.

On July 14, ZACC officers went to Avondale to pick up the accused persons for court appearance, but discovered that Mphoko had ordered the pair’s unlawful release.

“Section 106 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe clearly spells out the conduct of Vice Presidents, Ministers and Deputy Ministers and subsection (1) states that every VP must act in accordance with this Constitution.

“Subsection 2 (b) (c) of Section 106 also states that Vice Presidents shall not act in any way that is inconsistent with their office or use their position to improperly benefit any other person,” reads the State papers.

The State contends that Mphoko acted inconsistent with his duties in releasing the duo and that he also showed favour to them in the process.

-State Media

CHIEFS in Shurugwi are demanding that the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) compensates over 200 families they evicted from Lazy Nine Farm under Chief Banga two years ago.

The army gave a short notice that Lazy Nine Farm was a military protected area, where military training through use of live ammunition was conducted, which could expose the public and their livestock to danger.

The ZNA then forcefully evicted over 200 families within 12 days.

Villagers incurred huge losses in property and livestock.

Efforts to stop the evictions were fruitless as Chief Banga, then Midlands Provincial Affairs minister Jason Machaya and the district development co-ordinator (former district administrator) Reason Machiya failed to reach a consensus with ZNA as it insisted on the evictions using a notice signed by 5 Infantry Brigade Commander, a G Chitsva.

Speaking to Southern Eye, Chief Banga said the manner in which the eviction was conducted led his people to lose property and livestock as they sought for shelter elsewhere and feared being shot if found on the farm.

Lazy Nine Farm was occupied by villagers from Banga, Gato, Mushwe, Mufiri and Bera areas.

The farm demarcates Chivi North, Shurugwi and Zvishavane.

Chief Banga said he had already engaged the Shurugwi district administrator to notify the army that his people want compensation for loss of land and property.

“I have engaged chiefs Nhema and Mupakame to write a petition to the army seeking compensation for the loss my people suffered two years back. Some people up to now do not even have proper shelter and some do not even have farming land where they relocated,” Chief Banga said.

Chief Nhema said the evictees own the land.

“The army must compensate these families. The families are the true custodians of Lazy Nine Farm after they were first evicted from their ancestral land in 1978 by white settlers, who took the land for cattle ranching,” he said.

“In 1997, the villagers engaged government and they were given back their land. Later, the army came in using the other side of the farm.”

Midlands provincial development co-ordinator (formerly provincial administrator) Abiot Maronge distanced himself from the matter, stating that everything concerning Lazy Nine Farm evictions was in the hands of the army.

“This case is in the hands of the army. My office is also waiting to hear from the army,” he said.

Angry villagers said they were still counting losses caused by the untimely evictions.

Efforts to get an official comment from the army were fruitless, with Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri referring all questions to Zimbabwe National Army spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Alphios Makotore, whose phone was not reachable.

Human rights activist and Midlands Senator Lillian Timveos said there was need for an urgent response from both the army and government in facilitating a resettlement programme and compensation to the affected families.

“The said land belonged to them initially, hence all parties involved must quickly come up with a good resettlement programme with good compensation. Human rights are key fundamentals in a democratic State,” she said.

One of the displaced villagers, Ronald Mukuku, who relocated to Mukandapi area, said he lost a four-roomed house he had just finished building using his pension
funds.

“They (army) must pay us all our losses. I am in pain becuasue all my pension money went down the drain. I left my homestead in a matter of days weeks after completing building my four-roomed house,” he said.

The army also recently evicted hundreds of villagers from Gutu-Mpandawana’s western part without any compensation, claiming it was a protected area.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- The family of slain Central Intelligence organisation operative Peter Munetsi has sued Defence and War Veterans minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri for US$185 627 (ZWL$2 840 093 as of yesterday’s inter-bank rate) over the brutal killing of the senior spy at the height of the coup in 2017.

Munetsi’s wife Rossie and son Peter Junior, who are being represented by lawyer Denford Halimani, filed summons at the High Court on Wednesday. They are also demanding that Muchinguri-Kashiri issue a public apology.

According to a post-mortem report, Munetsi was beaten to death by his captors during the November 2017 military coup that toppled the late president Robert Mugabe.

“The plaintiff’s claim is for special and general damages arising from the unlawful, unjustified, wrongful, brutal, savage and fatal assault inflicted upon the now deceased Peter Munetsi by members of the Defence Forces on the 14-15th of November 2017. The members of the Defence Forces were acting within the scope and course of their employment with the defendant, cited herein in her official capacity as the minister responsible for the conduct of the Defence Forces,” the summons read.

“In the premises plaintiff’s claim for 1) the payment of the equivalent total sum of US$130, 627. 00 being special damages for loss of support and maintenance apportioned to the plaintiffs as follows for first plaintiff: US$113, 046 and for second plaintiff US$17, 581.

“Payment of the equivalent sum of US$55,000 being general damages for 1) emotional shock and psychological damage as a result of the trauma of the loss of a loved one ii) Future medical expenses as a result of the loss of a loved one iii) Grief and emotional suffering as a result of the loss of a loved one iv) loss of family life in that plaintiffs were deprived of emotional support, companionship, love and care of a husband and father v) Expenses incurred in winding up the deceased’s estate and loss of certain benefits that would have accrued to the deceased by virtue of his employment and being a war veteran.”

Moreover, the family wants Muchinguri to pay interest at the prescribed rate from the 16th of November 2017 to the date of full and final payment and costs of suit on an attorney and client scale.

According to the summons, Munetsi was abducted and taken to One Commando Barracks by members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces whose ranks and names are not known to the plaintiffs, where he was then “wilfully, unlawfully, unjustifiably, wrongfully, savagely, and brutally” assaulted thereby inflicting severe and fatal injuries upon him.

“The conduct of the members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces involved was contrary to the law, wrongful and unjustified. As a result of the brutal assault, the deceased died in military custody sometime on the 15th of November 2017.

The post-mortem of the deceased made by government pathologist Dr Tsungai Jabangwe at Parirenyatwa Hospital confirmed that the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries and severe anaemia post extensive subcutaneous and intramuscular haemorrhage caused by severe assaults inflicted on the body of the deceased,” the summons say.

“During his lifetime Peter Munetsi owed a legal duty of support and maintenance owed a legal duty of support and maintenance to the first and second plaintiffs and in fact did so.

The said support and maintenance was necessary to the plaintiffs in that they had no other means of support and maintenance. The defendant is liable to the plaintiff’s special and general damages at common law duly developed in accordance with sections 46 (2) and 176 of the constitution. Notice of intention to sue was given to the defendant on the 23rd of April 2018.”

The government, through Muchinguri-Kashiri and President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesperson George Charamba, among other officials, have claimed the coup was bloodless.

The officials initially blamed Munetsi’s death on a chronic illness which they said he had been taking medication for.

“According to the Form 231/police verbal reports, the deceased was initially reported as having taken ill and died suddenly.

Later report suggests he may have been a victim of assault. He was certified dead on the 16th of November 2017 by Dr SA Chinengono at Commando Hospital,” a post-mortem of his reads.

“NB: Full circumstances are still under investigation; the above statement may be subject to corrections and or additions.

Photographs and video evidence were taken during the course of the autopsy by CID homicide studios. X-rays were taken by Parirenyatwa Hospital radiology department.”

By A Correspondent- Teachers at St Marnocks Primary School located in Norton have been ordered to vacate the farmhouses they have been occupying for the past five years by Mrs Agatha Kunonga.

In a letter addressed to the school headteacher, a Mr Minizhu, the teachers were told to have moved out by 31st October 2019.

The letter reads in part:

RE: FARM HOUSES OCCUPIED BY THE TEACHERS

I write to inform that we, as farm holders, are now in need of the farmworkers compound houses that your teachers have been occupying since 2014.

We are desperately in need of those farmworkers compound houses. We are expecting that your teachers will have moved by 31st October 2019.

In February this year, Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe Secretary-general Raymond Majongwe and his team visited the school to ascertain the state of affairs at the institution and were ordered out of the compound by a controversial former Anglican priest, Reverend Nolbert Kunonga.

Zimpost employees in Bulawayo and Harare on Wednesday downed tools over poor salaries and unfair labour practices.

The workers picketed at the Main Post Offices in the two cities demanding a salary hike and payment of outstanding salaries and bonuses.

The protesting workers described their poor remuneration as unfair labour treatment by company management and an insult to them and their families.

Zimpost workers said for over two years, the postal services provider has been paying them half salaries and has also failed to pay bonuses since 2014.

Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, Communication and Allied Service Workers’ Union of Zimbabwe general secretary David Mhambare said they had tried to engage stakeholders, but their efforts were futile and they had to communicate through a stay-in.

“We are taking home $200; that’s not enough to feed our families. It is not even enough to send one child to school. So, we are saying we have tried, we engaged the minister (Information Communication Technology Kazembe Kazembe), we have engaged the new board, we have even written to the employment council, but Zimpost has been refusing to burge,” he said.

“We are incapacitated. We are not on strike. We are simply saying we do not have money to go back home. This is our second home we are sleeping here until a solution is found to our problems.”

Mhambare said they were demanding a living wage from their employer.

“We don’t want luxurious salaries. We are not demanding much. We are demanding a living wage. We certainly know that the company is going through a difficult time, but we would appreciate if the company could give people a living wage,” he said.

Bulawayo regional workers’ committee chairperson Sikhawuliso Zondo said they want management to increase their salaries urgently.

“We are trying to force management to adhere to their promises. For instance, they can increase our $300 salaries to about $2 000 which is above the poverty datum line. We are now even afraid to go to church because we cannot pay tithes,” Zondo said.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a worker from Bulawayo said: “This is an insult to us. We will sleep here if that helps our cause. We are languishing in poverty and they must know that they cannot simply generate revenue through cheap labour because we are not slaves.

“We cannot be getting $300 every month and be expected to take care of our family needs. We have children who go to school and rentals to pay.”

Another worker also said their salaries did not allow them to invest or save.

“We need to invest for our children who will become our future leaders in years to come,” he said.

“It’s been years now since we have been getting our salaries in halves. They also do not pay everyone at once, but they use the pay grading system which disadvantages others. We have not been paid our September salaries,” a worker in Harare said.

A circular to the Zimpost workers signed by acting managing director Sifundo Moyo said proposals to cushion workers and pay their September salaries were awaiting approval and management had only reviewed transport allowances.

“To cushion employees from the increase in transport costs, management has with immediate effect reviewed upwards the transport subsidy. Commuting staff will be paid $10 per day from $6 while none-commuting will be paid $2,50 a day from 1,50,” he wrote.

Since January, the cost of living has skyrocketed with medical and funeral insurance fees, kombi fares, fuel and electricity tariffs going up as the local currency continues to weaken against the benchmark United States dollar, piling more misery on workers.

Another employee said a plate of sadza which they buy at the company’s canteen has also gone up from $3 to $4,50 yet their salaries remain stagnant.

Newsday

By A Correspondent- The late founding leader of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe would reportedly travel with lots of money which he would use just in case he was removed from power whilst he was abroad.

This was revealed by The Economist, an English-language weekly UK magazine-format newspaper.

The publication was listing ways through which African leaders are externalising and or are abusing public funds.

The publication observes that some leaders keep an emergency stash close to hand and this is the category under which Mugabe fell. The Economist said:

The late Robert Mugabe, who misruled Zimbabwe for three decades, always travelled with a suitcase of “coup money”, in case he was ousted while abroad. Cash piles must be looked after, mind.

Mugabe was however removed from power by his lieutenants in 2017 whilst he was at his residence, The Blue Roof Mansion in Harare.

Mugabe featured on the list of individuals and companies who were purportedly externalising public funds. The list was published immediately after President Mnangagwa got into power.

-Economist

By Own Correspondent|A loud alert has been blown after an abnormally huge truck left Beitbridge for Harare. The truck is using the same road the street preacher Talent Chiwenga accelerated above 120 km killing his wife, for no reason other than so he could “buy brand new fan belts in Harare, ” 3 months ago.

The award winning Traffic Safety activist, Emmanuel Machikwa said the gonyet is carrying a huge bucket that covers almost the whole road. (VIDEO LOADING AND STORY CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO FOOTAGE)

When Talent Chiwenga’s accident happened, it was also involving a large gonyet. Beitbridge to Harare via Masvingo is the normal route for abnormal trucks, the NGO; “Agenda for Youths” said in a twitter post.

The truck left at 6:30 a.m. and has an escort.

Drivers are being advised to stop once they see the escort. Motorists are also told to slow down and exercise extreme caution. VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

This Abnormal vehicle is carrying a bucket covering almost whole road. Watch out those travelling btwn Beitbridge and Hre today. @tscz1 @MinistryofTID @ZimEye @swabs21 @RoyalBeetle @taffyellyk pic.twitter.com/CHqzvZPvSL

— Emmanuel Machikwa (@EMachikwa) October 11, 2019

WATCH: Apostle Chiwenga Accident – 60km Speed Limit, Did Mnangagwa’s CIOs Force Apostle To Accelerate To 120km Per Hour In Bending, Meandering Strip Road?

A MUTARE man was last week caught dressed in underwear and vest in a goat pen at a plot in Mutare.

Lovemore Chiputu (28) on Tuesday appeared before Mutare magistrate Prisca Manhibi facing a charge of attempted stock theft.

He was sentenced to eight months behind bars, three months of which were, however, suspended on condition of good behaviour for the next five years.

The remaining five months were commuted to 175 hours of community service at a school in Hobhouse, Mutare.

It is the State’s case that on October 3, the complainant, Phillip Mukucha’s five goats were secured into a pen.

On the same day, the accused hatched a plan to steal the complainant’s goats at Plot 1, Weirmouth in Mutare.

Mukucha heard noise coming from the goat pen and went to investigate and saw the accused person wearing a blue underwear and red vest.

The convict got out of the goat pen and struck the complainant on the right hand with a stone before running away from the scene.

He left behind two pairs of black tracksuit bottom, black sun hat, one pair of slippers and a cellphone.

The complainant took the exhibits to the police, leading to Chiputu’s arrest two days later.

-Newsday

The European Union (EU) is ramping up pressure on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to hold much-needed talks with opposition leader Nelson Chamisa.

This comes as Mnangagwa is battling to put back on track his re-engagement efforts with western powers, following growing concerns about human rights violations in the country, which are blamed on the government.

Mnangagwa, whose legitimacy has been questioned by the opposition MDC since he was announced winner of the presidential election by a water-thin 50,6% , has indicated that an all-inclusive national dialogue was imperative in addressing Zimbabwe’s unrelenting economic crisis.

Presidential spokesperson George Charamba said Mnangagwa was sincere in his invitation for dialogue with the opposition, among other stakeholders, but warned that organising violent protests could blight the prospects for dialogue to discuss the economic crisis gripping the country.

“President Mnangagwa’s concept for dialogue is wider. Soon after elections he asked for dialogue,” Charamba said.

“What Zanu-PF and this government will not countenance is someone who asks for dialogue while pointing a gun at the head of the government. And metaphorically the gun in this sense is queuing hooligans on the streets to terrorise and destroy property and cause mayhem.”

He said the onus was upon MDC leader Nelson Chamisa to formally engage Mnangagwa on the need for dialogue, while spelling out issues that needed to be thrashed out at the negotiating table.

“The first interlocutor for dialogue would have been Chamisa. For the first time we saw ED referring to Chamisa by his first name. So now Chamisa is now ripe for dialogue. For now he (Chamisa) is really pushing for it,” Charamba said.

“He is the one who has the issues, so he must tell us about those issues. He is the one who is feeling discomfort so he is the one who has to tell us about why he wants us to dialogue.”

MDC has since crafted a framework to guide the direction of the dialogue, if the talks ever materialise.

The “five-point plan” spells out the need to address Mnangagwa’s legitimacy, the unrelenting economic crisis, and atrocities committed in the past, nation building as well as crafting a shared common national vision.

It also entails discussing a “comprehensive reform agenda and platform with a view to constructing both a sustainable state with a culture which serves the interests of the masses as opposed to serving a few presiding elites and those connected to them.”

MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora said the five-point plan was endorsed by the party’s national executive council last year.

He, however, said the envisaged dialogue would not only be restricted to discussing the five points raised by the MDC.

“The national executive council resolved that MDC will explore dialogue to address Zimbabwe’s problems,” Mwonzora said.

“As MDC, we have raised five issues which should guide the dialogue which include legitimacy and national healing, among others. The dialogue must be genuine and unconditional. We are not saying these are the only issues to talk about.”

He said there was consensus within the MDC for the need to engage in dialogue, amid reports that some top party officials were opposed to unconditional talks with Mnangagwa.

“There is consensus on the need to engage in dialogue. No one has approached us for the need for dialogue,” he said, noting that the talks should not exclusively feature MDC and Zanu-PF.

Deputy minister of Information Energy Mutodi has rubbished G40 stalwart and former cabinet minister Saviour Kasukuwere’s presidential ambitions saying he is a mere former driver who serves no purpose.

Mutodi dragged the late MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai and his predecessor Nelson Chamisa into his sarcastic description of Kasukuwere adding that it was baffling that he had presidential ambitions.

Said Mutodi:

“Aspiring President Saviour Kasukuwere is a former driver at Gwaradzimba Express Motorways, his role model Morgan Tsvangirai was a tea boy and his potential ally Nelson a church pastor. Wonders will never end. Saviour serves no purpose.”

Paul Nyathi |A Thirteen -year-old pupil at Sacred Heart Girls School in Umzingwane District, Matabeleland South Province, was leff nursing serious injuries after she was bitten by a rabid dog on the school premises.

According to a source, school guard Mark Ndlovu neglected to secure the dogs in a kennel before pupils woke up early in the morning to start preparing for classes.

The guard dogs were supposed to be locked in their kennels by 4am but in this instance they were left prowling around.

BMetro reports that at 4.25am the unsuspecting girl was attacked by the animal.

“The pupil woke up at around 4.25am and went outside and since the dogs were still roaming in the school yard, one of them attacked her before the school guard, who was not close to the scene, could react and restrain the dog.

“The girl suffered serious injuries,”  said the sources

The girl’s blood curling screams attracted the school authorities who then performed first aid on the girl before ferrying to hospital.

The dog was tested for rabies after it was put down and it tested positive.

The security guard is on the run and the police is appealing for information that may lead to his arrest.

Paul Nyathi|FIRST Lady Auxilia Mnangagwa has called for the establishment of a school for female war veterans, who said some of them never went to school after the war.

Mrs Mnangagwa said those who wished to go back to formal education would be given vocational training.

Zimbabwe came out of the liberation war 39 years ago in 1980 and the youngest war soldier at that time was about 18 years meaning that the youngest war veterans that Mrs Mnangagwa wants to take back to school could be about sixty years now.

“You should remain united as female former fighters so that when you speak, you speak with one voice for your benefit and for the benefit of the country.

“You should also do your projects in groups and this is only achieved if you are united,” she said.

Mrs Mnangagwa further called for the declaration of a ‘Liberators Day’ in honour of all those who participated in the liberation struggle.

“We want a day to remember our liberators. Other countries do it to their liberators so that their born frees know their history,” said the First Lady.

Zimbabwe already has a Heroes holiday on which those that fought in the Second Chimurenga are remembered. Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and South Africa have liberation days on their calendars.

Auxillia encouraged female war veterans to take up leadership positions in politics and other government institutions such as parastatal boards.

“Women are very few in politics and parastal boards. Let us not cry that we have been prevented into getting into leadership positions. Women can work harder than their male counterparts. Let us get into leadership positions,” she said.

The First Lady promised to uplift the livelihoods of female former freedom fighters whom she said were living under harsh economic conditions.

“There are no jobs . We want you to be self –reliant. You should organise yourself into groups and we will see what we can do. I know you have a lot of things to be done . It will be done,” said Auxillia.

She added that the Ministry of Women Affairs will soon be rolling out various projects for women war veterans.

“The Ministry will assist you with funds to manufacture things like soap and detergents.  We also want you to venture into projects like goat and cattle rearing,” she said.

The First Lady also implored the female war veterans to mobilise people to participate in the Zanu PF’s organised ant-sanction march in Harare on 25 October this year.

“You are suffering because of sanctions. Please make sure that you mobilise people to participate in the ant-sanction march in Harare,” she added.

She urged them to come out in numbers to march against sanctions on October 25, a day set aside by the SADC bloc to call for the unconditional removal of the targeted sanctions on some senior ZANU PF officials and businesses.

“I want to thank you for coming out in your numbers so that we have a heart to heart talk as women,” she said.

“You are important to us for you liberated this country. However, the war is not over yet, we have another war on the 25th (of October) where we will be fighting against sanctions.

“We want the sanctions imposed on our country to be removed. They have caused untold suffering. We also want to thank SADC for standing with us in this fight.”

She said women should support the anti-sanctions march as it was not “about a certain political party, this is about our nation Zimbabwe”.

The United States of America has meanwhile since declared that ZANU PF is deliberately misinforming the nation of the issue of sanctions indicating that it has not put up any sanctions against the country.

Mrs Mnangagwa promised to pass the concerns of female former combatants to President Mnangagwa. She rolled out goat-rearing projects for former fighters in Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South provinces. She also donated sewing machines for those from Bulawayo who are expected to start producing reusable sanitary pads.

The female war veterans were drawn from Bulawayo, Matebeleland North and South provinces.

Minister of State for Bulawayo Judith Ncube and war veterans secretary in the Politburo Douglas Mahiya also attended.

The only ZANU PF Councillor in Bulawayo has called for the removal of MDC counterparts for allegedly victimising him on political affiliation. 

In a letter addressed to Mayor, Solomon Mguni and copied to Town Clerk Christopher Dube as well as Chamber Secretary Sikhangele Zhou, the Zanu PF councillor accused the opposition councillors of unlawfully removing him from the powerful Business Investment Committee.

Councillor Kidwell Mujuru, who came on through a by election win, wrote the letter to the municipality’s management complaining about alleged unfair treatment by his counterparts.

“I am aware of a group of councillors from your party (MDC Alliance) who do not want me to serve the people of Bulawayo in the Business Investment Committee just because I am from the Zanu PF party.

“The same members moved and seconded each other to remove me from the Business Committee by purporting to ‘correct minutes’ of the meeting of the 4th of September, 2019,” reads part of Mujuru’s complaint letter dated October 7, 2019.

He also accused the MDC councillors of violating recommendations of the General Purposes Committee which he argued confirmed him as a member of the Business Investment Committee.

“Your worship, the so-called correction of the minutes has the effect of rescission of alteration of a council resolution without following ground rules. The said rescission or alteration of the resolution is unlawful, null and void,” he said.

Mujuru called for the removal of the MDC councillors claiming that they had breached 278(2) (e) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. “May I draw your attention to Section 278 (2) (e) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe which states that willful violation of the law, including a local authority by-law, is a ground of removal of councillors from office.

“It is clear that your council violated the law in your absence. I, therefore, request that you put the council back to legality by urgently remedying the defect. I thought I must also advise you since the whole process was null and void,” further wrote Mujuru.

The MDC councillors reportedly booted out Mujuru following a meeting held on October 2 to allegedly ‘correct’ minutes of the September 4 meeting.

Reuters|Zimbabwe’s public sector workers demanded to be paid U.S. dollar-indexed salaries on Wednesday to cushion them against soaring inflation, and will decide this week whether to strike.

Public hospital doctors have been on strike for more than a month to press President Emmerson Mnangagwa for higher pay. If more workers take action it would raise pressure on a government widely criticised for its handling of the economy.

Hopes that this would quickly rebound under Mnangagwa, who took over after the late Robert Mugabe was deposed in a coup in November 2017, have faded fast, as citizens grapple with inflation that has eroded earnings and savings.

Zimbabweans have also been facing rolling power cuts and shortages of U.S. dollars, medicines and fuel that have revived memories of the 2008 hyperinflation under Mugabe.

The Apex Council, which groups 14 public sector unions representing 230,000 workers – excluding the health and security sectors – said the government had failed to convene meetings to discuss workers’ pay after several requests from unions.

Unions want the monthly salary of the lowest paid employee pegged at $475 (7,258 Zimbabwe dollars), which workers were earning in October 2018, before the government re-introduced the Zimbabwe dollar, ending a decade of dollarisation in June.

The local currency has since plummeted, fuelling price hikes and triple-digit annual inflation, but salaries have lagged.

“There is no better way than looking at what we were earning on 1 October 2018 and that being indexed to the prevailing interbank (exchange) rate. Anything other than that will not adequately address the needs by civil servants,” George Mushipe, Apex Council treasurer told reporters.

The lowest paid worker earns 1,020 Zimbabwe dollars a month, barely enough to buy two bags of fertiliser.

Vincent Hungwe, chairman of the Civil Service Commission that employs government workers, declined immediate comment.

Paul Nyathi|President Emmerson Mnangagwa has dismissed accountant-general, Daniel Muchemwa, for failing to manage public accounts.

The dismissal comes after Public Accounts Portfolio Committee Chairperson Tendai Biti of the opposition MDC recently told Parliament that Muchemwa was a lackadaisical man who did not know his functions.

Muchemwa, when he appeared before the Committee, failed to answer various questions and also confirmed that he did not do most of his duties which include preparing monthly, quarterly and yearly financial reports as well as issuing warranties to ministries since 2014.

Warranties are generally the authority given to Ministries to spend what would have been allocated to them from the national budget.

The accountant-general’s office, according to auditor-general Mildred Chiri’s reports, has also been failing to do basic things like reconciliations on its account, resulting in huge variances on its books of accounts, which are currently in a shambles.

Biti, said: “There is always a monster hidden if you take a look at government financials, which are in shambles. It’s a narrative of State failure. We find basic issues like failure to produce annual statements, monthly reports etc.

“There are so many vulnerables but I hear the accountant general has been fired because of failure to deal with weak internal financial controls. When the gatekeeper becomes the gatecrasher, we need to pray.”

The Government has released civil servants pay dates for the remaining months with all sectors expected to receive their salaries before the Christmas holidays but omitting bonus dates.

In a circular, Finance and Economic Development Permanent Secretary, Mr George Guvamatanga, advised the pay dates for public servants and pensioners for the remaining months of October to December but omitted 2019 bonus pay dates citing the challenge of revenue inflows.

Since the beginning of this year, civil servants have been pushing for a pay rise which led the government to increase civil servants salaries raised by 76 percent, a development that saw the lowest paid worker earning $1 023 up from $582.

Unfortunately reality on the ground is proving otherwise and the latest offer is in deficit of health care, education, transport, food and other basic needs.The workers are still expecting a salary increment in line with the current cost of living.

The Apex Council has requested an urgent National Joint Negotiating Council meeting set for today to map a way forward on salaries that corresponds with the continuously cost of living- demanding salaries indexed to the interbank rate.

Paul Nyathi|Besides all the accolades that President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s chief of protocol Munyaradzi Kajese received following his resignation from the President’s office, he goes away with the tag of being one of those people who unceremoniously turned against former President Robert Mugabe when he was kicked out of office in a military coup in November 2017.

Kajese resigned after a career spanning over three decades in the presidency and was one of former president Robert Mugabe’s top aides who found accommodation in the new regime of President Emmerson Mnangagwa following the coup.

Jonathan Moyo, one of Mugabe’s former ministers now living in exile, last month claimed Mugabe “was betrayed by aides who turned traitors in the November 2017 military coup”. The others were Mugabe’s former spokesman George Charamba and Chief Cabinet Secretary Misheck Sibanda.

Kajese retired after reaching the retirement age of 65 years.

Chitsaka Chipaziwa, Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Geneva, Switzerland, is expected to take over from Kajese.

State Media|MORE people from the southern region have been added to lists of student nurses enrolled last week at two Bulawayo hospitals after claims that more than 90 percent of the recruits were from Harare and its surrounding provinces.

The southern region is made up of Bulawayo, Masvingo, Midlands, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South provinces. Statistics from the Ministry of Health and Child Care show that students from Harare province still dominate 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.

Statistics from the northern region which includes Harare, Manicaland, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West and Mashonaland Central provinces were not availed for comparison.

The 13 hospitals that enrolled students in the southern region are Tsholotsho and St Luke’s in Matabeleland North, Mashoko, Gutu, Morgenster, Masvingo and Musiso in Masvingo Province and St Theresa and Muronde from Midlands.

“Thirteen nursing schools from the southern region recruited a total of 238 students and Bulawayo Province contributed 20.1 percent of the total. These schools include Mpilo Central Hospital and United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) under Bulawayo province,” the analysis revealed.

“For Mpilo, no student was recruited from either Matabeleland North or South. Harare dominated the list with 10, followed by Bulawayo with 6 and then Midlands with 5.”

However, sources from the Ministry of Health and Child Care alleged that seven students were added to the list at Mpilo Central Hospital on Tuesday night following an outcry over the selection. Three were allegedly added to the list at UBH.

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.

“St Anne’s Hospital in Brunapeg, Mangwe recruited no students from Matabeleland South or North provinces. Gwanda hospital also in the same region recruited zero students from Matabeleland South where it is located just like St Luke’s Hospital. The mission hospital in Lupane only got one student from Matabeleland North,” the document shows.

Contacted for comment, Mrs Cynthia Chasokela, the director of nursing services in the Ministry, said she was out of office and referred questions to the ministry.

Comments could not be obtained from the Ministry.

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.

Students from the southern region have claimed that they are always told to apply to hospitals in their region when they try to get places in the northern region.

The Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Cde Judith Ncube has pledged to engage responsible authorities to resolve the recent recruitment of student nurses in Bulawayo.

She made the commitment after some people engaged her on Wednesday.

State Media|Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers are being retrained to ensure safety of the people and to respect their rights, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has said.

He said the police’s curricula was also being looked into in line with the Government’s thrust to conform to the protection and promotion of human rights.

The minister was speaking during a symposium on human rights in Harare yesterday.

“I agree with you that the security sector reform is crucial in guaranteeing the safety of citizens and their enjoyment of human rights. It is a process in motion, but will take time to manifest,” he said.

He said human rights obligations of governments must follow the classical tripartite typology of States’ human rights obligations, namely — the duty to respect, the duty to protect and the duty to fulfil.

“The duty to respect means that Government and or its agencies must not violate human rights through their own actions. This requires Government to refrain from interfering with the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms of all citizens.

“As regards the duty to protect, Government’s role is to ensure that third parties do not violate the rights and freedoms of the individual,” Minister Ziyambi said.

He said the duty to fulfil means that Government must take positive action to facilitate the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms.

He said Government had established the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission and Zimbabwe Gender Commission in terms of the Constitution in compliance with this duty.

Minister Ziyambi said Government cannot succeed without everyone coming on board.

“Fellow countrymen, the principle of shared responsibility of different tiers of government for the protection and promotion of human rights has been on several occasions underlined by the United Nations human rights treaty bodies,” he said.

He said Government has faced many challenges in trying to fulfil its human rights mandate with the major one being inadequate funding for the human rights institutions.

“Human rights institutions’ capacity to implement and promote human rights has in most instances been hindered by lack of adequate resources due to the difficult economic situation obtaining in the country.

“The other challenge is lack of adequate coordination between Government and other stakeholders especially in the civil society. A clear-cut division of powers between the different tiers of Government and even civil society is the precondition for the establishment of accountability, and hence the precondition for the implementation of human rights.

“It must become self-understood that every authority provided with public power has to respect, protect and fulfil human rights,” Minister Ziyambi said.

Paul Nyathi|Zanu-PF Politburo member Absolom Sikhosana has indicated that President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rather uninspiring Second Vice President Kembo Mohadi will this weekend attempt to explain to the nation where his boss is failing to run the country.

Speaking to state media in an interview on Thursday, Sikhosana said Mohadi will address a rally at Stanley Square in Bulawayo at 2pm where he is expected to speak at length on economic challenges in the country.

“Everybody agrees that the situation we are experiencing now is a difficult one.

“When a nation experiences such hardships, it becomes important for the leadership to avail itself to the people so that they can respond to the concerns of the people.

“This will also help instil confidence by way of explaining some of the challenges that people are facing and are unable to comprehend. VP Mohadi will therefore address a rally at Stanley Square at 2pm on Sunday, where all residents of Bulawayo are invited to attend,” said Sikhosana.

He said Mohadi will answer questions and concerns from the people.

“VP Mohadi’s address will help us tackle our challenges as a nation and move in one direction with a clear understanding of where we are and where we are going.

“I’m appealing to the people of Bulawayo in their various formations, be it churches, political parties, social clubs and other institutions to come and listen to the Vice President,” said Sikhosana.

State Media|Treasury has released $202 million additional funding to nine independent commissions in a move aimed at capacitating the bodies to effectively discharge their constitutional duties and institute reforms in line with Government’s vision.

The nine bodies include the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC), National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC), Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc), Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec), Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC), Zimbabwe Land Commission (ZLC), Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) and the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

“In 2019, the Budget made an allocation of $202 million to these institutions for their operations and capacitation.

“Establishment of these commissions has seen some progress in the areas of fighting corruption with many cases now being dealt with by Zacc, robust systems for planning and executing elections as demonstrated during the 2018 harmonised general elections, reconciliation and bringing together of different political parties to discuss national issues, through the political dialogue,” said the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development in a statement.

In an interview yesterday, Prosecutor-General Mr Kumbirai Hodzi confirmed the disbursement of funds to the NPA, saying it would go a long way in fulfilling its objectives, one of which is fighting corruption.

“This is a welcome gesture on the part of the Government. From the onset, Government has been clear on the need to properly resource independent bodies that include NPA.

“The Government recognised that NPA is not only an independent body, but a vital institution to the development thrust of the country, socially and economically. One of the priorities of the Second Republic is to resuscitate the economy and to achieve that, we have to fight corruption.

“For that to happen, NPA and Zacc must be given resources that will enable them to perform their mandate in a manner that does not leave them compromised.

“That can be achieved through proper resource allocation that include proper remuneration of staff members and that will ensure that NPA fulfils its mandate to fight corruption,” said Mr Hodzi.

Zacc spokesperson Commissioner John Makamure said: “The bulk of the Supplementary Budget ($36 million) will be directed towards operations. The additional funding has certainly boosted operations.

“For 2020, we are requesting a total budget of about $100 million to ensure we fully decentralise operations to the 10 provinces.”

ZHRC chairperson Mr Elasto Mugwadi said he was excited by the additional funding given to his body.

“It is a positive gesture in capacitating independent commissions which play a role in supporting and entrenching human rights in the country.

“I am reliably informed that other independent commissions got some allocations and this is quite encouraging,” said Mr Mugwadi.

NPRC executive secretary Mrs Sibusisiwe Zembe said: “The money given to us is quite significant in carrying out our duties. We will use the money to carry out a number of activities, chief among them procuring vehicles. Most of our works are outdoors in remote areas and the issue of mobility becomes very important.”

Government has established and operationalised all independent constitutional commissions mandated to promote good governance.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

“Over and above the National AIDS Trust Fund (NATF), my government is developing a robust National Health Insurance Scheme and stepping up innovative domestic funding initiatives such as the traditional AIDS levy and the new Health Levy, to enable us to focus on the sustainability of our response,” said Mnangagwa.

The state owned ZBC says Emmerson Mnangagwa has paid out USD1 million to the Global AIDS Fund at the ongoing 6th Replenishment Conference of the Global Fund Forum in Lyon, France.

The ZBC alleged Zimbabwe has contributed the figure to the fund.

Mnangagwa however, only announced a pledge of the amount on Thursday morning.

Meanwhile, Mnangagwa appealed for support and sought partnerships to strengthen primary health care in the country.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

STATE MEDIA COPY: Mnangagwa during his speech at the conference, which is seeking to raise US$14 billion to fight HIV, tuberculosis and malaria expressed his gratitude towards the Global Fund for approving close to US$2 billion for Zimbabwe to fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

“Since 2002, the Global Fund has approved nearly US$1.7 billion to Zimbabwe, of which over US$1.3 has been disbursed,” he said.

“Let me express my profound gratitude for this invaluable support. As we build strong institutions, infrastructure and integrated services, we appeal for support and seek partnerships to strengthen primary health care, build and retain a competent health workforce to achieve Universal Health Coverage. Equally, early detection and surveillance systems of the three diseases remain paramount. Over and above the National AIDS Trust Fund (NATF), my government is developing a robust National Health Insurance Scheme and stepping up innovative domestic funding initiatives such as the traditional AIDS levy and the new Health Levy, to enable us to focus on the sustainability of our response,” said Mnangagwa.

Over 710 000 people are currently supported by Global Fund in Zimbabwe out of a total of 1.2 million people on Anti-Retro Viral Therapy.

Government made a US$1 million contribution at the conference as the country strives towards ending AIDS by 2030.

“We remain committed to continue to contribute to this worthy effort, and hereby pledge US$1 million.”

French President Emmanuel Macron who is hosting the conference pointed the finger at several countries for not pledging enough funds for the fight against the three diseases.

In his speech, President Macron called specifically on Japan, Norway, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to “make more of an effort” in increasing their contributions for the fight.

The Global Fund Forum aims to save 16 million lives within the next four years as well as averting 234 million infections worldwide.

Mnangagwa is accompanied by the acting Foreign Affairs Minister, Professor Amon Murwira and other senior government officials at the conference.

Farai Dziva|
ZANU PF Political Commissar, Victor Matemadanda came to cornered MP Killer Zivhu’s rescue when he warned the party’s Provincial Executive against suspending the Parliamentarian.

The Chivi South MP, Zivhu, was suspended for allegedly abusing social media platforms after he tweeted that
president Emmerson Mnangagwa and leader of opposition MDC, Nelson Chamisa must find each other and dialogue.

ZANU PF Masvingo Provincial leadership suspended him and were calling for his dismissal from the party.

When one firewood block produces smoke, you do not have to remove it. You must leave it in the fireplace so that it can be assisted by others to catch fire than removing it.

If you keep on removing firewood, you may end up without any in your fireplace.

So you should help each other to reform than dismissing those who are found violating the party rules and regulations,” said Matemadanda.

Video loading below. ..

Farai Dziva| Zimbabwe has the highest rate of suicide cases in the SADC region, MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has said.

Below is Chamisa’s statement on World Mental Health Day:

Today it is the World Mental Health Day, a very important occasion where we stop and reflect on how we would have spent the previous year looking after the most import part of the human body, the mind.

On the 10th of October every year, the world commemorates and acknowledges the importance of mental health across the world in metropolitan and rural communities.

The focus on this year’s World Mental Health Day is on suicide, because it has become a global public health crisis that is preventable, and yet it has become a mental health menace which has taken many of our people to the grave prematurely.

The World Health Organisation informs us that every 40 seconds, someone, somewhere in the world takes their own life through suicide.

That is a frightening statistic, 2160 people dying daily through suicide, it translates to 788,400 people dying annually from suicide.

This prevalence makes suicide an immediate problem that requires urgent medical and social solutions within our communities, because not doing so is robbing the country of people who succumb to this menace at the prime of their lives.

Suicide is now believed to be the leading cause of death among young people aged between 16 and 28 in Zimbabwe.

Unfortunately here in our country, it is not unusual anymore to read headlines in the local media related to suicide.

Our citizens are now so used to it, such that they simply shake their heads in disbelief whenever another suicide story is published in our media.

A society should NEVER be conditioned to something so dreadful that can be drastically reduced by public mental health interventions, failing to do so is an act of gross irresponsibility and social negligence.

This means that suicide has become a major public health priority that needs immediate attention in Zimbabwe.

Unfortunately we currently have a broken public health delivery system that is struggling to treat the most basic of medical conditions due to years of underfunding and neglect.

According to the World Health Organisation, our country has one of the highest suicide rates in the region, this is not surprising anymore because a struggling economy puts unbearable pressure on the minds of its citizens.

Associated with suicide are also mental health conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders and many other mental health conditions that unfortunately due to our age old cultural taboos, they are not talked about sufficiently and openly in our communities.

These mental health disorders are easily treatable, but because of the huge treatment gap for such conditions in our country, 90 percent of those needing evidence-based care do not get it because we don’t have enough professionals to treat them.

Zimbabwe currently has only 15 practicing psychiatrists for a population of 15 million people that is one psychiatrist for every one million people.

Unfortunately almost all of them are restricted to tertiary health facilities in Harare, making it difficult for those at community and rural locations to access this pertinent service.

Task shifting is a concept that has been encouraged by the World Health Organisation as a way of addressing this treatment gap.

Making evidence-based care treatments accessible to many of our people who can’t afford to see a psychiatrist or a psychologist is extremely important.

By training community health volunteers as we have seen with the Friendship bench program, it is possible to provide immediate access in communities, schools, universities and the work place with the much-needed mental health care.

There is an urgent need for our mental health professionals to explore ways of scaling up task shifting models, particularly the ones that have been developed locally.

Mental health requires our communities to get together because Zimbabwe is going through one of the most difficult times, and the risk of mental ill health is high and probable in all segments of our country regardless of societal status, class or race.

As a political party concerned with the mental well-being of our citizens, the MDC values the importance of mental health because it is a key building block to a prosperous society and economy.

A prosperous and healthy economy by its very nature will reduce the pressures that afflict our people daily, resulting in disorders such as depression and anxiety or worse.

I therefore on this very important day encourage all Zimbabweans to take time out to show compassion towards each other, and remember that regardless of our various chosen political persuasions, we are one people.

Be your brother’s keeper, be the mother of the nation who will help heal the many traumatic wounds that we carry from a very difficult past and presently harsh economic environment.
Under my new government, I make a commitment today to putting mental health amongst my first priorities in order to reduce the unacceptable mental treatment gap.

It is totally unacceptable that out of every 100 people that require access to mental health services in our country, only 10 people are able to get that much needed help that is 10 percent.

We will change all that and make mental health the most urgent priority in our health delivery system. For what are we without our minds?

Today let us create space and pay attention to citizens that need someone to talk to and share their stories, talking is an important therapy tool in healing the mind.

Let us all take time to listen to the broken-hearted, and let us all remember to take good care of our mental health.

On behalf of the MDC and myself, I wish the whole country a happy World Mental Health day.

Advocate Nelson Chamisa – President
Movement For Democratic Change

Farai Dziva|MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has said the biting economic crisis in the country is the major cause of suicide cases.

Below is Chamisa’s statement on World Mental Health Day:

Today it is the World Mental Health Day, a very important occasion where we stop and reflect on how we would have spent the previous year looking after the most import part of the human body, the mind.

On the 10th of October every year, the world commemorates and acknowledges the importance of mental health across the world in metropolitan and rural communities.

The focus on this year’s World Mental Health Day is on suicide, because it has become a global public health crisis that is preventable, and yet it has become a mental health menace which has taken many of our people to the grave prematurely.

The World Health Organisation informs us that every 40 seconds, someone, somewhere in the world takes their own life through suicide.

That is a frightening statistic, 2160 people dying daily through suicide, it translates to 788,400 people dying annually from suicide.

This prevalence makes suicide an immediate problem that requires urgent medical and social solutions within our communities, because not doing so is robbing the country of people who succumb to this menace at the prime of their lives.

Suicide is now believed to be the leading cause of death among young people aged between 16 and 28 in Zimbabwe.

Unfortunately here in our country, it is not unusual anymore to read headlines in the local media related to suicide.

Our citizens are now so used to it, such that they simply shake their heads in disbelief whenever another suicide story is published in our media.

A society should NEVER be conditioned to something so dreadful that can be drastically reduced by public mental health interventions, failing to do so is an act of gross irresponsibility and social negligence.

This means that suicide has become a major public health priority that needs immediate attention in Zimbabwe.

Unfortunately we currently have a broken public health delivery system that is struggling to treat the most basic of medical conditions due to years of underfunding and neglect.

According to the World Health Organisation, our country has one of the highest suicide rates in the region, this is not surprising anymore because a struggling economy puts unbearable pressure on the minds of its citizens.

Associated with suicide are also mental health conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders and many other mental health conditions that unfortunately due to our age old cultural taboos, they are not talked about sufficiently and openly in our communities.

These mental health disorders are easily treatable, but because of the huge treatment gap for such conditions in our country, 90 percent of those needing evidence-based care do not get it because we don’t have enough professionals to treat them.

Zimbabwe currently has only 15 practicing psychiatrists for a population of 15 million people that is one psychiatrist for every one million people.

Unfortunately almost all of them are restricted to tertiary health facilities in Harare, making it difficult for those at community and rural locations to access this pertinent service.

Task shifting is a concept that has been encouraged by the World Health Organisation as a way of addressing this treatment gap.

Making evidence-based care treatments accessible to many of our people who can’t afford to see a psychiatrist or a psychologist is extremely important.

By training community health volunteers as we have seen with the Friendship bench program, it is possible to provide immediate access in communities, schools, universities and the work place with the much-needed mental health care.

There is an urgent need for our mental health professionals to explore ways of scaling up task shifting models, particularly the ones that have been developed locally.

Mental health requires our communities to get together because Zimbabwe is going through one of the most difficult times, and the risk of mental ill health is high and probable in all segments of our country regardless of societal status, class or race.

As a political party concerned with the mental well-being of our citizens, the MDC values the importance of mental health because it is a key building block to a prosperous society and economy.

A prosperous and healthy economy by its very nature will reduce the pressures that afflict our people daily, resulting in disorders such as depression and anxiety or worse.

I therefore on this very important day encourage all Zimbabweans to take time out to show compassion towards each other, and remember that regardless of our various chosen political persuasions, we are one people.

Be your brother’s keeper, be the mother of the nation who will help heal the many traumatic wounds that we carry from a very difficult past and presently harsh economic environment.
Under my new government, I make a commitment today to putting mental health amongst my first priorities in order to reduce the unacceptable mental treatment gap.

It is totally unacceptable that out of every 100 people that require access to mental health services in our country, only 10 people are able to get that much needed help that is 10 percent.

We will change all that and make mental health the most urgent priority in our health delivery system. For what are we without our minds?

Today let us create space and pay attention to citizens that need someone to talk to and share their stories, talking is an important therapy tool in healing the mind.

Let us all take time to listen to the broken-hearted, and let us all remember to take good care of our mental health.

On behalf of the MDC and myself, I wish the whole country a happy World Mental Health day.

Advocate Nelson Chamisa – President
Movement For Democratic Change

Watch video below. ..

Deputy minister of Information Energy Mutodi has rubbished G40 stalwart and former cabinet minister Saviour Kasukuwere’s presidential ambitions saying he is a mere former driver who serves no purpose.

Said Mutodi:

Mutodi dragged the late MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai and his predecessor Nelson Chamisa into his sarcastic description of Kasukuwere adding that it was baffling that he had presidential ambitions.

“Aspiring President Saviour Kasukuwere is a former driver at Gwaradzimba Express Motorways, his role model Morgan Tsvangirai was a tea boy and his potential ally Nelson a church pastor. Wonders will never end. Saviour serves no purpose.”

Today it is the World Mental Health Day, a very important occasion where we stop and reflect on how we would have spent the previous year looking after the most import part of the human body, the mind.

On the 10th of October every year, the world commemorates and acknowledges the importance of mental health across the world in metropolitan and rural communities.

The focus on this year’s World Mental Health Day is on suicide, because it has become a global public health crisis that is preventable, and yet it has become a mental health menace which has taken many of our people to the grave prematurely.

The World Health Organisation informs us that every 40 seconds, someone, somewhere in the world takes their own life through suicide.

That is a frightening statistic, 2160 people dying daily through suicide, it translates to 788,400 people dying annually from suicide.

This prevalence makes suicide an immediate problem that requires urgent medical and social solutions within our communities, because not doing so is robbing the country of people who succumb to this menace at the prime of their lives.

Suicide is now believed to be the leading cause of death among young people aged between 16 and 28 in Zimbabwe.

Unfortunately here in our country, it is not unusual anymore to read headlines in the local media related to suicide.

Our citizens are now so used to it, such that they simply shake their heads in disbelief whenever another suicide story is published in our media.

A society should NEVER be conditioned to something so dreadful that can be drastically reduced by public mental health interventions, failing to do so is an act of gross irresponsibility and social negligence.

This means that suicide has become a major public health priority that needs immediate attention in Zimbabwe.

Unfortunately we currently have a broken public health delivery system that is struggling to treat the most basic of medical conditions due to years of underfunding and neglect.

According to the World Health Organisation, our country has one of the highest suicide rates in the region, this is not surprising anymore because a struggling economy puts unbearable pressure on the minds of its citizens.

Associated with suicide are also mental health conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders and many other mental health conditions that unfortunately due to our age old cultural taboos, they are not talked about sufficiently and openly in our communities.

These mental health disorders are easily treatable, but because of the huge treatment gap for such conditions in our country, 90 percent of those needing evidence-based care do not get it because we don’t have enough professionals to treat them.

Zimbabwe currently has only 15 practicing psychiatrists for a population of 15 million people that is one psychiatrist for every one million people.

Unfortunately almost all of them are restricted to tertiary health facilities in Harare, making it difficult for those at community and rural locations to access this pertinent service.

Task shifting is a concept that has been encouraged by the World Health Organisation as a way of addressing this treatment gap.

Making evidence-based care treatments accessible to many of our people who can’t afford to see a psychiatrist or a psychologist is extremely important.

By training community health volunteers as we have seen with the Friendship bench program, it is possible to provide immediate access in communities, schools, universities and the work place with the much-needed mental health care.

There is an urgent need for our mental health professionals to explore ways of scaling up task shifting models, particularly the ones that have been developed locally.

Mental health requires our communities to get together because Zimbabwe is going through one of the most difficult times, and the risk of mental ill health is high and probable in all segments of our country regardless of societal status, class or race.

As a political party concerned with the mental well-being of our citizens, the MDC values the importance of mental health because it is a key building block to a prosperous society and economy.

A prosperous and healthy economy by its very nature will reduce the pressures that afflict our people daily, resulting in disorders such as depression and anxiety or worse.

I therefore on this very important day encourage all Zimbabweans to take time out to show compassion towards each other, and remember that regardless of our various chosen political persuasions, we are one people.

Be your brother’s keeper, be the mother of the nation who will help heal the many traumatic wounds that we carry from a very difficult past and presently harsh economic environment. Under my new government, I make a commitment today to putting mental health amongst my first priorities in order to reduce the unacceptable mental treatment gap.

It is totally unacceptable that out of every 100 people that require access to mental health services in our country, only 10 people are able to get that much needed help that is 10 percent.

 We will change all that and make mental health the most urgent priority in our health delivery system. For what are we without our minds?

Today let us create space and pay attention to citizens that need someone to talk to and share their stories, talking is an important therapy tool in healing the mind.

Let us all take time to listen to the broken hearted, and let us all remember to take good care of our mental health.

On behalf of the MDC and myself, I wish the whole country a happy World Mental Health day.

Advocate Nelson Chamisa
President – Movement For Democratic Change