By A Correspondent- Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has approached the High Court seeking an order directing the Government, through the Public Service Commission (PSC), to award him more than US$300 000 in benefits and monthly pension payouts.

Mr Mphoko, through his lawyer Mr Zibusiso Ncube of Ncube and Partners, on Wednesday filed an application for declaratur at the High Court in Bulawayo, citing Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda, PSC secretary Ambassador Jonathan Wutaunashe, Salary Services Bureau paymaster Mr Brighton Chuzingo and PSC pensions master, one K Makiwa, as respondents.

He wants an order declaring the withholding of his pension by the Government illegal and unconstitutional. Mr Mphoko is also seeking an order directing the respondents to facilitate and pay him US$308 000 or the equivalent in local currency at the prevailing interbank rate.

In his founding affidavit, Mr Mphoko said having joined the civil service in October 1981, he was entitled to his benefits and pension.

 “This is an application for a declaratur to declare unconstitutional the withholding of my pension by the respondents and for ancillary relief. I joined the civil service in October 1981 and served as an Ambassador of Zimbabwe to various countries. On December 10, 2014, I was appointed to the position of Vice President of the country, a position I held until I was removed from office in November 2017,” he said.

Mr Mphoko argued that in terms of section 102(3) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, he was entitled to a pension which is equivalent to the salary of a sitting Vice President.

“From the time I left office, I have not received a single dime in respect of my pension. The current Vice President receives a monthly salary of approximately US$14 000 or the equivalent at the previous interbank rate. This, therefore, means that to date, the arrears are in the sum of US$308 000 or the equivalent at the prevailing interbank rate. Neither have I received any of my benefits,” he said.

Mr Mphoko said despite approaching Dr Sibanda to assist him secure his benefits, there has been no joy prompting him to approach the courts for a declaratur.

“There is no lawful reason why the pension is being withheld. I engaged the office of the first respondent (Dr Sibanda) to assist in the matter but I have not found any relief. In fact, I was being tossed from pillar to post seemingly with no one prepared to deal with the issue,” he said.

Mr Mphoko said in the event that salaries are adjusted before the order sought is granted, the respondents should pay him at the prevailing interbank rate. 

“Let me hasten to mention that even if a declaratur is issued, it may not be an efficacious relief on its own. The respondents should be directed to pay me the sum of US$308 000 or the equivalent at the prevailing interbank rate in respect of my arrear pension, as the cost of living rises daily in Zimbabwe. The value of the money is eroded by inflation,” he said.

Mr Mphoko also wants the court to direct the respondents to pay the legal costs.

 Meanwhile, our Harare Bureau reports that Mphoko’s bid to have his passport returned hit a brick wall yesterday after he refused to submit title deeds to his Douglasdale home in Bulawayo as part of the conditions given for the return of the travel document.

Mphoko, through his lawyer Mr Zibusiso Ncube, had applied for the passport to be returned to enable him to travel to South Africa to meet his business associates over five working days.

Mr Ncube assured the Harare Magistrates’ court that Mphoko would not abscond since all his family is in Bulawayo and has business interests in the country. 

He also indicated that his client was ready to stand trial at any time.

“My client has never defaulted on his reporting conditions, interfered with State witnesses and has never violated the trust entrusted in him by the court, he strictly adhered to his bail conditions,” Mr Ncube said.

“The administration of justice will not be tempered with if he is given his passport even if we were to be given a trial date tomorrow, the trial will not kick off in five days.”

The State led by George Manokore opposed the application on the basis that the accused had not furnished the court with concrete details of his business trip and has also not complied with the condition set for the release of the passport.

“We told the defence that we wanted security in the form of title deeds to his property namely number 19 Douglasdale Road, Douglasdale in Bulawayo during the five days he will be in South Africa,” he said.

“We had agreed that we will hand over the passport when he gives us the title deeds and we will return them when he comes back from South Africa and surrenders the passport but that did not find favour with the accused person.

“It is our belief that the failure by the accused person to hand over the title deeds points to the fact that he does not want to attach himself to the risk that will arise if he hands over the title deeds.”

Mr Ncube however, argued that it was not proper to view his client as a flight risk without evidence.

He said his client was worried about entrusting the State with his title deeds and had instead offered to surrender share certificates worth US$300 000 that the Government owes him.

“The title deeds are there but we do not trust the State with them. My client is a former Vice President and we might wake up to find that the property belongs to the ruling party,” Mr Ncube said.

 He accused the State of having a tendency of expropriating people’s properties.

Harare Provincial magistrate Mr Hosea Mujaya threw out the application on grounds that there was no proof placed before the court that shows the Government owes Mphoko more than US$300 000.

He also indicated that the accused person has immovable property that is his house and other properties but there is lack of trust between the accused and the State.

“The fact that the State is promising to give a trial date does not mean an accused person cannot get his passport but no sufficient facts have been placed before me to support the application.”

Mr Mujaya however, granted another application by the defence to have their court appearance deferred to October 10.

-StateMedia

A leaked intelligence report mapping out strategies of how to deal with MDC Alliance demos in Chiredzi District has sent chills down the spines of activists.

The report which was confirmed by several sources as an authentic document from the Chiredzi District Joint Operations Command specifies which individuals to put under surveillance, how to deal with them and thwart any machinations.

Activists who talked to The Mirror said the report is disturbing particularly in view of the rising number of alleged abductions in the country.

In Chiredi there are a number of activists who have disappeared in the past including ZESA manager Dumisani Hapazari in 2008 and Kariborn Nyemba. Nyemba later escaped from his abductors but the whereabouts of Hapazari are still unknown. 

The report which was prepared on August 16 2019 accused MDC leaders in Chiredzi of planning to host a heavily armed insurgence team from South Africa to destabilize the district. 

The report placed six MDC members including Chiredzi Town Council Chairman Gibson Hwende, former MP for Zaka West Festus Dumbu and Chiredzi MDC District Chairperson James Kampota as potential threats.

Other people named as security threats are Menias Gangata who is an MDC activist and one named Sisokisi.

The homes of Gangata, Dumbu, Hwende, Gilbert Mutubuki, and Kampota were identified as potential threats.
When contacted for comment Dumbu said MDC did not seek to unsit the Zanu PF Government through unconstitutional means.

“I saw the report but it`s fortunate that it leaked to the public but we know that they always track us,” said Dumbu. 

Masvingo Mirror

Watch video below. ..

Paul Nyathi|Since the advent of legal tender in the form of paper or polymer notes and ditching the old trade by barter system, currencies have continued to remain a fundamental factor in analyzing the strength of the economies of nations across the globe.

With Zimbabwe’s economy crumbling, Finance and Economic Development Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, says the appropriate exchange rate between the Zimbabwean dollar and the United States dollar should hover around US$1:ZWL$5,6 based on “founded quantitative estimates”,

While acknowledging the prevailing speculation and attendant exchange rate distortions in the market, Prof Ncube, in a public notice on exchange rate determination, suggested that the devaluation of the local currency was being exaggerated by unscrupulous elements.

This saw the exchange rate level spike above US$1:ZWL$20 within a few days last week, compared to a stable ratio of between 1:8.5 to 1:10 on the interbank market, since the re-introduction of the Zimbabwean dollar in June this year.

Besides Mthuli’s assertion the Zimbabwean Dollar is not even listed in Africa’s top ten currencies.

Here is the current list of top 10 highest currencies in Africa,

1. Libyan Dinar (1 USD – 0.77 LYD)

Libyan dinar is known for its vast deposit of crude oil, which accounts for 95% of the nation’s total export earnings and 60% of its GDP. Libya sits at the top with the most stable currency in Africa. The country was made quite famous by its late leader Muammar Gaddafi. Although ravaged by war, its standard of living is not as bad as the oil sector. Compared to Nigeria, the continent’s largest economy, One Libyan Dinar goes for about a staggering N225.

2. Tunisian Dinar (1USD – 2.3 TND)

The Tunisian comes second after the Libyan Dinar. This North African nation has a diversified economy based on phosphate, oil, car parts manufacturing, tourism, and agro-food products.  The country is an island with a 99% of inhabitants being Muslims. The average living standard here is relatively on the prime side with a high minimum wage. The economy is rock stable, thriving and with a small populace. More interestingly is its unemployment rate is stooping so low at 14%.

3. Ghanaian Cedes (1USD – 4.75 CEDI)

Ghana has a stable diversified economy rich in hydrocarbon, tourism, solid minerals, and automobiles among and many more. Its economy rose to prominence in the days of the gold boom and the cocoa era. The booming economy has steadied its currency and made it a promising nation in the globally. Ghana was ranked the fastest developing country in the world.

4. Sudanese Pound (1 USD – 6.41 SDG)

The Sudanese pound is one of the highest currency in Africa.  Sudan has gone through a series of wars and divisions but manages to maintain a stable currency exchange rate. Sudan’s economy is yet still afloat despite the split that saw South Sudan gaining their independence. Sudan is seen in at the top due to its consistency in the foreign exchange market over time. To a Nigerian a Sudanese pounds is equal to N47.63.

5. Moroccan Diharm (1 USD – 16.2 Mad)

The conservative Islamic caliphate still in North Africa has the 5th largest economy in the continent and also the 5th highest currency in Africa it. It runs a liberal and a capitalist economy gaining major control over the economy. Some of its industries include mining, tourism, automobiles, construction, and textiles. A flourishing economy that has made its GDP stand at an impressive $148.1 billion. 1 Mad equates to about N33.

6. Botswana Pula (1 USD – 10.7 Pula)

Botswana is a landlocked state in Southern Africa with a well-defined landscape defined by the Kalahari Desert. It holds a record for retaining one of the world’s longest economic boom streak. The economic growth rate of Botswana is fast-paced and fairly consistent. Its economy depends on agriculture, copper, diamonds, textiles, and livestock. This South African nation is a major key player in the economy of its sub-region and it houses the South African development community corporate headquarters.

7. Zambian Kwacha (1 USD – 10.0 ZMK)   

Zambia prides itself as the largest producer of copper in the continent before its neighbors, the Democratic Republic of Congo eyed the title with green eyes and used it. It is a landlocked of rugged terrain and diverse wildlife. Zambian’s economy has always been anchored on copper which is it’s a major source of export earnings. Although the country has been characterized by economic woes and fluctuations in it’s a price of commodities, it still finds itself on the top 10 list.

8. South African Rand (1 USD – 13.4 Rand)

It is the currency used in South Africa. It is the most developed democratic state in the African continent. South Africa has the second largest economy in Africa, trailing behind Nigeria. It has a very vibrant and competitive economy and is the only African member of the G-20 economic group. Its economy is diversified, comprising of mining (41% gold in the world and 90% platinum), automobiles assembly, textiles, agriculture, gold, fertilizer.

9. Eritrean Nafka (1 USD – 15.0 ERN)

Eritrean is an island nation in Africa, a remote country in the horn of Africa is quite small in economy, land area and population, its currency is Nafka. After parting ways with Ethiopia, it still shares the same currency with the old nation. Eritrea has a stable currency from a not too lively economy.

10. Egyptian Pounds (1 USD – 17.8 EGP)

Egypt is a famous Arab nation that as existence since the biblical times. Well known for its civilization and home to the ancient pyramids. The nation is Africa’s third largest economy and one of the most developed in the continent. Its capital Cairo is the second largest city in Africa. Cairo is an economic and industrial hub, bustling with various activities.

A group of expelled Zanu-PF members under the G40 faction have embarked on a campaign to market former Minister Saviour Kasukuwere as the next President of Zimbabwe.

In a Twitter thread, one of the late President Robert Mugabe’s nephews, Robert Zhuwawo said Kasukuwere has all the characteristics to lead the country and Zanu-PF.

“I make the above nomination prospectively in the circumstances of a political reorganization within the ZANU PF party for the continuity of its victory and rule.

Given the background of the legitimacy of its founding president RGM as a principled Pan African visionary, ZANU PF housed loyal stakeholders whom have been voting it into power.

“Therefore, Zanu-PF must bank on the legitimacy of its founding veteran nationalist to shape the trajectory of its stay in power. My brother Richard Mahomva pens that President Mugabe was the “charismatic face” of ZANU PF’s popularity and that indeed his fight against western sponsored arsenal, emerging as the victor consolidated it’s stay in power,” said Zhuwawo.

“There will never be another Mugabe. A phrase often used by many. His charismatic stature, eloquence and principles are not easily equated with anyone. His successor has not done level justice to his standing. Speeches not inspiring hope, intellectual humour, like (Barack) Obama and (Jacob) Zuma. Therefore if ZANU PF is to win a fair election against @nelsonchamisa who is fairly charismatic himself, it would need strategically position someone more presidential than he is. @Hon_Kasukuwere

“@Hon_Kasukuwere is not only charismatic, charming and built in a frame that commands authority. (Ideal charismatic face of the party’s popularity) He is a great statesman with the ability to strengthen the party and unite its divided structures.

“His background as a principled leader still holds weight, even after his explosion from the party, he never joined active opposition politics but rather called for self-reflecting conversations with the new political order for the unification of its elements. ZANU PF needs to bank on his popularity and legitimacy to consolidate its stay in power. I therefore call for #talksbetween principles, not only to unite our divided nation but overally shape the trajectory of its stay in power.”

National People First spokesperson Jealousy Mawarire also posted a picture of Kasukuwere on his Twitter account with the caption, “Zimbabwe is crying out loud for a Saviour! #TatambaZvakwana.

Source: Byo24

Doctors treating Vice President Constantino Chiwenga have advised the retired army general to call time on his political career as his health problems continue.

Chinese doctors watching Chiwenga the former Commander Defence Forces who masterminded the coup that toppled former President Robert Mugabe in 2017 and thrust President Emmerson Mnangagwa into the hot seat want him to focus mending.

Sources within government said the VP who is now able to walk, take light food as well as talk even though still critics has been advised to take less strain.

“The VP is coming back but the doctors have advised him to take a rest. The pressure that comes with his office might affect him badly.

“As already reported he has a problem with his esophagus replaced the whole way to the stomach with an artificial one because his natural one had been badly affected by cancer,” nEWS263zim.com heard.

Chiwenga is already reportedly “consulting” his inner circle.

 “The question that we have is who will take up his post. He has not agreed to the advice as yet but indications are that he might agree to take a rest,” said another source.

Chiwenga has been in China for months now and was set to stay for months there as the Asian doctors want to monitor his progress.

He has so far undergone two operations related to his oesophagus and trachea amid poisoning fears.

“It is highly unlikely that he will come back and work. If the opposition had numbers in Parliament, they would have impeached him on health grounds but Zanu PF which has the majority, can’t impeach him,” said the source.

The source said senior government officials who have been briefed of the advice from doctors, are supporting his resignation.

According to the labour laws, the VP is entitled to a full salary within the first three months of his sick leave and thereafter his pay is cut gradually.

Chiwenga was airlifted to Beijing from South Africa in July at a time he was wasted, bed-ridden and in critical condition. He was rushed to hospital on landing, where he was admitted in the intensive care unit of a state-of-the-art hospital in a high security area, before being moved to a private ward.

The former army general underwent a major operation initially to try to clear the oesophagus in August but they realised it was better to remove it fearing the cancer cells would spread.

The oesophagus is a muscular tube which connects the mouth to the stomach. When swallowing food, the walls of the oesophagus contract, enabling food to move to the stomach.

Given the blockage, officials revealed, Chiwenga has struggled to eat resulting in him becoming emaciated due to illness and lack of food.

News263

Teachers’ unions have warned the government that their members will go on strike soon if their remuneration is not reviewed as a matter of urgency.

The Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA), the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) and the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) all agreed that teachers’ salaries should be urgently reviewed.

ARTUZ president Obert Masaraure said:

There is no need for us to continuously negotiate for salaries because with the rate of inflation the only solution will be to revert back to US dollar salaries.

With the current situation, the moment you leave the meetings with an agreement on salaries, the money will be long gone and will no longer be enough to buy anything.

The government awarded civil servants a 76 per cent cost of living adjustment in August this year. The wage adjustment has, however, been eroded by galloping inflation which, according to global expert, Steve Hanke, is now at 765% per year.

-DailyNews

The MDC Chairperson Thabitha Khumalo, Helen Mpofu, Luba Masotsha, Elliot Mujeri, Tinashe Matimbura, Meliqiniso Sithole and Shelton Tembo; appeared at the Bulawayo’s Tredgold Magistrates Courts this morning.

They were recently unjustly arrested and unfairly charged for “publishing false statements prejudicial to the state”.

They are all currently out on bail.

The court ruled that the Case would no longer be placed on remand anymore. Instead, the State was asked to proceed by way of Summons whenever it thinks it is ready to take the matter for actual trial.

This is a very disappointing ruling by the court since it is clear that the accused persons all have no case to answer at all.

The MDC would have preferred for all the charges to be withdrawn immediately since this case has no legal basis but is totally motivated by the political interests of the illegitimate regime.

The MDC would like to thank all its leaders and members who turned out in active solidarity at the courts earlier today.

Paul Nyathi|ZESA through its subsidiary the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company has increased power tariffs by over 200% with effect from today.

There’ll be a fixed monthly charge of $6.08 and then the following charges depending on the KWh’s used:

• 1st 50 KWh – $0.41
• 51KWh – 200KWh – $0.91
• Balance – $3.87

Consumers were currently paying around US2-3c/KWh but the new increment will see them pay around US12c.

Institutions along with commercial and industrial players will be charged for energy depending on whether they are using power during Peak, standard or off-peak times

ZESA’s statement regarding the new tariffs noted that the pricing of tariffs will be subject to review on a monthly basis.

The increase got many people unaware and they have not been too kind to ZESA.

Zim Morning Post|The Death of former President Robert Mugabe has opened a can of worms on his personal life after it emerged that he has a secret love child sired out of wedlock during the time he was studying in Ghana.

Mugabe fathered the late Nhamodzenyika with his late first wife Sally and went on to father three other children with former first lady, Grace, namely Bona, Robert Jnr and Bellarmine Chatunga.

A close relative, however, opened up to Zim Morning Post, saying Mugabe had sired a daughter with a Zimbabwean woman, who he promised to marry, only to later marry Sally.

“Robert was in a relationship with a woman we only came to know as Gogo maNcube. This was before he met Sally,” the impeccable source told Zim Morning Post.

“When Gogo maNcube fell pregnant, he promised to marry her. During that time, he traveled to Ghana where he met Sally and married her. Frankly speaking, she was literally dumped.”

“Gogo maNcube relocated to Canada with her daughter, Siphiwe, They have been living there ever since. Siphiwe now has a family of her own. On Siphiwe’s wedding, Mugabe sent a gift through his late sister Sabina, but that gift was rejected by Gogo maNcube.”

Zim Morning Post reports that Mugabe’s Canada-based family paid their last respects to the man who ruled Zimbabwe for over three decades by sending a letter of condolence to the Mugabe family.

Mugabe family spokesperson Leo said he was unaware of Gogo maNcube, but admitted to receiving an avalanche of “unsubstantiated claims”.

“We would not know what happened decades ago,”

.“We getting a lot of people coming and saying ‘I am Mugabe’s child, my mother passed away’ and so forth. But as family, we are not buying into all that. All these admissions should have been made when he was still alive .”

Paul Nyathi|Centre for Natural Resource Governance Trust, Farai Maguwu who is known for his no compromise stance on human rights violations at the Marange Diamonds Fields this week took the world by surprise when he declared that there are no incidents of forced labour at the mines.

Maguwu made the unexpected utterance in response to the American decision to block diamonds from Marange being imported into the USA on grounds that they are a product of forced labour and human rights violations.

Speaking in a widely condemned Facebook post early in the week, Maguwu disputed the US Customs and Border Protection prohibition order on the diamonds.

“I wish to make it clear that as leader of one of the organizations doing human rights work in Marange, we are NOT aware of cases of forced labour in Marange. This is mainly because artisanal miners go to Marange voluntarily. We have raised serious concerns with human rights of artisanal miners and the wider Marange community but in our analysis these do NOT amount to forced labour. Our work is guided by high ethical standards and as such we would never issue unverified information,” said Maguwu.

The US Customs and Border Protection made the prohibition based on a report prepared by the Human Rights Watch in 2009. Maguwu was a major informant to the report and was actually given an award by the international human rights watch organisation.

Maguwu was awarded the Human Rights Watch’s Alison Des Forges Award in 2011 for his touching revelation of issues from Marange.

The award celebrates the valor of individuals who put their lives on the line to protect the dignity and rights of others.

Human Rights Watch collaborates with these courageous activists to create a world in which people live free of violence, discrimination, and oppression.

Giving Maguwu the award the organisation said that he conducted extensive research documenting horrific abuses taking place in the Marange diamond fields.

“After the Marange fields were discovered in 2006, they were open to anyone, and illegal mining and smuggling flourished. Maguwu partnered with Human Rights Watch researchers to document beatings, torture, forced labour, and killings of local villagers in Marange at the hands of soldiers controlled by the Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), the one-time ruling party that still controls security in the coalition government.”

On May 27, 2010, two days after Maguwu met with a monitor from the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (the world’s diamond control body) to discuss the abuses he uncovered in Marange, Zimbabwean authorities raided his home and offices, and arrested him on charges of providing false information about killings, torture and forced labour by military officials at the mine.

He was imprisoned for more than a month and denied medical care to punish him.

The authorities transferred him to various police cells with deplorable conditions even though he suffered from a serious health condition.

Maguwu was released in early July and only finally cleared of all charges in October. His case helped generate international attention to the serious human rights violations taking place in Marange’s diamond fields and led to calls for the Zimbabwean government to remove its troops from Marange.

“Human Rights Watch honors Farai Maguwu for his tremendous courage in exposing abuses in Zimbabwe’s diamond fields and working to end rampant violations of human rights throughout the region,” said the organisation.

By A Correspondent- A High Court Judge Justice Owen Tagu on Thursday 3 October 2019 reserved judgment on an urgent chamber application filed by Community Water Alliance Trust (CWAT) seeking an order to compel President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his government to urgently act and ensure the provision of water to Harare residents and avert a crisis and potential loss of lives including the outbreak of diseases.

Said the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights:

“Justice Tagu reserved judgment after hearing submissions from lawyers
representing CWAT and those representing City of Harare, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Hon. July Moyo, President Mnangagwa and Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Minister Senator Perrance Shiri, who were cited as
respondents.

In the application, which was filed at the High Court on Wednesday 25 September 2019, CWAT represented by Denford Halimani of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, wants President Mnangagwa to declare a state of disaster in the capital to enable resources to be chanelled towards the water crisis in Harare.

CWAT argued that despite the calamity of the water crisis, President Mnangagwa had inexplicably not exercised his powers to declare a state of disaster, which would allow for the intervention of central government and donor support to avert a foreseeable imminent disaster.

Residents in most of Harare’s suburbs have gone for long periods without access to running water after City of Harare announced on Monday 23 September 2019 that it was shutting down Morton Jaffray Water Treatment Plant citing foreign currency shortages to purchase water treatment chemicals.

CWAT argued that local and central government’s failure to supply safe, clean and potable water constitutes a breach of residents’ rights enshrined in section 77 of the Constitution and indicated that the right to water is necessary for the enjoyment of other human rights such as the right to life, human dignity, health and food.

The water rights campaigners said President Mnangagwa, Hon. Moyo,
Senator Shiri and City of Harare should find alternative means to
supply safe, clean and potable water to the affected residents of
Harare so as to avert a crisis and potential loss of lives and
outbreak of diseases.

In response to the CWAT’s application, both City of Harare and the
Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing argued
that they have taken all necessary action to address the water crisis
including examining alternative water purification methods so as to
reduce the number of chemicals and costs involved.

By A Correspondent- The Apex Council, the civil servants representative body on Friday requested the government to urgently convene a salaries negotiations meeting.

In a letter addressed to Dr Sekai Nzenza, the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Apex Council chairperson Cecilia Alexander said:

As the above matter refers, Apex Council hereby requests your August office to convene an urgent NJNC meeting on or before the 9th of October 2019 to map way forward on continuous escalating cost of living.

The council also wishes to bring to your attention that it maintains its demand of salaries payment be indexed to interbank rate basing on the salary scale of October 2018.

The call is made when workers including doctors have argued that the soaring inflation has over the months eroded their salaries to the extent that they are now incapacitated to perform their duties and responsibilities.

National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC), which combines the workers and government, last met in July this year.

By A Correspondent- MDC leader President Nelson Chamisa says he is praying for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to have his heart softened so that he may work towards the upliftment of the livelihoods of the people of Zimbabwe.

Said Chamisa,

“I am praying for my Bro Pfee to have his eyes opened and heart softened, for him to appreciate that hardness of the heart profiteth no man. Heartlessness, at the end of it all, only adds more sorrow and deeper grief!”

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa will today lead the 10th National Clean-Up Campaign at Mzimba Shopping Centre in Chinhoyi before presiding over Chinhoyi University of Technology’s 15th Graduation ceremony.

Preparations for the monthly event, which was initiated by President Mnangagwa and given effect through a declaration launched on December 5, 2018 to inculcate a sense of cleanliness in the country, are complete.

Mashonaland West provincial development co-ordinator Mrs Cecilia Chitiyo said everything was now in place for the clean-up in Chinhoyi.

“It is all systems go for the National Clean-Up where the President (Mnangagwa) will lead a brief ceremony as he has another commitment at the Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT).

“The centre of activity will be Mzimba Shops in Cold Stream suburb. Preparations have been going on and we are ready to host the President as a province,” said Mrs Chitiyo.

Immediately after the clean-up exercise, President Mnangagwa will preside over the graduation ceremony at CUT where thousands are expected to graduate in various faculties.

EMA spokesperson Mr Steady Kangata said while the main event will be in Chinhoyi, other dignitaries will also lead clean-ups in other parts of the country.

“The First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa will be in Lupane while Vice President Kembo Mohadi will lead the clean-up in Gwanda,” he said.

Mr Kangata said some ministers will be at Letombo Spar in Msasa while Industry and Commerce Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu and officials from his ministry will be at Sunway City PPC gate also in Msasa.

Airforce of Zimbabwe public relations officer Dr Simon Matingwina said they will be involved in the clean-up at Queensway Shops.

“The AFZ will join the nation in commemorating the national clean-up campaign in partnership with the corporate world at Queensway shops corner Airport road and St Patrick’s road. We will team up with the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe, Tobacco Research Board, Davies Granite and Dankwerts farm,” he said.

The national clean-up exercise, which is conducted between 8am and 10 am on the first Friday of every month, has seen people becoming increasingly aware of the need to keep their environment clean.

-StateMedia

Farai Dziva|Controversial businessman, Wickell Chivayo has sensationally claimed poor people do not want to get rich.

Chivayo believes the greatest challenge of any rich man is a poor man since poor people do not want to get rich but desire the rich to get poor.

Chivayo expressed the sentiments in a tweet.

A “BRIBE” where there’s technical backing of a behemoth with a reputation worldwide… ABSOLUTE NONSENSE.!!! I’ve grown to realise that the greatest challenge of any rich man is a poor man… Poor people actually don’t wish to be rich but they wish all the rich to be poor like them,” claimed Chivayo.

Watch video below. ..

By A Correspondent- Prosecutor General, Mr Kumbirai Hodzi has reportedly appealed against High Court order that reversed the confiscation of the mansion belonging to former Cabinet minister, Saviour Kasukuwere.

Kasukuwere skipped the country’s borders after a temporary release of his passport was granted on grounds that he wanted to seek medical attention.

He never returned, prompting the state to move for his Nyanga mansion which he had registered as surety.

High Court judge, Justice David Mangota, however, ruled against the confiscation of the mansion after Kasukuwere’s legal team applied against the State decision.

Hodzi now wants Mangota’s judgment reversed saying that Kasukuwere “cannot seek justice from the court which he is running away from”.

By A Correspondent- Former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko’s bid to have his passport back hit a brick wall yesterday after he refused to submit title deeds to his Douglasdale home in Bulawayo as part of the conditions.

Mphoko, through his lawyer, Zibusiso Ncube, had applied for the passport to be returned to enable him to travel to South Africa to meet his business associates over five working days.

Mr Ncube assured the court that Mphoko would not abscond since all his family is in Bulawayo and has business interests in the country.

He also indicated that his client was ready to stand trial at any time.

“My client has never defaulted on his reporting conditions, interfered with the State witness and has never violated the trust entrusted in him by the court, he strictly adhered to his bail conditions,” he said.

“The administration of justice will not be tampered with if he is given his passport even if we were to be given a trial date tomorrow, the trial will not kick off in five days.”

The State, led by Mr George Manokore, opposed the application on the basis that the accused had not furnished the court with concrete details of his business trip and had also not complied with the condition set for the release of the passport.

“We told the defence that we wanted security in the form of title deeds to his property namely number 19 Douglasdale Road, Douglasdale in Bulawayo during the five days he will be in South Africa,” he said.

“We had agreed that we will hand over the passport when he gives us the title deeds and we will return them when he comes back from South Africa and surrenders the passport, but that did not find favour with the accused person.

“It is our belief that the failure by the accused person to hand over the title deeds points to the fact that he does not want to attach himself to the risk that will arise if he hands over the title deeds.”

Mr Ncube, however, argued that it was not proper to view his client as a flight risk without evidence. He said his client was worried about entrusting the State with his title deeds and had instead offered to surrender share certificates worth US$300 000 that the Government owes him.

“The title deeds are there, but we do not trust the State with them. My client is a former Vice President and we might wake up to find that the property belongs to the ruling party,” he said.

He accused the State of having a tendency of expropriating people’s properties.

Harare Provincial magistrate Mr Hosea Mujaya threw out the application on grounds that there was no proof place the court that shows the Government owes Mphoko more than US$300 000.

He also indicated that the accused person has immovable property that is his house and other properties, but there is lack of trust between the accused and the State.

“The fact that the State is promising to give a trial date does not mean an accused person cannot get his passport, but no sufficient facts have been placed before me to support the application.”

Mr Mujaya, however, granted another application by the defence to have their court appearance yesterday deferred to October 10.

-StateMedia

Watch video below. ..

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) chairperson Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo says the commission has  recovered property worth over $100 million from looters as efforts intensify to combat graft.

She said ZACC had registered an increase in criminal convictions of late and was working with academics to come up with legal structures to enhance the fight against corruption.

Justice Matanda-Moyo said this in an interview on the sidelines of a signing ceremony for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ZACC and other stakeholders such as the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s Financial Intelligence Unit, Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), the Immigration Department and the University of Zimbabwe (UZ), among others.

She said ZACC was only dealing with the forfeiture of properties and money, while the NPA was going to court for confirmation.

“The goods we are holding on to run into hundreds of millions of dollars and right now we are in the process of preparing papers for the recovering of properties in the leafy suburbs. In Borrowdale we are looking at over 10 properties of high value, and we have got so many vehicles now which we have targeted, others are already in our possession,” said Justice Matanda-Moyo.

She said there had been a surge in the number of convictions, but more needed to be done to reform legal instruments.

“In the past, the investigations have not been thorough but if you have followed events recently there are now convictions. Investigations have actually improved. Our laws are not user friendly, so we want these academics to help in the formulation of new laws. We want to bring in academics, we want those universities to help us in formulation of laws,” she said.

“Definitely there is need for legal reforms, even the rules of the courts must change, as you can see right now, we have got anti-corruption courts but only at magistrate level, once you go to the superior courts, corruption matters are not given priority. We also need that to change, we need corruption matters to be handled faster.

“They must be dealt with efficiently and effectively so that we can also be able to recover the loot. If we take too long dealing with corruption matters, then we will not be able to recover anything.

By the time we are through with a criminal matter the person would have moved all the funds and we will not be able to recover anything. So we really need those laws to be changed so that it is easier to deal with corruption.”

-StateMedia

AFRO-POP singer Ammara Brown is over the moon after she was nominated for two continental awards to be held in Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire next month in recognition of her growing music brand.

Ammara is in line for the Best Southern Africa Female Artiste award under the All Africa Music Awards (Afrima) in Nigeria and Best African Female Artiste under the African Talent Awards in Côte d’Ivoire.

The Mukoko hitmaker told NewsDay Life & Style that she was delighted by the double nomination, which confirmed her growing brand as a musician of note.

“This being my second year in a row nominated by Afrima, it shows me that my consistency is appreciated on a continental scale. I’m so grateful and so blessed,” she said.

“These are two completely different award ceremonies! I’m in, amid two amazing lists of female powerhouses, so I’m grateful to every single one of you who has been voting for my Afrima and the African Talent Awards nominations.”

Ammara said the African Talent Awards nomination left her speechless because she was competing with the best not only in southern Africa, but the whole continent.

“African Talent Awards! This is truly incredible because my nomination isn’t based on the region. It’s Best African Female, which means the continent. It’s breathtaking. I’m genuinely honoured,” she said.

The singing sensation will be battling against Africa’s finest in the category which has been dubbed the most competitive considering that it also features the most powerful women voices in the industry across the African continent.

The songbird scooped the same award at the fifth edition of the Afrimma held in Texas last year after strong competition from some household names in the region including Shekinah, Babes Wodumo, Mampi, Cleo Ice Queen and Busiswa.

Ammara said although the nominations came as a surprise, she was confident that she would clinch the Afrima crown.

-Newsday

The state broadcaster ZBC has finally apologized over its tweet in which it joined the social media hype around the image of opposition legislator Job Sikhala.

Posting on Twitter, ZBC said their action was beneath the dignity of a public broadcaster to demean Sikhala over his choice of dressing.

By A Correspondent- Director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), Jestina Mukoko, says she is still haunted by her abduction and torture by State security agents 11 years ago.

Mukoko revealed that she has an eerie feeling whenever she recognises some action that it strange, and the abductions of Itai Dzamara and recently, Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors’ Association (ZHDA) acting President, Dr Peter Magombeyi, have caused a regression in her healing.

She said:

“I get afraid if I see people who I feel uncomfortable around and when I recognise some action that is strange. I have become very observant.”

Mukoko was abducted by six unidentified men who stormed into her Norton home at 5 am on December 3, 2008. She was dragged in her nightdress, tortured for 22 days and dumped at a police station.

-Independent

By A Correspondent- In a last-ditch attempt to punish her thieving husband who is also teaching their minor child to steal from neighbours, a furious wife resorted to an extreme measure when she applied for an order to have him chucked out of the house.

Behlulekile Banda from Makokoba suburb decided to punish her thieving husband Mpumelelo Mahlangu apparently for bringing shame to their family by allegedly teaching their son to steal from their neighbours.

Banda said she was sick of her irresponsible husband’s light fingers, and evicting him from the house was the only measure to curb his criminal ways.

She said Mahlangu, whom she was no longer sharing a bed with for the past two years, was also verbally and physically abusing her, adding that he turned violent whenever she reprimanded him over his uncouth behaviour of selling their household property and food in order to raise money to buy beer.

“My husband has been verbally, physically and emotionally abusing me in front of our kids. He steals food and other household property which he sells to raise money to buy beer.

“He is also teaching our son to steal from our neighbours. Whenever I try to reprimand him, he turns violent and insults me using vulgar language.

“We are staying together but for the past two years we have been sleeping in separate rooms. He doesn’t pay rent or buy food for the family. For the 15 years we have been staying together at my parents’ house, I am the one who has been buying food and paying school fees for our children.

“I am, therefore, asking the court to help me by evicting him from the house and subsequently granting me a protection order that stops him from verbally and physically abusing me,” begged Banda.

Turning to her safety and that of her children, Banda suggested that her husband should be immediately evicted from the house. She further said her husband had also threatened to kill her on three separate occasions and commit suicide afterwards. 

“He threatened to take away my life and that of our children on three separate occasions and commit suicide thereafter. He also harasses me in front of children calling me a prostitute, especially when he is drunk,” complained Banda.

Mahlangu who apparently feared humiliation, didn’t come to court to defend himself leading presiding magistrate Rachael Mukanga to grant an order which bars him from verbally, physically and emotionally abusing his wife or threaten her in any way.

-BMetro

By A Correspondent- A bishop with Word Apostolic Church in Mahatshula North, Bulawayo has been accused of wrecking church members’ marriages by ordering married congregants to divorce their partners who would have stopped coming to church.

It is alleged Bishop Philip Chipato, who also doubles up as a prophet, encouraged married male congregants to divorce their wives who no longer attend church services. 

A pastor who requested anonymity said Chipato ran a series of sermons and lessons castigating married female congregants who had somehow stopped coming to church.   

It is further said as a result Bishop Chipato reportedly ordered one of his pastors, Cleopas Midzi, to divorce his wife Vimbai Denhere who had stopped attending  church services.

“Vimbai stopped coming to church and after about two weeks Bishop Chipato  started to teach a series of lessons demonising married partners who would have stopped coming to church. He also  ran a series of sermons preaching against such truant members while encouraging their partners to divorce them,”said a  source.

An elder of the church who requested anonymity said as a result Midzi divorced his wife.

“(Cleopas) Midzi had to divorce his wife Vimbai and is cohabiting with Felistas Manase. As a result the issue caused a lot of uproar in the church. Some members  had to pull out of the church and so far up to 100  members have deserted the church over time as they felt the issue had a potential of wrecking their marriages or creating rifts  in their marriages,” said the  source.

Contacted for a comment Vimbai said: “I stopped going to that church (Word Apostolic Church) because I did not like  the things that were done at that church. His teachings were not in conformity with the word of God. After a month Chipato influenced my husband (Midzi) to divorce me and left me with two children and he is not taking care of them.”

An elder who only identified himself as Moyo said Bishop Chipato would prophesy  matching an elder whose wife would not be coming to church with one of the female congregants.

“He would say to a married elder whose wife is no longer attending church services  that he (Chipato) saw a partner in the spirit  and the elder has to divorce his wife and  marry that partner,” said Moyo.

After spirited efforts to get a comment  from Bishop Chipato, he only said: “There  is nothing like that.”

-BMetro

By A Correspondent- Teachers’ unions have warned the government that their members will go on strike soon if their remuneration is not reviewed as a matter of urgency.

The Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA), the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) and the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) all agreed that teachers’ salaries should be urgently reviewed.

ARTUZ president Obert Masaraure said:

There is no need for us to continuously negotiate for salaries because with the rate of inflation the only solution will be to revert back to US dollar salaries.

With the current situation, the moment you leave the meetings with an agreement on salaries, the money will be long gone and will no longer be enough to buy anything.

The government awarded civil servants a 76 per cent cost of living adjustment in August this year. The wage adjustment has, however, been eroded by galloping inflation which, according to global expert, Steve Hanke, is now at 765% per year.

-DailyNews

By A Correspondent- Hundreds of Gweru residents scrambled for gold in Adelaide suburb, a residential area located to close to the Midlands State University (MSU).

There was a rush for the precious stone on Thursday morning in the suburb before police and military officers cordoned off the area.

A Gweru resident who spoke to a local publication said:

The people who might have made a killing are those who managed to pan for the gold throughout the night.

Most of us who came in the morning didn’t get a chance to enter the area because soldiers and the police had cordoned it off.

The Daily News says it was not able to verify if there was indeed gold deposits in the area. Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Gweru spokesperson, Joel Goko, could not comment on the development.

By A Correspondent- Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who is currently recovering in China after being operated on, has reportedly fired security officials attached.

Chiwenga dismissed the security details fearing that they were spying on him and giving his political rivals information on his recovery bid.

The Independent quotes its sources as saying:

He remained with two security aides by the name Ncube and Kadengu, who are from the military.

… Besides, he also believed they were giving updates to his political rivals, including Mnangagwa about his progress.

Chiwenga has been in and out of the hospital several times, as he visited India, South Africa and now China for medical treatment.

The former army general is expected to remain in China for several months, surrounded by family members, including his son, though his wife, Marry, is in Zimbabwe.

-Independent

By A Correspondent- MDC-T legislator Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga has welcomed plans by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to impose stiffer penalties on rapists as part of efforts to deal with the crime.

In his speech during the official opening of the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament on Tuesday, Mnangagwa announced that laws will be brought before Parliament to protect children and women from different injustices.

“The Prisons and Correctional Services Bill, the Child Justice Bill and Mandatory Sentencing for Rape and Sexual Offences Bill, must incorporate acceptable customary norms, human rights standards and international best practice,” Mnangagwa said.

In previous Parliament sessions, female MPs have been advocating for stiff sentences for rapists, of up to 30 years or more.

Misihairabwi Mushonga described this as one of the positive moves that Mnangagwa has taken.

“For me what struck me most during the President’s speech was the issue of sexual offences around mandatory sentences for rape. If that Bill is brought before Parliament it will solve one of the fundamental issues around violence against women,” Misihairabwi Mushonga said.

“Some of us (legislators) are about to leave Parliament and if the issue of mandatory sentences for rape is imposed that will be part of our legacy if this is our last term because we have been advocating for that for a long time.

“We have been waiting for this for years and nothing was happening. We proposed the issue of mandatory sentences for rapists during the late former President Robert Mugabe’s time and the law never saw the light of the day given the male dominated systems of Parliament.”

Senator Chief Fortune Charumbira also commented efforts to address the cash crisis in the country.

Mnangagwa announced that his government was pursuing removal of arbitrage in order to address the cash situation.

“We are impressed with the delivery made by the President because he touched on core issues and measures that the Executive is taking to ensure that issues of the exchange rate that have been causing problems in the country are addressed,” Chief Charumbira said.

He then castigated the stance taken by the main opposition MDC to walk out of Mnangagwa’s speech saying that problems in the country cannot be solved by demonstrations.

“Problems cannot be solved by fighting. We attain peace by putting guns down and they must not play to the public gallery. Political parties should respect the President,” chief Charumbira said.

-Newsday

The late former President Robert Mugabe’s nephew Leo Mugabe has opened up on how the extended family was left out of the decision to proceed with the former ruler’s burial in Zvimba.

In an interview with Zimbabwe Independent, Leo said they had a fallout with Grace who accused him and Zvimba chiefs of taking bribes from the government.

He added that the extended family was left out of the final decision which he felt should have bee effectively communicated.

“The extended family was then left out, but it’s normal in every family. It should have been properly communicated to others so that people don’t feel they are being pushed out,” Leo said.

By A Correspondent- Harare City Council’s health services director, Prosper Chonzi has allayed fears of a cholera outbreak in Dzivarasekwa saying the watery diarrhoea experienced by many residents in the area was caused by drawing water from unprotected sources.

The cholera scare arose after a non-governmental organisation, Community Water Alliance sent enumerators to ward 39 in Dzivarasekwa to undertake parallel typhoid, diarrhoeal and cholera tabulations which results pointed that the majority of those affected had dysentery (diarrhoeal with blood).

The health committee then asked Chonzi whether there was a cholera outbreak in Dzivarasekwa as alleged by the residents.

“There was no cholera outbreak in Dzivarasekwa, but due to erratic water supplies residents resorted to drawing water from unprotected sources resulting in some residents suffering from watery diarrhoeal diseases,” he submitted.

Chonzi warned that as long as water supplies were not consistent, such cases would spread to other areas.

Community Water Alliance programmes manager Hardlife Mudzingwa said most of the affected residents in Dzivaresekwa were women and youth.

“We sent enumerators to ward 39 in Dzivarasekwa to undertake parallel diarrhoeal and cholera tabulations and the results we got from the assessment is that 71,81% of victims of typhoid are youths, 65,60% of the victims are women. Our findings demonstrate beyond doubt that in Dzivarasekwa young women comprise the majority of victims. A majority of those affected had dysentery,” Mudzingwa said.

He told NewsDay that a borehole along 11th Street Gunhill seems to be the main source of contamination of water in Dzivarasekwa.

However, Chonzi said the situation was under control and they had set up a rapid response team which is on standby in case of any outbreak.

He added that there was a team on the ground providing treatment as well as distributing some water treatment tablets and carrying out educational awareness campaigns.

-Newsday

FORMER President Robert Mugabe’s nephew, Leo, and some close relatives snubbed the former president’s burial in Zvimba last Saturday after being accused by ex-first lady Grace Mugabe of taking bribes from government to ensure the late leader is buried at the National Heroes Acre against his wishes.

Before his death in Singapore on September 6, Mugabe had told his family he did not want to be buried at the National Heroes Acre, a North Korea-styled hilltop shrine in Harare.

He informed the family he did not want President Emmerson Mnangagwa to preside over his burial and pontificate over his dead body.

Grace also accused long-time family friends such as former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono of being sent by the state and acting to curry favour with Mnangagwa.

Despite negotiating on Mugabe’s behalf at the height of the 2017 military coup that catapulted Mnangagwa to power, Gono did not attend the burial as well.

Family sources told the Zimbabwe Independent this week that Grace unleashed her wrath on Leo during a family meeting held on Saturday morning hours before the burial.

Family members revealed Grace launched a verbal tirade on Mugabe’s nephew and other relatives, accusing them of betraying the family and taking bribes from government agents, along with Zvimba chiefs, to influence the family’s decision. The former first lady labelled Leo and other relatives “sell-outs”.

Leo, according to family members, stormed out of the meeting, trailed by a number of family members, who included some chiefs from the clan.

Leo, Mugabe’s late sister Sabina’s son and family spokesperson during negotiations between the government and family, confirmed the fallout in an interview with the Independent this week.

He, however, denied ever taking bribes from government agents.“We had a fall-out on Saturday around 11am before the burial. We fell out because she said I took a bribe from Mnangagwa to influence the decision to bury my uncle at the Heroes Acre. It is not true to accuse chiefs of taking bribes. Those are some of the accusations,” Leo said.

“It’s normal to fall out. It’s not new really because I don’t tolerate nonsense. My uncle knew that I would argue and put across my point. I am a principled person. Can you imagine I did not eventually attend my uncle’s funeral.”

Leo also said some family members expressed disappointment during the meeting, accusing Grace and a small cast of family members, who included her children and former mines minister Walter Chidhakwa, of making a unilateral decision to take Mugabe’s body to Zvimba.

“The extended family was then left out, but it’s normal in every family. It should have been properly communicated to others so that people don’t feel they are being pushed out,” Leo said.

“This is why the chiefs never showed up. There was one chief there. I think the situation could have been handled better. Certainly it could have been handled better.

“The bigger council should have been informed because it is the one that had gone to President Mnangagwa. It would have gone back to the president to say stop constructing the mausoleum because of the new plans.

“So that communication was not there, it was very poor. We regret that and personally I would apologies to the chiefs to say, we are sorry for the miscommunication, it was uncalled for.

“I don’t think an apology has gone to the chiefs. It’s even seen in the accusations that are now coming to me, to the effect that we sold out and we were bought by Mnangagwa. It is nonsense, total nonsense.

“Nobody was bought. Nobody was given money. Nobody was coerced into taking my uncle to the shrine.”

A close family friend told the Independent that Grace was consulted throughout the process before government announced that Mugabe would be buried at the National Heroes Acre.

“There were so many turns and twists. The Heroes Acre place was chosen and rituals were performed by Chief Zvimba (who also did not attend the burial), Robert Jr, Chatunga, Leo, Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, representing government and Mnangagwa, and Ministry of Home Affairs officials.

“The designs of the Mausoleum were approved by Grace and relatives. Permission to construct the mausoleum came from Grace, only to change her mind later and leave everyone in the dark,” he said.

After agreeing that he should be buried at the National Heroes Acre, Mugabe’s family made an about turn last Thursday when it took a decision to honour his last wish by burying him in Zvimba.

-Zimbabwe Independent

HARARE – The government on Thursday failed to deny claims by central bank adviser Eddie Cross that a new currency will come into circulation in November.

Cross, recently appointed to a newly-established Monetary Policy Committee advising the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, told the ZBC on Wednesday that a new currency was due in November.

In a statement on Thursday, government spokesman Nick Mangwana said Cross “does not speak for the government of Zimbabwe, neither does he speak for the RBZ.”

“His views are personal and not indicative of the government’s policy thrust,” Mangwana said.

Crucially, the information ministry secretary did not deny claims by Cross that a new currency will come into circulation in November. Cross stood by his claims.

“The RBZ will regularly inject money into the economy in a measured way. The government will continue to give the nation updates on currency reform as and when necessary,” Mangwana added.

Recent currency changes by the RBZ have caught the public by surprise, starting with the decision to allow the RTGS currency to float in February.

In June, when the RBZ announced an end to the use of a basket of foreign currencies and the return of a currency called the Zimbabwe dollar – made up of the RTGS and bond notes and coins – the notice was issued less than 24 hours before the directive became effective.

On Thursday, Cross stood by his comments to the ZBC.

“It’s nothing new (what he said). The president announced a few months ago that we will have a currency by November. The delays were because of printing otherwise it would have been introduced in September,” he insisted.

Cross had told the ZBC that “we have insufficient cash in the system to meet people’s needs for transactions.”

He added that the new currency “should do away with the queues at the banks and people then should have adequate money for daily use.”

Last week, the government banned cash-in and cash-out services on mobile currency transactions. In announcing the moves, the RBZ said it would be injecting cash into the banking system soon to address a cash shortage that had opened arbitrage opportunities for mobile money traders.

“The RBZ will be injecting cash into the economy without changing money supply,” governor John Mangudya said in an October 1 statement clearly pointing to an ongoing process to print billions in new notes. “In this regard, banks will exchange existing RTGS balances for cash thus maintaining the monetary base unchanged.”

In February, Zimbabwe had around RTGS$10 billion in RTGS balances in the banking system, but very limited bank notes and coins in circulation which has seen pensioners, war veterans and workers who need cash spending hours in bank queues to be given just Z$100 – which is now just enough to buy a chicken and a loaf of bread.

– ZimLive

State Media|THE National Oil Company of Zimbabwe says that the country has registered a positive improvement in fuel supplies and measures are being taken to restore normal services.

This was said by the chairperson of the National Oil Infrastructure Company of Zimbabwe (NOIC), Engineer Daniel Mackenzie-Ncube ignoring the fact that the high price of fuel has made it very unaffordable to most motorists.

He said recent interventions by Government through its various departments in a bid to resolve the fuel crisis seem to be yielding positive results as fuel supplies have recently improved.

Long queues, which had become the order of the day, have since disappeared in some parts of the country while major cities, which have a higher vehicle population, have seen reduced queues, said Eng Mackenzie-Ncube in an interview.

“The fuel situation has improved immensely and this is attributed to a combination of factors that are being implemented by Government through its various arms. As NOIC, we are working round the clock to ensure that fuel supplies improve across the country,” he said.

Eng Mackenzie-Ncube said his department, working hand in hand with the Zimbabwe Energy Regulation Authority (Zera), has introduced a raft of measures that have resulted in sanity prevailing in the fuel sector. Among the measures, he said, Zera has introduced a concept whereby all fuel stations and garages would account for the fuel received in a bid to curb diversion of supplies to the black market.

“A lot of sanity that is prevailing is attributed to Zera through an introduction of some measures that helped in stabilising the situation. We are going to continue working together to ensure that there is enough supply of fuel in the country,” said Eng Mackenzie-Ncube. He also attributed the improvement to economic reforms undertaken by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and Treasury. “We are fighting the situation as Government. You will also find that the massive improvement is attributed to a price gap between the interbank rate and the retail price of fuel. This goes on to stop a lot of arbitrage as people stop selling fuel on the parallel market,” Eng Mackenzie-Ncube said.

1.The Marange Community head last night said over 10 people have been shot and he says he personally witnessed 4 being shot at close range, 3 rounds of bullets one after the other at the fields. Then there are the magwejas and also women who are used by soldiers for cheap labour.

— Simba Chikanza (@schikanza) October 4, 2019

By Own Correspondent| The Marange community were on the 3rd October outraged against the Zimbabwe government which has denied that there is ongoing forced labour which “has continued” at the diamond fields.

The government spokesman, Nick Mangwana rushed to pull a side comment from a US embassy employee hoping to discredit a library of video footage at the fields running for several years since 2008, showing brutalities that have continued even into the last 3 months.

Mangwana has denied that there are complaints from the Marange community in recent years and in a discussion with ZimEye yesterday, he said these abuses ended during the Robert Mugabe days.

The Zim government is fighting to get Marange stones reinstated as clean diamonds by US authorities following a ban earlier this week.

A top aide of Chief Marange’s who is also the Marange Diamond Community Trust leader, Moses Mukwada, saying the government spokesman is not being truthful, however narrated the opposite saying that forced labour as well as torture by soldiers, are on the rise in the last 3 months at the Marange Diamond Fields.

He also confirmed ZimEye video footage from a November 2018 visit which shows a man brutally bitten by guard dogs at the fields.

Speaking to ZimEye via phone Thursday evening, Moses Mukwada said
in comparison to the November 2018 days, the latest alleged military brutalities “have worsened and in the last 3 months alone, there have been several shootings.”

In deeply disturbing graphic detail, Mr Mukwada described one of the attacks saying an officer would consciously load 3 bullets one after the other into a victim’ body.

He also spoke concerning a group of local miners known as Mangwejas he said are being coerced into forced labour by the military and then poorly remuerated.

“Things haven’t changed, they have actually worsened,’ said Mukwadi.

He continued saying,

” at one time it was just the dogs being used on people, this time this year we have a lot of people numbering up to 10 who have been shot with guns by security guards. We with our own eyes witnessed about 4 of them who were shot and killed.

“Direct shooting to the extent that the gun will be firing 3 rounds of bullets, one after the other into one person.

“There is another one who came out on studio 7 who had a lot of bullets in his body,” he added.

He also described the issue of forced labour saying that soldiers usually target a group of young men from the local area who bear the title magwejas. He said this group after being found digging for diamonds are captured by soldiers and forced into working for the military officers and the paid in kind.

He said, ” when we look at the case of the magwejas, these magwejas go on their own into the fields to pick up what they can. At that point they are captured by the soldiers and then they take them away.

” I witnessed one such incident 2 months ago, the people were being dropped into a bowser of water (sic) [likely for cleaning the stones]. And then when the diamond is sold off, they are paid only an appreciation; everything else they (soldiers) take.

“We could never say that things have improved. Things have actually gone worse,” he said. [timeline 3:50 to 4:30].

Mukwada also said some of the forced labour involves local residents who originate from other parts of the country but are now part of community as a result of of consequences such as marriage. He alleged that even married women if found to have identity cards that show that they were not born in the local area, they are immediately seized by the soldiers and taken away for forced labour to do worn such as closing up open cast mines left open by the magwejas. (LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW IN THE 2 LIVE AUDIOS BELOW)

VIDEO:

2.

Independent|FORMER President Robert Mugabe’s nephew, Leo, and some close relatives snubbed the former president’s burial in Zvimba last Saturday after being accused by ex-first lady Grace Mugabe of taking bribes from government to ensure the late leader is buried at the National Heroes Acre against his wishes.

Before his death in Singapore on September 6, Mugabe had told his family he did not want to be buried at the National Heroes Acre, a North Korea-styled hilltop shrine in Harare.

He informed the family he did not want President Emmerson Mnangagwa to preside over his burial and pontificate over his dead body.

Grace also accused long-time family friends such as former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono of being sent by the state and acting to curry favour with Mnangagwa.

Despite negotiating on Mugabe’s behalf at the height of the 2017 military coup that catapulted Mnangagwa to power, Gono did not attend the burial as well.

Family sources told the Zimbabwe Independent this week that Grace unleashed her wrath on Leo during a family meeting held on Saturday morning hours before the burial.

Family members revealed Grace launched a verbal tirade on Mugabe’s nephew and other relatives, accusing them of betraying the family and taking bribes from government agents, along with Zvimba chiefs, to influence the family’s decision. The former first lady labelled Leo and other relatives “sell-outs”.

Leo, according to family members, stormed out of the meeting, trailed by a number of family members, who included some chiefs from the clan.

Leo, Mugabe’s late sister Sabina’s son and family spokesperson during negotiations between the government and family, confirmed the fallout in an interview with the Independent this week.

He, however, denied ever taking bribes from government agents.“We had a fall-out on Saturday around 11am before the burial. We fell out because she said I took a bribe from Mnangagwa to influence the decision to bury my uncle at the Heroes Acre. It is not true to accuse chiefs of taking bribes. Those are some of the accusations,” Leo said.

“It’s normal to fall out. It’s not new really because I don’t tolerate nonsense. My uncle knew that I would argue and put across my point. I am a principled person. Can you imagine I did not eventually attend my uncle’s funeral.”

Leo also said some family members expressed disappointment during the meeting, accusing Grace and a small cast of family members, who included her children and former mines minister Walter Chidhakwa, of making a unilateral decision to take Mugabe’s body to Zvimba.

“The extended family was then left out, but it’s normal in every family. It should have been properly communicated to others so that people don’t feel they are being pushed out,” Leo said.

“This is why the chiefs never showed up. There was one chief there. I think the situation could have been handled better. Certainly it could have been handled better.

“The bigger council should have been informed because it is the one that had gone to President Mnangagwa. It would have gone back to the president to say stop constructing the mausoleum because of the new plans.

“So that communication was not there, it was very poor. We regret that and personally I would apologies to the chiefs to say, we are sorry for the miscommunication, it was uncalled for.

“I don’t think an apology has gone to the chiefs. It’s even seen in the accusations that are now coming to me, to the effect that we sold out and we were bought by Mnangagwa. It is nonsense, total nonsense.

“Nobody was bought. Nobody was given money. Nobody was coerced into taking my uncle to the shrine.”

A close family friend told the Independent that Grace was consulted throughout the process before government announced that Mugabe would be buried at the National Heroes Acre.

“There were so many turns and twists. The Heroes Acre place was chosen and rituals were performed by Chief Zvimba (who also did not attend the burial), Robert Jr, Chatunga, Leo, Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, representing government and Mnangagwa, and Ministry of Home Affairs officials.

“The designs of the Mausoleum were approved by Grace and relatives. Permission to construct the mausoleum came from Grace, only to change her mind later and leave everyone in the dark,” he said.

After agreeing that he should be buried at the National Heroes Acre, Mugabe’s family made an about turn last Thursday when it took a decision to honour his last wish by burying him in Zvimba.

Paul Nyathi|Zimbabwean businessman Justice Maphosa, who helped stranded veteran politician Emmerson Mnangagwa in November 2917 when he fled the country and sought refuge in neighboring Mozambique after he was sacked by then president Robert Mugabe for allegedly undermining him, will not step his foot in the country claiming that Mugabe wants to eliminate him for rescuing Mnangagwa.

Maphosa runs Big Time Strategic Company which bank rolls the Gwanda Gospel Music Show which kicks off in Gwanda on Friday and ends on Sunday.

The South Africa-based businessman was hardly known until he emerged with his annual concert in Gwanda five years ago.

He built his name further with his act of brotherhood to ‘rescue’ Mnangagwa when death was knocking on his doors from Mugabe.

Mnangagwa illegally crossed the border at night and landed in Mozambique with a few bodyguards, who are said to have blocked attempts by Zimbabwean state security agents from arresting the fleeing vice president and his entourage.

The multi-millionaire, who describes himself as a non-corruptible God-fearing businessman, says when he sent his private jet to pick up Mnangagwa, it was an act of kindness.

Maphosa claims that Mnangagwa phoned him seeking help while he was still in Zimbabwe.

“Come that day I get a call from him … ‘Maphosa I am in a situation. I have been fired. My life is in danger. I need to get out of the country. My first call was, where are you? Where are you going? Where will you be in 2 hours, in 4 hours in 6 hours?’ … Which he told me and we went to pick him up and we brought him into the country.”

However, he said now there are people who want to eliminate him due to his close links to the president and his act of kindness and will this year like he did last year miss his high cost gospel music concert.

Maphosa, 44, was born in Gwanda, Matabeleland South province, where he did part of his education before proceeding to South Africa. He did computer studies with a bias on Information Communication Technology.

In 1998, together with a friend, he launched his first company the Computer Inc. and Media Solutions, whose core business was to recycle computer ink cartridges. Today he is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Big Time Strategic Group, with 17 subsidiaries across Southern Africa.

Despite the threats on his life and his business, Maphosa says he is in the process of launching nine companies in Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile, Organisers of the annual Gwanda International Gospel Festival have unveiled a star-studded line-up for the event.

Swaziland’s Ncwandeni Christ Ambassadors and Shongwe with his Khuphuka Saved group will headline the fest alongside Sipho Makhabene, Takesure Zamar, Vocal Ex, Mathias Mhere and Indosakusa: The Morning Star.

The festival, now in its fifth edition, will be held at its usual venue, Phelandaba Stadium from tomorrow until Sunday.

Denzel the Pianist from Cape Town, Mkhululi Bhebhe, Joyful Praise from Gweru, Hybrid Sounds from Gwanda and Harvest Music Super Choir from Bulawayo will make up the rest of entertainers.

NewsDay|THE Zimdollar has devalued by 135,7% to $15,25 against the greenback on the interbank market since it was declared the sole legal tender on June 24, owing to persistent foreign currency shortages and the deteriorating economic environment.

When the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe scrapped the use of a basket of other foreign currencies, the Zimdollar was trading at US$1:2,5, but as of yesterday, the interbank rate stood at US$1:$15,25.

The interbank foreign exchange market was introduced in February this year to allow companies to trade forex, but access to foreign currency has remained challenging for businesses.

On the parallel market, the local currency was trading at 1:$17 against the greenback, a testimony of serious hard currency scarcities battering the economy.

This comes after the International Monetary Fund team which was in the country for the Article IV Consultation that coincided with the first review of the Staff-Monitored Programme last month told authorities that there was need to contain fiscal spending consistent with non-inflationary financing, tighten monetary policy to stabilise the exchange rate and start rebuilding confidence in the national currency.

The Washington-based Bretton Wood institution noted that weakening confidence, policy uncertainty, a continuation of foreign exchange market distortions and a recent expansionary monetary stance has increased pressure on the exchange rate.

Economist John Robertson said the country should increase its exports to generate more foreign currency and have an increased ability to create its own money.

“We need to increase our exports by increasing production in order to earn more foreign currency and reduce our imports. We also need to increase the ability to create our own money so that we will not have to rely more on using foreign currency,” Robertson said.

He added that the prevailing economic environment is not conducive for investors because it kills market confidence.

“We are not getting any investors in the country because this environment is hostile to investors. We have created an economy that is harmful to ourselves. Some people are saying money is losing value, hence they are taking their money and banking it somewhere else which is not in this country, hence we still have cash shortages.

Last week, the RBZ issued a directive to all banks to freeze the accounts of companies suspected of engaging in money-laundering activities and fuelling the foreign currency parallel market.

Before lifting the prohibition order, the central bank also banned all cash-in, cash-out and cash-back transactions, in a bid to eliminate the buying and selling of cash at a premium.

All these efforts have proven fruitless as the hard cash and foreign currency shortages persist.

HORDES of agitated pensioners and war veterans Thursday besieged the People’s Own Savings Bank (POSB) Head Office in Harare demanding the release of their payments as the current cash crunch took a toll on the former workers.

The pensioners have been frequenting the banking hall to try and withdraw their pensions with no success.

They ran out of patience on Thursday and started demanding their dues from the financial institution.

“We fought for this country, but we are now being ill-treated,” said one pensioner, who identified herself as Sarudzai Mawokomatsva.

“I left my children at home without food. What do I do now without my money? I can’t even send my children to school anymore. The situation is just unbearable.

“Last month it was the same thing. If they continue treating us this way, we will invade the finance minister’s office because we want answers.”

Sixty-nine-year-old Vitalis Mhizha came from Murehwa and was among some of the desperate pensioners who travelled during the night hoping to withdraw his money.

Because of continued failure to access cash and continued price increases, 68-year-old Simon Mavaye said he has been forced to default on his medication.

“I take BP tablets but sometimes I don’t get them because I don’t have money.

“We are told that SSB (Salary Service Bureau) released our money to this bank but now they are denying us our money. I have to buy my tablets today (Thursday). So they have to give me my money.

“We have to rely on traditional healers now. We have no choice. I cannot go to a hospital when I have no capacity to pay for tablets from a pharmacy. It is very expensive for us.”

Two POSB officials who attempted to calm the situation at the Head Office’s foyer were met with insults by angry pensioners.

The pensioners also directed their anger towards Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube and central bank governor, John Mangudya who they blamed for causing chaos in the economy.

Independent|VICE-President Constantino Chiwenga, currently recovering at a top hospital in China, where he underwent two operations to clear his blocked oesophagus, amid poisoning fears, last month dismissed security officials attached to him fearing they were spying on him and giving his political rivals information on his recovery bid.

Chiwenga, who swopped his military fatigues for political office after leading a military coup which toppled former president Robert Mugabe in 2017, leading to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rise to the seat of power, dismissed all security aides from the Central Intelligence Organisation attached to him.
“He remained with two security aides by the name Ncube and Kadengu, who are from the military,” a state security official revealed.

The Zimbabwe Independent’s security sources said Chiwenga did not feel secure under the watch of CIO operatives he was not close to.

“Besides, he also believed they were giving updates to his political rivals, including Mnangagwa about his progress,” an official said.

Chiwenga was airlifted to Beijing from South Africa in July at a time he was wasted, bed-ridden and in critical condition. He was rushed to hospital on landing, where he was admitted in the intensive care unit of a state-of-the-art hospital in a high security area, before being moved to a private ward.

The former army general underwent a major operation to clear part of his oesophagus in August, before undergoing another operation last month.

The oesophagus is a muscular tube which connects the mouth to the stomach. When swallowing food, the walls of the oesophagus contract, enabling food to move to the stomach. Because of the blockage, officials revealed, Chiwenga was unable to eat, resulting in him becoming emaciated due to illness and lack of food.
Family sources say Chiwenga is recovering and is now able to walk. He has also gained weight and is weighing around 80 kilograms having been flown to China when he was weighing 50kgs.

Chiwenga is expected to remain in China for several months. He is surrounded by several family members, including his son, although his wife Mary is in Zimbabwe.

Chiwenga’s close associates say he was poisoned by his political rivals, although the vice-president has not revealed the cause of his ailment.

Zanu PF insiders told the Independent in August that Chiwenga’s health woes have ignited frenzied jostling for his seat, with Zanu PF national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri emerging as the front-runner. At the time many Zanu PF officials were convinced the former military general would not survive.

Although Mnangagwa and Chiwenga were allies ahead of the coup, they fell out soon after Mnangagwa assumed the reins as they battled to control heart and soul of Zanu PF.

Before last year’s elections, Mnangagwa publicly spoke about an inside plot to impeach him.Mnangagwa also spoke about an attempted assassination after an explosion at a rally at White City Stadium in Bulawayo which killed two security aides and injured many other people in June 2018.

Insiders say initially, the coup deal was that Mnangagwa would come in as a civilian face and serve one term and go, leaving power to Chiwenga.

However, Mnangagwa’s repeated talk of two terms soon after assuming power widened the rift between the two.
Soon after the coup, differences between the two also emerged around several issues including the transitional arrangement, critical appointments, and dismissals, especially in the security sector, business deals and the direction of the administration.

Mnangagwa preferred to appoint Oppah Muchinguri as vice-president but Chiwenga insisted that the job should be given to him. He also seized the responsibilities of defence and war veterans from co-vice-president Kembo Mohadi, while Mnangagwa took security amid fears his deputy would become too powerful.

Mnangagwa also preferred to appoint war veteran Victor Matemadanda as political commissar but the army insisted that the job be given to Major General Engelbert Rugeje – one of those that traded military fatigues for civilian suits.

Paul Nyathi|The ruling ZANU PF party has all but conceded that Economic Freedom Fighters of South Africa leader Julius “Juju” Malema played a critical role in the snubbing of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s dream of burying late former President Robert Mugabe at the National Heroes Acre.

In an interview with state media Zanu-PF Deputy Secretary for Youth Affairs Lewis Matutu said EFF leader Julius Malema, who was recently in the country, should not meddle in the internal politics as he is turning out to be G40’s mouthpiece.

“If you look at what happened when Julius Malema came into the country, Julius came here because he was sent by Kasukuwere and Zhuwao, who are in South Africa, to come and convince the former First Lady that they cannot allow former President to be buried at the Heroes Acre, why?

“Because their political game will not work.

“The person that is making a mistake is Julius Malema because I don’t think that it is proper for him to interfere with internal politics of Zanu-PF and Zimbabwe in general.

“He is a South African and in South Africa, no one will go there from any other country.

“So he has become the spokesperson and representative of G40 fugitives who are outside the country, but I don’t think it is good for him. I know for a fact that the president of G40 is Saviour Kasukuwere,” said Matutu.

Matutu said the decision to bury the former President in Zvimba was part of a money-making scheme.

Mugabe’s nephew, Patrick Zhuwao, has actually credited EFF leader Julius Malema for pushing Zimbabwe’s government to honour his uncle’s burial wishes.

Mugabe died in a Singapore hospital on September 6 and was buried on Saturday.

On his website, Zhuwao thanked Malema for an interview he did in Zimbabwe in which he pushed the government to honour the former president’s wishes to be buried in his hometown in Zvimba instead of at Heroes Acre in Harare.

This despite Zanu-PF accusing Malema of demeaning the legacy of Mugabe and taking cheap shots at Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa.

“Thank you to the EFF and its Commander in Chief Honourable Julius Malema for consoling us and assisting the family of the late President Mugabe to have his wishes honoured on where he would like his mortal remains to be interred.

“After the family of the late President Mugabe expressed its desire to proceed with his burial in Zvimba, the government of Zimbabwe, in its press release dated 26 September 2019, indicated that it is co-operating with the family. The government of Zimbabwe will render all the necessary support to give the late President Mugabe a fitting burial led by the family,” said Zhuwao.

In a somewhat shocking move, the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) through state media says it welcomes proposals by the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Authority to further increase power tariffs

CZI national vice president Mr Walter Chigwada told state media on Thursday that as industry they welcome plans by Zesa Holdings through its subsidiary, the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), to increase electricity tariffs from 38,61 cents per kilowatt hour on a promise that electricity supply will improve.

“As long as the power tariff is within reason, something that is affordable and improves electricity supply, it’s welcome. Already industry has got a lot of stress from the challenges prevailing and the issue of power is one of the key enablers for us to be able to move forward,” said Mr Chigwada.

“We need to have affordable power. We need to move away from those days where power was just too cheap for anyone to be able to be supplied.”

ZETDC said the existing power tariff of 38,61 cents/kWh was no longer viable.

It further said local electricity production has been negatively impacted by low water levels in Lake Kariba. The power company said this has restricted electricity production to an average capacity of 190 megawatts at Kariba, which is Zimbabwe’s major power station with an installed capacity of 1 050MW.

As of yesterday, the Zimbabwe Power Company indicated on its website that the country was generating a total of 700MW from all its power stations.

Mr Chigwada said in light of the prevailing power challenges facing the economy, it was critical for the country to move with speed in addressing the issue adding that electricity imports were key going forward.

ZETDC has said the electricity tariff applied for would enable it to raise the required working capital for the improvement of among other things, local electricity generation, procurement of critical spares for maintenance as well as electricity imports to reduce load shedding.

Contacted for comment on the matter, Zera acting chief executive, Mr Edington Mazambani said: “You were too early because when they (ZETDC) put that advert, it kick-starts the whole process of reviewing and consulting on the tariffs.

“We are currently doing that, so the number can only be shared after the full consultation process has been done.”

Presently, the country’s demand for power hovers around 2 000MW. However, due to ageing equipment, existing power plants are generating far below the national requirement and this has prompted Government to embark on extension works at its major power stations.

Zimbabwe has been witnessing a wave of massive price increases, following the fiscal policy reviews by Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube.

In the mid-term 2019 fiscal review announced on August 2, 2019, Finance and Economic Development minister Mthuli Ncube increased electricity tariffs threefold.

Electricity charges increased from 9,86 cents (US1 cent) per kilowatt hour (kWh) to 27 cents/kWh (3 US cents.)

Paul Nyathi|FORMER Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko’s bid to have his passport back hit a brick wall yesterday after he refused to submit title deeds to his Douglasdale home in Bulawayo as part of the conditions raising fears that the state may turn his house into a ZANU PF property.

Mphoko’s fears come after shocking details that ZANU-PF has title to late former President Robert Mugabe’s houses — the imposing Blue Roof mansion in Borrowdale and a Mount Pleasant property occupied by his daughter, Bona.

Mugabe family spokesperson Mr Leo Mugabe confirmed after Mugabe’s death that Zimbabwe’s late founding father did not own the houses.

President Mnangagwa is now working on modalities to transfer the title deeds of the two houses to Mugabe’s family but after threats by ZANU PF Secretary for Administration Obert Mpofu that the party will take over the properties and turn them into museums to raise funds for the party.

Mphoko, through his lawyer, Zibusiso Ncube, had applied for the passport to be returned to enable him to travel to South Africa to meet his business associates over five working days.

Mr Ncube assured the court that Mphoko would not abscond since all his family is in Bulawayo and has business interests in the country.

He also indicated that his client was ready to stand trial at any time.

“My client has never defaulted on his reporting conditions, interfered with the State witness and has never violated the trust entrusted in him by the court, he strictly adhered to his bail conditions,” he said.

“The administration of justice will not be tampered with if he is given his passport even if we were to be given a trial date tomorrow, the trial will not kick off in five days.”

The State, led by Mr George Manokore, opposed the application on the basis that the accused had not furnished the court with concrete details of his business trip and had also not complied with the condition set for the release of the passport.

“We told the defence that we wanted security in the form of title deeds to his property namely number 19 Douglasdale Road, Douglasdale in Bulawayo during the five days he will be in South Africa,” he said.

“We had agreed that we will hand over the passport when he gives us the title deeds and we will return them when he comes back from South Africa and surrenders the passport, but that did not find favour with the accused person.

“It is our belief that the failure by the accused person to hand over the title deeds points to the fact that he does not want to attach himself to the risk that will arise if he hands over the title deeds.”

Mr Ncube, however, argued that it was not proper to view his client as a flight risk without evidence. He said his client was worried about entrusting the State with his title deeds and had instead offered to surrender share certificates worth US$300 000 that the Government owes him.

“The title deeds are there, but we do not trust the State with them. My client is a former Vice President and we might wake up to find that the property belongs to the ruling party,” he said.

He accused the State of having a tendency of expropriating people’s properties.

Harare Provincial magistrate Mr Hosea Mujaya threw out the application on grounds that there was no proof place the court that shows the Government owes Mphoko more than US$300 000.

He also indicated that the accused person has immovable property that is his house and other properties, but there is lack of trust between the accused and the State.

“The fact that the State is promising to give a trial date does not mean an accused person cannot get his passport, but no sufficient facts have been placed before me to support the application.”

Mr Mujaya, however, granted another application by the defence to have their court appearance yesterday deferred to October 10.

Paul Nyathi|President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared first Friday of every month a national clean up day where everyone in the country is expected to take two hours from 8am to 10am cleaning the area around them.

Since the launch of the exercise, the President and other senior ZANU PF officials have been taking the opportunity to gather people in the pretence of clean up but to hold mini ZANU PF campaign rallies where speeches not related to cleaning the country dominate the day.

The programme of the clean up day normally dedicates half an hour to picking up a few pieces of paper before people are grouped for over two hours listening to ZANU PF politics followed by some eating and drinking.

President Mnangagwa will today continue with his campaign trail headlining the 10th National Clean-Up Campaign at Mzimba Shopping Centre in Chinhoyi.

Mashonaland West provincial development coordinator Mrs Cecilia Chitiyo said everything was now in place for the clean-up.

“It is all systems go for the National Clean-Up where the President (Mnangagwa) will lead a brief ceremony as he has another commitment at Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT).

“The centre of activity will be Mzimba Shops in Cold Stream suburb. Preparations have been going on and we are ready to host the President as a province,” said Mrs Chitiyo.

After the clean-up, the President will preside over the graduation ceremony at CUT where thousands are expected to graduate in the faculties.

EMA spokesperson Mr Steady Kangata said while the main event will be in Chinhoyi, other dignitaries will lead clean-ups in other parts of the country.

The First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa will take her extensive helicopter to, while Vice President Kembo Mohadi will lead the clean-up in Gwanda.

Mr Kangata said some ministers will be at Letombo Spar in Msasa, Harare, while Industry and Commerce Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu and officials from his ministry will be at Sunway City PPC gate, also in Msasa.

Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) public relations officer Dr Simon Matingwina said they will be involved in the clean-up at Queensway Shops.

“The AFZ will join the nation in commemorating the national clean-up campaign in partnership with the corporate world at Queensway shops corner Airport Road and St Patrick’s Road. We will team up with the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ), Tobacco Research Board (TRB), Davies Granite and Dankwerts Farm,” he said.

The national clean-up, which is conducted between 8am and 10 am on the first Friday of every month, has seen people becoming increasingly aware of the need to keep their environment clean but questions remain why the day can not be dedicated to mere clean up without the ZANU PF politics.

Zimbabwe has called out the United States of America for trying “to hide behind the finger” by describing its sanctions regime as merely restrictive measures.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi yesterday condemned the posturing after US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Mr Tibor P Nagy, dismissed the outcry against the embargo as “a very false narrative”.

“This unacceptable statement is a public stunt by America and her cronies meant to demonstrate to other countries of the world that there was nothing wrong in what the United States was doing, but just a normal diplomatic way of handling a disagreement between two countries when in fact the sanctions are hurting even the innocent citizen in more ways than one,” said Minister Ziyambi.

The minister also lashed out at latest attempts by the US to stifle Zimbabwe’s diamond industry by alleging that they were being produced under exploitative conditions.

“I checked with the courts, police, ZACC (Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). We don’t have any reports of child forced labour, particularly in Chiadzwa and also in other mining sectors,” he said.State media

FORMER Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has approached the High Court seeking an order directing the Government, through the Public Service Commission (PSC) to award him more than US$300 000 in benefits and monthly pension payouts.

Mr Mphoko, through his lawyer Mr Zibusiso Ncube of Ncube and Partners, on Wednesday filed an application for declaratur at the High Court in Bulawayo, citing Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda, PSC secretary Ambassador Jonathan Wutaunashe, Salary Services Bureau paymaster Mr Brighton Chuzingo and PSC pensions master, one K Makiwa, as respondents.

He wants an order declaring the withholding of his pension by the Government as illegal and unconstitutional.

Mr Mphoko is also seeking an order directing the respondents to facilitate and pay him US$308 000 or the equivalent in local currency at the prevailing interbank rate.

In his founding affidavit, Mr Mphoko said having joined the civil service in October 1981, he was entitled to his benefits and pension.

“This is an application for a declarator to declare unconstitutional the withholding of my pension by the respondents and for ancillary relief. I joined the civil service in October 1981 and served as an Ambassador of Zimbabwe to various countries. On December 10, 2014, I was appointed to the position of Vice President of the country, a position I held until I was removed from office in November 2017,” he said.

Mr Mphoko argued that in terms of Section 102(3) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, he was entitled to a pension which is equivalent to the salary of a sitting Vice President.
“From the time I left office, I have not received a single dime in respect of my pension.

“The current Vice President receives a monthly salary of approximately US$14 000 or the equivalent at the previous interbank rate.

“This, therefore, means that to date, the arrears are in the sum of US$308 000 or the equivalent at the prevailing interbank rate. Neither have I received any of my benefits,” he said.State media

Farai Dziva|National Constitutional Assembly leader Lovemore Madhuku has dismissed Mnangagwa’s Sona saying it was uninspiring.

According to Newsday, Madhuku said the SONA was high on words, too ambitious and did not proffer any solutions for the people of Zimbabwe.

“They are worse than (the late former President Robert) Mugabe, especially the level of indecision. I read a useful article which said Mnangagwa, through his Sona last year, set an ambitious target that has not been achieved. It does not begin to even address the basic issues affecting the people of Zimbabwe,” he said.

Madhuku said his party was only participating in the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) with the hope that it would bring positive change to Zimbabwe and also to ensure that the Zanu PF government does not collapse.

ZANU PF Youth League members are burning in jealousy of President Robert Mugabe’s favoured G49 group.

Gnashing its yellow-teeth, the Mnangagwa controlled state media reported saying self-exiled members of G40 want to gain cheap political mileage by taking advantage o President Robert Mugabe’s death, at the same time using his burial site in Zvimba as a money-making scheme.

Saviour Kasukuwere and Patrick Zhuwao, who are now based in South Africa, were alleged to be the ringleaders of the plot and are working with an opposition party in that country, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).

Zanu-PF Deputy Secretary for Youth Affairs Lewis Matutu was quoted by the state owned Herald saying EFF leader Julius Malema, who was recently in the country, should not meddle in the internal politics as he is turning out to be G40’s mouthpiece.

“If you look at what happened when Julius Malema came into the country, Julius came here because he was sent by Kasukuwere and Zhuwao, who are in South Africa, to come and convince the former First Lady that they cannot allow former President to be buried at the Heroes Acre, why?

“Because their political game will not work.

“The person that is making a mistake is Julius Malema because I don’t think that it is proper for him to interfere with internal politics of Zanu-PF and Zimbabwe in general.

“He is a South African and in South Africa, no one will go there from any other country.

“So he has become the spokesperson and representative of G40 fugitives who are outside the country, but I don’t think it is good for him. I know for a fact that the president of G40 is Saviour Kasukuwere,” said Matutu.

Matutu said the decision to bury the former President in Zvimba was part of a money-making scheme.

THE fear of poisoning has once again come to the fore within Zanu PF and government circles following allegations by Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga’s close associates that the ailing former Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander, currently hospitalised in China, could have been poisoned by his political rivals.

Chiwenga, who has been hospitalised at a top Beijing hospital since July, underwent a delicate operation last month, amid frenzied manoeuvring within Zanu PF by party heavyweights angling for the vice-president’s position.
Specialists partially cleared, through an operation, the ailing vice-president’s clogged oesophagus.

Prior to his emergency trip to China for treatment, Chiwenga was admitted to a hospital in South Africa.

Chiwenga orchestrated the military coup that toppled late Mugabe in November 2017, catapulting Mnangagwa to the presidency. However, he is said to be harbouring presidential ambitions, much to the discomfort of Mnangagwa and his loyalists.

The vice-president last year revealed he fell ill during the military operation which toppled late former president Robert Mugabe from power.

Allegations of poisoning were also topical last month following last month’s protests by former vice-president and ex-spy Phelekezela Mphoko that he feared being arrested as he could be poisoned while in detention.

Mphoko fled from Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) officials at the Bulawayo Central Police Station, fearing detention over abuse of power allegations.

Mphoko, who served alongside President Emmerson Mnangagwa as vice-president to Mugabe, was arrested by Zacc for allegedly facilitating the illegal release from police custody of former Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) acting chief executive Moses Juma and non-executive director Davison Norupiri. Juma and Norupiri were arrested in 2016 on allegations of defrauding the authority US$1,3 million.

The former vice-president has since surrendered to the police, before appearing in court where he was granted bail with stringent conditions.
He succeeded in avoiding police detention.

At the height of succession battles in Zanu PF in 2017, Mnangagwa, who was leading a faction fighting for the heart and soul of the party with a rival group that had coalesced around former first lady Grace Mugabe, was taken ill at a rally in Gwanda after allegedly being poisoned.
His supporters claimed at the time that he had eaten ice-cream laced with toxins.

He was flown to Gweru in a military helicopter, and later South Africa for treatment. His supporters accused the G40 camp of plotting to eliminate him through poisoning.

At the time, Mnangagwa’s doctors confirmed that he was indeed poisoned.

“I never said that I was poisoned in Gwanda, but that I fell ill in Gwanda,” Mnangagwa told a press conference in October 2017 at the height of factional fights engulfing Zanu PF over Mugabe’s succession.

“During the briefing with His Excellency, the President, comrade RG Mugabe, the medical doctors who attended to me ruled out food poisoning, but confirmed that indeed poisoning had occurred and that investigations were still in progress. They, however, established that poisoning had indeed occurred and investigations were in progress.”

Mphoko’s utterances, as well as Chiwenga’s deteriorating health, sources said, also added impetus to swirling speculation that a number of political figures, including the late former prime minister, and MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai were poisoned.

Tsvangirai succumbed to colon cancer in South Africa on February 14 2018.

His condition deteriorated sharply after the collapse of the inclusive government which he had entered with Mugabe between 2009 and 2013 following talks brokered by the Southern African Development Community.

Tsvangirai’s supporters believe that although he was diagnosed with cancer, his condition could have been compounded by poisoning either during the inclusive government period or when he was in detention.
Zapu cadres also believe former Zipra commander Lookout Masuku was poisoned while in prison.

Masuku, who deputised the late army commander Solomon Mujuru after independence, was arrested in 1982 on allegations of plotting to overthrow Mugabe ahead of the Gukurahundi massacres from 1982 to 1987.

Masuku died in 1986 after being detained for four years, with his death described as suspicious.
— Zimbabwe Independent

By A Correspondent| The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission Chairperson, Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo, has said that the anti-graft commission has recovered properties and goods worth over $100 million from looters.

Speaking to the Herald in an interview on the sidelines of a signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding between Zacc and other stakeholders such as the National Prosecuting Authority, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s Financial Intelligence Unit, Zimbabwe Republic Police, Immigration Department, and the University of Zimbabwe, the ZACC chair said:

We are only forfeiting as Zacc then we take it to the NPA who will go to court for confirmation. As Zacc the goods we are holding on right now goes into hundreds of millions of dollars because right now we are in the process of preparing papers for the recovering of properties in our leafy suburbs.

In Borrowdale we are looking at over 10 properties with high value, and we have got so many vehicles now which we have targeted, others we already have in our possession.

ZACC was this year given arresting powers whilst efforts underway to establish legislation that allows the confiscation of wealth alleged to have been solicited corruptly or illegally.

-StateMedia

ZimEye believes in transparency and honesty. Therefore, ZimEye commits to correct mistakes promptly. ZimEye believes that accuracy is equally essential; we ensure expediency in making corrections when needed.

ZimEye is dedicated to informing its readers when it has made a mistake (however big or small), conveying the error’s severity, and providing the correct information as soon as the mistake is brought to attention.

When an error is detected within an article, ZimEye works to find the correct information and clearly display the corrections wherever possible within the article. The corrections will include:

The correct information.

What was originally published that was incorrect.

The date (and time, if available) when the change took place.

The process to report errors from within articles is made easy to understand, by providing an email address and form to contact us at the beginning of each article.

Whenever errors cannot be amended within the body of an article’s content, corrections are displayed clearly in the last paragraph of the news content. Rather than remove completely the content containing a mistake, we provide clarification and admittance of our mistakes to preserve transparency.