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

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The MDC national Secretary for Organising, Amos Chibaya, will be appearing at the Gweru Magistrates courts on Friday 4th October at 8.00am.

Leader Chibaya, who is already out on bail; is facing false charges of subversion.

It is the MDC’s strong view that the State’s case against leader Chibaya is very weak so much that it is so shocking that he is still facing trial up to now.

The false charges against leader Chibaya must be withdrawn immediately. Simple.

The MDC urges all our party leaders and members to turn out in their large numbers in solidarity with leader Chibaya at court tomorrow morning.

MDC @ 20: Celebrating Courage, Growth and the People’s Victories.

Daniel Molokele
MDC Spokesperson

By A Correspondent- A Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) official stationed at Plumtree Border Post, has appeared before Bulawayo magistrate facing charges of fraud and criminal abuse of duty after he allegedly forged customs documents to facilitate the smuggling of 50 cars into the country.

The State alleges that the officer, Norest Ushe, who was working at the Zimra private imports section had the password into the ZIMRA system since he was responsible for the clearance of private goods. Prosecutor Mufaro Mageza said:

The SAP profile password which he had until September 26, 2019, was deactivated after investigations of misuse. Between May and September 24 this year, Ushe clandestinely captured into the Zimra system, information of 50 cars smuggled into the country thereby generating an equipment number which if punched would display the particulars of the vehicle and enable printing CCC on the serialised forms at any Zimra station or printing of protected format document on bond paper.

Mageza added that Ushe continued using the password even after being redeployed to a section that had nothing to do with data capture.

Ushe’s actions are said to have robbed the State of US$432 767, 54 and $1, 4 million in potential revenue.

-StateMedia

A number of significant people on social media have reacted to government’s announcement that Zimbabwe will get new currency in November.

The announcement frustrated people, saying that the government is now confusing them.

“Your report must not confuse people like this. The new Zim dollar currency was already introduced, what will be issued are new notes and coins. Is that too difficult to get,”Cde Never Maswerasei.

“You can change this useless, valueless currency as many times as you like- but it won’t work,your problem is you, biased, propagandist regime media and your incompetent owner Zanupf,”Cazawaty#freepoliticalprisoners.

“How is this going to address the economic situation we are in?  Already we have Zim dollar in so called bond dollars.Whats the difference that makes you think the new money will fix the economy @TichZindoga mr editor,” Ishe Mukati.

“So what we gonna call this one? 1 Austerity dollar or 1 mausoleum?? Feels we have exhausted all currency names,” Dziva.

“haa confusion yacho so ndopaunoona kuti zvikoro zvekuhondo hapana zvaidzidzwa shuwa economy yacho iri kuitwa trial and error tactics mapofu akutungamidzana mugwenga,”dukeayden.

“Changing currency won’t solve the current problems but escalate them.my suggestion is let’s stop price increases anything that stabilizes the prices is much needed at the moment than anything else,”Edwell Diza.

A member of the newly appointed Monetary Policy Committee Eddie Cross said the new currency will be introduced next month in a move to curb cash shortages in the country.

By A Correspondent- Constitutional law expert Professor Lovemore Madhuku has said Zimbabweans are stuck between a ruling Zanu-PF which has no clue how to change the fortunes of the economy, and an opposition MDC whose leaders are “arrogant and think they have a monopoly on opposition.”

“I don’t see Zimbabweans in 2023, still thinking that they are choosing between Zanu PF and MDC. By 2023, everyone would have seen that there is no leadership coming out of the MDC Alliance,” says Madhuku, who is leader of the National Constitutional Assembly as well as POLAD participant.

POLAD is a national dialogue platform initiated by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Madhuku told a national daily that Zanu-PF has people who have no clue how to turn around the fortunes of the economy. He also said the much-hyped “new Dispensation” has nothing new to offer at all.

“You find people in government who have no clue as how to change the economic situation, how to turn around the economy, that is what we have at the moment. So there is no new dispensation at all.

“We must invest heavily in conscientising the majority of our people. I believe the only way forward for this country is to make people alert because despite what these people in government are doing they still enjoy support.

“Go to a by-election, you find that the majority of those who turn out to vote, vote for them notwithstanding the economic hardships, notwithstanding political repression. When next time around we have an election people must vote out this government that’s the way to go,” Madhuku said.

The MDC led by Nelson Chamisa maintains that the problem facing Zimbabwe is political. The opposition party says it will not participate in the dialogue process initiated by the ‘illegitimate’ President, who Chamisa does not recognize.

Zanu-PF Chivi South MP and businessman Killer Zivhu has survived a push to expel him from the party by his Masvingo province.

The province had written to the party’s national disciplinary committee calling for Zivhu’s expulsion after he called on the spouses of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa to facilitate dialogue between their husbands.

However, Zanu-PF sent its national commissar Victor Matemadanda to Masvingo where he called for unity.

Matemadanda said the province should concentrate on building structures and not expelling officials.

“We should be able to rehabilitate our comrades who go wayward, rehabilitation should come first before expulsion because if you want to expel people then we will be left with no one,” said Matemadanda.

He also spoke against factionalism in the party saying it was the cause for divisions.

“We want you to unite and shun divisions, we must learn from the past, factionalism causes these divisions but our wish is that you remain united so that we are stronger as a party,” said Matemadanda.

Masvingo province had accused Zivhu of treachery for calling for dialogue between Chamisa and Mnangagwa and wanted him to be ejected from the party and recalled from Parliament.

Former first lady Grace Mugabe risk losing all her properties in Mazowe – including her famed Gushungo dairy operations and top-notch school there – after the government indicated that it could re-allocate the farms under her control to miners which were displaced from the area during her late husband’s tenure in power.

This comes as there continues to be lingering about what lies ahead for the irascible and once untouchable widow of former president Robert Mugabe, following his recent death and his contested place of burial.

Former President Robert Mugabe and his wife, Grace, along with their family business, Gushungo Holdings  were evicted from a Mazowe farm following an application by three farmers who were claiming ownership of the land.

Adonia Makombe, Sahungwe Hungwe and Nyika Chifamba issued summons at the High Court against Mugabe in June last year, seeking his eviction from Lot 1A Teviotdale Farm in Mazowe district of Mashonaland Central province.

The three argued that they were holders of offer letters for the land, which they grabbed at the height of the land reform programme in 2000.

But, Mugabe and his wife challenged the farmers’ assertion, arguing the letters were not an entitlement to the land and that they had no right to demand the eviction over land for which they themselves had no lawful authority to use, possess or occupy.

Mugabe argued that only the Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement minister could exercise that right, but High Court judge Justice Helena Charehwa ruled in favour of the farmers and ordered the former President off the land.

In their application, the three cited Mugabe, Grace, Gushungo Holdings, Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga, Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement and Home Affairs ministers Perrance Shiri and Cain Mathema and police chief superintendents only identified as Nhubu and Kunene, as respondents.

“It is ordered that an order be and is hereby made against fourth to eighth defendants in terms of R182 (ii) for (1) the restoration of possession of sub-division 1, 2 and 3 of Lot A of Teviotdale Farm, Mazowe district to first, second and third respondents (Makombe, Hungwe and Chifamba) respectively.

The judge also ordered the “eviction of all persons claiming occupation through fifth defendant (Lands minister) of sub-division 1, 2 and 3 of Lot A of Teviotdale Farm, Mazowe district Mashonaland Central Province” plus payment of costs on a higher scale.

However, soon after being evicted from the piece of land, Mugabe, Grace and Gushungo Holdings filed an appeal at the Supreme Court on February 15, 2019 challenging Justice Charehwa’s order and the matter is yet to be set down for hearing.

On February 18, the farmers also filed an urgent chamber application seeking an order for executing their judgment pending Mugabe’s appeal and the matter is also yet to be set down for hearing.

Meanwhile, Gushungo Holdings is reportedly on the verge of collapse after it emerged that the company was struggling to keep afloat and was failing to pay workers’ salaries since September last year.

According to one of the workers’ leaders, a Dr Elson Sweva, Gushungo Holdings owes workers substantial amounts of money in salaries and commission.

Sweva said the situation worsened when the company reduced salaries without the workers’ consent.

“Things have not been going on well since March last year, but the situation became worse after our salaries were reduced from $250 to $100 in September,” Sweva said.

He said the company stopped paying commission last year as it was experiencing high product returns.

He said most workers received a two months’ salary of $196 following a meeting held on February 1.

“Following a meeting on February 1, we were given two month’s salary totalling $196 and, surely, what would one do with that amount in this economy? Even housemaids are paid better salaries,” Sweva added.

But Gushungo Holdings managing director, Lameck Chinoera said the company does not owe workers outstanding dues, claiming that it was the other way round because some employees were still to repay advanced loans.

“We don’t have anyone who is owed a salary. Those who work for commission are paid for what they would have worked for. It’s not for the company to give people extra commission, it’s calculated. I have a payroll indicating that some people actually have loans,” said Chinoera.

On the viability of the company, Chinoera said they were being affected by foreign currency shortages like any other business in the country.

“We might have closed down one or two products on account of shortages of forex like most companies, but we are actually working on two shifts,” he said.

Sources said Gushungo Holdings reduced its workforce by half since March last year and has been hit by resignations of key personnel.

Last year, Grace told 106 workers at Gwina Farm in Banket that she was not going to pay them terminal benefits even if they went to court.

Gwina Farm was reportedly grabbed by Grace from Supreme Court judge Justice Ben Hlatshwayo, who was then allocated another land.

According to reports, the former First Family owns over 10 farms in the country.

CITE|The Matabeleland Collective (MC), a grouping of civil society organisations and clergy from the southern region, is reportedly on the verge of collapse with some former members revealing that the grouping failed to come up with a strategy and a narrative to drive its vision.

MC, whose membership included over 60 organisations, was caught in the political crosshairs when they met President Emmerson Mnangagwa at the Bulawayo State House in March, to discuss some of the pertinent issues affecting the region, including the emotive Gukurahundi atrocities.

The meeting attracted a lot of criticism from several quarters with some people accusing MC of attempting to spruce up the president`s image in the region.

The consortium became a subject of debate at a recent Critical Thinking Workshop, during a session on Civil Society and State Politics in Matabeleland where participants questioned the role of grouping.

Participants questioned whether the consortium was a practical solution to the region’s challenges and if its approach to the government was wise.

Former spokesperson of the collective, Dumisani Nkomo, who has since left the grouping, said the idea was well-intentioned but acknowledged that they lacked a strategy on how to control its narrative.

Nkomo admitted he was involved in the formation of the coalition, from the genesis, to the meeting at State House in Bulawayo and other preparatory meetings that took place.

“The idea and issues of the collective were clear and they were clearly identified historical issues that were affecting the region. There were four key issues: Gukurahundi and National healing, devolution of power, the issue of equalisation and economic recovery plus structural inclusion,” he said.

The collective, Nkomo said, involved about 60 organisations, which made the collective the largest coalition in Matabeleland.

“We reflected on those particular four issues over two days. What then lacked was strategy because we wanted to do consultations in Matabeleland South, Matabeleland North and Bulawayo but there were no resources for that. So eventually we found ourselves in a space where we said we are going to engage the National Peace Reconciliation Commission, which we did,” he said.

He also said they planned to engage the chiefs and started working with the traditional leaders two years ago.

“We met with Chief Ndiweni and others. The idea was the chiefs would come from another angle as traditional leaders and push the agenda of Gukurahundi and devolution and so forth,” the activist noted.

The presentations by the collective before President Mnangagwa were good and Nkomo said the presenters laid the issues straight to him.

“We spoke of devolution and its immediate implementation, that government must put money into the Zambezi water project, the prioritisation of locals’ employment, issue of languages and culture. Unfortunately, Gukurahundi then took precedence from a presentation under social inclusion,” he said.

But, Nkomo concedes failure to manage the success, if any, and the narrative was to be the collective’s downfall.

“We were not in charge and in the end, we didn’t own the narrative, which the state began to run with. The narrative also came from social media and it became so toxic that beyond that, the meeting was about massaging Mnangagwa’s ego,” he said.

He also conceded that the collective’s leadership became too excited and naïve as well.

“At times you have to distinguish advocacy work and what the rules of engagement are. Eventually, some within the collective became coopted. But the collective idea was something good yet it mutated into a monster. Its genesis and position of issues were well-intentioned but media management was terrible, the advocacy strategy – terrible, risk management strategy – terrible,” the activist said.

Nkomo said the collective’s failures were a lesson learned as they failed to do political analysis of their meeting with President Mnangagwa.

“We failed to do power mapping again in political analysis we didn’t factor in G40, how it would respond because they felt we are cleaning up Mnangagwa. We didn’t factor Mnangagwa had an agenda as well, obviously a tick in his box to say we met the collective and Gukurahundi is being dealt with. For him it was a public relations exercise so we didn’t do in-depth political analysis,” he noted.

“I think some were too excited to meet the president and some people lost it. If you spend so much time in the trenches and didn’t have much engagement then there is an opportunity to engage some people become confused. When they do that for the first time and don’t have the skill or craft competence to actually engage in that level of advocacy, so it was a lesson learned…”

Mbuso Fuzwayo, secretary-general of Ibhetshu Likazulu which is part of the collective said he believed organisations in Matabeleland must work together.

“Now the challenge is how to deal with the leadership of the collective,” he said, noting challenges that came with how those in leadership behaved.

“We have said funding is not the main thrust of the collective but rather the issues of Matabeleland that we must talk about.”

---

Concerned Zimbabwean started this petition toJustin Trudeau (Prime Minister of Canada/Premier ministre du Canada) and 4 others

Zimbabwean citizens residing in Zimbabwe have had their constitutionally guaranteed rights and freedoms denied by the Zanu Pf led Emmerson Mnangagwa government. ABDUCTIONS, TORTURE, RAPE, MURDER by state agents ordered by Zanu PF are the order of the day for anyone trying to or exercising their right to petition, demonstrate against these gruesome Human Rights Violations.
From Gukurahundi to most recently Dr Magombeyi, Zanu PF has continued on a path of brutality on any opposing individual or group.
Since January 2019, more than 50 activists have been abducted tortured and left for dead by the state sponsored Zanu PF, and yet not even one person has been arrested.
The UN Special Rapporteur to Zimbabwe recently confirmed this in his report on the Zimbabwean crisis: http://zw.one.un.org/newsroom/news/end-mission-statement-united-nations-special-rapporteur-rights-freedom-peaceful

1) We believe Zanu PF has employed some supporters in the diaspora to terrorize and intimidate other Zimbabweans who oppose their views. These Zanu PF supporters falsified asylum applications to get documentation in Canada. They have been prominent on Whatsapp, Twitter and Facebook intimidating other Zimbabweans mainly MDC supporters who do not support their “new dispensation”.We therefore suggest that anyone supporting the regime by terrorizing other Zimbabweans must relocate to Zimbabwe to enjoy the purported “new dispensation” 

We approach your respectable office seeking the removal of the following  individuals :

a) Perpetua Chizive Mutsikamahwe of Brampton, Ontario, Canada

b)Jones Musara of Edmonton, Alberta Canada

and many other Zanu PF supporters who falsified their asylum applications and are now acting as agents of Emmerson Mnangagwa and Zanu Pf. These Zanu PF supporters are terrorizing Zimbabweans in Canada and the diaspora and we believe they must be relocated back to Zimbabwe.

2. They have said statements that are equal to intimidation of the Zimbabwean citizens both abroad and within Zimbabwe on various social media platforms, so we kindly seek the intervention of your good office by relocating them back to Zimbabwe.
3. We believe that these two individuals, and some other Zanu PF supporters were granted their Canadian immigration status after providing Canadian Immigration authorities with fake supporting documents to the effect that they are asylum seekers running away from persecution from the same regime they are supporting now.

The High Court will on the 3rd of October (today) hear a petition by the Community Water Alliance Trust (CWAT) which intends to compel president Emmerson Mnangagwa and the government to ensure water availability.

Below is the case outline presented by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights:

03 October 2019

HIGH COURT HEARS WATER RIGHTS CAMPAIGNERS PETITION TO AVERT WATER CRISIS

HIGH Court Judge Justice Owen Tagu will on Thursday 3 October 2019 preside over the determination of 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.

Justice Tagu was initially scheduled to hear the urgent chamber application on Monday 30 September 2019 but he postponed the hearing to Thursday 3 October 2019 at 2:30 PM to enable lawyers from the Attorney General’s Office to seek further instructions from President Mnangagwa, who is cited as the third respondent but was not represented in court.

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, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Hon. July Moyo, Environment, Water and Climate Minister Nqobizitha Ndlovu 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.

ENDS

All Africa|Barely a week after United Nations (UN) special rapporteur Clement Nyaletsossi Vaule delivered a damning report on Zimbabwe’s state of human rights and eager to please the world, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has set up a special team to look into the violence that has rocked the country since last year.

Mnangagwa, who is struggling to convince the West that he is leading a ‘new dispensation’ that respects people’s basic rights, told Parliament on Tuesday that he was going to set up an inter-ministerial task-force to investigate the matters. In his State of the Nation address to Parliament on Tuesday, the President said he was going to investigate accusations of rights abuses.

“The ongoing democratic reforms must entrench constitutional rights and freedoms for all Zimbabweans and therefore the culture of fear and violence must be uprooted from our societies,” said Mnangagwa.

“In line with this commitment to defend our democracy, I have set up an inter-ministerial task-force to look into the political, electoral, legislative and administrative issues raised by the 2018 electoral observer missions and indeed the (former South African President Kgalema) Motlanthe Commission.”

Some six civilians were gunned down by the military on August 1 last year after protests broke out against electoral body, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s late announcement of presidential results.

Another 17 more civilians were killed by the army in January during a three-day national shutdown triggered by a 150% fuel hike announced by Mnangagwa.

Abductions of opposition political players and human rights defenders have further worsened his image.

As a result, Mnangagwa has had a torrid time courting the West for their much needed Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) whose absence has further weakened the already poor economy.

America and European states have demanded tangible reforms before re-engagement with Harare.

The European Union (EU) has also been savage on its analysis of his human rights record since taking over from Mugabe in a coup November 2017.

A desperate Mnangagwa had to lie during last week’s UN General Assembly address, misrepresenting that two of Zimbabwe’s most notorious laws had been repealed when they have not.

Jane Mlambo| Speaking exclusively to an online media organisation, opposition MDC Deputy chairperson Job Sikhala has added fire to the debate on his trending picture in an under-sized waistcoat.

Sikhala had this say after being asked about his reaction to picture, “It’s good that people talk about one of their own. It really shows that Zimbabweans follow those whom they hold in high esteem. The surprise only came when I realized that I have shut the social media down.

“The picture has circulated more than any trending news for sometime. It exceeded even the time when I was arrested. Although the waistcoat is a photoshop I enjoyed the funny as well.

“It’s not about allegations of being corrupt or anything negative. It’s people who just found light moments under the difficult circumstances under an unmatched dictatorship we are under. So let the people trend the picture,” Sikhala.

MDC MPs walked out on President Emmerson Mnangagwa while delivering his SONA. Zanu Pf has said the MPs must be expelled from parliament over their conduct, & by elections must be held to replace them. Do you think MDC MPs should be expelled from parliament?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) October 3, 2019

HIGH COURT HEARS WATER RIGHTS CAMPAIGNERS PETITION TO AVERT WATER CRISIS

HIGH Court Judge Justice Owen Tagu will on Thursday 3 October 2019 preside over the determination of 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.

Justice Tagu was initially scheduled to hear the urgent chamber application on Monday 30 September 2019 but he postponed the hearing to Thursday 3 October 2019 at 2:30 PM to enable lawyers from the Attorney General’s Office to seek further instructions from President Mnangagwa, who is cited as the third respondent but was not represented in court.

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, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Hon. July Moyo, Environment, Water and Climate Minister Nqobizitha Ndlovu 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.
ENDS

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

State owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) has mocked opposition MDC deputy chairperson Job Sikhala over a circulating picture in which he was photographed putting on an ‘undersized’ waist coast.

Sikhala’s picture in which he posed with party spokesperson Daniel Molokele has gone viral with people questioning the logic of putting on an undersized waist coat.

The state broadcaster joined in posing a question on whether Sikhala is being a fashionista or its a fashion disaster.

Farai Dziva| An MDC Official has has scoffed at the ruling made by National Assembly Speaker, Advocate Jacob Mudenda on MDC MPs’ allowances.

Mudenda indicated that Parliament would withhold sitting allowances for MDC MPs after they walked out while President Emmerson Mnangagwa was delivering his State of the Nation Address (SONA).

MDC secretary-general, Chalton Hwende, said :

The Speaker of Parliament thinks that the MDC Alliance MPs are deployed to Parliament to get allowances?

He is wrong, we are there to represent the 2.6 million voters who voted for Nelson Chamisa.

Our Parliamentary agenda is to ensure that those votes are made to count.”

By A Correspondent- The High Court will on the 3rd of October (today) hear a petition by the Community Water Alliance Trust (CWAT) which intends to compel President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the government to ensure water availability.

Below is the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights case alert .

03 October 2019

HIGH COURT HEARS WATER RIGHTS CAMPAIGNERS PETITION TO AVERT WATER CRISIS

HIGH Court Judge Justice Owen Tagu will on Thursday 3 October 2019 preside over the determination of 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.

Justice Tagu was initially scheduled to hear the urgent chamber application on Monday 30 September 2019 but he postponed the hearing to Thursday 3 October 2019 at 2:30 PM to enable lawyers from the Attorney General’s Office to seek further instructions from President Mnangagwa, who is cited as the third respondent but was not represented in court.

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, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Hon. July Moyo, Environment, Water and Climate Minister Nqobizitha Ndlovu 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.

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.

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.

Farai Dziva|The ruling party Zanu PF has convened a Politburo meeting set for this afternoon.

According to Bulawayo24, the meeting is expected to discuss what should happen to the ailing Vice President Constantino Chiwenga who has been holed up at a medical institution in China for the past few months and has been indisposed since the November 2017 coup in which he brought down the late Mugabe

According the publication, a Central Committee insider said there were some Politburo members who were pushing for the matter regarding the condition of the Vice President to be tabled on the agenda during the Extraordinary session being held on Thursday afternoon.

“As you know very well that the Vice President is not in a good condition and is now surviving on liquids only in China, there has been a gap both and in the Presidency of the country. The doctors also have indicated that he will be spending some months in China under medical examination.

“It is the feeling of some members that the Extraordinary session of the Politburo should take a decision to have the Vice President be redeployed to a much lesser role that allows the country to move forward and the party to be able to discharge its duties with a full functioning presidium. So among other issues, it is highly likely that the Politburo will discuss the matter regarding the sick leave of Chiwenga,” a party stalwart told the publication.

There has been reports that Minister Oppah Muchinguri, General Sibusiso Moyo are among those angling to replace the ailing General.

The ZANU PF Politburo is expected to start at 2PM on Thursday at ZANU PF headquarters.

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

• USD to ZWL$: 15.2566
• ZWL$ to RAND: 0.9992

Data according to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe

Black Market Rates:

• USD to ZWL$ zimrates.com 18.20
• USD to ZWL$  zwl365.com 17.80
• USD to ZWL$ bluemari.info 17
• USD to BOND: zimrates.com 11.80

More: marketwatch.co.zw

By A Correspondent- Two Zvishavane villagers, who gang-rap_ed a 51-year-old woman who had her nine-month-old grandchild strapped on her back and brutally murdered her before taking turns to have se_x with the corpse, have been sentenced to death by hanging.

The villagers, the court heard, threw the body down a disused mine shaft together with the child crying and still strapped to the body’s back.

Givemore Mutumba (25) and Tatenda Ngwenya (22) both of Chief Mazvihwa’s area, were convicted of murder with constructive intent by Bulawyo High Court judge Justice Maxwell Takuva on Circuit in Gweru. Passing sentence, Justice Takuva said the duo’s level of cruelty was shocking.

He said the murder was committed in aggravating circumstances and therefore death sentence was the only appropriate punishment.

He said it was shocking that Ngwenya and Mutumba even raped the corpse and thereafter threw the body in a disused mine shaft with the baby still strapped to the back of the body.

“You committed a heinous crime in a horrific manner, your level of cruelty is shocking as you acted with untold brutality.

“The murder was brutal, callous and committed on an innocent elderly woman out of greed and not need. You decided to satisfy your sexual needs on an innocent woman. There was some premeditation and you threw her body down a seven-metre deep shaft while her grandchild was still strapped on her back,” said Justice Takuva.

“Your degree of cruelty in this murder is shocking and such people should not be allowed back in society. The courts have a duty to protect the sanctity of life because this kind of conduct cannot be tolerated. You are both hereby found guilty of murder with constructive intent and you are both sentenced to death by hanging.”

For the State, Mr Samuel Pedzisayi told the court that on December 21, 2017, Ngwenya and Mutumba hatched a plan to rob the deceased of her property. He said the duo proceeded to her homestead armed with a machete and found her preparing to retire to bed around 8:30PM.

At the homestead and in the kitchen, the court heard, were the deceased’s four other grandchildren.

“The accused persons threw stones into the hut. The deceased heard her grandchildren’s cries of help and ran to the kitchen where she blocked the door from opening with her body,” said Mr Pedzisayi.

He said Ngwenya inserted a machete through an opening and forced open the door.

Mr Pedzisayi said the woman and her grandchildren escaped to a neighbour’s homestead.

“The deceased decided to go back to her homestead the same night and she had her nine-month old grandchild strapped to her back. Ngwenya and Mutumba attacked her with a machete and dragged her to a nearby bush before ransacking her home,” he said.

Mr Pedzisayi said acting in common purpose the two accused persons took turns to rap_e her before and after she died while her grandchild was still strapped to her back.

“They dragged the lifeless body which still had the child strapped to its back and threw it in a seven-metre deep disused mine shaft. The following day around 2AM — a villager heard the cries of the baby from the shaft and retrieved the body of the deceased,” he said.

Mr Pedzisayi said the deceased’s body had multiple bruises on the face and neck, a deep cut on the left side of the forehead and semen on the private parts.

The matter was reported to the police, leading to the arrest of Ngwenya and Mutumba.

-StateMedia

Jane Mlambo| Losing candidate in the Zanu PF Hatfield constituency primary elections and entrepreneur who brought Nigerian billionare Aliko Dangote into the country, Josey Mahachie has come guns blazing against the ruling party for labelling her a G40.

Mahachie who posted on Twitter criticizing President Emmerson Mnangagwa over his plea for patience to sort the economy, was blasted by the Gokwe-Nembudziya legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena who questioned her loyalty to Zanu PF while accusing her of being a G40 planted to cause chaos in the ruling party.

Following Wadyajena’s criticism, Mahachie took to Twitter to vent her anger at being labelled each time she gives an opinion.

She said all the attacks and labelling from both the opposition and ruling party are all because of her running under a Zanu PF ticket in an election she claims was rigged.

“I give my opinion on MDC, I am labelled a Murakashi. I give my honest opinion about ZANU PF I am labelled G40. All because I ran as MP under ZANU PF and lost in rigged primaries in 2018. I am Josey; A Proud Zimbabwean Before anything else After everything I will still be Josey,” said Mahachie.

She further challenged those who criticise Zanu PF in private when it was clear there are no results from the ruling party.

“Nothing can change the fact that I contested under Zanu Pf. Nothing can change the fact that we all knew that primaries were rigged. Why criticise in private when we are not seeing results. I say it the way it is. Whether we speak out or not we are accountable!,” added Mahachie.

Zimbabwe’s power supply has augmented, following the completion of repairs of Unit 5 at Hwange Power Station, enabling the unit to add 160MW to the grid.

Energy Minister Fortune Chasi confirmed the development on Saturday morning through his twitter account, also signalling that Unit 6 will be opened up for inspection during the first week of September for fault diagnostics.

ENERGY UPDATE: Good morning MAZIMBA.
Following the return to service of Unit 5 at Hwange adding 160 MW to the grid last night, we expect to see improvement in power supply. Unit 6 to be opened up 4 inspection 1st wk of Sept for fault diagnostics.

Chasi told local media, ZBC News, that on completion, Unit 6 will add 170MW to the national gird.

He said: “Let me also appeal to the public to please pay their bills and to avoid power threats. Theft of power transformers is a prevalent issue at the moment. It doesn’t matter how much power we have if we don’t have transformers we will not be able to deploy the power.”

Media also highlighted that insufficient power supply has put a strain on the economy, particularly affecting the agricultural and mining sectors, as well as the manufacturing industry.

Domestic power users have been advised that they might continue to experience loadshedding as the power supplier will prioritise the productive sectors first.

It was noted that since May, Zimbabwe has been facing challenges with power generation from the Kariba dam due to falling water levels.

By A Correspondent- Prospects for dialogue between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and opposition leader Nelson Chamisa hit serious turbulence after the MDC snubbed and rubbished the Zanu PF leader’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Tuesday.

Highly-placed sources told NewsDay yesterday that Mnangagwa’s team was willing to bend backwards and accommodate talks with Chamisa if his party showed goodwill and respected government by attending Sona in Parliament.

“You must be aware that there are efforts both internationally and locally, being led by Speaker of House of Assembly (Jacob) Mudenda, to get the two on a negotiating table, especially in the face of an imploding economy,” a source said.

“The MDC was supposed to play ball, show respect and goodwill to President Mnangagwa so that there can be some give-and-take going into the dialogue, but yesterday (Tuesday)’s actions put strain on the efforts.”

Chamisa also rubbished the Sona delivery, saying it was a waste of resources and failed to address the issues that affected the ordinary people in Zimbabwe.

“A Sona that does not address key issues facing the nation such as lack of electricity, water, fuel, non-availability of cash, poor wages, human rights abuses, terror, abductions, legitimacy and reforms is a waste of resources and an unprovoked insult. This invites us all to act,” Chamisa tweeted.

MDC chairperson Tabitha Khumalo addressed the Press while Mnangagwa was delivering his address to the Zanu PF legislators.

“They are busy wasting people’s time talking about nothing for nothing. The time has come for them to understand that as a country, we can fight as much as we can, but we need dialogue,” she said.

“But when we talk of dialogue, we are not talking about a dialogue where it’s a church choir. We want independent convenors to map a way forward.”

Another source said Mnangagwa’s camp is now adamant and will not be giving in to any genuine reforms because of the behaviour exhibited by Chamisa and his MPs.

The MDC says it was galvanising its forces for confrontation that can bring change before December.

Early in the week, Information ministry permanent secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana hinted that the conduct of the MDC during Sona was going to be critical on how the nation would move forward.

National Constitutional Assembly leader Lovemore Madhuku, also dismissed Mnangagwa’s Sona, saying it 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.

“We don’t want them to collapse because it will not help the country, but we also want to push for reforms that allow the change to happen. If Polad has to collapse because people have resisted change, so let it be, but we will give it a try,” he said.

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa will on Wednesday next week attend Uganda’s 57th Independence Day celebrations as a special guest to the country following an invitation by his counterpart President Yoweri Museveni.

The celebrations held under the theme, “Consolidation of National Unity, Security, Freedom and Prosperity,” will be held at Sinkoro District 211 kilometres from the capital Kampala.

Uganda gained its independence from Britain on October 9, 1962.

Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Mr George Charamba, who is also the Presidential spokesperson, yesterday confirmed the invitation.

“The President was invited to Uganda as a special guest to the country on their National Day,” said Mr Charamba.

On Tuesday, the Ugandan Minister of Presidency Esther Mbayo said Presidents Museveni and Mnangagwa will also use the time to discuss areas of cooperation between the two countries.

“President of Uganda, General Yoweri Kaguta Museveni will be the chief guest and he has invited another special guest, His Excellency Emmerson Mnangagwa, the President of Zimbabwe to grace the occasion,” she said.

By A Correspondent- Zanu Pf bigwigs are set to meet this afternoon at the party’s headquarters in Harare.

According to a notice posted by the party’s secretary for Administration, Obert Mpofu, all politburo members are expected to be seated by 13;30hours.

Read the notice of the extra ordinary politburo meeting:

“The Zanu-PF secretary for Administration Dr Obert M Mpofu wishes to advise all Politburo members that there shall be an extraordinary session of the Politburo to be convened at the party headquarters on October 3, 2019, commencing at 2 PM. All members are to be seated by 1330hrs. “

By A Correspondent- Controversial businessman, Wickell Chivayo, says 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 his thoughts through his Twitter handle where he attached photos of giant Chinese electrical products manufacturer, Chint Electric. 

He wrote:

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.

Chivayo is famously known, not only for flaunting his “wealth” but also for the incomplete Gwanda Solar project.

He won the tender to construct a 100-megawatt solar power plant in Gwanda and his company, Intratrek Zimbabwe Private Ltd was paid a total of US$5,6m for designs and feasibility study but the project is still a long way off from completion.

Sad pictures received from Teachers in Mat South. They are queueing for water. We demand an education equalisation fund to bridge the infrastructure gap in our schools.@robohchere @EduInvestor @RaymondMajongwe @OMasaraure @edmnangagwa @CitManifesto pic.twitter.com/yWns5eQGAp

— Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe,ARTUZ (@ARTUZ_teachers) October 3, 2019

By A Correspondent- Former Vice President, Phelekezela Mphoko, has approached the Bulawayo High Court seeking an order to compel the government to pay him his pension.

Mphoko filed the application through his lawyer, Zibusiso Ncube on Wednesday and he is claiming US$308 000 or the equivalent at the prevailing interbank rate. In his submissions, Mphoko said:

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.

Mphoko lost his job in November 2017 following the military coup that deposed the then President, the late Robert Mugabe.

He is currently out on bail on abuse of office charges going back to the time when he was Vice President.

-DailyNews

By Own Correspondent| Police shot and killed an armed robber in Chitungwiza on Monday following an exchange of fire.

In a statement, the police said that the armed robbers were involved in a number of robbery cases in Marondera and Harare among other towns.

The statement reads as follows:

Police have arrested 5 armed robbers who were involved in a number of robbery cases in Marondera, Harare and other towns since January 2019 after a shoot out.

The gang was arrested early today in Chitungwiza after detectives laid an ambush at a local night club.

One of the suspects died of injuries sustained during the shoot out with the police. Police will not hesitate to take action on armed criminal elements and ensure the law takes its course.

There has been a spike in armed robbery cases recently involving shootouts with the police. In July this year, police detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) were involved in a shootout with seven armed robbers in Kwekwe with four of the robbers shot dead on the scene.

FORMER Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko, arguably the country’s worst Vice President, yesterday filed an application for declarator at the Bulawayo High Court seeking an order declaring the withholding of his pension by the government illegal and unconstitutional.

In his application, Mphoko, represented by Zibusiso Ncube, cited Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Misheck Sibanda, Civil Service Commission secretary Jonathan Wutaunashe, Salary Service Bureau paymaster Brighton Chuzingo and Civil Service Commission director of pensions, one K Makiwa as first to fourth respondents.

In his founding affidavit, Mphoko submitted that he joined the civil service in October 1981 and served as Zimbabwe’s envoy 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 submitted.

“In terms of section 102(3) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, I am 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.”

Mphoko submitted that there is no lawful reason why the pension is being withheld. He said he engaged Sibanda’s office to assist in the matter, but he has 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 submitted.

‘While other Vice Presidents tried to work tirelessly for the development of the country and the unity of the people, Mphoko has been blasted by Zimbabweans for finding it worthwhile to distribute day-old chicks to people who could not even afford to feed themselves.

A whole Vice President distributing chicks that started dying at the distribution point, along the way to the homes of the intended beneficiaries with the surviving ones suffering stunted growth.

There was never a single success story of the chicks project just as Mr Mphoko’s barren tenure as former President Mugabe’s deputy.

The chicken project was not even worthy to Minister of Small to Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development Minister Sithembiso Nyoni’s profile.

By A Correspondent| The ruling ZANU PF party is considering expelling MDC Alliance MPs from Parliament after they walked out on President Emmerson Mnangagwa while he was delivering his State of the Nation Address on Tuesday.

ZANU PF chief whip, Pupurai Togarepi is of the view that National Assembly Speaker, Jacob Mudenda, has been too lenient with the opposition legislators.

He said:

“I think the Speaker’s ruling was too lenient, they must be chucked out of Parliament and we call for by-elections. I think the Speaker is going to look into that. They disrespect the president but they want to debate Bills which will be signed into law by the president.

Following the MDC MPs’ boycott, Mudenda ruled that they would not receive sitting allowances for Tuesday and for the previous five months which they are owed by Parliament.

This is not the first time that opposition MPs walked out of Parliament as they made a similar stunt in August when Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube was delivering his Mid-term Budget Review Statement.

03 October 2019

MDC Urges for More Solidarity for the 27 Cadres as They Appear in Court Today

The 27 cadres who were unjustly arrested on 16 August 2019 will once again be appearing at the Harare Rotten Row Magistrates courts this morning.

The matter has been set down at Court no. 6 at 8.30am today

They are all currently out on bail.

The MDC once again expresses its serious concern against this continuing unnecessary prosecution that is clearly tantamount to political persecution and victimisation of the 27 cadres.

The MDC reiterates its strong belief that their arrest had no valid legal basis but was totally motivated by the political interests of the illegitimate regime.

We would like to once again appeal to all our members and leaders and members to come out in their large numbers to court today in active solidarity.

MDC: Celebrating 20 Years of Courage, Growth and the People’s Victories

Daniel Molokele
MDC Spokesperson

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued five Withhold Release Orders (WROs) covering five different products, imported from five different countries on Monday.

This action was based on information obtained and reviewed by CBP that indicates that the products are produced, in whole or in part, using forced labor.

“A major part of CBP’s mission is facilitating legitimate trade and travel,” said Acting CBP Commissioner Mark Morgan. “CBP’s issuing of these five withhold release orders shows that if we suspect a product is made using forced labor, we’ll take that product off U.S. shelves.”

Under U.S. law, it is illegal to import goods into the U.S that are made wholly or in part by forced labor, which includes convict labor, indentured labor, and forced or indentured child labor. When sufficient information is available, CBP may detain goods believed to have been produced with forced labor by issuing a WRO. Importers have the opportunity to either re-export the detained shipments at any time or to submit information to CBP demonstrating that the goods are not in violation

The Forced Labor Division within CBP’s Office of Trade leads agency enforcement efforts prohibiting the importation of goods made using forced labor. CBP receives allegations of forced labor from a variety of sources, including from the general public.

“CBP is firmly committed to identifying and preventing products made with the use of forced labor from entering the stream of U.S. Commerce,” said Brenda Smith, Executive Assistant Commissioner, CBP Office of Trade. “The effort put into investigating these producers highlights CBP’s priority attention on this issue. Our agency works tirelessly behind the scenes to investigate and gather information on forced labor in global supply chains,” she said.

The following WROs are effective immediately:

• Garments produced by Hetian Taida Apparel Co., Ltd. in Xinjiang, China; produced with prison or forced labor.
• Disposable rubber gloves produced in Malaysia by WRP Asia Pacific Sdn. Bhd.; produced with forced labor.
• Gold mined in artisanal small mines (ASM) in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC); mined from forced labor.
• Rough diamonds from the Marange Diamond Fields in Zimbabwe; mined from forced labor.
• Bone black manufactured in Brazil by Bonechar Carvão Ativado Do Brasil Ltda; produced with forced labor.

Investigations may be initiated a number of ways, including news reports and tips from either the public or trade community. CBP may also self-initiate an investigation into the use of forced labor in any given supply chain.

“CBP works extensively with our stakeholders, the media, and private sector businesses to gather information on forced labor in global supply chains and educate importers on U.S. compliance standards.” said Todd Owen, Executive Assistant Commissioner, CBP Office of Field Operations, “And we encourage the trade community to know their supply chains to ensure goods imported into our country are not produced with forced labor.”

Sixty minutes live with the MDC – Mayor Gomba speaks. Watch video downloading below:

ZimLive|The family of liberation icon Joshua Nkomo says it is not ruling out exhuming his body from the National Heroes Acre in Harare for reburial at his homestead in Kezi, Matabeleland South.

Nkomo’s son, Sibangilizwe, spoke after former President Robert Mugabe was buried at his rural village in Kutama last week. His family said he left specific instructions that he did not wish to be buried at the hilltop shrine in Harare where Nkomo and many other veterans of the 1970s guerrilla war for independence are buried.

“I actually refused that he be buried at the Heroes Acre because he had told me he wanted to be buried at his homestead. I failed to achieve this because most probably I didn’t have as much power as Grace Mugabe,” Nkomo, one of the former vice president’s two surviving children, is quoted as saying by The Daily News.

Nkomo died in 1999. When his widow Johanna died in 2003, she too was buried at the Heroes Acre next to her husband after being declared a national hero.

“We still have that wish to bury him next to his parents as he wanted,” Sibangilizwe said. “The nation must understand that should we decide as a family to remove his remains from the Heroes Acre, it will be because we are following his wishes.”

Sibangilizwe said any decision to exhume the former vice president’s body would also be extended to his wife.

“They went through thick and thin together, I don’t see a scenario where we exhume one and leave the other,” he said.

A decision on exhumation and reburial would also require the approval of Thandiwe, Nkomo’s other surviving child, but will likely be fiercely resisted by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.

Mugabe’s decision to snub the Heroes Acre stunned the government which is reported to have tried to use strong arm tactics to see him buried at the shrine.

The Heroes Acre is diminished as a burial site for national heroes after Mugabe’s snub, say political analysts.

Exiled former minister and political scientist Professor Jonathan Moyo, writing on Twitter, said the Heroes Acre was now “soiled and confirmed as just a Zanu PF cemetery and thus permanently discredited.”

State Media|BULAWAYO councillors yesterday called for the suspension of Cowdray Park projects after the local authority’s management channelled all devolution funds to the suburb.

During the full council meeting yesterday, MDC-Alliance councillors said while they appreciate that Ward 28, covering Cowdray Park was the biggest and the least developed in the city, it was unfair for all devolution funds amounting to more than $1,1 million to be channelled to the ward.

According to the latest council minutes, the Director of Housing and Community Services reported last month that the department was seeking to use devolution funds for Cowdray Park projects.

The funds were requested to buy materials for Vulindlela Primary and Sizalendaba Secondary Schools in Cowdray Park after budgeted funds were exhausted due to inflation.

Councillors said the development was a political statement to make it seem as if they were doing nothing in their wards while Ward 28 councillor Kidwell Mujuru, who is the only Zanu-PF councillor was working.

“As for devolution funds we expect them to be disbursed equally among all wards. It’s not fair for the funds to be channelled to one ward yet we have 29 wards in the city.

“Maybe other councillors are happy with the arrangement but personally I’m not happy at all. Residents want to see progress in our wards and we have outstanding projects that need funding,” said Ward 22 Councillor Rodney Jele.

Ward 4 Councillor Silas Chigora concurred. “We appreciate the fact that Cowdray Park is a big suburb and is lagging behind in terms of development but to give the ward all the money is unfair. It already has council schools unlike other wards and as we speak there are a number of projects going on in Cowdray Park, which include the construction of a clinic, school, bridge and road rehabilitation.

“Let’s have two projects running in Cowdray Park and at least one in each of the remaining wards. That way we have development in the whole city,” said Cllr Chigora.

He said his ward has no clinic, which is an important facility for the people in the area.

Ward 19 Councillor Alderman Clayton Zana accused council management of bypassing councillors in the disbursement of the devolution funds.

“Councillors should have received a report that devolution funds have been availed so that we take part in deciding how that money should be spent. We should have a say.

“It’s unfair to prioritise Cowdray Park when most projects were put on hold because of lack of funds. Let’s complete projects we have already started before moving to new ones,” said Cllr Zana.

Cllr Mujuru supported the decision by council management saying Cowdray Park was the least developed area in the city.

“I’m actually thankful to council management. Cowdray Park is the least developed ward in the city and it deserves to be funded so that it has adequate social facilities to cater for residents.

“There is no clinic in the ward and children in Cowdray Park are walking long distances to school,” said Cllr Mujuru.

By Dorrothy Moyo| Equatorial Guinea warned him on touching Mrs Grace Mugabe, but within days of President Robert Mugabe’s burial, Emmerson Mnangagwa has grabbed Gushungo farmlands in Mazowe.

This was revealed in a government memo. The notice says the late head of state’s properties in the gold rich Mash Central areas, will be dished out to miners, not even farmers – The development is a humiliating slap in the face of Grace Mugabe whose orphanage was encroached by miners soon after the Nov 2017 coup that removed her husband and she has been in legal fights with them for over 2 years to date.

During the last 25 days, Mnangagwa repeatedly threw overtures to Mrs Mugabe in exchange for her husband’s body, but that battle was lost when she and family members defied him chosing to lay the 95 year old leader to rest at the family village home in Zvimba.

The government notice reads in full:

All miners who used to hold mining titles (claims) in the above-named farms are invited to report to the Mashonaland Central provincial mining office in Bindura and re-inspect them as soon as possible.

We are extending this grace period for 60 days with effect from September 19, 2019, beyond which we will assume all those who hold such interests would have restored them.

THE Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has given the green light for cash-out transactions on mobile money platforms, but capped it at $100 to minimise abuse.

This comes after the central bank had banned cash-in, cash-out and cash-back transactions on Monday, triggering a market reaction including frantic court action from a giant telecommunications company.
RBZ Governor Dr John Mangudya yesterday said payment systems facilitate economic activities in the country.

“As such, the Reserve Bank continues to promote digital financial services which contribute to financial inclusion and stability. Cognisance of that, enhanced monitoring mechanisms have been put in place by both the Reserve Bank and payment system providers to mitigate against abuse of payment systems and ensure abusers are brought to book.

“To this end, payment system providers and agents are hereby advised that the cash-out facility is now capped at $100 per transaction with immediate effect,” he said.State media