Grace Mugabe meeting with EFF leader Julius Malema.
Deputy Information Minister, Energy Mutodi has castigated South Africa’s opposition politician, Julius Malema for the remarks he made on his visit to offer condolences to the late former President Robert Mugabe’s widow, Grace on Monday.
Malema attacked the government of Zimbabwe for denying the Mugabe’s family’s wishes as well as trying to ride on the late national hero’s legacy while they are mere arrivalists who had mistreated Mugabe.
Malema’s comments did not go down well with Mutodi:
“Julius Malema was foul-mouthed when he visited Zimbabwe.
It’s unfortunate he tried to impress the former First Lady Grace by denigrating President Mnangagwa.
Grace still looks young and is filthy rich and Malema decided to take a dig on the government in order to impress her…
Julius Malema was foul-mouthed when he visited Zimbabwe. It’s unfortunate he tried to impress the former First Lady Grace by denigrating President Mnangagwa. Grace still looks young & is filthy rich & Malema decided to take a dig on the government in order to impress her..
BREAKING: We are right now interviewing ZRP Commissioner Matanga on officers blocking @DMagombeyi from leaving Zimbabwe and leaving the Avenues Clinic. Gen Matanga is promising to return to us shortly. WATCH LIVE ON https://t.co/eY98GsdO0a@ZLHRLawyers
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has deployed an anti-riot unit at the Avenues Clinic in Harare to block the previously missing Dr Peter Magombeyi from leaving the hospital for South Africa to seek further medical care.
ZimEye has spoken to the family who are in distress over the matter. A LIVE program is shortly commencing.
The deployment is in contempt of High Court judge Justice Happias Zhou who ruled that Dr Magembeyi should be allowed to leave for South Africa.
Below is a short print out showing the of terms the court issued today interdicting ZRP from directly or indirectly preventing Dr Magombeyi from travelling to South Africa. It reads in part:
The respondents or any person or officer acting through them or on their behalf be and are hereby interdicted from preventing directly or indirectly, Peter Gabriel Magombeyi from leaving Zimbabwe for purposes of accessing medical services in the Republic of South Africa.
THE body of a victim of xenophobia attacks of South Africa arrived in Bulawayo yesterday with relatives noting that the man was stabbed, assaulted and burnt first before his body was dumped in a stadium in Johannesburg.
The body of Muziwandile Mhlanga arrived at the family home in Magwegwe were relatives narrated how the man met his death at the hands of the South African mobs.
An aunt to the deceased, Mrs Senzeni Tshuma said her nephew went missing for two days before he was found dead.
“What happened is last Thursday he went out towards end of day and never returned. When his friends he lived with realized that he was not coming back they called his mother to tell them that they couldn’t find him.
“He went missing for two days and on the third day he was found thrown into a security guardroom at a stadium already dead with his phone and shoes stolen,” she said.
She said what pains the most is that he was still young trying to make a living in South Africa.
“My nephew was only 21 years old, he had only been there for seven months and had recently found a job and moved out from his parents’ place to live with his friends,” said Mrs Tshuma.
The body was later taken to Lupane for burial today.
“He is going to be buried tomorrow in Lupane at Shurudunku where we come from as a Mhlanga family,” she said.
“What pains me is that we are all Africans and when they come here we treat them well and accommodate them so what we are asking from them is that when they no longer want Zimbabweans in their country they should depot them rather than showing such kind of brutality.”
Speaking during the service, Zanu-PF Central Committee Member and Bulawayo Senator Molly Mpofu said she was pained to see how Zimbabweans were being treated.
“It is painful to see how our children are being treated in a fellow SADC country where they go in order to find a better living.
“We are pained as the leadership of this country when such things take place so we want to appeal to the President of the country (South Africa) to have pity on our children because as I speak today this is the second body which arrived of a person killed in xenophobic attacks,” she said.
“He should teach his people not to take the law into their own hands,” said Sen Mpofu.
Tragic end … The late Bishop Berry Dambaza and his wife Sithembeni in happier times [ZimLive]
The late Bishop Barry Dambaza’s 90-year-old mother died on Monday a few hours after the clergyman’s apparent suicide in Central Harare.
Bishop Dambaza, who was a senior pastor at the Pentecostal Assemblies of Zimbabwe (PAOZ) Upper Room Ministries, fell four floors to his death at a car park along Rezende Street in Harare on Monday afternoon.
On Tuesday, PAOZ refuted social media rumours claiming that Bishop Dambaza committed suicide after catching his wife with another man. The church’s spokesperson, Reverend Craig Ndoro said:
Those rumours are entirely and wholly untrue. They are malicious and extremely regrettable.
Yesterday, when this tragic incident happened involving the bishop, his wife was actually at home nursing the bishop’s mother, and we have just received terrible news that she has also died.
In short, Bishop Dambaza’s wife of over 30 years was not cheating on him, and no, he did not find her in a compromising position in the office.
We’re not sure who has been generating these rumours and spreading them. They are very hurtful not just to the family but the church as well.
Bishop Dambaza touched many lives in Zimbabwe and internationally, perhaps that’s why we have rumours flying quicker than facts.
But those that know him, his wife and children know that no such issues are true, and that gives us a bit of comfort.
The late Bishop’s wife, Sithembeni is reported to have been traumatised from losing her both husband and mother-in-law in such a short space of time and had to be admitted to a hospital.
VETERAN journalist and founding editor of the privately owned Daily News, Geoffrey Nyarota faces imprisonment for failing to settle a debt he owes the newspaper’s publishers Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ).
ANZ have filed summons against Nyarota with the High Court seeking to recover a debt which arose back in 2016.
This is after he was ordered to reimburse the publisher US$60 000 he pocketed after selling his website, Zimbabwe Times to the company back in 2019.
Nyarota was hit with the lawsuit after he failed to fulfil the terms of the sale agreement.
The veteran scribe was sued after he won a claim of US$90 000 against the Daily News which had unfairly dismissed him soon after the relaunch of the paper.
In the latest summons, ANZ said Nyarota is yet to settle the judgement debt despite several engagements.
The company is seeking an order to have Nyarota caged for failing to pay.
“You Geoffrey Nyarota of Sunridge Harare are called upon to pay the plaintiff, the sum US$60 000 together with interest on this sum at the prescribed rate from date of demand being June 9, 2010 to the date of payment in full and costs of suit in the sum of US$27 000.
“You are required to pay these sums by virtue of a judgement obtained against you in this honourable court on the 7th day of December 2016 under which you were ordered to pay the above stated sum, you were ordered to pay the costs in that case,” read the summons.
“You are at liberty to approach the plaintiff before the date of the hearing and to make an offer of settlement of the sum due.
“Unless you pay the plaintiff (ANZ) the sums specified or unless the plaintiff accepts an offer of settlement which you have made to it, you will appear before the High Court on the date and time specified. If you do not do so, a writ of personal attachment may be issued against you and you may be committed to prison,” further read part of the summons.
In December 2016, High Court Judge, Ammy Tsanga ordered Nyarota to reimburse ANZ after the website deal went wrong.
She ruled the journalist “a festering grievance relating to the divesture of control of the website from his hands which he had been prepared to countenance in expectation of a role to play.”
Malawi main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and United Democratic Front (UDF) have blasted their government over the proposed one percent withholding tax on non-bank mobile money transactions which us a copied version of Zimbabwe finance minister Mthuli Ncube’s two percent tax nicknamed Mthu%.
MCP MPs want Treasury to reconsider the tax measure
In his 2019/2020 national budget, presented recently to parliament, the Malawian Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Joseph Mwanamvekha, said the tax will ensure that more people are motivated to contribute towards national building and government has a scope to improve service delivery.
Responding to 2019/20 National Budget Statement, MCP spokesperson on finance, Collins Kajawa, said introducing a 1% withholding tax on all mobile money transactions is not only retrogressive but militates against the country’s final inclusion agenda and punishes the very people government ought to protect and include.
“The justification for this tax measure that we have to a large number of the citizenry to contribute towards national building is misplaced because the biggest way to motivate them is to ensure that we protect them and allow them to graduate from poverty and not overburden an already vulnerable class of our population with further taxes. We propose that this tax measure should be reversed,” said Kajawa.
On his part, UDF spokesperson of finance, Ishmael Nkumba, also voiced concern that the tax will threaten financial inclusion because mobile money operators will raise the cost of transactions.
“The UDF is also against introduction of 1.0℅ withholding tax on mobile money transaction,” he said.
Nkumba said the tax is a burden on the poor the majority of which use mobile money transaction. The party urges government to find other means of revenue generation.
Chairperson of the Budget and Finance Committee of Parliament, Sosten Gwengwe, said the tax “defeats the whole idea of financial inclusion”.
“Why should people merely pay for transacting,” Gwengwe said.
Justifying the introduction of the tax, Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Joseph Mwanamvekha told Parliament that the tax will ensurethat more people are motivated to contribute towards national building through payment of taxes and ensure that government has scope to improve service delivery.
But a law lecturer at the University of Malawi’s Chancellor College Sunduzwayo Madise said the tax will disempower the unbanked and underbanked, and said it seems as if the government has changed or abandoned its agenda.
Madise was quoted by local press saying “on one hand, mobile money service was touted by the government as a solution to empower rural people but on the other hand, the system has now decided to plot against the very people it should empower and will take from them the little that they have and fill up the tax purse.”
Consumer Association of Malawi (CAMA) executive director John Kapito also said the tax is a ‘war against the poor’.
“This is an insult that has come in this budget, which as consumers, we feel it is targeted at punishing the most vulnerable groups who are mostly in rural areas doing small businesses,” he said.
The latest figures from the Reserve Bank of Malawi shows that as of June 2019, the total number of registered mobile money subscribers was 7 million, with only 37.4% of subscribers using the service during the second quarter of this year.
The report also show that there are 45, 929 mobile money agents 81.1% located in urban and semi-urban areas while 18.9% are in rural areas.
Members of the ZRP caught on picture blocking Dr Peter Magombeyi from leaving hospital to go to South Africa.
As at the time of this breaking news article, uniformed and plain clothed members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police were at the Avenues Clinic, in Harare preventing Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association leader Dr Peter Magombeyi from leaving the medical facility to board a plane to South Africa to access specialist medical care in defiance of a High Court order issued earlier in the day by Justice Happias Zhou.
High Court Judge Justice Zhou on Tuesday interdicted Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) from preventing Magombeyi, from leaving Zimbabwe to access medical services in South Africa.
ZRP had on Monday Dr Magombeyi from travelling to South Africa to access urgent health care services that are not locally available in Zimbabwe after deploying some law enforcement agents to man the entrance at a local clinic, where Dr Magombeyi is detained.
This was in defiance of the recommendation by his doctors, who noted that he had suffered possible physical harm and psychological trauma which warranted that further functional brain imaging and further toxicological evaluation, which is not available in Zimbabwe, be conducted on him.
But Justice Zhou on Tuesday granted an application filed by Dr Magombeyi’s father, Kingstone Magombeyi, who in his court petition, protested against the ZRP’s actions and argued that the law enforcement agents’ actions were not authorised by law as Dr Magombeyi is a victim of abduction and enforced disappearance and has not been placed under arrest and has also not been accused of committing any offence.
In his ruling, Justice Zhou ordered the Officer-In-Charge of Criminal Investigations Department (Law and Order Section) at Harare Central Police Station only identified as Chibaya, ZRP Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga and Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Hon. Cain Mathema, who were cited as respondents, not to prevent directly or indirectly Dr Magombeyi from leaving Zimbabwe for the purposes of accessing medical services in South Africa.
The ruling Zanu PF party has hit back on opposition MDC’s calls to the United Nations (UN) to declare President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his party a terrorist organisation, saying the opposition was declaring war on the liberation party.
The MDC Northern America held protests outside the UN headquarters in New York on Saturday night, and vowed to hand over a petition to the UN for the body to declare Mnangagwa and Zanu PF a terrorist organisation for killing protesters during public demonstrations in Harare last year and this year.
“The offensive pronouncement by the MDC party as reflected in the so-called independent media, that they intend to submit a petition to the UN during its 74th General Assembly sitting that Mnangagwa and the revolutionary Zanu PF be declared terrorists ‘for the killing of civilians during public protests’ is shameful,” Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said in a statement in Harare yesterday.
“This is a very serious allegation which borders on the declaration of war on Zanu PF and its revered leader.”
He said the MDC must halt their petition immediately as it was an insult to Zimbabwe, adding that such “selloutism was unheard of and represents evil conduct”.
Moyo said his party was ready to defend itself against such provocation.
He accused the opposition of calling for the government to be placed under sanctions at a time Mnangagwa is making efforts to have sanctions removed by the West and put Zimbabwe on an economic recovery path.
Six civilians were killed and dozens were injured after the army fired live ammunition during protests over delays in announcing presidential elections on August 1 last year, according to a commission of inquiry appointed by Mnangagwa.
The 150% fuel price hike in January triggered violent protests, with 17 people killed when the army clamped down on the unrest.
The MDC’c call comes at time the Zanu PF youth league boss Pupurai Togarepi told parliamentarians that a law should be crafted which would see people who call for the imposition of sanctions on the country to be declared terrorists.
GWERU – A father, educator, civic activist, active Catholic and a published poet, Felix Tungamirai Marondedze who passed away in September 2016 left a great trail that deserves recognition.
Against all odds, Marondedze (75) became an educationist in the early 60s, starting as a temporary teacher, becoming a headmaster and then an Education Officer for Gutu and Mwenezi Districts from the late 80s to 2000.
After attaining a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Zimbabwe Marondedze got promoted to the position of District Education Officer (DEO) now District Schools Inspector (DSI) and later on, Education Officer (Education Officer).
He was one of a kind. From 1980 to 1984 he was the headmaster of Rafamoyo Primary School, a school he helped attain higher educational and other standards making it a gem in the district.
Rafamoyo school was the first among rural schools of its kind to have electrification of teachers’ houses by 1980 while Gutu United Primary School was also the first of its kind to introduce a school printed magazine and a centralised radio communication system that linked all classrooms with the headmaster’s office.
Teachers could communicate with the head and other teachers at the switch of a microphone. He also introduced primary schools quiz shows, something which was unheard of in rural schools, let alone primary schools.
He always thought from outside the box.
His years in the civil service did nothing to assuage his passion for social justice, something that has always been at the bossom of the Roman Catholic Church.
He made spirited contributions towards the work of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP), opening the Masvingo office in 1989 as its Chairman.
His role at the CCJP saw him being part of the election observer team in the 1994 elections in Malawi.
He was an active lay Catholic participating in relevant guilds and societies and for the good of the church.
With an artistic streak, he contributed to Shona poetry publications in the 70s and was an able organiser and opinion leader gifted with the power of speech.
For this, he was regarded as an asset at social functions where he always left a mark, educating, inspiring and provoking thoughts.
Wherever he went, he left visible footprints that endeared him to those he was fortunate enough to meet and pursue common interests.
He formed pseudo-kin relations so easily that no one could tell who he was not related to in his workplace and even in his social circles.
In his extended family, he was the go-to man who sat between enemies inveterate enabling them to eat from the same plate.
A genuine man, he was so strategic in his praises to those who deserved none, often times helping them to see themselves differently and aspiring for bettering themselves.
Complications of the heart and the need to concentrate on his Cibi Park farm in Mvuma led him to early retirement in year 2000, where he resided with his now late wife Margaret Rosie Marondedze.
Family and friends of Marondedze laid him to rest on the 24th of September 2016.
At the time of his demise he was retired and alone after the departure of his wife, to whom he devoted praises for the remainder of his life after her death in 2012.
He is survived by 9 children and 21 grandchildren. Source: Masvingo Mirror
The MDC leadership led by the Secretary General Hon. Chalton Hwende and Local Government Secretary, Eng. Elias Mudzuri today held a crisis meeting with the acting Mayor of Harare and a team of his councilors to appreciate the water crisis in the capital city as well as the decision to shut down water supplies to residents.
The party was satisfied with the explanation given by the leadership of council that the city had run out of chemicals and could not afford to pump dirty water to the residents without risking a disease outbreak. The acting mayor and councilors also assured the party that they had run around and secured some reprieve for the residents when they accessed some chemicals which are already on site to ensure that water supplies resume immediately, at least for a few days while a permanent solution is being worked out.
Currently, water treatment has begun at the city’s water works and the precious liquid is expected to start trickling into residents’ homes by end of day today.
It emerged from the meeting that central government is at the centre of the current water crisis bedeviling the capital city. Government is the biggest debtor to the Harare city council while there has been no movement in the past 20 years in terms of the construction of the Kunzwi dam, which is expected to provide a permanent solution to Harare’s dire water situation. The Kunzwi dam project has been Zanu PF’s campaign issue in every election since 1995 but to date, nothing has been done.
It also emerged that government has centralized the procurement of water chemicals and every day, council awaits to get the trinkets in terms of water chemicals as and when the scarce foreign currency becomes available at the central bank.
The other challenge is that Harare City Council’s 2019 budget was pegged in US dollars and the government‘s decision to ban the use of hard currency has distorted the budgeted pricing system. The move also ensured that the little funds now available in RTGS to council can hardly sustain critical operations such as water supplies, among other key obligations of council.
So dire is the situation in Harare that council collects$15 million RTGS every month against a projected monthly expenditure of $45 million for water treatment chemicals alone. The $15 million RTGS is inadequate for water treatment chemicals, let alone other key obligations of council.
The MDC is happy that the Harare City council is working hard under the circumstances to ensure that residents get water, including ensuring that water bowsers are provided in the communities and that the boreholes in the various wards of the city are working so that at any given moment, there is constant water supply to the residents.
The MDC hopes that government will play its part in alleviating the crisis bedeviling the capital city by clearing its huge debt owed to council as well as providing a permanent water solution by ensuring that the Kunzwi water project becomes more than an election message that is bandied about ahead of every election.
Sanctions are a blunt instrument affecting the poor and the vulnerable. We have seen arguments saying sanctions are not affecting Zimbabwe's economy and we have said, then remove them. Why keep them if they are not effective? Everybody knows that this is never about travel bans pic.twitter.com/UIzLuNS7y5
Sanctions are a blunt instrument affecting the poor and the vulnerable. We have seen arguments saying sanctions are not affecting Zimbabwe's economy and we have said, then remove them. Why keep them if they are not effective? Everybody knows that this is never about travel bans pic.twitter.com/UIzLuNS7y5
Farai Dziva|SuperSport United coach Kaitano Tembo has explained his outburst towards referee Khulekani Thusi during his side’s 3-1 loss to Polokwane City on Saturday.
Tembo approached the referee at the end of the first half and launched a verbal attack on the match official.
According to the gaffer, he wanted to talk about Onismor Bhasera’s red card which he believed was a bad call. The defender was adjudged to have made a crude challenge on Sibusiso Hlubi.
“When we play we just want to play football, we are not a team that complains about match officials but what is important is for the referees to be a little bit consistent,” Tembo told The Citizen newspaper.
“The reason I went to him was because I wanted to speak to him about the red card and tell him that he had made a mistake.
“It was a dubious red card where it should have been the other way around and it has been happening in other games where the red card could have gone the other side. Sometimes you have to take it and move one.
He is the one who was kicked. He got to the ball and got the injury,” he added.
By A Correspondent- An ugly fist fight broke out during service inside St Agnes Anglican Church in Mutare on Sunday, pitting Masvingo Provincial Development Co-ordinator Mr Fungai Mbetsa, on one side and Mr Tinotenda Magada on the other.
St Agnes Anglican Church for a while has been a hotbed of factional fights and on Sunday a normal praise and worship session came to a halt as members from feuding factions clashed.
Video scenes typical of a nightclub brawl have since gone viral on social media depicting chaos that rocked the church service on Sunday with members insulting, pushing and shoving each other.
Mr Mbetsa concurred that the church session did not come to a logical conclusion because of “political issues in the Anglican church”.
“I only attended a church service as usual. The church session did not end well because of many reasons which I cannot reiterate. I did not see any problem with me attending the service because I was born an Anglican and will remain one. These political issues in the Anglican Church started long back and we are even trying to end them, which is however becoming so difficult for us,” he said.
A congregate, who requested anonymity fearing victimisation, said the violence occurred when Mr Tinotenda Magada tried to block Mr Mbetsa from putting an offering and this angered the later to the extent that he attacked Mr Magada.
“This ignited a fight between the two as fists were exchanged in the church without any of them respecting the place of worship. It is now a policy in Anglican that there should be one service under two different reverends and two different offering bowls.
Mr Magada, who was also among the congregants, could not give a comment when he was contacted but referred this publication to his lawyer who was not reachable at the time of going to print.
Farai Dziva|Warriors star Marvelous Nakamba is keen to be an example to the Zimbabwean youngsters and use his influence to inspire them.
The 25-year-old became the first Zimbabwean player in eight years since Benjani Mwaruwari to play in the English Premier League. He has so far made two league starts for Aston Villa after joining them in August and has earned praises from both the coach and the club fans.
“It’s good for my country to have someone representing them, and I also think it’s good for the upcoming players, the young ones back home,” he told BBC Sport.
“I think they can believe and have faith that nothing is impossible.”
The midfielder adds that he is still settling and will play with all the effort when given a chance.
“This is my first year here, I am still trying to settle, to learn and give everything every time I am given the opportunity to play,” he said.
Nakamba joins former Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar, Coventry City star Peter Ndlovu and Manchester City striker Mwaruwari on the list of Zimbabweans who have featured in the English top-flight division.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland
By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has expressed optimism of pushing the country’s national interests on the global stage following his meetings with the Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg and Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland.
Said President Emmerson Mnangagwa who is attending the UN General Assembly:
“Excellent day yesterday at the UN, including productive meetings with Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg and Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg
Now beginning another busy day as we push for the interests of the Zimbabwean people on the global stage.”
Harare City Council has found contingent supplies of chemicals to resume water production 3 hours from now.
The suppliers of the chemicals have been paid. The other quantities are coming from Bulawayo and are expected to arrive this evening.
Pumping to residents will be progressive from one area to another. Western suburbs will begin to receive water 8 hours from production start while the CBD and Mbare, Highfield/Sunningdale will access water after 12 hours/midnight.
The secured quantities will only last seven days during which period other quantities will be secured. We are currently engaging all stakeholders that include Government to find lasting solutions.
By A Correspondent- Deputy Information Minister has blasted the party’s youth wing saying that it was full of crap hence the reason why Zanu Pf always failed to garner votes in urban constituencies during elections.
Mutodi said this while responding to comments by a Zanu Pf youth league official Tendai Chirau who described the deputy minister as a liability not only to the party but the nation.
Said Mutodi
“Ranking an institution and giving it its proper position is unpatriotic. I don’t know why the ruling party continues to rely on these dunderheads. Probably explains why we have failed in urban constituencies. The youth league is full of crap.”
Below is Chirau’s earlier tweet:
“I repeat once again,@energymutodi is not only a liability to Government but a liability to his own country. It’s unfortunate that the supposed to be energetic Minister has energy to discredit his own institutions.He is supposed to be a promoter of Zim institutions … The comments quoted by this publication are indeed mine. I did not study at MSU but at UZ. MSU has produced some of the best brains. I can not mention all of them by name.”
By A Correspondent- The ruling ZANU PF party has been angered by the opposition MDC’s calls to the United Nations (UN) to declare President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his party a terrorist organisation for killing civilians during protests.
In a statement on Monday, Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo hit back at the MDC, saying the opposition party has declared war on ZANU PF.
He said:
The offensive pronouncement by the MDC party as reflected in the so-called independent media, that they intend to submit a petition to the UN during its 74th General Assembly sitting that Mnangagwa and the revolutionary Zanu PF be declared terrorists ‘for the killing of civilians during public protests’ is shameful.
This is a very serious allegation which borders on the declaration of war on Zanu PF and its revered leader.
The security services were found guilty of killing 6 unarmed civilians on 1 August last year by the Kgalema Motlanthe Commission. Though the Commission recommended that those found guilty should be punished, nothing has been done by the authorities.
Again, in January, more than a dozen people were killed after riots broke out across the country following an unprecedented fuel price hike. This was followed by a spate of abductions and torture of doctors, union leaders, comedians and human rights activists.
Farai Dziva|Barcelona captain Lionel Messi was on Tuesday crowned the world’s player of the year at the 2019 FIFA awards.
Messi went ahead of Virgil van Dijk and Cristiano Ronaldo to scoop the award.
Ronaldo didn’t vote for either of his rivals and opted to pick Juventus teammate Matthijs de Ligt as his first choice, followed by another former Ajax player Frenkie de Jong and PSG’s Kylian Mbappe.
Messi, however, put his long-time rival as runner-up behind Liverpool’s Sadio Mane who didn’t make it into the final nominees.
Mane was also placed on top of Eden Hazard’s list while Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez put him in second.
Van Dijk who finished second in the category picked winner Messi as his best player and placed his Liverpool team-mates Mane and Mo Salah in second and third positions respectively, snubbing Ronaldo.
Anyone who says MSU is not a good university either lives in the past or is a GIGANTIC IGNORAMUS.
One MSU science researcher as I type got the biggest funded research grant from Europe and their law school is doing enormously. When institutions and people do good, lets applaud.
Dear Pres Mnangagwa: Out of respect, due courtesy to your office, it is in the interest of your gov and Zimbabwe to fire deputy Minister Mutodi. You may keep him coz of the mug/boss stunt but every time he opens his mouth he damages your gov. Now, without cause he attacks MSU.
The University of Pretoria leads at the moment and its Vice Chancellor is a proud Zimbabwean called Prof Khupe. Thats beside the point. My point is that you are an embarrassing clown. MSU through the work of Prof Bhebhe and others is a great university doing very well in research.-Dr Pedzisai Ruhanya
Dear Editor-While it is false that targeted sanctions affect the people of Zimbabwe, our position as a party, because of our leniency and statesmanship, is that sanctions, targeted or not, must go but after Zanu PF is GONE.
Harare, September 24, 2019 –The United States Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing an additional US$41.9 million in funding to respond to the critical food security situation in Zimbabwe between October 2019 and April 2020. The funding will ensure that more than one million rural Zimbabweans have access to adequate food supplies before the next harvest.
“The United States is proud to be part of a coordinated response to the humanitarian situation,” said Ambassador Brian A. Nichols. “These contributions will enable USAID to scale up its emergency response over the coming months.
We will work closely with the World Food Programme (WFP) to ensure that Zimbabweans in dire need of assistance have access to lifesaving food. While we recognize that there is currently a need for this type of assistance, humanitarian assistance alone is not enough. The root causes of food insecurity and poverty must be tackled for Zimbabweans to end chronic food insecurity for good.
The United States urges the Government of Zimbabwe to implement a market-based agriculture policy and eradicate corruption in its subsidy programs, which severely exacerbate the very problems of food insecurity they are purportedly intended to solve.”
On August 6, the United States announced US$45 million in funding to the WFP to provide food rations and cash transfers in response to the UN Flash appeal. These food and cash distributions will help improve the nutrition of vulnerable Zimbabweans and alleviate suffering for those affected by food insecurity.
Today’s additional contribution will bring the total U.S. humanitarian funding in response to the 2019/20 lean season to US$86.9 million. These resources are in addition to US$15 million in emergency food security funding from the United States announced in February of this year in support of 2018/19 lean season needs under the UN Flash appeal and US$7.9 million in Cyclone Idai response funding.
These contributions bring the total U.S. contribution to emergency needs in Zimbabwe to $109.8 million in 2019 and make the United States the largest bilateral donor to emergency humanitarian assistance in Zimbabwe.
“WFP is grateful for this generous new contribution from the American people, which will be key to ensure vulnerable households meet their food and nutrition needs in difficult circumstances,” said WFP Zimbabwe Country Director, Eddie Rowe. “We will continue to provide critical food and livelihood support to the people who are hardest-hit at a time of unprecedented needs.”
In addition to this emergency response, USAID’s programs are improving long-term food security for Zimbabwe by building resilience to future shocks. The United States is providing US$144 million over seven years to non-governmental partners Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture and World Vision to address the underlying causes of chronic food insecurity and malnutrition in rural areas.
USAID has also provided US$20 million over five years through the Feed the Future initiative to Fintrac, Inc. and LEAD Trust to reduce rural poverty and improve food security through increased agricultural production and market linkages for small-scale farmers.
Today’s additional US$41.9 million demonstrates the United States’ continued commitment to assist the people of Zimbabwe during difficult times.
Poor weather conditions in Zimbabwe, including erratic rainfall and long dry spells, combined with poor economic policies, have contributed to increased humanitarian needs across the country.
Farai Dziva|Zanu PF youth league official Tendai Chirawu has described Deputy Information Minister Energy Mutodi as a liability to government and the nation.
“I repeat once again,@energymutodi is not only a liability to Government but a liability to his own country.
It’s unfortunate that the supposed to be energetic Minister has energy to discredit his own institutions.He is supposed to be a promoter of Zim institutions …
The comments quoted by this publication are indeed mine. I did not study at MSU but at UZ. MSU has produced some of the best brains. I can not mention all of them by name,” charged Chirau.
Mutodi responded :For Tendai Chirau, ranking an institution and giving it its proper position is unpatriotic. I don’t know why the ruling party continues to rely on these dunderheads. Probably explains why we have failed in urban constituencies. The youth league is full of crap.”
Farai Dziva|Zanu PF youth league official Tendai Chirau has described Deputy Information Minister Energy Mutodi as a liability to government and the nation.
“I repeat once again,@energymutodi is not only a liability to Government but a liability to his own country.
It’s unfortunate that the supposed to be energetic Minister has energy to discredit his own institutions.He is supposed to be a promoter of Zim institutions …
The comments quoted by this publication are indeed mine. I did not study at MSU but at UZ. MSU has produced some of the best brains. I can not mention all of them by name,” charged Chirau.
Mutodi responded :For Tendai Chirau, ranking an institution and giving it its proper position is unpatriotic. I don’t know why the ruling party continues to rely on these dunderheads. Probably explains why we have failed in urban constituencies. The youth league is full of crap.”
MDC Students Council Speaks On NUST Students Harassment
The failure by ED to address the economic meltdown of Zimbabwe has left the life of a student miserable and horrendous. There is no doubt that the economic teething troubles are negatively impacting our studies.
We are facing high accommodation costs while our parents’ salaries remain meager and useless against the hyperinflation in the country. It is clear that the overall pass rate is going to drop due to power cuts which also make it impossible to access information on the internet.
In addition, accessibility to the internet is now hard due to the ever increasing costs of data and Wi-Fi.
Some students stay far from campus and commuting is now difficult due to high transport costs following fuel hikes. The few zupco buses available in a few colleges cannot meet the number of students to be ferried. Most students can no longer afford descend meals at campuses.
Due to all these hardships, education which is supposed to be a right and the government’s responsibility for it to be accessible is now difficult to acquire! In short, Education in Zimbabwe is now meant for the elite. The education itself has become meaningless as the streets of Zimbabwe are flooded with jobless graduates engaging in all sorts of shameless activities !!!
We also note with concern the ban of NUST demonstration which left some student leaders illegally arrested. The arrested comrades include Joseph Nyamayaro who is in the src board, Tanaka Charamba, Ruramai Sithole, Peace Takudzwa, Daniel Miracle and many more. NUST students had planned their demonstration following strike by lecturers who are complaining about poor salaries and poor working conditions.
Education and peaceful demonstrations are rights and it is sad that the two are being extremely violated by the government itself.
The ban of NUST demonstration and the arrest of students as well as abductions of members of the opposition and civic societies is a flawless indication that ED has no solutions to the economic decay in the country.
As students, our message to ED is clear. We are not going to bear this anymore. ED should address the illegitimate crisis in the country which he is absolutely not willing to do. It’s time to take the legal action against ED or else we fold our hands watching our future being thrown into a cesspool.
We are very much aware that the government is trying to instill fear in its citizens through a series of abductions of those who raise their genuine concerns for the government to address. However, that is not going to deter us from demanding the government to address the economic issues affecting students.
We are demanding that the president should solve the issue of legitimacy crisis in Zimbabwe. As students, our message to ED is clear!!! We are giving him an ultimatum and we are already awake from our slumber.
Farai Dziva|The MDC Students Council has said Emmerson Mnangagwa must resolve the legitimacy issue in Zimbabwe to avoid a total economic implosion.
See the MDC Students Council statement :
The failure by ED to address the economic meltdown of Zimbabwe has left the life of a student miserable and horrendous. There is no doubt that the economic teething troubles are negatively impacting our studies.
We are facing high accommodation costs while our parents’ salaries remain meager and useless against the hyperinflation in the country. It is clear that the overall pass rate is going to drop due to power cuts which also make it impossible to access information on the internet.
In addition, accessibility to the internet is now hard due to the ever increasing costs of data and Wi-Fi.
Some students stay far from campus and commuting is now difficult due to high transport costs following fuel hikes. The few zupco buses available in a few colleges cannot meet the number of students to be ferried. Most students can no longer afford descend meals at campuses.
Due to all these hardships, education which is supposed to be a right and the government’s responsibility for it to be accessible is now difficult to acquire! In short, Education in Zimbabwe is now meant for the elite. The education itself has become meaningless as the streets of Zimbabwe are flooded with jobless graduates engaging in all sorts of shameless activities !!!
We also note with concern the ban of NUST demonstration which left some student leaders illegally arrested. The arrested comrades include Joseph Nyamayaro who is in the src board, Tanaka Charamba, Ruramai Sithole, Peace Takudzwa, Daniel Miracle and many more. NUST students had planned their demonstration following strike by lecturers who are complaining about poor salaries and poor working conditions.
Education and peaceful demonstrations are rights and it is sad that the two are being extremely violated by the government itself.
The ban of NUST demonstration and the arrest of students as well as abductions of members of the opposition and civic societies is a flawless indication that ED has no solutions to the economic decay in the country.
As students, our message to ED is clear. We are not going to bear this anymore. ED should address the illegitimate crisis in the country which he is absolutely not willing to do. It’s time to take the legal action against ED or else we fold our hands watching our future being thrown into a cesspool.
We are very much aware that the government is trying to instill fear in its citizens through a series of abductions of those who raise their genuine concerns for the government to address.
However, that is not going to deter us from demanding the government to address the economic issues affecting students.
We are demanding that the president should solve the issue of legitimacy crisis in Zimbabwe. As students, our message to ED is clear!!! We are giving him an ultimatum and we are already awake from our slumber.
Farai Dziva|The MDC Youth Assembly has slammed the arrest and detention of NUST students.
In a statement the MDC Youth Assembly described the harassment of NUST students as barbaric.
See the full statement :
The MDC Youth Assembly is riled by the barbaric state behavior exhibited by the illegal arrest and detention of 13 NUST students today.
It is regrettable and quite saddening that the ever blundering regime keeps on trampling on civil liberties enshrined in the country’s constitution willy nilly.
As an Assembly, we strongly believe that the right to education which the NUST students are clamouring for is the prime indicator of any society that is ready achieve transformation and development.
As such quashing and trampling the right to education is self defeating and at worst a symbol of cowardice, barbarism and retrogression.
We are of a strong conviction that for our universities to produce best graduates, they should resemble a universitas where lecturers and students meet to share new horizons of knowledge instead of resembling a war zone that is being propagated by this military regime.
As such the MDC Youth Assembly demands the unconstitutional release and compensation of the detained NUST students.
The continued detention of these students is not only a declaration of war to the student community but young people and all the progressive forces of our society.
The MDC Youth Assembly is riled, disgusted and nauseated by continued abuse of the public sphere by the illegitimate Emmerson Mnangagwa’s military regime to pursue its parochial agendas hiding under the public interest smokescreen.
We note with regret and disdain the recent manoeuvres by the unrepentant and unreformed Mnangagwa administration’s continued abuse of public funded media institutions.
It is overtly clear that Mnangagwa’s so called ‘New Dispensation’ has learnt everything and forgot nothing from his predecessor’s regime that literally turned a whole public broadcaster into a narrow caster for ZANU PF and Mugabe family propaganda.
ZBC listeners and viewers are currently undergoing a serious punishment in form of a mental psyching from an institution whose funding is derived from public funds in which they are forced to listen and buy in to a sanctions mantra that does not resonate with the genuine cause of their suffering.
Yes, ZBC listeners and viewers know very well that the cause of the country’s problems is an illegitimate anti people military regime that went on a rampage killing innocent and defenseless citizens on 01 August 2018 and not some travel embargo on a few elite yet they are forced to bear the brunt of listening to an anti-sanctions sermon on a supposedly public broadcaster that owes its existence to their pockets.
It is lamentable that to ZBC public interest has since been redefined to mean Mnangagwa and military cabal’s selfish interests!
We know very well that all this spirited overtures by Mnangagwa’s administration to have targeted embargoes lifted is not going to help ordinary citizens but will aid a few corrupt cabal who have off shore accounts to enjoy the loot in luxurious Western destinations.
As an Assembly, we are very clear that the biggest sanctions in our land is a political party that has left a trail of plunder and destruction and that party is ZANU PF!
The biggest sanctions in our land is a political grouping that abduct political opponents and that grouping is fronted by Emmerson Mnangagwa!
Yes, no sanction is bigger than a political establishment that ensures that 40 years after independence, we remain with ZBC TV as a solitary television broadcaster on the land!
Farai Dziva| Robert Mugabe was truly buried in Zvimba.
ZimEye reveals the exact spot where he was laid to rest.
If you ever dreamt that the Mugabe family would hand the former Zanu PF legend’s body to Emmerson Mnangagwa, keep on hallucinating. It’s too late.
President Robert Mugabe was buried in Zvimba in the wee hours of Tuesday last week.
ZimEye has photograhic evidence. The burial was done exactly as President Mugabe’s nephew, Leo, had told ZimEye days before. Speaking to ZimEye, Leo said no journalist would be allowed when Mugabe is buried.
ZimEye then published a string of explosive exclusives from his own words which state media outlets local and international failed to fathom.
So diligent was the capturing by ZimEye of the family’s exact statements such that on the prior Friday, Leo introduced his press address by mentioning ZimEye by name as the pivot of what was needed to be unraveled and understood by the whole world. It was an important juncture or pointer in the entire burial program. It was thus because of the indepth expose’ by ZimEye that the whole program was altered and the Sunday Heroes Acre burial was cancelled.
Speaking before the SABC and other international outlets at the Mugabe family’s Blue Roof residence, Leo cryptically said, “our ZimEye I’m sure, they are distorting things that we are talking about, but I understand why…cause there is some various misunderstanding arising out of the function that was supposed to happen on Sunday.
“And on my trying to understand, from the questions that you asked me, I then took those questions forward to try and understand exactly what that is supposed to achieve. Eeeeh, and now I have a bit more clarity, that there is no-oooooooo, Heroes on Sunday. Okay?
“And the fact that, the chief and traditional leaders went to the heroes acre to show each other President Mugabe is going to be buried, the place will take about 30 days to be complete, so, what that means is the burial will take that long.
The actual burial. So I thought I must make that clarification so that everybody…”
Did the family finally bend to the demands by ZANU PF? Leo was very clear and he was consistently on camera declaring that there would be two burials, a government one done according to modern dictates in which “they will be burying something else,” and secondly a traditional one done secretly in which the real corpse is laid to rest.
THE BURIAL
It was a secret operation done by chiefs according to royal tradition. President Mugabe was buried at a small hill cave, in Dombwe Zvimba.
ZimEye reveals the photograph of his resting place.
The area is a secret eternal sanctuary for chiefs and no woman is allowed near there. There is a traditional belief that a woman who is on her periods can end up literally disappearing due to her “spiritual” uncleanness. In the same vein, a woman who has just been intimate will be deemed unclean and suffer the same fate. She will vanish and never be found.
Present at the scene were some of Mugabe’s cousins (vazukuru), including one surnamed and only known as “Tagwirei” known for being extremely vocal. He is seen holding a special spiritual book in which are the secrets of the area. The book also has instructions on burial processions pointing to where Mugabe had to be rested.
His wife Grace was excluded from the burial ceremony. ZimEye could not obtain a convincing explanation why she was excluded and the closest that could-be inferred was what the late 95 year-old’s nephew had said when he communicated a week before that everything will be done in private, you will not know anything about it. We do not want to see you anywhere near there.
President Robert Mugabe was buried whole body out, without a coffin. His body should never be found, in the same fashion treated the last King of Zimbabwe, Lobengula.
Meanwhile, the Mugabe family is on video sounding out the special role ZimEye has played to expose plans to seize the former President’s body in what strongly appears to be a fight for legitimacy.
This development, that is the secret burial, is a slap in the face and puts an eternal seal against attempts by Emmerson Mnangagwa to seize Mugabe’ body while publishing in the state media allegations that Mugabe never backed Mnangagwa’s nemesis, Nelson Chamisa.
EXCLUSIVE PHOTO & VIDEO HOVER THE AREA-
ZimEye is releasing details of the geographical location only to our subscribers and the evidence is be released in two grades:
Subscribers (Twitter &FB): – Picture of the burial place.
Supporters: – Picture + Video Hover over the cover area Google satellite footage (3km square radius), + a LIVE engagement over the matter due to take place at 4pm Tuesday. Should we also drop the exact coordinates, and what will Mnangagwa do?
The MDC leadership led by the Secretary General Hon. Chalton Hwende and Local Government Secretary, Eng. Elias Mudzuri today held a crisis meeting with the acting Mayor of Harare and a team of his councilors to appreciate the water crisis in the capital city as well as the decision to shut down water supplies to residents.
The party was satisfied with the explanation given by the leadership of council that the city had run out of chemicals and could not afford to pump dirty water to the residents without risking a disease outbreak. The acting mayor and councilors also assured the party that they had run around and secured some reprieve for the residents when they accessed some chemicals which are already on site to ensure that water supplies resume immediately, at least for a few days while a permanent solution is being worked out.
Currently, water treatment has begun at the city’s water works and the precious liquid is expected to start trickling into residents’ homes by end of day today.
It emerged from the meeting that central government is at the centre of the current water crisis bedeviling the capital city. Government is the biggest debtor to the Harare city council while there has been no movement in the past 20 years in terms of the construction of the Kunzwi dam, which is expected to provide a permanent solution to Harare’s dire water situation.
The Kunzwi dam project has been Zanu PF’s campaign issue in every election since 1995 but to date, nothing has been done. It also emerged that government has centralized the procurement of water chemicals and every day, council awaits to get the trinkets in terms of water chemicals as and when the scarce foreign currency becomes available at the central bank.
The other challenge is that Harare City Council’s 2019 budget was pegged in US dollars and the government‘s decision to ban the use of hard currency has distorted the budgeted pricing system. The move also ensured that the little funds now available in RTGS to council can hardly sustain critical operations such as water supplies, among other key obligations of council.
So dire is the situation in Harare that council collects$15 million RTGS every month against a projected monthly expenditure of $45 million for water treatment chemicals alone. The $15 million RTGS is inadequate for water treatment chemicals, let alone other key obligations of council.
The MDC is happy that the Harare City council is working hard under the circumstances to ensure that residents get water, including ensuring that water bowsers are provided in the communities and that the boreholes in the various wards of the city are working so that at any given moment, there is constant water supply to the residents.
The MDC hopes that government will play its part in alleviating the crisis bedeviling the capital city by clearing its huge debt owed to council as well as providing a permanent water solution by ensuring that the Kunzwi water project becomes more than an election message that is bandied about ahead of every election.
Luke Tamborinyoka Deputy National SpokespersonMovement For Democratic Change
By A Correspondent- A member of the Zimbabwe Republic Police has appeared before the courts for obstructing justice after he reportedly assisted Chinese nationals to escape after they were found in possession of ivory.
Wonder Tawanda Kwaramba, appeared before a Chiredzi Magistrate for allegedly facilitating the escape of seven Chinese nationals who were on bail for the unlawful possession of 20 kg of rhino horns.
The accused is now facing three charges, defeating the course of justice, smuggling (after he illegally imported a Toyota Hilux) and fraud.
The state alleges that detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Victoria Falls were informed by reliable sources that the accused was dining with the Chinese nationals.
The detectives made investigations and realized that the Chinese nationals had not reported at CID Victoria Falls as per their bail conditions and had vacated their premises.
They tracked the Toyota Hilux which the Chinese nationals were using and discovered that Kwaramba had driven it through Gonarezhou checkpoint before heading to Sango border post.
The state also alleges that at Sango border post, Kwaramba assisted the Chinese nationals to cross the border into Mozambique.
Kwaramba was arrested on his way back from Sango border post.
The accused was denied bail and remanded in custody to 4 October.
By A Correspondent- A 34-year-old man from Zvishavane is in trouble after he allegedly impreg_nated a minor related to the First Family.
Aleck Nyoni from Chief Masunda’s area recently appeared before the courts for impreg_nating a 13-year-old Grade 7 pupil (name withheld to protect her identity).
Nyoni pleaded guilty when he appeared before presiding Magistrate Achy Wochiunga.
In mitigation, the accused told the court that he had not been aware that the complainant was a juvenile as she had features of an adult woman.
He sensationally told the court that he was willing to take the child as his wife.
”The girl’s appearance deceived men as she is all grown up,” said Nyoni.
The court heard that on a date unknown sometime last year, Nyoni met the Juvenile at a river, proposed love and she consented. Over a short space of time, their relationship escalated and reportedly had se_xual interc0urse several times.
The matter only came to light in July after the grandmother discovered that the minor was preg_nant, leading to a report being lodged with the Zvishavane police.
The High Court has ordered the police to allow Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association leader Dr Peter Magombeyi to travel to South Africa to seek and access urgent specialist medical treatment.
This followed the police action to blocked the tortured doctor’s trip to South Africa forcing his lawyers to seek legal recourse.
By Nomusa Garikai: “On the monetary side, yes, we have introduced one currency. For the first six weeks it remained stable, but then our people are intelligent. We have people who found ways to fight that (stability of the currency) and undermine it, but yesterday (Friday) we also became smarter than them and so we took some action,” boasted President Emerson Mnangagwa.
“We have now arrested the galloping rate which was galloping from about eight, within few days it had gone up 10, and 20, by the time we left it had gone down and I think today it is about 14.”
Every time Mnangagwa has admitted there was a problem he has followed this up with a solution to the problem. In other words he has admitted a problem only as an excuse to offer a solution and thus show the world just how smart he is! If the truth be told, here the truth is the only currency, he is not smart at all.
At the beginning of the year, the Bond Note, the country default local currency, was on par to the US Dollar; today, nine months latter, it is trading at 14:1! Some smart leader, indeed!
The root cause of Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown is the country cursed pariah state status.
Zimbabwe is a pariah state ruled by incompetent, corrupt vote rigging and murderous tyrants. As much as President Mnangagwa has tried to put some political distance between his post November 2017 military coup regime with that of the late Robert Mugabe; calling his regime a “new dispensation”, “Second Republic”, etc. The Zanu PF dictatorship has remained untouched or be it under new management.
Mnangagwa promised “zero tolerance on corruption” and yet two years since the coup and he has yet to arrest one Marange diamond looter. “Corruption is deeply rooted,” he admitted.
He also promised free, fair and credible elections but, again, failed to deliver. But above all else, by blatantly rigging the elections he confirmed that Zimbabwe was still a pariah state.
The Zimbabwe economy is in total meltdown because for the country has been starved of any meaningful investment for the last two decades. Investors do not do business in a pariah state.
Cure Zimbabwe’s pariah state curse and investors and investment will flood back into the country. And the pariah state cure is for the vote rigging Zanu PF regime to step down to allow the appointment of an interim administration that will be tasked to implement reforms and deliver free, fair and credible elections.
As long as Zimbabwe remains a pariah state ruled by vote rigging thugs the economic meltdown will get worse; the 14:1 Z$ to US$ exchange rate will get a lot worse smart Alec’s pride and joy, will get a lot worse; etc.
When President Mnangagwa staged his November 2017 putsch and launched his “Zimbabwe is open for business!” complete with the multi-coloured trademark scarf; there was not a single grain of doubt in his Sahara desert expense mind that the economic boom that was to follow. Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown has got a lot worse than it was in 20017; it must be every hard for him to admit this.
By burying his head in the sand and pretending he is smarter than he is; deluding himself that he can still deliver economic recovery and still keep the pariah state; Mnangagwa is digging the nation into deeper and deeper trouble. Zimbabwe’s worsening economic meltdown is not only resulting in currency instability but the very survival of this nation is now at stake.
It is said of the Greek Philosopher, Socrates, that he admitted t being the wisest man in Athens but only because he alone was prepared to admit his own ignorance rather than pretend to know something he did not.
Zimbabwe’s worst curse is to be stuck for 39 years and counting with smart-Alec leaders who will not admit they have failed even in the face of a mountain of evidence of their failures!
THE family of Dr Peter Magombeyi, the leader of Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) has petitioned the High Court seeking an order to interdict Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers from preventing him to travel to South Africa to access urgent specialist medical services.
In an urgent chamber application filed on Monday 23 September 2019 at the High Court, Kingstone Manetswa Magombeyi, the father of Dr Magombeyi, who is represented by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, argued that his son had been prevented by some ZRP officers from travelling to South Africa to access urgent health care services that are not locally available in Zimbabwe.
The lawyers argued that Dr Magombeyi, a survivor of an enforced disappearance, who is currently receiving medical treatment at a local medical facility requires urgent health care services that are not locally available in Zimbabwe but offered in neighbouring South Africa.
The lawyers indicated that the preliminary medical assessments done on Dr Magombeyi reveal possible physical harm and psychological trauma hence it is imperative that the ZHDA leader receives the best possible health care to enable him to fully recover so as to be in a position to assist ZRP officers and any other stakeholders in the discovery of the truth as to what really happened to him between 14 September 2019 and 19 September 2019, when he was disappeared and later found.
However, some ZRP officers, who were deployed to camp outside Dr Magombeyi’s hospital room without his concern, denied him the right to leave Zimbabwe on 23 September 2019 to South Africa, where he is due to receive specialist health care services.
The lawyers argued that the ZRP officers’ actions are not authorised by law as Dr Magombeyi is a victim of abduction and enforced disappearance and has not been placed under arrest and has also not been accused of committing any offence hence he is entitled to his right to liberty, security of person, freedom of movement and has a further right to access health care services.
The actions of ZRP officers, the lawyers argued, infringe upon Dr Magombeyi’s constitutional rights and he stands to suffer irreparable harm should he be barred from seeking expert medical services and any delay in accessing the medical services required compromises his health and well-being.
The lawyers want the High Court to order ZRP officers to allow Dr Magombeyi to travel to South Africa late on Tuesday 24 September 2019 to access the specialist medical services.
The Officer-In-Charge of Criminal Investigations Department (Law and Order Section) at Harare Central Police Station, ZRP Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga and Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Hon. Cain Mathema have been cited as respondents to the urgent chamber application.
By A Correspondent- Independent election observer, Zimbabwe Election Support Network has expressed great concern over the decision by ruling ZANU PF to use a well known traditional leader as their election agent in the recently held ZAKA East by-election.
ZESN also reports that at another polling station, another village head came putting on ZANU PF regalia.
The election observer says that the two incidents could have intimidated voters.
Part of ZESN’s report reads:
Zesn is, therefore, concerned that at Vhurumuku Primary Scchool, in ward 25 of Zaka East, a well-known headman was serving as a Zanu PF party election agent.
In ward 32, a village head turned up to vote at Machiva polling station wearing Zanu PF regalia. Though he removed the cap and put on a jacket to conceal the Zanu PF T-shirt upon Zec’s instruction, the village head went out and sat at the gate of the school, where the polling station was located, within the vicinity of the polling station, in Zanu PF party regalia.
The report is consistent with remarks which the opposition MDC has been making not so long ago.
Traditional leaders are prohibited by Section 281 of the Constitution to actively participate in politics given their status as natural leaders in society.
The traditional leaders in ZESN report are however not the first after Chief Nhlanhla Ndiweni of Ntabazinduna and Chief Fortune Charumbira, in that order, publicly supported the opposition MDC and ruling ZANU PF.
By A Correspondent- Mukuru, a financial services company, has announced that it was now offering bureaux de change services.
The company has over the past few years been offering financial services in Zimbabwe, enabling recipients of remittances from the diaspora.
It allows users to send money to countries such as South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi, Pakistan, Kenya, DRC, Nigeria, Lesotho, Mozambique, Uganda and Namibia.
Announcing the newly added platform, the company said:
“Now in the wake of the introduction of SI 142 of 2019, we have expanded our services to include a bureau de change, allowing members of the public to buy and sell foreign currency at competitive rates.
We believe our extensive national coverage will provide a convenient and cost-effective means for people from all walks of life to access this vital service in a safe, secure and efficient way. To date, we have opened branches in Gweru, Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare, Chitungwiza, Victoria Falls. Shortly, we will extend bureau services across our entire network.”
Jane Mlambo| Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) have announced that police are barring the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association President Dr Peter Magombeyi from leaving the country to seek specialised treatment.
Magombeyi was abducted on the 14th of September only to be dumped in Nyabira after five days.
Posting on Twitter, ZLHR said they were forced to approach the High Court to challenge the police action against Magombeyi.
“In violation of Constitution, Police have prevented Dr Magombeyi from leaving Zim to seek further urgent medical, forcing ZLHR to file urgent application at court
“Dr Magombeyi reported case(s) to police such as threats he faced in August 2019 before he was abducted, disappeared & he also reported his abduction on 19 Sept after he was dumped at Nyabira. Police questioned him for several hours about his whereabouts on 19 September
“He was released & sought medical attention. Now Police has prevented him from leaving the country to seek further specialized treatment. Although he is a complainant in cases he reported it is not clear why his rights are being restricted by police,” said ZLHR while posting on Twitter.
ZimEye last night went LIVE right concerning the supposed death of a 25 year old Zimbabwean in JoBurg yesterday on Sunday, Tapiwa Svosve. Concerns were raised that the story lacks evidence. There is no visual evidence of the corpse, no details of the place of murder, and neither details of the incident time. Further concerns have been raised because the UK based announcer rushed to ask for donations Monday afternoon without providing adequate evidence. IS THIS DEATH GENUINE? IF IT IS, HOW CAN CLEARER DETAILS BE OBTAINED?
263chat|Outspoken Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has hit out at the South African opposition Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema over his praise of the late former President Robert Mugabe’s widow Grace saying his praise for the former first lady ignored her alleged case of beating up a young girl in Johannesburg as well as amassing up to five farms in Norton.
In an eight threaded Twitter rant, Mliswa said Malema who has been vocal against the corruption of South Africa’s former President Jacob Zuma had suddenly turned around, ignoring Grace Mugabe’s alleged ownership of five farms in Norton.
Mliswa accused Malema of pushing a G40 agenda citing the attendance of expelled Zanu PF members Saviour Kasukuwere and Patrick Zhuwao at the EFF memorial service of Mugabe at Orlando Stadium.
Below is Mliswa’s thread…
1/I was interested to understand your definition of tormentors…. Oh & by the way, is this strong lady you refer to the same one who displayed such strength beating up a young SA girl, strange you didn’t seem to comment on that….
2/for one who was so vocal against the corruption of @PresJGZuma & talks of opportunism you’re strangely quiet about the 5 Norton farms this “strong woman” has or of the money allegedly stolen by @ProfJNMoyo in Zim & SA..
3/Interesting to note was the “G40” presence that greeted your arrival. Was there any particular reason this visit was made in the absence of @edmnangagwa & that respects were not paid to either himself or his office as protocol dictates?
4/No small surprise the presence of a certain group of Zimbabweans at the service for the late RGM at @OrlandoStadium recently
5/The folly of making populist statements is 1. They must appeal to the majority & 2. They mustn’t allow you to lose credibility from those whose popularity you seek.
6/The strong woman’s strength was in the abuse of people & making their lives miserable. The empty National Sports stadium bares testimony to her unpopularity
7/As my brother & comrade @Julius_S_Malema I celebrate & encourage your successes but where you cross the line I must be blunt.
8/Our history indicates the way true comrades & heroes were demeaned upon passing by RGM. Maybe you’re not familiar with stories of Nkomo being forced to flee the country in a dress & other incidents.
Malema was in the country yesterday to pay his condolences to the Mugabe family.
Meanwhile, Mliswa who also tried to visit the Blue Roof to pay his condolences was barred by security guards at the entrance who told him the former first lady was not around. This is despite the fact that she was later seen with Malema and his EFF delegation.
Independent election observer, Zimbabwe Election Support Network has expressed great concern over the decision by ruling ZANU PF to use a well known traditional leader as their election agent in the recently held ZAKA East by-election.
ZESN also reports that at another polling station, another village head came putting on ZANU PF regalia.
The election observer says that the two incidents could have intimidated voters. Part of ZESN’s report reads:
Zesn is, therefore, concerned that at Vhurumuku Primary Scchool, in ward 25 of Zaka East, a well-known headman was serving as a Zanu PF party election agent.
In ward 32, a village head turned up to vote at Machiva polling station wearing Zanu PF regalia. Though he removed the cap and put on a jacket to conceal the Zanu PF T-shirt upon Zec’s instruction, the village head went out and sat at the gate of the school, where the polling station was located, within the vicinity of the polling station, in Zanu PF party regalia.
The report is consistent with remarks which the opposition MDC has been making not so long ago.
Traditional leaders are prohibited by Section 281 of the Constitution to actively participate in politics given their status as natural leaders in society.
The traditional leaders in ZESN report are however not the first after Chief Nhlanhla Ndiweni of Ntabazinduna and Chief Fortune Charumbira, in that order, publicly supported the opposition MDC and ruling ZANU PF.
Pan African Movement members, Martin Ssempa (right) holding a poster of the late Robert Mugabe and Executive chairman Pan African Movement Uganda, Daniel Rugarama during a press conference aimed celebrating the life of Robert Mugabe
Ugandan Pan Africanists under the organization of the Pan African Movement have organized a march in honor of the Late Robert Mugabe, former President of Zimbabwe.
Dr. Martin Ssempa, a renowned member of the Pan African Movement said they would take this opportunity to celebrate the life of Mugabe and what Africans have done.
“There are those who celebrated Mugabe’s death but we want to give honor where honor is due. Mugabe helped in spreading the ideology Liberty” Ssempa said.
Ssempa said they did not have the opportunity to attend the burial ceremony of Mugabe which took place in Harare however they made efforts to secure at least one Bombardier but it was not possible.
The event which will take place on Friday will be entrenched on the theme “ Tracing the Footsteps of African Liberation” where the march will kick off at 2:00 pm from the Freedom Square, to the halls of residence of Nkrumah, Africa, Lumumba, University hall, Mitchell Hall and back to the Freedom Square.
A combination of other activities will take place besides the march and these will include speeches and music among others.
Ssempa condemned the actions of those who were criticising Mugabe and forcing others to believe in their opinions saying those who thought of Mugabe as a villain should not force their opinions of him on others.
The executive director of the Pan African Movement, Daniel Rugarama expounded on the reasons why they had chosen to celebrate the life of Mugabe.
“Here is a man who gave the African person the face of who an African is. He was a member of the frontline for the liberation of South Africa.” Rugarama said.
He also called out on other leaders to learn from Mugabe because if they did not do what Mugabe did, they are sitting on a time bomb.
The event will also acknowledge the achievements of Mugabe especially in liberating the mind of the African person.
Some of the invited guests that Ssempa hope will attend include the Deputy President of Kenya, William Ruto and President Museveni.
One of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s close allies and Zanu-PF Gokwe-Nembudziya MP Justice Mayor Wadyajena has salted the state media for blacking out the names of Sakunda boss Kuda Tagwireyi whose company accounts were frozen last Friday for alleged money laundering.
The Sakunda accounts were frozen by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe after the company allegedly “poured” money in the black market to mop United States Dollars in a development that saw the exchange rate between the Zimbabwean and United States dollar shooting up to US$ 100 = Zim $2500.
While other media houses, in covering the story mentioned Sakunda and Tagwireyi, the State media withheld the name of the business man also with close links to Mnangagwa.
Commenting on the issue, Wadyajena alleged that some senior people in the state media were given fuel coupons in order to withhold Tagwireyi’s identity.
“Dodgy censorship by state/public media in the explosive story on economic saboteurs manipulating our currency. H.E Emmerson D Mnangagwa himself spoke on the thieves and frozen accounts
yet one corrupt charlatan instructs newsrooms to black out names and take down stories in exchange for fuel coupons,” said Wadyajena. ZBC on Friday posted the story on the freezing of Sakunda accounts but quickly pulled off the story from its website and social media platforms.
NewsDay|FIFTEEN National University of Science and Technology (Nust) students were arrested yesterday for staging a demonstration at the college campus.
The students were protesting against the continued industrial action by lecturers who are demanding a pay hike. Only two of the arrested students had been released last night, sources said.
Bulawayo acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele declined to comment on the matter yesterday.The students last week tried to stage another demonstration which was thwarted by police.
Their concern was lecturers were not attending to them for the past three weeks.The most affected students were the parallel classes that have reportedly not been learning since the beginning of this semester.
Student Representative Council president Dennis Mwashita yesterday told Southern Eye that anti-riot police swamped the campus in the morning and crushed the demonstration before arresting some of the students.“Dogs were set loose, students were heavily assaulted and taken into custody,” he said.
“The demonstration is still going on (as at 9am), other students have been displaced, but we are still trying to gather them around. We have been trying to contact the administration, but they are not available or they are not interested.”
In a statement, the SRC president earlier on had said it was now clear that their administration had failed to deliver quality education.
“We regret to inform the authorities that if the official and principal business at a university is denied, we are demanding the halting of any activity on campus.
We must remind the authorities that they have forced us out of class and, indeed, we shall stay out of class unless resolute action is taken to end this crisis,” read the statement.
“It has become clear that our administration has failed to deliver its sacred mandate to provide quality learning in a conducive environment. It is with uncertainty that students are frustrated by the persistent strike by the teaching staff. For about three weeks now, Nust students have not been learning, particularly the parallel students.”
The SRC said ongoing lecturers strike had become a heavy burden on students paying exorbitant prices in rentals, food and transport, but being turned down every day because there were no lectures.
Contacted for comment, Nust spokesperson Felix Moyo said: “On Friday last week, we had agreed with NUSTEDA (Nust Educators Association) to continue with the lectures, we are trying to understand what is going on,” he said.
A memorandum released by Nust administration yesterday read: “This serves to confirm that management has committed to settle obligations arising from the above on a monthly basis, as semester progresses.”.
If you ever dreamt that the Mugabe family would hand the former Zanu PF legend’s burial ceremony to Emmerson Mnangagwa, keep on hallucinating. It’s too late.
By Own Correspondent| President Robert Mugabe’s traditional skin (hide) was buried in his rural home area, Zvimba in the wee hours of Tuesday last week.
ZimEye has photographic evidence. The burial was done exactly as President Mugabe’s nephew, Leo, had told ZimEye days before. Speaking to ZimEye, Leo said no journalist would be invited when Mugabe is buried. ZimEye then published a string of explosive exclusives from his own words which state media outlets local and international failed to fathom. So dilligent was the capturing by ZimEye of the family’s exact statements such that on the prior Friday, Leo introduced his press address by mentioning ZimEye by name as the pivot of what was needed to be unraveled and understood by the whole world. It was an important juncture or pointer in the entire burial program. It was thus because of the indepth expose’ by ZimEye that the whole program was altered and the Sunday Heroes Acre burial was cancelled.
Speaking before the SABC and other international outlets at the Mugabe family’s Blue Roof residence, Leo cryptically said, “our ZimEye I’m sure, they are distorting things that we are talking about, but I understand why…cause there is some various misunderstanding arising out of the function that was supposed to happen on Sunday.
“And on my trying to understand, from the questions that you asked me, I then took those questions forward to try and understand exactly what that is supposed to achieve. Eeeeh, and now I have a bit more clarity, that there is no-oooooooo, Heroes on Sunday. Okay?
“And the fact that, the chief and traditional leaders went to the heroes acre to show each other President Mugabe is going to be buried, the place will take about 30 days to be complete, so, what that means is the burial will take that long. The actual burial. So I thought I must make that clarification so that everybody…”
Did the family finally bend to the demands by ZANU PF? Leo was very clear and seen repeatedly on camera declaring that there would be two burials, a government one done according to modern dictates in which unequivocally said “they will be burying something else,” and secondly, a traditional one, done secretly, in which the real corpse will be laid to rest. (see video) – ARTICLE CONTINUES
THE BURIAL It was a secret operation done by chiefs according to royal tradition. President Mugabe was buried at a small hill cave, in Dombwe Zvimba.
ZimEye reveals the photograph of his resting place.
The area is a secret eternal sanctuary for chiefs and no woman is allowed near there. There is a traditional belief that a woman who is on her periods can end up literally disappearing due to her “spiritual” uncleanness. In the same vein, a woman who has just been intimate will be deemed unclean and suffer the same fate. She will vanish and never be found.
Present at the scene were some of Mugabe’s cousins (vazukuru), including one surnamed and only known as “Tagwirei” known for being extremely vocal. He is seen holding a special spiritual book in which are the secrets of the area. The book also has instructions on burial processions pointing to where Mugabe had to be rested.
The men, at least five in number are seen standing inside the wetland where the cave’s hill sits.
VIDEO LOADING BELOW (continue reading) …
His wife Grace was excluded from the burial ceremony. ZimEye could not obtain a convincing explanation why she was excluded and the closest that could-be inferred was what the late 95 year-old’s nephew had said when he communicated a week before that everything will be done in private, you will not know anything about it. We do not want to see you anywhere near there.
When being buried, Mugabe will be buried whole body out, without a coffin. His body should never be found, in the same fashion treated the last King of Zimbabwe, Lobengula.
Meanwhile, the Mugabe family is on video sounding out the special role ZimEye has played to expose plans to seize the former President’s body in what strongly appears to be a fight for legitimacy.
Efforts to get the latest comment from Leo were fruitless at the time of writing as he was unreachable, but he last week assured ZimEye that reports that the family had agreed to hand over Mugabe’s body were both false and misleading.
This development, that is the secret burial, is a slap in the face and puts an eternal seal against attempts by Emmerson Mnangagwa to seize Mugabe’ body while publishing in the state media allegations that Mugabe never backed Mnangagwa’s nemesis, Nelson Chamisa.
EXCLUSIVE PHOTO & VIDEO HOVER THE AREA-
ZimEye is releasing details of the geographical location only to our subscribers and the evidence is be released in two grades:
Subscribers (Twitter &FB): – Picture of the burial place.
Supporters: – Picture + Video Hover over the cover area Google satellite footage (3km square radius), + a LIVE engagement over the matter due to take place at 4pm Tuesday. In addition to the picture evidence, should we also drop the exact coordinates?
READERS PLEASE NOTE: The LIVE video engagement will load on this same article, so bookmarking is advised
FORMER Primary and Secondary Education minister Lazarous Dokora’s ex-wife, Mercy Hanyani (31), has been issued with a warrant of arrest over malicious damage to property as their divorce case rages on.
According to court papers, on August 5, Hanyani went to Dokora’s house in Harare, broke the door to the cottage, spilled some mealie-meal on the kitchen floor and vandalised some household goods.
The State alleges that the incident occurred when Dokora had left for work at the University of Zimbabwe, where he is a lecturer.After Dokora was gone, Hanyani is said to have gone to the cottage armed with a metal object.
She allegedly tried to open the cottage door, but failed since it was locked.Hanyani then damaged the lock using a metal object and managed to gain entry.
She allegedly spilled some mealie-meal and mahewu around the kitchen floor and also hid a single gas stove plate.
The prosecution alleged that at times, Hanyani would pour water on the fire, while the family was preparing meals.
Reuters|Thomas Cook, the world’s oldest travel firm, collapsed yesterday, stranding hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers around the globe and sparking the largest peacetime repatriation effort in British history. The firm ran hotels, resorts and airlines for 19 million a year in 16 countries, generating revenue in 2018 of US$12 billion.
It currently has 600 000 people abroad, including more than 150 000 British citizens.
Thomas Cook employs 21 000 people and is the world’s oldest travel company, founded in 1841.
The company has US$2,1 billion of debt.
What happens to tourists?
The British government has asked the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to launch a repatriation programme over the next two weeks, from yesterday to October 6, to bring Thomas Cook customers back to the UK.
“Due to the significant scale of the situation, some disruption is inevitable, but the Civil Aviation Authority will endeavour to get people home as close as possible to their planned dates,” it said.
A fleet of aircraft will be used to repatriate British citizens. In a small number of destinations, alternative commercial flights will be used.
About 50 000 tourists are stranded in Greece, mainly on islands, a Greek tourism ministry official told Reuters yesterday.
The CAA has launched a special website, thomascook.caa.co.uk, where affected customers can find details and information on repatriation flights.
For those customers not flying from Britain, alternative arrangements will have to be found. In Germany, a popular customer market for Thomas Cook, insurance companies will coordinate the response.
What is the advice to passengers?
“Customers currently overseas should not travel to the airport until their flight back to the UK has been confirmed on the dedicated website,” the CAA said.
“Thomas Cook customers in the UK yet to travel should not go to the airport as all flights leaving the UK have been cancelled.”
Who will pay for the cost of hotels?
The CAA said it was contacting hotels and other companies likely to be impacted by Thomas Cook’s collapse to reassure them they will be paid.
The regulator said that if holidaymakers are being asked to settle bills they should contact the CAA.
Thomas Cook package holiday customers are covered by ATOL — Air Travel Organiser’s Licence — which protects accommodation and return flights. However, the CAA said some customers may be asked to relocate to other accommodation.
What happens if a holiday is booked for the future?
The CAA says that if customers have not yet started their trips most holidays and flights booked with Thomas Cook are now cancelled and customers should not go to the airport.
The liquidation
Thomas Cook said it had entered compulsory liquidation and an order had been granted to appoint an official receiver to liquidate the company.
AlixPartners UK LLP or KPMG will be appointed as special manager for the different parts of the business.
The industry
The impact is already being felt further afield, with Australian travel group Webjet Ltd (WEB.AX) saying it was US$30 million out of pocket and British online travel group On The Beach (OTB.L) saying it would suffer from helping its customers in resorts who had flown with Thomas Cook.
The collapse could provide a boost, however, to major rival TUI (TUIGn.DE), whose shares surged more than 10 percent in early yesterday trading, and to Europe’s overcrowded airline sector, which could benefit from the closure of Thomas Cook’s airline.
Why did it collapse?
Thomas Cook was brought low by a $2.1 billion debt pile that prevented it from responding to more nimble online competition.
With debts built up around 10 years ago due to several ill-timed deals, it had to sell three million holidays a year just to cover its interest payments.
As it struggled to pitch itself to a new generation of tourists, the company was hit by the 2016 coup attempt in Turkey, one of its top destinations, and the 2018 Europe-wide heatwave which deterred customers from going abroad.
Thomas Cook needed another 200 million pounds on top of a 900 million pound package it had already agreed, to see it through the winter months when it receives less cash and must pay hotels for summer services.
The request for an additional 200 million pounds torpedoed the rescue deal that had been months in the making.
Thomas Cook bosses met lenders and creditors in London on Sunday to try to thrash out a last-ditch deal to keep the company afloat. They failed.
Under the original terms of the plan, top shareholder Fosun — whose Chinese parent owns all-inclusive holiday firm Club Med —would have given US$552 million of money in return for at least 75 percent of the tour operator business and 25 percent of its airline.
Thomas Cook’s lending banks and bondholders were to stump up a further 450 million pounds and convert their existing debt to equity, giving them in total about 75 percent of the airline and up to 25 percent of the tour operator business.
State Media|Auditor-General Mrs Mildred Chiri has despatched a team of auditors to Cyclone Idai-hit Chimanimani to take stock of food aid.
The auditors held meetings with responsible offices in Chimanimani last week.
The audit comes as it recently emerged that food items worth thousands of dollars donated to Cyclone Idai victims are rotting in warehouses in Chimanimani East and reports that the foodstuffs were being looted by political leaders.
The Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa (ACT-SA) exposed the massive looting for personal gain by someone entities and individuals.
Mr. David Jamali, the Chairperson of ACT-SA which campaigns against corruption in Southern Africa asked the Zimbabwean authorities to promptly investigate this matter and bring all those involved to book.
“Sometimes one might run out of words to explain how evil and inhuman some individuals can be. You can not imagine one stealing food and clothes meant for the people who are on the verge of starvation. Just imagine how donors feel when they hear that their support is not reaching intended beneficiaries. As a way forward, President Mnangagwa, the Zimbabwe Republic Police, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and the Anti-Corruption Unit in the Office of the President and other authorities must urgently investigate this matter to its logical conclusion and bring the culprits to book.” he says
In an interview, Mrs Chiri confirmed sending auditors to Chimanimani.
“We are just looking at the whole thing,” she said. “We are gathering information, but it is not in particular about that (decaying donations). We are auditing the whole system of food aid to find out its status. We are at the preliminary planning stage.”
Mrs Chiri did not specify when she expected the process to be completed.
“It depends on the complexity of the issues,” she said.
The team from her office also visited warehouses in Chimanimani East where food that was donated by well-wishers is rotting. Their report is largely expected to capture the state of affairs in the warehouses.
The audit by the AG’s office is also expected to paint a picture on the status of the food situation in Chimanimani, six months after it was hit by Cyclone Idai.
The cyclone killed hundreds, destroyed food reserves, fields and infrastructure worth over a billion dollars.
Harare City Council yesterday cut water supplies to the entire Harare metropolitan area, citing the shortage of critical treatment chemicals.
Speaking at a Policy Dialogue Forum organised by the Community Water Alliance, following the shocking developments in Harare, Combined Harare Residents Trust Director, Ms Loreen Mupasiri Sani, immediately called on government to declare water a national disaster in the country.
Mupasiri – Sani lamented poor economic performance coupled with lack of financial capacity in the City of Harare and Central Government to arrest the water crisis hence, the need to declare water a national disaster to allow other players to assist in water provision.
The government of Zimbabwe allocated a paltry ZWL$37million when the local authority required US700million to rehabilite water infrastructure for the improvement of water supplies into the capital city and surrounding metropolis.
Council spokesman Mr Michael Chideme said Harare’s water treatment plant, Morton Jaffray, had stopped pumping water because council was incapacitated.
“As we speak, Morton Jaffray is not operating, we ran out of the critical chemicals early this morning (Monday) and the plant had to be shut down so we have to run around to try and get supplies from even suppliers whom we do not have contracts with.”
Mr Chideme said firms could only supply water chemicals after 24 hours, being time for delivery.
“They (chemicals) have to be imported so right now they are busy trying to organise the shipment of the consignment into Zimbabwe and subsequently to Harare so that we can resume treatment of water,” said Mr Chideme.
“If you have been following our arguments on water, even if the chemicals were to come today we cannot exceed our treatment capacity of around 300 million litres a day now, because of the poor quality of the raw water in our dams and also the dwindling levels of water in the dams in Lake Chivero and Lake Manyame.”
He also cited drought as the major cause of water shortages.
“We have also shut down one of our water treatment plants, Prince Edward because Seke and Harava dams are dry. There is no longer any water to treat so we are in a drought season.
“The only solution that will allow everybody to get water is the construction of new additional water bodies,” he said.
Harare City Council acting Mayor, Councillor Enock Mupamawonde said the situation has reached alarming levels.
“It is quite stressful. We do not see the situation improving if nothing is done very soon. It is the reason why we make the appeal to central Government to avail at least $20 million to procure chemicals,” he said.
Currently the $1billion RTGS debt owed to the City of Harare for water, 45% of the debt is owed by the government of Zimbabwe.
Councillor Mupamawonde pleaded to the government of Zimbabwe to give heed to the calls by City of Harare, Civic Society and Residents Associations to declare Water a National Disaster.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana confirmed that the Government released the $37,4 m to Harare City Council and pointed out that the city’s incapacitation had everything to do with the local authority’s management.
“I can confirm that the Government has released funds to Harare City Council,” Mr Mangwana said.
“The move was initiated by the Government and not the council. The Harare City Council’s billing has not been functioning for the past five months that is the reason why they are broke. It is an inefficient council putting the life of the residents at risk. The Government will not fold its hands,” said Mr Mangwana.
“We cannot have a council politicking. We cannot politicise the issue of water. There is no need to play around with residents lives,” he said
Harare Residents Trust director Mr Precious Shumba said the city fathers had failed hence the central Government should intervene.
“Its high time the Government sent a clear message to errant councillors who are failing to provide clean water to residents,” he said.
“There is lack of planning and sensitivity in the part of the city fathers. They should not blame the central Government using Kunzvi dam as scapegoat
“I understand 60 percent of treated water was leaking during the distribution network process, illegal connection of water by the Harare City Council engineers, hence the City council is responsible,” he said.
A SENIOR pastor with Upper Room Ministries, Reverend Berry Dambaza yesterday died after apparently committing suicide by throwing himself from the third floor of Rezende Parkade in Harare.
Details and circumstances of the incident were not immediately clear, amid speculation that he had financial problems, while unconfirmed reports pointed to infidelity.
Dambaza died on the spot and people had to call the police to attend the scene.
The body was taken to a local mortuary for post-mortem.
Investigations to ascertain the circumstances leading to his death were still in progress yesterday.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident.
“We can confirm that a church pastor allegedly jumped from the last floor of Rezende Parkade and died.
“We are currently investigating the case to establish the motive or the reasons behind this suicide,” he said.
Dambaza was married to Sithembeni Dambaza an assistant pastor at the church.
They have two daughters (Oreen and Oretha) and two sons (Osborne and Oracle).
Reverend Dambaza graduated in 1984 from the Pentecostal Bible College now known as Pan African Christian College (PACC) in Harare.
People light fires in the streets during a protest against polling results in Harare, Zimbabwe, 1 August 2018. The day saw protests turn violent when police fired rubber bullets and teargas, before the army was called in and began firing live rounds.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) — charged with promoting election integrity, strengthening democracy and advancing human rights — is failing. The latest evidence comes from Malawi. The next tests will come in Mozambique and Botswana where elections are due to be held in October.
In Malawi, opposition members and human rights activists have held regular demonstrations since the country held elections on 21 May 2019. President Peter Mutharika of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party won the elections with 38.5% of the vote, but the results were widely disputed by the opposition Malawi Congress Party and the United Transformation Movement. The parties are contesting the results in the Supreme Court and allege the vote was marred by fraud and mismanagement of the election process by the Malawi Election Commission (MEC).
Thousands of Malawians have since taken to the streets, calling for the resignation of the chairperson of the MEC. The government has responded with threats, intimidation and attacks against human rights activists, and censored broadcasters attempting to cover the protests.
SADC has failed to respond to the rising tensions. Its preliminary election observer mission report commended the work of the MEC despite concerns from civil society organisations about the commission’s independence. SADC is also yet to publicly release the findings of its final election observer mission report on the elections or to condemn government abuses.
SADC’s lack of response and unwillingness to condemn electoral flaws and pre- and post-election violence is nothing new. The body has often failed to publicly release the final reports of its election observer missions, presumably in deference to the demands of its member states not to do so.
Worryingly, SADC’s reticence in condemning election-related violence, especially by the authorities or ruling parties, has emboldened autocrats. In the aftermath of Zimbabwe’s disputed July 2018 elections, police arrested scores of opposition members and on 1 August 2018, soldiers shot and killed at least six unarmed civilians during protests over delays in releasing the election results.
Despite growing concerns by the opposition and civil society over the independence of the Zimbabwe Election Commission, issues with the voters’ roll and delays in release of the results, SADC endorsed the elections, stating that they “represented a political watershed in the history of the country”. While SADC later issued a joint statement with other international observers including the African Union, European Union and the Commonwealth condemning post-election violence on 2 August 2018, it has never called for accountability for the killings that took place.
In the year since the elections, the government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa has violently suppressed protest and dissent.
In January, human rights organisations reported that at least 15 people had been killed during protests over fuel price increases. The authorities have arrested hundreds of opposition and civil society activists, and security agents have been implicated in the abduction and disappearance of several government critics and civil society activists.
All the while, SADC stays silent.
SADC similarly mishandled controversial elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo held on 30 December 2018. After widespread disagreement by the main parties over the results, and the declaration of Felix Tshisekedi as the winner, SADC initially called for a vote recount, citing reported anomalies, later called for a government of national unity and then backtracked and endorsed the elections and Tshisekedi.
Despite these poor responses, SADC’s role in consolidating democracy and improving the quality of elections remains crucial if the region is to enhance trust in election processes and avoid widespread citizen disaffection and apathy.
SADC has a responsibility to condemn government attempts to clamp down on criticism or peaceful protests arising from disputed elections to ensure peace in the region.
With elections looming in Mozambique and Botswana, SADC’s credibility as a custodian of democracy will be measured by its response to events there.
Mozambique will hold general elections on 15 October, the first since the death of the opposition Renamo leader, Alfonso Dhlakama. A recently signed peace accord to end armed hostilities between Renamo and the ruling party, Frelimo, remains fragile.
Human rights organisations have expressed concern at rising repression in the country, with increasing violence and reported abuses by the authorities in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, and a government clampdown across the country on freedom of expression, assembly and association. Municipal elections in 2018 were marred by threats, intimidation and attacks against civil society activists and journalists.
In Botswana, elections are due to be held on 23 October. The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which has ruled uninterrupted since 1966, finds itself up against a splinter group from the BDP, the Botswana Patriotic Front, led by former President Ian Khama, and a third party, the Umbrella for Democratic Change.
The elections are likely to be highly contested due to the fracturing of the BDP and rising tensions between Khama and his successor in the BDP, President Mokgweetsi Masisi.
SADC has an opportunity to move beyond its previous passive observation of elections in the region. It should actively ensure that Mozambique and Botswana abide by the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections; raise its voice on Malawi; publicly condemn violence before, during and after elections; and hold governments to account if they fail to respect citizens’ rights to free expression, association and assembly.
Failure to take action will not only further dent the institution’s reputation, it will also erode citizens’ trust in the efficacy of elections in delivering democracy.
Former Vice President Joice Mujuru and her company, Ruzirun Investments, have approached the High Court seeking an order stopping a couple she owes money from attaching her property as she fears going “under liquidation or facing multiple claims”.
Mujuru owes over US$226 000 to Sabrina and Tony Sarpo, through their company Peppy Motors (Pvt) Ltd, which is demanding the money at the interbank rate.
In her application for stay of execution, Mujuru said the company had issued a writ of execution and notice of attachment despite an application for rescission of judgment under HC6283/19.
“The applicant will suffer proprietary and pecuniary losses and the execution will leave the applicants’ 80 employees in untold tribulation,” Mujuru’s lawyers argue.
“Execution by the respondents will not end the applicant’s miseries, its inability to pay off the other creditors will invariably mean that it will have to go under liquidation or face multiple claims which will result in the loss of all its assets.”
Sometime in 2012, Sabrina and Tony Sarpo, who are in the business of selling agriculture and farming equipment, obtained a loan from Steward Bank which they used to obtain various farming machinery.
They sold the equipment to Mujuru’s company and an agreement of sale was entered into on July 25, 2015. The couple issued summons under HC2954/18 for payment of outstanding amounts and interests. Parties entered into a deed of settlement on May 25, this year after Statutory Instrument 33 of 2019 had been gazetted.
The applicant interpreted that the debt though denominated in US$, could be paid by RTGS dollars. First payment of $76 000 was made on June 5 this year. Four days later, the applicant requested payment at interbank rate.
In the deed of settlement, parties agreed that Mujuru pays the capital sum of $226 000 and $226 000 in interest. She was also to pay the capital debt within three months in monthly instalments of $76 000.
Nearly 200 leaders from across the globe will converge on the world’s most prominent diplomatic stage the United Nations General Assembly this week but none of them appear to have scheduled appointments to meet with troubled Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Zimbabwe is currently the focus of the world for its continued gross human rights violations with more concerns around abductions and arrests of opposition political leaders and human rights activists.
The world is also focusing on Zimbabwe following the death of long-time dictator late former President Robert Mugabe at the beginning of the month.
While expectations were high that Mnangagwa would have had several leaders want to meet him on the sidelines to probably discuss Zimbabwe’s fortunes post Mugabe, the Zimbabwean President is set to meet with a number of representatives of countries, international bodies, multilateral agencies and business persons and none of the leaders.
His schedule will see him address the General Assembly on Wednesday.
Today, President Mnangagwa will attend the official opening of the summit by UN secretary-general Mr Antonio Guterres before holding bilateral discussions with United Kingdom Minister of State for Africa Mr Andrew Stephenson.
On Saturday evening, the President hinted that discussions with the British Minister will centre around illegal sanctions imposed against Zimbabwe by UK and her allies.
The President has also lined up a meeting with Mr Guterres, during which he will raise the issue of the illegal embargo imposed on Zimbabwe by the United States and European Union (EU).
Another crucial bilateral meeting President Mnangagwa is expected to have is with Commonwealth secretary-general Mrs Patricia Scotland.
President Mnangagwa indicated at the weekend that his meeting with Mrs Scotland would focus on Zimbabwe’s desire to rejoin the group of former British colonies.
He said it was high time Zimbabwe rejoined the Commonwealth given that the reasons why Harare had withdrawn had been overtaken by events in that the land reform programme aimed at correcting historical land imbalances was now complete.
A group of renowned international media gurus has been lined up to hold meetings with President Mnangagwa on the sidelines of UNGA 74.
President Mnangagwa is also expected to hold a business meeting with captains of industry from the Middle East. He will be joined by Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor John Mangudya.
Other meetings will be on the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals, mainly in the area of health and Health and Child Care Minister Obadiah Moyo is expected to attend.
President Mnangagwa is scheduled to deliver his UNGA 74 address on Wednesday and he has already indicated that the issue of sanctions will be one of the highlights of his message to world leaders.
The only opportunity Mnangagwa will have to meet with other leaders is during breakaway meetings and debates that he is expected to attend during the summit where the world leaders will reflect together on critical challenges facing the globe and certainly have no room for his sanctions song he took over from Mugabe.
Political commentators have described Zanu-PF’s victory in the Zaka East by-election on Saturday as a seal of approval for the ruling party to remain in power despite tenacious threats from imperialist forces.
Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana said Zanu-PF’s victory in the by-election was a seal of approval from the electorate due to sound policies.
“The Zaka East by-election in which the Zanu-PF candidate polled 7 119 votes against MDC-Alliance’s 1 518 is instructive over the legitimacy issue as well as approval of the party of Government’s policies by the populace,” he said. “Informed voters are voting on patriotism and principle as they did in 2018,” said Mr Mangwana.
Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial chairman Ezra Chadzamira described the victory as a clear testimony that the electorate believed in the New Dispensation under the leadership of President Mnangagwa.
“The party has sound policies sellable to the electorate as compared to MDC-A, who invited sanctions to make people suffer,” he said.
“MDC-A uses social media to campaign, while Zanu-PF is mobilising people through addressing their concerns by initiating empowerment projects, drilling boreholes, promoting agriculture, among other projects..”
Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) national chairman Cde Christopher Mutsvangwa said the Zaka East victory served to confirm the “baptism of Zanu-PF as the perennial party of governance of Zimbabwe”.State media
ORCHESTRA Dendera Kings frontman, Sulumani Chimbetu, is still in the dark on how one of his songs “Handigone” from the yet to be released album leaked to social media platforms.
Sulu, as he is commonly referred to by his fans, has since launched an investigation into how his track found its way to the streets and social media while he was still working on the project.
“It is true that one of our songs leaked. I am greatly concerned over how the song found itself out of the studio and onto social media. “We were already on its final stages before it leaked, and it is still boggling my mind as to who could be responsible for its leakage.
“It appears the measures that I had put in place to protect my music failed me after this incident. These are some of the things that we face in the music industry, which we must try to guard against,” he said.
The Orchestra Dendera Kings leader took to his Facebook page to express dissatisfaction after the song leaked. He also uploaded the leaked track “Handigone” onto his Facebook page.
“It has come to our attention this track has been leaked from our forthcoming projects. Be advised we have fallen victim to pirates. “The track is unfinished. We are still in the studio finalising on the next album. The last official single is “Ndunge,” he said.
Sulu also revealed that he has since completed recording his album despite the setback.
“We have since completed recording the album, and it will be released anytime soon. The album carries eight tracks,” he said.State media
A SENIOR pastor with Upper Room Ministries, Reverend Berry Dambaza yesterday died after apparently committing suicide by throwing himself from the third floor of Rezende Parkade in Harare.
Details and circumstances of the incident were not immediately clear, amid speculation that he had financial problems, while unconfirmed reports pointed to infidelity.
Dambaza died on the spot and people had to call the police to attend the scene.
The body was taken to a local mortuary for post-mortem. Investigations to ascertain the circumstances leading to his death were still in progress yesterday. National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident.
“We can confirm that a church pastor allegedly jumped from the last floor of Rezende Parkade and died. “We are currently investigating the case to establish the motive or the reasons behind this suicide,” he said. Dambaza was married to Sithembeni Dambaza an assistant pastor at the church.
They have two daughters (Oreen and Oretha) and two sons (Osborne and Oracle).
Reverend Dambaza graduated in 1984 from the Pentecostal Bible College now known as Pan African Christian College (PACC) in Harare.State media
THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) suspended at least 36 officers implicated in lifestyle audits, while processes are underway at the High Court to forfeit the ill-gotten wealth.
Zimra Commissioner-General Faith Mazani said the taxman was working with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) who are handling cases where internal investigations would have pointed to corruption.
Comm-Gen Mazani said Zimra was not only targeting its staff, but the investigations also cover taxpayers with questionable income.
“Between January and June this year, a total of 36 officers were suspended pending investigation following lifestyle audits.
“Where criminality is detected, we hand over the cases to the police or other investigating arms,” she said. “Already, processes are underway to recover ill-gotten wealth,” she said.
Comm-Gen Mazani said lifestyle audits carried out in terms of the Zimra code of conduct revealed unjustified wealth.
“We have a code of conduct which is applicable to our staff. One of the things that we did was to carry out lifestyle audits.
“Where we feel they have assets beyond the income that we are aware of, we then ask them to explain the source of the income.
“That is when we found out quite a number of cases where our officers are building houses, going on holidays and buying cars beyond their expected lifestyles,” he said.
Comm-Gen Mazani said the asset forfeiture which was being done in terms of the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act would not spare corrupt tax-payers.
“We are doing the same thing with taxpayers. When we approach taxpayers, we look at their assets and we ask them to explain how they acquired them and the sources of their income.
“We discovered that people were getting lots of income without declaring it,” she said.
Meanwhile Zimra, through the National Prosecuting Authority’s Assets Forfeiture Unit, has since applied to forfeit mansions purchased by its former accounting officer Tapuwa Evans Chidemo.
Chidemo reportedly siphoned US$1 239 083 from the taxman’s bank account and splashed it on property. He risks losing two mansions in Glen Lorne, Harare, a flat in Harare city centre and a top-of-the-range vehicle.State media
Government is set to construct over 6 000 health centres in the next five years as it seeks to ensure that everyone accesses services without travelling for long distances, Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.
He said while the Government remains committed to ensuring health services for all its citizens, illegal sanctions imposed by the United States (US) and European Union (EU)remain stumbling blocks to the fulfilment of the objective.
Mnangagwa said this here while addressing a high-level meeting on Universal Health Coverage during the 74th Ordinary Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that started yesterday.
“While we have made significant strides in ensuring that no one should travel more than 10km to reach a health service, some communities still have limited access to health facilities,” said Mnangagwa.
“My Government is therefore constructing health posts, clinics and hospitals in remote areas to address this challenge. A total of 6 600 health posts will be constructed over the next five years.
“The current challenge is to modernise primary healthcare. Sadly, however, our efforts are being greatly hampered by the ruinous illegal sanctions imposed on our country.”
Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe continues to addresses gaps that exist in the health delivery system, for universal health coverage.
“Our national development agenda, the National Health Strategy 2016-2020 under the theme, ‘Equity and Quality: Leave no one behind’, attests to this commitment”, he said.
Mnangagwa said Government launched the Health Financing Policy in 2018, with the aim of reinvigorating Zimbabwe’s health delivery system through robust and sustainable domestic health funding.
He said in addition to the Aids Levy, Government has introduced a Health Levy.
Zimbabwe has also embarked on setting up a National Health Insurance which will help improve access to many more people, especially those in the informal sector.
Said Mnangagwa: “Our programs prioritising maternal, neonatal and child health have seen remarkable increase in access to basic quality care services.”
He said his Government was aware of the need to collaborate with development partners, for the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets.
“There are, therefore, opportunities for the establishment of independent private hospitals and medicine manufacturing plants.
“Zimbabwe indeed is open for business in the health sector,” said Mnangagwa.
He implored stakeholders to facilitate greater investments in research and development and technological transfer in order to enhance accessibility to and affordability of medicines for universal coverage.
The meeting was attended by Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo and senior Government officials. – State Media
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”, Finance and Economic Development Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, has said.
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$20 within a few days last week, compared to a stable ratio of between 1:8.5 to 1:10 on the interbank market, since the re-introduction of the Zimbabwean dollar in June this year.
The Treasury boss said a lower exchange rate was appropriate for Zimbabwe but noted several limitations exist, both conceptual and concerning the availability of data when trying to establish the appropriate exchange rate level for the country.
“This note aims at providing founded quantitative estimates of an appropriate exchange rate between the Zimbabwe dollar and the US dollar.
“It quantifies the ZWL$/US$ exchange rate based on the real exchange rate with South Africa, deriving the nominal exchange rate that would keep real purchasing power of the currencies at 2011 levels, a year of relative macro-economic balance,” said Minister Ncube.
“For August 2019, the most recent period for which the necessary data is available, this suggests a nominal exchange rate of about ZWL$5.6 per US$.
“This is substantially lower than the average interbank rate in August (ZWL$10.0 per US$), as well as the average prevailing parallel market rate (around ZWL$11.2 per US$).”
By this benchmark, Prof Ncube said the currency was, therefore, on the interbank market, undervalued by 26 percent on average since February 2019, peaking at 52 percent in July. On the parallel market the average undervaluation was of 50 percent since February, peaking at 61 percent in June, he explained.
Last Friday, Government had to jump into action to arrest the galloping exchange rates by cracking the whip on individuals and business entities suspected to be behind the speculative behaviour. The move has restored normalcy evidenced by a drastic drop in exchange rates to 1:14 from a peak of 1:20 last Friday.
The trend is expected to continue as monetary authorities tighten screws on errant financial dealers.
Speaking in New York, where he is attending the 74th United Nations General Assembly, President Emmerson Mnangagwa also said the Zim-dollar had performed well in its initial stages but has recently faced wanton assault by some elements in the economy that are manipulating exchange rates for selfish gain, thereby causing a price spiral in goods and services. The wave of price hikes has severely eroded incomes and weakened aggregate demand in the economy as a result of low consumer purchasing power.
Coupled with the general forex supply gap and weak domestic production, exchange rate fluctuations have also weakened market confidence with economists blaming the uncertainty for the spiralling inflation. – State Media
Farai Dziva|MDC deputy president Tendai Biti has described Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube’s economic policies as awkward.
Biti went on to say such policies can only be formulated by a mad person.
“Mahumbwe chaiwo. Zimbabwe has no productivity. 2019 GDP is likely to be around -8 % . There is massive corruption resulting in massive increase in money supply.The current account is in massive deficit .So you have to be mad or drunk , or both to reason like this . Worst gvt in world,” argued Biti.
Respected economist Steve Hanke also weighed in saying :
“#Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister Prof.@MthuliNcube is totally delusional. His calculation of the real exchange rate is utter rubbish. Clear evidence that Zimbabwe is in the grips of a death spiral.”
A senior pastor with Upper Room Ministries, Reverend Berry Dambaza yesterday died after apparently committing suicide by throwing himself from the third floor of Rezende Parkade in Harare.
Details and circumstances of the incident were not immediately clear, amid speculation that he had financial problems, while unconfirmed reports pointed to infidelity.
Dambaza died on the spot and people had to call the police to attend the scene. The body was taken to a local mortuary for post-mortem.
Investigations to ascertain the circumstances leading to his death were still in progress yesterday. National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident.
“We can confirm that a church pastor allegedly jumped from the last floor of Rezende Parkade and died.
“We are currently investigating the case to establish the motive or the reasons behind this suicide,” he said.
Dambaza was married to Sithembeni Dambaza an assistant pastor at the church.
They have two daughters (Oreen and Oretha) and two sons (Osborne and Oracle).
Reverend Dambaza graduated in 1984 from the Pentecostal Bible College now known as Pan African Christian College (PACC) in Harare.- state media
Farai Dziva|Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared that government will continue to collect the 2% tax from hard-pressed citizens.
Mnangagwa also shot down the High Court ruling on the matter.
Speaking at a Zanu PF North America briefing the Mnangagwa said government would continue to collect 2% because a single judge cannot overrule a law.
“Academically, they won the case, but factually they lost the case because we were clever enough. When they went to court they said it was introduced under a Statutory Instrument, but when the Minister of Finance put his Finance Act, we tucked in the provision and it went through Parliament and is now an Act of Parliament.
It cannot be overruled by a judge sitting alone. So, it is now law and the minister will continue collecting the money
Mthuli Ncube introduced the controversial 2% tax per electronic transactions above $10 at the infancy of his days as the Finance Minister,” said Mnangagwa.
Farai Dziva|MDC national chairperson Job Sikhala has said there is overwhelming evidence to prove that Dr Peter Magombeyi was tortured.
See Sikhala’s statement below:There is no single doubt both in my conscience and my heart that Dr. Peter Magomeyi was savagely tortured by societal outcasts in our country this 21st century.
Having listened to the telephone conversation between Dr Mugomeyi and the Studio 7 reporter after reports that he had been dumped in Nyabira, the traits of a tormented soul as manifested to me after my torture on the 13th of January 2003 together with Advocate Gabriel Shumba, Taurai Magaya and Charles Mutama was clear. It is important to share with everyone and the whole world what happened to me and others I mentioned above from the practical victim knowledge.
On midnight of the 12th of January 2003, myself, my lawyer Advocate Gabriel Shumba, Taurai Magaya, Charles Mutama and Bishop Shumba were raided by a joint operation team of the military, Central Intelligence Organization, the Criminal Investigation Department (Law and Order) at Nyamutamba Hotel. They came with a battalion and convey of motor vehicles and stormed into our rooms at the hotel during midnight of the day in question. We were initially taken to St. Mary’s Police Station briefly I think it was for their administrative purposes. We were then driven to Matapi Police Station were they dropped Taurai Magaya into the holding cells. We proceeded to Mbare Police Station were they detained Adv Gabriel Shumba. Myself and Charles Mutama were taken to Harare Central Police Station.
Then around 6pm of the 13th I and Charles Mutama were taken out of Harare Central Police Station holding cells. We were taken out by 6 members from the Law and Order section who were Garnet Sikhova, Chrispen Makedenge, Matsvimbo, Mhashu and 2 others who are now dead whose names can not be remembered in the immediacy because of the lapse of time. We did not notice that the two of us were taken out at the same time. It was only after we were brought back to the holding cells that we shared what happened, that we noticed that we were taken out at the same time with Charles Mutama. Unbeknown to us, was that, Advocate Gabriel Shumba who was my lawyer and Taurai Magaya had a torrid day of torture before they were returned back. They were blind folded and taken to an unknown destination which we later understood to be Kabri Barracks after some torturers came to confess to us after having been haunted by unknown spirits.
After having been taken out of the holding cells I was led into a cream dark windowed Toyota kombi parked at the Harare Central Police Station parking area, near the internal fuel station in the police station. The kombi had no seats inside save for one which the most cruel one sat. As we entered the kombi, they in a flash, blindfolded me with a hood and asked to sit down violently.
Initially, you are gripped with fear of the unknown but as you will ponder going forward you will tell yourself that if it is God’s way that he has apportioned that way as a route you will leave this earth, you end up coming to resignation and say, let your wish be done. I was driven around for almost 45 minutes. These people were giving each other instructions to turn left or right. But what was surprising me was that we were not coming out of roads with robots. We only left the robots areas after the car had cruised for about 15 minutes. Then one of them shouted for the gate to be opened. After the gate opened I felt that we crossed a grid through the sounds of the wheels on the road.
The kombi was parked and I was asked to disembark. They asked me to follow them for about 20 metres and was warned to step carefully. I felt I was walking steps downwards. We completed the first batch of steps. They ask me again to step carefully, taking another batch of steps further downwards. After completing the second batch ,I was asked to sit down and they remove the handcuffs and undressed me naked to the underwear. They started tying my hands and legs using ropes. They then push my arms around my legs to effect what we popularly know as mbiradzakondo.
They started beating me under the feet interrogating where I come from. The name of my father and mother. Their contact details. Name of my wife and where she comes from. The number of children and their names. The name of schools and the university I attended and the degree I did and the name of the schools and university my wife attended. Where my wife works. And places drinking I patronize. They questioned everything concerning my private life.
Then the next phase was a threat that if I still need my life, I must tell them where I have hidden the guns which they said I intended to use to fight the government. They also alleged that I was training the Red Army on the St. Mary’s cemetery.
Replying them that what they were alleging was a story to me and that I was hearing it for the first time, led to the emergency of the demon of cruelty. Still blindfolded, they tied electric cables around my toes of both feet.
They switched on their electric gadget for a period of between 10 to 30 seconds. While screaming in agony and pain they will be belowing laughter of threats and satisfaction. They repeated electrocuting my toes endless times asking the same questions all over again.
Unsatisfied by the pain inflicted they inflicted on me they went for my genitals. They tied electric cables around my penis and another one around my balls. Don’t think they had released those tied on the toes. They switch on the electric gadget, genitals being burnt and the toes being shocked. The electric shocks on the genitals made me to see a million stars. Unfortunately, for me my penis got burnt and because of my thin skin my testicles get swollen. There is no way the evil perpetrators would run away from it. They did it in sessions allover and over again until I passed out.
My last recall before passing out was a voice saying “lets go and throw him into the dam because he is dead. After a while I felt something being dropped on my body which I was later told was a resuscitation chemical that was dropped on me.
During the torture sessions I was hearing Charles Mutama from the other end of the underground bunker screaming in agony calling for God to come to his rescue and help. I was hearing him shouting “ndofa wo kani Mwari huyai mundibetsere” repeatedly. That’s why I understand him that soon after our acquittal by Magistrate Anne Chigumira of the charge of subverting a constitutional government, he ran away into exile in the USA. After resuscitation, they asked me where they should drop me. I told them to drop me home because I wanted to go and see my wife, only for them to drop me at Harare Central Police Station where they took us from. I was strongly warned not to talk to Geoff Nyarota and his Daily News or to talk to anyone about what happened.
Before leaving the torture bunker, they said, “please phone Chamisa and tell him that politics has changed that he is going to lose Kuwadzana by-election”. They gave me something into my hand and said it was my cell phone after asking for my pin number. It truly rang loudly like a cell phone on loud. The moment I put it on my ears, I was hit by an unprecedented wave of electric shock that went right straight into my brains. They said, it was a parting shot so that I will know what was coming my way if I tell anyone about what happened.
After gaining my conscious I heavily urinated and they asked me to wipe all the urine by drinking it from the floor. It was to be realised later by the doctors who treated me in SA and Denmark that there was a poisonous substance in my blood.
After having been dropped back at the Harare Central Police Station, I found Charles Mutama already back in the cells, Advocate Gabriel Shumba and Taurai Magaya were also in and told me that they were shifted from Mbare and Matapi holding cells to Harare Central after their torture . I found them groaning in pain squashed on a corner and quickly suspected that they were done what was done to me and Charles Mutama. When they saw me they started crying. This trauma has affected Magaya up to this present day. He just cries without provocation despite medical treatment he obtained after the torture. Anongotanga kungovovora kana zvamubata without anything done to him.
It is not only stupid but idiotic, inhumane, animalistic, wild life disposition and fatally flawed for agencies of the State to claim that Dr. Mugomeyi is feigning abduction. What could have possible happened :
1) The Dr was abducted and kidnapped by the same people who abducted Itai Dzamara
2) Unlike on Dzamara where their recklessness could have led to a fatality, Dr. Mugomeyi was tortured admistering electric shocks which could just inflict pain but if the victim has a strong skin can not show visible outward marks.
3) Not that Dr. Mugomeyi was released because of citizen pressure both locally and internationally, these idiots presiding over Zimbabwe today dont care about it. The mission was to inflict maximum fear into him as the leader of the indignant constituency that is getting slave wages, wages not able to even rent a decent accommodation without looking into other responsibilities.
4) The state used his abduction as a case building mechanism against the opposition and embassies that are regarded as hostile to the regime. Hence the persistent incoherent allegations that he was hidden at the US embassy. This kind of information is intended for the gullible domestic political market to discredit both the opposition and perceived hostile nations at the same time.
5) To generate insecurity to the public so that they don’t challenge this evil regime. It incalcates into an average mind that if a Dr can be abducted what about an ordinary citizen.
The truth of the matter is that Dr Mugomeyi was severely tortured and needs a strong support for him to be able to get over it and start to open up. I still remember in the the cells, Advocate Gabriel Shumba tried to persuade us not to say anything about our torture when we were being taken to Court. He was of the view that we will only say it after escaping to SA as soon as we are given bail. I strongly held a contrary view told him that we can not keep quiet on such evil and savage torture that we went through. I also told him that it was irresponsible to run to SA and pronounce the torture if we fail to mention it here. I reminded him that we were going to fall foul as what happened to Basildon Peta after he announced his abduction and torture in SA. Basildon Peta pronounced his abduction and torture after boarder jumping into SA. The regime mauled him as a lier because he was threatened that if he discloses what happened to him he was going to be killed.
My experience of torture is that it needs someone with a strong character to come out in the open. Torture kills all the human feelings someone might have. It needs serious counselling and rehabilitation.
Dear Editor – If you have a son at Zimuto High School in Masvingo dai mafona and find out if your son is ok
Form 6 boys vakarara vachirova ma form 3 vamwe vakabirwa laptops.
Some form 3 boys havana kurara kuma doom varara musango vachitiza kurohwa kwavanga vachitwa.some of them they have been hospitalized right now. Zvakaitika nezuro ( 21September)manheru.
By Richard Simango
There is certainly no mono-causal theory or analysis which can adequately explain the complex totality in which MDC Party is losing Rural By-Elections at a time Zanu-PFhas totally failed to run the country.
Some analysts have zeroed in on the calibre of candidates yet Zanu-PF has worse candidates than MDC Party.
Some have pointed to rigging, lack of specific programs targeting youth on rural areas, abuse of traditional leaders and threat of violence, among many other factors.
However, it is my humble submission that the party’s strategy and tactics are not appealing to rural constituency. Democratic dividend after coming to power appeals to a few people in rural areas, mostly the fairly educated.
What most rural people consider important is what the Party is currently offering to their existence and survival be it food, maize seed, fertiliser and other freebies.
We have done this at a personal level on a small scale and saw it working, but ran short of resources. Sadly, the People’s MDC Party thinks its vote buying when Zanu-PF is using it to win or rigging elections.
Put on table $3 billion and we can design a strategy to win General Elections in spite of rigging. At any rate, today I voluntarily want to present a paper pregnant of strategies, ideologies and logistics on winning any Elections despite Zanu-PF Rigging Tactics.
Other people have suggested a thrust on youths activities which though sound must take into cognisance that forward looking youth have left the rural areas in search of employment opportunities to urban areas and neighbouring countries particularly South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia, Namibia and Botswana.
Those that remain may be starved to death if they come clear in supporting MDC when their parents are receiving food that is distributed on partisan ground.
Farai Dziva|Unconfirmed reports say Senior Pentecostal Assemblies of Zimbabwe Pastor, Berry Dambaza threw himself from the balcony of his church in Harare died on the spot.
I have just learned with heaviness of heart the passing on of Pastor Berry Dambaza of Pentecostal Assemblies of Zimbabwe a few moments ago.
The news has hit me hard and the circumstances surrounding his death are still not clear to me. He was a man whose powerful ministry I admired. The last time I was with him was in June .
We were sitting together at the EFZ heads of denomination quarterly meeting. I wish I had created more time with him as we had planned together. I pray for the comfort of GOD on the family and church,” said Bishop Magaya.
“So sad to note that Pastor Dambaza fell from the balcony of his church in town and died on the spot- I
Am shocked.
By A Correspondent- Briefing Zanu-PF supporters during an interactive meeting in North America recently, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said his government had outsmarted saboteurs bent on destabilising the country on the political and economic fronts.
He said:
“On the monetary side, yes, we have introduced one currency. For the first six weeks it remained stable, but then our people are intelligent. We have people who found ways to fight that (stability of the currency) and undermine it, but yesterday (Friday) we also became smarter than them and so we took some action.
“We have now arrested the galloping rate which was galloping from about eight, within few days it had gone up 10, and 20, by the time we left it had gone down and I think today it is about 14.”
The meeting was attended by Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube, RBZ Governor Dr John Mangudya and Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo.
By A Correspondent- Zanu PF youths in Mashonaland Central province went on the rampage last week, destroying property as they clashed with artisanal miners in Glendale and Bindura.
On Thursday, the violent clashes resulted in two commuter omnibus hired by artisanal miners to escape from the area being burnt.
In Bindura, the youths had a meeting with Zimbabwe Republic Police officers before going into se_x workers houses driving them away, vandalising houses and destroying property in the process.
Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the law enforcement agents were investigating the violent incidents and 12 suspects had been arrested.
Zanu-PF provincial chairperson Lans Ruwizhi Farando confirmed the incident, saying they were protecting defenceless residents from violent artisanal miners, popularly known as MaShurugwi.
“Indeed, we are driving MaShurugwi away from our province because they are causing unrest,” Farando said.
“The so called MaShurugwi are rap_ing women, stealing vendors’ goods and illegally mining on private properties. That is not tolerated at all in the province because we are defending our President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s legacy by maintaining peace.”
Meanwhile, artisanal miners who spoke to NewsDay blamed the youths for attacking them because they were no longer paying homage to their leaders.
“What the youths are doing is very unfair. We use to pay tribute to Farando and his colleague John Ngwenya, but we decided to stop after they started demanding too much gold and money, hence they mobilised youths to attack us, but we will not fold our hands while being attacked because they have declared war and the battle lines have been drawn,” an artisanal miner, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.
Farando distanced himself from the corrupt activities, saying some Zanu-PF officials were in that habit and were now trying to tarnish his image.
“That is not very correct, yes, we have officials in our party, who are in that habit of collecting tribute, but I am nowhere near that. The guys are just trying to tarnish my image since I am the youth leader,” he said.
Bindura South legislator Remigious Matangira (Zanu-PF), who is known for leading artisanal miners in Mt Darwin, bemoaned the attack saying the youths were actually attacking the President since he comes from the Midlands province.
“These attacks are not necessary. By simply driving another artisanal miner away simply because he or she comes from Midlands is nonsensical, considering that our President comes from Midlands. So in other words, the youths are actually attacking the President,” Matangira said.
By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) has broadened the tax-free threshold to $3 500 with effect from August 1, 2019 from $700 in a bid to improve disposable incomes in the face of rising prices.
The tax agency has also lowered the highest taxable bracket from 45% to 40%.
It also entails that civil servants, who were recently awarded a 76% salary increase which saw the lowest payed worker in this dimension earning about $1 023 will be able to take all their salaries tax- free.
In a notice, Zimra said the necessary amending of the highest rate will be publicised in due course.
“The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority hereby notifies its valued clients that the highest tax rate on taxable income earned from employment which was gazetted in the Finance Act (7) No 2 of the 2019nis being corrected to 40%,” Zimra said.
“The necessary legislation amending the highest rate from 45% to 40% will be promulgated in due course and will be with effect from August 1, 2019.”
Employees earning $3 500 and below will not be taxed, while those earning $3 501 to $15 000 will be taxed at a rate of 20%. Those earning between $15 001 and $50 000 will be taxed at a rate of 25% while a salary of between $50 001 and $100 000 will attract 30% tax; those earning between $100 001 and $150 000 will attract 35% tax, and salaries of $150 001 and above will be taxed 40%.
Finance minister Mthuli Ncube previously indicated that the tax-free bracket was going to be increased for those paying income tax and pay as you earn (PAYE).
He said the move was designed to give relief to those earning below the Poverty Datum Line because of the rising in inflation.
The abuse of prescription drugs especially opioids have become the in thing among the youths and parents and care givers seem to be having a tolerance on this, ignorant of the effects. Some youths are now common faces at the schools sick bay and there they get some of these opioids for free.
What are prescription opioids? Prescription opioids, sometimes called prescription painkillers, are now one of the most commonly misused substances among school youth.
When used appropriately, they can be very effective in treating severe pain. But opioids can also produce a state of euphoria, making them prone to misuse.
They are two type of opioids pills the over the counter which at most contain codeine and also those that have to be prescribed by a doctor or a dentist, the likes of Tramadol, OxyContin and others.
Many parents do not realise the extent of prescription opioid misuse (use without a prescription) among youth, and the effects and risks of this non-medical use.
In recent years, prescription opioids used non-medically have replaced tobacco as the third most commonly used drug among teens, behind alcohol and marijuana. Younger students, particularly those are misusing opioids in far greater numbers than marijuana.
What should I be concerned about? Many young people mistakenly believe that prescription opioids are safer than street drugs.
They think that because opioids are prescribed medicines, using these drugs is not as dangerous as using drugs such as cocaine or methamphetamine.
This is a myth. Opioids are powerful medications, and misusing them can be harmful for a variety of reasons: Opioids can be addictive. This may include physical dependence; where over time a person’s body gets used to the drug and develops tolerance to some of its effects.
This means that the person needs to take more and more to get the same feeling. As the amount taken increases, so does the risk of overdose. Teens who are dependent on opioids may experience withdrawal if they suddenly stop using the drug.
The symptoms of withdrawal include intense restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhoea, vomiting and cold flashes.
The experience of withdrawal can lead to depression and suicidal feelings, resulting in a cycle that can end with suicide or unintentional overdose.
When opioids are combined with alcohol and or some other prescription or over-the-counter drugs, the risk of overdose increases. Opioids can impair decision making and may result in risky decisions that lead to teens being injured or killed due to fighting, having a car crash or attempting suicide.
Isn’t use of street drugs more harmful? Misuse of prescription opioids can be at least as harmful as using alcohol or street drugs. Also, it is illegal for anyone without a prescription to possess, use or share prescription opioids. If they are found in a student’s locker or bag, the person can be charged with possession of drugs.
– Mthandazo Ndlovu is an Accredited Drug Prevention and Rehabilitation Specialist, Addictions Counsellor, Adolescent Counsellor, Professional Counsellor. For more information and help call or WhatsApp +263772399734 or email [email protected].
By A Correspondent- A father and daughter have however, broken ranks with the norm, serving each other with lawsuits over property ownership.
Alphios Mashoko Mufandaedza (77) was dragged by his daughter Elizabeth Shamiso Bayai (38) and son-in-law Silas Bayai (45) to court for allegedly tricking them into buying a non-existent house all because his son-in-law did not pay his daughter’s bride price. He denied charges of fraud against him before Bulawayo magistrate Shepherd Munjanja.
Appearing for the State, prosecutor Nathan Marime presented Mufandaedza’s ordeal before the court.
In August 2001, Mufandaedza bought a house for his daughter in Entumbane before she got married.
In the same month Elizabeth got married to Silas and they made initial plans to buy a marital house before Mufandaedza allegedly came to rescue them after he claimed to have found someone selling land.
“My father told us that the same person who sold him the house he bought for me had another one in Gwabalanda for sale and would be able to talk to him on our behalf,” said Elizabeth.
Upon agreeing on that deal, Mufandaedza reportedly became the “middleman” and made sure the sale went accordingly from the money transactions to the Agreement of Sale.
State papers noted that after payments Mufandaedza became reluctant to show the couple their new stand.
“Instead of showing us our new place, he started accusing my husband of not paying bride price,” stated Elizabeth.
Persistent on being shown their new house, between November and December 2001 the elderly man allegedly went to show the newly weds a stand in Gwabalanda which belonged to someone else.
“I noticed that the house was not the one mentioned on the Agreement of Sale but was in someone’s name.
“I also realised that the house listed on the Agreement of Sale belonged to my wife,” said Silas.
Silas, who has been demanding his house from his father-in-law, has not been reimbursed his money or house to this day.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth who allegedly tried to change ownership of the house that her father had bought her to co-own it with Silas was reported to the police by her father who was trying to repossess the house from Elizabeth.
“I then sold the house in 2018 still in my name and my father sued me for that,” stated Elizabeth.
The elderly man was remanded in custody for continuation of trial on Friday.
By A Correspondent- An elderly woman from Bulawayo duped her male customer after buying his house in 2013 and later on converted some car parts that had been left in the house for her personal gain.
Sheila Mguni (67) from Gwabalanda in Bulawayo appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Tancy Dube last week facing a charge of theft.
The value of the stolen property is US$2 510 and nothing was recovered.
She was remanded out of custody to Wednesday.
The court heard that sometime in 2013, Albert Sibanda (49) sold a house to Mguni, but he left car parts including diffs with drums, shoes, gearbox and rim with the accused for safekeeping.
The two agreed that Mguni would surrender the parts upon demand.
It is alleged that Mguni converted the parts for personal use without Sibanda’s consent, leading to her arrest.
A ZANU PF youth on Friday heaved a sigh of relief after he was acquitted on a charge of allegedly using President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s name to extort a woman of US$12 000.
Blessed Mushando (27) of Bulawayo had pleaded not guilty to fraud when his trial started before Bulawayo magistrate, Tinashe Tashaya.
In acquitting him, the magistrate noted that the State had failed to prove its case beyond any reasonable doubt.
He was being represented by Byron Sengweni.
Leonard Chile, who represented the State, said on March 24, Mushando allegedly drove a Zanu-PF branded vehicle to Shangani, where he met the complainant, Priscilla Ncube, at Tobo mining syndicate.
It was stated that he misrepresented himself, telling Ncube that she should pay US$12 000 to Mnangagwa for her to secure the mine.
It was heard that on the same day, Mushando extorted Ncube of US$2 000, after telling her that he had the capacity to assist her in securing the mine. He reportedly told her that the mine had been targeted by the President’s Office in turning around the economy, as it was rich in gold.
Mushando was allegedly given the money by one Dumisani Ndlovu on behalf of Ncube.
On March 26, Mushando allegedly contacted Ncube, while he was in Harare telling her that she needed to pay the balance to conclude the deal. Ncube is said to have paid the US$10 000 with the hope that the mine would, indeed, be secured.
However, she later realised that she had been duped, as the mine had been taken over by someone else, and made a police report, which led to Mushando’s arrest.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Support Network (ZESN) has issued a preliminary statement on the Zaka East National Assembly and Insiza RDC Ward 15 local authority by-elections.
The Zaka East National Assembly seat was won by a ZANU PF candidate, who received 7 119 votes while an Independent candidate won the Insiza RDC Ward 15 by-election with 287 votes. Below is part of the ZESN preliminary statement:
Analysis of by-election results
ZANU-PF retained the Zaka East National Assembly having garnered 7119 votes. In the by-election, the party got 1736 fewer votes than it got during the 2018 harmonised elections in the same Constituency.
The MDC Alliance garnered 2286 fewer votes than it had in the National Assembly election in the 2018 harmonised elections. In 2018, the MDC Alliance lost to ZANU-PF by a margin of 5051 votes and in the by-election, the margin widened by 550 more votes.
The valid votes cast decreased by a significant 4398 between the harmonised elections and the Zaka East Constituency by-election. For the Insiza RDC Ward 15 by-election, Independent candidate, Juta Shepard won with 287 votes.
The number of valid votes cast indicates that turnout was very low. While in 2018 a total of 2264 valid votes were cast, only 639 valid votes were cast in the by-election – a difference of 1625 votes. Juta beat the second leading candidate by 124 votes in the byelection.
ZANU-PF’s votes in the Ward decreased by 1135 between the harmonised and the by-election while the MDC Alliance’s votes decreased by 584.
Conclusion
ZESN is concerned with the conduct of traditional leaders who openly supported ZANU-PF, mobilising voters to support the party and even acting as party agents. The network is also worried about the low voter turnout observed in by-elections, particularly for local authorities.
Recommendations
ZESN makes the following recommendations: 1. Political parties should shun all forms of intimidation and allow people to freely associate and assemble; 2. Traditional leaders should desist from engaging in partisan politics in violation of the Constitutional provisions for the non-partisanship of the institution of traditional leadership; 3. Political parties should not compel support by politicising, withholding or threatening to withhold, government aid; 4. CSOs should embark on civic and voter education that emphasises the importance of, and encourage the electorate to participate in, by-elections; 5. There are a need for political parties to deliberately emphasise the importance of, and mobilise their supporters to participate in, National Assembly and Local Authority byelections. 6. ZEC’s number of days for VE needs to be increased and VE should be continuous 7. Political parties should desist from any form of violence or violent actions. In cases where disputes arise amongst political party supporters, ZESN encourages the use of available election dispute resolution mechanisms such as Multi-Party Liaison Committees and the Electoral Court.
By A Correspondent- In a move meant to strike ghost workers off the government payroll, civil servants have been advised to register on the biometric registration exercise by Monday next week.
Failure to meet the deadline will result in the non-conformists being struck off the payroll. Public Service Commission chairperson Vincent Hungwe said:
The PSC in conjunction with its technical partner, the World Bank, is pleased to advise all its stakeholders of the progress to date of the biometric authentication project.
The bulk of the civil servants have now been registered for the biometric authentication project and we are now doing a mop-up exercise which should be completed by 30th September 2019.
We wish to advise those civil servants who have not registered on the biometric system to do so by 30 September 2019 at their district offices, failure of which they will be taken off the Salary Service Bureau payroll.-StateMedia
By A Correspondent- Students at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) have staged a demonstration at the campus in protest against lecturers’ failure to come for parallel lectures.
The students blocked the university’s main entrance in a bid to prevent staffers/lecturers from entering the campus.
By A Correspondent| Police are investigating a case of alleged suicide which occurred at Rezende Parkade on Harare around 1230hours today.
In a statement issued Monday, the Zimbabwe Republic Police said the 59 year old man allegedly jumped from the last floor and died.
Said the ZRP:
“Police are investigating a case which occurred at Rezende Parkade, Harare this afternoon at around 1230 hours where a 59 year old man allegedly jumped from the last floor and died. Police are yet to get the motive behind the suspected suicide.”
Police are investigating a case which occurred at Rezende Parkade, Harare this afternoon at around 1230 hours where a 59 year old man allegedly jumped from the last floor and died. Police are yet to get the motive behind the suspected suicide.@HMetro_@HeraldZimbabwe @NhauRadio
In an earlier report, ZimEye revealed that a pastor at Pentecostal Assemblies of God reportedly committed suicide today (Monday) afternoon.
Unconfirmed reports alleged that the pastor “fell” from the fourth floor after he discovered his wife in a compromising position with another man in the church office.
Pastor Berry Dambaza is said to have jumped to his death from the fourth floor at the Upper Room ministries in Rezende street, Harare. He reportedly died 30 minutes later.
Fellow pastors and netizens took to social media to express their shock at the untimely death of a humble man of God.
Said Bishop David David:
“Life is a mystery Church leaders needs more prayer than attacking them because we do not really know what they fight. We lost a general in the Kingdom Dr Berry Dambaza and what pains me is the way he lost his life. Even Elijah at one time was haunted by suicidal spirit. Oh how the mighty have fallen Lord keep his family and the body of Christ.”
Said Bishop Ancelimo Magaya:
“I have just learned with heaviness of heart the passing on of Pastor Berry Dambaza of Pentecostal Assemblies of Zimbabwe a few moments ago. the news has hit me hard and the circumstances surrounding his death are still not clear to me. He was a man whose powerful ministry I admired. The last time I was with him was in June . We were sitting together at the EFZ heads of denomination quarterly meeting. I wish I had created more time with him as we had planned together. I pray for the comfort of GOD on the family and church.”
Ps Precious Matope said:
How the mighty one has fallen… No no no i am in pain…..sad Ending… BreakingNews Pastor Berry Dambaza is alleged to have thrown himself from the 4th floor and died on the post at Ruzende Parkade. The crowd went off to witness the body of the dead pastor. I used to pray at upperroom…i talked with him at rev shumbambiri’ s funeral heaven is far
By A Correspondent- Congregants at the Minana Ya Jehovha Church in Ushe Village under Chief Nyashanu in Buhera fled in all directions when a man wielding an axe invaded the church beating up people and cutting down branches of a tree under which they were sitting.
Tafadzwa Ushe (35) of Ushe Village under Chief Nyashanu is locked in a land dispute with Bernad Murombo (38) the bishop of Minana Ya Jehovha. He stormed the church wielding an axe, shouting obscenities and threatening to kill everyone.
It is the State case that in August 2019 at around 1pm the accused went to the church and started taking pictures of members and disturbing their church activities. He breached a peace order earlier issued against him.
On the second count, on August 13, at 12pm the accused again went to the church holding an axe and threatened members with it. He climbed up a tree and cut down some branches insulting members ordering them not to congregate at the place.
He threw stones at them sending them fleeing in all directions. He allegedly assaulted Shupikai Manondo a sick patient who had come for healing at the church.
Ushe appeared before Murambinda resident magistrate Gylmax Kuhudzai facing charges of breaching a court order and assault.
By A Correspondent- The British royals have embarked on a trip to Africa where they will visit African countries both as a family and on some occasions Prince Harry will visit alone.
The royals will travel together to SA while Prince Harry will continue to Angola and Malawi alone. Prince Harry will also visit Botswana while on the tour.
The Duke’s itinerary was not publicised but the Birmingham Palace said the trip will focus on “community, grassroots leadership, women’s and girls’ rights, mental health, HIV/AIDs and the environment”
The Prince will, according to the state media hit the ground running in Cape Town at a yet-to-be-disclosed township and in following days, meet the veteran anti-apartheid campaigner Archbishop Desmond Tutu, as well as a number of charities and causes the pair hold dear.
The couple and their 4 months old son will travel to Africa on a commercial flight.
Julias Malema and Grace MugabeJulias Malema, Robert Junior and Simba Chikore during body viewingMalema meets the Mugabe familyMalema and his EFF leaders having lunch at the Blue RoofMalema and Grace Mugabe pose for a picture
Both the EFF leader and former president have showered founding Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe with praise following his passing.
Former president Thabo Mbeki earned the dubious distinction of being named Mampara of the week in the Sunday Times this past weekend, for expressing the view that he “never met one single Zimbabwean who said I want Mugabe deposed”.
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema clearly disagrees with the publication branding the former president a mampara, responding on Twitter only with a dismissive “Mxm”.
Any chance of going back into your self-imposed exile of silence, Mampara? https://t.co/WB63UnrZV7
At a memorial for Mugabe in KwaZulu-Natal last week, Mbeki had nothing but good things to say about Mugabe, who passed on the week before at a hospital in Singapore.
Mbeki called Mugabe “a combatant and true African patriot”, among other things.
His speech divided Twitter, and was somewhat eclipsed in the media by a video clip which circulated, showing a man said to be Mbeki’s bodyguard seemingly swapping water bottles.
At the EFF’s own memorial service for Mugabe, Malema also highlighted only the positive aspects of the former Zimbabwean leader’s legacy. Both before and at the memorial, he has made it clear that he isn’t interested in holding Mugabe responsible for the controversial aspects of his rule.
Malema has called Mugabe a perfect human being, said that history will absolve him, and expressed the view that it was sanctions and the IMF, not Mugabe, which led to Zimbabwe’s problems.
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) says it plans to take action against Malema for a tweet consisting of a slide show of EFF-branded Mugabe quotes, including: “The only white man you can trust is a dead white man”.
While Malema and Mbeki are in agreement over Mugabe, the former president has been harshly criticised by both the EFF leader and his party over other issues.
Malema accused Mbeki in June of an ongoing “assault of the Winnie Mandela household“, after the former president called for action to be taken against South Africa’s ambassador to Denmark, Zindzi Mandela, should her tweets on land be found to be contradicting President Cyril Ramaphosa’s stance.
Malema’s “assault” allegation is also likely a reference to the time Mbeki was caught on camera pushing late struggle icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela away at an event.
The EFF leader’s criticism of Mbeki came just after a statement from the party, written by its spokesperson, Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, criticising Mbeki, who according to Ndlozi “failed with flying colours to resolve the land question” while in charge of SA.
“Essentially, the former president comments on things happening on the ground which he has no knowledge of, true to his aloof self,” the statement said of Mbeki’s reaction to Zindzi’s tweets.
According to Ndlozi, the tweets were the “genuine cry of many generations of African people who want to call this country their own”.
Zimbabwe’s Marvelous Nakamba says he wants to use his time at Aston Villa and in the English Premier League to promote his country and inspire the next generation of footballers.
Nakamba,25, has played two league games for Aston Villa since joining them from Belgian side Club Brugge in August.
“It’s good for my country to have someone representing them and I also think it’s good for the upcoming players, the young ones back home,” he told BBC Sport.
“I think they can believe and have faith that nothing is impossible.”
The midfielder is the fourth Zimbabwean to play in the English top-flight league after former Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobelaar, Coventry City star Peter Ndlovu and Manchester City striker Benjani Mwaruwaru.
He says having the three former Zimbabwe players as a reference point has helped him adapt to the English game.
“It’s something that keeps pushing me. It gives me confidence, faith and belief in myself,” said Nakamba.
“My family back home are proud of me. They are always watching me, they are pushing me and I just want to keep on representing them and try my best and keep on learning.”
He says his experience of playing in the Champions League is helping him adjust to the demands of the Premier League.
“The Premier League standard is higher when compared to the Belgian league but off course in Belgium I played Champions League with Club Brugge. Champions League and Premier League is almost similar and so it’s been good,” he explained.
“This is my first year here, I am still trying to settle, to learn and give everything every time I am given the opportunity to play.
“I am proud to be part of a great team with a great history like Aston Villa. It’s an opportunity for me to learn and do my best and try to give everything.”
Nakamba was part of the Zimbabwe team at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
He started his career with local side Bantu Rovers and then moved to France with Nancy before joining Vitesse Arnhem and Club Brugge.
