Civil society, Tajamuka, Churches and other pressure groups are saying enough is enough.

Tajamuka leader Promise Mkhwananzi has said if government fails to bring back Doctor Magombeyi by Monday the pressure group will organize a Zimbabwe shutdown demo, starting from next week.

At Africa unity square Pastor Evan Mawarire, the leader of #This flag pressure group also joined the Doctors who were demonstrating in Harare.

He (Mawarire ) encouraged everyone including opposition parties to join unite in fighting against impunity-Mvenge Mvenge/ Vhuka Zimbabwe

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By A Correspondent| Medical practitioners here have vowed that until the abducted doctor Peter Magombeyi is returned, health professionals will continue with their collective strike which has crippled the country’s health delivery system.

Dr Magombeyi was abducted last Saturday and he has not been seen ever since.

Said the doctors:

” No Peter, No Work. Simple. No to abductions.”

The doctors are currently at Africa Unity square where they intend to hand over their petition to parliament.

Their match follows a high court ruling which granted them the go ahead to protest and petition parliament over their missing colleague who is the current acting leader of the ZHDA.

Yesterday, the doctors’ march was blocked by the ZRP which deployed armed riot police who barricaded Mazowe road, at a time when the doctors were marching to parliament.

The leadership of the ZHDA however went to Harare central police and notified them of their intention to hand over their petition to parliament.

They were however denied the permission to march to parliament with the police boss arguing that only 10 people were supposed to proceed and hand over the petition.

Farai Dziva|Zanu PF youth leader Pupurai Togarepi has sensationally claimed the Movement for Democratic Change and its “handlers” are behind the abduction of Doctor Peter Magombeyi in a bid to soil the country’s image.

Togarepi argued :
The quest for power should never ever replace our humanness and the inherent spirit of Ubuntu that is the hallmark of our people, either in their deeds or spirit.

Such virtues that are found in Zimbabwe should never be supplanted by self-seeking politicians or power-hungry individuals who pander to the whims and caprices of our erstwhile colonisers.

It is sad that today as the country seeks to come to terms with the disappearance of Peter Magombeyi, the opposition is celebrating, so are some embassies in Harare, the morbid celebrations are a result of a mission accomplished, at least in the eyes and hearts of the MDC-Alliance and it’s handlers.

The idea is to damage the reputation of our country, the people of Zimbabwe and also the ruling party Zanu-PF.

As the Zanu-PF Youth League, we hope that Peter is safe and whoever has him, which we dare say is the MDC-A or one of the ever scheming embassies in particular the US embassy, return him to his family, friends , workmates and indeed the nation at large safe and sound with no injuries, and indeed to tell the real story of who took him.

This sad development has no place in a progressive country let alone in the Second Republic, where commitments have been made, and are indeed guaranteed from the highest office that this is a New Dispensation that respects human rights and other liberties enshrined in our Constitution.
Having said that, we find it utterly disgusting that there are some elements who want to use the disappearance of Peter for political mileage, no, we should never sacrifice our conscience as a nation on the alter of expediency, we are better than that and the polarisation resident in our nation should not blind us from seeing the obvious.

The MDC-A, more than anyone else think they stand to benefit from Peter’s disappearance and should tell us where they hid him.

It begs answers, why would Zanu-PF abduct a doctor who serves the people and saves life?
Why would the Zanu-PF Government shoot itself in the foot by carrying out abductions when the message is engagement?
Why would the Zanu-PF Government seek to bring unnecessary negative publicity when the President is due to be at the United Nations in New York, marketing brand Zimbabwe?
And indeed why would we score an own goal by carrying such dastardly acts when a special UN envoy is on our soil assessing our human rights record?

The simple answer to the above is that Zanu-PF, as the governing party, would never under the sun, engage or allow such acts of banditry which tarnishes the image we are working around the clock to spruce and put in good stead after decades of isolation, to take place.

Indeed, common sense shows that there are elements in this country hell bent on derailing the progress that Zanu-PF is making, there is a third and sinister hand trying to rock the boat and cause maximum damage to our re-engagement efforts, these shenanigans, which I am afraid, have the fingerprints of the country’s clumsy opposition party masquerades and their puppeteers all over, are meant to deliver the killer punch and return the country to a pariah State that is unsafe, inhabitable, and perpetually ostracised from the rest of the world.

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Several fire departments responded to the scene, where flames were seen shooting through the roof…

AND WHY IS MNANGAGWA QUIET ABOUT THIS? – On the same day Emmerson Mnangagwa tossed around President Robert Mugabe’s corpse like a football in stadiums (this is not to suggest a cause), the Zimbabwe embassy house in the US was gutted by a fire whose trigger could not be established. This was on the same day Mnangagwa forced the Mugabe family to change the burial arrangements and accept a heroes acre burial for the late ZANU PF legend.

In Shona religious mythology, there is a strong belief that a dead person will fight back if their body is disrespected and before his death, President Mugabe described Emmerson Mnangagwa as a disgrace the nation needs to undo itself of.

The incident happened over 4 days ago and yet the Zimbabwean state media has been zipped about it.

The upmarket New York property valued at over USD 2,7 mln and has housed all Zim government ambassadors for several years, was engulfed in flames that were described by the community as difficult to understand.

The incident happened in the same day the Hospital Doctors Association President Peter Magombeyi went missing.

No one was injured in the fire that ravaged the house in Rye early Saturday, police said.

The blaze broke out on Grandview Avenue shortly after midnight.

Several fire departments responded to the scene, where flames were seen shooting through the roof of the house. Rye police said no one was home when the fire started, and no firefighters were injured.

Lt. Robert Falk, Rye’s interim public safety commissioner, said today that the house was substantially damaged.

The city’s Building Department will assess the damage this week, he said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but it does not appear to be suspicious, Falk said.
Firefighters from Harrison, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, and White Plains were among those who helped Rye firefighters.

A comment from the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the embassy was still awaited at the time of writing.

A record search conducted by ZimEye shows that the building is owned by the Zimbabwean government.

Meanwhile, below are some of the ambassadors who have lived at the property:

READ THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE….

A Harare bound Inter Africa bus was hit by a Green Fuel haulage truck around 0330 hours today.

The accident happened at Chipangayi Bus Stop in Chipinge.

No causalities have been reported so far.

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Jane Mlambo| Following a High Court ruling that barred the police from interfering with the doctors demonstration, the medical professionals are set to proceed with their planned march from Parirenyatwa to Parliament where they will handover a petition the the Speaker of the National Assembly.

The doctors have on two ocassions been blocked by police from proceeding to parliament and it took the intervention of the court to grant them permission to carryout their activity.

The doctors have vowed never to return to work until the missing Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) President Dr Peter Magombedze is released.

Magombedze was abducted by suspected state security agents on Saturday last week and has not been found, though the government insists it is a third force.

By A Correspondent- Former President Robert Mugabe’s children, Mrs Bona Mugabe-Chikore and Robert Jnr, thanked the Government and everyone who has stood with them in their time of mourning.

The two also described Cde Mugabe as a fatherly figure who was admired across the world.

Mrs Mugabe-Chikore and Robert Jnr said this while addressing mourners at their rural home in Kutama Village, Zvimba.

First to take to the podium was Mrs Mugabe-Chikore, who thanked God for giving her father a long life.

“When I was growing up I knew that my father was an elderly man and was afraid that I would wake up one day to hear that he is sick or that he is no longer with us,” she said.

“So I prayed a lot for God to keep him at least so that I be able to graduate and then after (that) I prayed to God that he keeps him until I wed so that he would walk me down the aisle. Then I also prayed that he be kept alive that he at least sees only one of my children; now he saw two of them.

“So I thank God for his life because it was so blessed even though it was difficult. There are people like that who are placed here on earth and whose lives may seem like they are suffering, but in reality their suffering benefited millions of people so I am grateful to God for his life.

“I want to thank all of you who have come to mourn with us and Government for its assistance, but most of all, I want to thank our mother. She has been on our father’s side throughout, even in sickness.”

Mr Mugabe said the death of his father had made him realise the impact he had across the world.

“The loss of our father has made me realise what type of a man he was. He was not only a father to us as his children or a husband to our mother, but he was a father to the nation and the whole of Africa,” he said.

“The whole world came to a standstill when he died and the coming of many leaders from across the world made me realise what kind of a man our father was. The impact that he had not only in the country, but all over the world, is something that I admire. Despite the criticisms he received from the British and other countries, he was still admired by many.”

Mr Mugabe added that even those who did not like him, also admired him for his values and what he stood for.

The former President’s body was later returned to his Blue Roof residence yesterday.-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- A 24-year-old Zaka man allegedly strangled his son at the height of an argument over paternity with the mother, police said yesterday.

Edison Jere of Machele Village under Chief Nhema took advantage of his wife, Ms Martha Mudombi (24)’s absence and allegedly throttled one-year-old Anesu Mudombi.

Masvingo police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Charity Mazula, said the incident occurred on Thursday last week at around 11 AM.

“I can confirm that we have received a report of murder involving a one-year-old boy. The boy was allegedly strangled by his father,” said Chief Insp Mazula.

She said the suspect disappeared soon after committing the offence and was on the run.

Chief Insp Mazula said Ms Mudombi left Anesu in the custody of her husband while she went to fetch water from a nearby borehole.

She said upon her return, Ms Mudombi found Jere wiping blood from Anesu’s mouth and nose.

“The suspect allegedly claimed that their son had an epileptic attack.

“The mother touched Anesu to check if he was still breathing and discovered that he was unconscious,” said the police spokesperson.

She said the couple waited until 10PM before taking the unconscious boy to his aunt, Ms Shamiso Mudindo of Chenhenga Village in the same area who once lived with the toddler.

Chief Insp Mazula said Jere sneaked from their relative’s homestead at around 1AM on Friday and fled.

She said the matter was reported later that day at around 10AM to Zaka police who attended the scene.

The body was then taken to Musiso Mission Hospital mortuary for postmortem.

Postmortem results revealed that the boy died as a result of strangulation.

Sources close to the couple said the two had previously had a misunderstanding over the boy’s paternity.

— Chronicle

By A Correspondent- Poor voter registration turnout is haunting Bulawayo, with less than five residents taking part in the ongoing exercise each month, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) has said.

If there is no voter buy-in, the province will lose three constituencies during the delimitation exercise.

Zec is conducting a voter registration exercise at its Bulawayo offices, and according to the provincial elections officer Innocent Ncube, the turnout in the city is disappointing.

“People are not coming. On average, we are registering zero a month and this is of serious concern to us. The same also applies when we do outreach sometimes to register residents as voters,” he said yesterday.

“We have outreach programmes to register people in their wards, but sadly, very few people come. They do not come forward to register and when they do come, at most, it will be less than five people during the whole outreach.”

Ncube warned Bulawayo would lose constituencies as a result during the next delimitation exercise as the voter registered population for the city falls far short of the minimum threshold.

Bulawayo, with 257 924 registered voters, has 12 constituencies.

Independent election watchdog, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (Zesn) has also warned of the same, saying the same fate is likely to befall Matabeleland North (338 593) and South (263 690) in the next demarcation exercise.

“What happens is that we take the total registered voter population and divide that by 210 constituencies that we have. After that, we get the average registered voter population per constituency; the figures must be the same, but with a plus or minus 20% difference as provided by the law,” Ncube said.

“In Bulawayo, with the numbers that we have, the city is likely to lose three constituencies, and that is a serious matter of concern … it also affects development. With few constituencies, it means less in Constituency Development Funds (CDF).”

Analysts said the poor turnout to the voter registration programme in the city is a vote of no confidence on Zec over its handling of the country’s elections.

“It is a vote of no confidence against Zec and against elections as a means to usher in a better and prosperous Zimbabwe. It is people saying we don’t trust the system and we are tired of our votes translating to nothing,” Bulawayo social and political commentator Effie Ncube said.

“Electoral politics in Zimbabwe has not been delivering the desired democratic and development outcomes. So, unless and until our elections get to a stage where they can deliver freedom and prosperity for the poor masses, people will increasingly question the value of voting and just stay at home.”

Another commentator, Michael Ndiweni, added: “People think that voter registration is an event that comes when elections are about to be held. This is so because Zec is only visible towards elections … Secondly, looking at the voting percentages; people have lost trust in elections due to perennial contestations and shenanigans of the previous and current regime.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Six armed robbers were arrested in Bulawayo on Tuesday after they had just arrived at their girlfriend’s place and police were a tipped-off.

According to Acting Bulawayo police spokesperson, Inspector Nomalanga Msebele, the robbers had returned from their Kwekwe hideout when they were nabbed.

She said:

I can confirm that Thabo Mthombeni (27), Lindokuhle Moyo (22), Prosper Moyo (23), Solomon Herry (25) and Noah Vambe (29) all from Bulawayo were arrested for committing armed robberies using a Honda Fit car without some number plates.

On Saturday police received a tip-off that the robbers had just arrived at their girlfriend’s place. (They proceeded to the house) and arrested them after they admitted that they committed crimes, involving robberies and they claimed to have surrendered a pistol to police.-Newsday

OUR URGENT COURT APPLICATION HAS BEEN APPROVED.WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN PERMISSION TO MARCH TO PARLIAMENT TO HAND IN OVER OUR PETITION

OUR ROUTE WILL BE ADVISED IN DUE COURSE..LET US COME IN OUR NUMBERS

ALUTAAA!!!

NO PETER NO WORK

ZHDA INFORMATION DESK

MEMBERS of the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) and the Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) have resolved to join doctors who are protesting the abduction of a fellow medical practitioner at the weekend.

Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) acting president Peter Magombeyi was reportedly abducted on Saturday by three unknown men who had threatened him for weeks over the phone. He has not been heard from, since the time.

In a joint statement on Wednesday, the teachers’ unions demanded the immediate release of the doctor to his family, failure of which they were also going to withdraw their labour.

“We note with great concern the abduction of the president of Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors’ Association, Peter Magombeyi.

“We demand the immediate safe return of Peter Magombeyi to his family and the indexing of our salaries with prevailing interbank rate. Our members will be withdrawing labour on Friday 20 September if our demands are not me,” PTUZ secretary general Raymond Majongwe said.

Magombeyi’s disappearance has left President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration in a difficult position with human rights groups blaming government for recent abductions on government critics.

Mnangagwa’s government has denied involvement and instead accuses a “third force” for being responsible in a bid to soil its image.

Since Monday, doctors have been joined by all health workers in protesting and demanding Magombeyi’s safe return.

In Harare, doctors spent the whole day Wednesday demonstrating near Parirenyatwa Hospital after anti-riot police blocked them from marching into the Central Business District to petition Parliament.

The health practitioners have in the past months demanded salaries in US dollars but government has argued it does not have capacity to do so.

The ZHDA has accused Zimbabwe state security forces of abducting the doctor because of his role in organising work stoppages.

Amid fears that Zimbabwean Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) leader Dr Peter Magombeyi, who has gone missing, could have been abducted by that country’s state security forces, the South African Medical Association (Sama) has made an impassioned plea to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to “help find him wherever he is held”.

Sama’s appeal comes in the wake of a high court order, obtained by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), for any state agency holding Magombeyi to release him.

Magombeyi, who was behind the protest by doctors for “a living wage” in the Zimbabwean public service, has not been seen since he sent a WhatsApp message last weekend, saying he had been “kidnapped by three men”.

Zimbabwean doctors, who earn about R3,000 a month, have been on strike for better wages, equipment and medicines in state hospitals.

“Missing and feared abducted,” reads the poster bearing Magombeyi’s photograph being circulated by the ZLHR, deepening a concerted campaign to find him.

Sama chairperson Dr Angelique Coetzee said the organisation condemned the disappearance of Magombeyi “in the strongest terms”.

“We are making a plea to the government of Zimbabwe to ensure that he is released, if government security forces are involved in the abduction.

“From a human rights point of view, this is not acceptable because there are few medical practitioners in Zimbabwe,” said Coetzee.

Anyone who abducted a doctor “for standing up to his or her rights, is an accessory to muzzling a right to free speech and to freely speaking out against that which is not the norm”.

She said: “The Zimbabwean government should be bold enough to say they have abducted or arrested Dr Magombeyi.

“This is [not] good for the people of Zimbabwe or the medical profession, a troubling development that has affected staff morale.”

Coetzee said Magombeyi’s suspicious disappearance had left “a void which no other person can fill in terms of bringing the critical medical services to the people”.

The ZHDA has accused state security forces of abducting the doctor because of his role in organising work stoppages.

Zimbabwe’s ambassador to South Africa, David Hamadziripi, is currently in Zimbabwe and was not available for comment on charges that Magombeyi could be in the custody of state security forces.

ZANU-PF has lined up a number of events to celebrate the life of the nation’s founding father former, President Robert Mugabe, until the day of the burial at the national Heroes Acre.

President Mnangagwa yesterday gave an overture of the demise of the late icon and founding father of the nation Robert Mugabe during the politburo meeting held at Zanu -PF headquarters.

Zanu-PF Secretary for Information and Publicity Simon Khaya Moyo said the party will continue to honour the late Mugabe. “Emphasis was placed on the programme of commemorative events to celebrate the life and significance of the Cde RG Mugabe leading to his final interment at the mausoleum still to be completed at the national Heroes’ Acre,” said Khaya Moyo.

Mugabe died a fortnight ago in Singapore where he was receiving medical treatment.

“The Politburo expressed gratitude to President Mnangagwa for exemplary leadership he has demonstrated since the passing on of the late Cde Mugabe and the assistance rendered to his family throughout his illness even up to now,”.

President Mnangagwa said the late Mugabe was an icon of liberation, a Pan-Africanist who dedicated his life to the emancipation and empowerment of his people. His contribution to the history of our nation and continent will never be forgotten.

Meanwhile, the construction of a mausoleum for the late former President Mugabe has started with preparatory work at the site commencing while work on the design is still to be completed.

Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Deputy Minister Jennifer Mhlanga said initial construction work had already commenced.

“What the nation might want to know is that work has commenced. In as far as design is concerned, yes, work is being done. The costs will only be known once we have the design,” said Deputy Minister Mhlanga.

Government conferred a special honour on the country’s ex-leader, Mugabe, and decided to construct a mausoleum at the National Heroes’ Acre’s hilltop where the former leader will be buried.

Khaya Moyo also said that the Politburo send a condolence message to the Mavhunga family following the death of Cde Dominic Martin Mavhunga who was declared a provincial liberation war hero.

“In the same vein condolences were extended to the Minister of State for Mashonaland Central Cde Monica Mavhunga for the sad loss of her husband,” he said.

A POOR voter registration turnout is haunting Bulawayo, with less than five residents taking part in the ongoing exercise each month, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) has said.

If there is no voter buy-in, the province will lose three constituencies during the delimitation exercise.

Zec is conducting a voter registration exercise at its Bulawayo offices, and according to the provincial elections officer Innocent Ncube, the turnout in the city is disappointing.

“People are not coming. On average, we are registering zero a month and this is of serious concern to us. The same also applies when we do outreach sometimes to register residents as voters,” he said yesterday.

“We have outreach programmes to register people in their wards, but sadly, very few people come. They do not come forward to register and when they do come, at most, it will be less than five people during the whole outreach.”

Ncube warned Bulawayo would lose constituencies as a result during the next delimitation exercise as the voter registered population for the city falls far short of the minimum threshold.

Bulawayo, with 257 924 registered voters, has 12 constituencies.

Independent election watchdog, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (Zesn) has also warned of the same, saying the same fate is likely to befall Matabeleland North (338 593) and South (263 690) in the next demarcation exercise.

“What happens is that we take the total registered voter population and divide that by 210 constituencies that we have. After that, we get the average registered voter population per constituency; the figures must be the same, but with a plus or minus 20% difference as provided by the law,” Ncube said.

“In Bulawayo, with the numbers that we have, the city is likely to lose three constituencies, and that is a serious matter of concern … it also affects development. With few constituencies, it means less in Constituency Development Funds (CDF).”

Analysts said the poor turnout to the voter registration programme in the city is a vote of no confidence on Zec over its handling of the country’s elections.

“It is a vote of no confidence against Zec and against elections as a means to usher in a better and prosperous Zimbabwe. It is people saying we don’t trust the system and we are tired of our votes translating to nothing,” Bulawayo social and political commentator Effie Ncube said.

“Electoral politics in Zimbabwe has not been delivering the desired democratic and development outcomes. So, unless and until our elections get to a stage where they can deliver freedom and prosperity for the poor masses, people will increasingly question the value of voting and just stay at home.”

Another commentator, Michael Ndiweni, added: “People think that voter registration is an event that comes when elections are about to be held. This is so because Zec is only visible towards elections … Secondly, looking at the voting percentages; people have lost trust in elections due to perennial contestations and shenanigans of the previous and current regime.”

Zimbabweans living in SA can download the app and pay at local grocery outlets, whereafter their families in Zim can collect their groceries in any of five locations.

What used to be a dreadful mission for a mother – to send essential commodities to her three children living in Zimbabwe – is now a quick errand that doesn’t even require her leaving the house.

A Zimbabwean living in Tembisa, Lindiwe Chevure, said sending food parcels to Zimbabwe for her children and in-laws every month was stressful.

She would send them through informal delivery services in the form of buses or minibuses, also known as malaicha, once a month and always worried about whether they would get to her family in good condition.

“It was so stressful. The malaichas are always expensive and sometimes by the time they got to Zimbabwe, the stuff are damaged or stolen.

“And it’s not always the driver’s fault. Sometimes other passengers just sit there with the intention to steal and there is nothing the drivers can do about it.”

She said her family was also discouraged and told her to avoid using the informal service.

Travelling to Zimbabwe to deliver the items was also stressful as she then had to endure the long queues to cross the border, even recalling a time when she waited for a day and a half just to get through customs.

Two SA brothers who saw the suffering of thousands of Zimbabweans like Lindiwe came up with a solution, malaicha.com.

With the international money transfer service they own already popular in Zimbabwe, they launched an app in June this year.

Malaicha.com executive head in Zimbabwe Sayjil Magan said: “We believe ourselves to be solutionists to the pressing needs of the markets, especially where foreign migrants are concerned. We wanted to create an extremely convenient and legal way for Zimbabweans to send groceries [to their loved ones].

“With this service there are no regulatory issues. We are licensed with both the South African Reserve Bank and the Zimbabwean Reserve Bank.

“With this service, one can download the app from the Google Play Store and register. They can then shop for all the items they need.

“The app is easy and convenient to use.

“Then they can check out and pay at any of the 8,000 selected retail stores around the country – this includes Shoprite, Boxers, Pick n Pay and more.

“Once they have paid, their families can collect the goods at any of our five locations – in Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare, Masvingo and Gweru.”

Users do not have to use data to shop on the app and a 30% delivery fee is charged.

Chevure said: “When I discovered malaicha.com, I remember I was so happy. I called my mom and I told her to go and collect the items in Harare because I have already paid for them and they are already there. My mom was so surprised when she got them in good condition that same day!

“It has really changed my life because I can easily send things home now. All my kids are happy, my in-laws are happy and now I send things about three or four times a month!”

Magan said: “We have about 15,000 people registered on the app within the first three months of operations. We are now looking to expand to Malawi and Mozambique.”

State Media|The country’s largest payment platform, EcoCash, has suspended over 4 000 of its agents on allegations of participating in the now rampant trend of charging excessive premiums for customers intending to cash on their mobile money.

EcoCash, one of Econet’s biggest business units, moves billions of transactions annually through its over 50 000 agents dotted throughout the country.

The announcement came barely a day after The Herald published a story in which ordinary citizens, and economic experts expressed disdain over the cost of cashing out on plastic money that has effectively eroded people’s earnings.

A survey carried out by this paper shows that EcoCash agents are charging a premium of up to 55 percent to customers in need of cash that is mainly in coins.

Cash barons

But in a statement released yesterday, the mobile payment solution service provider said it doesn’t condone such practice that has seen the birth of cash barons who are profiteering from their access to cash.

“EcoCash advises all its agents that it does not condone any illicit activities by agents,” said EcoCash in a statement.

“We have consistently maintained this position in our various communication directly to all agents through the various forums we hold across the country.

“Any agent charging above the authorised commission levels will be charged accordingly.

“We have so far suspended over 4 000 agents and will not hesitate to act accordingly on any reported cases of charging above authorised commission levels outside the EcoCash platform,” reads the statement.

The move by EcoCash to rid itself of unscrupulous agents also comes in light of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) having started investigating EcoCash agents partaking in the illicit practice.

Earlier, the National Business Council of Zimbabwe (NBCZ) president Mr Langton Mabhanga, had told The Herald that there was need for monetary authorities to impose punitive measures on errant EcoCash agents.

Mr Mabhanga had also said it was not his view that the solution to the problem was in increasing cash in circulation.

“These premiums on cash are fuelling inflation and causing untold suffering to ordinary persons.

Plastic money

“There is need to protect ordinary workers who have watched helplessly as their salaries are being eroded,” said Mr Mabhanga.

“In Rwanda, we have a replica of EcoCash and you will notice that majority of transactions are through plastic money.

“What is lacking is supervision instruments that in my view have failed.

“There is need for an audit of these EcoCash agencies,” he said.

The illicit practice by the country’s largest payment platform has become the biggest threat to Government’s push for people to migrate from using hard cash to electronic payment systems as the later has been rendered too expensive.

State Media|High Court Judge Justice Happias Zhou yesterday scrapped Statutory Instrument (SI) 205 of 2018, which enabled Government to levy 2 percent tax on electronic money transactions above $10.

The tax was introduced as an austerity measure by Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube.

However, Justice Zhou’s judgment has no material effect since there is now a Finance Act, which provides for the contested tax, passed on August 21.

The ruling follows an application by Combined Harare Residents’ Association (CHRA) director Mr Mfundo Mlilo challenging SI 205-2018 in October last year, imposing the tax.

Mr Mlilo was represented by lawyer Mr Tendai Biti.

Writing on his Twitter handle, Mr Biti confirmed the austerity measure was still in existence.

“It seems the 2 percent is not going anywhere as what has been set aside is the Statutory Instrument 205 of 2018 which introduced the 2 percent tax, but currently the 2 percent tax is based on the Finance Act passed on August 2019, hence ngoma ndiyo, ndiyo,” he said.

Minister Ncube introduced the tax in his Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP), which is part of Government’s drive to turn around the economy.

In his application, Mr Mlilo argued that the Government’s decision was made without the necessary backing of the law, citing in particular the amendment of the income tax or the regulation of the tax in a Statutory Instrument.

It was also Mr Mlilo’s contention that on October 12 last year, Minister Ncube enacted the Finance (Rate and Incidence of Intermediated Monetary Transfer Tax) Regulations Statutory Instrument (SI205-2018) to legalise and actualise his announcement done on October 1, 2018.

The SI, he argued, remained unconstitutional and a nullity, adding that the minister cannot amend an Act of Parliament in terms of the law.

To this end, Mr Mlilo wanted the higher court to put on hold the minister’s decision to review the intermediated tax from five cents per transaction to two cents per dollar.

The pressure group also wanted the immediate suspension of the Finance (Rate and Incidence of Intermediated Money Transfer Tax) Regulations published in SI205 /2018.

NewsDay|HUNDREDS of Zanu PF supporters yesterday walked away disappointed after the Mavhunga family refused to bury the late Dominic Martin Mavhunga at Mashonaland Central Provincial Heroes Acre in Bindura.

Dominic was husband to Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs minister Monica Mavhunga.

Mourners had to wait until 3pm for the final decision despite having crafted a heroes acre programme and dug a grave at the shrine.

Mavhunga family spokesperson Elvis Mavhunga Chibamu said the body will now be buried in Mhondoro at Chibamu village today.

“We have a grave for our own relative in Chibamu village, Mhondoro, not this so-called heroes acre. We have our own way of burying our people, so we will be travelling to the village tonight (yesterday). The family is grateful for the party and our in-laws who finally gave in to our wish and that of the dead,” he said.

Daughter to the late Mavhunga, Sibongile described her uncles as cowards who wanted to fix her mother and tarnish their image.

“My father was sick for three years at a local hospital, but never did we see these uncles coming to see him. These people are cowards. It is a move meant to tarnish the image of our mother because she is a minister,” she fumed.

Zanu PF Mashonaland Central chairperson Kazembe Kazembe said they rendered all the support Mavhunga deserved as a provincial hero, but did not influence burial arrangements.

“As a party, we were following the family burial arrangements. Since it was a State-funded funeral, yes, a grave was dug at the Provincial Heroes Acre, but that was in preparation of the burial, but that did not mean that we had decided,” Kazembe said.

The State allegedly withdrew its services and his relatives had a torrid time in transporting the body to Mhondoro.

Rowdy artisanal miners started chanting Zanu PF slogans and praising President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga as they demanded Mavhunga’s burial in Bindura.

State Media|Food items worth thousands of dollars donated to Cyclone Idai victims are rotting in warehouses in Chimanimani East and it is unclear why they have not been handed over to the intended beneficiaries.

Cyclone Idai ravaged Chipinge and Chimanimani districts in March this year, killing hundreds and destroying infrastructure worth over a billion dollars.

It also destroyed food reserves and crops, leaving victims vulnerable and in urgent need of aid.

This saw Government appealing for local and international assistance.

But in a sad development, some foodstuffs have either decayed or expired while locked up at Nyahode District Union Warehouse, also referred to as Machongwe Food Distribution Centre, at Machongwe Business Centre in Chimanimani East.

“Among food items that have expired while in the warehouses awaiting distribution are the following— 30 tonnes of mealie-meal, 1 850kg of corn soya blend, 1 150kg of plain flour, 500 x6 packets sugar beans and 1 000kg of Maheu Instant,” a source said to state media.

The 30 tonnes of mealie-meal expired on September 7, 2019.

The 1 150kg of plain flour expired on March 27, 2019 while the Maheu Instant donations passed their consumption date on August 18.

State media news crew visited the warehouse on Tuesday, but could not gain access as it was locked.

Keys to the warehouses are reportedly kept in the Chimanimani District development coordinator’s office.

The DCC, Mr John Misi, was in a meeting at Chimanimani Rural District Council on Tuesday for the better part of the day and no immediate comment could be obtained from him.

However, acting provincial development coordinator Mr Edgars Seenza yesterday confirmed receiving reports suggesting food donations were rotting in the warehouse.

“Get in touch with the district development coordinator (Mr Misi). I used to get those reports and I have asked him to prepare a report,” said Mr Seenza.

Mr Misi was not answering his mobile phone yesterday when his comment was sought.

Chimanimani East legislator Joshua Sacco also confirmed that some of the foodstuffs had expired.

He said there was a similar situation at the Charter Hall warehouse.

“I am very disappointed with the lack of distribution of foodstuffs in the past three months. Perishables are rotting while some foodstuffs have expired.

“When I asked the responsible authorities they said they do not have fuel to distribute the food. That was the response I got. I believe it is an issue of inefficiency on the part of those responsible,” said Sacco.

“Food needs to be moved out immediately and I have made recommendations to that effect to the responsible offices,” added Sacco.

ZIMBABWE’S Chimurenga music maestro Thomas Tafirenyika Mapfumo has said he does not want to be buried at the National Heroes Acre when he dies because the place has lost significance.

Mapfumo, who is known for taking no prisoners when it comes to uttering what he wants, says the ruling Zanu-PF party had personalized the national monument such that only those in good books with the elite Zanu-PF leadership could be buried there.

“Don’t bother taking me there when it comes to that I have died and a decision has to be made,” said the US based legendary musician in an interview with Financial Gazette.

“The place has lost its respect and significance. No right thinking person would want to be buried there.”

Built in the 1980s by North Korean contractors, the granite monument is where many heroes of the liberation war were buried.

Since President Emmerson Mnangagwa came into power in November 2017, several national heroes have been buried at their own homes. These include the late Professor Phineas Makhurane and Oliver Mtukudzi.

Recently, there have been calls for an independent body to be set up which confers hero status, instead of this being done by the Zanu-PF politburo.

OPPOSITION politician Linda Masarira has pulled a major shocker after she accused the MDC led by Nelson Chamisa of having a hand in the abduction of missing Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association leader Dr Peter Magombeyi.

Masarira who leads the new political party, LEAD, challenged fellow opposition MDC to start pushing for what she calls politics of issues instead of creating a false narrative that Zimbabwe has gross human rights violations.

She said it was curious but not surprising that the so-called abductions only happen when there is an international summit or when a high-ranking delegation is visiting Zimbabwe echoing sentiments raised by the ruling ZANU PF party.

“We have seen a lot of these so-called abductions since the end of last year, with the MDC trying to push the narrative that there are gross human rights abuses in Zimbabwe.

“The abductions have only happened when there are international events. Last August there was a SADC summit in Tanzania and we had a series of abductions. Now that we have the UN General Assembly coming up, we have another so-called abduction,” Linda said in an interview with Zimbabwe Voice.

She added that Dr. Magombeyi was not of any threat to government to be abducted by State agents, adding that the last real abduction in her opinion was that of firebrand political activist Itayi Dzamara in 2015.

“I personally don’t think the medical doctor, Dr Peter Magombeyi, is of any threat to Zanu-PF and the Government. The big question is, what does the current government gain by abducting the medical doctor at such a time when they are trying to clean up their own image.

“Who stands to benefit from these so-called abductions? The MDC of course. If they abduct one of their own and put them in a safe house somewhere, they are going to get donor funds and buttress their narrative that there are gross human rights violations in Zimbabwe and then the US will probably apply more sanctions on Zimbabwe, and then they rejoice as they always do.

“The MDC should move away from politics of setting a bad narrative about our country and must start pushing for politics of issues. They want to grab power at all cost and are prepared to smear the country’s image just so that the current finds it difficult to attract solidarity from other nations and investment from abroad. It is very bad and shameful,” Masarira said.

Masarira, who herself spent over 80 days in prison on charges of insulting former President Robert Mugabe, said she was a much bigger threat to government herself but was never abducted.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade called upon the police to unravel the truth behind the abduction and also said the incident appears timed to coincide with the arrival in Zimbabwe of UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Speech and Association.

Chivi South legislator Killer Zivhu has come under fire for continuing to defy the Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial executive’s directive stopping him from carrying out party and parliamentary business in the area pending the finalisation of his disciplinary hearing.

It is understood the party has written to the Politburo recommending that he be expelled for violating party rules after turning to social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Twitter, and allegedly pushed for dialogue between President Mnangagwa and MDC-Alliance Mr Nelson Chamisa.

Further, Zivhu is said to have initiated the process of collecting signatures from people so that they support his dialogue initiative.

The Herald understands that the Zanu-PF Masvingo executive recently read the riot act to Zivhu and ordered him to stop carrying out meetings until his matter was finalised.

Zanu-PF vice chairman for Masvingo Ailes Baloyi said yesterday that it was disturbing to note Zivhu was defying party directives.

“We are aware of Zivhu’s defiance and the reports are being taken to the national executive. Every move that he is making is known and we are only waiting for the results of the national disciplinary committee,” said Baloyi.State media

The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors For Human Rights has issued a statement on the continued disappearance of Junior Doctors’ Union President Dr Peter Magombeyi.

Below is the full text:

Dr Magombeyi was reportedly abducted on Saturday evening by 3 men. His colleagues have staged a demo code-named #BringBackDrPeter since Sunday.

Farai Dziva|A ZANU PF supporter has named his son after former President Robert Mugabe.

The man named his son, born on 18 April 2017, after the late former President Robert Mugabe, according to The Herald.

49-year-old Duke Chinyongo from St Mary’s, Chitungwiza, told The Herald that it was his love for the ruling party that prompted him to name his last-born child Tinotenda Robert Gabriel Deeds Chinyongo.

“Yes, I can confirm that I named my son Tinotenda Robert Gabriel Deeds Chinyongo soon after his birth on the 18th of April 2017 to clearly show the nation that I have passion for the ruling party Zanu-PF and the former great icon and Leader Robert Mugabe.

This I did not wait for him to die first but I decided to honour when he was still alive.”

Chinyongo revealed that initially he wanted to name his son Tinotenda Robert Gabriel Mugabe Deeds Chinyongo but was blocked by authorities at Chitungwiza Registrar General’s Offices when he wanted to get him a birth certificate.

Farai Dziva | Villagers in Masvingo Central Constituency have accused Zanu PF MP Edmund Mhere of abandoning them.

This came to light at a COTRAD community engagement meeting in Ward 17, Masvingo Central Constituency.

The dialogue meeting was a platform for villagers to discuss community issues with local leaders.

“We are facing challenges in engaging the Member of Parliament Mr Edmund Mhere. He has deserted the constituency,” said one villager.

The villagers also expressed concern at the failure by Mhere to account for the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

The High Court has acquitted former President Robert Mugabe’s son-in-law, Simba Chikore, who was facing charges of unlawfully detaining Zimbabwe Airways former secretary Ms Bertha Zakeyo.

Chikore, who was being jointly charged with Simbarashe Mutimbe, had approached the High Court after his application for discharge at the close of the State’s case was dismissed by Harare magistrate Mrs Victoria Mashamba.

However, the ruling by the lower court was quashed by Justice Zhou, who acquitted Chikore.

Chikore’s lawyer, Mr Jonathan Samukange, on Tuesday appeared before Mrs Mashamba and tendered an order of the High Court, which stated that his client was found not guilty and acquitted. In the order, Justice Zhou stated that the magistrate made an error by not acquitting Chikore at the end of the State’s case since they was no evidence linking him to the alleged offence.

“Significantly, the State led no evidence of the applicant’s involvement in the complainant’s continued presence at the premises after the termination of her employment. The complainant’s evidence on the alleged instruction from the applicant was in admissible hearsay evidence and largely speculative and conjectural,” reads the order from Justice Zhou.

Justice Zhou said the persons who were allegedly instructed by the applicant to detain the complainant did not testify and that could have been the end of the matter for the learned magistrate in considering the application for discharge.

“The judgment by the first respondent in the case No. HREP 12660/18 dismissing the applicant’s application for discharge at the close of the case for the prosecution be and is hereby set aside and substituted by the following:

“The application for discharge at the close of the case for the prosecution is granted and the first accused is found not guilty and acquitted,” reads the order.

Facts were that Chikore, who was then Zimbabwe Airways boss, connived with Mutimbe, also employed by the airline, and unlawfully detained Ms Zakeyo for hours thereby depriving her of her freedom.State media

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

By Farai D Hove| The Foreign Affairs minister, Sibusiso Moyo has unwittingly revealed the identity of the “abductors” who took away the President of Hospital Doctor, Dr Peter Magombeyi.

Speaking during his media address on Tuesday, Moyo rushed to identify the criminals who allegedly took the man was “the Third Force.” He used the prefix “The” a term that points to a standing acquaintance.

Moyo’s statement coincides well with an official May 2019 security briefing that lists several arms of Zimbabwe’s Joint Operations Command. The document saw the Police Spokesman Paul Nyathi telling ZimEye when pressed on its contents, “I don’t want to comment on matters of national security.”

Speaking yesterday, Moyo said government was to ….” to dig deeper into the culprits and the Third Force responsible for this heinous crime that has crept into our society; indeed this kind of crime must be nipped in the bud once and for all and hence we have been assured, “

By A Correspondent- Clashes over T-shirts continued at former President Robert Mugabe’s rural home with a fight breaking out in the morning when a youth wearing Zanu PF regalia with Mnangagwa’s face was beaten before being ejected.

Party regalia with Mugabe’s face was the only clothing safe to wear.

Tempers flared leading to a stand-off that was eventually quelled by Zanu PF central committee member, Shiella Mabasa popularly known as Yondo Sister.

She told resistive mourners that Mnangagwa T-shirts were not meant to undermine or spite Mugabe.

“This party regalia was left over during the campaign period and we felt it was important to give our members as we mourn a departed hero of Zanu PF and Zimbabwe, it has nothing to do with politics,” Mabasa said.

Meanwhile, traditional leaders in Zvimba yesterday said they had pardoned those who removed former President Robert Mugabe from power through a military coup in November 2017 to foster national healing.

Speaking during a church service at the late Mugabe’s home in Zvimba, Chief Chisora Chikamba said it was important to let bygones be bygones.

“I want to thank Zanu PF, yes, there are things that happened, there are indeed bad apples, (but) yes, we forgive you,” he said.

Mugabe, who died in Singapore on September 6, was bitterly disappointed by his removal from power by his military men after 37 years of ruling the southern African country and his nephew Leo Mugabe last week told the media that the former President, despite being 95 years old, had died from stress caused by the coup led by people he trusted.

Grace Mugabe’s relative Ephraim Ranga also preached peace amid simmering tensions.

He told mourners that reconciliation and forgiveness for past misdeeds was crucial.

Highlighting that the late national hero in 1980 forgave Ian Smith and allowed the former Rhodesian Prime Minister to die peacefully in the new Zimbabwe, he said: “If you want to be forgiven, you should forgive others; count the number of people you forgave and then ask for forgiveness.”

Marred by controversy, Mugabe’s death continues to pen new scripts every day.

Helicopters which were supposed to transport his body back to his Blue Roof mansion in Harare had to return empty, owing to wrangling and last-minute changes.

The body will now spend another night at his Zvimba home after a family stand-off delayed proceedings.

Leo could not speak on the delays or change of programme, saying he had not been briefed, but irate mourners deserted the Mugabe homestead, leaving a lot of empty chairs ahead of an evening service.

“I am yet to be briefed by the family, but another day has been added, so the body will leave tomorrow,” he said.

Insiders said former First Lady Grace and Mugabe clan members were still haggling over the former President’s burial place, raising speculation that only a dummy coffin could be on display while Mugabe’s body is buried elsewhere.

Chief Zvimba, however, dispelled the talk, saying Mugabe’s body will be placed at the apex of the national shrine so that it can be seen from all angles.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- A Canada based author Mandipa Shumba has been praised by former United States of America Barack Obama for her prowess.

The former US president hailed the 20-year-old’s book Legends with Dreams, which unpacks the duties of the youth and helps them find their voices.

Mandipa said she wrote to Obama for him to get a glimpse of her book and she was amazed getting the response.

“I only wrote to him once and I was surprised that he responded appreciating my work, it really humbled me.

“For me to get such an endorsement, it shows that I am in the right track,” said Mandipa.

Below is the response from Obama:

Mandipa, who grew up in Kadoma, said she was inspired by the Zimbabwean liberation struggle to come up with her poetry collection.

“I have always loved writing poetry and Legends with Dreams subtitled The Untold Story is my second poetry collection that is inspired by the events of Zimbabwe liberation struggle leading to Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980,” she said.

The Untold Story writer said it was difficult for her coming up with the book as she faced a number of challenges.

“Financial constraints were one big challenge as a self-published book even though my mentor encouraged me to keep on working,” said Mandipa who doubles as a poet.

Mandipa said she owes a lot more of her book to her father.

“My father was one big motivation, and he kept pushing me.

“I want to do my sponsors and my parents proud they deserve this from me,” she said.

The Global Political Economy student said she has already started writing more poetry but she will not be releasing anytime soon.

“I have started writing more but it will take a while to get the next book even though I can’t wait.

“Let’s get the degree first,” she said.

By A Correspondent- Harare may run dry if the current drought-induced water crisis is not given urgent attention, Mayor Councillor Herbert Gomba has said.

Gomba said the council has since decommissioned Prince Edward Water Works after the drying up of Seke and Harava dams and the city’s major water source Lake Chivero is also just above 50 percent.

“The population of Harare also continues to grow by the day and at the moment, we are looking at five million people which as City of Harare must supply water to.

“Our facilities are pumping around 350 megalitres per day and that is 49 percent capacity.

“This is not enough for such a big population, we need to come up with immediate action to this crisis as soon as possible,” he said.

Gomba said lack of foreign currency, as well as investment in water production, are affecting water production.

Harare has an infrastructure deficit of over 40 years.

“Lack of investment has also affected the production of potable water,” he said.

As ZimEye.com ran an exclusive live exposè on the person suspected to have abducted Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association leader Dr Peter Magombeyi, the Zimbabwe Republic Police rushed to Twitter to commit that they are investigating the abduction report, this after three days of silence and denial.

Watch the ZimEye.com live exposè of the person responsible for the abduction.

We note with concern the abduction of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association, Dr Peter Magombeyi on Saturday 14 September 2019.

The abduction of Dr Magombeyi follows the ongoing industrial action by medical doctors in Zimbabwe demanding a decent living salary.

We reiterate our calls for his immediate release and call on the Government of Zimbabwe to immediately stop persecuting unionists and human rights defenders.

As a collective of unionists, civil society and churches, we reiterate our position that the Government of Zimbabwe must uphold the Constitution, respect for human rights and adhere to all full tenets of democracy.

We are worried that:

Over the years Zimbabwe has a history of enforced disappearances with prominent activists such as Edson Sithole, Itai Dzamara, Rashiwe Guzha, Patrick Nabayama, Ghandi Mudzingwa and Jestina Mukoko. Some were eventually found and arraigned before courts on spurious charges while others have never been accounted for.

We thus note that:

• On August 1 2018, the military shot and killed 6 unarmed citizens following protests over disputations on the 30 July elections.

• Between January and February 2019, 21 people were killed following the peaceful stay away organized by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions

• During the same period, the state arrested over 300 citizens on allegations of committing public violence

• In May 2019, police arrested 7 civil society leaders on their way from a transitional workshop in the Maldives and charged them with subversion

• In August alone, police arrested over 80 citizens in Bulawayo, Chitungwiza and Harare on allegations of committing public violence. In Harare, medical facilities have recorded more than 20 cases of people who were brutally assaulted by police including a journalist, Fani Mapfumo, who was covering a peaceful protest on the 16th of August 2019. The injured include women and children.

• Democratic space continues to shrink in Zimbabwe and has been worsened with the banning of demonstrations in all major towns signalling a ‘state of emergency.’

Going Forward:

We fear that if the situation continues unchecked, there are greater chances of an escalation of social unrest and instability in Zimbabwe.

This might result in regional instability as Zimbabweans seek food, shelter and refugee in neighbouring countries and therefore demand and recommend the following:

We urge the Government of Zimbabwe to refocus its energies on an inclusive national reforms program that seeks to broaden and strengthen democratic space and development.

The persecution of unionists and CSOs leaders only dampen efforts at achieving a shared national consensus to reform. We reiterate our call for an inclusive process on the national dialogue that brings all stakeholders together.

We further clarify that in our view the national dialogue that we continue to call for is not predicated on creating another version of a Global Political Agreement or an elite power-sharing deal.

We reiterate that our envisaged national dialogue should be a reform process that seeks to safeguard the interest of citizens by restoring the Social Contract between the citizens and those that govern and uphold human security in Zimbabwe.

In this regard, we hold the firm view that the national dialogue process must never be restricted to political parties but should rather bring on board a cross-section of stakeholders that include civic society, labour, women, youth, religious groups, business among other critical stakeholders.

Restricting the dialogue process to political parties will only create a political pact that excludes the concerns of ordinary citizens. We strongly denounce cosmetic approaches to the national dialogue process.

We further call on the Government of Zimbabwe to prove its sincerity by ensuring that Zimbabwe has a conducive environment for holding an inclusive dialogue process in the wake of state-sponsored terror that has increased fear levels amongst citizens.

To create a conducive environment and as part of confidence and trust-building in the national dialogue, the government must immediately meet the following conditions:

• End torture, abductions and enforced disappearances, murder, rape and maiming civilians by the military, state security agents and ruling party vigilante groups
• Decriminalize the work of civil society and end the continued persecution and arbitrary arrests of civic society leaders
• Ensure that peace and human security to prevail to allow for all stakeholder to freely express their views on the national dialogue process
• Release of all political prisoners and return Zimbabwe to the rule of law
• The attack on Chapter 12 institutions must seize and independent constitutional bodies allowed to discharge their mandate without undue interference from the state and other conflicted parties
• Promote fair media coverage for all stakeholders and allow divergent views to be shared on all media platforms. Tolerance to divergence is the hallmark of enriching the national dialogue process

We reiterate our position that persecution of human rights defenders and trade unionist in Zimbabwe pose serious human security challenges for ordinary citizens and the global democratic order and restate our commitment to defend the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

The Government of Zimbabwe must be guided by the Constitution and a firm commitment made to uphold the Rule of Law and Respect for fundamental human rights.

Signed by the members of the People Matter Campaign:
• Zimbabwe Divine Destiny
• Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
• Zimbabwe National Students Union
• Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions
• National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations
• Students Solidarity Trust
• Heal Zimbabwe Trust
• Amalgamated Rural Teachers Unions
• Election Resource Centre

Former Finance minister Ignatius Chombo’s bid for the temporary release for his passport has hit a brick wall once again after a Harare magistrate dismissed his application.

Chombo made an application to the clerk of the court to release his passport from the 5th – 26th of this month so that he can travel to South Africa for medical check-up.

In dismissing his application the magistrate ruled that Chombo through his defence counsel deliberately omitted to mention one of the cases in which he was given a trial date set for October saying if he was to cross borders, he is likely to abscond.

Chombo is facing a raft of charges ranging from corruption, abuse of office and fraud. Among some of the charges, Chombo is accused of allocating residential stands to illegal settlers at Whitecliff Farm in Harare before demanding and receiving a bribe of a 3 712-square metre stand from the landowner to help remove them. The landowner, Eddies Pfugari Property Developers (Pvt) Ltd, lost property worth $200 million in the process.

Watch video downloading below

Reuters|Striking Zimbabwean doctors said on Wednesday they were being threatened with death and suspected state security agents were pressuring them after police blocked their second protest march over the disappearance of their union leader.

Peter Magombeyi, president of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) and one organiser of an ongoing strike to demand higher wages for state doctors because of soaring living costs, disappeared on Saturday night.

ZHDA represents junior and middle level doctors at public hospitals.

“As health professionals we are being threatened by security elements. Both nurses and doctors are regularly being told that resisting what the government offers them will result in their death,” according to a doctors petition to parliament.

“Evidence of the threats is available in audio and text messages,” the petition said without giving more details.

Police said they could not immediately comment.

Edric Nhema, secretary general for the country’s nurses union who was part of the salary negotiating team with Magombeyi, told doctors at Parirenyatwa Hospital before the march that he had received death threats from unknown people.

State security minister Owen Ncube said in a statement that the government was treating Magombeyi’s case as a disappearance and not an abduction as alleged by the doctor’s colleagues.

He said the timing of Magombeyi’s disappearance, ahead of the United Nations annual meeting next week and at a time a U.N. special rapporteur on human rights was in Zimbabwe, pointed to work by a “third force” meant to tarnish the country’s image.

Dozens of riot police blocked more than 200 doctors on Wednesday as they marched to parliament to present their petition chanting “no Peter, no work”.

Two years after President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the army conspired to oust longtime ruler Robert Mugabe, people are suffering from triple-digit inflation that has eroded salaries and shortages of basic goods like fuel and electricity.

Human rights groups say they have recorded more than 20 cases of abductions of activists by state security agents since January. The government denies any involvement.

Churches under the Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations (ZHOCD) groups said they were worried that after many reported cases of abduction, no one had been arrested.

“This has put the security of citizens at the highest level of vulnerability,” ZHOCD said in a statement, adding that Mnangagwa should publicly condemn abductions and torture of civilians.

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The Human Rights Commission is taking Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema to the Equality Court for hate speech.

Malema posted a tweet after the death of former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe earlier this month in which he said: “the only white man you can trust is a dead white man”.

Commission chair Bongi Majola said that Malema’s comments were divisive and threatened social cohesion.

“The words in the tweet are divisive and they’re inimical to the spirit of the Constitution, its values in particular, the values of equality, human dignity and non-racialism.”

The commission said that Malema still needed to be served with court papers once they had been finalised.

The Government has reviewed the minimum salaries for domestic workers and the future looks bleak for housemaids and gardeners. Under the new proposal, a gardener will earn a minimum of 160 RTGS. This amount can hardly get you USD 10 on the parallel market. Housemaids are not faring any better as their minimum wage was pegged at RTGS 168.

Zimbabweans on social media were not too happy and blasted the government for setting low salaries that barely cover basic essentials.

Check out the reviewed salaries below. With such amounts would you blame Domestic workers if they started stealing from their employers.

Renowned Constitutional Law expert Alex Magaisa has tweeted what he thinks the government will do in regards to a  High Court judgement declaring the controversial 2% tax illegal. Today, Justice Zhou ruled that the 2% tax imposed by Mthuli Ncube last year, is illegal.

Writing on his Twitter handle, Magaisa said the government will appeal which will suspend the sentence and the appeal could take months while the tax is still being deducted from every transaction. Said Magaisa:

1. The High Court judgment declaring the 2% tax illegal is welcome but delayed justice. It will also be frustrated justice because the government will appeal the effect of which is to suspend the judgment. The matter will join the Supreme Court queue, probably for months.

2. Meanwhile, government will continue to rack in cash from the illegal tax. It means the Minister of Finance’s “surplus” is based on an illegality. The 2019 national budget was based on illegally acquired revenues. It will also affect preparations for the 2020 budget.

3. But the BIG issue of the moment will not be sidelined by this merry-go-round over the 2% tax

There has been no response from treasury, RBZ or the government on the 2% illegal ruling so far.

Below are key highlights into what Foreign Affairs Minister Sibusiso Moyo said concerning the suspected abduction of Hospital Doctors Association President, Peter Magombeyi:

– SB MOYO IDENTIFIES THE CRIMINALS WHO ABDUCTED MAGOMBEYI AS “THE THIRD FORCE”

– THE THIRD FORCE ACTS AGAINST PEACE, NOT SO MUCH “AGAINST THE LAW”
– SB MOYO IDENTIFIES THE CULPRIT AS A THIRD FORCE, NOT THE OWNER OF THE PHONE NUMBER: 0786645911 (phone which issued a threat to Dr Magombeyi via sms just before he went missing on Saturday night.)
– BUT JUST HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO IDENTIFY THE OWNER OF THE PHONE NUMBER?

WATCH THE BELOW SHORT INVESTIGATIVE: