Farai Dziva|Deputy Information Energy Mutodi has claimed that the MDC does not have the capacity to rule Zimbabwe.

Said Mutodi: “It doesn’t need a rocket scientist to tell the opposition party is going nowhere.

Foreign Ambassadors such as the US ambassador Brain Nichols and EU ambassador Timo Olkkonen need an orientation to understand how the country has established its statehood.

It is laughable to expect an MDC government in the near future.

With a two thirds majority in Parliament, ZANU PF is firmly in control of the country’s political affairs and will remain in the lead for several years to come.

For Glenview, it is time to ask why the past was better than now especially why a once thriving urban suburb has turned into a rural area.

It is important to ask why the MDC is campaigning to restore the very same things that were in place when they took over the suburb from ZANU PF nearly 20 years ago.”

Farai Dziva|MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has called for unity across the African continent.

Below is Chamisa’s full statement :

The attacks against fellow Africans in South Africa are appalling and heartbreaking. We call upon our African brothers and sisters to show a full sense of brotherhood and sisterhood consistent with the timeless wisdom of Ubuntu. Brother against brother or Sister against sister is inimical to Ubuntu.

Extremely disturbing are scenes and sights of violence and horrendous attacks in South Africa. It is time to take decisive action to protect all in South Africa and stop any attacks on fellow Africans. Priority must be given to individual security & stopping of all manner and forms of violence.

While these attacks are routinely described as xenophobic, it is evident that they target black Africans. These are deliberate and systematic attacks based on race and country of origin rather than foreignness alone. The resulting conflict is terrible for our communities because they foment hatred and tensions between people. We need to correctly characterise what is happening in South Africa not as xenophobia but as Afrophobia, as the attacks are not necessarily against foreigners but against fellow black Africans.

The irony is on why an African should be Afrophobic. True, we need to solve the challenges in fellow African countries that have led to many leaving their own countries but the irony remains that Africans would feel unwelcome both in Europe as well as in a fellow African State. If Africans are unsafe in Africa, where else should they go?

While we acknowledge that South Africa, like many other African countries has problems of inequality, joblessness, social service delivery, poverty and illegal immigration. Violence and impunity is not the answer to these problems.

If we allow violence and brutality in society to be used as an instrument to resolve challenges, it inevitably spreads to all facets of life including affecting women and children. Violence in all its ugly forms and manifestations, be it towards women and children, citizens, illegal immigrants or any other human being for that matter is simply unacceptable.

In Africa, we have always been at each other’s throat since we were put on this earth by God
fighting over everything or anything, fighting over borders or boundaries, fighting over water, fighting over food, fighting over political parties, fighting over property, fighting over tribes, fighting over ideology, fighting over faith and religion. Yet we hardly ever engage in a civilized contest over strategy, ideas and thought.

As Africans we need as a matter of urgency to stop violence against each other.

Already, we have seen business being disrupted and commerce being disturbed as truckers that use South African routes fear for their lives. Threats of retaliation against South African drivers and businesses in other parts of the continent demonstrate that this is a vicious cycle in which there is no winner.

More significantly, this violence is concentrated among the poor and vulnerable of our societies. It is the poor killing the poor. Over the years, it has emerged that acts of violence are often caused and are directed by the cruel selfish elites. If we fix our political challenges, there would be no need for circumstances of undue hardships and animosity.

Other nationals are in South Africa principally because politics and leadership ineptitude has made other African countries uninhabitable. They vote with their feet, seeking greener pastures. Yet there, they find hell as they clash with equally vulnerable and happiness-seeking locals. It becomes a running battle between the poor. We can solve this by fixing our messy politics.

This is why we find it incredulous when our brother leaders in the region look aside when our government brutalises citizens. Where do the oppressed go? To the neighbours. That is why we have always said Zimbabwe’s problems are also our neighbours’ domestic challenges. Illegal immigration is a product of nurturing dictatorship in our neighbourhoods.

Time has now come to think seriously about the New Africa we deserve. We must collectively, as Africans, examine critically the utility of maintaining colonial boundaries and borders which give a false sense of division and exceptionalism. The divisions made in Berlin more than 100 years ago still divide us. We need a post-Berlin conference African consensus to shape a New Africa to the satisfaction of our ideals, imaginations, hopes and aspirations.

In the long run, Africa should move towards removing colonial borders, having one passport and establishing a single currency and a single market. We must build our internet exchange points, continent-wide television networks, proper road, rail and flight links. We have started well with a continental free trade area. We dare do more!

The great Kwame Nkrumah famously said, “Our independence is meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of Africa,” The declaration encapsulated the sense of brotherhood that defined the struggles for liberation. We should never lose that spirit, even today as many of our citizens across the continent suffer under brutal regimes.

We urgently need A New Africa where African brotherhood is the common denominator. A New Africa where the African Union plays a more dynamic role in solving African problems and is at the forefront of pushing the African youth development agenda.

A better tomorrow and a NEW AFRICA does not just happen, it must be designed and now is the time to build on these fundamentals and construct: The Africa We want and deserve.

Our dear South African brothers and sisters, we appreciate your being tired of those you estimate to be foreign, but please help us lobby for intervention of SADC and South Africa to fix Zimbabwe’s politics by helping Zimbabweans resolve the legitimacy and governance crisis caused by the disputed July 2018 Presidential election and on-going poor performance.

When Zimbabwe was stable and thriving we never had these problems of illegal immigration. In fact our South African brothers and sisters were coming to Zimbabwe to seek refuge from apartheid, to learn and do business. That’s the way it should be.

Fixing Zimbabwe will reduce South Africa’s problems. Fixing Zimbabwe will restore its citizens’ dignity and hope. Similarly fixing Somalia, DRC and Nigeria, among other countries, will go a long way in stabilizing Africa and reducing the problem of tensions and hate.

So many people died to free Africa. We can’t have more people dying in a free Africa.

I appeal to President Cyril Ramaphosa and South Africa to help Zimbabweans help themselves through a credible and genuine political dialogue to put in place transitional mechanism that will pave way for comprehensive political and economic reforms, a lasting solution to returning Zimbabwe to freedom, legitimacy and democracy.

To our leaders and fellow citizens of SADC, when any country sneezes the whole region catches a cold. A sick and weak Zimbabwe will always be an albatross around the necks of all the other countries in the region and indeed on the continent. Please help us help ourselves.

Lastly, with developments in South Africa, I call for enough mechanisms and measures to be put in place to ensure the security and protection of all Zimbabwean citizens. Section 35(3)(a) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe obliges the state as a peremptory duty and mandatory obligation, to protect citizens wherever they maybe. This right is available to all citizens in and outside Zimbabwe.

New Africa is the way to go

We need a new way, a new dawn on the continent.

Africa must unite on values of freedom democratic values, free fair elections and prosperity for its people. SADC must be a people’s community not a community of its leaders alone. The African Union must be truly an African people’s Union.

We can’t be Africa without Africans.
Building a better Africa for all
Let’s build a great Africa for all
God bless Africa and heal the world!

Adv Nelson Chamisa
President – Movement For Democratic Change

By A Correspondent- At 83, Gogo Josephine Jamu of Highfield, feels she still has more years to live.

Gogo Jamu was caught by surprise by her grandchildren who threw a birthday party for her at her Highfield residence on Saturday, where fun was the order of the day.

To plan for the surprise, her grandchildren moved her to Budiriro on Thursday and brought her back to Highfield on Saturday only to be greeted by people singing ‘Happy Birthday Gogo’.

It was, however, her acceptance speech that caught the attention of those in attendance as she revealed the secrets to longevity.

Gogo Jamu reveals self-discipline and love as the significant factors to long life.

“This kind of love makes me feel that I am surrounded by people who love me. That alone gives me the belief that I will be with you for more years to come.

“But something I know is that most of you will not be able to reach 83 years. There are a lot of factors that lead to long-life. You just need to be self-disciplined and love one another.

“When you love, you are also loved and that alone leads to a stress free life. Always smile, share lighter moments with everyone,” she said.

Her sentiments proved truthful as relatives and friends described her as a ‘superwoman’.

One of her grandchildren and namesake, Josephine, said they have learnt a lot from their grandmother and it was worth throwing a party for her.

Gogo Jamu was presented with several birthday presents including blankets, clothes, shoes and money among other goodies.

The birthday cake resembled Gogo Jamu’s Salvation Army uniform.

The event, which saw people partying until late night, had a number of activities with lucky attendees going home smiling.

There were about nine draws for items like headphones, shavers, watches and the grand prize of a Samsung Galaxy J2 which were sponsored by one of the grandchildren, Spencer Garufu.

The draws required people to buy raffle tickets for $5 and $10 to enter the competition.

The lucky winner for grand prize, Rudo Jamu, was presented her prize by the ‘birthday girl’.

– HMetro

By A Correspondent- A 30 year old HIV positive woman from Lupane allegedly committed suicide by throwing herself into a 22-metre deep well at her parents’ homestead when her condition worsened after defaulting on her Anti-Retroviral (ARV) treatment.

Acting Matabeleland North police spokesperson, Sergeant Namatirai Mashona, confirmed the incident which took place at Mr Toffee Gumpo’s homestead in Mateteni Village under Chief Mabhikwa on Tuesday last week.

Sgt Mashona said according to the family, the now deceased identified as Geli Gumpo had been sick for some time after defaulting on her medication.

She said goodbye to her mother Ms Simani Sibanda before jumping into the well.

“On 27 August, Geli Gumpo, who was seriously ill after defaulting on ARV medication, was at home with her mother Ms Simani Sibanda and father Mr Toffee Gumpo. They all retired to their separate bedroom huts at 9PM.

“On the 28th of August at 1AM, Mr Gumpo heard some noise from the direction of the kitchen where the deceased was sleeping and asked his wife to go and investigate,” said Sgt Mashona.

She said Ms Sibanda went out to check and found her daughter standing near the well which is about 15 metres away from the kitchen hut.

Ms Sibanda reportedly asked Geli what she was doing at the well.

She reportedly responded by saying: “Lisale kuhle mama (goodbye mother)” before allegedly jumping into the well in full view of her shocked mother.

“Geli Gumpo immediately jumped into the 22-metre deep well and drowned,” said Sgt Mashona.

Ms Sibanda alerted her husband who then informed neighbours.

A report was made to the police who attended the scene.

Police retrieved the body on Wednesday with the help of some villagers.

Lupane resident magistrate Mr Ndumo Masuku waived post-mortem as no foul play was suspected.

Gumpo was buried at her parents’ homestead on Thursday last week.

By A Correspondent- Police are hunting scores of individuals who were captured on camera in various fora allegedly committing acts of public violence in the last four years.

Pictures of the wanted people have been released on social media platforms including on the police Twitter handle (@PoliceZimbabwe).

The government is clamping down on public violence as it moves to create an enabling environment for socio-economic prosperity, a key to achieving vision 2030.

Anyone with information can contact their nearest police station or telephone numbers 0242703631, 0242748836.

By A Correspondent- Several female informal traders doing business at Chitima market recently flooded Masvingo Central Police Station protesting against a woman whom they accused of killing their colleague through witchcraft.

This happened after a 39-year-old female informal trader suddenly became paralysed and died one week after being engaged in an argument with the woman who then reportedly threatened that she was not going to see the following day.

Sources said the argument started at the market place when the woman in question (name supplied) was asked to move her wares elsewhere as she had reportedly taken somebody else’s trading spot.

The woman is said to have refused to move, and she argued with several women who tried to reason with her.

She is then said to have turned to one of the woman named Muchazoonei Sagiya whom she allegedly threatened that her days were numbered.

Two days after the dispute, Sagia fell seriously ill and got admitted at Masvingo Provincial Hospital where she later became paralysed and died.

Chairperson of fruit and vegetables at Chitima market, Tamisai Katini said she visited Sagiya at hospital where she found that she had become paralysed waist-down and could no longer walk.

“I visited Sagiya at hospital where she recounted a horrible dream in which she said a fish had entered her stomach and caused her paralysis. She said in the dream, she heard a strange voice telling her she was not going to live,” said Katini.

Sagia’s death in Harare where she had been transferred to angered many informal traders who then confronted the woman who had reportedly threatened to bewitch her.

The woman then went to the police station to report her case but several women followed her protesting. It is illegal to make accusations of witchcraft against anybody.

— TellZim

By A Correspondent- A 32 year old Mvurwi woman is in serious trouble after she allegedly struck her husband to death with a cup in the occiput last Thursday.

Vaida Wemba of Montenzi Farm, Mvurwi, is currently assisting police with investigations following the death of her husband, Shelton Kateguru (42), who died after they reportedly fought over a domestic dispute.

Mashonaland Central police spokesperson Inspector Milton Mundembe confirmed the case.

Allegations are that the now-deceased, Kateguru, accused her wife of infidelity and head-butted her.

In a fit of rage, Wemba reportedly picked a cup and struck the deceased on the back of his head.

Kateguru fell to the ground and writhed in pain. Wemba called for help from neighbours, who tried in vain to secure transport to take Kateguru to hospital.

The neighbours left for their homes and the following morning Kateguru passed on.

According to the police, cases of murder emanating from domestic violence are on the increase.

Two cases of murder were recorded in Guruve and Mt Darwin in the past two weeks.

“Cases of murder emanating from domestic violence are on the increase in the province, hence we implore the public to shun violence and solve their problems amicably, “Mundembe said.

By A Correspondent- Harare City Council (HCC) faces a potential $7 million defamation lawsuit from Paulos Construction over an audit report which accused the company of fraud.

Paulo Construction has hit back at HCC, saying the allegations contained in their audit report were false and had taken a political twist.

“The MDC council is pushing a political agenda, with false narratives because they do not want companies owned and controlled by people linked to Zanu PF and now they are engaging in mudslinging tactics,” Tempter Tungwarara, a Paulos Construction director, said.

The construction firm acknowledges that it got double payments into its account from HCC, but on noticing the payments, they immediately wrote to council.

In a letter dated December 7, 2017, Tungwarara wrote advising of the over-payment and sought to find common ground with the local authority.

“Following our reconciliation done on December 7, for our year-ending reconciliation, we write to inform you that the payment of invoices of the pilot project that we submitted to your organisation was paid twice, which leads to over-payment. Kindly advise if this payment is for another month of refuse collection, if so, please advise us accordingly before our holiday shutdown (sic),” read the letter received by council’s finance department.

Tungwarara said he suspected there was a racket at HCC which wanted to use his company to syphora money from council coffers.

“We actually saved the local authority money by writing that letter and refusing to be part of the theft, but now we are being smeared for being honest. This can’t be right and we are going to sue for defamation,” he said.

The audit report only had details of how council was fleeced of over $62 000 by Paulos Construction, raising fears that it was a hatchet job.

“How do you explain that the entire report centres on just us. Are we the only company that deals with HCC and are they saying they only lost just $62 000 the entire period?” he said.

Council, in an internal audit report, alleges that in 2017 it lost over $62 000 in fraudulent payments made to Paulos Construction.

ZIMBABWE’s liberation war fighters have declared war against alleged remnants of former President Robert Mugabe’s administration still in the public service, accusing them of stifling government programmes and sowing seeds of disharmony between them and President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Addressing journalists in the capital yesterday, Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association (ZNLWVA) secretary-general Douglas Mahiya said they would not rest until all top civil servants who served under Mugabe were relieved of their government posts.

“We have gathered here again to look at our welfare. Not much has been done ever and this is caused by people serving in government. I want to tell you that in 1980 when we returned from the war the former regime, the former President (Mugabe) then removed us from the political structures and other people took over and those are the people that are taking decisions today,” he said.

He said the same people who plunged the war veterans into poverty under Mugabe were still driving the agenda of impoverishing them.

“There are people in the civil service who would not want to see the President improve relations with the war veterans and our welfare is not being looked at. We don’t understand why it is not being looked at all. Other sectors like the private sector and civil servants have been cushioned; war veterans have not been cushioned. War veterans are surviving on US$0,48c a day. Nothing has been done,” he said.

The war veterans led the campaign for Mugabe’s ouster in November 2017, accusing the then Zanu PF leader of sidelining them.

Mahiya said the war veterans were not happy with the way their welfare was being handled and vowed to continue piling pressure on government.

“We want to urge government and Parliament to speed the harmonisation of this law so that war veterans start benefiting from the constitutional provisions of their welfare,” he said.

Sources said war veterans were pushing for Mnangagwa to retire top civil servants perceived as sympathetic to Mugabe and appoint new faces.

“There is a feeling that President Mnangagwa should clean out government, especially the top bosses in ministries who are refusing to adapt to the new way of doing things. The war veterans want to occupy those top posts and are pushing that agenda,” a source said.

Defence and War Veterans deputy minister Victor Matemadanda referred all the questions to permanent secretary Grey Marongwe, who was unavailable for comment while Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri’s phone was being answered by aides who said she was locked in meetings.

Information permanent secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana said he would only comment after gathering adequate information from relevant ministries.

“Can I give you a response on this tomorrow? I will need to find out what’s happening about their allowances from both the Defence and Finance ministries,” he said.-Newsday

AFP|Hundreds of doctors in public hospitals across Zimbabwe went on strike on Tuesday demanding their salaries be pegged to the US dollar in the face of spiralling living costs.

“We are not in the wards, we are not at the hospitals. We simply do not have the means, we are incapacitated,” Peter Magombeyi, president of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association, told AFP by phone.

Salaries are fast losing value as the southern African country battles a currency crisis and triple-digit inflation.

A junior doctor’s monthly salary in the Zimbabwe currency is now equivalent to around $100, Magombeyi said.

“We don’t have money for transport, we don’t have money for food, we don’t have money to pay our kids schools fees, we don’t have rental and we can’t keep on subsidising the employer anymore.”

Talks with the government on Monday failed to yield any solution.

“We were called to a meeting yesterday and they don’t have any solid answer, they didn’t give a position which addresses our concerns,” said Magombeyi.

The doctors want salaries to be pegged to the prevailing foreign exchange interbank rates.

This is the second time in less than a year that government doctors have embarked on a work stoppage.

They went on strike in December over salaries and conditions, and only called it off after 40 days on promises to resolve their grievances.

State hospitals cater for the majority of Zimbabweans who cannot afford private care while wealthier patients, including top politicians, fly out to neighbouring South Africa and even beyond to Asian countries for medical attention.

Zimbabwe’s health system has collapsed in recent decades as the economy tanked, with shortages of basics like cash, fuel, bread and medicines and surging prices when the goods are available.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who took over from long-time ruler Robert Mugabe and won a disputed election in July last year, pledged to revamp the already ailing economy.

But the country has seen growing strikes and protests as the economy continues to falter.

Deputy Information Minister Energy Mutodi has torched a major storm calling on South Africa to accommodate Zimbabweans in that country as Zimbabwe was historically nice to thousands of South African citizens who fled from Tshaka and accommodated them into western Zimbabwe.

The South Africans, Mutodi, is talking about are the Ndebele people who may not take kindly to his statement as they have always been up in arms against being considered second class citizens in the country and have been calling for the cessation of the Western region from Zimbabwe into Mthwakazi.

Watch the video downloading below:

Watch video downloading below:

State Media|A Chinhoyi woman facing a US$35 000 adultery claim is seeking to challenge the constitutional validity of the law, which she says infringes upon her constitutional rights to freedom of association, privacy and equal protection of the law.

Ms Moreblessing Chabvonga is being sued for adultery damages for allegedly engaging in extra-marital relationship with Ms Jamiya Nyakudya’s now former husband, a magistrate at Chinhoyi magistrates’ courts.

Ms Chabvonga successfully stopped the civil trial before Justice Esther Muremba, saying she wants to challenge the constitutional validity of the common law delict of adultery.

Justice Muremba allowed Ms Chabvonga’s objection to have the trial proceed and referred the matter to the Constitutional Court to make a determination. She did not fault in granting the request for referral of constitutional challenge to the highest court on the land so that it can pronounce itself for the benefit of our jurisdiction. 

“Once that is done, the issue will be settled,” said the judge citing Section 2 of the Constitution, which states that “any law, practice, custom or conduct inconsistent with it is invalid to the extent of that inconsistency”.

In this ground-breaking case, the Constitutional bench will be asked to determine whether Ms Chabvonga’s argument that her rights to freedom of association, right to privacy and the right to equal protection to the law, is sustainable. Through her lawyer, Ms Ruvimbo Ruwona of Nyahuma’s Law Golden Stairs, Ms Chabvonga argued that the delict is unconstitutional because it allows only one party to extra marital affair to be sued, with the other party being spared.

“To this end, the claim of adultery damages is inconsistent with the right to equal protection and benefit of the law,” said the lawyer.

On the right to privacy and freedom of association, it is Ms Ruwona’s contention that in defending the adultery claim, the private life of the third party (Ms Chabvonga) being sued is placed under a microscope, leading to the exposure of details of her sexual relationship with a consenting adult, who might be a guilty spouse. 

“This is a clear violation of the rights to privacy and freedom of association,” she argued.

The constitutional issues which Ms Chabvonga raised, argued Ms Ruwona, have merit given that in other jurisdictions where there are comparable constitutional provisions, the delict of adultery has been deemed unconstitutional.

“There is no justification to penalise a third party for adultery,” she said.

“It is unjustifiable in any democratic society and not even the limitation of rights provided for in Section 86 of the Constitution can justify the violation of the fundamental rights in an adultery suit.”

In her counter argument, Ms Nyakudya, a self-actor, told the court that the constitutional issue raised was unsustainable, arguing that it was manifestly without foundation. It was her submission that the rights Ms Chabvonga claimed were infringed by the delict of adultery  and are not absolute as they are subject to limitation in terms of Section 86 of the Constitution.

“The limitation of these rights by the delict of adultery is fair, reasonable, necessary and justifiable in a democratic society,” she argued. 

“The delict of adultery is constitutional because it seeks to punish third parties for failing to respect the sanctity of marriage.”

Reports just received indicate that fired Former Environment, tourism and Hospitality Industry minister Priscah Mupfumira’s Supreme Court bail application has been denied.

Mupfumira who is detained at the Chikurubi Female Prison on charges of criminal abuse of office after she allegedly swindled the National Social Security Authority (Nssa) of over US$95 million, approached the Supreme Court for bail after her attempt at the High Court hit a snag.

High Court judge Justice Erica Ndewere dismissed Mupfumira’s bail bid on the basis that there are compelling reasons justifying her continued incarceration, including that as a former Cabinet minister she was a flight risk and could interfere with witnesses.

Mupfumira, who is also Senator for Mashonaland West Province, was remanded in custody in July after acting Chief Magistrate, Munamato Mutevedzi, upheld Prosecutor-General, Kumbirai Hodzi’s certificate which ensured she was further detained for 21 days without applying for bail.

But in her submissions before the Supreme Court through her lawyers Chinyama and Partners, Mupfumira maintained that the State’s evidence against her was weak, adding the High Court, had erred in many respects when it denied her a chance to be tried out of custody.

At the Supreme Court, the matter was heard on Tuesday, before Justice Marie-Anne Gowora and she dismissed the bail application for lack of merit and on basis that the appeal was defective and Mupfumira’s lawyer was fully aware of the irregularities.

She noted that the determination by the Acting Chief Magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi on the certificate by the Prosecutor General was not appealed against.

The High Court ‘bail hearing’ was therefore a non-event hence Mupfumira approached the Supreme Court without following proper court processes at the lower courts.

“In my view, the court a quo was not properly seized with this matter and the decision to set aside was a gross irregularity.

“There was no legal premise before the court a quo to interfere with the certificate. Its acceptance by the Acting Chief Magistrate was an exercise of his discretion in terms of the Act which exercise was never challenged. The court a quo was invited and persuaded to set it aside on the basis of submissions made to it by appellant’s counsel premised on the alleged constitutional invalidity of s 32(3b) of the Act.

“I have already found that those remarks by the court a quo have no legal justification,” Gowora noted.

Mupfumira was arrested July 25 by members of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC).

WE MUST BUILD A NEW AFRICA!

The attacks against fellow Africans in South Africa are appalling and heartbreaking. We call upon our African brothers and sisters to show a full sense of brotherhood and sisterhood consistent with the timeless wisdom of Ubuntu. Brother against brother or Sister against sister is inimical to Ubuntu.

Extremely disturbing are scenes and sights of violence and horrendous attacks in South Africa. It is time to take decisive action to protect all in South Africa and stop any attacks on fellow Africans. Priority must be given to individual security & stopping of all manner and forms of violence.

While these attacks are routinely described as xenophobic, it is evident that they target black Africans. These are deliberate and systematic attacks based on race and country of origin rather than foreignness alone. The resulting conflict is terrible for our communities because they foment hatred and tensions between people. We need to correctly characterise what is happening in South Africa not as xenophobia but as Afrophobia, as the attacks are not necessarily against foreigners but against fellow black Africans.

The irony is on why an African should be Afrophobic. True, we need to solve the challenges in fellow African countries that have led to many leaving their own countries but the irony remains that Africans would feel unwelcome both in Europe as well as in a fellow African State. If Africans are unsafe in Africa, where else should they go?

While we acknowledge that South Africa, like many other African countries has problems of inequality, joblessness, social service delivery, poverty and illegal immigration. Violence and impunity is not the answer to these problems.

If we allow violence and brutality in society to be used as an instrument to resolve challenges, it inevitably spreads to all facets of life including affecting women and children. Violence in all its ugly forms and manifestations, be it towards women and children, citizens, illegal immigrants or any other human being for that matter is simply unacceptable.

In Africa, we have always been at each other’s throat since we were put on this earth by God
fighting over everything or anything, fighting over borders or boundaries, fighting over water, fighting over food, fighting over political parties, fighting over property, fighting over tribes, fighting over ideology, fighting over faith and religion. Yet we hardly ever engage in a civilized contest over strategy, ideas and thought.

As Africans we need as a matter of urgency to stop violence against each other.

Already, we have seen business being disrupted and commerce being disturbed as truckers that use South African routes fear for their lives. Threats of retaliation against South African drivers and businesses in other parts of the continent demonstrate that this is a vicious cycle in which there is no winner.

More significantly, this violence is concentrated among the poor and vulnerable of our societies. It is the poor killing the poor. Over the years, it has emerged that acts of violence are often caused and are directed by the cruel selfish elites. If we fix our political challenges, there would be no need for circumstances of undue hardships and animosity.

Other nationals are in South Africa principally because politics and leadership ineptitude has made other African countries uninhabitable. They vote with their feet, seeking greener pastures. Yet there, they find hell as they clash with equally vulnerable and happiness-seeking locals. It becomes a running battle between the poor. We can solve this by fixing our messy politics.

This is why we find it incredulous when our brother leaders in the region look aside when our government brutalises citizens. Where do the oppressed go? To the neighbours. That is why we have always said Zimbabwe’s problems are also our neighbours’ domestic challenges. Illegal immigration is a product of nurturing dictatorship in our neighbourhoods.

Time has now come to think seriously about the New Africa we deserve. We must collectively, as Africans, examine critically the utility of maintaining colonial boundaries and borders which give a false sense of division and exceptionalism. The divisions made in Berlin more than 100 years ago still divide us. We need a post-Berlin conference African consensus to shape a New Africa to the satisfaction of our ideals, imaginations, hopes and aspirations.

In the long run, Africa should move towards removing colonial borders, having one passport and establishing a single currency and a single market. We must build our internet exchange points, continent-wide television networks, proper road, rail and flight links. We have started well with a continental free trade area. We dare do more!

The great Kwame Nkrumah famously said, “Our independence is meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of Africa,” The declaration encapsulated the sense of brotherhood that defined the struggles for liberation. We should never lose that spirit, even today as many of our citizens across the continent suffer under brutal regimes.

We urgently need A New Africa where African brotherhood is the common denominator. A New Africa where the African Union plays a more dynamic role in solving African problems and is at the forefront of pushing the African youth development agenda.

A better tomorrow and a NEW AFRICA does not just happen, it must be designed and now is the time to build on these fundamentals and construct: The Africa We want and deserve.

Our dear South African brothers and sisters, we appreciate your being tired of those you estimate to be foreign, but please help us lobby for intervention of SADC and South Africa to fix Zimbabwe’s politics by helping Zimbabweans resolve the legitimacy and governance crisis caused by the disputed July 2018 Presidential election and on-going poor performance.

When Zimbabwe was stable and thriving we never had these problems of illegal immigration. In fact our South African brothers and sisters were coming to Zimbabwe to seek refuge from apartheid, to learn and do business. That’s the way it should be.

Fixing Zimbabwe will reduce South Africa’s problems. Fixing Zimbabwe will restore its citizens’ dignity and hope. Similarly fixing Somalia, DRC and Nigeria, among other countries, will go a long way in stabilizing Africa and reducing the problem of tensions and hate.

So many people died to free Africa. We can’t have more people dying in a free Africa.

I appeal to President Cyril Ramaphosa and South Africa to help Zimbabweans help themselves through a credible and genuine political dialogue to put in place transitional mechanism that will pave way for comprehensive political and economic reforms, a lasting solution to returning Zimbabwe to freedom, legitimacy and democracy.

To our leaders and fellow citizens of SADC, when any country sneezes the whole region catches a cold. A sick and weak Zimbabwe will always be an albatross around the necks of all the other countries in the region and indeed on the continent. Please help us help ourselves.

Lastly, with developments in South Africa, I call for enough mechanisms and measures to be put in place to ensure the security and protection of all Zimbabwean citizens. Section 35(3)(a) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe obliges the state as a peremptory duty and mandatory obligation, to protect citizens wherever they maybe. This right is available to all citizens in and outside Zimbabwe.

New Africa is the way to go

We need a new way, a new dawn on the continent.

Africa must unite on values of freedom democratic values, free fair elections and prosperity for its people. SADC must be a people’s community not a community of its leaders alone. The African Union must be truly an African people’s Union.

We can’t be Africa without Africans.
Building a better Africa for all
Let’s build a great Africa for all
God bless Africa and heal the world!

Adv Nelson Chamisa
President – Movement For Democratic Change

By A Correspondent- The Zanu Pf Politburo is set to decide Chivi South legislator Killer Zivhu’s fate after the party received recommendations to expel him from Masvingo Province.

Masvingo Province wants Zivhu expelled from the party for taking to social media to push for a meeting between First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa and MDC-Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa’s wife Sithokozile.

He is also accused of initiating a process of collecting signatures from people to support his initiative for dialogue between President Mnangagwa and people’s favourite leader Mr Chamisa.

Zanu-PF secretary for Legal Affairs Paul Mangwana yesterday confirmed that the party had received the recommendations.

“Yes, I acknowledge that the party received recommendations made by Masvingo Province in regard to Zivhu’s case. The party’s National Disciplinary Committee will sit and make some recommendations after thorough deliberations on the case. The NDC will make their recommendations to the Politburo for endorsement.

“The Politburo will make the final decision on the fate of Cde Zivhu,” said Cde Mangwana.

Masvingo Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) resolved to kick out Cde Zivhu from the party after he snubbed a hearing called by the party’s provincial disciplinary committee chaired by vice chair Ailess Baloyi.-StateMedia

The ZANU-PF Politburo is expected to decide Chivi South legislator Killer Zivhu’s fate after the party received recommendations to expel him from Masvingo Province.

Masvingo Province wants Zivhu expelled from the party for taking to social media to push for a meeting between First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa and MDC-Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa’s wife Sithokozile. He is also accused of initiating a process of collecting signatures from people to support his initiative for dialogue between President Mnangagwa and people’s favourite leader Mr Chamisa.

Zanu-PF secretary for Legal Affairs Paul Mangwana yesterday confirmed that the party had received the recommendations.

“Yes, I acknowledge that the party received recommendations made by Masvingo Province in regard to Cde Zivhu’s case. The party’s National Disciplinary Committee will sit and make some recommendations after thorough deliberations on the case. The NDC will make their recommendations to the Politburo for endorsement.

“The Politburo will make the final decision on the fate of Cde Zivhu,” said Cde Mangwana.

Masvingo Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) resolved to kick out Zivhu from the party after he snubbed a hearing called by the party’s provincial disciplinary committee chaired by vice chair Ailess Baloyi.

-State Media

I condemn the violence that has been spreading around a number of our provinces in the strongest terms. I’m convening the ministers in the security cluster today to make sure that we keep a close eye on these acts of wanton violence and find ways of stopping them. pic.twitter.com/sizZkwIyPO

— Cyril Ramaphosa ?? (@CyrilRamaphosa) September 3, 2019

By A Correspondent- Harare City Council (HCC) faces a potential $7 million defamation lawsuit from Paulos Construction over an audit report which accused the company of fraud.

Paulo Construction has hit back at HCC, saying the allegations contained in their audit report were false and had taken a political twist.

“The MDC council is pushing a political agenda, with false narratives because they do not want companies owned and controlled by people linked to Zanu PF and now they are engaging in mudslinging tactics,” Tempter Tungwarara, a Paulos Construction director, said.

The construction firm acknowledges that it got double payments into its account from HCC, but on noticing the payments, they immediately wrote to council.

In a letter dated December 7, 2017, Tungwarara wrote advising of the over-payment and sought to find common ground with the local authority.

“Following our reconciliation done on December 7, for our year-ending reconciliation, we write to inform you that the payment of invoices of the pilot project that we submitted to your organisation was paid twice, which leads to over-payment. Kindly advise if this payment is for another month of refuse collection, if so, please advise us accordingly before our holiday shutdown (sic),” read the letter received by council’s finance department.

Tungwarara said he suspected there was a racket at HCC which wanted to use his company to syphora money from council coffers.

“We actually saved the local authority money by writing that letter and refusing to be part of the theft, but now we are being smeared for being honest. This can’t be right and we are going to sue for defamation,” he said.

The audit report only had details of how council was fleeced of over $62 000 by Paulos Construction, raising fears that it was a hatchet job.

“How do you explain that the entire report centres on just us. Are we the only company that deals with HCC and are they saying they only lost just $62 000 the entire period?” he said.

Council, in an internal audit report, alleges that in 2017 it lost over $62 000 in fraudulent payments made to Paulos Construction.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe’s liberation war fighters have declared war against alleged remnants of former President Robert Mugabe’s administration still in the public service, accusing them of stifling government programmes and sowing seeds of disharmony between them and President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Addressing journalists in the capital yesterday, Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association (ZNLWVA) secretary-general Douglas Mahiya said they would not rest until all top civil servants who served under Mugabe were relieved of their government posts.

“We have gathered here again to look at our welfare. Not much has been done ever and this is caused by people serving in government. I want to tell you that in 1980 when we returned from the war the former regime, the former President (Mugabe) then removed us from the political structures and other people took over and those are the people that are taking decisions today,” he said.

He said the same people who plunged the war veterans into poverty under Mugabe were still driving the agenda of impoverishing them.

“There are people in the civil service who would not want to see the President improve relations with the war veterans and our welfare is not being looked at. We don’t understand why it is not being looked at all. Other sectors like the private sector and civil servants have been cushioned; war veterans have not been cushioned. War veterans are surviving on US$0,48c a day. Nothing has been done,” he said.

The war veterans led the campaign for Mugabe’s ouster in November 2017, accusing the then Zanu PF leader of sidelining them.

Mahiya said the war veterans were not happy with the way their welfare was being handled and vowed to continue piling pressure on government.

“We want to urge government and Parliament to speed the harmonisation of this law so that war veterans start benefiting from the constitutional provisions of their welfare,” he said.

Sources said war veterans were pushing for Mnangagwa to retire top civil servants perceived as sympathetic to Mugabe and appoint new faces.

“There is a feeling that President Mnangagwa should clean out government, especially the top bosses in ministries who are refusing to adapt to the new way of doing things. The war veterans want to occupy those top posts and are pushing that agenda,” a source said.

Defence and War Veterans deputy minister Victor Matemadanda referred all the questions to permanent secretary Grey Marongwe, who was unavailable for comment while Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri’s phone was being answered by aides who said she was locked in meetings.

Information permanent secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana said he would only comment after gathering adequate information from relevant ministries.

“Can I give you a response on this tomorrow? I will need to find out what’s happening about their allowances from both the Defence and Finance ministries,” he said.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- ZBC workers have written to their management indicating that they have been incapacitated by the current economic crisis.

The letter, which was written on the 30th of August argued that the workers should be awarded a “once-off cushioning allowance” of ZWL$1,000 while the workers council negotiates for improved pay.

The workers revealed that most of them were now spending their days at work without eating anything as they can no longer afford to buy food.

They said:

“We think you are fully aware of the volatile nature of the economic situation we are in. Most employees are now unable to purchase basic commodities, pay rentals and commute to work. Currently, the bread basket is ZWL$1,600.”

The letter comes when inflation in the country continues to soar higher. It also comes after the country embarked on currency reforms which saw the multicurrency system being replaced by a local currency which is continuously shedding value, particularly against the United States dollar.

Meanwhile, workers’ salaries remain stagnant.

By A Correspondent- Two Pfungwe men died, while three others were left nursing injuries after a well collapsed and buried them while sinking irrigation pipes.

George Kareku (53) and Israel Mukara (49), both of Deke village under Chief Chitsungo, failed to make it out alive after the well’s concrete lead collapsed, burying them underground.

Mashonaland East provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tendai Mwanza yesterday confirmed the incident.

“I confirm the deaths of two men from Pfungwe after a well collapsed. Three men were seriously injured in the accident and are currently admitted at Mutawatawa Hospital. We are urging the public to exercise extreme caution when working in such hazardous conditions to avoid fatalities,” he said

According to police, on August 29, the now deceased were in the company of three others standing on a concrete slab that covered the well as they repaired some water pipes they had sunk in the well. It is reported that the concrete slab cracked, gave in and flung the men down the 14-metre-deep well.

Some villagers who witnessed the incident rescued three of the victims who had sustained serious injuries. A report was made at Mutawatawa Police Station who attended the scene and facilitated the retrieval of the bodies.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- A bank account belonging to the country’s football managing board, Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has been frozen.

The account is said to be holding USD100 000 received from FIFA  through the FIFA Forward programme last week.

The account was frozen after the debt-ridden ZIFA defied a High Court order to deposit USD518 331,18 owed to its Director of Administration Lazarus Mhurushomana by Monday.

Mhurushomana was retrenched in 2004 and the money in question is in respect of salary arrears.

A ZIFA official confirmed that the country’s mother body had received USD100k from FIFA for football development but a former employee one Mr Lazarus Mhurushomana approached the court claiming salary arrears of USD518 331.81.

Said the official:

“The Sheriff then issued a writ of attachment and an order to transfer the said amount resulting in this development (of freezing the account).

We have filed an urgent chamber application which was set down for today but was postponed to tomorrow.”

Thank you Brother Mmusi for the wisdom and leadership.The leadership crisis in Zimbabwe is South Africa’s crisis.Fixing Zimbabwe’s political problems will fix some of South Africa’s problems. One Africa is our solution.A New Africa, a better continent is our generational mandate! https://t.co/CmeLJUbvD1

— nelson chamisa (@nelsonchamisa) September 3, 2019

MDC National Chairperson and party activists are innocent

The MDC reiterates the position that the party’s national chairperson Hon. Thabitha Khumalo who appeared in court today on trumped up charges is innocent and merely being harassed by this regime.

Today, Hon. Khumalo and six other party activists appeared in court and were remanded to the 17th of September for either further remand or trial.

We note the removal of Hon. Khumalo’s reporting conditions but we would have wanted the reporting conditions for all the accused to be removed as they are all innocent.

The seven who are facing trumped up charges include Hon. Khumalo, Tshepiso Mpofu, Luba Masotsha, Elliot Mujeri, Tinashe Matimbura, Meliqiniso Sithole and Shelton Tembo. They were unjustly arrested and charged for “publishing false statements prejudicial to the state”.

It is our fully considered view that the State has a very weak case and they are simply persecuting our party leaders for holding on to the correct position that last year’s elections were stolen.

As such, the only reason the matter is being pursued is a political plot to intimidate our political leaders to back down on their demand for Zimbabwe to return to legitimacy under a popularly elected people’s government.

The MDC thus demands an end to this political charade through the unconditional withdrawal of all these false charges against all our innocent leaders.

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

Daniel Molokele
MDC National Spokesperson

By A Correspondent| Eldred V Masunungure, a political science lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe has said that the crumbling of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s re-engagement efforts could possibly be amusing some Zanu PF heavyweights.

Masungure claimed that there were some within the party and government who were opposed to the re-engagement drive since day one.

He said:

“What is happening in this party-military regime, where there are military and civilian elements, is that some people inside are celebrating the fact that the West has escalated its criticism of the government, as they also never wanted re-engagement.

These people may want to destroy Mnangagwa’s efforts once and for all, because it is clear they have gone beyond the diplomacy boundary in their actions. As a result, ED’s efforts are now as good as dead in the water.”

His remarks come when the international community has recently raised concern over the shrinking democratic space in the country. They castigated “government-sponsored” abductions and torture of opposition MDC members, human rights defenders and government critics.

Following a ban on MDC demonstrations and other human rights violations, Western diplomatic missions in Zimbabwe, including USA, EU, UK and Australia, issued a joint statement condemning the harassment of citizens by state agents.

Analysts argue that “reckless” statements and actions by some government officials can actually undo efforts to re-engage the international community.

Zimbabwe was isolated, particularly by Western powers on the turn of the millennium with the latter citing gross violations of human rights in the South African country.-DailyNews

By A Correspondent- Traditional leader, Chief Nhlanhla Ndiweni of Ntabazinduna has expressed his gratitude to other traditional leaders, police, fellow inmates at the prison and prison officers for visiting him and treating him well during his tenure in prison.

The outspoken chief was sentenced to effective 18 months in prison for vandalising property belonging to one of his subjects who was resisting banishment from his chiefdom.

His incarceration was widely condemned with some arguing that it was politically motivated as the sentence was not commensurate with the alleged crime.

Ndiweni claims that the case is former Cabinet Minister, Obert Mpofu’s way of punishing him after the traditional leader sued Mpofu for stealing cattle belonging to the late Chief Ndiweni.

Speaking after being released on bail, Ndiweni said:

“I would like to extend my thanks to the police. The police were doing their job. The police are a law enforcement, they cannot pick and choose what to do, they are just told and given instructions.”

His remarks come when some quarters of society have been accusing the police of being inhumane when dealing with members of the public.

Concern over police conduct was also raised recently when they violently dispersed demonstrators who had gathered in the streets of Harare for 16 August protests which had been organised by the opposition MDC.-DailyNews

The MDC reiterates the position that the party’s national chairperson Hon. Thabitha Khumalo who appeared in court today on trumped up charges is innocent and merely being harassed by this regime.
Today, Hon. Khumalo and six other party activists appeared in court and were remanded to the 17th of September for either further remand or trial.

We note the removal of Hon. Khumalo’s reporting conditions but we would have wanted the reporting conditions for all the accused to be removed as they are all innocent.

The seven who are facing trumped up charges include Hon. Khumalo, Tshepiso Mpofu, Luba Masotsha, Elliot Mujeri, Tinashe Matimbura, Meliqiniso Sithole and Shelton Tembo. They were unjustly arrested and charged for “publishing false statements prejudicial to the state”.

It is our fully considered view that the State has a very weak case and they are simply persecuting our party leaders for holding on to the correct position that last year’s elections were stolen.

As such, the only reason the matter is being pursued is a political plot to intimidate our political leaders to back down on their demand for Zimbabwe to return to legitimacy under a popularly elected people’s government.

The MDC thus demands an end to this political charade through the unconditional withdrawal of all these false charges against all our innocent leaders.

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

Daniel Molokele
MDC National Spokesperson

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

USD = ZWL$10.9647
ZWL$ = RAND1.3905
Data according to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe

Black Market Rates:

USD = ZWL$12.80 zimrates
USD = ZWL$12.50 zwl365
USD = ZWL$12.70 bluemari
USD = BOND9.0 zimrates

More: Marketwatch

There is no vanguard in the MDC now only the peaceguard. As for councils run by the MDC, considering our national economic circumstances and political instability, we have some of the best run cities, towns and local authorities on the African continent. SMART cities is our goal!

— nelson chamisa (@nelsonchamisa) September 3, 2019

A Masvingo teenager who went on a housebreaking spree has been slapped with a five year prison term.

Peacemaker Mambudu, aged 19 and employed as a brick moulder, was convicted on his own guilty plea to 14 counts of burglary he committed in a space of a single week.

Prosecutor Malvin Mapako told court that Mambudu terrorised residents in the sprouting suburb of Victoria Range, breaking into their homes and stealing their valuables.

Mambudu carried out robberies in broad daylight and used unknown objects to break windows to gain entry into homes.

He then ransacked the rooms before stealing property, cash and food items.

His luck ran out when an ambush was laid by members of the criminal investigations department as he attempted another break in.

-Online

Former Deputy Mayor, Tinashe Kambarami has filed an appeal against the High Court ruling which declared his election into office null and void.

Bulawayo High Court last week declared Kambarami’s election as null and void on the grounds that he had a previous conviction record.

This followed a court appeal by Mthwakazi Liberation Front (MLF) who challenged his election as Bulawayo councillor.

More to follow…

By Dr Henry Madzorera| Life is a gift from God, and it’s sacrosanct.

The illegitimate regime has unilaterally withdrawn the Right to Life and the Right to Health from the people both through its acts of commission and omission.

The incapacitation of doctors nationwide is a serious infringement on the people’s Constitutional Right to Healthcare.

Doctors are living way below the poverty datum line; and yet are expected to render what the regime labels as “an essential service”.

What worries the ordinary man in the street is that government has been given adequate notice by the doctors to improve their conditions of service, both personal and institutional, to avert a human resources crisis in healthcare; yet there seems to be no urgency on the part of the illegitimate regime to address the very genuine grievances of the doctors.

The wage adjustment offered by government recently (60%) is a pittance and won’t improve the lives of doctors.

Is the illegitimate regime waiting for the deadline of 3/9 /19 to start acting on the grievances.

Do innocent people have to die first before illegitimate regime acts?

The equity gap continues to widen as the rich and powerful elite continue to squander the scarce national resources on treatment outside our boarders, while our own healthcare institutions continue to be death traps because of gross underfunding.

Even the most basic medicines and supplies are always out of stock in spite of government’s incessant claims that stocks of medicines are on their way, while acutely haemorrhaging accident victims are being told to go and buy their own suture material and intravenous fluids at private pharmacies many kilometers away, before they can be helped.

This is the reality of what is happening in our hospitals.

The lie that the regime has procured all essential medicines for our hospitals and clinics is nauseating, as we are fully conscious of the fact that patients are routinely dying of curable illnesses because they can not afford to buy medicines worth as little as US$15.

Evidence on the ground, for example, shows that the number of stroke patients being admitted to our hospitals has skyrocketed lately because patients can’t afford their chronic care medication anymore.

The sad tragedy is that even health care workers (doctors included) cannot afford for themselves and their families the services they are offering to others on a daily basis.

The MDC calls upon the regime to act promptly to address the grievances of the doctors and show that they respect the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans.

A soft genocide is looming in the horizon if we don’t act NOW to avert the crisis.

We further urge the regime to proactively address nurses’ and other health workers’ issues before further disaster strikes.

We urge senior authorities in the health sector to be advocates for these disgruntled doctors, and not be used to intimidate, harass and threaten fellow health workers who are only asking for a fair return on their labour.

We further urge the illegitimate regime to recognize the primacy of healthcare, and prioritize procurement of essential medicines and supplies.

This is one area that cannot be managed by politicking and public relations stunts. It requires a genuine prioritization and actual disbursement of funds.

Lastly we urge the country’s top political leaders to seek their treatment at home!

Our healthcare delivery system used to be the envy of the subregion, and with a little paradigm shift in our leadership we can regain that status to the benefit of all, rich and poor.

MDC@20: Celebrating courage, growth and the people’s victories

Dr Henry Madzorera

THE Information Communication Technology (ICT) Parliamentary Portfolio Committee chaired by Kuwadzana East MP Charlton Hwende yesterday expressed dismay over the conduct of ICT ministry secretary Sam Kundishora, who they felt was avoiding appearing before their committee to speak on the NetOne forensic audit.

The 2016 forensic audit revealed rot at NetOne, wherein among other issues a company called Gemalto was paid nearly US$6 million for the supply of One Wallet mobile money platform, yet during its existence, the system only generated US$51 000 for NetOne. The network service provider was also said to have made shady payments totalling US$32 million to several firms without documentation.

A letter that Hwende read yesterday before the committee showed that Kundishora was invited to appear before Parliament on two occasions, that is July 15 and July 29, but he failed to avail himself.

Failure to appear before a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee might constitute contempt of Parliament charges.

It appears that on August 26, Kundishona wrote to the committee requesting that the meeting with the ICT committee be postponed to yesterday, but he still failed to turn up amid reports that he had travelled together with the ICT minister Kazembe Kazembe to Japan.

But the NetOne board, which Kazembe and Kundishora were supposed to appear with before the ICT committee, yesterday availed themselves to Parliament. They were turned away because the committee wanted to grill them together with the minister.

“I am not happy with what is happening pertaining to the conduct of the ICT secretary because Kundishora could have sent an acting secretary to represent him before the committee,” Hwende said.

“The matters that we want them to answer to are not matters that are sub judice to do with issues of Megawatt and TelOne. The committee only seeks to get answers on issues pertaining to the mandate of NetOne such as procurement, payment systems, salaries and allowances, acquisition of base stations, taxation of base stations, and others,” he said.

-Newsday