Farai Dziva|Masvingo based political analyst Jeffryson Chitando has said freedom of speech is a taboo in Zanu PF.
Chitando was commenting on the suspension of Zanu PF MP for Chivi South Killer Zivhu for allegedly undermining the authority of the President.
See Chitando’ s argument :
If reports that Chivi South Member of Parliament Killer Zivhu is being dragged before a disciplinary committee for suggesting that Zanu PF President Mnangagwa and MDC President Chamisa must engage in talks are true- then democracy in Zanu PF is in the coffin.
Killer Zivhu represents the people of Chivi South. The views he might be communication to the nation might be the general sentiments and aspirations of Chivi South.
If ZanuPF is prepared to nail its own son on the cross for airing his views or those of people he represents,then it should not surprise you that any views by the opposition party will be opposed.
This Killer Zivhu incident only serves as evidence that freedom of speech in Zanu PF is a taboo.
The greatest weapon of mass destruction against democracy in rural areas by ZanuPF is abuse of food handouts.
Government agricultural inputs and food handouts are ZanuPF AK 47 for rural votes. Unless and until Zanu PF and government programs are separated food handouts will be used by the ruling party to “rig ,bribe and coerce” rural voters to vote for ZanuPF.
The Zanu PF government has failed to empower rural communities to be self sufficient or self reliant .The 40 years Zanu PF has been in power has made the rural people dependent on food and agricultural inputs from government.
Whilst the program of agricultural inputs is aimed at increasing food production in rural areas the opposite has been true.
In the early 1980s when rural communities used to buy subsidized agricultural inputs from shops harvest was fairly encouraging. GMB had various buying centre points in rural areas.
The introduction of free selectively political driven agricultural inputs handouts given to rural farmers harvest has drastically reduced. The government used to subsidize seed at manufacturing point for every farmer to afford.The price of seed was affordable and farmers were able to prepare for their next agricultural season on time.
The formation of the MDC changed the government programs to suit Zanu PF political campaign strategy. The government abandoned the subsidizingn of seed at manufacturing point instead bought all seed to dish out to farmers. Zanu PF knew that by having farmers freely buying seed from shops would make it difficult to attach ZanuPF to the government program.The agricultural inputs were named “Presidential Input Scheme” as though the inputs were bought from the President’s personal savings.Why not call them ” Government Inputs Scheme?” ZanuPF knew its implications to name and attach the President to the scheme.The ZanuPF political chefs and structures were to be involved in the distribution ,selection of beneficiaries and politicization of the agricultural inputs.
The seed which was left in shops was not subsidized making it beyond the reach of many rural people. This strategy turned ZanuPF into the messiah. Supporting Zanu PF was made materialistic and strategic for rural farmers.
The worst was when Zanu PF government created Maguta and Champion Farmer organs to oversee the
distribution of seed in rural areas. The two organs were headed by retired and serving army members. Zimbabwe agricultural inputs and food handouts were turned into highly political and military operations.
The agricultural inputs were normally given out late after the planting season had began when the farmers were in desperate need of seed.This made ZanuPF to be looked upon as the most caring, loving and concerned political party. The rural people couldn’t know that their problems were created by Zanu PF.
Zanu PF knew that giving the agricultural inputs late would make the chances of poor harvest was more than 75% .The people would not have enough harvest to last long so they will be in need of food handouts. Around June or July the people will begging for food.”Vaiva nemasunda chando chete chete” creating a never-ending cycle.
Until Zimbabweans are empowered by way of making it possible to buy seed in shops and over reliance on agricultural inputs from government is removed rural areas will continue to vote Zanu PF not because of their own volition.
NGOs have not done a good job as well in liberating rural people from ZanuPF-government agricultural inputs dependence syndrome.
NGOs have targeted food handouts instead of concentrating on empowering the rural communities on food production. World International NGOs only surface during time to handout food aid instead of concentrating on agricultural inputs for the rural communities to be self sufficient and avoid being abused by ZanuPF.
When election observor missions are told of how government food handouts is used to subvert the people’s will they won’t be able to collect the data as it a lifetime problem- process.
Traditional leaders have also being roped into the illegitimate distribution of food handouts and agricultural inputs.
Zimbabwe needs political reforms, electoral reforms, security sector reforms and traditional leadership reforms in food handouts and agricultural inputs distribution for a free, fair, transparent and credible elections.
#ZimSanctionsMustGo "You cannot respect the rights of the citizens of Zimbabwe when sanctions are still there. So I want to call upon my brother @TimoOlkkonen … to say that corruption & sanctions go hand in hand" – Minister of Justice Hon. Ziyambi Ziyambi pic.twitter.com/ZklgtpFaal
— Ministry of Information, Publicity & Broadcasting (@InfoMinZW) August 28, 2019
Earlier today at the LEAD command centre in Glen View South after the door to door campaigns. Moral is high in the LEAD camp and we thank President Masarira-Kaingidza for mentoring the campaign team and walking with our Glen View South candidate Edwin Million. #TogetherWeCanpic.twitter.com/iSVDIbAFJ9
Farai Dziva|Members of the Johane Masowe Apostolic Sect have declared that their rights must be respected.
Godfrey Munondo a member of the Johane Masowe Apostolic sect told H-Metro that their community has a way of life which needs to be respected.
Munondo claimed that a 14 -year-old girl who was attacked by the apostolic sect members failed to honour their values.
“We acquired this area as Johane Masowe church, people have to realise that when they pass through they must observe and follow our church doctrine.
We do not allow our women to wear trousers since it tarnishes the true reflection of a human being and as you can see I cannot wear a short because it’s not allowed in this area,”he said.
Farai Dziva|A 14- year- old Chitungwiza girl has disclosed how she was attacked by members of the Johane Masowe Apostolic Sect for wearing a pair of trousers.
The girl told H-Metro she was assaulted by a group of men and women from the sect.
“They were big men and women who beat me up while some children were harassing me, throwing stones and mud on my face.”
“They shouted at me and I was confused, I didn’t know what to do or where to run to.
I live with my dad but he is not here and I do not stay with my mother who is somewhere,” she said.
Jane Mlambo| War veterans have quashed any chances of political dialogue saying power will never be negotiated.
Addressing a press conference today, war veterans spokesperson Douglas Mahiya said they fought for power and will never let go easily.
“War veterans have sat down here today to be able to tell the nation and the world that we are unmoved, in fact the question of power, what we went out there to do was nothing else but power and the question of power will never be negotiated, it will never be got on any other terms other that struggling.”
War veterans spokesperson Douglas Mahiya has said the former freedom fighters are surviving on less than a dollar day, emphasizing that the economic welfare has not been properly looked at.
Farai Dziva| A 14 year-old girl was assaulted by members of the Johane Masowe mob for wearing a pair of trousers.
The incident happened in Chitungwiza, Unit E area – a community dominated by the Johane Masowe sect members.
According to H-Metro, the girl was passing through one of the houses in Unit E and this prompted the community members to gang up against her.
“They beat her up badly, and she sought refuge in a nearby bottle store. She had to hide inside for about three hours as the crowd waited for her to come outside.
The people were so angry that they really wanted her head but the police came and rescued her,”said a Chitungwiza resident.
By Tariro Moyo| APOSTOLIC Faith Mission International (AFMI) has stepped in to clarify legitimacy issues that have been bedevilling the church in Zimbabwe and recognised Reverend Madawo as the Bona Fide leader, Zim Morning Post has learnt.
AFM International Conference was held at Kenyatta University last week while reports claim that Chiangwa regardless of not being invited travelled for the conference but was stopped from attending meetings.
In a press statement, AFMI threw Rev Chiyangwa under the bus by inviting only Madawo to the Conference and it triggered tension between the two rivals.
“The AFMI Conference held in Kenya however gave the AFMI another platform to speak on the developments in Zimbabwe. Prior to the Conference in Kenya, the AFMI had maintained its position by inviting Reverend Madawo to attend the Council of Presidents slated for the 19th of August 2019 at Kenyatta University starting at 1400hrs and expected to end at 1700hrs. The invitation dated 4th July 2019 was only sent to the Church’s Presidents in member countries and was sent by email to Reverend Madawo.”
“Reverend Chiangwa did not receive the letter triggering complaints from his camp directed at the AFMI,” reads the statement.
Chiangwa mobilized his Constituency and traveled to Kenya but he was snubbed despite his presence.
AFM recognized Reverend Madawo as the president of AFM in Zimbabwe with similar insinuation being made by the then AFMI President Reverend Chinake.
“Without the assurance and the promises, Reverend Chiangwa still mobilized his constituency and with his delegates, they travelled to Kenya to attend the Conference. The AFMI however stuck to their guns and only allowed Reverend Madawo to attend the Council of Presidents on Monday the 19th August 2019. Reverend Chiangwa was not allowed to attend this meeting.”
“On Wednesday the 21st August 2019, the AFMI once again recognized Reverend Madawo as the Bona Fide leader of the church in Zimbabwe when the then AFMI President Rev Chikane introduced Reverend Madawo as the President of the AFM in Zimbabwe,” reads the statement.
However, Rev Madawo requested to the AFMI that Zimbabwe be observers and not participate in the Council given that the church at home was not in order. Rev wrote the letter to AFMI advising them of the following facts as they were behind their pulling off from participating in the Council.
“This letter serves to advise you that as the AFM in Zimbabwe leadership, we wish to recuse ourselves from participating in the Council for the following reasons:1. Our house (i.e. the church in Zimbabwe) is not in order.2. The AFMI is seized with the matter3. The matter is pending before the courts in Zimbabwe,” reads the letter.
The Chiangwa led AFM had all along believed that they were the rightful leadership of AFM arguing that they were operating within the dictates of the original AFM constitution.
The split was a result of a cumulation of issues within the church with the Rev Chiangwa led faction citing change of constitution, victimisation of pastors as well as alleged gross inefficiency in the church for a long time.
The Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage has noted
with concern the mischief by MDC and its surrogates who have notified the
Regulating Authorities in all Police districts and stations of the intended
demonstrations on the 29th — 31′ August 2019. It is clear that the MDC Alliance
is now playing to the gallery and does not want law and order to prevail in the
country.
While constitutionalism exists in Zimbabwe in terms of
observance of human rights, it is disturbing that these rights which are
clearly espoused in the constitution are now being misused to foment disorder
and cause anarchy in the country.
The Government of Zimbabwe is quite aware that the timing of
these demonstrations is meant to draw the attention of the international
community especially when the President has intensified the country’s re –
engagement process at various regional and international fora.
Sadly, some individuals, Non Governmental and Civic
Organisations are openly engaging in political acts as a ploy to raise funds
from the international world and at the same time tarnish the image of the
country in pursuance of a regime change agenda.
The Government of Zimbabwe is also disturbed by the
activities of some diplomatic missions in Zimbabwe who are engaging in local
politics and clearly showing open support for the opposition political parties
in the country through various activities. Let me remind the missions that the
Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961), Article 41(1) emphasizes the
duty of Diplomats which is to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving
state and they are duty bound not to interfere with the internal or domestic
affairs of the receiving state. My ministry is therefore concerned by the
security implications of these diplomatic missions’ interference and visits to
private residences of some opposition political party leaders under the guise
of diplomatic engagements. The nation cannot afford to be having demonstrations
on a daily or weekly basis, the economy suffers as attention is taken away from
key activities which as a country we should be focused upon. We cannot continue
to be in the elections mode indefinitely as this creates a security threat to
the country.
We are also aware that there are manoeuvres to rope in civil
servants in the demonstrations through the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions
which has openly engaged in opposition party politics. The Government has a way
of interacting with its workers without alarming and threatening messages being
sent. My ministry is concerned by the MDC Alliance’s continuous agenda of
dividing and polarising the nation. This agenda will not work as the
Commissioner General of Police has been given the responsibility to ensure that
law and order is maintained in every village, district, province and the nation
at large.
Let me assure all peace loving and law abiding citizens that
the law enforcement agents are on high alert to deal with any acts of
lawlessness in the country. May I urge Zimbabweans to remain calm and not to be
hoodwinked to join unlawful gatherings or demonstrations which are meant to
benefit individuals at the expense of the people of Zimbabwe.
We are quite aware that the opposition and its partners
intend to hire buses and other vehicles to ferry people to various centres in
the country for unlawful gatherings. Transport operators, both public and
private7should not be used as destabilising agents in the country. Let me
reiterate that anyone caught on the wrong side of the law will be dealt with
without fear or favour. Vehicles used to promote lawlessness will certainly be
impounded by the police.
We urge members of the public NOT to take heed of
retrogressive calls to join or participate in the demonstrations. Government in
its entirety is working day in,day out to improve the socio – economic
situation in the country. Let us all support these efforts for the good of the
country and promote peace in all corners of Zimbabwe.
Ambassador N. C. G Mathema (Senator) Minister of Home
Affairs and Cultural Heritage
By Tariro Moyo|AN opposition MP has demanded that Home Affairs Minister Cain Mathema issues a statement on the ongoing reports of abductions and torture across the country.
MDC Mbizo MP, Settlement Chikwinya on Tuesday requested that Mathema approaches parliament with a statement.
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Tsitsi Gezi agreed, saying the minister must indeed attend to the request in due course.
Mathema, who was following proceedings in the house, immediately walked out of the legislative chamber as Chikwinya finished his request and before Gezi ruled.
Chikwinya said many MDC supporters and activists have been forced into hiding in the aftermath of the banned demonstrations the MDC had planned early this months.
Dozens have been abducted by suspected State security agents, tortured and left for dead.
“I rise on a motion of privilege and my concern is that since August 14 this year, 26 members of the opposition have been abducted and tortured at night.
“Section 61 (1) (b) of the Constitution allows freedom of expression but our youths are being abducted every day. It is dismay that one of our MPs Caston Matewu had his house sprayed with 21 bullets last week on 19 August, 2019 around 2am. Whilst we are doing our work, we expect protection from the law and enforcement agents Madam Speaker.,” Chikwinya said amid jeering from Zanu PF MPs.
Chikwinya said it was disheartening that the Zanu PF administration was violating the Constitution by not allowing MDC members to petition government on various issues affecting the nation.
The vocal MP also stated that Section 59 of the Constitution allows citizens to petition and demonstrate where they have any dissatisfaction towards government policies or programmes.
“It is disheartening Madam Speaker that continued abuse of our members whereby the opposition is not allowed to petition the government. We hope that government will see sense and abide by the dictates of the Constitution.
“I therefore implore the Minister of Home Affairs Cain Mathema to issue a ministerial statement on the developments that are taking place,” he added as one Zanu PF MPs shouted, “Hamusati matanga (you have not yet started).”
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Tsitsi Gezi agreed that a statement be issued by the Home Affairs Minister.
“I will advise the Honorable Minister to come and give a ministerial statement,” Gezi responded.
On Friday, Minister Mathema professed ignorance on the matter and angrily told reporters that she was lying before hanging up his cellphone.
President Mnangagwa has used police to thwart countrywide demonstrations that were planned by the opposition over continuous price hikes in goods and services.
The MDC and the citizens are perturbed by the deafening silence of independent commissions as abductions, persecutions and rampant human rights violations continue to escalate against defenceless civilians.
Since the MDC, on behalf of the people, gave notice to demonstrate on 16 August 2019, against the hardships experienced by the people of Zimbabwe, the country has been engulfed by increasing abductions, torture, and persecutions of opposition and civil society. The people’s crime is raising voices of concern against induced life threatening hardships.
Sequel to the MDC notice to demonstrate, the ZHRC, and the NPRC issued statements acknowledging and ascertaining the democratic rights of the people to ‘peacefully demonstrate against the hardships’. Both institutions strongly urged the demonstrators, as well as the state representatives who were making violence fermenting statements against the peaceful demonstrations to desist from violating the process.
True to its values, the MDC, and the people, have remained peaceful even in the wake of state’s systematic violence of denying people of their right to demonstrate. To this day, the nation continues to witness daily increases in the number of wanton abductions, torture and persecutions.
Yet the independent commissions for Human Rights and for Peace have gone mum-and-dumb!
We are surprised and worried by the conspicuous silence by the country’s independent institutions for peace against these continued gross human rights violations.
The constitutional mandates of these commissions are clearly spelt under chapter 12 of the supreme law of the land, including the protection and defending of citizens against violation of their rights and protecting the sovereignty and interests of the people while promoting constitutionalism.
Statements by the ZHRC Chairperson that they could not comment on the on-going abductions because they are still carrying out investigations are a cause for concern. One of the key roles of these commissions is to promote, protect, enforce and prevent. As such you don’t promote, protect, enforce and prevent retrogressively.
Watching and witnessing the abductions, and then issuing condemning statements are not helpful.
We are not saying that the interventions by independent peace commissions are the total sum for the panacea to stop the obviously and habitual sponsored human rights violations, but the efforts for timely constitutional mandated interventions are critical for both current deterrence, and posterity reference.
All the independent Commissions ZHRC, NPRC, Zimbabwe Gender Commission and the Zimbabwe Media Commission should pile concerted efforts to compel the state to stop these abductions; torture, persecutions and many other violations.
Commissions need to justify their existence, by living up to their constitutional mandates, without fear or favour. We cannot keep the oxen and then span ourselves to plough.
Hon Blessing Chebundo
MDC National Secretary for Healing, Peace and Reconciliation.
By Tariro Moyo| Aging infrastructure and equipment are major contributors to Zimbabwe’s continuing electricity supply problems a senior official at the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) has said.
Bernard Chizwengeya the parastatal’s business development manager told NewZimbabwe.com that there are also overdue maintenance procedures required on most infrastructure some dating back to six years.
“Munyati Power Station was built in 1946 with an installed capacity of 120, Harare Power Station was installed in 1947 with capacity to generate 75 MW now it has shut down waiting re powering and Bulawayo Power Station commissioned between 1947 with an installed capacity of 120 megawatts,” Chizengeya said.
“I have mentioned the commissioning dates of thermal power station because it has a life span of 35 years so Bulawayo, Harare and Munyati Power Stations has so far exceeded.”
He added; “I think there are in their 70s if it was human being you can imagine, so two 35 years span is what we have gone through hence the problem we are experiencing is low generation on the small thermals.”
Zimbabwe is facing its greatest power challenges since majority rule 39 years ago due to poor maintenance and lack of investment in infrastructure with Kariba Dam the country biggest hydro-power supplier facing closure due to water levels attributed to climate change.
Chizengeya said the situation is the same at coal fired Hwange Power Station (Unit 1to 6) which were installed with a generation capacity of 220MW but have since dropped to about 170MW production.
“We had a fault on Unit 6 we had done a major overhaul in 2017 and unfortunately when we took it out, a separate problem developed and indications are that it may take about eight months to repair,” he said.
“The key constraints at Hwange are overdue major overhauls, Unit 3 is over due by six years, we are supposed to do major overhaul on each Unit after every five years, Unit One (4 years), Unit 5 with one month due.”
The unavailability of spare parts due to foreign currency shortage has also been identified as a major handicap.
“We have inadequacy of spare parts and raw materials, we do not manufacture turbines, we do not manufacture generators in Zimbabwe but we contract outsiders and we do not have adequate foreign currency.
“Typical example Unit 6 failed in March and we needed about 3.3 million Euros and we only got a paltry 481 Euros which only helps in dismantling. We are still looking for the rest of the foreign currency.
“So you can see ripple effects, customers are not paying ZETDC, ZPC is producing power selling to ZETDC and ZETDC to customers who intend are not paying,” the senior official said.
“So how do we do the maintenance, how do we buy the spares parts, if we do not have the money? And also these plants use the most treated water, the water we actually drink is less stringent than the water we use in put in these broilers so you are also need chemicals.”
Government has had to resort to begging neighbouring countries for fresh supplies at very difficult conditions including being forced to pay US$870 000 weekly to South Africa’s Eskom. Negotiations with Mozambique’s Hydro-Cabora Bassa are underway.
By Tariro Moyo| MPs from across the political divide Tuesday filed out of the house of assembly one after the other, abandoning debate on key Bills.
Only a handful cabinet ministers remained.
In a sign of lack of seriousness with the business of the house, most MPs walked out as soon as debate on some Bills began. This was despite having been on a two week break.
Recently, Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda called for Zimbabweans to change the Constitution and include an educational qualification threshold for aspiring lawmakers arguing most of them had shown lack of appreciation of issues they are supposed to debate.
On Tuesday, the Coroner’s Office Bill H.B. 5, 2019, Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Amendment Bill, H.B. 4, 2019 were tabled after being adjourned for some-time now.
The Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Bills is supposed to assist in the anti-corruption fight and give authorities power to forfeit acquisitions from proceeds of crime.
Also tabled was the Education Amendment Bill H.B. 2019 where clause 9 of the Bill was debated.
Members present agreed to have the Education Amendment Bill’s adverse report be returned to the committee for further fine tuning.
This was after the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Paul Mavima gave an undertaking that he would bring the required amendments.
Most Zanu PF MPs who were present however did not contribute except leader of Government Business in the House, Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, Mudzi South MP Jonathan Samkange, Mavima and MDC Dzivarasekwa MP Edwin Mushoriwa.
The Coroner’s Bill is due for the second reading and was adjourned to Wednesday. It is supposed to help authorities deal and investigate full causes of death. This could assist police in the investigation of murders.
As regards the Education Amendment Bill, Mavima suggested that faith-based schools be treated the same as government schools despite the fact that the latter are subsidised by government.
But Mushoriwa argued that Clause 9 of the Bill be amended to remove the definition of “public school.”
“Madam Speaker, the challenge is from the Minister’s explanation and the mischief I believe needed to be corrected was purely the removal of the phrase ‘non-profit making faith-based’ from the definition in the previous clause.
“This is not fair to the House. The minister is trying to hoodwink us. It was not appropriate to bracket government schools, local schools together with non-profit making faith-based schools,” argued Mushoriwa.
“The minister is just removing the definition of ‘public schools’ when in reality the definition should have remained in place and just remove the word ‘non-profit’ so that the public schools refer to government or local school.
Professor Jonathan Moyo has sensationally claimed that Chief Justice Luke Malaba and other members of the Judiciary are involved in a matter that saw them blowing ab accounted USD$100 000 during a recent trip.
Said Moyo, “Trouble at the Judicial Services Commission (JSC). CJ Malaba was recently in Russia with Msipa, Makomo, Acting Registrar and two girls. USD100K was chewed up & unaccounted for. Meanwhile Acting JSC Secretary, W Chikwanha has new wheels, latest Range Rover, in unclear circumstances!”
TROUBLE at the Judicial Services Commission (JSC). CJ Malaba was recently in Russia with Msipa, Makomo, Acting Registrar & two girls. USD100K was chewed up & unaccounted for. Meanwhile Acting JSC Secretary, W Chikwanha has new wheels, latest Range Rover, in unclear circumstances! pic.twitter.com/Zl6e11yzUp— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) August 28, 2019
It is however not clear when the Chief Justice undertook the said trip by Moyo.
Justice Malaba has been unpopular with Zimbabweans since his August 2018 judgment that pronounced President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the rightful of the controversial 2018 elections during the much hyped Concourt case.
MATABELELAND South Provincial Affairs Minister Abednico Ncube has threatened that government will release a heavy police force into the province ahead of opposition MDC demonstrations at the end of the week.
In a Press conference on Monday, Ncube said it had come to his attention that the MDC had planned to lead demonstrations on Friday in Gwanda, Plumtree and Beitbridge.
“I would like to call upon all the people of Matabeleland South Province in particular those in Beitbridge, Plumtree and Gwanda to ignore the calls to stage demonstrations this week being made by the MDC Alliance and its partners.
“We are a rainbow province known for love, peace, unity and development. Demonstrations will not bring food to our tables but destroy life and property. Zimbabwe has a democratic Government which was elected in July 2018 and can’t be removed by demonstrations. Economic challenges are solved by hard work and not by demonstrating,’’ he said.
He said that the police will be out in full force on the day.
Ncube described the demonstrations against the deteriorating economic environment in the country as a plot by the MDC to disturb peace in the province and hinder development.
“It’s the duty of the police to maintain law and order and police will be on the look out. The police will not hesitate to enforce the law on anyone that will break the law or cause disturbances. People are assured that the police will protect them and they should go about their business as usual and report for work,’’ he said.
Chibaya is facing flimsy charges that he failed to stop a protest two weeks ago.
Amos Chibaya
Opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) national organiser Amos Chibaya will return to the Harare Magistrates Court next month after being released on bail.
Chibaya is facing flimsy charges after he allegedly failed to stop a protest two weeks ago.
The police had banned the demonstration, but MDC supporters went ahead, leading to clashes with authorities.
More than 140 people were arrested while scores others were beaten.
Chibaya’s lawyer Obey Shava said the state had no case against his client.
“The court took notice of our submission which is that the charges don’t exist in our statute. For now, the state has failed to provide compelling reasons to justify his detention.”
Adopting a stable cryptocurrency is not only a future-oriented thing for Zimbabwe to do, but it can also solve many of the country’s currency troubles.
This is the view of former FNB CEO and Montegray founder Michael Jordaan, who said a “stablecoin” like Facebook’s Libra may be suitable.
Zimbabwe has been struggling with hyperinflation since 2007, with inflation hitting a peak of 80 billion percent month-on-month before the currency collapsed.
After the government stopped printing Zimbabwean dollars in 2009, people started to use international currencies, including the US dollar and the South African rand, to trade.
Zimbabwe then reintroduced the Zimbabwean dollar in June 2019 and banned the use of foreign currencies like the US dollar or SA rand as legal tender.
Hyperinflation problem in Zimbabwe
While the country’s finance minister said reintroducing the Zimbabwe dollar has stabilised the economy, the cracks are already starting to show.
According to Harare-based economist John Robertson, Zimbabwe’s official annual inflation rate was 230% in July – and rising.
This hyperinflation, Jordaan said, is one of the big challenges which the country faces and is essentially a tax that hurts the poor for life and across generations.
“Inflation forces the poor to spend their income on basic necessities such as food and shelter leaving little to invest in education or acquiring inflation resistant assets,” Jordaan explained.
“Once again the poor are overwhelmingly being made to pay for their bad government. Those who hold real assets like land or currencies that are trusted are not affected.”
Fighting inflation with a stable cryptocurrency
Jordaan said there are a few causes of inflation, which include “too much money chases too few goods”.
“It is usually because a government has been printing way too much money to first pay their own bills,” he said.
Adopting a stable cryptocurrency – also known as a stablecoin – could help to keep Zimbabwe’s inflation in check.
Stablecoins are typically pegged to a currency or exchange-traded commodities, which minimizes volatility.
“One of the major benefits of cryptocurrencies is that they are governed by mathematical algorithms rather than by humans who decide how much money to print,” Jordaan said.
“We know exactly how much Bitcoin has already been created and how much will still be mined. We have no idea how many Zimbabwean dollars will still be minted.”
Replacing the Zim dollar with a stablecoin
Jordaan said the effects of hyperinflation on an economy are devastating – tax revenues drop, businesses die, unemployment rockets, and political instability becomes inevitable.
For this reason, he said, Zimbabwe would be well-advised to abolish their untrusted dollar and adopt a trusted cryptocurrency that has a limited supply and is free to transact on mobile phones.
To avoid the volatility of Bitcoin, Zimbabwe can adopt a stablecoin like Facebook’s new Libra cryptocurrency.
Another option is for Zimbabwe to launch their own ‘Zim dollar’ cryptocurrency with explicit supply constraints that are optimal for their economy.
“This is an opportunity to be visionary, to stop taxing Zimbabwe’s poor by embracing the future,” said Jordaan.
Unlikely to happen
Jordaan indicated that this forward-looking approach to money is unlikely to happen in Zimbabwe.
“Sadly, the best we can hope for is that they follow a more conventional approach and adopt the currency of their largest trading partner, South Africa’s Rand as their de facto transacting medium,” he said.
“This would at least reduce inflation in Zimbabwe to the 3 – 6% range and enable economic growth to rescue Zimbabwe.”
NewsDay|THE Nelson Chamisa-led MDC has shifted focus from major cities and now wants to carry out its anti-government protests at growth points and smaller towns starting this Friday.
The opposition party leadership has since notified police in Mashonaland East, Manicaland and Mashonaland West on plans to protest at growth points and smaller towns in the provinces on Friday and Saturday.
In Mashonaland East, protests are targeting Mahusekwa, Mutoko, Murehwa, Marondera, Goromonzi and Wedza, while Rusape, Chipinge and Nyanga are prime targets in Manicaland.
MDC Manicaland provincial spokesperson David Panganai confirmed the planned protests.
NewsDay is reliably informed that mobilisation in the rural areas, a Zanu PF stronghold, has begun with disgruntled citizens expected to lead protests against a deteriorating economy for the first time in many years within a rural set-up.
Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tendai Mwanza was not available for comment yesterday.
But police in Marondera yesterday barred a demonstration slated for the town, saying the move was against the provisions of the Public Order and Security Act.
“The police refused to grant us the go-ahead and we have since been instructed by the party leadership to withdraw the protests until further notice. I will notify the police of the withdrawal. I think the withdrawal instruction also applies to other demonstrations across the province,” MDC Marondera district organising secretary Misheck Manyere said.
The opposition party has over the past two weeks been failing to hold its demonstrations in major cities after being served with police prohibition orders.
However, Home Affairs minister Cain Mathema last night said he was aware that the MDC was plotting to hire buses to ferry people to cause anarchy in rural areas and such an act will not be tolerated. He also warned diplomatic missions against openly siding with the MDC, accusing some non-governmental organisations of formenting chaos in order to get funding.
The minister said the country cannot be continually in election mode and protests will hinder government’s effort to recover the economy.
Malawi elections have been under dispute since May.
The High Court order restraining government and Malawi police from stopping Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) from holding nationwide demonstrations has been overshadowed with the moratorium issued by Supreme Court of Malawi retraining the civil society organisations from holding the protests.
Lawyers in court
Supreme Court is the upper court in Malawi and it’s orders respected as an authority in all judicial matters in the country.
The High Court had earlier on Tuesday granted HRDC permission to commence judicial review proceedings over decision by government banning demonstrations.
It also ordered that the HRDC could proceed to peacefully assemble and demonstrate unarmed.
However, the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal has since issued a 14 day moratorium against the HRDC from holding any demonstrations in Malawi .
The moratorium paves way for the HRDC, the Malawi Police Service and local government assemblies to discuss and agree on security modalities aimed at preventing property damage and personal injuries during future demonstrations .
This means the High Court order allowing demonstrations is set aside by the Supreme Court until the 14 days.
The Government will use the ensuing deliberations to see how prepared the HRDC is to deploy its own marshalls or crowd controllers to avert incidents that have so far marked each and every one of their outings on the streets of Malawi.
Government contends that the country should not continue to allow these violent protesters to make use of the constitutional right to protest to conceal the ulterior motives of opposition parties fronting the HRDC.
Zahara has many talents, but is being a prophet one of her gifts?
Speculation started after a woman named Dipuo Mokgatho, who claims she is a prophet, told the Daily Sun about an interesting dream she had.
“I dreamt Zahara was wearing a white gown and a crown. God told me to tell her she should focus on being a prophet because it’s another gift He’s given her,” the woman said.
Dipuo added that she would like to meet the Loliwe hitmaker as she has “more prophecies” to share with her.
“I can only reveal them to her,” she told the publication.
Dipuo says she does not want any money and only wants Zahara to understand her gift.
“Zahara has so many attacks because of the gift of prophecy,” she claimed.
But it looks like Dipuo will have to put any talk about prophecies involving the singer on hold.
Speaking to TshisaLIVE, Zahara says she is shocked by the claims.
“I didn’t know about this calling that I apparently have.”
Zahara wrapped up a tour in America and Canada recently and is currently touring the UK. She says she is “too busy” to pay any attention to the woman’s claims.
The Mgodi singer added that her ancestors have not told her about her alleged calling to be a prophet.
Despite her busy schedule, Zahara, who questioned why Dipuo went to the media, says she is open to talking about the matter at a later stage.
“If it [is] serious, I will make time for it.”—ZAlebs.
Civil servants union groups, Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) and Zimbabwe Teacher’s Association (ZIMTA) have rejected the 60% and 76% salary increment proposed by the government
This was revealed by the statements published by both unions on the 26 of August 2019.
The offer for salary increment by government comes at a time when the value of salaries currently have been eroded by high inflation rates, as such the proposed government salary increment is not in tandem with the rates of inflation.
In a statement, Peter Magombeyi the acting president of ZHDA, said the Health Service Board (HSB) should not shift focus away from the pertinent issue facing the doctors of unfair remuneration.
“We also do hereby request that the HSB desist on focusing on technicalities and shift focus to the matter at hand i.e. adjusting salaries according to the market bank rate,” said Magombeyi.
The ZHDA held the Health Bipartite Negotiation Panel (HSBNP) meeting on August 23, and other national wide consultations with its members and have agreed that the 60% offer does not match USD interbank exchange rate.
“The government’s offer of 60% was communicated to doctors nationwide and it has been agreed,” highlighted ZHDA.
The cause of the union in rejecting the 60% increase is based on the high cost of living which can not be addressed by a 60% increment but rather a higher figure, pegging salaries at par with the United States dollar value.
“the 60% COLA offered is mediocre and insufficient to meet the current cost of living” said Mugombeyi.
“we maintain our request to have our earnings, which were previously pegged in US dollars, be paid at the prevailing inter market bank rate,” said ZHDA.
Both statements from ZIMTA and ZHDA highlighted the union position regarding the proposed government new salary.
The ZHDA union has however notified that they will be going on industrial strike if their demands are not meet, starting from a designated date.
“Inability to continue subsiding the employer beyond the 3rd of September 2019. Members will therefore be unable to report for duty on the stated date beyond should the employer fail to adjust their earnings accordingly,” added Mukombeyi.
On the second of August this year the ZIMTA C.E.O appeared before the select parliamentary committee on Lobour and Social Welfare and shared some the, teachers position on salaries review plights and constitution aspects that must be honored by the government.
“we are not crying for exquisite treatment we are only crying for fair remuneration,” said ZIMTA.
“we think that if you address the issue of provisions as given in section 65 of our constitution subsection one, section 65 subsection four the constitution should ensures that workers are given a fair remuneration,” added ZIMTA.
The Apex Council which is the mother body for workers union, on the 23rd of August convened for a meeting and agreed that a remuneration should be pegged at $4 750 for the least paid worker rather than the government increment of $1 023 from $582.
“The offer does not meet the started position of the workers, which is pegged d at $4 750 for the least paid civil servant,” said Apex Council.
Workers’ unions groups have been protesting over the unsustainable remuneration, as witnessed by Amalgamated Rural Teacher’s Union, demonstration dedicating once in a month a day of mourning their salaries unknown as Pay Day Funeral.
Former director of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP), Matabeleland chapter who played a pivotal role in the documentation of the Gukurahundi massacres by CCJP in the 1980s, Joel Buhlalo Silonda has died.
He was 95. The veteran human rights activist and educationist died on Saturday at his home after battling with prostate cancer for a long time.
His second-born daughter, Ntombizodwa revealed late on Sunday that her father succumbed to prostate cancer on Saturday.
The family is still to decide on the funeral arrangements.
“He was a loving, passionate, a unifier and a brave man who could fight for justice even up to the bitter end. He worked in the education sector for 38 years, where he started his education at St Patriarch’s Primary School in Bulawayo and later on became the headmaster of that school,” Ntombizodwa.
“He also went to Kutama Mission with the likes of former President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, George Silundika and others. Had an extended family that includes the late general Jevan Maseko, mentored other people such as former Bulawayo mayor Abel Siwela, Swazini Ndlovu and Archbishop Pius Ncube, who later on became his spiritual mentor.”
Ntombizodwa said Silonda fought tirelessly for justice which saw him becoming the CCJP director for the Matabeleland chapter in the 1980s.
“He worked closely with people like Nicholas Ndebele and David Coltart in coming up with the report: Breaking the Silence — a report which chronicled the disturbances in Matabeleland and Midlands from 1980 to 1987,” she added.
Silonda was also a musician who formed the Giypys Jive Band and became Mthwakazi musical director in the 1970s, competing with other groups such as Kings Golden Choristers directed by Remington Mazabane as well as the Wings Over Jordan.
“We are also thankful for the good work he did, not only to the family, but to the general populace at large since he stood for justice locally and internationally. He died while we were in the process of finalising a family tree,” she said.
Silonda is survived by five children with several great and great grandchildren. Mourners are gathered at his home number S35 Mzilikazi, Bulawayo.
The Khama Billiat transfer speculation has become an elephant in the room for Kaizer Chiefs, with the matter refusing to die down no matter how hard the club’s media team have tried to put it to rest.
Just two weeks ago the club released a statement making it clear that Billiat was not for sale and happy at Naturena. But with Mamelodi Sundowns constantly saying they know Amakhosi have a price for their star player, the issue recurs almost every day.
And with this being the last week of the transfer window, it is an issue on the lips of every soccer fan.
Amakhosi fans are divided on the matter, with some believing the team should just cash in on the Zimbabwean. They’re set on the belief that it’s the player who first went to Sundowns and said he wanted to come back and that there was a perceived disharmony in camp, with some players not happy with how he seemed to be treated differently.
The others feel that Sundowns are just being nasty and trying to destabilise Chiefs’ progress by confessing their undying love for a player who broke up with them in broad daylight and found a new home at Naturena.
While Lebogang Manyama hit the nail on the head last week when he said transfer speculation would always follow big players like Khama, I think he didn’t take this matter seriously enough. A mere statement saying we are not selling, while the player’s agent gives mixed messages and Sundowns insist they are actually rescuing the player from an unhappy situation, was not enough.
Maybe Billiat himself should speak so we can read the body language and other signs when he says ‘I am happy here blah blah blah’ so the matter can be put to rest.
But it might also be unfair for me to expect Chiefs to worry so much about a matter raised by another club who they insist hasn’t even spoken to them about a possible transfer.
What I know is that a player like Billiat can be fickle and players tend to get unsettled under a coach like Ernst Middendorp, who believes every player must fight for his place, and also for the team, without trying to shine as individuals. We have seen it a lot of times.
This is why it was easier to believe when Sundowns said the player came to them.
But perhaps it is time the PSL considered what Gavin Hunt suggested when he said the transfer window must close before the games begin to avoid such speculation from distracting players and teams.
Former President Robert Mugabe and his coup successor Emmerson Mnangagwa
Opinion By Blessing Madzima|Elections came after the fall of Mugabe, and that process failed to create a government that represents all of us and the real will of Zimbabweans. It failed to create a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environmental justice.
Real good people failed to go into the government, instead corrupt and incompetent individuals were fraudulently voted into government and parliament. That struggle continues up to now because the aspirations of the people was betrayed by few individuals through the military. Now the government that was created refuses entitlement to be criticised and its objective as a good government to care for human life and happiness instead it is objecting for destruction and persecution of citizens.
This government has also caused a Great Depression which includes severe unemployment, abject poverty, inequality, corruption and an inherent instability of the economy and social life.
It is now inevitable and horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save our lives and our country. This government is refusing to listen to the people or accept any advise even from those reputable developed countries and international institutions.
It claims it is a democracy yet it is persecuting and suppressing its citizens more. It is not acknowledging that democracy is not merely a form of government. It is primarily a mode of associated living and communicated experience.
Democracy is essentially an attitude of respect and reverence towards your fellow citizens. Corruption by government institutions and individuals from government is hampering development and good governance. There is no cohesion in government and people at large to achieve a national objective.
As a collective, it’s high time as citizens we need to remind this regime that government is us people and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy is not Munagwagwa and his Cabal, but us the citizens and voters of this country.
We now need to embrace crying mothers who have lost their children at the hands of Munagwagwa and his security apparatus who have chosen to put their personal agendas before the national good. The people no longer have any patience for injustice, no more tolerance for government incompetence, and no sympathy for leaders and security who fail their citizens.
We have lost our integrity, identity and our cultural values through persecution and brutality from this government and its security apparatus.
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time when there is a government that deserves also support from its citizens. We now seem to have an invincible tyrant which has been set up above the forms of democracy. Citizens, as the government of our country we have every right to refuse and reject this Cabal through protests and civil disobedience.
We deserve to be supported by the international community and all purported democracies all over the world. Our voices should be loud and technology should be readily available and be used to expose all the atrocities committed by this Junta. All crimes of humanity should be recorded and necessary strategies and action taken before Zimbabwe unfold into another Rwanda or genocide.
The government must be forced into a reform agenda concerning a series of measures to be enacted which should increase the political stability and the supply potential of the economy. The people of Zimbabwe cannot trust their government to do the job for which it exists, protecting them and to promote their common welfare, therefore a transitional authority that sets up reforms and an election roadmap that includes economic stabilisation must be established with the urgency that understands the seriousness of the crisis Zimbabwe faces right now.
The army must be disarmed and barricaded into the barracks to ensure citizens have their freedom back to exercise their voice and vote to choose a government and members of parliament of their own choice. We need to create a government that will have the honour and the morals of the whole people to effect an effective, fair administration with good governance.
Power to the people through People’s Power is our only way and it needs international support to be able to disarm or force this Junta to respect the will of the people. Our people have ultimately been invaded by our government and is freely doing anything it pleases, while the citizens are only allowed to act by permission, which is now our darkest stage of our human history, stage of rule by brute force.
That is the reason why we are advocating for the international community to be our arbitrator as well as enforcer to ensure citizens are spared their lives and no repeat of past experiences such as Rwanda or Uganda under Idi Amin.
With all this in place Zimbabwe can be guaranteed to start a new leaf with most of its Diaspora expatriates ready to return to Zimbabwe and help in rebuilding the country.
Marvelous Nakamba made his long-awaited Aston Villa debut as Dean Smith’s side smashed Crewe Alexandra.
The midfielder picked up an injury in the Africa Cup on Nations which had prevented him from pulling on the claret and blue, up until now.
Nakamba partnered Conor Hourihane and Henri Lansbury in the middle as Smith shuffled his pack for the Carabao Cup second round tie.
He anchored the midfield well on a comfortable evening which was dominated by the visitors who were on the front foot throughout.
Here’s what fans made of the Zimbabwean’sVilla bow:
@Elyshalou: Nakamba looks a naughty lil player, Davis fully deserved to finally be on the score sheet, Hourihane massively underrated, Jack is my Jack as per and I call that a job well done Villa boys! UTV.
@DazzPablo: Great run out for the boys who haven’t played much so far. Midfield 3 of Hourihane, Lansbury and in particular Nakamba impressed. Happy for Davis to get a goal as well. 6-1 bit Harsh on Crewe who had decent chances – Villa clinical. Squad looking decent for too many signings!
@RyanFarleyyy: Nakamba looked really good tonight. What a position to be in having both him and Douglas Luiz as our DM options.
@JimhillAVFC: Thought Nakamba grew into the game well this evening.
@DanyNaylorAVFC: Good run out tonight, Nakamba was impressive in front of the back four. Years gone by struggling against lower league opposition so was good we were ruthless. Bring on Round 3!
@Lauren1randall: Not sure who I’m made up for most out of tonight’s performers and scorers – great to see Keinan Davis pick up a well-deserved goal, Conor do what he does best, Konza & Guilbert to get debut goals, Grealish to score his first, Nakamba’s debut, Lansbury’s assists, pure Jota.
@Joshtrich1: Nakamba looks like an absolute tank.
@Georgecoombes_: Enjoyable evening at the Alexandra Stadium as the Villans comfortably dispatch the Railwaymen. Impressive night from Villa’s new boys with Konsa and Guilbert notching their first Villa goals and Marvelous Nakamba producing a classy performance in midfield.
@Mansell_James: Fair play… Nakamba did look Marvelous tonight.
@Adroberts_Adam: Thought Nakamba got better and better as the game went on tonight, Lansbury and Keinan were great too. Also, Guilbert is an upgrade on Elmo, it’s becoming more obvious by the game, looked good even at left back tonight.
Deputy Minister for Information and Broadcasting Services, Energy Mutodi has shocked the world after he took swipe at MDC Midlands youth assembly chairperson, Sekai Marashe Muchina insinuating she is a “prostitute” after she was attacked by suspected ZANU PF youths.
Marashe was attacked on Tuesday in Kwekwe by drunk ZANU PF youths who physically assaulted her, and then took her to their offices where she was further beaten.
Commenting on his Twitter page on the pictures of the battered and bruised “Muchina”, Mutodi said:
No matter how democratic our government can be, we can never guarantee that drunkards & prostitutes stop fighting. pic.twitter.com/ZMGkmjSdtc
ZANU-PF national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri
ZANU-PF national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri yesterday blasted the United States Government claiming that it is interfering in the internal affairs of Zimbabwe.
Muchinguri-Kashiri, who is also the Defence and War Veterans’ Affairs Minister, said in it’s big brother attitude, the US was quick to condemn unverified allegations of human rights violations while at the same time sowing seeds of division in the country.
Addressing a Zanu-PF rally ahead of the September 7 Mangwe National Assembly by-election at Tshitshi, Mangwe District, Matabeleland South, Muchinguri-Kashiri, said it was ironic that while the US is projecting Zimbabwe as a strife-torn nation, it was cementing its position in the country by building one the biggest embassies on the African continent.
Muchinguri-Kashiri said the US was employing divide-and-rule tactics to create a false impression that President Mnangagwa’s Government was failing.
“They lie that there is no peace in Zimbabwe, but one of the biggest foreign embassies in Zimbabwe is the American Embassy. If there is no peace what are they doing here?
“They are just after our minerals. They specialise in divide-and-rule. They want to sow seeds of division so that when we are divided they benefit from our resources,” she said .
“However, we will stay put, people like uMdala Wethu (the late Vice President Dr Joshua Nkomo) died for this country, it will not be handed on a silver platter.
“Our inheritance will not be given to strangers, they should keep their Britain, keep their America and we will keep our Zimbabwe. We will not give an inch of our country to others. They should never assume that we are stupid; we are watching closely what is happening.”
Muchinguri-Kashiri said America and its allies want to turn Zimbabwe into a banana republic like they did to Libya where they employed divide-and-rule tactics so that they can loot that country’s resources.
State Media|Harare City Council workers’ representative unions have proposed a minimum salary of $2 000 and called for a review of hygiene allowances.
The employees are represented by the Harare Municipal Workers’ Union, Zimbabwe Urban Councils Workers’ Union, Water and Allied Workers’ Union.
The unions are basing their arguments on Section 65 (1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe which states that every person has the right to fair and safe labour practices and standards and to be paid a fair and reasonable wage.
In an interview, Harare Municipal Workers’ Union executive and chairman Mr Cosmas Bungu said the unions had resolved that salaries be adjusted in light of the prevailing economic environment.
“We proposed that an increase of basic salary to $2 202. There are economic fundamentals which have changed and giving an employee $2 00 is no longer feasible. The value has been eroded by inflation,” he said.
Mr Bungu also said the salary review would promote employees’ wellness, to look after their families and be able to fulfil their duties. He highlighted that the cost of living has ballooned to over $1 700 per family.
The employees also proposed that transport allowances be increased to $400 while school fees, housing and electricity bill allowances also be adjusted accordingly.
“In terms of transport allowance the employee proposes an increase to $440 calculated as 22 days multiplied by $20.Employer should also provide transport where an employee is working in areas which need two-way transport.
“For example, where an employee lives in Chitungwiza while working in Borrowdale employer should provide transport from Town House to Borrowdale and back,” said Mr Bungu.
“We propose an increase of electricity allowance from the current $12,50 to $62,50 which is equivalent to the rate at which Government has increased the tariffs at 500 percent.Education allowance should be $200 per child multiplied by three to give $600 per month.
“In terms of rates and water it should be provided as a benefit or employer should pay. Due to the escalating rental costs which are now pegged at equivalent to the United States dollars rate we propose 50 percent on basic as housing allowance.”
Contacted for a comment, the city’s corporate communications manager, Mr Michael Chideme, said the workers’ demands would be discussed at the upcoming full council meeting where a decision will be taken.
ZANU-PF United Kingdom/Europe District based members who fled Zimbabwe due to the economic turmoil and human rights abuses caused by the ruling party they are affiliated to will hand over a petition to the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in solidarity with the SADC region over the removal of punitive sanctions which they claim to have adversely affected the country’s economy.
The development comes after Sadc leaders have resolved to reserve October 25, 2019 as a day when the 16-member states would conduct activities to jointly call for the immediate lifting of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
The district’s secretary for administration Xavier Zavare in a statement said Southern Africa countries have to fight these devastating human rights abuses and anti-development sanctions which were inhibiting economic revival and prosperity, killing thousands of ordinary citizens in Zimbabwe and the Sadc region as a whole.
Zavare said the district executive and general membership based in the UK will be convening for a meeting on September 28 to strategise on how best they could actively participate on the anti-sanctions day slated for October 25, 2019.
He added that Zanu-PF UK/Europe District will engage the Zimbabwean Ambassador to the UK, Retired Colonel Christian Katsande, to propose that they hold peaceful protests at the United States Embassy in the UK, Britain’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Westminster Parliament and hand in a petition letter at 10 Downing Street, home of the British Prime Minister, demanding that these punitive sanctions be removed.
“An attack on one of us is indeed an attack on all of us Africans.
“To that regard, our district executive and general membership based in the UK will be meeting on Saturday 28th of September to plan on actively participating on the Zimbabwe Anti-Sanctions Day, 25th of October 2019 as proclaimed by the SADC.
“As the leadership, we will be consulting with our Zimbabwean Ambassador to the UK, proposing that as Zimbabwean citizens we hold peaceful demonstrations to the effect that these inhumane and anti-Zimbabwe progress sanctions be lifted up henceforth.
“We will be inviting our fellow from the SADC region, other African brothers and sisters as well as Zimbabwean well-wishers to come and join us on this day,” said Cde Zavare.
He also said that Zanu-PF will write to British Members of Parliament, who represent the constituencies in which they live across the UK, emphasising how these restrictive sanctions are mercilessly affecting citizens as the country’s health and other key institutions cannot access much-needed investment capital due to the devastating economic sanctions imposed on the Zimbabwe.
The Zimbabwean government has dismissed a human rights abuse report published by internationally renowned Amnesty International.
Amnesty International recently reported that Zimbabwe had witnessed, over the last year, “a ruthless attack on human rights, with the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association increasingly restricted and criminalised”.
In a statement last night, Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Nick Mangwana dismissed the report claiming that the statement was politically biased towards the MDC.
‘‘We have noted the statement from Amnesty International and wish to object to the use of political epithets and undertones,” he said.
“We have also noted the ill-informed inaccuracies which are contained in their statement.
‘‘Firstly, no Zimbabwean should be subjected to torture, inhuman or degrading treatment. Whenever such is alleged, there will be a thorough and professional investigation. This is a position we have consistently stated. We take this opportunity to reaffirm it.’’
Last week, police quashed MDC arranged demonstrations against deteriorating economic environment in the country. The police claimed that the demonstrations were going to be violent and infringe on other people’s rights.
Mangwana said the police will continue with its reform efforts in line with modern policing methods, adding that the force will protect the rights of civilians from violent protesters.
‘‘On the 15th of August 2019, police issued a prohibition order against protests planned for the following day,” he said.
“The reason for this was that evidence had been found that suggested the protests would turn violent. This was challenged in court and the prohibition order was upheld.
“Police had also issued a statement informing everyone that this would not be a legal protest. These are the circumstances that led to the dispersing of the protesters.
‘‘It is the same issue of planned violence that also informed the prohibition of subsequent planned protests elsewhere. The safeguards within our law include access to the court where decisions of this nature are presented for review when one is aggrieved. In all the cases involved, the courts agreed with the police assessments.’’
Mangwana said it was the prospect of a repeat of the demonstrations and direct threats of violence that led authorities to take preventative action by prohibiting the protests that threatened the security of persons and property.
‘‘We also wish Amnesty International would improve on its governance and credibility after recent corruption scandals involving the major abuse of donor funding and false claims that one Tinashe Kaitano of Kadoma had been shot by authorities and buried, a claim which later proved to be a falsehood when Mr Kaitano appeared in court,’’ he said
Mangwana said Government will continue on its reform agenda.
‘’Two of the bills replacing AIPPA are already before Parliament and we have keenly followed and absorbed the contributions coming from citizens and other stakeholders in the outreach programme,” said Mr Mangwana.
“As a Government, we are very happy to see the public participating in the legislative processes, as all laws should reflect both the values and the aspirations of the Zimbabwean people. We hope the emerging laws will help further broaden our democratic space and strengthen our multi-party system.’’
Civil servants have provisionally agreed to have government pay them the offered 76 percent cost of living adjustment which will see the least-paid worker taking home $1 023 per month but insisted that they still want engagements on the minimum wage demand of $4 750.
This was revealed at a Press conference convened by the Apex Council in Harare yesterday after meeting Government representatives led by Secretary for Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Mr Simon Masanga at a National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC) meeting.
Apex council chairperson Mrs Cecilia Alexander told journalists that a cost of living adjustment of the total package will be effected from beginning of this month.
“A cost of living adjustment (COLA) ranging from 55 percent to 76 percent of the total package of the basic salary be effected on the sliding scale with effect from 1 August 2019,” she said.
Mrs Alexander said they have provisionally agreed to the offer while they continue with negotiations.
“It must be reiterated that this is a provisional agreement meant first and foremost to allow the Government to cushion its impoverished civil servants.”
However, she said they will continue pursuing Government for a $4 750 salary increment.
“Our substantive demand of $4 750, which is benchmarked against the interbank rate, still stands and negotiations still continue towards that end,” said Mrs Alexander.
Government last week offered the 76 percent cost of living adjustment which the Apex Council neither rejected nor accepted but went back to consult its members and yesterday gave feedback that provisionally sealed the deal.
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has assured the nation that no one will die of hunger as Government has enough grain in its reserves to assist those in need of aid.
The President implored structures of Government and traditional leaders to identify everyone in need of assistance so that resources can be channelled accordingly.
For the first time, Government is also starting to distribute food aid to the vulnerable and food insecure in urban areas, as it broadens its social safety nets.
Speaking at a ground breaking ceremony for commencement of works on the 6,5km stretch of the Harare-Chirundu Highway, President Mnangagwa said he had been briefed by Mashonaland West Minister of State about hunger in some areas.
“Since we had a drought this year because of poor rains, Japan has been giving us humanitarian assistance and the Minister of State for Mashonaland West (Mary Mliswa-Chikoka) told me that there is hunger in the province,” said the President.
Emmerson Mnangagwa
“If people at home experience hunger they should approach Government through the Minister of State. We have grain in our reserves and we will give it to the people. We do not want to hear that there is a family that has starved to death.”
He said Government relied on local government systems including councillors, members of Parliament and the traditional leadership to identify people in need of food assistance.State media
A ZVISHAVANE taxi driver allegedly committed suicide by consuming a pesticide at the house of a municipal police officer who had clamped his taxi in the town’s Central Business District.
Frustrated by the council cop’s move to clamp his taxi, Tasaranago Chinyoka (41) reportedly bought Dimethate pesticide and proceeded to the municipal police supervisor’s house where he consumed the poison in protest.
Police confirmed the incident which occurred in Zvishavane’s Maglas suburb on Monday evening. Acting police spokesperson for Midlands, Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende, said Chinyoka was pronounced dead on admission at Zvishavane District Hospital where he had been rushed to in an ambulance.
“Police in Zvishavane are investigating a case of sudden death in which one Tasaranago Vengai Chinyoka who accused a council official, Mr Mufandaedza Mbizvo, of clamping his car and reporting him to the police was said to have later visited Mr Mbizvo’s house.
“While at Mr Mbizvo’s house, Chinyoka, who was holding a bottle of Dimethate 40 percent pesticide, threatened to kill himself,” said Asst Insp Mukwende.
She said Chinyoka sprinkled the pesticide on food he had found at Mr Mbizvo’s house and consumed it. “Mr Mbizvo called an ambulance which took Chinyoka to the hospital where he died on admission. Police attended the scene and found Mr Mbizvo’s house still smelling of the pesticide. A post-mortem obtained was also consistent with sudden death due to poisoning,” said the acting police spokesperson.
She appealed to members of the public to always seek amicable ways of resolving disputes.
“People must respect the sanctity of life and in cases of disputes, they must always seek amicable ways of resolving them,” Asst Insp Mukwende said.State media
NEWLY-appointed Warriors’ coach, Joey Antipas, adopted a new approach in the national team selection criteria when he called up players that command regular jerseys at their clubs in announcing an 18-man squad for the World Cup preliminary round qualifier against Somalia.
The first-leg is set for Djibouti on September 5, with the return leg three days later at Barbourfields Stadium. The national Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers will also be played during the same period, with the Young Warriors taking on South Africa for the final round of qualifiers.
Antipas dropped skipper, Knowledge Musona, who has struggled for game time at his Belgian club Anderlecht, winger Talent Chawapiwa as well as goalkeepers George Chigova and Edmore Sibanda, who were in the disgraced Afcon squad.
Baroka shot stopper, Elvis Chipezeze, who was slammed for his poor performance against DR Congo in the Afcon finals has been called up following his top form for his club in the opening three Absa Premiership matches this season.
Roving Highlanders’ right-back McClive Phiri gets his first cap in a backline that has Turkey-based centre-back, Teenage Hadebe, Alec Mudimu from Welsh side CEFN Druids, Bosso’s Peter Muduhwa as well as Devine Lunga of Golden Arrows.
Kaizer Chiefs’ poster boy Khama Billiat is also another big Afcon squad survivor and will be available for the return leg.
France-based, Tino Kadewere, who has been scoring for fun for his Ligue 2 side Le Havre AC and leads the goal-scoring chart with eight goals in five games, is also part of the squad. The Warriors’ squad is expected to troop into camp on September 2.
Meanwhile, Young Warriors’ coach Tonderai Ndiraya called up a provisional 27-member squad to prepare for their game against South Africa on September 6 across the Limpopo and September 10 at Barbourfields Stadium.
Harare’s dormitory town of Ruwa is facing a severe water crisis as its sole dam, Nora, is only left with about six weeks’ water supply, an official has said.
Ruwa Town chairperson Mr Kizito Chivafa yesterday said: “We are left with one and half months water supply.”
Mr Chivafa said council had decided to procure at least four water bowsers as part of measures to ease the water woes affecting all parts of the town due to 2018/19 El Nino- induced drought.
“We currently have four bowsers and that is not enough to cover areas that need water in Ruwa. As a response to the current situation we find ourselves in, we want to buy more bowsers to help areas under stress,” he said.
Town secretary Mr Kumbirai Madanhi recently said the council was also putting in place measures to tighten water rationing in order to conserve the precious liquid.
“We are now moving into the water rationing mode. We have to use some stricter measures in terms of water supply. This means that people have to reduce the amount of water that they are using and the town will also reduce the amount of water that we are pumping.
“We have introduced a water demand management system in light of the current acute water shortages. The idea is to ensure that at least every connected house gets water twice a week,” he said.State media
NEW Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba is set to have a statue erected in his honour in Zimbabwe.
Nakamba (25) has sparked fevered interest in Aston Villa in Zimbabwe after sealing a £12 million move from Club Brugge to the Premier League new boys.
According to The Athletic, town chiefs in Hwange, the place where Nakamba was born, are concocting plans to build a statue in his honour. Zimbabwe legend, Peter Ndlovu, who played for a number of teams in England, told the publication: “Marvelous knows that we are recognising his hard work with this idea and hopefully the statue will be a confidence booster for him.
“Moving to Aston Villa is an unbelievable achievement for him and we must show our support as a nation.
The people of Hwange recognise their heroes and while the exact details are yet to be finalised, discussions are taking place to decide what happens next.”
Nakamba has yet to make an appearance for Aston Villa, despite being a long-term target for the club. When asked why Nakamba is being considered for a statue before making his Premier League bow, Ndlovu told The Athletic: “This isn’t about me, it’s about Marvelous. “He’s the man with the opportunity of a lifetime to represent our nation now, to make a difference and define our future.
“He must not let this opportunity pass because the whole of Zimbabwe is watching and hoping he will succeed.” Nakamba was set to make his debut for Aston Villa in last night’s Carabao Cup clash against Crewe Alexandra.State media
JONAH Fabisch, the son of the late Dream Team coach Reinhard, has been included in the Young Warriors squad for their duel against South Africa.
He is on the books of German side Hamburger SV. It could not be established last night if Jonah has Zimbabwean citizenship.
Eight years ago, his mother, Chawada, the daughter of a Mutoko businessman, revealed to our Harare Bureau that Jonah will consider playing for the Warriors if he fails to break into the German national teams. “Jonah is in so many ways like his father,” Chawada said.
“Even though he inherited a lot of my features he has his father’s colours – the light cloured hair, the green/blue eyes and the pale complexion are all from his father.
“But the shape of the eyes, the lips and even the teeth formation are truly mine. ‘A child of the sun’ we called him sometimes.
“Jonah has a passion for football. He was just born that way I think. It’s in his genes.
“I am sure Reinhard is just as proud of Jonah as l am and l do believe that in spirit he is with us and always will be.” Meanwhile, Herantals midfielder, Juan Mutudza, says he is excited by his inclusion in the Young Warriors provisional squad named by coach Tonderai Ndiraya yesterday.State media
Farai Dziva|Golden Arrows coach Steve Komphela believes Knox Mutizwa saved himself after scoring a late winner on Saturday against Chippa United.
The Zimbabwean striker had fired blanks and delivered a subpar performance in the previous games.
And according to Komphela, the goal reminded the striker on how he should perform in all the games.
“You can see that football is a game of emotions. This outcome and the goal he scores help us then to start pointing at the things we could’ve done better,” Komphela told KickOff.com.
“You could imagine what would’ve been said if he didn’t score that goal, it would’ve been difficult to get him out of it.
“You wouldn’t even point at Bloemfontein Celtic but now you can easily point at it, one-on-one and the two passes he got from the defence of Celtic, you could look back and say you got a one-on-one with the keeper, did you take it? And ask again with other chances.”
The MDC Youth Assembly notes with concern at the upside down state of affairs in our country.
From every facet, politics, economy and social life, the nation is in an advanced state of decomposition and decay!
Citizens are faced with a myriad of problems ranging from electricity blackouts, price hikes on basic commodities, death of democratic space, water shortages, hunger and starvation and lack of basic social amenities like health care and education.
While it is important to understand the nature of our problems, it is more important to understand the source of our pain.
There is no doubt that Emmerson Mnangagwa and his looting club are the reason why we are in this hellhole situation.
Literally and metaphorically, Emmerson Mnangagwa and his cabinet or is it club are in an intensive care unit condition and that is the biggest tragedy facing our country.
In the literal sense, the intensive care nature is such critical that Zimbabwe might be on the Guinness Book of Records for having a deathly sick cabinet.
From Sibusiso Moyo, Kembo Mohadi, Constantine Chiwenga, Oppah Muchinguri, Ziyambi Ziyambi to Mnangagwa himself, these individuals have been conspicuously absent from duty thereby robbing tax paying citizens a chance to be served especially at a time when the economy is shrinking.
On a metaphorical sense, it is quite saddening that after stealing the people’s victory in 2018 Mnangagwa surrounded himself with mediocre characters whose political narrative is coiled on corruption, incompetency, lies and treacherous behavior.
Honestly, who in his right mental frame can question and doubt the credibility of the ongoing state sponsored political abductions?
It becomes worrisome when you have a mentally imbalanced and unjust comment from a supposedly Justice Minister like Ziyambi Ziyambi brushing away the on going state sponsored abductions as a mirage.
It is clear that Mnangagwa’s club members can not see clearly what the generality of Zimbabweans are seeing.
Where Zimbabweans wake up to sorry images of abduction victims like, Tatenda Mombeyarara, Blessing Kanotunga and Gonyeti, Mnangagwa’s club members, Energy Mutodi and Victor Matemadanda see otherwise.
Only mentally deranged persons can question the credibility of the sad abductions and torture of citizens that is currently in full swing!
Where citizens see economic comatose, Mnangagwa’s club member, one Mthuli Ncube insult our thinking by saying “the economy is on a recovery path”.
Where Zimbabweans see a drawback to the fascist colonial era, Emmerson Mnangagwa sees a new dispensation!
As an Assembly we are convinced that Mnangagwa’s club members spend more time in hospital than in government offices and that means they are incapacitated.
More importantly we are convinced that if they can not see or feel what normal Zimbabweans see and feel then they are incapacitated due to mental derangement.
While it is regrettable that the ZANU PF political surgeon, Emmerson Mnangagwa does not have any political medication to our economic problems, Zimbabweans should take heart in that we do have an able alternative surgeon whose political medication was okayed by the majority in the 2018 plebiscite.
As an Assembly we are very much convinced that Emmerson Mnangagwa is a man in political turmoil whose medication does not offer any hope in solving the current economic quagmire.
Our prescription to the people of Zimbabwe is a God fearing person who sees and feels the stinging poverty and hunger faced by majority of citizens.
That person is none other than the man who signed the social contract with Zimbabweans at the 2018 general elections, Nelson Chamisa.
As young people, we have a future to protect hence we are going to protest until hunger and starvation desert our door steps!
Stephen Sarkozy Chuma MDC Youth Assembly National Spokesperson
Farai Dziva|There is no doubt that Emmerson Mnangagwa is the source of the people of Zimbabwe’s problems, the MDC has said.
This was said by MDC Youth Assembly spokesperson Stephen Chuma.See full statement below:
The MDC Youth Assembly notes with concern at the upside down state of affairs in our country.
From every facet, politics, economy and social life, the nation is in an advanced state of decomposition and decay!
Citizens are faced with a myriad of problems ranging from electricity blackouts, price hikes on basic commodities, death of democratic space, water shortages, hunger and starvation and lack of basic social amenities like health care and education.
While it is important to understand the nature of our problems, it is more important to understand the source of our pain.
There is no doubt that Emmerson Mnangagwa and his looting club are the reason why we are in this hellhole situation.
Literally and metaphorically, Emmerson Mnangagwa and his cabinet or is it club are in an intensive care unit condition and that is the biggest tragedy facing our country.
In the literal sense, the intensive care nature is such critical that Zimbabwe might be on the Guinness Book of Records for having a deathly sick cabinet.
From Sibusiso Moyo, Kembo Mohadi, Constantine Chiwenga, Oppah Muchinguri, Ziyambi Ziyambi to Mnangagwa himself, these individuals have been conspicuously absent from duty thereby robbing tax paying citizens a chance to be served especially at a time when the economy is shrinking.
On a metaphorical sense, it is quite saddening that after stealing the people’s victory in 2018 Mnangagwa surrounded himself with mediocre characters whose political narrative is coiled on corruption, incompetency, lies and treacherous behavior.
Honestly, who in his right mental frame can question and doubt the credibility of the ongoing state sponsored political abductions?
It becomes worrisome when you have a mentally imbalanced and unjust comment from a supposedly Justice Minister like Ziyambi Ziyambi brushing away the on going state sponsored abductions as a mirage.
It is clear that Mnangagwa’s club members can not see clearly what the generality of Zimbabweans are seeing.
Where Zimbabweans wake up to sorry images of abduction victims like, Tatenda Mombeyarara, Blessing Kanotunga and Gonyeti, Mnangagwa’s club members, Energy Mutodi and Victor Matemadanda see otherwise.
Only mentally deranged persons can question the credibility of the sad abductions and torture of citizens that is currently in full swing!
Where citizens see economic comatose, Mnangagwa’s club member, one Mthuli Ncube insult our thinking by saying “the economy is on a recovery path”.
Where Zimbabweans see a drawback to the fascist colonial era, Emmerson Mnangagwa sees a new dispensation!
As an Assembly we are convinced that Mnangagwa’s club members spend more time in hospital than in government offices and that means they are incapacitated.
More importantly we are convinced that if they can not see or feel what normal Zimbabweans see and feel then they are incapacitated due to mental derangement.
While it is regrettable that the ZANU PF political surgeon, Emmerson Mnangagwa does not have any political medication to our economic problems, Zimbabweans should take heart in that we do have an able alternative surgeon whose political medication was okayed by the majority in the 2018 plebiscite.
As an Assembly we are very much convinced that Emmerson Mnangagwa is a man in political turmoil whose medication does not offer any hope in solving the current economic quagmire.
Our prescription to the people of Zimbabwe is a God fearing person who sees and feels the stinging poverty and hunger faced by majority of citizens.
That person is none other than the man who signed the social contract with Zimbabweans at the 2018 general elections, Nelson Chamisa.
As young people, we have a future to protect hence we are going to protest until hunger and starvation desert our door steps!
Zvakwana!
OurCountryToo!
Stephen Sarkozy Chuma
_MDC Youth Assembly National Spokesperson
Farai Dziva|There was pandemonium during a council meeting at the Civic Centre in Masvingo after Mayor Collin Maboke had instructed Zanu Councillor Manyanga to take off the “Emmerson Mnangagwa ” scarf he was wearing.
Maboke argued that nobody was allowed to wear party regalia during the meeting.
“After being asked to take off the scarf he was wearing, Councillor Manyanga flatly refused to do so – resulting in chaos,” said a council official.
MDC councillors threatened to walk out of the meeting and council workers had to intervene to calm matters, sources at the Civic Centre said.
By Own Correspondent| As there is a list of many credible incidents when Auxillia Mnangagwa has physically clashed with several people including CIOs at State House over her husband, the world’s largest search engine, Google has recorded a surge in inquiries over the rumoured Auxillia Mnangagwa vs (MDC-T leader) Thokozani Khupe fight, in what has pressured for the two politicians to respond.
Auxillia’s husband, Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of the dominating 1980 liberation party has also been pressured.
In the last 24 hours alone, the Google graphic-fuse was pushed to a peak. For the first time in the history of Zimbabwe, world searches for the two literally spiked.
Auxillia Mnangagwa
The spikes were triggered by a rumour that claimed Auxillia physically clashed with Khupe. It was claimed the two were fighting for one man, Emmerson.
It was also powered by a long history of credible reports of Auxillia physically attacking other women simply for smiling at her husband.
Earlier in the year, Auxillia physically bashed several CIO agents at State House and one man was forced to drop his trousers on her orders, “to prove that you are a man.”
She also fired several CIOs and ZimEye has official documented evidence as proof.
Two months later, a military general was in a recorded telephone call told he would be dealt with by her “in your office” as punishment for spying on her.
The rumour was dismissed by the prolific MP for Norton Temba Mliswa who said there is no truth whatsover in it.
Said Mliswa: “Just when you thought you’d heard it all along comes a tale like no other! The fake story doing the rounds on social media platforms regarding a purported scuffle between the First Lady and Khupe is so ludicrous one has to question the mental state of the author.
“The lie is malicious and intended to mar what was otherwise a well planned and executed wedding ceremony.”
Meanwhile, the three politicians had not responded by the time of going to press and efforts to obtain a comment were fruitless.
By A Correspondent- A Marondera woman, Erenia Guwa, whose husband was fatally shot by members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) during the January 2019 demonstration, has approached the High Court, demanding compensation amounting to over $900 000.
The protests against a 150% fuel price hike and the deteriorating economic situation in the country were organised by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU).
Guwa is one of the more than 40 individuals who, on Friday last week, filed summons against the ZRP and the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), claiming more than $14 million against the country’s security forces for the assaults and killings.
In her declaration through her lawyers, Guwa said she is claiming damages for the death of her husband, Solomon Nyaruwa, who was shot and killed on January 15, 2019.
“The plaintiff (Erenia Guwa)’s claim is for damages arising as a result of the unlawful shooting and killing of plaintiff’s husband (Solomon Nyaruwa) perpetrated by members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in Marondera,” the lawyers said.
The lawyers further said that on the day in question at about 2pm and at Dombotombo B Centre in Marondera, a group of uniformed police officers, acting in concert with one another, unlawfully shot and killed Nyaruwa.
“The actions of the ZRP officers were unlawful, unjustified and wrongful. The deceased was a general dealer and a bread winner to plaintiff and her two minor
children. The deceased owed a legal duty of support to his immediate family during his lifetime,” the lawyers said. The lawyers also said as a result of the unlawful killing, Guwa had suffered grief, emotional distress, incurred funeral expenses and loss of prospective support for herself and her two minor children.
“At all material times, the members of the ZRP involved in the killing of the plaintiff’s husband were acting within the course and scope of their duties. As such, the defendants are vicariously liable to their actions,” they said.
“By reason of the death of plaintiff’s husband from the wrongful and unlawful killing, the plaintiff has suffered and will suffer damages in the total sum of $901 000 arrived at as detailed hereunder; funeral expenses amounting to $1 000, shock, pain and suffering amounting to $300 000 and loss of prospective support in the sum of $600 000.”
By A Correspondent- As there is a list of many credible incidents when Auxillia Mnangagwa has physically clashed with several people including CIOs at State House over her husband, the world’s largest search engine, Google has recorded a surge in inquiries over the rumoured Auxillia Mnangagwa vs (MDC-T leader) Thokozani Khupe fight, in what has pressured the two politicians to respond.
Auxillia’s husband, Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of the dominating 1980 liberation party has also been pressured.
In the last 24 hours alone, the Google graphic-fuse was pushed to a peak. For the first time in the history of Zimbabwe, world searches for the two literally spiked.
The spikes were triggered by a rumour that claimed Auxillia physically clashed with Khupe. It was claimed the two were fighting for one man, Emmerson.
It was also powered by a long history of credible reports of Auxillia physically attacking other women simply for smiling at her husband.
Earlier in the year, Auxillia physically bashed several CIO agents at State House and one man was forced to drop his trousers on her orders, “to prove that you are a man.”
She also fired several CIOs and ZimEye has official documented evidence as proof.
Two months later, a military general was in a recorded telephone call told he would be dealt with by her “in your office” as punishment for spying on her.
The rumour was dismissed by the prolific MP for Norton Temba Mliswa who said there is no truth whatsover in it.
Said Mliswa: “Just when you thought you’d heard it all along comes a tale like no other! The fake story doing the rounds on social media platforms regarding a purported scuffle between the First Lady and Khupe is so ludicrous one has to question the mental state of the author.
“The lie is malicious and intended to mar what was otherwise a well planned and executed wedding ceremony.”
Meanwhile, the three politicians had not responded by the time of going to press and efforts to obtain a comment were fruitless.
By A Correspondent- A Kambuzuma girl has alleged that she was impregnated at 15 by famous broadcaster Phatisani Sibanda (46) before she was dumped.
The girl opened up on a social media and alleged that she reported the broadcaster who works at Star FM to the police but the police and the courts did not give her hope to pursue the matter.
She said her parents and relatives engaged the broadcaster but he refused to cooperate labelling her a prostitute.
Speaking to ZimEye’s Mellin Maisva, the girl alleged:
“I fell in love with Sibanda at 15. We attended a wedding where he was a masters of ceremony and I started drinking beer. Phatisani does not drink beer. He then took advantage of me when i was drunk and slept with me. I did not know that i got pregnant, I was still a minor.
After a month, the people around me started noticing changes in my body. I never thought about it. After 2 months that is when i realised that i was pregnant and my mother asked me about it and i told her what had happened.
My uncles went to him (Phatisani) and tried to talk to him but he was very rude to them and told them that i was a prostitute. He even told them that nothing will happen to him because he is well known.
We took the matter to the police and later to the court. The area prosecutor at Mbare magistrates court told us that we had no case because i had lied to Phatisani that i was 18 at the time that i was dating him. Him (Phatisani) did not come for the court session, maybe he sent someone i do not know.
I was then moved to Bulawayo, where i gave birth to my baby but i am not in contact with him. What pains me the most is that he goes around telling people that he infected me with HIV.
This is totally false because i have been tested several times and i am not positive. I cannot date anyone because he makes sure that he ruins all my relationships. He must just stop. He goes around sleeping with a lot of girls and he is well known in Kambuzuma for dating young girls.
I turned 18 in May this year and i have moved on…..He stays with his child and an aunt.
The last time i called him, he went to the police and accused me of black mailing him and demanding $1k. I do not speak to him. He must stop sleeping with young girls and date women his age.
My child is staying with my sister in Bulawayo and I am being taken care of by my parents. I am studying at Harare Polytechnic and i am back at college.
We approached Girl Child Network and they told us to engage them when the blackmail case that he reported kicks off. It has not.”
It is so pathetic that an empty head like Victor Matemadanda would open his mouth spewing nonsense about clients lawyers in the MDC represent.
Matemadanda has no idea about how the profession of law is governed through the Legal Practioners Act administered by our regulating authority, the Law Society of Zimbabwe. There is huge disparity between being a taxi driver masquerading as a war veteran and to be a lawyer.
Law the world over is governed by its rules and regulations that does not accept any form of discrimination of whatever form as protected by Section 56 of our national constitution.
The same daft Victor Matemadanda was defended by one of the outstanding human rights lawyers Beatrice Mtetwa when he was arrested by the Law and Order at Harare Magistrates Court attending the case of one of his colleagues Douglas Mahiya.
Myself and Beatrice Mtetwa had to run up and down at Rotten Row Magistrates Court looking for him after he was whisked away by State Security Agents from Law and Order and the Central Intelligence Organization (CIO).
It is an act which I am regretting up to this present day. I would like to take this opportunity to ask the people of Zimbabwe to forgive me for the act of misguided benevolence I did on the day in question.
We were supposed to leave him at the mercy of Mugabe’s menacing agents. So for him to quickly forget how the same lawyers came to his rescue yesterday because of the plastic and false power in possession, and try to regulate the conduct of professionals on the job which he has no idea about is going too far.
Carrying a big empty head is not a sign of cleverness. Douglas Mahiya was being represented by my own nephew and I never persuaded him to dump him. When I met him at my really blood nephew’s office in Central Harare he was ranting about the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights not treating his case as a human rights issue.
He looked desperate and rambled for hours calling upon lawyers to defend him and asked me to stand with him during his time of trials and tribulations.
Today, because they think they are safe, they can waffle whatever comes across their empty heads. We were wrong to rescue you Victor Matemadanda, a masquerade during your time of your incarnation by Mugabe.
Victor Matemadanda is a caricature and idiot who no single Zimbabwean takes serious.
For your own information, the blood that flows in my veins is the same with the one flowing in my uncle Walter Mzembi. His life is mine. His trials and tribulations are mine.
As a lawyer do you think I have got space to listen to your persecution of him disguised as fighting corruption. My uncle survived poisoning of the colon which was admistered on him by the Varakashi. You poisoned him and wanted to kill him.
My Uncle has never committed a single act of abusing his authority at any material time when he was still the member of your rotten party which he is no longer. He is happy in his present political station.
He needs his peace and happiness rather than political harassment disguised as fighting corruption by clueless and empty vessels like this masquerade called Victor Matemadanda.
This is the only time I have spoken on my client-legal practitioner relationship with my uncle Walter Mzembi. Don’t harass me over my professional relationship with my uncle. You can go hang.
By A Correspondent- There was pandemonium during a council meeting at the Civic Centre in Masvingo after Mayor Collin Maboke had instructed Zanu Councillor Manyanga to take off the “Emmerson Mnangagwa ” scarf he was wearing.
Maboke argued that nobody was allowed to wear party regalia during the meeting.
“After being asked to take off the scarf he was wearing, Councillor Manyanga flatly refused to do so – resulting in chaos,” said a council official.
MDC councillors threatened to walk out of the meeting and council workers had to intervene to calm matters, sources at the Civic Centre said.
Apostle Chiwenga who lied that God told him Mnangagwa has no clue about 1 Aug soldiers shooting people, says Chamisa is a liar who shouldn't use God's name | ARE HIS LIPS CLEAN?
By A Correspondent- Deputy Minister for Information and Broadcasting Services, Energy Mutodi has branded MDC Midlands youth assembly chairperson, Sekai Marashe (Muchina) a “prostitute” after she was beaten by suspected ZANU PF youths.
The attack reportedly occurred on Tuesday (today) in Kwekwe when the visibly drunk ZANU PF youths assaulted her, and then took her to their offices where she was further assaulted.
Commenting on the pictures of the battered and bruised “Muchina”, Mutodi said:
“These are purely beer drink fights… They have nothing to do with the government or human rights. You are looking for an opportune moment to tarnish the government but unfortunately, we can’t guarantee drunkards and prostitutes will not assault each other during our democratic rule.
… No matter how democratic our government can be, we can never guarantee that drunkards and prostitutes stop fighting.”
However, Twitter users castigated Mutodi for being coarse and insensitive for his remarks as it is not something expected of a senior government official.
By A Correspondent- An 18 year old Kambuzuma girl has alleged that she was impregnated at 15 by famous broadcaster Phatisani Sibanda and dumped.
The girl opened up on Zimbabwe’s most popular social media FB group and alleged that she reported the broadcaster who works at Star FM to the police and her case kept disappearing.
She said her parents and relatives engaged the broadcaster but he refused to cooperate labelling her a prostitute.
Speaking to Mvengemvenge’s Mellin Maisva, the girl alleged:
“I fell in love with Sibanda at 15. We attended a wedding where he was a master of ceremony and I started drinking beer. Phatisani does not drink beer. He then took advantage of me when i was drunk and slept with me. I did not know that i got pregnant, I was still a minor.
After a month, the people around me started noticing changes in my body. I never thought about it. After 2 months that is when i realised that i was pregnant and my mother asked me about it and i told her what had happened.
My uncles went to him (Phatisani) and tried to talk to him but he was very rude to them and told them that i was a prostitute. He even told them that nothing will happen to him because he is well known.
We took the matter to the police and later to the court. The area prosecutor at Mbare magistrates court told us that we had no case because i had lied to Phatisani that i was 18 at the time that i was dating him. Him (Phatisani) did not come for the court session, maybe he sent someone i do not know.
I was then moved to Bulawayo, where i gave birth to my baby but i was not in contact with him. What pains me the most is that he goes around telling people that he infected me with HIV.
This is totally false because i have been tested several times and i am not positive. I cannot date anyone because he makes sure that he ruins all my relationships. He must just stop. He goes around sleeping with a lot of girls and he is well known in Kambuzuma for dating young girls.
I turned 18 in May this year. He stays with his child and an aunt.
The last time i called him, he went to the police and accused me of black mailing him and demanding $1k. I do not speak to him. He must stop sleeping with young girls and date women his age.
My child is staying with my sister in Bulawayo and I am being taken care of by my parents. I am studying at Harare Polytechnic and i am back at college.
We approached Girl Child Network and they told us to engage them when the blackmail case that he reported kicks off. It has not.”
By A Correspondent- The Bulawayo City Council has said it resorted to water disconnections as its financial situation is dire and residents had to pay to ensure uninterrupted service.
In an interview Monday, the Town Clerk, Mr Christopher Dube described water disconnections as a last resort to recover part of what the city is owed by ratepayers, as its books are in shambles due to non-payment of rates.
“The situation is very bad now because residents are not paying their dues. Disconnections are done as a last resort to encourage rate payers to honour their obligations or at least pay something and make payment plans to enable council to continue with the provision of services,” said the Town Clerk.
He said water disconnections had since divided residents, with some being for the idea while others felt that it was too harsh.
“The disconnections have received mixed feelings from the residents. Those who are paying their dues are happy to see council doing something about defaulters.
“Some defaulters have come forward to pay what they can afford and made payment plans. Alas, there are those who simply don’t want to pay and we’ve complaints mainly on affordability challenges. However, as council we’ve an obligation to collect revenue and all the efforts are not in any way meant to punish our citizens but to cater for their welfare,” said the Town Clerk.
Municipal banking halls were a hive of activity over the weekend and the whole day yesterday as residents rushed to service their accounts and negotiate for payment plans.
At Nkulumane housing office, some residents said they had last paid their rates in 2018 as they were struggling to make ends meet.
“I am struggling. I am surviving on money from tenants at my house, so it becomes difficult to pay rates. But now since they are disconnecting water I have no choice but to just pay. I brought money for three months so I am hoping that I will be able to make a payment plan. The queues are just too long,’ said Mrs Nancy Lunga, a resident.
Bulawayo United Residents’ Association chairperson, Mr Winos Dube, urged Government to intervene in the matter to ensure that ratepayers are protected in the prevailing difficult economic times.
Mr Dube urged residents to be responsible citizens and make efforts to meet their obligations as residents of the city.
However, he called on council to find more innovative ways of generating revenue than relying on rate payers.
“We call on Government to intervene on the matter and ensure that the resident’s right to water is protected. This is a clear indication that things are difficult. -StateMedia
By A Correspondent- One of Matabeleland South’s traditional leaders, Chief Mathema, has said he smells a political hand in the recent incarceration of the outspoken Ntabazinduna chief, Felix Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni.
Mathema said the arson charge and value of the property destroyed did not warrant the harsh sentence imposed on his fellow chief.
He said if the State was not satisfied with the chief’s judgment, it should have done it properly and reversed it than incarcerate him.
Chief Ndiweni, together with 23 of his subjects, were sentenced to 24 months in prison for malicious damage to property by Bulawayo provincial magistrate Gladmore Mushowe a fortnight ago. Six months of his sentence – including those of his subjects – were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.
His subjects had the remaining 18 months of their sentence suspended on condition they completed 525 hours of community service at different stations in Ntabazinduna.
The chief was jailed to an effective 18 months as the court noted that his moral blameworthiness was too high as he acted “in a barbaric manner for a modern society”, since he was a custodian of the law.
The traditional leader and his subjects were accused of destroying one of his subjects, Fethi Mbele’s fence and burnt his kraal after he allegedly defied his order and took back his wife, who the chief had banished from his area of jurisdiction for adultery.
Responding to a question during a presentation at a Community Youth Development Trust-organised Matabeleland South anti-corruption indaba on Friday, Chief Mathema said he suspected a political hand behind the whole case.
“In my view, there was a political hand behind the incarceration of Chief Ndiweni. Traditional leaders derive their power from the communities they lead, culture and norms. You saw that he was arrested together with 23 of his subjects, which shows he had the support of his people who didn’t condone adultery in their community,” Chief Mathema said.
“Something went wrong; he shouldn’t have gone to jail. There are a lot of things which went wrong; he shouldn’t have been jailed for a value of $300 bond.”
The traditional leader said the country has an appeals system which should have been used to reverse Chief Ndiweni’s judgment and made him compensate the damage than to send him to jail.
“You know, I’m from a rural set up. It now needs law gurus to consult and see what went wrong. They should have used the appeals system, up to the ConCourt (Constitutional Court), without jailing the chief. We make mistakes as traditional leaders at our courts, but there are proper ways to deal with it. Just like magistrates, they are not jailed since their judgments go for review before a High Court judge,” he said.
Chief Ndiweni and his subjects, through their lawyer Dumisani Dube, last week filed an appeal at the High Court against both their conviction and sentence.
The traditional leader has also filed for bail pending appeal. He is currently held at Khami Prison, waiting for the appeal cases to be heard at the High Court. Before his incarceration, he had been critical of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rule.-Newsday
By A Correspondent- Deputy Minister for Information and Broadcasting Services, Energy Mutodi has branded MDC Midlands youth assembly chairperson, Sekai Marashe (Muchina) a “prostitute” after she was beaten by suspected ZANU PF youths.
The attack reportedly occurred on Tuesday (today) in Kwekwe when the visibly drunk ZANU PF youths assaulted her, and then took her to their offices where she was further assaulted.
Commenting on the pictures of the battered and bruised “Muchina”, Mutodi said:
“These are purely beer drink fights… They have nothing to do with the government or human rights. You are looking for an opportune moment to tarnish the government but unfortunately, we can’t guarantee drunkards and prostitutes will not assault each other during our democratic rule.
… No matter how democratic our government can be, we can never guarantee that drunkards and prostitutes stop fighting.”
However, Twitter users castigated Mutodi for being coarse and insensitive for his remarks as it is not something expected of a senior government official.
By A Correspondent- The Apex Council has provisionally accepted the salary offer tabled by the government of between 50% and 76% and said that negotiations are ongoing.
This follows a National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC) meeting held in Harare on Tuesday.
The NJNC agreement reads as follows:
Having taken note of the challenges being faced by members of the Public Service due to the rising cost of living, and having noted the state of the economy, the following agreement was made in the National Joint Negotiating Council meeting held on 27 August 2019 at Kaguvi Building, Harare that:
a cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) ranging from 50% to 76% of the total package (basic salary + transport allowance + representation where applicable) be effected on a sliding scale with effect from 1 August 2019.
The Council also agreed that negotiations would continue taking into consideration the cost of living and the prevailing economic environment.
Meanwhile, on Monday, doctors and teachers rejected the offer, with the former saying that the deal is tantamount to nothing.
By A Correspondent- Lecturers at state universities and colleges have been urged to exercise patience while the government reviews their conditions of service.
This follows threats of job action issued by the lecturers through the Zimbabwe State Universities’ Union of Academics, a collective of state university lecturers.
Speaking at Hillside Teachers’ College graduation ceremony last week, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Professor Fanuel Tagwira assured the restive lecturers that the Treasurer is looking into their issues.
He said:
Processes are going on, therefore let’s wait and see what is going to come out from those discussions.
Through their association, university staff met with the ministry and we came up with a document.
That document was taken and given to the Ministry of Finance. We believe that something is going to come out of it.
Last week the government offered civil servants a 76% pay rise which has since been rejected by the Apex Health Council and the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) as well as by the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA).
By A Correspondent- Lecturers at state universities and colleges have been urged to exercise patience while the government reviews their conditions of service.
This follows threats of job action issued by the lecturers through the Zimbabwe State Universities’ Union of Academics, a collective of state university lecturers.
Speaking at Hillside Teachers’ College graduation ceremony recently, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Professor Fanuel Tagwira assured the restive lecturers that the Treasurer is looking into their issues.
He said:
“Processes are going on, therefore let’s wait and see what is going to come out from those discussions.
Through their association, university staff met with the ministry and we came up with a document.
That document was taken and given to the Ministry of Finance. We believe that something is going to come out of it.”
Last week the government offered civil servants a 76% pay rise which has since been rejected by the Apex Health Council and the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) as well as by the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA).
This past weekend there was a lavish wedding for one of Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s children in Harare. The rich and famous attended in all their finery.
It is of course right and proper for parents to celebrate the nuptials of their children, that is not the issue.
What sticks in the throat is that over the weekend at the very same time these celebrations were taking place, seemingly with no expense spared at the wedding, innocent poor people were incarcerated by Mnangagwa’s regime.
One was a Chief of great integrity sentenced unjustly to 18 months imprisonment on politically motivated charges, in essence for speaking out against corruption and abuse of power.
Some others were a group of teachers detained and assaulted for complaining about the US$40 salary the government is paying teachers.
Another was an MDC leader detained unjustly for not being clairvoyant – in other words for not anticipating that the government would ban a peaceful march (called to complain about corruption) at the 11th hour.
In essence, all these Zimbabweans were jailed because they have been complaining about the excesses flaunted by the ruling elite in their lavish lifestyles and about the vile levels of corruption in Zimbabwe which largely facilitate these lifestyles.
It is the juxtaposition of, the contrast between, the opulent lifestyles of the ruling corrupt elite and the suffering of the poor which is so wrong in Zimbabwe.
I am no socialist – far from it – but when vast wealth has been acquired and/or retained through position rather than work and is done at the expense of millions of Zimbabweans floundering under oppressive rule, it is unjust.
I have posted 5 pictures below – all apparently taken over the weekend and they tell a thousand stories, and those stories are not just about Mr Mnangagwa himself.
Those who joined in the revelry, of all races, do not appear to care a damn for the suffering caused to millions of Zimbabweans by the regime led by their host.
There is certainly no evidence that they have even whispered their disquiet with what is going on all around them.
By A Correspondent- An 18 year old Kambuzuma girl was allegedly impregnated and dumped by the famous broadcaster Phatisani Sibanda at the age of 15, ZimEye can exclusively reveal.
The girl who opened up on social media, alleged that she reported the broadcaster who works at Star FM to the police while her case kept disappearing.
She said her parents and relatives engaged the broadcaster but he refused to cooperate labelling her a prostitute instead.
Speaking to Mvengemvenge’s Mellin Maisva, the girl alleged:
“I fell in love with Sibanda at 15. We attended a wedding where he was a master of ceremony and I started drinking beer. Phatisani does not drink beer. He then took advantage of me when i was drunk and slept with me. I did not know that i got pregnant, I was still a minor.
After a month, the people around me started noticing changes in my body. I never thought about it. After 2 months that is when i realised that i was pregnant and my mother asked me about it and i told her what had happened.
My uncles went to him (Phatisani) and tried to talk to him but he was very rude to them and told them that i was a prostitute. He even told them that nothing will happen to him because he is well known.
We took the matter to the police and later to the court. The area prosecutor at Mbare magistrates court told us that we had no case because i had lied to Phatisani that i was 18 at the time that i was dating him. Him (Phatisani) did not come for the court session, maybe he sent someone i do not know.
I was then moved to Bulawayo, where I gave birth to my baby but I was not in contact with him. What pains me the most is that he goes around telling people that he infected me with HIV.
This is totally false because i have been tested several times and i am not positive. I cannot date anyone because he makes sure that he ruins all my relationships. He must just stop. He goes around sleeping with a lot of girls and he is well known in Kambuzuma for dating young girls.
I turned 18 in May this year …..He stays with his child and an aunt.
The last time I called him, he went to the police and accused me of black mailing him and demanding $1k. I do not speak to him. He must stop sleeping with young girls and date women his age.
My child is staying with my sister in Bulawayo and I am being taken care of by my parents. I am studying at Harare Polytechnic and i am back at college.
We approached Girl Child Network and they told us to engage them when the blackmail case that he reported kicks off. It has not.”
Efforts to get a comment from Sibanda were fruitless at the time writing.
By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has released the names of three of the five victims who died in a road accident that occurred along the Masvingo Beitbridge highway on Saturday.
In a statement on Monday, National police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said those that have been identified are:
Pardon Sibanda Mutsikwa (40) of Mboma Village, Chief Shindi in Chivi
Sibanda Kizito of Kwekwe, Chief Kwekwete in Kwekwe
Rwizi Madhuke with no further particulars
Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi added:
“The other two bodies of female adults are yet to be identified and police appeal to members of the public missing their relatives to visit Neshuro Mortuary to help in identification of the victims.”
By A Correspondent- Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi said that a service station in Harare CBD is set to lose its dealership for refusing other payment methods.
Writing on microblogging site Twitter, Chasi revealed that Engen Harare Street and Robert Mugabe was reported to the, and summoned by the Oil company.
He said:
“ENERGY UPDATE: Engen Harare Street and Robert Mugabe was refusing other payment modes. It was reported to the Oil Company which has summoned the Dealer & revocation of the dealership is now in progress.”
Nata — President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi says if given a fresh mandate in this year’s general elections, his government will prioritise enactment of a law prohibiting floor crossing by MPs
He said during a kgotla meeting in Nata on August 26 that the current arrangement where legislators crossed the floor willy-nilly did not auger well for Botswana’s democracy.
In fact, the loose arrangement where MPs crossed the floor as and when they wished and without regard to the electorate, had the potential to disturb peace and scare away investors, the President said. President Masisi therefore called on the electorate to request prospective parliamentary candidates to make a commitment to stay put and support the envisaged legislation for the sake of tranquility and inspiring investor confidence.
“Tell them that you love peace and tranquility. Personally I will not stand for anything that threatens the peace, development and national cohesion that has made this country what it has become by bringing in elements that could fuel divisions among us as a people,” he said.
Dr Masisi said as a staunch believer and defender of democracy, he moved swiftly using the powers conferred on him by the constitution to set aside the use of Electronic Voting Machine that MPs, including those from the opposition, had advocated for.
He told his audience that under his leadership, government had also taken the bold decision to lift the 2014 hunting ban, replacing it with controlled hunting. The decision, he said, was in response to the plight and wishes of the people of Botswana, particularly those residing in areas where human/wildlife conflict was rife.
Dr Masisi, who apologised for the imposition of the hunting moratorium every year for the last five years contrary to Setswana culture, norms and principle of good governance, said that was why upon assuming office, he moved with speed to engage Batswana to seek their input on the matter.
However, he said the portfolio ministry was expected to shed more light on the matter in terms of policy and guidelines.
That Botswana promoted its flora and fauna, according to Dr Masisi, was attested to by soaring wildlife populations over the years, resulting in human/wildlife conflict.
“We have as a people committed 42 per cent of our land to wildlife and set aside the remaining 58 per cent for human settlement and development,” he said.
Dr Masisi assured the audience of government’s commitment to improving their welfare through provision of necessary infrastructure such as roads and amenities such as water.
In his welcome remarks, Nata senior chief representative, Kgosi Letsogo Kgaswa expressed happiness that government had shown commitment to improving people’s livelihoods by availing pertinent programmes.
He cited the recently completed revenue offices in Nata and construction of the Francistown/Nata Road as evidence of government’s seriousness to uplifting people’s lives.
Kgosi Kgaswa however, complained about the long-standing request to turn Nata into a sub district so that the area’s residents did not have to travel to Tutume to access services, as was currently the case.
He also requested the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to speed up the process of recognising Malelejwe/Tshwane as a settlement, saying it met all the requirements, including human population.
Nata Village Development Committee chairperson, Ms Batshogi Kerileng concurred with Kgosi Kgaswa on the development of the village and its environs.
“Francistown/Nata Road has since been finished, except the Nata/Gweta stretch, a number of houses and a community hall have also been completed under Economic Stimulus Package (ESP),” she said.
Ms Kerileng said Nata, being the gateway to Botswana’s tourist destinations of Maun and Kasane, was in need of a hospital to cater for the growing population, not only of residents but of tourists as well.
Responding, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Frans Van-der Westhusein said the sub district was under consideration but had stalled due to lack of funds.
He said the ministry had since made an arrangement to have a fully-fledged administration centre where the people of Nata could receive appropriate services.
Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness Mr Setlhomo Lelatisitswe said construction of a hospital in Nata was included in National Development Plan 11 but had been deferred due to budgetary constraints.
Mr Lelatisitswe said government had ensured that Nata Clinic was fully resourced with medical personnel and other resources to make up for not having a hospital.
The CEO of a South African services firm linked to graft allegations and a controversial donation to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s campaign to lead the governing African National Congress has died in a car accident, his family said yesterday.
The family confirmed local media reports that Gavin Watson, the chief executive officer of facilities management company African Global Holdings, formerly Bosasa, was killed in a car crash near Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport.
“We thought it prudent that we come here and confirm that this is the situation,” Papa Leshabane, a spokesman for the family and African Global Holdings, told eNCA television. Police spokeswoman Katlego Mogale said a case of culpable homicide was opened after “a 73-year- old man was involved in an accident”.
“It is reported that the man was driving into the airport precinct, when he allegedly lost control of his vehicle and collided with a concrete pillar holding up a highway bridge,” Mogale said, without mentioning Watson by name.
African Global came under fire early this year after its former chief operating officer, Angelo Agrizzi, told an anti-graft judicial inquiry in January he and others bribed politicians and bureaucrats to secure government contracts for his company.
Watson also gave a 500 000 rand ($32 815) donation to Ramaphosa’s 2017 campaign to succeed Jacob Zuma as head of the ANC. South Africa’s anti-corruption watchdog in July said Ramaphosa “deliberately misled” parliament about the donation to his son, Andile, by Watson, and that he had violated the executive ethics code in regard to the donation.
Ramaphosa had initially told parliament that the money was obtained for services his son provided, but he later amended this by saying the payment was a donation towards his campaign.
Ramaphosa is seeking a judicial review of what he described as a flawed report by Public Protector, Busisiwe Mkhwebane.
The saga has proven a headache for the president, who has staked his reputation on cleaning up institutionalised corruption, providing ammunition for his critics including an ANC faction loyal to Zuma.
A 40-year-old former activist for the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) who has been living in Scotland for 10 years has been ordered to leave the country with his family and return to Zimbabwe.
The Zimbabwean national has a four-month-old daughter and his wife has been living in the country for 17 years.
The man said he sought asylum in the country but his application was denied several times because they said he did not have enough evidence.
“I got married here last year and we had a child and I did an application on human rights grounds and they refused it again saying I should return home with my four-month-old child – but my wife has the right to remain in this country.”
He said his only relative in the country was his elderly father and the rest of the family had moved to South Africa due to the dire economic situation in Zimbabwe.
“For the Home Office to say I should return to Zimbabwe with a four-month-old baby is crazy. When I left I lost everything there so I’ve nothing to go back to.”
“Our child was born prematurely – my wife’s pregnancy was quite difficult. She’s on maternity leave for a year and she gets maternity pay so she’s having to work in other jobs to keep us going,” said the man.
While, Martyn Day, SNP MP for Linlithgow and East Falkirk, has taken the family’s case and wrote to Home Secretary Priti Patel, urging them to reconsider their decision under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Day wrote: “He was previously involved with African Colours and has an active involvement with the MDC … He does not feel it would be safe for him to return because of his political involvement with the opposition party and the fear of repercussions.”
“He has also made Scotland his home now and he has a wife and family in West Lothian. Despite [their daughter] having Scotland as her land of birth she is also being asked to leave by the Home Office, which is quite frankly inhumane, and totally wrong to deny her the right to stay within Scotland with both her parents,” wrote Day.
But a Home Office (Ministry of Home Affairs) spokesperson said: “All claims are considered on their individual merits taking into account the available evidence and country information.”
Analysts have blasted the Zimbabwe Army Generals for the repeated show of support to ZANU PF and labelling opposition members as regime change agents.
On Tuesday the state owned Herald Lieutenant-General Edzai Chimonyo saying, “As security forces and guarantors of peace and security, we realise that the stability of the nation needs to be safeguarded from proponents of regime change who pride themselves in sowing seeds of disharmony and anger among our people.”
Political analyst Fortune Mlalazi said, “The General is clearly offside. The constitution of Zimbabwe is very clear that the army must not be partisan and their role is not to temper with political processes. When you see such statements being uttered by Generals of the army the nation must be very afraid. We saw such statements coming from Zvinavashe and Chiwenga and we know what the army did to citizens. The only hope in Zimbabwe lies with international solidarity because the army is embedded in the ruling party and they will do everything to keep that party in power no matter how much it oppresses people.”
Lawyer Sindiso Mazibisa said, “In a truly New Zimbabwe these rogue army generals must be dismissed. We are tired of disguised partisan political bootlickers.”
During the bloody November 2017 coup that ended 37 years of President Robert Mugabe’s iron rule, the army made it clear that it shares an umbilical cord with the revolutionary party ZANU PF.
Foreign truck drivers are under attack in South Africa. They have been stoned, stabbed and harassed as South Africans demand they be prioritised for jobs in the industry. A new report says the government is failing to protect them.
A Zimbabwean truck driver was unable to speak for three days after he was attacked in the early hours on 27 April 2019 at the Durban port. The driver was asleep in his truck when a petrol bomb was thrown and set the vehicle on fire. He escaped but spent two months in hospital with severe burns.
The incident is one of the gruesome attacks against foreign truck drivers in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga detailed in a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report released on Monday that calls on the government to urgently stop the ongoing violence.
The Road Freight Association estimatedthat over 200 drivers had been killed between March 2018 and July 2019 while local driver associations demanded that foreign truck drivers be replaced with locals to boost South African employment.
The HRW report includes interviews with local and foreign truck drivers, activists and Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.
“Groups of people claiming to be South African truck drivers have thrown gasoline bombs at trucks and shot at, stoned, stabbed, and harassed foreign truck drivers to force them out of the trucking industry,” it reads.
“Many foreign truck drivers have lost their jobs, despite having valid work permits, or have been unable to return to work due to injuries or damage to their trucks. Some of the attackers claimed affiliation to the All Truck Drivers Foundation (ATDF), an association of local truck drivers.”
The report cites a Zambian truck driver who said he was confronted by a group of eight men in Ermelo, Mpumalanga on 23 June 2019 claiming to be from the ATDF. Three had pistols. They threatened to kill the five drivers on the road and forced them to flee their trucks.
While the HRW report suggests the ATDF may be linked to the attacks and has made xenophobic comments to incite violence, the organisation’s chairperson Sipho Zungu told Daily Maverick it had only called on companies and the government to enforce the law and ensure locals were prioritised for driver jobs.
“We are not xenophobic here. We are not attacking anybody. All we are doing is asking for justice to be done,” said Zungu.
“South African drivers are sitting at home starving while the foreigners are driving the trucks,” he said.
“Foreign nationals must leave the job opportunities for South African citizens.”
An inter-ministerial task team was established to resolve the dispute. It includes the ministers of transport, labour, home affairs and police, but HRW said little had been done to curb the xenophobic attacks.
“South African authorities should urgently intervene to stop the unlawful, unprovoked, and violent attacks and harassment of foreign truck drivers and bring the perpetrators to justice,” said HRW’s southern Africa director Dewa Mavhinga.
“Any problems in the trucking industry, including undocumented drivers, are for the relevant authorities to address, and there is no defence for groups committing such violent, horrific crimes.”
The inter-ministerial task team condemned the violence and called on the authorities to act against attackers, but most of its commitments relate to ensuring foreigners aren’t employed illegally as drivers.
The team expressed concern about freight companies either employing foreigners illegally or through loopholes and committed to ending illegal employment. It planned to implement a skills development programme for local drivers, establish a database for unemployed local drivers to help them get work, and review work permit legislation.
“It is not true to say [the] government is not doing anything,” department of labour spokesperson Makhosonke Buthelezi was quoted by AFP. “Whether it is enough, we can only judge later.”
While the HRW has criticised the effectiveness of the government’s response, the ATDF also feels little has been done.
“None of these task teams have come up with a good result,” said Zungu.
When contacted by Daily Maverick, SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Vish Naidoo suggested the frequency of attacks had reduced since 2018 and early 2019, but he was unable to provide detail without getting further information from other departments in the task team and various SAPS regions.
In June, Police Minister Bheki Cele said 91 suspects had been arrested in connection with the attacks but few had been prosecuted and most charges related to minor traffic offences.
Another driver was killed last week in Paddock, KwaZulu-Natal. He was found with bullet and burn wounds next to his burning truck.
Following a spate of attacks in June, the Inkatha Freedom Party called for the army to be deployed to KwaZulu-Natal to prevent “terrorists” from holding the province’s economy to ransom.
In response to the attacks, the Zambian High Commission recently warned its citizens who work as truck drivers not to travel to South Africa from 2 September. It said locals had called for protests on the day when a court interdict application from industry body the Positive Freight Solutions Forum against the ATDF will be heard in Pietermaritzburg.
Zungu denied that the ATDF had called for protests or an industry shut-down on the day.
Employers have defended giving jobs to foreigners, claiming that certain driver positions require scarce skills. HRW, however, accused companies of failing to protect their employees.
The HRW report said that some drivers had been dismissed for negligence after they were attacked, while others were told not to report to work due to safety concerns but were not paid while they were at home. DM
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Masvingo provincial chairperson of the Children of Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veteran Association, Sengerayi Manyanga
While the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWA) is making huge demands from the government, their children are right behind making demands of their own saying they deserve special recognition for the ‘heroic’ traits of their fathers and mothers.
The government spends millions of dollars sending children of war veterans to schools but the children say it is not enough and they demand that the government set up a fund that addresses their welfare.
Masvingo provincial chairperson of the Children of Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veteran Association, Sengerayi Manyanga said as the children of the national liberation heroes they want better treatment from the government.
“We as the children of the war veterans we want the government to introduce the children of the war veterans’ fund. We want that fund to be available on our motherboard in the ministry. The fund will be used for the wellbeing of the children of the national liberation struggle fighters.
“In a document that we are going to present to the ministry, we have highlighted it as our priority. They have to find that fund; they must source it even from other countries,” said Manyanga.
Some of the widows and children of the fallen heroes that are laid at the provincial heroes’ shrine revealed that the government has long forgotten about them and are only remembered on Heroes’ Day.
ZNLWA Masvingo provincial chairperson Tendeukai Chinooneka said the government must make sure that the welfare of war veterans and their families is guaranteed.
“We hope that things are going to move in the right direction if the government is given enough time to implement what they have put forward concerning the welfare of us and our families,” said Chinooneka.
Early this month, war veterans in Chiredzi made ridiculous demands that their children should be given first preference when they look for jobs even if they do not possess the required qualifications.
Zimbabwe interim coach Joey Antipas has announced his first side at the helm for the World Cup 2022 preliminary round back-to-back matches against Somalia.
Kuda Mahachi
There are a couple of new names and omissions.
The first leg takes place in Djibouti on 5 September and the return 3 days later at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo.
Goalkeepers
Elvis Chipezeze (Baroka) Talbert Shumba (Chapungu)
Defenders
Teenage Hadebe (Yeni Malatyaspor) Macclive Phiri (Highlanders) Peter Muduwa (Highlanders) Alec Mudimu (CEFN Druids AFC) Divine Lunga (Lamontville Golden Arrows)
High Court today reserved its judgment of Opposition party, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)’s National Executive member, Paddington Japajapa’s appeal of his two year jail sentence for unconstitutionally announcing election results to August 30
The High Court of Zimbabwe reserved the judgement for his application in which he is saying the sentence passed by the magistrates court was not fair for the offense being levelled against him.
The MDC national Executive member was convicted for the charge of ‘unofficial or false declaration of results’ by a Harare Magistrate Learnmore Mapiye, who decided that Japa Japa will be locked up for three years, suspending one year on condition of good behaviour, considering that Japajapa had no prior offence related to the case.
The State’s case was that on July 31, 2018, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) was announcing election results when Japajapa held a press conference and threatened to call for chaos, claiming the elections had been rigged
Meanwhile, MDC vice president Tendai Biti was convicted of the same offence, prior to the same election period but however, he was sentenced to a wholly suspended six-month imprisonment sentence on condition of good behaviour.
The MDC vice-chairperson was also ordered to pay $200 fine or seven days imprisonment.
However, the MDC is still adamant that the ZEC connived with the ruling ZANU PF to manipulate the election results in favour of ZANU PF presidential candidate, Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Mnangagwa was declared the winner in the election that was unsuccessfully challenged by the opposition MDC at the courts.
Social media has been abuzz with claims that Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement, Vangelis Haritatos on Monday made sensational remarks that Zimbabweans are eating too much Sadza affecting the national grain reserves.
Haritatos is said to have been quoted by Star FM radio making the unfortunate remarks on Monday.
Renowned junior journalist Mlondolozi Ndlovu broke the matter on his social media page attracting heavy criticism on the deputy minister.
“Zimbabwean deputy Minister Peter Haritatos has urged the country’s citizens to STOP eating sadza/isitshwala THREE times a day saying the country facing acute maize shortages. What then should the poor eat given the high prices of basic commodities? I thought isitshwala was the last option! Sidleni?” wrote Ndlovu.
Haritatos reminded Zimbabweans of former President Robert Mugabe in 2003 when he told a foreign journalist interviewing him on the sidelines of a UN summit in New York that Zimbabweans were starving not because there is lack of food in the country but because they are too much of the staple food.
Mugabe like Haritotas said Zimbabweans were starving because they love their sadza so much that they do not want to eat other foods that are in abundance. Rice and potatoes for instance.
Now, those that are familiar with history, particularly history of the French revolution, will tell you that Mugabe and Haritatos remarks are tragically reminiscent of those of Queen Marie Antoinette, wife of Louis XIV, the king who was overthrown in a revolution.
She was told that the poor were demonstrating because they had no bread and she is said to have famously remarked: “If they can’t eat bread let them eat cake.”
Below are some of the responses on digital media in response to the Deputy Minister’s claims.
Norton Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa has dismissed a circulating article that First Lady Auxilia Mnangagwa was involved in a nasty altercation with MDC-T President Dr Thokozani Khupe at a wedding over the weekend.
The article had claimed that Mnangagwa was not happy that Dr Khuphe was invited to her son’s wedding and guests were shocked guests watched as the feisty first lady accosted Khupe and demanded that she leaves the venue.
Said Mliswa, “Just when you thought you’d heard it all along comes a tale like no other! The fake story doing the rounds on social media platforms regarding a purported scuffle between the First Lady and Khupe is so ludicrous one has to question the mental state of the author.”
Mliswa added that, “The lie is malicious and intended to mar what was otherwise a well planned and executed wedding ceremony.”
The story had claimed that President Mnangagwa invited Khupe without consulting his wife who suspects that Khupe and the President are more than just political allies.
By David Coltart|This past weekend there was a lavish wedding for one of Mr Mnangagwa’s children in Harare. The rich and famous attended in all their finery.
Some of the guests at the wedding
It is of course right and proper for parents to celebrate the nuptials of their children, that is not the issue.
What sticks in the throat is that over the weekend at the very same time these celebrations were taking place, seemingly with no expense spared at the wedding, innocent poor people were incarcerated by Mnangagwa’s regime.
One was a Chief of great integrity sentenced unjustly to 18 months imprisonment on politically motivated charges, in essence for speaking out against corruption and abuse of power.
Chief Ndiweni In Khami Prison
Some others were a group of teachers detained and assaulted for complaining about the US$40 salary the government is paying teachers.
Another was an MDC leader detained unjustly for not being clairvoyant – in other words for not anticipating that the government would ban a peaceful march (called to complain about corruption) at the 11th hour.
In essence all these Zimbabweans were jailed because they have been complaining about the excesses flaunted by the ruling elite in their lavish lifestyles and about the vile levels of corruption in Zimbabwe which largely facilitate these lifestyles.
It is the juxtaposition of, the contrast between, the opulent lifestyles of the ruling corrupt elite and the suffering of the poor which is so wrong in Zimbabwe. I am no socialist – far from it – but when vast wealth has been acquired and/or retained through position rather than work, and is done at the expense of millions of Zimbabweans floundering under oppressive rule, it is unjust.
I have posted 5 pictures below – all taken over the weekend and they tell a thousand stories, and those stories are not just about Mr Mnangagwa himself. Those who joined in the revelry, of all races, do not appear to care a damn for the suffering caused to millions of Zimbabweans by the regime led by their host. There is certainly no evidence that they have even whispered their disquiet with what is going on all around them.
I suspect that if most the revelers were told that poor people cannot not find or afford bread to eat in Zimbabwe today, their response would be “let them eat cake”.
Alledged love bird Emmerson Mnangagwa and Thokozani Khupe
Khaliphani Phugeni, Spokesman for MDC-T President, Dr Thokozani Khuphe, has dismissed weekend social media reports about an attack on Dr Khuphe by First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa.
‘Dr Khupe was in Bulawayo at her house on Saturday and on Sunday was in Plumtree campaigning for our Magwe candidate.’
Khaliphani Phugeni said this story was the usual clowning by MDC Alliance juveniles.
Meanwhile, Independent member of parliament for Norton Constituency Temba Mliswa who attended the wedding also dismissed the alledged fight between the two women.
1/ Just when you thought you’d heard it all along comes a tale like no other! The fake story doing the rounds on social media platforms regarding a purported scuffle between the First Lady & Khupe is so ludicrous one has to question the mental state of the author.
Social media was awash with a story of how Dr Thokozani Khuphe was thrown out by a deranged Auxillia Mnangagwa at the Wedding of her son, Emerson Mnangagwa Jnr.
The bail pending appeal application by jailed Nhlambaloyi Chief Felix Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni at the High Court on Tuesday was frustrated by the State prosecutor who asked for time to respond to Chief Ndiweni’s application.
The prosecutor said the sentencing Magistrate has still not supplied reasons for the sentencing she gave.
The presiding Judge Mabhikwa said the state should avail its response to the bail application and heads of arguments by 4.30pm today.
The case for bail hearing will be heard in court tomorrow (Wednesday) at 10AM.
Sources within the country’s intelligence revealed to media houses last week that the full judgement by the magistrate was sensitive and an instruction was issued that it must not be provided to the lawyers and the public but be kept under lock and key.
Commenting on the latest developments MDC Treasurer General David Coltart said, “It is appalling that the State isn’t ready to argue the matter resulting in Chief Ndiweni having to spend another night in detention in the disgusting conditions prevailing at Khami Prison.
“I question how often the Minister of Justice, Judges, Magistrates and State Prosecutors visit and inspect conditions in police cells and prisons. The flippant way in which negligence, or worse, malice, is allowed to deny citizen’s fundamental rights to liberty is shocking.”
Ndiweni is being represented by Professor Welshman Ncube and Dumisani Dube of Mathonsi law chambers.
Farai Dziva|Antoine Griezmann was the star of the show as Barcelona picked up their first LaLiga points of the season in a 5-2 come back win over Real Betis at Camp Nou last night.
The Frenchman, who joined the Catalan giants from Atletico Madrid, was making his home debut in Laliga and a lot was expected from considering the absence of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez through injury.
Barcelona fell behind to a 15th minute Nabil Fekier goal before Grizemann netted his first goal for the club just before half time.
He then hit a wonder strike in the second half, one which he attributed to Messi when he (Griezmann) spoke after the match.
“Yes, I saw Leo do it in training and I copied him,” he said. ”The celebration? I liked what LeBron [James] did and tried to copy him.” the Frenchman said.
Barcelona’s other goals came from Jordi Alba, Perez and Arturo Vidal.
Farai Dziva|Golden Arrows coach Steve Komphela believes Knox Mutizwa saved himself after scoring a late winner on Saturday against Chippa United.
The Zimbabwean striker had fired blanks and delivered a subpar performance in the previous games.
And according to Komphela, the goal reminded the striker on how he should perform in all the games.
“You can see that football is a game of emotions. This outcome and the goal he scores help us then to start pointing at the things we could’ve done better,” Komphela told KickOff.com.
“You could imagine what would’ve been said if he didn’t score that goal, it would’ve been difficult to get him out of it.
“You wouldn’t even point at Bloemfontein Celtic but now you can easily point at it, one-on-one and the two passes he got from the defence of Celtic, you could look back and say you got a one-on-one with the keeper, did you take it? And ask again with other chances.”
