By A Correspondent- Former Minister of State for Mashonaland Central Province, Advocate Martin Dinha is being investigated by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) on allegations of criminal abuse of office during his tenure as Bindura’s executive mayor between 2004 and 2008.

In a letter seen by the State Media date stamped August 5, 2019 to Bindura Municipality signed by ZACC investigations manager Mr Lovemore Findi, the commission said they are “investigating various allegations of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer as defined in Section 174 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23”.

Some of the allegations levelled against Adv Dinha include selling Kingstone Farm to former Cabinet minister Nicholas Goche, who in turn had initially sold the same farm to Bindura Municipality.

Reads the letter in part;

“The then Executive Mayor, Advocate Martin Dinha bought a council house in March 2008 after council had passed a resolution cancelling the sale of council houses in low-density suburbs.

“The said house was sold without going to tender nor advertised in terms of the law. The then mayor converted a grinding mill donated to Bindura Town Council by a Mazowe resident in 2004 to his own use.

“In 2008, Adv Martin Dinha, Japhet Kabanga and the District Administrator, sold Kingstone Farm back to former Minister Goche who had initially sold it to council in 2004. The sale had no council resolution.”

Adv Dinha, who was recently appointed National Railways of Zimbabwe board chairman, confirmed the probe but quickly refuted the allegations.

He said it was the work of his “political enemies” in Mashonaland Central.

More to follow…

Farai Dziva| Controversial Deputy Minister of Information, Publicity & Broadcasting Services, Energy Mutodi, has implored Zimbabweans to ignore the MDC demo scheduled for August 16.

Mutodi has also warned that the firm hand of the government will be used to deal the planned MDC demonstration.

“The planned MDC demo has bn condemned by South African leaders & the whole SADC.

Any sensible Zimbabwean will not risk his or her life taking part in such a futile event.

President Mnangagwa is building the country step by step & any attempt to disturb him will be met with a firm hand…”Mutodi posted on Twitter.

Defence Minister, Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri and her Deputy, Victor Matemadanda, last week threatened to unleash soldiers to thwart opposition led demonstrations.

Jane Mlambo| Outspoken Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has said former President Robert Mugabe’s refusal to be buried at the Heroes Acre is karma as “he was infamous for leading other heroes into such decisions.”

Posting on Twitter, Mliswa said it was unfortunate that Mugabe denied other worthy people to be buried at the national shrine including opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai who was buried at his home village in Buhera.

It’s a very unfortunate end to a once great man but Gushungo also oversaw the blocking of other worthy man from being buried there. Tsvangirai remains a credible example, a man who did much for Zimbabwe’s democracy but is nowhere there.

— Hon. Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) August 9, 2019

Tajamuka leader Promise Mkwananzi has been remanded to the 23rd of August after being advised to apply for bail at the High Court. He was taken to Chikurubi maximum prison.

He is being charged with two counts of plotting to subvert a constitutional elected government and one count of inciting public violence.

The former MDC Youth Assembly secretary-general has been on the police wanted list since the fuel riots that engulfed the country in January this year.

Dear Editor

We are in Capetown, South Africa and we are not happy with how we are being treated by personnel from Chihwa bus service that plies the Harare CapeTown route.

The people there are taking money from people saying they can send groceries back home but for your goods to go, you have to bribe someone again or else your goods don’t go even if you would have paid.

Can someone help us please because these people are seriously shortchanging us although we would have paid the required money.

Concerned citizen

Farai Dziva|Emmerson Mnangagwa is desperate to coax his former boss Robert Mugabe following the former strongman’ s announcement that he does not want to be buried at the National Heroes Acre.

According to a weekly publication, Mugabe has chosen to be buried at his rural home in Zvimba- next to his late mother Bona.

Family members who spoke to the Independent newspaper said:

“Mugabe has made it clear to his family that he does not wish to be buried at the National Heroes’ Acre anymore. He does not want to be associated with Mnangagwa and all those he now views as his betrayers and tormentors.”

“He has said he doesn’t want them to sing and pontificate over his dead body. He has informed relatives about his decision and this is known in the family; it’s also now known in government circles.”

Mugabe’s declaration is reported to have shocked Mnangagwa.

The Zanu PF leader is reported to have tried to mend bridges by sending a high powered delegation to Singapore to check on the President’s health.

The delegation includes Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Misheck Sibanda, Central Intelligence Organisation Director-General Isaac Moyo and Mugabe’s former personal doctor Professor Jonathan Matenga, according to the paper.

By A Correspondent- Opposition legislator Settlement Chikwinya who was facing charges of inciting public violence during the January 14 fuel protest has been acquitted.

The MDC revealed this in a statement and said:

“Hon. Settlement Chikwinya was today acquitted of trumped up charges of public violence.

However he remains on remand on the yet another set of fabricated charges of subversion.”

Chikwinya was among the many opposition stalwarts who were arrested and charged for inciting public violence in the country following reactions by the citizens to the fuel price increase announcement made by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in January 2019.

The MDC however condemned the arrests of its membership arguing that government was using the state apparatus to weaken the opposition and targeting its membership.

Said the MDC in a statement:

The MDC notes with concern the continuous harassment of party members by the ZANU PF government.

Today more leaders have been arrested on trumped up charges of inciting violence.

Hon Settlement Chikwinya was arrested today while a fast tracked trial has been suspiciously commenced against Hon Amos Chibaya and Hon Chiminya.

This conduct is unconstitutional, every citizen has the right to due process and a fair trial including adequate time to prepare a defense.

We have seen the past few days being dominated by cases of rushed convictions and some strange sentences following the convictions including a five year jail term for a cooked charge of violent conduct.

We urge the government to end persecution of MDC  members forthwith, all trumped up charges  must be dropped and investigations of killings must be instituted.

Then ploy to use trumped up charges as a tool to weaken the MDC will not work.”

Farai Dziva|The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has rejected an application by the MDC for a vote recount in Luna East Constituency.

See ZEC Chief Elections Office Utoile Silaigwana’s response to the application:

REQUEST FOR A RECOUNT FOR ALL LUPANE EAST CONSTITUENCY BY-ELECTION RESULTS: 3 AUGUST 2019.

The Commission has received a request from the MDC-A candidate as well as secretary-general of the party for a recount of all Lupane East results (see letters attached).

Section 67A of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13] provides that:

1. “within forty-eight hours after a constituency elections officer has been declared to be duly elected… Any political party or candidate that contested the election in the constituency concerned may request the Commission to conduct a recount of votes in one or more of the polling stations in the ward or constituency.
2. A request in terms of subsection (1) shall-
   a) Be in writing, signed by an appropriate representative of the political party or candidate making the request; and
   b) State specifically the number of votes believed to have been miscounted, and if possible, how the miscount may have occurred; and
   C) State how the results of the election have been affected by the alleged miscount”.
   The Constituency Elections Officer declared the results of the by-election at 09:27hours on the 4th of August 2019. The Commission received the request for the recount AT 1100hrs on the 6th of August 2019, a period of 49 hours 33 minutes after the declaration by the Constituency Elections Officer. On that score, it is my opinion that the request has been received out of the time of the prescribed 48-hour period.

Farai Dziva|Zanu PF Youth League leader, Pupurai Togarepi has sensationally claimed there is no place for the MDC in central government.

See Togarepi’s full statement below:

The wise always say do not pick fights you can’t win and the clever ones stick to this time old piece of wisdom, but sadly and rather regrettably, our political opponents in the MDC are naive and fail to understand such basics.

Zanu PF is the ruling party of Zimbabwe, and with a very weak and out of sorts opposition such as the MDC, we will rule this country until donkeys grow horns, they can only dream but then dreams are for free.

We say Zanu PF will rule for ages to come, not because we are undemocratic but purely because we are the people’s preferred party as has been proven since the turn of this year where the party has won by-elections with little effort.

Zanu PF is winning elections because President Emmerson Mnangagwa is leading us to the Promised Land and those with vision and who care to see can already witness the transformative progress that is taking place, slowly people’s lives are being transformed, notwithstanding some problems here and there.

However, the noise and mischief makers in the MDC, as myopic as ever, chose to bury their heads in the sand like ostriches, and like the damn warmongers that they are now issuing needless ultimatums that are meant to ill-conceivably rattle Zanu PF into entering into a government of national unity in flagrant disregard to the will of the people that was expressed loud and clear in last year harmonised elections.

There is no place for the MDC in government and certainly no free lunch, democracy is at times very selfish and the so-called democratic party should eat that.

We have said it before, there is no back door entrance into government and the sooner the bellicose yet ill-information democracy midgets like Job Sikhala realise this, the better, democracy is functional in Zimbabwe and no amount of threats or ultimatums will alter that.

But in case they chose the undemocratic path and threaten to unseat a constitutionally elected government through needless demonstrations, those in the opposition should be guided accordingly, we are the ruling party Zanu PF and stand ready to defend the People’s vote and our President.

We are not afraid of clowns and the place for clowns is in circuses and not politics, neither do we fear the bark of toothless dogs, let them bark themselves hoarse isu tichingotonga, delivering on our electoral promises.

The MDC should also remember that we are a revolutionary party, the party that liberated the country from colonialism against all odds.

We have the capacity to thwart any troublesome elements and forewarned must be forearmed, only that our supposed to be opposition brothers are lost souls, clueless and howling for recognition in the pits of darkness.

Farai Dziva|Members of the Movement for Democratic Change in South Africa will join the August 16 demo.

The Communications Secretary for MDC SA Province, Innocent Nsingo, told ZimEye party members in that country were keen to join the demo.

“The leadership and members of the MDC South Africa Province will be in Zimbabwe on the 16th of August,to demonstrate together,in solidarity with the suffering people of Zimbabwe. We will be there,be there,” said Nsingo.

“We are organising transport logistics and everything.We are saying the people of Zimbabwe have suffered for too long and as such we can no longer bear the pain anymore.”

Ailing former President Robert Mugabe has brewed a major shocker after he requested that he be not buried at the National Heroes Acre in Harare when he dies.

Weekly newspaper The Zimbabwe Independent reports that Mugabe told his family members visiting him in Singapore where he is receiving medical attention that he does not want to be buried at Heroes Acre he so much adored in his time as President of the country.

According to the paper, Mugabe is said to have said that he does not want the current ZANU PF government to preside over his funeral.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently gave a state of the nation address indicating that his predecessor was in a stable condition in hospital in Singapore since April this year.

During the bloody November 2017 coup when ZANU PF moved a motion to impeach Mugabe at the behest of the military, war veterans threatened that if Mugabe should die, he not be buried at the Heroes’ Acre because he had become a sellout.

According to the Zimbabwe Independent, the former President is so bitter at the way he was removed from power by his former henchman President Emmerson Mnangagwa that he does not want to give him and his associates the platform to pontificate and preside over his funeral.

He has instead chosen to be buried at his rural home in Zvimba next to his late mother Bona.

Family members who spoke to the publication said,

“Mugabe has made it clear to his family that he does not wish to be buried at the National Heroes’ Acre anymore. He does not want to be associated with Mnangagwa and all those he now views as his betrayers and tormentors.”

“He has said he doesn’t want them to sing and pontificate over his dead body. He has informed relatives about his decision and this is known in the family; it’s also now known in government circles.”

Mugabe’s declaration is reported to have shocked Mnangagwa who had assumed that he was going to be buried at the National Heroes Acre next to his first wife Sally. As a result of the request, Mnangagwa is reported to have tried to mend bridges by sending a high powered delegation to Singapore to check on the President’s health.

The delegation included Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Misheck Sibanda, Central Intelligence Organisation Director-General Isaac Moyo and Mugabe’s former personal doctor Professor Jonathan

Matenga.

Sources who spoke to the publication said,

“Although officially the purpose of the visit to Singapore was said to be to check up on Mugabe, the most urgent issue was to build bridges with his family to get an opportunity to preside over his funeral.”

President Mnangagwa’s son, Emmerson Jnr, yesterday distanced himself from allegations that he abused his proximity to power to obtain loans from a local bank without collateral and may have been involved in compiling lists of corrupt bigwigs.

He said dragging his name into these allegations could be an attempt to divert attention from the ongoing corruption fight being spearheaded by the President.

“In recent days, there has been a systematic attempt, through the media, to link me to certain transactions and conduct, with a clear intent to bear public judgment on my person,” he said in a statement yesterday.

“I would therefore like to make the following facts clear: (a) I do not currently hold, nor have I ever held, an account with the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe (CBZ) neither have I ever transacted with them, (b) I have no involvement, past or present with a company called Spartan Investments, (c) I fully support the President’s anti-corruption efforts and the work of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC): I have had absolutely no involvement in any efforts to influence or circumvent its workings,” said Mr Mnangagwa.

He added that as a private citizen, he had “not given any instructions to anyone in ZANU-PF or any institution” to compile lists or targets of people to be arrested on corruption allegations.

“I take serious note of the timing of allegations, innuendos and attempts to involve my name as not only malicious, but an oblique attack on the President to divert and derail him from his path of fighting corruption and instituting reforms,” he concluded.

Mr Mnangagwa urged the media and citizens to be wary of disinformation and diversionary tactics in light of the pursuit of national agenda goals such as the fight against corruption.

-State Media

“Song for Itai Dzamara…at the Itai Dzamara Trust launch last night. It was also (the missing) Itai’s 40th birthday.”

Video downloading below:

By A Correspondent- A proposal by the SADC Lawyers President Max Bogwana to the current SADC Chairperson on Politics and Defence President Emmerson Mnangagwa to propose to other SADC heads of state to re-open the SADC Tribunal in Tanzania next week was today met with an emphatic No.

This was revealed by the Southern Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (SAHRDN), a sub-regional Network that works to protect and promote the rights of Human Rights Defenders within the sub-region of Southern Africa.

Said the SAHRDN:

“#SADCLawyersAssociation president #MaxBoqwana asks #EDMnangagwa to propose to other SADC Heads to re-open the #SADCTribunal in #Tanzania next week. @edmnangagwa says an emphatic “NO” without giving reasons Change in leadership and not in policies.”

The organisation also revealed that the SADC Lawyers Association Vice President, Vimbai Nyemba while giving her closing remarks, expressed unhappiness at the President’s reaction and promised that she would keep engaging him over the issue.

Said the SAHRDN:

“The #SADCLawyersAssociation Vice President #MrsVimbayiNyemba thanks @edmnangagwa for his speech addressing lawyers from the #SADC, expressing unhappiness at President’s reaction to request for reopening of #SADCTribunal but promising to keep engaging him on issue.”

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY- REFRESH THIS PAGE FOR MORE

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

USD = ZWL$9.7955
ZWL$ = RAND1.5336
Data according to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe

Black Market Rates:
USD = ZWL$11.00 zimrates
USD = ZWL$10.90 zwl365
USD = ZWL$10.90 bluemari
USD = BOND7.80 zimrates

More: Marketwatch

By A Correspondent- A massive sex scandal has hit Mahlothova Secondary School in Umguza District, Matabeleland North amid allegations that one Form Three girl dropped out of school after being continuously defiled by one of the teachers who promised to help her pass her studies.

It is reported that the girl (name withheld) who is feared to be pregnant dropped out of school apparently in protest after the school authorities reportedly tried to conceal the matter.

The sexual abuse allegations by the teacher whose name is also being withheld wreaked havoc amid fears that worse could be happening to female pupils at the school’s makeshift boarding facility.

Further investigations by B-Metro after the alleged report of sexual abuse in question, revealed that it was not a first as there have been two others of a similar nature involving pupils who have since departed from the school and no legal action or criminal charges were preferred against any of the alleged perpetrators.

According to a source from the school who sought anonymity, some teachers and pupils at the school who are privy to the matter were worried because it appeared to have been swept under the carpet.

“The sexual abuse was discovered in October 2018, but was concealed by the school authorities in a bid to save the image of the school. It came to light after the alleged perpetrator was found at the girls’ hostel half naked at around 10pm looking for the victim.

“After being busted, the teacher was reported to the matron and teacher in charge of the girls’ boarding facility who later informed the headmaster and his deputy but they didn’t do anything,” said the source.

The victim, after being summoned by the school authorities, is alleged to have told them that before the alleged sexual abuse, the teacher in question had been pestering her to be his girlfriend.

She is alleged to have said: “U-sir wathi uyangifuna ngabe ngimtshela ukuthi sirawungihloniphi njalo hlonipha i-ring oyifake esandleni, u-sir waqhubeka engenzela ama-favours (the teacher said he loves me and I asked him why he didn’t respect me and the ring on his finger and he continued doing me some favours).

“After the school authorities had decided to conceal the matter, the girl threatened to commit suicide or leave the school stating that it was so painful to be disbelieved by people who were supposed to protect her.”

Realising that the school authorities had turned a blind eye, the girl reportedly stopped coming to school.

“She eventually dropped out of school. It was not because she didn’t have the money because her school fees were being paid by a non-governmental organisation. 

The issue was also concealed by her class teacher mentor for the NGO supposedly at the instigation of the headmaster who wants to protect the teacher and the school’s image,” the source said.

It is reported that in March this year, in a bid to conceal the matter and to protect the image of the school, the authorities reportedly coached pupils and teachers close to the matter on what to say before the District Schools Inspector (DSI) Mrs Samkeliso Gwaza and her delegation came to the school to investigate reports of the alleged sexual abuse.

When reached for comment both the school’s headmaster Naison Sibanda and the DSI who could neither confirm nor deny the matter referred all questions  to the Matabeleland North provincial education director (PED) Mr Jabulani Mpofu.

There are also reports that the parents of the girl were pressurised not to report the matter to the police after being promised some form of compensation by the culprit’s family.

“We suspect some undue influence on the girl’s family from both the teacher’s family and school authorities so as to save the culprit and the image of the school.

“It is unacceptable and we are calling on police and officials from the provincial education offices to thoroughly investigate the matter so that the culprit can be made to face the law.”

Mr Mpofu said his office had not yet received the reports adding that investigations would be conducted.-BMetro

By A Correspondent- An incestuous relationship between two siblings from Ndadulo Village under Chief Mkoka in Gokwe, shocked the community after the illicit relationship resulted in pregnancy.

Twenty four-year-old Nkazimulo Tshuma and his teen sister Everjoy Tshuma (19), were both dragged to Chief Mkoka’s traditional court by their neighbours, for having sexual intercourse within a prohibited degree of relationship. Chief Mkoka ordered them to pay a fine of two goats.

Timothy Ncube, a neighbour to the two siblings, said the two started sleeping together soon after their parents’ death in 2013.

“The two siblings who started staying alone following the death of their parents told Chief Mkoka that they started having sex more than five years ago,” he said.

He said if it wasn’t for the pregnancy, no one was going to know about the illicit affair.

“If it wasn’t for this pregnancy, no one was going to suspect that these two were sleeping together. Everyone else just thought their relationship was only a brother-sister relationship.

“We only got to know about the relationship after we confronted the girl when we noticed the pregnancy. At first she was refusing to divulge that his brother was responsible for the pregnancy,” he said.

Chief Mkoka confirmed presiding over the matter.

“I presided over a matter of two siblings who had a relationship which resulted in pregnancy. I strongly warned them against that relationship. Such kind of relationships are totally unacceptable in our culture and should be frowned upon,” he said.  

Chief Mkoka said if it wasn’t for the fact that the two were orphans, the fine could have been stiffer.

“I had to be lenient with them because they are orphans. But if it wasn’t for that, l would have fined them a beast or two,” he said.

By A Correspondent- A 60-year-old woman from Highlands suburb in Zvishavane is seeking a peace order against her two teenage grandchildren whom she is accusing of urinating in her pots.

Joyce Phiri is seeking a peace order against Lesley Phiri (19) and his younger brother aged 16 who are both pupils at a local school.

Phiri told the court that the two teenagers were working with their father (her son) who also hated her.

The matter was heard before Zvishavane magistrate Shepherd Munjanja.

She told the court that at times the teens would put dog poop in her mealie-meal in a bid to “fix” her.

“Your worship, these children together with their father Emmanuel Phiri, want me out of my house.

“So, they have gone to great lengths like urinating in my pots, and putting dog poop in my mealie-meal. They even insult me because I have refused to move out of the house,” she said.

Phiri pleaded with magistrate Munjanja to grant her a protection order before the worst happens to her. 

“Your worship, l need a protection order before these children do something bad to me. As l speak now, we are no longer on speaking terms and we are no longer cooking together as a family. They do not care about my welfare, all they want is my house,” she said.

Testifying in court, Emmanuel, who spoke on behalf of his sons said his mother was mentally unstable.

“Your worship, what my mother is saying is not true. She is not mentally stable and she hasn’t been taking her medication that’s why she is saying such ridiculous things. Everyone from our area knows her situation,” he said.

Magistrate Munjanja postponed the matter and ordered Phiri to bring her medical reports as proof.-BMetro

TWO Bindura brothers have appeared in court for allegedly raping commercial sex workers at knifepoint.

Tinashe (28) and Washington Tichagwa (23), who appeared on different charge sheets and both stay at Number 3989 Chiwaridzo Township, Bindura, were remanded in custody by Bindura provincial magistrate Mr Tinashe Ndokera.

Prosecuting, Ms Tariro Janhi, said on July 28, a sex worker from Chipadze was at home with her two friends and clients when Tinashe – who was in the company of his two friends – entered the room and demanded to see her.

They also demanded to see her colleague only identified as Diana who was not at home. Ms Janhi said Tinashe and his colleagues ordered everyone to go outside.

“Tinashe’s colleagues also left the room, leaving him with the sex worker,” said Ms Jani. “He asked for the price of a quickie and before the sex worker could answer him, he told her that he had RTGS$1. He demanded to be intimate with her, and indicated that failure to do so would result in him stabbing her.”

Ms Janhi said after the act, he asked for money for beer from the sex worker who gave him RTGS$5 and went away. She later told her friend about her ordeal and made a report to the police.

In the other, case Washington approached another sex worker on July 25 and asked her to be intimate with him.

He was allegedly charged RTGS$10, but told her that he did not have the money before pulling out a knife and threatening to kill her if she refused to be intimate with him. After the act he demanded money from the sex worker and was given RTGS$7.

He allegedly promised to come back the next morning.

-State Media

By A Correspondent- The MDC Vice Chairperson Job Sikhala has distanced himself from a twitter account bearing his name and picture which is churning out misleading information to citizens.

Sikhala said he was aware that the twitter account had been created by state security agents and it aimed at finding fault on his person by dishing out unintelligible violence pronouncements.

Sikhala who is facing charges of treason and is currently out on bail said:

“It has been brought to my attention that a Twitter account has been created in my purported name. I would like to make it known to everyone that I don’t run any Twitter account or a Facebook page and anyone following these social media handles thinking that they are run by me is deceived by the enemies of progress.

What should inform the public is that, this masquerade can not even spell my surname properly on this fake account. This fake account was created on the 8th of August and my suspicion is that, it was created by the state security agents to dish out unintelligent violence pronouncements to try and find fault on my person.

I am not running any Twitter account or intending to open one in the near future. So this is the message to warn the world at large. I am also alerted that there are four more Twitter accounts again running in my name.

All Twitter handle accounts running in my name are fake and no one should follow them hoping that they have been created by me.”

Job Sikhala
(MDC National Vice Chairman)

FUEL prices will continue to rise on a weekly basis in tandem to the volatility on the currency market, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) has warned.

Zera chief executive officer Eddington Mazambani told the Parliamentary Energy and Power Development Portfolio Committee on Thursday, that global crude oil prices also affect the prices in Zimbabwe while costs of insurance and freight as well as changes in monetary policy have played havoc with the market.

Fuel prices have gone up by 500% since January in Zimbabwe and early this year triggered violent demonstrations that left 17 people dead.

“We expect changes every week and prices are expected to increase weekly from the current $9.06 diesel and $9.01 petrol.

“The price of fuel has been going up internationally due mainly to relations between America and Iran and other oil producing countries. Pricing is not done by Zera but market forces are at play,” Mzambani said.

“Duty is contributing to fuel increases and those external forces I have mentioned. Issues to do with fixed based operators (FOBs), pipeline costs, financial costs plus the exchange rate, levies, administrative costs, handling and storage costs have all contributed to changes and increases in fuel prices.”

In his monetary policy review last week Finance Ministerr Mthuli Ncube announced a fresh levy would be charged on all crude oil products coming into the country and this is likely to be factored into the new price structure.

While the prices have continued to soar this has not translated to availability with queues still a common feature across the country. Mazambani argued that availability was dependent on government availing enough foreign currency to bring in fuel that he said was sitting in its millions at the Msasa holding depot in Harare.

“Availability of fuel relies on government’s ability to raise foreign currency in the country,” he added.

According to Mazambani, the exchange rate for fuel is at $9.50 but Zera has been using $7.50. He added that Zimbabwe’s fuel prices are still below the regional average with “Zambia at US$1.20 and South Africa just above that but Angola was at almost at par with Zimbabwe.”

Zimbabwe needs 1.5 million litres of petrol per day and up to 2.5 million litres of diesel per day.

— NewZimbabwe

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has started consultations with civil society organisations (CSOs) to craft new voter education material as part of the wider electoral reforms it is carrying out.

The developments come following the recommendations by regional and international observers on how the country can further improve the electoral process in Zimbabwe.

The state media reported that:

“With the next election due in 2023, Zec has already initiated reforms that were recommended by various stakeholders in preparation for the next election.

For example, Zec has produced a consolidated electoral reform package for consideration by Parliament following wide consultations with stakeholders.

And to further the electoral reform agenda, Zec was on Tuesday consulting CSOs at a workshop on voter education material in Macheke.

“The workshop will culminate in the production of voter education materials for the 2019 to 2023 cycle,” said Zec.

Last week, Zec piloted the display of the voters’ roll outside polling stations during National Assembly and local authority by-elections in Lupane and Nkayi in line with the Southern African Development Community guidelines on the conduct of democratic elections.

Displaying the voters’ roll outside polling stations is expected to improve transparency and dispel allegations of ghost voters.

The issue of voter’s roll has been contentious in previous elections and the new system would assist to dispel any mistrust.

On its part, the government, also as part of the reform agenda, has crafted the Freedom of Information Bill, which will repeal the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act which had been cited as a barrier to accessing public information.

The Bill will give effect to section 62 of the Constitution which enshrines in the Declaration of Rights the right of access to information.

On the other hand, President Emmerson Mnangagwa constituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee to lead political, electoral and legislative reforms in March this year to speed up the reform agenda.

He has also initiated a political dialogue framework with opposition parties as part of efforts to pacify the polarised political environment.- New Ziana

Jane Mlambo| Opposition legislator Charlton Hwende has trashed the idea to have parliamentarians given diplomatic passports saying it cannot be done now when ordinary citizens are failing to access the ordinary passport.

According to Hwende, legislators must work to provide passports to ordinary citizens first.

He added that the MDC as a social democratic party must refuse to be equalized by the corrupt Zanu PF regime.

“Diplomatic Passports to MPs at this point in time when ordinary Zimbabweans who need to travel out of country for medical treatment, escaping the current economic hardships and to further their education are failing to access ordinary passports is not a priority

“We must provide passports first to ordinary Zimbabweans. Only after that can we consider Diplomatic Passports for our MPs. As a Social Democratic Party we must refuse to be equalized by The corrupt ZANU PF regime. We must stand and defend the toiling masses,” said Hwende while posting on Twitter.

We must provide passports first to ordinary Zimbabweans. Only after that can we consider Diplomatic Passports for our MPs. As a Social Democratic Party we must refuse to be equalized by The corrupt ZANU PF regime. We must stand and defend the toiling masses. @daddyhope

— Chalton Hwende (@hwendec) August 8, 2019

The chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade and Makonde legislator, Kindness Paradza recently made the announcement that President Emmerson Mnangagwa had approved the request for legislators to have diplomatic passports.

The issue has attracted wide criticism from the general public who felt legislators were losing the plot and now concentrating on enriching and benefiting themselves at the expense of the majority whom they purport to represent.

This also came shortly after MPs had demaded Toyota V8 vehicles as well as accommodation allowances.

By A Correspondent- The Midlands State University (MSU) has been ordered by the High Court to pay Galaxy Engineering Designs Consultants (Pvt) Ltd over US$3 207 450,68 for the civil engineering services provided to the tertiary institution in 2003.

The order was made by High Court judge Justice Benjamin Chikowero on July 24, 2019 after the engineers took the university to court for breach of contract and refusal to pay for structural engineering works on certain buildings at the campus and for the master site service.

The court heard that the MSU had been refusing to pay the money, arguing that the engineering firm did not complete the work it was supposed to carry out, according to the parties’ contract.

However, when the matter was brought before the judge for determination, the MSU called its witness, one engineer Innocent Masunungure, who the court said was not impressive in the manner he presented his evidence on behalf of the university.

“The defendant’s (MSU) witness (Masunungure) contradicted the statement of agreed facts in fundamental respects. I was also unimpressed with the demeanour of the defendant’s witness. He was evasive under cross-examination. It was clear to me that he was simply ducking and diving in a desperate endeavour to avoid the truth,” Justice Chikowero said.

“The end result is that I will accept the plaintiff’s (Galaxy Engineering Designs Consultants (Pvt) Ltd) testimony wherever it conflicts with that of the defendant. The plaintiff clearly stated that it was commissioned by defendant to design and produce drawings or plans for use by contractors in erecting the structures or facilities so designed … the contract could not be so broken unless the design for the whole work under it had been done.”

The judge further said much of the evidence presented by the engineering firm, through its witness Wilfred Tamayi Vengesai, went unchallenged.

“In the result, defendant shall pay to the plaintiff interest on the sum of US$84 828,17 at the rate of 19.5% per annum from November 1, 2010 to the date that the sum was paid. US$3 207 450,68 together with interest thereon at 19,5% per annum to the date of full payment and cost of suit,” he ordered.-Newsday

ZIMBABWE Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) yesterday said its members were free to participate in the MDC led protests against the government’s handling of the economy and rising poverty.

MDC called for demonstrations next week against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government, where under his leadership, the economy has been on a freefall, resulting in the rising cost of living.

The labour body has been threatening a stayaway citing similar concerns.

“If they are protesting about issues that we raised, I won’t be surprised that some of our members will be part of the demonstrations,” ZCTU secretary-general Japhet Moyo said.

“If they are talking about the same issues ZCTU has been talking about over the years, then I don’t see what will stop them from participating. Those who are interested will go and participate.”

Moyo said as ZCTU, their modus operandi is stayaways, something which is different from protest marches called by the MDC.

He said as the labour body, they have membership from both Zanu PF and MDC, hence they will not take a decision to have all their members participate in the demonstrations.

The MDC is preparing to confront Mnangagwa’s government, accusing his administration of failing to turn around the economy.

With threats coming from government and the ruling Zanu PF party, the main opposition has remained defiant, refusing to be cowed to abandon their plans.

Meanwhile, the MDC Youth Assembly has called on all youths in the country to heed the call by their party president Nelson Chamisa to take to the streets against the government over the rising cost of living.

“Zanu PF, in its current form and entirety, has since degenerated into a looting conspiracy, hence its carefree attitude on pertinent economic issues like high prices, fuel shortages and electricity blackouts affecting our people,” MDC youth assembly national spokesperson Stephen Sarkozy Chuma said.

“This is the very reason why young people from across the political divide should flood the streets on August 16 to express their disdain at the military cabal that is threatening to wipe out the entire generation through its so-called austerity measures.”

He said it was their resolve as “an assembly of progress, young social democrats” to serve and save this generation as well as providing leadership and direction on issues of national interest.

Chuma said the current government was betraying the gains of the liberation struggle.

“Every August, the nation commemorates the gallant efforts of our liberation war heroes who selflessly took it upon themselves to extricate our country from the jaws of colonialism,” he said.

“Many paid the ultimate price to ensure that the liberation struggle’s three main cardinals of freedom, majority rule and one-man one-vote are realised and exercised by our people. There is a clique of a few greedy and corrupt individuals who have since diverted and capsized the revolutionary ship, hence upsetting the national interest agenda.”

Zanu PF youth league boss Pupurai Togarepi on Wednesday said they were going to fight the opposition party’s protests if they become violent, while the government has also threatened to unleash the military to thwart the demonstrations.

— NewsDay

By A Correspondent- War veterans in Mashonaland East have demanded to be all buried at the national Heroes Acre saying the classification of the freedom fighters is baseless as they all fought for a common cause.

Speaking during a Calisto Gwanetsa-led Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Security public hearings held at Mbuya Nehanda Hall in Marondera recently, a top Marondera war veteran Chrispen Mashayamombe said it is high time that every former freedom fighter be buried at the national shrine.

“When we went to war it was all about liberating ourselves and the masses. We were all equal and united in the battlefield. Why is it now we are being
classified, some as provincial heroes, some as district heroes while some are honoured at ward level? This is not right. We want every war veteran to be buried at the national heroes’ acre. The hill has enough space for all of us,” he said.

Currently, war veterans with top positions in Zanu PF are accorded the national hero status, while others are buried at either provincial or district heroes acres.

Meanwhile, the war veterans have demanded control of Ruwa Rehabilitation Centre claiming it belongs to them.

A war veteran James Mlambo said war veterans are the owners of the centre, but were chucked out at the instigation of the late former army general Solomon Mujuru.

“We are the owners of Ruwa Rehab as war veterans. The late Mujuru chased us out of the centre. The war veterans benefitted from the centre through getting affordable medical assistance but it is now a thing of the past. We are struggling to get medicine and given our ages all of us are sick. The former War Veterans minister Tshinga Dube wrote to (Priscah) Mupfumira sometime back so that we get back the centre, but it could not happen. The centre belongs to the comrades,” he said.

Mlambo claimed that the centre is now being run with people without knowledge of its history.

Ruwa Rehabilitation is home for people with severe and multiple injuries with a strong bias to spinal code. It provides respite care, rehabilitation and training for caregivers.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has given its membership the green light to participate in the MDC led protests against the government’s handling of the economy and rising poverty.

MDC called for demonstrations next week against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government, where under his leadership, the economy has been on a freefall, resulting in the rising cost of living.

The labour body has been threatening a stayaway citing similar concerns.

“If they are protesting about issues that we raised, I won’t be surprised that some of our members will be part of the demonstrations,” ZCTU secretary-general Japhet Moyo said.

“If they are talking about the same issues ZCTU has been talking about over the years, then I don’t see what will stop them from participating. Those who are interested will go and participate.”

Moyo said as ZCTU, their modus operandi is stayaways, something which is different from protest marches called by the MDC.

He said as the labour body, they have membership from both Zanu PF and MDC, hence they will not take a decision to have all their members participate in the demonstrations.

The MDC is preparing to confront Mnangagwa’s government, accusing his administration of failing to turn around the economy.

With threats coming from government and the ruling Zanu PF party, the main opposition has remained defiant, refusing to be cowed to abandon their plans.

Meanwhile, the MDC Youth Assembly has called on youths in the country to heed the call by their party president Nelson Chamisa to take to the streets against the government over the rising cost of living.

“Zanu PF, in its current form and entirety, has since degenerated into a looting conspiracy, hence its carefree attitude on pertinent economic issues like high prices, fuel shortages and electricity blackouts affecting our people,” MDC youth assembly national spokesperson Stephen Sarkozy Chuma said.

“This is the very reason why young people from across the political divide should flood the streets on August 16 to express their disdain at the military cabal that is threatening to wipe out the entire generation through its so-called austerity measures.”

He said it was their resolve as “an assembly of progress, young social democrats” to serve and save this generation as well as providing leadership and direction on issues of national interest.

Chuma said the current government was betraying the gains of the liberations struggle.

“Every August, the nation commemorates the gallant efforts of our liberation war heroes who selflessly took it upon themselves to extricate our country from the jaws of colonialism,” he said.

“Many paid the ultimate price to ensure that the liberation struggle’s three main cardinals of freedom, majority rule and one-man one-vote are realised and exercised by our people. There is a clique of a few greedy and corrupt individuals who have since diverted and capsized the revolutionary ship, hence upsetting the national interest agenda.”

Zanu PF youth league boss Pupurai Togarepi on Wednesday said they were going to fight the opposition party’s protests if they become violent, while the government has also threatened to unleash the military to thwart the demonstrations.-Newsday

Jane Mlambo|ZESA Public Relations Manager Fullard Gwasira has broke the news that load-shedding has eased with power from South Africa’s Eskom reportedly flowing in starting today.

Many parts of the country surprisingly had power this morning, a departure from the crippling 16-18 hour load-shedding and ZESA has just clarified that its the Eskom power that has started flowing into Zimbabwe.

While some areas have reported to having power this morning, others have informed ZimEye that the situation has not changed.

Share with ZimEye the power situation in your area today?

Below is Gwasira’s tweet this morning…

FORMER Arda board chairman and businessman, Basil Nyabadza, has been arrested on allegations of stealing electricity at one of his premises after he connected illegal wires that bypassed Zesa metres.

Nyabadza is jointly charged with two of his employees, John Makuna and Rueben Mawarira, who are employed as the manager and block man at Halfway House in Headlands.

They appeared before Rusape magistrate, Mr Gift Manyika, who did not ask them to plead. The matter was moved to  September 17 for trial.

Public prosecutor Mr Marlon Makamba told the court that the suspects violated Section 60A (b)(C2) of the Electricity Act Chapter 13:19 which criminalises the bypassing of the Zesa meter.

“The complainant is ZETDC represented by its loss control officer Lux Bungu. Sometime on a date unknown to the prosecutor up to 24 March 2018, Basil Nyabadza sent an electrician from Harare to go and connect electricity at Halfway House.

“The electrician came and was given permission by Makuna and Mawarira to connect electricity cables illegally thereby bypassing the Zesa meter. The accused persons had no lawful right to act in a manner they did,” said Mr Makamba.

Manica Post

FUEL prices will continue to rise on a weekly basis in line with the fluctuating dollar rate Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) has warned.

Zera chief executive officer Eddington Mazambani told the Parliamentary Energy and Power Development Portfolio Committee on Thursday, that global crude oil prices also affect the prices in Zimbabwe while costs of insurance and freight as well as changes in monetary policy have played havoc with the market.

Fuel prices have gone up by 500% since January in Zimbabwe and early this year triggered violent demonstrations that left 17 people dead.

“We expect changes every week and prices are expected to increase weekly from the current $9.06 diesel and $9.01 petrol.

“The price of fuel has been going up internationally due mainly to relations between America and Iran and other oil producing countries. Pricing is not done by Zera but market forces are at play,” Mzambani said.

“Duty is contributing to fuel increases and those external forces I have mentioned. Issues to do with fixed based operators (FOBs), pipeline costs, financial costs plus the exchange rate, levies, administrative costs, handling and storage costs have all contributed to changes and increases in fuel prices.”

While the prices have continued to soar this has not translated to availability with queues still a common feature across the country.

Mazambani argued that availability was dependent on government availing enough foreign currency to bring in fuel that he said was sitting in its millions at the Msasa holding depot in Harare.

“Availability of fuel relies on government’s ability to raise foreign currency in the country,” he added.

According to Mazambani, the exchange rate for fuel is at $9.50 but Zera has been using $7.50. He added that Zimbabwe’s fuel prices are still below the regional average with “Zambia at US$1.20 and South Africa just above that but Angola was at almost at par with Zimbabwe.”

Zimbabwe needs 1.5 million litres of petrol per day and up to 2.5 million litres of diesel per day.

Jane Mlambo| Police have poured cold water on the planned demonstration by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change after posting on Twitter clarifying that they are yet to respond to the notice for the 16 August mass action.

Through its official Twitter handle @PoliceZimbabwe, the police acknowledged receiving the MDC notification but were quick to state that considerations were still being made on the notice with an official response yet to be given.

“The ZRP acknowledges receipt of MDC A notification on the intended demonstration on 16/8/19, however the Police reiterates that considerations are still being made on the notification and the official response is yet to be given to the concerned convener,” said the ZRP.

The ZRP acknowledges receipt of MDC A notification on the intended demonstration on 16/8/19, however the Police reiterates that considerations are still being made on the notification and the official response is yet to be given to the concerned convener.@ZBCNewsonline

— Zimbabwe Republic Police (@PoliceZimbabwe) August 9, 2019

Knowing the politics in Zimbabwe and the circulating messages to the effect that the mega demonstration would a final push against President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the police notice clearly shows that the event will not be sanctioned.

By A Correspondent| The Zimbabwe Republic Police has acknowledged receipt of the opposition MDC notice of intent to demonstrate revealing that the force is still making considerations regarding the notice and will issue the official response in due course.

Opposition MDC led by Nelson Chamisa issued a notice of the party’s intention to demonstrate on August 16 2019 over the current economic meltdown in the country.

The ZRP said:

“The ZRP acknowledges receipt of MDC A notification on the intended demonstration on 16 August 2019.

However, the police reiterates that considerations are still being made on the notification and the official response is yet to be given to the concerned convener.”

The goverment through the Postal and Telecommunicatins Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) has approved a tariff increase for mobile network operators (MNOs) citing a shifting exchange rate and higher fuel prices.

MNOs have previously threatened to cut off service citing the high cost of running business due to the incessant hours of elecricity loadshedding, which can last for as long as 18 hours.

Government has increased Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocations to parliamentarians from $50 000 to $200 000 with immediate effect.

This was said by Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube while responding to parliamentarians during debate on the Mid-Term Budget Review Statement and Supplementary Budget presented last week.

“Honourable Members would also be pleased to note that we have increased the budget for the CDF from $50 000 to $200 000 per member,’’ Minister Ncube said.

The CDF is given to National Assembly members to carry out development projects in their respective constituencies.

Parliamentarians have been complaining that the $50 000 was no longer adequate to carry out any meaningful development projects due to inflation.

Meanwhile, debate on the Budget was continuously disrupted by MDC-Alliance members yesterday.

The legislators from the opposition party initially indicated that they would not continue debating the Budget, saying that it was flawed.

“We have decided to withdraw our participation because we have made attempts to debate factually, but it looks they are not interested, so we are not going to be part of this circus.

“Their Budget is fundamentally flawed and we refuse to be part of it,” said MDC-Alliance proportional representative member Tabitha Khumalo.

The legislators eventually left the chamber only to return to continue with their interjections while Warren Park D representative Mr Shakespeare Hamauswa tried to participate despite his party’s earlier position.

However, leader of Government business in Parliament and Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi objected to the move.

“They (MDC-Alliance) are on record that they will no longer debate the Budget. So if they want to debate they should first withdraw that statement,” he said.

The supplementary Budget was eventually passed.

With everyone and their mother getting a VIP seat to witness the demise of Olinda and Tytan’s marriage, it was a matter of time before the head of state was dragged into the current affairs.

Going with the belief that the president is always up to date with the events going on in his country some netizens have quizzed president Emmerson Mnangagwa if he heard about the drama too and if he has anything to say about it .

Yesterday the the troubled couple broke the internet after Tytan announced that their marriage was over, citing domestic abuse as one of the reasons.

This was followed by another social media meltdown by Olinda who denied whacking Tytan, claiming that he was the one who in fact beat her up and was trying to garner sympathy from the immigration authorities so they could grant him a visa to stay in the country,

President Mnangagwa who occasionally does Facebook Q  & A sessions might have to throw in his two cents in the matter concerning his wayward kids (Olinda & Tytan). Big dad ED might have to intervene.

 ‌

By Own Correspondent| President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s son, Emmerson Mnangagwa Jr, has rejected recent media reports that he borrowed money from CBZ Bank and failed to pay back the money.

Some media publications released names of senior political and business leaders who allegedly borrowed funds amounting to millions of dollars in some cases, from the bank.

CBZ is reported to have roped in lawyers in a bid to recover millions in US dollars that it is owed. Mnangagwa Jr’s name is on the list of defaulters.

However, in a statement on Thursday, Mnangagwa rejected the reports.

He said:

In recent days, there has been a systematic attempt, through the media, to link me to certain transactions and conduct, with a clear intent to bear public public judgement on my person.

I would therefore like to make the following facts clear: (a) I do not currently hold, nor have I ever held, an account with the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe (CBZ) neither have I ever transacted with them

(b) I have no involvement, past or present with a company called Spartan Investments,

(c) I fully support the President’s anti-corruption efforts and the work of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC): I have had absolutely no involvement in any efforts to influence or circumvent its workings.

I take serious note of the timing of allegations, innuendos and attempts to involve my name as not only malicious, but an oblique attack on the President to divert and derail him from his path of fighting corruption and instituting reforms.-StateMedia

FORMER South African president Jacob Zuma is expected in the country today for the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA) regional conference to be held at Khumalo Hotel in Bulawayo.

He will address the church’s gathering and visit the family of the late national hero Dr Dumiso Dabengwa in Fourwinds suburb to pay his respects following the death of the liberation icon in May.

Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Minister Judith Ncube said: “I have spoken to their church leader who confirmed that they are expecting a visit from former South African President Jacob Zuma tomorrow (today). He is also expected to address the gathering.”

Mr Zuma’s spokesperson Mr Vukile Mathabela said the former president was invited by the local church leadership and it will be inappropriate for him to comment on his visit.

“Speak to the church. You know why? Because I don’t know their arrangements as far as the media is concerned so we need to respect that. And when someone is being invited, you don’t know their arrangements and we have to abide by that,” said Mr Mathabela.

UCCSA, which is the former London Missionary Society is the oldest church in Zimbabwe and has branches in South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique and Namibia.

Zimbabwe is assuming the regional leadership.

Rev Cele said the public are free to attend the conference that ends on Sunday.

THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) yesterday said it was not pursuing political agendas in its arrests of high-ranking Government officials for alleged corruption.

ZACC commissioner John Makamure said this during a Transparency International Zimbabwe national anti-corruption indaba in Bulawayo. He said ZACC was conducting due diligence and the arrests are based on evidence.

ZACC has arrested two high profile individuals, Environment, Tourism and Hospital Industry Minister, Prisca Mupfumira in connection with criminal abuse of office involving US$95 million and former Director of State Residences Douglas Tapfuma for allegedly abusing his office by importing 80 vehicles without paying duty.

The two cases are being handled by the courts. “I don’t think that the commission is involved in factional fights. From my few days in the commission we are not pursuing a factional agenda. If you look at the Mupfumira case we were basing our investigations on the forensic audit. That’s where the investigations are emanating from. So we don’t care if that name appeared in a list that the Zanu-PF Youth League presented. That’s immaterial,” said Comm Makamure.

“It’s the forensic report that has provided information and evidence that we can use to investigate and we are also looking at the Auditor General’s report. What we are doing with the Auditor General’s report is to identify the issues and entities. Issues first, if it’s abuse of office what is the magnitude? Then from there we unleash investigations.”

He said they got tip-offs on some of the high-profile cases they were investigating.

Comm Makamure said ZACC is aware of the negative perception that some among the public have on the institution but the commissioners are trying to change it.

“So for ZACC to investigate suspected corruption we base it on information that we get from citizens as well. So there is no factional agenda that ZACC is trying to pursue. But let me say yes it’s public perception and we as ZACC we should correct that. And how do we correct it? There must be results in the work that we do and we must meaningfully engage with citizens,” said Comm Makamure. 

“I fully agree that public perception about the fight against corruption is negative. That negative public perception is justified because people want to see results. And I also spoke about conviction, what can we do together to ensure that there is a high conviction rate, so that we deal with negative public perception.”

He said ZACC is engaging various stakeholders to address the perception issue and ways it can improve on its duties.

Comm Makamure said ZACC was investigating more than 20 graft cases at the moment.

“Let me also define high profile cases, high profile is not only the person, high profile is also the magnitude of corruption, if a public official even a junior official has stolen $1 billion that is high profile. Yes, a person is high profile but also the extent of that corruption. I said at the moment ZACC is seized with over 20 high profile cases since we were sworn into office as new commissioners. So those are being investigated,” he said.

Comm Makamure said ZACC has capacity to deliver on its mandate although there is room to improve. 

“The capacity is there. In fact as ZACC we have said our priority should be grand corruption, those are high profile cases. Petty corruption, the police can deal with that, small cases of corruption but grand corruption, high profile that is our priority and we have the capacity to do that. 

“One major area of weakness is our investigations capacity. We have prioritised in terms of resource allocation, investigation and we have prioritised prevention and we have prioritised good corporate governance. Those are the areas that we have prioritised. There are some capacity issues and this is what we are trying to address,” said Comm Makamure. 

Zanu PF rocked by internal plots to impeach Mnangagwa. Insiders say the party last week dispatched its National Political Commissar, Victor Matemadanda to Mashonaland Central Province to go and investigate and douse any fires from a few MP’s who are said to have been working with the opposition.

ZANU PF is now seized with reports of attempts to impeach President Emmerson Mnangagwa by the legislators from the opposition MDC who have managed to win the support of some willing Zanu PF MPs, the Zim Morning Post has heard.

Investigations show that some MPs who are remnants of the former ousted vice president Joice Mujuru are alleged to be the key people pushing for impeachment within Zanu PF.

“They are working with the former minister of Transport Nicholas Goche who was dropped by the former President Robert Mugabe for being a Mujuru loyalist,” the source said. “Goche also vowed that he will never work with Mnangagwa and now the MPs are always seen in his company.”

Sources also said an audio recording of one of the meeting where impeachment plot was discussed has been handed over to the state security. The Legislators who are said to have been attending caucus meetings with MDC legislators are Tendai Nyabani, Kenneth Musanhi, Oscar Gorerino and Sydney Chidamba.

Musanhi was allegedly roped in because of his strong financial muscle which includes owning a fleet of aeroplanes and his close personal relationship with former President Robert Mugabe is an open secret. “People did not interrogate why Mnangagwa dropped the former PC Engelbert Rugeje. He was now being controlled and sponsored by Musanhi,” said the source.

Zanu PF sources said last Saturday Matemadanda informed the Mashonaland Central Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) that the party was aware of the plot and that measures will be put in place to bring the culprits to book. In an interview with this publication Matemadanda said the party has heard information to that effect.

“The party is a system with eyes and ears. We have heard that information. I cannot reveal what we will do next,” he said. Media was recently awash with reports that MDC is at an advanced stage in plotting the impeachment process but lacked the numbers in parliament.

A NewsDay report last week stated that the MDC was working with some of the ruling Zanu PF party legislators to impeach Mnangagwa. According to the report Epworth legislator Ethrage Kureva said the MDC party would soon be moving a motion to impeach Mnangagwa.

“Among the processes we will be using to oust Mnangagwa out of office for his failure to deal with economic problems, which have seen the country go 18 hours without electricity daily, is impeachment and we are working with those in Zanu PF to ensure it’s successful,” Kureva is reported to have said.

According to the NewsDay report the MDC will need support from Zanu PF, which holds a two-thirds majority in Parliament. “Party insiders said the MDC was engaging disgruntled Zanu PF legislators, who feel that they are being targeted one by one for having belonged to the ousted G40 cabal.

“The impeachment strategy is also on the table and Zanu PF legislators are willing to come on board. They are also unhappy with the government and sad economic state of affairs. “So as the MDC, we are looking to use the factions in the party to bring pressure on his doorstep,” an MDC insider told NewsDay.

Since the 2018 plebiscite, Zanu PF has been infiltrated with disgruntled elements from the ousted G40 which was fronted by the former First Lady Grace Mugabe.

In February this year, Zim Morning Post exclusively revealed that Mnangagwa was handed a dossier which implicated the incarcerated Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Priscah Mupfumira. Sources in the party said Mupfumira was “leaking information to our enemies who belong to the ousted G40 faction.”

President Mnangagwa’s son, Emmerson Jnr, yesterday distanced himself from allegations that he abused his proximity to power to obtain loans from a local bank without collateral and may have been involved in compiling lists of corrupt bigwigs.

He said dragging his name into these allegations could be an attempt to divert attention from the ongoing corruption fight being spearheaded by the President.

“In recent days, there has been a systematic attempt, through the media, to link me to certain transactions and conduct, with a clear intent to bear public judgment on my person,” he said in a statement yesterday.

“I would therefore like to make the following facts clear: (a) I do not currently hold, nor have I ever held, an account with the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe (CBZ) neither have I ever transacted with them, (b) I have no involvement, past or present with a company called Spartan Investments, (c) I fully support the President’s anti-corruption efforts and the work of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC): I have had absolutely no involvement in any efforts to influence or circumvent its workings,” said Mr Mnangagwa.

He added that as a private citizen, he had “not given any instructions to anyone in ZANU-PF or any institution” to compile lists or targets of people to be arrested on corruption allegations.

“I take serious note of the timing of allegations, innuendos and attempts to involve my name as not only malicious, but an oblique attack on the President to divert and derail him from his path of fighting corruption and instituting reforms,” he concluded.

Mr Mnangagwa urged the media and citizens to be wary of disinformation and diversionary tactics in light of the pursuit of national agenda goals such as the fight against corruption.

THE Bulawayo City Council is considering coming up with a second supplementary budget to increase rates by up to 1 000 percent arguing the city is in a crisis as it is failing to provide services.

The proposal comes at a time when Government is yet to approve the city’s first supplementary budget which sought to increase rates by 42 percent.

In May, the city council proposed to increase rates by 42 percent after residents rejected a 56 percent increment to finance its supplementary budget.

Speaking during a full council meeting on Wednesday, chairperson of the environmental management and engineering services committee Councillor Norman Hlabani said the 42 percent increment had been overtaken by events and would not assist council in any way.

“We’re in crisis and we’re failing to deliver the required services to the residents. We have no money because what the residents are paying is not enough to sustain council operations. We have decided that next week, all the 29 wards will inform the residents that we’re increasing by 1 000 percent,” said Cllr Hlabani.

He said council was struggling to attend to faulty sewer and water pipes due to lack of funding, adding that residents should pay more for council services.State media

THE Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association (ZNLWVA) executive has thrown its weight behind the Zanu PF youth league’s anti-corruption drive by calling on party and government officials implicated in corrupt activities to resign.

Zanu PF secretary for war veterans Douglas Mahiya said those named in corrupt activities must do the “honourable thing and resign” instead of using the courts to try and clear their names.

“If you are in government or holding a senior party position, you should resign when your name is fingered in corrupt activities,” Mahiya told ex-combatants
on Tuesday during a meeting held at the ZNLWVA Entumbane offices in Bulawayo.

“There is nothing absolute with the law. Some of the accused are able to evade the justice system through the courts. So if your name has been fingered in
corruption allegations; do the honourable thing and resign.
Mahiya added: “We should speak against corruption. Some people will use legal technicalities to escape being jailed despite it being a fact that they stole
money.”

This comes at a time when the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has been given arresting powers.NewsDay

Farai Dziva|MDC-T president Thokozani Khupe has claimed that protests will not resolve the country’s economic challenges.

Khupe is part of the national dialogue under the banner of the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad).

Khupe told a state run publication she was against the protests.

“My issue is that you can only resolve issues by sitting around the table and talking to each other.

You cannot resolve issues by throwing stones, by burning tyres and by going out there. But you can only resolve issues by sitting around and discussing issues like we are doing right now (in Polad).

If we sit down with them (Government) and they explain to us what is going on, we can also give our input. I’m pretty sure that Government and the President listen to some of the issues that we present to them,” said Khupe.

“The problem is the exchange rates. The prices are increasing because they are chasing the exchange rate. Once it goes up everything else increases. That is what we have told them that you must deal with the issue of prices because the cost of living does not match wages and salaries. Wages must match the cost of living,” she added.

Farai Dziva|MDC T leader Thokozani Khupe believes dialogue is the permanent solution to the country’s economic problems.

“We want to know for how long we are going to feel that pain before things change because we know that the economy has been down and under for a long time. We are looking for permanent solutions for our problems. We don’t want things that are not going to help us at the end of the day.

“We want permanent solutions to our problems. We want an economy that is going to be built on a strong foundation. While we don’t expect things to change overnight, there are things that need to be fixed like the cost of living which should match salaries and wages. That is exactly what we said to them. Look into prices which are rising everyday. Surely they must do something about that,” Khupe told a state run publication.

Khupe is part of the Emmerson Mnangagwa led POLAD discussion forum.

The Nelson Chamisa led MDC has distanced itself from POLAD arguing the whole thing lacks sincerity.

By A Correspondent- Disgruntled Zanu PF members in Kadoma this week dragged former Kadoma Central Member of Parliament Fani Fanuel Phiri to appear before the Justice Tendai Uchena-led Lands Commission to answer allegations of diverting more than 600 residential stands to his personal project.

The unhappy party members, led by Panyika Jack, are accusing the former legislator of diverting the stands to his Berina Housing Scheme after the party had donated 50 hectares, being part of Pixie Combie, to the party leadership in Kadoma’s 12 wards.

“Sir, we are here as disgruntled Zanu PF members to find out how Berina Housing Scheme is being run by former Kadoma Central Member of Parliament, Fani Phiri,” Panyika said.

“The government through the then Local Government Minister, Ignatius Chombo, donated 50 hectares of land in Pixie Combie to be shared among Zanu PF leadership
in Kadoma, but the former legislator grabbed the land and formed Berina Housing Scheme with the stands that were meant for the people.”

Panyika added: “We want the Lands Commission to verify the ownership of the scheme; we feel that we were denied what was rightfully ours. What did Chombo see
in Phiri to give him 50 hectares? Phiri called for a meeting in Rimuka Hall sometime back and advised us to come with 50 names from the 12 wards of Kadoma Central constituency, but we discovered later that he had formed his own housing scheme.”

Phiri was then asked by the commission to leave the court room because some of the witnesses were not comfortable with him being in the room.

In an interview, Phiri, however, denied the allegations that he had diverted land that was meant for Zanu PF members, but actually applied for the 50 hectares through the Ministry of Local Government and National Housing in 2015 and his application was successful.

“The land in question does not and never belonged to Zanu PF. I actually applied for the land in 2015 and land was availed to me and then I formed Berina Housing Scheme to parcel out stands for residential stands,” Phiri said.

“I have all the documents to verify the ownership of that land in part of Pixie Combie. Those disgruntled members of Zanu PF are barking at the wrong tree and are being misled by someone. The land that was donated to the party is there, but they are trying to protect the one who has it and pointing a finger at Berina Housing Scheme, shame on them.”-Newsday

Influencers on Ugandan social media and others with large, commercialised online followings must henceforth register their activities for monitoring by the state, the country’s communications regulator said on Thursday.

Authorities say the scheme, which also levies a $20 fee, is designed to clamp down on immoral or prejudiced content. Critics view it as part of an escalating campaign by President Yoweri Museveni to suppress online content disapproving of him and his government.

Last week, university lecturer and social researcher Stella Nyanzi was jailed for 18 months on cyber harassment charges stemming from a Facebook post criticising Museveni.

According to digital communications rights watchdog Unwanted Witness, between 2016 and 2018 at least 33 Ugandans have either been summoned and interrogated by police or charged with online communications offences.

The registration scheme is “not a positive move, it infringes on the rights to freedom of expression. People are able to express themselves well when they know that somebody is not watching over them,” said the organisation’s chief executive, Dorothy Mukasa.

Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) spokesman Ibrahim Bbosa said the “data communicators” to be registered included individuals with heavily followed social media and other online accounts that carried ads alongside other content on platforms including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

That would include prominent musicians, journalists and socialites.

“As a data communicator… you’re pushing out content which could easily violate the known parameters of morality, of incitement, of ethnic prejudice or not be factual,” Bbosa said.

“We want online platforms to register with the commission so that we can monitor (them),” a process that the $20 fee was designed to fund.

Robert Ssempala, the national coordinator for Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda, said that, for many, the fee was prohibitive.

“The spirit of the regulation is essential to make it extremely unaffordable, to make it extremely frightening for people to engage in sharing information on social media,” he added.

Last year the government introduced a tax on the use of popular social media platforms.

Museveni has repeatedly complained that Ugandan social media is a vehicle for “lying” and “gossip”, interpreted referring to information critical of the government.

In power since 1986, he is widely expected to stand again in the next presidential election in 2021.-News365

In a brazen act of political thuggery, the government has withheld the MDC grant entitled to the party under the Political Parties Finance Act while Zanu PF has already been paid their dues.

The past one week has seen top MDC officials being sent from pillar to post in their quest to get the grant entitled to the party under the laws of the country.

The government grant is the money that as a party we use to support parliamentary work and other administrative and political purposes that advance the agenda of the people who continue to support the MDC, as evidenced by the 2,6 million votes received by President nelson Chamisa in last year’s stolen election.

Now Zanu PF is engaging in cheap political games to deny the party its share entitled to it under the Political Parties Finance Act.

We place it on record that it was none other than the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Mrs Virginia Mabhiza, who confirmed to the MDC last week that the government had disbursed money to political parties.

She confirmed that she had already disbursed money to Zanu PF but upon being asked about the MDC share, she referred us to Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, who denied that they had received the money from Treasury.

On Tuesday, 6 August 2019, the MDC secretary General Hon. Chalton Hwende met with the Finance Minister Hon. Mthuli Ncube at Parliament in the presence of Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi. Minister Ncube insisted in the presence of Minister Ziyambi that he had since disbursed money to political parties.

Minister Ncube expressed shock that the MDC had not received its share of the money, to which minister Ziyambi then promised to disburse the money the following day but he did not do so.

The next thing we heard from the Ministry of Justice was that they were not releasing our money because they had received a letter from Lovemore Madhuku on behalf of Mrs Thokozani Khupe, the president of another party calling itself the MDC T, seeking to receive our share of the money. For that reason they said they could not disburse our money.

It is important to state that Madhuku was a presidential candidate who contested the last election. Mrs Khupe’s party also contested the last election and her party is represented in Parliament.

It is shocking that a party with representation in Parliament, which representation fails to meet the threshold for receiving money under the Political Parties Finance Act, would claim money due to another political party.

The MDC bemoans the conflation between the party and the State which Zanu PF is using to deny us the money due to us under the laws of the land. We have seen statements from the government saying we cannot receive our money because government has other priorities.

Yet this is the same government that is on record saying that they have a surplus. If they have a surplus on their budget as they claim, they should simply give the MDC its share.

We are tired of these cheap games. We are tired of being harassed, victimized and having our legitimate operations crippled for demanding that which is rightfully due to us.

MDC: Change that Delivers.

Luke Tamborinyoka
Deputy National Spokesperson

By A Correspondent- MDC-T president Dr Thokozani Khupe has said protests will not resolve the country’s economic challenges, but dialogue, proffering solutions and unity of purpose are required to transform the country’s fortunes.

Dr Khupe, who is part of the national dialogue under the banner of the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad), said there is no quick fix to the economic problems bedevilling the country, but Government should ensure that prices match people’s salaries.

President Mnangagwa called for dialogue among leaders of political parties that participated in last year’s harmonised elections and almost all of them, except the MDC-Alliance, came on board.

In an interview with our Bulawayo Bureau, Dr Khupe said she was against protests as they did not bring solutions to economic challenges affecting the country.

Her sentiments follow an announcement by the MDC-Alliance led by Mr Nelson Chamisa that they will unleash protests against Government next week.

“My issue is that you can only resolve issues by sitting around the table and talking to each other,” said Dr Khupe.

“You cannot resolve issues by throwing stones, by burning tyres and by going out there.

“But you can only resolve issues by sitting around and discussing issues like we are doing right now (in Polad). If we sit down with them (Government) and they explain to us what is going on, we can also give our input. I’m pretty sure that Government and the President listen to some of the issues that we present to them.”

Dr Khupe said last Friday that Polad members met Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube and Reserve Bank Governor Dr John Mangudya, among other senior Government officials, seeking an explanation on what is happening in the economy.

Dr Khupe said they had frank discussions with the senior Government officials who explained reforms being implemented.

In response, members of Polad urged Prof Ncube and Dr Mangudya to tame prices and foreign currency exchange rates.

“The problem is the exchange rates,” said Dr Khupe.

“The prices are increasing because they are chasing the exchange rate. Once it goes up everything else increases. That is what we have told them that you must deal with the issue of prices because the cost of living does not match wages and salaries. Wages must match the cost of living.”

Dr Khupe said confidence building, unity of purpose and increasing production were some of the issues that needed to be addressed in turning around the economy.-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- Former Zimbabwean deputy Prime Minister Professor Arthur Mutambara has warned South Africa against implementing a chaotic approach in the expropriation of land calling on them to learn from their northern neighbours. 

Said Mutambara at a presentation at Rhodes University:

“There is a problem that you must watch out for as South Africans, land expropriation is a good idea but might be abused by the elite who take a good idea and use it as a political tool.”

He warned politicians against abusing the land expropriation process in order to gain votes without commitment to the idea. 

“The number one lesson is, don’t allow a good idea to be used by political elites for their self interests. They will talk about it because it’s a popular cause, because there is a historical basis but have no commitment to it,” said Mutambara.

He called on ANC and EFF to walk the talk on the land revolution. 

“Once the land is taken, it must not be distributed in a partisan manner, don’t allow the political elites to seize the land and distribute among themselves, that’s the lesson we learnt from Zimbabwe,” said Mutambara. 

By A Correspondent- Daggers have been drawn against Zanu PF Masvingo youth league boss Brian Munyoro who was last week confronted by a group of local and Harare-based youths who accused him of corruption, sexual abuse and personalising party property.

Zanu PF national youth league political commissar Godfrey Tsenengamu led a group of Zanu PF youths from Harare for an outreach in Masvingo.
The outreach was met with little success after Munyoro reportedly snubbed the meetings in the wards and failed to mobilise party supporters to attend as a way of sabotaging Tsenengamu’s work.

Sources close to the developments alleged that during one of the meetings at Roger Howman Training Centre, some youths seized Munyoro’s car keys and cell phones while others beat him up. It has also been established that the some members of the Masvingo provincial youth league are unhappy with Munyoro’s leadership but no one had the guts to stand up to him until they formed an alliance with the visiting Harare youths to humiliate him.

When contacted for comment, Munyoro said the youths who demonstrated against him were just jealous and are fabricating stories to try and soil his name.

He said:

“It all happened in full glare of our leadership and they are all aware of what happened. I now wait to hear from them on the course of action to be taken against the culprits. They are just people who are jealous of my life and will do anything to soil my name. I have not done anything wrong but I have remained focused in supporting and building our party even during the time when we were vilified for being Lacoste members.”

Youths who spoke to a local publication accused Munyoro of being a sexual predator who abused women under his ranks.

Said one source:

“We want him to go and we will not rest until he is send packing. We want leadership which is exemplary not what we are seeing in Munyoro. He has bedded many women under his rank by abusing his powers and the car which the party gave him.

Last week in Chiredzi he tried the same tricks on one of the ladies but he was turned down. He then tried to force himself on the lady but he failed. He uses the party vehicle as his bedroom and that must stop. The vehicle he drives belongs to the party yet he personalises it. We heard a lot of reports about him and we decided to act because the youth here are afraid of him,” said one youth from Harare.

The youth league accused Munyoro of stealing over 3 000 litres of fuel which had been donated for party programmes.

“Masvingo got 4 000 litres of fuel to do party programmes and Munyoro converted 3 000 litres to personal use and declared only 1 000 litres,” claims one youth.

Other sources said Munyoro was dictatorial in his leadership approach, accusing him of stripping other league leaders of their powers.

“He does everything himself. He is now the chairperson, the treasurer, the spokesperson and the commissar of the whole province. He personalises power and all other elected members have been rendered irrelevant. He is also abusing his power to sleep with all the girls,” complained a source.

Another youth league member, however, defended Munyoro saying the fight was simply a manifestation of factionalism in the youth league.

“There are bigger divisions in the league and Munyoro is just a victim. They are jealousy of his success and the big car he is driving?” said the member.

Zanu PF national youth league boss Pupurai Togarepi could not be reached for comment as his mobile went unanswered.-TellZim

By A Correspondent- Opposition legislator Joanna Mamombe accused the Foreign Affairs minister of “never setting foot in parliament” adding that the minister was deliberately not apologising or giving an explanation regarding his whereabouts.

Said Mamombe:

“I rise Mr. Speaker. The Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs has never stepped in this House.  We have questions in terms of our foreign affairs issues; we should get an apology or an explanation why the Hon. Minister is not coming to Parliament.”

The acting speaker however respondent and said the minister had apologised but the matter had been noted.

MAINTENANCE OF PEACE AND ORDER BILL [H. B. 3, 2019]

Second Reading:  Maintenance of Peace and Order Bill [H. B. 3, 2019].

SECOND READING

MAINTAINANCE OF PEACE AND ORDER BILL [H. B. 3, 2019]

          THE MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS ND CULTURAL HERITAGE (HON. MATHEMA): Thank you Hon. Speaker.  Section 117, of our Constitution exhorts the Legislature, among other things,  to make laws for the peace, order and good governance of Zimbabwe.  It is not by chance that these three things, peace, order and good governance keep company with each other in the same sentence.  I will go further and say peace and order are the pre-conditions for enjoying all the other blessings we desire for ourselves – family, prosperity, community, the pursuit of knowledge and happiness, freedom, self determination and security to property. 

No matter what our differences maybe, peace and order afford us the time to think and urge among ourselves, how we may improve if we have gone wrong.  As Aristotle once said, “the use of rational speech is more distinctive of human beings than the use of their limbs”.  I will not rehearse for Hon. Members the history of how law and order legislation has been used and abused since colonial times in our country, how the Law and Order Maintenance Act was succeeded by the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) and how it is now proposed to be replaced by this Bill before you.   Suffice to say that POSA itself under went several amendments to moderate its provisions since it was enacted in 2002. 

          Most notably, in 2007, the Public Order and Security Amendment Number 18 of 2007, which was partly the result of an inter-political party consultation process.  This Bill too has been subjected to searching cross-party scrutiny by the Parliamentary Legal Committee resulting in several amendments that are embodied in the Order Paper.  Some concessions were made by the Government with a view to strengthening the constitutionality of the Bill, others were made in the spirit of wanting to achieve consensus across political party lines.

          I will also not go into any detail about the particulars of the Bill; the Explanatory Memorandum appended to the Bill is sufficient for that, though I will highlight a couple of its salient features.  As a matter of general principle, no reasonable person can dispute the need for a well-regulated community to make some legal provisions for the orderly and dignified conduct of public assemblies and processions as long as the legal measures in question fairly respect the rights, freedoms and interest of participants and non-participants alike.

          Part of the inspiration for POSA was the Public Order Act of England and Wales, enacted in 1986 mostly on the basis of recommendations by the UK Law Commission.  That Act requires at least six clear days’ written notice to be given to the police before most public processions, including details of the intended time and route and giving the name and address of at least one person proposing to organise it.  It creates offences for the organisers of a procession if they do not give sufficient notice or if the procession diverges from the notified time or route.  It also empowers the police to impose conditions on processions to prevent serious public disorder, serious criminal damage or serious disruption to the life of the community.  There are provisions also to prevent hate speech at public assemblies.

          If we were to consider these provisions in the light of our own Constitutional freedoms, a critic using an unreasonably strict interpretation might conclude that they offend against the freedom of assembly and freedom of speech but as will be pointed out below the rights and freedoms of demonstrators are not the only rights and freedoms at stake here.

          Another more direct inspiration for POSA and for its proposed replacement, the Maintenance of Peace and Order Bill is the Regulation of Gatherings Act of South Africa.  we challenge any critic of our proposed law to compare our provisions with those of the South African Act and to point out to us in what particular way the South African Act better than ours with respect to the following matters:- the notification of public gatherings, police powers to prohibit and regulate public gatherings, the use of force by police to disperse unruly gatherings, the zone within which gatherings may not be allowed around certain public buildings and offences and penalties for non-compliance with the Act.  In every case, it will be found that our provisions are reasonable and comparable and in some cases even more favourable.

          As regards Clause 14, (Persons to carry identity documents) of the Bill, we  have concluded in the Notice of Amendments to be presented before you at the Committee Stage that no police officer ought to demand the production of an identity document from anyone except upon reasonable suspicion that that person has committed some offence.  Very often, the mere production of such an ID will dissolve suspicions of criminality and hence make an arrest unnecessary.  I wish also to draw your attention to Clause 18 which specifies the circumstances under which the Defence Forces may be summoned to assist the police.  This provision is included incompliance with Government’s obligations under Section 213 of the Constitution. Our Government has welcomed any criticism of the Bill made in an open and constructive spirit with aview to improving it but cannot do anything about vague and unspecific accusations made primarily with the object of discrediting our country, unjustifiably in the eyes of the international community.  As with any law, a balance must be struck between the rights and freedoms of individuals and the interests of the community at large. 

Many kinds of meetings have been put outside the scope of this Bill as you can tell by consulting the Schedule to the Bill.  The State is concerned only with those gatherings, processions and marches primarily but not exclusively of a political nature in which partisanship and bad feeling may get out of hand to the detriment of the rights and freedoms of others.  Considerations of public health may also make it incumbent upon Government to regulate gatherings.

In conclusion, the Government objects strongly to the characterisation of the Bill as ‘undemocratic’ without specifying in what specific respects the Bill is ‘undemocratic’ or how it violates the charter of rights and freedoms in any way not contemplated in a democratic society.  The rights and freedoms of demonstrators are not the only rights and freedoms to be considered when a gathering has the potential to become disorderly.  Other human beings have rights and freedoms too, in particular those who may be victimised in their persons and property by unruly demonstrators.  To quote in part from Section 87 of our Constitution:

“(2) The fundamental rights and freedoms set out in [the Declaration of Rights and Freedoms] this Chapter may be limited only in terms of a law of general application and to the extent that the limitation is fair, reasonable, necessary and justifiable in a democratic society based on openness, justice, human dignity, equality and freedom, taking into account all relevant factors including – (b) the purpose of the limitation, in particular whether it is necessary in the interests of defence, public safety, public order, public morality, public health, regional or town planning or the general public interest; and (d) the need to ensure that the enjoyment of rights and freedoms by any person does not prejudice the rights and freedoms of others.”

The same provision of the Constitution urges lawmakers to consider whether there are any less restrictive means of achieving the purpose of the limitation.  This we have striven to do in the amendments to the Bill that are embodied in the Order Paper.

I therefore urge Members on both sides of this House to support this very necessary measure to secure peace and order in our beloved country.

Mr. Speaker Sir, I move that the Bill be read for the Second time.