Farai Dziva|Zimbabweans have yet again been confronted by another wave of fuel price hikes at a time the government has predicted a phase of economic turnaround.

The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) has hiked the price of fuel yet again with effect from Monday 22 July 2017.

The price of diesel has been raised to ZWL$7.19 while that of petrol has been increased to ZWL$7.47.

This is the second time the prices of fuel have been hiked in the past 10 days.

Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has claimed that the country’s economy has entered the “recovery mode.”

Parliament will (Monday) question the Zimbabwe Nationals Road Administration (Zinara) over the state of affairs at the parastatal which has, of late, hogged news headlines because of corrupt practices.

When Transport minister Joel Biggie Matiza appeared recently before Parliament to answer on issues to do with corruption at Zinana, he admitted that the road authority lost millions of dollars to corruption and several malpractices in tender and job contracts.

Matiza promised the Tendai Biti-led Public Accounts Portfolio Committee, which expressed dismay over massive corruption at Zinara, that heads would roll at the institution, where managers enjoyed excessive allowances while the country’s roads were in very bad shape.

There was misuse of $71 million earmarked for special projects; awarding of millions worth of contracts to the same companies, for example, Univern without going to tender — prejudicing the country of millions of dollars through contracts that were poorly negotiated with Univern; and the $8 million graders tender scam and several issues of mismanagement, including hefty salaries and allowances for Zinara officials.

“The law is taking its course and some people are paying bail now for such rotten work at Zinara, and the new Zinara board, chaired by former deputy Transport minister Michael Madanha, has put in place a programme to ensure that there is financial probity at Zinara and the results will be foreseeable in the future and I can assure you that you will soon see things unravelling,” Matiza told MPs recently.

Meanwhile, the Defence, Home Affairs and Security Services Portfolio Committee, chaired by Umzingwane MP Levi Mayihlome, will also question Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga and the immigration department on the challenges faced by their departments at Zimbabwe’s points of entry, where millions of dollars are said to be getting lost through smuggling.

The Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Parliamentary Portfolio Committee will also hear teachers concerns over poor salaries after the Zimbabwe Teachers Association and the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe raised concern that teachers’ salaries had been eroded by inflation.

They demanded that part of teachers salaries, $200, be paid in United States dollars, but government then introduced Statutory Instrument 142 of 2009, which re-introduced the use of the Zimbabwean dollar as the sole legal tender in Zimbabwe, effectively quashing the teachers’ demands.

Jane Mlambo| Opposition MDC Youths Assembly leader Obey Tererai Sithole has vowed to send President Emmerson Mnangagwa packing threatening that his administration will not last long as they are keen to put Section 59 into practice.

Section 59 of the Constitution states that “Every person has the right to demonstrate and to present petitions, but these rights must be exercised peacefully.”

“Mnangagwa will not last long, we will definitely send him packing. 
We will put Section 59 into practice till Freedom,” said Sithole.

By Own Correspondent- The National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) is finalising a strategy on dealing with the Gukurahundi issue that is expected to be completed next month and will, among issues, address the processes around public hearings, exhumations and reburial of victims.

This was said by NPRC Commissioner Patience Chiradza in an interview with a local publication.

She said the Commission had identified three areas that needed to be dealt with from past experiences, although the Gukurahundi era would be prioritised.

“We have a programme that our healing and reconciliation committee is working around in dealing with issues from the past,” she said.

“When we did our consultations, three epochs became clear—  the pre-independence era which culminated in the liberation struggle, then the Gukurahundi era, which is about between 1983 and 1985, and then the electoral violence that started around 2000.

“So, those are going to be the three focus areas and I think we are clear as a commission that Gukurahundi has its priorities given the dynamics that are there. Given the issues that have been raised in Matabeleland North and South and Bulawayo, Gukurahundi becomes a central theme.”

Commissioner Chiradza said the commission had been conducting consultations on the issue before the actual hearings begin.

“So, as a commission we have been doing a lot of work around that issue because before you get into that space you need to make sure that you have a proper strategy of how you are going to do the hearings,” she said.

“We have regulations that guide us. What are we going to do in public (and) what are we going to do in camera? Secondly, we are putting in mechanisms for witness protection because the NPRC Act obliges us to make sure that witness are protected.”

Commissioner Chiradza said they also wanted to ensure that there were measures to provide social-psycho support to people that may appear before the committee during the hearings.

“Thirdly, victim support, because if people come for the hearings they may have emotional breakdowns and need social-psycho support,” she said. “Do we have those mechanisms? So, what we are doing at the moment is working with partners so that when we kick-start the hearings we will have those mechanisms in place.

“So, the strategy we are finalising in dealing with the past is a strategy that will work for all the three epochs although we are set to give a special programme around Gukurahundi because we have issues traditional leaders are raising currently in their engagements with Government and what the Matabeleland Collective have raised in their engagements with the President.

“We are taking into account all those, in addition to our own special consultations.”-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- ZIMBABWE’S social protection interventions lack coordination and are generally under-financed as a result of the poor performance of the economy, a new report has shown.

A report titled: Action Research on Social Protection in Post-Independence Zimbabwe 1980-2019 prepared by Labour and Economic Development Research Institute of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, European Union, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy Associations, details how the county has failied to come up with a proper policy to address social protection programmes in Zimbabwe.

“Social protection interventions are generally under- and irregularly financed as a result of the poor performance of the economy. In the National Social Protection Policy Framework (NSPPF), the target was to consider as eligible for all forms of social assistance in the short to medium term all the 500 000 households which are deemed to be below the Food Poverty Line (FPL),” reads part of the report.

“On the basis of the budget (National Budget) allocated for social welfare in 2018, each household would get a meagre US$38,60 per year and US$70,55 in 2019. On the basis of the 415 900 vulnerable children to be reached with educational support as indicated in the Blue Book, the US$23 485 000 allocated to child welfare in 2018 works out at US$56,47 per child per year for 2018, while the US$31 592 000 allocated for child welfare yields a support level of US$75,96 per child per year.”

Challenges include a fragmented application of the instruments without a proper guiding structure; inadequacy and exclusionary nature of available services; and the lack of predictability, consistency, transparency and durability in most cases.

The report also found that social protection in Zimbabwe lacks a proper centralised coordination leading to incoherent and sector driven social protection under various ministries.

The report questions decision making processes in the ministries of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and the Ministry of Health and Child Care, which often create bureaucratic, complex situations.

Other weaknesses include a lack of mutually supportive and clear policy objectives leading to disjointed approaches, lack of awareness by people of what services they can access, their rights and entitlements, weak monitoring and evaluation systems, and the existence of various pieces of Zimbabwean laws and policy statements that may not be mutually supportive of each other.

“In view of the weaknesses highlighted earlier, there is need for an overarching social protection policy that can provide a guiding framework for social protection in the country. The need for a coherent social policy framework has become more pronounced in recent years given the high levels of poverty in the country which are associated with rising unemployment, underemployment, rapid de-industrialisation and informalisation of the economy,” reads part of the report.

“This social protection policy should also mitigate the problems of fragmentation and duplication discussed above. In addition, it should be designed in such a manner that it enhances predictability, consistency, transparency and accountability.”-Newsday

By A Correspondent- THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc), headed by Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo, has instituted investigations into the operations of the Lands Commission in Marondera.

The probe comes after reports that the latter has become a cartel through which some government officials are seizing land from vulnerable farmers and fraudulently selling it for personal gain.

This followed a report by Goromonzi farmer, Richard Mandiranga, whose offer letter for Subdivision 2 of Dana A Farm in Goromonzi District of Mashonaland East province, was unceremoniously revoked without notice and the farm handed over to one Jannet Choto under unclear circumstances.

Mandiranga was issued with an offer letter for the piece of land in May 2012, but in December of the same year he received a letter of withdrawal. In February 2013, the same piece of land was offered to Choto.

Last week, Zacc officials visited the farms in dispute and after investigating the issues, made a report which is expected to be deliberated on before further action can be taken against the offenders.

“The Ministry of Lands, Marondera office, issued a revocation letter to Richard Mandiranga over his farm situated in Goromonzi. The revocation letter was issued without the issuance of a notice to revoke. The farm was given to Jannet Choto, who is the child to Bernard Choto, who is believed to have bribed the personnel of the Ministry of Lands so that his child would obtain the farm,” the report read.

On September 24, last year, Mandiranga wrote a letter of complaint to Lands minister Perrance Shiri, which was copied to Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, raising issues against the Lands Commission arguing its decision in resolving the farm dispute between himself, and his neighbours Bernard Choto and one Gwarada, was unjust, unfair and biased against him.

After receiving a copy of the letter of complaint, Chiwenga then ordered Zacc to investigate the matter.

According to Mandiranga, when the issue of the revocation of his offer letter by the lands office in Marondera was brought to the Lands Commission’s attention, the latter did not address the concerns raised by Mandiranga, but instead ruled that he had encroached into somebody’s farm and had been occupying the farmhouse unlawfully.

“I feel I have been treated unfairly and have not been offered satisfactory assistance from the ministry in protecting my rights over a subdivision of Dana A Farm situated in Goromonzi, which subdivision I acquired by way of an offer letter …,” Mandiranga said in his letter of complaint to Lands Commission chair

“What is, however, shocking and mindboggling is the manner in which the Ministry of Lands (Agriculture, Water, Climate) and Rural Resettlement has handled the matter. As opposed to bringing clarity into the situation the ministry has brought more confusion into what started as a simple matter.”

Mandiranga further said although he did not receive a favourable response from the Lands Commission, the issue involving the fraudulent revocation and issuance of offer letters was brought to the attention of the Zimbabwe Republic Police in Marondera, where inspector Ngoma instructed Constable Nyengera to investigate the matter, but the same died a natural death.

“I, therefore, wish to appeal to you honourable minister and attach hereto my earlier letter of complaint against Choto and one Gwarada, which was not taken into consideration or made reference to in the Commission’s deliberations. I believe honourable minister that it is your sincere intention to see to it that justice is done,” he said.

Mandiranga said he employs at least 20 workers at the farm, who are all paid on a monthly basis and has also been operating a butchery and an abattoir since 1984.-Newsday

20 passengers aboard a Mwayera bus survived death by a whisker when the bus was involved in an accident near Marondera.

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa says his administration has no immediate solution to dealing with illegal foreign currency trade despite admitting its role in the economic crisis.

Last week, official figures showed that inflation nearly doubled to 175,66% in May from 97,85% in the previous month, revealing an economy already in hyperinflation, a situation last experienced in 2008.

Government suddenly outlawed the use of foreign currencies on June 24 in favour of the re-introduced Zimbabwe dollar in part to catch out foreign currency speculators, which it blames for price volatility.

After liberalising the interbank market, the official exchange rate has shot up to $8,86 to the greenback compared to $10,1 on the parallel market which has persisted despite a crackdown by law enforcement agents.

Prices remain high because much of Zimbabwe’s economic activity takes place in the informal sector, where costs are set based on the higher parallel market rate.

In the case of large retailers, prices are set based on internal inflation tracking, which invariably is higher than the official rate.

Addressing a Zanu PF women’s league national assembly at the party’s headquarters last Friday, Mnangagwa said he did not have an immediate response on how he intends to deal with them.

“You have mentioned the issue of money changers selling our money to the people; yes, we see that on TV and we are still asking ourselves what we can do to deal with that. It is something that we are still looking
at,” Mnangagwa told the party supporters.

Before his address, the women’s league boss, Mabel Chinomona, had pleaded with Mnangagwa to deal with the money changers, who she accused of fuelling price increases of basic goods and services.

“President, you said no more to money changers, but we have seen them coming out in their numbers and now they are using cars near the post office. Our people are going there looking for money, our own local currency is being sold there. The question is who is giving those people that money. You find them with new notes and the question we want to know is: Who is funding these people?” Chinomona asked

But the opposition has charged that Mnangagwa had no capacity to deal with illegal money changers because his administration was involved and driving the illegal market.

MDC secretary for economic affairs, Tapiwa Mashakada said as long as the State was involved in the illegal market, the vice would continue unabated.

“Under normal circumstances banks and bureaux de change sell or buy forex on a willing-buyer, willing-seller basis, provided the forex is available. In the case of Zim, the official forex market (interbank market) is dry, hence buyers and sellers go to the parallel market, where they can get forex,” Mashakada said.

“It is alleged that government is the main driver of the parallel market because questions are raised when new bond notes are traded on the black market. It is illegal, but in this case, it is the only reliable source of forex. No country has managed to completely eliminate the parallel market. It can only be minimised.”

The Zanu PF youth league last month named senior Zanu PF officials and some top government officials, who they said were involved in illegal forex deals, including the son of Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa, Neville.

Mnangagwa promised to set up a commission of inquiry to probe the allegations. But the commission is yet to be set up.

-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Government has moved to decriminalise wilful transmission of HIV to a partner after it gazetted the Marriages Bill that seeks to repeal a legal provision that makes it an offence.

The Marriages Bill, which was gazetted last Friday, decriminalises the transmission of HIV and AIDS to another partner, as Government seeks to keep abreast with international standards.

The Bill is now set to be tabled before Parliament for debate.

Section 53 of the Marriages Bill repealed Section 79 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act which makes it an offence to transmit HIV to a partner.

Section 79 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23) titled “Deliberate transmission of HIV” states that, “(1) any person who

(a) Knowing that he or she is infected with HIV; or

(b) realising that there is a real risk or possibility that he or she is infected with HIV; intentionally does anything or permits the doing of anything which he or she knows will infect, or does anything which he or she realises involves a real risk or possibility of infecting another person with HIV, shall be guilty of deliberate transmission of HIV, whether or not he or she is married to that other person, and shall be liable to imprisonment for a period not exceeding twenty years.”

Early this year, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi told Parliament that the global thinking was that the law stigmatised people living with HIV and AIDS.

He said initially when the law was enacted, the thinking was that it would help to fight the spread of the disease by criminalising those that transmit it to partners willingly.

Accused persons that have been charged under the law were alleged to have unprotected sex with their spouses knowing that they were infected with HIV.

Proponents who argued for the abolishment of the law argued that at present medical evidence did not determine which of the adult partners was infected first if one was not a virgin at the point of the alleged transmission.

In the past, those charged under the law have challenged the constitutionality of Section 79 of the Criminal law, arguing that their right under Section 23 of the Constitution not to be discriminated against on any basis including HIV and AIDS status was being violated.

They also argued that their right to protection of the law under Section 18 was being violated because the offence in question was so wide, broad and vague. The challenge to the constitutionality of this offence was focused on the species of this offence requiring only that when the accused had sex with another person, the accused realised the real risk or possibility that he or she was infected with HIV and that there was a real risk that the other person will be infected.

Counsel for the applicants argued that this formulation of the offence violated the constitutional right to protection of law as it was conjectural and vague. They contended that innocent persons were in danger of being convicted under this provision.-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- More than 1,3 million Zimbabweans living with HIV and Aids and on antiretroviral treatment might fail to access the life-saving drugs due to government’s failure to mobilise US$6 million required to unlock donor funding.

This was revealed in a petition handed over to Parliament last week by the Zimbabwe Aids Network on the failure by government to pay its annual contribution of US$6 million to the Global Fund in order to access US$400 million from the International Health Fund to buy antiretroviral drugs.

According to the petition, government has failed to mobilise funds for procurement of the life-prolonging drugs at a time US$1 million was allegedly spent by President Emmerson Mnangagwa on travel alone in under 30 days.

Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Tsitsi Gezi, told parliamentarians on Thursday that the pressure group had raised the alarm over the looming crisis and the matter has since been referred to thematic and portfolio committees on HIV and Aids and Health and Child Care, respectively for urgent attention.

But MDC MP and chair of the Health Committee, Ruth Labode, said the situation was now dire and government should act swiftly to arrest the looming health crisis.

“This issue has been raised here twice and the minister (of Finance Mthuli Ncube) gave a response last time that he will respond and pay. Those were his words. He said he will pay and right now, we are about to lose almost US$400 million because we cannot pay US$6 million,” she said.

“Madam Speaker, twice I have raised on a point of privilege that Zimbabwe committed itself to be part of the Global Fund. Right now, we are lobbying to get $20 billion to control HIV, Malaria and TB from that US$20 billion. Our share as Zimbabwe has been US$400 million. One of the things we committed ourselves to do is that we will meet our own counterpart in order for us to be able to get that US$400 million. We will produce our own share as a nation to show political commitment towards the fund, which was US$6 million,” Labode said.

“Here we are now, we are desperate. I know there is a letter which has been written to the Speaker from the National Aids Council requesting something to be done as a matter of urgency. We have over two million people on HIV drugs and we do not spend not even one cent as a nation on HIV drugs, tinongomapiwa (we just get them for free). We desperately need to do something, US$6 million ngaitsvagiwe (it must be sourced),” Labode said
Gezi then demanded that the leader of the House, who is also Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, responds to the question.

In his response, Ziyambi said so far only US$2,9 million has been mobilised.

“On Tuesday, I had an occasion of speaking to the Minister of Finance with my counterpart, the Minister of Health (Obadiah Moyo) and he indicated that he had paid US$2,9 million, but we then indicated that it is not sufficient.

What is required is to pay the US$6 million so that we can access the benefits. If we do not pay, it means that we will not be able to get the ARVs as is being alluded to by Honourable Labode. He promised that he was going to look into it and pay the amount. I will follow up and advise accordingly,” Ziyambi said.

The development comes as HIV activists and people living with HIV complained about shortages of ARVs and antibiotics in health centres around the country, with Mashonaland West province being the most affected. Patients also raised concern over issuance of expired drugs.

Early this year, then Health permanent secretary Gerald Gwinji also warned that government was expecting a deficit in ARV drugs between now and 2020 due to an increase in uptake of the HIV and Aids treatment programme.

Gwinji revealed that 8 000 new patients access ARVs monthly.

Government plans to reach the United Nations-set 90–90–90 ambitious treatment target to help end the Aids epidemic by 2020 will be scuttled if Treasury fails to release the US$6 million contribution

To fight HIV and Aids, tuberculosis and malaria, the Global Fund allocates additional resources in the form of grants to countries to support their national initiatives.

As a condition of the grant, countries are required to contribute a minimum percentage of the value of the grant as counterpart financing depending on their rankings as low, middle or high income countries.

According to this policy, if a country fails to meet the counterpart financing obligation, the Global Fund shall reduce the value of the grant by 15%.

Zimbabwe is considered as a low-income country and is required to contribute 5% of the value of the total grant as counterpart financing.

The current grant (2018-2020) is US$483 980 512. Therefore, the minimum required counterpart financing is US$24 199 026 over the three-year period.-Newsday

Jane Mlambo| Opposition MDC President Nelson Chamisa has refused to divulge his party’s strategy and plans on social media.

Chamisa was responding to a Twitter user who asked for a way forward in relation to the ever sinking economy.

“So the way forward ndeipi… Its definitely not twitter Mr president,” asked a Twitter user.

In response Chamisa said;

“Let me say this once and for all…I will not talk about strategies and plans on this Twitter platform. So pardon me my dear.”

Senior officials at the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing head office have been nailed for interfering with the allocation of land in favour of their cronies in the lucrative Mt Hampden area, where Government is constructing the New Parliament Building and intends to establish a new city.

Former Zvimba Rural District Council chief executive officer Mr Peter Hlohla revealed the alleged fraudulent allocation and distribution of land in the area when he appeared before the Commission of Inquiry into Urban State Land since 2005.

The commission, which is in Mashonaland West, held the inquiry at the Chinhoyi University of Technology Hotel on Thursday last week.

Chaired by Justice Tendai Uchena, the commission started its public hearings in Mashonaland West on Wednesday last week, with officials from various Government departments and councils revealing massive interference from senior officers from the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing.

While other officials where evasive and failed to name the alleged perpetrators, Mr Hlohla, who resigned from his post two weeks ago, gave the names of some of the alleged culprits.

He fingered principal director responsible for rural authorities Mr Christopher Shumba and principal director of physical planning Mrs Ethel Mlalazi, among senior Government officials, for manipulating the system in favour of cronies.

Mr Hlohla said Mr Shumba flouted Government procedures in favour of Delatfin Investments whose partnership with the council had been cancelled over a number of procedural deficiencies

Delatfin Investments is owned by Engineer Felix Munyaradzi and had gone into partnership with the Zvimba RDC to develop low-density stands at Haydon Farm in Mt Hampden.

Mt Hampden is where Government intends to move its offices when construction of the new Parliament Building is completed.

“Sometime in 2011, the Zvimba RDC resolved to partner a developer in servicing the land at Haydon Farm prior to the acquisition of the same,” said Mr Hlohla. “The farm initially sat on 744 hectares, which is also the description purposes of the available land.

“Council, in partnership with Delatfin, produced a layout plan covering 266 hectares which was land available after we realised that the other area was for the jatropha project measuring 295ha and other land reserved for Mr (Lovemore) Kurotwi.

“The land reserved for Mr Kurotwi included 70ha for Cornway College and the Diamond Processing Centre (30 hectares). After the agreement was reached with Delatfin, we came up with a plan with about 1 000 low-density stands with other amenities, two institutional stands, one for primary and secondary school.”

The partnership also saw the opening of a bank account which had two signatories from both parties.

“The account was opened with about $4 000 to $5 000, but nothing was ever deposited into that account and nothing is known about what happened to that account,” said Mr Hlohla.

He indicated that Delatfin had initially been overlooked for the project when it went to tender because it had no proof of equipment to sustain the project, while it also had offshore accounts.

“The order to go into partnership with them came from above (head office),” said Mr Hlohla. “However, when we went into the project, the partner failed to deliver, raising curiosity from council.

“The partner also approached council for the right to dispose of his share of stands so that they can service the land and again council was not amused by this.”

Delatfin had a 60 percent stake in the partnership, with the other going to council and stands reserved for commonage.

“Eng Munyaradzi wanted to dispose of his share of 60 percent, but he ended up developing a certain area where he had allocated and collected money from some of the beneficiaries,” said Mr Hlohla.

He alleged that Delatfin grabbed 120ha of land that was not part of the project without the approval of the Zvimba RDC, resulting in a protracted dispute.

Mr Hlohla told the Commission that Delatfin developed and allocated stands on an area reserved for the schools, escalating its dispute with the council.

“In March last year, a meeting was convened at the ministry’s boardroom in Harare to address the allocation of land at Haydon Farm with a view of correcting the anomaly,” he said.

“However, the meeting irregularly recommended that the Department of State Land should write a formal letter to Delatfin Investments and regularise the allocation of the disputed 120 hectares.”

Among the officials who attended the meeting, according to Mr Hlohla, were Mr Shumba, Mrs Mlalazi and acting deputy director State Land Department Ms Kristina Koswa Chikotera.

Mrs Mlalazi has since left her position in the ministry.

Mr Hlohla was challenged by the commissioners on the basis of his allegations, but insisted that council, as the custodians of the land, was in charge of the area, not officials from head office.

“Zvimba RDC recommends the plans and designs that come through their partners, but in this case Mrs Mlalazi insisted that everything was above board on the recommendations of her officers in her office,” he said.

“Mr Shumba also showed some interest in the matter, while presiding over cases which were not under his jurisdiction. In normal circumstances, council recommends approval of all plans.

“In this instance, council had resolved to cancel the partnership with and allocation of land to Delatfin, but our head office reversed that decision.”

Mr Hlohla alleged that Eng Munyaradzi enjoyed a cordial relationship with senior officials in Harare with unabated access to information from Mr Shumba’s office.

“I even heard of my pending suspension from council way before the letter arrived, through people who claimed to have received information from Eng Munyaradzi,” he said.

Mr Hlohla revealed how two councillors were dismissed after they were bribed with vehicles and a stand each by Eng Munyaradzi.

He told the commission that Mr Shumba derived his power from his political position, while he was a former provincial administrator in Mashonaland West province.

In her submissions to the commission on Wednesday last week, Mashonaland West provincial physical planning officer Mrs Sekai Vivian Matimba revealed how orders were, in some instances, directed from Harare to fast-track applications.

Justice Uchena had sought clarity on whether or not the provincial office originated the documents when Mrs Matimba said her office was ordered to submit their approval for documents originating from Harare.

“The normal procedure is to submit the plans through the province,” she said. “If it’s a local authority or a private developer, they submit to the province and then we submit it to head office for approval.

“But in this case we were told that the submission and technical input that is normally done at provincial level had already been done by head office.”

All parties to the dispute are expected to appear before the commission.

President Mnangagwa appointed the commission following the mushrooming of illegal settlements in most urban areas, most of which were products of  the illegal sale of State land by land barons.-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- The opposition MDC has lamented the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC)’s reluctance to create a level playing field in the holding of elections as shown recently during the Nyanga and Bikita ward by-elections.

MDC secretary for elections Jacob Mafume said that his party is going to use the courts to pile political pressure on ZEC.

He said:

Zec has not implemented any of the reforms that were put down by observer missions and stakeholders after last year’s elections.

They still allow vote-buying, where food is distributed within the area of elections on voting day.

There is a letter from Health minister (Obadiah Moyo) directing that medicines be distributed in an area where there is a pending election in order to favour Zanu PF. Zec is, however, silent in all this.

… They (Zec) are determined to run elections in a way that favours Zanu PF. The State media is also still a closed space for us. We are going to use the courts and pile political pressure to correct these anomalies”.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s presidential exit is all but sealed amid reports that China will likely help in his removal from office.

The development comes after he recently allegedly angered Beijing by giving exclusive diamond exploration and mining rights to Russia ahead of the Asian powerhouse, an online publication has reported.

Mnangagwa’s tenure in office is already hanging by a thread, as a faction in the military close to Vice President, Rtd General Constantino Chiwenga, wants him to voluntarily resign and make way for Chiwenga, after he has dismally failed to resuscitate the country’s economy, which is now nearing total collapse in the face of the worst and unseen power outages in the nation’s history of up to 18 hours a day, growing fuel and water shortages, a wave of extortionate taxes by his regime, and uncontrollable price escalations.

 According to diplomatic sources in the capital, diamond company executives and an official in the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC), who survived Mnangagwa’s purges after former leader, President Robert Mugabe’s ouster in November 2017, China is upset with the ruling Zanu PF leader, and she is reportedly about to play a hidden hand in his removal from power, as Mnangagwa has reneged on a political deal to give China unlimited and preferential access to Zimbabwe’s vast diamond deposits.

Last week Mnangagwa’s administration gave Russian diamond exploration and mining giant Alrosa, a massive 70 percent stake in a joint venture with government owned Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) in Manicaland with a contract provision for possible expansion across the territory of the whole country. Alrosa is the world leader in diamond mining, accounting for over 25% in the global diamond production in terms of carats.

 Russia is the world’s biggest diamond miner, while China is the world’s second biggest diamond consumer market after the US.

Prior to Alrosa’s Zimbabwe entry, China had enjoyed access to mining diamonds in Marange, which is thought to be home to the globe’s biggest diamond find carats wise in more than a century, with plans by Beijing to explore other deposits in the country, before it’s flagship diamond mining firm in the area, Anjin Investments, had it’s licence controversially terminated by Mugabe in 2015 over accusations of diamond looting and corruption.

 Anjin is a joint venture between a Chinese company, Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Co. Ltd., and Matt Bronze Enterprises, which was formed by the Zimbabwe Defense Ministry and the Zimbabwe Defense Forces through an intermediary company.

 “China though they might say otherwise actually removed Mugabe over the fallout in Marange diamonds mining,” said one of the envoys last week. “From what we understand in our circles your new leader made a political deal with the Chinese, to grant them exclusive diamond mining and exploration rights in Zimbabwe post-Mugabe, as they had facilitated his passage to becoming president.

However he appears to have reneged on the pact, and has decided to choose Russia over China, now that’s a very dangerous game and they (China) will help remove him (Mnangagwa), because their economic interests in your country are increasingly coming under threat, from the Russians and the West. China is the one keeping Zimbabwe running, and they will make sure that a leader who protects their interests is in power.”

China has over the years and before his dethronement, funded Mugabe’s presidential campaigns and Zanu PF’s power retention agenda, through the direct intervention of the Chinese Communist Party, and financial support said to have topped US$1 billion from diamonds alone, according to news organisation 100Reporters.

A diamond company executive based in the port city of Antwerp, in Belgium, with close links to a former presidium member, yesterday in a telephone briefing told Spotlight Zimbabwe that, Mnangagwa had courted Alrosa and favoured them with diamond mining in Zimbabwe instead of China, because he wanted political and financial support from Russia in his bid to run for a second term as president in 2023, but the whole strategy will backfire.

“The Chinese have written Mnangagwa off and are not interested in funding his stay in office anymore,” said the executive. “He has courted Alrosa with the intention to receive funding and support from Russia, in his remote bid to remain president and run again as Zanu PF’s 2023 presidential candidate, because China stopped to bankroll the ruling party when Mugabe chased their companies away from mining diamonds in Marange. It’s going to backfire, and he’ll soon be desposed as leader. China made his presidency, and they’re now going to annul it over the war on Zimbabwe diamonds with Russia.”

The OPC official said the recent Alrosa joint venture with ZCDC in Manicaland, and another US$3 billion platinum project with Russia in Darwendale, has won Mnangagwa invitation to the inaugural Russia-Africa Summit in October in Sochi, but he might not be in office or it will be his very first and last Russia-Africa Summit, as he was definately leaving the presidency in 2020, whether he liked it or not.

“The Chinese are not happy with Mnangagwa because of the diamonds saga,” said the OPC staffer. “Even communication channels are no longer direct, these days. President Mugabe always had a direct line to speak with the Chinese leader, but now we have to go through the Chinese Embassy, that tells you that all is not well. He’s definately leaving the presidency in 2020, whether he likes it or not, but you already know that.”

Outspoken Independent legislator for Norton, Temba Mliswa, last month warned that Mnangagwa faces the danger of either being captured or removed by Chinese nationals operating various businesses in Zimbabwe.

Speaking in parliament on a point of privilege, Mliswa accused the Chinese of disrespecting the laws of Zimbabwe.

“Government must review relations with China. I was kidnapped yesterday (Wednesday) in my constituency. Chinese have no respect for the laws of this country. Today it is Mliswa but next it will be the President (Mnangagwa) Mr Speaker Sir,” Mliswa said.

China has previously been accused of orchestrating Mugabe’s removal via a military coup, but has vehemently denied any involvement, calling such speculation “complete nonsense, and purely fictitious”.

It’s embassy in South Africa during the time said in a statement: “Some people are trying to link China to the political crisis that is taking place in Zimbabwe in order to drive a wedge between China and Africa and to undermine China’s image. Such allegations were “illogical, inconsistent and filled with evil motives”.

 “China has long enjoyed friendly relations with Zimbabwe. When Zimbabwe was facing isolation and sanctions from the west, China stood firm on its principles and remained by Zimbabwe’s side, developing mutually beneficial cooperation, which brought benefits to both countries and peoples.”

Alrosa says it has targeted various areas for further diamond exploration. The company’s chief executive officer Sergey Ivanov told State media last week, that: “We expect to have more than four spots in Zimbabwe where we see potential and where we need to invest in exploration. We hope to get discoveries in all these. We see some exploration perspectives on the border with South Africa, the border with Botswana, (the) border with Mozambique; we see that there are some promising geological data and perspectives for new discoveries,” Ivanov was quoted.

They have been reports of recent diamond deposits and discoveries in the Sese area of Chivi, Masvingo Province, Chihota in Marondera West and Penhalonga just outside Mutare.

Information minister, Monica Mutsvangwa, whose husband is a former Zimbabwean Ambassador to China, was not reachable for comment last night, while the Chinese Embassy was closed,-SpotlightZimbabwe

NewsDay|PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa says his administration has no immediate solution to dealing with illegal foreign currency trade despite admitting its role in the economic crisis.

Last week, official figures showed that inflation nearly doubled to 175,66% in May from 97,85% in the previous month, revealing an economy already in hyperinflation, a situation last experienced in 2008.

Government suddenly outlawed the use of foreign currencies on June 24 in favour of the re-introduced Zimbabwe dollar in part to catch out foreign currency speculators, which it blames for price volatility.

After liberalising the interbank market, the official exchange rate has shot up to $8,86 to the greenback compared to $10,1 on the parallel market which has persisted despite a crackdown by law enforcement agents.

Prices remain high because much of Zimbabwe’s economic activity takes place in the informal sector, where costs are set based on the higher parallel market rate.

In the case of large retailers, prices are set based on internal inflation tracking, which invariably is higher than the official rate.

Addressing a Zanu PF women’s league national assembly at the party’s headquarters last Friday, Mnangagwa said he did not have an immediate response on how he intends to deal with them.

“You have mentioned the issue of money changers selling our money to the people; yes, we see that on TV and we are still asking ourselves what we can do to deal with that. It is something that we are still looking

at,” Mnangagwa told the party supporters.

Before his address, the women’s league boss, Mabel Chinomona, had pleaded with Mnangagwa to deal with the money changers, who she accused of fuelling price increases of basic goods and services.

“President, you said no more to money changers, but we have seen them coming out in their numbers and now they are using cars near the post office. Our people are going there looking for money, our own local currency is being sold there. The question is who is giving those people that money. You find them with new notes and the question we want to know is: Who is funding these people?” Chinomona asked

But the opposition has charged that Mnangagwa had no capacity to deal with illegal money changers because his administration was involved and driving the illegal market.

MDC secretary for economic affairs, Tapiwa Mashakada said as long as the State was involved in the illegal market, the vice would continue unabated.

“Under normal circumstances banks and bureaux de change sell or buy forex on a willing-buyer, willing-seller basis, provided the forex is available. In the case of Zim, the official forex market (interbank market) is dry, hence buyers and sellers go to the parallel market, where they can get forex,” Mashakada said.

“It is alleged that government is the main driver of the parallel market because questions are raised when new bond notes are traded on the black market. It is illegal, but in this case, it is the only reliable source of forex. No country has managed to completely eliminate the parallel market. It can only be minimised.”

The Zanu PF youth league last month named senior Zanu PF officials and some top government officials, who they said were involved in illegal forex deals, including the son of Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa, Neville.

Mnangagwa promised to set up a commission of inquiry to probe the allegations. But the commission is yet to be set up.

Vincent Tsvangirai, younger brother to the late Vimbai Tsvangirai Java is reported to be eyeing the Glen View South National Assembly seat left by his sister.

The Daily News on Sunday reports that Vincent has declared his interest in contesting MDC primary elections.

Nine prospective candidates will contest in the MDC primary election, the publication was told.

Among the contenders are the secretary for Education Fadzai Mahere and former representative of the constituency Paul Madzore.

Glen View National Assembly seat fell vacant following the death of Tsvangirai Java who succumbed to injuries that she sustained following a car accident on her way from Bulawayo.

Meanwhile, the by-elections for Glen View South and Mangwe constituencies are slated for September 7.

The Mangwe constituency fell vacant following the death of Obedingwa Mguni (ZANU PF) who succumbed to diabetes.

EcoCash has raised the minimum amount of airtime you can buy through the mobile money platform from $1 to $2.

At the time of writing, EcoCash haven’t announced the change which comes on the back of a system wide network blackoutthat affected a large portion (if not the entire) Econet network.

State Media|GOVERNMENT has re-introduced grants for students in State institutions, which were stopped several years ago due to non-repayment, to boost access to higher and tertiary education and empower people, especially the youths.

Students can start applying for the loans at the end of next month.

Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Amon Murwira yesterday said the facility was re-introduced after a realisation that many deserving students were failing to access loans, as the institutions were giving stringent conditions.

He said during the past year, students were raising concerns over accessing education and conditions given by private players.

Only 15 000 to 20 000 were accessing the loans, while many deserving students could not meet the conditions.

The students loan scheme is established in terms of Section 14 of the Manpower Planning and Development Act [CAP: 02] in consultation with the Minister of Finance and Economic Development.

The student loan scheme, which is meant to assist needy and deserving students, is administered by CBZ Bank and will be accessed through the institutions of higher and tertiary learning.

“We are trying to improve access to higher and tertiary education,” said Prof Murwira. “This is a loan which must be paid back to enable the sustainability of the critical intervention.

“We are now very strict, this is a commercial arrangement and students will have to pay. Government used to have this facility, but it collapsed during the 90s due to non-payment.

“We cannot continue to be careless and we will follow up on beneficiaries. We want to support and empower the next generation

“If assessed and approved, the beneficiaries will pay as they go. The payments will differ according to beneficiaries’ capacity. The system will be tailor-made to the capability of the individual.

“Sincerity was a challenge, we are sincere. People should own the country and take care of it, facilities that ensure higher and tertiary education become an opportunity to prosper.”

Students are expected to start collecting application forms from their respective institutions with effect from August 26.

“This date will enable institutions of higher and tertiary learning and CBZ to have made necessary preparations,” said Prof Murwira. “Terms and conditions apply.”

State Media|Government has moved to decriminalise wilful transmission of HIV to a partner after it gazetted the Marriages Bill that seeks to repeal a legal provision that makes it an offence.

The Marriages Bill, which was gazetted last Friday, decriminalises the transmission of HIV and AIDS to another partner, as Government seeks to keep abreast with international standards.

The Bill is now set to be tabled before Parliament for debate.

Section 53 of the Marriages Bill repealed Section 79 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act which makes it an offence to transmit HIV to a partner.

Section 79 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23) titled “Deliberate transmission of HIV” states that, “(1) any person who

(a) Knowing that he or she is infected with HIV; or

(b) realising that there is a real risk or possibility that he or she is infected with HIV; intentionally does anything or permits the doing of anything which he or she knows will infect, or does anything which he or she realises involves a real risk or possibility of infecting another person with HIV, shall be guilty of deliberate transmission of HIV, whether or not he or she is married to that other person, and shall be liable to imprisonment for a period not exceeding twenty years.”

Early this year, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi told Parliament that the global thinking was that the law stigmatised people living with HIV and AIDS.

He said initially when the law was enacted, the thinking was that it would help to fight the spread of the disease by criminalising those that transmit it to partners willingly.

Accused persons that have been charged under the law were alleged to have unprotected sex with their spouses knowing that they were infected with HIV.

Proponents who argued for the abolishment of the law argued that at present medical evidence did not determine which of the adult partners was infected first if one was not a virgin at the point of the alleged transmission.

In the past, those charged under the law have challenged the constitutionality of Section 79 of the Criminal law, arguing that their right under Section 23 of the Constitution not to be discriminated against on any basis including HIV and AIDS status was being violated.

They also argued that their right to protection of the law under Section 18 was being violated because the offence in question was so wide, broad and vague. The challenge to the constitutionality of this offence was focused on the species of this offence requiring only that when the accused had sex with another person, the accused realised the real risk or possibility that he or she was infected with HIV and that there was a real risk that the other person will be infected.

Counsel for the applicants argued that this formulation of the offence violated the constitutional right to protection of law as it was conjectural and vague. They contended that innocent persons were in danger of being convicted under this provision.

Standard|The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) yesterday said its general council had resolved to mobilise workers for a mass stayaway to protest against the deteriorating economic situation.

A stayaway called by the ZCTU in January turned violent and President Emmerson Mnangagwa deployed the army in urban areas and human rights groups say soldiers killed 17 people and raped several women.

ZCTU leaders were charged with treason and last week the labour centre said its officials had received death threats.

Peter Mutasa (PM), the ZCTU president, told our senior reporter Obey Manayiti (OM) in an exclusive interview that the January events and the alleged death

threats would not deter them from calling for the stayaway.

Below are excerpts from the interview.

OM: The economic situation has not changed since the ZCTU organised a two-day mass stayaway in January and the plight of workers continues to get worse. Do you

have any concrete data that can illustrate the condition of the worker in Zimbabwe at the moment?

PM: Yes, the situation is now worse than January 2019.

It is also much worse than what we experienced with former president Robert Mugabe in late 2017.

We are currently collating data about some of the issues arising like job losses, non-payment of wages, levels of salaries erosion, pension losses etc.

OM: How are ordinary workers surviving in the face of the economic challenges?

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PM: Workers are the hardest hit because despite earning almost nothing, they still have to continue reporting for work. As a result, many workers are borrowing

money for transport and some are walking to work. Due to ill-advised policies, prices of goods and services are pegged in US$, while salaries have remained in

valueless RTGS.

This has resulted in a serious disequilibrium that is hurting workers and the poor citizens.

A lot of workers’ families are starving as their salaries are barely sufficient to cater for a oneweek food basket.

Most families are now affording only one decent meal a day.

Schoolchildren are going to school hungry and many without adequate winter clothing.

Workers and their families are dying in homes or in public hospitals because they can no longer afford medical care.

Drugs are expensive and medical aid schemes are now dysfunctional.

A visit to a doctor requires one to borrow a loan for consultation alone because it now costs two or three months’ salary.

Many schoolchildren are dropping out or will do so due to failure by their parents to pay school fees. In short, we have a humanitarian crisis of gigantic

proportions.

OM: The ZCTU has been threatening another round of mass stayaways for some time. Are the delays an indication that you are developing cold feet?

PM: Not at all. We experienced barbaric state brutality in January and we need to ensure that this time around we put in place measures to prevent the same.

Part of the delay is, therefore, informed by the need to have conversations with workers on how we can collectively navigate these areas.

Again, due to the ever-changing policies and environment, we must carry out wide consultations with workers so that we have a common understanding of the

material conditions affecting workers.

Some trade union leaders, as we witnessed with some celebrating the reintroduction of the Zimbabwe dollar, had a narrow understanding of the situation.

They thought once the Zimbabwe dollar was introduced all the problems of the workers would disappear.

In fact, some were now more of government spokespersons promoting a policy that hurts workers and that was promulgated without consultations.

We, therefore, needed more time to convince the generality of workers, including those being deceived by some leaders, that these policies won’t work for them.

Now the majority agrees with our position because of the hardships they are facing.

Again all our projections about the effects of these policies on workers and the poor have been confirmed.

Thus any delay we have is necessary for our action to be effective.

OM: There have been reports of ZCTU leaders allegedly receiving death threats. Have you established where those threats are coming from and the motive?

PM: We are witnessing what we never witnessed even with the Mugabe regime. It is sad that all the hope for a better Zimbabwe we had in November 2017 has been

turned into a big disappointment.

We now rue the moment we sided with those in power in their factional fight with Mugabe.

It is now clear that there was nothing for ordinary citizens, let alone workers, in the events of November 2017.

We received threats against us and our families and one can’t believe that this is happening in a supposedly independent Zimbabwe. This, in a much hyped “new

dispensation”?

At least I am a trade unionist by choice and understand the risks associated with standing up for the poor against brutal regimes. Not that any trade unionist

must be harmed, but more fundamentally our families are not involved in any of our duties. How can someone sane threaten to harm our kids? This is unimaginable

in any modern civilised society.

We demand that the state must guarantee our security.

The threats had all the hallmarks of state operations and we put full responsibility on the state on whatever will happen to us or our families.

We also call on the international community to ask the state to guarantee the security of all trade union activists.

These threats are real, for we have seen other trade unionists like Obert Masaraure being abducted and tortured.

We, therefore, take these seriously, but will continue with our lawful duties and put everything in the hands of our Lord Jesus Christ. If He allows that they

kill us, what can we do? We are here on earth at His will.

The motive is not hidden. The government is aware that its policies are failing dismally and that the socio-economic situation is unbearable.

The government is aware that its policies are not accepted by the generality of the citizens, hence it has no consent of the citizens.

These threats are, therefore, meant to silence workers and the poor citizens from airing their grievances as provided for in the constitution. This is

unfortunate because there can only be positive change if there is effective public engagement.

OM: What guarantees can the ZCTU give that its planned protests would be peaceful?

PM: We have always had peaceful activities.

We believe that in most instances where there was violence, it was infiltration by those who will be building a case against us.

In some cases it was clearly false flags that were strategically activated in order to justify the brutality.

However, in other cases it was a matter of poorly managed public order policing.

We are, however, learning from some of these experiences and will make clear messages emphasising that workers must remain in their homes. We will also urge

the police to use internationally recognised policing standards.

OM: Do you think Zimbabweans will heed calls for protests or stayaway given the brutal way the military responded to the January protests?

PM: We are actually being pushed by the workers who feel that they have no choice than to protest in order for their voice to be heard.

Many citizens are suffering and despite the brutality would like to raise their grievances peacefully.

Look at how the energy crisis, for instance, is affecting every citizen, the transport situation, the cost of living, poor health services and many other

factors.

Citizens are ready to peacefully raise their concerns. We urge the government to take this as a positive engagement and listen to the concerns of the workers

and citizens.

We are not enemies of the state, but citizens raising genuine grievances that must be addressed.

OM: In your view, what should the government do to address the economic problems facing the country and address the plight of workers?

PM: The first issue is that it must recognise that it cannot foist policies unto citizens and use force to support the policies.

The government must ensure that it gets the consent of the citizens. It must use the various provisions of the constitution and other legal frameworks to

effectively engage the public.

There is need for government to aim for a new social contract, which ensures that there is ownership of democratically formulated policies.

In addition, the government has to be transparent, accountable and responsive to the needs of the citizens. It cannot go it alone.

Without facilitating a shared national vision and robust national cohesion, the government is doomed to fail.

The government also must realise the folly of following disastrous neo-liberal policies like austerity measures that have failed to stimulate economic recovery

everywhere around the globe.

It must understand that its corporate welfarist approaches like the mantra “Zimbabwe is Open for Business” that seeks to redistribute wealth from the poor to

the rich will not lead to economic recovery, but economic and social disasters.

Above all, there is need for serious political, governance, economic and social reforms.

We need to build independent institutions, respect people’s freedoms, end state repression and genuinely fight corruption, not the half-hearted and factional

riddled jokes we see currently.

We need to acknowledge the economic structure we have and not hound the informal and rural economies, but support and use them as engines of economic growth.

We must immediately ditch the externally imposed economic policies and democratically craft an auto centric development agenda that is a clear alternative to

neoliberalism.

This needs to be pro-poor and focused on satisfying the needs of the people first.

We also need serious social policy reforms such as redirecting government efforts away from corporate welfare to social welfare, building resilient and

sustainable social security and protection frameworks.

It is a mammoth task that requires a government that is not focused on power retention like we currently experience, but one aiming for nation building.

OM: What are your views on increasing calls for dialogue between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and opposition leader Nelson Chamisa as one of the ways to

address Zimbabwe’s economic problems?

PM: Zimbabwe is not going to get out of its problems without a political settlement of some sort.

However, we are for dialogue that takes into account the socio-economic political forces along.

We, therefore, recognise the centrality of the two protagonists President Emmerson Mnangagwa and MDC president Nelson Chamisa, but also make it clear that the

dialogue must carry on board other stakeholders’ interests such as labour, youths, women, those with disabilities, rural communities, business etc.

It must be broad-based and clearly developmental and not just sharing political power.

We must learn from the failures and successes of the GNU and improve.

OM: One of the country’s leading teachers’ trade unions – Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) pulled out of the ZCTU citing the alleged links between you and the MDC. What is your reaction to that move?

PM: Zimta was never in ZCTU for a long time. We also understand its political inclinations and how difficult it was for it to be in a truly independent federation that has no permanent friends but permanent interests. If one considers the way it announced the move, one will clearly see the political nature of

the withdrawal.

It was timed well for the International Labour Conference, where the ZCTU had a serious case against the government of Zimbabwe based on continued repression

and brutality against trade unions.

The only defence of the state against the well-documented cases was that the ZCTU was pursuing political goals.

Thus Zimta’s move was well-timed to aid this narrative.

We, however, managed to successfully present our case and the government was found to be in violation of convention 87 in many ways.

There is no other explanation for Zimta’s decision to go to all radio and television stations before it even formally pulled out.

All the decisions we made were made democratically in our general council with full participation of Zimta representatives.

It could not turn around and make the unfounded allegations without even raising them with fellow comrades in the General Council.

OM: What is your reaction to arguments that your close ties with the MDC compromises your ability to effectively represent workers?

PM: These are made by people who do not understand who we are, our history and how we make our decisions.

We are completely independent from any political forces and do not have any unhealthy relationship with the MDC. Unions are supposed to relate with many social, economic and political stakeholders and we are also not an exception.

In other countries unions actually have formal relationships with political parties.

Look at South Africa and the United Kingdom. For as long as unions remain independent and can make independent decisions, there is no harm.

However, for us despite forming the MDC and providing early leaders, we did not create a formal relationship.

We,therefore, are independent and have workers from all political parties.

Our general council has trade union leaders who support different political parties.

Unfortunately, our country’s problems are more political in nature for example the endemic political corruption, shrinking democratic space, repression, lack

of constitutionalism etc.

When we raise these issues that are also raised by the opposition we are branded an extension of the opposition.

However, we cannot stop raising these issues because these are some of the root causes of the workers problems.

OM: What are your views on the ongoing wage negotiations between the government and civil servants? Do you think the government has the capacity to give its

workers what they are asking for?

PM: The government has capacity to pay decent salaries to the civil servants.

That is if it deals with endemic corruption, closes leakages such as illicit financial flows, pillaging of our natural resources, uneconomic mega deals,

carrying of ghost workers etc.

We also need to destroy the parasitic cartels that are holding the country at ransom. We have the resources but no stewardship.

The negotiations are a big joke. The government through SI 33 and SI 142 of 2019 allowed corporates to peg prices in United States dollars but disallowed

workers’ salaries to also be pegged on US dollars.

This means workers’ salaries have been eroded by up to 10-fold.

Any negotiations that do not seek to remedy this by either ensuring that workers get US dollars or the equivalent using the exchange rate is a useless

process.

Such negotiations seek to cement the oppressive and exploitative internal devaluation agenda of the International Monetary Fund that is being carried out here

as an experiment. Its effects have been disastrous and any sound trade unionist must not accept that.

So the government has to correct the effects of SI 142 by giving back workers the value of their salaries lost through these policies before it tries to

hoodwink labour leaders into any negotiations.

ZIMBABWEANS should be wary of agents of regime change who come under the guise of human rights activism as they seek to unseat Government.

This was said by Zanu-PF Politburo member Munyaradzi Machacha, who is also the Principal of Chitepo School of Ideology, while addressing students from five tertiary institutions at a symposium organised by his college at Lupane State University.

The three-day workshop started on Friday and ended yesterday evening with about 200 students from the National University of Science and Technology (Nust), Lupane State University (LSU), Bulawayo Polytechnic, Hillside Teachers’ College and United College of Education (UCE) attending.

The students were drawn from the Zimbabwe Congress of Students Union (Zicosu).

Machacha said the programme is an orientation exercise by the Chitepo School of Ideology targeting all patriotic Zimbabweans including party supporters and ordinary citizens who care and love their country to defend its heritage.

The orientation develops some basic fundamental knowledge, skills and attitudes for youths so they can explore the socio-economic and political future.

“This is a training symposium for Zicosu members in Bulawayo and Matabeleland North to become better informed Zanu-PF cadres who appreciate the prevailing socio-economic and political challenges.

“We are saying patriotic Zimbabweans should be wary of agents of regime change masquerading as human rights activists. These activists are crisispreneurs who don’t have the interests of the people of Zimbabwe at heart. They are only interested in dislodging Zanu-PF government from power so they replace it with a puppet government which they will use to reverse the gains of the liberation struggle.

Their tactics include causing unrest through violent demonstrations and abuse of social media to spread alarm and despondency,” said Machacha.State media

VICE President Kembo Mohadi said there is a need for Zimbabweans at all levels to engage each other and find common ground to bring to finality the issue of Gukurahundi which affected people in the Midlands, south-western and Matabeleland provinces.

Meeting chiefs from the Midlands Province, consulting them on national healing, peace and reconciliation mechanisms as part of efforts to address issues of Zimbabwe’s fractious past in Gweru last Wednesday — the Vice President said Gukurahundi was a topical issue which needs to be talked about openly.

This follows President Mnangagwa’s policy to open up and resolve historical conflicts like the 1980s’ civil disturbances in the Midlands, south-western and Matabeleland provinces, commonly referred to as Gukurahundi.

Vice President Mohadi said talking about Gukurahundi openly is going to assist in healing wounds and finding a lasting solution for the country to prosper adding that peace
(ukuthula/runyararo ) has been and remains a permanent ideal and aspiration as well as a right and duty for Zimbabweans.

VP Mohadi has already been to four provinces — Mashonaland Central, Matabeleland North, Mashonaland East and Matabeleland South — consulting all chiefs in their areas of jurisdiction on how to build and sustain peace in the country as well as how to resolve conflicts that arise from time-to-time.

“We had Gukurahundi; it happened here in the Midlands and Matabeleland provinces. We can only talk about it because there is a need to find a lasting solution for the benefit of the country. We can’t afford not to talk about it (Gukurahundi).

As leaders we must go out there and promote peace for each other and for our country. This is a topical issue,” said VP Mohadi.State media

By Own Correspondent- Peter Mutasa, the ZCTU president, has lamented the plight of workers adding that workers are now worse off than during the reign of former president Robert Mugabe’s era.

Mutasa said his organisation was organising a mass stayaway and the alleged death threats would not deter them from calling for the stayaway.

In an interview with The Standard, Mutasa said:

“Yes, the situation is now worse than January 2019.

It is also much worse than what we experienced with former president Robert Mugabe in late 2017.

We are currently collating data about some of the issues arising like job losses, non-payment of wages, levels of salaries erosion, pension losses etc.

Workers are the hardest hit because despite earning almost nothing, they still have to continue reporting for work. As a result, many workers are borrowing money for transport and some are walking to work. Due to ill-advised policies, prices of goods and services are pegged in US$, while salaries have remained in valueless RTGs.

This has resulted in a serious disequilibrium that is hurting workers and the poor citizens.

A lot of workers’ families are starving as their salaries are barely sufficient to cater for a oneweek food basket.

Most families are now affording only one decent meal a day.

Schoolchildren are going to school hungry and many without adequate winter clothing.

Workers and their families are dying in homes or in public hospitals because they can no longer afford medical care.

Drugs are expensive and medical aid schemes are now dysfunctional.

A visit to a doctor requires one to borrow a loan for consultation alone because it now costs two or three months’ salary.

Many schoolchildren are dropping out or will do so due to failure by their parents to pay school fees. In short, we have a humanitarian crisis of gigantic proportions.”- TheStandard

Watch video. Job Sikhala addressing a rally in Hopley Harare, When was this? pic.twitter.com/5gF6Q21wSY

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 22, 2019

Watch- "Disconnect Finance ministry and other government offices instead of manufacturing industries" ZESA Told pic.twitter.com/SkzNltEZsN

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 21, 2019

By A Correspondent- A Mwenezi man who claims to be a victim of domestic violence has approached the Mwenezi Civil Court seeking a protection order against his wife whom he claimed to be abusive.

Self-employed electrician Munyaradzi Mungawau pleaded with magistrate Honest Musiiwa to save him from his wife Vonai Mapingire.Mangwau.

Explained his troubles, Mungawau showed the court the scars he claimed were a result of the abuse.

“Your Worship, one day I came back home a bit late after spending some time at my second wife’s place. Though I was a bit drunk, I understood what was happening. She beat and attacked me with a half-brick on my face.

I beg this court to intervene so that my wife does not beat me and we refrain from fighting as has become the norm. I also ask the court to order my wife to return my cell phones and work tools which she forcefully took after the scuffle.”

Responding to the allegations, Mangawau’s wife denied the allegations and said it was her husband who was abusive.

Mapingire claimed it her husband was very abusive and had once assaulted her in public before leaving her for dead.

“I just took his cell phone but I never beat him, he is lying. In fact, he is the one who is very abusive. On that day, he beat me in public and there are many eyewitnesses. I was left severely bleeding and I filed a police report.

When I came back to him for some money for medical treatment, he refused. He beat me and this affected a surgical operation I have on my body.”

Presiding magistrate Musiiwa took his time to counsel the couple and advised them to always observe peace and refrain from fighting.-TellZim

By A Correspondent-  Leadership here is at logger heads over the stewardship of the $610 000 devolution money given to the Chiredzi Rural District Council (RDC).

A report by a local publication said the local authority resolved to construct their new offices while legislators in the district are demanding that the money be channeled towards “people oriented projects”.

A few weeks ago, Chiredzi RDC councillors resolved to use the $610 000 to construct new offices but Members of Parliament Roy Bhila and Farai Musikavanhu have come out guns blazing against council resolutions saying the money should be channeled towards people’s project.

Chiredzi district is one of the biggest and poorest districts in Masvingo Province with poor health facilities, infrastructure and educational facilities and it got a huge chunk of devolution funds owing to the high poverty index.

Chiredzi RDC chairman, Edward Matsilele, said they made consultations over the use of the devolution funds and have shelved the motion of constructing their offices and channel the money towards development projects.

“Considering that we do not have offices as a local authority, we had thought of constructing our offices but through various consultations from stakeholders, we have redirected the funds towards improving our rural health facilities,” said Matsilele.

ZANU PF Secretary for information, Ronald Ndava reprimanded the local authority for failing to realise the importance and use of devolution funds as he called construction of council offices using devolution funds as pagan.

Ndava said devolution funds are aimed at improving lives through upgrading health systems, infrastructure (roads and bridges), irrigation schemes as well as educational facilities.

“Devolution funds should just target life changing projects like irrigation schemes such as Chilonga and Rupangwana.

“The grassroots should feel it, the devolution thrust is not aimed at benefiting local authority but constituencies they serve. Construction of local authority offices using devolution money is nonsensical and rubbish,” said Ndava.

Chiredzi North MP, Roy Bhila said council was not supposed to make resolutions before consulting stakeholders as devolution money was supposed to target life changing projects, which they will identify rather than diverting all the money on the construction of offices.”Devolution funds should devolve to the wards.

We wrote to the council chairman and minister complaining over directing all the devolution chunk to the construction of their offices as if they do not have anywhere to use, the money should cascade to life changing projects in wards, not only my wards but wherever there is need,” said Bhila.TellZim

By A Correspondent- A multi-million dollar mansion in Harare’s plush Glen Lorne suburb believed to belong to Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa has torched a social media storm reviving debate that some church leaders are reaping off their followers for financial gain. 

 Human Rights activist Pedzisayi Ruhanya posted on Twitter a picture of what he said was Makandiwa’s house under construction saying church leaders are swindling congregants through various offerings.

Said Ruhanya:  

“I know you will call me the son of Lucifer, but these Papas of yours are reaping you off in the name of seeding to Papa while constructing multi-million properties. Makandiwa House in Harare’s Glen Lorne under construction,” said Ruhanya. 

Just as he had anticipated attacks from Makandiwa faithfuls, Ruhanya was roasted by some followers for his post. 

Charles Paidamoyo respondent:

“Would you love to share with us his personal businesses before you touch on the Ministry. I am sure the readers will benefit from that knowledge and if his investments cannot build him any house of his choice without a cent from the offerings?”

Another follower Durban Marukutira said:

“Law of natural attraction. If Makandiwa is able to build such a beautiful house out of the proceeds from his flock, then it speaks volumes about his anointing and his flock is prospering under him, hence that house! Same would go to an Oldman who gave birth to Doctors.”

Renowned @EnglandNetball ??????? defender @GevaMentor donates training kit to Zimbabwe ?? after reading coach Lloyd Makunde’s touching story to gather training equipment for the development of netball in Zim.

In pic: Yvonne, Geva’s mum handsover the kit. pic.twitter.com/KKoUHsD4JH

— The Sports Queen (@thesportsqueen) July 21, 2019

Said the Passengers Association of Zimbabwe president Tafadzwa Goliath:

” A Trip Trans bus driver was today crushed to death by his own bus in Mutare.

The driver allegedly authorised his conductor to drive the bus and as he tried to get onto the bus while it was in motion, he missed a step and fell.

His head was crushed by the bus’ back wheels and he died on the spot.”

By Own Correspondent- Zanu Pf Secretary for Finance Patrick Chinamasa was allegedly instrumental in the disbursement of USD$ 3 billion worth of Treasury bonds which disappeared through the Command Agriculture program. 

Professor Jonathan Moyo has urged the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee to investigate Chinamasa accusing him of starting the treasury bills (#TBGate) scam.

Said Moyo:

“Parliament’s public accounts portfolio committee should summon Patrick Chinamasa to account for the looted US$3 billion. It’s him who released the loot as finance minister between December 2017 and  September 2018. It’s also him who started the #TBgate scam!”

On Thursday the Ministry of Lands Finance Director and the Permanent Secretary said they know nothing about finances that were released by the Treasury for Command Agriculture because they are not in control.

They revealed that Command Agric is run by the Office of the President and Cabinet as a sub ministry. 

Chinamasa was the Minister of Finance when the TBs were disbursed. 

Professor Moyo is on record saying the program was diverted from its original intention by self-serving individuals. 

In 2017 Prof Moyo said,

“VP Mnangagwa’s Command Ugly-Culture, disguised as Command Agriculture, is a corruption of a noble objective and is, thus, totally unacceptable! The noble objectives of Command Agriculture, first enunciated by Dr Grace Mugabe, have been corrupted by VP Mnangagwa into an Ugly-Culture!”

Who needs a conflicted PAC full of vested interests when these truths have become self-evident? Over to you @MthuliNcube! pic.twitter.com/AxcRXVwiuP

— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) July 21, 2019

By A Correspondent- Economist Eddie Cross in a flowery article has said the time to panic a little is now.

Writing for The Zimbabwean Eddie narrates the horrors that engulfed the country in 1992. He said he was staying in the Lowveld by that time.

Writes Cross:

“We had a business there and my son was down there living and working. It got so hot that we closed the office at 10 and came back to work when it cooled off a bit. Birds were dying in the trees and falling to the ground. The Ministry of Education closed the schools.”

Eddie then talks about the economy of the country around that time and the operations of the feeding store of the nation the GMB.

“The GMB is not what it was in those days – a well-run organisation with a clean audit record and a reputation for managing stocks that was unparalleled in Africa.

We have just had a disaster of a season – the Official estimate of what maize will be delivered is 350 000 tonnes – 20 per cent of demand. The Official figure for maize in stock is 430 000 tonnes. Not too bad you say. But a snap audit by the Army has revealed that actual stocks are not even half of this quantity and then much of it (most?) is unfit for human consumption.

Eddie then bemoans what was happening a few years ago where the government through GMB was buying a tonne of maize for $390 and then resale it for $240 and labels it corruption. He says the situation is a mess because we could be down to 6 weeks supply of staple food and 28000 tonnes are needed for now. He said the problem is that we have no financial reserves, the GMB has a lousy reputation for payments and is no longer trusted by grain traders.

Lastly, Eddie agrees swift action is needed and if the government doesn’t do anything things will deteriorate.

“Do we have to panic, sure, if we do nothing? This situation calls for swift and decisive action. We first need to understand the extent of our problem – audit the stocks immediately and make the results known to decision makers. But even while we wait for this we need to get maize moving. My solution would be to talk to South Africa and have them release stocks to us from the Transvaal so that our transport distances are not too far. They would then replace the stocks by sea from abroad.

By Own Correspondent- Kenya on their 100% going green by 2020 initiative have launched the biggest power plant on the continent.

The biggest wind power plant in Africa seeks to address Kenya’s electricity generation capacity. The plant to contribute about 310 MW to Kenya’s electricity grid.

The plant will be powered by Turkana corridor wind, a low-level jet stream originating from the Indian Ocean and blows all year round, according to the Kenyan government statement.

Quoting President Uhuru Kenyatta the CNN wrote:Today, we again raised the bar for the continent as we unveil Africa’s single largest wind farm.

Kenya is without doubt on course to be a global leader in renewable energy.Over the last few years, Kenya has invested in clean energy and seek to reach their 100% going green by 2020.-CNN

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is a Robert Greene student who knows how to destroy the reputation of his opponents while building his own a political analyst Fortune Mlalazi has said.

South African based political analyst Fortune Mlalazi was commenting on the recent revelations by President Emmerson Mnangagwa that ailing Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is getting better and can now do exercises on his own.

Said Mlalazi, “What you are seeing is a shrewd political tactician who knows very well that he is under siege from a factional clique aligned to Vice President Chiwenga. He then subtly pokes holes at the enemy by revealing that he is incapacitated from doing anything. If you listen to his statement well when he says the General can do things on his own it means previous he could not and he was a candidate for being relieved of his duties.

“Do not forget that in the past months he used the same tactic when he told the nation that Mugabe is now wheelchair-bound and cannot do anything on his own. That is a way of poking holes at the reputation of the enemy while yours remain intact.”

Commenting on the same matter Journalist Edmund Kudzayi said, “Yesterday President Mnangagwa said VP Chiwenga is recovering in SA and is now able to exercise. Question is why government designated him a leader at a recent cleanup knowing full well he was incapacitated? Clearly a malicious attempt to illustrate that he is unwell and unavailable.”

Chiwenga has been unwell since the bloody  November 2017 coup that ended 37 years of Mugabe’s iron rule.

The coup claimed lives on many individuals including CIO Boss Peter Munetsi.

By Own Correspondent| The family of the late veteran MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirayi is mourning yet another family member barely 6 weeks after the sad passing of Glen view South legislator Vimbayi Tsvangirayi Java and her cousin Tafadzwa Mhundwa.

Susan Tsvangirayi’s mother Mbuya Mhundwa passed on today the MDC Secretary-general and Kuwadzana East MP Chalton Hwende tweeted.

Said the MDC:

Just in :

Gogo Mhundwa mother to our late icon Mai Susan Tsvangirai has passed on a few weeks after we lost Hon Vimbai Tsvangirai

Source @hwendec

— MDC (@MDCAllianceZW) July 21, 2019

Mbuya Mhundwa was mother to Susan Tsvangirai, the first wife to the late MDC icon Morgan Tsvangirai.

The Mhundwa family in 2 months have lost 2 of their own and their niece Vimbayi Tsvangirayi.

VICE-PRESIDENT Kembo Mohadi has said government will soon review traditional leaders allowances because their earnings are meagre given the prevailing economic situation.

Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with Midlands chiefs on Wednesday in Gweru, Mohadi said the traditional leaders had raised concern over their welfare and that government was going to address their grievances.

“During our closed-door meeting, the chiefs raised burning concerns, including that of their welfare,” Mohadi said.

“We must understand that chiefs don’t have much in terms of allowances and we are definitely going to review their allowances.”

Mohadi, however, did not disclose how much the traditional leaders were demanding as an increment.

The demands by chiefs come at a time when government critics have questioned the pampering of chiefs given that government is struggling to meet demands tabled

by civil servants.

On Tuesday, government offered its workers a 50% cushioning allowance for July and salary increment of ZW$116 per individual from August to December.

Workers’ representatives, however, rejected the offer, saying the lowest paid civil servant should earn at least ZWL$4 750.

Last year, chiefs were given brand new Isuzu double-cab vehicles with government promising them more benefits such as land, houses and fuel, among others.

In December last year at the chiefs annual conference in Kadoma, President Emmerson Mnangagwa promised to exempt traditional leaders from paying land tax and

would be given more land and benefit from the command livestock initiative.

Critics, however, say the packages showered on chiefs are a vote-buying gimmick by the ruling Zanu PF party, which uses traditional leaders to coerce rural

voters to vote for the party.

But government maintains that since traditional leaders are custodians of the land, their welfare should be a top priority.

MDC leader Nelson Chamisa will address two high-profile rallies in Lupane East ahead of the parliamentary by-election in the constituency on August 3 where the opposition party will try to wrestle the seat back from Zanu-PF.

The seat fell vacant following the death of Sithembile Gumbo of Zanu-PF in April.

Both Zanu-PF and the MDC have rolled out elaborate campaigns in the constituency in Matabeleland North.

MDC Matabeleland North provincial chairperson Prince Sibanda said members of the party’s standing committee had been deployed in the constituency to drum up support for its candidate Dalumuzi Khumalo.

“I can confirm that Chamisa will be visiting the constituency where he will hold rallies in two wards,” he told Sunday Southern Eye.

“As I speak, I am making final arrangements to book for the two rallies. On Saturday we had rallies in all the 14 wards in the constituency where all members of the national standing committees, who include the vice-presidents, were addressing rallies and preparing ground work for the president.”

Sibanda said the MDC was poised to win back the constituency it lost in 2002 in a by-election following the death of its MP David Mpala.

He said Zanu-PF does not care about the people of Matabeleland North and only shows interest when it needs votes.

He castigated the Zanu-PF government, saying it was taking people from the region for granted.

“Matabeleland people are dehumanised by Zanu-PF as they only get drugs because they lost an MP,” Sibanda said.

“Zanu-PF is only interested in getting votes from the people and does not care about them.

“This time we are prepared for them.”

Sibanda said MDC had also stepped up preparations for by-elections in Bubi’s ward 22 and Nkayi’s ward 23, which will also be held on August 3.

Standard|Descendants of King Lobengula say they want the government to give them back land where the Bulawayo State House was built to restore their heritage.

The King Lobengula Royal Trust wants to turn the area in Sauerstown into a cultural hub that will help preserve Ndebele culture.

Prince Zwide Khumalo said time had come for the government to consider returning the land to its rightful owners.

“The politics of the right to claim ownership of Bulawayo lies in the bitter history of oppression by white colonialists,” he said. “Cecil John Rhodes grabbed

the King’s palace, eMahlabathini, and built his house on that land.

“In our culture no one builds his house on another man’s yard (unxiwa) unless with the express permission of the owner of the land.

“The identity of one’s homestead is anchored on the rituals of establishing the home (isikhonkwane). Cecil John Rhodes did not know or care to observe the

Ndebele culture when he aggressively grabbed and occupied our land.

“In fact, there is no history record that indicates that isikhonkwane for our palace was ever removed.”

Khumalo said the area where the State House was built used to be King Lobengula’s palace.

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa says Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga was recovering in South Africa after being airlifted there for urgent treatment due to a persistent illness that has dogged him for several months now.

Addressing a Zanu PF women’s league national assembly meeting in Harare, Mnangagwa said Chiwenga fell sick weeks after his return from treatment in India in May and had to seek medical assistance in South Africa.

“Our Vice-President Cde Chiwenga is not well. He went to India for medical check-up and stayed there for a while. He returned home and reported for duty for some days, but he fell ill again and we had to send him to South Africa,” Mnangagwa said.

“He was very ill, but I am glad to let you know that he has improved in the past days. I talk to him almost on a daily basis and as when he is free. I am happy to know that he is now doing exercises on his own.”

The VP has been in and out of hospital in recent months and has visited India at least twice this year for medical attention. Informed government sources said Chiwenga was consulting oesophageal surgeons.

He was believed to have had difficulties eating and this was blamed for his dramatic weight loss.

Government spin doctors back then indicated that Chiwenga had gone to India for a minor surgery coupled with routine medical check-ups, but did not disclose his ailment.

Speculation was rife that the November 2017 coup architect was on his “death bed”.

Chiwenga has, for the duration of his illness, been billed to officiate at various government events, including yesterday where he was expected to make an address at the Zanu PF women’s assembly meeting together with his counterpart Kembo Mohadi and party chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri.

Yesterday, Mohadi and Muchinguri-Kashiri were absent, but Mnangagwa did not disclose to party supporters their whereabouts.-Newsday

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Jane Mlambo| Zimbabwe’s stinking corrupt dealings involving a Chinese contractor Sino Hydro has been exposed amid revelations that Zambia got a better deal at half the figure paid by Zimbabwe to get a paltry 150MW of power supply onto the national grid.

In two separate reports below, President Emmerson Mnangagwa commissioned 150 MW Kariba Hydroelectric Power Station expansion constructed by Sinohydro at a cost of USD$533 million while our nothern neighbors commissioned a 360MW plant built at a cost of USD$278 Million.

This lays bare the fact that the country’s current power challenges are a creation of a corrupt click within government who have also been accused of scuttling Econet Wireless Founder Strive Masiyiwa’s US250 Million proposed project that was going to add about 500MW onto the national grid.

With such a revelation, isn’t it time to revisit Zimbabwe’s projects against inflation of figures and corruption?

ZIM 16 – 20 ZIMBABWE pic.twitter.com/tdRWPGLMCP

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 21, 2019

We will engage and re-engage. It will work. Simple pic.twitter.com/aF4uy4r13M

— Nick Mangwana (@nickmangwana) July 21, 2019

As you continue to suffer, your representatives in parliament and government are preparing to receive brand new cars. Is this what you vote them in to office for? To live large in the face of crisis? #ThinkingVote #RehabilitateZimbabwe

— APA Zimbabwe (@APAZimbabwe) July 20, 2019