MDC deputy president and former Finance minister Tendai Biti told a party rally recently that Mnangagwa could have blown in excess of US$200 million in travelling expenses since coming into power in November 2017.

But Mnangagwa yesterday told the Zanu PF women league that his never-ending trips were good for Zimbabwe.

“The media is busy saying I travel a lot. But look (at) what I bring. On Monday or so, we shall be receiving more medicines from the Arabs. They are giving us

for free,” the President said yesterday.

According to flightware.com, the luxury Royal Jet A6-RJX left Abu Dhabi at 0930hrs on Tuesday and arrived at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare at 1420hrs.

It then left Harare for Victoria Falls on Thursday before departing the resort town on the same day at 1340hrs and arrived in Harare at 1643hrs.

Royal Jet, according to their website, offers luxury executive flight services and can provide their customers VIP treatment when necessary and can charter anyMore in Home

private jet anywhere in the world through their 24/7 charter brokerage service.

NewsDay Weekender understands that it costs between US$10 000 and US$30 000 per hour to fly the luxury jet.

From July 6 this month, the luxury jet has flown the President from Harare to Niger and Benin, and back before returning to its base in Abu Dhabi more than seven times, cloaking nearly US$1 million.

The country is currently facing massive electricity load-shedding lasting for as long as 18 hours a day, while most public hospitals are failing to dispense critical drugs, which many could not afford in pharmacies. Motorists are also spending days in fuel queues across the country.

Although Finance minister Mthuli Ncube has defended Mnangagwa’s frequent international trips, saying he had to travel to countries like China because deals could not be sealed over the phone, it is not clear whether such huge costs were necessary for local travel.

MDC secretary for international relations Gladys Hlatywayo said: “The extravagance displayed by Zanu PF in a sea of poverty, suffering and economic distress is deeply disconcerting. A thorough investigation must be made into these trips, something is just not adding up and there could be more than meets the eye! I fail to understand why Zanu PF would put in so much resources in traveling and get next to no returns for such an investment.”

-Newsday

SAD ANNOUNCEMENT

We are very sad to announce the untimely death of Enock Ngandi, the son of MDC Derby-Nottingham Branch Secretary Mr Temba Ngandi here in the United Kingdom.

Enock was only a young man in his early 20s. A bright shining light taken away too soon, our thoughts and prayers are with the Ngandi family.

To those who wish to help the Ngandi family financially through this hard time, the following are Mr Temba Ngandi’s Bank and contact details:
T. Ngandi
Sort Code – 521035
A/C Number – 14514397

Mobile Number +447411495111

For those wishing to pay their respects and comfort the Ngandi family, mourners are gathered at:
21 Birchfield Road
Burton on Trent
DE15 9PT

Funeral plans will be confirmed as soon as all arrangements are completed.

Shelton Nhamoinesu
MDC Midlands North District Sec for Information and Publicity

Zim Netball players not a penny of allowances paid since arriving in UK, and last week she refused to buy them Asics shoes, needed for the slippery surface…on Friday evening, we confront their President Leticia Chipandu over this. pic.twitter.com/5AhInpZHKb

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 19, 2019

"Recommendations made by the Motlanthe Commission are also being dealt with by the Cabinet Committee on Reform. Not a single recommendation has been discarded or ignored. There is a time bound action plan matrix against each recommendation..'' https://t.co/MaIL35mIca

— Nick Mangwana (@nickmangwana) July 20, 2019

By A Correspondent- The Grain Millers of Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) has so far procured food worthy $1 million to assist 10 schools that were affected by Cyclone Idai as part of its feeding programme.

Said GMAZ Chair Tafadzwa Musarara:

“The issue of transparency is very critical in this food aid programme. If there is transparency, this programme will go a very long way in feeding children affected by the cyclone.

We were deeply affected with the disaster. We never anticipated it. We asked for 10 schools for a start, but it’s not us who chose them.”

Local Government minister July Moyo and his Primary and Secondary Education counterpart, Paul Mavima, who helped identify schools to assist with food.

“We are not just providing food, but we are providing food that has nutritional requirements. In the morning, pupils will be given porridge and at around 10am, they will be given maheu, while at lunch they will get sadza and soya beans,” he said

Hangani Primary School headmaster Lovemore Timbira said the feeding project would go a long way in ending hunger at schools affected by the cyclone. “This is a good project and we are happy as school heads in Chimanimami, as we hope attendance will improve considerably,” he said.-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- Vice President Kembo Mohadi says talking about Gukurahundi openly is going to assist in healing broken wounds and finding a lasting solution for the country to prosper.

He said peace has been and remains a permanent ideal and aspiration as well as a right and duty for Zimbabweans.

VP Mohadi said this recently as he met chiefs from the Midlands Province.

He said:

“We had Gukurahundi; it happened here in the Midlands and Matabeleland provinces. We can only talk about it because there is the 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.

I am very pleased to be here in the Midlands to have dialogue with you our traditional leaders from this province ye Nkabazwe, Rukuvhute, the navel of Zimbabwe, on peace building and conflict resolution in our beloved country, Zimbabwe.

The navel has some significance in our culture, kulemkuba yokulahla inkaba yomntwana. There are some rituals of disposing of the navel of a baby.”-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said that the government will soon amend the constitution to extend the provision which provides for the reservation of 60 seats for women. The provision is yet to expire in 2023.

The president was addressing the Zanu-PF Women’s League National Assembly meeting yesterday. He said that amending the Constitution would not be difficult since the ZANU PF had the majority in Parliament.

He said:

“In my meeting earlier on with your leadership, they raised a long standing grievance that of 50:50. Men also said I should not forget that women came from men’s rib. I said it is true because that is contained in the Bible, but I said women are 52 percent compared to man’s 48 percent, but they are prepared for a compromise of 50:50 percent.

In our Constitution as well, we agreed that for 10 years, women enjoy women’s quota. We thought that in those 10 years we would have achieved 50:50, but we did not, so their request is that the provision be extended. Men have not opposed the proposal.

So we can amend the Constitution to accommodate the concerns of women, as Zanu-PF we have two thirds majority (in Parliament) so it should not be a problem. But for the 50:50 principle to be implemented in the private sector it is problematic because Government has no equity in those firms. So we will commence a process to amend the Constitution.”-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent| President Emmerson Mnangagwa has justified his frequent international trips claiming that his trips are yielding positive results.

Mnangagwa has been criticised for his globetrotting behaviour which some quarters of society have likened to that of his predecessor, Robert Mugabe.

Mnangagwa has come under fire particularly for hiring luxurious planes “when the country’s economy is at its knees”.

Addressing the ZANU PF’s Women’s League Friday, Mnangagwa defended his travels saying they had unlocked doors for partnership.

He said:

“The media is busy saying I travel a lot. But look (at) what I bring. On Monday or so, we shall be receiving more medicines from the Arabs. They are giving us for free.”

The luxurious jet Mnangagwa has been hiring, the luxury Royal Jet A6-RJX, is believed to cost between US$10 000 and US$30 000 per hour.

News Day observes that the president has since July the 6th this year travelled more than seven times. This brings the total expenses to about US$1 million.

Some analysts have argued that the president could save the money and invest in other bleeding sectors.

The opposition MDC which is not amused has called for investigations into the trips.

MDC secretary for international relations, Gladys Hlatywayo, said that it boggles the mind to think that it is actually happening considering the state of the economy.

She said:

“A thorough investigation must be made into these trips, something is just not adding up and there could be more than meets the eye!”-Newsday

Zanu-PF Secretary for the Women’s League, Mabel Chinomona, says women in the party are solidly behind the decision by the Youth League to call for the investigation of individuals named for alleged corruption.

Addressing a Zanu-PF Women’s League National Assembly meeting at the party headquarters, Chinomona said the women are happy that the people were exposed and they must now be fully investigated.

“As women, we support what the youth did. We know other people who were named are complaining. That is why there should be an investigation, as a result there is nothing for them to worry about. We would also want to commend you President for the decision to constitute a commission of inquiry into the allegations,” said Chinomona, who is also Senate president.

She said the Zanu-PF Women’s League was behind the President and wants him to represent the party as its Presidential candidate in 2023.

“We have agreed as the Women’s League that we will stand by President Mnangagwa.

“We have noted that there might be misguided elements, but they will not distract us; we are fully behind you,” she said.

Chinomona added that President Mnangagwa’s great work was manifesting itself through the support from rural women, who threw their weight behind him.

In an obvious move to spruce up First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa, the system has through her Angel of Hope Foundation, is mobilising resources to rebuild St Luke’s Hospital in Matabeleland North Province which was gutted by fire.

The Roman Catholic hospital, situated at Kenmaur in Lupane District, is the only referral hospital in Matabeleland North.

The inferno brought hospital operations to a halt as $250 000 worth of property comprising equipment, medicines and records were reduced to ashes.

Angel of Hope Foundation, in partnership with Matter Foundation of United States and Love for Africa from Victoria Falls, have so far mobilised $250 000 to re-equip the hospital after construction has been done, the foundation’s board chair Mrs Chipo Mtasa, has said.

She was speaking at handover of an innovation hub initiated by the three organisations at Victoria Falls Primary School on Wednesday.

“Angel of Hope Foundation has always worked at health centres to assist mostly on cancer, nutrition and equipment mobilisation projects,” she said. “After the sad tragedy that struck St Luke’s, Angel of Hope Foundation reached out to partners and Matter Foundation has come in to bring medical equipment worth $250 000.”

Mrs Mtasa said efforts are underway to identify other partners to help rebuild the hospital.

The foundation does humanitarian projects countrywide.

Mrs Mtasa said Angel of Hope Foundation came up with a three-year framework where they are targeting a number of hospitals in the country in every province, catering for the needs and challenges they face.

After initiating a nutritional garden which the First Lady commissioned at Victoria Falls Hospital on Wednesday, her foundation has set sights on United Bulawayo Hospitals and Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals as the next port of call for starting similar projects. One of Love for Africa directors Mr Blessing Munyenyiwa told the Wednesday gathering that he alerted Matter Foundation about the St Luke’s inferno and proposed that something had to be done.

Matter Foundation president Mr Quenton Marty said his organisation did not directly do construction work, hence the choice of donating hospital equipment rather than engaging in the actual rebuilding of the institution.

“We are excited about the partnership we have in Zimbabwe and we intend to assist St Luke’s Hospital which was destroyed by fire,” he said. “We will bring $250 000 worth of medical equipment once construction is completed to get the hospital functioning again.”

State Media|Government will soon amend the Constitution to extend the provision which reserves 60 seats for women following the pending expiry of the subsistence of the 10-year legal framework in 2023, President Mnangagwa has said.

Addressing Zanu-PF Women’s League National Assembly meeting yesterday, President Mnangagwa said he was in agreement with a proposal from women to have the constitutional provision extended since attainment of the 50:50 had not yet been realised.

He said making such amendments would not be a challenge given that Zanu-PF commanded a two-thirds majority in Parliament.

“In my meeting earlier on with your leadership, they raised a long standing grievance that of 50:50. Men also said I should not forget that women came from men’s rib. I said it is true because that is contained in the Bible, but I said women are 52 percent compared to man’s 48 percent, but they are prepared for a compromise of 50:50 percent,” said President Mnangagwa.

“In our Constitution as well, we agreed that for 10 years, women enjoy women’s quota. We thought that in those 10 years we would have achieved 50:50, but we did not, so their request is that the provision be extended. Men have not opposed the proposal. So we can amend the Constitution to accommodate the concerns of women, as Zanu-PF we have two thirds majority (in Parliament) so it should not be a problem. But for the 50:50 principle to be implemented in the private sector it is problematic because Government has no equity in those firms. So we will commence a process to amend the Constitution.”

Turning to corruption, President Mnangagwa slammed the previous Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission led by Mr Job Hwabira for being ineffective

“The Commission that was there led by Hwabira, had no teeth. If they detect corruption they would look up to other institutions to have the culprit arrested. With respect to this one I gave it the necessary teeth. The Commission we recently constituted, it has nine commissioners headed by a woman. She is a no nonsense,” said the President.

Responding to a request from the Women’s League to have women candidates represent the party in the forthcoming by-elections, President Mnangagwa said women had not been forthcoming in terms of expressing interest in the said constituencies despite the fact that the constituencies fell vacant following death of another woman.More in Home

Vacant constituencies include Glen View South in Harare, Lupane East in Matabeleland North Province and Mangwe constituency in Matabeleland South province.

In Lupane East, the seat fell vacant early this year after the death of Sithembile Gumbo (Zanu-PF) while Glen View South was declared vacant when Mrs Vimbai Tsvangirai-Java (MDC-Alliance) passed on.

He, however, commended the Women’s League saying it was the pillar of the revolutionary party.

President Mnangagwa said Government would increase the number of buses in rural areas when he commissions other buses that were imported recently.

Turning to the economy, President Mnangagwa said Government remain committed to have it resuscitated.

“Our economy had fallen in a big way. For us to return to the global economy we are obliged to make economic reforms and modernise our industry so that we become competitive, if we want to be competitive in the world economy and even in the regional economy we felt we have to liberalise our economy, and rationalise indigenisation laws, have our own currency. Even small countries have their currencies. The austerity measures that we are making from a collapsed economy to a functioning economy, we need to have safety nets to cushion our people because incomes had been eroded by the austerity measures which we must walk through,” said President Mnangagwa.

He called for peace and unity among party members.

“It is that philosophy of Zanu-PF that have made me to create a political dialogue. We believe in it. Not only political parties have come to the table of peace, but I am happy that Zanu-PF is at a table of peace,” he said.

“However, despite our doctrine of peace you will still see individuals that are divisive in the party. We should be alert to such comrades in the party who are divisive. We do not chuck them out, but we must point out to them that unity gives strength to the party. Our revolutionary party is so strong that one individual person should not ever think that without him the party will fall,” said President Mnangagwa.

He said Government will support businesses that are aimed at enhancing lives of people.

“You must always think big, do not think small, plan big nothing is impossible, my administration will support you,” he said.

He said his engagement with development partners in various countries had borne fruit despite criticism from some sections of the media.

Zim Netball players not a penny of allowances paid since arriving in UK, and last week she refused to buy them Asics shoes, needed for the slippery surface…on Friday evening, we confront their President Leticia Chipandu over this. pic.twitter.com/5AhInpZHKb

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 19, 2019

In the leaked audio which is just over 8 minutes long, the First Lady launched a verbal attack on Colonel Samson Murumbo, the Commander of the 1 Presidential Guard Infantry Battalion for allegedly spying on her and plotting against President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Following the release of a leaked audio in which the First Lady, Auxillia Mnangagwa vented her fury at a senior army commander she is now reported to have apologised and resolved the issue with the Army.

Local publication Daily News now reports that the phone call was actually 42 minutes in total and took place on June 26 after she went to Bulawayo to visit the widows of the late Dumiso Dabenga and Canaan Sodindo Banana.

The publication goes on to say that the first lady later apologised after the matter was escalated by Murombo to higher offices.

Part of the report reads,

…after suffering a dressing down on the telephone at the hands of the acerbic Auxillia, a shaken Murombo escalated the issue to Brigadier-General Fidelis Mhonda, who took over as head of the Presidential Guard from Anselem Nhamo Sanyatwe during the May top army brass reshuffle.

Mhonda reportedly presented the abridged recording to Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) commander lieutenant-general Edzai Chimonyo, who approached the commander of the Defence Forces Philip Valerio Sibanda, who later on engaged President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

A meeting of the top security bosses reportedly discussed the issue and resolved that the matter was a storm in a teacup. The first lady, confronted over the bust-up, reportedly apologised.

Contrary to pervasive speculation that the officers have since been relieved of their duties or transferred, the Daily News can report that the officers, who are stationed at the Presidential Battalion 1.1 which is next door to the State House, are still in their postings and free from harm or any danger.

ED jokes about marriage as pics of his alleged MSU mistress goes viral

ED jokes about marriage as pics of his alleged MSU mistress goes viral. President Mnangagwa was meeting executives of Russian mining firm, Alrosa, and the state-owned Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC), for the signing of a partnership to mine diamonds in eastern Zimbabwe.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa threw a joke on marriage ironically on the same day the media revealed that his marriage to First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa is on the rocks…

10pm UPDATE – Netball Team still penniless despite Kirsty Coventry office's promise last night that "there is a bag that has been sent from the embassy in London." The promise was made by Deputy Minister Yeukai Simbanegavi at a presser last night. pic.twitter.com/XfIszAcmGB

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 19, 2019

President Emmerson Mnangagwa said that his deputy, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is recovering well from a South African hospital where he is receiving medical treatment.

President Mnangagwa made the revelation while addressing a Zanu PF Women’s League National Assembly meeting at the party headquarters on Friday.

He added that the indisposed former army commander was now able to do physical exercises on his own, an indication that he was on the road to recovery.-StateMedia

The President told party officials that he is in constant touch with VP Chiwenga and was buoyant that his number 2 is on the mend.

Do these ediots care about the impact of their crap on Jackie's family? Not everyone is a mgodoyi like their gukurahundist boss whose murderous & immoral reputation is now well documented. If the varakashi continue with this crap, new V11s on their murderous boss will come out!

— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) July 19, 2019

By A Correspondent| Professor Jonathan Moyo has published documents that reveal that the Central Intelligence Organisation and the Zimbabwe Republic Police benefited from the ZIMDEF money that he is alleged to have abused during his tenure as Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education. 

Said Moyo, “Owen Mudha Ncube, the CIO minister, and Isaac Moyo, the CIO Director General, are using the CIO mouthpiece, the Harare Post and Mnangagwa’s varakashi to do Rhodie-style dirty tricks perfected by Gukurahundists. On the ZimDef case, the CIO and ZRP in Tsholotsho also benefited!”

Moyo said the fact that the bicycles donated to chiefs were being scrutinised shows that there is a targeted onslaught against the community of Tsholotsho.

“The fact that bicycles and motorcycles for traditional leaders are demonised; while there’s total silence about computers given, under the same Initiative, to the CIO, ZRP, secondary schools and other government depts demonstrates hatred of a community!

“Directed by Owen Mudha Ncube and Isaac Moyo the Harare Post, the CIO publication, continues to peddle Goodson Nguni’s lie that the ZimDef case involved USD400K. Utter garbage. The Tsholotsho Initiative cost USD84K, approved in terms of the ZimDef Act!”

Government has said it is considering lowering the income tax structure to stimulate demand for goods and services by reducing the Value Added Tax (VAT) and Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax heads.

Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube, this week said the two tax heads were under consideration for downward adjustments.

He, however, emphasised that the Intermediate Money Transfer Tax (commonly referred to as the 2 percent tax), which was introduced last October is here to stay as it had clogged significant revenue leakages with regards to the taxation of corporates.

Indications from the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) — the main source of funding for the Government budget — are that out of around 300 000 registered tax payers, a mere 25 percent are compliant to their tax obligations.

This meant that the tax burden was weighing heavy on a few compliant companies and individuals.

“We introduced it (the 2 percent tax) because we had a gap to fill, and now it’s closed. Big companies in particular were not remitting all the VAT and all the PAYE tax that they collected from customers and employees.

“They were keeping it, to a point where right now they are still holding about $3,5 billion, it’s now higher with penalties reaching around $5 billion, so that was another gap,” said Minister Ncube.

He added that the significant tax leakages had compromised the country’s fiscus leading the previous Government to increase borrowings.

“And what happened was that in the previous dispensation, the Government started borrowing from the Reserve Bank to fill that hole because there was no money coming in from the taxpayers. $3 billion was borrowed, so we had a huge Government expenditure and there was this gap with the central bank, so we are still closing a few holes, things will stabilise and then eventually we will lower it.

“But at the same time we are reviewing as Treasury whether we can consider lowering other taxes other than this one (the 2 percent tax) because the advantage of the 2 percent tax is that it has 100 percent compliance. But things like VAT, even the PAYE we will look into those to see whether we can tweak and reduce these.

“But one thing we can do, for sure, in the next two weeks is to increase the threshold for income tax, at the moment its $350 per person, we are going to raise that, we are still fine-tuning the figures.”

Official figures show that in 2018 gross collections for VAT on Local Sales amounted to US$1,15 billion against a target of US$959 million.

VAT in Zimbabwe is charged at a standard rate of 15 percent.

PAYE falls under the ‘individual tax’ head, whose total collections amounted to US$860,41 million last year.  For 2018, that revenue head was the second highest contributor accounting for 17 percent of total revenue collections.

With regards to PAYE, the tax-free threshold for individual taxpayers currently stands at $300, while the rate of tax for individual taxpayers who earns remuneration of above $20 001,00 per month was set at 50 percent in 2014.

A tax reduction is likely to welcomes in several quarters as some observers perceive Zimbabwe’s taxation system to be on the high end. The tax burden is measured by taking the total tax revenues received as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP).

In respect of the tax revenue as a percent of GDP indicator, the World Bank provides data for Zimbabwe from 2009 to 2017.

And the average value for Zimbabwe during that period was 16,08 percent with a minimum of 9,2 percent in 2009 and a maximum of 18,06 percent in 2015.

Analysts contend that a lower income tax structure can act as an effective economic growth stimulant for the country insofar as it functions to drive up consumption demand in the economy.

They say the multiplier effect of a lower income tax rate on other taxes in the economy can be significant, for instance, low corporate tax is said to boost after-tax returns on investment thus encouraging more investment.

Marriages Bill as Gazetted.
Section 40 Civil partnerships
(1) A relationship between a man and a woman who—
(a) are both over the age of eighteen years; and
(b) have lived together without legally being married to each other; and
(c) are not within the degrees of affinity or consanguinity as provided in section 7; and
(d) having regard to all the circumstances of their relationship, have a relationship as a couple living together on a genuine domestic basis;
shall be regarded as being in a civil partnership for the purposes of determining the rights and obligations of the parties on dissolution of the relationship and, for this
purpose, sections 7 to 11 of the Matrimonial Causes Act [Chapter 5:13] shall mutatis mutandis apply on the dissolution of any such relationship.
(2) The circumstances referred to in paragraph (d) may include—
(a) the duration of the relationship;
(b) the nature and extent of their common residence;
(c) whether a sexual relationship exists;
(d) the degree of financial dependence or interdependence, and any
arrangements for financial support, between them;
(e) the ownership, use and acquisition of their property;
(f) the degree of mutual commitment to a shared life;
(g) the care and support of children;
(h) the reputation and public aspects of the relationship.
(3) No particular factor in relation to any circumstance may be regarded as necessary in determining whether or not the persons concerned have a civil partnership.
(4) A court determining whether a civil partnership exists is entitled to have regard to such matters and to attach such weight to any matter, as may seem appropriate to the court in the circumstances of the case.
(5) A civil partnership exists notwithstanding that one or both of the persons are legally married to someone else or are in another civil partnership.

Ministry of Information Permanent Secretary Nick Mangwana has requested Zimbabweans to assist in the identification of a road that should be named after the President of the country Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Writing on micro-blogging site Twitter Mangwana said, “Of course a sitting President(and former ) is the only living person who should have a road named after them. If we were to name a road after HE President Mnangagwa, which road would that be, and why? Which other deceased luminaries are still to be immortalised this way?”

Of course a sitting President(and former ?) is the only living person who should have a road named after them. If we were to name a road after HE President @edmnangagwa, which road would that be, and why? Which other deceased luminaries are still to be immortalised this way? pic.twitter.com/TXeW00g81u

— Nick Mangwana (@nickmangwana) July 18, 2019

The request invited lots of backlash from Twitter users who questioned whether it was a priority of the government to rename roads instead of constructing new ones.

“Nick this level of pettiness is astonishing, naming of roads will not bring bread to the citizen’s tables. Put your priorities right at the moment service delivery should be a priority subject. you and the government don’t take people seriously.”One Twitter user said.

Other users asked why the government wanted to rename existing roads created during the colonial era instead of constructing new ones.

Independent|Zimbabwe’s economy could grind to a halt if power outages gripping the nation persist as production plunges, exports decline, companies lay off staff and disposable incomes shrink, after it emerged that manufacturing companies are going for up to 18 hours without electricity.

Industry, already operating at half its installed capacity and reeling from low efficiencies associated with antiquated equipment and low production, is becoming even less competitive.

Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions president Peter Mutasa said workers are facing the threat of job losses as a result of power outages. “It is a real crisis. Many workers are facing job losses,” Mutasa told the Zimbabwe Independent last night. “Many workers are being forced to go on unpaid forced leave because there is nothing for them to do as a result of the power cuts. We are going to see widespread job losses unless the situation is mitigated.”

Although the introduction of a new currency that is relatively weak against the US dollar had given manufacturers an incentive to look for new export markets, the power blackouts are shrinking exports and worsen the forex crunch.

Apart from this, companies are incurring losses running into millions of dollars with some firms on the brink of closure in stark contrast to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s mantra that the country is open for business.

Foreign currency shortages, recurrent breakdown of aged equipment, debt and severe reduction of water levels at Kariba Power Station have contributed to the energy crisis in the past couple of months.

Zimbabwe imports electricity from neighbouring Mozambique and South Africa. Owing to an acute foreign exchange shortage, the country has failed to retire debts to South African power utility Eskom and Mozambican power entity Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa.

Zesa Holdings’ failure to honour its obligations to the foreign suppliers has occasioned the drastic power cuts.

Eskom cut the power it sells to Zimbabwe from 450 megawatts to a mere 50 megawatts. Government recently paid US$10 million to Eskom to help facilitate talks for power supply to be restored.

Zimbabwe was producing 917 megawatts of power as of yesterday against a capacity of 1 800 megawatts.

Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) president Henry Ruzvidzo said the power cuts have crippled industry and are a major threat to its ability to export.

“The power cuts have affected business severely. The loss of revenue runs into millions,” Ruzvidzo said. “In some cases export orders are under threat due to lack of performance. The situation calls for urgent solutions before irreparable damage occurs to our fledgling industries. Discussions with Zesa and the Ministry of Energy are in progress to find both short and long-term solutions.”

Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers president Denford Mutashu painted a grim picture of the state of the retail sector as a result of the power cuts.

“The power outages are ravaging the sector. The impact has been so drastic especially for those retail outlets operating outside the central business district,” Mutashu said.

“Some retail outlets have generators but are struggling to find fuel. You cannot have a situation where both fuel and power are not available. This has affected machinery as well as the till points.”

Mutashu pointed out that some shops have closed their bakery and delicatessen departments as a result of the power outages. He revealed that shops have also reduced the purchase of perishables such as milk and cold meats for fear of incurring further losses.

“Retail outlets are incurring huge losses such that some are sending workers home until the situation improves as they come to work to just sit and do nothing,” Mutashu said. “We are now bearing the brunt of the corruption at Zesa and government’s failure to invest in alternative energy.”

Mutashu said they are still quantifying the total losses caused by the load shedding but said the losses would run into millions of dollars. He said negotiations with Zesa over the issue have not been helpful as they have not resulted in the immediate end of power cuts.

Employers Confederation of Zimbabwe acting president Israel Murefu said the power blackouts have had an adverse impact on business.

“The power outages have had a devastating effect on business. You get power at 10 in the evening and it goes around 4 in the morning, meaning we have to use generators but generators are supposed to be for emergencies and not for everyday use. It is not sustainable by any means,” Murefu said. “If a company was operating at 40% capacity before the power cuts, can you imagine at what capacity it is operating at now. We have noted that companies have reduced their head count and are operating well below capacity.”

Companies such as Waverley Blankets based in Graniteside are contemplating closure.

“There is no light at the end of the tunnel. We have been severely affected as a sector, and it (Zesa load-shedding) has affected our operations,” Waverley Blankets administration manager Doreen Eeson said.

“We are likely to be forced to close our doors.”

A printing company in the Graniteside industrial area in Harare has decided to shut shop until the electricity situation improves putting the jobs of more than 70 workers at risk.

“We cannot operate under these conditions. I cannot ask staff to start work at 10pm and finish at 4am when electricity is available,” the printing company owner said. “I cannot run a generator the whole day at a cost of 20 litres per day and service charges of ZW$4 300. It is just impossible, so we will have to close and wait until electricity is restored to an extent of allowing us to operate normally.”

He said it is not only the monetary loss but also the social implications of the power blackouts.

“The actual loss cannot be quantified just in monetary terms. I have two pregnant senior employees. How do I put a value on them failing to pay maternity fees?” he said.

Industry deputy minister Raj Modi came face-to-face with the impact of power cuts at cooking oil manufacturer, Surface Wilmar.

Ordinarily, the company produces 8 000 tonnes of cooking oil per month, but company executives told Modi this week during a tour of the company’s plant that output had slumped to 1 500 tonnes.

“There is no production. As you went through the factory, did you see workers there? Did you see the factory running? For the last 16 to 17 days, there has

been no production here,” Surface Wilmar executive chairperson Narottan Somani said during the tour.

Some companies are spending up to ZW$100 000 monthly on diesel for generators as the crisis worsens.

The farming sector has not been spared the impact of load shedding.

“We have not done a full analysis of this situation but I can confirm that there are heavy losses in the wheat sector which are being caused by these prolonged power cuts,” Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union executive director Paul Zakaria revealed.

“We had a meeting with our provincial and district officers and the situation on the ground is that farmers that rely on irrigation are really suffering due to persistent power outages and this is seriously decreasing production.”

The mining sector has also borne the brunt of the nationwide power deficit with production statistics for the first four months of 2019 showing that all key minerals recorded output declines of not less than 10% compared to the same period in 2018 due to power outages. Mining companies have bemoaned the power cuts, which have resulted in them going between four to seven days without power. This has increased the use of generators.

“The use of diesel generators, which are expensive to run, has led to an increase in the cost of production impacting negatively on the viability of the mining industry. The immediate implication of this is a decline in foreign exchange earnings from the mining industry and, if the situation is not resolved, we will witness some marginal mines closing their operations in the next few months,” immediate past president of the Chamber of Mines and Bindura Nickel Corporation managing director Batirai Manhando told the Zimbabwe Independent in a recent interview.

As a result of the dire state of affairs, the government has directed that the mining sector and hotels in Victoria Falls pay their Zesa bills in foreign currency despite phasing out the multi-currency regime last month through Statutory Instrument 142 of 2019.

Economist Prosper Chitambara said the current power outages will deter investment which the country desperately needs.

“The power outages are an increase on cost of doing business. Most businesses are relying on using generators which is expensive. There has been a significant reduction in production,” Chitambara said, “Investment prospects have been affected. Energy is attractive to investors. If there is no energy, who would want to invest?”

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has revealed that his deputy Constantino Chiwenga, who has been away from spotlight in months, is recovering in a South African hospital.

Addressing his Zanu-PF party’s  women’s leagues in Harare on Friday,  Mnangagwa for the first time gave away the gravity of Chiwenga’s illness saying his deputy had started doing light exercises.

“Vice President Chiwenga is in South Africa receivi g treatment and I’m happy to say that he is recovering and has started doing light exercises on his own,” said Mnangagwa.

Chiwenga has in recent months been in and out of hospital over an undisclosed ailment that has seen him travel to India and South Africa.

There has been speculation around Chiwenga’s health close sources saying the former army General could be suffering from a liver related illness.

• TIMELINE MARKER 2:00 to 5:00

VIDEO LOADING BELOW

NETBALL CRISIS: As the Netball team's allowances remained unpaid at 5pm, this is the CIO who pushed Simba Chikanza away trying to block interviews of Netball President Leticia Chipandu who must answer for the Gem's welfare cause pic.twitter.com/8eB7tY4I8L

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 19, 2019

ZANU-PF Matabeleland South Province has selected the widow of the late Mangwe MP, Obedingwa Mguni, Hlalani Mguni to represent the party in the upcoming by-election in the constituency.

The Nomination Court will sit on July 26 while the by-election will take place on September 7.

Mguni beat four other candidates that had submitted their applications for the post that was previously held by her husband who died last month at West End Clinic in Harare after a short illness.

Speaking in an interview after a Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting held yesterday, Zanu-PF Matabeleland South Chairman, Rabelani Choeni said the committee had deliberated and unanimously agreed that Mrs Mguni was the suitable candidate to represent the party.

“We had an emergency PCC meeting following the death of Obedingwa Mguni who was the MP for Mangwe Constituency.

A proclamation was made for us to select someone who will go to the nomination court and then represent us in the by election.

“We had five candidates namely Hlalani Madlala, Sindisiwe Nleya, Priscilla Moyo, Sikhalaza Ndlovu and Jabulani Edward Dube.

We went through their CVs and realised that three of them didn’t meet the necessary requirements which left us with two candidates Mrs Nleya and Mrs Mguni.

“We then discussed and came to a conclusion as the PCC that Mrs Mguni was the appropriate person to represent us in the by election,” he said.

Choeni said Nleya is currently Mangwe Rural District Council Chairperson and the committee concluded that this would interfere with her new role if selected.

He said the party was confident that Mguni would represent it well and ensure that Zanu-PF retains Mangwe Constituency seat.

“We will not be holding primaries as we have selected one candidate. From here we will wait for the nomination court and from there we move to the ground and campaign vigorously so that we retain the Mangwe seat.

“We have confidence in Mrs Madlala (Mguni) as she has been working closely with her late husband in the constituency as he was initiating development in the area.

“However, our success in retaining the seat doesn’t depend on her only but we will support her fully. In order for us to win we have to work tirelessly and that’s what we will do,” he said.

Also speaking in an interview after the meeting, Mguni expressed her gratitude to the party for entrusting her with such an important task.
She said she was committed to bringing development to the constituency just as her husband had done.

Zimbabwe will soon be run by War Lords who will drive the country to the level where Somalia is, political analysts have said.

South Africa based political analyst Fortune Mlalazi said the leaked audio between Auxilia Mnangagwa and Presidential Guard Commander Murombo clearly showed that the country was descending into a banana republic which is run by war lords instead of elected officials.

“If you listen analytically to the audio that was leaked by the army recently you will understand that you have a powerful clique of armed officials who are running politicians which is clearly against the constitution of the country which says they must be subservient to the civilian government. “Mlalazi said. “Remember that it is said when this Murombo guy was being moved from Dzivarasekwa to PG HQ he said he wants to go with his whole battalion of 5000 men. This shows you that there is a person who thinks he owns a battalion and can command them anytime which is typical of war lord system developing in the country.”

Constitutional lawyer Shephard Dube said what is peculiar about Zimbabwe’s war lords is that there are not only military leaders but there are political leaders running militias and have a command of some sections of the armed forces.

“You will have a person like Owen Mudha Ncube who runs an AlShabaab militia in Kwekwe that is responsible for terrorizing citizens and taking over mines. This powerful man in Midlands is known as the war lord of that area and nothing passes without his approval. And in their nature war lords run cartels that are for self-enrichment and not for the benefit of the state. So very soon we are going to see Zimbabwe fast sliding to the debris level of Somalia if the citizens do not stop these cartels from running down our motherland.”

Deep thought breeds superior permanent solutions..imagining practical steps and productive action! pic.twitter.com/qyAEdoYxcZ

— nelson chamisa (@nelsonchamisa) July 19, 2019

South Africa’s Home Affairs Department (DHA) is sitting on 3000 Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP) which have been uncollected for the past nine months and have enlisted the services of the Zimbabwe Consulate in that country to help with the notifying the permit holders.

Pretoria introduced a four-year permit known as the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP) for those wishing to study or work in that country in January 2018.

The permits are valid between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2021and replaced the Zimbabwe Special Permit (ZSP) whose lifespan which expired in December 2017.

A total of 197 941 holders of the ZSP permit were eligible to apply for the ZEP when the programme started but only 169 000 managed to apply via the Visa Facilitation Services.

Zimbabwe’s envoy to South Africa, Mr David Hamadziripi confirmed the development today.

-State Media

Watch video loading below…..

WOMEN’S COALITION OF ZIMBABWE

Press Release

19 July 2019

The Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCOZ), call on duty bearers with mandate to end all forms of gender-based violence to commission an inquiry on sexual abuse allegations made against Walter Magaya of PHD Ministries.

The allegations of sexual violence in circulation on social and mainstream media in the past weeks have caused public alarm resulting is a wave of anxiety, insecurities by women in church spaces, and speculations around conduct of church leaders.

Equally disturbing is the series of videos and images in circulation, where the women who had initially reported violations are withdrawing their reports through the same platforms. This raises questions around credibility of allegations, public confusion and backlash.

Given the fact that the Zimbabwean society is largely religious, it is of public interest that the allegations leveled against Mr. Magaya be taken with the urgency and seriousness it deserves.

As the Magaya allegations have caused public interest and alarm among the women of Zimbabwe and the society at large, Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe therefore calls upon:

Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe Gender Commission, Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission,

Anti-corruption Commission and other relevant authorities to commission an inquiry into Mr Walter Magaya and his church in order to establish the truth behind the allegations.

Parliament of Zimbabwe for the development of a regulatory framework that ensures that there is human rights oversight and safeguarding in churches.

We are calling on women and girls who have been sexually abused to come forward and as women rights organisations we commit to provide support, security and ensure the cases are reported and followed up with the Zimbabwe Republic Police.

Church leaders to ensure safeguarding mechanisms are in place to safe guard women and girls in the church space.

Church congregants to exercise collective oversight of the church space to ensure human rights are upheld, (being my sister’s keeper) to put a spotlight on issues of Gender based Violence and sexual abuse from victim safeguarding approach continue raising awareness to give confidence to victims of sexual abuse to
report and ensure that coverage of Sexual abuse uphold the dignity of victims.

The general populace to desist from the practice of vilifying and denigrating women who speak out against sexual violence.

People with information to contribute to investigations to come forward and speak out.

We all have a role to play to create a safe Zimbabwean society where women and girls rights are respected and we remain ready and available to support all initiatives to end all forms of violence
against women and girls.

//ENDS

 By A Correspondent| A Mutare man returned from Harare and found his wife in bed with another man in their bedroom.

The cheating woman, only identified as Faith, hid her boyfriend Livingstone Gwandura under the bed after her husband Ishmael Madhochi pitched up. The husband returned home unexpectedly following a tip off that his wife was trading his ‘conjugal rights’ to a third party.

“It was around 3am when we heard about the incident. My brother alerted us saying he caught his wife with a boyfriend.

“We are worried because our brother is a caring and loving husband. We are shocked that this woman had to do this.

My brother had actually brought some shawarma for her only to catch the boyfriend hidden under the bed,” Ishmael’s sister told the Manica Post.

“This is disgraceful. Our daughter-in-law (Faith) is a disgrace to the family. We were shocked by the incident and we are now about to deliberate on the way forward.

We are glad that at least our son Ishmael did not injure the boyfriend or do anything that he would regret later.

Ishmael came back home after a tip-off and we are glad that it came to light,” said Ishmael’s uncle, Poso Madhochi.-ManicaPost

By A Correspondent| The Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has rejected the deal agreed by the National Joint Negotiating Commission to award civil servants a $400 one-off payment cushioning allowance.

The union said that it will press ahead with its job action on 22 July. ARTUZ said in a statement:

ARTUZ flatly reject the deal agreed by NJNC The $400 cushioning allowance agreed for July falls far short of the monthly needs of the workers.

The claim that negotiations for a Conditions of Living adjustment are underway are not sincere but an attempt to buy time.

Starting from 22 July 2019, we are not working until we receive an interbank equivalent of our United States dollar salaries

We urge all teachers to peacefully withdraw their services on 22 July until our salaries are reviewed.

… The employer must know that we don’t want a cushion but a salary, we only need a salary equivalent to US$500 we used to earn.

Mthuli Ncube must give us answers on where they’re putting our US$440 they’re illegally deducting from our US$500 agreed salary.

By David Hofisi| On 11 July 2019, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) launched its Roadmap to Economic Recovery, Openness, Legitimacy and Democracy (RELOAD) document. To address the multi-faced crises in Zimbabwe, the MDC proposes the establishment of a National Transitional Mechanism (NTM) to implement a comprehensive reform agenda.

The structure and composition of the NTM is to be negotiated in a broad and inclusive process which will, among other issues, resolve who won the 31 July 2018 elections. The NTM is limited to a period of two years which will be concluded by the holding of free and fair elections. This entire process is to be undertaken following sustained advocacy, pressure and mobilization led by the MDC.

The notion of a transitional mechanism as the panacea to Zimbabwe’s crises is quite familiar. It approximates to the experience of the inclusive government and replicates calls by an organization called the Platform for Concerned Citizens (PCC) for a National Transitional Authority (NTA). In fact, many substantive aspects of RELOAD (including choice of diction) mirror the writings of the PCC.

The justification for a transitional arrangement is the need to account for weak governance structures on the one hand and an illegitimate and/or incompetent incumbency on the other.

This is addressed by incorporating persons who enjoy such legitimacy and have the requisite competence to overhaul the governance framework. The mechanism is temporary so that it can be responsive to the unique challenges necessitating its creation without supplanting the primacy of elections as the ultimate source of popular legitimacy.

This model of crisis management raises several questions. It is worth noting that many, particularly those in urban centers, believe that the MDC has the midas touch required to save the Zimbabwean economy from terminal decline. Even more people would grant the MDC incumbency, albeit in a transitional capacity, if only to improve their standard of living. This belief is inspired in no small part by the economic prosperity experienced during the inclusive government.

However, the political conditions in Zimbabwe are radically different from those in 2008. The opposition does not have a combined majority in parliament. SADC has not initiated a mediation process and the election result was accepted by regional and international partners. There is very little leverage to force ZANU PF to the negotiating table. This necessarily heightens the level and intensity of advocacy, pressure and mobilization required to secure the desired negotiation process.

Legitimacy is a tenuous subject. In the RELOAD document, the MDC argues that every election in Zimbabwe since 1980 has been disputed, by which logic Zimbabwe has always had a legitimacy problem. And yet it was only after 2000 that the economy took a dramatic down turn. This strongly suggests the absence of any causal link between political legitimacy and economic performance, making it more a case of correlation without causation.

Further, consider what is arguably the lowest point of constitutional legitimacy in Zimbabwe: the military coup of November 2017. The economic did not take a sharp nose dive and neither did the MDC call out the military intervention to remove Robert Mugabe from power. In many ways, they supported it. The RELOAD document continues MDC reticence on the subject, refusing to call it a coup and only referencing the events of November 2017. The MDC maintains a far more assertive stance against the 2018 election result than the 2017 military coup. This doublespeak undermines the credibility of the MDC’s vaunted concerns for political legitimacy.  

There are even more profound questions regarding the efficacy of ever-recurring extra-legal solutions to enduring governance inadequacies. A transitional arrangement was presented as the panacea to the Zimbabwean crisis in 2008. It was called for by the late Morgan Tsvangirai following his electoral defeat in 2013 and has been rehashed following the electoral result in 2018.

It has become so repetitive that it is now an indispensable component of the opposition’s mantra. Yet Zimbabwe was part of a national dialogue under the aegis of the inclusive government through the COPAC led constitution-making process.

ZANU PF and MDC led a national conversation for creation of strong national institutions through which such dialogue could be sustained after constitutional enactment and between elections. Those institutions include the courts, parliament and various independent institutions supporting democracy – all endorsed overwhelmingly by a constitutional referendum.  

Faced with electoral defeat, the MDC now recommends more national dialogue and further changes to the constitutional order. Even though the Constitutional Court confirmed the winner of the 2018 election, RELOAD leaves this question open for negotiation. Judgements of the highest court are made subject to extra-legal political gamesmanship. This is the antithesis of constitutionalism. Constitutional moments are not painstakingly created so they can be revised in accordance with the vicissitudes of electoral outcomes. 

The coalition arrangements in Kenya and Zimbabwe were rightly condemned as unholy alliances of political elites subverting democratic will. Some argued that, with the economy on the brink, the MDC actually gave ZANU PF a lifeline and extended Robert Mugabe’s tenure by joining the inclusive government.

The opposition’s new found fondness for transitional arrangements may not only have the same effect for ZANU PF under Mnangagwa, but set a dangerous and self-defeating precedent. Consider the implications if the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) announced that the MDC had won any future presidential election.

It would only take replication of the MDC’s model of building resentment in its base whilst engaging in grievance-mongering for ZANU PF to undermine the election result and demand a transitional arrangement of their own. This is a common practice globally, and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) notes as follows:

In some jurisdictions, pre- and post-election allegations of fraud or other irregularities are common, often with little or no supporting evidence. Sometimes these claims are a way of undermining the legitimacy of the winners of the election. In other cases, candidates use allegations of fraud or other wrongdoing as a way of saving face following an election defeat or to facilitate a negotiated outcome.

This has happened in Zimbabwe before. As it became clear that the opposition had defeated ZANU PF in 2008, members of ZEC and the Zimbabwe Electoral Support Network (ZESN) were arrested as a vote recount process began. ZANU PF also filed several election petitions challenging the election results. If the MDC continues to chip away at the public standing of national institutions it participated in creating, they will be left with very little room to maneuver when ZANU PF regurgitates those talking points to deny them an election victory. Holding a nation hostage to grievances held by the electoral loser will prove counter-productive once that loser is ZANU PF, a party which has shown that it can orchestrate a real crisis in the face of electoral loss without hesitation.

Assuming that the NTM is appointed and works diligently to enact reforms within two years, what would this mean if it led to another ZANU PF victory as occurred after the inclusive government? It would mean even more calls for national dialogue in an endless cycle of grievance-mongering with the object of power capture.

According to MDC leader Nelson Chamisa, the pressure to secure national dialogue shall be instigated by ordinary party members and supporters since they are the signal. A few moments later, he reminded the same people that strategy cannot be democratized and so must be left to leadership, their strategic unit. This left many wondering whether the campaign for dialogue shall be initiated bottom-up by the signal or top down by the strategic unit.

RELOAD is riddled with the same prevarication, with many bold assertions which are thin on substance. With new challenges including lack of trust in the banking system, record low power generation and the reluctance of regional partners to assist, the solution proffered is decidedly backward looking.

In a most circuitous way, RELOAD proposes a solution to the 2019 crises through a political reset to the institutional arrangements of 2009; distinctly old prescriptions to dynamic and ever-changing problems.

By A Correspondent| Leaders of an apostolic sect, the St Noah Taguta led Johannes Marange Apostolic church have thrown their weight behind President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The elders assured Mnangagwa of their support during their Passover which was held at St Noah headquarters in Mafararikwa, Bocha in Marange recently.

One of the elders told the crowd that President Mnangagwa was in power by divine decree.

He said:

We don’t oppose the ruling party; we follow instructions from our leader.

He (Taguta) told us to go and vote for President Mnangagwa. We did so and he (Mnangagwa) won.

Your (Mnangagwa) groups you work with had plotted a bhora musango (vote sabotage) but vapostori said our President is Mnangagwa. That’s why you are there today.

… Even when our economy is struggling, we tell our people to be calm because the President was chosen by God.

Watch the video below for thia and more…

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ZIMBABWE’s galloping rate of inflation will slowdown and come under control by end of this year on exchange rate stability, economic analysts have said.

Annual inflation quickened to 175,6 percent for June from 97,8 percent in May, as pass through effects of parallel market currency premiums took their toll on prices.

The country has witnessed rapid price increases since October last year when Government started reforms, including separation of nostro and domestic currency accounts, 2 percent intermediated tax, exchange rate liberalisation and the recent ban of the multi-currency regime.

Zimbabwe’s month-on-month inflation rate for June jumped to 39,26 percent, after gaining 26,72 percentage points on the May 2019 rate of 12,54 percent.

Monthly food and non-alcoholic beverages inflation rate raced to 55,07 percent in June 2019 from 17,63 percent a month earlier while month-on-month non-food inflation rate came in at 31,23 percent from of 10,12 percent in May, the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency reported.

Sustained increase in month-on-month inflation has put a huge damper on prospects for significantly low inflation by end of this year, a least, in view of initial estimates.

Zimbabwe, which in February 2014 entered deflation, saw massive inflation take off in October last year when the rate jumped to 20,85 percent from 5,39 percent.

Economist Eddie Cross said yesterday prices were likely to stabilise after exchange rates on the parallel market became more stable following last month’s currency changes.

Government last month reintroduced local currency (Zimbabwean dollar) and outlawed foreign currency transactions amid the threat of self redollarisation of the economy.

Prior to the multicurrency ban, Zimbabwe had used a basket of currencies dominated by the US dollar after replacing its inflation ravaged currency in 2009.

But as the economy recovered from a decade of meltdown, which lasted until 2008, consumption and demand for foreign currency grew inversely to supply of hard currency.

In 2016, the country started experiencing US dollar liquidity challenges, forcing corporates to use the parallel market to secure foreign currency.

And following a series of reform targeted policy changes, including separation of nostro and RTGS accounts, inflation took off at a fast pace in October last year.

Inflation continued to come under pressure from the wild swings in exchange rates on parallel markets, as the demand continued to far outweigh supply.

Mr Cross, however, said Government’s decision to ban the multi-currency system had brought respite to the exchange rate, especially on the black market.

This also benefited from liberalisation of the foreign currency trading through the interbank market, which has partially diverted forex trading to the formal market.

“The inflation rate was being driven by (parallel market) exchange rates, but that has been put under control through statutory instrument 142 of 2019,” he said.

Mr Cross said the US dollar to RTGS dollar exchange rate had come down from 15 to 1 to about 8,7 to 1 and is expected to keep tracking down.

“This stability will depend on what measures Government takes to maintain exchange rate stability and improve foreign currency supply to interbank,” Mr Cross said.

He, however, said if the key fundamentals in terms of maintaining exchange rate stability are put in place, prices of goods will stabilise going forward.

Former University of Zimbabwe lecturer and Government advisor Professor Ashok Chakravati concurred saying the economy had suffered from exchange rate instability.

“The rate has now stabilised and the interbank market is beginning to work so now that we have a more stable rate, we expect prices to stabilise,” he said.

He said that it was critical that the monetary and fiscal policies, in the mid-term review, prescribe measures to further consolidate exchange rate stability.

Professor Chakravati said that following the currency changes introduced last month “naturally, prices will be expected to remain stable going forward.”

Harare economist Dr Gift Mugano said Zimbabwe was on course to achieving lower inflation by year end, until the exchange rates started rampaging.

-State Media

History for Africa as four sides make the ? eight for the first time ever!

Malawi ??@Netball_SA ??@UGAnetball ??@ZimGemsOfficial ??

? https://t.co/pvDAXacLat pic.twitter.com/9yJDcAnlOy

— Netball World Cup (@NetballWorldCup) July 19, 2019

FOUR suspected serial armed robbers — out on bail facing 24 armed robbery charges involving cash, vehicles, guns and jewellery — were shot dead during a shootout with police in Kwekwe.

The suspects were travelling in a Toyota Hiace when detectives pounced on them near Delta Beverages, Kwekwe depot, along Mbizo Road late on Wednesday.

Eyewitnesses said after noticing the detectives behind them, the robbers allegedly opened fire resulting in police firing back.

When this news crew arrived at the scene there were four bodies on the tarmac whilst blood was all over the road and their Toyota Hiace was riddled with bullet holes.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said four armed robbers were shot dead and five were arrested.

Two of them escaped with gunshot wounds.

Asst Comm Nyathi said another robber is admitted at a local hospital under police guard.

He said police recovered the Toyota Hiace that was being used by the gang as well as three pistols and 12 rounds of ammunition. 

“On July 17 police detectives acting on information caught up with the armed robbers in Kwekwe and the suspects immediately opened fire at the officers whilst trying to flee in their getaway Toyota Hiace. Police returned fire, gave chase and managed to arrest five of the suspects namely George Munyaradzi Machanyangwa (37), Harmony Nyathi (37), Polite Madamombe (34), Titus Mashava (42) and Michael Vioma (34). Two suspects Philip Mutasa and another known as Sean escaped with possible wounds. Four of the suspects succumbed to injuries they sustained during the exchange of gun fire with the police whilst the other is admitted at a local hospital. Police managed to recover the Toyota Hiace that was being used by the gang, three pistols and 12 rounds of ammunition,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

He said from October to date, the suspects allegedly committed a spate of armed robberies in and around Harare and in other parts of the country.

They allegedly targeted business and residential premises.

“Police detectives are investigating 24 recorded cases in which the suspects got away with large sums of cash US$84 345, ZW$30 814, ZAR 16 000, Mozambique Meticals 100 000, Pounds sterling 1 100; Dubai currency 2 000 and Chinese Yuan 4 860, jewellery, gold, motor vehicles, 18 cellphones, three iPhones and six pistols, one pellet gun, one shot gun and other valuables,” he said.

“The suspects who were out on bail for other cases which are pending before the courts had the audacity to continue engaging in criminal acts while disregarding bail provisions.” 

Asst Comm Nyathi said during the alleged commission of the robbery offences, the suspects would cover their faces with masks and threaten victims with firearms.

In one such incident, he said, the armed robbers allegedly shot and injured a police officer who was reacting to a report where the suspects were found in the process of robbing a business premise at Mabamba Complex, Chitungwiza Town Centre.

Asst Comm Nyathi said police have stepped up surveillance, intelligence gathering and will not tolerate the proliferation of armed robbery gangs.

He said criminal elements have themselves to blame for their actions as police will not hesitate to pounce on them.

“Police are therefore pursuing all reported robbery cases in the country and appeal for information which may lead to the arrest and prosecution of known and unknown robbery suspects,” he said.

Meanwhile, Asst Comm Nyathi said police are aware that there are some members of the public who are allegedly engaging in illegal foreign currency dealings purporting to be members of the police service.

“The police service is there to promote the policies of the Government and any elements that are bent on bringing the name of the organisation into disrepute will be dealt with accordingly. Those who engage in criminal acts while purporting to be detectives in civilian attire will have themselves to blame as police will certainly arrest them. Members of the public should be careful and cautious when dealing with some unruly individuals in society who commit crime under the guise of being police officers on an operation,” he said.

-State Media

ZRP Cops who are notoriously protecting Walter Magaya:

1. CID Chief Sup Nyaradzai Majachani

2. Detective Sergent M Nyangoni

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 18, 2019

ZRP Chief Sup Nyaradzai Majachani (in uniform) who has been protecting Walter Magaya for 4 years to date pic.twitter.com/kHDx91oEGi

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 19, 2019

The Zimbabwe Republic Police has denied that they are protecting Prophet Walter Magaya, who is facing a litany of sexual allegations.

In a statement released Thursday afternoon, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi (Senior Staff Officer for Press, Public and International Relations) said the police is committed to bringing culprits to justice provided they receive consistent and reliable evidence.

“In the issue of Charity Dlodlo and Sarah Maruta, we have checked with the named stations and there are no records to show that any such charges were brought before the police.

“And what has been disturbing with these accusations, is that when the police were ready to pounce, the victims would turn around and say they never made such allegations. This makes the work of the police difficult, especially that such allegations involve adults. It would have been a different case were minors involved.

“For the justice delivery system to work, we need consistent and reliable witnesses, who will not turn around and say otherwise,” said the police spokesperson.

He said besides the risk of false allegations being made, there is also the risk of police officers who might try to obstruct the delivery of justice, officers whom he warned will be dealt with, if they are proved to have worked against the interests of justice

Government yesterday agreed to extend the $400 cushioning allowance to all civil servants at a meeting with the Apex Council.

“The government brought different offers which ranged from 25% of total earnings of a civil servant to 50% of the same, which we vehemently rejected as it fell too short to address the incapacitation faced by the civil servants,” the Apex Council said in a statement last night.

“Through further negotiations and dialogue, we have achieved to make the government pay each and every civil servant the sum of $400 as a once-off payment together with the salary of July regardless of one’s grade.”

Talks on cost of living adjustment are still on-going.

On Wednesday, opposition MPs took to task Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare deputy minister Lovemore Matuke on allegations that government awarded an over $400 cushion allowance to soldiers while offering other civil servants $97.

Marondera Central MP Caston Matewu (MDC) led the MPs in grilling Matuke why government had paid members of the military over $400 when other civil servants got a pittance.

“What is the government policy in relation to the remuneration of civil servants cushioning allowances, noting the considerable differences across the civil service, for example, the military getting a cushioning allowance of $400 while the rest of the civil service have to do with only $97,” he said.

But Matuke said he was not aware how much members of the military were given.

He said negotiations were still in progress to come up with a figure that would be allocated to the civil servants.

“So, we hope that by the end of the week or early next week, we will come up with a figure so that people can come up with the comparison if there is anything to compare. Thank you so much,” Matuke said.

His response attracted further questions from MPs, with Prosper Mutseyami asking why soldiers were paid when other civil servant were still in talks with government.

“I do not know where my colleague is getting that information. What I am saying here is that the negotiations are still on and the ZW$90 which the member is trying to put across in this house is not yet official. So, what we are simply saying is that let us wait until the conclusion on the negotiating table,” Matuke responded.

Innocent Gonese followed through with his question, asking Matuke to either confirm or refute allegations that the army was paid $400.

“Madam Speaker, the honourable member has no documentary evidence to what he is saying. What I can only say in this House is, if the honourable member feels that they were given ZW$400 without any proof, then I am not in a position to know those issues,” Matuke said.

The Labour deputy minister said government was also still in talks for a cushioning allowance for pensioners because their salaries, just like civil servants’, had been eroded by inflation.

“The cushioning allowance for pensioners is still under discussion and the amount that they will be given will be determined by the Ministry of Finance and
Economic Development. In fact, the point we are trying to stress here is that whatever payment that will be paid to the civil servants will be worked in
relation (to) our current budget,” Matuke said.

“Yes, I agree with you Madam Speaker that there is need to increase the salaries for civil servants, but as you know, there is a discussion between the employee and our ministry to try and establish the proper figures.”

-Newsday

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.

-Newsday

NewsDay|For some time now, Zimbabweans have not been able to renew their passports or obtain new ones due to what the Registrar-General’s office has termed ‘an acute shortage of passport paper’.

It almost seems like the RG’s office has become like the biblical Pharaoh, who would not let the Israelites leave Egypt.

In this edition, we explore the legal position on this matter and what the State’s obligations are in this respect.

I should start by pointing out that the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission has already described the situation as a violation of human rights and has promised to investigate the matter.

Many people are wondering why the commission would link the passport saga to a violation of human rights. Surely, the issuing of passports for people to travel is not a basic right and seems more like a luxury.

No, that is not so. Our Constitution adequately deals with this in quite a lot of detail.

The drafters of the Constitution inserted provisions that speak to these against the backdrop of unreasonable and excessive delays by the RG’s office to issue passports in the past.

Section 35 (3) (b) of the Constitution specifically states that Zimbabwean citizens have the right to passports and other travel documents.

A passport is, therefore, not a privilege bestowed on citizens by the State; it is a constitutional right that must be issued when requested.

I should highlight that this right is not like some rights that must be realised progressively within the available resources of the State. This right must, as a matter of urgency, be realised and it will not be a defence for the State to allege that it does not have the means to achieve the realisation of that right.

The government is, therefore, compelled by our Constitution to provide these documents on request. The State’s continued failure to provide these documents is a direct violation of the Constitution.

Additionally, s66(1) (c) of our Constitution, which houses the right to movement, further states that every citizen has the right to a passport or other travel documents. The duplication of the right shows just how important the drafters of the Constitution and the citizenry that voted for its enactment view the issuing of passports.

Again, there is no qualification of the right, which leads one to conclude that the State has an ongoing and urgent duty to ensure that citizens have passports when so requested.

Passports are documents that are essential in applications for permits in other countries since the permit is usually attached to the passport. Passports are generally seen as ‘official documents issued by a government, certifying the holder’s identity and citizenship and entitling them to travel under its protection to and from foreign countries’.

This, therefore, means that without such a passport, one is not able to leave the country and enter another country.

Section 66(2) (c) of our Constitution creates an additional right; the right to leave Zimbabwe.

This right is obviously frustrated by the failure of the State to issue passports on request. Collectively, the trinity of rights I have referred to above, which I have in other instances referred to as the ‘3 -fold Passport rights’, compel the State to issue passports without delay.

Interestingly, Treasury is busy with the purchasing of cars for ministers and MPs, so the question of resources does not arise. Government is failing to prioritise and chooses instead to commit itself to fruitless expenditure while ignoring constitutional obligations.

There is no constitutional obligation to provide cars for ministers and MPs, but there are three different obligations that oblige the State to provide passports and yet the government chooses to allocate funds to non-essential matters.

Apart from the three rights I have set out, the right of dignity, which is inherent in all people resident in Zimbabwe, is also violated by a continued failure to issue passports.

The sight of long winding queues and people who are failing to access health care outside the country is nothing short of inhumane. No country should ever have its people stranded domestically because they cannot access passports that might guarantee them a chance to access better healthcare, employment or education.

Many have resorted to sleeping at the Makombe Building and this demonstrates how the actions of the State continue to violate the dignity of people, contrary to s51 of the Constitution.

Lastly, s68 of the Constitution provides for the right to administrative justice.

This right bears specific importance whenever the State is involved in the provision of bureaucratic services such as the issuing of passports and ID documents. Section 68 states that ‘every person has a right to administrative conduct that is lawful, prompt, efficient, reasonable, proportionate, impartial and both substantively and procedurally fair’.

In Kenya, where a similar constitutional right exists, the courts have, in numerous cases, held that a delay of four months in issuing identity documents is a violation of the right to prompt and efficient administrative conduct.

I have no doubt that if (and when) brought before our courts and upon a proper interpretation of s68, the conduct of the RG’s office will be deemed unconstitutional for the same reasons.

Our Administrative Justice Act also requires government to ‘act within the relevant period specified by law or, if there is no such specified period, within a reasonable period after being requested to take the action by the person concerned’.

On all accounts, the State is failing to execute its legal obligations to issue passports in a timeous and reasonable manner.

Passports and ID documents are really basic documents and any functional State should be able to provide these. Zimbabwe cannot be open for business if we cannot get these basic rights. More importantly, government needs to learn to prioritise constitutional obligations before splurging on unnecessary and fruitless expenditure…just saying!

‌A 21-year-old dancer is reported to have met her untimely end after she collapsed on stage at a local bar.

The H-Metro reports that Tariro Chisamba, a dancer with a local dance group, Priston, collapsed while dancing in at a bar in Nyabira before she died a few hours later.

Speaking to the publication, Dancers Association of Zimbabwe (DAZ) president Harpers Mapimhidze confirmed the incident.

”Yes we can confirm the sad loss of one of our dancers.

”It’s sad to lose life at such an age. As dancers, we will pay our last respects to her.

”I heard she was invited to perform in Nyabira at a show but unfortunately she couldn’t make it after collapsing whilst on duty.

”More details are still coming and we will advise in due course.

Mourners are gathered in Mufakose,” said Mapimhidze.

Another source that spoke to the publication claimed that the deceased, popularly known as Pinky had been invited to the gig on Saturday by another group.

”Pinky was invited by another group on Saturday to perform at Nyabira bar.

”Hatisati taane madetails akanyatsokwana but ari kunzi akadonha aripastage akazofa the following morning on Sunday.

”We are going to the funeral in Mufakose.

Her body was borught home by police,” said the source

Zimbabwe finance minister Mthuli Ncube seems to be doing everything by the book as he pursues orthodox economic policy often prescribed by the global Bretton Woods lending institutions to try to turn around a sickly economy.

The government is running a budget surplus for the first time in years and has stopped runaway money printing, which led to hyperinflation of 500-billion percent in 2008.

Last month the central bank raised its overnight lending rate to 50% to protect the local currency after ending a decade of dollarisation.

Ncube, a former chief economist at the African Development Bank, agreed to a staff monitoring programme with the IMF in May, under which Harare promised not to borrow offshore and to cut reliance on the central bank to finance deficits.

All that points to a government willing to break with the ruinous policies of the past under former president Robert Mugabe, economic analysts say. And yet Zimbabwe’s inflation has soared to its highest level in a decade, hitting an annual 175% in June.

So what is wrong?

For a start, government reforms to set fiscal discipline, which could earn future funding, include gradually ending fuel subsidies and increasing electricity tariffs to reflect costs — steps that will in the short term lead to more price increases.

Also, analysts note, more than 80% of Zimbabweans earn a living in the informal sector, from hawking fruit on city sidewalks to selling used clothes on dusty open spaces. That sector is typically unresponsive to the kinds of fiscal and monetary policy tools used by finance ministers and central bankers to lower prices and stimulate the economy.

Meanwhile, a severe drought has left a third of the 15-million population needing food aid, further pressuring prices.

But arguably the biggest driver of inflation expectations in the economy is the lack of confidence many Zimbabweans have in the country’s economic polices and its national currency, said Jee-A van der Linde, an economist at NKC African Economics.

“The Zimbabwean consumer is highly sceptical over government policy, and for good reason, and trying to hammer in confidence through regulation and restrictions has historically not proven very successful,” he said.

Though Mugabe was ousted after a de facto coup in 2017, many doubt that Zimbabwe’s new rulers can deliver the economic change they seek because they are the same people who propped up the former strongman for decades.

Hope that the economy would quickly rebound under President Emmerson Mnangagwa quickly turned to despair as shortages of foreign currency, fuel, medicines and bread persisted.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, which put the printing press into overdrive just over a decade ago and whose hundred trillion Zimbabwe dollar notes marked the zenith of hyperinflation, says it will not recklessly print money.

But the bank’s governor, John Mangudya, acknowledged at a meeting with business leaders last week that there is lack of confidence. “I don’t know why,” he added to much laughter from the audience.

Mangudya need not look far for a reason. The way authorities introduced some of the reforms added to public distrust. The government abruptly outlawed the use of foreign currencies on June 24, saying all domestic transactions would now be in the interim RTGS currency, which was renamed the Zimbabwe dollar.

The decision, first circulated on social media, caught the market by surprise. Ncube and Mnangagwa had a week before repeated a pledge to only introduce a domestic currency at the end of the year.

On Tuesday, less than a month after ending dollarisation, the government made another U-turn, announcing that hotels in the resort town of Victoria Falls could charge guests and pay electricity bills in dollars.

“This shows that the decision to end the use of multi currencies was rushed,” said Harare-based economist John Robertson. “Re-dollarising parts of the economy does not bode well for confidence in government policy, especially as we try to attract foreign investors.”

Van der Linde argued that official inflation figures may only now be catching up with the reality that ordinary Zimbabweans have struggled with for some time.

With so much economic activity happening in the informal sector, prices are being set based on the higher exchange rate that US dollars fetch on the black market, making goods and services prohibitively expensive for people paid in the local currency.

“The authorities must somehow find a feasible solution for the currency issue,” Van der Linde said. “That would restore confidence.”

Reuters

GOVERNMENT has stepped in to resolve the dispute between the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) and power utility Zesa Holdings over the ownership of the coal-fired Bulawayo Power Station.

The BCC has been battling to regain control of the plant that was arbitrarily expropriated by Zesa more than two decades ago after the amalgamation of all local authorities’ electricity undertakings.

A few months ago, the Zimbabwe Power Company applied to the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority to extend its operating licence of the power station by a further 20 years.

The application was widely opposed by residents and the BCC, with the former describing the application as an attempt to nationalise a city council asset.

Recently, the power utility also came under fire after it revealed plans to demolish the station’s two cooling towers, despite the ownership dispute.

Local Government minister July Moyo on Friday said government was stepping in to resolve the dispute, with Bulawayo mayor Solomon Mguni confirming that the local authority has been notified of the move.

“From our understanding, the issue is now being dealt with at Cabinet level. The two ministers (Local Government and Energy and Power Development) are handling the matter,” Mguni said, adding that a meeting between the council and the respective ministers was in the offing.

Moyo, who was in Bulawayo on Friday, also confirmed the developments at a press briefing held at the Mhlahlandlela government complex.

“I will be having a discussion with the mayor … We have to discuss this because ministries of government have relationships with every local authority and they come to discuss,” Moyo told journalists.

Bulawayo is nicknamed “Kontuthu Ziyathunqa (the smoke that bellows)”, a nickname coined after the Bulawayo Power Station cooling towers that the power utility intends to demolish and upgrade.

In a petition, the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) said the move was against the spirit of devolution, particularly on how provinces manage their resources.

“The ramifications of transforming this project from being a local initiative to a national project may be far reaching if left unchecked, as there have been no consultations with either the BCC or residents (the one-time owners of the station) in the applicants quest to seek both geographical and time extensions,” the BPRA wrote.

‌

Agents|ZEC boss Priscilla Chigumba is reported to have reunited with her ex husband Mac Chigumba after 20 years of separation.

The ZEC boss was once accused by Edmund Kudzayi aka Baba Jukwa of being in a relationship with cabinet minister Winston Chitando.

According to online media reports, Chigumba and her ex hubby were spotted looking cosy together at a party held in Harare last week.

The Chigumbas separated more than twenty years ago and they have four children together.

According to a source, they seem to have rekindled their romance

Priscilla and Mac are back together and recently they held a party for their daughter Mukai who turned 21.

They were cosy and re-ignited the flames of twenty years ago when they met in high school when she was at St Ignatius College.

They have not formally communicated to their families but I can put it to you that arikufambidzana (they are dating).

For the record she is not pregnant, it’s just her stomach which had a bulge.

Chigumba is on record demanding her privacy be respected and that her private remains exactly that.

Agents

 ‌

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care is mandated to deliver services to every community including medicines fairly regardless of activities taking place in those localities, a senior official said yesterday.

In an attempt to dismiss the furore generated by the distribution of drugs to seven clinics in Lupane East where a by-election will be held early next month, Health and Child Care Permanent Secretary, Dr Agnes Mahomva, assured the general public, donors and technical partners that MOHCC teams were there to provide equitable and quality health care services, including medicines to all citizens regardless of any activities taking place in the communities served.

The “clarification” follows the circulation of a letter from the Ministry of Health and Child Care which has gone viral on social media creating concern about the communication’s instruction to supply medicines to several clinics in the Lupane area.

In a statement, Dr Mahomva said the Ministry was mandated to deliver services to every community including medicines fairly regardless of activities taking place.

“A Ministry of Health and Child Care communication has gone viral on social media creating concern about the communication’s instruction to supply medicines to several clinics in the Lupane area where there is a by-election campaign,” she said.

“I would like to assure the general public, our donors and technical partners that our MOHCC teams are there to provide equitable and quality health care services, including medicines to all citizens regardless of any activities taking place in the communities served.”

She said the Matabeleland North Provincial Medical Director and the Lupane District Medical Officer had been consulted and it was established that a usual drug supply chain management was working well for all clinics.

“The teams confirmed that the normal medicine supply chain management system was indeed working well for all clinics.

“In addition, the teams established that a NatPharm team was already on the ground doing its normal and routine quarterly medicines supply runs to the clinics in the district through the Ministry’s recommended Zimbabwe Assisted Pull System (ZAPS),” said Dr Mahomva.

She said there was therefore no additional or extraordinary action needed as everything was done in accordance to regulations.

“Let me therefore once again reassure you, the public, our donors and technical partners that the MOHCC teams are there to simply do their work in a professional and efficient way guided by good governance principles and nothing else. This is done for the good of all Zimbabweans regardless of gender, creed or affiliation,” Dr Mahomva added.

The Lupane East by-election will be held on August 3 after the seat fell vacant following the death of Zanu-PF MP, Cde Sithembile Gumbo, in April due to injuries sustained in a road traffic accident.

The nine candidates who will contest in the election are Mbongeni Dube (Zanu-PF), Morgen Ndlovu (Labour Economists and African Democrats Party), Given Ncube (MDC-T), Dalumuzi Khumalo (MDC-Alliance), Nelson Mkandla (National Action Party), Andrew Tshaba (Mthwakazi Republic Party), Njabulo Sibanda (National Patriotic Front), Gezekile Mkhwebu (Zapu) and Alice Sibanda (National Constitutional Assembly).