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.

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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

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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).

GOVERNMENT has reached an agreement with its workers which will see civil servants getting an equivalent of 50 percent of their salaries as a once-off cushioning allowance this month.

Further, engagements for a cost of living adjustment to cater for the period August to December will continue.

Last night, the Apex Council corroborated in a statement that an agreement had been reached, adding that each civil servant would get $400 as a “once-off payment together with the salary of July regardless of one’s grade”.

Secretary to the Public Service Commission Ambassador Jonathan Wutawunashe also confirmed the development.

The information was revealed through a yet to be signed draft statement of the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC) meeting held yesterday at Kaguvi Building in Harare yesterday.

Reads the draft statement in part: “Government and its workers held a National Joint Negotiating Council meeting on 18 July 2019, where an agreement was reached to pay a cushioning allowance to all civil servants to provide relief from the harsh economic environment.

“The cushioning allowance will be extended as a once-off payment for the month of July 2019.”

Despite the agreement on a cushioning allowance, Government is continuing to negotiate a cost of living adjustment which will further cushion civil servants from economic vagaries.

The draft statement confirms that “negotiations are continuing on a cost of living adjustment (COLA) to further cushion civil servants for the remaining five months from August to December 2019”.

State Media|Harare man is in a tight spot after the High Court issued him with an order to explain the source of US$1 048 533 in his bank account.

Mr Jairos Giles (41), who earns US$1 600 a month as managing director of Lapstar Logistics, has the burden to convince the State that his transactions and source of funds were clean, after the law was invoked to look into his income in line with the law, according to Section 37B as read with Section 37H of the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) Amendment of the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act and Exchange Control Act regulations (Statutory Instrument 246 of 2018).

The State suspects Mr Giles is involved in illegal foreign currency dealings and investigations are underway to ascertain if the money and properties he acquired in a short space of time are clean.

The High Court issued an order directing Mr Giles to hand over a written statement to the police’s Asset Forfeiture Unit explaining the nature of his business and how the US$1 048 553 got into his CBZ Bank account.

His bank account was also frozen.

Mr Giles should also explain how he acquired three low-density immovable properties and four vehicles within a short space of time.

He was also barred from carrying out any transactions regarding the property in question.

This followed an ex-parte application by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) seeking justification of the wealth and bank transaction above the maximum threshold of US$10 000.

Chief law officer Mr Chris Mutangadura, who heads the Asset Forfeiture Unit at NPA, is handling the case.

The prosecution wants the explanation, which is deemed relevant to ongoing investigations into money laundering allegations against Mr Giles.

Police are investigating suspicious transactions involving Mr Giles’ bank account that saw the bank account receiving up to US$1 048 553 between April and September last year.

“Information in the docket reveals that the said bank account received some substantial amount of money exceeding the statutory threshold of US$10 000 thereby justifying the granting of the order sought.

“The total amount of money transacted by the first respondent between April 2018 and September 2018 is US$1 048 553,” reads Mr Mutangadura’s affidavit.

From his monthly salary of US$1 600, Giles, who is a tenant at Number 16 Lownsdale Avonlea, pays US$400 rent every month.

Prior to his employment with Lapstar, Giles had worked for five years as a chief dealer for Dragon Bureau de Change.

Giles owns stand numbers 5892 and 5893 Crowhill, Borrowdale worth US$63 000.

He also owns a Nissan Xtrail, registration number (AEN 4787), Nissan Tiida (AEW 0758), Toyota (777 897B) and Mercedes Benz (AEY 6720).

The State believes the wealth was ill-gotten.

“It is suspected that the money deposited into the first respondent’s account and taken out is proceeds of some illegal activities, most likely, illegal foreign currency exchange known as parallel or black market.

“The acquisition of property raised by the respondents raises suspicion of commission by him of the crime of money laundering,” reads the affidavit.

The State contends that Giles’ legitimate income can only be proven by way of income tax declaration.

The State also wants Giles to submit any other relevant documents justifying his wealth to the police.

A Zimbabwean-born engineer based in the United Kingdom has been honoured by the Women’s Engineering Society.

Melissa Chigubu, in her second-year apprentice training with the Coventry-based Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre, has been named as one of the top 50 women in engineering in Britain.

Her nomination was announced at the Women’s Engineering Society centenary dinner at the Waldorf Hotel in London.

The 19-year-old, who has been in the United Kingdom for seven years, received her award at a ceremony at the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Chigubu became the first female to complete the Foundation Gateway in the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre’s (AMTC) new Apprenticeship Engineering Standard programme following her arrival in the country in 2012.

She was lauded by Paul Rowlett, managing director of the AMTC for her passion and dedication to learning. He said:

Melissa is a talented and dedicated learner who strives to excel, demonstrating exceptional skills for her early career stage.

Our training staff regard her competency portfolio as the best they have ever seen, and this accolade recognises her outstanding performance, professional behaviour and support of other learners.

… She is a strong advocate for women in engineering and in apprenticeships. She has been instrumental in activities that aim to encourage women to follow engineering career paths as well as to increase teacher and parent engagement by breaking down traditional stereotypes.

By Own Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has sent a message of condolences to the Zowa family following the passing on of the Deputy Chairperson of the Law Development Commission and Law Reviser of Zimbabwe, Mr Joel Bigboy Zowa.

Zowa died aged 66 in New York, United States of America last Friday where he had gone on government business.

The president said that the government shall give Zowa a state-assisted funeral in recognition of his contribution to both the private and public sectors. 

In his message, Mnangagwa said:

On behalf of the government and the Zanu PF party, on my own behalf and that of my family, I wish to extend our deepest condolences to Mr Zowa’s family following the loss of a father, breadwinner and mentor.

May they derive comfort from the knowledge that the whole nation stands with them during their darkest hour of grief and pain.

Mr Zowa joined the government service under the then Ministry of Local Government as a junior officer in 1970s before rising through the ranks. He at one point served as a Commissioner of the Constitutional Commission.

He is survived by his wife, two sons and two grandchildren.

May His Dear Soul Rest In Peace.

-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- Independent legislator for Norton Temba Mliswa has blasted the Parliament’s Welfare Committee describing it as useless.

Mliswa said this during parliament Wednesday.

He said:

“Thank you very much for affording me this opportunity to once again contribute to this motion of a fallen hero, the late Hon. Gumbwanda. Let me say that it has become a way of life now that every month there is a Member of Parliament who we debate on.

What is important now is to debate on the circumstances that led to the death of Members of Parliament. The source of the death is what we want to talk about.

You are aware of the Welfare Committee that represents Parliamentarians. I will call a spade a spade and say they are absolutely useless. The Welfare Committee that represents Members of Parliament is useless. It has failed to discharge its dutieS.”

He was however asked to withdraw his atatement by the deputy speaker of parliament and he said:

“I shall withdraw the word useless and say they are dysfunctional. They are totally not functional at all because we can blame the Government but Parliament is an independent body. It is one of the three pillars of the State. Many a times the Speaker has attacked us for not contributing to the Budget. For the first time we contributed to the Budget according to what Parliament wanted and even surpassed that.

We took into consideration the welfare of Members of Parliament from salaries. The salaries have not been reviewed. We took into consideration the allowances, they have not been reviewed. We even went a step further to also accommodate the staff of Parliament. We spoke about the human resource which was less.

Hon. Members in this House, I want to take a minute to think. Parliament staff has been increased and nothing in our favour has been done. The clerks were hired but nothing was done for the Members of Parliament yet we are the ones who stood in this Parliament and moved the motion, contributed to the debate so that it is second in voting.

It was never second. So you have got one arm of Parliament which is staff which is being taken care of and you have got the other arm of Members of Parliament which is not being taken care of. You are now creating a rift and a division. This is why I am saying what is the role of the Welfare Committee in this Parliament. The Welfare Committee is a Committee which is supposed to stand for Members of Parliament.”

Said Binga Nortb legislator Prince Dubeko Sibanda during parliament (wednesday):

“Let me just share with you…. the humiliation that I faced when I arrived in Harare the day before yesterday to come and attend to the sessions of Parliament.  On arrival, I went to almost four local hotels and I will not mention them.  

I went to the first hotel and asked whether they had accommodation and because they thought that I am just a private citizen who can be able to meet their expenses on their own, they told me that accommodation was available.  The moment that I indicated that I am a Member of Parliament and that I wanted accommodation on Parliament’s bill, Hon. Speaker, I was told to wait a little bit.  

The person who was attending to me at the front office went to consult someone and came back in five minutes and told me, ‘I am sorry Sir, the accommodation is full.’  I left that hotel and went to another one and when I said that I was a Parliamentarian I was told that the quota for Parliament was full, we cannot take any more Parliamentarians.  I went to the other hotel until I was accommodated finally at the sixth one.  That was close to 1a.m after midnight.

 Hon. Speaker, when I was being turned away from hotels, there were guests and visitors who were coming even from outside the country, foreign guests and they were hearing that a Member of Parliament was being turned away from a Zimbabwean hotel because of nonpayment of hotel bills by the Government.  That is the kind of humiliation that Hon. Gumbwanda left us with.  

At times I wonder whether it is worth to carry the so called title of being an Hon. Member, it is quite dishonourable.  In terms of the law, Parliament is the one that allocates national resources.  

Theoretically, Parliament is supposed to allocate resources to the three arms of Government.  However, Hon. Speaker, if you look at the way that the three arms of Government are treated, you will see that there is discrimination.  Parliament is treated as if it is the poorer cousin of the three arms of Government, regardless of the fact that it is empowered at law to distribute the resources of the nation.

Hon. Speaker, if you look at the Judiciary, the good part of it is that it is resident just next door to us – we are aware that the remuneration that judges get is way beyond what a Member of Parliament can ever dream of getting.  Let me say, for the avoidance of doubt, the salaries that these gentlemen and ladies are earning today as I speak, is far less than US$200.  

Above all duties that are stated in the Constitution, I am expected to discharge other duties of being a representative in a constituency.  Hon. Speaker, the conditions under which Members of Parliament find themselves are deplorable, to say the least.

Hon. Speaker, it is not a matter of choice, about where I should stay when I am supposed to attend Parliament.  This is what is supposed to happen, that is what the Government has said, that any Member of Parliament who stays outside Harare, once they are in Harare, they are supposed to be accommodated in a hotel at Government expense, that is not our decision, it is Government policy.  

That is an existing policy, but the humiliation that we face before we get the accommodation – at times we are supposed to start begging managers at local hotels for us to be accommodated.  I do not think that is proper Hon. Speaker.

 When it comes to tools of trade; at times when Members of Parliament ask for vehicles, it appears as if they are asking for luxury.  Hon. Speaker, I travel 2 500 kms to and from Binga to Harare every week.  What that means is that, every week my vehicle is cloking a mileage of 2500 kms.  Every one of us here is aware of the nature of roads that we have in the rural constituencies, for example and you expect one Ford Ranger vehicle that is purchased by an Hon. Member through whatever scheme, to last for five years when that same vehicle accumulates about 10 000 in a space of four weeks.  

What it means is that, that vehicle, in a year, it would have gone beyond 130 000 kilometres.  Therefore, in five years, you are talking of a vehicle that would have cloked about 600 to 700 thousand kilometres.  Tell me what type of a vehicle can endure that kind of a mileage Hon. Speaker – [HON. MLISWA: Land Cruiser 200series] – [Laughter]

Hon. Speaker, most of my colleagues, including myself from the previous Parliament no longer have vehicles, especially those based in rural areas – because the vehicles cannot endure the terrain and bad roads that we have, including the distances that we travel.

Currently, most Members of Parliament in their constituencies are foot soldiers.  In fact, on a sad note, I hear that one of the things that speeded up Hon. Gumbwanda’s demise was that at one time, he rode in an open vehicle at the back facing the savages of weather from Harare all the way to Zaka.  Then you expect that person to be called Honourable who rides in an open truck.  Hon. Speaker, you expect everyone else to respect with dignity the institution of Parliament when the Members who sit in that Parliament are not accorded that respect by the same Government of that Parliament. 

Hon. Speaker, it is very sad that our colleague Hon. Gumbwanda had to go at a time when as Parliament, we are still being treated like the poorer cousins, especially by the Executive.  Look at this Hon. Speaker, as I indicated in terms of the law, it is the duty of Parliament to allocate resources of this nation.  Last year, Parliament sat down and allocated in terms of the budget; my understanding of a budget is that it becomes a law. 

Last year, this Parliament passed a budget and budgeted for a number of things that were supposed to be done for this House but nothing so far has been disbursed to this House.  The reason is because the Executive and at times, even the person who will be the Minister of Finance and Economic Development thinks that they are superior than this institution.  They look down upon this institution and as a result, what kind of oversight are you going to offer to a Minister of Finance who does not respect you? 

Last year we had a budget that Hon. Members would get vehicles that were worth US$80 000, Land Cruiser V8 to be specific.  The reason why those vehicles were chosen is not about their comfort, but their durability and robustness in the type of terrain that we have.  However, Hon. Speaker, without consultation, the Executive took a decision and vehicles were chosen, it is not about their comfort.

The reasons why those vehicles were chosen is because of their durability and robustness in the type of terrains that we have. But, without consultation  the Executive took a decision on their own, we are informed through Caucuses that Members of Parliament instead of getting those vehicles they should only get vehicles that are worth US$50 000.00, but who decides on behalf of Parliament when Parliament is supposed to be an independent arm of Government that decides on its own?

 The question that I am asking Hon. Speaker is why we have allowed ourselves as an institution to be treated in this manner by the Executive. I might ask you Hon. Speaker as the leadership of Parliament on why you are allowing the Executive to ill-treat this institution. Do you not see Hon. Speaker that with that kind of ill-treatment that we are getting, it means that our oversight role is being compromised by those decisions that are being taken by the Executive?”

By A Correspondent- Speaking in parliament, Chairperson of the parliamentary portfolio committee on Health Dr Ruth Labode expressed disappointment over failure by government to honour its obligation to the Global Fund in a development which will potentially see the country failling to access over US $400million in funding.

Said Dr Labode:

” I once raised a point of privilege on the issue of the Global Fund, the one you have just announced – the petition.  Does my point of privilege where the Speaker ruled that the Minister would come to Parliament and answer gets overruled by the petition now.  This issue has been raised here twice and the Minister gave a response last time that he will respond and pay.  Those were his words.  He said he will pay and right now we are about to lose almost US$400 million because we cannot pay US$6 million.

Twice I have raised on a point of privilege that Zimbabwe committed itself to be part of the Global Fund.  The Global Fund is a fund of many international countries that are bringing funds together.  Right now, we are lobbying to get $20 billion to control HIV, Malaria and TB.  From that US$20 billion, our share as Zimbabwe has been US$ 400 million.  One of the things we committed ourselves to do is that we will meet our own counterpart in order for us to be able to get that US$400 million.  

We will produce our own share as a nation to show political commitment towards the fund, which was US$6 million.  I raised it in this House and the Speaker instructed the Minister to come and respond.  The Minister of Finance came and he said he would pay; and he said he had paid.  Here we are now; we are desperate.  

I know there is a letter which has been written to the Speaker from the National Aids Council requesting something to be done as a matter of urgency.  We have over two million people on HIV drugs and we do not spend not even one cent as a nation on HIV drugs, tinongomapiwa.  We really need desperately to do something, US$6 million ngaitsvagiwe.”

Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi however pledged to follow up on the payment and said:

“I acknowledge what Hon. Labode is saying.  On Tuesday, I had an occasion of speaking to the Minister of Finance with my counterpart, the Minister of Health and he indicated that he had paid US$2.9 million but we then indicated that it is not sufficient.  What is required is to pay the US$6 million so that we can access the benefits.  

If we do not pay, it means that we will not be able to get the ARVs as is being alluded to by Hon. Labode.  He promised that he was going to look into it and pay the amount.  I will follow up and advise accordingly.”

By A Correspondent- Mystery surrounds the death of popular Sakubva granny, Sophie Masikuka, affectionately known as Mbuya Sauti, who died on Sunday morning due to excessive bleeding and severe stomach and leg pains.

Mbuya Sauti (57) was well known for running a down town brothel in Mutare’s industrial area. She also made the headlines last year when she tied the knot with a young man at a colourful two-legged ceremony that was witnessed by hundreds of Sakubva residents.

Those privy to circumstances to her death said she confided in another traditional healer, known as Mr Nkomo, before she breathed her last, that her ‘ancestors’ were punishing her for not assisting people with ailments that needed traditional recourse.

Mbuya Sauti, who made it an open secret that she had a spirit of a mermaid that attracted young men, was a member of Zimbabwe National Practitioners Association.-ManicaPost

By Own Correspondent- Police have arrested one of the five suspects who along with his accomplices pounced on a  Beitbridge foreign currency dealer’s house and robbed him over half a million Rands, US$4500  and a vehicle after shooting him eight times.

Enock Nyamani (34) of Mberengwa, but is based in Polokwane (South Africa) is accused to have teamed with a gang of four others still at large to shoot Muchineripi Hlaringo (40) eight times at his house in Mabidi Suburb (formerly new stands along Bulawayo roads).

The suspect was reportedly busted by police detectives near Beitbridge border post as he attempted to leave for South Africa in a Ford Ranger Supercab he had bought from the stolen proceeds.

Nyamani was on Wednesday dragged before Beitbridge regional magistrate Mr Crispen Mberewere charged with robbery.

He was remanded in custody to 23 July pending trial.

The Warriors have been drawn against Algeria, Zambia and Botswana in Group H for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers to be held in Cameroon.

The first two games will be played during the week of 11-18 November 2019.

The top two countries at the end of the qualifications will qualify for the tournament.

Preliminary Round Draw:

Liberia vs Chad (M1&2)
South Sudan vs Seychelles (M3&4)
Mauritius vs Sao Tome (M5&6)
Djibouti vs Gambia (M7&8)

Group Stage Draw:

Group A: Mali, Guinea, Namibia, Win. M1&2.

Group B: Burkina Faso, Uganda, Malawi, Win. M3&4.

Group C: Ghana, South Africa, Sudan, Win. M5&6.

Group D: DRC, Gabon, Angola, W. M7&8.

Group E: Morocco, Mauritania, Central African Republic, Burundi.

Group F: Cameroon, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Rwanda.

Group G: Egypt, Kenya, Togo, Comoros Islands.

Group H: Algeria, Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe.

Group I: Senegal, Congo, Guinea – Bissau, Eswatini.

Group J: Tunisia, Libya, Tanzania, E. Guinea.

Group K: Ivory Coast, Niger, Madagascar, Ethiopia.

Group L: Nigeria, Benin, Sierra Leone, Lesotho

By A Correspondent- The Apex Council has finally accepted a cushioning allowance offered by the government after a meeting held on Thursday (today) with government representatives.

Civil servants will receive a one-off $400.00 payment across the board.

Below is the statement by Apex Council:

Following the meeting held today the 18th of July 2019 between the government and the Apex Council to deliberate on the cushioning allowance, an agreement has been reached.

The government brought different offers which ranged from 25% of total earnings of all civil servants to 50% of the same which we vehemently rejected as it fell too short to address the incapacitation faced by civil servants.

Through further negotiations and dialogue, we have achieved to make the government pay each and every civil servant the sum of $400.00 as a once-off payment together with the salary of July regardless of one’s grade.

Our call to have the Government’s cushion spread evenly across all civil servants came in the wake that all civil servants suffer the same fate of this hard economic set-up.

Our focus now is on COLA which is supposed to be effected in August. To this end, we hope the dialogue will take cognizance of the PDL and other issues. We have already indicated in our position paper.

By A Correspondent- Six families from Glen Norah B Municipal flats were evicted from their residents two days ago after failure to pay outstanding arrears. 

“The Messenger of court came during mid-day and evicted us from our house, we had nowhere else to go.

“After they left we found means of getting back to our homes because we could not sleep outside, some of us have young children.

“The situation was very frustrating for everyone, there is no money but they are claiming large amounts of arrears from council workers,” said the resident.

Speaking to another victim who is staying at her late mother’s premises (name with held), she said she got an eviction order and is not able to pay the debt because she cannot access her mother’s pension funds who was once a City Council worker.

“I am a student at University of Zimbabwe, I stay alone and I received an eviction order of which I have nowhere to go.

“I cannot even access my mother’s pension funds but she was a worker at the Council, now I am being evicted because I haven’t paid bills, how can I pay the bills when I do not have any income.

“I once tried to change the title deeds of the house but they refused because I could not produce the death certificate. “Council workers are not getting paid but they are issuing out eviction orders which is not fair at all,” she said.

By A Correspondent- Econet has issued a warning to its agents who are overcharging customers when doing cash out transactions saying that any person caught engaging in illegal Ecocash transactions with agent lines will be brought to book.

Said Econet in a statement:

“Do not he caught charging customers extra cash out or be involved in illegal conduct using the Ecocash agent lines. It is prohibited and will result in the revocation of the Ecocash agency license as well as heavy penalties in line with the applicable laws on money laundering.”

This development comes as a result of Ecocash agents, shop owners and money changers placing a high rate on people doing cash out which is charged at 35% on notes and 25% on coins.

Last week, Zanu Pf youth leader Lewis Matutu warned Econet and Ecocash to stop abusing the Ecocash facility.

Said Matutu in a tweet:

“ Please stop what you are doing to our economy through the abuse of your Ecocash facility.”

By A Correspondent- VICE President Kembo Mohadi has revealed that Government is crafting a law that will protect chiefs from being summoned by magistrates as witnesses after making a ruling at customary courts.

Addressing Chiefs from the eight districts in the Midlands province in Gweru yesterday, Vice President Mohadi said summoning traditional chiefs as witnesses in matters they would have dealt with is tantamount to looking down upon their esteemed office.

VP Mohadi said traditional chiefs ought to be respected as they were the reservoirs and fountains of the country’s rich cultural heritage which is the backbone of the peace and tranquillity enjoyed in the country.

He said as such, President Mnangagwa had tasked the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi to craft a law that gives traditional chiefs extra powers so that they are not summoned by the magistrates after making judgments at their customary courts.

“As I engage chiefs in their provinces on this very important subject of peace building and conflict resolution, it has become very apparent to me that for chiefs to effectively perform this important role of peace building and conflict resolution, their status and powers have to be enhanced. Chiefs have complained about being dragged to magistrates’ courts after they have made judgments at their customary courts which undermines their status,” he said.

“Chiefs have complained that they are called as witnesses by magistrates. Why are magistrates not called by the High Court to come as a witnesses?  We engaged His Excellency and the Minister of Justice has been asked to look into the matter and come up with rules and regulations so that it doesn’t happen in future because we want the chiefs’ judgments to be respected.”-State Media

By A Correspondent- Government, through Agribank has secured a US$10,5 million facility for irrigation equipment and machinery under the Pedstock Centre Pivots Irrigation Facility (Phase 2) from Spain, which will benefit both large and small-scale farmers, as the country moves to improve productivity.

The development comes at a time when the Government recently secured two facilities worth US$102 million with the Belarusian government and John Deere to end the over-reliance on rain-fed agriculture and produce all-year-round.

The country’s premier agriculture bank, Agribank, which was mandated by the Government to oversee the facilities will also administer the facility to ensure there is transparency and independence.

Agribank chief executive, Mr Sam Malaba told The Herald that the move was targeted at increasing the area under functional irrigation and focus would be on rehabilitation, construction and modernisation of existing irrigation schemes.

“The US$10,5 million Pedstock Centre Pivots Irrigation Facility is for acquisition of centre pivots (Phase 2) as part of Government’s on-going farm mechanisation programmes for enhanced agriculture production and productivity,” said Mr Malaba.-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- Zanu Pf’s Victor Matemadanda bemoaned poor service delivery in Mutare and castigated lack of communication between residents and City Fathers.

Speaking to journalist after a tour of the city, Matemadanda said:

“There is a leadership vacuum in Mutare. The leadership is not connected to the people and this is cancer the Mutare of people have told me of.

People are saying that they have not seen their councillors since they were voted into office.

This should not be the case. We have been told a lot of problems and we are going to forward them to various ministries, but I am very worried because there is no communication between the leadership and residents.

Residents don’t know where to send their problems. Matemadanda toured several sections of the city on Tuesday including the Sakubva flea market and bus terminus where he met residents, vendors and transport operators among other stakeholders.

ZimEye has just interviewed the President of Malawi Netball Association following their win against Zimbabwe.

She said the whole delegation which travelled from Malawi to Liverpool is 21 in number, including players and government officials.

As soon as the Malawi Netball team had landed in UK, the leadership rushed to buy the professional ASICS shoe. They were spotted at the Sports Direct shop in Liverpool on the day

She also said funding for the Malawi team came from government, not from donors.

Watch the interview below…

Dear Presidents of Political Parties,

We are writing to you on behalf of the 52% of women in Zimbabwe whose interests are underrepresented in a male dominated Parliament and Local Government. This is an issue that has been raised by many stakeholders and as you are aware it undermines the letter and spirit of the Constitution more specifically Sections 17, 56 and 80 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. These sections collectively envisage a Zimbabwe leadership structure where men and women are equally represented at all levels. In other words, it aspires for a political and legal order where men and women enjoy equal access to leadership opportunities.

It is disturbing to note that since the passage of the Constitution in 2013, women representation in directly elected positions in Parliament and Local Government structures remains low and in retreat all together. For example, in 2013 out of the 210 directly elected Members of Parliament (MPs) only 13.8% women were elected and in 2018 the number was reduced to a paltry 12.8%. In Local Government structures (councillors), in 2013 only 16% of the directly elected councillors were women and was reduced to low of 13.3% in 2018. At the top Presidium level within the country, we currently do not have a woman President nor Vice President. This precarious situation is reflective of a cross cutting political and patriarchal culture which generally sidelines women from leadership.

The sidelining of women results in policy and legislative frameworks which fail to improve the status of women in the country and causes greater poverty and alienation of women from development initiatives. We therefore ask your offices to address this serious challenge which puts our constitutional democracy on trial. It poses the critical question that: How can a country develop when a majority of its people are disenfranchised from leadership?

As the Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (WALPE), drawing our mandate from Section 7(c) of the Constitution, make the following recommendations to Political Parties:

i) Political parties prioritize women as candidates in all by-elections that may arise in Parliament and Local authorities across the country in between now and the 2023 national elections.

ii) Replace all vacant positions left by female MPs or Councillors during by-elections with fellow women leaders. An example is the upcoming by-election in Glen View South Constituency that fell vacant after the death of Hon Vimbai Tsvangirai Java. If Hon Java is replaced by a male MP it means the number of women directly elected in Parliament will fall from 26 to 25.

iii)Create a conducive environment free of violence and intimidation that allows women to freely campaign.

iv)Criminalize vote buying during elections as this disadvantages aspiring female leaders most of whom have limited economic resources to spend on campaigning.

v) Incorporate the 50/50 gender representation in political party constitutions. Those that already have must fully operationalize their gender parity clauses in order to guarantee equal representation in all leadership positions.

vi) Political parties with MPs in Parliament must move motions to fully align the Electoral Act with the Constitution in fulfillment of section 17, 56 and 80. This will help the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) in enforcing 50/50 gender representation on all political party lists during elections.

These provisions will ensure that political parties and the arms of Government at every level offer equal opportunities for men and women. It is our sincere hope that as leaders in your parties you will heed our call and begin processes that show real commitment towards empowerment of women because if She Rises We all Rise.

For and on behalf of the Aspiring Women Leaders of Zimbabwe.

In an interview with ZimEye soon after their victory over Zimbabwe, president of the Netball Association of Malawi, Khungekile Matiya said her government is the chief sponsor of The Queens.

She said as soon as her team landed in Liverpool, they bought the recommended Assics shoes in order to ensure that her team plays comfortably.

Said Matiya:

“Our group comprises of 21 people in total and that is inclusive of 12 players….Yes you are not wrong on shoes… Our government makes sure, that we have proper shoes. The government of Malawi is the number 1 sponsor, chief sponsor of The Queens. Buying Assics shoes to us, that is what we use. We make sure, that our girls have proper shoes, so that they can play comfortably.”

By Own Correspondent- Econet has issued a warning to its agents who are overcharging customers when doing cash out transactions saying that any person caught engaging in illegal Ecocash transactions with agent lines will be brought to book.

Said Econet in a statement:

“Do not he caught charging customers extra cash out or be involved in illegal conduct using the Ecocash agent lines. It is prohibited and will result in the revocation of the Ecocash agency license as well as heavy penalties in line with the applicable laws on money laundering.”

This development comes as a result of Ecocash agents, shop owners and money changers placing a high rate on people doing cash out which is charged at 35% on notes and 25% on coins.

Last week, Zanu Pf youth leader Lewis Matutu warned Econet and Ecocash to stop abusing the Ecocash facility.

Said Matutu in a tweet:

“ Please stop what you are doing to our economy through the abuse of your Ecocash facility.”

In an exclusive interview with ZimEye following their team’s victory against their neighbours Zimbabwe, President of Malawi Netball Association said funding for her team came from government.

She revealed that the whole delegation which travelled from Malawi to Liverpool, UK for the world competition was 21.

Zimbabwe’s number is 53.

“This number is inclusive of 12 players and the government officials who are in the technical team,” she told ZimEye.

As soon as the Malawi Netball team had landed in UK, the leadership rushed to buy the professional ASICS shoe. They were spotted at the Sports Direct shop in Liverpool on the day

She revealed that her govt was the chief sponsor of the team.

Watch the live interview below (TIMELINE MARKER 10:00 to 15:00)

By A Correspondent- VICE President Kembo Mohadi yesterday said Government is crafting a law that will protect chiefs from being summoned by magistrates as witnesses after making a ruling at customary courts.

Addressing Chiefs from the eight districts in the Midlands province in Gweru yesterday, Vice President Mohadi said summoning traditional chiefs as witnesses in matters they would have dealt with is tantamount to looking down upon their esteemed office.

VP Mohadi said traditional chiefs ought to be respected as they were the reservoirs and fountains of the country’s rich cultural heritage which is the backbone of the peace and tranquillity enjoyed in the country.

He said as such, President Mnangagwa had tasked the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi to craft a law that gives traditional chiefs extra powers so that they are not summoned by the magistrates after making judgments at their customary courts.

“As I engage chiefs in their provinces on this very important subject of peace building and conflict resolution, it has become very apparent to me that for chiefs to effectively perform this important role of peace building and conflict resolution, their status and powers have to be enhanced. Chiefs have complained about being dragged to magistrates’ courts after they have made judgments at their customary courts which undermines their status,” he said.

“Chiefs have complained that they are called as witnesses by magistrates. Why are magistrates not called by the High Court to come as a witnesses?  We engaged His Excellency and the Minister of Justice has been asked to look into the matter and come up with rules and regulations so that it doesn’t happen in future because we want the chiefs’ judgments to be respected.”-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- Government, through Agribank has secured a US$10,5 million facility for irrigation equipment and machinery under the Pedstock Centre Pivots Irrigation Facility (Phase 2) from Spain, which will benefit both large and small-scale farmers, as the country moves to improve productivity.

The development comes at a time when the Government recently secured two facilities worth US$102 million with the Belarusian government and John Deere to end the over-reliance on rain-fed agriculture and produce all-year-round.

The country’s premier agriculture bank, Agribank, which was mandated by the Government to oversee the facilities will also administer the facility to ensure there is transparency and independence.

Agribank chief executive, Mr Sam Malaba told The Herald that the move was targeted at increasing the area under functional irrigation and focus would be on rehabilitation, construction and modernisation of existing irrigation schemes.

“The US$10,5 million Pedstock Centre Pivots Irrigation Facility is for acquisition of centre pivots (Phase 2) as part of Government’s on-going farm mechanisation programmes for enhanced agriculture production and productivity,” said Mr Malaba.-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- Zanu Pf’s national political commissar Victor Matemadanda, who is the war veterans minister bemoaned poor service delivery in Mutare accusing the MDC led local authority of failing in its mandate.

He said the poor service delivery in the city was worsened by the lack of communication between residents and the City Fathers.

Speaking to journalists after a tour of the city, Matemadanda said:

There is a leadership vacuum in Mutare. The leadership is not connected to the people and this is cancer the Mutare of people have told me of.

People are saying that they have not seen their councillors since they were voted into office.

This should not be the case. We have been told a lot of problems and we are going to forward them to various ministries, but I am very worried because there is no communication between the leadership and residents.

Residents don’t know where to send their problems.” 

Matemadanda toured several sections of the city on Tuesday including the Sakubva flea market and bus terminus where he met residents, vendors and transport operators among other stakeholders.

Jane Mlambo| Information minister, Monica Mutsvangwa has denied ever being involved in shutting down the internet during the national shutdown.

Responding to a question at a discussion in Bulawayo today, Mutsvangwa said she has hopes that the country will not return to era of shutting down internet on citizens.

“I never shutted down the Internet and i hope as Zimbabweans we will never go back to that,” said Mutsvangwa.

All Ugandan cows are to receive birth certificates to allow them to be more easily traced in order to comply with European Union (EU) regulations, according to The Daily Monitor.

He said products from Uganda were being impounded and banned from the EU. 

“Farmers will be registered and their products given barcodes so that if they find a problem with one box, they look for the source and sort out the problem,” he said.

“We cannot enter lucrative markets unless farmers register,” he added.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Zimbabwe’s 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 and 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 dollarization.

Ncube, a former chief economist at the African Development Bank, also agreed to a staff monitoring program with the International Monetary Fund (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 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 fruits 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 skeptical 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. 

PUBLIC PESSIMISM

Although former president 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 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: “There is lack of confidence.”Slideshow (9 Images)

“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 dollarization, 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 U.S. 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

By A Correspondent- Business came to a standstill at Barwick Primary School in Concession on Monday after angry parents stormed the premises meting out instant justice on a 62 year old teacher accused of indecently assaulting four grade six girls.

Speaking to a local publication on Tuesday, school acting headmistress confirmed the incident and the alleged cases of s.e.xual abuse.

The publication reports that on Monday morning six women, including one of the pupil’s mother, stormed the school armed with sticks to attack the alleged abuser. “They went to his classroom where they found him packing his stuff and he ran away after being attacked.

“The women later confronted me before they attacked me and two other staff members.

“Sometime last week, we received complaints from these pupils that the teacher had been inappropriately touching them during lessons and we instigated some investigations into the cases,” she said.

The s.e.xual abuse suspect has since gone into hiding after the discovery of the alleged abuse. Police reports have since been filed in respect of both the s.e.xual abuse and assault cases.

School authorities have since suspended the teacher pending investigations into his alleged conduct. The girls, all in Grade Six, allege the teacher was in the habit of touching their privates during lessons.-StateMedia

Philip Peter Hazangwi, a police officer has approached the High Court seeking its intervention after he lost his car he claims was valued at $50 000.

VID was cited as the respondent together with the Transport Ministry and Deputy Depot manager in the ministry, one Chikunga.

According to Hazangwi’s declaration, on May 30, 2016, around 0730 hours, he was driving his Nissan Vanette registration ADP 6614 along Julius Nyerere Way in Harare.

“I was stopped by the Vehicle Inspection Department officers and was told that the car was being taken to the depot because they suspected that it was not roadworthy,” said Hazangwi.

On the same date, the police officer added, he made a follow-up and was told to surrender the registration book of the vehicle.

At the time, Hazangwi said, he had misplaced the book so he had to apply for a duplicate at Central Vehicle Registry (CVR).

“On the 16th of July 2016, the defendants inspected the motor vehicle and some minor defects were then noted,” he said.

Hazangwi was issued with a notice to prohibit the vehicle from being used on the road until noted defects were attended to, to the VID’s satisfaction.

He said he went to collect the vehicle with the intention to have it fixed but VID refused to release his car.

They demanded that he should pay storage fees but he refused to say it was unlawful since VID impounded the vehicle to satisfy itself on whether it roadworthy or not. VID subsequently sold the vehicle.

Hazangwi claims that the move resulted in him losing business because he was hiring his vehicle out on a daily basis.

He claimed $50 000 saying that was the value of his car and $300 000 for loss of business.

Harare City Council has raised maternity charges to ZW$120, up from ZW$25 while consultation fees will now be pegged at ZW$50.

The local authority recently approved a supplementary budget of ZW$483 million of which ZW$14.6 million is expected to come from the health sector.

The development also contradicts with the government’s policy on maternity which provides for user free maternity. Most, if not all, local authorities have been failing to implement the policy due to insufficiency of financial, human, technical and several other resources required.

Health stakeholders have expressed concern over the move arguing that it will reverse the progress made towards reducing maternal deaths.

Fungisayi Dube of the Citizens Health Watch said:

I think the price increase goes against the spirit of reducing maternal mortality and we run the risk of frustrating the gains made this far in fighting maternal mortality. Cost remains a major deterrent in accessing health services, especially maternal health services.

Recently, president Mnangagwa confessed the government’s concern over maternal deaths which he said could be reduced through skills training for midwives and doctors as well as through supplying essential medical equipment.

Meanwhile, HCC spokesperson, Michael Chideme, said that it was not an increase, but an adjustment to the interbank rate.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Top Chipinge coffee farmer and owner of Farfell Estates, Mr Richard Le Vieux, has thanked President Mnangagwa for resolving the ownership dispute of a portion of the farm, a development that has enabled exports of the crop and other produce to continue.

Mr Le Vieux expressed his gratitude when he appeared before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Lands, Agriculture, Rural Resettlement, Water and Climate chaired by Nembudziya legislator Cde Justice Mayor Wadyajena.

The farm was at the centre of a wrangle pitting Mr Le Vieux, who also grows macadamia nuts and avocados for exports at the estate, and indigenous farmer Mr Remembrance Mbudzana.

“I want to say His Excellency the President and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have acted swiftly to address the situation of destabilisation of a successful export enterprise and I want to go on record thanking them for that, not for me but for the country and the business which is an employer and exporter, and an important economic actor in that remote place,” he said.

“I am glad to report to everybody here today that the situation at the estate is calm and exports are going full speed and we can now plan further investments beyond the investments which we have made which amount to millions and I am not talking about investments made 20 years ago, but like our avocado factory that was only made three years ago.

“So the resolution of this issue means we can continue with our investments and continue with our growth.”

Mr Le Vieux said Mozambican Agriculture had visited his estate and offered him land to establish a similar venture in that country.

“I have so far declined the offer to invest in Mozambique because if I say yes I will have to start the investments there once again,” said Mr Le Vieux.

Mr Mbudzana had been offered a portion of the estate (Lot 1) but after considering the investments and production currently taking place, Government decided to revoke the offer letter and find him alternative land.

Cabinet resolved and directed that Mr Le Vieux be issued with an offer letter for his portion of Farfell Coffee Estates, that is Lot 2 (220 hectares) in keeping with the Government framework of maximum farm sizes and that if he so wishes, he be issued with an appropriate lease agreement with respect to Lot 1, so as to guarantee continuity of the very productive and strategic commercial operations currently taking place at Lot 1.

Cabinet also resolved that the offer letter of Lot 1 (229 hectares) to Mr Mbudzana be consequently revoked and that he be considered for land allocation in other available areas in Chipinge district.-StateMedia

There has been an allegation made in which a Mr Gift Kugara (a convicted violent criminal, and a frequenter in UK prisons, 3 years plus in sentences, running under a fake surname “Mawire” of whom are many female victims, and a militia) passed claiming that a journalist tried to influence the Zim Netball team to seek asylum.

It is a no-brainer that this allegation was notoriously crafted to attack the journalistic work covered so far to expose massive looting of public funds meant for the Zim Netball team, so that more money is stolen from the Zim gems.

After a long period of consultations with the sources, we have been assured that the best way forward for the players’ safety, is to go into full disclosure as much as is possible, with permission.

Our short response is: everything from the 1st July 2019, 4 days before the players had landed in UK, is on LIVE camera, and is timestamped. And where is the worry, is it about the so called “asylum” allegation, or about the looted funds?

The investigative reports revealing the massive looting of the players’ funds were done 4 days before the players had flown to the UK. It was then that the SRC (Sports and Recreation Commission) spokesman, Tiri Nheweyembwa in an interview said that the players’ allowances are a private affair “they are confidential) and he also said only 26 people, (plus 2 govt officials) are traveling to the UK for the Netball WorldCup. Why the secrecy?

Audit reports discussed inside govt offices reveal the fund was however already $39,000 for food short. This was all because of numbers of people added to the expenditure who have nothing whatsoever to do with Netball. Nheweyembwa said the number was not at all 53, as our audit report showed. Nheweyembwa claimed there are no additional 27 people traveling to the UK. But on the official government documentation, clause 3.2 says… “airfares for the additional 27 members will be paid for by from fundraising proceeds.”

4 days later, the Zim govt released a new report that shows a whopping 54 people were en-route to UK( 1 person added to the list).

There are several family members who later raised the alarm for the players’ welfare, saying they were being abused at Hotel Ibis in Liverpool, and they are on LIVE video. Did we order them to do that? There are social workers who raised the alarm, did we order them to do that? They are on LIVE camera.

Thousands of dollars were misappropriated by the fatcats. Does the author acknowledge the role our expose worked to lift the players’ morale?

The only thing one could complain about are the articles exposing the looting of thousands of the players’ funds, vis a vis the refusal to purchase safety shoes for them, the type the players requested, which cost less than £100 each. Another one was the complaint about staggered meals, some which were poor (pictures available). Another matter was the players’ contracts, which in a LIVE interview on 5th July at 9pm, the Netball President Leticia Chipandu promised were already signed and ready for public view, something that later proved to be utterly false.

The Netball Team’s spokesman, Maimba Mapuranga has said no sportsperson in Zimbabwe has a contract. But his boss, Leticia Chipandu is on LIVE camera at Manchester Airport on 5th July, 9pm saying she had contracts to show the public to the effect. 11 days later, where are those contracts? When she was later asked about this last Wednesday morning, Mrs Chipandu told donors to “go to hell” saying she only reports to the Zimbabwean government.

Thousands were collected from British taxpayers, and under British laws, all funds donated have to be disclosed publicly. Maimba Mapuranga claimed under Zimbabweean law this is not a requirement. What he said is not true. And why the secrecy?

Notwithstanding, some of these matters have since improved following our investigative articles (see my LIVE report on Sat) “and on Saturday I made a LIVE report on this as I rallied for support for the Zim team,” said Simba Chikanza.

Perhaps one could complain about why these articles were published. But how can anyone expect the media to keep quiet when players are subjected to such conditions especially those of the national team playing a WorldCup? How can any journalist keep quiet when family members call in in the middle of the night to complain, especially when there is so much evidence? Scores of family members called and one of those who complained of this ill treatment is a relative of the best player of the games (and the world’s 2nd best scorer so far), Joice Takaidza, and they have since praised ZimEye for the hard work in boosting the morale of the girls, making them feel at least valuable.

How can any journalist fail to investigate reports that officials are getting $1,200 per day while the Netball team goes without their promised penny for weeks in a foreign country? One of these left a suckling child at home in Zimbabwe. Imagine this mother arriving back from the UK after nearly a month with not even £100 in hand to show why she abandoned her child, after such a sacrifice for the nation.

Aside the relatives, Suku McKenzie of the Suku Mackenzie Foundation, run by a Zimbabwean mental health professional is the one who reported the case to the Mersyside Police following the relatives’ complaint that the players are being subjected to harassment and death threats should they make their plight public.

Suku Mckenzie raised the alarm saying the “effects of emotional abuse, from intimidation and threats are more serious than physical abuse, and I can testify because I was there when the players did not want to talk, amid all this evidence, when I tried to talk to them. Emotional abuse causes great harm. Emotional abuse and being made to feel powerless has an effect on the individual. Why would you expect a gem to win a game when they are not being given the voice to stand for themselves?,” she said.

One of the signs of an abuser are seen in a person who refuses to be accountable and this can be seen in the way Leticia Chipandu says, it is none of your business, anyone can “go to hell,” said Suku McKenzie.

“They also make their victims feel guilty”, added McKenzie.

Suku McKenzie was also concerned after players raised the alarm over their need for the right shoes, for safety. They said many had been injured during practice and this could have been reduced were all players wearing the right safety shoes of which the team members identified Asics for Netball, a shoe type widely reviewed and recommended by professionals for the M&S Arena’s slippery surface.

These recommendations come despite bold denials by the Netball Team’s spokesman, Mr Maimba Mapuranga who as late as the following week, Tuesday 15th July said the Asics shoe is unnecessary because as he claims, “the girls have played in Japan with their shoes bought from Zimbabwe.” While we are no experts in these things, if a player of WorldCup level were to approach us as Netball Officials to tell us for their health and safety, they need a shoe that costs less than £100, does it make sense to deny them access to the thousands of dollars already donated for their use?

On the 11th July, a male caller, Mr Gibbs Manungi, screamed out about this need, saying he was ready to go and purchase the shoes for the team. (LIVE: Caller Says Zim Netball Team Players Have No Shoes For The Match https://www.zimeye.net/2019/07/11/live-caller-says-zim-netball-team-players-have-no-shoes-for-the-match/ ). Suku Mckenzie also joined Mr Manungi in Liverpool so to assist.

We then published and raised the alarm over this matter, and later on Friday, Mrs Chipandu released £40 each to the players so they could purchase the Asics. But the shoe costs £79,99.

On Friday we got donors to rush to the Liverpool One, to try to purchase these shoes. One of the donors was at the Ibis hotel, denied access to the players and she is on LIVE video complaining about this.

To date, we have been (regularly as much as we can) with the team from day one; and if our articles were false, misleading or damaging, how could the Netball President, Leticia Chipandu hug ZimEye’s Simba Chikanza on Sunday 14th July and acknowledge that this expose was necessary? Is it not because of the articles, that the meals for the players have been improved, at least so far, despite none of the promised allowances being paid to date?
To date the players do not have their promised allowances. Should the media keep quiet about this?

Should any of these LIVE videos be doubted, we are available right now and even on video call, and our phone numbers remain open.

And now to the allegations of ordering or even influencing the seeking of “asylum,” these are false, malicious, and in any case, any person found doing as alleged, is guilty of a serious crime under British law. Such a person, journalist or not, must with immediate effect be reported to the nearest police station (no Twitter games needed). No further comment.

Norton MP Temba Mliswa (independent) has threatened to drag government to court to force it to improve the welfare of MPs by providing them with vehicles and increase their salaries.

Raising a point of privilege in the National Assembly yesterday, Mliswa said lawmakers had been neglected by the Executive and he was now taking the matter to the Constitutional Court to force the state to act.

“The welfare of parliamentarians must be taken seriously madam speaker. When the Executive makes an undertaking, they must fulfil it. Madam Speaker, I am going to approach the Constitutional Court to ensure that this matter is dealt with. The salaries of MPs have not changed and the cost of living has gone up,” Mliswa said

Government has delayed availing vehicles to MPs due to budgetary constraints. Finance minister Mthuli Ncube last week promised to procure the vehicles for the MPs this week.

“The SROC (Standing Rules and Orders Committee) makes decisions and they are ignored by the executive. We were given the ZW$50 000 as CDF (Constituency Development Fund), but the money has been eroded. Something has to be done,” Mliswa said.

In November last year, MPs arm-twisted Mthuli to allocate money for their welfare after refusing to increase the budget.

The MPs want government to buy Land Cruisers, which they said “is the only car good enough for MPs to do their work because the Mazdas and Toyotas we get are not good enough”.

Meanwhile, Mliswa yesterday blocked MDC MPs from quizzing government on claims that First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa was being threatened by some military personnel, saying the audio circulating on social media should not be taken seriously.

MDC MP Innocent Gonese had asked Home Affairs minister Cain Mathema on what steps government was doing to protect its citizens who included the First Lady.

Before Mathema could respond, Mliswa stood up saying Parliament could not discuss social media issues and to this end, Mathema did not respond to the question with regard to the first lady.

On Tuesday, the social media was awash with an audio conversation allegedly between the First Lady and a top military commander, believed to be Samson Murombo where she allegedly claimed that some army officers were plotting to kill her and the President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The authenticity of the audio has remained questionable with Zanu PF supporters alleging voice morphing.-Newsday

Zimbabwe embarked on a land redistribution programme on the aftermath of independence in 1980. The programme was premised at improving production for improved exports and mitigating hunger.

The most popular phase in the land redistribution programme was the fast-track land ‘grab’ which was reportedly triggered by Chief Svosve who together with his people invaded farms belonging to white farmers. The government was compelled to endorse the move in fear of losing support from the electorate.

So far, returns from the programme are insignificant as the country is failing to produce enough to sustain the local industry and to feed the nation. The scarcity of wheat, soya beans, and even maize bears testimony to this.

News Day observes that people who were incentivised and failed to live up to the task are to blame for the demise of the Agriculture sector. The publication gives an example of former Police Deputy Commissioner-General, Innocent Matibiri, who was recently dragged to court for failing to pay back a US$189 000 debt.

He got the money from Tian Ze Tobacco for the purposes of growing tobacco for them during the 2014-15 agricultural season. If he had returned the money, other farmers could have benefited.

News Day further notes that lack of dedication to farming might have led to the former ZRP boss’s failure in the farming sector. 

Part of the publication’s article reads:

… In our view, the two can only be possible if one is able to work 24/7, which is impossible… In the end, we are sure it affected both his chosen trades…

But he is not the only one. In 2008 the RBZ embarked on a farm mechanisation programme. Farmers were given machinery but some sold the machines and never paid back the loan facility. That debt was assumed by the central bank, that means that the tax payer’s money is to settle the debt.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Information minister, Monica Mutsvangwa, has called upon media houses to improve the welfare of journalists whom she said are playing a critical role of disseminating information.

She was addressing journalists after touring Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) offices in Graniteside in Harare yesterday.

The minister said:

The welfare of our journalists needs to be transformed. There is a saying that if you throw nuts you get monkeys. They need to be well paid.

Mutsvangwa said that it was essential for journalists to continuously take refresher courses. She also expressed her unhappiness over the negative image some writers paint on the country.

She added:

I am happy to see you working. This is a very important job that you are doing. The Constitution calls for dissemination of information and it is my mandate as a minister to interact with you. I have brought my permanent secretary (Nick Mangwana) and we are open. If you need anything come to us. Let us remove them and us attitude. We are all Zimbabweans,

I am a war veteran; I fought for this country when I was 15 years old. What I fought for is freedom and democracy peace and stability. One can choose to be Zanu PF or MDC or any other political party. When you are writing bear in mind that the pen can create a discord in other people’s lives. It can destroy political leaders. Let us be professional and factual when reporting.

By A Correspondent- Home Affairs minister Cain Mathema and Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga face a $500 000 lawsuit each for the arrest and harassment of MDC organising secretary Amos Chibaya during the January fuel price hike protests.

Chibaya was arrested in January after being accused of inciting public violence in a case in which police said he addressed youths at his house in Mkoba and incited them to embark on violent conduct during protests against fuel price increases announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa. He was kept at Gweru Central Police Station cells for four days after the police applied for a further detention order at the lapse of the mandatory 48 hours.

He was later detained at Whawha medium prison for over two weeks after police opposed bail at the Magistrates’ Court, only to be granted his freedom at the Masvingo High Court.

In March, provincial magistrate Charity Maphosa then acquitted him of the charges at the end of the State’s case.

However, documents obtained by Southern Eye indicate that the Mkoba legislator will formally sue Mathema, Matanga and the Central Investigations Department’s Law and Order police officers who arrested him and handled his case.

The official notice to sue was delivered to the respondents on May 29 and expires at the end of this month, after the lapse of the 60 days that are permitted at law.

Chibaya’s lawyer, Reginald Chidawanyika, confirmed the development and said Mathema and Matanga, together with the other respondents, had not responded to the notice.

“We are taking those who were responsible for the persecution of MP Chibaya during the fuel hike protests to the High Court demanding damages of $500 000 per person. The arrest and the pain suffered by my client during the lengthy detention were with no basis and the police knew he was innocent,” Chidawanyika said.

Investigations by Chibaya’s lawyers revealed that Moffart Kanda, one of the witnesses the police had intended to lead in court, saying he was part of the gathering addressed by Chibaya at his house was, in fact, a fugitive.
Kanda has a case of illegal possession of a firearm that was allegedly committed in 2006, but he fled the country at that time.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi is studying a report compiled by a technical team he recently despatched to South Africa to meet Eskom officials to explore avenues of accessing more power imports to augment locally-generated electricity.

The technical team’s visit to South Africa followed the payment of US$10 million by the Government to Eskom as part of efforts to reduce the power import debt.

Minister Chasi said this on Tuesday while responding to questions from journalists during a post-Cabinet briefing.

He said:

“We had a team consisting of people from my ministry, Zesa, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, (and) Ministry of Finance and Economic Development that we sent to engage their technical partners from Eskom.

They have just given me a report which I am looking at now. This meeting is a precursor to my trip to meet the relevant minister. We have not firmed up on any date and time, but it is an urgent issue that I have to travel to South Africa to sit down with my counterpart and discuss how we can resolve the various issues; the balance that we owe, what amount of power we can get from them.

The fact that we have paid part of what we owed is no automatic guarantee that we are going to get power, but we have to negotiate, sit down with them and discuss. I have no doubt that we will come up with an amicable solution that will result in us having some power.

The purpose of the structure is to assure mining entities of sufficient power so the mobilisation of resources is meant to actually ensure and assure the miners of the necessary power.

We cannot fail them to do their work through stoppage of their work; that is the rationale of the structure. The intention is to ensure that all the miners have sufficient power to do their work on a day-to-day basis.”

Cabinet has resolved to waive duty on solar-related equipment and that new construction projects should have solar equipment installed-StateMedia.

By A Correspondent- Vice President Kembo Mohadi yesterday met chiefs from the Midlands Province to consult on national healing, peace and reconciliation mechanisms as part of efforts to address issues of Zimbabwe’s fractious past.

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

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

Yesterday, he met chiefs from the eight districts in the Midlands Province in Gweru.

“I am coming to the chiefs, our traditional and cultural leaders, to learn as they are the reservoirs and fountains of our rich cultural heritage. Peace, ukuthula, runyararo has been and remains a permanent ideal and aspiration as well as a right and duty according to Preis and Mustea. They go on to state that sustainable peace must uphold the dignity of every man and woman. The same researchers observe that development is not sustainable if societies are not at peace with themselves and with their neighbours,” he said.

Vice President Mohadi said maintaining peace is among the main roles played by traditional leaders in many African countries adding that their influence goes a long way in resolving disputes between family members within and among communities and occasionally across state lines.

He said even the late VP John Landa Nkomo preached peace when he said, “peace begins with me, peace begins with you, and peace begins with all of us.”

“Our Constitution recognises the status and the role of our traditional leaders and clearly articulates their functions which are to promote and uphold cultural values of their communities and in particular to promote sound values, to take measures to preserve the culture, traditions, history and heritage of their communities, including sacred shrines, to facilitate development and to resolve disputes involving people in

their communities in accordance with the customary law,” said VP Mohadi.

“The constitution is not stating anything new that we as Africans don’t know. It is only affirming what we know culturally as the roles of our traditional leaders. It is for this reason that I have taken upon myself, within the mandate that His Excellency, the President assigned me of promoting peace in our country, to engage our traditional leaders nationally in this important dialogue of peace building and conflict resolution,” he said.

The Vice President said there is need for a panacea of peace rooted in culture that is protected by the traditional leaders.

Meanwhile, VP Mohadi expressed worry about magistrates who summon traditional chiefs to their courts as witnesses in matters they would have dealt with, which is tantamount to looking down on their esteemed office.

He told chiefs that the office of the traditional chiefs ought to be respected as they were the reservoirs and fountains of the country’s rich cultural heritage which is the backbone of the peace and tranquillity enjoyed in the country.

He said as such, President Mnangagwa has tasked the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi to craft a law that gives traditional chiefs extra powers so that they are not summoned by the magistrates after making judgments at their customary courts.

“As I engage chiefs in their provinces on this very important subject of peace building and conflict resolution, it has become very apparent to me that for chiefs to effectively perform this important role of peace building and conflict resolution their status and powers have to be enhanced. Chiefs have complained of how their status is undermined by their being dragged to magistrates courts after they have made judgments in their customary courts.”

“Chiefs complained that they are called as witnesses by magistrates. Why doesn’t the magistrate get called by a High Court to be a witness? This means that they are looking down upon the chiefs and we don’t want that. We engaged His Excellency and the Minister of Justice has been asked to look into the matter and come up with rules and regulations so that it doesn’t happen in future because we want the chiefs judgments to be respected,” he said.-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- Health workers have been awarded 50 percent of their pensionable salaries as a cushioning allowance starting this month following the erosion of incomes by a wave of price increases.

The allowance will be paid across the board to every worker in the health sector and will be 50 percent of basic salary, transport and housing allowances among others.

Making the announcement during a tour of Nyamhunga Clinic here yesterday, Health Services Board acting chairperson Professor Auxillia Chideme-Munodawafa said representatives had agreed with Government on an allowance while negotiations continue.

“Through a meeting which started this (yesterday) morning, Government is going to pay health workers 50 percent of the pensionable amount by the end of July,” she said.

“I would say 50 percent of pensionable salary is a very reasonable gesture that has been offered.

“Whenever you negotiate, you expect the highest, but Government will always give you what they can afford.”

Prof Chideme-Munodawafa said economic challenges affecting the country required workers to be insulated through such interventions while long term solutions were being worked  out.

“As the Health Services Board, our mandate is to address conditions of service for our healthcare workers and of late with challenges that have affected all sectors, we realised that our healthcare workers needed cushioning.

“The measures are aimed at addressing the challenges they are having after the erosion of their buying power and salaries,” said Prof Chideme-Munodawafa.

She said the Government was listening to concerns of the health sector and taking steps to address them.

Presenting challenges faced in Kariba District, health workers said they needed a heat allowance owing to the extremely high temperatures found in the Zambezi Valley.

“As nurses and staff here in Kariba, we request for heat allowance because temperatures can be so high that the body sometimes feels like it can no longer go on.

“The allowance will be an incentive for people working in the area,” said one nurse at Kariba District Hospital.-StateMedia

Police in Bulawayo arrested Josphat Mzaca Ngulube and other activists over a pre-planned demonstration that was supposed to take place today.

The demonstration was supposed to take place at 2 PM starting from Hyper and ending at the Joshua Nkomo statue.

Ngulube had posted on social media in the past few days that the police had been notified of the event in accordance with the law. 
The constitution section 59 says every Zimbabwean has a right to demonstrate and petition peacefully.

MDC-Alliance activist Paddington Japajapa was yesterday jailed for an effective two years after he was found guilty of contravening Section 66A of the Electoral Act Chapter 2:13 (unofficial or false declaration of results).

Harare magistrate Mrs Learnmore Mapiye initially slapped Japajapa with three years imprisonment before suspending one year on condition of good behaviour.

In her ruling, Mrs Mapiye said Japajapa had a previous conviction not related to the present case.

She said Japajapa was accredited to monitor elections, but he ended up interfering with the announcement of results.

It was the State’s case that on July 31, Japajapa held a Press conference at a time election results were being announced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and threatened to call for chaos, claiming the elections had been rigged.

Following the incitement by Japajapa, MDC-Alliance supporters violently stormed the city’s central business district in protest, leading to the destruction of property whose value is yet to be ascertained.

In his previous conviction on an unrelated case, Harare magistrate Mr Nyasha Vitorini convicted Japajapa of disorderly conduct for insulting Zambian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zelipa Chitambo after he failed to secure a maize import licence.

The court heard that on October 13, 2017, Japajapa, who was in the company of five women, visited the Zambian Embassy at 48 Kwame Nkrumah Avenue, Harare, intending to see the trade attaché over the importation of grain from Zambia.

Japajapa was informed that the attaché was not available. He then demanded to see the ambassador, but was told that he could only see her after making an appointment.

Ambassador Chitambo later introduced herself to Japajapa.

Japajapa then asked the ambassador: “Why do you employ such kind of people? They don’t know what they will be doing. You should get rid of them.”

Ambassador Chitambo advised Japajapa that Zambia had stopped exporting grain to Zimbabwe and Japajapa said: “This is not the only embassy that can help us. We will seek help from other embassies.”

Health workers have been awarded 50 percent of their pensionable salaries as a cushioning allowance starting this month following the erosion of incomes by a wave of price increases.

The allowance will be paid across the board to every worker in the health sector and will be 50 percent of basic salary, transport and housing allowances among others.

Making the announcement during a tour of Nyamhunga Clinic here yesterday, Health Services Board acting chairperson Professor Auxillia Chideme-Munodawafa said representatives had agreed with Government on an allowance while negotiations continue.

“Through a meeting which started this (yesterday) morning, Government is going to pay health workers 50 percent of the pensionable amount by the end of July,” she said.

“I would say 50 percent of pensionable salary is a very reasonable gesture that has been offered.

“Whenever you negotiate, you expect the highest, but Government will always give you what they can afford.”

Prof Chideme-Munodawafa said economic challenges affecting the country required workers to be insulated through such interventions while long term solutions were being worked out.

“As the Health Services Board, our mandate is to address conditions of service for our healthcare workers and of late with challenges that have affected all sectors, we realised that our healthcare workers needed cushioning.

“The measures are aimed at addressing the challenges they are having after the erosion of their buying power and salaries,” said Prof Chideme-Munodawafa.

She said the Government was listening to concerns of the health sector and taking steps to address them.

Presenting challenges faced in Kariba District, health workers said they needed a heat allowance owing to the extremely high temperatures found in the Zambezi Valley.

“As nurses and staff here in Kariba, we request for heat allowance because temperatures can be so high that the body sometimes feels like it can no longer go on.

“The allowance will be an incentive for people working in the area,” said one nurse at Kariba District Hospital.

Temperatures in Kariba and the Zambezi Valley can go as high as 42 degrees Celsius leading to death of wildlife.

Prof Chideme-Munodawafa said the board had taken note of their plea and would take it up with the relevant authorities for consideration and solutions.

Members of the HSB also toured Kariba District Hospital.

The delegation is expected to visit Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital today.

GOVERNMENT and Apex Council negotiators are set to meet to continue with negotiations that will culminate in an agreement over civil servants’ cushioning allowances.

The proposed meeting of negotiators, which is potentially set for today, saw Government yesterday postponing the announcement of a cocktail of measures aimed at cushioning its workers from the vagaries of inflation.

Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube, and Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Dr Sekai Nzenza, were expected to announce a cushioning intervention yesterday.

Senior Government officials told state media last night that the anticipated negotiations which could take place today, resulted in the postponement of the announcement of cushioning interventions to give talks a chance.

“Nothing happened today (yesterday) but tomorrow (today) we expect Government negotiators and the Apex Council negotiators to meet and talk,” said a senior Government official on condition of anonymity.

“It is a meeting to continue discussing cushioning package for civil servants.”

Sources said Government did not want to be seen to be negotiating in bad faith by announcing a cushioning allowance then attend talks.

Government is determined to engage civil servants through their representatives and deliberate over their conditions of service despite limited resources.

President Mnangagwa has already met civil servants’ representatives to get their concerns and explore avenues of addressing them.

A 40 percent cushioning intervention has already been extended to civil servants and is set to continue for the next five months as a “more modest amount” while other interventions are being worked out.

Apex Council president Mrs Cecilia Alexander has indicated that their members want value for their salaries.

Recent price increases have eroded the value of employees’ salaries.

Minister Nzenza confirmed that she was aware of the meeting between Government and Apex Council negotiators.

“Yes I am,” she said, adding that “Government fully understands the difficult situation faced by workers given the rising costs of basic commodities.

“My ministry, through the Apex Council is engaged in negotiations. At the same time, the ministry is positive that the newly enacted TNF (Tripartite Negotiating Forum (Act) will enable positive dialogue with both business and workers on socio-economic issues affecting our country.”

VICE President Kembo Mohadi yesterday said Government is crafting a law that will protect chiefs from being summoned by magistrates as witnesses after making a ruling at customary courts.

Addressing Chiefs from the eight districts in the Midlands province in Gweru yesterday, Vice President Mohadi said summoning traditional chiefs as witnesses in matters they would have dealt with is tantamount to looking down upon their esteemed office.

Mohadi’s call comes after Ntabazinduna Chief Nhlanhla Ndiweni was dragged to court in a case allegedly instigated by ZANU PF Secretary for Administration Obert Mpofu where the chief is accused of malicious damage to property and violence.

Chief Ndiweni had given a ruling at his court that a subject’s wife who had been caught sleeping with other married men in the village should vacate her husband’s home, but she did not comply with the order since they had resolved the matter as a couple, prompting the chief to order the destruction of his fence and kraal.

The former Home Affairs and Culture Minister was dragged to court to testify after Chief Ndiweni alleged that Mpofu was behind his arrest and had influenced the complainant in their matter, Mr Fetti Mbele, to file criminal charges against the chief and his advisers.

VP Mohadi said traditional chiefs ought to be respected as they were the reservoirs and fountains of the country’s rich cultural heritage which is the backbone of the peace and tranquillity enjoyed in the country.

He said as such, President Mnangagwa had tasked the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi to craft a law that gives traditional chiefs extra powers so that they are not summoned by the magistrates after making judgments at their customary courts.

“As I engage chiefs in their provinces on this very important subject of peace building and conflict resolution, it has become very apparent to me that for chiefs to effectively perform this important role of peace building and conflict resolution, their status and powers have to be enhanced. Chiefs have complained about being dragged to magistrates’ courts after they have made judgments at their customary courts which undermines their status,” he said.

“Chiefs have complained that they are called as witnesses by magistrates. Why are magistrates not called by the High Court to come as a witnesses?  We engaged His Excellency and the Minister of Justice has been asked to look into the matter and come up with rules and regulations so that it doesn’t happen in future because we want the chiefs’ judgments to be respected.” 

VP Mohadi said he has already been to Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South consulting chiefs on how to build and sustain peace in the country.

He said maintaining peace is among the main roles played by traditional leaders in many African countries.

VP Mohadi said the influence of chiefs goes a long way in resolving disputes between family members within and among communities and occasionally across State lines.

He said the late VP Cde John Landa Nkomo preached peace when he said, “peace begins with me, peace begins with you, and peace begins with all of us.”

“Our constitution recognises the status and the role of our traditional leaders and clearly articulates their functions which are, to promote and uphold cultural values of their communities and in particular to promote sound values, to take measures to preserve the culture, traditions, history and heritage of their communities, including sacred shrines, to facilitate development and to resolve disputes involving people in their communities in accordance with the customary law,” said VP Mohadi.

GOVERNMENT has appointed a team to investigate the circumstances leading to the suspension of Bulawayo Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube.

The team is expected to arrive in the city today and start work tomorrow.

Bulawayo Deputy Mayor Clr Tinashe Kambarami on Thursday last week suspended Mr Dube and with the help of clr Silas Chigora and other councillors, violently ejected him from his office.

They accuse Mr Dube of abuse of office among other allegations.

Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Solomon Mguni lifted the suspension the following day.

The Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing has appointed a team to investigate circumstances leading to Mr Dube’s suspension.

The council’s Chamber Secretary Mrs Sikhangele Zhou through a letter yesterday notified the councillors of the pending investigations.

“Please be informed that an investigation team has been dispatched to investigate the recent events surrounding the suspension of the Town Clerk. The investigating team from the Ministry will arrive in Bulawayo tomorrow (today) (18th July 2019) and will start work on the 19th July, 2019. Please note that you will be called to give evidence. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated,” reads Mrs Zhou’s letter to councillors.

Contacted for further clarification, Mrs Zhou said, she was in Harare and could not comment on developments that were happening in the city.

Clr Mguni confirmed receiving a letter from Mrs Zhou.

He however said he was not in a position to comment on the matter.

The members of the probe team could not be established last night.

Last Friday, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo told a press briefing that circumstances leading to Mr Dube’s suspension were unfortunate.

“But you can’t correct a situation of that nature without us looking into why and how it happened,” said Minister Moyo.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Below is the full text of Auxillia Mnangagwa’s rant as she begged a top colonel in the Presidential Guard for mercy. Auxillia was talking to col Samson Murombo. She said, “I am coming to your office. You are silly. You are silly. You do not play with a woman, she will humiliate you. You are very silly you. I said you are silly. I said you are silly. I do not drink beer and I am not a prostitute, my friend. I am going to finish my business with you. I am not going to deal with your job, but I just want you and your flesh. I don’t care about your job I am going to go into battle with you a man, fighting a woman. A man against a woman, this is what I am telling you that you have underestimated me. I want to ask you, you want to kill me why do you want to kill me. Why are you spying on me to get to the extent of asking me how far are you?

“What do you want Murombo, what really do you want from me? I am really shaken, I am just a woman in a woman I I am just a grandmother a mere grandmother.

“Old people like you; you then choose to spy on me surely. Go and shoot Emmerson Mnangagwa himself. But as for me, please forgive me, I have children. Shoot Emmerson Mnangagwa himself.

“Because I know these stories these things are what you are doing go and shoot him. Go and shoot him come on, you. What is it, what and why do you want to shoot me? What have I done? I am a threat to you in what way, Murombo? I don’t trail your wife, there is nowhere where you have see anything I have done to you. I’m coming to your office; you are spying on me; you are spying on me this is your job.

“The phone number I know it. Manjoro, if you’re asking he says he has the number. But because he is gone you have raised the matter again. What do you want from me? What do you want from me? Just tell me what you want from me because if I die, it is your fault. You don’t spy on me you have to tell me what you want.”