A CONSORTIUM of General Electric and Power Construction Corporation of China has been awarded the tender to develop the Batoka Gorge Hydro Electric Scheme (BGHES) under a Build, Operate and Transfer funding model between Zimbabwe and Zambia.

A special Zambezi River Authority Council of Ministers meeting held in Lusaka, Zambia, on Friday resolved to bring forward the selection of the contractors given the power shortages afflicting the two countries.

Initially the contractor was supposed to be selected in September. The COM consist of ministers responsible for energy and finance portfolios in Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Energy and Power Development Minister Advocate Fortune Chasi and his Finance and Economic Development counterpart Professor Mthuli Ncube signed the communique on behalf of the Zimbabwean Government while Zambian Energy Minister Matthew Nkhuwa and his Finance counterpart Margaret Mwanakatwe signed on behalf of the Zambian government.

Negotiations with the consortium will commence immediately.

A communiqué released following the extraordinary meeting confirmed the development. “The Council of Ministers (COM) noted the commendable progress made on the programme for the development of the BGHES which was in accordance to plan,” reads the communiqué in part.

“The COM, however, noted that the Republics of Zambia and Zimbabwe were currently facing a power crisis which was worsened by the 2017-2018 hydrological season where the rainfall received was below normal.

“As a result of this abnormal rainfall pattern of the current season coupled with the uncertainty associated with future rainfall patterns for the region, factors of which spell out the need to fast track measures to establish additional water storage and power generation infrastructure, there was, therefore, need for the two Governments to ensure that the implementation of the BGHES was expedited.

“In order to mitigate the current power crisis within the shortest possible time, the Governments of the Republics of Zambia and Zimbabwe have reached an emergency decision to award the development of the BGHES to the consortium of Power Construction Corporation of China and General Electric on a build, operate, transfer (BOT) financial model.

“This is in order to ensure the future energy security of the two nations.”

The communiqué further states that the COM resolved to implement measures that will ensure the power utilities in Zambia and Zimbabwe remain sustainable.

Energy secretary Engineer Gloria Magombo told The Sunday Mail yesterday that negotiations with the consortium will commence immediately.

“What we will do now is enter into negotiations with the consortium to thrash out the finer details as to how the project will be undertaken,” she said.

“It is being done under a BOT arrangement and this will guide the negotiation process.

“Dates of commencement will crystallise when negotiations are complete.”

The development comes as an international firm contracted to carry out an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) on the Batoka project has concluded that implementation of the project will not pose adverse effects on human settlement along the Zambezi River.

Batoka will generate 2 400MW of electricity to be shared equally between the two countries.

Zimbabwe’s energy regulator has raised petrol and diesel prices by up to 16%, the fourth increase this year, after the finance minister said fuel was considerably cheaper than in neighbouring countries.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced the biggest fuel price hike in January, a 150% increase, which sparked deadly protests by financially struggling Zimbaweans that left more than a dozen people dead after an army clampdown.

The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority said late on Friday that effective Saturday, petrol would cost 6.10 Zimbabwe dollars ($0.70) a litre, up from 5.26, while the price of diesel had been increased 13% to 5.84 Zimbabwe dollars.

Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube was quoted in a daily newspaper on Thursday as saying he would be happy if the price of fuel was equivalent to $1 per litre.

While Ncube wants fuel prices to reflect import costs, many Zimbabweans can barely afford to pay them when the unemployment exceeds 80% and the entry-level wage for a government employee is about $49 a month – enough to buy a car tyre.

But with no sign of an end to rolling power cuts in the southern African country, demand for fuel has risen as businesses resort to more expensive diesel-powered generators.

Analysts say this is increasing the price of doing business, with companies likely to pass the cost to consumers, who are already grappling with inflation of nearly 100%.

There were long queues at service stations selling fuel early on Saturday.

Hopes that living standards would soon improve under Mnangagwa, who came to power after Robert Mugabe was removed in a coup in 2017, have not been realised. Instead, Zimbabweans are frustrated by daily power outages lasting up to 17 hours and severe shortages of U.S. dollars, fuel, bread, and medicines. $1 = 8.75 Zimbabwe dollars.

SEVEN people, including an entertainment promoter-cum-DJ, alleged to have taken part in the violent January protests this year, which saw three cars belonging to Zanu-PF Bulawayo provincial Women’s League chairperson, Eve Bitu being burnt, as well as her house being damaged have been acquitted.

Marshal Mpofu (37), the entertainment promoter-cum DJ, Esther Mbewe (53), Fortune Masuku (29), Angeline Mwemba (41), Minenhle Mahlangu (28), Mwale Chifufu (34) and Duduzile Amisi (39), were all acquitted and discharged after the State found no evidence linking them to the crime.

The seven were discharged by Bulawayo magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya last Friday.

Five other suspects, who include Bulawayo South losing independent candidate Josphat “Mzaca” Ngulube (34) are expected to appear in court next week, where they will be put on their defence.

The other four are Melusi Moyo (32), Lavender Moyo (66), Thabisani Ngwenya (32) and Otilia Sibanda (34).

The 12 who were arrested in February this year, appeared in court before being granted bail.

The State’s case is that the accused persons, acting in connivance with 100 others, unlawfully blocked free movement of traffic at an intersection along Sizinda Road and Nketa Drive.

They allegedly engaged in acts of violence.

They went to Bitu’s residence and threw stones and destroyed a precast wall to gain access to the yard.

They destroyed window panes before torching her three cars, a Ford Ranger, Nissan NP 300 and a Toyota Vitz.

“They also damaged roofing sheets and the complainant managed to escape uninjured together with her family,” said Ms Grace Zhou, prosecuting.

The court heard that the accused persons proceeded to Tshabalala Housing Office and clinic where they allegedly stoned the buildings.

BULAWAYO Deputy Mayor Tinashe Kambarami and Ward Four councillor, Silas Chigora have been arrested for allegedly assaulting the city’s Town Clerk, Mr Christopher Dube during a fracas that ensued when they tried to forcibly remove him from his office last week.

The duo yesterday appeared before Bulawayo magistrate, Mr Franklin Mkwananzi, facing charges of assault.

They were released on $100 bail and the matter remanded to 22 July.

Mr Mkwananzi also ordered the councillors to reside at their given addresses and not to interfere with witness until the matter is finalised.

The councillors were represented by Mr Maqhawe Mpofu of Mlaudzi and Partners.

The court heard that on Thursday last week at the council’s offices at the City Hall, Kambarami and Chigora unlawfully, with the intent of causing bodily harm to Mr Dube assaulted him with fists, open hands and booted feet all over the body despite the fact that there was a real risk or possibility of causing bodily harm.

It was heard that on the day, at about 2.30pm, Kambarami and Chigora approached the town clerk at his office at the City Hall with the intention to serve him with a letter of suspension from his official duties.

The accused persons were in the company of other councillors, Felix Mhaka, Clayton Zana, Tawanda Ruzive, Pilate Moyo, Lillian Moyo, Batirai Dube and Frank Jabangwe.

The court heard that during the process of serving Mr Dube, an argument ensued between the two parties as Mr Dube refused to be served with the suspension letter by the deputy mayor and his colleagues.

During the argument, Kambarami and Chigora allegedly teamed up and assaulted Mr Dube all over the body using fists, open hands and booted feet.

The other named councillors joined in, pushing and shoving Mr Dube out of his office before locking the door and inserting a key blocker.

Mr Dube sustained some injuries due to the assault and was referred to hospital where a medical report was compiled and can be produced in court as an exhibit.

Mr George Rufumoyo prosecuted. The suspension of Mr Dube has since been lifted by the Mayor, Councillor Solomon Mguni. Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Cde July Moyo also condemned the councillors for failing to follow laid down procedures.

Meanwhile, Ward Five Councillor Mhaka, who was allegedly attacked by some rouge youths and held hostage on Friday as tempered flared over the aborted suspension of Mr Dube said he did not report the matter to the police.

“I did not report the matter to the police, and I have resorted to dialogue, sooner or later this whole matter will be investigated. I managed to get my car keys but lost US$60 in the skirmishes,” he said yesterday.

Clr Mhaka was part of a group of councillors who had gathered to hold a special full council meeting to discuss Mr Dube’s issue on Friday.

Meanwhile, MDC-Alliance Bulawayo province spokesman Mr Swithern Chiroodza refused to comment on the behaviour of his party’s councillors in their attempt to suspend the town clerk.

However, the party’s national spokesperson Mr Daniel Molokele said they supported the return to normalcy in the city as evidenced by the reinstating of the town clerk. He promised to issue a comprehensive statement on the matter.

State Media reports indicate that there is an increase in underhand dealings at the passport offices, with desperate applicants parting with as much as US$200 to apply for the travel documents through middlemen.

Over the past year, the Registrar General’s (RGs) office has scaled down the issuance of passports owing to shortages of consumables, with daily levels now around 250 against a national demand of 3 000.

In an interview, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Cain Mathema said the country is facing challenges in securing raw material to process the travel documents.

He, however, urged the citizens not to panic as modalities are being put in place by Government to rectify the situation. The assurance comes as US$600 000 has since been availed by Treasury towards the purchase of passport printers.

“The public should not panic (over the passport issue),” said Minister Mathema.

“There is shortage of the special imported paper, ink and other raw materials used for passport printing.

“We are working on it. Yes, we have been facing some challenges, but I would want to assure passport applicants that we will overcome this challenge.”

An investigation conducted by State Media at the RG’s office in Harare showed that people are sleeping in queues in order to apply for the travel documents.

However, only 12 people, on average, are being assisted daily in Harare.

Information gathered also shows that some people who applied for the travel documents last November are yet to get them.

In most cases, the passports that are being processed are for emergency purposes and for people seeking medical attention outside the country as well as those on diplomatic or national duty.

ZANU-PF Central Committee member for Midlands province, Timothy Gandire- Mhuri, has died.

He was 88.

Gandire-Mhuri succumbed to kidney failure at a private hospital in Borrowdale yesterday morning.

Midlands Central Committee member Emmanuel Fundira said the provincial executive committee has since written to the Politburo requesting that he be declared a national hero.

“We have written to the party requesting national hero status for one of the pillars of the province who played a pivotal role during the liberation struggle,” said Fundira.

He described Gandire-Mhuri as a good listener and down-to-earth person who had an open-door policy.

“Those remaining in the province and party should continue uniting people, fighting for development and providing corrupt-free leadership, which he typified for more than 60 years.

“He provided good and mature leadership. He was the most senior both in the district and province. He was a source of wisdom and advice for the party.

“He remained committed to the party before and after independence,” he said.

Born in Shurugwi on October 2 1930, Gandire-Mhuri did his primary and secondary education at Vugwi before training as a mechanic at Ndweleni Technical College in South Africa.

Upon his return, he joined Zanu-PF in 1952 and later moved to Zambia to open a transport business.

However, he remained devoted to the liberation struggle.

While in Zambia, he provided liberation fighters with accommodation and transportation and became a target of Zambian and Rhodesian colonial governments.

He worked with senior party leaders such as Herbert Chitepo, Enock Dumbutshena and President Mnangagwa.

Soon after independence, he returned from Zambia and was appointed a Central Committee member, a position he held until his death.

Mourners are gathered at the family farm in Gweru, with burial tentatively scheduled for Wednesday.

Gandire-Mhuri is survived by seven children and eight grandchildren.

State Media|The Sunday Mail stands by its story published last week, “Magaya bombshell. Yes, he abused us”, in which Charity Dlodlo and Sarah Maruta made startling revelations against Prophet Walter Magaya.

Several women have come forward in the past week to make similar sexual allegations whilst others were still weighing the options of coming out.

Some were alleging that they remain vulnerable if they come out as the police has taken time to investigate the sexual allegations. And in some instances, they said dockets have gone missing.

When reached for comment Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, the police spokesperson said he would need to speak to relevant police stations first, saying he would do so during the course of this week.

On the other hand, questions sent to the spokesperson for Magaya and PHD Admire Mango, were also not responded to. He was not picking his calls.

The Sunday Mail last week gave prophet Magaya the right of reply but the offer was not taken up. Within hours of this publication hitting the streets last Sunday, Sarah Maruta was trending on social media, in a video in which she insinuated that she had been coerced by this publication to make sexual allegations against Prophet Walter Magaya.

She even said some of the words that she said in the interview were put into her mouth by this publication. However, The Sunday Mail stands by its story, the women voluntarily came to the Sunday Mail newsroom and narrated their ordeal.

On Thursday the paper visited 15 Wadham Road, Borrowdale, where Maruta alleged the two rape encounters by Magaya took place.

A caretaker at the house said Magaya was no longer staying there. If words were put into her mouth, as she alleges, how did The Sunday Mail know of the existence of the Borrowdale address, or that Magaya used to stay there?

Charity Dlodlo, the first one to come to The Sunday Mail newsroom and volunteer information on allegations of sexual harassment against Magaya, appeared on social media on Friday apologising to Magaya, for soiling his name.

She apologised for “soiling his name” and never said what she had alleged was false.

The somersaults by the two, Sarah Maruta and Charity Dlodlo, had the same fingerprints as the denial by Chenai Maenzanise, a weekend earlier, in which she refuted the allegations that had been made by her mother, that she had been sexually abused by Magaya, resulting in a baby being born.

In the rebuttal video, Chenai she said she was happily married — and had not been raped at any time by Magaya.

The move by the Maenzanise parents had emboldened women across the divide who have allegations of a sexual nature against the prophet.

It is against this background and in the aftermath of the Dlodlo and Maruta exposes that more women were keen on narrating their sexual ordeals at the hands of the prophet.

They said they were only holding on because of fears for their personal security, as the “royal guards”, a grouping of security personnel for the prophet, have a reputation for eliminating “enemies” of the prophet.

Even former church members, some of them male, are prepared to volunteer inside information about the sexual allegations against the prophet.

The Sunday Mail was inundated with calls and visits by some of them.

While some are considering their personal security, others said they were pulling together credible evidence which they said would stand in a court of law.

One of the girls, alleged to have had a four-some with the prophet, refused to go on record, arguing that this would destroy her “marriage”.

But as Sarah narrated in the unsolicited three-hour interview she had with this publication on July 4, she said it was common practice by the prophet to arrange marriages for girls that he would have sexually abused.

Mostly unknown to the girl, the “husband” from the church would have been given money by the prophet for lobola as well as for upkeep, to keep the girl on a leash as well as to buy her silence.

Sarah told this paper that Chenai Maenzanise could have been paid off by Magaya to shame her own mother.

What baffled the mind, though, is that she made her Sunday somersault fully aware that she had been recorded the previous Thursday by The Sunday Mail. Was she threatened into making the rebuttal video? Was she paid off? Only she can answer these questions.

When The Sunday Mail released its version of recording in mid-week, the court of public opinion was divided, with the majority saying the prophet had failed the moral test, as his standing, socially and spiritually, precluded him from having conjugal liaisons with his flock.

Others, most of them women, dismissed the rape allegations by Sarah Maruta, arguing that she was nothing but an extortionist. Others sat on the fence, waiting for the justice system to move into motion.

But Dlodlo claimed that she had laid several police charges against the man-of-cloth, and the dockets had mysteriously disappeared. She even moved from making her reports at Waterfalls police station to Harare Central police station, in the hope that justice will be delivered but to no avail.

Even Maruta claimed that when she approached the Law and Order police officers, she found out later that the police were siding with the prophet and persuaded her to settle out-of-court.

She claimed that she even went to Parirenyatwa Hospital with the police officers, as they wanted to verify her forced abortion story.

At the hospital, the accountant who attended to them said he was puzzled why Maruta had incurred “theatre fees” when she had been admitted as an attempted suicide patient.

She claimed she went to the hospital with the officers because she was getting SMS’ from the hospital asking her to pay off the hospital bills that she had accrued when she had been admitted there.

When the police officers demanded the hospital bill statements,the accountant refused, saying the hospital could only release them if they brought a warrant from the magistrate’s court.

For her part, Dlodlo claimed that after making reports against Magaya to the police, she started receiving death threats, and she took one of the “royal guards” to court on charges of intimidation.

She lost the court case, “because it was my word against his, and I didn’t have evidence to back up my claim that he had threatened me”.

Interestingly, when the second rape encounter occurred on Maruta, she claims she was asked to go to the house in Borrowdale, the same venue she had been raped previously, and she had the sense to carry on her some condoms.

Chipo Chakanyuka, Petronella Donhodzo, Angela Charakupa, Nomsa Ruvazhe, Charity Dlodlo and Sarah Maruta — at least these are the women who have come out in the open to allege that they were sexually abused.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa says “in 2030 I will still be here”.

The statement has been taken to mean that he wants to be President well beyond the 2-terms presidential limit as his second term (if he’s elected) ends in 2028.

Said Mnangagwa during a speech on HIV and AIDs targets:

…We therefore need to work together for the attainment of global goal of zero new infections by 2030. 2030 I’ll still be here so I’ll see if we have attained that goal or not.

Mnangagwa has been criticised and accused of harbouring ambitions to be president beyond the current terms dictated by the constitution of Zimbabwe.

This is in resonance with what he said in June 2018. Back then, he said that he was confident he would still be the president of Zimbabwe in 2030, adding that his economic vision for the country is not a mistake. He said:

“I chose 2030 and it’s not a magic year, but I believe I will still be there. I would want to command the Buy Zimbabwe team which has continued to work closely with both private and public sectors to drive the buy local message and encourage the purchase of local products and services so that local business can thrive, thereby, stimulating economic growth and creating decent jobs for us to be a middle-income country by 2030.” -ZIMUCU

President Mnangagwa has challenged Zimbabweans to work hard to ensure the country prospers.

Addressing thousands of St Noah Taguta-led Johanne Marange followers at Mafararikwa Village in Bocha during their Passover ceremony yesterday, the President said Zimbabwe was endowed with bountiful resources, including wildlife, and has the sovereign right to determine how they are managed.

He was attending the event for the second year running since he assumed power.

“You are supposed to work hard at family level and in your areas and when such efforts extend to the national level our country prospers.

“We had a United Nations meeting recently (AU-UN Wildlife Economy Summit held in Victoria Falls) where leaders from other countries tried to lecture us on how to manage our wildlife. Vakadya mhuka dzavo dzikapera. Zvose zvavakapihwa naMwari havachina. Ndokuchiuya kuno kuzoti lecture nezveshumba, nenzou, nenyathi, voda kutipa mitemo hanzi musadayi musadayi.

Dzenyu dzakaendepi? ” he said.
President Mnangagwa said he told the foreigners to mind their own business.

“Saka ndakavati dzokerai kwenyu, dzedu takapihwa naMwari tichadzitonga sokuda kwedu,” he added.

Zimbabwe, the President said, was God-given and it was up to Zimbabweans to determine how they manage their resources.

He urged churches to preach the gospel of love and respect.
Only God appoints national leaders and without his endorsement and blessings, such onerous responsibility is denied, he said.State media

Harare magistrate Mrs Barbra Mateko yesterday dismissed an application for refusal of further remand by MDC-Alliance legislator for Kuwadzana East Chalton Hwende. Hwende is charged with subverting a constitutionally-elected Government.

His lawyer, Mr Reginald Mutero, submitted that the State would suffer no prejudice if his client was removed from remand. He told the court that the State was failing to furnish a trial date on time, thereby violating his client’s constitutional rights.

Mr Mutero said the State could just call Hwende back to court by way of summons. “The State cannot use the remand process to violate the accused person’s rights,” he said.

Mr Mutero said according to the Constitution, his client has the right for a speedy trial.

The State opposed Hwende’s application, arguing that he was facing a very serious offence which requires vigorous investigations and formalities before he could be furnished with a trial date.

In dismissing the application, Mrs Mateko said Hwende was facing a serious offence. She said investigations in the matter could not be taken lightly since it was not a simple case.

“Four months cannot be taken as a delay considering the complexity of the matter,” said Mrs Mateko. “The court is satisfied by the progress made by the State so far, therefore the application is dismissed.”State media

MISUSE of farming inputs by some criminal elements, insufficient seed and lack of proper machinery have rendered most prison farms idle with little production that is insufficient to feed the ballooning prison population.

A number of Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) staffers have over the years been arrested and prosecuted for diverting farming inputs either to their farms or to the parallel market.

The country’s prisons have a carrying capacity of 17 000 inmates but, currently, close to 20 000 are in languishing jail.

ZPCS, which has failed to sustain itself, now relies on Treasury funding to feed the inmates.

Ideally, ZPCS with all the cheap labour, land and farming expertise is expected to produce enough food for inmates all year round plus surplus for sale, but the production has been extremely poor over the years.

Prisoners are gobbling almost close to $2,5 million monthly in basic foodstuffs like mealie-meal, cooking oil and sugar.

Daily the prisoners require 11 560kg of mealie-meal, 7 706ml of cooking oil, 9 633kg of sugar, vegetables and other foodstuffs.

ZPCS Commissioner-General Retired Major-General Paradzai Zimondi lamented the underutilisation of the farms.State media

A NUMBER of pupils who have not paid school fees at Barham Green (BG) Primary School in Bulawayo were yesterday chucked out of class while others wrote end of term examinations.

The pupils were put in separate classrooms or asked to play outside while others remained for the examinations.

It is against Government policy to send pupils home or punish them for failing to pay school fees or levies. Pupils whose parents fail to pay school fees and levies, according to the policy, should be allowed to attend classes while school authorities take measures to force defaulting parents to pay.

A Chronicle news crew arrived at the school and witnessed some of the pupils playing outside while others were in the classrooms writing examinations.

Parents condemned the practice which they said started on Tuesday when examinations commenced.
“My child in Grade 6 was not allowed to write the end of term examinations since Tuesday because I have not been able to pay his school fees,” said one of the parents.

Parents were in disagreement with the act, saying the school authorities were infringing on their children’s rights to education.

They further expressed concern over the economic situation which hindered them from paying school fees on time.

Acting Bulawayo Provincial Education Director (PED) Mrs Olicah Kaira said school authorities are not allowed to chase pupils from school due to non-payment of fees.State media

By Own Correspondent- Finance Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, has said that when he got appointed as the Minister of Finance, he thought his job was purely financial and detached from politics. He said that it has however since dawned to him that he had to balance between politics and finance.

Speaking during an interview with the chairman of Alpha Media Holdings, Trevor Ncube, the minister said:

Initially, I thought it’s a finance job. Very quickly, it became a finance-political job and most of the times it’s a political job.

He also said that it was imperative to recognise that finance in government follow politics and certain devices are political.

The Minister added that the manifesto of the party in power has to be in sync with the policies of the finance ministry or vice versa.

He added that sometimes he would implement some projects which sound very political in nature. For him, what matters is that the development initiatives in question address the issues affecting the people.-

By Own Correspondent | In a statement yesterday, the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services said such a violent conduct exhibited by protestors at Chatham House in UK against Foreign Affairs minister SB Moyo “forces the security services to act”.

Said the ministry of Information:

“Government condemns the violent attacks against the delegation by a group of opposition protesters outside Chatham House in London. 

It’s tragic that the sceptre of violence during protests, witnessed in Zimbabwe, which forces the security services to act, has reared its ugly head in foreign land, discrediting not the Government, but the hoodlums themselves and embarrassing peace -loving Zimbabweans.”

By A Correspondent- President Mnangagwa yesterday capped a record 6 977 graduates at the 19th Midlands State University (MSU) graduation ceremony in Gweru.

Of the 6 977, 3 348 were female and 3 629 male.

A total of 989 graduated with Masters degrees and three were awarded Doctor of Philosophy degrees.

In his address, MSU Vice Chancellor Professor Victor Muzvidziwa said the event is by far the largest graduation gathering in the history of MSU. 

“Among those graduating today are 100 international students drawn from Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, South Sudan and Mozambique. This is evidence that we have gradually spread our wings in our internationalisation effort,” he said.

Prof Muzvidziwa said resource constraints remain a challenge but the university continues to explore avenues of increasing income from entrepreneurial activities, especially in agriculture, research and innovation.

He said one of the MSU’s key strategic objectives is to be “a technologically-driven research intensive university and to generate problem-solving innovations for commercialisation and industrialisation”. 

The MSU VC said its researchers are committed to cutting-edge research. 

“In this vein, our researchers have secured competitive domestic and international research grants. We have a total of 15 active international grant funded research projects. Some of these include, Future Leaders – African Independent Research (FLAIR), Global Challenges Research Fund UK, United Nations Development Programme,

Transparency, Responsiveness, Accountability and Citizen Engagement (TRACE), Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA),” he said.

“The awarding of research grants by international agencies to our academics is evidence of their intellectual energy and courage, which we continue to celebrate. In particular, Your Excellency and Chancellor, Dr Gift Mehlana’s work on a grant- funded project has led to his subsequent selection by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry and the International Younger Chemists’ Network to represent Californium on the Periodic Table of Young Chemists.

This is a strong endorsement of the international impact of our research in applied science. Dr Gift Mehlana’s name will be etched on the periodic table of young chemists for the next 100 years.

I would have wanted to present Dr Mehlana to you Your Excellency today.  He is, however, in Europe to receive an award.” 

Prof Muzvidziwa said MSU is always seeking to excel in quality research, innovation and technology transfer.-StateMedia 

By A Correspondent- Chipinge villagers are having sleepless nights after a pride of lions suspected to have escaped from the Save Conservancy, killed cattle and other livestock.

In Chibuwe and Middle Sabi, the lions reportedly killed 30 cattle.

There are fears that the lions may soon attack humans, especially school-going children.

A villager from Chipinge’s Ward 20, Abort Jeza, told Manica Post that he lost his cattle on Monday.

He said:We have a serious problem of stray lions from the Save Conservancy which are roaming in Chibuwe and Middle Sabi areas. The lions are wreaking havoc in these areas, killing livestock.

We are left with no option on where to graze our cattle. The whole area along the Save River, which encompasses our communal grazing land, has been invaded by lions.

The lions are breeding and their numbers continue swelling. The predators are no longer returning to the game park because they have tasted our cattle, which are easy prey.

He said:

We are living in perpetual fear as some of the villagers have been attacked while looking for their cattle. These lions also draw closer to our homes during the night, killing our goats.

Another villager revealed that over 1 000 domestic animals have been killed by lions since the perimeter fence at the Save Conservancy was vandalised.

The villager urged the government to consider compensating farmers whose livestock was killed by the lions.-ManicaPost

By A Correspondent- A 13-year-old boy from Bulawayo suspected to have been part of a group of people who looted and burnt shops during the January #ShutDownZim protests said that he was instructed to burn a shop by an elder.

The minor told Bulawayo magistrate Mafios Moyo that his accomplice Bhekani Mpamba (29) ordered him to burn down a supermarket in Old Pumula suburb.

The juvenile pleaded guilty to charges of unlawful entry and theft while Mpanda pleaded not guilty.

Said Mpamba:

I was not there when all this happened, accused 2’s family has issues with me because my donkey’s names are the same as theirs.

Representing the State, Simbarashe Manyiwa said on January 14, the duo together with other co-accused persons who are still at large went to a supermarket owned by Antony Chikwata in Old Pumula at around 10 PM armed with stones;

The mob threw stones at people and broke into the shop. They took groceries and stationery before setting the shop on fire. When police officers arrived at the scene, the boy fled but was seen by one of the residents who made a report at Pumula Police Station.

The minor was remanded out of custody while  Mpamba was remanded in custody to July 24 for the continuation of trial.-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) on Friday announced new prices for diesel and petrol.

However, some service stations had already hiked the price of fuel by more than 100 per cent, with some charging as high as ZWL$12 per litre.

According to ZERA, the maximum pump price of diesel is now ZWL$5.84 while that of Blend E20 is now ZWL$6.10 per litre.

By Own Correspondent- A Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) officer was gored to death by a hippopotamus while on patrol on the banks of the Limpopo River on Friday.

The soldier was identified as Pelious Moyo from Tongwe. He was declared on arrival at Beitbridge District Hospital.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) confirmed the serviceman’s passing away.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said:

We confirm the unfortunate death of the member (of the ZNA) who was on patrol at the time of the attack. Police are investigating the circumstances.

Moyo was part of soldiers stationed at a checkpoint between Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Reports indicate that he was attacked at dawn as the animal was headed to the river from grazing.-Newsday

The MDC notes with serious concern the developments within Bulawayo City Council where the Town Clerk has been suspended.

The MDC believes in Constitutionalism, due process, the rule of law and zero tolerance to corruption. The party leadership has directed that the status quo ante be upheld, in other words that the town clerk be reinstated pending a full investigation into the allegations being raised against him.

The MDC prioritises service delivery to the people and the directive the party has given is meant to ensure that the council continues offer prudent services to the ratepayers.

However, in line with the party’s directive, the allegations leveled against the Town Clerk must be fully investigated within the confines of due process, constitutionalism and fair hearing.

Hon. Daniel Molokele
National Spokesperson
Movement for Democratic Change

By A Correspondent- A Mutare man escaped death by a whisker but sustained severe burns on his face and both arms after a container of petrol he was holding caught fire.

Tatenda Maorera (19) of Munyarari Village, 22 Miles under Chief Zimunya in Mutare district is admitted at Mutare Provincial Hospital following the incident.

Maorera told the Weekender that everything happened so suddenly that is not sure how the fire started.

He said:

It all happened when I wanted to go and buy a birthday present for my child. I decided to take 10 litres of petrol from the 20 litres that I was keeping in my house.

As you are aware, we are having fuel challenges so I was keeping the 20 litres for emergencies.

As I was emptying the 20-litre container, I suddenly saw myself in a ball of fire.

I sustained injuries on both my arms as well as the face. It is painful and I just hope I will be fine soon.

Maorera said that the accident was not a result of domestic violence.

He said:

My wife was very helpful when it happened. She was not the one who caused the fire. I am not sure how the petrol ignited but I am sure that she is not the one to blame.

In fact, she is the one who is assisting me since the day this happened. I know people talk a lot after such incidents but it is very much unfair to say my wife is to blame.-Manica

By Own Correspondent- Opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has warned that the country faces a bleak future, which could end in turmoil if the current economic crisis characterised by biting shortages of fuel, electricity and basics such as bread and water is not urgently addressed.

Said Chamisa:

“The resolution of this crisis, more than ever before, has become a matter of extreme urgency and emergency. It’s clear that soft-landing the crisis has to be done by creating a Zimbabwe that we want to avert this impending and inevitable implosion,” he said.

“I have no doubt in my mind that Zimbabwe is heading for a disaster. It’s facing an abyss. A dark cloud hangs over this nation, but to avoid this implosion, we must take bold steps that will avoid the catastrophe that we are going to face.”

The MDC is calling upon the church, war veterans and other non-political players to join in the move to pile pressure on President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to act.”We must build political and diplomatic pressure on this administration to realise the need for peaceful change,” Chamisa said.

“To assure ourselves that our victory is secured, we believe in non-violent democratic action for peaceful change. We will be radically peaceful in terms of the Constitution. Let this be a collective action, it can’t be an MDC issue. There is need to escalate the Zimbabwean crisis so that it becomes an international crisis and build a global solidarity network.”

Chamisa said while the MDC would not take up arms to forcibly remove Mnangagwa’s government, it was important to create a platform that solved the problems of the country without loss of life.

Zanu-PF national political commissar Victor Matemadanda has warned would-be protesters that the army will be readily deployed to quell any political unrest, saying if that happens; the use of maximum force should be expected.

Addressing a Zanu-PF Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting in Masvingo recently, Matemadanda, who is also Defence and War Veterans deputy minister, said government would not be intimidated by violent demonstrations.

 “You can play with the police but not with the army. The police get trained to use minimum force but in the military, it is a completely different story. The army is trained to use deadly force whenever it gets deployed.

“I am not threatening anyone but all I am saying is let us work to build our country and not destroy it. Regular protests are dealt with by the police who will pick you up and throw you into a car when you misbehave – that is child’s play – but when you start destroying property, the army is constitutionally mandated to step in,” said Matemadanda.

Matemadanda said he was surprised that people tried to make an issue of who deployed the army in times of trouble like the August 01, 2018 demonstrations which saw six people being shot dead and 35 more being injured in Harare.

“We hear people asking about who deployed the army but the answer is right in the country’s constitution. The army is mandated to step in to help the police when they are overwhelmed and from that moment, it will be deadly force. So I am warning people to desist from engaging in violent protests because violent protests will be dealt with violently.

“We had been complaining of potholes on our roads for a long time. Now when those roads are being fixed, someone comes with a tyre and burns it to create new potholes. Do you then expect us to fold our hands and do nothing?

“We have faced bigger threats before and many people paid the ultimate price and we are here today because of that,” Matemadanda said.

He said it was high time President Mnangagwa stopped being a listening President and started ‘biting’.

“President Mnangagwa is a listening President but people have abused that. He should stop listening and start biting. I was angered by one Mkwananzi (Tajamuka/Sesjikile leader Promise Mkwananzi) who said there would be a blood bath in Harare yet he is in South Africa, what a coward. Whose blood is he talking about? Whose child’s blood? He should come here and lead from the front and not mislead people into harm’s way while he remains safe in South Africa. When we said ‘It Can’t’, we did not go out of the country. We were here and we even forgot that we had passports,” said Matemadanda, referring to his campaign of defiance against former president Robert Mugabe’s alleged plans to set up his wife Grace as his successor.

Matemadanda warned that Zanu-PF will never surrender power to ‘people who burn tyres on the streets’, saying that would disappoint even the dead party cadres who fought in the liberation struggle.

“If the heavens were to open up one day and our departed comrades like Hebert Chitepo asked us what became of the country they fought for, and we told them that the country was taken from us by people who burnt tyres…ahhh,” said Matemadanda to loud applause.

Earlier on, Zanu-PF secretary for security in the politburo, Lovemore Matuke had given a summary of his department’s national outreach work, warning that the party will not allow ‘shutdowns’.

“We have been going around the country briefing the people on government programmes. We are asking the people to accept the new Zimbabwe dollar introduced by government and not engage in misguided shutdowns. We will not sit around and let provocateurs mobilise our people for shutdowns,” said Matuke, who is also Labour and Social Welfare deputy minister.

President Mnangagwa has set September 7 as the day for National Assembly by-elections in Mangwe, Matabeleland South and Glen View South in Harare that fell vacant following the deaths of Obedingwa Mguni of Zanu-PF and MDC-Alliance’s Vimbai Tsvangirai Java, respectively.

The proclamations were published in yesterday’s Government Gazette.

The President made the proclamations in accordance with Section 39 (2) of the Electoral Act. “The Speaker of Parliament notified me on 24th June, 2019 in writing of a vacancy which has arisen by reason of the death of Honourable Obedingwa Mguni on 1 8th June, 2019 who was elected member of the National Assembly for Mangwe Constituency.

“Now therefore, under and by virtue of the powers vested in the President as aforesaid, I do, by this proclamation (a) order a new election for the constituency of Mangwe (b) fix Friday the 26th July 2019, as the date on which the nomination court shall sit, commencing at 10 o’clock in the morning at Magistrates’ Court, Fifth Avenue Gwanda for the purpose of receiving nomination of candidates for election as a member of the National Assembly constituency for Mangwe and (c) fix Saturday the 7th of September 2019, as the day on which a poll shall be taken if a poll becomes necessary in terms of Section 46 (17) (c) of the Electoral Act,” the said in the proclamation.

For Glen View South, the nomination court will sit at Magistrates Court at Rotten Row on July 26 at 10am. Mguni collapsed at Parliament and was pronounced dead at West End hospital following diabetes-related complications. Mrs Tsvangirai Java died from injuries she sustained in an accident just outside Kwekwe in May on her way from Bulawayo.

SOUTH AFRICA-based Advocate Sheillah Kanyangarara has criticised the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) for burdening aspiring High Court judges with a written examination before participating in public interviews.

Sixteen nominees were selected for the public interviews after passing closed-door examinations which involved the writing of a judgment. The public interviews took place on Monday and Tuesday. There were 43 nominees short-listed to undergo the public interviews in terms of the country’s Constitution.

However, the bulk of the aspiring judges could not break the first hurdle of closed-door examinations, which Adv Kanyangarara said were not part of the Constitution.

Those who failed the written examinations were allowed to exercise their constitutional right to participate in the public interviews.

Adv Kanyangarara and Zvishavane-based lawyer Mr Tichaona Chivasa, who both failed the pre-test, chose to exercise their rights to participate in the public interviews and appeared before the nine-member JSC panel.

When her turn to face the panel came, Adv Kanyangarara raised her concern over the manner in which the JSC had allegedly breached Constitutional provisions.

After Chief Justice Luke Malaba reminded her that she did not perform well in the first stage of the interviews by the JSC, Adv Kanyangarara said the process was not constitutional.

“We keep the results confidential unless you want this commission to disclose to you here or in the course of the interview what you scored, otherwise we keep the result confidential,” said Chief Justice Malaba.

Adv Kanyangarara said she had earlier approached the JSC seeking reasons for judgment and her transcript, but was told it was the property of JSC. She told the commission that judges are supposed to be public and for her to be told of her score during the interviews was tantamount to embarrassment and grossly unfair, wrong and unjust.

Adv Kanyangarara said she made a decision to come before the panel to raise concern at the lack of transparency in the way the examination was conducted.

Here are the results of the Castle Lager PSL matches played Saturday, 13 July 2019:

• Black Rhinos 1-1 Dynamos – new signings Simba Nhivi and Evans Katema made their debut in the tie with the later creating the team’s goal.
• Harare City 0-0 ZPC Kariba
• Chapungu 0-0 Ngezi Platinum
• Bulawayo Chiefs 1-0 Manica Diamonds –  Arthur Musiyiwa scored a late winner as Bulawayo Chiefs edged out Manica Diamonds at Luveve Stadium.-Soccer24

Newsday|Mutare Magistrate Court should be given the thumbs up and heartily congratulated for fast-tracking the trial and sentencing of one maid who stole US$25 000 from Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa.

We just hope that magistrate Nortilda Muchineripi was not under any undue pressure to fast-track the case because there are so many serious cases that are taking forever to just get a trial date. Many people are languishing in remand prison or out on bail as their cases take ages to be concluded.

While the court has done its bit to bag this case, we wish to awaken the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) on this US$25 000 that most likely tempted the poor maid to help

herself to it. The owner of that money was, of course, not the minister Mutsvangwa, but her relative. Our curiosity on this money arises from the fact that the owner of the money is not

employed and is this, by any chance, not a starting point for Zacc to sniff around under its “explain your wealth” mantra.

Can the owner of this money convincingly explain to Zacc how she happened to raise all that money when we understand that she is actually unemployed? We are sure it is perfectly in

order for someone to be curious. We are pretty certain that, under the country’s supreme law, it’s not a crime to be curious, or even to suspect someone of something.

What emboldens us most to boldly raise our concern over this US$25 000 is what Zacc chairperson, Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo has been telling us ever since she took over the reins of

this very critical institution mandated to fight corruption in all its forms and guises.

She has said: “The courts on their own will not be able to root out and stem corrupt activities without active public participation. It is everyone’s duty to resist and report

corruption whenever and wherever encountered. This is because corruption is so endemic that it now exists at every level of human endeavour… The challenge, therefore, today not only us, but to each player, is that justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done. From the highest office to the lowest citizen, Zimbabwe is thirsty for justice in corruption-

related matters. Integrity has to be a culture if we are to win the war against this vice…I can confirm that the economic challenges being experienced in this country are mainly as a

result of corruption. Once we join hands in fighting corruption, we will win and our economic challenges will disappear,”

So we are sure it should be okay to ask Zacc to investigate this US$25 000 issue, just to clear the air, specifically to find out how this unemployed lady managed to raise all this

money in a country that is failing to raise enough to import key essentials for its hospitals. After all, someone is innocent until proven guilty. We are merely pointing out to Zacc an instance where it can sharpen its investigation skills. They are being paid to investigate, aren’t they?

Social media has been trending with the latest images showing Foreign affairs and international trade minister SB Moto on his current European tour. The minister is trying to get support for the country’s ailing economy.

Amongst his travels the minister had occasion to meet up with Zimbabwean entrepreneur William Sachiti, who is based in the U.K. Sachiti has an impressive c.v and at only 34, he has won several top awards in science and technology. Sachiti serenaded the minister at his stand and showed him how is own invention, the first ever self driving delivery car.

The minister was amazed at the technological breakthrough, worse still,by someone from back home. Sachiti relocated to the U.K at the age of 16. The driverless cars is called the Kar-go. It basically is able to drive itself to anyone’s doorstep if they make an order.

Sachiti is one of the young minds from Zimbabwe who have managed to penetrate the global tech market and impress.He assured the minister that he was still committed to his country and had already carried out studies on what he could do in Zimbabwe.

Sachiti started off his business ambitions at a tender age of 19. He appeared on the BBC investment programme Dragon’s den for his project on solar bins. He did not get the 65 000he was asking for.

The young dreamer did not give up. He founded a digital holiday platform called mycity venue in 2013. It received more than 1.6 million users and he decided to sell it to U.K holiday company secret escapes.

Sachiti went on to study Artificial intelligence in Wales prompting him to invent a librarian robot and subsequently the Kar-Go. Sachiti has a list of awards including the Zim Achievers Award in business innovation in 2013, the Aberystwyth InvEnter price cargo in2017 and the Top 35 under 35 entrepreneurs in Wales in 2017. He is married to an Italian wife.

There was drama at Charge Office rank in Harare when a man claiming to be a member of the Central Intelligence Organization (CIO) refused to pay $3 kombi fare saying he was on duty and had been sent to board that kombi for security reasons.

He was unfazed despite numerous efforts by touts and conductors threatening to beat him up.

He claimed that President Mnangagwa had planted him in the commuter omnibus to monitor security.

A conductor who plies Chitungwiza route only identified as Tino said this was not the first incident the man had done this.

Said Tino:

“In fact it is now more of a lifestyle rather than a habit.

I ferried him last month and he made similar claims refusing to pay bus fare claiming to being a CIO member. I later let him go as l suspected him to have been under the influence of drugs.”

However, the “CIO” was taken to the police station by infuriated touts who wanted justice.-ZIMUCU

Following an attack on Foreign Affairs Minister, Sibusiso B Moyo, the government released a statement condemning the violence. We present the statement in full text below.

The Zimbabwean delegation to the Global Conference for Media Freedom in London had great engagements with different stakeholders.

Government condemns the violent attacks against the delegation by a group of opposition protesters outside Chatham House in London. It is tragic that the sceptre of violence during protests, witnessed in Zimbabwe, which forces the security services to act, has reared its ugly head in foreign land, discrediting not the Government, but the hoodlums themselves and embarrassing peace loving Zimbabweans.

The attacks have not, however, disrupted Minister S.B. Moyo’s successful engagements in the UK in any way. Undeterred, his programme continued with fruitful meetings with the Secretary General of the Commonwealth and investors. The programme ends tonight with engagements with a progressive Zimbabwean Diaspora and other key stakeholders, whose support for Zimbabwe’s economic and political reform efforts remains steadfast.

The Government of Zimbabwe remains committed to peaceful dialogue with all parties, with a view to building the country around shared values, including the principles of respectful disagreement and non-violence. Government affirms the right of Zimbabweans to protest, but to do so peacefully.

Zimbabwe

OPPOSITION LEAD president Linda Masarira got her son, Kudakwashe Mhlanga (19), arrested by the police for allegedly stealing her mobile phone, a charger and headphones worth $650.

According to the charge sheet, on July 3 this year, Masarira and her husband left home for a driving licence road-test drive and left Mhlanga at home.

It is alleged that when Masarira returned home, she did not see Mhlanga.

She also failed to locate her phone.

She filed a report at Marlborough Police Station and later found her son at Greencroft Shopping Centre.

Mhlanga allegedly tried to escape, but was caught and taken to Marlborough Police Station.

The police officers then searched him and found the stolen properties on his person.

There was drama at Charge Office rank in Harare when a man claiming to be a member of the Central Intelligence Organization (CIO) refused to pay $3 kombi fare saying he was on duty and had been sent to board that kombi for security reasons.

He was unfazed despite numerous efforts by touts and conductors threatening to beat him up.

He claimed that President Mnangagwa had planted him in the commuter omnibus to monitor security.

A conductor who plies Chitungwiza route only identified as Tino said this was not the first incident the man had done this.

Said Tino:

“In fact it is now more of a lifestyle rather than a habit.

I ferried him last month and he made similar claims refusing to pay bus fare claiming to being a CIO member. I later let him go as l suspected him to have been under the influence of drugs.”

However, the “CIO” was taken to the police station by infuriated touts who wanted justice.

 An ex-footballer’s wife lost half of her ear and sustained a deep gush on her forehead during a bar brawl in Mzilikazi suburb in an alleged altercation over money and beer.

The place — Sizalabo Sports Bar — where the incident took place is known for periodic bar brawls and other unacceptable public behaviour.

Nomqhele Mguni, a 32-year-old woman married to one of the famous Ngodzo brothers — Petros — will live with a permanent reminder of a scarred left ear as a result of a savage attack by a 26-year-old man, Nkosinomusa Ndlovu last Saturday.

Ngodzo is a product of Mzilikazi High School and played for the Highlanders juniors and Chapungu.

Ndlovu and Mguni are said to have met at Sizalabo Sports Bar while imbibing last Saturday night and Ndlovu allegedly demanded his money from the married woman.

He allegedly proceeded to make unwanted sexual advances on Mguni in addition to grabbing her buttocks.

“On the day in question I was drinking beer at Sizalabo Sports Bar.

It was around midnight and the bar was about to close when Nkosinomusa confronted me and started accusing me of owing him some money.

“I told him to stop pestering me and in a fit of rage he struck me with an empty beer bottle on the forehead resulting in me falling down,” said a dejected Mguni.

She said when she was still lying helplessly Nkosinomusa went on to bite off part of her left ear.

The missing part was reportedly discovered the following day by a local man, McBath Scott, who is employed to clean shops next to the bar. Scott said he picked up a piece of the ear a few metres outside the drinking spot the following day.

“The guy (Ndlovu) must have bitten off the ear and spit it out outside the bar but it was in a bad state to be stitched back on her.

He is a quiet guy that I have known for a long time and I don’t know what got over him to attack a woman like that,” said Scott.

Scott added that if it wasn’t for other bar patrons who restrained Ndlovu from hitting Mguni with a metal bar, she could have sustained serious injuries from the assault.

B-Metro tracked down Ndlovu to his Mzilikazi home in Section U.

He blamed his actions on alcohol but also insisted that Mguni owed him money and must pay back.

“Yinto zotshwala mfowethu kodwa mina ngifuna imali yami nje (I blame alcohol but she must pay back my money,” said Ndlovu.

He, however, declined to state if the money owed to him by Mguni was a loan or not.

Meanwhile, Ndlovu who is now facing an assault charge was arraigned before Bulawayo magistrate Franklin

Mkhwananzi on Tuesday. He was, however, not asked to plead and was remanded out of custody to 17 July.-B Metro

According to an eye witness;

“Raging fire by the auction houses and garages along Seke Rd, close to AB Auctioneers. Fire has spread to one of the garages and cars are burning.”

Folks running around with buckets while others are pushing the cars out of the garages

There was drama in New Magwegwe suburb when a jealous woman left residents shocked after she assaulted her ex-lover’s wife with an electric cable.

Briana Sibanda is reportedly angry about her ex-lover Jonathan Dhonsa’s new relationship with Queen Lindumisa Dube so she has resorted to making the couple’s relationship hell.

It is reported that soon after Sibanda found out that Dhonsa had moved on and married Dube she has been in the habit of insulting Dube every time they cross paths.

According to sources close to the issue what sparks Sibanda’s anger is that Dube was her neighbour and she would often see her with her Dhonsa.

“Sibanda is angry because she believes Dube was strategising on how to snatch her man.

After having slight quarrels with Dhonsa, he shocked Sibanda when he dumped her and revealed that he was now in love with Dube,” said a source who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Quarrels between the two women escalated to the extent that Sibanda ended up assaulting Dube.

It has been gathered that when Dube was assaulted by Sibanda with an electric wire she resorted to seeking justice at the courts.

“I am applying for a protection order against Sibanda who assaulted me with an electric cable because I was having an affair with her former boyfriend Dhonsa who is currently my husband.

Her behaviour has been very traumatising because she also insults me every time she sees me and I am four months pregnant,” said Dube.

When asked if she had committed the offence Sibanda pleaded guilty.
In his ruling Western Commonage magistrate Urgent Vundla ordered Sibanda to refrain from assaulting and insulting Dube.-B Metro

Harare City Council workers have declared a deadlock with their employer over a cost of living adjustment in the wake of recent spates of price hikes.

Minutes of the joint finance and human resources committees approved last week reveal that talks by the two sides reached a deadlock, with the matter now before an arbitrator.

Council had offered workers a 5% increment on top of the 2,5% arbitral award they won for a pay rise beginning January 2019.

“The 2018 collective bargaining agreement and the 2019 hardship allowances were both before the arbitrator, following deadlocks on both sides. The acting human capital director (Mathew Marara) also highlighted that council had a backlog of the collective bargaining agreement negotiation increment of 2,5% for the year 2017, which would be effected from March 2019 and backdated to January 1, 2019,” the minutes read.

Council owes its workers salaries backdated to February 2019 and this has been attributed to declining revenue collection.

“This has been necessitated by the recent rise in the general cost of living in the country. Council, however, was also incapacitated because of budgetary
constraints,” read the minutes.

After a lengthy debate, council tasked its representative to the works council to engage the workers for the 5% offer, while new revenue streams were being exploited.

The bid for a salary hike comes as service delivery has dwindled and revenue collection is at its lowest ebb due to the negative economic phase the country is passing through.

-Newsday

By Blessing Vava| The November 2017 military coup which forced tyrant Robert Mugabe from power is still haunting Zimbabwe almost 18 months down the line. The remnants of the coup and its footprints will not disappear sooner than we expected.

After topping Mugabe, Mnangagwa had an enormous task facing him trying to please his erstwhile conspirators by appointing them into the cabinet. He also attempted to cure the coup and legitimise his power through the elections.

With almost 18 months after the coup, Zimbabwe has been faced with political and economic instability and the country is literally seating on a knife-edge. It seems the cart is slowly wheeling off towards the cliff, thus signalling a not so good-looking future.

While there have been arguments that the coup managed to address ZANU PF internal political contradictions at the time, the passage of time has disproved that thesis.

Already, the ugly head of factionalism is rearing its head and the statements of the ZANU PF Youth and Women’s league are the tell-tale signs. Already, the ground is becoming fertile for another ruction and begs again if this would not be from the barracks. But the real question would be from which section of the Barrack 

ED’s Missed Opportunities 

Mnangagwa has missed opportunities to “cure the coup”, particularly the failure to create stable transitional mechanisms. Mnangagwa and his co-conspirators unwittingly attempted to “cure” the coup through a manipulated “election” and this strategy have backfired and the sooner they come to terms with reality the better.

Unbeknown to Mnangagwa was that the ball was in his court and he had many options to redeem himself as a unifying leader. However, his lack of foresight has exposed him as a greedy person with no strategy of moving Zimbabwe forward.

One of the simplest and many options available to him at the time was calling for a genuine national dialogue of all stakeholders, not for the purposes of power-sharing but rather to chat the way forward for Zimbabwe towards political and economic reforms to address the 37-year rot created by Mugabe.

This kind of dialogue would have come out with clear timelines on fundamental reforms at the same time as one of the main steps in curing the coup. It would have also helped to cool down the political temperatures and depolarise our politics. However, that did not happen, as Mnangagwa became consumed and intoxicated by power, allegedly building his power around a partisan and parochial tribal agenda.

Mnangagwa has been busy focussing on consolidating his power at the expense of building a nation, forgetting Lord Acton’s warning: “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. 

A Regime in Fear 

The unfortunate and terror events of 1st of August 2018 and 14th-16th of January 2019 exposed the true colours of the Mnangagwa administration. It became apparent that the military is the underwriter and as such when their power was threatened, they resorted to their real character: violence; murder and impunity.

Their actions since November 2017 typifies of a lot that is living in fear, the fear not from the opposition but amongst themselves and particularly the men in uniform.

The fact that they are constantly reshuffling the command within the security forces is a testament to the heightening levels of insecurity. More so, the alleged reports indicating that the government gave soldiers RTGS$400 cushioning allowances versus RTGS$97 allocated to the rest of civil servants indicates a divide and rule strategy that seeks to pacify the army.

The reasoning is all apparent to everyone: buying loyalty of the gun as a hungry soldier cannot be trusted. But the question is whether the strategy is sustainable in the long run. 

The Achilles’ Heel of Coups 

The coup plotters justified their action of overthrowing President Mugabe’s government in November 2017 being necessitated by the need to address the economic and political crisis facing the country then. However, fast forward to Mid-2019, the situation has moved to another new level as workers’ and ordinary citizens’ earnings, pensions and savings have been eroded and withered by inflation and currency devaluation.

The worsening economic conditions will most likely lead us to squabble within the cockpit as opportunities for arbitrage decline, thus creating ripe conditions for another coup. McBride and Coulier in their 2004 paper “Crises, Coups, and Entry-deterring Reforms in Sub-Saharan Africa’’, in their analysis of coups in Africa advance reasons that generally lead to military intervention: personal greed; hope to extract once they gain power or directly control the state.

This fits well in our case, as military chiefs have now become an economic class with its own distinct interests. A reading of Jabusile Shumba’s book “Zimbabwe’s Predatory State: Party, Military, Business” and Richard Saunders and Tinashe Nyamunda’s book “Facets of Power: Politics, Profits and People in the Making of Zimbabwe’s Blood Diamonds” give a some glimpses and insights on how this military business class has become embedded in the economy.

Therefore, it is not without doubt that the coup was a ‘military class project’ with a personal accumulation thrust. The soldiers are now openly and actively involved in the control of the country’s mines, and other strategic points of economic interest. 

The military assisted transition in Zimbabwe seems to have failed to bring any meaningful change in people’s livelihoods and this is not unique, and Decaldo argues in his 1986, ‘African Studies and Military coups in Africa’ that, “the military has not been able to generate economic development”.

The military assisted transitions always come on the backdrop of well-meaning rhetoric but always fall short on action. It is fast becoming clear for everyone that apart from personal accumulation and self-enrichment, the current administration is as clueless in so far as economic development is concerned.

For instance, the sucking in of the Minister of State Security in the Gaika Mine in Kwekwe despite a standing court order barring the mine invaders point to a bleak economic future. The recent ambush and guerilla-style re-introduction of the Zimbabwe Dollar and the banning of the multi-currency regime are alleged to have been done as a strategy to pacify the men and women in uniform who had started to demand being paid in American dollars to cushion them against dollarisation.

The drastic measures on currency reforms have been described by the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt Development (ZIMCODD) as policy inconsistencies and premature reaction on the part of the government. In their statement, ZIMCODD said instead there was a need for addressing the root cause of the current currency crisis which is, “rampant corruption, mismanagement of public finances and impunity being enjoyed by those that are fuelling the crisis through arbitrage and resource bleeding.’’ 

Dealing with corruption and arbitrage means taking the feeding trough away from the wannabe military capitalists and creating ructions in the cockpit; yet, not doing so, means ripening the polity for revolt.

Hence, I argue that without proper reforms and a different way of doing things Zimbabwe is destined for another military coup, but this time not from the top brass but the junior ranks. There is a need for inclusivity and genuine dialogue of all stakeholders, with the genesis of all being to address the political reform agenda to boost confidence in the economy. Political reforms are essentially the roadmap to curing the coup and any short cut will have disastrous consequences.

There is a dark cloud of uncertainty and fear not only amongst Zimbabweans but largely amongst those who plotted the coup, no one really knows what tomorrow is in store for them. The economic meltdown is in itself a ticking time bomb that when it explodes the whole country will be burnt.

Historically, coups in their very nature do not just end without another one occurring if their initial fundamental causes are not addressed. The economy remains the Achilles’ heel, and it will just take one daring junior officer and the rest can be history. 

Forewarned is Forearmed! 

It is clear that the current trajectory by the Mnangagwa administration in dealing with the political and economic crisis facing the country will most likely lead us to another ‘military assisted transition’. The conditions that led to the November 2017 coup seem to be multiplying exponentially as each day passes and this is creating a ticking time bomb.

If things are left unresolved one may not rule out another coup happening as history has shown us that if coups are not cured, they are bound to happen again. There is a need to cure the coup by embarking on drastic and genuine political and economic reforms that will enable the economy to be on its feet again. 

Blessing Vava is a blogger based in Chipinge. He can be contacted on [email protected] 

13 July 2019 – The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has deployed polling station-based observers to observe and report on the Nyanga Rural District Council (RDC) Ward 26 and Bikita RDC Ward 31 by-elections. ZESN observers are covering three of the four polling stations in the Nyanga by-election and two of the five in the Bikita by-election. This statement is based on reports received from ZESN so far and is specific to the polling stations where ZESN has observers.

Opening and set up of polling stations

ZESN observers have reported that polling stations opened on time with procedures being adhered to including showing the ballot boxes to be empty before polling started. All the materials needed for polling such as ballot boxes; indelible ink; the stamp to mark ballot papers; and ballot papers were reported to be available at all observed polling stations.

Political environment

So far, the environment in both Wards has been reported to be peaceful. No incident or electoral malpractice has been reported.

Party agents

ZANU PF and MDC Alliance deployed their party agents at all polling stations where ZESN has observers, however, NCA did not deploy polling agents at Chikaka and Mandadzaka Primary Schools in Bikita where the party is contesting. The NCA is not contesting in the Nyanga by-election.

Assisted voters

As of midday, the number of assisted voters was high at some polling stations and low at others. For example, 19 people had been assisted to vote at Chikaka Primary School and 20 had been assisted at Mandadzaka Primary School in Bikita. Most of the assisted voters were assisted on account of illiteracy. Other polling stations recorded low numbers of assisted voters, for example only three voters and one voter at Erin forest and Selborne polling stations in Nyanga.  

Voter turnout

Turnout was generally low as of midday at the polling stations in both by-elections where ZESN had observers. It was fairly high at Mandadzaka Primary School in Bikita where 197 out of 463 registered voters had voted and at Erin forest in Nyanga where it was above 200.  Turnout was lower at the other polling stations.

Turned away voters

Some polling stations had recorded rather high numbers of turned away voters. For example, 13 voters had been turned away at Erin forest polling station in Nyanga for not being on the voters’ roll and producing the wrong identity documents. Seven had been turned away at Chikaka Primary School in Bikita.

Redirected voters

The number of redirected voters differed at polling stations in the by-elections. At Selborne polling station in Nyanga, six voters had been redirected to other polling stations, of whom two contended that they voted at the same polling station in the harmonised elections. Only one person had been redirected as of midday at Chikaka polling station in Bikita.

By Own Correspondent- The woman, who has been identified as Maria Gwanju of Gweru’s Mtapa surburb, was captured on video stripping naked during a church service and the video has since gone viral on social media.

In the video, the woman who is standing next to two police officers is seen shouting before the two officers dramatically fall down while she strips naked and takes off.

Contacted for comment, the church’s prophet Jameson Mutambudzi popularly known Madzibaba Learnmore of the “back to sender fame” said he prophesied during a church service that Gwanju was in the habit of using juju to sleep with her son-in-law.

“She came to my church the other day and l warned her to stop sleeping with her daughter’s husband. She denied it and went to file a police report. She returned to the shrine with two police officers who wanted to arrest me.

“Before getting into the shrine, I warned the officers to remove their shoes but they refused thus they fell down as the spirit was not pleased with such level of disrespect. Just after that, Gwanju stripped naked and started running around before women from church gave her cloths to cover her body,” said Madzibaba Learnmore.

Domboremhikidzano Apostolic Church has taken Gweru by storm as hundreds of people flock to the shrine to get spiritual assistance. Madzibaba Learnmore is believed to be able to tame witches, to bring back lost love, to fix marriage-related problems and to bring back stolen property.

THE Nelson Chamisa-led MDC has urged the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to guard against all electoral malpractices, including vote rigging during the Bikita ward 31 by-by-election set for today, claiming the opposition party will romp to victory if the playfield is level.

The by-election is to fill the council seat left vacant following the death of Zanu PF councillor Patrick Marozhe on April 15 this year.

MDC is being represented by its Bikita district chairperson Moses Maphosa, while Thomas Mataga will stand for Zanu PF.

In an interview with Southern Eye yesterday, MDC secretary for elections Jacob Mafume said his party was confident of winning the poll.

“We have done two rallies there and our teams worked throughout last weekend to drum-up support. We are confident that if Zec is impartial, independent and
does not allow people to be intimidated, does not allow people to be bought, (does not allow) assisted voters to multiply, food to be distributed on election
day, then we will win the Bikita by-election,” he said.

MDC held the seat from 2008 to 2013 when it lost it to Zanu PF.

Mafume said the party had done its homework and is set to win back the seat.

“Previously (2013 elections), it was affected by double candidates. Now, we have a single candidate. We have got our own agents who are trained. They are ready
to stop any mischief,” he said.

Mafume claimed that the opposition had become more popular due to Zanu PF’s bad policies.

“It is now clear to all and sundry that Zanu PF has failed. They no longer allow those in rural areas to sell their maize. There are no jobs. There is no
education, and there is no electricity; there is also no good healthcare. With all this, no person in their right mind can vote for Zanu PF,” he said.

MDC organising secretary Amos Chibaya also expressed optimism the party will win the seat.

“Prices of basic commodities continue to skyrocket. There is no shop that sells cheap things to Zanu PF supporters. We all buy in expensive shops. So, even
Zanu PF supporters are also feeling the pain. They want change,” he said.

“We won the seat before, so we are taking it back. In fact, we have plans to win all the other by-elections in future.”

Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo poured cold water on MDC’s assertions.

“If the MDC is arguing the bad economy will make Zanu PF lose, let them win if they are saying so. What they think is not what we think. We are prepared to win,” he said.

-Newsday

By Own Correspondent- Three Zhombe men failed to control their sexual appetite and were caught red handed taking turns to quench their thirst on a donkey.

The owner of the donkey, Moses Chigumbu, reportedly caught the trio busy with his donkey in a nearby bush in Zhombe.

Upon realising they had been caught in the act, two of the men escaped while Evidence Siziva was apprehended by angry villagers and handed over to the police.

He was hauled before Kwekwe magistrate Mr Storey Rushambwa facing bestiality charges.

According to State papers, on 15 June Siziva and his accomplices went to a nearby bush and caught one donkey which they took turns to have sexual intercourse with.

One villager who was looking for firewood in the same bush saw the trio busy with the donkey and quickly alerted Chigumbu.

Chigumbu then summoned fellow villagers and they surrounded the three but managed to apprehend Siziva after the others made good their escape.

He was later handed over to the police and appeared in court.

In mitigation, Siziva denied the charges saying he was implicated by one of the villagers who disliked him.

“One of the men who reported me does not like me because he knows I am having an affair with his daughter,” said Siziva.

He was remanded out of custody to Friday for commencement of trial.-B Metro

A 78-year-old Gwanda man allegedly axed his wife for refusing to have sex with him.

According to Chronicle, Bishop Sibanda (78) of Zhokwe Village allegedly axed his estranged wife Mrs Agnes Sibanda before he force-marched her to their matrimonial home following their separation.

Sibanda pleaded guilty when he appeared before Gwanda Provincial magistrate, Mr Lungile Ncube.

Sibanda was charged with assault.

In mitigation, Sibanda told the court that he had committed the offence because he was sexually starved.

Sibanda was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.Hovever the sentence was wholly suspended for five years.

The Zimbabwe gems have won their first match against Sri Lanka and lost against netball powerhouse Australia.

They are in Liverpool at the same time foreign affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo is also on a global offensive that saw him being heckled and assaulted by diasporans outside the Chatman House.

By A Correspondent- A 23-year-old self-styled prophet recently appeared in court facing allegations of murdering his own father for a Mazda 323 motor vehicle after he was tricked by another prophet into writing a confession of the murder.

It is alleged that on some day in 2018, Chitakatira took the now deceased to his shrine for spiritual cleansing where they prayed and fasted for three days. On the last day, Chitakatira gave his father poisoned water as part a ‘cleaning process’ but the concoction killed him.

The matter came to light after the accused consulted a prophet in Burma Valley asking for spiritual protection and cleaning. Chitakatira allegedly told that other prophet that he was responsible for the death of his father and wanted spiritual cover as he feared the deceased’s spirit will haunt him.

The prophet told him to write a letter confessing the criminal act as a precondition for spiritual help but he then called the deceased’s relatives from Burma Valley and showed them the confession. The matter was later reported to police station leading to Chitakatira arrest.

Government yesterday slammed an attack by opposition protesters on a Zimbabwean delegation in London led by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Busi Moyo, who is on a four-day re-engagement programme to strengthen ties and lure investors.

In a statement, Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Service Mr Nick Mangwana, who is part of the delegation, described the attack as tragic and embarrassing to peace-loving Zimbabweans.

“The delegation in London had great engagements with different stakeholders. Government of Zimbabwe condemns the violent attacks against the delegation by a group of opposition protesters outside Chatham House in London. It’s tragic that the sceptre of violence during protests we see in Zimbabwe forcing the security services to act has reared its ugly head in foreign land discrediting, not the Government, but the hoodlums themselves and embarrassing peace-loving Zimbabweans,” said Mr Mangwana.

“The attacks have not, however, disrupted Minister SB Moyo’s successful engagements in the UK in any way. Undeterred, his programme continued with fruitful meetings with the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, investors and tonight we end with engaging a progressive Zimbabwean Diaspora and other key stakeholders, whose support for our country’s economic and political reform efforts remains steadfast.

“The Government of Zimbabwe remains committed to peaceful dialogue with all parties, with a view to building our country around shared values, including the principles of respectful disagreement and non-violence. We affirm the right of Zimbabweans to protest but to do so peacefully.”

Minister Moyo was attacked by placard-waving protesters who were demanding the release of MDC-Alliance national deputy chairperson Mr Job Sikhala who has been arraigned before the courts for allegedly trying to subvert a constitutionally-elected Government.

The charges stemmed from a rally in which he addressed opposition supporters in Bikita last weekend where he called for the overthrowing of President Mnangagwa before 2023 when his current term officially ends.

In a video clip that went viral on social media, Minister Moyo is seen battling to get into his waiting official car with aides pushing away his attackers who were mostly women donning the Zimbabwean flag.

The paltry crowd could be seen showering the delegation with bottled water and calling the delegation names.

On Thursday, Minister Moyo had lunch with the powerful Westminster Africa Business Group in London where he invited them to grab investment opportunities that were abound in Zimbabwe.

The Westminster Africa Business Group, which brings together politicians and businesses in the interests of the UK and Africa, has been doing that since 1947.

Yesterday, Minister Moyo addressed business leaders at the Royal Institute of International Affairs also known as Chatham House.

Chairman of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Mr Kindness Paradza said it was a shame that the MDC thugs had allowed to be used by the country’s detractors to scuttle the re-engagement programme.

“It is very unfortunate that our citizens allowed themselves to be used by those who don’t want to see this administration succeeding. What they fail to understand is that the very same minister whom they attacked and abused is currently pushing to avail to all our citizens in the Diaspora, primary documents such as birth and death certificates, identification cards and passports, through our embassies that are dotted around the world.

“Actually, London had been identified as one of the venues to launch this program. Both Minister SB Moyo and his Home Affairs Minister counterpart (Ambassador) Cain Mathema had committed themselves to preside over the launch.

“But because of this hooliganism, which we strongly condemn as Parliament, my fear now is that London may miss this opportunity,” said Mr Paradza.

He added that his Committee, which is championing the Zimbabwe Investment and development Agency Bill, had made provisions to include incentives for Diasporans wishing to invest back home, and the agenda was being pushed by Minister Moyo.

“Shame on you all those who took part in this criminal act,” said Mr Paradza.

-State Media

Outspoken Norton legislator, Temba Mliswa has condemned the incident that happened in the United Kingdom yesterday in which foreign affairs Minister Sibusiso Moyo was humiliated by diasporans who assaulted and poured water on him as he arrived at Chatman House.

Mliswa said the incident is deplorable adding that its a reflection of the healing that Zimbabwe needs for people to find each other.

By A Correspondent- GWERU City Council has engaged the Harare Institute (HIT) of Technology to help recover over $62 million owed by residents and businesses.

The proposal to engage HIT was tabled before an extraordinary council meeting on July 2 and the city fathers gave it a nod.

In the request prepared by Gweru council acting director of finance, Owen Masimba and presented in a closed-door meeting, the local authority said it wanted to strengthen its revenue inflows.

“In a bid to strengthen inflows so that more resources are mobilised towards service delivery, there is an urgent need to strengthen our debt collection system and the payment plan, monitoring and follow up systems,” he said.

“Harare Institute of Technology has developed an automated payment plan system that enables debt collection personnel to create, track, automatically send reminders on scheduled dates as agreed with clients and also prompt the start and end of other ancillary debt collection stages. Several local authorities have reported an increase in collection levels after using the programme.”

Mayor Josiah Makombe confirmed the development and indicated that the engagement of HIT experts would bear fruit for service delivery.

“The installation of the software at town house will be done very soon. Management is still completing some paper work that is required. It is a good move for our city because if we get more revenue, we will see improved developments on service delivery because, at the moment, things are expensive,” he said.

The programme is for free and council will only meet travel and subsistence allowances for the two engineers from HIT for the two days that they will offer installation and training of officials at the Town House.

Put together, the costs amount to $1 900 for two people for the two days.-Newsday

Zimbabwe netball team is down 53-31 at the ongoing Vitality Netball World Cup.

It’s now 54-32 in favour of Australia.

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