Mutsvangwa’s housemaid was on Saturday taken to the Mutare Magistrates’ Court on allegations of stealing US$25 000 given to the Cabinet minister for safekeeping.

The issue comes hot on the heels of yet another foreign currency storm where Mutsvangwa’s son was involved in a deal where four police officers were arrested after taking a bribe from his partners, to only seize US$40,000, which later reduced to US$20,000 by the time the money was declared at the police station.

Tracy Manase (59) from Chizemo village, under Chief Mutambara, who appeared before magistrate Nortilda Muchineripi, pleaded guilty to the charges and will be sentenced tomorrow.

The complainant in the matter is Joyce Mukono (49) from Zimre Park in Harare and is not employed.

According to the State, in March this year, the complainant gave her sister Mutsvangwa, who was the accused’s employer, US$25 000 for safekeeping.

Manase reportedly took the US$25 000, resigned from her workplace at the end of May and went to her rural home in Chimanimani.

On an unknown date in the month of June the complainant asked for her money back and Mutsvangwa informed her that the money had gone missing.

The complainant carried out her own investigations and found out that the accused was hiring workers at her rural home and paying them in United States dollars.

The complainant made a report at Mutare Central Police and proceeded to the accused’s rural home with police officers where they recovered US$3 200 cash and groceries worth US$6 200.

Farai Dziva|Information Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa lost lost US$ 25 000 cash to her housemaid.

Mutsvangwa’s maid Tracy Manase (59) allegedly stole the money- which had been given to the Minister “for safekeeping.”

Manase appeared before Magistrate Nortilda Muchineripi.

She pleaded guilty to the charges.

The court heard that Joyce Mukono (49) from Zimre Park in Harare, who is Mutsvangwa’s sister, gave the Minister the money for safekeeping.

In June Mutsvangwa’s sister asked for her money and was told that it was missing.

“After carrying out investigations, she found out that the former maid was hiring workers and paying them in US dollars at her rural home.”

“Mukono reported the matter to Mutare Central Police leading to the recovery of US$3 200 cash and groceries worth US$6 200 from Manase.”

Ironically this comes at a time government has banned the use of foreign currency as legal tender in Zimbabwe.

The illegitimate regime is insecure & paranoid.The MDC is a legitimate peaceful democratic movement that will achieve change through peaceful,democratic & Constitutional means We reject the victimization of our cadres by a regime that ceased power through unconstitutional means https://t.co/EYfWAdAuKe

— TENDAI BITI (@BitiTendai) July 9, 2019

Farai Dziva|MDC vice president Job Sikhala will appear in court tomorrow.

“Hon. Vice Chair Sikhala has been charged with contravening section 22(2)(a)iii of the Criminal Code… Subverting a Constitutionally Elected Government.

A warned and cautioned statement has been recorded from him and he will appear in court tomorrow…

Our legal affairs dept tried to get him to be released today but it was in vain as they seemed to be acting on instructions,” the MDC has said in a statement.

A warned and cautioned statement has been recorded from him and he will appear in court tomorrow… Our legal affairs dept tried to get him to be released today but it was in vain as they seemed to be acting on instructions. @nelsonchamisa @BitiTendai

— Fortune Daniel Molokele (@molokele) July 9, 2019

“My calling is to deliver the one thing we all want, a corrupt-free Zimbabwe. This will only be achieved if I get the right support.” @matandamoyo.

Amb. Brian A. Nichols met with the new @ZACCOnline Chair today & offered strong support to Zimbabwe’s anti-corruption efforts. pic.twitter.com/QUmQg7sGEF

— U.S. Embassy Zimbabwe (@USEmbZim) July 9, 2019

Farai Dziva|Zanu PF political commissar Victor Mademadanda left the city of Bulawayo in frustration after his planned demonstrations against price hikes did not materialize.

Mademadanda had organised demonstrations against prices in Bulawayo on Monday.

Only a handful of party supporters turned up for the demonstrations.

A crestfallen Matemadanda then went around the city interacting with residents.

“Go back and put your house in order, we have had enough of your propaganda,” an angry Bulawayo resident told Mademadanda.

Farai Dziva|MDC deputy spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka has said the party will use democratic means to pursue democracy.

” I have a constitutional responsibility to defend the party and its values. And yes, we shall use peaceful, democratic means to pursue struggle, ” said Tamborinyoka.

He added:” It is also true that protests, marches and demonstrations are very much constitutional means as they are in line with section 59 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.”

Tamborinyoka made the remarks following the controversy surrounding Job Sikhala’s comments at a rally in Bikita.

Jane Mlambo| When Luke Tamborinyoka, the MDC Deputy Spokesperson issued a statement yesterday distancing the party from Job Sikhala’s remarks at a Bikita rally, he never thought things would turn south.

The party had to act quickly as statements from both government and Zanu PF were clear, the issue was getting out of control and Tamborinyoka as per his job, he had to communicate a party position.

But despite it being perhaps a party position that they sanitize the mess Sikhala had created, Tamborinyoka is now under-fire from both party members and the general public who feel he did not protect the combative deputy chairperson from state security and Zanu PF.

Twitter users descended on Tamborinyoka’s handle blasting him and calling him all sorts of names.

Luke we shall never forget how you gave our Goromonzi seat to that ndombolo guy u should have been thrown under the bus a long time ago.

— Amai Chris (@PamelaMapani) July 9, 2019

https://twitter.com/BhunuNgoni/status/1148270459705876481

https://twitter.com/PManyonho/status/1148304724082532354

Your statement is very unhelpful sir. You are sacrificing a comrade with this

— Vusi M Ndlovu (@ManyepeVusi) July 9, 2019

By Own Correspondent- PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa could have blown in excess of US$200 million in travelling expenses since he came into power in November 2017, former Finance minister Tendai Biti has said.

Mnangagwa, who has been in power for a little over a year, has made close to 38 foreign trips aboard a chartered plane which, according to internet research, charges no less than US$4 million a trip.

Biti, who is also the MDC deputy president, said the President gallivants, while the country was in continuous darkness because of load-shedding, which has seen most of the country without power for up to 18 hours daily.

Zimbabwe owes US$68 million in debt to South Africa’s Eskom and Mozambique’s Hydro Cahora Bassa.

“Mnangagwa hires a plane at the cost of US$4 million, just to travel to Bulawayo. Since he was sworn in as President in August of 2018, Mnangagwa has made 36 trips. In all the trips, his transport is $4 million. Do the maths, 36 multiply by $4 million. That is over $120 million in travelling costs alone,” Biti said.

“What kind of a President are you? Have you no shame? He is a thief because a real President will respect his people. Even [former President Robert] Mugabe used to use Air Zimbabwe, but this President we have has failed to deal with (corruption).”

Biti was addressing a rally in Harare on Sunday.

The cost estimations by Biti did not include the recent trips to Rwanda and the ongoing Africa Union trip to Niger.

He also said travel allowances were also not factored into the tally, pushing the travel and substance costs outside the country by Mnangagwa to over $200 million in under a year.

“Why are you stealing people’s money? Why have you removed the US dollar? We refuse an economic agenda; we refuse an economic policy whose function is to destroy the values of people’s wealth. You have stolen people’s salaries, to fund your own luxury lifestyles while bankrupting the nation,” Biti said.-Newsday

I have a constitutional responsibility to defend the party and its values. And yes, we shall use peaceful, democratic means to prosecute our struggle.

— Luke Tamborinyoka (@luke_tambo) July 9, 2019

I have a constitutional right to disagree with you @luke_tambo and your MDC party on Job Sikhala. Both you and your party are wrong on this one including the whole MDC leadership if it supports this tomfoolery. Dont behave like Morrison Nyathi!

— Pedzisai Ruhanya (@PedzisaiRuhanya) July 9, 2019

The Department of Immigration has in the first half of this year arrested 614 foreigners for illegally staying in the country, as it intensifies efforts to curb breaches of immigration laws.

About 562 of the illegal immigrants have since been deported to their respective countries.

Newly-appointed chief immigration officer Ms Respect Gono said the department formulated compliance teams nationwide to enforce national migration laws.

“The department carries out spontaneous and sporadic operations countrywide,” she said.

“The department has strengthened stakeholder engagement with other security departments. The department publishes cases of those in breach of national migration laws to deter future offenders.

“This has also resulted in citizens giving tip-offs leading to successful arrests. We have ensured offenders are prosecuted for deterrence. To date, a total of 614 have been prosecuted, while 562 illegal immigrants have been deported from the country.”

Ms Gono said the department, being an arm of the Government, has also joined hands in fighting corruption in society.

She said the department maintains an unwavering intolerance policy on corruption.

“We have a sound code of conduct that we ensure is made aware to officers apart from the in-house training sessions that we periodically do from time to time,” said Ms Gono.

“The department is guided by the Public Service Regulations of 2000 and all officers are aware that any violations of its provisions are dealt with accordingly. We have on record officers who have been reprimanded, penalised and discharged.”

Ms Gono said digitalisation of work processes was an ongoing exercise in the department and this was meant to eliminate human interface, thus plugging all forms of revenue leakages that would emanate from manual processes.  “The department introduced an online visa application and payment platform,” she said. “The department is also working towards an e-permit platform which totally eliminates physical interface between officers and clients.

“There is a staff transfer policy in place to ensure that officers do not enjoy prolonged stays at one station where they will over familiarise themselves with clients who use respective borders.”

State Media

By Own Correspondent- A 49 year old Harare woman, who grew up being moved around from one mother to another, has obtained a court order compelling two women to undergo a DNA test to establish who her real mother is.

Silence Matanhire (nee Chisema), recently approached the High Court seeking a compelling order after the two women, Selina Mutema of Bikita and Esther Mutambara of Sengere Farm in Bindura, declined to shed light on who Matanhire’s mother was, claiming the issue was too complicated for her to comprehend.

“According to my birth certificate, I was born on January 1, 1970 to Jacob Mapfumo and Esther Chimedza. However, during his lifetime, Mapfumo clearly told me that he was not my father, but that his identity documents were used by one Farai Mutema to secure my birth certificate. The reason behind this is unclear. The person stated as my mother, Esther Chimedza, is to me unknown,” Matanhire said in her affidavit.

“I grew up regarding first respondent (Mutema) as my mother. Her husband was Farai Mutema, I regarded him as my father, and later she was married to Agrippah Mutambara, who became my stepfather. Later on in life, I was then taken to second respondent (Mutambara), who is a sister to first respondent.”

Matanhire said Mutambara was introduced to her as her real mother and later grew up treating her as such until she got married to Machingura Elvis Matanhire.

She further said a traditional lobola ceremony was conducted at the instance of her husband and was held at Mutema’s homestead who accepted her lobola share as the mother, but when she was handed over a blanket, in terms of the African custom, she declined to accept it, saying it should be given to Matanhire’s real mother.

“When it came to the issue of the blanket, she (Mutema) vehemently refused to accept it stating that the blanket needed to be taken to the actual mother, that being the second respondent,” she said.

“To date, I have three women namely Ester Chimedza, Ester Mutambara and Selina Mutema, all claiming in one way or the other to be my real mother. I have never met Ester Chimedza in my life and every time I ask the respondents about her, they become angry and they have since stopped talking to me. I believe it is my right as a human being to have proper identity.

“This is confusion of the biggest order and it makes me shiver day and night. The birth record, unfortunately, was forcefully taken away from me by my brother, who is now late when I asked him about its content. It appears a lot of people know about my story, except myself.”

High Court judge Justice Edith Mushore granted the order on July 3, 2019.-Newsday

Att: Kadoma Town Clerk
P.O Box Kadoma

Re: Concerned Residents Petition

We petition your municipality to keep the current rates as they are.

Our petition is premised on the following prevailing socio-economic circumstances:

1. Government as the majority employer has not increase salaries.
2. A large number of your rate payers are elderly and either earning pittance or they do not have pension.
3. Service delivery is found wanting in terms of availability of water, and sewerage. Roads also need to be rehabilitated.

We call upon the City to engage the residents so as to bring about meaningful progress.

As residents we are against the development of Waverley Bus Terminus, given that we have 2 old bus terminus in Rimuka that need rehabilitation and as residents we want to use these.

By Own Correspondent- The two-day public interviews for the eight posts of judges of the High Court opened in Harare yesterday with the first batch of 10 aspiring candidates being interviewed by the Judicial Service Commission’s nine-member panel.

Chief Justice Luke Malaba led the interviews asking a set of four standard questions.

The questions included naming three types of jurisdiction the High Court has in criminal matters and in what circumstances does the Prosecutor-General have the right to appeal to the Supreme Court against a judgment of the High Court in a criminal matter.

Interviewees were also required to explain the principles governing the exercise by the High Court of jurisdiction in respect of arbitral awards brought to the court for review.

Chief Justice Malaba said speedy disposition of cases is a constitutional obligation on every judicial officer, and asked how do the interviewees intended to ensure, if appointed, speedy disposition of cases while at the same time ensuring a fair hearing to those appearing before them.

Advocate Webster Chinamora, who was the first to be grilled, acquitted himself well applying his mind with aplomb of a veteran lawyer, as he was comfortable fielding questions from the panel.

When asked to tell the commissioners his greatest strength and weakness, he said he was an avid researcher who loved analytical thinking and writing.

“You have before you my curriculum vitae and a sample of some of the work I have done which demonstrates my aptitude for research and analytical thinking which I think is an essential asset of a judge,” he said.

He also referred to his impressive record of academic publications, which includes three-book chapters, one of which is in the Encyclopaedia of International and Comparative Private Law.

However, Zvishavane-based lawyer Mr Tichaona Chivasa had a bad day in office as he struggled with questions, some of which were elementary.

He had a nightmare in answering the first standard question on the jurisdiction of the High Court on criminal matters.

Mr Chivasa came for the interviews despite the fact that he failed the test on the writing of a judgment. He was, however, allowed to exercise his right to participate in the public interviews.

Bulawayo-based lawyer Mr Christopher Dube-Banda put up a sterling performance in the manner he answered questions.

He said he was a man fit for the job given the fact that he had garnered sufficient layers of experience throughout his 25 years in private practice.

“If appointed I will take it upon myself deal with the cases before me as expeditiously as possible,” he said with a voice booming with authority.

“I will not sit on cases placed before me. I can say that am a diligent person and consider myself a hard working person. I am not that kind of person who leaves things for tomorrow. I deal with things as they come and am conscious of the Constitution on this requirement and the rights of people appearing before courts.”

Not to be out done was Labour Court judge Justice Evangelista Kabasa, left the panelists unanimously content with her work and judicial intelligence.

The other six interviewees are Sheila Kanyangarara, Cemis Madembo, Benhilda Manyowa, Simba Mawere, Emilia Muchawa and Richard Mufuka.

The MDC Youth Assembly is riled by the state and ZANU PF’s overtures to flagrantly and wantonly disregard the right to freedom of expression through the ill thought move to charge MDC National Vice Chair, Job Sikhala with treason.

Having listened and re-listened to Honorable Sikhala’s Bikita rally statements, we found it shocking that the panic stricken military junta intends to slap our National Vice Chair with treason charges.

It is not a secret that as a party our end game which is in sync with the people’s agenda is to remove a failed ZANU PF government from power.

While MDC believes in non-violence, legality and constitutionalism as has already been buttressed by our deputy National spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka, the party is also deeply anchored in values and ethos of social democracy.

Solidarity with the downtrodden is one of those values!

As such, the Assembly and the party in general has an obligation to stand in solidarity with long suffering masses whose nervous conditions we all know is a direct result of a bastion of governance failure by ZANU PF.

That Honorable Sikhala chose the words “overthrow of Emmerson Mnangagwa” instead of subtle adjectives is an issue of semantics.

The bottom line is that people are sick and tired of the whole ZANU PF system and henceforth its removal or “overthrow” through constitutional means is long overdue!

What Honorable Sikhala said is just a mirror reflection of the sentiments of the ordinary people in the country.

People are groaning under the ZANU PF yoke and their loud cries have one thing in common- “ZANU PF is corrupt and must go!”.

Honorable Job Sikhala only amplified the people’s position that ZANU PF and Emmerson Mnangagwa should be overthrown albeit through constitutional means if the country to move forward.

As an Assembly we would like to warn Simon Khaya Moyo and his sinking ZANU PF ship that any reckless overtures to decimate opposition figures like Sikhala on flimsy treason charges will be repelled by equal force.

If anything, a Sikhala illegal arrest will be our own Sarajevo moment that the country desperately awaits.

Mr Khaya Moyo should be reminded that another November 2017 is possible in our life time!

The voice of people is the voice of God!

Stephen Sarkozy Chuma
MDC Youth Assembly National Spokesperson

By A Correspondent- A KLM airlines cargo plane yesterday dropped a flap mid-air in Chitungwiza, but landed safely at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.

Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) public relations and communications manager Mrs Anna Julia Hungwe confirmed the incident last night.

“The aeroplane dropped a flap in Chitungwiza, but landed safely at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.

“Investigations into the incident are ongoing,” she said.

According to website www.howthingsfly.si.edu <http://www.howthingsfly.si.edu>, “the purpose of the flaps is to generate more lift at slower airspeed, which enables the airplane to fly at a greatly reduced speed with a lower risk of stalling.

“This is especially useful during take-off and landing.

“When extended further, flaps also generate more drag which slows the airplane down much faster than just reducing throttle.”

There were no reports of any casualties from the incident.-StateMedia

Jane Mlambo| Binga Rural District Council has taken to Twitter to raise alarm on baboons which are terrorizing women and children, vandalizing property and snatching anything they suspect to be food from hospital patients and villagers.

Posting on Twitter, Binga RDC said their area has been experiencing an influx of baboons which target women and children.

“Binga town residents have been experiencing a heavy influx of baboons. The baboons are snatching food or anything they suspect to be food, targeting mainly women and school children.

“Several incidences of baboon snatching pots, satchels and paper bags they suspect to contain food have been witnessed. They have smashed rooftops, vehicle mirrors and wind screens.

“The worst hit areas are hospital compound, the hospital itself, expecting mothers’ residents and houses along the hospital – Rest Camp road.

“Baboons fall into the hospital surgery through the roof! Education houses, D.A’s compound, Army barracks, and many govt houses are being destroyed by baboons,” said Binga RDC.

The baboons have even vandalised hospital roof in search of food while the Binga RDC posted a picture of a pregnant women who had her 5kg of mealie-meal snatched from her in broad daylight.

Binga is one of the areas hard hit by drought this season.

By Own Correspondent- The Vice President of the MDC-T led by Thokozani Khupe, Obert Gutu has said that overthrowing the government is unconstitutional.

His remarks come after the vice national chairperson of the MDC-Alliance, advocate Job Sikhala has said that his party was not joking about overthrowing the President Emmerson Mnangagwa led government.

Sikhala mentioned intimidation and terrorisation of citizens as the main reason the MDC-A has resolved to confront the government.

Posting on Twitter, Khuphe’s deputy, Gutu said:

Section 59 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe reads: “Every person has the right to demonstrate and to present petitions, but these rights must be exercised peacefully.” It doesn’t provide for the unconstitutional overthrow of Government.

His remarks are in resonance with those of the permanent secretary in the Information Ministry, Nick Mangwana, who described Sikhala’s remarks as uncivilised and unconstitutional. Mangwana added that the government will take necessary actions against anyone who wants to overthrow a constitutionally elected government.

The ruling ZANU PF and the Nelson Chamisa led MDC-A have been at loggerheads since the July 30, 2018 elections which the latter claims were manipulated in favour of the former.

Both parties have been agreeing on the necessity of institution a national dialogue to address both the economic and political crises. However, they clash on the issue of legitimacy which Chamisa is saying has to be resolved since it is the root cause of all the issues. ZANU-PF, on the other hand, is adamant that Mnangagwa won, hence no need for discussing the matter.

By A Correspondent- The MDC says that it will soon launch its school of ideology that will be aimed at grooming party cadres who are able to articulate the party’s policies.

This was revealed by MDC secretary general Chalton Hwende in an interview with NewsDay on Monday. He said:

We are now busy with recruiting lecturers and administrators for the school. All the preparations are at an advanced stage now and we will be launching soon.

The setting up of the school is out of a resolution that came from our party congress. We want to develop a cadre who is conscious of their responsibility to the party and society as a whole.

We want to develop 21st-century leaders who are different from those we see in Zanu PF. We want leaders who are able to articulate our party policies, hence improving the quality of our membership.

The intention is to also change the course of politics in the country; it is no longer business as usual.

Hwende dismissed suggestions that the MDC was copying the ruling ZANU PF party which has its own Herbert Chitepo Ideological School.-Newsday

https://twitter.com/TheUncleGora/status/1148209723910643712

https://twitter.com/TheUncleGora/status/1148259071226777602

https://twitter.com/TheUncleGora/status/1147410878138073088

MDC deputy national chair, Job Sikhala has confirmed being summoned to Harare Central police station for Tuesday where treason charges hang over his head over weekend threats to overthrow President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The Chitungwiza legislator reportedly told a party rally in Bikita on Saturday that his party was planning to force an end to Mnangagwa’s rule which the main opposition insists was illegitimate.

“I agreed with them that I will surrender myself tomorrow (Tuesday) at 9am as I am out of Harare,” he said.

“So tomorrow at 9am, I will be at the Harare Central Law and Order. They will prefer treason charges against me.”

Meanwhile, the MDC has moved to distance itself from Sikhala’s remarks saying the party deputy chairperson was speaking in his own capacity.

“It is the party’s view that Hon. Sikhala’s views as expressed at the rally and widely quoted in the press were his own personal opinions, which we believe have been misconstrued and misinterpreted,” national party deputy spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka said in press statement Monday.

Netball players go on empty stomachs as ministers use up their food money on plane tickets …. https://t.co/Jet9fanmKV

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 9, 2019

Another group of govt officials flies into UK for netball World Cup:

3 Ministers and their personal aides… pic.twitter.com/FUD82rDXqa

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 9, 2019

State Media|Mozambique is ready to assist Zimbabwe with increased supplies of electricity from Cahora Bassa, the President has said.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the 12th Extraordinary Summit on the Continental Free Trade Area after fruitful discussions with his Mozambican counterpart, President Filipe Nyusi.

President Mnangagwa said they had agreed that Mozambique will supply more energy to Zimbabwe and the two countries’ Ministers of Energy will soon meet to tie up the loose ends of the deal.

“My minister will go to Mozambique. I discussed with the President of Mozambique, Nyusi (my brother) and they are ready for us to discuss the issue so that they can also increase the supply of energy from Cahora Bassa to Zimbabwe on terms which are comfortable to us,” he said.

This comes after South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, following bilateral discussions with President Mnangagwa here on Sunday, sealed a deal for Eskom to supply Zimbabwe with electricity.

Recently, Government paid US$10 million to Eskom to reduce the debt with the South African power utility.

Once the two deals come to fruition, electricity shortages are expected to ease. President Mnangagwa also held fruitful discussions with Gambian President Adama Barrow that will see Zimbabwe supplying wildlife to the East African country.

“I also met Gambia’s president. Gambia would want to acquire wildlife in Zimbabwe.

“He said they want to acquire wildlife, so we have to discuss how we can support them,” he said

Zimbabwe has supplied wildlife to several countries, including China.

During another meeting, the President was invited to Equatorial Guinea.

“I also met the President of Equatorial Guinea (Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo).

“He has invited me to visit his country, I think sometime in August but we are still going to look into some feasibilities to do so,” he said.

Moyo said the #TBgate saga was a monumental theft that is being hidden from the public by various entities and individuals who are involved.

He estimated the stolen bonds to be about USD$9 Billion.

While it’s bad that corruption in Zimbabwe has ravaged the economy, destroyed livelihoods  and  eroded society’s moral fabric, what’s worse is that the fight against corruption remains a corrupt fight by the most corrupt elements in the country to hide their corruption!

The economy is bleeding  and  dying with money losing value not because of a $12K Fruitful Communication/Zesa PR deal involving Undenge, Mazivisa  and  Pambuka, or Tsholotsho bicycles or a managerial appointment by Dr Parirenyatwa at National Pharmaceuticals but because of #TBgate!

#TBgate is a mega corruption scam through which billions in USDs were corruptly printed between 2013  and  2019 under a fictious 1:1 exchange rate to effectively line up the pockets of linked individuals for their personal benefit at the expense of the economy  and  the public good!

#TBgate is the most far reaching corruption scandal in Zimbabwe involving systematic  and  corrupt abuse of USD billions under: *Command agriculture *Fuel imports by cartels *Dark imports for unspecified and unauditable “operations”, siphoned through Mobutu-style payments!

#TBgate has had a devastating impact on the economy and the livelihoods of ordinary people because of its link with other systemic corruption including but not only systematic theft of diamonds, never mind whether its quantum is USD 15 billion or whatever: the value is huge!

Paranthetically, the corrupt fight against corruption is exposed by the fact that absolutely nothing is being done or said by Matanda-Moyo, Zanu PF youth, ZRP, ZACC,NPA, SACU, the judiciary or state media about Zimbabwe’s stolen diamonds  and  their actual value!

Related to stolen diamonds given #TBgate, is gold theft. Before the coup, machete-murders were rife in the Midlands over the control of the sale of Zim gold. Since then gold smuggling has become rampant. Gold smugglers now run the country, which they are also running down!

There’s a link between #Tbgate and the plunder of the country’s key resources, diamonds and gold, to corruptly benefit some individuals, their families  and  cronies. These are the individuals who unconstitutionally seized power by the threat  and  use of military force in Nov 2017!

Against this backdrop, it’s disquieting that the new   ZACC  chairperson, Loice Matanda-Moyo, has assumed her post full of sound  and  furry signifying nothing about the fight against corruption. It seems her brief is to cover up the REAL corruption that has destroyed the economy!

Why is Matanda-Moyo talking too much  and  setting an agenda with SOLO paradigmatic policy pronouncements in   ZACC ‘s name when   ZACC  is not yet fully constituted?   ZACC  is not a one person show but a constitutional body run by a board  and  not a chairperson running amok, alone!

What makes Matanda-Moyo’s case untenable is that she does not inspire any public confidence because she comes to   ZACC  as a tainted ZanuPF judge with no history of judicial independence. Matanda-Moyo is a well established judge of the system, not a judge of the people!

Already, and acting solo without a board, Matanda-Moyo, a war veteran, has associated herself  and    ZACC  with the ZanuPF youth league  and  the national war veterans association, whose members claim to be Zimbabwe’s stockholders, as key sources of evidence on corruption for   ZACC !

Matanda-Moyo has boasted that she has the NASA audit report  and    ZACC  will make arrests soon. Good but not reassuring. Will   ZACC  make arrests on the basis of audit reports or investigations? Is the NASSA audit report the only one? And the audit report on Command Agriculture?

But the crucial question facing Matanda-Moyo is this: can the public trust that she will lead   ZACC  to investigate the real  and  systemic corruption, #TBgate, that has led to the collapse of the multicurrency system  and  the destruction of people’s livelihoods? The answer is no!

Yet but for #Tbgate corruption, livehoods have been destroyed; no Zesa for 19 hours or more daily; health  and  education services have collapsed; salaries now valueless; exponential price hikes are the order of the day, as Zimbabwe has become hell on earth for ordinary people!

Instead of dealing with #TBgate, Mnangagwa has come up with another self-serving “anti-corruption” crusade to purge his political rivals. Before it was the so-called G40, now it’s his coup conspirators; like Obert Mpofu  and  Jacob Mudenda who facilitated his power grab!

It is not surprising that Matanda-Moyo has shown a willingness  and  eagerness to assist Mnangagwa in his latest purge of political rivals under the corrupt pretext of fighting corruption. Mnangagwa is working closely withSibusiso Moyto, Matanda-Moyo’s husband  and  Mthuli Ncube!

The new power block in town is revolving around Mnangagwa, Minister SB Moyo  and  Mthuli Ncube; with SB Moyo, the coup announcer, emerging as the most vicious of the trio  and  literally calling the shots  and  targeting his perceived enemies in ZanuPF  and  officials in govt  and  parastatals!

Emmerson Mnangagwa jr has emerged as a notorius busbody in the mix. Working in cahoots with rogue security elements  and    ZACC  officials, he engineered the names targeted by the ZanuPF youth, whom he briefed ahead of their presser. He’s threatening to use   ZACC  to target more!

Notably and like one of his siblings now rivaling Fidelity Refineries as a major gold dealer, Emmerson Mnangagwa jr has become filthy rich. Public eyes are wide open to see if Matanda-Moyo wiil use the new law on unexplained wealth to get Emmerson Jr to explain his wealth!

The real questions on the corruption that has collapsed the economy  and  destroyed livelihoods are these: *Who will investigate  and  act on #TBgate? *Who will investigate the billions of TBs stolen under Command Agriculture? *Who will investigate diamond, gold  and  fuel corruption?

As noted, Matanda-Moyo can’t lead a credible fight against corruption. She’s irredeemably conflicted. In 2017, her husband faced High Court indictment on fraud charges over proceeds of crime he allegedly received. She has the NASSA audit, does she have her husband’s docket?

What needs to be understood  and  acted upon is that systemic corruption involving USD billions is at the core of the unprecedented suffering of ordinary people whose livelihoods have been destroyed. The eyesore of this mega corruption is #TBgate: TBs abused for personal gain!

If #TBgate is understood as the reason for Zim’s current economic mess, causing untold suffering, and taking into account who the schemers  and  gainers of #TBgate are, there will be no economic turnaround; unless the architects  and  beneficiaries of #TBgate are held to account!

State Media|ENERGY and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi has demanded completion of the multi-million dollar 100 megawatts Gwanda solar project saying he wanted to see electricity being generated from the power station after Government paid US$5,1 million in tax payers’ money for its construction.

The energy minister also said an explanation from Zesa Holdings, the holding arm of the group’s power generation unit, on why there have been crippling delays to the implementation of the Gwanda solar project was necessary.

This comes as Zimbabwe is grappling rolling power cuts due to electricity shortages that have been occasioned by significantly reduced electricity output at Kariba South hydro plant, which had its water ration for power generation significantly cut down by Zambezi River Authority due to receding lake water levels.

Minister Chasi was in Gwanda on Friday to apprise himself with the progress at the slow moving solar project, for which State-owned Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), paid a staggering US$5,1 million to have pre-commencement works done, ahead of actual phased construction, with little of initial works done thus far, which includes land clearance and site fencing and topography studies.

Earlier, the Energy and Power Development Minister had toured the outdated Bulawayo Power Station, which was de-commissioned a few years ago and is set for major systems overhaul under a multi-million dollar re-powering programme.

Delays in the implementation of the Gwanda solar project have already resulted in a contractual dispute between Zesa and contractor, Intratrek Zimbabwe, which saw the power utility attempting to terminate the agreement.

Zesa wanted to terminate the agreement on the grounds that the contractor had violated the parties’ contract after failing to complete pre-construction works within the stipulated time as agreed, despite receiving payment of US$5,1 million.

But Intratrek, in its heads of arguments, accused the State power utility of frustrating the project including through causing the arrest of the company’s director, Wicknell Chivayo.

The project contractor also argued that delays on the project were not its fault given that financial closure was scuppered by the negative effect of Government’s legacy debts in China where Intratrek intended to raise project finance.

Construction of the Gwanda solar plant was quoted at US$172 million, but Intratrek had offered to cut down the price to US$132 million commensurate with the falling costs of constructing solar energy plants across the entire world.

The firm further claimed that this was confirmed by actions of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, which in 2016 and on realising challenges of raising funding in China’s Export and Import Bank (China Eximbank), instructed CBZ Bank to float energy bonds to raise requisite funding for the project. As such, when Zesa tried to terminated the Gwanda project contract, Intratrek contested the purported cancellation of the project agreement and won in a ruling delivered by the High Court last year, declaring the contract valid and demanded that the parties find a way to ensure that the solar power project is implemented.

While the contract for the project was signed in October 2015 and part payment made to the contractor (Intratrek Zimbabwe) for the pre-construction works to be done, little progress has been recorded on site at a time the country is now facing acute shortage of electricity that has spawned severe rolling power cuts.

The minister reiterated that the Gwanda solar project needs to be completed as soon as possible “because money was paid and the contractor needs to deliver the 100 megawatts as per contract signed with ZPC.”

Also commenting after visiting the Gwanda solar project site in the company of Zesa and ministry officials, Minister Chasi said he was depressed by what he saw regarding progress on implementation and demanded that the project should be made to produce power as originally envisioned or the money paid be returned.

“I can’t express the level of depression that I am experiencing right now. (A bad) power situation is in the country. I was expecting that some magnificent amount of work would have been done.

“I feel that as a ministry and as Government, this is a big let down and we are now going back to look at this situation. I am aware that there has been litigation; the project owners won; what I need are megawatts. I am also focusing and zeroing in on Zesa itself to understand why there was a delay,” the minister said.

He said the solar project started a long time ago and the country could not afford to have the solar project delayed for an extended period of time given the current power situation.

Zesa recently appealed at the Supreme Court against High Court judge Tawanda Chitapi’s ruling in favour of Intratrek and declaring the contract between the parties to be valid and in force.

While Zesa’s appeal is still pending at the Supreme Court, Intratrek recently had its application for execution pending appeal granted with the judge saying action was required on Gwanda given the power situation in the country.

Justice Chitapi added that the parties should spend more time on implementation at the project site instead of merry dancing in board rooms and court of law because the power required was not for Intratrek or ZPC, but the whole country.

ZANU-PF national secretary for the commissariat Victor Matemadanda yesterday warned businesses in Bulawayo against selling goods at exorbitant prices, saying corrective measures will soon be taken against those found overcharging.

Matemadanda, who is also the Deputy Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs, was in the city yesterday and visited some shops to see if prices had been reduced. His visit came a few days after President Mnangagwa called on shops to stop over-charging.

President Mnangagwa said that measures would be taken against businesses that were taking advantage of consumers.

Matemadanda visited some shops in the CBD and spoke to members of the public to hear their grievances and general feeling about the economy.

He spoke to vendors outside Econet along Leopold Takawira Avenue and proceeded to City Hall where he also spoke to the vendors and purchased some of their products. He passed through Chicken Inn along 8th Avenue before going to the Bulawayo Centre, where he visited Choppies and Topics and also spoke to consumers and some shop owners.

Matemadanda also visited Pick n Pay Hyper, Heads and Hooves, Mandla’s Hair Salon, Adam’s Flea Market and OK supermarket along Lobengula Street and Renkini Bus Terminus.
In an interview after the tour, Matemadanda said it was unfortunate that people in Bulawayo were being treated unfairly by businesses.

“I came to Bulawayo to see if prices have been reduced in the shops following the announcement by President Mnangagwa. It’s unfortunate that prices are still too high in most of the shops and this must come to an end. I’ll report back to the President so that corrective measures are taken to protect the consumers.

“What is happening here is daylight robbery and it must stop. There will be penalties for all businesses overpricing their goods and we’ll name and shame them. Every shop has an operating licence. We’re going to make sure that some of these licences are withdrawn and given to patriotic and responsible people,” said Matemadanda.State media

Farai Dziva|Kembo Mohadi has warned businesses against overpricing.

In a speech read on his behalf in Beitbridge, Mohadi accused businesses of “milking members of the public.”

“We know those businesses and as the President said, we will deal with you because you undertook to serve the people and not to milk them.

Can anyone explain why beverages from our local manufacturers are so expensive here in Beitbridge where we have depots?

Shops have a duty to protect consumers who must not be punished for their loyalty. Now that we are using local currency through the promulgation of Statutory Instrument 142 of 2019, we urge businesses to shun the exploitative process overburdening the consumers,” said Mohadi.

Farai Dziva|In a shocking incident, a third-year student at the Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) was brutally murdered by her boyfriend.

According to H-Metro, Angela Dapi was allegedly murdered by her boyfriend Richard Nenhowe at Elizabeth Hotel in Harare.

Richard then tried to commit suicide.

He is currently admitted at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals where he is under police guard.

“I remember tiri ma 1.1 (First Year, First Semester) she used to complain that he was abusive.

He would beat her because of his insecurities…Angie wanted to leave this guy a long time ago, but she was trapped; it’s not making any sense. I feel like I failed her. I could have paid more attention and reported him right away, but instead we comforted her,” Angela’ s friend told H-Metro.

“Angela and her boyfriend broke up a month ago because Nenhowe had cheated on her and he refused to accept being dumped.

He travelled from a mine in Zvishavane, where he worked, to Harare on Sunday to try and fix their relationship that’s when they met at Elizabeth Hotel and he then choked her when she entered the hotel.

Nenhowe then sent a text to his friend stating that he had killed his girlfriend and when the police found Nenhowe, he was bleeding profusely after he attempted to kill himself,” a source said.

Farai Dziva|South African based socialite Luminitsa Dumbisa Jemwa who is Grace Mugabe’s ex-daughter-in-law has driven the social media crazy with “suggestive” photos during her birthday.

Luminitsa also boasts of her “flaunting hourglass figure.”

Luminitsa is Grace Mugabe’s ex-muroora from her son Russell Goreraza.She is also footballer Nyasha Mushekwi’s former wife.

Her ” mouth-watering photographs where she is featured wearing a tighter-than-skin body-hugging dress have gone viral.

The socialite also boasts of having curves like no other lady.

By A Correspondent- The City of Masvingo has failed to build a secondary school in the high density suburb of Rujeko and is now set to put the land on sale to possible private buyers with capacity to do the work, it has emerged.

A report by a local publication said the city has made several false promises regarding plans to build a secondary school in the area, with candidates for the Ward 7 city council seat in many elections promising to deliver on the project.

Indications are that the secondary school project had been provided for in the 2019 council budget but the local authority failed to commence the project ‘due to financial challenges’.

Council has therefore decided to invite potential church organisations that may have the capacity to do the work.

It was resolved in the recent full council meeting that the housing director should advertise an institutional stand for the establishment of a secondary school in Rujeko.

Some councillors, however, argued that the land should not be sold but be given for free in return for council having some control of the school.

Ward 10 councillor Sengerayi Manyanga argued that if the land was to be sold, then the responsible school authority may then seek to charge high fees to recover the money used to buy the land.

“Let’s give the land for free so that we will be able to regulate the fees and other services. If they start charging similar amounts to what boarding schools charge, we would then be empowered to stop them,” said Manyanga.

Mayor Collen Maboke, however, said the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education will regulate the fees and everything else to suit the normal standards expected of a high density residential area school.

Housing and Community Services director Levison Nzvura said a lot had been taken into consideration before the decision was made.

“We considered that council need some money to operate and since the project is of community benefit, we decided to sell the land at half price to a church organisation,” said Nzvura.

However, many believe that council has diverted some of the money that was budgeted for the project as they hurriedly try to surface the Nyaradzo Road whose own budgeted funds they misappropriated. -TellZim

By A Correspondent- ZIMBABWE is lagging behind in terms of conclusively reaffirming its borders with neighbouring countries to avoid potential conflicts arising from the exploitation of resources and other disagreements that may affect good relations. 

The border reaffirmation exercise is in line with the African Union Border Programme (AUBP) that requires all member states of the continental body to complete all international boundaries reaffirmations by the year 2023. 

This was revealed by the Auditor General, Mrs Mildred Chiri in her 2018 annual report tabled before Parliament last week.

The AUBP was adopted in 2007 during the 8th Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis Ababa under the theme ‘preventing conflicts and promoting integration’ and one of its ambitious goals was ‘the delimitation and demarcation of African boundaries’ where this had not yet taken place by 2017. This deadline was extended to 2023 following a programme review in 2016.

Mrs Chiri warned that delays in reaffirming boundaries was likely to give rise to more conflicts along the border areas and urged the Government to speed up the process.

“Taking long to reaffirm the boundaries may give rise to more conflicts along the border areas with neighbouring countries,” she said.

The Government through the Surveyor-General Department, had planned to reaffirm at least 200km kilometres of its international boundaries every year, but it only managed to reaffirm 53km, which translate to 27 percent of the planned annual output. 

Mrs Chiri attributed the delay to lack of coordination in resource mobilisation among the countries involved. 

“Despite the fact that the department managed to get $119 941, which is 70 percent, out of the total budget of $172 508, the output did not correspond to the resources utilised during the year under review. This was caused by lack of coordination in resource mobilisation among the countries involved as the reaffirmation cost was shared between the neighbouring countries,” she said. 

Mrs Chiri said there were no reaffirmations done on the South African and Zambian borders. The two countries have 225km and 798km respectively.

For the Botswana boundary only 542 km was reaffirmed out of a total of 841km while the Mozambican boundary, which has the largest chunk of 1 134km had only 43 km reaffirmed. 

“For Mozambican boundary the other cause for slow reaffirmation was partly because most parts of the boundary are landmine infested,” said Mrs Chiri.

She urged the parent ministry to engage the Ministry of Defence and War Veterans Affairs to expedite the removal of land mines on the Mozambican boundary.

“Life might be lost along the Mozambican boundary which is land mine infested, if the land mines are not removed in time. The Surveyor-General Department should ensure that the boundaries are reaffirmed in time, for the country to meet the AUBP deadline of 2023. Co-operation of the department and the Ministry of Defence should also be considered in order to expedite the removal of land mines,” said Mrs Chiri.

Out of the total of 2 998 km of the Zimbabwean boundary only 585km, which is 20 percent, were reaffirmed since the inception of the AUBP programme in the country in 2011. The programme was launched as part of the efforts of African States to meet the challenges related to the management of the borders inherited from colonisation.

Meanwhile, Mrs Chiri said the Surveyor-General Department planned to undertake 1 000 A2 farm surveys of which only 494 farm surveys were done while 1 000 township surveys were planned but only seven were undertaken by the department. 

“Lack of capacity by the Surveyor-General to survey A2 farms and townships will have a negative effect on economic growth and the 2030 vision of Zimbabwe to achieve middle income status,” she said.-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- A Bulawayo woman who was mauled by her landlady’s five dogs in March received a hero’s welcome yesterday at the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo (JMN) International Airport in Bulawayo.

Ms Muchegwa, who doctors feared would never walk again after sustaining stomach-turning injuries from the rabid dogs, walked down the plane’s steps without being assisted by anyone. She went to India on a wheelchair and came back on her feet.

After spending three months at Kiran Hospital in India, Ms Cherish Muchegwa, who was accompanied by her husband, Mr Joseph Masaiti, was met at the airport by the Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce Cde Raj Modi and a delegation of more than 50 people from Abundant Life Revival Mission Church. 

When she reached the ground, she refused to use the wheelchair that the airport staff had offered and instead walked to meet fellow church members.

Members of Abundant Life Revival Mission Church who were allowed into the airport’s tarmac area, burst into praise and worship songs as Ms Muchegwa and her husband disembarked from an Air Zimbabwe plane. 

Ms Muchegwa, who doctors feared would never walk again after sustaining stomach-turning injuries from the rabid dogs, walked down the plane’s steps without being assisted by anyone. She went to India on a wheelchair and came back on her feet.-StateMedia

The idea that Zanu PF removed Mugabe unlawfully does not follow that the opposition will behave illegally. For 20 years the MDC has always acted lawfully and democratically against a militarized and murderous regime! pic.twitter.com/fX48EYGfMy

— Pedzisai Ruhanya (@PedzisaiRuhanya) July 8, 2019

Several times l have received threats from @mdczimbabwe folks. I always tell them that we know more than they do. Denzel Zibhodha, a CIO, was Tsvangirai's logistics man. Now, as we speak, MDC leadership has more than 6 of our people. We have them by the balls, idzungu chete. pic.twitter.com/y9NQSserNN

— ?????? ?????? (@KMutisi) July 7, 2019

https://twitter.com/RTsvangirayi/status/1148300312454860800?s=19

The irony of election politics is that regardless of the evidence to the contrary, election billboards remain in place continuously telling their lies! As the line goes, I don't approve of political jokes, I have seen too many of them get elected. 2023 will have the same message. pic.twitter.com/Q9TmzB0Vyd

— Hopewell Chin’ono (@daddyhope) July 8, 2019

By A Correspondent- The demonstration organised by Zanu Pf was supposed to be against business people who are increasing the prices in their shops.

However, the demonstration, scheduled to be held in Bulawayo on Monday was cancelled due to low turnout.

War veterans leader and minister Victor Matemadanda, who was supposed to lead the demonstration ended up touring the shops in the city.

By Own Correspondent- Former Prosecutor-General Johannes Tomana’s return to private practice hangs in the balance two years after his sacking, amid reports that the Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ) is unwilling to re-admit him citing that he is not “fit and proper” to practise as a lawyer.

Mr Tomana was fired in June 2017, for misconduct and incompetence after a tribunal set by former president Robert Mugabe to probe him, recommended his dismissal.

His dismissal was announced in a General Notice No. 292 of 2017 published in the Government Gazette on June 9, 2017, which said the former president had acted on the tribunal’s recommendations.

Two years after he was sent packing from the highly esteemed PG’s Office, Mr Tomana is still fighting to return to his roots.

Unimpeachable sources close to Mr Tomana’s matter, told The Herald that the outcome of the tribunal was haunting him.

The source said: “He cannot come back now because the regulator of the profession is demanding that he presents to the law society council findings of the tribunal that led to his sacking before he is re-admitted.

“The society wants to study the tribunal’s recommendations first to make a proper assessment on his suitability before he returns to the profession.”

However, when contacted for comment, LSZ president Mr Thandaza Masiye Moyo was diplomatic in his response.

He said Mr Tomana has never requested to be re-admitted to the LSZ because he remains in the register of the legal practitioners of this country.

“The only thing is that when you leave the practice and you go elsewhere when you come back, there are certain processes that have to be followed,” he said.

“Council has to consider certain issues relating to where you were and how you were performing. What I can say for now is that the council is seized with the considerations and it has not made any deliberation.”-StateMedia

By A Correspondent- Junior doctors at Mpilo are said to be working about 130 hours a week instead of the 56 hours prescribed in their contracts. 

In response to questions, the hospital’s clinical director Dr Solwayo Ngwenya said the shortages were also affecting the school of medicine as students have no one to teach and monitor them.

“We urgently need additional 44 junior doctors and 20 specialists for us to be able to provide quality health services. The staff complement we have at the moment is failing to cope, thereby compromising service delivery,” said Dr Ngwenya.

He said due to shortage of specialists, junior doctors were not being supervised thereby compromising their training. Dr Ngwenya said the hospital has been operating without enough specialist doctors for years and there was therefore urgent need to address the anomaly.

“The hospital is running with a handful of specialists which has greatly compromised our service delivery. We would do better with at least 20 additional specialists,” said Dr Ngwenya. In a letter addressed to Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo last month, junior doctors at Mpilo Central Hospital said they could not continue working 130 hours per week.

Their representative Dr Mthabisi Bhebhe said the hospital could not be run by a few junior doctors with no supervision or assistance from seniors as that compromises service delivery.

Dr Bhebhe said no junior doctor should be in the casualty ward and doing calls alone more than twice a week. “The Ministry of Health must take the health of the people in this region seriously by immediately deploying the remaining 60 junior doctors who have just completed their studies.

“These measures must bring an end to the situation whereby surgery junior doctors are made to do calls every single day while their medicine counterparts are made to manage the whole casualty alone without supervision.”

Zimbabwe Independent|After weeding out his new rivals — who brought him to power — in the security sector, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has now shifted the purges to Zanu PF, targeting the ruling party’s heavyweights seen as a threat to his shaky grip on power, insiders said this week.

Zanu PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu and Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda — who both played decisive roles in the toppling of former president Robert Mugabe, paving the way for mnangagwa’s rise during the military coup in November 2017 — have emerged as Mnangagwa’s new targets, sources said.

Zanu PF Youth League leaders on June 24 accused 15 people and officials, including the governor of the central bank, cabinet ministers and business leaders, of running illegal foreign currency networks.

The party youths, led by deputy secretary Lewis Matutu, claimed the officials were running fuel and foreign currency cartels that were bleeding the economy.

Zanu PF insiders, however, said this week the issue was not about fighting corruption, but politics and factionalism, as well as personal vendettas, with some of the accused being collateral damage.

“Since after the general elections last year, Mnangagwa has been purging those he no longer trusts and wants in the security forces. He started with the CIO (Central Intelligence Organisation), then police and later the military,” a senior party official said. “Now he has extended the purges to the party. Mpofu, who is the new centre of power at the party headquarters, and Mudenda, as head of the legislature, hence another centre of power as well, especially if Mnangagwa’s impeachment comes, are now targeted. Those officials and former ministers now stationed at the (party) HQ (headquarters) are led by Mpofu and have become a force of resistance to Mnangagwa’s rule. That is why they are opposed to his right-hand minister, Mthuli Ncube’s austerity measures.

“At the legislature, headed by Mudenda, who is not happy that he has not been rewarded after playing a key role in Mugabe’s removal, MPs have also expressed displeasure before the president in a meeting last month complaining about Ncube’s policies and programmes, and, of course, by extension the President’s leadership as well. Most of these officials are seen as supporters or sympathisers by default of (co-Vice-President Constantino) Chiwenga, who is locked in a power struggle with ED (Mnangagwa).”

Another official said to prove that the Zanu PF Youth League’s anti-corruption list and crusade was a political ploy, those youths held a meeting with a Mnangagwa confidant just before their press conference on June 24.

“Before the press conference, the youths met a person very close to the President to discuss the issue,” the source said. “When the politburo meeting came the following day, Mnangagwa pretended he had nothing to do with the youths, he in fact chided them for acting unprocedurally, but went on to say their allegations must be investigated. In the end, he couldn’t hide his hand behind the plot.”

Sources said just before the politburo meeting on June 27, Mnangagwa passed through Mpofu’s Zanu PF HQ office and strategically distanced himself from the youths, claiming they were targeting Mpofu, then co-Vice-President Kembo Mohadi and eventually himself. Mpofu initially seemed to believe it until he was advised to ‘stop being naïve’. He was told Mnangagwa had a hand it in, but was playing Mugabe’s divide-and-rule tactics and he then changed his mind.”

Mpofu chaired a critical Zanu PF central committee meeting which suspended Mugabe at the height of the coup on November 20, 2017. The same meeting also nullified Mnangagwa’s earlier expulsion from the party before elevating him to the position of acting president and first secretary of Zanu PF. The following day, on November 21, Mudenda presided over a motion by parliament to impeach Mugabe.

However, Mpofu and Mudenda have found themselves as targets of Zanu PF youths who have accused them of corruption.

Insiders say the youths are acting as Mnangagwa’s political proxies.

Senior Zanu PF officials told the Zimbabwe Independent in off-the-record briefings this week Mpofu was being targeted because he had emerged as a new centre of power at the party’s national headquarters, a towering structure located on the western edge of Harare’s central business district where he has literally been confined after he lost his long-held ministerial position in Mnangagwa’s first post-election government.

The sources also said Mpofu had become the rallying point for fellow party bigwigs disgruntled after losing their cabinet posts, along with concomitant benefits and other trappings of power. They are said to be fending for themselves now, with some of them reportedly living from hand-to-mouth.

Mpofu has, in addition, reportedly become the rallying point as he is seen filling the vacant point left by Chiwenga who is currently sidelined by long illness.

Mnangagwa has an uneasy relationship with Chiwenga whose political manoeuvres since the coup that toppled Mugabe suggest he harbours presidential ambitions.

Chiwenga, who was commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, orchestrated the coup which brought Mnangagwa into power. The two erstwhile allies have, however, reportedly fallen out because of the former’s presidential ambitions.

Mnangagwa, who now faces multiple centres of internal resistance, is said to be reeling under siege and has now surrounded himself with what Zanu PF insiders described as “a small clique of political newcomers” as a political buffer. The old guard, now coalescing under Mpofu, is now seen as a dangerous hostile force.

Party sources further said Mnangagwa was eager to get rid of Mpofu whom he, despite playing a starring role in his elevation into power, has always seen as an ally of convenience.

The principal source of mistrust, insiders said, is that Mpofu derailed Mnangagwa’s failed political rise bid in 2004 by leaking critical information to Mugabe about what came to be known as the Tsholotsho Declaration.

Following the youths’ outbursts, the Zanu PF politburo last week resolved to set up a commission on inquiry to probe the allegations.

The Independent understands the commission, which will be chaired by a prominent Harare-based female lawyer, may be announced today. It will rely on dossiers and unexplained wealth order legislation to investigate the corruption allegations.

Sources said some officials like Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya, who is targeted over alleged black market activities by central bank executives, are “collateral damage”. They are also caught up in internal bureaucratic fights.

According to the sources, Mangudya is being accused of corruption by association for allegedly protecting four of the apex bank’s managers; Mirirai Chiremba, Norman Mataruka, Gresham Muradzikwa and Azvinandawa Saburi, once targeted by former chairperson of the Finance and Economic Development Communication Taskforce Acie Lumumba.

However, a source said Mangudya’s targeting had rattled the financial system, with government books and transactions nearly flagged for scrutiny and restrictions internationally. But due to his clarifications and international networks, the issue was avoided, a source said. Mangudya has taken the corruption matter to his lawyers.

Zanu PF spokesman Simon Khaya Moyo said it was up to Mnangagwa to decide on the date and composition of the commission.

“It entirely up to the president to decide when he will set up the commission, so I can’t tell you the date. What I can however tell you is that it is going to be an independent commission,” he said.

Zanu PF sources said the issue is likely to open a Pandora’s box of internal power struggles, factionalism and witch-hunting that may further divide the already fragmented party.

Zimbabweans get ready for action! By Farai Maguwu

We are going to besiege the Office of the Registrar General, one Clemence Masango, demanding that he give the people of Zimbabwe their passports when needed and that he stops immediately this corrupt practice of nocturnally giving passports to ZANU PF supporters and officials alone.

A passport is a human right and denying me a passport is also denying me my freedom of movement, association, conscience, information, right to health, right to education, right to food (which is in short supply thanks to Command Agriculture) and many other rights as enshrined in our national Constitution and International Law.

Emmerson Mnangagwa and his government are Out of Order on this and we shall rise on a Point of Order declaring this withdrawal of our basic human right unconstitutional, undemocratic, machiavellian, illegal, inhuman, satanic and criminal.

We shall use all our might to refuse to be reduced to the status of territories under organizations like Boko Haram, Hamas or Al Quaeda Netwwork who cannot issue travel documents because they are not recognigsed by the international community.

You can set your man to kill us Mr Mnangagwa but start counting down, we are coming and it shall be eternally on record that you murdered us as we demanded only passports. Get your bullets ready.

You have reduced us to a level of your captives and we have had enough of this bullshit. We will be coming from all over Zimbabwe. CIOs here please take this to the President and tell him Zimbabweans are saying ‘we are not your chickens’.

Mobilization for this point of national action is gathering momentum.