Jane Mlambo| Outspoken Norton legislator, Temba Mliswa has offered to pay tea for President Emmerson Mnangagwa and opposition leader Nelson Chamisa if they happen to meet for dialogue.

Mliswa was responding to top cleric and a member of the Presidential Advisory Council Shingi Munyeza who urged the two political leaders to meet and have a cup of tea at a mutually convenient venue with each one bringing own tea and cookery and exchange niceties which are not political.

GOVERNMENT has suspended Mashonaland Central provincial mining director Mr Malcolm Mazemo and nine Ministry of Mines and Mining Development officials on allegations of corruption.

Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando announced the suspensions at a news conference in Harare yesterday.

He said eight of the 10 suspended officers were based at the Mashonaland Central provincial office. This has resulted in Government temporarily suspending all services as investigations continue.

Services will only begin after pooling human resources from other stations. Two other suspended officials are surveyors from Mashonaland West.

Minister Chitando declined to shed more light, save to say the officials were facing allegations related to the administration and allocation of mining claims.

“The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has been seized with a lot of complaints from stakeholders over service delivery, especially from its provincial offices,” he said.

“As a result, and in line with the ‘Zimbabwe is Open for Business’ mantra and in line with the thrust for zero tolerance for corruption by His Excellency, the President . . . the ministry had been and will be investigating all complaints of malpractices by its staff.

“Such investigations have resulted in the suspension of surveyors at its Mashonaland West provincial mining office. Similar investigations have resulted in the simultaneous suspension of duty today (yesterday) 5th of July, 2019 of most of the technical staff at the Mashonaland Central provincial office including the provincial mining director.”

He said due to the suspension of several of the technical staff at the Mashonaland Central provincial office, it became necessary to temporarily suspend all services offered by that office from lunchtime yesterday until July 10, 2019 to allow the ministry to put in place measures to enable sound service delivery while investigations are in progress.

Minister Chitando added that Government will be following up and investigating all allegations of malpractice by stakeholders against its officials as it seeks deliver the best service.

-State Media

Jane Mlambo| Outspoken Norton legislator, Temba Mliswa has shockingly praised controversial businessman Genius Kadungure saying his big heart for people should make him a Member of Parliament in 2023.

Mliswa and Kadungure met in Durban where they posed for a picture which the former Zanu PF legislator posted on his Twitter timeline.

Mliswa ran out of superlatives to describe Kadungure who is known by many as a dubious business operator with multiple cases of corruption before the Harare Magistrates court.

“He’s a great warrior with unbelievable tenacity & a big heart for people who should stand as an MP in the next elections,” said Mliswa.

Zimbabwe has rejected preconditions set by the US government to access a US$60 billion facility availed to the African continent at the recent US-Africa Summit held in Mozambique.

This was said by President Mnangagwa while addressing Domboshava residents during yesterday’s clean-up campaign held at Showgrounds.

The President said an offer to vote alongside the US at the United Nations was dangled when he met US officials at the summit as part of the preconditions to access money from the fund. The money is meant to counter an arrangement agreed between Africa and China during last year’s Forum for Africa China Cooperation Summit (Focac) held last year, where the Asian giant made a similar offer to African countries.

President Mnangagwa said while in Maputo two weeks ago for the US-Africa Summit, he met US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Mr Tibor Nagy and asked; “ . . . you have imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe, what have we done wrong to you?

“You have prevented Zimbabwe from accessing support from (the) World Bank, IMF (International Monetary Fund), what have we done against you?

“There’s not time in history that we have done anything wrong against you, so what is it? There’s no time that Zimbabweans have done wrong against you, so what is it?”

President Mnangagwa said the US had brought US$60 billion “just like what China did, but China did not put preconditions”.

“They just said submit your projects and if they are accepted, you will be supported.

“But the Americans’ money comes with preconditions, they said when it’s time to vote at the UN (on any issue), you vote alongside us to access the US$60 billion, but we rejected that. When we vote, we are guided by our national interest of Zimbabwe.

“We are a full member of the UN and we can’t sell out. If the money has no such preconditions, we can get it, but if it does have preconditions to sell out, then we don’t,” said President Mnangagwa.

However, President Mnangagwa said the country was willing to engage and re-engage with any country in the world under the new thrust of the Second Republic.

While US officials insist that its sanctions regime imposed on Zimbabwe is not targeted at ordinary citizens, the embargo has prevented the country from accessing lines of credit from global financial institutions, which would have been used to boost technologies to enable Harare to fully exploit its abundant resources.

The US says the sanctions are only targeted at 64 individuals and 56 entities, a bizarre claim considering that the 56 companies have employees and firms such as the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) that are struggling to access spare parts due to sanctions.

President Mnangagwa also said Zimbabwe had vast natural resources and a good climate capable of turning around the fortunes of the economy.

-State Media

SUSPENDED Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) finance director Simon Taranhike, who is facing criminal charges of abuse of office, has again been dragged to the High Court by a local property owner, S Nyahokwe Hand Made Jewellers (Pvt) Ltd, after he failed to settle a US$169 325 debt for rentals and utility bills.

According to court papers, Taranhike is the director of Firmside Management, which was trading as Wimpy.

The once popular food outlet, which is now defunct, used to operate at Shop number 1, Keystone Building, 21 George Silundika Avenue in Harare, a property owned by S Nyahokwe Hand Made Jewellers.

The dispute between Taranhike and the property owners started way back in 2011, with the applicant instituting proceedings in the High Court, seeking Taranhike’s eviction from the building after failing to pay rentals and utility bills.

“The first defendant (Wimpy) was ordered by High Court judge Justice Charles Hungwe (now Supreme Court judge) to vacate plaintiff’s (S Nyahokwe Hand Made Jewellers) premises on or before February 13, 2014, which they did on the said date,” the property owner said.

“Upon moving out of the premises, the first defendant did not pay utility bill; US$20 149 being outstanding electricity bill and US$21 966 being outstanding water bill. Also, first defendant did not pay its outstanding arrear rental of US$127 210.”

The property owner said it tried to engage Taranhike to settle the outstanding bills, together with rental arrears, but all its efforts failed to yield desired results, prompting a decision to approach the court for recourse.

However, Taranhike has since requested the property owner to provide him with a detailed statement, indicating the rentals and the utility bills outstanding and payable by him per month per year, starting 2011 until the year he was evicted from the premises.

“Further, in the case of the utility bills, defendants request copies of the bills received by plaintiff from the relevant local authorities and proof of any correspondence by the plaintiff to first and second defendants, regarding demand and any other request for payment for the alleged outstanding rentals and utility bills,” Taranhike said in his request for further particulars.

The matter is set to be heard before Justice Clement Phiri on Monday.

-Newsday

Suspended Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) finance director Mudzingwa Simon Taranhike yesterday appeared in court facing charges of releasing 1 800 litres of fuel coupons without due process.

Taranhike, who appeared before magistrate Barbara Mateko, was released on free bail and was given August 5 and 6 as his trial dates.

Allegations are between April 1 to 3 at Zinara’s Highlands offices, Taranhike abused the Zinara fuel facility and authorised the issuance of 1 800 litres of petrol (Redan Puma) coupons to a State journalist.

It is alleged Taranhike did not follow Zinara’s due procedures, thereby causing his employer to be prejudiced fuel worth RTGS$6 354.

The prosecution alleged he acted contrary to his duties by showing favour to the State journalist.

Nothing was recovered.

Sebastian Mutizirwa appeared for the State.

-Newsday

Addressing journalists outside the correctional facility yesterday, MDC leader Nelson Chamisa said the activists, Last Maengahama and Tungamirai Madzokere, told him tales of horror in the prison.

“I have seen the prisoners of conscience, political prisoners. They are in good health. They are in high spirits. They are optimistic. They know that they are innocent, of course,” he said.

“We acknowledge that they still have an appeal process that has to be heard and we are going to expedite that the matter be heard. They told me that there are about 2 600 inmates. They are getting almost 10 000 litres of water per day. So, every inmate gets about four litres for drinking, bathing and washing clothes. So, it’s quite a dicey situation for all the inmates. They also told me, that there is a huge crack to the prison building, so their safety is compromised.”

Prison cells that are supposed to hold up to 12 prisoners are now home to 45 inmates, while power outages also blight the complex, leaving inmates drowning in darkness most of the time.

Chamisa said his party would continue to stalk the corridors of justice in an effort to get the two activists released, saying their conviction was political.

The two have, according to Chamisa, lodged an appeal against both conviction and sentence, but there have been delays by the courts to hear the appeals.

Chamisa had to wait for hours outside the prison gates before he was finally cleared to visit the MDC activists as prison officers at the main gate made call after call, seeking the nod from their superiors to allow him passage.
The MDC leader slammed the slow process to clear him, saying it was the height of “dictatorship and tyranny”.

“The unfortunate thing is I have had to come here and spend almost three hours waiting for a clearance. I understand that they were indicating that I had to get clearance,” he said.

“So, they had to inform their head office. It is undesirable and very unfortunate. I am a lawyer and I have rights as a lawyer to visit any client which I wish to visit. I am also a leader of a political party, a legitimate political party.

“So if I wish to visit any person I should also be allowed. I am not asking for any privilege. I am not asking for any special treatment. I am only asking for ordinary treatment to be able to have access. Now, when you have dictatorship around entry into a prison gate, there is no better dramatisation of undesirable circumstances of tyranny.”

-Newsday

Law enforcement agents will now have powers to question people leading flamboyant and swanky lifestyles from inexplicable sources of income, as the Government moves in to curb corruption, money laundering and tax evasion, among other vices.

Those who fail to explain or hide useful information pertaining to the source of their wealth will be jailed up to two years, while the tainted property will be forfeited to the State.

This comes as Government yesterday gazetted the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Amendment Bill (2019) that seeks to give the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) and Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) powers to seek explanations from people who flaunt wealth without the means of obtaining it.

The Bill, which was published in the Government Gazette yesterday, will amend the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act [Chapter 9; 24].

“The statutory instrument gives powers to Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) and Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to solicit explanations from people who exhibit great wealth without having any apparent lawful means of obtaining such wealth.

“The amendments were initially effected under the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) (Amendment of the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act) Regulations 2018, published in Statutory Instrument 246 of 2018, on the 9th November 2018 and according to the provisions of Section 6 of the Presidential Powers(Temporary Measures) Act [Chapter 10;20] the regulations expired on the one hundredth and eighty first day following the date of commencements of the regulations which was the 9th of May 2019.

“As such it is expedient to enact an Amendment Bill re-enacting the affected provisions (some proceedings were already commenced under the Regulations,” read the SI.

The amendments will further strengthen the provisions in the law to combat corruption, money laundering and terrorist financing and ensure members of the law enforcement are effective in carrying out their mandate.

“The part will be inserted in the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act providing for unexplained wealth orders issued by the High Court at the instance of ZACC, ZIMRA or ZRP. These orders will require the addressee to explain his or her wealth and provide supporting documentation therefor,” read the SI.

According to the SI, the High Court may, on an ex-parte application made by an enforcement authority, issue an unexplained wealth order when it is satisfied that the requirements for such an order would have been fulfilled.

An application for that order must specify the property in respect of which the order is sought and specify the person whom the enforcement authority thinks holds the property (the respondent) and the person specified may include a person outside Zimbabwe.

In deciding whether to make an unexplained wealth order the High Court must be satisfied that there is reasonable cause to believe that the responsible hold the property and the value of the property is greater than US410 000 or its equivalent in nay currency.

“The High Court must be satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that the known sources of the respondent’s lawfully obtained income would have been insufficient for the purpose of enabling the respondent to obtain or hold the property.

“The High Court must be satisfied that the respondent is a politically exposed person or there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that the respondent is or has been involved in serious crime whether in Zimbabwe or elsewhere or a person connected with the respondent is or has been is involved. Where the respondent fails without reasonable excuse to comply with the requirements imposed by an unexplained wealth order in respect of any property before the end of the response period, the property I to be presumed to be tainted property for the purposes of any proceedings taken in respect of the property under this Act, unless the contrary is shown,” stated the SI.

A person who makes a false statement in response to unexplained wealth shall be guilty of an offence and maybe jailed for a period of up to two years.

The court also has the discretion to impose a fine of up to US$65 000 or the equivalent in Zimbabwe dollars at the prevailing interbank rate of exchange.

-State Media

By A Correspondent- CITIMED Hospital in Chitungwiza has launched its first ever Computerised Tomography (CT) scanning equipment in collaboration with Diagnostic Radiology and MRI Centre.

A CT scan combines a series of X-ray images taken from different angles of one’s body and uses computer processing to create cross-sectional images of the bones, blood vessels and soft tissues inside the body in an effort to provide more detailed information than what plain X-rays do.

Officially launching the new equipment recently, Health and Child Care minister Obadiah Moyo commended the hospital for its corporate social responsibility programmes that include free breast cancer screening using the Mammogram Machine during its open days.

“Not only do they focus on cancer screening, but they also do cleft lip and palate programmes, cataract extractions and provision of sunscreen to people with albinism,” he said.

Diagnostic Radiology and MRI Centre head Dumisani Ndlovu said the CT scan would improve the diagnosis process of patients towards establishing the correct treatment for them.

“The advantages of the CT scan we have here is that it is a very advanced machine which gives a lot of clear detail inside the human body. When you have correct details, it helps in prescribing the correct treatment for patients,” he said.

“The CT scan deals with different difficult cases, with examples of stroke or tumours or fractures showing the scans clearly without any doubt so that the patient can receive the correct treatment.”

Ndlovu said the treatment costs could not be clearly established because of the current economic crisis in the country.

The CT Scanning equipment will improve women’s health clinic services at the CITIMED Hospital.

“The cost of the scan cannot be established considering the state of the economy, but in terms of the US dollars, it would cost a few hundred dollars for the service. We already did the first phase, which was free of charge about a month ago for about 40 patients,” he said.-Newsday

By A Correspondent| The Zimbabwe government officials on Friday night kicked the World Cup Netball players out of their hotel in Liverpool. They put them into a hostel, contrary to what the Netball President President Leticia Chipandu had told ZimEye just an hour before (See LIVE broadcast, timeline 22:30).

She said reports of the players getting a paltry 50bond allowance were false.

As the team walked out of the VIP exit gate, their counterparts, Ireland had only 18 travelers, including players. A full netball team has 7 players. Zimbabwe’s delegation was a whopping 54, and appearing on camera, 43 predominantly non-netball members. 4 were government ministers, the rest, unidentified.

As they walked out of the gate area, an unidentified elderly woman was filmed screaming to sky heaven, celebrating, “Bhora rakanaka razotiunzawo kuEngland”, instead of thanking the hard-working girls, she thanked Netball, the game.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

In the brief interview, Mrs Chipandu said, “there is nothing like that, no 50 Bond, no nothing. We will show you the contract when we settle. As I am telling you right now the government has already paid for the accommodation where we are going. The money was wired through our embassy, the balance has all been paid. Things are almost, I can say the under control. What I can say is…(interruption)”

Are they going to be in a hotel not a hostel?, Simba Chikanza asked. To this she replied saying, “no they are going to ibis, which is very close to the arena, yes. So I would wish people could look for the correct information, rather than rely on the viral things that go on social media, which are not true. I am here as the president, you ask me questions I will give you answers,” she said.

Within minutes of that promise however, Leticia Chipandu had shifted position.

The Zim Netball players were pushed into a dingy student housing facility called, Liberty Living Accommodation, as ZimEye reveals.

ZimEye quickly rushed to the scene at just after midnight. (See our LIVE broadcsdt below)

It was also revealed that 4 hotel rooms have been reserved for government ministers.

At around 1am Saturday however, following pressure, the team was successfully relocated. By that time however, many team players had already slept on empty stomachs, tired and worn out.

The Netball leadership and some officials had spent hours back at the Hotel Ibis in some sort of a meeting.

ZimEye arrived at the Liberty Accomodation property where we toured the area and were told by property officials that the netball team had complained of room conditions and were successfully relocated. ZinEye could not ascertain if all players had been moved.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

ZimEye then rushed to Hotel Ibis where we carried out a news review. WATCH the full 49 minute review below:

By A Correspondent- Vice-President Kembo Mohadi said generators of waste must follow their products from manufacturing up to disposal by adopting the extended producer responsibility as a means of addressing waste management.

VP Mohadi said this in a speech read on his behalf by the Minister of State in his office, Davis Marapira.

“It is about time that industries adopt the extended producer responsibility principle which calls upon all generators of waste to follow their products from manufacture up to disposal so as to define a clear chain of custody.

“It would be disheartening to find post-consumer waste from companies to constitute litter without effort to follow it up. Companies should, however, incentivise communities to take back the post-consumer waste through a deposit system or running competitions,” he said.

VP Mohadi said Government will continue to pursue productive partnerships with the private sector in order to ensure inclusivity and greater action across the whole economy.

He implored citizens to practise sustainable waste management, adding that illegal dumping and littering must stop henceforth.

“I am happy to note that monitoring mechanisms of this programme are effectively being implemented in order to ensure intended results are achieved,” he said.

“I want to call upon those in law enforcement to intensify compliance monitoring against littering and dumping of waste in undesignated places.

“In this regard, I urge EMA to work closely with the police to enforce compliance. It is not fair for some of us to come out to clean in this manner while others continue to dump litter indiscriminately.”-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent- Vice President Constantino Guvheyo Chiwenga has urged law enforcements agencies to intensify their efforts in arresting those who litter and dump waste at undesignated places.

In a speech read on his behalf by the permanent secretary in his office at Ruwa Shopping Centre in Harare, Godfrey Chanakira, Vice-President Chiwenga said there is need for Zimbabweans to take the clean-up campaign programme seriously by adhering to the country’s laws.

“To complement the voluntary compliance of our citizens and keep our environment safe and clean, our law enforcement agencies must intensify their efforts in compliance monitoring against littering and dumping of waste at undesignated places as some among us will not voluntarily comply.

“Without enforcement of the law, all our efforts to preserve and keep our environment clean may sadly be fruitless,” said VP Chiwenga.

He called for the preserving and protection of the environment for the future generations.

“Our national Constitution provides every person with fundamental rights to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being. The environment must be protected for the benefit of present and future generations through legislative and other measures that prevent pollution and ecological degradation, promote conservation and secure ecologically sustainable development of natural resources while promoting economic and social development,” he said.

“Let us all commit to practising sustainable waste management. We must willingly and collectively bring illegal dumping and littering to a quick end. As a nation, we need to seize all opportunities to buttress our economic development by proper waste management as we strive for upper-middle income status within the next 10 years.”

A GWANDA taxi driver has appeared in court for assaulting a municipality police officer for clamping his car.

Soviar Moyo (30), who operates the Gwanda-West Nicholson route and stays in Spitzkop suburb, pleaded not guilty to assault but was convicted due to overwhelming evidence by Gwanda magistrate, Miss Lerato Nyathi.

He was sentenced to three months imprisonment which was wholly suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within the next five years.

In his defence, Moyo said he did not assault the complainant, Mr Lawrence Tshuma. He said Mr Tshuma was the one who grabbed him by his shirt.

“I left home and drove into town so that I could check on the loading queue but I was not loading any passengers.

“When I parked my vehicle and disembarked, the complainant, who was driving past with his workmates, came to me and I told them that I wasn’t loading,” Moyo said.

“I went back into my vehicle and as I tried to drive off I realised that my wheel had been clamped. I went out to talk to the complainant but instead he held me by the shirt and I also held his.

“One of his workmates grabbed my leg while another grabbed my shirt from the back. Some people who were in the area then restrained us and that’s when they let me go. I didn’t assault him as alleged but I held his clothes as he was also holding me.”

Prosecuting, Miss Faith Mutukwa said Moyo assaulted Mr Tshuma on April 16 at around 10PM.

She said Mr Tshuma was on duty with his workmates conducting a patrol in Gwanda CBD when Moyo parked his vehicle at a no stopping zone.

Miss Mutukwa said Mr Tshuma tried to clamp the vehicle but this did not go down well with Moyo who then grabbed him by the collar.

She said Moyo further punched Mr Tshuma twice on the face. Mr Tshuma’s workmates then restrained Moyo.

-State Media

By Own Correspondent| The Zimbabwe government officials on Friday night kicked the World Cup Netball players out of their hotel in Liverpool.

At around 1am Saturday, following pressure, the team was successfully relocated but by that time however, many team players had already slept on empty stomachs, tired and worn out.

The Zimbabwe Gems were put into a hostel, contrary to what the Netball President President Leticia Chipandu had told ZimEye just an hour before(See LIVE broadcast, timeline 22:30).

She said reports of the players getting a paltry 50bond alllowance were false.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…
https://www.facebook.com/ZimEye/videos/483145532436348/

“There is nothing like that, no 50 Bond, no nothing. We will show you the contract when we settle. As I am telling you right now the government has already paid for the accommodation where we are going.

The money was wired through our embassy, the balance has all been paid. Things are almost, I can say the under control. What I can say is…”

Are they going to be in a hotel not a hostel?, Simba Chikanza asked. To this she replied saying,

” No they are going to Ibis which is very close to the arena, yes. So I would wish people could look for the correct information, rather than rely on the viral things that go on social media, which are not true. I am here as the president, you ask me questions I will give you answers,” she said.

Within minutes of that promise however, Leticia Chipandu had shifted position.

The Zim Netball players were pushed into a dingy student housing facility called, Liberty Living Accommodation, as ZimEye reveals.

ZimEye quickly rushed to the scene at just after midnight. (See our LIVE broadcsdt below)

It was also revealed that 4 hotel rooms have been reserved for government ministers.

The Netball leadership and some officials had spent hours back at the Hotel Ibis in some sort of a meeting.

ZimEye arrived at the Liberty Accomodation property where we toured the area and were told by property officials that the netball team had complained of room conditions and were successfully relocated. ZinEye could not ascertain if all players had been moved.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…
https://www.facebook.com/ZimEye/videos/404724623468867/

ZimEye then rushed to Hotel Ibis where we carried out a news review. WATCH the full 49 minute review below:

By A Correspondent- Government yesterday gazetted the Freedom of Information Bill, which seeks to repeal the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA).

The Bill, which seeks to give effect to Section 62 of the Constitution which provides for the right to access to information as enshrined in the Declaration of Rights, is part of the Second Republic’s efforts to fulfil the reform agenda aimed at seeing the country pursuing a new trajectory in its domestic and foreign policies.

The Bill sets out the procedure of access to information held by public institutions or information held by any person, which is necessary for exercise or protection of a right. It also sets out considerations for making available on a voluntary basis by entities, certain categories of information thereby removing the need for formal requests for such information.

It also sets out the scope of limitations on the right of access to information, the rights of third parties, the role of principle officers of entities and information officers in its implementation, procedures for internal and court appeals in respect to requests for access to information and the time limits within which these processes must be carried out.

It also sets out additional functions of the Human Rights Commission with respect to the right of access to information, which are to be exercised in the normal course of its role as the guardian of human rights.

Part Two of the Bill which deals with providing access to information, bestows in Clause 4, a duty on entities to maintain the information of entities in a manner that facilitates the exercise of the right to access information.

“Every responsible person or holder of a statutory office shall cause to be created, kept, organised and maintain information, in the interests of public accountability or in the exercise or protection of a right,” reads Clause 4 of the Bill.

Clause 5 of the Bill requires public entities, public commercial entities and holders of statutory bodies to disclose information which is in the interest of the public accountability and in the interest of protection of a right.

However, Clause 6 states that the Act will not apply to information from Cabinet and its committees, with respect to judicial functions.

Part Three deals with the process of requesting for access to information.

In the event the request relates to information necessary to safeguard the life or liberty of a person, the information officer’s determination whether to grant access must be made within 48 hours.

“Where a request relates to information which reasonably appears to be necessary to safeguard the life or liberty of a person, the responsible person or holder of a statutory office shall, within forty-eight hours of the submission of the request determine whether or not the request may be granted and notify the applicant of the decision whether to grant the request in writing and if the request is granted, give the applicant access to the information within the same forty-eight-hour period,” reads Clause 8 of the Bill.

The Bill also requires responsible persons to make annual reports to the Human Rights Commission on the numbers of requests received, granted, refused or appealed.

Part Five of the Bill sets out various grounds upon which a request for access may be refused for the purpose of protecting other rights and interests, which may be superior to the right of access to information.

Clause Six of the Bill repeals AIPPA (Chapter 10:27).

“Subject to subsection (2) the AIPPA (Chapter 10:27) is repealed. All statutory instruments or made under the AIPPA Act (Chapter 10:27) shall remain in force as if they had been made under the appropriate provision of this Act and may be amended, replaced or repealed accordingly.”

The Bill will go through Parliamentary debates and public hearings.

As part of President Mnangagwa’s reform agenda, early this year, Cabinet also approved the Maintenance of Peace and Order Bill, which seeks to repeal the Public Order and Security Act (POSA).

The repeal of AIPPA and POSA is expected to pave way for the opening of the democratic space and the enjoyment of freedoms and rights, moving away from the previous era before the advent of President Mnangagwa’s administration.-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent- Vice President, Constantino Chiwenga, reportedly implored law enforcement agencies to intensify their efforts in arresting those who litter and dump waste at undesignated places.

He said this in a speech read on his behalf by the permanent secretary in his office, Godfrey Chanakira, during this month’s cleanup campaign at Ruwa Shopping Centre.

Chiwenga who has seldom appeared in the public for the past six months said that citizens needed to comply with the laws of the land so as to keep the environment safe and clean.

He said:

To complement the voluntary compliance of our citizens and keep our environment safe and clean, our law enforcement agencies must intensify their efforts in compliance monitoring against littering and dumping of waste at undesignated places as some among us will not voluntarily comply.

Without enforcement of the law, all our efforts to preserve and keep our environment clean may sadly be fruitless.

He added that everyone was entitled to a safe and clean environment hence the need to protect it from pollution and degradation. He added that through legislation, our environment can be protected and be passed to future generations in good shape.

Chiwenga is reportedly ill hence his absence from the public domain. He was recently airlifted to South Africa for treatment and had previously visited India as his health condition continues to deteriorate.

The bank exchange rates for the ZWL$ are as follows:

USD = ZWL$8.6868
ZWL$ = RAND1.6181

More: Reserve Bank Of Zimbabwe

Black Market Rates:

USD = ZWLS$10.3
USD = BOND8.8
ZWL$ = RAND1.36

More: marketwatch.co.zw

By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has reassured the nation that the government is not going to let any family starve despite the poor harvests caused by drought.

He acknowledged concerns raised by the leadership in the communities that food shortages were being experienced due to last season’s poor harvests.

He said:

“The issue of food shortages that you have mentioned is one we are prioritising as Government because of the drought we experienced.

“We don’t want to hear that there’s an individual who has died from hunger. We have institutions and Government departments that should identify needy families.

“We have the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare led by Minister Sekai Nzenza and we have the traditional leadership, the chiefs and headmen and we have councillors under the Ministry of Local Government.

“We also have the leadership of Zanu-PF at various levels, so all these institutions should identify those who are in need of food,” he said.

The President also said Government will initiate a supplementary feeding exercise for primary school children in areas hardest hit by drought. Government has already initiated plans to import 800 000 tonnes of maize to cover the gap caused by this year’s low harvests.-StateMedia

Via VeritasZim|SI 142 of 2019 ‒ the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (Legal Tender) Regulations, 2019, to give it its full name ‒ declared that the Zimbabwe dollar should be the sole legal tender in Zimbabwe for all transactions. Other currencies, specifically US dollars, British pounds, South African rand and Botswana pula, are no longer legal tender.

Since SI 142 was published government officials have made it clear that they believe it is now a criminal offence for storekeepers to price their goods in US dollars or any other foreign currency, and for anyone to use foreign currency rather than Zimbabwe dollars in any transaction carried out in this country. Thus the Governor of the Reserve Bank is reported to have told a parliamentary committee:

“There are many tools of enforcing Statutory Instrument 142 of 2019, including the Bank Use Promotion and Suppression of Money Laundering Act (Chapter 24:24), which was approved by the Parliament of Zimbabwe, the Financial Intelligence Unit (within the central bank), and members of the police force who are already seized with the matter to ensure that at least there is compliance and indeed enforceability of this matter.

“Enforcement is very possible and they have already started doing so to ensure that all local payments are made in the Zimbabwe dollar, and that payments offshore are done in US dollars.”

And the National Police Spokesman is reported as saying:

“The ZRP (Zimbabwe Republic Police) warns all those who are charging commodities in United States dollars that they risk being arrested as the law will be applied without fear or favour. Members of the public should report such people to any nearest police station.”

Is the Use of Foreign Currency Criminal?

It needs to be asserted strongly that, contrary to what the Governor of the Reserve Bank said, it is not a criminal offence to use foreign currency in transactions within Zimbabwe or to price goods in a foreign currency. There are several reasons for this assertion:

SI 142 may be invalid

At least two cases have been filed in the High Court challenging SI 142 of 2019 on the ground that it is ultra vires the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Act, under which it was purportedly made. There is substance in these challenges.

The multi-currency system was introduced in 2009 by the Finance (No. 2) Act, 2009, but it was done in rather an odd way. Section 17 of the Act first amended the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Act so as to insert a new section 44A which gave the Minister of Finance power to make regulations prescribing that tenders of payment in specified foreign currencies would be legal tender in Zimbabwe. However, section 17 of the Finance Act then confused matters by adding a further provision stating that British pounds, US dollars, South African rand and Botswana pula “shall be deemed to be legal tender” as if the new section 44A were already in force and the Minister had made regulations under it.

As a result, the multi-currency system was not introduced by regulations made under section 44A of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Act. It was introduced by the Finance (No. 2) Act itself, which deemed the Minister to have made the appropriate regulations. Under our law Ministers cannot make regulations amending or repealing Acts of Parliament, and it is arguable by enacting SI 142 the Minister has repealed the Finance Act’s declaration of foreign currencies as legal tender ‒ which he cannot do.

SI 142 does not ban the use of foreign currency

Even if it is valid, SI 142 does not expressly state that foreign currencies cannot be used in transactions or to price goods. Instead it provides that the Zimbabwe dollar is the sole legal tender in Zimbabwe for all transactions. As we said in our Bill Watch 32 of 24th June 2019:

“Legal tender” means a currency which, if offered in payment of a debt, discharges the debt unless the creditor and the debtor have specifically agreed otherwise. So if a debtor owes a creditor $20, say, the debtor can normally repay the debt by offering $20 in RTGS dollars (because they are legal tender). If however the parties have agreed that the debt should be repaid in US dollars, then the debtor must repay it in those dollars. … [SI 142] does not specifically forbid contracts that require payments to be made or calculated in a foreign currency, so if shopkeepers mark their prices in US dollars, for example, or insist on payment in that currency there is nothing to stop them doing so.”

SI 142 does not create any criminal offences

There is no provision in SI 142 of 2019 stating that the use of a foreign currency rather than Zimbabwe dollars is a criminal offence. There could not be any such provision because sections 44A and 64 of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, under which the SI was made, do not allow the Minister to create criminal offences — or, to put it more precisely, the sections do not provide expressly for criminal offences and, in the absence of such a provision, the Minister cannot create them.

No other law makes it an offence to use foreign currency

If SI 142 of 2019 does not criminalise the use of foreign currency, is there any other law that does? No, there isn’t.

The Reserve Bank Governor mentioned the Bank Use Promotion and Suppression of Money Laundering Act [actually it was amended extensively six years ago and is now called the Bank Use Promotion Act], but that Act does not deal with foreign currency. It prohibits traders and other business people from hoarding or trading in cash and provides for the confiscation of cash illegally held. “Cash” however is defined in the Act as meaning “bank notes and coins of any currency that is … designated as legal tender in Zimbabwe”. If Zimbabwe dollars are, as the government claims, the sole legal tender in this country then bond notes and coins are the only “cash” to which the Bank Use Promotion Act can apply.

The Rule of Law

The statements made by the Governor of the Reserve Bank and the Police are therefore wrong. But they are not just wrong ‒ they are dangerously wrong because they may lead to serious violations of the rule of law.

The rule of law is an elastic concept but fundamentally it means that people’s rights and obligations must be determined by laws rather than by individuals or groups of individuals exercising an arbitrary discretion. From this fundamental concept several principles are derived, among them the following:

• No one is above the law. State officials, and even the State itself, are subject to the law and must act in accordance with the law.
• Laws must be certain, i.e. clear and definite. People must be able to establish relatively easily the content of a law and the extent of their rights and duties under it.
• Crimes must be clearly defined and reasonably limited in scope. People must know what they can and cannot do.

The statements made by the Governor of the Reserve Bank and the Police violate these principles because:

• They misstate the effect of the law, leading the public to believe that storekeepers and others are committing crimes when they are not.
• They encourage the Police to arrest people for conduct which is in fact lawful. Any such arrests will be illegal and may leave the police officers concerned liable to pay heavy damages.

What should be done?

If the Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Reserve Bank want to outlaw the use of foreign currency as a medium of exchange in Zimbabwe, then they must do it properly. That is to say:

• They must work out precisely and in detail what they want to achieve.
• With the aid of their legal advisers, they must establish what the existing law says on the subject. This is not as easy as it sounds, because our statute books are littered with old rules and regulations which are still legally in force even though they may have outlived their purpose.
• They must then work out which laws need to be enacted, repealed or amended in order to achieve the new policy goals.
• Next they must get laws drafted so as to give effect to their new policies while observing the precepts of the rule of law mentioned above.
• And finally, the Minister must approach Parliament to enact the new laws. Why Parliament? Because when laws pass through Parliament they are subjected to scrutiny and debate. Stakeholders, such as businesses and members of the public are given an opportunity to express their views when laws are referred to the appropriate parliamentary committees. And there is the further point that the Constitution makes Parliament, not the Executive, responsible for enacting laws. Separation of powers is one of the main principles derived from the rule of law.

Source: Veritas

By Own Correspondent| ZANU PF national political commissar Victor Matemadanda on Friday turned a national clean-up campaign in Gweru into a platform to attack the MDC led by Nelson Chamisa, saying the opposition party should acknowledge defeat in last year’s general elections.

Matemadanda, who was invited to the podium as one of the speakers, took the opportunity to lecture the opposition on the need to accept defeat and embrace development.

“As Zanu PF, we should not be ashamed to accept that in Gweru (urban council), we were beaten (by MDC) 18 to zero,”

Matemadanda, who is also Defence and War Veterans deputy minister, said:

“But when MDC won all the 18 wards there, other political parties, including Zanu PF, accepted the result. I want to say to MDC, you should also acknowledge where you are defeated.” 

Matemadanda added:

“When a party is disgruntled over election results, it has a right to approach the courts, and when the courts rule that you have been defeated, know that you have been defeated twice.”

He said the MDC should move away from the elections mode and embrace unity to bring development to the country.

“When you acknowledge defeat, this can only bring progress and development to the nation,” he said.

“There is need to understand that where you see a Zanu PF MP, MDC has been defeated and where you see MDC, Zanu PF has been defeated. Political players should learn that only unity can bring development.”

But Gweru deputy mayor and MDC councillor Cleopas Shiri said the opposition was there to keep a check on the ruling party.

“To Mr Matemadanda, I want to remind you that each political party has a right to do what they do in their own house,” Shiri said, while giving the vote of thanks. We are there for checks and balances (on the ruling party).” 

President Emmerson Mnangagwa had initially been announced as guest of honour, but did not pitch up after opting to observe the clean-up campaign in Domboshava, just outside Harare.

Earlier, roads leading into the city centre had been barricaded, while vendors at the venue of the clean-up, Kudzanayi bus terminus, were stopped from operating their stalls, having earlier on been ordered to vacate the rank before end of business on Thursday.

Hundreds of Zanu PF supporters, clad in the party regalia, coming mostly from rural areas in the province, stormed the venue, much to the ire of those from the corporate sector, religious organisations, tertiary institutions, civic society, schools and government departments, who had came to attend the function.

During the introductions of guests, Midlands’s provincial administrator Albiot Maronge had to be reminded to acknowledge deputy mayor Cleopas Shiri after he skipped him from the list.-Newsday

State Media|THE Zimbabwe Newspapers Group’s publications and radio stations do not have an editorial policy to cover the opposition parties negatively but report issues in a balanced manner for national interest, one of the editors said yesterday.

The Chronicle Editor Innocent Madonko told members of the Parliamentary Portfolio on Information, Media and Broadcasting Services who were touring Zimpapers Bulawayo Branch that the group’s publications strive to balance their reporting in the national interest.

The committee members also toured ZBC’s Montrose Studios.

The committee is chaired by MDC-Alliance Binga North MP Prince Dubeko Sibanda and its members posed questions to senior editors and managers of both Zimpapers and ZBC as part of their oversight role.

Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya quizzed Zimpapers on whether it was part of national interest to cover the opposition parties negatively.

MP Chikwinya was following up on Zimpapers chief executive officer Mr Pikirayi Deketeke’s response to a question from one of the committee members during their tour of the group’s Harare branch when he said the group’s editorial policy looks after national interests first.

“What Mr Deketeke said is correct but it does not mean we have to cover the opposition in bad light. There is no policy that says we have to cover the opposition in bad light. We do not interpret national interest to mean covering the opposition in bad light. I will speak for The Chronicle, we always try to balance our stories. A story is never balanced until you speak to both parties and if you feel like we have not done justice to a story you are free to bring a complaint and say you did not adequately cover us in that respect,” said Madonko.

He said the Access to Information Bill will open up the media space and create room for competition thereby improving quality.

Madonko said in his view co-regulation was best for the media space in the country.

“I believe that co-regulation can work in an environment that we have. I believe Government has a role to play but at the same time the profession has to regulate itself because I believe we are capable of doing that. Self-regulation is what the media has been clamouring for over the years. Government has always said media should regulate itself as a profession just like lawyers and accountants do but due to certain issues of malpractice in the profession, Government has been forced to regulate,” said Madonko.

He said the Access to Information Bill will create room for competition which will ultimately improve quality.

Madonko said the Bill will also encourage plurality of voices being advocated for by President Mnangagwa’s administration as it enhances democracy.

Sunday News Editor Limukani Ncube said Zimpapers is ready for changes in the media space as it was re-equipping itself with machinery as well as conducting staff development.

Zimpapers Digital and Publishing Division General Manager Mr Marks Shayamano who was part of the meeting said the future of the media was in convergence and media institutions should be allowed to take that right.

“What happens is that if we look at the market, take for instance the South African market, the strongest media house has got almost everything. It allows people to have better access to information. It will also create competition as everyone would want to be best with the product instead of having a situation where there is one player who would just produce anything fully knowing they have no competition,” said Mr Shayamano.

Meanwhile, some of the topical issues that emerged at ZBC Montrose Studios include promoting indigenous languages by the national broadcaster.

Members of the Bulawayo Residents Association were yesterday left convinced that the the iconic Bulawayo Power Station towers could be demolitions.

The residents were taken on a tour of the power station after a disastrous meeting with Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi and Bulawayo City Councillors.

Defiant council authorities had earlier walked out of the meeting with the Minister indicating that they were not in agreement with the plans to demolish the towers.

During the tour of the towers it was observed that the two cooling towers in question had developed cracks.

Earlier in his presentation at the meeting, ZPC general manager for plant refurbishment Engineer Fannie Mavhondo explained why the two cooling towers had to be demolished.

He said the other four cooling towers have to be refurbished because the plant had outlived its lifespan.

Bura chairman Mr Winos Dube castigated Cllr Mguni and his entourage for walking out of the meeting.

BCC and the Zimbabwe Power Company are embroiled in a dispute over the ownership of the Bulawayo Power Station with the municipality claiming $106 million in unpaid royalties from the power utility.

During the stakeholders meeting held at the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) boardroom in Bulawayo yesterday, council and the residents associations accused the power company of failing to consult them over the pending demolition of the two cooling towers at the power station.

The meeting, was attended by Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Minister Judith Ncube, the Mayor, Councillor Solomon Mguni, acting town clerk Mrs Sikhangele Zhou, councillors, residents associations representatives, officials from Zesa, among other stakeholders, was presided over by Energy and Power Development Minister Advocate Fortune Chasi who was accompanied by his permanent secretary Dr Gloria Magombo.

Representing council, the Mayor said it was not their intent to frustrate power generation in the city.

“But we have got our concerns. Firstly, it’s not our culture to debate our debts in public that Bulawayo City Council owes Zesa. In as much as council may owe Zesa, we are owed millions of dollars by Zesa for this power station so in our view, we don’t owe Zesa right now.

“Secondly, this gathering . . . I must emphasise, we came under protest because we can’t come here and ask these people to be judges in our case with ZPC.

“That’s why we went to the courts and we think that the court is the final arbitrator in our dispute but since you have invited us to this meeting we will talk,” said cllr Mguni.

He said BCC was not aware of when and where the first stakeholder consultative meeting was held.

The Mayor said council owned the city and the residents were the owners of public infrastructure such as the Bulawayo Power Station.

He said the local authority was also querying why the ZPC had hired a consultant from outside the country to assess the structural integrity of the cooling towers when council had competent engineers who could perform the task.

“They (BCC engineers) have not been consulted to assess the structural integrity of the towers so that they furnish us with a report on the state of the towers before a decision is made. We can’t be told that there is a consultant who was hired from somewhere who has recommended the demolition of the towers.

“These towers have a historical significance and there is no Bulawayo without those towers so if you destroy those towers, you would rather destroy the city. Destroying the towers is akin to destroying the Great Zimbabwe monuments,” said Cllr Mguni.

BCC, he said, told ZPC that if the power company wants to build a power station, the local authority would avail land for the project.

ZPC which has secured US$110 million line of credit from India EximBank to repower Bulawayo Power Station, has said it plans to demolish the two cooling towers because the power station has outlived its lifespan of not more than 30 years.

The station was built in 1947 with an installed capacity of 120 megawatts.

“If Zesa or ZPC is serious about consulting the City of Bulawayo as stakeholders and owners of this property, they know where to find us (at the council offices) so that we come up with a position.

“But the long and short of it honourable Minister (Chasi) is that this matter is still before the courts and let us not be contemptuous of the court processes,” said cllr Mguni.

Adv Chasi apologised on behalf of Zesa.

“I would like to apologise on behalf of Zesa. While we were coming for this meeting, I asked them where the meeting was being held and their response was ‘we are fighting with BCC and our relations are strained,” he said.

Adv Chasi said the stakeholder meeting was by right supposed to have been held at the City Council premises.

He also produced a voluminous Environmental Management Plan on the repowering of Bulawayo Power Station, which the local authority said it was not aware of.

When Adv Chasi was addressing the gathering, Cllr Mguni and his entourage walked out.

In his address, Adv Chasi said Government was committed to improving power generation to drive the national economic agenda. of the

“For us to build a new power station it requires a lot of resources in terms of funding. BCC and Zesa should work in unison. When BCC and Zesa are fighting, it’s retrogressive,” said Minister Chasi.

He said dragging each other to court was a waste of resources as a lot of money was being spent on legal fees.

“After this meeting we need to tour the cooling towers to see the state of the infrastructure and as residents if you decide whether or not we demolish the towers.”

Eng Mavhondo said repowering of the thermal power station, which was producing 30 megawatts will improve generation to 90MW.

State Media|Zimbabwe has rejected preconditions set by the US government to access a US$60 billion facility availed to the African continent at the recent US-Africa Summit held in Mozambique.

This was said by President Mnangagwa while addressing Domboshava residents during yesterday’s clean-up campaign held at Showgrounds.

The President said an offer to vote alongside the US at the United Nations was dangled when he met US officials at the summit as part of the preconditions to access money from the fund. The money is meant to counter an arrangement agreed between Africa and China during last year’s Forum for Africa China Cooperation Summit (Focac) held last year, where the Asian giant made a similar offer to African countries.

President Mnangagwa said while in Maputo two weeks ago for the US-Africa Summit, he met US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Mr Tibor Nagy and asked; “ . . . you have imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe, what have we done wrong to you?

“You have prevented Zimbabwe from accessing support from (the) World Bank, IMF (International Monetary Fund), what have we done against you?

“There’s not time in history that we have done anything wrong against you, so what is it? There’s no time that Zimbabweans have done wrong against you, so what is it?”

President Mnangagwa said the US had brought US$60 billion “just like what China did, but China did not put preconditions”.

“They just said submit your projects and if they are accepted, you will be supported.

“But the Americans’ money comes with preconditions, they said when it’s time to vote at the UN (on any issue), you vote alongside us to access the US$60 billion, but we rejected that. When we vote, we are guided by our national interest of Zimbabwe.

“We are a full member of the UN and we can’t sell out. If the money has no such preconditions, we can get it, but if it does have preconditions to sell out, then we don’t,” said President Mnangagwa.

However, President Mnangagwa said the country was willing to engage and re-engage with any country in the world under the new thrust of the Second Republic.

While US officials insist that its sanctions regime imposed on Zimbabwe is not targeted at ordinary citizens, the embargo has prevented the country from accessing lines of credit from global financial institutions, which would have been used to boost technologies to enable Harare to fully exploit its abundant resources.

The US says the sanctions are only targeted at 64 individuals and 56 entities, a bizarre claim considering that the 56 companies have employees and firms such as the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) that are struggling to access spare parts due to sanctions.

President Mnangagwa also said Zimbabwe had vast natural resources and a good climate capable of turning around the fortunes of the economy.

State Media|Law enforcement agents will now have powers to question people leading flamboyant and swanky lifestyles from inexplicable sources of income, as the Government moves in to curb corruption, money laundering and tax evasion, among other vices.

Those who fail to explain or hide useful information pertaining to the source of their wealth will be jailed up to two years, while the tainted property will be forfeited to the State.

This comes as Government yesterday gazetted the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Amendment Bill (2019) that seeks to give the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) and Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) powers to seek explanations from people who flaunt wealth without the means of obtaining it.

The Bill, which was published in the Government Gazette yesterday, will amend the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act [Chapter 9; 24].

“The statutory instrument gives powers to Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) and Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to solicit explanations from people who exhibit great wealth without having any apparent lawful means of obtaining such wealth.

“The amendments were initially effected under the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) (Amendment of the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act) Regulations 2018, published in Statutory Instrument 246 of 2018, on the 9th November 2018 and according to the provisions of Section 6 of the Presidential Powers(Temporary Measures) Act [Chapter 10;20] the regulations expired on the one hundredth and eighty first day following the date of commencements of the regulations which was the 9th of May 2019.

“As such it is expedient to enact an Amendment Bill re-enacting the affected provisions (some proceedings were already commenced under the Regulations,” read the SI.

The amendments will further strengthen the provisions in the law to combat corruption, money laundering and terrorist financing and ensure members of the law enforcement are effective in carrying out their mandate.

“The part will be inserted in the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act providing for unexplained wealth orders issued by the High Court at the instance of ZACC, ZIMRA or ZRP. These orders will require the addressee to explain his or her wealth and provide supporting documentation therefor,” read the SI.

According to the SI, the High Court may, on an ex-parte application made by an enforcement authority, issue an unexplained wealth order when it is satisfied that the requirements for such an order would have been fulfilled.

An application for that order must specify the property in respect of which the order is sought and specify the person whom the enforcement authority thinks holds the property (the respondent) and the person specified may include a person outside Zimbabwe.

In deciding whether to make an unexplained wealth order the High Court must be satisfied that there is reasonable cause to believe that the responsible hold the property and the value of the property is greater than US410 000 or its equivalent in nay currency.

“The High Court must be satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that the known sources of the respondent’s lawfully obtained income would have been insufficient for the purpose of enabling the respondent to obtain or hold the property.

“The High Court must be satisfied that the respondent is a politically exposed person or there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that the respondent is or has been involved in serious crime whether in Zimbabwe or elsewhere or a person connected with the respondent is or has been is involved. Where the respondent fails without reasonable excuse to comply with the requirements imposed by an unexplained wealth order in respect of any property before the end of the response period, the property I to be presumed to be tainted property for the purposes of any proceedings taken in respect of the property under this Act, unless the contrary is shown,” stated the SI.

A person who makes a false statement in response to unexplained wealth shall be guilty of an offence and maybe jailed for a period of up to two years.

The court also has the discretion to impose a fine of up to US$65 000 or the equivalent in Zimbabwe dollars at the prevailing interbank rate of exchange.

Farai Dziva|A Gokwe man was caught red-handed- raping his neighbour’s chicken in a bizarre incident.

Innocent Makambule dragged Kizito Gumbo to Chief Nembudziya’s court for abusing his chicken.

“The community is still puzzled by what Gumbo did considering that he is a married man.

It boggles the mind to think that he left his wife home only to have sex with chickens.

On the fateful day, Makambule was sleeping in his home when he heard noise coming from his fowl run. He quickly dashed there as he thought it was thieves trying to steal his chickens.

He was shocked to find Gumbo kneeling down raping a chicken.

Upon realising that he had been caught, he tried to escape but was tripped by his trousers which he had dropped to knee level before the act.

I presided over the matter and l ordered Gumbo to pay three goats to Makambule for what he did. I also ordered him to compensate Makambule’s two chickens. He apologised for his actions saying he was drunk and had no control over his actions,” Chief Nembudziya told H-Metro

Jane Mlambo| Ireland, one of the countries participating at this year’s Vitality Netball world cup has brought a delegation of just 18 people including players and officials while poor Zimbabwe brought upto 54 officials.

The Ireland delegation which arrived at the same time with the Zimbabwe gems could be seen walking in front of the ZimEye cameras livestreaming the reception at the Manchester Airport.

Zimbabwe netball team’s preparation and travelling has been marred by controversy mainly its bloated delegation which according to Information permanent secretary Nick Mangwana is comprised of four cabinet ministers.

Farai Dziva|MDC deputy president Tendai Biti has declared that Zanu PF will never transform the country’ s economy.

In a hard-hitting statement Biti said : “It is absolutely ridiculous to believe that the rate will soften, queues will disappear and power blackouts will be a thing of the past under Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.”

“It is the faith of an asinine type to think that ZANU can ever turn around this economy, In short, it is just absurd to believe in #ZANU.

This is a unique regime. Its levels of incompetence are beyond belief. Its appetite for looting is beyond measure. Its predatory extractive mentality is without precedent.
Its lies and deception are redefining the art of spin. It is a pervasive vampire State, a kakistocracy,” declared Biti.

Farai Dziva|The ruling party Zanu PF is demanding land to build offices, it has emerged.

Sources at Benjamin Burombo Building revealed yesterday Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Ezra Chadzamira instructed the Provincial Admistrator to allocate land in Masvingo’s peri-urban area-to the ruling party as a matter of urgency.

Chadzamira also told Zanu PF supporters at the weekend, he would push the responsible authorities to facilitate the process of allocating land to the ruling party.

“We must have our own land where we can build party offices.

I have instructed the responsible person to speed up the process,” said Chadzamira.

“After being allocated the land we will venture into income generating projects,” added Chadzamira.

President Mnangagwa is expected to meet his South African counterpart tomorrow to discuss whether Zimbabwe’s neighbour can export more electricity to the country in light of the shortages being experienced.

The country is experiencing massive load shedding due to low generation capacity at Kariba caused by low water levels while old equipment at Hwange Power Station continuously breaks down.

President Mnangagwa announced the planned meeting while addressing Domboshava residents during yesterday’s National Clean Up Day campaign. “Last year, we opened Kariba South which produces 300MW on top of the 650MW produced by the other section but because of the drought the water levels at Kariba have dropped and it is no longer producing adequate electricity,” he said.

“. . . at the moment there is a shortage of electricity and when I went to Mozambique, I talked to officials there to see if we can get more electricity from Hydro Cahorra Basa and on Sunday I will meet South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa to discuss if we can get more electricity from Eskom so if we succeed in the negotiations, the situation will greatly improve.”

Zimbabwe paid US$10 million to Eskom as part of the at least US$40 million owed to the South African utility. The President said there a number of new projects in the pipeline meant to address the current shortages.“When I went to China I met President Xi Jinping and they gave US$1,3 billion for Hwange Thermal Power Station 7 and 8 expansion that will give us an extra 600 MW,” he said.

The President said construction of the Batoka Hydro Electric Power Station was expected to commence soon after Zimbabwe and Zambia, who will jointly own the station, selected US’s General Electric and China Power for the US$4,2 billion project.

The project is expected to be completed in three years once construction starts.

The station will produce 2 400 MW which will be shared equally between the two countries.

Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa explained to the people the Government’s decision to introduce the new Zimbabwe currency.

“As you know when we embarked on the land reform the British and her allies imposed sanctions on us and this resulted in the weakening of our currency especially between 2008 and 2009,” President Mnangagwa said. “This resulted in the Government adopting the multi-currency system but as you know the US dollar became the dominant currency in the basket with the currency being used in at least 85 percent of the transactions. But as you know no country can prosper using other nations’ currencies because they can withhold if you disagree on anything.”

He said it was because of that the Government decided to ban the use of other currencies for local transactions.

-State media

By Own Correspondent- MANICALAND province recorded the highest number of school drop-outs in the country, statistics from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education revealed.

A total of 9 559 out of 689 255 learners in Manicaland province have dropped out of school since last year.

Provincial Education director Mr Edward Shumba said Manicaland has recorded the highest school dropout rate due to adolescent delinquency, debts, exclusion, illness, child marriages and pregnancies among others.

Mr Shumba said although the numbers are still high, the Ministry is making great efforts to curb the increase.

“Our province has been recording the highest number of school drop-outs in the country since 2017 but now the numbers are stabilising even though it remains high.

“Causes for these drop-outs include adolescent delinquency, debts, exclusion, illness, child marriages, pregnancies among others,” said Mr Shumba.

Among the districts that recorded the highest drop-outs in Manicaland are Chipinge which recorded the highest followed by Mutare, Buhera and Chimanimani districts, in that order.

Chimanimani had 68 being the smallest district in the province. From the total number of school drop-outs in Manicaland, 112 were recorded due to pregnancies while 1 346 were recorded due to financial challenges,” added Mr Shumba.

In a bid to curb the increase in cases of school drop-outs the Ministry is embarking on several activities that include cluster carrier guidance, paying school fees, among others.-ManicaPost

By A Correspondent- AN attempt to perform traditional rituals near a dam in Mutare’s Chikanga high-density suburb went terribly wrong for a 28-year-old woman after she slipped, fell into the dam and drowned.

Bridget Mangazi’s, body was found floating by a resident who alerted police.

Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa confirmed the incident that happened last week.

He said Bridget, popularly known as Mai Kuku, was accompanied by four other women (names withheld) who had also gone to perform the rituals.

The incident has been the talk of the town and has left many in disbelief.

“Bridget had gone to the dam with four other women to perform some traditional rituals and she went near the dam to relieve herself. In the process she slipped and fell in the dam and drowned,” said Insp Kakohwa.

He said her friends, instead of helping her out, rushed to Himalaya in Chief Zimunya’s area to alert the deceased’s parents as they believed that a mermaid had snatched her.

However, a passerby discovered the body before their return.

The police Sub Aqua Unit was called in to retrieve Bridget’s body.-ManicaPost

By Own Correspondent- Detectives in Chipinge have arrested a gang of notorious armed robbers who were terrorising business people in the district using firearms and other dangerous weapons.

The cops had a daunting task to arrest the stubborn robbers following a fierce exchange of gunfire. The daring suspects only gave in after some of them were wounded in the exchanges.

The arrest of the suspects, who are facing three counts of robberies, brought a sigh of relief to residents who were now living in constant fear following a spate of robberies.

Michael Chimukuze (45) of 2386 Chinzanga Township in Mutoko, Paidamoyo Nemusasa (28) of 4774 Unit  J Seke in Chitungwiza, Tsvuura Tsvuura (36) of Newlands Zengeza 4 in Chitungwiza and William Mazambani (33) of Mutekede Village under Chief Rusambo in Rushinga were arrested for orchestrating some of the robberies.

They are accused of masterminding robberies in Chibuwe, Zivachako and Mapuranga homesteads.

Chipinge Criminal Investigation Department spokesperson, Detective Assistant Inspector Daniel Mhini confirmed the arrest of the five suspects.

“Yes I can confirm the arrest of the syndicate which operated from Chitungwiza. The culprits were aided by local criminals who were tasked to look for targets and led the syndicate to respective homesteads and business centres.

“On May 28, the gang which was armed with two pistols, iron bars and knives pounced at Mapuranga homestead. They pretended to be police officers and demanded to see Jacob Mapuranga. During the commotion they pointed the firearms at the victims and demanded cash.

“They assaulted everyone at the homestead and ransacked the house in search of cash. The gang took a bag containing various clothing items worth $750,” he said

Ass Insp Mhini said in pursuant to their mission, the gang organised another robbery.

“On June 10, the gang organised and approached Zivachako homestead at Kondo Business Centre. They jumped over the precast wall and manhandled two male adults who were sleeping in the veranda. The gang then manhandled the premise proprietor Pamela Penyakufa and force marched her into her bedroom.

“They took US$24 000, R44 200 and RTGS$2 859 and went away,” he said.

Ass Insp Mhini said the gang then committed another robbery the following week at Chibuwe Business Centre.

“On June 28, the suspects pounced on Samuel Maadza’s homestead stole R186,000 and RTGS$17,000,” he said.

Ass Isp Mhini said the detectives intercepted one of the culprits William Mazambani who was driving a Toyota Chaser which was used to commit some of the crimes.

“A manhunt was carried resulting in the arrest of the criminals following a violent exchange of gunfire with detectives. The ring leader Tsvuura was shot on the left leg during the cross fire. Their arrest led to the recovery of a Toyota Harrier, a  pistol charged with seven rounds of live ammunition and a toy pistol,” he added.-ManicaPost

By A Correspondent- THE High Court has dismissed an appeal against conviction by a traffic policeman who under-receipted a fine paid by a tourist and later swallowed the doctored traffic ticket to conceal the evidence after he was cornered over the offence.

Const Ncube (29) of ZRP of Kamativi Camp was convicted of fraud and fined $300 or 30 days imprisonment by Hwange magistrate, Ms Rose Dube, after he waved down motorist, Mr Soren Lindstrom, at Cross Mabale on March 13 in 2017 and ordered him to pay a fine for driving a car without lock nuts.

Aggrieved by his conviction, Const Ncube through his lawyers Mvhiringi and Associates, filed an application at the Bulawayo High Court challenging the decision of the magistrate, citing the State as a respondent.

Justice Nokuthula Moyo, who was sitting with Justice Thompson Mabhikwa during criminal appeals at the Bulawayo High Court, dismissed the application.

“We are satisfied that the guilt of the appellant (Const Ncube) was proved reasonable doubt by the State. The appeal therefore fails and accordingly, it is dismissed,” ruled Justice Moyo.

In his grounds of appeal, Const Ncube said the lower court erred by concluding that the complainant had been given a duplicate receipt which was endorsed with US$40, arguing that the complainant admitted in court that he had signed a receipt endorsed with US$10.

“No explanation was given in court as to how the complainant would agree to pay US$40 after signing the ticket for US$10.

The court erred by not finding that, if the top copy of the receipt which was signed by complainant had US$10, then there was no misrepresentation by appellant to complainant hence I should not have been found guilty of the offence of fraud,” he argued.

Const Ncube also said there was misdirection by the magistrate when she failed to take into consideration the fact that there was bad blood between him and one of the State witnesses.

“The court a quo was misdirected by concluding that there was a ticket that had been endorsed with US$40 when no such ticket was tendered in court and the inference that I swallowed the ticket with a written fine of US$40 was not proved in court,” said Const Ncube.

The State, which was represented by Mr Trust Muduma, opposed the appeal, saying the State managed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.

“It is submitted that the court a quo did not err in convicting the appellant. The evidence of the State witness was straight to the point.

It is further submitted that the appellant was a very bad defence witness who also tried to mislead the court by suggesting that one of the witnesses, Joel Kasunungure, could have colluded with Patrick Tsaurai in order to nail him,” said Mr Muduma.

According to court papers, on March 13 in 2017, Const Ncube, together with his six accomplices, were deployed at Cross Mabale along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road for traffic enforcement duties.

Const Ncube arrested Mr Lindstrom, a tourist at Hwange National Park Lodge, who was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser with Botswana number plates, whom he charged for having no lock nuts.

Mr Lindstrom complied and Const Ncube receipted US$40 on the duplicate copy of the ticket he gave to the motorist, while the top copy indicated US$10. Mr Lindstrom was later tipped by an official at the lodge that the fine of US$40 was illegal.

He drove back to the roadblock and confronted Const Ncube, who in turn asked for the copy of receipt he gave him before he chewed it to destroy the evidence. A report was made to the police leading to Const Ncube’s arrest

By A Correspondent- An inmate’s bid to escape from prison hit a snag after he got stuck on the prison barbed wire fence.

The man’s privates got stuck on the fence while he was trying to jump over and he was caught by orison authorities.

A video of the inmate stuck on the barbed wire fence with prison officials trying to rescue him by giving him instructions went viral on the social media.

Correctional services spokesman Singabakho Nxumalo said the incident took place on 26 May at Empangeni Prison in KZN.

While only one inmate is seen, Correctional Services say there were two of them.

The man can be heard whispering that he’s worried about his private organs.

Officials lighting his face with a torch are heard screaming at the man, who’s taking his time getting off the high fence.

But the warders are not impressed.

“Jump down!” they scream at him.

“My privates are hurting. They may not be able to work!” says the inmate wearing a white vest and shorts.

Angry officials repeatedly shout: “Get out of there and jump down. How were you going to get out of there? Do you think you will still use your genitals?”

Nxumalo said more details about the inmates cannot be revealed as it would harm investigations.

He said the inmate was treated for a minor injury after jumping off the fence.

“An investigation is underway and the two inmates were charged by police. Attempting to escape is a criminal offence.” – Online

By A Correspondent- Harare City Council has resolved to splash $1,4 million for the design of a new stadium in Budiriro, to be named High Glen.

Minutes from the finance committee tabled at the recent council meeting indicate that council will spend $1,4 million on the designs of a 45 000-seater stadium, whose construction was envisaged to start next year.

The stadium was part of the city’s infrastructure development programme and part of council’s responsibility to provide recreational facilities to its residents’.

“It is resolved that the sum of $1,4 million, being part of the pool of reserved funds provided for in the 2019 capital budget under the department of housing and community services, be released to facilitate preliminary works of the designing and drawing of plans for construction of High Glen Stadium,” part of the minutes read.

At the moment, Harare has five stadiums, among them Rufaro, Gwanzura and Dzivarasekwa.

Meanwhile, the ouncil has tasked its town clerk Hosiah Chisango to engage the Zimbabwe National Road Administration for a partnership to enforce payment of parking fees to those who do not do so in the capital.

The envisaged deal will see motorists who park in Harare and do not pay being forced to do so when they renew their licences.

Harare has more than one million vehicles and expects to collect more from its parking services, but is hamstrung by lack of enforcement.-Newsday

By A Correspondent- Speaking at a Zanu PF Masvingo Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting recently, Zanu PF national secretary for security Lovemore Matuke said people should stop blaming the ruling party on the current power crisis as they have no capacity to add water into Kariba dam.

Zimbabweans are currently battling one of the country’s worst power outages with some areas experiencing an average of 19 hours of daily load shedding.

However, Zanu PF has said the outages are the design of God, arguing that nobody else has power over water levels in Kariba Dam

Said Matuke:

“Zanu PF is capable of doing a lot of things but we cannot add water into Kariba Dam so that we generate adequate electricity.

God decided to give us little rains so the load shedding is by God’s design. The government is trying to pull all the strings to make sure that we source electricity from our neighbours Mozambique and South Africa.”

South Africa’s power utility Eskom and Mozambique’s Cabbora Bassa have discontinued supplying Zimbabwe with electricity owing to millions in unpaid debts and the government has paid $10 million to Eskom.

Government says it cannot supply adequate electricity to households and industry partly because the Kariba hydro power station is operating below capacity due to low water levels in the dam.

Critics have however dismissed this claim, saying the neighbouring Zambia does not suffer as much load shedding despite relying on the same station for much of its power requirements.

They blame government profligacy and the resultant failure to pay for supplementary power imports from neighbouring countries.-TellZim

Three people were killed on Wednesday when their Mazda Bongo truck carrying bales of tobacco was involved in a head-on collision with a haulage truck near Chinhoyi.

The accident was confirmed by the police spokesperson for Mashonaland West Inspector Clemence Mabgeazara. He said all the deceased were aboard the Mazda Bongo truck.

MDC Treasurer General David Coltart has alleged that suspected ZANU PF agent attempted to kill him thrice through a road accident in the past 20 years.

Said Coltart, “In the last two decades my cars have been interfered with on 3 occasions by state or Zanu agents. In the last incident in 2012 my left front wheel came right off and I, my wife and our youngest child were lucky not to be killed or seriously injured.”

Professor Jonathan said he was shocked about the 2012 incident. “Goodness me. And when the 2012 incident happened you were a cabinet member as minister of education in the GNU.”Prof Moyo remarked.

A couple of days ago, some criminals were photographically captured red-handed, fiddling with the right left-wheel of Advocate Thabani Mpofu’s car, as shown in these images!

The MDC leaders said, “Indeed – it is all faithfully and accurately recorded in my book.”

Coltart’s revelations come as suspected state agents were photographed  fiddling with the right left-wheel of Advocate Thabani Mpofu’s car.

Thabani Mpofu who has earned his name as MDC President Nelson Chamisa’s lawyer was recently involved in an accident where he escaped unhurt.

NewsDay|Beitbridge businessman and Zanu PF loyalist Manu Chiwa has died.

Chiwa died on admission at the Beitbridge Hospital after he was involved in an accident on Wednesday night.

Matabeleland South police spokesperson Chief inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the accident yesterday.

“I can confirm that Manu Chiwa, who was 35 years old, died on Wednesday on admission at Bainbridge Hospital after he was involved in an accident at the 319km peg along the Beitbridge-

Bulawayo Highway,” Ndebele said.

“He was driving a Honda Fit vehicle which was following behind another Honda Fit, and there was a bus coming from the opposite direction. He lost control of his vehicle and hit another

car from behind and died from injuries sustained on admission at the Beitbridge hospital.”

Beitbridge East legislator Albert Nguluvhe (Zanu PF) said Chiwa worked hard for both the party and the people behind the scenes.

“He played a very big role during our 2018 election campaigns. I was with him up to late last night (Wednesday), discussing developmental issues for the constituency,’’ he said.

Beitbridge town secretary Loud Ramakgapola said they had lost an investor, adding that he was one of the clearing agents in Beitbridge.

‌Finance and Economic Development permanent secretary George Guvamatanga has warned that electricity tariffs will soon go up arguing that the current tariffs are too cheap. Guvamatanga said that the low tariffs were contributing to the massive load shedding being experienced across the country.

NewsDay reports that while addressing a business meeting on Thursday, Guvamatanga said,

In US dollar terms, we are now charging 4 cents per Kw/h. You cannot expect electricity to be available. That was the same with fuel when it was wrongly priced and wrongly used. Price is also a bigger determinant of demand.

So we are very much aware of those distortions in power tariffs. You cannot be sustainable, neither can government afford to fund that gap. So there has to be a review very, very soon.

This is not the first time that the government has spoken on the need to increase the tariffs with Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi previously stating that the tariff must go up to make them cost-reflective.

Professor Jonathan Moyo has alleged that President Emmerson Mnangagwa presided over the theft of Treasury bonds worth USD$ 9 billion through the controversial Command Agriculture program.

Moyo further said Mnangagwa is working with the ZANU PF Youth League and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Sibusiso Busi Moyo to cover up for the theft.

Read Moyo’s full statement below:

The biggest heist Zimbabwe has suffered under Mnangagwa is the printing of over USD9 billion in TBs at 1:1; now part of Zimbabwe’s domestic debt. This CORRUPTION has decimated the economy, triggered run away hyper-inflation & destroyed livelihoods to genocidal proportions!

The #TBgate heist was accomplished by CORRUPTLY masterminding an obscure enterprise called Command Agriculture under which not less than USD 5 billion was spent in 2017/2018 to create zero grain reserves; as Zim now need to import 800,000 tonnes of grain for USD 255 million!

The #TBgate CORRUPTION is now being covered up by Mnangagwa who has gotten ZanuPF youth to muddy the waters; with the support of Mthuli Ncube & Minister SB Moyo, the minister responsible for international trade, whose wife at ZACC has replaced Goodson Nguni as the hatchet hand!

In his TPS Mthuli Ncube confirms there was reckless and unrestrained printing of TBs but doesn’t say by who & for what. It’s #TBgate: theft of public funds on an industrial scale. If Matanda-Moyo.

The fact that Matanda-Moyo has started her hatchet-job at ZACC by getting excited about unproven corruption allegations made by ZanuPF youth, exposes her as a Mnangagwa factionalist and an accessory to #TBgate; bent on protecting her husband, Minister SB Moyo, and the PAC lot!

If Matanda-Moyo wants to be taken seriously and respected as a judge, she MUST get ZACC to investigate #TBgate. What happened to the money? USD 9 billion in TBs were siphoned mostly through Command Agriculture; which was said to be a Sakunda funded private-sector initiative!

Zimbabwe’s version of great train robbery of the economy behind the USD 9 billion heist drive around in pink Bentleys and Rolls Royces and have foreign accounts stashed with cash. Some own private jets kept in Dubai & Switzerland which they lease to the State. This MthuliNcube knows!

As it’s now clear that only an international tribunal can credibly investigate Aug 2018/Jan 2019 atrocities and disappearances of persons since Gukurahundi, the USD 9 billion heist and USD 15 billion diamond loot will require the services of Transparency International.

By A Correspondent- Mines Ministry officials including a Provincial Director have been suspended with immediate effect over corruption.

This was revealed by the Mines minister Winston Chitando.

He announced this at a press conference held in the capital Harare (Friday).

Said Chitando:

“The ministry of mines and mining development has been seized with complaints from stakeholders over service delivery especially from its provincial offices.

As a result and in line with the Zimbabwe is open for Business mantra and zero tolerance for corruption, the ministry has been and will be investigating all complaints of malpractices by its staff. Such investigations has resulted in the suspension of its surveyors at its Mashonaland West provincial office.

Similar investigations have also seen the suspension from duty of most of the technical staff at Mashonaland Central provincial offices including the suspension of the provincial mining director.

The suspensions have been done to pave way for investigations. It has something to do with the awarding and administration of mining titles. The eight officials have been suspended with immediate effect and they constitute the technical team in the department responsible for awarding mining titles.”

This is a developing story. Refresh this page for latest updates.

Bulawayo Mayor Solomon Mguni and all his councillors left Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi stunned with egg on his face after they walked out on him from a meeting called to discuss the proposed demolition of the Bulawayo Power Station towers on Friday.

Chasi was meeting a few stakeholders at a secretly organised meeting at ZESA boardroom at the power station over the issue of the cooling towers which must be demolished soon.

Chaos around the meeting emerged before talks even started when the stakeholders and councillors questioned why the Minister called them into the small private venue to discuss an issue that affects the greater citizenry of Bulawayo.

The Mayor was given an opportunity to speak in opening remarks where he took swipe set ZESA and the Minister for illegally hijacking ownership of the power station from the City of Bulawayo.

Mayor Mguni said his Council will not allow a lodger to dictate how its property is treated before walking out with his councillors leaving the Minister stunned .

An angry Chasi took swipe at ZESA management for failing to engage council before inviting him for the dialogue and why they did not consult the Council, the local planning authority on the project to demolish the towers. He acknowledged the council is aggrieved over the issue. 

ZESA and Council have a pending court case regarding ownership of the towers.

President Mnangagwa is expected to meet his South African counterpart on Sunday to discuss whether Zimbabwe’s neighbour can export more electricity to the country in light of the current shortages being experienced.

The country is experiencing massive load shedding due to low generation capacity at Kariba caused by low water levels while old equipment at Hwange Power Station continuously breaks down. President Mnangagwa said while addressing Domboshava residents during today’s clean-up campaign.

“Last year we opened Kariba South which produces 300 MW on top of the 650MW produced by the other section but because of the drought the water levels in Kariba have dropped and it is no longer producing adequate electricity,” he said

“….at the moment there is a shortage of electricity and when I went Mozambique I talked to officials there to see if we can get more electricity from Hydro Cahorra Basa and on Sunday I will meet South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa to discuss if we can get more electricity from Eskom so if we succeed in the negotiations the situation will greatly improve.”

Zimbabwe paid US$10 million to Eskom as part of the at least US$40 million owed to the South African utility.

More to follow…