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

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 19, 2019

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

— nelson chamisa (@nelsonchamisa) July 19, 2019

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

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

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

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

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

-State Media

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WOMEN’S COALITION OF ZIMBABWE

Press Release

19 July 2019

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

//ENDS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He said:

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

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

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

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

Watch the video below for thia and more…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-State Media

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Two of them escaped with gunshot wounds.

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

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

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

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

They allegedly targeted business and residential premises.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-State Media

ZRP Cops who are notoriously protecting Walter Magaya:

1. CID Chief Sup Nyaradzai Majachani

2. Detective Sergent M Nyangoni

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 18, 2019

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

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 19, 2019

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-Newsday

Vice-President Kembo Mohadi has said government will soon review traditional leaders allowances because their earnings are meagre given the prevailing economic situation.

Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with Midlands chiefs on Wednesday in Gweru, Mohadi said the traditional leaders had raised concern over their welfare and that government was going to address their grievances.

“During our closed-door meeting, the chiefs raised burning concerns, including that of their welfare,” Mohadi said.

“We must understand that chiefs don’t have much in terms of allowances and we are definitely going to review their allowances.”

Mohadi, however, did not disclose how much the traditional leaders were demanding as an increment.

The demands by chiefs come at a time when government critics have questioned the pampering of chiefs given that government is struggling to meet demands tabled
by civil servants.

On Tuesday, government offered its workers a 50% cushioning allowance for July and salary increment of ZW$116 per individual from August to December.

Workers’ representatives, however, rejected the offer, saying the lowest paid civil servant should earn at least ZWL$4 750.

Last year, chiefs were given brand new Isuzu double-cab vehicles with government promising them more benefits such as land, houses and fuel, among others.

In December last year at the chiefs annual conference in Kadoma, President Emmerson Mnangagwa promised to exempt traditional leaders from paying land tax and
would be given more land and benefit from the command livestock initiative.

Critics, however, say the packages showered on chiefs are a vote-buying gimmick by the ruling Zanu PF party, which uses traditional leaders to coerce rural
voters to vote for the party.

But government maintains that since traditional leaders are custodians of the land, their welfare should be a top priority.

-Newsday

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mourners are gathered in Mufakose,” said Mapimhidze.

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

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

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

”We are going to the funeral in Mufakose.

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

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

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

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

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

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

So what is wrong?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reuters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‌

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Agents

 ‌

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is nonsense all I have sought to explain were common businesswide & industry-wide majority positions. I am personally for the free use of the Rand for example but failed to get the majority of my colleagues to be convinced.

— Busisa Moyo (@BusisaMoyo) July 17, 2019

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

His bank account was also frozen.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The State believes the wealth was ill-gotten.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The SRC Chair, Gerald Mlothswa has just told ZimEye he is not at all aware that the Netball Team players' allowances have not been paid, something which affected their morale during the match with Malawi. "I am not aware of any such a thing, so if you can put that in writing…" pic.twitter.com/7PmSwcSkoW

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) July 18, 2019

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

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

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

In his message, Mnangagwa said:

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

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

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

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

May His Dear Soul Rest In Peace.

-StateMedia

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

Mliswa said this during parliament Wednesday.

He said:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Said Dr Labode:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He was remanded in custody to 23 July pending trial.

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

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

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

Preliminary Round Draw:

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

Group Stage Draw:

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

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

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

Group D: DRC, Gabon, Angola, W. M7&8.

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

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

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

Group H: Algeria, Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe.

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

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

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

Group L: Nigeria, Benin, Sierra Leone, Lesotho

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

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

Below is the statement by Apex Council:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Said Econet in a statement:

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

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

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

Said Matutu in a tweet:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Watch the interview below…

Dear Presidents of Political Parties,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Said Matiya:

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

Call for Inquiry on Walter Magaya Sexual Abuse Allegations#metoozw@NewsDayZimbabwe @zimbabwedaily @DailyNewsZim @HeraldZimbabwe @StarfmZimbabwe @capitalkfm @ZiFMStereo @GMCZimbabwe @nkabazwe @NhauRadio @ZimEye @263Chat @SlymediaproTv @awdf01 pic.twitter.com/TYnxpfoDcH

— Women's Coalition of Zimbabwe (@WCOZIMBABWE) July 18, 2019

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

Said Econet in a statement:

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

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

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

Said Matutu in a tweet:

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

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

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

Zimbabwe’s number is 53.

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

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

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

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