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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube seems to be doing everything by the book as he pursues orthodox economic policy often prescribed by the global “Bretton Woods” lending institutions to try and turn around a sickly economy.

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

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

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

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

So what is wrong?

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

Also, analysts note, more than 80% of Zimbabweans earn a living in the informal sector, from hawking fruits on city sidewalks to selling used clothes on dusty open spaces.

That sector is typically unresponsive to the kinds of fiscal and monetary policy tools used by finance ministers and central bankers to lower prices and stimulate the economy.

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

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

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

PUBLIC PESSIMISM

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

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

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

But the bank’s governor John Mangudya acknowledged at a meeting with business leaders last week: “There is lack of confidence.”Slideshow (9 Images)

“I don’t know why,” he added to much laughter from the audience.

Mangudya need not look far for a reason. The way authorities introduced some of the reforms added to public distrust.

The government abruptly outlawed the use of foreign currencies on June 24, saying all domestic transactions would now be in the interim RTGS currency, which was renamed the Zimbabwe dollar.

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

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

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

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

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

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

-Reuters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fungisayi Dube of the Citizens Health Watch said:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Part of the publication’s article reads:

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

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

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

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

The minister said:

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

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

She added:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He said:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ambassador Chitambo later introduced herself to Japajapa.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Members of the HSB also toured Kariba District Hospital.

The delegation is expected to visit Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital today.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Clr Mguni confirmed receiving a letter from Mrs Zhou.

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

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

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

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

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

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

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

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

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

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

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

By A Correspondent- Qatar Airways will on 27 October 2019 become the first Middle Eastern airline to operate to the capital of Botswana.

According to a statement released by the airliner, Qatar Airways will service the Botswana route flying three times weekly to Gaborone.

Read the statement:

DOHA, Qatar – Qatar Airways is pleased to announce the launch of its new service to Gaborone, Botswana, starting 27 October 2019. The capital and largest city of Botswana will be the airline’s first destination in the African country.

The three-times weekly flights will be operated by an Airbus A350-900 aircraft, featuring 36 seats in Business Class and 247 seats in Economy Class.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are excited to be launching three-weekly flights to Gaborone, another highly sought after destination in Africa. Qatar Airways is committed to growing our presence in Africa and adding to the 22 destinations in 15 countries we already offer. Our new service to the enchanting city of Gaborone will enable us to provide a seamless journey to and from Botswana, for passengers connecting from our extensive network of more than 160 destinations worldwide.”

Gaborone is the capital and the largest city in Botswana, a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bounded by Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. The nation’s vast nature and wildlife have made it a renowned destination for adventurous tourists from across the globe.

Qatar Airways currently operates a modern fleet of more than 250 aircraft via its hub, Hamad International Airport (HIA) to more than 160 destinations worldwide. The airline has recently launched an array of exciting new destinations, namely Rabat, Morocco; Izmir, Turkey; Malta; Davao, Philippines; Lisbon, Portugal; and Mogadishu, Somalia. The airline will add Langkawi, Malaysia to its extensive route network in October 2019.

Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Airline’ by the 2019 World Airline Awards, managed by international air transport rating organisation Skytrax. It was also named ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’, ‘World’s Best Business Class’ and ‘Best Business Class Seat’, in recognition of its ground-breaking Business Class experience, Qsuite.

Qatar Airways is the only airline to have been awarded the coveted “Skytrax Airline of the Year” title, which is recognised as the pinnacle of excellence in the airline industry, five times.

Flight schedule

(Sunday, Wednesday, Friday)

Doha-Johannesburg 
QR1377: Departs DOH 06:55hrs, Arrives JNB 14:50hrs

Johannesburg-Gaborone
QR1377: Departs JNB 15:55hrs, Arrives GBE 16:50hrs

Gaborone-Johannesburg
QR1378: Departs GBE 18:35hrs, Arrives JNB 19:30hrs

Johannesburg-Doha
QR1378: Departs JNB 20:40hrs, Arrives DOH 06:35hrs+1

Qatar Airways, the national carrier of the State of Qatar, is celebrating more than 20 years of Going Places Together with travellers across its more than 160 business and leisure destinations on board a modern fleet of more than 250 aircraft. The world’s fastest-growing airline has added a number of exciting new destinations to its growing network this year, including Lisbon, Portugal; Malta; Rabat, Morocco; Davao, Philippines; Izmir, Turkey; and Mogadishu, Somalia; and will add Langkawi, Malaysia, later in 2019.

A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Airline’ by the 2019 World Airline Awards, managed by international air transport rating organisation Skytrax. It was also named ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’, ‘World’s Best Business Class’ and ‘Best Business Class Seat’, in recognition of its ground-breaking Business Class experience, Qsuite. Qatar Airways is the only airline to have been awarded the coveted “Skytrax Airline of the Year” title, which is recognised as the pinnacle of excellence in the airline industry, five times.

Qsuite, a patented Qatar Airways product, features the industry’s first-ever double bed in Business Class, as well as privacy panels that stow away, allowing passengers in adjoining seats to create their own private room, a first of its kind in the industry.

Qatar Airways was the first Gulf carrier to join global airline alliance oneworld, enabling its passengers to benefit from more than 1,000 airports in more than 160 countries, with 14,250 daily departures.

Oryx One, Qatar Airways’ in-flight entertainment system offers passengers up to 4,000 entertainment options from the latest blockbuster movies, TV box sets, music, games and much more. Passengers flying on Qatar Airways flights served by its B787, B777, A350, A380, A319 and select A320 and A330 aircraft can also stay in touch with their friends and family around the world by using the award-winning airline’s on-board Wi-Fi and GSM service.

Qatar Airways proudly supports a range of exciting international and local initiatives dedicated to enriching the global community that it serves. Qatar Airways, the official FIFA partner, is the official sponsor of many top-level sporting events, including the FIFA 2022 World Cup, reflecting the values of sports as a means of bringing people together, something at the core of the airline’s own brand message – Going Places Together.

Qatar Airways Cargo, one of the world’s leading international air cargo carriers, serves more than 60 freighter destinations worldwide via its world-class Doha hub and also delivers freight to more than 160 key business and leisure destinations globally on more than 250 aircraft. The Qatar Airways Cargo fleet includes two Boeing 747-8 freighters, 16 Boeing 777 freighters and five Airbus A330 freighters.

By A Correspondent- Addressing delegates at an interactive meeting involving fiscal and monetary authorities and female church leaders at Zimbabwe House in Harare, Finance minister Mthuli Ncube said government abandoned the multi currency system because its scarcity presented challenges for the country.

Detailing what SI 142 was all about to the gathering, Ncube said:

“SI 142 is an instrument introduced by the Government which declared that the sole currency for use within the Zimbabwe borders is the Zimbabwe dollar and eliminated multi-currency.

This local currency is in the form of bond notes, coins and the RTGS dollar which is electronic money. Electronic version extends to EcoCash and other versions of mobile banking services and that is the essence of SI 142.

You are allowed to keep your foreign currency in your pockets because it’s your money, but if you go to the shops change it to local currency.

We introduced the mono currency because we realised that something was going wrong, people were demanding foreign currency yet we are in shortage of it.

Using the US dollar did not solve our foreign currency shortage, but it caused further problems.”

He said a country cannot develop without its own currency, saying Zimbabwe needed to be like other countries using their own currencies.

Prof Ncube added that the use of forex left the country vulnerable to sanctions.

“There were certain banks that were told to stop supplying US dollars to Zimbabwe because certain transactions would involve entities in Zimbabwe that are under sanctions.

“CBZ was fined US$350 million for doing some transactions where they thought they were helping and we are still negotiating a way out of that liability.

“Therefore the more we used US dollar, the more we expose the transactors and businesses to fines,” he said.

The minister also said the timing of the introduction of SI 142 was perfect adding that people should not compare the new era with the 2008 era.

He said by using multi-currency, the country was now creating a two-tier society.

“We now have our own currency and the Government is living within its means and once you are able to do so as Government, then you are ready to manage your domestic currency,” he said.

“Previously we were not living within our means, we were literally printing money and we don’t have to print money we only print what is necessary not excessively.

“This is not 2008, it’s a new era which will take us to Vision 2030. The timing was not sudden, it has been a journey,” he said.

Dr Mangudya also addressed the gathering and urged the public to use the legal channels to change their forex.

“We are on a transition to normalcy and let us make sure that transition is short and let us grow confidence. I can assure you that SI 142 will succeed,” he said.

“The introduction of SI 142 is to rebuild the walls of Zimbabwe and instead of using black market to change forex, open the bureau de change. It’s actually a short process to open. Let us shun illegal forex dealing. Black market won’t take us forward.”-StateMedia

POLICE have launched a manhunt for a self-proclaimed prophet and two accomplices who allegedly armed themselves with machetes and an iron bar before attacking seven family members in Ntabazinduna, killing one on the spot and injuring the rest.

The three suspects escaped with a cash box containing US$800, R900 and ZW$500 which the prophet, only known as Prophet Ngulube had ordered one of the family members to bring for cleansing.

Prophet Ngulube is said to be from Tsholotsho and he had been invited by the family for a cleansing ceremony.

Matabeleland North police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Siphiwe Makonese, confirmed the incident which occurred in Mbembesi.

She said no arrests have been made.

“I can confirm that we received a report about a person who was killed following an attack by a prophet and two accomplices in Mbembesi, Ntabazinduna. No arrest has been made and police investigations are continuing,” said Chief Insp Makonese.

She identified the deceased as Lister Khabo (37) of Stand 25 in Mbembesi.

The injured family members are Mr Vincent Khabo, his wife Ms Gertrude Moyo and Liphiwe Khabo whose ages were not given as well as Mr Lindweyinkosi Khabo (36), Mr Limthembeni Khabo (18), and Linnet Khabo (43).

The alleged prophet arrived at Vincent’s homestead on June 30 and camped there to do the cleansing.

Prophet Ngulube allegedly ordered Lindweyinkosi who operates a shop in the area to bring all his money for cleansing, which he did on July 4.

“After a prayer session the suspect ordered Lindweyinkosi to put the money in one of the bedroom huts for the night and he complied,” said Chief Insp Makonese.

She said Lister, Linnet and Liphiwe slept in the same hut. In the middle of the night, Lister woke up to go and relieve herself outside.

At around the same time, Prophet Ngulube who shared a bedroom hut with Limthembeni also woke up and went outside claiming he wanted to relieve himself.

While outside, police said, Prophet Ngulube was joined by two unidentified men and all three armed themselves with machetes and an iron bar and proceeded to the hut where the money was.

The trio allegedly attacked Linnet and Liphiwe before grabbing the cash box.

Chief Insp Makonese said Lister who was still outside met her fate as she rushed back into the hut after hearing noise.

One of the three suspects allegedly hit her with an iron bar on the head and the other used a machete to strike her on the forehead.

She sustained two deep cuts on the forehead and bruises on the back and collapsed.

Mr Khabo and Ms Moyo rushed to the scene after hearing some noise but were attacked too.

Mr Khabo was hit with an iron bar and collapsed while his wife was struck on the face with a machete and sustained a deep cut.

Limthembeni was also hit with a stone on the face. Lindweyinkosi was also attacked while trying to render first aid to Lister, who died on the spot.

After the attack, the suspects fled. A report was made to the police.

State Media

Tendai Biti made the remarks while responding to a thread on Twitter by journalist Hopewell Chinono who was blocked by Moyo after an exchange of words. MDC Deputy President Tendai Laxton Biti has described one of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s advisors Busisa Moyo as a fool.

“I was having a healthy discussion with Busisa Moyo since the introduction of the local currency because he was reasonable and warm. Today I asked a question he found provocative and he told me off and blocked me. It is unfortunate because I found his retorts reasonable and cordial. Will miss him,” posted Chinono.

Responding to the journalist’s post on Moyo, Biti wondered why Chinono was entertaining ‘fools.’

“Why do you suffer fools Mukoma Hopewell,” he said. Moyo is a member of the Presidential Advisory Council appointed by Mnangagwa to give him advice on a number of issues affecting the country.

Latest media reports indicate that Colonel Samson Murombo, the commander of the 1 Presidential Guard Infantry Battalion has since lost command of the unit that guards the President and State House.

According to the media a military source said he was transferred without revealing Murombo’s new posting.

The little known but powerful Murombo became  a subject of talk among Zimbabweans on  Monday after an audio recording of a conversation between himself and First Lady Auxilia Mnangagwa went viral on the internet.

The First Lady is heard accusing Murombo of “spying” on her.

“You’re spying on me,” Auxillia reportedly accused Murombo, who was not given a chance to respond to the allegations even though he pleaded with her to defend himself.

“You must waylay me on the road. I’m coming from Bulawayo. If you don’t, straight away I’m coming to your office and you can do what you want with me. You can’t deal with women like this. I’m going to make a story about this. I’m coming to your office to sit there. What threat am I? To who? What threat do I have?”

MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa has summoned Bulawayo councillors to an urgent meeting in Harare over the recent spat over the suspension of Town Clerk Christopher Dube.

The councillors travelled to Harare on Tuesday night for a meeting with their boss on Wednesday.

“We got communication through the director of mobilisation Farai Chinobva that we were wanted in Harare as a matter of urgency so we travelled through the night on Tuesday to Harare for the meeting,” said a Councillor.

The unilateral decision to suspend Dube by Bulawayo deputy mayor Tinashe Kambarami last week attracted severe backlash from the public.

Now, sources say, Chamisa is under pressure over the growing discontent created by his councillors in Bulawayo which has been the party’s stronghold since 2000.

Zimbabwean lawyer Chris Mhike says Zimbabwe risks continued demonisation by the international community as a country that does not respect media rights if it fails to implement democratic media law reforms.

Mhike expressed concern that some of the inputs by the media and civil society had not been included in the now gazetted Freedom of Information Bill as part of the processes of repealing the condemned Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA).

This, he said, puts the country at the risk of “continued demonisation” as a country that does not respect journalistic rights. “A good law is one that captures the aspirations … of those affected by that law of which the media is one such stakeholder including the public at large,” said Mhike.

He was speaking during a meeting on 12 July 2019 organised by MISA Zimbabwe for editors and senior journalists based in Zimbabwe’s second city of Bulawayo to sensitise them on the proposed new media laws.

Mhike outlined areas of concern, deficiencies and shortcomings as well as some of the positive provisions contained in the gazetted Freedom of Information Bill. For further details on the issues at hand visit this link and this link. He also briefed participants on the provisions of the Draft Zimbabwe Media Commission Bill and Draft Broadcasting Services Amendment Bill.

He said the 20% cap on foreign investment in the broadcasting sector as proposed under the Broadcasting Services Amendment Bill undermines media growth and development. The Zimbabwe Media Commission Bill also has aspects that criminalise the practice of journalism.

“We need to ensure that criminalisation of the media profession is eliminated,” said Mhike. He urged editors to create spaces in their publications to allow for enriching discussions and debates on the proposed laws.

Meanwhile, earlier on the same day, MISA Zimbabwe held a Know Your Rights workshop for Bulawayo-based journalists to sensitise them on their rights in the context of the Constitution, existing laws, regulations and the difference between civil and criminal law.

Chris Mhike making a point on the differences between Civil and Criminal Law

The workshop attended by a total of 16 media practitioners, falls under MISA Zimbabwe’s Media Defence Fund established to ensure swift and relevant assistance to media practitioners detained, injured, or unjustifiably arrested in the course of their journalistic duties. MISA Zimbabwe’s Legal Officer, Kuda Hove, familiarised participants with the organisation’s emergency response tools such as the MISA Zimbabwe Hotline, MISA Zimbabwe JournoSOS App and MISA Zimbabwe Panic Button.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

WOMEN Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) Midlands Chapter has given Gweru City Council 14 days to explain the source of funding for former town clerk, Daniel Matawu’s exit package as well as resolve the city’s water crisis, failure which they would take to the streets and also approach government for intervention.

In a letter addressed to mayor, Josiah Makombe, dated July 9, WCoZ accused the local authority of failing to act on its previous petitions on the two issues.

“We sent a petition to your office regarding the source of the funding for the golden handshake for former town clerk, Daniel Matawu and we also petitioned your office over erratic water provision in Gweru,” WCoZ wrote.

“Numerous efforts have been made by our office to get responses to our petitions, but none have been forthcoming. Despite our efforts you have failed or refused to demonstrate any commitment to address our plight.

“As we speak, some areas like Mkoba 1, 2, 19, Ridgemont and Adelaide Park, as well as Senga, have gone for the past four weeks without water and this has placed us at risk of contracting water-borne diseases like typhoid and cholera. Due to this crisis, we are compelled to give your office 14 days (notice), to take action to address our grievances,” reads the petition.

The women’s organisation said if the local authority fails to act on its grievances in two weeks’ time they would pursue the issues “(through) a different forum”.

“We are prepared to approach for intervention, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing,” said WCoZ.

Alice Maqata, the WCoZ Midlands Chapter chairperson confirmed to Southern Eye the development, also saying young girls are being harassed by marshals at alternative water points. She highlighted that women were losing productive time searching for water because some suburbs have gone for four weeks without the
commodity.

“We have given council 14 days to address the water situation and to respond to the petition we gave them last year, where we wanted to know how council will fund the former town clerk’s ZW$400 000 golden handshake,” she said.

“We are coming from a background where we know that council owes around ZW$30 million to Zesa alone. Residents owe council a staggering ZW$62 million. Over and above that, council is saying it needs ZW$6 million to refurbish the city’s water infrastructure. Our women and girls are spending an average of seven hours a day in search of water. This takes away their productive time and exposes them to all forms of abuse at (water) points, where marshals are demanding favours in cash or kind for them to jump queues. We now want action, we have had enough.”

Makombe said he sympathised with the women, but indicated council will not be able to meet their deadline.

“I feel their issue is genuine. As women they are the most affected when there is no water. However, our failure to provide water regularly is not by choice.

Our situation is very critical, but we are trying our best. We have engaged government and the corporate world for required funding to fix the crisis.”-Newsday

Jane Mlambo| Opposition MDC Secretary General Charlton Hwende has accused the ruling Zanu PF of abusing the Political Parties Finance Act to cripple the opposition.

Hwende said the Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube has not disbursed any cent from the budgeted funds to the MDC further charging that the law prohibits parties from sourcing funding from outside.

By A Correspondent- A 21 year old Mvurwi woman was on Monday slapped with a one-year jail term by a Guruve magistrate for dumping her new-born child a fortnight ago.

Brenda Charles of Suwoguru township, Mvurwi, pleaded guilty before magistrate Shingirai Mutiro, who jailed her for a year.

Prosecutor Carson Kundiona told the court that two weeks ago, Charles wrapped her baby, with the umbilical cord still attached, in a sack and dumped him.

The new-born boy was picked up by a passer-by before being surrendered to the police.

Charles’ mother was not available when the crime was committed, but when she came back last Friday she suspected that her daughter had dumped her new-born child and filed a police report, leading to the convict’s arrest.

In another case, a Guruve woman, Auxillia Dzukamanja was arrested last week for allegedly murdering her new-born child before throwing it down a blair toilet.

One of the residents believes the accused killed the baby due to economic hardships after she failed to locate the baby’s father.

“Dzukamanja killed her baby due to poverty. She failed to locate the father of the child and decided to kill the baby,” the witness, who declined to be named, said.-Newsday

By Own Correspondent- Government has approved a duty waiver on solar equipment and allowed mining firms to procure energy directly from the Southern African Power Pool.

Further, selected hotels in resort areas will soon start paying electricity bills in foreign currency, as part of a raft of measures to overcome energy problems bedevilling the country.

In the fuel sector, Government directed the urgent rollout of a remote tracking system by the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) and warned that errant service stations involved in profiteering will have their licences revoked.

This was said by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa as she read out decisions of the 25th Cabinet meeting in Harare yesterday.

She said following a briefing from Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi, Cabinet noted with concern prolonged load-shedding, caused by reduced power supplies mainly due to low water levels at Lake Kariba.

“To alleviate the situation on the power supply front, Cabinet resolved as follows: to endorse the arrangement whereby large hotels in the Victoria Falls resort town can pay their ZESA bills in foreign currency so as to boost capacity to import power supplies; that a large-scale programme be implemented to promote the importation, local production of solar equipment and the use of solar power as an alternative energy source.

“In this regard, special incentives shall be provided through duty waivers on imported solar equipment while it shall be mandatory for all new construction projects to be solar-powered,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

“Furthermore, Cabinet embraced the commitment by mining companies under the banner of the Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines to pay a cost recovery electricity tariff to ZESA, and to directly procure extra power supplies from the Southern African Power Pool as well as to mobilise a lump sum towards the settlement of the existing power imports debt arrears.

“This will, among other things, assist in unlocking further power imports; and that the implementation of the already existing coal-bed methane gas projects be speeded up in order to provide affordable gas for cooking and heating purposes, thereby reducing reliance on power from the national grid.”

On fuel, Minister Mutsvangwa said Cabinet noted with concern that some service stations were continuing to flout their licensing conditions by rejecting electronic payments, diverting fuel to the parallel market, dispensing the product to preferred customers and engaging in other mischievous activities.

“Cabinet accordingly directed as follows: the urgent roll-out of the Matsimba Technology, which will enable Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority to remotely monitor the movement of fuel from the depot to the service station, fuel stocks at service stations, fuel dispensing activities at service stations, and the vehicles involved. A Ministerial statement will soon be issued to spell out the modalities in that regard; and that ZERA inspectors should be firmly on the ground and should immediately withdraw operating licences of those service stations caught engaging in the above-indicated malpractices,” she said.

Minister Mutsvangwa said responsible Ministry was already ceased with work on a lasting solution to the country’s fuel supply challenges.

The Bank Exchange Rates for the ZWL$ are as follows:

USD = ZWL$8.8392
ZWL$ = RAND1.5814

More: Reserve Bank Of Zimbabwe

Black Market Rates:

USD = ZWLS$9.50 (ecocash/transfer)

USD= ZWL$7.20 (Cash)

R100= ZWL$63 (Ecocash/Transfer)

R100= ZWL$48 (Cash)

Source: ZimEye