Farai Dziva|Outspoken Zanu PF political commissar Victor Matemadanda has accused the MDC of “plotting to propel Nelson Chamisa to power through the backdoor.”

Matemadanda warned the opposition MDC and its allies against “attempts to plunge the country into chaos and anarchy through violent demonstrations.”

“The revolutionary party and the country’s law enforcement agents will not fold their hands while the opposition tries to usurp power,” Matemadanda told The Herald.

“There are some people who have been threatening that there will be bloodbath in this country, but they make such claims while hiding in places like South Africa.

Whose blood are they talking about? The country has law enforcement agents that are constitutionally mandated to ensure law and order.”

He said while it was a constitutional right for people to demonstrate, they were supposed to do so peacefully and also respect constitutional rights of others not interested in taking part in protests.

“This country came at a cost of precious blood and we cannot surrender it to people whose only specialty is burning tyres in the streets.
“We will not allow those who want to block roads and stop other Zimbabwean from exercising their right.

Those who organise demonstrations should make sure they lead from the front and control their followers so that they don’t engage in violence or destroy property. We will not repeat the mistake of allowing such a thing to happen again,” Matemadanda told the state run paper.

Matemadanda warned the MDC-Alliance to refrain from trying to propel their leader Mr Nelson Chamisa to power through the back door.

“MDC-A leaders such as (party Vice president Mr Tendai)Biti have repeatedly said they were not going to rest until (Mr) Chamisa gets into State House,which means they want him to get into office through the back door and that will be usurping power and we will not allow that,” said Matemadanda.

By Own Correspondent- President Mnangagwa will tomorrow headline the National Clean-Up Campaign at the Show Grounds in Domboshava.

Vice President Kembo Mohadi will lead the clean-up in the Midlands province at Kudzanai Bus Terminus, Gweru, while Vice President Constantino Chiwenga will be at Ruwa Shopping Centre.

President Mnangagwa declared the first Friday of every month a National Clean-up Day

The declaration was made on December 5 last year.

The national clean-up campaign gives all citizens time to clean their surroundings between 8am and 10am.-StateMedia

The Election Resource Centre acknowledges the appointment of the new Chief Election Officer (CEO), Mr Utoile Silaigwana with effect from July 1, 2019.

The appointment fills a vacancy left after the departure of the former CEO, Mrs Chigwamba in March 2018. Mr Silaigwana had been acting as interim CEO following the departure of Mrs Chigwamba.

While the appointment is in terms of the current legal framework for elections, the ERC reminds the Executive, Parliament and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) that several provisions in the Electoral Act relating to the independence of ZEC remain in contravention of section 235 of the Constitution which states that independent commissions are not subject to the direction and control of anyone.

The unconstitutional provisions limit the capacity of ZEC and its officials to deliver election processes that are credible.

As an example paragraph 4 of the 6th Schedule of the Electoral Act gives the President, unilateral powers to set the conditions of service of the Commissioners.

The independence of the appointment of the CEO remains questionable if the President, an interested party in electoral processes, determines the condition of service of the commissioners who appoint the CEO.

Furthermore, the Electoral Act used in the appointment of the new CEO violates Section 235 of the Constitution by constituting a ten-member Accreditation Committee comprising of five members from the commission and five members nominated by the Executive from the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Women’s Affairs and from the Office of the President and Cabinet.

Section 40i (1) of the Electoral Act undermines the independence of ZEC in deciding who can observe elections in Zimbabwe. Appointing a new CEO whose administration of accreditation of observers will be heavily influenced by the executive has a negative bearing on the credibility of future elections.

In running the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, the new CEO will have to operate within the confines of Section 192 of the Electoral Act which gives ZEC regulatory powers in the administration of electoral processes.

However, in contravention of the constitutionally guaranteed independence of commissions, these regulatory powers are subject to Ministerial approval as highlighted by Subsection 6 which states that:
Regulations made in terms of subsection (1) and statutory instruments made in terms of subsection (4) shall not have effect until they have been approved by the Minister and published in the Gazette.

A CEO of ZEC who will need the approval of the Minister on Regulations to govern how electoral processes are conducted will definitely suffer confidence deficits from election stakeholders competing for public office with the party from which the Minister is appointed.

In terms of termination of the appointment of the CEO, Section 9 (4) of the Electoral Act makes reference to provisions in the 6th Schedule of the Act which have since been repealed.

Furthermore, Section 9 (5) states that the Commission shall not terminate the services of the CEO on a ground other than one referred to in subsection 4 without Ministerial approval.

In essence, it means that ZEC has hired a CEO that it cannot fire without the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs’ approval in contravention of Section 235 of the Constitution on the independence of commissions.

The appointment of a substantive Chief Election Officer, while important for purposes of bringing stability, highlights the need to institute inclusively, electoral reforms.

The Chief Election Officer is assuming a position governed by the very same legal framework for elections that was questioned by observers and election stakeholders.

Changing people while the infrastructure for elections remains unchanged would be an act in futility.

The jury is out on whether the appointed CEO will lead the fight to reinforce the independence of the ZEC and adhere to the constitutional principles of inclusivity and accountability in the administration of all electoral processes.

As the ERC we wait to see if the appointment of the ZEC CEO will transform ZEC into a responsive, service-minded public body that enjoys the confidence of all election stakeholders.

An appointment of the nature made by ZEC must be accompanied by an honest commitment by the body to uphold, protect and abide by the supreme law of the land by disregarding legal provisions that are ultra vires the Constitution.

The ERC encourages government, Parliament and ZEC to embark on exhaustive electoral reforms in an inclusive manner as an urgent matter.

By Own Correspondent- President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has sent a congratulatory message to US president Donald Trump on the country’s 243rd independence anniversary.

He posted the message on his Twitter account handle, @edmnangagwa.

“On behalf of the people of Zimbabwe, I want to wish Happy Independence Day to @realDonaldTrump and all the people of the United States of America.

”We look forward to continuing to broaden and deepen the relationship with @usembassyharare and between our two peoples,” President Mnangagwa said in his message.

By Own Correspondent- The Sports and Recreation Commission  (SRC) has written to the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) demanding explanations on the manner in which the country’s football governing body handled the Warriors’ ill-fated Africa Cup of Nations 2019 campaign.

SRC has demanded that ZIFA give detailed information around the campaign before the close of business, Friday 12th July 2019.

By Own Correspondent- The national airline Air Zimbabwe and Botswana based charter airline Mack Air today signed an agreement for the launch the “Flame Lilly Hoppa” domestic and regional air service.

The agreement, which was signed in Harare, will see the introduction of daily domestic scheduled air services between Victoria Falls, Harare and other major tourist destinations such as Hwange, Kariba and Chiredzi.

It will also include services to camps and lodges within the environs of the major tourist resorts

On the regional front the agreement provides for the launch of daily scheduled air services between Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa and Mozambique.-StateMedia

By A Correspondent| A care home insists they have a ‘a zero-tolerance approach’ after a carer was jailed for willfully neglecting a resident.

Avandale Lodge, Northwich told Cheshire Live that Vangirai Michael Kufa was employed by a temporary staffing agency and worked at the home in early 2018.

Kufa, 40, was jailed on Thursday, June 27 for nine months after pleading guilty to a charge of ill-treating a person without mental capacity.

The victim was assessed by healthcare professionals who determined he needed one to one care 24 hours a day.

A care package was put in place by Last Minute Nursing, who allocated Kufa as one of the carers.

The family of the victim became aware of a series of worrying incidents over the next few months, which included him falling out of bed.

Being concerned for his welfare, the family installed a camera in his room which captured Kufa neglecting the victim.

It showed Kufa using his phone and paying no attention to the victim. When he tried to get his attention, Kufa elbowed him in the back and hit him in the groin four times.

The incident was then reported to Last Minute Nursing and Cheshire Constabulary.

A spokesperson for the Avandale Lodge said:“Mr Kufa was employed by a temporary staffing agency and worked at our home in early 2018.

“His behaviour goes against everything we stand for as an organisation, and we handle these concerns in the strongest possible way. When his behaviour first came to light, we immediately made sure he did not work in any of our homes again.

“We subsequently provided all possible support to the affected resident and their loved ones, and did everything we could to help the police investigation.

“We fully support the court’s decision and retain a zero-tolerance approach to any behaviour which goes against our ethos of kindness.-CheshireLive

The MDC is worried that Utoile Silaigwana, a former army Major who joined ZEC as a serving military officer, has now been confirmed as the electoral body’s substantive chief elections officer.

Silaigwana’s substantive appointment with effect from 1 July 2019 is a testament to the fact that ZEC needs urgent reform if it is to retain its credibility among ordinary Zimbabweans and political players in the country.

Put simply, the appointment vindicates the fact that Zimbabwe is the true home of command elections which have resulted in losers occupying the seat of government while the winners are locked out.

It is pertinent to note that as a serving soldier, Silaigwana was part of the tainted ZEC secretariat that withheld election results for five weeks in 2008 in a plebiscite that SADC and the AU emphatically rejected as not reflective of the will of the people of Zimbabwe.

As acting chief elections officer since March 2018, Silaigwana also presided over the disputed polls of July 30 last year which resulted in Mr Mnangagwa being controversially declared as President by the courts and not by the people, who are truly sovereign.

Silaigwana’s substantive appointment to the key position of chief elections officer within the country’s electoral body is all the more reason why a comprehensive reform agenda encompassing political, electoral and media reforms is imperative if Zimbabwe is to break from the vicious cycle of disputed elections.

The MDC has great respect for the military but we have always maintained that the place for our soldiers in the barracks. The military, whether serving or retired, have no place in civilian electoral processes.

It is unfortunate that Silaigwana’s appointment comes at a time when Zimbabweans are in the throes of an unmitigated economic crisis spawned by the stolen elections of 2018, in which ZEC spectacularly revised downwards its own figures a record three times.

Next week on Wednesday, 10 July 2019, the MDC will be launching RELOAD, a blueprint that encapsulates the party’s comprehensive agenda for a return to legitimacy.

RELOAD is our menu to return the Zimbabwe train back on the rails after the stolen election of 2018 which has resulted in an unprecedented economic meltdown in the country.

Silaigwana’s appointment yesterday is all the more reason why the country should embark on a comprehensive reform agenda if Zimbabwe is to break away from the cycle of disputed plebiscites and join the family of civilized nations.

Soon, the MDC under the leadership of President Chamisa will be leading the people of Zimbabwe in defining a new course for the country.

MDC 1999 – 2019: Celebrating 20 years of tenacity and courage

Luke Tamborinyoka
Deputy National Spokesperson
Movement for Democratic Change

The Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa (ACT-SA) welcomes the long-awaited move by the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe to give arresting powers to officials in the employ of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC).

This is a very important step that will help to expedite the arresting and prosecution of corrupt people occupying positions at all levels in the country.

These important reforms were made through Statutory Instrument 143 of 2019 published in an Extraordinary Government Gazette on the 28th of June 2019. The statutory instrument has amended the description of a “peace officer” to include ZACC officers, which means that ZACC officers can now arrest suspects similar to the to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers.

Mr. David Jamali, the Chairperson of ACT-SA congratulated President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government for walking the talk on these reforms but cautioned that what is now been waited for are results.

“This is undoubtedly a very good step forward. It means that years of ZACC passing the blame to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) for not arresting corrupt officials are over. We now want to see results and nothing else. The majority of high profile individuals have been implicated in corruption and we are demanding that they be arrested immediately” he says.

Mr. Jamali also decried threats against corruption whistle-blowers and urged the Government of Zimbabwe to also craft a legislation to protect whistle-blowers who are playing a very important role in exposing corruption.

“ACT-SA has always been clamouring for a law to protect whistle-blowers. Just recently, we have seen how the youth wing of ZANU PF were threatened with legal suits. Several other whistle-blowers are also in great danger. This is not good for the country. Our Parliamentarians and policy-makers should consider working on a legislation to protect these informers as a matter of urgency” he says

Whilst ACT-SA congratulates the Government of Zimbabwe for giving arresting powers to ZACC officials, these officials are urged to carry out their duties and responsibilities without fear or favour. It is hoped that the new ZACC Chairperson, Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo, and Commissioners who are yet to be appointed work hard to end corruption. This is important since no one in Zimbabwe needs to be convinced on the devastating impact of corruption on economic development. The impact of corruption has been witnessed by all and sundry and the evidence thereof is abundantly clear. Lastly, it is hoped that ZACC will be allowed to carry out its constitutional mandate without any interference whatsoever as was the case previously.

Source: Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa (ACT-Southern Africa)

Zimbabwe which has become a laughing stock on the international and social media for failing to provide its citizens with passports says it has paid US$591 000 to procure three state-of-the-art high capacity additional printers.

The Ministry of Information said this will raise production of passports from the current 3 000 passports a day to 8 000.

It is not clear whether this is new information or not because Home Affairs Minister Cain Mathema was quoted in April as saying they had the capacity to produce 8 000 passports a day.

The Information Ministry said the Ministry of Home Affairs was facing an increasing backlog because of shortage of foreign currency and obsolete equipment.

Reuters reported yesterday that Zimbabweans applying for passports were being told to collect their documents in 2022.

Normally a passport is produced in a month but depending on the fee, it can be produced in a day or two.

Reuters said there was a backlog of 50 000 but some reports put the backlog as high as 280 000 and would take just over a month to clear at 8 000 passports a day.

Son to the late MDC founding President Morgan Tsvangirai, Richard Tsvangirai has rubbished the new World Bank classification of Zimbabwe as a Lower Middle Income State.

Responding to a post celebrating the new classification by Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube, Tsvangirai said way is on paper is the opposite of what is on the ground as Zimbabweans were better off under Former President Robert Mugabe in the low income level.

PHD Leader Walter Magaya’s Hotel in Waterfalls, Harare has been gutted by fire.

Fire fighters are currently at the hotel battling to contain the inferno at the plush hotel, which is set to commemorate its third anniversary this year.

The source of the fire is not yet known.

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

Updated country income classifications for the World Bank’s 2020 fiscal year are available here.

The World Bank classifies the world’s economies into four income groups — high, upper-middle, lower-middle, and low. We base this assignment on Gross National Income (GNI) per capita (current US$) calculated using the Atlas method. The classification is updated each year on July 1^st.

The classification of countries is determined by two factors:

1. A country’s GNI per capita, which can change with economic growth, inflation, exchange rates, and population. Revisions to national accounts methods and data can also influence GNI per capita.
2. Classification threshold: The thresholds are adjusted for inflation annually using the SDR deflator.

New data on GNI per capita data for 2018 is now available here. More detailed information on how the World Bank classifies countries is available here.

Until last year (Fiscal Year 2019), the income classifications had an analytical purpose and did not influence the World Bank’s lending terms. However, since the last fiscal year, the high-income threshold is also a determining factor for lending rates. Surcharges are applied for lending rates of countries which have been categorized as high income for two consecutive years.

Updated Thresholds

New thresholds are determined at the start of the World Bank’s fiscal year in July and remain fixed for 12 months regardless of subsequent revisions to estimates. The thresholds for income classification have increased from last year due to SDR inflation. As of July 1, 2019, the new thresholds for classification by income are:

Changes in Classification

The following countries are assigned to new income groups:

The country and lending groups pageprovides a complete list of economies classified by income, region, and lending status and links to previous years’ classifications. The classification tables include all World Bank members, plus all other economies with populations of more than 30,000. The term country, used interchangeably with economy, does not imply political independence but refers to any territory for which authorities report separate social or economic statistics.

Data for GNI, GNI per capita, GDP, GDP PPP, and Population for 2018 are now available on World Bank’s Open Data Catalog. Note that these are preliminary estimates and may be revised. For more information, please contact us at [email protected].

Farai Dziva|Outspoken Zanu PF political commissar Victor Matemadanda has accused the MDC of “plotting to propel Nelson Chamisa to power through the backdoor.”

Matemadanda warned the opposition MDC and its allies against “attempts to plunge the country into chaos and anarchy through violent demonstrations.”

“The revolutionary party and the country’s law enforcement agents will not fold their hands while the opposition tries to usurp power,” Matemadanda told The Herald.

“There are some people who have been threatening that there will be bloodbath in this country, but they make such claims while hiding in places like South Africa.

Whose blood are they talking about? The country has law enforcement agents that are constitutionally mandated to ensure law and order.”

He said while it was a constitutional right for people to demonstrate, they were supposed to do so peacefully and also respect constitutional rights of others not interested in taking part in protests.

“This country came at a cost of precious blood and we cannot surrender it to people whose only specialty is burning tyres in the streets.
“We will not allow those who want to block roads and stop other Zimbabwean from exercising their right.

Those who organise demonstrations should make sure they lead from the front and control their followers so that they don’t engage in violence or destroy property. We will not repeat the mistake of allowing such a thing to happen again,” Matemadanda told the state run paper.

Matemadanda warned the MDC-Alliance to refrain from trying to propel their leader Mr Nelson Chamisa to power through the back door.

“MDC-A leaders such as (party Vice president Mr Tendai)Biti have repeatedly said they were not going to rest until (Mr) Chamisa gets into State House,which means they want him to get into office through the back door and that will be usurping power and we will not allow that,” said Matemadanda.

A LOCAL church leader has urged people to keep focused in the wake of economic challenges.

Madzibaba Bond of Johanne Masowe yeChishanu who leads a sect in Chitungwiza’s Unit N suburb said people had to be focused and be positive for the healing process of the economy.

Madzibaba Bond said this while giving a sermon at his shrine last Sunday.

“We should all remain focused and be positive.
“Our economy will be great again,” said Madzibaba Bond.
He urged people to remain prayerful adding that God never failed His people.
“God has never failed His people.H-Metro

By Own Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission has accused the church of accepting proceeds of crime through tithes.

ZACC Chair, Justice Matnda Moyo called on church leaders to help fight corruption.

She said:

“The Commission wishes to highlight that some proceeds of crime have been diverted to churches in the name of tithing. We call upon church leaders to support the anti-corruption drive by Scrutinizing the source of the donations they receive.”

Watch the video below for this and more….

Farai Dziva|The MDC has described the appointment of Utoile Silaigwana as the substantive ZEC Chief Elections Officer as a worrisome move that will grossly affect the credibility of polls.

See the MDC statement below:

MDC is worried that Utoile Silaigwana, a former army Major who joined ZEC as a serving military officer, has now been confirmed as the electoral body’s substantive chief elections officer.

Silaigwana’s substantive appointment with effect from 1 July 2019 is testament to the fact that ZEC needs urgent reform if it is to retain its credibility among ordinary Zimbabweans and political players in the country.

Put simply, the appointment vindicates the fact that Zimbabwe is the true home of command elections which have resulted in losers occupying the seat of government while the winners are locked out.

It is pertinent to note that as a serving soldier, Silaigwana was part of the tainted ZEC secretariat that withheld election results for five weeks in 2008 in a plebiscite that SADC and the AU emphatically rejected as not reflective of the will of the people of Zimbabwe. As acting chief elections officer since March 2018, Silaigwana also presided over the disputed polls of July 30 last year which resulted in Mr. Mnangagwa being controversially declared as President by the courts and not by the people, who are truly sovereign.

Silaigwana’s substantive appointment to the key position of chief elections officer within the country’s electoral body is all the more reason why a comprehensive reform agenda encompassing political, electoral and media reforms is imperative if Zimbabwe is to break from the vicious cycle of disputed elections.

The MDC has great respect for the military but we have always maintained that the place for our soldiers is the barracks. The military, whether serving or retired, have no place in civilian electoral processes.

It is unfortunate that Silaigwana’s appointment comes at a time when Zimbabweans are in the throes of an unmitigated economic crisis spawned by the stolen elections of 2018, in which ZEC spectacularly revised downwards its own figures a record three times.

Next week on Wednesday, 10 July 2019, the MDC will be launching RELOAD, a blueprint that encapsulates the party’s comprehensive agenda for a return to legitimacy. RELOAD is our menu to return the Zimbabwe train back on the rails after the stolen election of 2018 which has resulted in an unprecedented economic meltdown in the country.

Silaigwana’s appointment yesterday is all the more reason why the country should embark on a comprehensive reform agenda if Zimbabwe is to break away from the cycle of disputed plebiscites and join the family of civilized nations.

Soon, the MDC under the leadership of president Chamisa will be leading the people of Zimbabwe in defining a new course for the country.

MDC 1999 – 2019: Celebrating 20 years of tenacity and courage

Luke Tamborinyoka
Deputy National Spokesperson
Movement for Democratic Change

HARARE magistrate yesterday dismissed an application for the temporary release of former Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo’s passport.

Magistrate Estere Chivasa argued that she could not release the passport merely because the applicant has cancer.

Chombo is facing several corruption allegations.

“The court cannot simply release the passport merely because the applicant has cancer. He made prosecution impossible, legally though, at the time when the State indicated that they are ready for trial and now he is requesting his passport persistently on the basis of an outdated document which militates against release of the passport on the changed circumstances,” Chivasa said.

“It is not in dispute that the applicant was diagnosed with cancer. A perusal of the doctor’s letter reveal apparent challenges as far as the requirements of the present application is concerned. Firstly, the applicant is relying on a document which is dated February 2019, we are now in July and that on its own presents a challenge in that it is the document that was relied upon in the previous application and legally, there is no change in circumstances.

“While their reasons for not attending court are not known, this court cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that there is a trend to abuse the indulgence. The applicant is not being punished for other people’s sins but considering the nature of these applications and that they are informal, my view is that the interests of justice are paramount,” she added.

Meanwhile, Chombo was picked up by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) officers outside the court on fresh corruption allegations.

Zacc secretary Silent Pondo confirmed to NewsDay that Chombo was arrested and is assisting them with investigations on an undisclosed matter.

— NewsDay

By Own Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission has confirmed that aid meant for tropical Cyclone Idai victims was looted confirming investigations and a series of stories run by this publication regarding the issue.

Addressing the media today, the newly appointed ZACC Chairperson, Justice Loice Matanda Moyo said:

“Prevention is better than cure as the saying goes. As ZACC we have the mandate to assess systems for both private and public institutions to plug loopholes for corruption.

ZACC has conducted six system reviews involving five central hospitals and the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council. The Commission has also conducted two compliance spot checks on the management of Cyclone Idai resources in Chimanimani and at the National Blood Service Zimbabwe.

In all cases, the findings are of a great concern to ZACC and we implore the Institutions concerned to institute the corruption preventative measures recommended. It is our wish as ZACC that legislation amendments be made to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act to provide sanctions for non-compliance.”

Watche the video below for this and more:

By Own Correspondent| Ministry of Defence and War Veteran Affairs is seeking an upward review of pensions for ex-combatants to match those of a retired army major.

Currently, the veterans of Zimbabwe’s protracted armed struggle for independence receive monthly allowances of $350.00.

If the request is granted, the war veterans will pocket monthly pensions of up to $600.00.

The request was revealed by Defence and War Veterans secretary Mark Grey Marongwe when he appeared before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Home Affairs. Said Marongwe:

Our pensions review tribunal has consulted relevant authorities and agreed on the policy of indexing war veterans pensions to the grade of a Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) warrant officer so that whenever their salaries are reviewed, the war veterans’ pensions are also reviewed.

Currently, the pension of registered war veterans is $350 and that of ex-detainees is pegged at $317 and currently the amount they are receiving is too little for them to survive and efforts are being made to lobby for a reasonable and meaningful increase and hence the ministry is proposing for an increase of the pensions from that of a retired warrant officer to that of a retired ZNA major.

Marongwe said that there is a need to raise the school fees assistance for children of war veterans which currently ranges from $2 000 to $4 000 per term.

He claimed that the country’s war veterans earn less than their South African counterparts.

Marongwe also called for the recognition of liberation war collaborators and combatants in transition or non-combatants.-Newsday

The black market exchange rates took lost momentum over the past wee following the gazetting of a Statutory Instrument outlawing the multicurrency basket, but the rates seem to be on the climb yet again.

However, as the black market exchange rate tumbled, the interbank exchange rate picked up pace, with some banks buying US dollars at better rates than the parallel market.

As of this Thursday morning, the bank exchange rates for the ZWL$ are as follows:

1USD = ZWL$8.5857
1ZWL$ = RAND1.6371

Independent Norton legislator Temba Mliswa is not backing off from his fight against a Chinese owned tile factory company after posting pictures of raw effluent from their factory which is flowing into main water bodies feeding Harare and Norton.

Last week, Mliswa was nearly abducted after he confronted the owner of Sunny Yi Feng Tiles over a number of issues including abuse of workers, alleged rape cases of female workers among others.

Mliswa said the act of discharging effluent into water bodies was disgraceful as it increases the threat of waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid.

“Raw effluent from Sunny Yi Feng Tiles flowing straight into the main water body that feeds Harare & Norton…. not only is this disgraceful but it increases the threat of water borne diseases like cholera & typhoid. Urgent action needs to be taken,” said Mliswa.

Yesterday, cabinet ministers including Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa and Industry and commerce minister, Simangaliso Ndhlovu in what appeared as a public relations stunt to pre-empty Mliswa’s solo fight against their alleged rights abuses.

By Own Correspondent- Addressing the media in the capital Harare Wednesday, ZACC Chairperson Justice Loice Matanda Moyo said it was worrying that parent ministries were in the habit of looting government parastatals.

She said:

“In the circumstances and on the basis of the report of the Auditor-General
Government al Ministries, in investigations departments, State Enterprises and Parastatals implicated in the report with a view to bringing to book, all those implicated in any and all acts of corruption, theft, misappropriation, abuse of power and other improper conduct.

As ZACC We have also noted that Ministries that have an oversight role on State Enterprises and Parastatals are cause for concern. Equally companies run by majority shareholders or family businesses are of serious concern in terms of their adherence to corporate governance principles.

The government needs to urgently review the powers of Ministries over State Enterprises and Parastatals under their purview to stem out this culture of looting in these State Enterprises and Parastatal by parent Ministries.”

Jane Mlambo| The newly appointed Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission chairperson Justice Loice Matanda Moyo has threatened corrupt officials in the country that its nolonger going to be business as usual as she is keen to prosecute and send to jail those who will be found on the wrong side of the law.

Addressing journalist at her first press briefing, Matanda Moyo said prisons should be expanded to accommodate the culprits.

“If ZACC is to deal with every matter reported, then our prisons should be expanded in order to accomodate the culprits. Whilst other countries are closing their prisons for lack of clients, Zimbabwe Prisons will be open for business,” said Matanda-Moyo.

She added that ZACC has since her appointment handled 38 cases of which 10 are high profile.

Matanda-Moyo added that in future, ZACC will profer charges of obstruction of justice to anyone interfering with investigations.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is yet to name other commissioners with interviews already done, and Matanda said they will be fully operational once the other team members come on board.

By A Correspondent- Zanu-PF is in the process of setting up a provincial commission of inquiries to collect evidence against Obert Mpofu and other people accused by the youth league of corruption.

It is reported that Zanu-PF has instructed its provincial structures to set up committees that would gather evidence collected from members of the public against the accused persons.

“We have received communication from the party headquarters that we set up committees that would receive evidence of corruption from the people with regard to those characters accused of corruption,” said a provincial Zanu-PF member from Harare.

The provincial member said the party would officially announce the beginning of the process when all arrangements are concluded.

There is a belief that certain powerful forces within Zanu-PF are pushing for the “public lynching” of Mpofu and others as the government is desperate to create an impression that it is fighting corruption.

“Never in the history of Zanu-PF have youths ever made such serious allegations without the backing of powerful forces. When Mugabe wanted to fire Joice Mujuru as his deputy, he used the youths who worked with his wife Grace. The same happened to Mnangagwa when Grace and the youths combined in attacking him until he got fired by Mugabe,” said a Zanu-PF politburo member.

By A Correspondent- The reports surfaced in the Madagascan media yesterday, claiming DRC could be thrown out of the finals for attempting to influence the outcome of their Group A showdown against the Warriors on Sunday.

The Warriors, who suffered an early exit from the 2019 AFCON finals here on Sunday, are in the eye of a match-fixing storm, amid reports that their 4-0 loss to the Democratic Republic of Congo was not genuine.

The report, quoting unnamed sources, claimed CAF leaders were seized with the matter and suggested that wealthy Congolese businessman and politician Moise Katumbi, the multi-millionaire owner of five-time African champions TP Mazembe, could have been involved in the plot to sway Zimbabwe goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze to underperform in the big match and boost the cause of the Central Africans.

The media outlet in Madagascar claimed its sources had revealed the CAF leadership were considering throwing the Congolese out of the finals, and banning the country from taking part in the tournament for three years, because of attempts to try and influence the result against Zimbabwe.

The report claimed that Katumbi was seen at the hotel where the Warriors were staying, Le Meredien, which also housed the Congolese as per the draw for the accommodation that was done by CAF prior to the tournament, apparently trying to put his plans into motion.

It also claimed that it was unlikely the Congolese would be allowed to play their Round of 16 match against Madagascar on Sunday and could either be replaced by the Warriors, who would be handed the match on a 3-0 scoreline, or the Indian Ocean islanders could be handed a walk-over into the quarter-finals.

However, a 3-0 scoreline for the Warriors, if it came to that, would mean that they play Senegal, and not Madagascar, given they would have finished second in the group.

The Herald sent questions to CAF communications director Nathalie Rabe, who is also from Madagascar, CAF media manager Mohamed Thabet, CAF media manager/English editor Kofi Adae and the organisation’s internal communications chief Noha Nassif, to try and establish if there was any truth in the report, but drew blanks from all of them.

CAF president Ahmad Ahmad is also from Madagascar.

Repeated efforts to get a comment from the Congolese media management last night also drew blanks.

The report in the Madagascar media said a ‘’Congolese leader (Katumbi) reportedly coerced the Zimbabwean goalkeeper to let the DRC score the four goals against Zimbabwe,’’ describing the result of the match as a ‘’crazy outcome.’’

There were also claims in that report, that ‘’a large sum of money was supposed to be transferred into the bank of the Zimbabwean goalkeeper,’’ but the transaction was not completed after an Egyptian bank raised the red flag and reportedly declined to handle the issue.

‘’From the revelations of this case yesterday morning, the CAF, according to a reliable source, was seized with the matter and an emergency inquest had been opened with the DRC risking a suspension of, at least, three years from AFCON and a heavy fine,” reads the report.

‘’In case of suspension, it was not clear who will face Madagascar, a Zimbabwe triumph (in the game against DRC) was expected because of the way they had fought gallantly in the 0-1 defeat to Egypt in the AFCON opening match and the 1-1 draw against Uganda, while the DRC had conceded four goals, without scoring, in their two matches.

‘’For the moment, let’s keep our arms crossed and wait for the result of the CAF emergency committee, an emergency investigation is taking place and, hopefully, it will lead to some good news for Barea (the nickname for the Madagascar national team) and it’s not some fake news for the country.’’

The Congolese won the match against Zimbabwe 4-0 at the June 30 Stadium, in a result that shocked the continent given the way the Warriors had impressed in their first two matches against hosts Egypt and Uganda.

Stand-in Zimbabwe goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze, playing only because regular first-choice George Chigova pulled out of the match after sustaining an injury during warm-up, had a horror show between the posts, gifting the Congolese the opener in the fourth minute, conceding a penalty and then fumbling a tame shot for the fourth goal.

The Congolese are now set to meet Madagascar in a Round of 16 match in Alexandria on Sunday after the Indian Ocean islanders, making a debut at this tournament, shocked the world by topping Group A following a sensational 2-0 win over the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

The team finishing third in Group A in the event qualified as one of the best four third-placed teams among the six groups, was also drawn to face the team that finishes top of Group A and after all the results had been factored in, a 1-0 win for the Congolese in that final match would have taken them to a knockout battle against Madagascar.

A 1-0 victory for Zimbabwe in that match would have automatically taken the Warriors into the knockout stages, and a clash against Senegal here tomorrow, given they would have ended second in their group with Uganda, who lost 0-2 to Egypt in the final match, finishing third and taking on Madagascar.

Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi has called on Zimbabweans to pay up their ZESA bills or risk staying in darkness.

Chasi made the call speaking on a Twitter message on Sunday in which he started by apologising to the public for the misinformation on the Eskom debt payment,

Chasi said the payment of the Eskom debt rests with RBZ and the Ministry of Finance and that he was sorry for giving inconclusive information on the matter,

“I prefer the public to get correct information. We cannot operate the sector on falsehoods for sure. I am really sorry that I am being termed dishonest.”

Eskom through its group CEO Phakamani Hadebe, had indicated it had not received any payment from the government of Zimbabwe as of Friday last week and the payment has since been confirmed as of Tuesday.

There was a twist of responses when Chasi reiterated that businesses and people needed also to settle their debt with ZESA in order for the power utility to come out of its problems.

This seemed to have not gotten well with MDC Secretary-General and Kuwadzana Member of Parliament, Charlton Hwende who told Chasi to start asking those in cabinet to pay their ZESA bills first.

“You sit in cabinet with most of the people who have huge ZESA bills from their failed farming activities, start with those,” chided Hwende.

Minister Chasi in response pointed to an industry that owes ZESA about ZW$350 million and the public who also owe around the same figure, ZW$350million including Members of Parliament which Mr Hwende was part of.

The energy Minister reiterated the importance of working together in settling the bills owed to ZESA and threatened saying, “tinonyura tese”(we will all sink), if people continue grandstanding on the issue.

There have been reports in the past that many politicians and Ministers owed ZESA a lot of money through electricity bills. Zimbabwe is facing a crisis on power shortages caused by debt the power utility has with regional power suppliers like Eskom coupled with deteriorating water levels at its major hydro-electrical station at the Kariba Dam. Other solutions are needed to curb this power crisis including embracing other energy solutions like solar.

There is a serious fall out between Occupy Africa Unity Square founding member, Dirk Frey and Tajamuka’s Promise Mkwananzi over the failed 1 July 2019 shutdown.

Frey has labelled Mkwananzi an opportunist, sellout, and incompetent cadre, while Mkwananzi has hit back alleging that Frey is a victim of drug abuse who needs assistance.

Below are the two once close buddies posts on social media.

“So I have a bone to pick with Promise Mkwananzi and anyone who likes the taste of his shoes.

We saw the result of an insufficiently organized and undisciplined action in January. People died, many more suffered. The cost was high, and bought us nothing.

When it comes to going up against an established and well-oiled regime like the one we have to deal with, spontaneous and ‘let’s see how it goes’ just doesn’t cut it. Anyone who makes any sort of call or takes part in any sort of action bears responsibility for the consequences, and so has a duty to minimize casualties, provide help for victims but most of all, people involved in such action have the primary duty to put thought and effort into it so that it takes us forward, not backward.

Enter Tajamuka ‘leader’ Promise Mwananzi. In 2016 when Tajamuka formed it seemed like a great idea. Don’t get me wrong. But then a lot of people where jumping on the citizens/social movements idea. They were some of the ones with more reach. However, they didn’t work out. It happens. It’s like businesses. Most go under, only a few keep going and evolve.

At the time, Promise was spokesperson. Wouldn’t act unless cleared by structures and a chairperson which rotated amongst them. Then he got honeytrapped and made a mistake that, although perhaps not entirely his fault, should have been the end of his credibility. Tajamuka went defensive at the time and said it was an internal matter. It was not. That scandal put an end to contributions for everyone, not just Tajamuka. So they had a tribunal and suspended Promise.

They were also part of a general demobilization end of 2016.

I thought that was the last we’d hear of him. Yet he popped up again, calling himself ‘leader’ of Tajamuka, lovely vague yet imposing title. Giving interviews and clamoring for attention. And basically all he and whoever’s left of Tajamuka have done is try recreate their crowing glory, the ShutDown of 2016.

The shutdown, however, was a lucky right-thing-right-time action, and the result of wide consensus and cooperation. Tajamuka played a big role, but don’t be fooled into thinking that it was exclusively their thing, or even their idea.

When we, the citizens, strive to find each other and organize resistance against the regime, we must be aware that there will always be opportunists, sellouts, moles and people who are simply incompetent. If we are to be effective, we need to not only find each other and work together, we must also cut away deadwood. We must avoid and call out those amongst that, for whatever reason, impede progress.

Mkwananzi, with his unimaginative and ill-conceived attempts at remaining relevant, is one of those. I bear no personal ill-will, but his attention-seeking does more harm than good.”

Mkhwananzi made a quick response to the bashing.

“The problem is when you’re high on drugs then do your highness on my name. You sent me whatsaap messages yesterday uninvited saying you support the stay away. Today you want to give me a stupid RACIST lecture over how and how not to prosecute the struggle for the people of Zimbabwe. Go to rehab. JUNK!”

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa is in Rwanda for the 25th Liberation Day celebrations slated for today at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali.

The commemorations, which reflect on the overthrow in 1994 of the genocidal regime that massacred at least a million people in about 100 days, will also be attended by presidents Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi (Botswana); Hage Geingob (Namibia); Faure Gnassingbe (Togo), Faustin-Archange Touadera (Central Africa Republic (CAR); Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo (Somalia) and Julius Maada Bio (Sierra Leone).

Mnangagwa attends the commemorations fresh from a heavy attack by traditional leaders from Matabeleland and Midlands over his lacklustre approach towards solving the 1980s Gukurahundi genocide that killed at least 20 000 people in the region.

Mnangagwa who at the time of the genocide was the Minister of State Security, which orchestrated the killings, has been named amongst the top ZANU PF officials who are accused of the Gukurahundi killings.

The chiefs demanded for him to honour up and apologise for his role in the genocide before any attempts on closing up the issue are entered into. He has always blatantly refused to give the apology.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame will officiate at the event which will be held under the theme, “Together we prosper”.

Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet (Presidential Communications) Mr George Charamba said President Mnangagwa was invited by President Kagame to be part of the Liberation Day commemorations.

‘‘Rwandese have decided to turn the day to mark the internal conflict situation in their own country and renamed it Liberation Day. Essentially, what we are doing as Zimbabweans is to show solidarity with Rwandese people and Rwandese government, and this following an invitation from his Excellency, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda to his counterpart, President Mnangagwa,” he said.

The Liberation Day will be marked by patriotic and solemn speeches, cultural events, special ceremonies, military parades, concerts and sport matches.

It will be a time of both festivity and sombre reflection on the genocide when Hutu extremists rose up against the Tutsi class and massacred them.

Rwandans mourn the genocide victims for 100 days – starting from April 6 to July 4, the time it took the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) forces to stop the wanton killings in 1994.

On April 6, 1994, a plane carrying then-President Juvenal Habyarimana and his counterpart, Cyprien Ntaryamira of Burundi – both Hutus – was shot down killing all on board.

Hutu extremists immediately started a well-organised mass killing of Tutsis. The plane was allegedly shot by the extremists to provide an excuse for the genocide.

Most of those who died were minority Tutsis and moderate Hutus, killed by Hutu extremists.

Little was done internationally to stop the killings, and though the UN and Belgium had forces in Rwanda, the UN mission never acted until President Paul Kagame led the RPF forces that marched on Kigali to quell the massacres.

Rwanda has established more than 200 sites across the country where the genocide victims were interred in mass graves.

At the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre (KGMC), more than 250 000 victims were buried in eight mass graves, which consist of concrete crypts three metres deep each, filled from the floor to ceilings with coffins.

The coffins rarely contain the remains of an individual victim, but are only symbolic of the dignity that the people of Rwanda wish to accord the victims.

Some of their relatives yesterday had an opportunity to lay flowers and offer prayers on the site.

The centres serve as places of dignified remembrance for loved ones lost and a place of reflection and learning for the wider community, both in Rwanda and internationally.

While the genocide had cast a long shadow over Rwanda, the country has recovered economically with President Kagame’s policies encouraging rapid growth and technological advancement.

According to the African Development Bank, Rwanda’s growth was 7,2 percent in 2018.

The country has also made great strides in building infrastructure and stamping out corruption.

With a population of 12,5 million people, Rwanda is regarded as the smartest country in Africa.

Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa was received at the Kagame International Airport by Rwandan Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Richard Sezibera and the Zimbabwe embassy staff.

The President was accompanied by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo and senior Government officials.

THE Zanu-PF Women’s League will support the party’s Youth League in denouncing corruption by naming and shaming individuals alleged to be involved in corrupt and underhand dealings in a ploy to sabotage the economy and scuttle efforts by President Mnangagwa to resuscitate the economy.

In a press statement yesterday, secretary for the Women’s League, Mabel Chinomona, said the Youth League was the vanguard of the party.

“The Women’s League notes with satisfaction that one of the things that Zanu-PF committed itself to do in the Second Republic is to fight corruption,” she said.

“The Zanu-PF constitution is clear that the Youth League is the vanguard of the party, as Women’s League we are clearly behind our front runners and in support of their move to castigate corrupt elements in both public and private sector and more within the party.”

Chinomona said corruption was a “cancer, a rot, a decay which breeds greed, selfishness and cartels whose exploitative nature spells doom to a nation’s economic well-being”.

“The corrupt nature of a nation seriously affects women and children, as well as those living with disabilities,” she said.

“The stance taken by the Zanu-PF Youth League is a step in the right direction which needs all our support as a nation.

“Let’s shun corruption for the good of our nation, prosperity and future generations.”

Chinomona said Zanu-PF Women’s League further supported the position taken by President Mnangagwa to constitute a commission to investigate the said allegations as supported by the Politburo.

“We call upon individuals, corporates, private and public sector to endear the principal of good corporate governance, accountability and transparency at all times,” she said.

“Respect the dignity of hard work and build on the integrity of our great nation.”

Zanu-PF deputy secretary for youth Lewis Matutu urged the youth yesterday to safeguard the party’s norms and ideology through shunning corrupt activities at all levels.

Speaking at an interface with Youth League affiliates in Harare, Matutu said there was need to ensure zero tolerance on corruption.

He said they were going to release a list of land barons and multiple farm owners next week.

“We gave them a grace period to clear themselves, but it seems most of them remain adamant,” said Matutu.

“Some people are phoning me to check if they are on our list or not. We won’t be afraid to name and shame anyone despite one’s position and influence.”

Reports just in indicate that Zanu-PF is in the process of setting up provincial commission of inquiries to collect evidence against Obert Mpofu and other people accused by the youth league of corruption.

Last week, the youth league addressed a press conference in which they accused Mpofu, Tourism minister Prisca Mupfumira, and Jorum Gumbo among other of engaging in corrupt activities.

Latest information on the ground is that Zanu-PF has instructed its provincial structures to set up committees that would gather evidence collected from members of the public against the accused persons.

“We have received communication from the party headquarters that we set up committees that would receive evidence of corruption from the people with regard to those characters accused of corruption,” said a provincial Zanu-PF member from Harare.

The provincial member said the party would officially announce the beginning of the process when all arrangements are concluded.

There is a belief that certain powerful forces within Zanu-PF are pushing for the “public lynching” of Mpofu and others as the government is desperate to create an impression that it is fighting corruption.

“Never in the history of Zanu-PF have youths ever made such serious allegations without the backing of powerful forces. When Mugabe wanted to fire Joice Mujuru as his deputy, he used the youths who worked with his wife Grace. The same happened to Mnangagwa when Grace and the youths combined in attacking him until he got fired by Mugabe,” said a Zanu-PF politburo member.

State Media|Police have warned business entities and individuals against charging for goods and services in foreign currency, saying the long arm of the law will catch up with them. Government last week scrapped the multi-currency system and adopted a single domestic transactional unit, through Statutory Instrument 142/2019.

The Zimbabwean dollar (bond notes, coins and RTGS) is now the sole legal tender.

Despite the law banning use of other currencies, some business entities have continued selling their goods and services in foreign currency.

In a statement, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi urged members of the public to report those acting contrary to the law.

“In the same vein, supermarkets and shops are implored to display commodity prices in order to allow members of the public to access goods and services in an environment which gives them room to plan, coordinate and buy the items freely without any form of manipulation by unscrupulous dealers.

“The ZRP warns all those who are charging commodities in United States dollars that they risk being arrested as the law will be applied without fear or favour. Members of the public should report such people to any nearest police station or the National Complaints Desk on telephone numbers 0242-703631 or WhatsApp number 0712800197,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.

Last week, President Mnangagwa threw his weight behind the scrapping of the multi-currency system and adoption of a single domestic transactional unit, explaining the development will help the economy to grow out of the bog of the previous regime.

Further, the President said conditions for the introduction of a new currency are in place as key fundamentals such as decreased spending, increased revenues and budget surpluses, have been achieved through sweeping reforms embarked upon since October last year.

He said the use of multiple currencies since 2009 denied the country control of monetary policy and left the economy at the mercy of US dollar pricing, which brought inflation.

Addressing journalists on the sidelines of the African Union-United Nations Wildlife Economy Summit in Victoria Falls recently, President Mnangagwa said Government had not banned possession of foreign currency, but its use for domestic transactions, buttressing the policy announced by fiscal and monetary authorities.

He also said by having its own currency, the country has returned to “normalcy”.

“Zimbabwe has gone back to normalcy; the normalcy is the country must have its own currency. We have been living in an abnormal situation.

“We have removed a basket of currencies we had. Our currency is denominated by coins, notes and RTGS, all that is domestic currency and can be used for (local) transactions,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said those with foreign currency would have to exchange it for the Zimbabwe dollar at bureaux de change for them to transact, while foreigners could still bring their Visa cards and swipe.

Last Monday, Government removed the multi-currency regime and restricted domestic transactions to the Zimbabwe dollar to enhance the affordability of goods and services by the majority.

The currency reforms were done through Statutory Instrument 142 of 2019.

Government took the route on realising that the market was choosing to price most goods and services in US dollars when the majority of citizens were earning the local unit.

Government has commended work being done by Norton-based Chinese tile manufacturer, Sunny Yi Feng, which last week brewed a major storm after one of its senior managers assaulted a traditional leader in the area and clashed with independent Member of Parliament for Norton Temba Mliswa.

Chief Chivero, full name Brown Shopo, was left with a sprained arm after being beaten up by the Chinese national.

Chief Chivero accused the Chinese of abusing ordinary citizens in his and infecting women with strange sexually transmitted diseases.

Outspoken Independent Norton legislator Temba Mliswa immediately came out guns blazing, demanding that the Chinese national be deported.

Mliswa revealed the factory run by a company called Sun Yengifeng is due to be officially opened by President Emmerson Mnangagwa anytime from now.

“This speaks to the issue of us being treated as second class citizens in our own country. The government must deal with it immediately.

“The department of immigration must deal with it immediately. He must be deported. For as long as they make people who are foreigners more superior than us, there shall be protests, there shall be demonstrations and there shall be a message which should be sent to them foreigners),” said Mliswa.

The firm started making tiles on May 12 and is producing between 30 000 and 35 000 square metres of tiles per day, 70 percent of which are exported to several countries in the SADC region.

Yesterday, ministers of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Monica Mutsvangwa; Industry and Commerce Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu and Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi toured the company.

They were accompanied by Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana.

“In three months (they started manufacturing), they have started producing for export and it’s just wonderful to see products going to South Africa, to Zambia and that product is coming from Zimbabwe,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

“That is a good response to our President’s call that ‘Zimbabwe is Open for Business’. This is the kind of investment that we need that has downstream benefits for our people. I am also happy that we have seen our young women, our young mothers being employed and I am happy that they can now look after their children and after their families.”

Sunny Yi Feng vice managing director Mr William Gung said they had invested US$50 million for the first line of production.

“In the first line of production, we produce between 30 000 and 35 000 square metres of tiles per day and we export 70 percent of that to South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.

“Up to this moment including everything on this land and on the vessel (coming into the country) we have invested US$50 million,” said Mr Gung.

He added that they would also produce fertilisers from coal and other by-products from their operations.

Mr William added that the company plans to construct accommodation for its workers.

“Now we are trying to get some more land from the Government so that we can build house for the workers here at the factory,” he added.

Zanu PF Political Commissar Victor Matemadanda has warned the opposition MDC and its allies against “attempts to plunge the country into chaos and anarchy through violent demonstrations.”

Matemadanda made the remarks at a Zanu PF Meeting in Masvingo at the weekend.

“The revolutionary party and the country’s law enforcement agents will not fold their hands while the opposition tries to usurp power,” Matemadanda said.

“There are some people who have been threatening that there will be bloodbath in this country, but they make such claims while hiding in places like South Africa. Whose blood are they talking about? The country has law enforcement agents that are constitutionally mandated to ensure law and order.”

He said while it was a constitutional right for people to demonstrate, they were supposed to do so peacefully and also respect constitutional rights of others not interested in taking part in protests.

“This country came at a cost of precious blood and we cannot surrender it to people whose only specialty is burning tyres in the streets.

“We will not allow those who want to block roads and stop other Zimbabwean from exercising their right.

“Those who organise demonstrations should make sure they lead from the front and control their followers so that they don’t engage in violence or destroy property. We will not repeat the mistake of allowing such a thing to happen again,” he said.

Matemadanda warned the MDC-Alliance to refrain from trying to propel their leader Mr Nelson Chamisa to power through the back door.

“MDC-A leaders such as (party Vice president Mr Tendai)Biti have repeatedly said they are not going to rest until (Mr) Chamisa gets into State House,which means they want him to get into office through the back door and that will be usurping power and we will not allow that,” said Matemadanda.State media

A Gokwe man reportedly axed his wife to death before trying to take his own life after accusing her of having an extra-marital affair.

Simbarashe Chidauke (51) of Village Munakira in Gokwe South allegedly axed his wife of more than 20 years, Chiedza Mpofu (42), after he found her in the arms of another man.
Chidauke tried to take his own life by consuming rat poison, but was rushed to Gokwe Hospital where he was quickly treated.

Chidauke was arraigned before Gokwe Magistrate, Mr Musaiona Shortgame, facing murder charges as defined in Section 47 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act, Chapter 09:23.

He was remanded in custody to July 17 and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.

Prosecuting, Mr Tinashe Wazvaremhaka told the court that on July 2 at around 10pm, Chidauke was coming from his usual errands.
Upon arrival at home, he did not go to the bedroom as usual, but headed straight to the kitchen.

When he opened the kitchen door, he saw his wife in the company of Smart Chiriga while half-naked and in a compromising position.

This did not go down well with him and he suddenly grabbed an axe and struck Mpofu once on the neck and once on the chin and she fell down and died instantly.

Chidauke then took rat poison in an attempt to take his own life.
Neighbours who were responding to the noise quickly rushed him to hospital where he was treated.State media