By A Correspondent| President Emmerson Mnangagwa has called on Zimbabweans to embrace change and accept the newly introduced local currency in order to promote economic takeoff.
Mnangagwa appreciated the multi currency system and how it had helped stabilise the country’s economy adding that the conditions were now favourable for the country to use its own currency.
He said:
“It has always been clear that for our economy to truly take off, we need our own currency. While the multicurrency regime helped to stabilise the economy, it did not give us control of monetary policy and left us at the mercy of US Dollar pricing which has been a root cause of inflation.
When the majority earn in the local currency, but goods are priced in US dollars, the outcome will only ever be a two tiered economy: Stable and affordable prices for those with access to dollars, while the majority face an unrealistically high cost of living. This is unfair and unsustainable.
Before we could have our own currency, it was however important that key fundamentals were first put in place. Central to this was regaining control of our budget, through decreased spending, increased revenues and, for the first time in recent memory, budget surpluses. Under the careful guidance of Professor Ncube, this has been achieved.
As a result, yesterday we passed a Statutory Instrument to abolish the use of multiple currencies, and make the Zimbabwe dollar the sole legal tender with immediate effect. This is a key component of our transitional stabilisation programme, and an important step in restoring normalcy to our economy.
Government and the RBZ are taking the necessary steps to ensure this move is a success, through increasing the flow of forex into the interbank market while also making forex available to individuals and small businesses through bureau de changes.
On a day to day basis, this will change very little. People will still be paid in RTGS dollar and bond notes, and goods and services will be priced in the same currency. Those holding Nostro accounts will still have access to those accounts in the currency they held.
The only way forward is to reform so that we build a country in which all have the opportunity to prosper. We cannot be fearful of change, but must boldly embrace it as we move forward. The conditions are in place for Zimbabwe to have its own currency. Let us all work together, as one people, to make it a success.”
#OPENFORTHEFT. I have always said trusting the Zimbabwean government was risky. In 2018 they said deposits to FCAs were safe, from ZANU PF. Today, no more withdrawals of forex. Remember the 1:1 theft-by-devaluing. Pres Chamisa's @nelsonchamisa will be trustworthy. #MAFIAGOVpic.twitter.com/BtBAo8RbbA
— Citizen Nkululeko Sibanda zw (@DrNkuSibanda) June 25, 2019
By Own Correspondent- Professor Jonathan Moyo has warned that just like in 2009, the multi currency system cannot be wished away through a statutory instrument but the recent forex ban spells disaster for the current government.
In a series of tweets, Prof Moyo said S1 142 was self destructing and would mark the end of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s reign.
Said Moyo:
“Just like government’s recognition of the multi currency system in January 2009 was a mere formality, since it had already rolled itself out on the ground, the latest self dollarisation is similarly so deep and wide on the ground that it cannot be stopped by a mere statutory instrument.
The self destruction is breath taking. One does not have to be a rocket scientist to see that the multi currency system will stay and the government will go. There are no two ways about it!”
The self-destruction is breathtaking. One does not have to be a rocket scientist to see that the multicurrency system will stay and the government will go. There are no two ways about it!
By Own Correspondent- EquityAxis reports that former Steward Bank CEO, Lance Mambondiani has been appointed the Managing Director of BancABC Zimbabwe.
Mambondiani left Steward Bank on 31 May under sudden and unclear circumstance with some suggesting he had been forced out. Steward Bank and the Econet Wireless Group, however, said that the separation had been mutual and not acrimonious.
Lance Mambondiani , former Steward Bank CE , has been appointed Banc ABC Zimbabwe MD. Lance left Steward Bank under unclear terms in May. He will succeed Joe Sibanda, who is going into retirement. Banc ABC is part of the Atlas Mara group pic.twitter.com/f2gn6jsfnV
By Own Correspondent- Businesswoman, Mrs Primrose Dube-Nyevhe on Saturday celebrated her birthday with orphans at John Smale Children’s Home in Barham Green in Bulawayo.
John Smale is a government funded orphanage that cares for orphaned children by providing shelter, guidance, clothing and food. The children range in ages, with some in primary school and most being high school aged.
Primrose Dube-Nyevhe hands out gifts to orphans at John Smale
The JayRose Boutique owner went with few of her friends to celebrate her 24th birthday with the children. She gave the 45 children lots of gifts that included brand new clothes, shoes and sanitary pads.
Mrs Dube-Nyevhe also took her time to interact, play games and dance with the children who were treated to a good food and drinks.
Primrose with her husband Jeffrey Nyevhe and friends
In an interview with Chronicle, Mrs Dube-Nyevhe said her birthday celebration was inspired by the Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce, Cde Raj Modi, who is well-known for his philanthropic work.
“I am a growing businesswoman and I thought I should give to the less privileged. These children do not know the love of a parent so I thought I should give them the little love that I have. I have always admired (Cde) Raj Modi, what he does for the poor and the helpless is amazing. I also want to be like him so this is my way of trying to measure up to him. In fact the drinks were provided by him and we thank him for his contribution,” she said.-StateMedia
Mrs Dube-Nyevhe urged other business people to go out of their way to help the vulnerable.
“If we all play our part Zimbabwe and Bulawayo will be a better place. Every donation, every gift, every sponsorship helps to eradicate poverty. So I call out all the people who can afford to give without ceasing,” she said
By A Correspondent- Zimbabwean Banks have hiked interest rates “Nicodemously”. The increase in the interest rates is motivated by the uncertainty caused by the unexpected return of the Zimbabwean dollar.
There is no certainty as the new currency revokes memories of the original Zimbabwe dollar that was ditched in 2009 following hyperinflation which reached a record high of 231 million percent as per the official statistics.
The RBZ announced a dramatically jump of interest rates from 15% to 50%. Raising the interest rates was one of several measures the central bank announced on Monday to support the Zimbabwe dollar.
By Own Correspondent| President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said the country has not banned the possession of forex and that the country is returning to normalcy.
Said Mnangagwa:
“We had a basket of currencies, we have moved them. And our current currency is denominated by either the coins or the bond note or RTGs , all that is domestic currency.
….but we have not banned the possession of any currency except you cannot transact in any shop. If you want to buy your tea in American dollar or Euro, then you must go to a bureau de change and change that.”
By Own Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Electricity Transition and Distribution Company (ZETDC) has announced that it is set to start implementing the Stage 2 load shedding schedule.
The power utility said the move has been necessitated by a technical fault at the power utility’s main thermal power plant, Hwange Power Station.
Said ZETDC in a statement:
Due to a technical fault at Hwange Power Station, local generation is now depressed, and load shedding is now being implemented at Stage 2.
Customers will be advised on restoration progress. Load shedding is now being implemented outside the published schedule.
This, in other words, means that areas which normally experienced eight-hour power cuts will now go for about 16 to 17 hours without power.
Due to a technical fault at Hwange Power Station, local generation is now depressed, & load shedding is now being implemented at Stage 2. Customers will be advised on restoration progress. Load shedding is now being implemented outside the published schedule.@fortunechasi
By Own Correspondent| Gokwe Nembudziya legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena has responded to youth leader Lewis Matutu’s allegations that he and his team were stifling the corruption fight initiated by the party’s youth wing.
Zanu Pf Youths on Monday named several party heavy weights among them Obert Mpofu, Prisca Mupfumira and Jorum Gumbo and said they should clear their names before presenting themselves for duty as party cadres.
However, the allegations by Matutu were countered by some of those implicated including Henrietta Rushwaya who instead accused Matutu of corruption.
The Zanu Pf Youth Wing Secretary however took to Twitter and expressed his discontentment and accused Wadyajena and his team of trying to stop the corruption fight.
He said:
“We are aware of what Justice Wadyajena and team are planning to sabotage our anti corruption campaign. We are ready for you.”
Wadyajena responded and accused Matutu of being petty since he was the one who was corrupt.
He said:
“Get serious! We are all against corruption. If you are genuine about addressing corruption go to ZRP or ZACC and report! Not grandstanding with meaningless presser and all because makanyimwa mari. You should start by addressing corruption charges laid against you and your team. Pathetic!”
By Own Correspondent| World Remit has responded to concerns regarding forex remittances to its customers in Zimbabwe.
Following the announcement of SI142 by government banning any form of local trade in forex, World Remit assured its customers that they will still get their money in the preferred currency in the event that it is sent from the diaspora.
Responding to ZimEye.com, Worldremit said:
“We are continuing to offer our cash pickup service in USD to Zimbabwe. We are monitoring the situation and will provide our customers with an update if the situation changes.”
By Own Correspondent- MDC Vice President Tendai Biti says the SI 142 of 2019 gazetted on Monday by Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube is the last straw that shall lead to the removal of ZANU PF from power.
“Years after Emmerson and his lot are gone SI 142 of 2019 will be remembered as the turning point, their Sarajevo.” Biti said. “That moment it became clear even to the most ardent, that they had outlived their usefulness. That they had become a threat not only to the country but to themselves too.”
The Former Finance Minister added that the Zim Dollar does not satisfy all fundamentals needed for a new currency.
“A currency is a mirror of the national economy. It reflects output. It reflects the current account. It reflects confidence and fundamentals. It is absolutely insane to de-dollarize without production, without reserves and with a confidence deficit. It is politics.”
Zimbabweans have received the banning of foreign currency with mixed feelings and expectations. On Tuesday some of the shops were closed to align their pricing with the new directive.
By Own Correspondent- Zambia on Friday lifted foreign currency restrictions that banned the use of dollars for domestic transactions as authorities in the leading African copper producer sought to ease pressure on the sliding kwacha.
“We had interacted with the business community and they made very strong representation against these statutory instruments,” he told reporters in a briefing.
The kwacha has lost more than 13 percent against the dollar so far this year due to lower prices for the copper the country mines and exports and tight supply of the greenback.
Chikwanda said the central bank would not deplete its reserves through interventions to bolster the currency. “The weakening in the kwacha parity is temporary and the government will not be tempted into taking interventions that may deplete our reserves,” he said.
The kwacha firmed after Chikwanda’s announcement, and traded at 6.15 to the dollar at 1257 GMT, more than two percent above Thursday’s close, after reaching a record low of 6.42 on Wednesday.
Razia Khan, head of Africa research at Standard Chartered, said that with the lifting of the regulations, “the authorities have reversed policies that were widely criticised for adding to pressure on the exchange rate.”
This week, the central bank tightened policy further, restricting commercial banks’ access to its overnight lending facility (OLF) to once a week and increasing the OLF rate by 350 basis points.
Khan said she expected the tightening measures to bolster the currency in the short term. “Despite concerns over Zambia’s fundamentals and the outlook for copper, its key export commodity, the depreciation looks overdone,” she wrote in a note.
“We now expect a pullback in dollar-kwacha to levels closer to 6.00 as the latest tightening measures take effect. Longer-term, a more gradual depreciation path is likely.”
Chikwanda said that Zambia’s debt is within sustainable levels. The copper producer’s external debt stood at $3.2 billion at the end of 2013, representing 15 percent of GDP.
“The government is mindful of the need to safeguard debt sustainability,” he said. “Current levels of domestic and international debt are within sustainable levels.”
Fitch affirmed Zambia’s credit rating at B on Thursday, after downgrading the sovereign last year. The ratings agency said Zambia’s economic performance was strong and forecast GDP growth of 7.2 percent in 2014, but it warned about the government’s expansionary fiscal policy.
The Zimbabwe power utility company, ZESA has introduced stage 2 load shedding.
In a statement, ZESA’s subsidiary, ZETDC said this is because of a technical fault at a power station. Their statement read:Due to a technical fault at Hwange Power Station, local generation is now depressed, and load shedding is now being implemented at Stage 2.
Customers will be advised on restoration progress. Load shedding is now being implemented outside the published schedule.
A middle ground solution to resolve Zimbabwe’s problems without a GNU or NTA using bi-partisan reforms to create the conditions required to begin the long road to recovery.
Faced with a failing RTGS currency, inflation of 100% in May and demands for USD salaries from civil servants the government decided to revive the Zimbabwe dollar as a solution.
In this article, we argue that bi-partisan reforms are the best way to resolve Zimbabwe’s deep-seated structural problems.
We further argue that at the heart of Zimbabwe’s economic crisis are unresolved political problems that have not been resolved by the GNUs of 1980, 1987 and 2009 but further perpetuated by the system of governance.
The cornerstone of the Ian Smith government was to use the black majority as cheap labour using a brutal system of government that enabled the white minority to leave in comfort.
The unresolved national question: A look at Zimbabwe’s first GNU
After waging a war of independence demanding equality, land, economic and political freedom the black majority and white minority held talks that culminated in the Lancaster House agreement.
A new government was formed with Robert Mugabe as prime minister, Canaan Banana as president and 20 seats reserved for the white minority in parliament.
The means of production remained in the hands of the white minority although blacks now had political freedom and access to government services and educational opportunities.
A tragic mistake by the new government was that the system of government that oppressed blacks during the colonial days was not removed, it just changed colour and remained dormant to be activated whenever necessary.
Zimbabwe’s political system in the hands of a new black elite allowed them to enrich themselves by corruptly extracting the meagre resources of the state and economy.
The unresolved national question: A look at Zimbabwe’s second GNU
The Zanu PF government under Mugabe always saw ZAPU as a threat to its existence since the two founding liberation parties fought the war separately and had ideological differences.
Mugabe turned to his then National Security Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa who was in charge of the colonial era CIO spy agency and Gukurahundi was unleashed killing thousands of ZAPU supporters.
Nkomo being the pragmatist he was, chose to allow his party ZAPU to be merged with ZANU to save his people from certain extinction and Zimbabwe’s second GNU was formed under the Zanu PF government.
The unresolved national question: A look at Zimbabwe’s third GNU
Fast forward to the 2008 election an ageing Mugabe was facing certain defeat from the now late founding president of the MDC, Morgan Tsvangirai.
To save himself Mugabe turned to the same state machinery used by Zimbabwe’s former colonisers to brutalise the main opposition into submission resulting in Zimbabwe’s third GNU.
During the GNU the main opposition forced Mugabe into agreeing to reforms that were roundly approved by the majority of Zimbabwean’s through a referendum on the new constitution in 2013.
Tragically Mugabe sensing the opposition had relaxed during the GNU and not being keen on aligning the country’s laws to the new constitution forced through an early election and won.
Mnangagwa vs Chamisa: History repeating itself
A coup in November 2017 deposed Mugabe and Mnangagwa took over until the 2018 election that he narrowly won at the expense of Nelson Chamisa who received over 2 million votes but claims the election was rigged.
Post election protests on August 1 last year were brutally dealt with as the army (the system) was deployed by Mnangagwa resulting in the death of at least 6 people who were shot in the back.
As the economy continued to falter Mnangagwa doubled the price of fuel in January resulting in mass protests. Like clockwork state security agents (the system) were deployed and over 20 people were killed.
Although Mnangagwa campaigned on the basis of a “New Dispensation” that would usher in a corrupt free government and prosperity for all it was not long before the wheels came off.
A new elite of Mnangagwa’s close business associates soon emerged who continue to milk the state, break the law and enrich themselves without consequence.
Nelson Chamisa is pushing for a National Transitional Authority (NTA) as the only way to fix the legitimacy deficit that Mnangagwa faces.
Prospects for a GNU or NTA are slim since Mnangagwa is using the veneer of dialogue with 18 presidential candidates who got less than 4% of the vote as his preferred route to engagement and fixing the politics.
The middle ground: Bi-partisan reforms
A middle ground solution is possible that will fix Zimbabwe’s politic system and consequently the economy without a GNU or NTA and it is called bi-partisan political reforms.
The ruling party Zanu PF despite its majority in Zimbabwe’s parliament should engage the MDC (main opposition) and come up with a mutually agreed reform agenda to move the country forward.
In less than 6 months both Zanu PF and the MDC can craft legislation to align all of Zimbabwe’s laws to the 2013 constitution itself a product of bi-partisan engagement.
The local and international confidence gained from bi-partisan reforms can be the basis of creating the conditions required to introduce a local currency.
Understanding the systemic nature of Zimbabwe’s problems
A common thread in Zimbabwe’s 39-year-old history is that the ruling party regularly uses state resources to deal with opponents, enrich itself and create a patronage system.
Below we provide the 7 fundamental reforms that are necessary to resolve Zimbabwe’s problems;
1. Align all laws to the constitution
Zimbabwe’s 2013 constitution is a very good document with excellent checks and balances, all that needs to happen is for all laws to be aligned to the supreme laws of the nation.
This will result in the removal of all draconian laws that have been used to infringe citizens basic human rights and freedoms such as POSSA and AIpPA to name a few.
2. Public asset declaration and wealth audits for elected officials
Mandatory public asset declaration and wealth audits for all elected officials will ensure that politicians don’t use their access to power to corruptly enrich themselves.
3. Appointment of board members of state institutions & regulatory bodies by parliament
Zimbabwe’s parliament should appoint via public interviews the board members of all state institutions with a specific focus on the
Head of the judiciary (Chief Justice & his deputy)
Chapter 13 institutions (Auditor General and the head of the NPA)
Board members of state-owned companies, agencies and regulatory institutions
ZEC board and chair
Police Commissioner
ZAAC board members
It also follows that the budgets of these critical institutions should be approved by parliament which will also provide the oversight over their operations.
4. No public servant (civil or elected) must do business with the state
5. Elected provincial leaders
In the interest of representative democracy and as per the constitution, all provincial leaders must be elected by the provincial councils in a devolved government.
6. Equality of all before the law and independence of crime fighting institutions
Critical to this is that the head of the police, judiciary, national prosecutor, auditor general and ZAAC board members must be appointed by parliament via public interviews.
Their budgets must come directly from parliament and it must be ensured that they are well resourced enough to perform their constitutionally mandated duties.
7. Formal engagement & or debate between the president and main opposition in parliament
The President and the main opposition leader must be constitutionally mandated to regularly debate issues in parliament as the most senior members of the government.
By Own Correspondent- Embattled ZANU PF Secretary for Administration Dr Obert Moses Mpofu appeared at the Bulawayo Magistrates court on Tuesday on a matter where Ntabazinduna Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Felix Ndiweni and 22 villagers are jointly accused of malicious damage to one Fetti Mbele’s property.
Mpofu became involved in the matter after Chief Ndiweni told the court last year that the case was Mpofu’s efforts to revenge for criminal charges Ndiweni had filed against him.
Ndiweni claimed that Mpofu stole 200 cattle from his late father Chief Khayisa Ndiweni. He also said that he had reported the matter to the police but the docket disappeared.
It is alleged that in 2017, Mbele and his wife fought over an adultery matter. The matter was reported to Ndiweni who ordered that Mbele’s wife should vacate the matrimonial home. Mbele and his wife later reconciled but Ndiweni demanded that the wife vacate.
Mbele’s wife did not and Ndiweni accused the duo of disrespecting the court. He allegedly destroyed Mbele’s fence and kraal, took Mbele’s cow and a calf as a fine and also took Mbele’s wife to her parents’ home against the couple’s will. He also reportedly threatened to destroy Mbele’s home if he did not vacate the area.
Mpofu was barred from entering ZANU PF offices by the ZANU PF Youth League after being accused of corruption allegations.
The Youths led by Lewis Matutu and Godfrey Tsenengamu said they are adviding Mpofu to stay at home and clear his name before he can be allowed to resume his duties at ZANU PF Headquaters.
Mpofu was instrumental in the installation of President Emmerson Mnangagwa as President of ZANU PF during the November 2017 coup.
263chat|Zanu PF Secretary for Youth League Lewis Matutu’s move to expose party members and business people allegedly involved in illegal foreign dealings and corruption has backfired amid accusations that he is extorting bigwigs threatening to expose them on alleged corruption dealings.
Yesterday, Matutu named a number of party members including Obert Mpofu and Prisca Mupfumira as well as Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor Dr John Mangudya for being involved in corruption.
The Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) executive, Henerieta Rushwaya who was also named on Matutu’s list said it was just unfortunate that the Zanu PF Youth league deputy secretary asked for farm equipment from her.
“It is just unfortunate that Matutu called me asking for farmVequipment and I told him that I did not have what he was asking about and I was shocked that he named me among corrupt people in the country. That is ridiculous and I have recordings of his calls when push comes to the shove I am going to release the charts and recorded calls,” she fumed.
Sources said Matutu also savaged Wedza South constituency MP Tinoda “Tinmac” Machakaire for buying Warriors jersey for USD 10 000 saying the youthful businessman was supposed to give the money to the Youth League so that they can fund their programs.
“Tinmac was under fire last week for purchasing a warriors jursey and these guys wanted the money to come to the Youth League so that they use it. Matutu was given money by Machakaire to use it at the Youth League but he is yet to declare the money so he must shut up,” he said.
Contacted for comment, Machakaire said he could not comment on the matter.
Another Zanu PF youthful MP for Gokwe Nembudziya constituency Justice Mayor Wadyajena took his twitter account to slam Matutu, labeling him an extortionist.
“We have backslid to the Grace era where G40 youths used extortion against citisens to avoid public lynching. A country can’t be dictated to by a bunch of youth at a presser. Do they even understand the consequences of alleging corruption by head of Reserve Bank Zimbabwe for Corruption,” he said.
UNIFREIGHT Zimbabwe marketing executive Lisbon Monda said maybe he was mistakenly named because of false story published in a local weekly newspaper.
Matutu was adamant saying those were just fabrications of people who were named. “I am not blackmailing anyone and we are going head on,” he said.
Seems Barbara Nyagomo is globally more respected and known for her work than for her politics.
Well done Barbara Nyagomo for your leadership and work that has put you and Zimbabwe into the global arena. Maybe Zim political drama is not for you.
Your charity work with women and young people seems to be more noticeable. Sadly, as they say, as in your case, a prophet is recognised in alien lands than in her own country.
To be placed alongside well known Africa female giants like Nkosazan Zuma-Dlamini means you are doing something wonderful than we see. One day Zimbabwe will notice and appreciate what others are recognising you for.
Amhlophe, Makorokoto, Congratulations!
Global Nominations for GLOBAL SDG AWARDS (CANADA 2019)
USA
Michelle Taylor,
Chairman/CEO
United Way Of Delaware,
SOUTH AFRICA
✓. Ambassador Zinzi Mandela
South African Ambassador to Denmark and Daughter of Nelson.Mandela
✓. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
Previous AU Chair and Current Minister Office of Presidency, South Africa
✓. Mrs. Naledi Pandor
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation
✓. Ms. Thandi Modise
Speaker National Assembly, South Africa
NAMIBIA
✓. Her Excellency, Mrs. Monica Geingos – First Lady of the Republic of Namibia
✓. Mrs. Penehupifo Pohamba – Custodian of Lady Pohamba Hospital in Windhoek
LEBANON
✓ Honourable Chakib Rammal,
The President Of The World Lebanese Cultural Union
GHANA
✓ Mohammed Adjei Sowah,
The Mayor of Accra, Republic of Ghana,
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly
✓ Mr Nadia Adongo Musah,
Deputy Director, Diaspora Affairs,
Office of the President, Republic of Ghana
LIBERIA
✓ Hon. Joseph Cheayan
Secretary General of the Mandela Washington Fellows-Liberia and Senior Programme Officer of the Institute for Research & Democratic Development (IREDD)
IVORY COAST
✓ His Excellency, Chief Don Alexander, – World Vice Chairman, International Peace Commission, Ivory Coast.
ANTIQUE & BARMUDA ISLAND
✓ Brig. Gen. Dr. Wallace Williams
(DSC, MSC, FFB FRSH MCGI, FinstLM, CFM)
Honorary Consul General for the Caribbean Islands of Antigua & Barbuda to the Federal Republic of Nigeria
SAUDI ARABIA
✓ Her Excellency, Sania Ansari
Chairperson of Ansari Group Ltd Saudi Arabia
ZIMBABWE
✓ Hon. Barbara Nyagomo
British-Zimbabwean, Social and Community Worker , Clinical Practitioner,SADC Director: Africa Diaspora Development
NIGERIA
✓ Her Excellency, Dr (Mrs) Aisha Buhari
First Lady, Federal Republic Of Nigeria
✓ Brigadier – General Buba Marwa (retd), Chairman, Presidential Committee Against drug abuse, Federal Republic of Nigeria
✓ H.E Ali Soyede
2019 Nigerian Presidential Candidate & Chairman, BEN TV, UK
✓ Chief Mrs Alh. Mojisola Fatimat Sanni
Chairman/ CEO, Ademoj Group of Companies, Nigeria
✓ Mrs Regina Daniel Nwoko,
Nigerian Nollywood Actress
GLOBAL LEADERS INVESTMENT SUMMIT & AWARDS (CANADA 2019)
Date: 16th – 18th October, 2019
More Nomination coming up…. For more info, kindly visit www.ariseonigeria.com.ng/sdg-awards
By Own Correspondent- Some foreign currency dealers are reportedly suspending business whilst some are paying less Zimbabwean dollars for the US$.
This follows the reintroduction of the Zimbabwean dollar which outlawed the use of all foreign currencies for domestic transactions.
Illegal forex traders are reportedly currently paying about ZW$6 for US$1, a sharp decline from the ZW$13 per every US dollar which was now being paid on the black market.
The plunge is attributed to uncertainty ushered in by the central bank’s Statutory Instrument 142 of 2019 announced yesterday by government.
Considering that the SI bans the use of all foreign currencies for domestic transactions, consumers who do not buy goods from beyond the Zimbabwean borders might be finding it difficult to part ways with the ZW$.
Despite attempts by government officials to allay fears, some stakeholders are reportedly concerned about the new currency which they think might also fail.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa Tuesday morning said his government deserves credit for bringing back the Zimbabwean Dollar while banning the use of the multi-currency system
Mnangagwa’s government legalised the use of the US dollar, the Rand and other currencies while opting for the local currency.
He told reporters in Victoria Falls that the move will make Zimbabwe normal again as it was one of the few “abnormal” countries using the multi-currency system.
“Zimbabwe has gone back to normalcy and the normalcy is that a country must have its own currency. We were living in an abnormal situation and you must congratulate us for becoming normal again,” Mnangagwa said.
Questioned on whether the country would do away with the surrogate currency, the bond note, Mnangagwa said the local currency which is in circulation at the moment will continue to be used.
“Our current currency is dominated either by the coins, the bond notes or the RTGs. All that is still domestic and still allowed to do a national transaction,” Mnangagwa reiterated.
The re-introduction of the Zim dollar has been met with widespread scepticism as some fear for further economic collapse due to lack of confidence in the local currency.
All Africa|A school headmaster in Marondera died on the spot Sunday afternoon after falling from an avocado tree at his home while fetching the fruits he intended to go sell at his school.
He was identified as Cephas Kanyai.
Relatives of the deceased head who were among the mourners said they were not comfortable speaking to the media over the incident.
But mourners gathered at the head’s residence in Cherutombo suburb in Marondera town on Monday revealed details of the tragic incident.
According to neighbours, Kanyai was a headmaster at St. Ludger primary school just outside Marondera town.
They said tragedy struck when the head was busy collecting some avocados.
“He fell from an avocado tree on Sunday afternoon while collecting the fruits that he intended to sell at his school,” one of the mourners confided to mediaz.
“After falling from the tree, he landed on the security wall head-on and died on the spot. It is sad indeed,” he added.
Efforts to get a comment from Mashonaland East police spokesperson, Tendai Mwanza were unsuccessful.
However, Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general, Raymond Majongwe confirmed Kanyai’s death.
“A friend is telling me a teacher fell from an avocado tree and died in Marondera harvesting them for sell,” said Majongwe.
School teachers and other staff within the country’s education system are up in arms with government of poor wages.
Member of the Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Presidential Advisory Council Dr Shingi Munyeza has penned seven points which he predicts will occur after the gazetting of the Statutory Instrument 142 of 2019 by Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube on Monday.
Munyeza said the measures will see prices of goods stabilising and later falling and the increase will see an increase in exports.
Here are the 7 points below: 1. Speculators honeymoon is over 2. The ZSE will tumble 3. The parallel market will stabilize or even come down 4. Prices will stabilize and later fall 5. Liquidity crunch on the RTGS 6. NPLs with banks will increase 7. Buy local and export
When asked on Twitter whether people have confidence in the system he said, “We have a huge deficit of confidence. That’s why even something good will always be received with skepticism. Lots of work to be done by those in leadership.”
A markets research entity ZimBollar Research Institutre added that “The removal of administrative limits on banks and beaureu de changes will allow them to correctly price foreign currency on their Buy and Sell Trades. As a result they are technically empowered to match the Alt Market. This move should deal a heavy blow to Alternative Markets.”
A view of the South Africa-Mozambique border line.
The Mozambican police force have said the two Mozambican policemen killed on border safeguarding duty in a firefight with South African soldiers on 16 June were shot on the Mozambican side of the border.
According to Mozambican newspaper O Pais, the two police officers killed were Faustino João, who was married with four children, and Benício Lázaro Guirruta, who was married with a 12-year old daughter.
Mozambican media were taken to the scene of the shootout last week, where Republic of Mozambique Police (PRM) commander Bernardino Rafael laid a wreath and observed a minute of silence. He said a memorial would be erected in honour of the fallen policemen and said an explanation of the shooting will be given by the South African side this week.
The shooting incident took place near Ponta do Ouro in Maputo province, according to O Pais, some 10 kilometres from the nearest Mozambican border post, whilst the Mozambicans were on patrol. The two deceased policemen were part of a three-man Frontier Guard patrol – the third, surviving, border guard had difficulty explaining what happened during the incident, according to O Pais.
Mozambican authorities have established a team to investigate the incident, whilst South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Joint Operations Chief Lieutenant General Barney Hlatshwayo has been tasked with leading the investigation on the South African side. It is still not clear what sparked the incident or why it appears that South African soldiers on border protection duty were on Mozambican territory.
Uganda’s Cranes have had a superb start at AFCON 2019. They next face Zimbabwe in a Group A humdinger on Wednesday.
The East Africans have their tails up after defeating the fifth-ranked DR Congo 2-0 in a Group A opener. Up next are Zimbabwe’s Warriors who are bruised and hungry for a win after a 1-0 loss to Egypt.
So with this mouth-watering clash ahead of us, we thought we should have a quick look at the history of this fixture between these East and South nations.
The Cranes and Warriors have met no less than 14 times in all competitions since the turn of the century.
Of these, Uganda have won only two while Zimbabwe have collected a dominant five wins. As far as big thrashings, Uganda have hammered Zimbabwe 4-1 back in 1984.
History seems to count for little in this tournament – and especially with both teams’ new look sides.
All past meetings since ’81:
1981: Uganda 0-0 Zimbabwe – CECAFA Cup
1982: Zimbabwe 2-1 Uganda – International Friendly
1982: Zimbabwe 1-1 Uganda – International Friendly
1982: Uganda 1-1 Zimbabwe – CECAFA Cup
1983: Uganda 0-1 Zimbabwe – CECAFA Cup
1984: Zimbabwe 1-0 Uganda – International Friendly
1984: Uganda 4-1 Zimbabwe – CECAFA Cup
1987: Zimbabwe 0-0 Uganda – CECAFA Cup
1987: Uganda 2-2 Zimbabwe – CECAFA Cup
1988: Uganda 0-0 Zimbabwe – CECAFA Cup
1989: Uganda 1-1 Zimbabwe – CECAFA Cup
2004: Zimbabwe 2-0 Uganda – International Friendly
2011: Zimbabwe 0-1 Uganda – CECAFA Cup
2016: Zimbabwe 2-0 Uganda – International Friendly.
Will Zimbabwe continue the dominance tomorrow evening at 7 pm in Cairo or the Cranes just an entirely different beast under Sébastien Desabre right now?
Warriors coach Sunday Chidzambwa faces a selection dilemma ahead of his charges’ must-win AFCON Group A encounter against the Craines of Uganda tomorrow.
The veteran coach, whose side lost 1-0 in their opener against Egypt on Friday, need a win to keep their hopes of proceeding to the next round alive and the options Chidzambwa has at his disposal in terms of team selection might bring a selection headache for the former Dynamos mentor.
Between the sticks, Edmore Sibanda had a brilliant game against the Pharaoahs but the return from suspension of regular first choice George Chigova brings uncertainty to that possition.
In midfield, one might argue that the Warriors lacked a spark in the final third against Egypt, and many believe Kuda Mahachi’s presence can be a solution to that problem but the availability of Talent Chawapiwa might cause Chidzambwa to think otherwise.
Upront is perhaps where Mhofu’s biggest dilemma is. He started the Egypt game with Nyasha Mushekwi, whose perfomance came under heavy scrutiny, and Tino Kadewere, Evans Rusike and Knox Mutizwa’s willingness to deliver is a willy-nilly situation for the Warriors coach.
Desabre Sebastien has dismissed reports that he once said Zimbabwe is the weakest team in Group A of the 2019 Afcon.
The Ugandan coach made the comments after the tournament’s draw in April, saying the Warriors will be the whipping boys in their pool.
But ahead of the clash with the Southern Africans on Wednesday, Sebastien told reporters that the story was fake and he has enough respect towards their opponents.
“It is not true that I said Zimbabwe is the weakest team in the group. The news was fake. I respect Zimbabwe very well. We know that it will be difficult for us as well” said Desabre at a presser on Tuesday.
The encounter will be the first meeting between the two sides at an Afcon tournament. Kick-off is at 7 pm CAT, and it will be live on SuperSport TV.
Warriors coach Sunday Chidzambwa has declared that his charges will give everything to beat Uganda on Wednesday.
Zimbabwe lost their first match of the Afcon campaign to Egypt, leaving them with a limited chance to book a place in the round of last 16. They need to avoid a defeat in tomorrow’s keep their hopes alive.
Speaking at a presser on Tuesday, Chidzambwa said: “Our goal is to deliver a good match against Uganda.
“We didn’t come here to just participate but to compete and reach the furthest point possible.”
The match will be played at Cairo International Stadium and kick off is at 7 pm.
Warriors coach Sunday Chidzambwa has declared that his charges will give everything to beat Uganda on Wednesday.
Zimbabwe lost their first match of the Afcon campaign to Egypt, leaving them with a limited chance to book a place in the round of last 16. They need to avoid a defeat in tomorrow’s keep their hopes alive.
Speaking at a presser on Tuesday, Chidzambwa said: “Our goal is to deliver a good match against Uganda.
“We didn’t come here to just participate but to compete and reach the furthest point possible.”
The match will be played at Cairo International Stadium and kick off is at 7 pm.Soccer24Zimbabwe
Willard Katsande (l) and Knowledge Musona (r) during training at the 2017 African Cup of Nations Finals Afcon at the Libreville training venue in Gabon on 21 January 2017
CAPTAIN Knowledge Musona believes a win over Uganda at the Cairo International Stadium tomorrow will give them confidence and belief to achieve the same feat in the last Group A match against Democratic Republic of Congo.
Blamed for the one nil defeat to Egypt in the opener on Friday night after he lost possession at a dangerous area of the field, the Belgian based Musona said they have put that defeat behind them and were now focused on the next assignment against Uganda, a team that Zimbabwe has beaten seven times in their 14 meetings, with the other encounters being five draws and two wins for The cranes.
While their coach French coach Sebastein Desabre has made a dramatic U-turn on his views about Zimbabwe after he had insinuated soon after the draw in April that the Warriors will be the weakest team in the group, it’s no secret that tomorrow’s encounter will be more of a grudge match as the Warriors bid to prove him wrong on his earlier utterances.
“We have to focus and do our best to take the three points. We still have a chance of going through, we have two games to play, six points to fight for so we take each game as it comes but we just have to get all the maximum points. If we win our next game it will give us more confidence going forward to the last match of the group,” said Musona, nicknamed the Smiling Assassin because of his deadliness in front of goal.
While he might have had a subdued game in the opener, Musona is almost certain to lead the team tomorrow as like what coach Sunday Chidzambwa said, he is one player who can do anything, anytime.
“Look Musona is our special player, he is capable of doing anything at any given time and you just can’t take him out,” Chidzambwa told travelling Zimbabwean journalists on Saturday
Farai Dziva|ZCTU has accused Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube of “sheer hypocrisy.”
Government yesterday banned the use of the United States dollar as legal tender.
“We have been taken aback by the fact that two days ago Mr Mthuli Ncube assured the nation that the Zim dollar would be reintroduced after wide consultations.
We do not why the government has decided to ambush its key partners.
The move has all but affected all critical dialogue processes,”said ZCTU in a statement at a news conference in Harare today.Watch video below :
Obert Masaraure (@ARTUZ_teachers president) is set to be released! The State’s bid to have him permanently imprisoned flopped after their application to revoke his bail was dismissed today and his warrant of arrest canceled. Thank you to all those who have been praying for him!?? pic.twitter.com/XJxcLPZoOF
The biggest labour movement in Zimbabwe has rubbished statutory instrument 142/19 and says workers are ready to strike if the government doesn’t reserve de-dollarisation.
Using their official twitter handle ZCTU asked workers to demand their wages in USD.
This comes at a time where the country is getting used or adjusting to the news that the RTGS is now the only legal tender in the country. Black market rates have reportedly tumbled with many black market people not buying any forex waiting to see what will happen in the next few days.
The last time the ZCTU called for industrial action in January 2019 things went south as over 12 people were killed and many were tortured and brutalised by security forces.
Farai Dziva| Former First Lady Grace Mugabe and her firstborn son Russell Goreraza have been slapped with a ” damaging lawsuit.”
Mrs Mugabe, her son Russell and senior police officers have been dragged to the High Court facing a damaging US $3, 922 million lawsuit.
According to court documents the lawsuit was filed by Lebanese businessman Jamal Hamed.
Hamed is claiming the following damages:
US$2 000 000 for defamation,
US$1 000 000 for loss of income that could have been realised in rentals.
US$375 000 for unlawful interference with contractual relations
US$342 000 for unlawful occupation
US$205 000 for damages to his properties and furniture.
The businessman is also suing one Kennedy Fero, an officer with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) police protection unit and Nyambo Viera an officer with ZRP at Harare Central, law and order section for assisting Grace and Russel in the illegal occupation of the houses.
ZRP Boss Commissioner General Godwin Matanga has been named as the fifth respondent in the matter.
Uganda goalkeeper and captain Denis Onyango has shared his thoughts in regards to the Cranes’ opponents tomorrow, the Warriors, whom he described as a group with quality players.
The Mamelodi Sundowns shot-stopper made the remarks while addressing the media ahead of tomorrow evening’s encounter which if the Ugandans win, assures them of a place in the next round.
“Personally, I will admit that I know most of the Zimbabwe players. I have played with some of them in the same clubs and majority play in the PSL. We are set and determined to face Zimbabwe,” said Onyango
“There is no need to underrate them because they have quality players,” he added.
Onyango played alongside Warriors star forward Khama Billiat at Sundowns and is fully aware of the threat possed by the diminutive winger-Soccer24Zimbabwe
Farai Dziva|The Cranes of Uganda are hoping their winger Abdu Lumala will return to full fitness before the Group A match against Zimbabwe on Wednesday.
The Sweden-based forward picked a knock towards the end of their 2-0 victory against DRC on Saturday.
Lumala had a light training on Sunday and Monday, and according to the team’s doctors, he should be fully recovered to play on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the East Africans could seal a berth in the knockout round if they manage to beat the Warriors. They are currently on top of the group, thanks to a superior goal difference.
Farai Dziva|South Africa lost their opening game of the 2019 Afcon, succumbing to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Ivory Coast at Al Salam Stadium in Cairo on Monday.
Aston Villa forward Jonathan Kodjia scored the only goal of the encounter in the 64th minute following a trail of threats by the West Africans.
French Ligue 1 winger Nicolas Pepe struck the crossbar a few moments after the half-hour mark before Kodjia forced a great save from Ronwen Williams.
The Ivorians came back again towards the end of the game from a dead-ball situation but were denied superbly by the keeper.
Bafana Bafana, on their side, never created any trouble for the opposite goalie, managing just four attempts on goal throughout the game of which two went on target. They lacked creativity going forward as all of their attacks were easily thwarted.
Farai Dziva|The MDC Youth Assembly has vowed to take on Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government over the prompt ban on the use of the United States dollar as legal tender.
In an interview with ZimEye.com MDC Youth Assembly spokesperson Stephen Chuma said:
“It is unfortunate that the Emmerson Mnangagwa believes he can fix the economy through command economics.
Even an Ordinary level economics student can clearly see that the root of our problems is political.
The economic meltdown is just a symptom of a legitimacy crisis emanating from a disputed election hence banning of foreign currency as a way to fix economy can only make sense to cow boys.”
He added:” It is quite clear that the move to ban foreign currency is a short circuit decision to silence the military and other civil servants who are demanding to be paid in forex since basic prices of goods are being charged in forex.
Unfortunately, it will not work because the people through mass action will in turn ban from Munhumutapa offices those who ban the use of forex.”
Farai Dziva|Warriors midfielder Marvelous Nakamba thinks the Warriors still have a chance to progress to the knockout round of the 2019 AFCON despite losing their first match of the campaign.
Zimbabwe lost 1-0 to hosts Egypt on Friday in a match the Southern Africans put a great performance with Nakamba himself starring splendidly in the midfield.
The Warriors face table-toppers Uganda on Wednesday and the Belgium based player believes there is still a possibility to reach the next round.
“I think it’s possible for us to go to the next stage in the tournament,” Nakamba told H-Metro.
“With the team that we have, with the way that we are playing, I think if we can give everything and try our best, nothing can stop us.”
“We have done it in the qualifying stages where a lot of people thought we wouldn’t qualify. And now we are here, anything is possible in football.”
Zimbabwe, meanwhile, will need to avoid a loss as to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout round alive.
Farai Dziva|MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has accused Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube of taking the people for granted through voodoo economics.
See Chamisa’ s statement:
GUERRILLA ECONOMICS and ambush currency measures are ill-advised, destructive and confidence-draining.
Zim-dollarization requires that macroeconomic fundamentals,public confidence, trust,fiscal discipline, political stability and legitimacy be in place for it to be meaningfully sustainable.
Our economics suffers from too much state
control and excessive politics otherwise known as economic dirigisme.
It is my considered view that certain key benchmarks need to be achieved before the local currency can be sustainably introduced in order to anchor the local currency.
These benchmarks include: attaining a sustainable GDP growth rate of at least 7%; low and stable inflation; reducing the high debt ratios to very low and sustainable levels; increasing the level of savings and investments to at least 25% of GDP; reducing the balance-of-payments deficit to less than 5% of GDP; increasing the export level to at least 25% of GDP; high levels of productive capacity; political stability and legitimacy.
More importantly, foreign-currency reserves need to be built up to sustainable levels to anchor the Zimbabwe dollar and to defend it in the event of a currency or speculative attack.
We have the SMART economic blueprint as our alternative to the current voodoo approach to economics, think differently.
Farai Dziva|The ban on the use of the US dollar as legal tender epitomizes total shutdown of government business, an MDC official has said.
Addressing a news conference at Morgan Tsvangirai House, Dr Tapiwa Mashakada said :This is the worst thing to do at a time the regime is totally surrounded by relentless challenges.
The country has no fuel, no electricity and no production and turning to the Zim Dollar as the main currency is really unfortunate.
Farai Dziva|The MDC has described the decision by Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to outlaw the use of the US Dollar as disastrous.
Addressing a news conference in the capital today MDC official Dr Tapiwa Mashakada said:
“To be frank you cannot rely on the Zim Dollar without addressing the fundamental economic challenges.
There are key issues that have to be addressed before abandoning the multi-currency regime – which are as follows – production, confidence, reserves,surplus and adequate notice.”
Mnangagwa addressing journalists in Vic Falls this morning
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has hailed the reintroduction of the Zimbabwean dollar saying that the move has brought back the country to normalcy.
Mnangagwa said this while addressing the media on the recent scrapping of the multi-currency regime, on the sidelines of the ongoing inaugural Africa Wildlife Economy Summit in Vic Falls.
By Own Correspondent| Zanu PF youth Secretary Lewis Matutu has come under fire for allegedly extorting bigwigs threatening to expose them on alleged corruption dealings.
Matutu who named and shamed the bigwigs yesterday at a press conference is said to be asking for favours from some of the people who were named on the list.
The Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) executive, Ms Henerieta Rushwaya said it was just unfortunate that she was asked farm equipment by Matutu recently and she refused.
“It is just unfortunate that Matutu called me asking for farm equipment and I told him that I did not have what he was asking about and I was shocked that he named me among corrupt people in the country. That is ridiculous and I have recordings of his calls when push comes to the shove I am going to release the charts and recorded calls,” she fumed.
Sources said Matutu also savaged Wedza South constituency MP Tinoda “Tinmac” Machakaire for buying Warriors jersey for USD 10 000 saying the youthful businessman was supposed to give the money to the Youth League so that they can fund their programs.
“Tinmac was under fire last week for purchasing a warriors jursey and these guys wanted the money to come to the Youth League so that they use it.
Matutu was given money by Machakaire to use it at the Youth League but he is yet to declare the money so he must shut up,” he said.
Contacted for comment, Machakaire said he could not comment on the matter.
Another Zanu PF youthful MP for Gokwe Nembudziya constituency Justice Mayor Wadyajena took his twitter account to slam Matutu, labeling him an extortionist.
“We have backslid to the Grace era where G40 youths used extortion against citisens to avoid public lynching. A country can’t be dictated to by a bunch of youth at a presser. Do they even understand the consequences of alleging corruption by head of Reserve Bank Zimbabwe for Corruption,” he said.
UNIFREIT Zimbabwe marketing executive Lisbon Monda said maybe he was mistakenly named because of false story published in a local weekly newspaper.
Matutu was adamant saying those were just fabrications of people who were named.
“I am not blackmailing anyone and we are going head on,” he said.
1/ Good show @MatutuLewis it’s a start. However there are more names that you left out. Chitando, the one who controls the richest portfolio in the country&has compromised many youth. All the lithium deals are his&he has platinum involvement too.
— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) June 25, 2019
Years after Emmerson & his lot are gone SI 142 of 2019 will be remembered as the turning point.Their Sarajevo.That moment it became clear even to the most ardent,that they had outlived their usefulness.That they had become a threat not only to the country but to themselves too
“Years after Emmerson and his lot are gone SI 142 of 2019 will be remembered as the turning point.Their Sarajevo.That moment it became clear even to the most ardent,that they had outlived their usefulness.That they had become a threat not only to the country but to themselves too,” said Biti while posting on Twitter.
Today, the 25th of June 2019, we submitted a petition at the Office of the President and with the Clerk of Parliament. We did this in terms of the laws and the constitution of Zimbabwe in light of the political crisis obtaining in the country. Accordingly, we gave the President up to the 1st of July 2019 to act on the crisis or face peaceful but UNRELENTING and UNWEIDLING PROTESTS and NATIONAL SHUTDOWN.
If you support this position, please click on the link below and sign the attached petition. Kindly also share it with friends and relatives as widely and as extensively as possible using all social media platforms from twitter, facebook, snapchat, instgram, whatsaap, email and many more. We will keep you updated on the next course of action. The time has come, to act together in concert as a nation in defence of our beloved country and future generations to come.
In the meantime, we ask you to utilise the notice given to the government to prepare yourselves for the FINAL SEASON OF UNGOVERNABILITY. We will need to stork up food provisions, water, data bundles (anticipate closure of the internet and be ready TO COORDINATE using VPN and other similar platforms). We have initiated this process after extensive consultations and incessant demands for action led by Tajamuka/Sesjikile Campaign from YOU-THE PEOPLE.
We therefore expect MAXIMUM SUPPORT and CO-OPERATION from YOU and even from our beloved civil servants whose intelligence continue to be insulted by this rogue and greedy regime. This also applies to our armed forces from the police CIO and the military. We are all affected together as CITIZENS and we owe it to ourselves to pressure government to fix the economy and the politics or ship out. Please follow this page for further updates as we await response from the relevant authorities. We STAND!
Own Correspondent| Former Vice President Joice Mujuru says the statutory Instrument 142 of 2019 gazetted by Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube on Monday will not work.
Ncube on Monday banned the multi currency system and introduced a new currency called the Zimbabwe Dollar.
Said Mujuru, “We can’t work with miracle economic policies, no it won’t work waking up RTGS and Bond now being Zimbabwe Dollar. That is illegal and l once said it.”
The Opposition MDC said the government has ambushed the nation by imposing the new dollar.
“Despite government’s promise that it would introduce a new Zimbabwe currency in the next nine months while it addresses the fundamentals, the regime today just ambushed the nation and reintroduced the Zimbabwean dollar as the only legal tender in local transactions. This means that the multi-currency regime, which provided some modicum of decency and predictability, has been thrown out of the window in favor of the volatile local currency that is not backed by adequate gold and foreign currency reserves.
“In spite of SI 142, it is important to state that trust and confidence, which any transacting public must have before they use a currency, cannot in themselves be gazetted.
Today’s decision shows the lack of coherent, prudent and predictable policy, which is important to retain trust and confidence in a country’s economy. Policy consistency and predictability are key tenets for any economy to succeed.”
President Emmerson Mnangagwa set to address the media on the recent scrapping of the multi-currency regime, on the sidelines of the ongoing inaugural Africa Wildlife Economy Summit in Vic Falls
Zimbabwe is a crazy place to live in, but at times like these we need to keep our perspective. Fuel queues, empty shelves, the constant stream of social media messages complaining about everything and claiming that tomorrow is Armageddon. Sometimes you simply have to get away from it all.
Former BULAWAYO South MDC legislator, Eddie Cross
Last week my son and I fled the City of Harare for a fishing trip on the lower Zambezi. We had been invited by a good friend and after a 6 hour drive we came out of the bush to see the great sweep of the Zambezi River in front of us at the Chiwore River mouth. For the ignorant that is about 100 kilometres above Caborra Bassa Dam in Mozambique and about the same distance from Chirundu.
It was hot but a breeze was blowing up the river and the river itself was very full. Lots of weed coming down and a bit dirty – we were told the Kafue flood gates were open and this was flushing out the downstream river before it joined the Zambezi. However, the main influence was the new generation capacity at the Kariba Dam – still one of the largest in the world with 2000 megawatts of generation capacity. All turbines were working.
We were greeted by the staff at the Camp and settled in to our lodges which opened out to the river and were open to the breeze, but kept the resident wild life out. Green lawn cropped down to the roots by the Hippo at night and the massive Acacia trees for shade completed the picture, the dining room/bar area had an infinity pool and Gary spent a bit of time in the water trying to cool off.
We had a marvellous four days on the river. We all caught some decent fish and I lost the largest of course!! Surrounded by wild life of all shapes and sizes and being totally spoiled by the staff who included a superb Chef who seemed determined to make sure we went home a few kilos heavier than when we came.
On the first night our host threw a dinner party for Lynn Taylor who heads up an initiative to support the National Parks staff with equipment and facilities such as boats, radio communications, water and power in their camps.
She was accompanied by a former army type who now specialises in tracking and hunting down poachers in the vast game reserves that are spread along the river. The local National Parks staff attended and we were informed that the one Ranger at the dinner was probably one of the best in Africa.
At first light we were on the river and on the first day I caught a 15 and a 12-pound tiger – both of which are quite reasonable fish and giving me a great fight in the process. The Zambezi Tiger Fish is not only a beautiful species but possibly one of the best game fish in the world.
It has a mouth of teeth that will take a finger off in a second and leave you thinking you never had so much blood in you. Fish as small at 2 to 5 lbs will give you a great fight, especially on the river where they battle all the time against the fast currents and the need to catch their prey.
We drifted over massive pods of Hippo and caught the delicate Chessa for bait and in the process caught some quite decent fish. What we did not use as bait went to the Yellow Billed Kites who trailed our boat looking for scraps and being a nuisance. But I must say that watching those migrants flying in close proximity made you appreciate their incredible flying skills.
We were not appreciated by the Hippo and one rose up next to the boat and gave Gary a fright. Close up two tonnes of Hippo is quite a sight. The week before one big bull had grabbed a boat in its jaws and holed the boat so badly that they had to race to the shore where it sank in shallow water.
No cell phones, no internet and no queues or complaints – just sun, water and the wonderful low veld bush and the riverine forest. Can there be any better experience than floating down the Zambezi with your lines out and the sun going down in the west?
Then the strike and your reel screaming and the task of setting the hook and getting the fish to the boat with him leaping out of the water some 70 metres away and shaking his head in an effort to throw the hook. Often with Elephant grazing on the bank or in the reeds nearby. I am not a beer drinker, but sometimes I am tempted when you see how much pleasure the guys get from a cold beer at that point.
The Chiwore River does not flow in the winter, but it has a large sand bank at the point where it enters the main river. It was here during the Liberation war when three senior Police Officers slept one evening during a canoe trip to the Coast from Chirundu.
While they slept a large group of Guerrillas crossed the main river and entered Zimbabwe to join the war. They passed a few metres from the three men without either knowing they were there. The sand bank shielded the three and saved their lives.
But the river has no memory of those things, it simply lives its life out accepting all who come to it for water or food, or in our case a need to put the problems of our world back into perspective and get a break from the pressures of our daily lives. My son is a Pastor and on a month’s sabbatical from the Church and I could sense the tensions and weariness falling away from his shoulders. His excitement when he caught his first decent fish was palpable.
On Wednesday at about 17.00 hrs we heard two shots on the Zambian side of the river. It sounded like a 500 – a very heavy weapon and was followed by sound of an axe being used to cut out the tusks. We notified Parks to hear that they had also heard the shots and had contracted Zambia.
It took the Zambians 24 hours to get there and when they did the vultures and other scavengers were already busy. It turned out to be an old bull Elephant and the poachers were far away by the time the Rangers arrived = had we been able to respond we would have been able to detain the poachers and hold them until the Zambian people arrived. Perhaps this should be allowed or permission granted to go in immediately when such an incident is heard or observed.
All too soon we were on our way home – this time via the road to Kanyemba where a British company is drilling for oil or gas. Then up to the escarpment and home via Mashonaland Central. We passed through small towns where there were no queues – because there was no fuel at all. Then driving into Harare in the late evening getting home to a hot shower and an early night.
In the morning it was clear the world around us had not changed, no miracles had occurred and we were short of many things. But in perspective they seemed less large and intimidating. We knew the real Zimbabwe was out there waiting for us whenever we needed a real break. Just in case you think I boast here is my larger fish and my Zambezi Valley host.
By Own Correspondent- Albert Mugabe is facing criminal abuse charges in which it is alleged that he wrote a letter to CBZ bank misrepresenting that the ZINARA board had agreed to set off a $300 000 mortgage for its CEO, Nancy Masiyiwa.
The State led by Nyikadzino Machingura opened its case by leading the evidence of the board’s corporate secretary Mathelene Mujokoro who told the court that she was requested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission to do a statement in regards to the mortgage facility given to Masiyiwa.
The witness said Mugabe wrote to CBZ assuring them that the board had agreed to set off the CEO’s mortgage. Mujokoro told the court that according to the submissions made by Masiyiwa in a board meeting, the mortgage wasn’t backed by ZINARA, as it was her personal mortgage.
“In response to an enquiry by the board in regard to the mortgage facility, as to whether it was secured by ZINARA funds or not, Masiyiwa said it was secured by good working relations with the bank and it was her personal loan.
“As the corporate secretary, I read her agreement with the bank and there was no reference whatsoever to ZINARA, no clause linking the board so it felt that there was no need to make a resolution,” said Mujokoro.-StaeMedia
When asked by the State where she thought the charges against Mugabe were emanating from, Mujokoro said there was a correspondence to CBZ by the then board chairman as surety for the CEO’s mortgage.
“The CEO said she didn’t have knowledge of the correspondence prompting the chairperson Wilfred Ramwi to say that there was risk arising if the correspondence was not backed by a board resolution,” said Mujokoro.
In a bid to curb the anomaly, Mujokoro said Ramwi advised that the letter could be revoked. “In a meeting with the bank CEO, he advised us that the letter could be revoked but the bank would require and alternative security.
“We had proposals that we would take to the bank, that Masiyiwa would offer another property, or the deposit required or to indulge the bank to allow her to pay the requisite deposit in instalments,” Mujokoro.
Mugabe pleaded not guilty to the charge challenging the State to prove that he authored and signed any false letter of undertaking to CBZ advising them that ZINARA had agreed to set off Masiyiwa’s mortgage loan.
Subsequently, Mugabe’s lawyer Admire Rubaya challenged the admissibility of the alleged letters to CBZ bank. Harare regional magistrate Lazini Ncube presided over the matter.-StateMedia
State Media|SIX men armed with guns raided a house in Bulawayo’s Famona suburb and got away with US$30 000, a gun, ammunition, a safe with an undisclosed amount of cash and a vehicle.
The incident occurred at a house along Inverness Road around 7PM on Friday. Bulawayo acting police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident.
“Police in Bulawayo are investigating an armed robbery that took place in Famona,” he said.
A police source who cannot be named for professional reasons said the robbers ambushed the house owner (name withheld) as he was driving into his yard.
“They covered him with a pistol and ordered him out of the car. The six surrounded the vehicle. They threatened to shoot and kill him if he disobeyed their orders,” said the source.
The suspects, said the source, demanded money from the victim and indicated that they knew he had a large sum of money kept in his house.
“They force marched him into his home and ransacked it.
“The robbers got away with a hunting rifle and about 15 rounds of ammunition. They stole a safe with cash. They took about US$30 000 and a Nissan 2.7 single cab pickup vehicle which they used to get away,” he said.
The news crew found the house deserted on Sunday.
Last week, six armed robbers pounced on a house in Bulawayo’s city centre and brutally attacked four people with machetes before they got away with US$6 687, RTGS$1 000, five grammes gold and three digital gold scales.
The incident happened at a cottage along Herbert Chitepo Street and 1st Avenue. Two of the victims who sustained deep cuts on their hands and legs were admitted to Mpilo Central Hospital while two were discharged.
Police are on record advising members of the public to avoid keeping large sums of money at their homes, as the money attracts criminals. They always advise residents to deposit excess cash in banks.
By Tapiwa Mashakada and Miriam Mushayi| Wheels have finally come off as government has been cornered and forced to involuntarily de-dollarize without a plan.When government introduced bond notes we warned that the surrogate currency was bad money that was going to chase good money.
The bond notes failed. When government introduced the RTGS dollar we warned that the RTGS would fail and it happened. In both cases we gave solid advice based on evidence based research. In fact we chided and mocked the government challenging it to call the 2 currencies, the Zim dollar and accept that they had failed.
On 24th June government abolished the multi-currency regime which was introduced in 2009 exactly 10 years ago in order to thwart hyperinflation. In the multiple currency basket the USD had become the de facto currency of choice as legal tender. Subsequently government introduced surrogate currencies into the basket, namely the bond notes and RTGS. This sparked an unprecedented parallel market regime which fuelled general price increases in the economy as retailers indexed prices to us$ in-order to hedge themselves against inflation. By the 24th June 2019, the 2 surrogate currencies had been debauched and reduced to worthless legal tender as the economy had completely redollarised. Prices were quoted in us dollars or its RTGS equivalent. Everybody rushed to collect USD as a way to safeguard or hedge against hyperinflation which has climbed to 300%.
The Transitional Stabilization Program failed to tame the financial crisis. Instead the TSP was like setting a match stick on dry grass. It is clear that market confidence had dropped and all monetary/fiscal statements were blunted and of no force or effect.
So where are we now? Clearly Zimbabwe is at a crossroads. The country is jumping from a frying pan into a ball of fire. The Zim dollar is coming involuntarily and prematurely as a knee jerk reaction. The key fundamentals required for the sustainability of a Sovereign Currency include: # a budget deficit lower than 5 # A trade surplus # At least 6 months import cover # A healthy Capital Account # Productivity and evidence of high levels of capacity utilization # low levels of inflation (single digit) # Confidence #Realistic exchange rate.
These fundamentals are not yet in place. In the absence of these fundamentals, the impact of the introduction of the Zim-dollar will result in the following ten (10) policy implications:
1. The market will have no confidence in the Zim dollar 2. Retailers will withdraw goods from the shelves and cause artificial shortages 3. This will drive prices upwards 4. The parallel market will come back with a vengeance since government has introduced domestic currency without a floating or managed exchange rate for it. 5. The market will reject the Zim dollar and go back to the USD on its own. 6. Government has no capacity to enforce the use of the Zim dollar on the ground 7. Government will resort to the printing press and increase money supply growth as it seeks to increase civil servants’wages and meet its day to day obligations. 8. This will feed into hyperinflation 9. Since government is the sole printer of the sovereign currency it means that through underhand dealings the Reserve Bank may continue to drive the black market by buying forex to meet import requirements. We will see new notes on the streets. 10. Zimbabwe will again have a useless and debauched currency which only serves sentimental reasons.
Alternative Solutions:
1. At present Zimbabwe cannot afford a paper currency which has no economic value. The only feasible option is to adopt the Rand and price all goods and services in Rand as an interim measure pending an application to join the RMA
2. National Political Dialogue between Zanu PF, MDC, Civil Society, Labour, Business and Churches inorder to arrest the economic melt-down.
Conclusion: Zimbabwe is clearly facing a political crisis. We dont need a rocket scientist to tell us. The economy is gridlocked in the jaws of politics. There is a complete shutdown of gvt as all social services have collapsed while civil servants are earning poverty wages under hyperinflationary conditions. Clearly gvt is cornered and has gone into a panic mode. Gvt should wake up and smell the coffee. Chickens are coming home to roost. Stabilization does not lead to prosperity. It leads to poverty. As we have always said, when it comes to economic affairs, Zanu PF is certainly clueless.
Ethiopian security forces have killed the man accused of orchestrating a failed coup d’etat in the northern Amhara region over the weekend.
General Asamnew Tsige, who allegedly led the coup attempt, was shot on Monday near the Amhara state capital Bahir Dar, the prime minister’s press secretary, Negussu Tilahun, told Reuters news agency on Monday.
Tilahun declined to give any other details.
“Asaminew Tsige – who has been in hiding since the failed coup attempt over the weekend – has been shot dead,” state broadcaster EBC reported.
The failed putsch on Saturday led to the killing of five senior officials, including the army chief of staff. The latest to die was the attorney-general of Amhara state, Migbara Kebede, who succumbed to his wounds on Monday.
Asamnew had been on the run with some of his supporters while other plotters have been arrested.
The streets of the capital Addis Ababa appeared calm as military vehicles patrolled the city, while flags were flying at half mast on Monday. Access to the internet appeared to be blocked across Ethiopia, users reported.
The reasons behind the attempted coup in the state remain unclear, although it may have been a reaction from Asamnew to a plan by state officials to rein him in after they were alarmed by reports of his ethnic rhetoric and recruitment of militias.
Brigadier-General Tefera Mamo, head of special forces in Amhara, told state television on Sunday “most of the people who attempted the coup have been arrested, although there are a few still at large”.
‘Hit squad’ Saturday’s violence unfolded in two separate attacks.
Ethiopia government says rebellion quashed after arrests made
According to a government spokeswoman Billene Seyoum, a “hit squad” led by Asamnew burst into a meeting in the state offices in Bahir Dar – 500km north of the capital Addis Ababa – and shot dead regional government President Ambachew Mekonnen and his adviser Ezez Wassie.
“Several hours later, in what seems like a coordinated attack, the chief of staff of the national security forces, Seare Mekonnen, was killed in his home by his bodyguard in Addis Ababa,” Seyoum said.
Asamnew had told the Amhara people to arm themselves and prepare for fighting against other groups, in a video spread on Facebook a week earlier.
The general had been released from prison last year after receiving an amnesty for a similar coup attempt.
Long-simmering ethnic tensions in Amhara and other areas has surged since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched reforms. At least 2.4 million people have fled fighting, according to the United Nations.
Powerful enemies
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has pushed through sweeping changes since coming to power in April last year, making peace with Eritrea, reining in the security services, releasing political prisoners and lifting bans on some outlawed separatist groups.
The reforms in Africa’s second-most populous country have won him widespread international praise.
But his shake-up of the military and intelligence services has earned him powerful enemies at home, while his government is struggling to contain figures in Ethiopia’s myriad ethnic groups fighting the federal government and each other for greater influence and resources.
Monday was a national day of mourning following Saturday’s coup attempt.
SADC as usual is conspicuously mute and invisible over the unfolding Malawi Political situation as a result of the just ended general elections.
SADC sent an observation mission and am sure declared the elections free and fair.
Now that the Opposition has contested the results and declaration of the winner, SADC should account for its presence in Malawi.
SADC should not be mute but should help Malawi resolve its electoral and political dispute before it escalates into full fledged conflict.
The inertia by SADC to respond quickly to political and electoral disputes in the region is painting a very wrong picture of the regional bloc competencies to resolve its own problems.
As for Zambia, being the head of the Troika on defence and security, and of late heading observation missions, must also take practical steps in resolving the issues in Malawi.
Having sent observers through the SADC Election observation mission, right information about the conduct of the Malawian election esp with the reported resignation of the Malawian Electoral Commission chairperson, must be made public.
We wait to hear from SADC and the inquiry remains, SADC where are u when Malawi is almost on electoral and political fire?
Controversial man of cloth Prophet Oscar Pambuka has come under fire for an alleged false prophecy over the end result of the Warriors’ match against Egypt on Friday.
He had said that the national team would win the game with a two one victory over the Pharoahs of Egypt.
The match ended in a one nil loss for the Warriors. People were quick to point out that the man of God had misleaded the whole nation who now had legitimate expectation of a win. They lambasted him for falsely prophesying.
In his defence Pambuka had cleared the air by stating that he had never prophesied about such. In what he termed ‘a quick English lesson he made reference to his earlier message in which he had said the warriors will win and asked the people to call him saying what they wanted, either a prediction or a prophecy.
He said he had not actually said that his message was a prophecy.
The clarification further infuriated people who said Pambuka was now hiding behind terminology and technical issues. They said he had merely told a big lie that he was now seeking to cover up.
Pambuka shocked many people when he announced that he was starting his own ministry called Oscar Pambuka ministries. He said he wanted people to witness the power of God. Most people had brushed off the allegations as mere bluffing but Pambuka had gone ahead with full filling his promise.
The Warriors will face off against Uganda in their next game on 26 June.
THE trial of two pro-democracy campaigners charged with plotting to overthrow President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government got off to a false start on Monday 24 June 2019 after the State indicated that it was not yet ready to commence with trial despite undertaking to do so at the last remand proceedings.
Pastor Evan Mawarire, the leader of His Generation Church and Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) President Peter Mutasa were supposed to stand trial at Harare Magistrates Court beginning Monday 24 June 2019 on charges of subverting a constitutional government as defined in section 22 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
According to the State, Pastor Mawarire and Mutasa organised anti-government protests in January with the aim of toppling President Mnangagwa’s administration from power.
However, their trial failed to commence as prosecutors sought for a postponement of the matter and the placement of the duo on further remand. In seeking for a postponement, prosecutors argued that they wanted Pastor Mawarire and Mutasa to be indicted for trial at the High Court after alleging that the allocation of the trial date at the Regional Court in Harare was made in error.
However, Pastor Mawarire and Mutasa’s lawyers Alec Muchadehama and Tonderai Bhatasara of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) opposed the State’s application and challenged the placement of the duo on further remand arguing that the State had taken long in placing them on trial.
Harare Magistrate Jessie Kufa, who presided over the matter, will hand down her ruling at 11:15 on Tuesday 25 June 2019 on the State’s application for further placement on remand of Pastor Mawarire and Mutasa.
Earlier on, Harare Magistrate Barbra Mateko remanded ZCTU Secretary-General Japhet Moyo out of custody to 6 August 2019 after dismissing his application for refusal of further remand. Moyo, who is represented by Muchadehama, had challenged his continued placement on remand without being given a trial date considering that it is almost six months since he was arrested in January 2019 and charged with subverting a constitutional government as defined in section 22 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
Meanwhile, Magistrate Mateko will on Tuesday 25 June 2019 deliver her ruling on an application filed by the State seeking to revoke bail granted to Obert Masaraure, the leader of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ).
The State claims that Masaraure, who is out of custody on bail on charges of subverting constitutional government, breached his bail conditions by not reporting at Zimbabwe Republic Police station in Hwedza and by not residing at Chemhanza High School in Hwedza in Mashonaland East province, where he is employed as a teacher, as ordered by the High Court.
However, Masaraure’s lawyers Jeremiah Bamu and Doug Coltart of ZLHR disputed the State’s claims and told Magistrate Mateko that the ARTUZ leader had reported to the police and was religiously staying at his given residential address and hence his bail must not be revoked as punishment for breach of conditions.
Magistrate Mateko will hand down her ruling at 2:15 PM on Tuesday 25 June 2019.
Apart from Masaraure, Pastor Mawarire, Mutasa and Moyo, 16 other Zimbabweans are due to stand trial on charges of subverting a constitutional government.
The Zanu PF Youth League of the United Kingdom/Europe district stands in solidarity with our Executive as lead by Cde Togarapi Pupurai and Cde Lewis Matutu together with their entire Executive Team on the recently launched Anti-Corruption Campaign.
We stand proudly with our leadership on the demonstration of courage that was nostalgic of the ground-breaking spirit that helped craft and defend the letter and spirit of what we now term our Party’s constitution/Gwara Remusangano. Today we witness the resurgence of fortitude amongst our membership as a direct consequence of a Youth league leadership that has chosen to lead from the front, evoking the ancestral awakening of our forbearers whose hands shaped the very foundation of the revolutionary building they spoke from.
As the Youth League UK/Europe district we pledge our utmost support towards a corruption free society. It is equally our deepest conviction that the Youth League is the introspective impulse of the Party as custodians of the rich heritage of our national liberation struggle and the founding ethos thereof. Hence why it appears history has adorned us with a time such as this to which the pre-eminence of courage is demonstrated by this time a group of intergenerational comrades whose instinct is to finish the nationalist project without a clamour of fear or a sense of opportunism.
Therefore, we applaud this stance and hope that all the proposed recommendations are promptly acted upon with a sense of urgency as we deem this as not only a crystallising moment for our national reform agenda but a clear portrayal of why our tag line which is “The Peoples Party”. In conclusion, we borrow from Franklin D. Roosevelt by saying ““Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself”.
Zanu PF Youth League UK/Europe The Youth League Executive Team of the United Kingdom/Europe
cc Chairman Cde Farai Muvuti Vice Chairman CDE Rocafella Zimba Acting Secretary of Administration -CDE Ken Patrick Mpame
Secretary of Finance CDE Tangunda Mangere Political Commissariat CDE Munyaradzi Mangwana Kind Regards
By Own Correspondent- Six men armed with guns raided a house in Bulawayo’s Famona suburb and got away with US$30 000, a gun, ammunition, a safe with an undisclosed amount of cash and a vehicle.
The incident occurred at a house along Inverness Road around 7PM on Friday.
Bulawayo acting police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident.
“Police in Bulawayo are investigating an armed robbery that took place in Famona,” he said.
A police source who cannot be named for professional reasons said the robbers ambushed the house owner (name withheld) as he was driving into his yard.
“They covered him with a pistol and ordered him out of the car. The six surrounded the vehicle. They threatened to shoot and kill him if he disobeyed their orders,” said the source.
The suspects, said the source, demanded money from the victim and indicated that they knew he had a large sum of money kept in his house.
“They force marched him into his home and ransacked it.
“The robbers got away with a hunting rifle and about 15 rounds of ammunition. They stole a safe with cash. They took about US$30 000 and a Nissan 2.7 single cab pickup vehicle which they used to get away,” he said.
The news crew found the house deserted on Sunday.
Last week, six armed robbers pounced on a house in Bulawayo’s city centre and brutally attacked four people with machetes before they got away with US$6 687, RTGS$1 000, five grammes gold and three digital gold scales.
The incident happened at a cottage along Herbert Chitepo Street and 1st Avenue.
Two of the victims who sustained deep cuts on their hands and legs were admitted to Mpilo Central Hospital while two were discharged.
Police are on record advising members of the public to avoid keeping large sums of money at their homes, as the money attracts criminals.
They always advise residents to deposit excess cash in banks.-StateMedia
Zimbabwe is a crazy place to live in, but at times like these we need to keep our perspective. Fuel queues, empty shelves, the constant stream of social media messages complaining about everything and claiming that tomorrow is Armageddon. Sometimes you simply have to get away from it all.
Former BULAWAYO South MDC legislator, Eddie Cross
Last week my son and I fled the City of Harare for a fishing trip on the lower Zambezi. We had been invited by a good friend and after a 6 hour drive we came out of the bush to see the great sweep of the Zambezi River in front of us at the Chiwore River mouth. For the ignorant that is about 100 kilometres above Caborra Bassa Dam in Mozambique and about the same distance from Chirundu.
It was hot but a breeze was blowing up the river and the river itself was very full. Lots of weed coming down and a bit dirty – we were told the Kafue flood gates were open and this was flushing out the downstream river before it joined the Zambezi. However, the main influence was the new generation capacity at the Kariba Dam – still one of the largest in the world with 2000 megawatts of generation capacity. All turbines were working.
We were greeted by the staff at the Camp and settled in to our lodges which opened out to the river and were open to the breeze, but kept the resident wild life out. Green lawn cropped down to the roots by the Hippo at night and the massive Acacia trees for shade completed the picture, the dining room/bar area had an infinity pool and Gary spent a bit of time in the water trying to cool off.
We had a marvellous four days on the river. We all caught some decent fish and I lost the largest of course!! Surrounded by wild life of all shapes and sizes and being totally spoiled by the staff who included a superb Chef who seemed determined to make sure we went home a few kilos heavier than when we came.
On the first night our host threw a dinner party for Lynn Taylor who heads up an initiative to support the National Parks staff with equipment and facilities such as boats, radio communications, water and power in their camps.
She was accompanied by a former army type who now specialises in tracking and hunting down poachers in the vast game reserves that are spread along the river. The local National Parks staff attended and we were informed that the one Ranger at the dinner was probably one of the best in Africa.
At first light we were on the river and on the first day I caught a 15 and a 12-pound tiger – both of which are quite reasonable fish and giving me a great fight in the process. The Zambezi Tiger Fish is not only a beautiful species but possibly one of the best game fish in the world.
It has a mouth of teeth that will take a finger off in a second and leave you thinking you never had so much blood in you. Fish as small at 2 to 5 lbs will give you a great fight, especially on the river where they battle all the time against the fast currents and the need to catch their prey.
We drifted over massive pods of Hippo and caught the delicate Chessa for bait and in the process caught some quite decent fish. What we did not use as bait went to the Yellow Billed Kites who trailed our boat looking for scraps and being a nuisance. But I must say that watching those migrants flying in close proximity made you appreciate their incredible flying skills.
We were not appreciated by the Hippo and one rose up next to the boat and gave Gary a fright. Close up two tonnes of Hippo is quite a sight. The week before one big bull had grabbed a boat in its jaws and holed the boat so badly that they had to race to the shore where it sank in shallow water.
No cell phones, no internet and no queues or complaints – just sun, water and the wonderful low veld bush and the riverine forest. Can there be any better experience than floating down the Zambezi with your lines out and the sun going down in the west?
Then the strike and your reel screaming and the task of setting the hook and getting the fish to the boat with him leaping out of the water some 70 metres away and shaking his head in an effort to throw the hook. Often with Elephant grazing on the bank or in the reeds nearby. I am not a beer drinker, but sometimes I am tempted when you see how much pleasure the guys get from a cold beer at that point.
The Chiwore River does not flow in the winter, but it has a large sand bank at the point where it enters the main river. It was here during the Liberation war when three senior Police Officers slept one evening during a canoe trip to the Coast from Chirundu.
While they slept a large group of Guerrillas crossed the main river and entered Zimbabwe to join the war. They passed a few metres from the three men without either knowing they were there. The sand bank shielded the three and saved their lives.
But the river has no memory of those things, it simply lives its life out accepting all who come to it for water or food, or in our case a need to put the problems of our world back into perspective and get a break from the pressures of our daily lives. My son is a Pastor and on a month’s sabbatical from the Church and I could sense the tensions and weariness falling away from his shoulders. His excitement when he caught his first decent fish was palpable.
On Wednesday at about 17.00 hrs we heard two shots on the Zambian side of the river. It sounded like a 500 – a very heavy weapon and was followed by sound of an axe being used to cut out the tusks. We notified Parks to hear that they had also heard the shots and had contracted Zambia.
It took the Zambians 24 hours to get there and when they did the vultures and other scavengers were already busy. It turned out to be an old bull Elephant and the poachers were far away by the time the Rangers arrived = had we been able to respond we would have been able to detain the poachers and hold them until the Zambian people arrived. Perhaps this should be allowed or permission granted to go in immediately when such an incident is heard or observed.
All too soon we were on our way home – this time via the road to Kanyemba where a British company is drilling for oil or gas. Then up to the escarpment and home via Mashonaland Central. We passed through small towns where there were no queues – because there was no fuel at all. Then driving into Harare in the late evening getting home to a hot shower and an early night.
In the morning it was clear the world around us had not changed, no miracles had occurred and we were short of many things. But in perspective they seemed less large and intimidating. We knew the real Zimbabwe was out there waiting for us whenever we needed a real break. Just in case you think I boast here is my larger fish and my Zambezi Valley host.
Overnight interest rates for banks have been hiked from 15% to 50%.
The Reserve Bank Of Zimbaabwe has massively hiked interest rates following the announcement of the return of the Zimbabwean dollar.
On Monday, government said only the Zimbabwe dollar could be used for local transactions.
Overnight interest rates for banks have been hiked from 15% to 50%.
It was one of several measures the central bank announced on Monday to support the Zimbabwe dollar, the new currency that has taken most by surprise.
The government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa had previously hinted at a much later date for domestic currency.
For now, there are questions like will this cause more shortages of fuel and bread and imported goods?
Others have grimly noted that outlawing the US dollar meant restive civil servants couldn’t demand it any more as they had been doing with mounting strike threats.
Said Mujuru, “We can’t work with miracle economic policies, no it won’t work waking up RTGS and Bond now being Zimbabwe Dollar. That is illegal and l once said it.”
National People’s Party Leader Joice Mujuru
Former Vice President Joice Mujuru says the statutory Instrument 142 of 2019 gazetted by Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube on Monday will not work.
Ncube on Monday banned the multi currency system and introduced a new currency called the Zimbabwe Dollar.
Said Mujuru, “We can’t work with miracle economic policies, no it won’t work waking up RTGS and Bond now being Zimbabwe Dollar. That is illegal and l once said it.”
The Opposition MDC said the government has ambushed the nation by imposing the new dollar.
“Despite government’s promise that it would introduce a new Zimbabwe currency in the next nine months while it addresses the fundamentals, the regime today just ambushed the nation and reintroduced the Zimbabwean dollar as the only legal tender in local transactions. This means that the multi-currency regime, which provided some modicum of decency and predictability, has been thrown out of the window in favor of the volatile local currency that is not backed by adequate gold and foreign currency reserves.
“In spite of SI 142, it is important to state that trust and confidence, which any transacting public must have before they use a currency, cannot in themselves be gazetted.
Today’s decision shows the lack of coherent, prudent and predictable policy, which is important to retain trust and confidence in a country’s economy. Policy consistency and predictability are key tenets for any economy to succeed.”
“We have been assured that most of the things that we have been requiring are actually already on their way through the Honourable Minister (Obadiah Moyo).”
First Lady Auxilia Mnangagwa
State Media|President Mnangagwa has assured doctors at public hospitals that Government will ensure they are fully stocked with drugs and medical equipment while looking at their welfare.
The Head of State and Government met a delegation of doctors at State House in Harare yesterday in a meeting arranged by First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa, who is also the Ambassador of Health and Child Care, as a follow-up to an earlier meeting this year.
The meeting mainly centred on the working environment for medical practitioners and their tools of trade.
Head of delegation Dr Faith Muchemwa told journalists after the meeting that they were leaving the State House satisfied. She said they were invited by the First Lady, who has shown deep concern about their work.
“She initially invited us so that she could understand what was really going on because she cared about the health of the population,” she said.
“She arranged for us to meet His Excellency.” Dr Muchemwa said the meeting went well and expressed confidence that their plight could soon be a thing of the past.
“It has been a really good meeting and we were listened to,” she said.
“We have been assured that most of the things that we have been requiring are actually already on their way through the Honourable Minister (Obadiah Moyo).”
Minister Moyo said the President was going to utilise his influence to be able to get the requested products and ensure that all hospitals are fully stocked.
State Media|Econet has dismissed media reports claiming that it violated labour laws and that its sister company, EcoCash, was complicit in irregular mobile financial transactions.
In a statement, Econet said the reports by a blogger were “patently false and irresponsible” adding that Econet reserved its legal rights on the matter. The company said while it acknowledged journalistic privilege to inform people it, however, took great exception to unsubstantiated allegations meant to tarnish its name.
The company said the article referring to alleged labour malpractices by Econet Wireless and Steward Bank “had both several factual errors and misleading messaging and conjecture which we strongly object to and which appeared nowhere in the report the reporter purported to base the story on”.
Econet said there was no direct reference or inference to Econet or Steward Bank in the referenced source article, adding “how this became the basis of the reporter’s narrative is a mystery to us”.
It reiterated that Econet and Steward Bank abide by the country’s labour relations laws, and their own human resources policies recognise and respect the rights of staff and employees.
“We are one of the biggest employers in the country and our contractual arrangements with staff are at all times within the law,” Econet said in a statement.
He said while the journalist in question had the right to inform his readers, he had a public duty to do so factually, adding that Econet reserved its legal rights “when reckless falsehoods are peddled that have no truth whatsoever except to propagate false perceptions”.
The firm also rubbished claims in an article by the same blog that alleged that EcoCash was somehow complicit in aiding or abetting illicit financial transactions by its agents.
“EcoCash categorically denies any involvement in any illegal activities that contravene or violate money laundering or related laws,” the spokesman said.
Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said police had discovered that warrants of arrest and correspondences from the courts regarding the rearrest of the convicts, were not reaching the Police General Headquarters (PGHQ).
Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi
The Zimbabwe Republic Police has launched a probe on officers sitting on warrants of arrest issued against 26 convicts, who lost their appeals at the High Court, saying corrective measures will be taken against the culprits.
Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said police had discovered that warrants of arrest and correspondences from the courts regarding the rearrest of the convicts, were not reaching the Police General Headquarters (PGHQ).
No arrests were being effected, resulting in scores of convicts who should be serving their sentences, unlawfully enjoying freedom.
This followed an investigation by The Herald which exposed that at least 26 people convicted of various offences were walking scot-free in Harare despite having lost their appeals at the High Court.
The scam pointed to corrupt tendencies by some bad apples in the police service who were defeating the ends of justice by protecting criminals.
In an interview, Asst-Comm Nyathi said the police service does not condone corruption and action will be taken against officers found guilty of the offence.
“As ZRP, we do not condone any acts of misconduct, which border on criminality.
“As we speak, we have instituted some investigations against some officers. We have discovered that some officers are receiving correspondences from the courts, of which PGHQ is not aware.
“It is now clear that those officers are sitting on these correspondences.
“I can assure you that corrective action will be taken against the concerned officers who received correspondences, but do not action them,” said Asst-Comm Nyathi.
Asst-Comm Nyathi said police were now making a follow-up on the 26 convicts to ensure they are re-arrested and taken to court for committal to prison.
“We are now making a follow-up on the 26 convicts, who had their appeals dismissed and are supposed to be arrested and be brought before the court,” he said.
Police hailed the media for exposing the rot in a constructive manner and in line with the President’s stance against corruption.
“We want to thank the media for a job well done. Such an exposé helps us to make reforms and plug the loopholes in our systems,” said Asst-Comm Nyathi.
Investigations by State run The Herald showed that police had been receiving monthly updates on the people who should be arrested and the relevant police stations dealing with the cases, but no action was being taken.
On May 15 this year, Harare provincial magistrate Mrs Vongai Guwuriro wrote to officer commanding Harare province briefing him on 17 convicts whose appeals had been dismissed.
The briefing was a follow-up to warrants of arrest that had already been sent to the police stations.
The officer-in-charge Harare Magistrates’ Court police post, confirmed receipt of the correspondence through a date stamp on May 16, but no action was taken.
Not even a single convict has been re-arrested. Eight more warrants were sent to other police stations last week and the court briefed the police provincial head through another correspondence dated June 20 this year.
In an interview, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Dr Sekai Nzenza said President Mnangagwa was concerned about the livelihoods of civil servants hence Government’s intervention.
Dr Sekai Nzenza
State Media|TREASURY is expected to adjust civil servants’ salaries in line with the prevailing economic environment in the coming days, a Cabinet minister said yesterday.
In an interview, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Dr Sekai Nzenza said President Mnangagwa was concerned about the livelihoods of civil servants hence Government’s intervention.
Salaries of most workers in the country have been eroded by wanton increases in the prices of goods and services.
Dr Nzenza said the Minister of Finance and Economic Development Professor Mthuli Ncube will announce a civil servants salary hike in the coming days.
“At this stage the Minister of Finance is looking at it (salary increase). He would be making an announcement in the next few days. I can’t give you the exact date because he has to do the figures. But he would be looking at that in light of the current situation. We know it’s not easy; this is why we are looking at the cost of living adjustment,” said Minister Nzenza.
“You’ll remember that from January to March we gave them cushioning allowance and then there was the cost of living adjustment. But we realised that the economy is not doing good and people are hurting because of prices and we have now once again been talking to the Minister of Finance and he is seriously looking at it and at the same time the President is very concerned.”
Government in April announced a $400 million cost of living adjustment package for civil servants which saw the lowest-paid employee taking home over.
This was part of Government’s move to cushion its workers from the obtaining economic challenges.
President Mnangagwa, Prof Ncube and then acting Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Monica Mutsvangwa on Friday met nurses unions to discuss their welfare resulting in them calling off a scheduled strike.
Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta) chief executive officer Mr Sifiso Ndlovu yesterday expressed confidence that there is going to be a review of the civil servants salaries.
“There is definitely going to be a review of the salaries,” said Mr Ndlovu.
He said teachers are failing to meet their financial obligations and Government has admitted and indicated that it will address the issue.
Prof Ncube said key fundamentals to support a local currency, including controlled Government expenditure and budget surpluses, were now in place.
Mthuli Ncube
Government has removed the multi-currency regime and restricted domestic transactions to local currency, renamed Zimbabwe dollar, in an effort to enhance the affordability of goods and services by the majority.
Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube yesterday told state media that Government had taken the decision abandon the multi-currency system after noting that the market was choosing to price a number of goods and services in US dollars when the majority of citizens earned the local unit.
He said apart from enabling everyone to transact, those with and without access to foreign currency, the new measures would give the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) full monetary policy control to defend the value of the domestic currency.
Prof Ncube said key fundamentals to support a local currency, including controlled Government expenditure and budget surpluses, were now in place.
“Basically, we have made another step forward by moving away from a multi-currency regime to a mono-currency regime where the domestic currency (Zimbabwe dollar) is now the sole legal tender for transactions within Zimbabwe,” said Prof Ncube.
“What was happening out there in the market was that the market was choosing a mono-currency, being the US dollar, and that is untenable because we do not control the sourcing of it (and) the supply of it.
“We cannot even conduct monetary policy on the back of it.”
The departure from the multi-currency regime dovetails with President Mnangagwa’s remarks in an interview with Bloomberg in Mozambique last week that it was necessary to have currency reforms in the country.
Talk of a reverting to local currency has also been insistent over the past year as Government has taken pragmatic steps to finally move to a new local currency.
Essentially, the latest move is arguably a penultimate stop before the adoption of the fully monetised local unit.
Yesterday, Prof Ncube said using the Zimdollar would make it easier to transact on the domestic market with forex reserved for external payments.
“We also know that in some quarters we were not even allowed to transact in US dollars because of things like sanctions and other restrictions. So, it’s necessary to move on and use a currency that you can control.
“And also, what we are trying to do is restore full monetary policy where the Central Bank can conduct monetary policy using the array of tools that are necessary for managing monetary policy such as interest rates, use of a monetary policy committee to govern things like targeting money balances or even targeting inflation,” he said.
Prof Ncube said people will use the existing RTGS dollar, bond notes and bond coins, which means “nothing changes really”.
“What changes is the name of the currency (to Zimbabwe dollar) plus the fact that it is now the only legal tender in Zimbabwe,” he said.
Prof Ncube said the use the Zimbabwe dollar is expected to result in an increase in US dollars flows into bureaux de change and banks as people convert their money to transact.
He added the new measures speak to discussions Government recently had with its workers.
“Basically, the multicurrency regime, which had by the way become a mono-currency in favour of the US dollar, was favouring those with access to US dollars; those with access to US dollars were facing no change in inflation at all for the last three years.
“So we were now creating a society of haves and have-nots; those who have access to US dollars and those who don’t. Those who don’t are faced with RTGS inflation while those who have US dollars are faced with zero inflation.”
Through Statutory Instrument (SI) 142 of 2019, known as Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (Legal Tender) Regulations, Government abolished the use of multiple currencies such as British pound, United States dollar, South African rand, and Botswana pula, among others.
Zimbabwe had used a basket of currencies since 2009.
The Zimbabwe dollar became the sole legal tender with effect from yesterday.
It will have same boundaries, extent in space, time, or meaning as the RTGS dollars, which entails all bond notes and approved forms of electronic money in Zimbabwe.
However, nothing changes regards operation of foreign currency (nostro) accounts, which will continue to be designated in the currency they are held.
Outspoken Norton Member of Parliament, Temba Mliswa has threatened to effect citizen arrest on Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) officials who travelled to Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals for allegedly abusing funds meant for the national soccer team.
The Zimbabwe men’s football team is currently on duty in Egypt for the continent’s bi-annual football showcase but their participation in the tournament has been marred by setbacks including threats to boycott matches by players over unpaid allowances and misuse of funds by the ZIFA leadership among others
Meanwhile, Mliswa has launched a scathing attack on ZIFA officials over the abuse of funds meant for the team.
“All @online_zifa officials implicated in the misappropriation of ZIFA funds must be arrested at the airport upon their arrival from Egypt. Failure to which, all those who support this move, join with me to wait for their return at the airport to effect a citizen’s arrest! Zvakwana.” said Mliswa.
He said the association’s Treasurer and Acting Vice President, Philemon Machana, should be arrested for embezzlement of funds and called on the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) to invite him for questioning.
“This man must be suspended with immediate effect and a forensic audit instituted. ZACC there you go, a job for you,” he said.
The Felton Kamambo-led association has been accused for the way it has bungled this year’s AFCON preparations.
Several reports of abuse of funds sent in by CAF meant for the Warriors fans were also diverted and with the privilege awarded to ZIFA counsellors.
This has raised the ire of football fans who accuse Kamambo of nepotism and rewarding his blue-eyed boys.
Mliswa further blamed the poor performance of all sporting disciplines to inadequate preparations.
“For as long as there are insufficient preparations, Zim sport will continue to perform at mediocre levels. We’re more social players than pros. You can’t blame the Warriors when administrators are stealing money. One’s mental preparedness & state of wellbeing is key before a match,” he noted.
Zimbabwean sporting administrations have been feeling the pain of the economic decay and most athletes have been left reeling from the effects.
During protests police would fire teargas to people leaving some of the protestors injured.
Following the May 21 presidential elections won by President Peter Mutharika, Malawians have been protesting alleging that the electoral commissions was not fair in handling the whole process.
Malawians have since been taking it to the streets several times where they have been attacked by the police as they refuse to recognise Mutharika as their president and insisting that he resign.
During protests police would fire teargas to people leaving some of the protestors injured.
The Malawian Defence Force has now decided to support citizens in their long hauls of protests against long standing Mutharika.
The army along with people have been chasing the police away as the army said it was now siding with people to help them fight for their democratic rights.
Opposition party leader Lazarus Chakwera alleged that he was robbed in the May 21 ballot where an official count revealed that he lost by 159 000 votes.
“Malawians are very angry with the manner in which the management of the election results were conducted and we want everyone involved in the injustice to resign and get out,” said Chakwera.
The whole election process was flawed by rumours and allegations of fraud.
During protests police would fire teargas to people leaving some of the protestors injured.
The Malawian Defence Force has now decided to support citizens in their long hauls of protests against long standing Mutharika.
Our economics suffers from too much state control and excessive politics otherwise known as economic dirigisme.
Nelson Chamisa
By Nelson Chamisa|GUERRILLA ECONOMICS & ambush currency measures are ill-advised, destructive & confidence-draining. Zim-dollarization requires that macroeconomic fundamentals,public confidence, trust,fiscal discipline, political stability and legitimacy be in place for it to be meaningfully sustainable.
Our economics suffers from too much state control and excessive politics otherwise known as economic dirigisme.
It is my considered view that certain key benchmarks need to be achieved before the local currency can be sustainably introduced in order to anchor the local currency.
These benchmarks include: attaining a sustainable GDP growth rate of at least 7%; low and stable inflation; reducing the high debt ratios to very low and sustainable levels; increasing the level of savings and investments to at least 25% of GDP; reducing the balance-of-payments deficit to less than 5% of GDP; increasing the export level to at least 25% of GDP; high levels of productive capacity; political stability and legitimacy.
More importantly, foreign-currency reserves need to be built up to sustainable levels to anchor the Zimbabwe dollar and to defend it in the event of a currency or speculative attack.
We have the SMART economic blueprint as our alternative to the current voodoo approach to economics.
We will be paying Eskom US$10m this coming week, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube told an informal media briefing Sunday.
Zimbabwe will this week pay US$10m to South Africa’s power utility Eskom as part of plans to unlock at least 400MW to ease power shortages in the country.
The southern African country, which according to power utility Zesa was producing 1200MW as of Sunday, needs at least 1700MW per day to meet demand. Over the years it has relied on Eskom and Mozambique’s HCB for additional power.
However a combined debt of US$83m to the two entities had meant limited supply of just 50MW from each.
We will be paying Eskom US$10m this coming week, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube told an informal media briefing Sunday.
He said this (payment to Eskom), as well as negotiations goverment had had with the Mozambican government last week, will ease load shedding which had gone up to stage 2, or 19 hours without power.
Meanwhile more and more Zimbabwean companies are turning to off grid power supplies with solar being the prefered alternative.
Crocodile breeder Padenga Holdings is close to self sufficiency and has put up solar plants producing 1MW.
Telecomms giant Econet Wireless in April commissioned a 466KW solar power plant at its Willowvale industrial complex in Harare, the largest commercial and industrial carport and roof mount installation of its kind to be deployed in the country.
Old Mutual is also working on plans to install solar panels on the rooftop all its buildings with several having gone through the process.
Platinum miner, Zimplats also said it is conducting feasibility studies to put up a solar plant that will cater for its energy needs.
A technical partner has already been engaged to conduct a feasibility study for a solar farm believed to be able to provide 160MW.
A 40-year-old Gutu man allegedly hanged himself on a tree at his homestead last week in a suspected case of stress over an assault case that is before the courts.
It is reported that Lastborn Bhusvu of Rwodzi Village under Chief Chimombe in Bhasera had been taken to court for assaulting his mother. He appeared before Gutu resident magistrate, Mr Victor Mahamadi, who postponed the matter to today for trial.
Mr Mahamadi last week bemoaned the incident, adding that the death of Bhusvu was unfortunate. “It’s both a shocking and unfortunate development to learn that the accused decided to kill himself over a pending case,” he said.
Bhusvu was being accused of beating up his mother with his hands and feet. He is alleged to have assaulted the mother for taking in his sister’s children whom he accusd of hopping from one marriage to the next.
Bhusvu is alleged to have told her mother that the sister’s behaviour was a burden to the whole family. Prosecuting, Mr Samuel Magobeya told the court that on July 18 last year, Bvusvu approached his mother and asked her why she accepted into her custody the children born of different fathers.
He said an argument ensued, resulting in Bhusvu assaulting his mother.State media
Alick Macheso’s band members reportedly assaulted a Ruwa motorist in the wee hours of Saturday morning.
The band members, who were on their way from a performance at Club Manake, were involved in an accident with the motorist only identified as Mao.
Following the accident, there was a heated argument as the motorist allegedly requested Macheso’s drummer Givemore Chokumanyara who was driving the other vehicle to produce his drivers’ licence. This did not go well with Chokumanyara and fellow band member, Selemani Mpochi also known as Majuice.
The band members allegedly assaulted Mao, before taking off with his identification documents. “They (band members) took my licence and national identification documents but refused to produce theirs. “When I insisted they then ganged up on me,” said Mao.
Mao said he had not made a police report hoping to find an amicable solution with Chokumanyara. “If we fail to resolve the issue I will be left with no other option but to report the matter to the police,” he said.
Macheso’s manager Tich Makahamadze confirmed the accident but proffered ignorance over the assault allegations.
“Yes some of our band members were involved in a minor accident but no one was hurt and the car sustained minor damages. “I however do not know anything about any of our band members being involved in a physical altercation with anyone,” he said.State media
ZIMBABWE’S Warriors got just the kind of tonic they needed to cheer their spirits when they received the first tranche of financial support that has been mobilised for them by the Warriors Fundraising Committee.
Acting Minister of Youth, Sport Arts and Recreation, Kazembe Kazembe, who is also the fund-raising committee’s chairman, revealed they transferred US$108 000 into the accounts of the players and their technical crew in line with the pledge he had made to them before their match against Egypt.
The Warriors, though, have asked ZIFA, to find an extra US$2 000 for each player in camp, to ensure that their US$5 000 appearance fee, as agreed in the contract they signed with the association, is secured before tomorrow night’s match against the Cranes.
Yesterday, they got just the kind of boost they needed to remain focused on the tough job at hand when Kazembe addressed them at their team hotel and announced the disbursement of the tranche.
“I had told the players that I would return on Saturday but I had other engagements and I am still glad that I have been able to come and address them and confirm to them that, as the fund-raising committee, we have now made our first payment to them,’’ Kazembe said.State media
A Harare man was yesterday brought to court on allegations of possessing 73 kilogrammes of mbanje with a street value of $7 300.
Shingirai Jimu (34) appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Learnmore Mapiye charged with possession of a dangerous drug.
Jimu pleaded not guilty to the charge. Prosecutor Mr Peter Kachirika opposed bail indicating that Jimu was facing a serious charge and if convicted faced a lengthy custodial sentence.
“His presumption of innocence is affected because he was caught red-handed, so he is not a proper candidate for bail,” Mr Kachirika said. The matter was rolled over to today for bail application.
On June 22, officers from the Crime Prevention Unit received information to the effect that Jimu was in possession of dangerous drugs aboard a Zebra Kiss bus travelling from Mozambique.
Acting on the information, the officers’ proceeded to corner Fifth Street and Robson Manyika Avenue, Harare, and found the bus dropping passengers.
The officers noticed Jimu offloading a suspicious consignment from the Zebra Kiss bus loading it into a Toyota Fun Cargo vehicle.
The police officers pounced on the motor vehicle and recovered one 50kg sack and two black bags with loose mbanje and they arrested Jimu before referring the matter to CID Drugs.
The recovered mbanje was weighed at Harare Main Post Office and recorded a total mass of 73kg with a street value of $7 300.State media
TREASURY is expected to adjust civil servants’ salaries in line with the prevailing economic environment in the coming days, a Cabinet minister said yesterday.
In an interview, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Dr Sekai Nzenza said President Mnangagwa was concerned about the livelihoods of civil servants hence Government’s intervention.
Salaries of most workers in the country have been eroded by wanton increases in the prices of goods and services.
Nzenza said the Minister of Finance and Economic Development Professor Mthuli Ncube will announce a civil servants salary hike in the coming days.
“At this stage the Minister of Finance is looking at it (salary increase). He would be making an announcement in the next few days. I can’t give you the exact date because he has to do the figures. But he would be looking at that in light of the current situation. We know it’s not easy; this is why we are looking at the cost of living adjustment,” said Minister Nzenza.State media
A GANG of 10 men was dragged to court over the weekend after they allegedly murdered a uniformed soldier in Epworth.
Munyaradzi Motora, 25, Shakespeare Paradza, 21 Tendai Masimo, 28 Elias Ncube, 22 Maxwell Fana, 27 Trevor Musoni,28 Evans Muzvidziwa, 26 Delroy Gwaku, Sylvester Mapuvire,26 Lloyd Nyoni,19 were not asked to plead when they appeared before Harare magistrate Barbra Mateko.
The gang was answering to murder charges of Ndanatsei Nyamukondiwa whom they allegedly murdered on Friday morning as he was waiting for transport.
They were remanded in custody to July 5 and were referred to the High Court for bail application. Allegations are that on June 21 at around 4am, the ten men were drinking beer at Reuben Shopping Centre in Epworth.
It is alleged that they got into a misunderstanding with an unidentified patron at the bar and four of them went to their commuter omnibus where they armed themselves with knives. When they returned, the unidentified man had fled from the bar.H-Metro
A CITY man has sought relief from the courts after claiming that his wife has been abusing him.
Godfrey Zinyama made the revelation at the Harare Civil Court where he accused his wife Rhoda Mujeyi of burning his clothes and educational documents.
He was seeking a protection order. “She is my wife but she is in the habit of throwing away my personal stuff and tearing my clothes.
“She even burns my clothes and whenever I ask her she insults me even in front of our neighbours,” he said.
Zinyama also accused his wife of destroying household property when they have issues. “She has been damaging my property, including the doors and the wardrobe.
“I even went further to warn her that whenever she wanted to clean the house she had to inform me first because of her actions,” he said. However, in her response Mujeyi disputed the allegations dismissing them as lies.H-Metro
IN a bid to keep journalists abreast of new football regulations, the Sports Journalists Association Southern Region (SPOJA-S) held an Amended Football Laws workshop at Queens Sports Club at the weekend.
The workshop, facilitated by ZIFA Southern Region referees’ instructor Sabelo Sibindi, was attended by sports writers from the region.
Sibindi said journalists play an essential role in enlightening the public about the updated football laws.
“As referees we cannot talk to the fans directly, the fans rely on what the media says. It is therefore important to have journalists interacting with journalists to discuss laws of the game. That way the fans can get clear and accurate explanations of laws from the media,” Sibindi said.
Football is set for rule changes next season after the International Football Association Board approved a number of amendments and clarifications to the current Laws of the Game.
The changes came into force on June 1, 2019, although competitions starting before that date have the option to delay their introduction until the next season.
Sibindi highlighted that the updated laws of the game are hinged on player behaviour, respect and playing time. Each of the updated laws are linked to those three pillars.
Among the updated laws are players being substituted leaving the field at the nearest exit point on the boundary line unless the referee allows the player to leave quickly or immediately at the halfway line.
In order to clamp down on difficult behaviour from coaches who don’t see eye to eye with the referee or their opposite number, referees will issue yellow or red cards in the same way they do to players.State media
