Forget the @Cambridge_Uni doctorate, @UniversityOfZim's Economics Dept should recall the undergraduate degree it awarded to Mthuli Ncube. As for those who stole the 2018 presidential election in order to do this, that's up to the people from whom executive authority is derived! https://t.co/fx8O4U6PVC
According to Hopewell Chin’ono, government should not force people to use a currency when the fundamentals are not in place.
“The RBZ & @MthuliNcube have “legislated” the RTGS as the only legal tender & yet government will continue demanding US$s for its duties according to this document, yet to be verified! You can’t force & command people to use a currency until you have laid the right fundamentals!,” Tweeted Chin’ono.
The RBZ & @MthuliNcube have “legislated” the RTGS as the only legal tender & yet government will continue demanding US$s for its duties according to this document, yet to be verified! You can’t force & command people to use a currency until you have laid the right fundamentals! pic.twitter.com/wCNHDhhQpi
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has with effect from today, the 24th June 2019, banned the use of foreign currencies as legal tender.
The central bank announced this in a Statutory Instrument 142 of 2019.
The government gazette instructs that the United states dollar, Botswana Pula and South Africa Rand are no longer legal tender in Zimbabwe.
The SI reads in part:
Subject to section 3, with effect from 24th June 2019, the British pound, United States dollars, South African rand, Botswana pula and any other foreign currency whatsoever shall no longer be legal tender alongside the Zimbabwe dollar in any transactions in Zimbabwe.
The government has with immediate effect banned use of all foreign currency in the country declaring the Zimbabwe Dollar or RTGS Dollar as the only legal currency in the country.
See the Government Gazette notice just issued below.
This is a developing story. More details to follow.
Many Harare residents fear they could soon be homeless now that landlords are allowed to charge rent In US dollars.
Locals still earn salaries In real-time gross transfer (RTGS) dollars, which are six times weaker than the US dollar and 11 times weaker on the black market.
Most citizens have access to the US dollar only through the black market.
Recently, tenants at the Croco Motors owned residential park, Norbridge Court, in Harare, reported their landlord to the Rent Board for charging them in US dollars.
The board, which arbitrates disputes between a landlord and a tenant, ruled in favour of Croco Motors, which means it is allowed todemandpayment in forex.
The monthly rent for the premises in which you reside shall be $170 for a bedsitter and $215 fora bachelor,” reads a notice from Tawanda Chivaro, the property manager.
The Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (WALPE) is deeply concerned by the growing adverse effect of the economic meltdown on women. The worsening economic situation has adversely affected women and is continuously pushing a large number of them into poverty everyday.
Staple food and other basic goods have risen beyond the reach of most ordinary families particularly female led households. At the same time, social safety net services that are mostly used by women such as health, shelter, education, pensions, water and sanitation and electricity are on the decline. As a result, vulnerability has increased among women and girls.
WALPE therefore, appeals to the Government to urgently address the prevailing economic crisis to relieve the suffering of women and girls by; among others:
i) Ensuring the above mentioned social safety net services are affordable and provided in a consistent and timely manner.
ii) Create job opportunities for women.
iii) Actively involve women in identifying gender sensitive solutions to the current economic challenges.
Failure to immediately address the impasse will further exacerbate the plight of women and girls and potentially lead to other serious problems such as trauma and mental health issues. The current economic hardship is also taking a toll on women’s active and full participation in leadership as they are preoccupied with fending their families hence the urgent call for solutions to stabilise the economy.
By Own Correspondent- War veterans have warned President Emmerson Mnangagwa against listening to his ‘useless’ ministers while ignoring the opposition which could help correct the economic turmoil currently facing the country.
The war veterans accused cabinet ministers of misleading President to corruptly benefit from the current economic crisis.
In an exclusive interview with a local publication in Mutare, Irvin Mbengo the Deputy Political Commissar for Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (Manicaland Chapter) said:
The problem is that President Mnangagwa is taking too much time concentrating and listening to useless people around him, these so-called ministers.
These are the wrong people giving him poisonous ideas. These people are not employable elsewhere so they hang around the President giving him wrong information and advice, thereby, taking advantage of their positions to thrive on massive corruption, enriching themselves in the process.
They have taken the situation to further satisfy their selfish egos and ends. They are heartless these people. The President must not listen to these people anymore because what they want is to benefit from the country’s economic situation.
We have too many thieves in the leadership of this country. There is corruption everywhere and our country’s leadership is protecting these corrupt officials.
… The only answer that solves the economy is the GNU. It will only take about nine months before we start talking about a better economy. We have tasted how life was good during the previous GNU.
Everything was dead in the country. But when the GNU came in everything came alive again. Everything went well smoothly.
Now we are back at it again, we have long queues and cashless banks. We should not be late again, GPA is the only solution.
In 2009, following the total collapse of the country’s economy, the then President Robert Mugabe and opposition leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara came together to form an all-inclusive government.
The shortlived GNU brought stability to the country. At the end of the GNU in 2013, the economy again entered into a tailspin.
By Own Correspondent- Former liberation war fighters who have been President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s anchor have demanded that Zanu PF reaches out to opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Nelson Chamisa to form a coalition government to douse the economic turmoil currently facing the country.
In an exclusive interview with a local publication in Mutare, Irvin Mbengo the Deputy Political Commissar for Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (Manicaland Chapter) said:
The problem is that President Mnangagwa is taking too much time concentrating and listening to useless people around him, these so-called ministers.
These are the wrong people giving him poisonous ideas. These people are not employable elsewhere so they hang around the President giving him wrong information and advice, thereby, taking advantage of their positions to thrive on massive corruption, enriching themselves in the process.
They have taken the situation to further satisfy their selfish egos and ends. They are heartless these people. The President must not listen to these people anymore because what they want is to benefit from the country’s economic situation.
We have too many thieves in the leadership of this country. There is corruption everywhere and our country’s leadership is protecting these corrupt officials.
… The only answer that solves the economy is the GNU. It will only take about nine months before we start talking about a better economy. We have tasted how life was good during the previous GNU.
Everything was dead in the country. But when the GNU came in everything came alive again. Everything went well smoothly.
Now we are back at it again, we have long queues and cashless banks. We should not be late again, GPA is the only solution.
In 2009, following the total collapse of the country’s economy, the then President Robert Mugabe and opposition leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara came together to form an all-inclusive government.
The short-lived GNU brought stability to the country. At the end of the GNU in 2013, the economy again entered into a tailspin.
"I was part of ZAPU team who supported President Chamisa's presidency before 2018. You all saw Chamisa holding hands with Dumiso Dabengwa in Bulawayo before" elections.
Barbara Nyagomo
Perennial opposition politician Barbara Nyagomo has sensationally disclosed that the MDC turned down her offer to join the leadership of the party instead advising her to join the party at grassroots level as an ordinary member.
Nyagomo is a Zimbabwean politician, nurse, and philanthropist based in the UK. She is the founder and President of the Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe (PDZ) political party. Before starting her own party Nyagomo was the Zapu Europe Vice-chairperson.
In the run up to the 2018 elections she struck a deal with the Dumiso Dabengwa led ZAPU to have her party integrated into ZAPU as an election pact.
She is believed to have had an influential role in getting MDC leader Nelson Chamisa into relations with the late ZAPU leader and liberation war stalwart Dumiso Dabengwa.
“MDC told me to join and start at Branch level. Is it because I am not a Lawyer or coz I am an uneducated woman with Serious Rural Background (SRB),” said Nyagomo on her social media pages.
Without mentioning it, Nyagomo was referring to the MDC’s admission of lawyer Fadzai Mahere into the party after she contested last year’s elections as an independent candidate on failing to be the main opposition party’s candidate. She was subsequently appointed into the MDC Standing Committee as Secretary for Education.
“I was part of ZAPU team who supported President Chamisa’s presidency before 2018. You all saw Chamisa holding hands with Dumiso Dabengwa in Bulawayo before” elections. Have I not served my country and people well?” Nyagomo questioned.
She echoed an on-going public assertion that the MDC leadership is made up of predominantly lawyers which she believes failed her being recognised by the party.
“Is it a Law Firm or a political party?”
Mahere, a human rights lawyer, joined mainstream politics in June 2017 when she announced she was going to run as an independent candidate for the 2018 elections in Harare’s Mount Pleasant constituency.
By Own Correspondent| MDC president Nelson Chamisa said that Zimbabwe is awash with the foreign currency which is adequate to meet the country’s needs.
Chamisa opined that the problem is that the forex is not in banks but is kept in the homes of the affluent who are afraid of losing it in banks.
Speaking to journalists in Harare on Sunday, Chamisa said:
I know the question is where will you get the US$? The US$ is here in the country, nobody is going to put their money in a hole.
The biggest hole is the government, so they don’t want to invest in banks because they know there is no confidence.
If you go to houses, particularly in those other suburbs, you will have the banks of Scotland, the bank of India, all sorts of currencies, but the people will never deposit them in the banking system because there is no confidence.
The cash crisis is a political crisis, so you cannot resolve this so-called cash crisis without resolving the fundamental governance issues and politics is the issue.
(Former United States) President Bill Clinton once said it is politics stupid and in our situation, it is the politics, stupid. What does it mean? Let’s resolve the politics and we will be able to unlock the economy.
Members of the media are cordially invited to a ZANU PF Youth League Press briefing to be held on Monday 24 June 2019 at 1600hrs at ZANU PF HQ( Main Hall, Committe room ).
Kindly spread the message.
By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) said that it arrested seven drug dealers at Copacabana rank in central Harare on Sunday night.
It said in a statement:
The ZRP last night arrested 7 drug peddlers at Copacabana commuter rank in Harare.
The suspects were found in possession of dagga with some openly smoking the illicit drug near a local supermarket.
The ZRP expresses appreciation to some media houses and individuals who raised the alarm over the activities at this commuter rank.
Police will continue to conduct raids and blitz on all commuter ranks with a view to account for drug peddlers and to maintain law and order.
Zimbabwe Republic Police
The Zimbabwe Republic Police is the country’s law enforcing and maintaining organ. It was established in 1980 evolving from the Rhodesian Police and incorporated members from both the Rhodesian and the nationalist forces. It operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
At the centre of this scandal is failure or neglect to act upon warrants of arrest that the courts would have issued against the criminals.
Laxity and suspected corruption in the criminal justice system has seen scores of convicted people walking scot-free despite having lost their appeals at the High Court, our State Media can reveal.
In Harare alone, there are 26 convicts out and it is estimated that hundreds more could be free nationwide in a rot that has festered over the years, with some high profile individuals involved.
At the centre of this scandal is failure or neglect to act upon warrants of arrest that the courts would have issued against the criminals.
Some lawyers and police officers are believed to be at the centre of the shenanigans, which at times see the convicts buying their freedom through paying bribes to police details sent to apprehend them.
In some cases, the officers relay wrong information that they failed to locate the criminals when infact the culprits are seen enjoying their freedom in the streets.
The figure of convicts roaming the streets could be more than 50 countrywide considering that some appeals are dealt with at other High Court stations in Bulawayo, Mutare and Masvingo.
Most of those evading justice immediately file notices of appeal against conviction and sentence to lay the basis of mounting a bail application pending determination of the appeal.
While out of custody, the convicts take advantage of the loopholes in the system and relax until people forget about their cases.
In terms of the criminal appeal process, the onus to prosecute the appeal lies with the appellant who can choose to drag or abandon the appeal.
At times the appellant deliberately changes lawyers to confuse the system resulting in some correspondences from the Registrar of the High Court being sent to wrong addresses.
However, the Registrar of the High Court in terms of the rules of that court, is now empowered to dismiss appeals for want of prosecution.
Other appeals are dismissed by the judges in court.
Investigations by state media show that at least 26 convicts in Harare alone are illegally out of custody and should be committed to prison.
Some warrants have been issued as far back as last year but for unclear reasons, the convicts have not been brought before the courts for committal to prison.
Between January and June this year, the Harare Magistrates’ Court has sent out at least 25 warrants of arrest to several police stations but no arrests have been made.
The list includes three ivory thieves jailed 18 years each some five years ago, who are unlawfully enjoying freedom.
The three are James Mayor, Reuben Foya and Jonah Paraffin. They were arrested following a high-speed chase with the police along the Harare-Bindura Road.
Ernest Jonga, Sedrick Kachengo, Innocent Gumbo and Kelvin John, all from Mbare who were jailed 18 months for stealing more than $5 000 from a dying woman at an accident scene, are enjoyng freedom.
The other criminals on the wanted list are: Paul Chisano, Tarisai Homba, Antony C Pahwaringira, Tendesayi C Nyambayo, Whisky Munama, Simbarashe Chikambi, Ngonodzashe Munaiwa, Self Mwanangureni, Riana Moss, Marian Concillia Chakaredza, Penniless Mtekairi, Caroline Naume Murondiwa, Admit Nhidza, Calisto Bisenti, Rodney Chipfuwa, Lesley Kahari, Trustme Kauzani, Aurello Bernard Deve and Temesson Debbebe Wabelo.
The Registrar of the High Court dismisses appeals for different reasons.
Some deliberately fail to pay costs associated with the preparation of the court record to enable the hearing of the appeal, which is also viewed as failure to prosecute the appeal while others do not file heads of argument to substantiate their appeals, which is also deemed failure to prosecute the appeal.
Some file their appeal papers out of time while others do not show up when they are called to inspect the transcribed court record.
The Registrar of the High Court writes to the lower court informing the clerk of court of the dismissal of the cases.
Warrants of arrest are then issued at the lower court and sent to the respective police stations for the suspects to be arrested and taken to court for committal to prison.
When warrants are issued, sources say, some criminals pay police officers bribes who try to arrest them.
When a police officer is paid, he gives a false report to his superiors that they are failing to locate the culprits.
Prosecutor-General Mr Kumbirai Hodzi said his office was aware of the shenanigans, which also involves some lawyers.
He said measures were being put in place to rid the criminal justice system of the rot.
“The National Prosecuting Authority and the JSC are aware of those dirty tricks and we are putting into place measures to stop that abuse.
“We are also working with other stakeholders like the police and the Law Society of Zimbabwe to curb the rot,” he said.
JSC Acting Secretary Mr Walter Chikwana said when the courts issue warrants of arrest everything is left to the police to apprehend the criminals.
“When we issue a warrant of arrest, we send it to the relevant police stations for the culprits to be apprehended.
“We will only come on board when the police arrest the criminals. That is when a magistrate explains the outcome of the appeal to the convict before committing him or her to prison,” he said.
Mr Chikwana said JSC had put in place administrative measures in the management of appeals, which were now bearing fruit.
“In the past we used to have challenges with appeals because there was a gap between the Registrar of the High Court and the Clerk of Court and the lower court.
“We managed to close the gap administratively and that is why we now have regular updates on appeals and dismissal of a number of them for failure to prosecute.
“On a weekly basis, the Registrar of the High Court and the Clerks of Court have a process of updating appeal records.
“Some appeals are now being determined within three months of filing while a few may go up to a year depending on the complexity of the records.
“But it is a great improvement from the past when cases would go unnoticed for over a decade,” said Mr Chikwana.
“It is unAfrican and I feel their pain. As Africans we regard the birth and death of a child as a serious thing. You can’t just get it from the streets,”
Minister Bheki Cele
The family of a Soweto policeman who was shot and killed allegedly by criminals have told police minister Bheki Cele that they learnt of his death through social media.
Constable Nhlamulo Vukeya, who was attached to the Moroka police station’s crime prevention unit, was killed while on patrol at Nancefield hostel on Thursday. A shoot-out ensued after the unit stopped a suspicious vehicle.
Vuyeka, 28, who had been a police official for four years, was shot just below his bulletresistant vest in the abdomen. The father of one died later in hospital.
His sister Hlamolani told Cele yesterday that she was hurt at the way she learnt about her brother’s death. She said people called her to confirm if indeed her brother had been killed, and that this was even before the family was notified by the police service.
“I want to know why you guys would tell other people before us. What hurts us is that our brother, who is also a police officer, responded to the scene but was also not informed,” she said.
“He cordoned off the scene and asked the officers who the dead official was, and they did not tell it was our brother. “He later heard other officers talking about it on the police radio in the car that he drove.”
However, Hlamolani said the family was grateful that Cele had visited them. Vukeya’s mother Khensani said she also learnt about her son’s death from others.
“I was in Limpopo when I received calls from people who told me that my son was killed,” she said, and described her son as “sweet”.
She said she was happy with the support she received from Cele, and that he had apologised for the manner in which the family came to know about their loved one’s demise.
“It is unAfrican and I feel their pain. As Africans we regard the birth and death of a child as a serious thing. You can’t just get it from the streets,” Cele said.
“Sometimes there is no control on young people running amok on social media. I don’t know how it happened, but it is a serious matter. We are working on implementing a social media policy.”
Cele said he was concerned that officers die young, leaving their families devastated.
“We have established an education trust for police officers who die on duty to help with education. If you die at that age you have not accumulated any form of pension so you leave your parents and children destitute,” he said.
Cele confirmed that three suspects have been arrested over Vukeya’s killing.
Zimbabwe went through a similar situation after the 2018 elections but no major protests against the election results were raised by citizens.
Zimbabwean state media has conspicuously decided to remain silent on the on-going post election violence in Malawi obviously to avoid alerting Zimbabweans how their northern neighbours reacted to a rigged election as was allegedly done in the Zimbabwe July 2018 elections.
Malawians have been on the rampage since results of last months general elections were announced that declared Peter Mutharika the winner.
Citizens, human rights groups and opposition parties have come together to discredit the election result and process which is due to be heard in the High Court of the country this week.
Zimbabwe went through a similar situation after the 2018 elections but no major protests against the election results were raised by citizens.
In neighbouring Malawi, post-election violence continues to surge days after Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) organised demonstrations calling for the resignation of Malawi Electoral Commission chairperson and ultimately that of President Mutharika as the protests spread to some trading centres in rural Lilongwe at the weekend.
Police units at Nsundwe and Mpingu Trading centres along the Lilongwe-Mchinji Road were torched on Friday while a road at Namitete was barricaded yesterday, leading the police to fire tear gas to disperse people.
Burning tyres were on most of the roads in the capital city
During the Thursday protests, some people in Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Blantyre took the law into their own hands, stoning buildings and cars, and burning billboards and flags.
From Mzuzu to Lilongwe and then Blantyre, the protesters went berserk, looting shops, breaking shop windows, burning tyres and flags of President Peter Mutharika as well as manhandling some police officers.
The police have since arrested eight people for damaging property.
Property worth millions of kwacha was lost and police have said they are still assessing the damages to ascertain how much was lost, but have already arrested a few people in Mzuzu.
Even the natural beauty of the city was targeted
But HRDC and political parties that participated in the protests have distanced themselves from the acts and resultant losses, calling on law enforcers, Malawi Police Service (MPS), to act on deviants so that the law takes its course.
In the North, the affected buildings and properties include that of Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA), Department of Works, Malawi Prison Services, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) offices, banks and shops.
The MRA offices and Bata Shop were attacked after organisers had delivered their petition. They broke into the shop, stealing everything on the shelves.
Up in flames: Mpingu Police Unit in Lilongwe
At MRA, they threw stones at the office and cars; at Prison offices, they took down a sign post, while others rushed to DPP offices, where they broke into the premises, stoning the office and broke window panes.
DPP governor (North), Kenneth Sanga, said three bicycles went missing after the incident.
Demonstrators pull down a billboard
“We have asked for quotations from some shops that sell glass and we are waiting for that to have a real figure of the cost of the damage,” he said.
Near the Northern Region Police office, the protesters took down Mutharika’s billboard, and set it ablaze at Court House Roundabout, where they also burnt palm trees which added beauty to the place.
Mzuzu City Council (MCC) spokesperson McDonald Gondwe said they estimate the cost of damage to their buildings at K2 million.
“Apart from that, we are worried that some investors could be afraid of this criminal conduct and may not be able to come here.
“We want to get city rates from these business people, but if their business are closed or looted by of some criminals, it means as a council we are also losing out,” he said.
MRA director of corporate affairs Steve Kapoloma said they were still assessing the damage.
Mzuzu Police deputy publicist Paul Tembo said many people were still registering their losses, and it would take time to come up with a definite figure of the damages.
However, he said police have arrested some people in Mzuzu in relation to the fracas.
National Police spokesperson James Kadadzera condemned the criminal behaviour, saying perpetrators will face the law.
“The Mchinji Road was also blocked and Mpingu as well as Nsundwe police units were set on fire. To quell the situation—to stop looting and clear the roads—police used teargas,” he said.
Besides its neighbours descending into anarchy, Zimbabwean state media and government have opted to remain silent on the issue.
By A Correspondent- It has, like South Africa’s taxis route wars, ugly history of being bloody. They say Zimbabweans are reneging on a 2012 agreement to carry only goods, leaving passengers to the South Africans who earn R20 a trip per passenger.
On the other hand, ZCTA members say to stay afloat, they now have to carry passengers because of low amounts of goods on the route as numbers of Zimbabwean shoppers to South Africa continue to dwindle.
ZCTA members have been taking more than their fair share, loading passengers on the Zimbabwean side and even inside the border post on their way to Musina, denying their South African colleagues business.
This has not gone down well with BTA members, who throughout the week mounted roadblocks on the once lucrative 15km stretch. The South Africans demanded amounts ranging between R1 000 and
R3 000 from any Zimbabwean vehicle belonging to ZCTA, in a punitive counter-measure. At times they forced passengers out and onto their vehicles.
Several Zimbabwean vehicles last week were stopped and cash demanded from drivers whose cars had passengers. Some innocent travellers were caught up in the fracas.
“We have that understanding, which is an agreement. We must only carry goods on the SA side and not passengers. “South Africans actually sold their trailers to some of our members when we sealed the deal.
“We must not carry any passengers on their soil, but some of our members are losing focus and becoming selfish,” chairman of ZCTA Takavingei Mahachi said.
“We have among us some people who are not our members and do not understand the consequences of such actions and South Africans could be justified in demanding money from people who carry passengers on their route.”
He advised cross-border shoppers to use BTA transport to avoid being caught up in a crossfire when the taxi operators in SA take the law into their own hands. A member of BTA who spoke to The Standard said members of his association were happy to carry passengers although carrying goods was more lucrative.
He said they applied for permission to demonstrate against the unfair treatment and they would search all cars carrying passengers and demand cash from them although it could get worse.
Mahachi condemned some members of his association for causing problems on the route, saying if managed professionally, there was enough share for everyone.-Standard
By A Correspondent- In an interview with a business media outlet, Bloomberg, on the sidelines of the 12th US-Africa Business Summit in Maputo, Mozambique, on Thursday, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said it is necessary that the country has its our own currency since it is presently difficult to determine the level of money supply in the economy.
He said he was optimistic that the country’s GDP would grow looking at the various government interventions in industry, the tourism and agriculture sectors among others.
Said Mnangagwa:
“…And I believe that with the things we are doing in various sectors of the economy — in industry, in tourism, in agriculture and so on and so on — I think that our GDP is going to grow, and I have no doubt that the issue of it being RTGS or not is not critically important.
But the fact of the matter will be that, you see, wealth creation is in progress. We are having our volumes in platinum going up on a monthly basis; in diamonds, on a daily basis; in chrome, on a daily basis; in other minerals, on a daily basis.
So I don’t see any constraint that will again drive us back, unless we change our policies. For now we are focused on reforming our economy so that we become competitive in the world market . . .”-StateMedia
The new deal will see the least paid government worker taking home around ZWL$1 000, from the current ZWL$600,
Zimbabwean civil servants on strike, file picture.
GOVERNMENT has fended off a potentially crippling industrial action in the civil service after President Emmerson Mnangagwa assented to a pay raise for the restive workers effective next month.
The new deal will see the least paid government worker taking home around ZWL$1 000, from the current ZWL$600, sources said.
Mnangagwa met civil servant leaders in the Apex Council at State House on Friday, where the workers pleaded incapacitation, telling him that they would be unable to report for duty because they could barely afford basics and make ends meet.
The Zimbabwe Nurses Association (Zina), which had warned that its members would go on strike this week, said following the meeting with Mnangagwa, they had now shelved their planned job action.
“During the meeting, the (Zina) executive was given an opportunity to present the grievances of the nursing profession. Of the grievances discussed, the one which was dealt with at great length was the issue relating to remuneration, wherein the executive reiterated that due to incapacity, the nurses would not be attending work from June 24 unless salaries are increased,” Zina said.
Mnangagwa, who was in the company of his Finance minister Mthuli Ncube, acting Labour minister Monica Mutsvangwa, Health minister Obadiah Moyo and chairperson of the Public Service Commission, Vincent Hungwe, promised to increase civil servants’ salaries and asked for the strike action to be shelved.
“The President and those in attendance understood the position of the nurses and gave an undertaking that salaries were going to be reviewed. More specifically, the undertaking was that salaries were going to be reviewed upwards from July 1 … As a result, a request was made that nurses withhold their intention to embark on a full-scale industrial action,” Zina said.
Mutsvangwa confirmed the meeting, saying Mnangagwa met with teachers, other civil servants and “listened” to their problems.
“We have a listening President and he spent the better part of the day listening and the government is going to act. What I can say is wait for the Minister of Finance to give an official statement on what was agreed,” she said.
Insiders said that civil servants would also be offered a hardship allowance in July, although the figures are yet to be fixed.
The deal will remain in place up until government introduces an official new currency which government sees as a panacea to the skyrocketing inflation, which has eroded salaries to the point that the lowest paid effectively earns US$36 per month on the current black market rate.
Government expects to have a new currency in place by the end of March next year.
MDC treasurer-general David Coltart said salary increases would not solve the current crisis because this would only serve to push up prices and inflation.
By Own Correspondent- War veterans on Sunday called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to reach out to the opposition to form a Government of National Unity (GNU).
The war veterans accused cabinet ministers of misleading President to corruptly benefit from the current economic crisis.
In an exclusive interview with a local publication in Mutare, Irvin Mbengo the Deputy Political Commissar for Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (Manicaland Chapter) said:
The problem is that President Mnangagwa is taking too much time concentrating and listening to useless people around him, these so-called ministers.
These are the wrong people giving him poisonous ideas. These people are not employable elsewhere so they hang around the President giving him wrong information and advice, thereby, taking advantage of their positions to thrive on massive corruption, enriching themselves in the process.
They have taken the situation to further satisfy their selfish egos and ends. They are heartless these people. The President must not listen to these people anymore because what they want is to benefit from the country’s economic situation.
We have too many thieves in the leadership of this country. There is corruption everywhere and our country’s leadership is protecting these corrupt officials.
… The only answer that solves the economy is the GNU. It will only take about nine months before we start talking about a better economy. We have tasted how life was good during the previous GNU.
Everything was dead in the country. But when the GNU came in everything came alive again. Everything went well smoothly.
Now we are back at it again, we have long queues and cashless banks. We should not be late again, GPA is the only solution.
In 2009, following the total collapse of the country’s economy, the then President Robert Mugabe and opposition leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara came together to form an all-inclusive government.
The shortlived GNU brought stability to the country. At the end of the GNU in 2013, the economy again entered into a tailspin.-ZimMorningPost
“The cash crisis is a political crisis, so you cannot resolve this so-called cash crisis without resolving the fundamental governance issues and politics is the issue."
Nelson Chamisa
NewsDay|ZIMBABWE has millions in foreign currency that is adequate to sustain its economy, ramp up failing industries and sustain a return to dollarisation, opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has said.
Calling for a return to dollarisation and abandonment of the local RTGS currency, Chamisa warned President Emmerson Mnangagwa not to introduce a new local currency until confidence returned to the banking sector and government.
“I know the question is where will you get the US$? The US$ is here in the country, nobody is going to put their money in a hole. The biggest hole is government, so they don’t want to invest in banks because they know there is no confidence. If you go to houses, particularly in those other suburbs, you will have the banks of Scotland, the bank of India, all sorts of currencies, but the people will never deposit them in the banking system because there is no confidence,” Chamisa told journalists in Harare yesterday.
He said the crisis in Zimbabwe, which has seen companies fold owing to a biting shortage of foreign currency, prices spiking as the local currency continues to lose value, both on the interbank and black market, was being caused by bad politics.
“The cash crisis is a political crisis, so you cannot resolve this so-called cash crisis without resolving the fundamental governance issues and politics is the issue. (Former United States) President Bill Clinton once said it is politics stupid and in our situation, it is the politics, stupid. What does it mean? Let’s resolve the politics and we will be able to unlock the economy,” Chamisa said.
“We have said it over and over again, in order for you to resolve the cash crisis, you need confidence and trust, look at our trust deficiency.”
High levels of corruption and policy inconsistencies have also made Zimbabwe an unattractive destination for Foreign Direct Investment, depriving the country of critical capital injection which could boost the economy.
“Cameroon, Sudan, Zimbabwe and Nigeria are on the list of the World Bank for the countries that have the highest political risk. We must eliminate that risk and then begin to have a currency that is stable and we have said, instead of just having a basket of currencies, let’s have an anchor currency, which is based on the USD and then we move progressively to then deal with the other issues,” the opposition leader said.
“You can’t have this fake currency and you want to report false surplus which, in real terms, is not there. So we need to deal with that issue; and if we are in government, we will deal with it.”
Mnangagwa’s government has said it will make it illegal to use foreign currency for local transactions.
“I have said that we would achieve that either before the end of the year or by the end of the first quarter of next year,” Mnangagwa told Bloomberg last week.
Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe would not develop if it does not have its own currency, which will stabilise prices and restore value in salaries of the workers, which have been eroded to way below US$100 per month.
Zanu PF, through its youth league deputy secretary Lewis Matutu, has admitted that it is harbouring corrupt leaders in government and ministers whose children have become black-market kingpins.
Matutu has threatened to name and shame the corrupt, who he accused of sabotaging Mnangagwa’s economic turnaround plans.
Minister Ncube also had time to field questions from local and international journalists in an informal set-up.
Mthuli Ncube
State Media|Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube yesterday held an informal interaction with local and foreign journalists where he spoke on a wide range of issues prevailing in the country.
He spoke on economic issues ranging from the new currency, parallel market, Transitional Stabilisation Programme, legislation, energy crisis and debt, the surplus or eliminated deficit, and restoration of confidence, austerity measures, international deals and civil servants’ salaries.
Minister Ncube also had time to field questions from local and international journalists in an informal set-up.
The interactive meeting, provided both Minister Ncube and journalists a platform to exchange notes on the situation obtaining in the country.
Minister Ncube said such informal engagements should continue as he finds them both constructive and instructive in the development of the economy and the nation at large.
The minister, who is expected to leave the country today for China on Government business, said a similar engagement will be held after he presents his mid-year Budget statement next month.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa and secretary Mr Nick Mangwana also attended the meeting.
Minister Mutsvangwa said she would arrange a similar platform for journalists to meet other ministers. The meeting was oversubscribed as journalists turned up in their numbers to meet the minister.
Representatives from 30 other African countries and international delegates are also expected to attend the summit.
President Mnangagwa is welcomed by ministers (from left) Richard Moyo (Mat North Provincial Affairs), Prisca Mupfumira (Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry) and Prof Amon Murwira (Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology) on arrival in Victoria Falls yesterday for the Africa Wildlife Economy Summit.
State Media|President Mnangagwa will today officially open the inaugural African Union (AU) and United Nations (UN) Wildlife Economy Summit which presents a platform to strategise on unlocking value from wildlife in the continent.
He arrived in Victoria Falls yesterday afternoon.
Representatives from 30 other African countries and international delegates are also expected to attend the summit.
Key issues expected to be deliberated on at the summit include unlocking investments and the power of wildlife economy, how to create an enabling environment for investment in an African wildlife economy, transformative potential of the wildlife economy, opportunity for Africa including economic and social justice benefits and how to move to scale the challenge.
Delegates are also expected to discuss what should be done to unlock the power of communities as partners and exploration of key innovations that can unlock new economic benefits with public and private partnerships.
Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira said the inaugural AU/UN Wildlife Summit presents Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA) nations an opportunity to share views on unlocking value from wildlife.
KAZA is situated in Southern Africa where the national borders of five countries converge — being the upper Zambezi River and Okavango basins and Delta, the Caprivi Strip of Namibia, the south-eastern part of Angola, south-western Zambia, the northern wildlands of Botswana and western Zimbabwe.
It is home to 61 percent of the world elephant population.
She was happy that Zimbabwe was hosting the first ever AU-UN Africa Wildlife Summit and was looking forward to a successful conference.
“Zimbabwe is in the KAZA region and KAZA boasts hosting over 60 percent of the world’s elephant population,” she said.
“We will discuss how wildlife impacts the ordinary people and how we can manage human-wildlife conflict.
“We want to come up with resolutions which will be good for conservation and make sure people living with wildlife also benefit.
“There will be various international speakers and our own Zimbabweans will contribute in the deliberations,” she said.
Minister Mupfumira said elephants were a symbol of success in conservation strategies in the region and a key draw card to the tourism industry.
“The summit is most opportune to reflect on this important species as well as recalibrate strategies to ensure that appropriate benefits accrue to nations and respective communities,” she said.
Some girls have reportedly had to share the same piece of cloth with their mothers to stem menstrual flows as they cannot afford proper pads.
THE Government has noted that the price of sanitary wear has shot beyond the reach of many women who have resorted to using unhygienic materials exposing them to various diseases but only emphasised on the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) waiving customs duty on imports of the feminine product instead of considering calls for these to be distributed for free especially to young school girls.
In a statement , ZIMRA said: “There is no customs duty on the importation of sanitary wear for women. The price of sanitary wear in Zimbabwe shot up beyond the reach of many women facing them to use unhygienic materials that expose them to infections and other health-related problems.
“In response to the plight of women, the Government scrapped duty and Value Added Tax (VAT) on sanitary wear to make it available and to promote hygiene for women. Statutory Instrument 264 of 2018 provides for a suspension of duty on sanitary wear for women for imports done during the period December 1 2018 to November 30,2019.
“This means that no customs duty will be charged on importation of sanitary wear. In addition, the sanitary wear is exempted from paying import VAT, meaning that VAT is not charged in terms of Statutory Instrument 265 of 2018.
“Examples of sanitary wear covered under this exemption include products like sanitary towels and tampons. It should be noted that any products that is sanitary wear of any other chapter than 96 will attract the applicable duty,” read the statement.
In Zimbabwe, about 72 percent of menstruating rural primary school girls do not use sanitary pads.
Some girls have reportedly had to share the same piece of cloth with their mothers to stem menstrual flows as they cannot afford proper pads.
This has seen most girls missing school or using unhygienic material exposing themselves to urinary tract infections, rashes and bacterial build-ups.
Sanitary wear products will benefit from a suspension of customs duty, and an exemption from VAT for a period of 12 months.
While the move by government can be applauded women rights activists have continuously called on government to make the wear available for free from a lower level at primary education, because this is where girls start to be excluded as some miss school every month for the mere reason that they are girls.
A lot of girls miss school for a number of days each month when they menstruate, due to period poverty.
A study conducted in 2014 (when inflation averaged -0.2% that year) established that 72% of menstruating school girls did not use sanitary pads, while 62% of them missed school due to lack of sanitary wear.
How about now when inflation has risen to an all time dollarisation high of 20,85% with black market premiums for acquiring foreign currency as high as 250%? This can only point to worsening period poverty levels in Zimbabwe, much to the compromise of the health of disadvantaged girls and women.
While welcome the proposal by Treasury to suspend customs duty and VAT on imported sanitary wear for 12-months, many retailers who import stock are selling their ware in RTGS, and have to buy foreign currency each time they import.
Their ability to stock depends on foreign currency availability and many retailers have been complaining of inadequate foreign currency allocations, with some having to resort to the black market where usurious premiums are charged. In the rural areas, about 44 percent of rural shops do not sell any sanitary products at all.
While Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube said the scrapping of duty and VAT on sanitary wear was “in order to cushion underpriviledged women and girls”, it should be noted that the underpriviledged are those who do not have any income at all to buy sanitary wear.
The underpriviledged are homeless girls and women, female prisoners, the disabled and rural girls who often miss school due to lack of sanitary pads, pain relievers and other sanitary needs. Therefore, none of the measures announced by the Minister will actually cushion the underpriviledged as they will still be unable to access sanitary wear.
Sanitary pads remain a luxury to the underprivileged, the majority of whom can barely afford a decent meal. Access of sanitary wear by the underprivileged can only happen when costs are totally removed out of the picture.
To help picture the context, imagine a 15-year-old girl who sleeps in Harare Gardens and survives on food from the bins.
She menstruates six days every month and she uses dirty rags that she picks from the bins. She experiences painful stomach cramps and has no pain relievers. To escape the period pain, she sniffs glue to intoxicate herself and she starts having hallucinations. Now she is addicted and is always sniffing glue.
In light of the above, women rights activists have been calling on government to ensure that there is a fund in place to distribute free sanitary wear and pain relievers to the underpriviledged.
It is discriminatory for government to only pronounce measures trying to address the issues of those who can afford while remaining quiet about the issue of providing free sanitary wear to the disadvantaged who cannot afford and are vulnerable to health consequenses of using unsafe means such as dirty rags, newspapers, socks and other unhygienic means. Human development and gender equality cannot be achieved if underprivileged girls and women are left behind for the mere reason that they do not afford.
The removal of duty and VAT on sanitary wear, while it is a step in the right direction, must therefore not be viewed as an end in itself, but just a means to an end as more still need to be done.
“Many edible insect species are still collected from the wild, making it less sustainable as well as posing challenges regarding food safety standards,”
Some of the insects that are already being eaten in Zimbabwe.
Insects are a dietary staple in many cultures, not least in Zimbabwe, where a plethora of insects from flying termites (ishwa) to mopane worms (madora) are consumed. They are almost pure protein, good for food and feed.
Now the Chinhoyi University of Technology together with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences are bringing this message home in a conference slated for Harare between August 14 – 16.
The African Conference on Edible Insects will be the first such meeting bringing together scientists, academics, students, investors, policy-makers, communities and everyone else to discuss insects that can be used for food or feed – an age old practice within Africa but now increasingly frowned upon by younger generations.
Dr Robert Musundire of Chinhoyi University’s Department of Crop Science and Post-Harvest Technology says the conference is aimed “at consolidating innovations, research and industrial development on edible insects for transformation of livelihoods in Africa.”
In a note published on the conference’s website, Dr Musundire states: “With the exciting developments and increasing enthusiasm in utilising edible insects as alternative sources of proteins, several research and development initiatives have been undertaken in Africa.”
He added: “Despite the expectation that the industrial use of insects as food and animal feed would be ignited in Africa and spread to other parts of the world, and considering the long history of insect consumption and the wealth of indigenous knowledge, development of this sector has been very slow.”
The meeting hopes to come up with ways to reverse this slow down primarily by laying the groundwork for the actual farming of insects as food and animal feed as well as encouraging enterprise development, stewardship and legislation in the sector.
“Many edible insect species are still collected from the wild, making it less sustainable as well as posing challenges regarding food safety standards,” explained Dr Musundire.
“Additionally, very few African governments have embraced the use of insects as food and feed, leading to a lack of and poor legislative frameworks to effectively support this emerging industry. Poor infrastructure, lack of investment and awareness about edible insects means that most African countries will lag behind as the rest of the world advances in utilisation of insects as a source of human food and animal proteins,” he opined.
The list of keynote speakers includes luminaries in entymology and other fields from major universities in Australia, Kenya, Netherlands, US, Sweden, Zimbabwe and elsewhere. On this list also features Blessing Mutedzi, a Zimbabwean farmer and owner of Mopane Worm Enterprises.
Mutedzi is expected to speak on his experiences of mopane worm and cricket production at his homestead in Marange. After receiving three-day training in cricket farming at Chinhoyi University of Technology, Mutedzi is thought to have emerged as a leading cricket farmer targeting to produce an average of one tonne of dried crickets per month by end of year 2019.
His experience will be invaluable, as Africa seeks to move away from the practice of simply collecting consumable insects from the wild.
Maggots as poultry feed, reducing emissions
In Harare, Lovemore Kuwana is successfully breeding maggots in his backyard, which feeds to the poultry he keeps once the worms are dried.
Kuwana is producing maggots – small, white crawling worms that feed on waste – to provide protein for his breeding flock of free-range chickens and quail.
This business is not for the faint-hearted. For Kuwana, it involves stuffing pungent bird faeces into an old, open 20-litre plastic container, allowing flies to lay their eggs there.
Ideally, the maggot-breeding equipment consists of two containers stacked on top of each other, with holes drilled in their lids and the base of the top one.
As the eggs start to hatch, the emerging larvae — the maggots — feed on the waste before crawling out to pupate in the bottom container where they are harvested and dried for feed. The entire process takes less than a week.
Maggots consist of 65 percent protein and 25 percent fat, compared with 35 percent protein in soy-based feed, according to Victor Marufu of the Zimbabwe Organic and Natural Food Association. The independent organisation trains small farmers in maggot production.
“The value produced from nothing competes with supply chains that are under heavy sustainability stress,” Marufu said in a past interview.
One kilo of fly eggs turns into around 190 kg of dried larvae in just three days, he added.
For some, maggot production may be the stuff of nightmares, but others are hailing it as a dream come true for controlling waste and climate-changing emissions.
The industrial process of producing maggot-based stock feed – using a series of tanks in a purpose-built structure – generates five times less greenhouse gas emissions than soy or maize stock feed, according to research.
For every tonne of stock feed made from maggots, around 2 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent is emitted, compared with around 10 tonnes for soy-based feed.
Experts say maggot production could help cut Zimbabwe’s annual emissions of 417 gigatonnes of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. In 2000, the waste sector accounted for 16 percent of national methane emissions.
According to the papers, which Sunday World has seen, Khoza publicly confirmed for the first time that the former president was indeed the father of their 9-year-old child.
Former president Jacob Zuma has given his baby mama Sonono Khoza just about exclusive powers over their love child.
Zuma has given Khoza the right to remove the child from the Republic of South Africa without his consent. He has also given her the right to travel with the child out of the country whenever she chooses, and the right to apply for a passport and international visa or permit for their child without his consent.
He has also given Khoza, who is the daughter of Orlando Pirates boss Irvin “The Iron Duke” Khoza, absolute powers to make decisions regarding the “religious and spiritual advancement of the child”.
In addition, Zuma has also agreed to that if he or the child want to have contact with each other, his visitation right will be facilitated by a “qualified person”.
Msholozi, who has multiple wives, sired the child out of wedlock with Khoza when he was still president in 2009.
The shocking details were contained in a high court application for a settlement agreement signed by Zuma, who is cited as the second applicant and Khoza, who is cited as the first applicant, to be made an order of court.
The application papers were filed at the Joburg high court last week by Khoza’s lawyers Waldeck Attorneys and the matter will be heard on a date to be decided.
According to the papers, which Sunday World has seen, Khoza publicly confirmed for the first time that the former president was indeed the father of their 9-year-old child.
“The second applicant and I became involved during or about the course of 2008. We never lived together during our involvement. During the course of 2008 I fell pregnant… and as set out herein above, the minor child was born on the 8th October 2009,” reads the court papers.
Khoza, who identified herself as a businesswoman, said that she neither married nor lived with Zuma.
“The parties record that Khoza is the biological mother of the minor child and Zuma, to the best of his knowledge and belief, is the minor child’s biological father.
“Now, therefore, the parties agree as follows: Guardianship over the minor child shall vest with Khoza and Khoza shall have the rights and responsibilities as set out in section 18(3) of the [maintenance] act, including but not limited to consent to the minor child’s departure and or/removal from the Republic without having to obtain Zuma’s consent, to apply for a passport and or travel documentation and or international visas/permits for the minor child without having to obtain Zuma’s consent,” read the papers.
The papers further stated that Zuma couldn’t see the child willy-nilly.
“Should Zuma and/or the minor child in future wish to have contact with the minor
Zuma acknowledges his responsibility to maintain the minor child. Sonono Khoza
JACOB ZUMA’S BABY MAMA
child/her father, and both parties consent thereto, the parties undertake to obtain the services of a qualified person to assist them in implementing a plan to facilitate such contact, provided that such contact is in the best interest of the minor child and that such contact shall not interfere with the emotional wellbeing of the minor child and of the minor child’s scholastic, extramural, religious or social activities,” read the papers.
Khoza will be responsible for the maintenance of the child including medical, educational and extramural expenses.
“Zuma acknowledges his responsibility to maintain the minor child and should the minor child in future need financial support from Zuma, the parties record that they are aware of their respective rights in terms of the maintenance act,” read the papers.
Khoza’s mother Matina said she was in hospital and was not interested in commenting on the matter. Matina promised to ask her daughter to phone us back but she had not done so at the time of going to press. Khoza’s lawyers declined to comment.
Zuma’s spokesperson Vukile Mathabela could not be reached for comment.
The meeting, however, agreed that because of incapacitation, nurses will continue with the two-day working shifts instead of the stipulated three days.
File Picture of Zimbabwe nurses on strike
The Zimbabwe Nurses’ Association (ZINA) have agreed to suspend their mass industrial action set for today giving President Emmerson Mnangagwa a ten day ultimatum to sort out their salary grievances.
The move by the nurses comes after a gruelling two hour meeting with President Mnangagwa at State House on Friday where the President committed that he will personally look into their grievances and address them as early as the beginning of next month.
The meeting, however, agreed that because of incapacitation, nurses will continue with the two-day working shifts instead of the stipulated three days — a position that was also communicated to the President and Government officials attending the meeting.
The Friday meeting, which was attended by Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo, Finance and Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube, Acting Labour and Social Welfare Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, Labour and Social Welfare Secretary Mr Simon Masanga and Health Services Board chairperson Dr Paulinus Sikosana was centred on four critical issues — remuneration, non-monetary benefits, human resource issues in public health institutions and the availability, accessibility and affordability of medicines.
Below is the ZINA official communication to its members following the meeting with Mnangagwa.
Farai Dziva|Prominent social media analyst Antony Taruvinga has accused Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube of deliberately misleading the nation by claiming his policies have led to the reduction of prices of basic commodities.
“The price drop is not a result of the work of this Minister, this is a case of lack of forex.
Because of the high demand by traders of foreign currency, shops reduced the prices in US$ to lure customers to buy using the much needed foreign currency.
The Minister boasts of causing this reduction but doesn’t want to show you a sharp drop in income in US$ terms.
The average salary is US$50 per month. The Minister is afraid of telling you that. Even if the prices were to be reduced by 50%, people will not afford to purchase goods because there are no salaries to talk about.
Hon. Biti was correct about this Minister, there is a clear disconnection between the brains and the mouth,” said Taruvinga.
A BULAWAYO-based traffic cop indecently assaulted his uniformed female boss when he grabbed her by the waist before squeezing up against her body in a sexually suggestive manner in full view of other police officers.
The incident occurred almost two years ago at the Bulawayo Central Traffic Police Station (Drill Hall).
Some of the police officers who witnessed the spectacle took pictures and circulated them on social media. This emerged when sergeant Baliko Muhango (36) of Pumula South suburb approached the High Court last week challenging the outcome of an internal disciplinary hearing.
Sgt Muhango filed an application at the Bulawayo High Court challenging the decision by his bosses to convict him under the Police Act.State media
TWO months after insinuating Zimbabwe were the weakest team in Group A of the 2019 Afcon finals, Uganda’s French coach Sebastein Desabre is singing a different tune ahead of his Cranes’ showdown against the Warriors here on Wednesday that could define either team’s fate at this tournament.
A strong performance by the Warriors in their opening Nations Cup game against hosts Egypt, in a losing cause, appears to have changed the mindsets of many here, including Desabre, whose Cranes started their campaign on a flier after deservedly beating the DR Congo 2-0 on Saturday.
If the Cranes win on Wednesday, they will virtually book their place in the second round in a tournament where the top two teams in the group, and the four best runners-up, will remain here to compete in the knockout stages.
Only eight teams, the six bottom teams and the two third placed teams who would have an inferior points or goal tally to the best four third-placed teams, will also be eliminated.
The Warriors have never qualified beyond the group stages of this tournament while the resurgent Cranes, who ended a 19-year wait for a return to the AFCON finals two years ago, won their first Nations Cup game since 1978, with a 2-0 win over a lifeless DRC.
The quality of the Ugandan performance, in a game in which they would possibly have won by a very wide margin, has caught the eye of many here, but Desabre, who suggested the Warriors would be the weakest Group A team during the build-up to this tournament, isn’t taking anything for granted now.
“Zimbabwe seems the least lucky team of the group, but I know their squad and their great qualities,” Desabre told Goal in April in comments that provoked outrage back home among the Warriors’ fans. “The group is complicated even though Egypt is the favourite to top it and our team will compete for the second place spot.”State media
Government is working on improving the conditions of service for both civil servants and security forces, which have deteriorated lately due to illegal sanctions slapped on the country by the West, Zimbabwe National Army Commander Lieutenant-General Edzai Chimonyo has said.
Speaking during the handover and takeover ceremony held at Headquarters Mechanised Brigade at Inkomo Barracks last week, Lt-Gen Chimonyo said Government was aware of the challenges faced by its workers and was working on addressing them.
“. . . I am aware of the logistical challenges the organisation is facing as a result of illegal sanctions imposed by the erstwhile colonisers . . . The Government is working to improve the general conditions of service for both the civil service and our armed and security forces and we all need to be patient,” said Lt-Gen Chimonyo.
“For troops, you are aware that determination to wait is a key skill required in your daily operations. Besides the numerous challenges you are facing in your workplace, I am aware of your ultimate sacrifice as well as your loyalty and dedication to the Republic of Zimbabwe.
“In that regard, we are fully committed to regularly review and improve your conditions of service as the country’s economy improves.”State media
Health institutions operating in the Belgravia area of Harare have appealed to the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) to spare them of load-shedding to save lives and ensure they continue in business.
The health centres said relying on generators for power was not sustainable due to the high costs incurred in buying fuel and the uncertainty of effective power supplies for their big machines.
The health institutions were under a heavy load-shedding schedule the whole of last week, going for 11 hours 14 minutes on Tuesday, 12 hours 27 minutes on Wednesday and 15 hours 59 minutes on Thursday.
They had clocked six hours 25 minutes by Friday mid-morning without power, with the electricity yet to be restored at the time of writing. This has forced the health facilities to fork out thousands of dollars to power generators.
Speaking on behalf of the health institutions in the area, Health Point Hospital head Mr Peter Annesley said the institutions could end up closing, as the situation became unsustainable. Other health institutions operating in the Belgravia area include Corporate 24, Diagnostic Imaging Centre, Haemodyalisis Centre, Well Women Clinic and Target Laboratories.
“We have been on a load-shedding schedule that resulted in us going for 38 percent of the time without power,” said Mr Annesley on Friday last week. “The results of that load-shedding are putting the viability of Health Point Hospital and other healthcare institutions in the area under dire straits.
“Since 8am on Tuesday (last week), Health Point Hospital alone has consumed nearly US$2 500 in diesel to keep the hospital operations running as we have a moral obligation to ensure care and commitment to our patients.
“This money was spent in only four days. Imagine the bill we will have to foot at the end of the month if the situation continues like this. We will definitely no longer be viable.” Mr Annesley said the fact that the majority of the health institutions in the area were 24-hour facilities meant longer hours on expensive generators.
“We are aware of the situation Zesa and other businesses are facing, but the sad reality is that essential services are not being given priority and they inevitably face collapse,” said Mr Annesley.State media
ZIFA president Felton Kamambo’s rise in the corridors of power, on the domestic and continental front, could move another gear up if he lands one of the CAF executive committee posts here next month.
A rank outsider in the ZIFA leadership in December last year, where he powered to a shock victory over incumbent Philip Chiyangwa, Kamambo could take another step on the continental football administrative ladder.
He was yesterday unveiled as one of the candidates who will battle for the membership of the powerful CAF executive committee posts. The elections will be held here next month.
Kamambo will have to beat the challenge of Elvis Chetty of the Seychelles, Andrew Kamanga of Zambia, Adam “Bomber” Mthetwa of Swaziland and Mohamed Sobha of Mauritius. Only one of them will earn the right to be part of the CAF executive committee, occupying the seat reserved for the COSAFA membership.
Zambian legend Kalusha Bwalya was the occupant of that seat but will not contest the polls set for July 18 here. For Kamambo, just being part of the five-man crew, should be considered a huge achievement given that, about six months ago, he was a virtual unknown in the corridors of African football.State media
A 40-year old man from Masvingo allegedly hanged himself from a tree at his homestead last Tuesday.
Lastborn Bhusvu of Rwodzi Village under Chief Chimombe in Bhasera had appeared before Gutu resident magistrate, Mr Victor Mahamadi facing charges of assaulting his mother.
The magistrate had postponed the matter to June 25 for trial. Mr Mahamadi on Thursday bemoaned the incident, saying the death of the accused 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 clobbering the elderly woman as punishment for accepting his sister’s children born out of wedlock.
He accused his sister of “repeatedly divorcing and bringing her children from different men to their home. Bhusvu is alleged to have told his mother that his sister’s behaviour was a burden to the whole family.
Prosecuting, Mr Samuel Magobeya told the court that on July 18 last year, Bhusvu approached his mother and asked her why she accepted into her custody, his sister’s children born from different fathers.
He said an argument ensued resulting in Bhusvu assaulting his mother. The matter was reported to the police leading to his arrest.- state media
Newly-appointed MDC vice chairperson Job Sikhala has refuted allegations that he is a womaniser.
Speaking during an interview with The Standard, Sikhala said that it was not his fault to be born with good looks. He said:
I became a public figure when I was a boy; from student leadership to national politics. I even became a Member of Parliament at a very young age of 25 and I was not married.
I had already found love in 1997 in Ellen Gudo who became my wife in 2000 after I became an MP up to the present. We are blessed with beautiful kids. They are now grown-up.
If these other women existed at all, our marriage would have long collapsed like that of Guvheya Chiwenga or that of Kembo Mohadi. You could have published headlines of me visiting my wife with a troop of bodyguards and armed with an axe to inflict injuries to her.
Secondly, as said above, I became a public figure at a young age. If truly I slept around with women dai ndisina kuridzwawo here nezvirwere zvepa bonde senjovhera? (wouldn’t I have died from sexually transmitted diseases?) People make stupid allegations without evidence. Some of us laugh at such reckless talk, which is just meant to vilify innocent people. I am a very busy lawyer. I am always in court every day.
I am an MP who attends to his constituency. I am a student of postgraduate law. I am the vice-chairman of the party who is always needed by the president for duties he allocates to me.
I can’t even fulfil appointments with friends and relatives who wish to see me. I also have a family to attend to. And on top, you add women. Women also need attention. Where would I get the time?
Is it a crime to be born with good looks? I love my wife very much. She is the Alpha and the Omega of my heart.The Standard
By Wilbert Mukori- Man is a creature of reason and those who have excelled in this have done very well, thank you, whilst those who have lagged behind have suffered.
We, in Africa, have not done well at all and hence the reason the continent has remained the dark continent plagued by war, disease and chaos. Before independence in 1980 Zimbabwe was one of the top five richest nations in Africa with the potential to do even better. For the last decade the country has been the poorest nation in Africa; that speaks volumes on our score as creatures of reason.
One’s ability to reason can manifest itself in
many, many ways; the ability to plan ahead, for example. Some chimpanzees are
known to carry a carefully trimmed stick a great distance which they will then
use to fish out termites. Mankind, with our bigger brain, are expected to do a
lot more than that, of course.
One area we in Africa have fallen flat on our faces again and again and never ever seem to learn from our own past experience and that of others is governance.
It was the Greeks, 2 500 years ago who came up with the solution of democracy, in which all citizens have a right to a meaningful say in the governance of the country, as the answer to the problem of governance. Reason and experience has shown that democracy works. And yet very few African countries have been able to hold free, fair and credible elections.
Zimbabwe’s rapid descend into the economic and political abyss since independence can be attributed to one thing – our failure to hold free, fair and credible elections.
The economic meltdown is a consequence of 39 years of corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF rule. The nation was (and is to this day) stuck with regime because the party rigged elections.
“Within the security sector and diplomatic community, there are three major scenarios being bandied about of what could happen in months ahead,” a source told the Independent. “There could be riots, a palace coup or impeachment, or rebooted inclusive talks.
These situations are not mutually exclusive; they could happen simultaneously or in a quick succession of related events.”
Many people have been calling for the political dialogue leading to the Transition Authority (TA), a watered down version of the 2008 to 2013 GNU.
Political dialogue with help Zanu PF and MDC leaders “find each other”, some have argued. The last GNU did help the country’s political leaders find each other alright.
“We enjoyed serenity of politics during the
GNU. That spirit must come back. It must come back,” cried out Jacob Mudenda,
the Zanu PF Speaker of Parliament, in support of the TA.
The reason the politicians found each other and worked so harmoniously together is because the MDC, led by the late Morgan Tsvangirai, was careful not to implement even one democratic reform although this was the most important task the GNU was asked to do.
Mugabe saw to it that MDC leaders enjoyed all the trappings of high office, ministerial limos, generous salaries and allowances, a $4 million highlands mansion for Tsvangirai, etc. In return MDC leaders kicked reforms out of the window.
Of course Mudenda, Mnangagwa and the rest of the
Zanu PF leaders will welcome the TA and another period of serene politics in
which no meaningful reforms are implemented and Zanu PF once again emerge with
all its dictatorial powers untouched.
The Zimbabwe economy will not recover during or after the TA because everyone will know the regime is the corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship with one or two MDC A leaders for window dressing.
It will take a lot more than window dressing to restore confidence in investors and the nation at large and revive the economy.
At the end of the TA, with not even one meaningful
reform implemented, Zanu PF will rig the elections just as the party did in
2013 , at the end of the GNU. Zimbabwe will still be a pariah state ruled by
corrupt and vote rigging thugs.
Another military coup or impeachment will just be
yet another Zanu PF internal reshuffled no different from the November 2017
coup. After that Mnangagwa blubbered about “Second Republic”, New
dispensation!” and “Zimbabwe is open for business!” We all know that was all
hot air and events have proven this to be so. Another Zanu PF coup will not
produce any significant change.
This Zanu PF regime rigged last July’s elections
and is ipso facto illegitimate and a in-house coup will only highlight the
legitimacy problem. Frankly, the nation and the world are getting sick to the
back teeth of those Zanu PF “military assisted transition!”
Zanu PF will use brute force to suppress street
protests and riots and the regime is been training and arming the Police, Army
and CIO for this. The regime used brute force against those protesting against
the rigged July 2018 elections and against fuel increases and the regime was
roundly condemned for it.
Mnangagwa knows that shooting dead more protestors
will only increase the regime’s isolation but, worst of all, that it will solve
nothing. As long as the nothing is done, so far he has shown that he has no
clue what to do, to end the economic meltdown there threat of street protest
will remain.
History has shown that human being will not suffer
and died in silence like sheep; sooner or latter they will cry out for justice,
regardless of the brutality they face. In Zimbabwe the limit of human endurance
has been exceeded, the cup is full and overflowing.
By using violence Zanu PF has delayed the day of change but that is not to say they stopped change happening. By rigging elections and using violence to stop peaceful demonstrations Zanu PF has left the nation with no other choice by to have violent change.
No one can ever be certain of whether rioting will led to democratic stability or open the flood gate to chaos and more violence as happened in Libya or here in Zimbabwe in 1980!
After 39 years of rigged elections and the nation
stuck with a corrupt and tyrannical regime the solution to Zimbabwe’s economic
mess and political paralysis is clear as day – to end the curse of rigged
elections, implement the democratic reforms. Zanu PF is illegitimate and must
step-down to allow the political space for the appointment of a new body tasked
to implement the reforms.
Of the three solutions above, the only viable one
is political dialogue leading to the TA. I agree 100% on the need for political
dialogue so politicians can find each other, we tried that with GNU and it
worked, but it did not solve the country’s economic and political problems
hence the reason we are still in this mess! The real solution is staring us in
the face.
Fourth solution is for Mnangagwa to step down and
it is the only viable solution. We are in this mess because an age old problem
of bad governance. Until we implement the democratic reforms to ensure free,
fair and credible elections Zimbabwe will remain stuck in this hell-on-earth
hole Zanu PF dragged us into! Zanu PF is illegitimate and must step down;
why keeping the regime in office especially when it will interfere with the
implementation of the required reforms.
FORMER Lancashire Steel player, Simbarashe Dhliwayo, believes that soccer fans should not entirely blame one player for the Warriors defeat at the hands of hosts Egypt in the opening game of the 2019 Afcon Friday night.
Warriors captain Knowledge Musona gave away possession within his own half, with the incident resulting in the goal that sank the Warriors. Dhliwayo, who is now coach of Red Yellow Blue Academy in Banket, said the country generally did well in the opener.
“Egypt are not a small team and they were playing before their home crowd. We did well, given that they have high profile players in their team,” said Dhliwayo.
“Musona’s situation is very normal in football. You play as a team and lose as a team and it’s not like they also did not plan to contain him,” said Dhliwayo.State media
Farai Dziva|Warriors coach Sunday Chidzambwa has disclosed why he delayed in replacing captain Knowledge Musona even though the Smiling Assasin was not having the best of games.
Musona was replaced by Talent Chawapiwa in the 85th minute during Friday’s defeat to hosts Egypt and the coach has explained his decision.
“It’s only that he is an influential player who can do anything anytime and we thought maybe he will do that, sadly he didn’t. Upon reflection maybe we erred by delaying to effect a change,” Chidzambwa told ZiFM.
The Warriors’ next game is against table-topping Uganda on Wednesday and Chidzambwa’s charges will know that anything but a win will jeopardise their chances of progressing to the next round.
State Media – The Government has noted that the price of sanitary wear has shot beyond the reach of many women who have resorted to using unhygienic materials exposing them to various diseases despite the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) waiving customs duty on imports of the feminine product.
ZIMRA has informed the public on the suspension of customs duty on sanitary wear for women as a way of promoting hygiene.
In a statement , ZIMRA said: “There is no customs duty on the importation of sanitary wear for women. The price of sanitary wear in Zimbabwe shot up beyond the reach of many women facing them to use unhygienic materials that expose them to infections and other health-related problems.
“In response to the plight of women, the Government scrapped duty and Value Added Tax (VAT) on sanitary wear to make it available and to promote hygiene for women. Statutory Instrument 264 of 2018 provides for a suspension of duty on sanitary wear for women for imports done during the period December 1 2018 to November 30,2019.
“This means that no customs duty will be charged on importation of sanitary wear. In addition, the sanitary wear is exempted from paying import VAT, meaning that VAT is not charged in terms of Statutory Instrument 265 of 2018.
“Examples of sanitary wear covered under this exemption include products like sanitary towels and tampons. It should be noted that any products that is sanitary wear of any other chapter than 96 will attract the applicable duty,” read the statement.
In Zimbabwe, about 72 percent of menstruating rural primary school girls do not use sanitary pads.
Some girls have reportedly had to share the same piece of cloth with their mothers to stem menstrual flows as they cannot afford proper pads.
This has seen most girls missing school or using unhygienic material exposing themselves to urinary tract infections, rashes and bacterial build-ups.
Sanitary wear products will benefit from a suspension of customs duty, and an exemption from VAT for a period of 12 months.-state media
By Farai D Hove| The Zimbabwe National Army Commander Lieutenant-General Edzai Chimonyo has pleaded with soldiers telling them that the economy improve soon so they need to be patient.
Speaking during a time when soldiers muted discontentment with being paid in RTGS dollars, Lt Chimonyo said soldiers must realise it is their duty to be patient. He also said the government is seized with the reality and need to address their losses of incomes due to hyper inflation and a declining economy.
He also blamed the ongoing problems on so called illegal sanctions.
He said “I am aware of the logistical challenges the organisation is facing as a result of illegal sanctions imposed by the erstwhile colonisers . . .
“The Government is working to improve the general conditions of service for both the civil service and our armed and security forces and we all need to be patient,” said Lt-Gen Chimonyo.
“For troops, you are aware that determination to wait is a key skill required in your daily operations. Besides the numerous challenges you are facing in your workplace, I am aware of your ultimate sacrifice as well as your loyalty and dedication to the Republic of Zimbabwe.
“In that regard, we are fully committed to regularly review and improve your conditions of service as the country’s economy improves.”
Lt Chimonyo was speaking at the Headquarters Mechanised Brigade at Inkomo Barracks last week.
Farai Dziva|Fiery MDC youth assembly leader, Obey Sithole has said “illegitimate” Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa must step down to avoid embarrassment.
Sithole made the remarks in Gweru yesterday.
See the MDC youth assembly statement below :
National Youth Chairman Obey Luther Sithole today made it clear that the time to confront Emmerson Mnangagwa regime is now.
Speaking at a Day of African Child gathering attended by the predominantly rural youths from Midlands at the party’s provincial offices, Cde Luther as Sithole is affectionately known declared that the time remove Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration is now.
The maverick youth leader said the only way to save Zimbabwe from the jaws of extinction is by making sure Mnangagwa pack his belongings from Munhumutapa Offices and State House.
Sithole reiterated President Nelson Chamisa’s message that Emmerson Mnangagwa is not the legitimate leader of Zimbabwe.
He said the court of public opinion is the biggest court in Zimbabwe and not the Constitutional Court which installed Mnangagwa as President after a disputed presidential election result.
The fearless Sithole said as young leaders the Assembly will lead from the front in the struggle to reclaim the party’s stolen 2018 electoral victory.
Sithole also made it clear that the Assembly will not seek clearance from the police to demonstrate since it is a constitutional provision.
While the Youth Assembly has declared June a month of radicalization, Cde Luther declared July a month of action.
Speaking at the same event, Youth Assembly Secretary General Gift Siziba said the Assembly has since shifted its lenses towards liberating rural areas from ZANU PF.
Responding to threats by rogue Mashonaland Central war veterans that the province is a no go area for MDC, Siziba said no one has ownership rights for Zimbabwe.
The Midlands belated June 16 Commemorations were also attended by the Youth Assembly Deputy Treasurer, Judith Tobaiwa and the National Spokesperson, Stephen Sarkozy Chuma.
Other notable leaders who attended the event are National Organizer, Amos Chibaya, Deputy Legal Secretary Brian Dube and Women Provincial Secretary Violet Mutusva.
The Midlands program was organized by the provincial Youth Assembly leadership headed by Sekai ‘Muchaina’ Marasha.
Stephen Sarkozy Chuma
National Youth Assembly Spokesperson
Farai Dziva|Prominent social media analyst Antony Taruvinga has accused Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube of deliberately misleading the nation by claiming his policies have led to the reduction of prices of basic commodities.
“The price drop is not a result of the work of this Minister, this is a case of lack of forex.
Because of the high demand by traders of foreign currency, shops reduced the prices in US$ to lure customers to buy using the much needed foreign currency.
The Minister boasts about causing this reduction but doesn’t want to show you a sharp drop in income in US$ terms.
The average salary is US$50 per month. The Minister is afraid of telling you that. Even if the prices were to be reduced by 50%, people will not afford to purchase goods because there are no salaries to talk about.
Hon. Biti was correct about this Minister, there is a clear disconnection between the brains and the mouth,” said Taruvinga.
We are meeting at a time when the economic is in the doldrums due to the deleterious nature of Emmerson Mnangagwa administration.
The Dambudzo-Chiwenga political combo that was installed by a military coup is a political disaster which as young people can not afford.
It is this taunting semi military political combo that has deeply sunk Zimbabwe into an economic quicksand.
Emmerson Mnangagwa has never won an election on the shores of this once great nation and such he remains unelectable.
In fact we are all going to be war veterans because we have a political and democratic agenda to fight.
It is not a secret that our homes are empty therefore let’s brace ourselves for demonstrations to come.
We are going to occupy streets because our homes are inhabitable.
Prison walls shall be our roofs, but we are not afraid.
Our call for action is influenced by our nervous conditions.
It is those that nervous conditions like hunger that will incite you to take action.
As the commander of the Assembly I’m only giving you insight to our myriad of challenges confronting our generation.
It is Mnangagwa’s iron fist rule that will come to an end not this generation.
Today’s program was organized by the Bulawayo Provincial Youth Assembly led by the able leadership of Tinashe Kambarami.
The Youth Assembly commander was in company of National Youth Assembly leadership, Cecelia Chimbiri (Vice Chair), Gift Siziba (SG), Stephen Sarkozy Chuma (Spokesperson), Netsai Marova (deputy organizer), Judith Tobaiwa (deputy treasurer) and portfolio secretaries, Arthur Masiiwa, Descent Bajila, Mlandu Ncube, Tafadzwa Chirombe, Arnold Batirai, Rodney Jele and Max Dutuma.
Stephen Sarkozy Chuma
MDC Youth Assembly National Spokesperson
What is wrong with animal names given to soccer teams in Egypt cited on BBC, when in our own culture we are known as Soko, Gudo, and even in the Bible people were called by animal names? @ZBCNewsonline@nickmangwana
What is wrong with animal names given to soccer teams in Egypt cited on BBC, when in our own culture we are known as Soko, Gudo, and even in the Bible people were called by animal names? @ZBCNewsonline@nickmangwanahttps://t.co/LdBkpVWHVC
By Farai D Hove| The same Botswana leader who threw daggers at ZANU PF President Emmerson Mnangagwa saying his country is ‘better than country X where your money is not safe’, a direct swipe at the ZANU PF controlled nation, President Masisi, is flying into Zimbabwe tonight.
Masisi said he is coming over for the Wildlife Economy Summit.
Zimbabweans await what he will say this time as Zimbabwe’s wildlife economy has been rocked by rampant corruption that has seen the Tourism Minister fire a whole board, amid massive looting and smuggling of rhinos and elephants to China. A lot of this has included the selling of wildlife for the purpose of paying salaries, in what has seen questions being raised on the true stock numbers of endangered in wildlife in Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile Masisi said, “The Summit is a new initiative aimed at forging “a new deal for tourism, rural communities and wildlife by 2030” with a view of securing new investments in tourism based sectors to ensure a sustainable future for the continent’s people & wildlife.”
Contemporary musician Jah Prayzah, real name Mukudzei Mukombe, has come under fire following the release of his latest song “Fambai Nebhora” a dedication to the senior national soccer team. The song has been criticised by women’s and gender groups for being degrading and sexist.
Women and child right activist Nyari Mashayamombe told The Standard,
…In the song, Jah Prayzah says; ‘tovanzvenga sevarandakadzi [we dribble them like women slaves], and later says ‘tovapfekedza pitikoti, mapitikoti [we make them wear petticoats]’. How vile!”
I didn’t finish the song as I was taken aback and thought how could such a respectable artiste demean women and be so sexist like that in a national song? How could he embarrass women and seek to alienate us from the national pride, our Warriors?
Rozaria Memorial Trust (RMT) founder Nyaradzai Gumbonzvanda said,
It’s unfortunate. As RMT, we are hosting a girls’ soccer tournament in July and girls can play soccer. However, Jah Prayzah’s song derails our efforts. He is still behind on issues to do with women in sport.
The Zimbabwe Gender Commission also said,
And this is how as society we perpetuate stereotypes that demean women. And we model sexist values that have made the successes of the Mighty Warriors largely invisible.
Jah Prayzah, you have a duty as one of the prominent artistes in Zimbabwe to fix not only this song but the cultural perceptions that made you think those lyrics were good! Let’s work together to make gender equality real!
Yesterday evening Mutharika was said to have offered to resign if Mozambique would offer him asylum .
However the DPP National Governing Council has advised him to wait as they have a plan to get read of Chakwera and Chilima. We are still connecting the dots on how it will be done.
As usual Dausie pleaded with Mutharika not to resign as doing so would leave them helpless.
“There is too much against us” said Benny Phiri and Dausie.
Bennie “Ngauje” Phiri has organized his boys to take care of Chakwera and Chilima……
New Update soon…
Source: Zambezi news time
VIDEO:Malawian Army Stands With People, Beat Up Unproffesional Police Officers
THREE Chivhu men were on Thursday jailed for 12 months each for possessing US$30 fake notes.
Tafadzwa Mudzingwa (29), Pilani Moyo (24) and Edinos Jakwi (23) pleaded guilty when they appeared before Chivhu magistrate Felix Chauromwe.
Moyo told the court that he got the fake notes from South Africa.
The State, led by prosecutor Thomas Mushangidze, told the court that on June 18, 2019, police received a tip off that Mudzingwa and Moyo were in possession of counterfeit notes.
Police searched the pair at their residence and recovered three US$10 notes and a R200 note.
They later implicated Jakwi, leading to his arrest.
The recovered notes were taken to CBZ Bank in Chivhu, where certificates of counterfeit notes were issued.
Pindula|The fiery independent legislator is calling for heads to roll at the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) after alleging that the officials diverted $750 000 dollars. Mliswa further alleges that the officials splurged the money on their girlfriends and mistresses who they took with them to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Egypt.
The presence of the officials with their girlfriends is reported to have sparked tensions which led to Warriors players embarking on industrial action barely 24 hours before their opening match.
The Warriors were not impressed that the administrators were able to splurge money on their girlfriends even though they had failed to give the players their dues.
Some companies in Zimbabwe have started paying their employees extra money to help them survive the inflation that has seen prices of basic commodities increase drastically.
Among such companies are two banks, FBC and Nedbank Zimbabwe. A letter posted on social media sent to FBC employees shows that the bank is paying its employees an allowance this month to compensate for the inflation.
Says the letter:
Group Chief Executive’s Office Circular No.o2/2ot9 20 June 2019 CUSHIONING STAFF AGAINST THE IMPACT IN COST OF LIVING
I am pleased to advise that Executive Management recommended the payment of a `once off’ cost of living cushioning allowance to cushion staff from the impact of the increase in the cost of living, and the Board of Directors exercised its sole discretion and approved the payment of this ‘cushioning allowance’ to all staff.
In that regard members of staff will be paid 2 times (twice) their monthly salary as a once-off payment to assist them in meeting their living expenses which have significantly increased due to rising prices of basic commodities and other essentials.
I also take this opportunity to commend the FBC Holdings team for their hard work and resilience, despite the prevailing tough macroeconomic environment and I am convinced that staff members will use the allowances to be paid during the last week of June an9 prudently and to the benefit of their families.
Distributed To: Branches/Departments/ Divisions/Units
By: Group Marketing Division
A letter sent to NedBank Zimbabwe employees reads:
Dear Nedbankers
June 2019 Payday
Recognising the difficult financial situation which is currently prevailing in the country, we are pleased to advise that the Bank is awarding a once off payment of an additional salary cheque in the month of June 2019.
We trust that this will go some way in alleviating the hardships being faced by all, and give an opportunity for us to focus on increasing productivity and serving our valued clients,
Regards Nyasha
Zimbabwe is currently undergoing a period of high inflation with prices of basic commodities changing up multiple times a week due to a continuously weakening local currency (the RTGS$). The currency has weakened from about 1:4 to the USD to now 1:12 on the parallel market in just a few months. The government has insisted that speculators and unscrupulous businesses are causing the price increases and the loss of value of the local currency in order to profiteer.
The Beitbridge border post (on Sunday afternoon) has been disrupted as truck drivers appeared celebrating shutting it down. This was on the South African side where drivers were seen protesting the killing of 4 foreign drivers in South Africa.
“Tavhara border, tavhara border,” says one driver in the below video footage.
The situation was tense at the time of writing and below were some of the scenes: – refresh this page for the updates.
We are meeting at a time when the economic is in the doldrums due to the deleterious nature of Emmerson Mnangagwa administration.
The Dambudzo-Chiwenga political combo that was installed by a military coup is a political disaster which as young people can not afford.
It is this taunting semi military political combo that has deeply sunk Zimbabwe into an economic quicksand.
Emmerson Mnangagwa has never won an election on the shores of this once great nation and such he remains unelectable.
No one was born a war veterans.
In fact we are all going to be war veterans because we have a political and democratic agenda to fight.
It is not a secret that our homes are empty therefore let’s brace ourselves for demonstrations to come.
We are going to occupy streets because our homes are inhabitable.
Prison walls shall be our roofs, but we are not afraid.
Our call for action is influenced by our nervous conditions.
It is those that nervous conditions like hunger that will incite you to take action.
As the commander of the Assembly I’m only giving you insight to our myriad of challenges confronting our generation.
It is Mnangagwa’s iron fist rule that will come to an end not this generation.
Today’s program was organized by the Bulawayo Provincial Youth Assembly led by the able leadership of Tinashe Kambarami.
The Youth Assembly commander was in company of National Youth Assembly leadership, Cecelia Chimbiri (Vice Chair), Gift Siziba (SG), Stephen Sarkozy Chuma (Spokesperson), Netsai Marova (deputy organizer), Judith Tobaiwa (deputy treasurer) and portfolio secretaries, Arthur Masiiwa, Descent Bajila, Mlandu Ncube, Tafadzwa Chirombe, Arnold Batirai, Rodney Jele and Max Dutuma.
Stephen Sarkozy Chuma
MDC Youth Assembly National Spokesperson
Jane Mlambo| Exiled former cabinet minister Professor Jonathan Moyo has mapped scenarios that can help douse the free falling economy saying only a Government of National Unity can solve the disputed 2018 presidential polls.
Posting on Twitter, Moyo presented four scenarios that can help solve the Zimbabwean problem including a rotational presidency between MDC leader Nelson Chamisa and President Emmerson Mnangagwa, co-presidency or Chamisa taking over as the legitimate winner of the July 2018 elections.
Moyo however ruled out Chamisa being either Mnangagwa’s deputy or becoming a Prime Minister as is the case with the last GNU between Zanu PF and MDC in 2009.
Farai Dziva|The Cranes of Uganda posted a stunning 2-0 win over the Democratic Republic of Congo in an AFCON Group A match played on Saturday.
It was Uganda’s first win at the tournament since 1978 and it took them to the summit of the group, ahead of hosts Egypt, who edged Zimbabwe on Friday.
Despite having a team which looked stronger on paper, DRC were second best for much of the first half and it came as no surprise when Uganda took the lead through Patrick Kaddu in the 15th minute.
The Congolese even had the woodwork to thank just before the breather when a dangerous free-kick crashed against the bar.
Emmanuel Okwi doubled the lead just after the break and DRC never showed any signs of coming back.
The Cranes will now face the Warriors of Zimbabwe on Wednesday in their next encounter.
OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER
June 23, 2019 Addis Ababa Press Release
In the early evening of June 22, 2019 an orchestrated coup attempt occurred on the executive leadership of the Amhara Regional Government. During attacks in this coup attempt, H.E. Dr. Ambachew Mekonnen, President of the Amhara Regional Government and H.E. Ezez Wassie, Amhara Regional Government Office Advisor were killed from gunshot injuries sustained. The Regional Attorney General Migbaru Kebede has also sustained heavy injuries and is currently undergoing medical treatment.
The attempted coup and attacks on the leadership of the Amhara Regional Governrnent President was orchestrated by Brigadier General Asaminew Tsige who has been serving as the regional government’s Peace and Security Bureau head, in collaboration with other individuals. Many of the individuals involved in the attacks have been arrested and there is an ongoing operation to arrest the rernaining. It is to be recalled that Brigadier General Asarninew Tsige was given amnesty and released from imprisonment last year.
The situation in the Amhara Region is currently under full control by the Federal Government in collaboration with the Regional Government, which in accordance with the constitution is being led by the Vice President, Lake Ayalew. The Federal Government rernains comrnitted to ensuring national security and through the command of Prirne Minister Abiy Ahmed, various tasks are underway. In this regard, we encourage citizens to also be guardians of peace and support all efforts in holding suspected individuals accountable.
In relation to the coup attempt in Amhara region, the Chief of Staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces, General Seare Mekonnen together with retired Major General Gezai Abera, were also killed yesterday night in Addis Ababa within the residence of General Seare. This fatal attack was committed by General Seare’s bodyguard who has also been arrested. A national committee has been formed to organize military funeral honors for General Seare Mekonnen and retired Major General Gezai Abera. The committee will update and provide further information as needed.
We applaud the reforms thus far undertaken by PM Abiy as key to democratization & sustainable development of Ethiopia.The attempted coup& other criminal events mustn’t derail the reforms. Ethiopia is a shining example of positive change in Africa.Such progress must be defended.
Farai Dziva|Warriors coach Sunday Chidzambwa has disclosed why he delayed in replacing captain Knowledge Musona even though the Smiling Assasin was not having the best of games.
Musona was replaced by Talent Chawapiwa in the 85th minute during Friday’s defeat to hosts Egypt and the coach has explained his decision.
“It’s only that he is an influential player who can do anything anytime and we thought maybe he would do that, sadly he didn’t. Upon reflection maybe we erred by delaying to effect a change,” Chidzambwa told ZiFM.
The Warriors’ next game is against table-topping Uganda on Wednesday and Chidzambwa’s charges will know that anything but a win will jeopardise their chances of progressing to the next round.
We are meeting at a time when the economic is in the doldrums due to the deleterious nature of Emmerson Mnangagwa administration.
The Dambudzo-Chiwenga political combo that was installed by a military coup is a political disaster which as young people can not afford.
It is this taunting semi military political combo that has deeply sunk Zimbabwe into an economic quicksand.
Emmerson Mnangagwa has never won an election on the shores of this once great nation and such he remains unelectable.
No one was born a war veterans.
In fact we are all going to be war veterans because we have a political and democratic agenda to fight.
It is not a secret that our homes are empty therefore let’s brace ourselves for demonstrations to come.
We are going to occupy streets because our homes are inhabitable.
Prison walls shall be our roofs, but we are not afraid.
Our call for action is influenced by our nervous conditions.
It is those that nervous conditions like hunger that will incite you to take action.
As the commander of the Assembly I’m only giving you insight to our myriad of challenges confronting our generation.
It is Mnangagwa’s iron fist rule that will come to an end not this generation.
Today’s program was organized by the Bulawayo Provincial Youth Assembly led by the able leadership of Tinashe Kambarami.
The Youth Assembly commander was in company of National Youth Assembly leadership, Cecelia Chimbiri (Vice Chair), Gift Siziba (SG), Stephen Sarkozy Chuma (Spokesperson), Netsai Marova (deputy organizer), Judith Tobaiwa (deputy treasurer) and portfolio secretaries, Arthur Masiiwa, Descent Bajila, Mlandu Ncube, Tafadzwa Chirombe, Arnold Batirai, Rodney Jele and Max Dutuma.
Farai Dziva|Fiery MDC youth assembly leader, Obey Sithole has said “illegitimate” Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa must step down to avoid embarrassment.
Sithole made the remarks in Gweru yesterday.
See the MDC youth assembly statement below :
National Youth Chairman Obey Luther Sithole today made it clear that the time to confront Emmerson Mnangagwa regime is now.
Speaking at a Day of African Child gathering attended by the predominantly rural youths from Midlands at the party’s provincial offices, Cde Luther as Sithole is affectionately known declared that the time remove Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration is now.
The maverick youth leader said the only way to save Zimbabwe from the jaws of extinction is by making sure Mnangagwa pack his belongings from Munhumutapa Offices and State House.
Sithole reiterated President Nelson Chamisa’s message that Emmerson Mnangagwa is not the legitimate leader of Zimbabwe.
He said the court of public opinion is the biggest court in Zimbabwe and not the Constitutional Court which installed Mnangagwa as President after a disputed presidential election result.
The fearless Sithole said as young leaders the Assembly will lead from the front in the struggle to reclaim the party’s stolen 2018 electoral victory.
Sithole also made it clear that the Assembly will not seek clearance from the police to demonstrate since it is a constitutional provision.
While the Youth Assembly has declared June a month of radicalization, Cde Luther declared July a month of action.
Speaking at the same event, Youth Assembly Secretary General Gift Siziba said the Assembly has since shifted its lenses towards liberating rural areas from ZANU PF.
Responding to threats by rogue Mashonaland Central war veterans that the province is a no go area for MDC, Siziba said no one has ownership rights for Zimbabwe.
The Midlands belated June 16 Commemorations were also attended by the Youth Assembly Deputy Treasurer, Judith Tobaiwa and the National Spokesperson, Stephen Sarkozy Chuma.
Other notable leaders who attended the event are National Organizer, Amos Chibaya, Deputy Legal Secretary Brian Dube and Women Provincial Secretary Violet Mutusva.
The Midlands program was organized by the provincial Youth Assembly leadership headed by Sekai ‘Muchaina’ Marasha.
Stephen Sarkozy Chuma
National Youth Assembly Spokesperson
By A Correspondent| The CIO operative reportedly fought the police officer’s husband after he had confronted him.
Wellington Chikaka (27) of Spitzkop Suburb was hauled before Gwanda magistrate, Lerato Nyathi and charged with indecent assault and disorderly conduct. He pleaded not guilty to both charges.
State prosecutor, Ethel Mahachi narrated before the court the incident involving Chikaka and the female cop.
She said:
On 28 April at around 2 am, the complainant was in a taxi with her husband on their way home while Chikaka was in the same vehicle sitting next to her on the other side.
When they were at Gwanda Police Station residential area where she and her husband were dropping off, Chikaka extended his hand and fondled the complainant’s right breast.
The complainant confronted Chikaka over his actions and in response he uttered vulgar words at the complainant which resulted in a misunderstanding. The complainant reported the matter to the police.
While Chikaka pleaded not guilty to the disorderly charge conduct, the complainant’s husband pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay $100 or face a two-month prison sentence.
Chikaka was placed off remand and both cases will proceed by way of summons.
By A Correspondent- The CIO operative reportedly fought the police officer’s husband after he had confronted him.
Wellington Chikaka (27) of Spitzkop Suburb was hauled before Gwanda magistrate, Lerato Nyathi and charged with indecent assault and disorderly conduct. He pleaded not guilty to both charges.
State prosecutor, Ethel Mahachi narrated before the court the incident involving Chikaka and the female cop.
She said:
On 28 April at around 2 am, the complainant was in a taxi with her husband on their way home while Chikaka was in the same vehicle sitting next to her on the other side.
When they were at Gwanda Police Station residential area where she and her husband were dropping off, Chikaka extended his hand and fondled the complainant’s right breast.
The complainant confronted Chikaka over his actions and in response he uttered vulgar words at the complainant which resulted in a misunderstanding. The complainant reported the matter to the police.
While Chikaka pleaded not guilty to the disorderly charge conduct, the complainant’s husband pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay $100 or face a two-month prison sentence.
Chikaka was placed off remand and both cases will proceed by way of summons.-StateMedia
Attention : The Ambassador of health Amai Auxilia Munangarwa, The Minister of Health Dr Obadiah Moyo, The Director of Nursing services Dr Cynthia Chasokela, Masvingo PMD and ZACH Tatamburawo paGutu Mission Hospital, Masvingo Province because of the following issues
1.There was target approach funds funded by the government in 2013 which were being misused. The rehab dpt yakaputswa up to now inongova foundation hapana kana kuvakwa chinhu.
2.Grant remvura rakauya and was misused, only Jojo tanks were bought, there is still no running water in the hospital and staff houses. Matron Nyakudzi and the administrator Abiot Masinire are bragging kutoti vakadya mari. Patients are even fetching water from nearby contaminated dam and villages.
3.There is misuse of the hospital vehicle by Administrator Masinire for his own benefit achitakura cement dzekuvaka kumba kwake.
4.RBF funds varikuba futi administrator naMatron. We struggle to get our incentives tikasatoita fofa fofa hatiipihwe plus hatisi kuona zvairi kushanda, we don’t have resources in the hospital, patients are suffering.
5.Tinotukwa pabasa hatishandi zvakanaka, we are not even allowed to ask for resources which are scarce at the hospital.
6Solar panels are donated but now not functional especially in essential departments since last year.
7.RBF benefiting wrong people who are not even hands on for example School of nursing staff vachitowana yakawandisa kutidarika isu tinofondoka tichiishanda.
8.Matron Nyakudzi vane favour pakuendesa vanhu kuma workshop wanoendesa wawanoda and demands favors in return in form of money plus vanoenda ma workshop avasingafaniri kuenda.
9.Matron Nyakudzi haatimiriri isu manurse, we don’t even know where to take our grievances, she’s too close to the administrator, we now suspect that they are in love.
10.We are denied to wear Scrub uniforms by the matron.
11.Tinokumbirawo kuti dai admin yese yambochinjwa kunyanya Matron Nyakudzi naMasinire naEdison Vushoma, we need new blood for the smooth running of the hospital.
Kana mukatibetserawo pamatambudziko edu aya tingafare chose
Farai Dziva|Prominent social media analyst Antony Taruvinga has accused Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube of deliberately misleading the nation by claiming his policies have led to the reduction of prices of basic commodities.
“The price drop is not a result of the work of this Minister, this is a case of lack of forex.
Because of the high demand by traders of foreign currency, shops reduced the prices in US$ to lure customers to buy using the much needed foreign currency.
The Minister boasts about causing this reduction but doesn’t want to show you a sharp drop in income in US$ terms.
The average salary is US$50 per month. The Minister is afraid of telling you that. Even if the prices were to be reduced by 50%, people will not afford to purchase goods because there are no salaries to talk about.
Hon. Biti was correct about this Minister, there is a clear disconnection between the brains and the mouth,” said Taruvinga.
Three was drama yesterday when MDC MPs outnumbered their Zanu PF counterparts at the burial of the ruling party’s deputy chief whip Obedingwa Mguni in Macingwa Village, Mangwe, in Bulilima District.
The MDC currently occupies a paltry one third in parliament.
But opposition supporters and MPs came in their numbers to bury the former Home Affairs deputy minister, who died on Tuesday after he fell ill during a Parliament session.
Speaking during the burial, leader of the House and Justice minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi (ZANU PF), thanked the MDC.
He said,
“I am very impressed with the turn up by members from the opposition but also Parliament had other business of which most members had to attend to; that is why their turnout here is too low,” said Ziyambi.
CARELESSNESS: After a breakdown along the Harare – Mutare Highway on Saturday, the Inter Africa bus crew does not bother to pull the bus off the road or to use a triangle to warn other drivers. This is extremely dangerous to other road users. pic.twitter.com/xoCFqMsA3w
By A Correspondent| Zanu PF youth league secretary Pupurai Togarepi on Saturday threw his weight behind his deputy, Lewis Matutu after he reportedly received death threats from corrupt ZANU PF officials.
Matutu made the stunning revelations in an interview with a local publication last week when he said that he had been receiving threatening calls from party bigwigs for his crusade against corruption.
His boss, Togarepi told The Standard that any further attack on Matutu will invite a firm response from the youth league.
Said Togarepi:
It has always been our position to name and shame corrupt individuals and saboteurs. Lewis Matutu is a messenger, don’t fight him.
Any further attack on him will invite a firm response from the youth league.
They crossed the Rubicon line by threatening the deputy secretary. We cannot allow them to vandalise the efforts by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to rebuild Zimbabwe.
Togarepi went on as far as threatening a shut down of tuckshops in downtown Harare that are alleged to be involved in illegal foreign currency dealings. He said:
We also want to tell those involved in illegal forex dealings that their days are numbered together with foreign-owned tuck-shops in downtown Harare and other cities.
We are not afraid, it is time we dealt with this crisis.
We can’t be threatened by thieves who want to use non-existing factional fights to further their agenda. We are going to name and shame them.
By A Correspondent- Sex workers in Gweru are receiving HIV prevention education, with most of them being asked to come up with business ideas to ensure that they get a comprehensive package of services to mitigate the impact of HIV.
This was done through the DREAMS project through funding from the National Aids Council (Nac).
DREAMS, which stands for Determined, Resilient, Empowered, Aids-Free, Mentored and Safe, intends to address sexual reproductive health issues, counselling and prevention of gender-based violence among school-going girls and adult women between the ages of 15 and 24.
During the recent visit to the Midlands Province, one of the beneficiaries, Tendai (20) said she has plans to leave thigh vending work once her business starts to bring in some profits.
Tendai got pregnant at a very tender age and never got the chance to go back to school. Her parents died when she was 7 and her grandmother was taking care of her.
When she got pregnant she was taken to her boyfriend who did not accept responsibility and that saw Tendai moving from one house to the other until she gave birth.
A kind aunt then offered to take care of her daughter after delivery and advised Tendai to look for a job as a house maid. Through interactions with other girls her age, she was introduced to thigh vending work.
“I got pregnant at 13 and was forced out of school. I gave birth to my daughter soon after my 14th birthday.
“I then started thigh vending work 15 months after giving birth and was completely clueless. I got treated for a number of sexually transmitted infections because I was not using protection and I also did not know about other preventive methods such as pre-exposure prophylaxis which I now have access to,” narrated Tendai.
She added; “I then met other thigh vending workers as days went by and they introduced me to The Centre for Sexual Health and HIV Aids Research Zimbabwe (CeSHHAR-Zimbabwe) where I got to learn about all the preventive methods I now know.”
“I have access to information now, getting training on projects I can do to empower myself and hoping to retire from thigh vending work soon,” she said.
“My challenge however, is that things are really tough at the moment. My worry is that people may not buy enough firewood and the second hand clothes to sustain me, but I am willing to try hard.
Nac Gweru Urban District Aids Co-ordinator Mr Murari Hwingwiri said they are training and assisting sex workers to come up with their income generating projects that Nac will fund to empower them so that they can better take care of themselves without selling.
“This comes as a result of their lack of income generating projects which exposes them to abuse and other risks associated with their work hence we said we need to train them and assist them in coming up with business ideas that we can support.
“The long term vision is the reduction of these risky behaviours and equips these girls with life skills that can sustain them in the long run,” Hwingwiri said.-Standard
By A Correspondent- Popular musician, Jah Prayzah, has been accused of objectifying women in the song he dedicated to the warriors at AFCON.
The song, called Fambai Nebhora, has lyrics that some have felt are inappropriate.
Women and child rights activist, Nyari Mashayamombe told a local publication:
I was baffled yesterday when I listened to Jah Prayzah’s song for the Warriors Titled Fambai Nebhora. In the song Jah Prayzah says: ‘tovanzvenga sevarandakadzi [we dribble them like women slaves] and later says ‘tovapfekedza pitikoti, mapitikoti’ [we make them wear petticots]. How vile!
I didn’t finish the song as I was taken aback and thought how could such a respectable artist demean women and be so sexist like that in a national song? How could he embarrass women and seek to alienate us from the national pride, our Warriors?
Another child and women activist, Angela Machonesa commented on social media:
Warriors are for everyone — female and male. Our young sons woke up singing along that bad vibe, and they will finish this tournament and live their lives thinking women can be easily dribbled and if you are defeated you have worn a petticoat.-Standard
By Law Togarasei| Let us go back to basics without wasting time with POLAD, PAC and cleaning streets.
ZEC and the Constitutional Court must clear their mess. ED got 3 different wrong results in one election as if he was 3 candidates or he contested in 3 elections.
The inflation started affecting results. Advocate Thabani Mpofu asked a very simple question to the ConCourt judges:
“If we are to say the first respondent won the elections, how many votes did he get?”
There was quietness in court for about 3 minutes. ZEC, Emmerson Mnangagwa’s lawyers and 12 or 13 judges failed to answer that question.
Chief Justice Luke Malaba declared ED the winner without answering the question. It was a dangerous and careless decision to declare the winner without answering this petinent question.
The markets, economy, bond notes, RTGS, FDIS and mega deals are waiting for the answer!
By A Correspondent- It has been established that there are eight countries without their own currencies besides Zimbabwe, indicating the President Emmerson Mnangagwa was misled.
This follows President Mnangagwa’s remarks that Zimbabwe will soon have its own currency since it is the only country on the face of this planet that does not have its own currency.
However, there are eight countries without own currencies namely:
Zanu PF youth league secretary Pupurai Togarepi on Saturday threw his weight behind his deputy, Lewis Matutu after he reportedly received death threats from corrupt ZANU PF officials.
Matutu made the stunning revelations in an interview with a local publication last week when he said that he had been receiving threatening calls from party bigwigs for his crusade against corruption.
His boss, Togarepi told The Standard that any further attack on Matutu will invite a firm response from the youth league.
Said Togarepi:
It has always been our position to name and shame corrupt individuals and saboteurs. Lewis Matutu is a messenger, don’t fight him.
Any further attack on him will invite a firm response from the youth league.
They crossed the Rubicon line by threatening the deputy secretary. We cannot allow them to vandalise the efforts by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to rebuild Zimbabwe.
Togarepi went on as far as threatening a shut down of tuckshops in downtown Harare that are alleged to be involved in illegal foreign currency dealings. He said:
We also want to tell those involved in illegal forex dealings that their days are numbered together with foreign-owned tuck-shops in downtown Harare and other cities.
We are not afraid, it is time we dealt with this crisis.
We can’t be threatened by thieves who want to use non-existing factional fights to further their agenda. We are going to name and shame them.
