By A Correspondent- Police in Chinhoyi used live ammunition to fire warning shots in an attempt to arrest forex dealers in the town on Friday, 14 June.

While no one was hurt, the exercise resulted in the arrest of 16 dealers. Police, however, failed to charge them with any exchange control crime due to lack of evidence.

From the report:

It is the firing of warning shots that got people to talk about the heavy-handedness of the police towards civilians.

One of the dealers who wanted to be only identified as Monya, said he was fined $20 for Obstructing movement on the pavement and was released.

“There was no point in firing warning shots in the middle of the crowded CBD as if we’re hardcore criminals” said Monya.-Standard

In his statement during a radio interview this past Friday (14 June) President Emmerson Mnangagwa effectively ruled out the possibility of being succeeded by current Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.

Mnangagwa said that after him,”Zimbabwe needs a young president to take over”.

Chiwenga has long been considered in line to succeed Mnangagwa following his successful execution of one of Africa’s softest coups that deposed former president Robert Mugabe.

The remark is being seen as a huge blow for the old guard in the ruling party, especially for Chiwenga who has previously been tipped to take over from Mnangagwa.

A former army commander, Chiwenga was instrumental in Mnangagwa’s ascendency to power in November 2017 after he led the soft coup that pushed former president Robert Mugabe out of office, ending his 37-year rule.

Despite the show of unity by the Zanu PF leadership during public gatherings, cracks are widening in the party between the Team Lacoste faction which dominates Mnangagwa’s inner circle and former army chefs who are largely loyal to Chiwenga.

To paper over the cracks, Zanu PF provinces have been declaring their undying support for Mnangagwa by campaigning for his candidacy in 2023.

In December last year, while at a rally, Chiwenga maintained that Mnangagwa is the ruling Zanu PF party’s sole presidential candidate for the 2023 polls, saying there is no vacancy for the post.

Despite the declaration, those privy to the goings-on in Zanu PF highlight simmering tensions between Mnangagwa and his deputy

By A Correspondent- South Africa is not a rosy place and is not the land of milk and honey as many imagine. It is also not a place of easy fortunes, but a land of hard work where you have to toil to eke out a living, lest you are pushed out to survive on crime and other vices.

Even those making an honest living are not spared either as they might find themselves caught up in the crossfire. This sums up the experiences of Zimbabweans who migrate to South Africa but get a reality check when they serve time in prison for serious crimes like murder, fraud and forgery.

One such person is Gift Mbewe (47) of Entumbane in Bulawayo who until last month served 18 years at Johannesburg Correctional Centre and Zonderwater Prison. Johannesburg Correctional Centre is popularly known as “Sun City” and is a notorious maximum security prison which houses hard core criminals serving lengthy sentences to life imprisonment.

The state media caught up with Mbewe where he was in the comfort of his brother’s house in Entumbane suburb just a week after being deported from Lindela Repatriation Centre. Like many others he left Zimbabwe to seek greener pastures.

“I left Zimbabwe in 1994, when I arrived I was still young and was fortunate to find a job the second day I arrived but it was at a bottle store. During that time my life then started to evolve around alcohol, I would drink everyday, things were not very rosy every time.

In 2001 I had a girlfriend that I moved in with and she framed me for Grievous Bodily Harm and I was arrested and eventually won the case and I was not incarcerated,” he said.

After that stint he decided to change his ways and live an alcohol-free life. However, as fate would have it, he relapsed one day at a party.

“In 2002 I visited a friend of mine who had a housewarming party and I was enticed into taking marijuana and alcohol during the party. I don’t know how I left the party and went back home because I was drunk.

A friend followed me home and a fight ensued, in the house was my girlfriend’s child who was aged four by then. So during the fight he was injured, I only realised after my colleague had run away that the child had been hurt so I put him to bed and went out to collect his mother from work in Berea as she was about to knock off,” he said.

He went on: “I arrived 30 minutes earlier so I decided to pass time by the snooker shop near her workplace. I lost track of time and realised after a while that I was supposed to pick her up then I went home as she had knocked off already. I got home to find many people outside the flat so I was drunk and I didn’t know what the people had gathered there for.

“The people said: ‘nangu urasta’ I had dreadlocks by then and the police said they had been waiting for me and I was arrested. I complied as I didn’t understand what was happening and I remember people saying ‘urasta um’bulele’ but I still did not understand,” said Mbewe.

The following day he woke up at John Foster Police Station even more confused as to why he was in a police cell.

“A policeman came, took me and asked what happened. He also said I had killed someone, I was shocked at his utterances and he left.”

Mbewe said he was taken to court and one day managed to see his documents which showed that he was a murder suspect. Another inmate who had been brought in from Hilbrow then told him that he was talk of the town with his murder case.

“He then told me that I had killed my girlfriend’s son, that is when I began to try and recall what had happened. I hated myself for the next two years in prison. Somehow I never thought of suicide as a way out,” he said.

He thought pleading guilty would bring leniency.

“I accepted the charge because I didn’t know what had happened that day, I was drunk. I know for a fact that there was a fight but how the child was hurt I am not too sure, maybe he was caught in the crossfire as we were hitting each other and he succumbed to injuries. This is why I hated myself because I loved the child like my own. I was sentenced to life imprisonment on 13 June 2003.

“The judge said to me ‘Gift, you are going to prison for the rest of your life, you will never see the sun and you will never see the birds in the sky.’ That tore me apart. I was a first time offender and had never been in prison before. I had never committed any crime before. My heart broke,” he said.

Mbewe was later moved to Zonderwater Prison outside Pretoria where he continued serving.

“It was not easy for me either but Gift (himself) deserved to go under; he deserved to be punished as he had been said to have killed a child. It now did not matter how it happened but the fact that an innocent child had been killed while I fought my friend tore me apart. He was someone who could not protect himself or stand for himself,” he said.

Asked on how 18 years behind bars felt, Mbewe said it was hell.

“Prison was hell. There was no place to sleep, I would sleep in the toilet, others slept in the shower, passages and it was not easy. The place was always full. Worse still it was in June when I was convicted; the cold winter nearly killed me as I only had one blanket and no jersey,” he said.

He was to later on accept his fate and that he was going to be in prison for life.

“I went down for it, I had to serve time for this crime despite the difficult circumstances around it and life changed for the better,” he said.

It was one day that an evangelist gave him a Bible and he tucked it under his pillow and it stayed there for a while.

“One night I had a dream, a voice said I must read Psalms 50v15 which reads ‘Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver you and you shall glorify me’. I woke up wrote it down, but I did not know where to find that verse as I had never opened a Bible before but I had to find that scripture. Page by page I flipped until he found the verse. My life changed,” he said.

As the years passed Mbewe was selected for the possibility of parole. It happened that he became a role model in prison, motivational speaker and pastor. He attained a Degree in Theology after years of study and graduated in October 2018.

“Lifers’ (those serving life sentences) were not checked by Parole Boards but by the Minister of Justice, so our names were taken forward, and the minister would decide if we were to be given parole or not.

“The day I was told that I was going to be released I failed to walk back to my cell, the joy was unexplainable. My feet were numb because I could not believe it even one bit, all I could do was praise God. I was finally going to be a free person yet I had been told I was going to be locked away for life.

I was at Lindela from 17 May to 6 June 2019 when I was totally released into Zimbabwe and tasted real freedom. I had been released from prison a month earlier but my paper work was not yet completed for me to be deported back home,” he said.

Mbewe said his time in prison changed him a lot on the way he perceives the world.

“I want to thank God for allowing me to go to prison, as it allowed me to have a new life. I want to thank prison, not that I liked being there but because I attained all that I have by being in prison. If not I would have been wandering in the world doing earthly things but I was removed from there and jailed and made good of myself.

I am now focused, I now acquaint myself with people of correct moral standing and I am wiser now, I think first before I do things now.

“I am back home now and have started a project with a colleague I met at Lindela, GMU Missionaries, we are men on a mission and we want to see a crime free continent, we want to educate the masses that if you are to migrate to any country one must have the correct documentation so that you are not always running away from the police and again you cannot secure a formal job and this then pushes people into crime.”

Mbewe said he has, however, not seen or heard from his girlfriend or friend he fought on that fateful day. Sunday News

CHARISMATIC Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries (PHD) leader Prophet Walter Magaya has offered RTGS$14 000 to pay back US$14 000 to a family of a Bulawayo pastor who allegedly died of stress after investing in the church housing scheme.

The late Pastor Ernest Mutasa, who was a pastor at Assemblies of God died in April after allegedly investing US$14 000 into a PHD housing scheme in 2016.

Pastor Mutasa sold a family house and invested in stands and other business ventures that were promised by PHD in Douglasdale under Magaya’s supposed multi-million dollar housing construction scheme.

After media exposed the issue last week, the church summoned Pastor Mutasa’s family where they proposed to pay off the amount but in RTGS dollars.

Pastor Mutasa’s daughter — Miss Bethel Mutasa, who has been fighting for the church to reimburse the family or alternatively secure permanent accommodation for them met with representatives of the church.

“They gave me bus fare to meet them in Harare, after the issue was publicised. It was during the meeting that they laid out their offer, which I declined, as it is valueless.

“They told me during the meeting that they could not make the payment in US dollars, as laws had changed during that period and would only make a payment in RTGS dollars, which is ridiculous. They acknowledged that the payment was made in US dollars but want to give us RTGS, which cannot and will never account for a house,” said Miss Mutasa.

She said she stormed out of the meeting as the church representatives, one Mr Chatambudza and Mr Mhango, would not budge.

She said her family was considering taking the legal route but due to financial constraints they could not afford a lawyer.

“Had we been financially stable we would have taken the legal route. But because we are poor we cannot. We need some assistance from the leaders of the country if at all they hear our plea. This man has taken everything from us and he cannot continue doing this to people,” said Miss Mutasa.

An official with PHD Ministers Mr Clive Musango acknowledged that the church would pay in RTGS dollars.

“What they paid is what they will get. They paid in local currency and it is what they will be paid. We are following all procedures,” he said.

Meanwhile, a group of Bulawayo pastors has planned on engaging Prophet Magaya, over the matter. The pastors said they were saddened in the manner in which one of their own had died due to a stress related illness, caused by the deal and Prophet Magaya had chosen to turn a blind eye over the matter.

“Pastor Ernest Mutasa was a good man. He believed he could turn his family’s fortune around through the investment he had done with Magaya. As time went on and the deal, failing to yield results it affected his health.

“He was very emotional about the issue and approached some of us before his untimely death to consult us about the matter,” said Reverend Frank Mhlanga, who is the provincial chairperson of the Zimbabwe Christian Ministries Association (ZCMA).

He said the late pastor Mutasa on the day of his passing phoned them to inform them that he had suffered a stroke.

“He phoned the church telling us that he had suffered a stroke before passing on a few hours later. Before his death he indicated to us that the man of God, Prophet Magaya had cheated him. He said this had greatly affected his health and mental being. It was so unfortunate that he passed away before we could do anything to assist him,” said Rev Mhlanga. 

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By Own Correspondent- After the matter of who — between Chinx’s two wives Patricia and Ntombizodwa — would get the Sentosa house at its handover ceremony in May 2017, the late Chinx is said to have asked his benefactor, Joseph Nyadzayo, a question that still haunts him to this day. “He said to me, ‘Ko Zodwa pane chamamuitirawo here’ (Does Zodwa also get something)?’

“I realised that we had made a blunder, that we had to do something for the younger wife as well,” said Nyadzayo.

Zodwa is a shortened version of Chinx’s wife’s name : Ntombizodwa.

The second wife confirmed Nyadzayo’s claims, adding that her husband was distressed and died a bitter man after a “sudden unilateral decision” was made to give the senior wife the house.

“It had been decided that I should not get a share of the house and he asked Nyadzayo and the others what they would do for me. He did so three times. I could see he was distressed. He died a very bitter man because of that issue,” said Zodwa.

“Remember that house was built with two bedrooms for the comrade’s two wives. Even though we were not going to stay there together, I needed to retain half ownership of the property,” she charged.

But that is not all.

Zodwa claims that at Chinx’s funeral, a certain lawyer showed up claiming that there was a will. However, the same lawyer later “disappeared”.

“A man came and said he was a lawyer. He said Chinx had written down something about his estate. I later tried to contact him but he started acting up. Maybe someone got to him,” she said.

Zodwa insisted that she does not want anything for herself, but for her children.

“Vana havana chavakawana (the kids didn’t get anything). It affected them a lot and in turn it affected me too. I’m the one who has young kids. I believe that something should have been set aside for my kids to finish school and so forth.

“I left the police force on medical grounds in December last year, which means I could use this help. We are managing though.”

And it seems like Zodwa’s children have got the musical genes.

“They are all very talented. The other one plays guitar for the Airforce of Zimbabwe, the other one is a very promising hip-hop artiste while the young girl who is still at school is already appearing on dramas on television,” she said with pride.

Zodwa said to add insult to injury, her children now feel like they are not Chinx’s progeny.

“I’m now being treated like I was his whore, I was his wife. My father in-law and my husband’s sisters are the ones that came to pay lobola to my people. His children are there. The whole world knew that Chinx had two wives. Why was I treated that way?

“Rangu barika ndoo raita sei? Mutemo wakandiregerera. Anga asingazive kuti comrade vane vakadzi vaviri ndiyani? Nyika yakandipandukira (What was so special about our polygamous union? The law let me down. Who did not know that the comrade had two wives? The whole nation turned its back on me).”

Zodwa argued that the Chairman’s Award (the Sentosa house) that Cde Chinx got was a result of his musical exploits, which she was a part of. “I composed music with my husband. We performed together, wrote together. Now even the Zimbabwe Music Rights Association is telling me that I can only get 20 percent of the royalties. It is very absurd,” she said.

She added: “My husband and I are the ones who used to send money to maiguru (the senior wife). It’s just that I come from a good family, I was brought up well. Otherwise I could have caused mayhem from the start.”

Fortunately, it is not all doom and gloom for Chinx’s widow.

Nyadzayo, who has been working on a film based on the life of Chinx since 2012, says all the proceeds will go towards the second wife’s upkeep.

According to Nyadzayo, Chinx died before the film could be concluded but it had already been agreed that the proceeds would go towards his younger wife.

Nyadzayo said Ntombizodwa’s mortgage still needs to be cleared. He pledged to ensure that whatever proceeds are realised from the film will go towards that.

“She stays in a flat and it has some outstanding monies. I wish to pay off that money from proceeds of the film,” he said.

“The film was already in the pipeline. We had been to Chinx’s rural home in Rusape, where we filmed him in his mother’s hut narrating his life story from birth, how he grew up. We had been to Chimoio, Mozambique, retracing the steps that he took to and from the bush war,” said Nyadzayo.

“I’m in good stead with the widows, ma queen amukoma wangu (my brother’s queens). ‘Ma queen angu’ (my queens), that’s what he called them.

“Chinx’s family is my family and I’m going to ensure that I fix this thing. I started it.”

Nyadzayo added: “I’m happy with Chinx’s family the way it is right now. The only thing I’ll have to remind all of them is never to let Chinx’s music die.

“Look, Macheso is grooming his kids and we have seen many other offspring of late musicians carrying on with their departed parents’ legacies. I wish one of Cde Chinx’s children takes up this challenge,” said Nyadzayo.

Zodwa is grateful for all that Nyadzayo has done for their family.

“That man’s heart is golden. I wish him a long prosperous life. He had built the house with his friend’s two wives in mind but his programme was hijacked.

‘‘‘He told me his plans with the film. I hope all goes well,” she said.

Ntombizodwa, a former police officer, is now enjoying her retirement at her home in Norton.- StateMedia

Sunday Times|President Cyril Ramaphosa moved decisively this week to head off an apparent plot by ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule to engineer a “parliamentary coup”.

Magashule’s move could have seen crucial parliamentary committee posts going to loyalists — many of them supporters of former president Jacob Zuma.

Committee chairs wield enormous legislative and oversight powers, controlling how parliamentary committees conduct oversight over ministers and senior government officials.

If successful, the anti-Ramaphosa figures, many of them implicated in state capture and corruption, would have held sway in parliament, potentially frustrating any legislation Ramaphosa might have proposed in his ongoing reform and clean-up drive.

The “coup” attempt is the latest chapter in a saga of defiance in which Magashule has emerged as the principal ANC obstruction to Ramaphosa’s New Dawn.

It comes in the same week that the ANC national working committee (NWC) appointed an investigation into claims that some party leaders, including Magashule, had a hand in forming smaller parties to contest last month’s elections with the aim of reducing the ANC’s majority.

Among Magashule’s choices for top posts in parliament were notorious figures from the Zuma era, including former North West premier Supra Mahumapelo, former communications minister Faith Muthambi and former mineral resources minister Mosebenzi Zwane.

The Sunday Times can disclose that Ramaphosa and other senior party leaders were left stunned when they learnt that Magashule had travelled to Cape Town on Wednesday, planning to announce new portfolio committee chairs, largely drawn from his camp, the next day.

The timing of Magashule’s ANC caucus meeting raised eyebrows as Ramaphosa, his ministers and their deputies were attending a cabinet lekgotla in Pretoria on Thursday.

Well-placed sources said Ramaphosa stopped Magashule in his tracks after his office was alerted by his parliamentary counsellor, Gerhard Koornhof, on Wednesday. He apparently told Ramaphosa that Magashule was set to announce the new chairs of portfolio committees and the whippery on Thursday — even though they had not been endorsed by the national leadership.

The move was seen as part of a fightback by Magashule and his supporters after some of them were overlooked for ministerial and deputy minister positions. In retaliation for their exclusion, Magashule’s supporters in the ANC vowed to “capture parliament”.

Insiders said the proposed list of portfolio chairs was discussed at an ANC top six officials’ meeting on Thursday last week. However, insiders said, the top six had other ideas, and rejected some names on the list.

The top six further decided that consultations with alliance partners should take place before the list was finalised.

However, lobbying for positions continued after the top six meeting. Talk in parliamentary corridors was that even outgoing ANC Youth League (ANCYL) leader Collen Maine had convinced Magashule to include his name.

When Koornhof sounded the alarm on the planned caucus meeting, Ramaphosa’s allies feared Magashule might have tampered with the list proposed by the top six and would table the original names drafted by his allies.

Two sources close to the president and parliamentary insiders said his office ordered ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina to halt the caucus meeting scheduled for 10am on Thursday.

Some MPs were in buses transporting them to parliament when they received notice of the cancellation.

“There was an impression that he wanted to force through certain names that were not yet agreed upon. Yes, there was a concern people would be slipped in by the secretarygeneral while the president and his deputy

focused on the lekgotla,” said one source.

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko, said she cannot comment on ANC internal party matters.

Parliamentary insiders said National Assembly speaker Thandi Modise, who also serves on the NWC, was one of the senior figures who cautioned Magashule about proceeding with the announcement.

Modise is also said to have told Magashule that some of the candidates he was pushing were not suitable to lead committees. Modise did not respond to requests for comment.

The Magashule list included Muthambi (justice committee), Zwane (transport) and Mahumapelo (cooperative governance). Also on the list were national executive committee (NEC) member Tandi Mahambehlala as the new chair of chairs, former security minister Bongani Bongo (international relations) and Joe Maswanganyi (public enterprises).

Former deputy finance minister Sfiso Buthelezi was set to head the finance committee, and known Magashule ally Madala Ntombela was to chair the state security committee. The police committee was to be led by Zuma cheerleader Mervyn Dirks.

The Magashule grouping also planned to take over the ANC caucus’s influential political and strategy committees, which give political direction and marching orders to the party’s MPs.

The intention was to populate the political committee with Zuma allies such as Sdumo Dlamini, Bathabile Dlamini and ANCYL secretary-general Njabulo Nzuza. Dlamini quit as an MP this week.

In the previous parliament, the political committee was chaired by Ramaphosa and included prominent figures such as Naledi Pandor, former speaker Baleka Mbete and her successor Modise.

Insiders say instead of Mahambehlala, top ANC leaders had preferred senior MP Cedric Frolick to return as chair of chairs. Mahambehlala’s name was shifted to international relations, Muthambi removed from justice and Zwane placed as the next labour committee chair. The Ramaphosa camp feared that Magashule would not make these changes.

An MP who is also member of the ANC’s NEC said there was a huge fight over who to deploy to lead powerful structures such as the justice committee and the joint standing committee on intelligence.

The source said the Magashule faction wants control of those committees because they fear that the Ramaphosa camp wants to use the state security apparatus to deal with their rivals.

The other reason the Magashule group wants to control the justice committee is to shield public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane from possible impeachment. The plan also includes taking over the finance committee to push for the nationalisation of the Reserve Bank and a change in the Bank’s mandate.

The group wants control of the public enterprises committee to frustrate Ramaphosa’s Eskom plans.

Asked about the cancellation of Thursday’s caucus meeting, Magashule said it was because he had not been ready to make his presentation despite travelling to Cape Town the night before.

“Here, today, there was nothing. I was just consulting because I was not ready. I had to consult the whips,” he said in reference to Majodina and National Council of Provinces chief whip and caucus chair Seiso Mohai.

However, a memo sent to MPs on Tuesday, seen by the Sunday Times, lists the “deployment to portfolio committees and whippery” on the meeting’s agenda.

Majodina denied that she was instructed by Ramaphosa to cancel the meeting. She blamed the postponement on the mass resignations of former ministers. She said these had “disorganised the setup” because some of the people who resigned were chairs, whips and committee members.

“Therefore we could not go ahead when we were supposed to revisit all that was done in the past. We had to manage that properly.” She said the meeting was postponed because they “could not go to caucus with a half-cooked list”.

The matter is expected to be finalised at a special NEC meeting sitting in Cape Town on Tuesday.

Source: Sunday Times

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Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has revealed more details on the car accident which occured on Saturday in which Advocate Thabani Mpofu was involved.

Writing on social media, Chamisa said,

So the vehicle veered off the road, rolled once and landed on the side Adv Mpofu occupied. (Advocate Mpofu) was trapped for some time together with his driver who’d lost consciousness. Some injuries, blood, bruises, pain on the chest and ribs. Just spoke to the People’s advocate. He is ok. Thank you, Jehovah!

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Standard|The resort town of Victoria Falls has almost completely dollarised due to the volatility of the local currency, but the development has adversely affected residents, it has emerged.

Landlords, tuckshops, vendors, small supermarkets, hotels, hardware shops and other suppliers are now accepting only United States dollars.

The only exception are the big retail chains such as OK, but there are fears that they could go the same route as suppliers are reportedly pushing to be paid using the greenback.

The big supermarkets are, however, accepting bond notes and RTGS, which was trading at 5,6 to the US dollar at the time of going to print.

Even Victoria Falls Town Council is collecting rates in US dollars, despite a recent central government policy decision forcing public entities to accept RTGS and bonds.

Residents are fuming over the council resolution, and during the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (Zida) parliamentary committee’s public hearings at Chinotimba Hall last week, they took turns to denounce the move.

Last month, council proposed a US dollar-denominated supplementary budget for 2019, but residents rejected it.

Unfazed, council went ahead and publicised the supplementary budget through the government-controlled media on June 2.

During the Zida meeting, the chairperson of the parliamentary portfolio committee for Foreign Affairs, Industry and International Trade, Kindness Paradza, insisted that the US dollar-based budget was illegal.

“Government has made it clear that all government-run offices must charge in local currency.

“What council officials are doing is illegal. We shall take your (residents’) grievances to parliament, but I can confirm that the Local Government minister does not know about that and has not approved it,” said Paradza, an MP.

But Victoria Falls councillors were not amused by Paradza’s remarks.

“Do not deceive people and feed them with lies,” Ward 11 councillor Edmore Zhou charged.

“We buy water chemicals in foreign currency and bond notes are being rejected everywhere.”

Council advised residents that if they had objections, they should visit council offices within 30 days.

The decision by property owners to charge residents in foreign currency is driving tenants out of the town and into peri-urban and rural areas.

A Mosi Oa Tunya Secondary school teacher and a local waiter on the sidelines added that relocating to peri-urban settlements was ideal for them.

“I am a widow and a teacher with children to look after. I was a tenant in Mfelandawonye suburb where there is no electricity and I cannot afford rent anymore.

“I approached Chief Mvuthu last month and he granted me a stand to build a homestead. I have already moved my goods to that new place, even though I haven’t put up permanent structures,” said the teacher.

She was paying US$70 for modest lodgings despite taking home a monthly salary of RTGS$400, which, on the black market, translated to around US$40 as of yesterday.

She commutes to work in Victoria Falls.

Chief Mvuthu confirmed that urban residents were flooding areas such as Monde, Lupinyu, Chidobe and BH28 that are under his jurisdiction.

Tertiary students on industrial attachment face the possibility of dropping out because they also have to pay for their accommodation, goods and services in US dollars.

Owen Zimusi, a Midlands State University intern in Victoria Falls, said basic commodities that included accommodation were too expensive for him and feared that he, like most of his colleagues, might fail to complete his attachment.

By Own Correspondent- Leader of the MDC Youth wing Obey Sithole has scoffed at Zanu Pf squabbles calling on the party to emulate the MDC in being democratic.

Sithole said this at an event in Highfield Harare where the party’s youth wing is commemorating the Day of the African Child.

Watch the video below for this and more:

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By Own Correspondent- Addressing party supporters at the MDC Day of the African Child Commemorations in Highfield Harare, Youth boss Teererai Obey Sithole has given President Emmerson Mnangagwa an ultimatum to arrest the economy and shoot the economy in order to avert imminent crippling demonstrations.

Said Teererai Obey Sithole:

“…..it is a waste of time to arrest us, arrest the poverty and hunger.. It does not make sense to waste money and resources buying guns and bullets.. shoot the economy….. shoot unemployment.”

Watch the video below for this and more…

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Fatherhood is a responsibility.Fatherhood entails providing & caring for our families. African nations have their leaders as fathers. Some families lack basics, money, fuel, power, jobs,water& peace.Fathers must be more responsible.Happy Father’s Day to all responsible fathers!

— nelson chamisa (@nelsonchamisa) June 16, 2019

ZimEye would like to wish our valued readers a Happy Father’s Day……..

Please share your Father’s Day Messages in the comments sections on our facebook page and we will share them for you.

By A Correspondent- General Engelbert Rugeje has dismissed as false a report alleging that he was involved in a horrific accident recently.

He said nothing like that had happened adding that he has not been involved in an accident “with a fly” lately.

Watch the video below for this and more.

By A Correspondent- A new legislation that allows lifestyle audits of all public officials to ascertain if their living standards are commensurate with their incomes is set to be introduced, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has said.

Addressing delegates at the inaugural African Anti-Corruption Forum in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, Ziyambi said legal instrument is being fine-tuned to empower law enforcement agent to seize all properties obtained through unexplained wealth.

He said Government was coming up with laws for protecting whistleblowers and witnesses protection.

“Zimbabwe is implementing policies and legislation that regularises lifestyle audits of all public officers to ensure that their lifestyles are ‘reasonable’ with their levels of income,” said Ziyambi.

“The Finance Act of 2018 has established the Public Finance Technical Response Unit under the Accountant General for the purposes of recovering misappropriated wealth and institution of criminal proceedings in cases where red flags where raised by the Accountant General.

“The Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) (Amendment of Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act and Exchange Control Act) Regulations, allows the law enforcement agencies to obtain court orders to seize unexplained properties.

“A new Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Bill is addressing all recommendations made by the Financial Task Force (FATF) and will be promulgated into law by the end of 2019.”

Ziyambi said Zimbabwe had made great strides in addressing corruption through enacting stringent laws and capacitating all State agencies charged with fighting corruption.

He said Zimbabwe had ratified a plethora of international conventions through several legal frameworks which include the Constitution, the Anti- Corruption Commission Act, the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Public Entities Corporate Governance Act and Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act.

He Mnangagwa had declared his Government’s zero tolerance to corruption and perpetrators would be dealt with in terms of the laws.

“Our President, has pronounced a “Zero Tolerance” to all forms of corruption and the need to deal with corruption decisively,” said Ziyambi.

“As a result, the Government has developed policies, plans of actions and programmes to boost the fight against corruption in Zimbabwe and these are ready for sharing with other African States as part of external cooperation.

“Government has continued to support the work of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission to ensure that they discharge their mandate professionally and effectively without any fear or favour.

“The thrust of Government’s strategy is to have coordinated and amplified efforts from all stakeholders which include the law enforcement agencies, the Judiciary, the National Prosecuting Authority, all Government Institutions and Departments, private sector, civil society, media and members of the public.”

He said the establishment of specialised anti-corruption courts was testament to authorities’ seriousness about dealing with corruption.-StateMedia

 By Own Correspondent- Environment minister Prisca Mupfumira has revealed that Zimbabwe risks increasing human and wildlife conflict due to the increased population of elephants in the country which is way above the recommended country’s carrying capacity.

She said the country has the capacity to carry an estimated 50 000 against the current 84 000.

Said Mupfumira while responding to a question from Gokwe Chireya legislator Tonderayi Moyo:

“The issue of human and wildlife conflict does not matter whether it is in urban or rural area. What we are looking at is how we prevent human and wildlife conflict.  I will be coming shortly with a paper on the elephants because that is where we have an issue.  

The amount of elephants compared to what we are able to carry; our carrying capacity is around 50 000 elephants and at the moment we have over 84 000 elephants, which means we have shot our capacity.  As you are aware, the animals require land for feeding and water.  As a result, because we have excess numbers, there is conflict between the humans and the wildlife.  These are some of the issues on why we are hosting the first ever wildlife conflict under the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN).

Wherever there has been conflict in certain areas, the department of Parks and Wildlife has been there to assist in making sure that we preserve both the humans and take care of the wildlife.  It does not matter whether it is in urban or rural areas, what we are talking about is the human-wildlife conflict wherever it is.  We are doing our best to make sure we prevent the conflict and make sure that there is co-existence.  

We will be re-launching the Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE) Project because that is one of the projects which manages such issues as human and wildlife conflict.  We need to co-exist and give each other space and that is work in progress and we are proud that we are going to host the first ever such summit in Victoria Falls.”

By Talent Gondo- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has implored citizens to “buckle up and be strong” adding that austerity was necessary for prosperity.

He said just like everyone else in the country, the measures put by his administration were affecting his welfare adding that he ate what the ordinary person ate and also wore what they wear.

Said Mnangagwa:

“When we started austerity measures we cut salaries of ministers and us too the top officials. But what I eat is what you eat, what I wear is also what you wear.

The lives of our people which we want to make better must be achieved after going through several aspects of reforming our economy, reforming the way we do business and in that process, a lot of suffering will come but what we will achieve is what we are looking forward to as a goal.

So far we have identified what we need to do in the many areas of our economy.

We cannot reach where we want to go without resurrecting the economy that had collapsed. The situation in this country was because of various issues major of which was sanctions which collapsed the economy and currency.

If we are to move forward we need to buckle up and be strong. It’s necessary to walk that journey if we don’t take such measures we will not make progress. We have to sacrifice some things in order to prosper.”

By A Correspondent- Harare City Council’s parking division, City Parking, is reportedly no longer issuing parking tickets for $1. Many motorists have suspect fraud since parking marshalls with the business unit have only been issuing the $2 invoices.

The parking business in April this year increased their tariffs to $2 per hour from $1, citing the deterioration of the country’s economy.

One motorist said:

When you want to only pay for 30 minutes, the attendants tell you that it is no longer available despite all their signs stating otherwise. City Parking should address this situation fast.

City Parking raised its tariffs claiming that all their suppliers of items such as till rolls, uniforms, fuel, clamps, insurance, and parking equipment had increased the costs of their stocks due to inflation.

They argue that raising tariffs was meant to recoup costs incurred so as to keep the business running.

‌President Emmerson Mnangagwa has reassured the nation saying that top government officials including himself were being subjected to the austerity measures which are affecting the masses as well.

Mnangagwa said he is also eating exactly what the average Zimbabwean is eating and suffering the same. Zimbabweans are failings to buy simple things like bread resorting to alternatives like dried maize grain with tea for breakfast. Is that what Mnangagwa is eating?

In an interview which was broadcast live on Friday evening, Mnangagwa said,

When we started austerity measures we cut salaries of ministers and us too the top officials. But what I eat is what you eat, what I wear is also what you wear. The lives of our people which we want to make better must be achieved after going through several aspects of reforming our economy, reforming the way we do business and in that process, a lot of suffering will come but what we will achieve is what we are looking forward to as a goal. So far we have identified what we need to do in the many areas of our economy.

We cannot reach where we want to go without resurrecting the economy that had collapsed. The situation in this country was because of various issues major of which was sanctions which collapsed the economy and currency. If we are to move forward we need to buckle up and be strong. It’s necessary to walk that journey if we don’t take such measures we will not make progress. We have to sacrifice some things in order to prosper.

Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube’s austerity measures have been roundly criticised for causing suffering among the masses.

By A Correspondent- Zesa Holdings has sought treasury support to continue optimum production of electricity at its thermal power stations amid rising expenses largely driven by a spike in coal prices.

This comes at a time when hydropower continues to shrink due to rapidly dropping water levels at Kariba Dam.

Treasury sources confirmed that Zesa had submitted a proposal for support to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development “which is still under consideration”.

Speaking to the state media, sources within the Ministry of Energy said:

“As it is, Zesa will definitely require support from the Treasury in the absence of a tariff hike . . . otherwise leaving the situation as it will certainly have dire consequences.”

It was further revealed that coal prices had gone up from about $27 to $88 per tonne. Despite the increase, the tariff has remained at 9,8c per kilowatt hour.

ZESA, however, was seeking to raise tariffs by 30 percent, a move described as inflationary by Finance minister professor Mthuli Ncube.

He said:

“Any ill-advised sharp increase in ZESA tariff rates combined with power outages that we are already facing will be most unwelcome, and will certainly trigger another round of price increases and inflation.

Meanwhile, ZESA has increased load shedding hours with some areas going without power for 16 hours a day.

The load shedding dubbed “stage 2” has resulted in power being cut during peak hours, that is, morning and evening.-StateMedia

The Zimbabwe Republic Police has reported that a South African citizen was lured from South Africa to Zimbabwe by Mulungisi Ndlovu and Josia Moyo, both of number 72916 Corner Fox and Simon Muzenda Road, Waterfalls, Harare to purportedly explore business opportunities in the transport industry.

The trio reportedly entered Zimbabwe on 02/06/19. On 06/06/19 whilst booked at a lodge in Kadoma the suspects requested to use the complainant’s car to visit their families.

Mulungisi Ndlovu did not turn up, while Josia Moyo later vanished with the complainant’s Toyota Hilux, silver in colour, registration number KCB 797, Temporary Import Permit in respect of the vehicle, Samsung J7 cellphone, Nokia 3310, passport and national identity card. Both suspects had not returned to the complainant’s lodge at the time of reporting on 10/06/19

The ZRP says it is looking for the two suspects and they are appealing to members of the public with information to report at their nearest police station, telephone 0242 748836/703631 or whatsApp

By A Correspondent| The ousted former ZANU PF National Commissar Gen Engelbert Rugeje has responded to rumours that he was involved in an accident on Thursday.

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VIDEO LOADING BELOW:

It was reported that Gen Rugeje was Thursday afternoon hospitalised in Masvingo following the said car crash.

But an audibly fit Rugeje told ZimEye none of that ever happened.

Fears for Rugeje’s welfare came from the long established history of suspicious accidents that have affected most ZANU PF National Commissars since independence. Since 1980, every NPC has suffered either a humiliating exit, or a suspected assassination.

It is thought that Rugeje’s removal from the position last week was a result of serious infighting inside ZANU PF between Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga. It is for this reason and others that the angel of excommunication would hit him.

But Gen Rugeje speaking early Sunday morning, said

“Nothing of that sort happened” he said.

“I was never, I never even had an accident with a fly, ” he added.

DID YOU MANAGE TO ESTABLISH THE SOURCE OF THE RUMOUR OR MAYBE THAT THERE IS SOME LOOKALIKE OF YOURS IN MASVINGO?

“No, I will stop there,” he replied.

NEWLY-APPOINTED Zanu-PF National Political Commissar Victor Matemadanda has sensationally revealed that some senior ZANU PF officials have been abusing their positions to position their girlfriends into party positions.

Speaking during the party’s Matabeleland North Provincial Co-ordinating Committee meeting in Lupane on Saturday, Matemadanda said he is going to name and shame all party officials involved in the sex for position scandal.

He said he was going make sure that the culture of conscripting girlfriends and homeboys without a straight history in strategic party positions to build empires of people who submit to certain party seniors was going to end, adding that President Mnangagwa was aware of shenanigans of those that were dividing the party through lies.

“I will make sure that corruption in the party will be a thing of the past. There will be no sacred cows in the fight against rot in Government and the party. Sacred cows will be those that are not yet born. I will help the President in the fight against corruption,” he said.

Matemadanda reiterated that the ruling party is filled with lies and rumours which are destroying the party, adding that he was going to make sure he dismantles those and ensure correct procedures were applied in line with the party constitution.

The vibrant former war veterans leader further castigated his party for a heartless eviction of people from land they were settled in during the uncoordinated fast trek land redistribution exercise.

“If they are to go on, they are supposed to identify land first for people before evicting them. We do not have as a party a culture of harassing people. We all know that times are hard but people are losing property in the evictions that have not been okayed by the party,” he added.

The PCC was called to address the issue of Lupane East constituency by-election after the death of Sithembile Gumbo.

The by-election will be held on 3 August and he vendorsed the decision of the provincial elections directorate to choose Mbongeni Dube over Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube as the Zanu-PF candidate.

Explaining the process, party provincial chairman Richard Moyo said there was no time to hold primary elections and as a province they agreed to use the criteria of going back to the previous results of the party primary elections where Dube was second to Gumbo.

He said there were five others who had submitted CVs but they all agreed with the criteria except Lupane council chairman Councillor Fibion Ngwenya who was phoning the national office complaining that the party was going to lose.

State Media|A BEITBRIDGE-based businessman-cum-foreign currency dealer is battling for life at the United Bulawayo Hospitals, after he was shot several times by robbers, who allegedly broke into his house, stole more than R500 000 and also got away with his car.

The businessman has been identified as Muchineripi Hlarigo. 

Police confirmed the incident, which occurred last Sunday night, where the robbers are said to have broken into his home, before ransacking and getting away with R569 000. Police national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said police were investigating the matter, despite no arrests having been made.

“He arrived home shortly after midnight, driving his car — a Toyota Runx. After he got into the house three suspects broke into the house and gained entry through the screen door and a window, which was slightly opened. Soon after, they tied his wife up, before assaulting and shooting him at close range. They then began ransacking the house and found the money stashed in a bedside drawer,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

He said they also stole cellphones before making their getaway in his vehicle.

“They got away in his car which is valued at US$4 500,” he said.

Asst Comm Nyathi said police were concerned about the public’s lack of caution, especially the practice of keeping large amounts of money in their homes.

“It is sad to note that people don’t take heed of the messages we give them about keeping large sums of money in their homes. In most cases this points to shady dealings. It is very risky to keep large sums of money in homes and the public is therefore again reminded to desist from doing so,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

According to sources Mr Hlarigo was shot in the hands, legs and stomach.

“He was rushed to Beitbridge District Hospital, before being later transferred to UBH, where he is recovering in the Intensive Care Unit,” said the source.

The source went on to allege that Mr Hlarigo said one of the assailants matched a description of a man who was recently released from jail.

PROPHETIC Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries founder Walter Magaya has been sucked into a US$900 000 land scandal after buying a farm which was sold illegally.

Kalulu Farm located in Goromonzi, was sold to Magaya yet it had not been distributed under a deceased person’s estate.

This was exposed in a letter dated 7 June, 2019, written by Samukange Hungwe Attorneys on behalf of Nicholas Obert Mukomberanwa to the PHD leader.

The Mukomberanwa family through its lawyers is seeking to cancel the transaction and recover the farm.
Prophet Magaya was given until Tuesday to respond to the deceased family’s demands, failure of which legal action will be taken against him.

Lawyer Mr Everson Samukange wrote, “We understand that you are the current owners of a piece of land situated in the district of Goromonzi measuring 295,5847 hectares otherwise known as Kalulu Farm and you attend such ownership on the 30th of April 2018. You will recall that the said piece of land, Kalulu Farm was previously owned by the estate of the late Anderson Tichafa Mukomberanwa under DR No. 1256/05 and you purchased it from the estate.

“By reason of a Last Will and Testament of 19 February 2002 by the late Nicholas Obert Mukomberanwa, Kalulu Farm was included for distribution in his estate. His will has been accepted for administration purposes by the Master of High Court.”

Mr Samukange demanded that, “Our instructions are to therefore seek that your Deed of Transfer be reversed and attendant restitutions be afforded so that the farm is dealt with under DR 1839/15 as read together with DR 1256/05. In this connection, we write to inquire your attitude towards our client’s interests in Kalulu Farm, viz-a-viz your impugned tittle.”

According to Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) of March 2017, between Nyarai Gurupira, Nicholas and Abigail Mukomberanwa and Plant Africa represented by Prophet Magaya, the preacher paid US$250 000 upon signing of the MoA and instalments of US$150 000 per month which were to start from 31 March 2017.State media

The Zifa president has courted the country’s most sought after contemporary musician and lead member of the band Third Generation, Jah Prayzah to coin a new song for the Sunday Chidzambwa-mentored side.

“We know that Jah Prayzah has quite a number of followers and he is also a Warriors fan. So, I asked him to compose a song for the Warriors. I hope that will also motivate our Warriors,” said Felton Kamambo.
For Jah Prayzah, the challenge is huge and he understands the role that music plays in football.

“The idea is amazing and we are going to do it. . . . Just to get everyone in the football mood, needs music.

Football does not go without music. We are going to do a great song,” said the dreadlocked muso.
Indeed music plays a part before, during and after the match.

Hopefully the next offering by the singer will evoke feelings of happiness as it connects the Knowledge Musona-led ship with the fans.

Zimbabwe are in Group A where they open their campaign against the hosts Egypt on June 21 (at 10pm Zimbabwean time) before they take on Uganda on June 26 (at 7pm Zimbabwean time).

They then wrap up their group stage matches against the Democratic Republic of Congo four days later at 9pm.State media

President Mnangagwa has said he wants a young person to take over from him when he leaves office. If you found these three in the ballot box, who would you vote for and explain your reasons in the comments section.

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) June 15, 2019