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

‌

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!

‌

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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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

Zimbabwe Cricket today announced a new board elected at an Annual General Meeting in Victoria Falls.

The announcement was made on Twitter:

LEADERSHIP: The newly elected @ZimCricketv board poses for a picture after the AGM held in Victoria Falls #AGM #NewBoard #Congratulations pic.twitter.com/Z0p7dVCiTU

— Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) June 15, 2019

However, the new board has been elected despite a government announcement by the Sports and Recreation Commission calling off the Victoria Falls AGM earlier in the week.

Police have made 14 arrests after five separate attacks in London left three men dead and three others injured in the space of 24 hours.

An 18-year-old man was stabbed to death at about 16:42 BST on Friday in Wandsworth, south London.

Police were called minutes later, at 16:54, to Plumstead, south-east London, where a 19-year-old man was shot dead.

A man in his 30s then died after he was stabbed in Tower Hamlets on Saturday afternoon.

In the early hours of Saturday two men were stabbed in Clapham and another was stabbed in Brixton.

The condition of one of the men injured in Clapham is not yet known, while the injuries sustained by the others are non life-threatening.

London mayor Sadiq Khan said he was “sickened” following the death of the two teenagers.

Six males – aged between 16 and 19 – have been arrested on suspicion of the murder of the teenager in Wandsworth, who died from stab wounds in Deeside Road.

Tooting MP Rosena Allin-Khan said the killing was “heartbreaking” and “absolutely tragic”.

After the shooting in a car park in Hartville Road in Plumstead, three boys aged 16 and 17 and a 17-year-old girl were arrested on suspicion of murder.

Armed police, local officers, the London Ambulance Service and an air ambulance all attended, but the teenage victim died a short while later.

A section 60 order, which allows police to stop and search people, has been authorised in the Greenwich and Bexley areas.

Police were also called to a fight on Bedford Road near Clapham North Tube station in south-west London at 03:22, where two men suffered slash and stab wounds.

Four men have been arrested – two for violent disorder, one for carrying a bladed instrument and the other for possession of a Taser.

At 04:00 police were called by the ambulance service after an altercation at a pub in Coldharbour Lane in Brixton, south London, where two men were injured.

One was stabbed and remains in hospital while the other received minor injuries.

Officers later attended a crime scene in Alton Street, Tower Hamlets, just before 14:00 BST where a man in his 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering stab wounds.

The deaths take the total number of murders in London in 2019 to 56.

This time last year there had been 77 homicides, 48 of which were stabbings. -BBC News

By Rumbidzai Madhibha| World Vision Zimbabwe has started the mobilisation of US$10 million which is needed to assist over 100 000 people affected by Tropical Cyclone Idai victims.

In a statement shared to ZimEye by the World Vision Zimbabwe communication Manager Andrew Shamu, the organisation needs about US$10 million for their emergency relief to the over 20 000 families affected by the cyclone for the next 9 months.

To date US$ 6.7 million in cash and resources is already available and the organisation, together with its partners have been working hard to mobilise for resources in order to assist the affected people.

According to the statement, World Vision will focus on an intergrated programming approach targeting 100 000 individuals from about 20 000 households through rehabilitation of shelter, improving access to water and sanitation facilities, food security and livelihoods among other short and long term interventions.

Said the organisation:

“Tropical Cyclone Idai caused catastrophic damage in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and
Malawi leaving hundreds of eaple dead, hundreds more missing and thousands displaced.

Cyclone Idai caused severe damage in nine districts in the eastern part of Zimbabwe, Bikita, Buhera, Masvingo. Mutare. Mutasa, Makoni, Nyanga, Chipinge and Chimanimani with the most severely affected being Chipinge and Chimanimani.

More than 270 000 people were affected including many children. About 95 percent of the road networks in the affected areas were damaged according to government reports and other infrastructure such as schools, clinics, water points and agricultural schemes among others severely hit by the cyclone.

Much of the agricultural production has been destroyed (crops and livestock). Infrastructure in Manicaland and Masvingo were also damaged leaving many areas hardly accessible.”

Below is the full statement by the World Vision..

Cyclone Idai affected an estimated 270 000 people leaving over 200 000 women and children in dire need of social protection interventions.

An estimated 90 000 people are in urgent need of shelter and other non food items, according to the World Vision.

Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development executive director Janet Zhou has said while Western sanctions imposed on the country were negatively affecting the economy, it was trite to note that gross mismanagement of public funds by the Zanu PF government was largely to blame for the current economic mess.

Zhou said this at a Zimbabwe Council of Churches dialogue on the economy in Harare on Thursday. “I would also like to go beyond the mantra of sanctions being used for regime change and being the major cause of our economic problems,” she said, adding that mismanagement of funds and corruption, among other things, were responsible for the current economic mess.

“I believe that we have not done enough in terms of our own domestic resource mobilisation because Zimbabwe is endowed with many natural resources, but we have not done much because of mismanagement of funds,” she said.

Nelson Mupunga, the deputy director of the international economic research department at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, said failure to repay loans sourced from international monetary institutions also contributed to the economic collapse.

“Following the land reform, we have not been in a position to clear arrears to international monetary institutions. Because of the debt, we are also not in any position to access funds. Adding to that, Zimbabwe has also been falling neck-deep in the economic downfall due to low foreign investment as compared to other
African nations, and as a result, our economy has crumbled,” he said.

-Newsday

The ruling party Zanu-PF on Tuesday appointed Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association (ZNLWVA) secretary-general Cde Victor Matemadanda as secretary for the Commissariat.

He replaced Cde Engelbert Rugeje, who awaits redeployment. Prior, Cde Matemadanda was the secretary for War Veterans in the Politburo and is also the Deputy Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs. Our senior reporter Joseph Madzimure (JM) caught up with Cde Matemadanda (VM) to discuss his plans as the organising chief of the ruling party.

JM: Congratulations on your secondment to the position of Zanu-PF secretary for the Commissariat. How do you plan to execute your new role?
VM: To be a secretary for Commissariat is not an individual thing, but a collective effort, where everyone needs to be an actor. My predecessor Retired Lieutenant-General Engelbert Rugeje did exceptionally well during his tenure in office.

Actually, he is giving me advice on some issues which can take the party forward. He still has a role to play despite waiting for redeployment in the party. I need to ensure all departments understand their roles and how they link with each other. We also believe in democratic centralism of the party, where everyone is involved in party activities.

I will ensure that every Zanu-PF programme is people-centred. All people should be involved from cell level to the Central Committee level. The job of the commissariat is to coordinate all activities and there is no department in the party that is not a Commissariat Department because, for example the Department of Labour, it is labour according to Zanu- PF perspectives, and by doing that, it will be a way of doing the commissariat work. The most important thing will be to make all departments understand that they are not independent entities, but inter-twined components that create a collective whole. No department is superior than the other, but they should make equal contributions for a complete set, which is Zanu-PF.

JM: In any organisation, there is bound to be some indiscipline. How do you intend to deal with this?
VM: The New Dispensation has opened a democratic space in the party, but our job is to make sure we are not abusing that space. When we came from the war, it was not really what was known as guided democracy, but we had what we referred to as outré-democracy, where someone would go beyond the limits of democracy, by so doing creating indiscipline in the party.

Our membership should be put on equal footing as well as understanding of principles of the party so that people behave according to expectations. We also used to believe in what we used to refer as democratic centralism, where every stage of the party was supposed to be involved in every aspect of decision making, for example, the district would send recommendations to the district coordinating committee or to province and Central Committee, which is the representative board of the party at the congress.

When we attained our Independence in 1980, we brought the village development committee and ward development committee and when we are sitting in a Zanu- PF set up as village development committee, we are not at a political rally, but we are at a Zanu-PF-initiated meeting.

Every Zanu-PF programme should be a people’s programme and it must be people-centred. If Zanu-PF’s programmes are a people’s programmes, then the people should be involved through their living structures. The party have re-introduced the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology to conscientise members on party ideology, the do’s and don’ts of the party. Members need to adhere to the dictates of the party. We are going to see Chitepo College becoming busier and busier with the impression that we are getting from people.

There is also the need to address the issues of corruption within and outside the party. We want to solve corruption. Everyone, be it in the Parliament or Government, we want things to be fair.

We must up the fight against corruption. Corruption should never be tolerated. If a leader is said to be corrupt, he/she should be given time to clean himself so that he will not be corrupt. There are means to find out if it is true or not that someone is corrupt. One should have a moral obligation that what I am doing is wrong and when they come to that realisation, they should be given time to clear themselves on issue of corruption so that they regain the people’s confidence. When we are defending a person, it must be systematic, it must not be like hypothesis, let it be proved factually that this person is not corrupt and that leader will be accepted.

JM: For several years now, the ruling party has been playing second fiddle in urban elections. What plans do you have to ensure that the ruling party reclaims urban seats in future elections?
VM: My main task is to engage with all racial and ethnic groupings, in fact all types of people. I will engage them. We are going to open up with caution because some people might think that it is time to infiltrate, but we want people to understand that Zanu-PF is a mass party and every person is welcome to join it and also participate in its programmes. I am not going to be an official commissar who will be driving around. I am going to  be walking and engaging with vendors and kombi operators so that we discuss the problems they are facing and come up with solutions. I want to give everyone an opportunity to say what they want. My main focus is to have the people in all urban areas understand Zanu-PF so that they make an informed decision.

In Africa, Zimbabwean have the highest literacy rate, but most of our professionals were trained to be workers instead of entrepreneurs. That is why most of our educated professionals like doctors go on strike. They don’t want to think outside the box. These educated people want a revolutionary world, but in my opinion they need to be helped on how to get extra money.

How can we have a political leader who thinks that the solutions of solving problems in his country are in America and the opposition leaders need to understand that we have to be Zimbabweans and we have to understand our history?

 JM: Can you shed light on why Zanu-PF primary elections are usually disputed, especially in major cities and how do you plan to tackle this challenge?
VM: The problem of primary elections, especially those for last year’s elections was that there was a lot of excitement because the New Dispensation under President Mnangagwa opened the democratic space where everyone wanted to be a councillor, Member of Parliament, Senator among others, so it was difficult to manage the situation. My predecessor did quite a lot of work since he was coming from an institution that thrives on discipline. When you are a commissar, you are not an independent institution, but a chair of the whole group and you need to ensure proper channels are followed. The primary elections rules and guidelines come from the party in line with its constitution, it’s not the duty of the Commissariat Department alone to ensure that they are followed

 JM: How are you going to balance your new demanding role in the party and in Government where you are serving as the Deputy Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs?
VM: Being a commissar will not be a difficult task for me because once I have put systems in place, it will be smooth running. Government work is also routine.

It’s not like I am inventing a new wheel. A minister drives Government policy. With this information era, you cannot say I failed to take a decision. You need time to put systems in place in the Commissariat Department and most of the problems in the Central Business District, I will solve them through engaging with the vendors, kombi operators and other people.

JM: There are some reports of “G40 renegades” within the party who are believed to be taking instructions from their kingpins to destroy Zanu-PF from within. How are you going to handle the issue?
VM: As a party, we are not on a witch-hunting mission or expelling members from the party, but we should move in the same direction guided by the same constitution and party ideology.

We have one principal, President Mnangagwa, so if there are certain individuals who are taking instructions from some certain elements, then we can’t force them. We should be guided by the party’s constitution. Without mentioning names, I am not afraid of their masters or any of these people in terms of capacity and capability. I know for example Jonathan Moyo is just a perennial liar and Saviour Kasukuwere is an over-ambitious young man who is misguided. Zanu-PF usually monitors the activities of their former members whether they are repenting or not.

Those who still sympathise with G40 kingpins, we will give them time to repent. I personally do not have a problem with any one. I do not have a problem whether the person have been a member of Zanu-PF, another party, we accept everyone who wishes to join or re-join Zanu-PF. I am pleased that a lot of big names are saying they want to come back home, which is the Zanu- PF party.

JM: Are you at liberty to disclose some of the names of the so called bigwigs?
VM: Not now. We will definitely release the names at the right time. They want it to remain a secret until they are re-admitted into the party. Some are even from the opposition MDC party.

You know, most of those people in opposition political parties were once Zanu-PF card-carrying members.

JM: Can you shed more light on the restructuring exercise which is currently underway in all the country’s 10 provinces?
VM: The restructuring exercise is being done in line with the party’s constitution, which prescribes restructuring of provincial structures after every four years.

The party started with the two metropolitan provinces, which is Harare and Bulawayo; later on to all the other provinces. What happens in our party is that our constitution stipulates that every year, we restructure our cells and there will be elections.

After two years, there is branch restructuring and then after three years, we restructure our districts. In the fourth year, we will then restructure provinces and then the fifth year we have the Central Committee and then we go for a congress where we elect the party leadership.

My main goal is to ensure the party wins back some seats in Harare and Bulawayo. I want all urban centres to understand the value of the party and its intended goals, so that they make informed decisions come election time.

I know with the current situation; people might vote emotionally, especially in major cities, but Zanu-PF carries the umbilical cord of the country.

JM: How are you going to incorporate civil servants in party programmes, since some claim that they are apolitical?
VM: Our civil service is not as attached to our political decisions as we would want it to be. When a civil servant resists implementing a Government directive on the basis that he/she belongs to another political party, it will be seen as a harassment of workers, but it should be understood that every civil servant should be ready to implement Government programmes, which was formed by the ruling party. You can’t claim to be non-partisan when in actual fact you are working for the Government formed by the ruling party.

JM: There are some economic saboteurs who want people to revolt against the Government through price madness. How do you think the anomalies can be addressed?
VM: The issue of prices is double-edged sword because the people expect the Government to act through price controls, yet the Government is working tirelessly to address the anomalies.

We have a political party which thrives on the suffering of people and this is a challenge that we have, therefore, because Government is on an investment drive, we cannot be seen to be controlling prices, but our people are being hurt by the prices.

My proposal, which I am going to take to the authorities, is that we need to put systems in place, which will conscientise people that there is what is known as consumer power. We have one country and we should learn to respect our country and the institutions of Government.

We cannot behave like a lawless society where everyone can do whatever they want. The national anthem, Parliament, the President should be respected.

-State Media

THE Nelson Chamisa-led MDC party yesterday dismissed threats by Zanu PF youths to counter their demonstrations, saying the ruling party had no mandate to stop their constitutional right to protest.

Zanu PF youths on Thursday threatened to block the opposition party’s planned protests over the rising cost of living. This came at a time the opposition has threatened to call for protests against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.

“These youths have got blood on their hands,” MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume.

He alleged that there were some Zanu PF youths who took part in a clampdown against opposition members and ordinary citizens after the January demonstration,
but many of them were let free.

“It is constitutional to hold an anti-government demonstration anywhere in the world and it is dangerous to create a quasi-group of people who threaten to deal
with other people. It is dangerous for the State to keep quiet and not deal with those people,” Mafume said.

“The State must deal with those people thoroughly and stop them from making statements which are likely to inflame the situation. They have no right to police anyone or to stop anyone from doing a demonstration against the government.”

Mafume said if Zanu PF youths wanted to stand in solidarity with the government, then they could demonstrate in support of the government, but not to interfere
with their plans.

MDC youth leader Obey Sithole dared the Zanu PF youths, claiming they had no capacity to stop them.

“I have come across their claims, but let me categorically state that it is misplaced and misleading for one to think they can stop an idea whose time has
come. Zanu PF has no locus standi to stop a people’s demonstration, let alone speak about it,” he said.

“We are definitely unmoved by such threats. We will not betray the people of Zimbabwe; we shall continue pursuing our path to power until freedom comes.”

Meanwhile, Sithole was yesterday summoned by the Zimbabwe Republic Police’s Law and Order Section for interrogation after he recently gave Mnangagwa’s
government until month-end to resolve the ongoing socio-economic and political crises facing the country or face mass demonstrations.

“Our leader has been summoned by the ZRP. He will report at Harare Central Police Station today (yesterday) in company of his lawyers,” said MDC youth assembly
spokesperson Stephen “Sarkozy” Chuma. He was reportedly warned and released without charge.

Chuma said Sithole never broke any law in his address to journalists, where he issued the ultimatum.

-Newsday

MDC Masvingo Senator Tichinani Mavetera and former Zanu-PF Mwenezi East Member of Parliament (MP) Kudakwashe Bhasikiti were today humiliated after they received the least endorsement during the party’s chaotic provincial process to elect people who will be deployed to the national executive.

The two had hoped to use their somewhat rising profile in the party to get places but that was not to be as participants favoured their rivals. Former provincial spokesperson Dusty Zivave was also one of the high-profile losers.

Those who won are former MP Edmore Marima (Bikita East), former senator Misheck Marava (Masvingo), senior members Bernard Chiondengwa, Takanayi Mureyi and Margaret Chakabuda. In the women’s wing, Mai Mangava, Mai Gwamadondo, Mai Matenga and Mai Chibhebhe prevailed.

Nothing happened in the youth wing because elections to choose the new provincial youth leadership are yet to be held. Attempts by one of the factions to push through Masvingo Ward 4 councillor and new national youth organiser Godfrey Kurauone failed after they were vehemently resisted.

Voting was done not by secret ballot but through noise-making, with candidates that received the loudest cheers from the gathering when their names were called being declared winners.

This was after the accreditation of voters was aborted following serious fighting between rival camps to control the process.

After the violence and disagreements worsened, it was announced that the event had been cancelled and many members left, but vice president Lynette Karenyi-Kore, in consultation with the provincial executive, later allowed proceedings to continue.

The divisive accreditation exercise was, however, aborted and all those that had not gone back home were allowed to participate.

-TellZim

Treasury has approved the disbursement of $12 million to be shared between Zanu PF and the opposition MDC Alliance under the Political Parties Finance Act, but the two parties yesterday said the money was not enough for their needs.

In a Government Gazette published yesterday, Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi announced that Zanu PF, as the party with the majority in Parliament and 70% of the total votes cast in the 2018 elections, will pocket $8 million while Nelson Chamisa’s MDC Alliance is set to get $4 million, having garnered 29,97 % of the total votes cast.

“It is hereby notified in terms of the Political Parties and Finance Act that the total amount of money payable to political parties in respect of the year beginning January 1, 2019 and ending December 31, 2019 is $12 million,” the Government Gazette read in part.

Under the Political Parties Finance Act, political parties with more than 5% of the total votes cast can benefit from the fiscus and in this case, it is only Zanu PF and the MDC Alliance who are eligible to benefit.

In 2018, the two parties shared $6 million from the Political Parties Finance Act.

The Thokozani Khupe-led MDC-T and the National Patriotic Front, largely made up of former Zanu PF members, managed to secure a single parliamentary seat each and are ineligible to benefit from the fund.

Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said although the money was not enough, it nevertheless would help oil the ruling party’s programmes.

“Well, money will never be enough, but this is what Treasury has given us. We have to work with it. It is an allocation from Treasury and we have to look at
the priorities that we have as a party and then allocate the money accordingly,” Moyo said.

“If you are to look at our demands and requirements as a party, it is not enough. But we have to work within the allocation and we shall see how we advance the
growth of the party.”
Moyo said the party’s treasury department was better placed to know how to use the money.

“For us as Zanu PF, we would want to see the money being used wisely. This is taxpayers’ money and it must benefit the people. It must be used to advance the
cause of the people, not to be channelled towards negative agendas. We appeal that this money must not be abused in whatsoever manner. These are public funds.”

MDC secretary-general Charlton Hwende also said the money was inadequate to cover the opposition party’s programmes.

“Obviously, money cannot be enough. If you look at the inflation rate, the money is not enough. It has been eroded already,” Hwende said.

“Remember this money was passed in the last budget so it has lost its value. However, it will go a long way in assisting us in advancing our agenda as a party,
which is to grow the party and help our MPs to ensure they are visible. We shall add it to our subscription from members across the country.”

Five years ago, opposition leader Kisinoti Mukwazhi, of the Zimbabwe Development Party, approached the Constitutional Court, seeking an order to force
government to fund all political parties that were participating in national elections, but the matter was dismissed.

The Political Parties Finance Act was promulgated in 2002 to curb the foreign funding of local parties.

-Newsday

 Jesus Revelation Ministries would like to inform the general public that we are not collecting money nor raising funds through any platform other than the proper channels notified by the Ministry through its ministers Pastor G Baloyi or Pastor E Marange, Anything to do with finance should be directed to the finance department through our treasurers Deacon Sangarwe +263 7 75346296 or Mr Mashiri +263 712980469 as communicated earlier. 
Anything other than the official church platforms is a scam, please ignore and report such to the above given contacts.

Thank you

Elder CT Kachepa 
(Head of Finance Department)

By A Correspondent- IN a groundbreaking development, National University of Science Technology (Nust) in Bulawayo’s Applied Genetic Testing centre (AGTC) has come up with a testing tool that will help in fighting worrying cases of cattle rustling hitting the country.

The development came following the arrest of Linda Mafu (39), Nkosiyabo Nyoni (34) and Ndabezihle Dube (24) for allegedly stealing three beasts in Esigodini, Matabeleland South Province.

The trio was arrested at a house in Magwegwe North in Bulawayo while offloading the carcasses from a Toyota Hilux.

Their arrest followed a tip-off from an anonymous caller who informed ZRP Magwegwe that the trio was offloading meat from the said vehicle and at the house in question.

Police reportedly rushed to the scene and upon seeing the police details, the trio fled leaving behind the carcasses and the vehicle.

In a bid to find out if the carcasses were indeed from the cattle which were stolen from Esigodini, following initial reports by the owner of the beasts, Acting Bulawayo police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele said they had to engage the department of AGTC at Nust to do the DNA testing.

According to Nust’s AGTC representative Anita Dube during the tests they compared blood samples of a horn and valve which were left at the scene. They also compared  the head and muscle tissues of the three carcasses recovered in Magwegwe North  and blood  stains from the vehicle which the carcasses were being offloaded from.

After testing the samples, Dube said DNA profiles matched.

“We found that DNA profiles from carcasses found in Magwegwe North and DNA profiles  of the blood stains on the Toyota Hilux  matched that of the three carcasses indicating  that the car in question was the one which was also used to commit the crime. 

“Also the DNA profiles from the horn and valve blood samples matched blood samples of the carcasses found in Magwegwe North,” said Dube.

Matabeleland South police spokesperson Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele welcomed the development, describing it as a “first of its kind in the country”.

He said the development would be an effective tool in fighting rampant cattle rustling in the country.

“Cases of stock theft are on the rise in our province. However, the DNA  testing method  carried out by Nust’s  AGTC is the first of its  kind in the country  which is a positive  development that will help us in our investigations because  scientific evidence is indisputable,” said Chief Insp Ndebele.

He said they would soon carry out raids to weed out unregistered meat dealers.

“If we find out that the meat dealer is selling uninspected meat, the dealer will be arrested,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chief Insp Ndebele urged  farmers to always monitor their cattle and  quickly make reports of any missing cattle.

“Farmers must not leave their cattle at the grazing land unattended and they must  report any cases of missing cattle as soon as they discover that,” he said. 

As of last year Matabeleland South province recorded 922 reports of stock theft.

The proximity of Matabeleland South province to Botswana and South Africa has also worsened the problem as syndicates are involved in cross-border stocktheft.-BMetro

On point…Only genuine reforms can truly transform Zimbabwe! https://t.co/d9cYpTNxUi

— nelson chamisa (@nelsonchamisa) June 15, 2019

By Talent Gondo- ENDING a relationship is painful but when someone suffocates your happiness, the best thing to do, according to a 65-year-old granny, who was left “gutted” by her 42-year-old lover when he cheated on her, is to “red-card” him no matter how good he is to you.

According to the heartbroken sugar mama, Maureen from Bulawayo’s Mpopoma suburb, cheating means being disrespectful especially by someone who was depending on her pension money for daily upkeep.

Maureen has described how she felt when she discovered that her Ben 10 Collen Mutunjwa also from Mpopoma was cheating on her with several women adding that she dumped him (Mutunjwa) after it came to her attention that he was only after her money. 

As if that is not enough, Maureen said when she met Mutunjwa, three years ago, he also lied to her that he was not married. 

She describes how she was desperately looking for love, at that time when she fell for Mutunjwa — believing they could spend the rest of their lives together.

“I started dating Collen in 2016 and we were happy. Things however, changed last month when I discovered that he was cheating on me with several women.

“I am a pensioner and he was using my pension money to spoil and woo those women. What also angered me is that he lied that he was not married. I dumped boyfriends of my own age to concentrate on him.

“During the subsistence of our relationship he was lying to me that he runs a chain of businesses in Masvingo, Zvishavane and Gweru. He is the type that wants a woman to look after him. Every time I asked to visit him at his place he would give me excuses such as that he should introduce me first to his family.

“He was telling me lies and I actually fell for it because he has such a sweet tongue. He was just using me,” fumed Maureen who apparently claims to know the hurt of heartbreak.

The scales were lifted off her eyes last month after Mutunjwa impregnated another woman from the same suburb.

She said she gave up her previous relationships with another lover when Mutunjwa promised her that he was going to treat her like a princess.

“When we met he was all lovey-dovey and he started telling me he loved me,” claims Moyo. Despite the age difference between them, Mutunjwa reportedly convinced her it would work.

“He said age was just a number and he kept drilling that into my head. He said to me as long as we love each other, that’s all that matters. He made me feel good despite the fact that he was younger than me,” said Maureen a mother of three, and granny.

Maureen claimed she had been spending a lot of money on him.

She added: “When I ended things he pleaded with me not to go. He ruined my life and dumping him is punishment for messing with my heart and it’s also a warning to other women who might fall victim to his lies.”

However, Mutunjwa refuted the allegations levelled against him and said his ex-lover made up stories after he told her he was going back to his family.

“Those allegations she has levelled against me are not true. She is just after tarnishing my image and it is one of those things that happen when a relationship gets sour. She is just bitter that things did not work out between us and that I decided to go back to my family,” said Mutunjwa.-BMetro

By Own Correspondent- FOUR Form Two boys from Sikhulile High School in Lobengula West suburb reportedly ran away from their respective homes telling friends and classmates that they were travelling to Filabusi to join illegal gold miners, commonly known as omakorokoza.

The fours boys, classmates at Sikhulile High School in class Form Two A6, disappeared from their homes last Thursday after under the guise of attending after-school sports activities in the afternoon. 

All the youngsters live in Emakhandeni suburb. 

One of the boys’ grandmother sent as SOS — a distress signal — to a church WhatsApp chat group seeking advice on how to search for her 14-year-old grandson — Somzi — after he didn’t return home from school. 

After asking around from her grandson’s friends, she discovered that he had, in fact, run off with three other classmates. 

“Linjani zihlobo, thina koMoyo silahlekelwe ngumzukulu uSomzi. Usuke ethi uyaku ku-cricketkodwa engayi khona. Ngivuke ngidinga kubangani bakhe kodwa kungathi babaleke beyi 4, abafana bonke balapha Emakhandeni. Amahungahunga athi bathi baya e-mine, singazi ukuthi yiphi leyo mine. (How are you relatives, we, the Moyo family, cannot find our grandson Somzi who left home saying he was going for cricket practice. When I could not find him in the morning, I discovered he had run off with his friends from Emakhandeni suburb. Rumours are that the boys have run off to a mine, although we have no idea which one),  wrote the grandmother, Olipha Moyo.

Filabusi is a rich gold mining district with registered mining firms as well as thousands of illegal miners, omakorokoza. 

Fierce wars over gold claims are a common occurrence in the area with rivals often losing limbs and killing each other over the mining rights of the precious yellow metal. 

Church members advised her to alert the police.  

A police report was made at Entumbane Police Station by the families of the runaway boys. However, on Wednesday morning — six days after the boys disappeared — Moyo told B-Metro that her grandson and another boy had returned. 

The other teens are said to be holed up in Filabusi. 

“He came back yesterday with just one of the boys that he left with but he won’t say much about their whereabouts for the last couple of days except to say that he will never do it again. 

“The other two boys are said to be still at the so-called mine. I’m just glad my grandson is back at home, safe and sound, he doesn’t have any physical injuries. His parents live and work in South Africa,” she told B-Metro.

She said she was advised by church members not to be too heavy handed on the youngster lest he runs off again.  

The boys had reportedly been skipping school before last week’s disappearance and school authorities were in the process of setting up a meeting with their families to get to the bottom of the matter before the school expelled the pupils for prolonged absenteeism. 

The Sikhulile High School headmaster, a Mrs Nkomo, referred this publication to the Bulawayo provincial education director Olicah Kaira.-BMetro