By Talent Gondo- Newly elected secretary general for the MDC led by Nelson Chamisa, Charlton Hwende has revealed that the party is crafting a robust conflict management strategy as a way of ensuring unity in the party.
In an interview with the Newsday, Hwende said:
If you fail to plan, then plan to fail. We need to do things differently. We’ve a five-year mandate and my immediate task is to kickstart the process of developing a five-year results-based strategic plan, a blue-print which will define our path to power towards 2023 or earlier as well as articulate the technical and administrative competencies required to achieve our strategic objectives.
Nestled in the five-year strategic plan are short-term milestones. These will include a rapid assessment of the party’s administrative performance in the last five years, focusing primarily on two questions: i) What is working and why?, and, ii) What is not working and why? Or what can we do differently?
This process will help us co-create a shared vision and plan of action for the technical arm of the party. We need to make strategic choices among competing priorities. And we can only do this if we’ve a strategy and plan in place. We are a learning movement.
We’ve a winning team, under the able leadership of a turn-around strategist, Advocate Chamisa. We’re part of the solution holders to the deep-seated, multi-faceted crisis facing our motherland. Our past performance in government is a public secret.
Our president was voted best minister for his work in the ICT ministry; Honourable Tendai Biti is without doubt the best-ever Finance minister to lead the Treasury; Senator David Coltart did exceptionally well in the Primary and Secondary Education portfolio; so did Professor Welshman Ncube in the Industry and Commerce ministry and Honourable Paurina Mpariwa as Labour minister.
We had a structural issue, which has its roots in the labour movement, our mother. The founding MDC constitution was heavily influenced by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions constitution, which has a very powerful office of secretary-general. This is a norm in most labour movements.
We’ve addressed this structural issue through constitutional amendments, which basically re-calibrated the balance of power to reflect the political reality, that the president is the head of our party. Conflicts are inevitable. In addition to the constitutional reforms, we are also working on developing a robust conflict management and resolution framework, a systemic tool to manage internal contradictions in the party.
The office of the SG is a complex technical and administrative construct with an institutional mandate to help the president and the leadership collective to effectively turn the party’s vision and mission into a path to a power programme of action. I’ll turn my relationship with the president and the leadership collective into a partnership to help the party continue to win elections and, more importantly, transform people’s lives. Our people are suffering and they need solutions.
By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe last year enjoyed a trade surplus of US$445 million with China, in a show of the positive upshots of the growing relations between Harare and Beijing, the state media has reported.
China’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Ambassador Mr Gou Shaochun, said this in an exclusive interview with The Herald, revealing that he was eager to see more Chinese investors in Zimbabwe, particularly in the manufacturing sector, which is key to the country’s industrialisation and modernisation.
He said trade between Zimbabwe and China stood at US$1,3 billion in 2018, with Zimbabwe enjoying the larger share of exports.
“The statistics on trade between Zimbabwe and China in 2018 is US$1,3 billion, with China importing US$890 million worth of products and exporting US$445 million worth of products. It shows that Zimbabwe enjoys a US$445 million trade surplus by trading with China. These numbers are similar every year. China wishes to expand trade scale with Zimbabwe and help Zimbabwe reconstruct its economy,” Ambassador Guo said.
By A Correspondent- WORKERS here have threatened to take their war to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) for unilaterally declaring a new currency, the RTGS dollar, which they argue eroded the value of their salaries that were pegged in United States dollars.
The workers are demanding that they be paid in US dollars as reflected on their contracts of employment.
Through the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), the workers are preparing a legal suit against the central bank “for illegally imposing itself on our contracts of employment”.
ZCTU president Peter Mutasa confirmed the development, saying workers would take the war to the central bank demanding their salaries be paid in US dollars.
The workers claim their salaries were illegally converted into ZWL$ by the central bank.
“The contracts that are in existence were signed as US$ contracts,” Mutasa said.
“These contracts are between the employer and employees, but the RBZ then illegally came in and altered these contracts after introducing the RTGS$. We believe that this is illegal and that we have a chance at winning this battle.”
Midlands State University law lecturer Valentaine Mutatu said the labour body could have a very good chance at winning the case because the law is clear that government policy has no effect on personal contracts.
“There is sense in their case because I understand there is a judgment made by Justice Happias Zhou, which says all obligations that were there in US$ are still in US$, but the judgment has since been appealed to, so they have sense,” he said.
Mutatu said government has also made a law which empowers it to collect revenue in hard currency from those selling in US$ or importing vehicles from outside the country, yet it was paying civil servants in the local currency.
“Government is saying, for instance with Zimra [Zimbabwe Revenue Authority], if you sell in US$, you pay tax in US$ and also duties are being paid in US$. So I believe they have a case,” he said.
In introducing the RTGS$ through Statutory Instrument 33 of 2019, through the temporary presidential powers, the RBZ converted all assets and debts at a rate of 1:1 to the US$, effectively allowing the employer to continue paying salaries in RTGS$.
ZCTU said workers had suffered immensely through the illegal actions by the RBZ and should, therefore, have it reversed and workers paid in US$.
“You have businesspeople selling their products in US$, but paying workers in RTGS$. This should also stop. The RBZ has no power or legal standing to alter contracts of employers and employees without the consent of the two parties. In our view, workers should continue earning the currency denominated on their contracts,” he said. Salaries have been significantly eroded, with most employees now earning below US$100 after the local currency took a massive beating on the parallel market, while the interbank rate has also suffered, climbing from 1:2,5 and now trading at 1:5,5 although availability and access remains problematic.
Government employees, including teachers, have demanded that their salaries revert to US$ to restore value. Already, the market is pushing towards re-dollarisation, with most goods and services now being accessed through hard currency or alternatively, at the prevailing interbank rate.
An expert in the financial industry yesterday claimed government tried to meet the legal requirements through the various statutory instruments and the debate should revolve around whether the climate was conducive for the RBZ monetary policy to be sustainable.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Friday that government was working on abandoning the multi-currency regime altogether and introduce the country’s own currency before year-end.-StateMedia
High Court Judge Justice Amy Tsanga has ordered the release of two civil society leaders Rita Nyampinga and Stabile Dewa, who were charged with subverting constitutional government on $1 000 rtgs bail.
By A Correspondent- MEMBERS of the public have condemned the Maintenance of Order and Peace Bill (MOPA) for its oppressive clauses, one of which will compel conveners of public demonstrations or gatherings to give their addresses to the police in their applications to hold the gatherings.
Last Friday, Parliament through its Portfolio Committee on Justice and the Thematic Committee on Peace and Security held public hearings on MOPA in Harare and Chitungwiza, where the majority of people rejected the Bill which is going to replace the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) and the Law and Order Maintenance Act (LOMA).
A member of the Thematic Committee on Peace and Security, Douglas Mwonzora, explained some of the clauses in MOPA, where he said section 5 of the Bill stipulates appointment of conveners and deputy conveners of the gathering or demonstration.
“Any organisation which wants to carry out a demonstration or public gathering has to appoint a convener to sign for the notice himself and he has to be present during the demonstration,” he said.
“The name and address of the convener and deputy convener must be given, and the police must be given details of the structure of the organisation and who will attend the gathering.”
But Harare residents who attended the public hearing said the clause made MOPA worse than POSA because giving the law enforcement agents the address of the convener might result in victimisation and increased cases of some people being abducted, beaten and left for dead.
A latest incident was that of Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) leader Obert Masaraure, who was allegedly abducted from his place of residence in front of his wife and children and severely tortured and beaten.
Zimbabwe Centre for Equal Opportunities president Paddington Japajapa described the clause as very intimidatory.
“Usually, demonstrations are done by organisations or political parties and we do not see why the names of the convener and his deputy must be given to the police. It is intimidatory because the moment anything goes wrong, the person will be victimised. Only the address of the organisation which will hold the public gathering or demonstration must be given,” he said.
Another clause in MOPA which people said would render it more oppressive than POSA is the one which gives magistrates powers to give sentences of up to 20 years for contravening MOPA. People said it was tantamount to a death sentence, given the conditions of Zimbabwe’s prisons.
Mwonzora said section 12 of MOPA would stipulate that if a convener fails to give notice, they are liable for death or injury, or destruction of property during the demonstration and besides imprisonment of even up to 20 years, the convener might be required to compensate.
Public lawyer Veronica Zano said the civil liabilities imposed by MOPA were oppressive and meant to deter people from demonstrating.
“This is meant to deter people from demonstrating and these are criminal war liabilities in a way. The limitations in MOPA are more than what is required in a democratic society because it curtails freedoms enshrined in the Constitution,” she said.
One of the participants, Gift Dzorai, said if MOPA stipulates that conveners must compensate for damages, then it should also stipulate that protesters that are killed by law enforcement agents during demonstrations must be compensated as well and the law enforcement agents responsible must be charged.-Newsday
By Own Correspondent- Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Peter Mutasa says the Tripartite Negotiating Forum Act, which was gazetted on Friday, can help address some challenges confronting the country, which include the high prices of goods.
The state media reported that Mutasa however said political will from all the social partners — Government, labour and business — was central to the success of the TNF.
President Mnangagwa signed the TNF Act on Wednesday and launched it on the same day in the presence of all social partners.
Mr Mutasa told The Herald that the ZCTU was happy the TNF Act was signed.
He said it was ZCTU that “started to talk about the TNF” and the need for proper structures from 1995.
“So we are happy that we have now realised what we have been fighting for, for over 20 years,” said Mr Mutasa.
He said if all partners are going to be “faithful to the process, and negotiate in good faith, engage in good faith, have the political will”, the TNF could address some of the challenges in the country.
Mr Mutasa said the TNF provides a platform where other social partners could buy-in Government programmes and policies, also ensure there is inclusiveness in Government policies, “which is very important”.
“So inclusiveness is very important for the developmental agenda of the country. And again, accountability because most issues will then come up on the table,” he said.
Mr Mutasa said they spoke with President Mnangagwa during the TNF launch, about the mega deals being entered into by Government, and asked if they will not result in the “mortgaging of our country”.
He said the TNF will discuss such issues to ensure an open and responsive Government”.
“But it needs cultural change, it needs people to view governance differently, it needs citizens also to participate differently. So the promulgation of the Act is the first step, but that’s not the panacea to the problems that we have. It depends on the level of political will, especially that of Government to involve stakeholders in the governance of the country.
“It also depends on good faith negotiation and also if all partners take a broader view and not a sectorial interest only. Obviously, this is a new phenomenon in terms of how the country is governed, so all of us — Government, labour and business — need capacity building for us to understand these issues in an inclusive manner,” he explained.
Mr Mutasa said Government, as the convener, must sustain the structure where there would be an independent committee and an independent secretariat.
Turning to prices, Mr Mutasa said the level of increase “is total madness”.
He said both Government and businesses continue to pay salaries in RTGS dollars while also not reviewing salaries in line with changes in the foreign exchange market. Mr Mutasa said if the situation persists, “both business and Government are inviting labour to take strike action, and definitely that will happen”.
He also said the ZCTU has relations with both MDC and ZANU-PF for the benefit of employees.
“Our relationship with the MDC is the same relationship we have with ZANU-PF. We engage all political parties, any party that has a bearing on the lives of workers, any party that has councillors, that has got MPs; we engage them and the engagement that we have with political parties is beneficial to workers because we go to Parliament and lobby on behalf of the workers, we go to Government and talk to ministers who belong to ZANU-PF.
“So there is no particular, and peculiar relationship that we have with MDC and with ZANU-PF,” he said.
Mr Mutasa claimed that while they were at the forefront of MDC’s formation, they have retained their autonomy after agreeing that ZCTU leaders who go to the party will relinquish their positions in the trade union.
“And that has been consistently happening. So we have our own independence, our own autonomy, but we engage all political parties,” he said.
South African motorists have been warned against travelling on the N3 highway at night, as attacks on foreign truck drivers continue to escalate.
The N3 Toll Route starts at the Cedara interchange in KwaZulu-Natal and ends at the Heidelberg South interchange in Gauteng. It is one of the busiest in the country, connecting Johannesburg and Durban.
In a notice published by the N3 toll concession, the group warned that there has been an increase of violent incidents, and advised motorists to try and plan their trips during the day.
“In the light of recent disruptive protests, incidents of criminality and attempts to obstruct the free flow of traffic on some of our country’s major transport networks – including the N3 Toll Route – the N3 Toll Concession (N3TC) strongly advises road users to avoid night-time travel, if at all possible,” it said.
“It is advisable to rather plan long distance trips during daylight hours,” said new N3TC’s commercial manager, Con Roux.
“Disruptive actions by protesters, mostly aimed at the trucking industry, are often opportunistic and unpredictable and mostly occur under the cover of darkness. It is also not limited to a specific area/location or route.”
Speaking to the Sunday Times of South Africa, the Road Freight Association (RFA) said that the attacks on drivers have left dozens dead or injured and caused R1.2 billion in damages to trucks and cargo.
It further threatened to halt deliveries across South Africa if the government does not act swiftly.
By Own Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority has moved to undertake an employee audit to rationalise and optimise its staff in line with the organisation’s 2019-2023 strategic plan.
The audit may result in the laying off of some employees.
The tax collector is already looking for a local or international human resources consultancy firm to carry out the audit.
This is contained in the Government Gazette published last week on Friday under General Notice 949 of 2019.
“The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority would like to hire the services of a human resources consulting firm specialised in conducting staff rationalisation and optimisation,” reads part of the notice.
“This consultancy aims at reviewing and aligning organisational structures to Zimra strategy, review headcount per role in line with projected organisational activities and match individuals’ roles based on their capacity. The consultant shall propose and make recommendations on the above project deliverables in line with the 2019-2023 strategic plan, with the aim of ensuring that all human capital currently employed is properly placed and fully utilised.”
“The main responsibility of the consulting firm is to carry out comprehensive data-driven diagnostics of the current status in relation to the; organisational structure, headcount per role, staff capacity per role. Working with project team, to come up with an ideal structure in collaboration with divisional executives. Using statistical methods to determine the optimum headcount per role in line with proposed structure and strategy.”
Zimra added that the selected consulting firm would be expected to present a report on the existing and proposed staff structure, recommend a flatter and more efficient structure, place human resources currently employed, assess time spent on core business and make recommendation of excess staff.
Zimra adopted a strategic plan last year and aimed at increasing revenue to at least $7 billion annually within the next five years and be 25 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product by 2023.
The organisation also aims to reduce the $4,5 billion owed to it by various taxpayers.
It also seeks to expand the tax base by incorporating small and medium enterprises and improve trade facilitation.
Government has identified improved domestic resources mobilisation through efficient tax collection as one of the pillars for the attainment of goals set out in the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP), a forerunner of Vision 2030 which seeks to see Zimbawe achieve a middle income economy.
In the first quarter of this year Zimra raked in $2,059 billion, way above the set target of $1,455 billion.
Firms interested in carrying out the audit have up to June 25 to submit their bids.-StateMedia
By Talent Gondo- A Zimbabwean has become the first refugee to receive a tandem rating in paragliding, meaning he is certified to fly with people.
Aloise Marume, 33, moved to South Africa in 2009 in search of a better life and work opportunities, leaving his wife Sabina Magadu, 25, behind.
“I left Zimbabwe because of the economic crisis it was facing and initially found work part-time as a paragliding porter, carrying various paragliding equipment for people engaging in the sport,” Marume said.
“I did this until 2011 and thereafter I started working with a guy named Peter Wallenda, the owner of a company called Wall end-Air Paragliding School, an organisation that aims to promote the sport in South Africa.”
In 2012, Wallenda started teaching Marume to paraglide and by the end of the year, he had received his basic paragliding piloting licence, which meant he would be able to fly by himself around certain sites in South Africa.
“At the beginning of 2014, I received my sports licence and was able to compete in paragliding competitions,” he said.
When it seemed like Marume had reached the end of his rope in 2015, he linked up with Stephan Kruger, the owner of Fly Cape Town Paragliding, a multi-faceted company that specialises in paragliding tours, teaching and other things connected to the sport.
Soon after working there, Kruger organised a glider for Marume through one of his pilots and he was once again airborne.
“I obtained my tandem rate paragliding licence shortly after. This meant that I could transport people, but not charge them for the ride.”
Marume notes that once he gets his tandem instructor rating, he will be able to make money from the sport and better the lives of his family
Jane Mlambo| Gokwe Nembudziya legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena has added his voice in calling for dialogue with opposition leader Nelson Chamisa saying the situation in the country requires solutions from political actors inclusive of the youthful politician.
Posting a picture of a car carrying a generator in the boot, Wadyajena said Zimbabweans were slowly normalizing the abnormal with things getting stranger by the day.
Wadyajena said despite clean money not following corruption, it also doesn’t follow violence, riots and instability.
Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries leader Walter Magaya has claimed that he did the unbelievable and healed a cancer stricken man of his malignant tumor which the hospital had failed to operate on.
The report has no independent medical corroboration at all. 2 years ago, Magaya made similar claims concerning the singer Soul Jah Love, and investigations proved that the man’s improvement was due to professional care by medics in the United Kingdom.
Investigations have revealed that Walter Magaya uses disturbing pictures and graphics to harvest emotions from crowds so to make money from them.
Said the church on social media:
The new anointing oil performed wonders on Manganda’s head cancer
Peter Mangunda of Marondera developed head tumour which bothered him for 36 years. It later developed into a growth which was operated on but recurred. When they went back to the Doctors, they diagnosed that the growth could not be operated on, anymore. The growth developed into cancer and they tried all sorts of solutions for a year but to no avail. He finally went to our National Television [ZBC-TV] for help and when many people heard his plea, they advised him to come to the Arena of liberty for solution.
Indeed, he took heed and came on the 21st April 2019. Whilst Prophet Dr W. Magaya had planned for the launch of the New Anointing Oil at a later time, he was forced to administer it on Peter before the launch because of his condition.
Having been administered with the power-packed New anointing oil and with the strong belief that things will work, Peter started noticing positive changes on his condition and within few days the growth was gone.
No other growth ever developed thereafter, up until now, all for the glory of God. Today Peter came to present his testimony to the whole world for the mighty miracle God did in his life. He is completely healed and one can hardly tell what his condition looked like before the healing; only scars bear testimony of what was once there.
By Talent Gondo- There was a break-in at the Ministry of Health and Child Care headquarters offices in Harare at the weekend with the perpetrators allegedly gaining entry using the fire-escape routes before ransacking several offices including the Permanent Secretary’s office and taking away several documents and fuel coupons from one of the offices.
Sources at the ministry said the break-in, which was carried out while the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Obadiah Moyo, was away in Geneva, Switzerland, on World Health Organisation (WHO) business might be an underground ploy by some disgruntled health officers who are incensed by the new administration of Dr Moyo.
“There was a break-in at the ministry (of Health and Child Care) head office in which four offices were targeted,” our source revealed.
“The perpetrators might have gained entry using fire escape routes and it looks they were familiar with the office’s geography.
“The office of the permanent secretary, finance director, chief accountant and one for a senior director in policy formulation were targeted.
“Some documents went missing and some fuel coupons were stolen from these offices. There has been a seismic power wrangle going on with some old members at the ministry not happy with the change of the administration,” said a close source at the ministry.
According to the source, the burglary — which was timed when the minister was away — targeted key offices was an indication that there was more to to it than meets the eye.
“It was a timed burglary done while Dr Moyo was away and again it targeted key ministry offices. How can we explain a break-in to the permanent secretary’s office, who is only new in the office. There is more to it as it was well calculated,” the source added.
“I can confirm that as the ZRP we are investigating a case of unlawful entry and theft done at the Ministry of Health and Child Care head office where several offices were ransacked and documents stolen
“As the police, we are seized with the matter and investigations are currently underway and we will give you the findings in the not so distant future,” said Assistant Commissioner Nyathi.
Last year President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed Dr Obadiah Moyo as the new Health Minister, taking over from Dr David Parirenyatwa.
Dr Agnes Mahomva is the new permanent secretary in the ministry, having replaced Dr Gerald Gwinji.-StateMedia
News Agencies|South African businessman Patrice Motsepe has taken legal action against a Botswana newspaper, Sunday Standard.
The lawsuit comes after the paper published an article on April 1 with the headline: “New Jerusalem Vic Falls secret meeting scuttled”.
Motsepe, who is the founder and chairman of African Rainbow Minerals, is suing the paper for 5 million pula (R6.7m) in damages, saying this is bad for his reputation, as reports claim that he smuggled over R20 million to influence politics of the country.
The article claimed the Mamelodi Sundowns owner and his sister, businesswoman Bridgette Motsepe-Radebe, donated R22m to Dr Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi’s campaign ahead of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party’s elective conference held last month.
Venson-Moitoi is a journalist and politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in Botswana from 2014 until December 2018. The politician is former president Ian Khama’s close friend who was challenging Mokgweetsi Masisi for the party’s presidency.
Part of the article read: “By Friday, a team of Botswana Police Service officers were investigating a number of security companies which are allegedly being used to smuggle campaign money into the country.
“This followed unconfirmed reports that South African mining tycoon Patrice Motsepe, who is also brother to Bridgette, had donated R22m to Venson-Moitoi’s campaign, which had already been smuggled into Botswana.”
According to court papers, the South African mining magnate is of the view that the statement is defamatory and implies that he acts illegally and is a dishonest businessman.
“As a result of the publication of the offending statement, the plaintiff has been injured in his reputation and has suffered damages in the amount of P5000000. In the premise, the defendant is liable to the plaintiff in the amount of P500 0000,” reads the court papers.
Motsepe’s spokesperson Sizwe Nzimande has confirmed that charges of defamation have been laid against the Botswana weekly.
“There is some legal action being taken but I can’t go into details because the matter is sub judice,” Nzimande said.
However, Sunday Standard editor Outsa Mokone said have not yet received the lawsuit.
“We have not received any lawsuit from Motsepe. Maybe it’s still on its way. Otherwise, when it arrives it will be treated like any other lawsuit,” Mokone said.
Mokone added that Sunday Standard had received more information about the allegations he claims implicate Motsepe in the domestic affairs of Botswana and would do a follow-up article on Sunday.
In addition to the money, Motsepe is demands that the newspaper publish an apology on its front page and on the paper’s website within five days from date of the court order.
The apology, as mentioned in the court papers, must take up a quarter of the page and remain published for seven calendar days.
Motsepe wants it to have the following wording: “To the extent that the Sunday Standard has made statements on its website stating or implying that Dr Motsepe has behaved illegally and dishonestly, the Sunday Standard hereby unequivocally retracts all such statements and imputations, and unreservedly apologizes that they were made.
“The Sunday Standard regrets any inconvenience caused to Dr Motsepe.”
He also wants the newspaper to pay the legal costs. The case is before Lobatse High Court Justice Tshepo Motswagole.
In April, Motsepe-Radebe and Joburg socialite Malcolm X were banned from entering the country visa-free, accusing them of being at the centre of an alleged plot to topple Masisi.
After the ban, then Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Linidwe Sisulu met with Masisi in Gaborone.
Following the meeting with Sisulu, Masisi posted a Facebook message which read: “The special envoy conveyed a message reiterating the longstanding and excellent relations between Botswana and South Africa despite the recent media reports.”
By Talent Gondo- Vice President Kembo Mohadi says the country’s economy is on the verge of recovery as Government has stepped up its re-engagement efforts in line with its economic trajectory of transforming Zimbabwe into an upper middle income economy by 2030, the state media reported .
In an interview Sunday, VP Mohadi said the austerity measures, which Zimbabweans were undergoing, were part of a painful reform process to achieve transformation and modernisation of the economy.
He said last week’s meeting between the Government and the European Union (EU) ambassadors in Harare marked the beginning of a formal dialogue process for re-engagement which seeks to reintegrate Zimbabwe into the global family of nations.
The meeting was based on Article 8 of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement which governs relations between member states of the African-Caribbean-Pacific regions and the EU.
“These are temporary austerity measures and soon it will come to pass and the economy will soon stabilise as long as we are getting foreign investors trooping into the country. Last week, we had a historic meeting with EU ambassadors in Harare, something which was never heard of before. It took 20 years to destroy this economy and it will take a few years to get it back on track,” VP Mohadi said.
Zimbabwe and the European bloc have endured frosty relations in the past two decades and the dialogue opens a fresh page that will have major geopolitical implications and benefits for Zimbabwe, whose international relations soured domestic prospects for growth economically and socially.
VP Mohadi said the raft of measures that Government had adopted had seen the economy showing signs of improvement, with growth forecasts revised upwards.
The Vice President said Zimbabwe is seeking partners in the global community to help its upward leap and urged the generality of Zimbabweans to be patient with the economy. Economic development is at the centre of the Second Republic as evidenced by multi-billion dollars investment commitments which lay the ground for the creation of an upper middle income economy by 2030.
Key anchors of President Mnangagwa’s vision include a policy of economic diplomacy, international re-engagement as well as domestic policies tackling underdevelopment, marginalisation, poverty and corruption.
VP Mohadi said the Government was working on measures to fight corruption including cartels and monopolies, which have been blamed for arbitrary price hikes and distortions in the market.
“This is only the beginning of better things to come. It should be noted that investment is like farming, you ought to plant a seed first and then it starts to germinate and grow before you eventually get the yields, it is not possible to harvest overnight and this is exactly what is happening with our economy. As Government we don’t have cartels, but they are within our corrupt people and they are the ones creating all these monopolies and as such Government is now fighting them,” he said.
VP Mohadi said the Government, in its endeavour to fight corruption in every sector of the economy, will not hesitate to dismantle monopolies in industry, which are benefiting a few individuals.
“We have people who are doing wrong things all the time and we hope with time our people will see sense and subsequently get rid of these useless cartels which somehow benefit very few people. We are fighting them and we have measures that we are putting in place to fight them. We can’t just let them do as they please,” he said.
Zimbabwe’s government plans to boost maize imports as adverse weather slashes the southern African nation’s harvest.
The Grain Marketing Board will float an international tender to import 750 000 tons of the grain, Joseph Gondo, chief director of Zimbabwe’s agriculture ministry, said. Gondo declined to provide a timeframe for the tender, though he said the paperwork has been completed.
That amount would mark Zimbabwe’s largest corn imports in a season in three years, according to data. The last massive import of grain by the country was in 2016 ahead of the 2018 elections where grain distribution was used as a vote buying strategy by the ruling ZANU PF party in the rural areas.
The import needs comes shortly after government had assured the nation that it had enough grain reserves to see the country through to the next rains.
Recently, the Secretary for Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement, Mr Ringson Chitsiko, said Zimbabwe has not imported any major grains such as maize for the past two years.
He said as at December last year, the country had 1 179 156 tonnes of maize, which is twice the mandatory Strategic Grain Reserve of 500 000 tonnes.
Small grains amounted to 135 935 tonnes.
“The nation is comfortable since the surplus is enough to see us through at least nine months. This means the supply of the staple diet in the country is out of danger,” Mr Chitsiko.
The latest import also comes amid surging global corn prices as relentless rains roil US grain plantings, signaling rising costs for importers.
Zimbabwe’s corn crop is expected to plummet 54% this year amid drought and after Cyclone Idai damaged crops in some provinces, according to the Agriculture Ministry. In March, a government official said the nation had seven months of grain reserves, including corn, and must begin imports to offset a potential deficit.
Neighboring nations, including SA, have also seen harvests curbed by dryness. The bulk of the country’s corn use is for human consumption, mainly from white corn. That signals that Mexico and the US may be among the suppliers in the tender, said Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at South Africa’s Agricultural Business Chamber. South Africa may have some grain available, and Ukraine could be a supplier if the nation sources yellow corn, he said.
Below is the comment passed by the MDC Deputy President, Tendai Biti in London which Finance Minister, Mthuli Ncube says was an insult and Ncube complains saying, “Biti’s choice of crude language not only reveals his analytical deficiencies but also demonstrates lack of sophistication and poise normally associated with a global platform such as Chatham House. He has much to learn. However, this may take a while.”
Presidential Advisory Council member Shingi Munyeza has condemned the abduction of Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union leader Obert Masaraure.
Munyeza said such actions have no space in a democracy.
“Abductions, beatings, kidnappings are not part of constitutional democracy or a progressive nation.”He said.
Masaraure was abducted last week by suspected of the dreaded Central Intelligence Organisation. Munyeza added that the state must swiftly move in to investigate the matter.
“The State must always protect its citizens. Culprits must be brought to book.”
On Friday the European Union Mission in Zimbabwe called for a thorough investigation on the matter despite Mnangagwa’s spokesperson denying the abduction claims.
In an interview, Information and Broadcasting Services permanent secretary Mr Nick Mangagwa said the wounds that Masaraure had were self-inflicted .
“We have checked with the security services including the police and they do not know anything about that. There is not even a police report that was made. We believe that this was stage-managed to put Zimbabwe in very bad light since Zimbabwe and the European Union (EU) have launched a formal political dialogue process,” he said.
“The police did not do it (abduct him), the intelligence did not do it. He inflicted the bruises on himself to give a bad picture about the Government after he had called for a strike that was not successful.
“It does not mean it’s the State that inflicted the bruises on him, the State does not have monopoly on bruises. This has nothing to do with the State, its self-inflicted.”
THE Zanu-PF Matabeleland North Province has unanimously endorsed the candidature of Mbongeni Dube (31) the current National deputy secretary for education from the Youth League to represent the party in the forthcoming by-election for Lupane East constituency ahead of Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube who was somewhat also eager to contest the election set for 3 August.
The seat fell vacant after the death of Sithembile Gumbo earlier in the year.
Provincial chairman Richard Moyo told a party meeting in Lupane over the weekend that the party agreed they needed to give the youths a chance to represent the party over some highly rated party elders.
“As a party we are very happy with the manner that members debated the issue during our meeting as the Electorate Directorate in Matabeleland North. There were other candidates who had submitted their CVs for the primary election but we saw that it was noble to have one person going than sending six people. That is why Dube was nominated. There is time limitation too. The Nomination Court will sit next week so we realised that we must engage each other and take the person who came second in the last primary elections. He had the second highest votes after the late Gumbo,” said Moyo.
He said Dube was young and energetic and fit to stand for the party in the by-election. Dube is a former Youth League chair for the province and member of the national executive. Moyo said the party was taking concerns raised by the youths on board as they have also wanted a chance to represent the people.
“In Matabeleland North out of our 13 MPs we only have one youth representative so we found it fit to give them a chance too. Even from the Women’s League they all agreed to take a step back and not have a candidate but rally behind the youths instead. Central Committee members who were here all concurred that we must have Mbongeni Dube as our candidate for the by-election,” he said.
Moyo said the people of Lupane have always supported Zanu-PF. He said the party was confident of retaining the seat.
Mthuli Ncube was late last week reported to have withdrawn his candidature with some sources within the party indicating that he feared being embarrassed as he was not going to win a primary election against Dube.
“This is a by-election where one is supposed to complete the term of office which was left by the late Gumbo, so these other candidates have an opportunity during a general election to contest if they wish but now let’s give the youth a chance and support them as one. I am very happy that the other candidates agreed peacefully to step down and give the young man a chance,” he said.
Nkayi North MP Sithembiso Nyoni also reiterated that the youths needed space in the political arena and that there would be more elections to come that could be contested. She said leaders of the province should ensure that they tell their constituencies that President Mnangagwa was making efforts to ensure the economy stabilises.
“The President is not sleeping on the job, he is busy making efforts to ensure we have food on the table so people must be patient with him as he turns around the economy for our good,” she said.
By Dorrothy Moyo| Mrs Svorai Chiwara, who is the wife of a jailed MDC councillor (incarcerated over the military engineered January protests) beat the ZANU PF candidate to retain the seat for the MDC party.
Despite violence by a ZANU PF gang known as ve-mabhemba, Svorai Chiwara won by 782 votes against 381 for Lloyd Nyambo of Zanu PF.
The events during the violence were tracked via video and exposed by ZimEye.com (watch below).
Her husband, Michael Gore, who is Chiwara’s husband, was sentenced to four years in jail on allegations of setting on fire ZANU PF offices in Kadoma during January protests. Locals believe that he was convicted on from trumped up charges.
ZANU PF members from the gang called ve-mabhemna went amok on polling day at Rimuka 1 School and began assaulting people.
At least 6 people were attacked using whips that had wires on them. The attackers were also wielding machetes.
The Kadoma deputy mayor, Tendayi Kokera was one of the assaulted and her bloody stripes (on her back) are on LIVE camera. Kokera said she “was beaten by Zanu PF youths with sjamboks. They were also wielding machetes. I reported the matter to the police. The security agents were involved because I saw some of them in suspicious vehicles.”
During his side interview the MP for the area told ZimEye.com he is concerned that the police did not act immediately.
WITH less than two weeks to go before the African Cup of Nations burst into life, the Warriors Fundraising Committee will get down to business of mobilising funds for the senior national football team by hosting a fundraising dinner at a local hotel in Harare on Wednesday.
President Mnangagwa is expected to be the guest of honour.
The dinner this time around will be held without the intended beneficiaries, the players. In a similar dinner held in January 2017 ahead of the departure to the AFCON finals, the players boycotted the event heavily embarrassing Mnangagwa who was acting President at the time.
A sad atmosphere engulfed the Rainbow Towers Hotel in January 2017 when the 23 National Football Team players were refusing to leave their rooms and attend their send-off dinner in which then acting president Mnangagwa was expected to be the guest of honour.
Organised by the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, the event was attended by who is who in the soccer fraternity and the journalists at the Harare International Conference Centre.
The guests waited patiently for 3 hours until 9 pm when the then Principal Director from the Sports Ministry, Benson Dube, arrived and officially announced that the dinner had been cancelled.
“I am here to announce that the send-off dinner for the national team has been cancelled because of the labour dispute between ZIFA and the national team players. We have not cancelled the dinner but the send-off dinner,” said Dube.
He added, “We are sorry about that and we sincerely apologise. But we are saying let us enjoy ourselves, the dinner is on, but the send-off dinner is cancelled. We are going to have our dinner as planned, so we can start serving food.”
Critics have viewed the current move to hold the reception without the players as a move to evade a possible similar embarrassment of Mnangagwa.
The current fundraising committee’s Communications Sub Committee Chairperson, Eve Gadzikwa, in a statement, called on different stakeholders to support the national team.
“As the Fundraising Committee, we are inviting all stakeholders to come on board and support the Warriors. I must also assure the nation at large that all resources realized from this campaign will be applied towards their rightful purpose and fully accounted for. We are mindful of the need to be transparent and accountable in our dealings to earn the trust of stakeholders.
“We are targeting to raise US$500 000 which will go towards the upkeep of the Warriors and other ancillary requirements. It is our firm conviction that if we support our team, they will be motivated to perform hence it is our clarion call to everyone to support us materially and financially,” said Gadzikwa.
Gadzikwa also indicated that the Fundraising Launch and Dinner would signify the roll out of the public relations campaign to rally the nation behind the Warriors as they take to the field at the 2019 AFCON finals.
The Committee is chaired by acting Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Kazembe Kazembe.
Zifa board member Philemon Machana and businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei are the vice-chairmen.
Other members of the committee are Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister Joel Biggie Matiza, Minister of Industry and Commerce Nqobizitha Ndlovu, Emmerson Mnangwagwa (Junior), Zimpapers chief executive Pikirayi Deketeke, Sugar Chagonda, Lazarus Muchenje, Devine Ndlukula, Chipo Mtasa and Sports Commission officials.
The Warriors arrive in Cairo, Egypt, today for the 2019 Total Africa Cup of Nations finals that kick off on June 21 where they will open their campaign against the hosts.
The Warriors delegation left for Cairo from Asaba, Nigeria, where they played to a goalless draw against the Super Eagles in an international friendly at the Stephen Keshi Stadium on Saturday night.
“The team leaves for Cairo on Sunday (yesterday) and will have thorough preparations there for the Afcon finals. We don’t have any confirmed friendly match as yet,” said Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela.
Zimbabwe are making their fourth appearance at the continental finals, having debuted in Tunisia in 2004 followed by another appearance in 2006 and in 2017 in Gabon.
They are in Group A with Egypt, Uganda and the DR Congo.
After their opener against the Pharaohs, the Warriors take on Uganda on June 26 before wrapping up their group games on June 30 against the DRC.
Warriors Afcon squad
Goalkeepers: George Chigova, Edmore Sibanda, Elvis Chipezeze
Defenders: Tendayi Darikwa, Jimmy Dzingai, Divine Lunga, Teenage Hadebe, Alec Mudimu, Ronald Pfumbidzai
ZNA Chief of Staff (Quartermaster Staff) Major-General Hlanganani Dube
THE Zimbabwe National Army will always have zero tolerance to indiscipline and will not hesitate to dismiss those involved in criminal activities, a senior official has said.
Speaking at the School of Infantry graduation ceremony at Mbalabala Barracks on Friday, ZNA Chief of Staff (Quartermaster Staff) Major-General Hlanganani Dube bemoaned the increase in the number of criminal cases involving army members.
“The ZNA is concerned about the increase in criminal cases involving members. Such cases include theft of army rations, robbery, fraud, illegal panning, abuse of military equipment and many others,” he said.
“Be advised that the army will not tolerate such behaviour. We will not hesitate to discharge culprits who will be found on the wrong side of the law regardless of their ranks. Therefore be warned.”
Maj Gen Dube urged army personnel to use social media carefully as it is now a national security threat being used to transmit hostile and misleading messages.
“The evolution of information technology has transformed the way we interact in our lives as a result of social media. It is unfortunate that social media has proved to be a double-edged sword and in most cases it has become a threat to national security through transmission of hostile and misleading messages,” he said.
“This phenomenon has destroyed the social fabric of most organisations and societies, including military forces. I therefore urge you to use such platforms cautiously as members of the security forces since breaches of national security nowadays are always through social media.”
Maj Gen Dube said it was important for soldiers to be disciplined and professional to protect the image of the ZDF.
“I therefore urge you to maintain good standards of behaviour throughout your careers. As such you should always lead by example,” he said.
A total of 397 officers graduated after completing nine 2019 first half courses training at the School of Infantry. Twenty four were females.
Chipinge farmer, and retired Swiss banker, Richard Le Vieux, who has established a successful business exporting coffee, avocados and macadamia nuts for the past 30 years, is a relieved man after his farm was saved from seizure by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Part of Le Vieux’ Farfell Coffee Estate had been allocated to Remembrance Mbudzana, the son of Manicaland Provincial Affairs Minister Ellen Gwaradzimba.
Le Vieux has since released a video saying that his farm had been saved from ‘opportunistic seizures’ by the President and Cabinet.
Said Le Vieux,
The last few months there has been some confusion as to the correct title and tenure of this land by the company. And I’m happy to say that this has been dealt with effectively by the cabinet, by the president.
It sends a positive signal to all who are producing and exporting in the country that we cannot have disruptions and we cannot have instability and we cannot have opportunistic seizures of assets, which is exactly what was going on in my case. imply for short term gain. What you’re looking at here gentlemen is a 25-year investment. it’s not overnight, and it’s not easy.
Acting Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Oppah Muchinguri announced the Cabinet’s decision in a statement recently.
Mr Mbudzana had been offered a portion of the estate (Lot 1) but after considering the investments and production currently taking place on that portion of the farm, Government decided to revoke the offer letter and find him alternative land.
“After taking all factors into consideration, Cabinet resolved and directed as follows (a) that Mr Le Vieux be issued with an offer letter for his portion of Farfell Coffee Estates, that is Lot 2 (220 hactares) in keeping with the Government framework of maximum farm sizes (b) that if he so wishes, Mr Le Vieux be issued with an appropriate lease agreement with respect to Lot 1, so as to guarantee continuity of the very productive and strategic commercial operations currently taking place at Lot 1; (c) that the offer letter of Lot 1 (229 hectares) to Mr Mbudzana be consequently revoked; and (d) that as, any Zimbabwean, Mr Mbudzana can be considered for land allocation in other available areas in Chipinge District,” Minister Muchinguri said.
Mr Le Vieux expressed satisfaction with Government’s decision.
A POST mortem has revealed that the suspected prostitute who was found dead in a Bulawayo lodge with 666 and a star linked to the occult inscribed on her stomach with a red substance, was strangled.
Biblically in Revelations Chapter 13, 666 is known as the mark of the beast which symbolises Satanism.
The victim is Patience Ndlovu from Cowdray Park suburb who is said to have been in her early 30s.
A family source who declined to be named said Ndlovu was married with two children, one in Form Three and another in Grade One.
“We got the post mortem report on Wednesday and it showed that she was strangled to death,” said the family source
She was found dead last week at Silver Sands Lodge situated at number 13 Connaught Avenue between Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street and Jason Moyo Street.
State Media|FINANCE and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube’s latest report on the state of public accounts shows that nearly half a billion RTGS dollars surplus was achieved in the first quarter of this year.
In Treasury Bulletin number 31, 2019 released last week, the minister said liberalisation of the exchange rate and tightening of fiscal and monetary policy regimes, often blamed for much of the chaos currently characterising the pricing madness, were containing inflationary pressures.
Annual inflation, however, hit the 75,8 percent mark in April, the highest post dollarisation in 2009, as exchange rate premiums of foreign currency bought on the black market, took their toll on domestic prices.
Minister Mthuli started implementing the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP) at the beginning of this year with particular focus on fiscal, monetary and structural reforms to stabilise macroeconomic fundamentals.
Despite the still extremely volatile environment, positive effects of the stabilisation programme, scheduled to run until 2020, have started to trickle in and in no better form than improved state of public finances.
“On a positive note, there is marked improved performance on central Government finances, with revenues at $1,9 billion, outperforming target of $1,8 billion throughout the first quarter of 2019 to give overall positive variance of $146 million,” the bulletin says.
“On the other hand, expenditures were contained at $1,5 billion against a target of $1,7 billion to give savings of $218 million. This, as a result, gave a budget surplus of $443 million,” the report adds.
Major expenditures were Government employment costs at $1,015 billion, operations and maintenance at $185,6 million, interest at $93,3 million and capital projects, which consumed $174,8 million.
The positive performance in the first quarter was built on strong revenue performance of $1,9 billion, 8,2 ahead of first quarter budget and 64 percent better than the same period last year when $1,2 billion was realised.
The Treasury Bulletin said the improved revenue performances were due to strong tax revenue collections by Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) after strengthening of the taxman’s collection system, plugging of tax loopholes as well as the review excise duty levied on fuel, which generated $146 million.
“The performance also benefited from the Intermediated Money Transfer Tax (IMTT), which generated average monthly revenue of $95 million against target of $50 million,” the Treasury Bulletin says.
On the back of improved management of Government finances, Treasury said neither Treasury Bills nor the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe overdraft facilities were used to fund the budget with only $180 million TBs having been issue to settle obligations from maturing TBs.
TBs issued to finance the budget prior to the onset of austerity measures were largely responsible for the huge domestic debt that Central Government ran up post the inclusive Government period, which now stands after the first five months of 2019 from $9,6 billion in December 2018.
Treasury said the decrease in the stock of debt was on account of debt repayments with minimal TB issuances of $28 million for cash flow management purposes.
“There were no new TBs issued during the period under review in line with the 2019 National Budget pronouncement. Government set itself to stop issuing Treasury Bills and stay with budget,” the Treasury bulletin says.
State Media|SPEAKER of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda says he will persuade the Committee on Standing Rules to ban cellphones in the House during sessions because of the disruption they cause in the august House.
Adv Mudenda said the use of cellphones in the House trivialised business and eroded the public’s trust in their representatives.
He was addressing Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and civil society members at a recent workshop in Kariba.
“I shall persuade the Committee on Standing Rules to ban cellphones in the House,” he said. “There are no cellphones during Cabinet. There are no cellphones in the judiciary services. Why should we see them in Parliament? You underestimate your importance, you should be attentive 120 percent whether I am there or not. Wherever you go, whether you are meeting the public or not your attention should be 120 percent. That’s the new mathematical coding I am giving you.”
Adv Mudenda said investigations were underway in other countries to establish their policy on cellphone use in their parliaments and there is a possibility that the gadgets will be banned.
“You create public trust by the commitment. You dedicate to the task for which you were chosen,” he said. “I hope this habit of tweeting will stop in your next sessions.
“That is why for the National Assembly, I said I am going to do some investigations and research in some parliaments on how they deal with these disruptive gadgets.”
Adv Mudenda said Parliament prioritised the completion of the electoral reform process and the business of the House for which they were elected.
“The flip side of that is that you are disrespecting the institution that has brought you here (Kariba) to do an exercise that must be completed within two months,” he said.
“One member said we will be tweeting to research information for debate and I said to that member I have not seen you stand up to debate, referring to your cellphone never, neither have I seen someone except the former member (James) Maridadi.”
Preliminary investigations, said Adv Mudenda, had shown that cellphones are not allowed in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom, Congress in the United States of America and neighbouring South Africa.
Standard|BOUYED by his victory at the just-ended MDC congress, the party’s leader Nelson Chamisa says he is ready to confront President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Zanu PF.
The 41-year-old former student leader was elected unopposed to succeed the late Morgan Tsvangirai at the congress held between May 23 and 25.
Chamisa (NC) told Standard senior reporter Obey Manayiti that the MDC will use peaceful demonstrations to nudge Zanu PF to introduce a number of reforms to address the issue of disputed elections.
He said the party would “emphasise on political dialogue to resolve and settle our various political national questions.”
He also spoke about his plans to transform the MDC into a vibrant party and healing rifts caused by contestations ahead of the congress. Below is the full interview.
OM: Congratulations on your appointment as Morgan Tsvangirai’s successor at the helm of the MDC. Can you take us through the journey to that influential leadership role?
NC: Thank you very much and first I want to thank all Zimbabweans in general and in particular the MDC family for bestowing on me trust, confidence and honour and this important responsibility to lead the people’s movement, the party of excellence into victory.
As you may be aware, we had a lot of issues around the passage or the transition from our icon to the new order.
A lot of people didn’t understand that whatever we did was full of the organisational interests and what the constitution allows.
We allowed the constitutional order to be used and implemented to avoid instability in the organisation for purposes of winning the elections and indeed we succeeded.
Zanu PF expected us to do things that would destabilise the party and we definitely had to do what president Tsvangirai wanted himself.
He wanted the MDC to be united and the alliance to be a vehicle to which we would go into the election and he wanted those that had left the party to come back and that is exactly what we did.
We are happy we are where we are. Most of the things, as you know, he is the one who had already made certain arrangements for purposes of making sure the organisation will not face jeopardy.
OM: Since its formation in 1999 the MDC has gone through several splits with the major one happening in 2005. What are you doing as the new leader of the party to bring back those that left?
NC: All our comrades who had left are already back in the fold and we are happy that the MDC is back to its original form, if not better.
You can tell by the momentum in the country, the mood in the country that the party has reclaimed its mojo, the party is on the rise and the party is getting bigger and stronger, better if not best.
We are so excited and we will continue, if there are any other members who are willing to come to the party who were there originally (they are welcome) but most of them are now back.
OM: Is there any chance of you reuniting with the likes of Thokozani Khupe, who led the recent group to break away from the mainstream party?
NC: First of all, there was no breakaway. We had three individuals who were expelled from the party and whom I understand have gone to form their own political party, which is represented in Parliament.
The gates and doors are open for all democrats, all Zimbabweans.
MDC is an excellent home to all progressive and democratic players in the country and that is why you see that we have our big tent philosophy, which is about embracing all to this great family of democrats.
We are ready to receive them as and when they have seen the light and of course as and when they realise the necessity of compounding our issues.
They obviously have to amend their ways in terms of disrespecting organs and institutions of the party.
OM: The outcome of the congress said some officials that held senior positions in the previous administration being reduced to ordinary members. What will you do to reunite the party?
NC: I don’t know where you are getting this view that a person is reduced or increased on account of a position.
We are members of the MDC first and foremost and being a member is the most important entitlement and honour for all party members.
As for deployment to a particular position, that becomes really a privilege but I must say that no member has been reduced (to anything).
Elections do not reduce members or elections do not strip people of their honour and integrity as full members.
Elections actually embolden our collective membership as a family.
Not a single leader has been reduced into an ordinary member in the party.
In our party leadership is not positional, you don’t become a leader on account of a position.
You are a leader on account of your membership, everyone is a member, so all those who didn’t make it to the standing committee will be deployed strategically according to talent and skill reposed by those fellow distinguished comrades.
OM: What is your reaction to criticism that those who once abandoned the party and your former colleagues in the student union movement have taken over the MDC?
NC: Well, I don’t understand where that is coming from.
We are not a student union body but a political party and the MDC was formed by over 32 civic groups, including traditional institutions being represented and also war veterans, women’s groups and youths groups.
We draw our membership from a cross section of sectors and we elected our leadership, which is a rich mix of different people from different backgrounds.
I can tell you that (MDC vice-president) Professor (Welshman) Ncube does not have the student union background. I can also tell you that (vice-president) Mai (Lynette) Kore is not from the student union background and I can tell you that (chairperson) honourable Thabitha Khumalo is not from that background, but we don’t look at those labels.
We look at individuals and their competence. I can tell you that the leadership we have is the best we have had in a long time, in fact the MDC is now stronger, bigger and better.
We are now in the original position if not better. The only missing element in the MDC is the departed comrades, president Tsvangirai included, but I can tell you that the party is stronger and vibrant.
I felt privileged that at the age of 40 I am presiding over a very serious and competent team, which has been given the task of democratising our country and liberating our people.
It’s no mean task, it’s no mean duty but I can tell you that we have an indomitable and formidable team that has the best brains, vibrancy and capacity and we are ready to unite and move the struggle to a new level but more importantly to build our country and sign a new course for it.
I want to say that we have buried the time for blame and lame excuses, it’s now all shoulders to the block and all hands on deck.
OM: What are your short term plans for the MDC, considering the many challenges facing the party and indeed the country in general?
NC: We have just concluded our historic fifth congress, historic because the people made it historic.
I must say that this must have made Dr Morgan Richard Tsvangirai very happy because the congress was not only peaceful but resoundingly successful.
It bestowed evidence that God is in it and God is in charge of our processes and people are behind it and they are supporting it.
We are very clear that we have a task in the short-term to reorganise the party, regenerate the party, modernise the party and make it efficient at an administrative level, politically revisiting our strategic weapons to make sure that we are ready for the task at hand.
We also adopted far-reaching resolutions. We are also making sure that we strengthen and renew the organisation, making sure that we reinvigorate the structures and make it a grassroots-based party, focusing on the branches, focusing on the rural and farming areas, making sure that if anything, the whole country unite in love, unite in the small dots of smart politics which is what we have done.
The third issue in the short-term is to also review the way we engage with our colleagues in Zanu PF.
We believe in active non-violent and peaceful demonstrations and in that engagement we are emphasising on political dialogue to resolve and settle our various political national questions.
This is basically on the strategies and tactics and the kind of elections that we want.
We don’t want a vicious cycle of disputed and contested elections. We need to resolve this by having a raft of comprehensive reforms.
The fifth one is on our administrative side. We need to stop this whole thing of having elections and not being able to field polling agents, we need to be administratively able to harness the capacity of experts who are able to run this organisation like a blue chip company.
So you will see the MDC beginning to capitalise, buying buses, having vehicles in every province and district level, just to make sure the party develops in a manner that has never been seen before.
Internationally we need to deepen our relations with our friends on the continent and broaden that footprint globally to make sure that we have solidarity networks of democratic forces.
Lastly it is about the leadership culture, in the short-term we will make sure that we have an alternative plan.
MPs are going to be monitored and evaluated, we will have score cards and we are going to rate them in terms of their performance and go back to constituencies and ask people about their MPs and councillors.
It’s no longer business as usual but business unusual. The game has changed in a new direction.
OM: In your view, what needs to be done to solve Zimbabwe’s multi-faceted economic and political crisis?
NC: Well, we have said that the crisis in Zimbabwe is a crisis of legitimacy, the crisis of governance and the crisis of political stalemate. The problem is political.
The only way is to have genuine political dialogue between Zanu PF and MDC and others but after having cleared the way on the real issue so that we are able to resolve key political questions around legitimacy and comprehensive reforms.
I have seen what Zanu PF is trying to do through Parliament, unilaterally pushing piecemeal and cosmetic reforms. There has to be reforms supported by all the people in Zimbabwe.
What they are doing is something that will not build confidence because it is not agreed on, it is partisan and it is not inclusive enough.
Reforms have to be instituted politically and legislatively, reforms that are aligning our politics to our constitution, reforms that are aligning our circumstances to the dictates and demands of the citizens and those reforms and important.
We also need national healing and nation building and peacebuilding.
OM: The government accuses you of plotting violent demonstrations, which you want to use to topple Mnangagwa. What would be the purpose of those protests?
NC: They have always institutionalised lies and deception, typical of a leopard that accusing it’s offspring of smelling like a goat in order to try and justify eating or cannibalising your own, but let me tell you this and I will say it now and forever more, wee are not going to allow a situation where there is violence in the country.
We believe in peaceful politics and democratisation.
We believe in non-violence and that is what we are going to be pursuing.
If we are going to demonstrate, it is constitutional, if we are to demonstrate it is allowed because an unhappy people have a right to demonstrate.
There is nothing untoward in demonstrating.
In any case, we are demonstrating to ask them to come to the negotiating table.
It is not as if we are demonstrating to run over them because we believe in the constitutional order but why is it that they are so scared of dialogue?
Why is it that all the time they always think about violence? Why are they always thinking of spilling blood?
They must not panic but must address issues raised by the people.
We are peacemakers, we are doves and we are ready to smoke a peace pipe with those who love peace, but we will not allow macho tactics and funny tactics by those who want to intimidate us — that we will not allow.
Farai Dziva|European and Spanish La Liga giants, Real Madrid have agreed on a deal to sign forward Eden Hazard from Chelsea for a fee that could exceed £150m.
Hazard has agreed to a five-year contract and will be presented as a Real player on 13 June, subject to a medical.
Writing on Facebook, the Real Madrid attacking midfielder said:
“Leaving Chelsea is the biggest and toughest decision in my career to date.
I hope you understand I had to pursue my next chapter, just as each and every one of you should when you have the chance to pursue your dreams.
Now it’s in the open I would like to put on record one thing was always clear to me, I have loved every moment at Chelsea and not once did I ever consider, nor would I have left for any other club.”
By Talent Gondo- Zanu-PF Spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo has called on government to jail the corrupt as a way of promiting invetsment and economic growth.
Khaya Moyo said that the government needs to do more on corruption if it is to be taken seriously by international investors.
Speaking in an interview with The Standard, Khaya Moyo said convictions of those accused of corruption and not just arrests are needed.
Said Khaya Moyo:
It is time we start seeing people going to jail for corruption. This will ensure investors take us seriously as a country. The number of those arrested suggests that we are doing well, but the convictions are really worrying. It seems as if the system is corrupt and we must deal with that.
We must be like the Chinese, they are very cruel with corruption and it has helped them grow their economy.
We have been wailing for too long and we must start to deal with the issues and not focus on tissues.
Our economy must be attractive, it must have that aroma to attract people and not smell like a rotten fish.
The issue of the economy should not be viewed as a Zanu-PF issue, it affects everyone and all of us must work for it
By Talent Gondo- MDC Vice President, Tendai Biti has said that they would like to negotiate with Zanu-PF instead of resorting to protests first.
He said the MDC is giving Mnangagwa time so that he can initiate talks. He said the country has lost too much blood and there’s need to give talks a chance.
He was speaking in London where he launched a book.
Said Biti:
We are giving Mnangagwa time. We are giving him a warning, a notice. Please let us talk because there will come a time when we will no longer be talking. We will be confronting on the streets.
Zimbabwe has been losing blood since 1890. Some would argue and say the country has actually been losing blood since the Rozvi war in 1500. It is a country that has shed too much blood.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care headquarters offices in Harare were at the weekend broken into.
Speculation was rife that it is an inside job.
In happened while the Health Minister, Obadiah Moyo was away in Geneva, Switzerland, on World Health Organisation (WHO) business.
Sources quoted by the state owned Herald said, “there was a break-in at the ministry (of Health and Child Care) head office in which four offices were targeted.
The perpetrators might have gained entry using fire escape routes and it looks they were familiar with the office’s geography.
The office of the permanent secretary, finance director, chief accountant and one for a senior director in policy formulation were targeted.
Some documents went missing and some fuel coupons were stolen from these offices. There has been a seismic power wrangle going on with some old members at the ministry not happy with the change of the administration.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) confirmed the burglary. Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said: can confirm that as the ZRP we are investigating a case of unlawful entry and theft done at the Ministry of Health and Child Care head office where several offices were ransacked and documents were stolen
“I wass the police, we are seized with the matter and investigations are currently underway and we will give you the findings in the not so distant future.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently appointed Dr Agnes Mahomva as the new permanent secretary in the Ministry in place of Dr Gerald Gwinji.
Farai Dziva| MDC president Nelson Chamisa’s spokesperson Dr Nkululeko Sibanda has said there is nothing suggestive in the picture of the MDC leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Sibusiso Moyo.
Said Dr Sibanda: Nothing much the two met at a function where they were both invited.
There is nothing suggestive there.”
Speculation was rife as the picture circulated on social platforms.
By Hopewell Chin’ono| I went into my local supermarket this morning and bumped into a cabinet Minister who accosted me into a corner, but in a very friendly way.
The Minister asked me to support the government and to proffer ideas arguing that many people read what I write and as such, I had a responsibility to support the country.
I laughed and asked the Minister how I could support a failing government that can’t even support itself?
I then added that we needed to separate the idea of supporting a failing government and the natural responsibility of loving one’s country.
The two are different but ZANUPF always likes conflating them in order to blackmail citizens into emotional submission, whilst the political elites continue ruining the future of millions of our children.
After agreeing that the two were different, the Minister asked me to explain what I meant when I said that the government is failing to support itself.
I started by asking the Minister how a whole Finance Minister in Mthuli Ncube would sink so low to celebrate a useless and rigged twitter poll, which said that the country is happy with the direction that Emmerson Mnangagwa was taking us.
One of the most comical and yet very tragic realities is that most of our political elites live in Borrowdale, Glen Lorne and Chisipite, and yet they do not pay attention to important things and ask questions like, what will they do if their house caught a fire or if they had a violent burglary?
To show the Minister and all of us here that the system has totally broken down, and that it is now a government at sea without ideas other than self enrichment, I told the Minister something that they could easily verify since they live in Borrowdale.
Borrowdale Police Station where the rich & wealthy, the political elites and Regime Associates live has NO single car to use, not even a motorcycle.
If intruders attacked anyone living in Borrowdale in their home, the police details at Borrowdale police station would not be able to come and rescue them.
This is a fact that you too can also confirm by going to Borrowdale Police Station in Hellensville, and seeing the reality for yourselves.
When the social service and law enforcement side of life has totally collapsed, and yet the political elites continue making millions, it is a sign that the government of the day is being run by a predatory elite whose only concern is looting and amassing wealth by any means necessary.
How else can you explain the fact that Borrowdale is the home of billions of dollars and yet there is no single man or woman amongst those millionaires who has had the conscience and common sense to ask why their police station doesn’t have a car or even a motor cycle to service them?
Well, except for William Nyemba the former Trust Bank CEO who went to that police station on Friday to have a different discussion only to be told by the Member in Charge that he has NO car or Motor Cycle to assist them in case of an emergency.
This is not exclusive to Borrowdale police stations, it is the common reality in almost all residential police stations.
How then can you claim to have a surplus running into hundreds of millions of dollars and yet the police station in the richest area of town where you also live has no single car or motorcycle?
Now if Borrowdale police station doesn’t have a car, what about Glen Norah police station, what about Mukumbura police station?
Yet we have a Finance Minister who wakes up in the morning to tell us that Emmerson Mnangagwa won a bogus twitter poll, and he considers that an important piece of information to a desperate citizenry as opposed to addressing the health, education and employment needs of his people?!
This is an indictment not just on this corrupt government, but also on all those Regime Associates and Apologists who live in Borrowdale and yet are unashamed of such self evident government failures.
How can we expect them to run the country in our best interests when they can’t even provide a police vehicle at their local police station using taxpayer’s money?
That is how incompetent and corrupt these folks are, that is how clueless they are, spewing mere rhetoric without substance to back it up.
A local news website has reported that police officers in Victoria Falls have pitched tents outside their police station and are sleeping there because they can’t afford the rentals being demanded by local landlords anymore.
Victoria falls is in one of the world’s premier tourist resorts and magnet attractions, one of the best seven in the world.
How can a government sink so low not to pay attention to the law enforcement requirements of its tourist goose, and yet the Finance Minister is celebrating a bogus twitter poll?!
Future generations will study these folks in history in the same way that we have studied people like Mobuto Sese Seko and his thugs through books and documentary films.
Our kids and grand children will be shocked by what we are having to put up with today, legendary incompetence, breathtaking corruption, unimaginable mismanagement, shameful nepotism and sickening looting of natural resources.
ZANUPF governments under Robert Mugabe and Emmerson Mnangagwa have unfortunately made racists like Ian Smith look prophetic by predicting that ZANUPF would ruin the economy into the ground, and yes they have done just that.
That prediction has come to pass and spectacularly so, regardless of having billions of dollars coming out of Chiadzwa, ZANUPF is failing to buy bandages and latex gloves for hospitals and yet we have a Finance Minister boosting about a budget surplus running into hundreds of millions of dollars.
He shouts at every turn about this surplus to anyone who cares to listen to him and yet his citizens are dying daily from easily treatable diseases.
They are dying from basic infections because he can’t simply buy antiseptic ointments and bandages for these desperate hospitals.
I know that it makes the ZANUPF elites seethe with anger when they are reminded about what the racist Ian Smith said about their in capabilities, but why are they not ashamed that they have proved him right?
How do you explain a government that dishes out hundreds of cars to traditional chiefs and yet law enforcement agencies have no cars at police stations and hospitals have no ambulances?
What kind of logic is that, and by asking these questions does it make me unpatriotic or selfishly unsupportive of this corrupt and failing government?
Am I not doing what any sensible citizen should be doing unless they are part of the rot and they do not care about the welfare of their fellow citizen?
I am not making this up, we all live in Zimbabwe and we all know this to be nothing but the truth.
How do you explain the fact that this government collects millions in taxes from Victoria Falls and yet they can’t arrange affordable accommodation for their law enforcement officers?
I have said that I will only speak when I have the evidence to prove my assertions that ZANUPF’s incompetence, corruption, looting, nepotism, gross mismanagement, cluelessness and looting have destroyed us!
Boy oh Boy, daily I am overwhelmed with such evidence, and what does ZANUPF do in the middle of such a man made crisis, they invest in Ghost accounts to rig twitter polls and the Finance Minister runs to social media to brag about that!
Two weeks ago I reminded you about the dangers of toxic citizens like Taurai Chinyamakobvu and his many twitter accounts which he uses for propaganda purposes including the infamous @matigary twitter handle, that twitter poll that Mthuli Ncube is boasting about is a product of such stupidity.
Mthuli Ncube also boasted this morning of having sophistication and poise when talking about Tendai Biti, but is it sophistication when you are boasting of having a surplus in a bank when your kids are dying from diseases and are not attending school?
With those words we parted ways with the Minister, “…I will call you,” the Minister said.
“We need Political Reforms,” I said as I walked away, the Minister’s spouse nodded in agreement.
“They are failing to understand that they are being led into a dark hole, we might end up losing everything if they don’t fix the obvious issues which can only be sorted out through Political Reforms,” the Minister’s spouse added.
At least they know that they are now playing dangerously with their lives whilst being led by men whose time on this earth is now at 5 minutes to O’clock, due to old age.
Why would they care when they would not live with the consequences of their corrupt misrule?
They will respond by blaming sanctions, ask them how many police cars could have been bought using profits from Chiadzwa diamonds in Marange?
Ask them why cabinet Ministers get three cars each when public hospitals have no ambulances?
I could go on but we all know the story, don’t we?
Our government would rather invest in more guns and water cannons than buy drugs for hospitals and books for schools.
Farai Dziva|Members of the Zimbabwe Inter-denominational Council of Churches (ZICC) have predicted the removal of what they described as “sanctions against Harare.”
The church leaders shared their prophesies and visions — that sanctions “are close to be lifted” — with Mnangagwa at State House.
Mnangagwa in turn consoled the apostolic church for the 11 members that perished in an accident near their shrine in April this year.
He also promised to open up lines of communication between his office and the ZICC, including attending their major church gatherings, according to a weekly publication.
Zimbabwe’s most powerful female politician Oppah Muchinguri has blocked a minister’s son from taking over a white owned farm.
The Manicaland Provincial Affairs Minister Ellen Gwaradzimba’s son Remembrance Mbudzana, was blocked from taking over part of a white farmer’s coffee estate.
Sometime in January this year, the Ministry of Lands offered Mbudzana a portion of the estate (Lot 1) under Farfell Coffee Estates which is owned by Chipinge farmer Richard Le Vieux.
While the dispute between Mbudzana and Le Vieux has spilt to the courts, the government through acting Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Oppah Muchinguri announced that Mbudzana’s offer letter has been revoked. Moreover, Le Vieux has been guaranteed of continued tenure of the farm.
Muchinguri anmounced saying, “after taking all factors into consideration, Cabinet resolved and directed as follows (a) that Mr Le Vieux be issued with an offer letter for his portion of Farfell Coffee Estates, that is Lot 2 (220 hectares) in keeping with the Government framework of maximum farm sizes
(b) that if he so wishes, Mr Le Vieux be issued with an appropriate lease agreement with respect to Lot 1, so as to guarantee continuity of the very productive and strategic commercial operations currently taking place at Lot 1;
(c) that the offer letter of Lot 1 (229 hectares) to Mr Mbudzana be consequently revoked; and (d) that as, any Zimbabwean, Mr Mbudzana can be considered for land allocation in other available areas in Chipinge District. – READ MORE – State Media
NINETY-nine percent of cancer patients in Zimbabwe cannot afford treatment which is only accessible from private institutions as Government- run hospitals have no functional radiotherapy machines.
Briefing members of the Senate Thematic Committee on Gender during a tour in Bulawayo recently, Mpilo Central Hospital head of radiotherapy department Dr Tatenda Chingonzoh said the situation was dire.
She added that the most affected patients were the ones who were already on treatment as interrupted treatment was more detrimental than not starting at all.
Mpilo last offered radiotherapy in November last year which forced patients to travel to Harare.
However, one of the three working machines in Harare has since broken down leaving patients stranded.
“We have managed to see 769 patients for the first quarter in 2019 but the sad thing is that we can only offer diagnostic services as our machines are always down.
The situation is very sad because for some time we used to refer patients to Harare but now that all machines are down, 99 percent of cancer patients will suffer as they cannot afford private health care,” said Dr Chingonzoh.State media
Teachers are being subjected to violence, it has emerged.
The Research Advocacy Unit (RAU) says schools have become a hotbed of repression and teachers are now targets of intimidation and violence.
The RAU report comes after the abduction and torture of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) president Obert Masaraure last week for leading a strike over teachers’ poor working standards.
The report states in part: “it is further disappointing that there is no provision in the proposed new Education Act for making schools safe, and not merely to protect teachers from intimidation and threat but also to protect children from witnessing political violence, being forced to rallies, and being caught in the middle of the political disagreements between the parents in their communities.
“Teachers received threats of job loss for misconduct and some heads mobilised school development committees to threaten teachers who participated in the union’s strike.
“Rural communities also accused teachers of neglecting their children when they participated in Industrial Actions and verbally abused and threatened them.”
THE Amalgamated Mine Workers’ Union of Zimbabwe (Amuz) has accused Chinese investors of allegedly abusing workers and failing to adhere to the country’s laws.
Giving his solidarity message during the 47th edition of the Kamandama Mine disaster commemorations last Thursday, Amuz president Mr Tinago Ruzive said some Chinese investors in the country not only disregard national laws on basic labour practice, but also beat up employees and fail to give them pay slips.
He said in some businesses run by Chinese investors, employees work for long hours without any overtime payments.
“They make workers work long hours without overtime, at times they beat up workers and they do not provide the necessary personal protective equipment. We are appealing to Government to whip into line these investors to follow the rules and regulations of this country in whatever sector they invest in,” said Mr Ruzive.
“We have Statutory Instruments 152 of 1990 and the Labour Relations Act Chapter 28.01, which should guide all investors in the mining industry.”
“For one to be granted a work permit he or she must possess a special skill that locals do not have but we have Chinese pushing wheelbarrows here at Hwange Power Station, surely is that a special skill? Government must investigate this anomaly and address it urgently. Yes, we need investors but they must not be at the expense of our own people,” said the official who requested anonymity.
Mr Ruzive said as workers they were fully behind President Mnangagwa’s vision of turning the country into a middle class economy by 2030, adding that the mining industry has a pivotal role in making sure that vision is achieved.State media
A 37-YEAR-OLD man from Bulawayo allegedly raped his 17-year-old neighbour and threatened to kill her after she turned down his love proposal.
The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Stephen Ndlovu and pleaded guilty to a charge of rape.
He was remanded in custody to today for sentence. The prosecutor, Mr Tony Kamudyariwa, said on November 13, last year at around 9AM in Inyathi, the complainant was fetching firewood when the man approached her and proposed love to her.
“The minor ran away and the man ran after her. He tripped her and she fell down. He then pinned her down and choked her before raping her once,” he said.
He threatened to kill her if she disclosed the matter to anyone, the court heard.
The minor went to the village head where she reported the matter. The village head’s wife escorted the minor to the police.
The court heard that on November 15, the matter was reported to the police leading to the arrest of the accused person.State media
A POST mortem has revealed that the suspected prostitute who was found dead in a Bulawayo lodge with 666 and a star linked to the occult inscribed on her stomach with a red substance, was strangled.
Biblically in Revelations Chapter 13, 666 is known as the mark of the beast which symbolises Satanism.
The Chronicle has established that the victim is Patience Ndlovu from Cowdray Park suburb who is said to have been in her early 30s.
A family source who declined to be named said Ndlovu was married with two children, one in Form Three and another in Grade One.
“We got the post mortem report on Wednesday and it showed that she was strangled to death,” said the family source She was found dead last week at Silver Sands Lodge situated at number 13 Connaught Avenue between Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street and Jason Moyo Street.State media
By Dorrothy Moyo| The private jet that has been flying Vice President Constantino Chiwenga internationally for some weeks, landed in Harare just before midnight.
The jet which was tracked by a flight website as if heading past Paris, France at around 7pm, soon flew towards Zimbabwe landing at around 1135pm.
At the time of writing, it could not be ascertained if Chiwenga was inside the bird. Some sources suggested that the plane could soon be used by his boss, Emmerson Mnangagwa.
He has been receiving medical attention in India for a bowel complication. Below are the latest flight movement details.
We appeal to the Zimbabwean community and each and every person that Farai touched with his genuine goodness and warm personalty to help us help him finish his journey.
The Paraiwa family sadly announce the passing on of Farai Dennis Paraiwa. Farai Mark and Emily Paraiwa’s second born son, passed away in Canada recently. Farai’s wish was to lie in the warm sun once his life’s journey had come to an end.
Farai 42 was single and passed away alone in his apartment in Edmonton, AB Canada; far away from his family.
We would therefore like to appeal to your good hearts to help us bring our Farai back home, so he can rest in his land of birth and be close to his parents and extended family.
Lets send our brother home and help him live out his adopted mantra as a Liverpool supporter back to Zimbabwe so Farai, “Will Never Walk Alone.”
We appeal to the Zimbabwean community and each and every person that Farai touched with his genuine goodness and warm personalty to help us help him finish his journey.
Sudanese police have fired tear gas at protesters taking part in a “civil disobedience” campaign, called in the wake of a deadly crackdown on demonstrators, that began yesterday.
Protesters gathered tyres, tree trunks and rocks to build new roadblocks in Khartoum’s northern Bahari district, an unnamed witness told AFP news agency, but riot police swiftly moved in and fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.
“Almost all internal roads of Bahari have roadblocks. Protesters are even stopping residents from going to work,” said the witness.
The latest bid by demonstrators to close off streets in the capital comes nearly a week after a deadly raid on a sit-in outside the army headquarters that killed dozens.
The bloody crackdown last Monday prompted the Sudanese Professionals’ Association (SPA), which first launched protests against longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir in December, to announce the campaign.
“The civil disobedience movement will begin Sunday and end only when a civilian government announces itself in power on state television,” the SPA said in a statement earlier.
“Disobedience is a peaceful act capable of bringing to its knees the most powerful weapons arsenal in the world.”
Waleed Madibo, from the Sudan Policy Forum, said the campaign is unlikely to bring down the ruling Transitional Military Council (TMC), but it could divide its leaders.
“By using violence as an imperative, it [the military] left the civil society no option but to go through with civil disobedience. They’re already rounding up political dissidents, they started assassinating leaders of the sit-in, and by doing so the Transitional Military Council has totally eliminated any chance of a political outcome,” Madibo said.
Led by men in army fatigues, the raid on the weeks-long sit-in outside the army complex left at least 113 people dead, according to doctors close to the demonstrators.
The health ministry, however, said 61 people died in the crackdown, 52 of them by “live ammunition” in Khartoum.
Witnesses say the assault was led by the feared Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has its origins in the notorious Janjaweed militia, accused of abuses in the Darfur conflict between 2003 and 2004.
Also yesterday, Sudanese state TV reported that a senior RSF commander, Mohamed Abdallah, had been replaced.
The call for “civil disobedience” came a day after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed visited Khartoum, seeking to revive talks between the generals and protest leaders on the country’s transition.
The TMC seized power in April after removing al-Bashir on the back of months-long protests against his nearly 30-year rule. Since then, it has resisted calls from protesters and Western nations to transfer power to a civilian administration.
Several rounds of talks with the demonstrators finally broke down in mid-May.
In a bid to revive the negotiations, the Ethiopian prime minister held separate meetings with the two sides in Khartoum on Friday.
“The army, the people and political forces have to act with courage and responsibility by taking quick steps towards a democratic and consensual transitional period,” Abiy said in a statement after the meetings.
“The army has to protect the security of the country and its people and political forces have to think about the future of the country.”
But three members of an opposition delegation who met the Ethiopian prime minister were later arrested, their aides said on Saturday.
Opposition politician Mohamed Esmat was arrested on Friday, and Ismail Jalab, a leader of the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), was taken from his home. SPLM-N spokesman Mubarak Ardol was also arrested. – Al Jazeera
Tsuneko Sasamoto (born 1914), one of Japan's first women photojournalists, was still taking photographs at age 101 #womensartpic.twitter.com/h99BPMt5FI
By Wilbert Mukori- The MDC Alliance continues its “diplomatic offensive” with Tendai Biti, MDC A VP, meeting the British Minister of State for Africa Affairs, Harriet Baldwin. What is clear to everyone expect MDC A leaders is that Zimbabwe’s economic and political crisis is one of MDC A’s own making.
“The election of 2018 remains contested. The crisis of
legitimacy remains at the fore of the crisis in Zimbabwe as I talk to you right
now,” Tendai Biti told his audience at Chaltam House the other day.
Contested by whom? Certainly not by the British, the EU, the
Commonwealth, the Americans and everyone else who observed the elections and
KNOW what constitutes free, fair and credible elections.
“The electoral commission lacked full independence and
appeared to not always act in an impartial manner. The final results as
announced by the Electoral Commission contained numerous errors and lacked adequate
traceability, transparency and verifiability,” stated the EU final report.
“Finally, the restrictions on political freedoms, the
excessive use of force by security forces and abuses of human rights in the
post-election period undermined the corresponding positive aspects during the
pre-election campaign. As such, many aspects of the 2018 elections in Zimbabwe
failed to meet international standards.”
If the results are full of errors, cannot be traced, etc. and
the process failed to meet international standards for free, fair and credible
elections; it is clear the whole election process was null and void. The
election failed to produce a legitimate result and those claiming electoral
victory are illegitimate.
Instead of Nelson Chamisa and his MDC A friends accepting the
2018 elections failed to produce a legitimate government, they are cherry
picking. They have accept the parliamentary results and thus the process a
free, fair and credible although the result showed the same errors and lacked
traceability, etc and the process had the same flaws and illegalities.
What they are contesting is ZEC’s result giving Mnangagwa
more votes than Chamisa. Interesting enough, Chamisa has failed to produce the
verified voters’ roll, all the V11 forms (summary of the vote count at each
polling station), etc. In other words, Chamisa’s figures had the same
shortcomings as ZEC’s figures – could not be traced and verified.
What MDC A is hoping to achieve in its diplomatic offensive
is to get the British and the international community to accept that Chamisa is
the winner of the presidential race and help pressure Mnangagwa to step down
and Chamisa take over or the two share power.
No amount of diplomatic pressure will ever persuade the
international community to accept Chamisa as the winner of an election whose
result is full of errors and cannot trace and the process is flawed and
illegal.
The reason why MDC A are cherry picking, accepting the
election as free, fair and credible for everything except the presidential
result is simple – the party does not care that Zanu PF blatantly rigged the
elections denying the ordinary people a meaningful say in the governance of the
country as long as the MDC A got a fair share of the gravy train seats. The
party is pleased with the parliamentary and senatorial seats it won in last
July’s elections. The party is holding out on the presidential race in the hope
of putting Zanu PF under pressure to concede more gravy train seat.
Chamisa and his MDC A friends knew that without first
implementing the democratic reforms, Zanu PF would blatantly rig the elections.
They also knew that Zanu PF would be giving away a few gravy train seats as
bait to entice the opposition to participate in the elections regardless how
flawed and illegal the process happened to be. It was these seats that Chamisa
et al were after. And the party did win a number of these seats.
By failing to hold free, fair and credible elections
Mnangagwa has confirmed to the world that Zimbabwe was still a country ruled by
corrupt and vote rigging thugs. This had the effect of scaring away investors
and lenders alike and so the much hoped for economic recovery has never
happened. Indeed, the economic meltdown under Mugabe has got progressively
worse.
Chamisa and company are taking full advantage of the worsening economic situation to pressure Mnangagwa to share power by insisting MDC A has the “key to unlock his illegitimacy and the economic recovery”. All nonsense!
Zanu PF is illegitimate because last year’s election process was
flawed and illegal. The addition of Chamisa and one or two others into the
regime will not wipe away its illegitimacy. Legitimacy is derived from the
people in a free, fair and credible election and not traded away by corrupt
individuals like mango in the market.
The world knows that the 2008 to 2013 Zanu PF and MDC A GNU
failed to implement even one democratic reform in five years. A new GNU with
the same players will not do any better! And so investors and lenders are not
going to flood back into Zimbabwe just because Mnangagwa has added Chamisa and
Tendai Biti to his cabinet minister.
Last year’s elections were full of flaws and illegalities,
ZEC failed to produce something as basic as a verified voters’ roll, the whole
process was null and void. And with no legitimate government the nation should
have appointed an interim administration to implement the reforms to ensure the
fiasco of rigged elections is never repeated ever again.
Zanu PF should have been told in no uncertain terms that it
rigged the elections, it is illegitimate and must step down. By cherry picking
and accepting the parliamentary result as free, fair and credible MDC A have
given the illegitimate Zanu PF some modicum of credibility if not legitimacy.
“There is a crisis of legitimacy in Zimbabwe!” A crisis of
MDC A’s own making by accepting the flawed and illegal parliamentary result out
of greed and rejecting the presidential result to push for more power sharing concession
from Zanu PF. Zimbabwe’s national interests are best served by accepting Zanu
PF rigged last July’s elections and demand that the party steps down. No if,
not but and no time wasting political dialogue.
By Talent Gondo- Government will this week release US$5 million for the refurbishment of one of the two largest units at Hwange Power Station (HPS) as part of contingency measures to ease the current power shortages.
In addition, negotiations with South African power utility Eskom and Mozambique’s Hydro Electrica de Cahora Bassa (HCB) for a debt clearance plan and additional power imports are underway.
Refurbishment of Unit 6 at HPS, which is expected to take up to two months, will unlock an additional 170 megawatts to augment generation.
The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) has had to cut back generation at Kariba South because of reduced inflows of water. But if HPC was operating at full throttle and able to handle almost all the base load then Kariba South would be able to handle most of the peak demand with reduced operating times, rather than reduced output, to meet the average requirement.
ZETDC acting managing director Engineer Ralph Katsande told The Sunday Mail that authorities are exploring both demand and supply-side options to address the power shortages.
“The first way we are trying to address this problem is through our own internal generation,” said Eng Katsande.
“We are trying to increase capacity at Hwange, even though it’s an old thermal plant, We are working on refurbishing Unit 6, which requires about US$5 million to repair the turbine, and then we get an additional 170MW.
“That on its own will reduce load-shedding by the same amount.”
It is believed that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) have since made an undertaking to release the funds “in the next few days”.
Sourcing power from Eskom and HCB is also being considered.
Despite the US$80 million debt owed to the two utilities, Government is negotiating for a payment plan and additional imports.
Eng Katsande said there were plans to source 400MW from South Africa during off-peak periods as the country was also grappling with insufficient power supplies.
“Once we have paid, we expect that we can get extra imports during off-peak.
“And why do we want off-peak? Because we know also Eskom has been load-shedding, but the power we need is that from off-peak because we then can shut down Kariba and conserve water so that it can last us longer,” he said.
There is also a limited amount of power that the country can get from HCB as the company is doing some overhaul at its plant.
Overall, Government expects to come up with a definitive plan this week.
HCB has already offered power to Zimbabwe and Zambia in exchange for further reduced power generation at the Kariba Dam hydro plants.
Cahora Bassa Dam is overflowing following the recent cyclone-induced floods, and authorities in Mozambique have asked Zimbabwe and Zambia – through the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) – to cut down generation and store more water in Kariba Dam, which is upstream of Cahora Bassa on the Zambezi River.
Eng Katsande said: “We are also looking at tapping into the day-ahead market of the Southern African Power Pool where other trading utilities have an excess we can purchase from them.”
Zesa is also looking at demand-side interventions that include requesting large power users to cut down on usage during peak hours.
The utility is presently working with winter cropping communities to ensure that they are not affected by load-shedding.
Separately, Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi told our Bulawayo Bureau yesterday that Government has since constituted a team to engage the South African power utility.
“There is a team that has been formed to engage both Eskom and South Africa Government. They were supposed to go there last week but as you know there were new ministerial appointments in South Africa so they had to wait. They will engage both (SA) government and Eskom,” he said.
He said the team has been instructed to negotiate a payment plan and once agreed that would see Eskom resuming exports to Zimbabwe.
The latest development comes days after Minister Chasi fired the Zesa board led by former Cottco managing director Mr Collins Chihuru for failing to come up with contingencies to deal with the power situation.-StateMedia
By Talent Gondo- The country’s two largest mobile network operators — Econet and NetOne — have signed an infrastructure sharing pact that will widen network coverage, particularly in rural areas.
Millions of Zimbabweans who subscribe to the two networks are expected to benefit from the development through enhanced services and efficiency.
It is also anticipated that the agreement will lead to reduced operational costs.
In the statement to The Sunday Mail yesterday, NetOne chief executive officer Mr Lazarus Muchenje said infrastructure sharing dovetails with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030, which seeks to propel the country’s economy towards an upper middle income status in the next eleven years.
“This agreement allows NetOne and Econet to optimise the utilisation of scarce foreign currency as it eliminates the duplication of infrastructure,” he stated.
“This is a watershed agreement which supports Vision 2030, which is to create a middle-income status economy, through improved accessibility of ICTs across the country.”
Econet chief executive Mr Douglas Mboweni said the agreement was “a giant step” that was long overdue.
“We are happy to have signed this agreement, something we have wanted to do in a very long time.
“We consider this to be a very fair arrangement and believe it represents a giant step in our collective endeavour to bring connectivity and ICT services to all Zimbabweans,” he said.
The agreement defines the site-sharing parameters among the two operators, including arrangements on sharing towers, commercial and back-up power supply, back haul transmission and security.
Econet and NetOne serve more than 90 percent of the country’s close to 13 million active mobile network subscribers.
The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe has been encouraging telecoms operators to share infrastructure as this is a viable business model.-StateMedia
By A Correspondent- Foreign truck drivers in South Africa, among them, Zimbabweans, have said working in South Africa is a “living hell” following numerous incidents of attacks this past week and weekend.
At least 15 trucks were burnt this weekend alone along the N3.
Said a South African Publication::
Zimbabwean driver Steven Bagadzi, a father of four from Harare, said he prayed everyday before reporting for work. He said his brother Ronald, also a truck driver, was recovering from a leg injury after his truck was torched last week in Midrand, in Gauteng.
Ronald, who works in Pinetown, had been delivering goods when he was assaulted with a baseball bat.
“We are scared to die so far away from our families. But we cannot abandon our jobs for the sake of our families. We are caught between a rock and a hard place,” he said.
Bagadzi said he was a competent driver with a licence which he obtained after he was granted asylum in 2008. He pleaded with officials to urgently address the issue before innocent people were killed.
“We understand locals are angry, but we cannot refuse job opportunities for the sake of our families. I came here to escape poverty and political war in Zimbabwe,” Bagadzi said.
An organiser of Zimbabwean truck driver in South Africa told the publication there are more than 400 Zimbabwean truck drivers in South Africa.-IOL
By Nomusa Garikai- “Well, this is not a pie in the sky. What is our attitude to Mthuli Ncube’s Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP)? A lot of us really want us to go back to the hiatus,” is the latest diatribe from The Herald.
“The economy is hitting us hard and we no longer
want to go forward. We are now doubting the essence of his reform. But we need
the reforms. We are at breaking point, we are doubting his vision.
“Like Moses, is Mthuli being given a chance?
Hell no!”
Zimbabwe is in this economic and political mess
because we have become a nation of brainwashed sloths, happy following leaders
blindly no questions asked. Even when presented with a mountain of evidence the
leaders are corrupt, incompetent and murderous thugs we have again and again
chosen to ignore the evidence and argue we must give them another chance.
After 39 years of death and destruction under this
ruinous Zanu PF dictatorship there are people out there who still expect the
dictatorship to deliver economic prosperity, justice and freedom.
The moral of the story of the Children of Israel’s
perilous journey to the Promised Land is that in this world we mortals, even
God’s chosen people, have to fight our way to the Promised Land and when we get
there have to fight for every inch of it! Those who have never lifted a finger
to fight for their freedoms and basic human rights have blundered from slavery,
to colonial exploitation, to corrupt and tyrannical rule under their own kith
and kin, etc.
Minister Mthuli Ncube has imposed 2% transaction
tax aimed at squeezing a few dollars from the poorest of the poor because they
were not paying income tax as they are unemployed. He has done nothing to tax
the ruling elite’s millions of dollars every month from corruption and the
wholesale looting.
In 2016 Mugabe admitted the country was being
swindled out of US$15 billion in diamond revenue alone. We all know that not
even one diamond swindler has ever been arrested and not a penny of the loot
recovered. Worse still, we know the looting is still taking place to this day.
Former Finance Minister, Patrick Chinamasa, told parliament in 2017 that
government was getting 1/6 of the expected diamond revenue.
Of course, Minister Ncube is aware of the looting
and has deliberately targeted the poor to pay for the ruling elite’s
extravagant lifestyles. Only a first class village idiot would believe this
voodoo economic will end Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown much less turn the
country into the “Vision 2030 Upper Middle Income” he keeps wittering about.
“They would rather Zimbabwe does not talk to EU or
EU does not talk to Zimbabwe. The stalemate, which has worked wonders for the
opposition in the form of biting sanctions, hard presses the ordinary citizens
and aptly pits the citizenry against Government. They make the Government
unpopular and readies people for regime change,” we are told.
The EU knows that Zanu PF blatantly rigged last
year’s elections and if this had happed in any of the EU member countries the
regime would have been booted out before sunset. The only reason the EU is
re-engaging the illegitimate regime is because there are EU member countries like
Belgium who have been desperate to join countries like China, India, Russia,
Israel, etc. who have been looting Zimbabwe’s diamonds.
Again only a village idiot would believe Zimbabwe’s
economic meltdown is cause by sanction when US$15 billion are being swindled
away under their nose. They form in the mouth agitated about US foreign policy,
sanctions, over which they have no say but have never said a word of protest
over the rot, corruption, in their own country over which they have a duty to
stamp out!
The greatest disservice Mugabe and his Zanu PF
thugs have ever inflicted on this nation is not the criminal waste of the
nation’s human and material resources or even the many murdered in cold blood –
heinous and barbaric as these are. The greatest disservice the regime has
inflicted on the nation was to retain the colonial laws and practices that had
systematically denied the people the opportunity to open their minds and think
for themselves.
Top on the list of democratic reforms the nation
needs is the dismantling of the country’s public media. We must banish
government control of the media and fire the Zanu PF apologists masquerading as
journalist in The Herald, ZBC, etc. We want our people to think for themselves
and freed from all this brainwashing diatribe, mysticism and heresy!
By Talent Gondo- Opposition MDC officials have been told to stop going to the United States of America and the United Kingdom, and rather sit down to negotiate with President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
In an interview with the state media, India’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Rungsung Masakui said that the MDC should stop questioning Mnangagwa’s legitimacy.
He is quoted as saying:
This is not in the spirit of democracy. You can criticise the policies of a government — that’s a political right — but if you keep questioning the legitimacy, that is unthinkable. Political rivalry is not enmity.
The President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) is making efforts to create dialogue platforms with the opposition parties; it’s a way forward. But it is difficult for the dialogue to succeed if the main opposition party is not part of it.
Space is there for them to join in – the President even formally recognised the office of the opposition party leader . . . that is what is happening the world over.
Political parties all over the world have differences, but when it comes to fundamental issues of nation-building, they come together.
The ruling party here is making all efforts to move forward, but the opposition party does not want to negotiate — they are going out to the UK and the US and negotiating with them.
I don’t know how that is a way forward. I don’t know how other people can come here and solve your problems.-StateMedia
When you get married, it never crosses your mind that you are filling a certain vacancy in the family. You are even made to believe that you are now part of the family and will be treated like all other children.
Surprisingly, you then realise that this family has always wished to have a maid and it’s as if you have filled that gap.
Of course when you are a daughter-in-law or wife, you have duties to do. But it’s hurting and frustrating when you get to do all house chores alone without getting any help. That is when one starts to ask herself whether she is a wife or a maid. Truth be told, this has broken many homes as no woman wants to be made to fill that vacancy. Marriage is not a job!
I know in our African culture, a bride or makoti is expected to do all the house chores for the family to prove herself that she is a “real” woman. Really? In this century that is abuse and it shows that the family is not a loving and caring one. Every job is made easy by being shared.
Thanks to God, these days most women are not staying with their in-laws and they only get to receive this bad treatment of being made to work like donkeys when there are family gatherings. Unfortunately for some, even in their own homes their husbands are the ones who treat them like maids. By so doing, they are making the woman unhappy and ever depressed. No woman wants to be treated like a maid!
I know someone is saying, but what is the role of the wife in the family. Your answer is just as good as mine that she has to take care of the family. But this does not mean that the husbands leave all the housework to their wives while they sit on the couch and relax. They wait to be asked for help instead of helping on their own.
The saddest part about this is that most husbands don’t know how much anger and resentment their wives feel towards them due to this issue. If asked, they would probably vehemently deny that they have ever treated their wives like maids and begin pointing how much they help with household chores. After a couple of heated conversations about household chores, most wives usually give up and resign themselves to doing most of the chores. However, the issue keeps simmering in the background until it boils over.
What married couples need to realise is that it takes time to come to an agreement regarding the division of household chores. One conversation isn’t going to be enough to iron out all your differences; it has to be an ongoing conversation. How you divide household chores between yourselves will also change multiple times over the course of your marriage. As your responsibilities within and outside of the home change, you will need to adjust the amount of household work each of you does accordingly.
Women have to be careful how they bring up the issue of household chores because with our African men it’s a sensitive issue. His response might even result in a heartbreak where you will be reminded of lobola he paid and that kadliswanga (he didn’t eat love potion). First of all, it goes without saying that you cannot let the word “maid” escape your lips.
Telling your husband that he treats you like a maid or that he is inconsiderate or unfair will immediately make him defensive and cause more marital problems. It also goes without saying that you shouldn’t broach the issue when you are angry. It’s best to begin by telling him how much you appreciate what he does within and outside the home. Tell him how his contributions have made a difference in the day-to-day functioning of your home and to your married life.
After complementing him, point out two or three more chores that you need help with. Be assertive but not aggressive. If your husband is resistant, you might need to bring out a list of all the tasks that need to be done so that he can have a clear idea of just how much work there is. If he doesn’t like the chores you suggested, ask him to pick two or three more chores to add to his list of chores. He’ll probably be more open to doing chores that he picked for himself.
Household chores are a hot topic in most marriages and a major source of conflict and marital problems. However, as long as a couple remains patient and keep working on finding on the right balance, they will eventually get to a point where they are more happy than sad with the way the chores are split.
Some women are taking their complaints to social media platforms and I guess most of those making noise have already quit the marriage institution where they felt betrayed after being turned into maids. This is a big problem as it also kills a couple’s sex life. When someone is bitter over something in a relationship, there will be unending problems and you will fight even over the smallest issues.
Without being one sided, these days there are also families where you find that the woman is the breadwinner — the one employed while the husband is not. Some of these women have also turned their husbands into ‘‘maids’’ which is a bad thing. They no longer help with chores even when they are off-duty. It is wrong and a recipe for disaster. Being disrespected and treated as if you are useless in a relationship has forced many people to walk out of relationships. So be careful how you treat your partner and never turn her into a maid.
By Talent Gondo- MISA Malawi has called on Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority(MACRA) to immediately suspend its recent decision to suspend phone-in programmes.
In its public announcement titled ‘The conduct of broadcasters on coverage of post elections events’ dated June 7,2019, MACRA says it has suspended all phone-in programmes with immediate effect until further notice.
MISA Malawi finds MACRA’s decision unwarranted and a very serious violation of media freedom and freedom of expression, which the supreme law of the country, the Malawi Constitution, fully recognises.
In its announcement, MACRA alleges that there are ‘some broadcasters’ who are indulging themselves in careless and unethical coverage of post-election events.
It is surprising and worrying that the regulator has decided to unlawfully punish all broadcasters, their listeners and the general public with an unjustified suspension of all phone-in programmes.
Thus MISA Malawi calls on MACRA to immediately reverse its suspension of phone-in programmes. As has been the case, we expect MACRA to discipline the few who may have breached their broadcasting licences. We however expect that that process will follow all the due procedures where, among others, the media houses are also given the right to be heard.
MACRA should not use its regulatory mandate to stifle Malawians’ right to know and freedom of expression.
MISA would also like to call upon all broadcasters to remain professional and ethical in their duties and respect the demands of their broadcasting licences.
By Talent Gondo- MDC Vice President, Tendai Biti has said that they would like to negotiate with Zanu-PF instead of resorting to protests.
He said the MDC is giving Mnangagwa time so that he can initiate talks. he said the country has lost too much blood and there’s need to give talks a chance.
He was speaking in London where he launched a book.
Said Biti:
We are giving Mnangagwa time. We are giving him a warning, a notice. Please let us talk because there will come a time when we will no longer be talking. We will be confronting on the streets.
Zimbabwe has been losing blood since 1890. Some would argue and say the country has actually been losing blood since the Rozvi war in 1500. It is a country that has shed too much blood.
By Talent Gondo- Zanu-PF Spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo has said that the government needs to do more on corruption if it is to be taken seriously by international investors. Speaking in an interview with The Standard, Khaya Moyo said convictions of those accused of corruption and not just arrests are needed.
Said Khaya Moyo:
It is time we start seeing people going to jail for corruption. This will ensure investors take us seriously as a country. The number of those arrested suggests that we are doing well, but the convictions are really worrying. It seems as if the system is corrupt and we must deal with that.
We must be like the Chinese, they are very cruel with corruption and it has helped them grow their economy.
We have been wailing for too long and we must start to deal with the issues and not focus on tissues.
Our economy must be attractive, it must have that aroma to attract people and not smell like a rotten fish.
The issue of the economy should not be viewed as a Zanu-PF issue, it affects everyone and all of us must work for it.-Standard
Own Correspondent|A recent online poll on Twitter by Voice of America’s Studio Seven shockingly indicated that a majority of people believe that beleaguered President Emmerson Mnangagwa is taking the country in the right direction.
But can the Twitter poll really be relied on?
Is President @edmnangagwa taking Zimbabwe in the right direction?
The idea that a Twitter poll can be used as an “approval rating” is a bit absurd. Why? Well, it’s not because people on Twitter don’t matter but Twitter polls are extremely malleable.
Twitter polls are not useful on a serious statistical level
Twitter polls aren’t really useful for any serious research or as informers of strategy:
You can’t see who voted so you can’t gain any demographic insight. This means a number of people outside the country, who have no idea who our President is could have voted and whoever put up the poll would have no idea of knowing that…
Whoever is running the poll is already starting with their own audience, which is only reflective of themselves and no larger group or demographic. How many Zimbos aren’t on Twitter or didn’t participate in the poll. A significant number.
And most importantly they’re EASY TO MANIPULATE. Twitter polls can be easily sabotaged by an automated script, otherwise known as a bot, created to submit multiple votes. These scripts allow online polling to be used as the cheapest propaganda tool of the age.
So while the President may have high-approval ratings (we don’t know because a proper poll hasn’t been conducted) reaching that conclusion using a Twitter poll is irresponsible and quite frankly, foolish…
Govt has been made aware of false news circulating regarding the tent pitched in Victoria Falls by the @PoliceZimbabwe. The tent has been pitched purely for operational reasons which have nothing to do with the reasons given by the online publication. Fake News affect our country pic.twitter.com/rYPsDnL6p1
— Ministry of Information, Publicity & Broadcasting (@InfoMinZW) June 9, 2019
Standard|President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s push for foreign investment is not attracting serious attention because of corruption and the failure to deal decisively with the vice, the ruling Zanu PF has admitted.
Mnangagwa, who took over from Mugabe in November 2017, has prioritised the fight against graft and investment promotion in an effort to reverse years of economic decline under the watch of his predecessor Robert Mugabe.
The admission by Zanu PF that the fight against corruption was not yielding the desired results comes amid indications of widening fissures in the ruling party over the direction the economy is taking.
Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said the lack of convictions despite a number of arrests for corruption cases was worrying.
“It is time we start seeing people going to jail for corruption. This will ensure investors take us seriously as a country,” he said in an interview.
“The number of those arrested suggests that we are doing well, but the convictions are really worrying. It seems as if the system is corrupt and we must deal with that.”
At least 50 people, including Mugabe loyalists such as former Local government minister Ignatius Chombo, have been arrested on corruption-related charges since Mnangagwa took over, but only a few have been convicted.
Those convicted include former Energy minister Samuel Undenge, ex-Zanu PF MP for Highfield Psychology Maziwisa and former broadcaster Oscar Pambuka.
Khaya Moyo said once the courts start to send people to jail, it would be easy to attract investment.
“We must be like the Chinese, they are very cruel with corruption and it has helped them grow their economy,” he said.
“We have been wailing for too long and we must start to deal with issues and not focus on tissues.”
Khaya Moyo appealed to the opposition to help attract investment.
“Our economy must be attractive, it must have that aroma to attract people and not smell like a rotten fish,” he said.
“The issue of the economy should not be viewed as a Zanu PF issue, it affects everyone and all of us must work for it.”
He accused MDC vice-president Tendai Biti of demonising the country after the former Finance minister criticised the government’s performance during a presentation in London last week.
“We must sing from the same hymn book, not this thing of having people like Biti going to Chatham House and propagate issues of legitimacy and so on,” he said.
“No, we must learn to talk here as Zimbabweans.”
However, MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume defended Biti saying Zanu PF must deal with the economic crisis “they created and stop blaming others”.
“VP Biti is just telling the world the state of affairs in Zimbabwe. As the MDC, we are a party that believes in globalisation and we interact with every capital,” he said.
“It is not our fault that Zanu PF cannot relate with other states peacefully. They must revisit their behaviour.”
Zimbabwe’s economic environment has worsened over the last few months after the government introduced a new currency and stopped subsidising fuel.
By Talent Gondo- Foreign truck drivers in South Africa, among them, Zimbabweans, have described working in South Africa as a “living hell” following numerous incidents of attacks this past week and weekend. At least 15 trucks were burnt this weekend alone along the N3.
Reported a local publication::
Zimbabwean driver Steven Bagadzi, a father of four from Harare, said he prayed everyday before reporting for work. He said his brother Ronald, also a truck driver, was recovering from a leg injury after his truck was torched last week in Midrand, in Gauteng.
Ronald, who works in Pinetown, had been delivering goods when he was assaulted with a baseball bat.
“We are scared to die so far away from our families. But we cannot abandon our jobs for the sake of our families. We are caught between a rock and a hard place,” he said.
Bagadzi said he was a competent driver with a licence which he obtained after he was granted asylum in 2008. He pleaded with officials to urgently address the issue before innocent people were killed.
“We understand locals are angry, but we cannot refuse job opportunities for the sake of our families. I came here to escape poverty and political war in Zimbabwe,” Bagadzi said.
An organiser of Zimbabwean truck driver in South Africa told the publication there are more than 400 Zimbabwean truck drivers in South Africa.-IOL
MDC Deputy National Chair Tendai Biti says President Ramaphosa has a key role to play in resolving the crisis in Zimbabwe. And he warned: ‘If Zimbabwe implodes South Africa will suffer’.
Biti was speaking at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London at the launch of a book, Democracy Works: Rewiring Politics to Africa’s Advantage, to which he contributed. He said Ramaphosa was in the same position as President Mbeki a decade ago when he helped put in place the Government of National Unity in which Biti served as Finance Minister. Ramaphosa must get talks going between President Mnangagwa and MDC leader Nelson Chamisa – and London, Washington and Brussels must help ensure a ‘soft landing’.
Biti, sitting next to another contributor to the book, former president Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, said a very cynical landscape was developing in Southern Africa about elections in the light of what he called the prevailing power-retention agenda.
The situation had been worsened by the military coup which brought Mnangagwa to power. There had been an expectation of genuine change but the opportunity for a transitional government had been missed and most people now believed that the situation was even worse than under Mugabe.
He described as ‘disastrous’ a recent IMF report on Zimbabwe which – as he put it – ‘painted lipstick on a crocodile’. In reality, conditions were now so bad that it was a daily struggle to survive.
He spoke of state capture and said it was essential that cartels exploiting the situation were broken up. Biti added a warning to both Ramaphosa and Mnangagwa: the military coup that toppled Mugabe was now ‘copybook’ for the whole region.
The UK government has assured the Vigil that it will only support the readmission of Zimbabwe to the Commonwealth if it complies with the values and principles set out in the Commonwealth Charter.
‘We have been clear that the disproportionate use of force by security forces, as seen in January 2019, is inconsistent with the Commonwealth Charter’ it said in a letter from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
The letter was in response to a Vigil petition which also demanded that the Zimbabwe government acknowledges the Gukurahundi genocide.
The Foreign Office letter says ‘We welcomed President Mnangagwa’s signing of the National Peace and Reconciliation Bill in 2018. However, this needs to be enacted and form part of a more comprehensive plan of credible national dialogue and healing for Zimbabwe.
The UK stands ready in friendship to support a Zimbabwe that fully embraces the rule of law, human rights and economic reform. We have been clear that international support will be based on genuine political and economic reforms.’
The Vigil petition reads: Zimbabwe must reform: Zimbabwe wants to rejoin the Commonwealth. Although Mugabe has gone, his fascist Zanu PF party with the backing of the military remains firmly in power. Zimbabweans in exile urge the UK not to support readmission to the Commonwealth until the regime reforms and acknowledges the genocide of some 20,000 Ndebeles by the Zanu PF regime in the 1980s.
By Wilbert Mukori: The MDC Alliance continues its “diplomatic offensive” with Tendai Biti, MDC A VP, meeting the British Minister of State for Africa Affairs, Harriet Baldwin. What is clear to everyone expect MDC A leaders is that Zimbabwe’s economic and political crisis is one of MDC A’s own making.
“The election of 2018 remains contested. The crisis of
legitimacy remains at the fore of the crisis in Zimbabwe as I talk to you right
now,” Tendai Biti told his audience at Chaltam House the other day.
Contested by whom? Certainly not by the British, the EU, the
Commonwealth, the Americans and everyone else who observed the elections and
KNOW what constitutes free, fair and credible elections.
“The electoral commission lacked full independence and
appeared to not always act in an impartial manner. The final results as
announced by the Electoral Commission contained numerous errors and lacked adequate
traceability, transparency and verifiability,” stated the EU final report.
“Finally, the restrictions on political freedoms, the
excessive use of force by security forces and abuses of human rights in the
post-election period undermined the corresponding positive aspects during the
pre-election campaign. As such, many aspects of the 2018 elections in Zimbabwe
failed to meet international standards.”
If the results are full of errors, cannot be traced, etc. and
the process failed to meet international standards for free, fair and credible
elections; it is clear the whole election process was null and void. The
election failed to produce a legitimate result and those claiming electoral
victory are illegitimate.
Instead of Nelson Chamisa and his MDC A friends accepting the
2018 elections failed to produce a legitimate government, they are cherry
picking. They have accept the parliamentary results and thus the process a
free, fair and credible although the result showed the same errors and lacked
traceability, etc and the process had the same flaws and illegalities.
What they are contesting is ZEC’s result giving Mnangagwa
more votes than Chamisa. Interesting enough, Chamisa has failed to produce the
verified voters’ roll, all the V11 forms (summary of the vote count at each
polling station), etc. In other words, Chamisa’s figures had the same
shortcomings as ZEC’s figures – could not be traced and verified.
What MDC A is hoping to achieve in its diplomatic offensive
is to get the British and the international community to accept that Chamisa is
the winner of the presidential race and help pressure Mnangagwa to step down
and Chamisa take over or the two share power.
No amount of diplomatic pressure will ever persuade the
international community to accept Chamisa as the winner of an election whose
result is full of errors and cannot trace and the process is flawed and
illegal.
The reason why MDC A are cherry picking, accepting the
election as free, fair and credible for everything except the presidential
result is simple – the party does not care that Zanu PF blatantly rigged the
elections denying the ordinary people a meaningful say in the governance of the
country as long as the MDC A got a fair share of the gravy train seats. The
party is pleased with the parliamentary and senatorial seats it won in last
July’s elections. The party is holding out on the presidential race in the hope
of putting Zanu PF under pressure to concede more gravy train seat.
Chamisa and his MDC A friends knew that without first
implementing the democratic reforms, Zanu PF would blatantly rig the elections.
They also knew that Zanu PF would be giving away a few gravy train seats as
bait to entice the opposition to participate in the elections regardless how
flawed and illegal the process happened to be. It was these seats that Chamisa
et al were after. And the party did win a number of these seats.
By failing to hold free, fair and credible elections
Mnangagwa has confirmed to the world that Zimbabwe was still a country ruled by
corrupt and vote rigging thugs. This had the effect of scaring away investors
and lenders alike and so the much hoped for economic recovery has never
happened. Indeed, the economic meltdown under Mugabe has got progressively
worse.
Chamisa and company are taking full advantage of the worsen
economic situation to pressure Mnangagwa to share power by insisting MDC A has
the “key to unlock his illegitimacy and the economic recovery”. All nonsense!
Zanu PF is illegitimate because last year’s election process was
flawed and illegal. The addition of Chamisa and one or two others into the
regime will not wipe away its illegitimacy. Legitimacy is derived from the
people in a free, fair and credible election and not traded away by corrupt
individuals like mango in the market.
The world knows that the 2008 to 2013 Zanu PF and MDC A GNU
failed to implement even one democratic reform in five years. A new GNU with
the same players will not do any better! And so investors and lenders are not
going to flood back into Zimbabwe just because Mnangagwa has added Chamisa and
Tendai Biti to his cabinet minister.
Last year’s elections were full of flaws and illegalities,
ZEC failed to produce something as basic as a verified voters’ roll, the whole
process was null and void. And with no legitimate government the nation should
have appointed an interim administration to implement the reforms to ensure the
fiasco of rigged elections is never repeated ever again.
Zanu PF should have been told in no uncertain terms that it
rigged the elections, it is illegitimate and must step down. By cherry picking
and accepting the parliamentary result as free, fair and credible MDC A have
given the illegitimate Zanu PF some modicum of credibility if not legitimacy.
“There is a crisis of legitimacy in Zimbabwe!” A crisis of
MDC A’s own making by accepting the flawed and illegal parliamentary result out
of greed and rejecting the presidential result to push for more power sharing concession
from Zanu PF. Zimbabwe’s national interests are best served by accepting Zanu
PF rigged last July’s elections and demand that the party steps down. No if,
not but and no time wasting political dialogue.
By Nomusa Garikai: “Well, this is not a pie in the sky. What is our attitude to Mthuli Ncube’s Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP)? A lot of us really want us to go back to the hiatus,” is the latest diatribe from The Herald.
“The economy is hitting us hard and we no longer
want to go forward. We are now doubting the essence of his reform. But we need
the reforms. We are at breaking point, we are doubting his vision.
“Like Moses, is Mthuli being given a chance?
Hell no!”
Zimbabwe is in this economic and political mess
because we have become a nation of brainwashed sloths, happy following leaders
blindly no questions asked. Even when presented with a mountain of evidence the
leaders are corrupt, incompetent and murderous thugs we have again and again
chosen to ignore the evidence and argue we must give them another chance.
After 39 years of death and destruction under this
ruinous Zanu PF dictatorship there are people out there who still expect the
dictatorship to deliver economic prosperity, justice and freedom.
The moral of the story of the Children of Israel’s
perilous journey to the Promised Land is that in this world we mortals, even
God’s chosen people, have to fight our way to the Promised Land and when we get
there have to fight for every inch of it! Those who have never lifted a finger
to fight for their freedoms and basic human rights have blundered from slavery,
to colonial exploitation, to corrupt and tyrannical rule under their own kith
and kin, etc.
Minister Mthuli Ncube has imposed 2% transaction
tax aimed at squeezing a few dollars from the poorest of the poor because they
were not paying income tax as they are unemployed. He has done nothing to tax
the ruling elite’s millions of dollars every month from corruption and the
wholesale looting.
In 2016 Mugabe admitted the country was being
swindled out of US$15 billion in diamond revenue alone. We all know that not
even one diamond swindler has ever been arrested and not a penny of the loot
recovered. Worse still, we know the looting is still taking place to this day.
Former Finance Minister, Patrick Chinamasa, told parliament in 2017 that
government was getting 1/6 of the expected diamond revenue.
Of course, Minister Ncube is aware of the looting
and has deliberately targeted the poor to pay for the ruling elite’s
extravagant lifestyles. Only a first class village idiot would believe this
voodoo economic will end Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown much less turn the
country into the “Vision 2030 Upper Middle Income” he keeps wittering about.
“They would rather Zimbabwe does not talk to EU or
EU does not talk to Zimbabwe. The stalemate, which has worked wonders for the
opposition in the form of biting sanctions, hard presses the ordinary citizens
and aptly pits the citizenry against Government. They make the Government
unpopular and readies people for regime change,” we are told.
The EU knows that Zanu PF blatantly rigged last
year’s elections and if this had happed in any of the EU member countries the
regime would have been booted out before sunset. The only reason the EU is
re-engaging the illegitimate regime is because there are EU member countries like
Belgium who have been desperate to join countries like China, India, Russia,
Israel, etc. who have been looting Zimbabwe’s diamonds.
Again only a village idiot would believe Zimbabwe’s
economic meltdown is cause by sanction when US$15 billion are being swindled
away under their nose. They form in the mouth agitated about US foreign policy,
sanctions, over which they have no say but have never said a word of protest
over the rot, corruption, in their own country over which they have a duty to
stamp out!
The greatest disservice Mugabe and his Zanu PF
thugs have ever inflicted on this nation is not the criminal waste of the
nation’s human and material resources or even the many murdered in cold blood –
heinous and barbaric as these are. The greatest disservice the regime has
inflicted on the nation was to retain the colonial laws and practices that had
systematically denied the people the opportunity to open their minds and think
for themselves.
Top on the list of democratic reforms the nation
needs is the dismantling of the country’s public media. We must banish
government control of the media and fire the Zanu PF apologists masquerading as
journalist in The Herald, ZBC, etc. We want our people to think for themselves
and freed from all this brainwashing diatribe, mysticism and heresy!
State Media|A 34-year-old woman from Woodville in Bulawayo has appeared in court facing charges of attempted murder after she allegedly struck another tenant with a machete on the abdomen following a misunderstanding.
The use of machetes as a weapon took centre stage this weekend when ZANU PF thugs went around Rimuka township in Kadoma assaulting people in political violence during a council by election in the town.
Nomalanga Ndebele, residing at Natalie Road in the suburb, last week appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Franklin Mkhwanazi facing charges of contravening section 189 as read with section 47 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.
Ndebele was not asked to plead to the offence and was remanded in custody for a trial date to be set. Presenting the State’s case, prosecuting Mr Mufaro Mageza told the court that on 31 May the accused person and the complainant had a misunderstanding over sand they use for scrapping pots.
“On 31 May 2019 and at around 1500 hours a misunderstanding arose between the accused person and the complainant over sand they use for cleaning pots. They both exchanged words outside the house,” he said.
The court heard that the accused person then took out a machete and struck the complainant on the left side of the abdomen intending to cause body harm. The complainant, however, managed to flee from the accused. The complainant reported the case to the police and was referred to the hospital where she was medically examined.
State Media|A Zanu-PF youth member in Bulawayo, who allegedly used President Mnangagwa’s name to extort a woman of US$12 000 was yesterday arrested during a dawn raid at his place of residence in the Central Business District.
Blessed Mushando (27) was arrested, in a joint operation by members of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) from Harare and Bulawayo.
Mushando, who was once arrested on similar charges in 2017, is accused of duping a woman of USD$12 000, after he allegedly told her that he was linked to President Mnangagwa and could liaise with his office to secure her mining interests. Mushando briefly appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Miss Nomasiko Ndlovu facing charges of fraud and was remanded in custody to tomorrow for bail hearing.
According to court records Mushando, on 24 March this year reportedly drove a Zanu-PF branded vehicle to Shangani, where he met the complainant, Ms Priscilla Ncube at Tobo mining syndicate. It was stated that he misrepresented himself, telling Ms Ncube that she should pay
US$12 000 to President Mnangagwa for her to secure the mine.
It was then noted that on the same day Mushando extorted Ms Ncube of USD$2 000, after telling her that he had the capacity to assist her in securing the mine. He reportedly told her that the mine had been targeted by the President’s Office in turning around the economy, as it was rich in gold. Mushando was allegedly given the money by one Dumisani Ndlovu on behalf of Ms Ncube.
On 26 March Mushando reportedly contacted Ms Ncube, while he was in Harare telling her that she needed to pay the balance to conclude the deal. Ms Ncube is said to have paid the US$10 000 with the hope that the mine would indeed be secured.
Ms Ncube, sometime last week, after realising that she had been duped, as the mine had been taken by someone else, made a police report, which led to Mushando’s arrest yesterday.
It was reported that in 2017 Mushando and an accomplice Tichaona Chikwava allegedly approached Mr Robert Noel Peter Gugo, who was the operations manager at Tribal Logistics Company with a fake letter bearing a Zanu-PF logo and allegedly written by the party’s provincial treasurer, Simon Khabo, requesting for $1 000 to cover funeral expenses for a former chairperson in the party. The duo allegedly even produced a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death referring to the deceased as Mpofu.
Mr Gugo became suspicious and carried out investigations leading to him discovering that the request was not genuine. He alerted the police at Donnington who rushed to the scene and found the two receiving money.
Mushando was asked to present himself at Donnington Police Station since he was driving his own car but allegedly disappeared along the way. Follow-ups were made leading to his arrest.
Farai Dziva| MDC president Nelson Chamisa’s spokesperson Dr Nkululeko Sibanda has said there is nothing suggestive in the picture of the MDC leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Sibusiso Moyo.
Said Dr Sibanda: Nothing much the two met at a function where they were both invited.
There is nothing suggestive there.”
Speculation was rife as the picture circulated on social platforms.
Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority workers working on a new electricity line
State Media|THE Government says that it will this week release US$5 million for the refurbishment of a power generating unit at Hwange Power Station (HPS) as part of contingency measures to ease the current crippling power shortages.
Refurbishment of Unit 6 at HPS, which is expected to take up to two months, will unlock an additional 170 megawatts to augment supplies. Zesa is producing 1 270 MW against a winter peak demand of over 1 700 MW, leaving the country with a deficit of around 450MW. ZETDC acting managing director Engineer Ralph Katsande told our Harare Bureau that authorities are exploring both demand and supply side options to address the power shortages.
“The first way we are trying to address this problem is through our own internal generation. We are trying to increase capacity at Hwange, even though it’s an old thermal plant, and we are working on refurbishing Unit 6, which requires about US$5 million to repair the turbine, then we get an additional 170MW. That on its own will reduce load-shedding by the same amount.”
It is believed that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) have since made an undertaking to release the funds “in the next few days”. Eng Katsande said there were plans to source 400MW from South Africa during off-peak periods as the country was also grappling with insufficient power supplies. It will also enable Zesa to ease pressure on Kariba, where the progressively dwindling water levels in the Zambezi River continues to affect output.
“Once we have paid (our debt), we expect that we can get extra imports during off-peak. And why do we want off-peak? Because we know also Eskom (South Africa) has been load-shedding, but the power we need is that from off-peak because we then can shut down Kariba and conserve water so that it can last us longer,” he said.
There is also a limited amount of power that the country can get from Mozambique’s Hydro Electrica de Cahora Bassa as the company is doing some overhaul at its plant. Overall, Government expects to come up with a definitive plan this week.
HCB has already offered power to Zimbabwe and Zambia in exchange for further reduced power generation at the Kariba Dam hydro plants. Cahora Bassa Dam is overflowing following the recent cyclone-induced floods, and authorities in Mozambique have asked Zimbabwe and Zambia — through the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) — to cut down generation and store more water in Kariba Dam, which is upstream of Cahorra Bassa on the Zambezi River.
Eng Katsande said: “We are also looking at tapping into the day-ahead market of the Southern African Power Pool where other trading utilities have an excess we can purchase from them.”
Zesa is also looking at demand-side interventions that include requesting large power users to cut down on usage during peak hours. The utility is working with winter cropping communities to ensure that they are not affected by load-shedding. Zimbabwe is facing power shortages owing to depressed power generation at Kariba, whose water levels have depleted as a result of drought in the 2018/2019 summer season.
Farai Dziva|European and Spanish La Liga giants, Real Madrid have agreed on a deal to sign forward Eden Hazard from Chelsea for a fee that could exceed £150m.
Hazard has agreed to a five-year contract and will be presented as a Real player on 13 June, subject to a medical.
Writing on Facebook, the Real Madrid attacking midfielder said:
“Leaving Chelsea is the biggest and toughest decision in my career to date.
I hope you understand I had to pursue my next chapter, just as each and every one of you should when you have the chance to pursue your dreams.
Now it’s in the open I would like to put on record one thing was always clear to me, I have loved every moment at Chelsea and not once did I ever consider, nor would I have left for any other club.”
Walter Magaya explains his ponzi Yadah Connect scheme which has looted hundreds of their investments.
State Media|A pastor from a Pentecostal Church in Bulawayo allegedly died of stress after he sold a family house and invested in stands and other business ventures that were promised by Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries fronted by Prophet Walter Magaya, that are yet to come to fruition.
Pastor Ernest Mutasa, who was a pastor at Assemblies of God died in April after allegedly investing US$14 000 into the scheme in 2016.
His family, before and after the time of his death has reportedly been frantically trying to recover the investment. The late Pastor Mutasa’s daughter, Miss Bethel Mutasa (36) told state media that her father made the investment in 2016, when he sold their family home to buy three residential stands in Douglasdale under Magaya’s supposed multi-million dollar housing construction scheme.
Miss Mutasa said not only did her father invest in the housing scheme but also in mining, and farming programmes under Magaya’s Yadah Connect a subsidiary of his PHD Ministries.
“What is really painful is that they caused his death and don’t want to acknowledge it. He was stressed and all he wanted to do was to secure a house for the family. He thought this was a good investment but on the contrary it took his life.
He sold our family house with the hope of building three houses, which would in turn make returns to the money he invested in the programme,” she said with tears clouding her eyes.
Miss Mutasa said she had to leave her job in South Africa to pursue the case and had been to PHD offices in Bulawayo many times, where she was on numerous occasions told that the investment was being processed.
“Many a time I have been there and it is the same answer I get. We are tired as a family and we are stressed. We lost our breadwinner due to stress and now we are suffering too, all because of some church ministry that doesn’t want to own up to its mess.
My father may have been alive now if it wasn’t for this,” said Miss Mutasa.
She accused PHD ministries of misleading people to fund the church’s programmes.
“They come up with different excuses all the time. One time they say they are reimbursing us, the next they say the stands will be availed with us being the first beneficiaries. We are tired of these lies and just want our father’s investment back,” said Miss Mutasa.
She said at one time because of the pressure she had been mounting on the ministry, she was blocked off their WhatsApp platform.
“They had the audacity to block me yet they owe us. They clearly showed how unprofessional they are. Sometimes I am referred to Harare, yet the investment was made in Bulawayo. So many excuses they have and it is frustrating.
“My mother too is showing signs of weariness due to stress of my father’s death and the failed investment,” said Miss Mutasa.
She said they were failing to meet rentals as the money her father had saved in a projection towards the completion of building a new home had run out.
“We are failing to pay rentals now, yet my father had a great investment. Now we are forced to scrounge around, which is really disheartening,” she said.
“ . . . my father’s dying wish was for us to expose Magaya and his church. He wanted us to find a means to reach out to TB Joshua, whom he says is his spiritual father,” said Miss Mutasa.
Sunday News is in possession of audio recordings where the late Pastor Mutasa made his creed, with several other audio messages of him instructing his daughter on what to do concerning the issue. A woman who identified herself as Mrs Dube operating from the church’s Bulawayo office said she was aware of the issue and the church through its relevant organs was working towards reimbursing the Mutasa family the money back.
“I am aware of that issue and a refund is being processed as I speak. I cannot comment further on the issue and it would be prudent if you sought a comment from Harare,” she said.
An Overseer at the church who only identified himself as Clive said the church was not ready to comment on the matter
“You cannot run with that story. Get in touch with me on Monday and we can have a man to man talk,” he said.
In 2016, Prophet Magaya commissioned a site in Douglasdale, Bulawayo, where he promised to build 5 000 medium to low density houses as part of the multi-million housing project spearheaded by the church.
The project was part of an ambitious scheme which would have seen the church construct houses in the entire Sadc region. However, Sunday News has established that nothing much has been done at the construction site with reports that beneficiaries were also now disgruntled over the slow pace of the project.
By Staff Correspondent| Vice President Constantino Chiwenga was detected as back in India at the weekend.
Chiwenga who has been in and out receiving medical attention in India, has been up and down (healthwise) into the 2nd month.
Towards the end of May, Chiwenga was reported as having returned into the country. This was after his jet had flown back to Harare and an ambulance that usually transports him was deployed into action in the capital.
ZimEye first reported his struggles when he went for several weeks away from normal duties during the period April to May. This was also after an anonymous sponsor donated a brand new vehicle to his local priest.
When contacted on Saturday evening, Chiwenga’s phone voicemail facility responded in Hindi, the Indian language. This detection confirned that he was truly in India.
A day later, flight data showed that the jet which has before flown both him and his boss Emmerson Mnangagwa (at different times), flew out of New Delhi enroute towards the United Arab Emirates.
By the time of writing, it was above sea. See the below picture…. (this is a developing story)
MDC Masvingo provincial chairperson, James Gumbi and other senior members of his executive have this afternoon locked themselves in the party’s offices in fear of being attacked by rowdy youths that are violently protesting alleged attempts to rig the selection of five members who will be deployed to the party’s national executive.
Many youths and other agitated party members are besieging the party’s provincial headquarters at 32 Mukwa Street, Rhodene, singing songs that denounce the provincial leadership.
Serious violence broke out after the Masvingo Urban youth wing began to conduct an accreditation exercise that others declared illegal.
Rivals said only the party’s vice president Lynette Karenyi-Kore, who by the time of writing had not yet arrived to preside over the elections, had the right to run the accreditation exercise.
The contested accreditation exercise disenfranchised some districts including Chivi North and Chiredzi West, in what many claimed was an attempt by Gumbi to victimise district structures perceived to be loyal to his rival Tongai Matutu.
One youth had his foot stuck under the heavy gate as people stampeded in the violence, and he pitifully wailed in pain.
Other people engaged in fist fights and scaled the security wall to force their way into the accreditation venue.
By A Correspondent| Police details in Victoria Falls have camped at the police station lamenting unaffordable rent which is being pegged in United State dollars by local landlords.
A source at the station alleged that the police officers, their families and belongings are camped at Victoria Falls police station where tents have been pitched to accommodate them.
“Rent is at least US$40 per room and our salaries, when converted is not sustainable,” said an affected police officer.
Efforts to get a comment from police spokesperson were futile by the time of writing.
Caps United fans camped at the team’s exit point at the National Sports Stadium yesterday calling for the resignation of coach Lloyd Chitembwe after their team suffered a humiliating 3-1 defeat at the hands of Herentals.
The Green Machine’ title hopes were rocked back in their heels, courtesy of three well-executed goals from Kelvin Dingalo, Juan Mutudza and Tafadzwa Chitukutuku, in a game CAPS United were comprehensively outplayed.
Even Chitembwe admitted that his team was not in it at all: “We were not in the game. We did not play as we wanted. I am disappointed with both the defeat and our overall performance,” he said.
The loss, coming hard on the heels of last week’s 3-1 hammering at the hands of Chicken Inn, provoked a whole gamut of emotions from the Makepekepe faithful,
some of whom decided to vent their anger on Chitembwe.
The result also saw CAPS United fail to capitalise on the loss by leaders, Chicken Inn, who were beaten 2-1 at home by Harare City.
This leaves the GameCocks still at the top on goal difference with 22 points, the same as CAPS United, while FC Platinum, who drew 0-0 with Ngezi Platinum Stars, remain third.
Yet all could have been different for the Green Machine, who had the better of exchanges in the first half and were powered by the enterprising Phineas Bamusi.
The diminutive winger was a ball of fire, igniting attacks whenever in possession, and capped an all-round brilliant show by creating the game’s opener and CAPS United’s only goal from John Zhuwao.
With Bamusi a thorn in the flesh for The Students’ defence, the Green Machine created too many chances, but failed to utilise them, something they were going to regret.
That, however, was as far as they could go as Herentals took over the show after a half-time pep talk from coach Kumbirai Mutiwekuziva.More in Home
Their breakthrough came before the fans had taken their seats from the break, and what a gem of a goal it was. Blessing Maunganidze got possession on the left
flank; beat his marker, before making a spirited run towards goal. He then spotted an unmarked Dingalo, and set him up for a cool finish past Prosper Chigumba, in goal for Makepekepe.
Chigumba then worsened the CAPS situation when he was sent off by referee Josiah Masimani for deliberately handling a goal-bound effort when off his area.
From the resultant dead-ball situation, Herentals took the lead when Mutudza curled a beauty of a free kick past Tonderai Mateyaunga, who had come in for
Blessing Sarupinda to cover up for Chigumba.
With three points seemingly in the bag, it was now left to Chitukutuku to finish off the Green Machine and condemn the title contenders to their second successive 3-1 defeat.
Mutiwekuziva had high praise for his charges: “We are not done yet. This is the second big team we have beaten. If the boys stay focused, more will fall,” he said.
For CAPS United, however, it is back to the drawing board to find out what has really hit them over the past two weeks, and find means to bounce back to winning ways.
At Nyamhunga, ZPC Kariba and Chapungu played a goalless draw.
The Zimbabwe Nurses Association is in support of the position taken by the Health Apex following today’s bipartite meeting (06/06/19) held in Harare.
Prices of basic commodities, transport, accommodation and general cost of living continue to go up further making it difficult for nurses to afford a decent lifestyle. Goods are priced either in US Dollars or equivalent of the parallel market rate.
The employer is, however, failing to be sensitive to the plight of its employees by continuing to pay our members paltry RTGS salaries, whose original value was long eroded last October.
We, therefore, support the Health Apex’s position to maintain the 14-day ultimatum should the employer fail to respond to our plea.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s push for foreign investment is not attracting serious attention because of corruption and the failure to deal decisively with the vice, the ruling Zanu PF has admitted.
Mnangagwa, who took over from Mugabe in November 2017, has prioritised the fight against graft and investment promotion in an effort to reverse years of economic decline under the watch of his predecessor Robert Mugabe.
The admission by Zanu PF that the fight against corruption was not yielding the desired results comes amid indications of widening fissures in the ruling party
over the direction the economy is taking.
Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said the lack of convictions despite a number of arrests for corruption cases was worrying.
“It is time we start seeing people going to jail for corruption. This will ensure investors take us seriously as a country,” he said in an interview.
“The number of those arrested suggests that we are doing well, but the convictions are really worrying. It seems as if the system is corrupt and we must deal
with that.”
At least 50 people, including Mugabe loyalists such as former Local government minister Ignatius Chombo, have been arrested on corruption-related charges since Mnangagwa took over, but only a few have been convicted.
Those convicted include former Energy minister Samuel Undenge, ex-Zanu PF MP for Highfield Psychology Maziwisa and former broadcaster Oscar Pambuka.
Khaya Moyo said once the courts start to send people to jail, it would be easy to attract investment.
“We must be like the Chinese, they are very cruel with corruption and it has helped them grow their economy,” he said.More in Home
“We have been wailing for too long and we must start to deal with issues and not focus on tissues.”
Khaya Moyo appealed to the opposition to help attract investment.
“Our economy must be attractive, it must have that aroma to attract people and not smell like a rotten fish,” he said.
“The issue of the economy should not be viewed as a Zanu PF issue, it affects everyone and all of us must work for it.”
He accused MDC vice-president Tendai Biti of demonising the country after the former Finance minister criticised the government’s performance during a
presentation in London last week.
“We must sing from the same hymn book, not this thing of having people like Biti going to Chatham House and propagate issues of legitimacy and so on,” he said.
“No, we must learn to talk here as Zimbabweans.”
However, MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume defended Biti saying Zanu PF must deal with the economic crisis “they created and stop blaming others”.
“VP Biti is just telling the world the state of affairs in Zimbabwe. As the MDC, we are a party that believes in globalisation and we interact with every
capital,” he said.
“It is not our fault that Zanu PF cannot relate with other states peacefully. They must revisit their behaviour.”
Zimbabwe’s economic environment has worsened over the last few months after the government introduced a new currency and stopped subsidising fuel.
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Nelson Chamisa on Saturday met, by chance, with the most high-ranking member of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government in almost six months – and it did not go well.
Chamisa has called for political dialogue with Mnangagwa to find solutions to the country’s economic crisis following disputed elections in July last year, but he maintains that his offer has been spurned. Mnangagwa, meanwhile, has assembled over a dozen smaller parties with whom he has been in regular discussions. His officials say the platform is open for Chamisa to join.
The MDC leader was an invited guest at an event organised by the British embassy in Harare on Saturday, at which Foreign Minister Sibusiso Moyo, a retired army general famed for announcing the military ouster of former President Robert Mugabe on television in 2017, was also present.
A British diplomat set the two up with a formal introduction as though the two men were strangers, according to sources who witnessed the exchange.
Chamisa, sources said, jokingly reprised Moyo’s famous line from the 2017 coup broadcast, telling the former general: “The situation in our country has moved to another level.”
Moyo did not see the funny side – maybe with good reason. The coup was staged ostensibly to put Zimbabwe back on an economic recovery path and tackle corruption – but the situation has got much, much worse.
A source said: “Moyo was furious, he felt like Chamisa was forcing his words back down his throat; ridiculing him. He was very uptight about it.”
Moyo, said the sources, told Chamisa that “people are suffering and we need to talk.”
“He appeared to blame Chamisa for how things had turned out. In his view, Chamisa refusal to accept Mnangagwa’s election win was the cause of the paralysis and Zimbabwe’s inability to move on,” the source said.
British ambassador to Zimbabwe Melanie Robinson and her deputy, Simon Thomas, listened in and watched the two politicians’ terse exchange.
Inviting the two men to the same event was no accident by the British, who are believed to be – along with other Western embassies – keen to see a resolution of the political stalemate in Zimbabwe through dialogue between Mnangagwa and Chamisa
MISA Malawi is calling for an immediate reversal of the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority(MACRA) decision to suspend phone-in programmes.
In its public announcement titled ‘The conduct of broadcasters on coverage of post elections events’ dated June 7,2019, MACRA says it has suspended all phone-in programmes with immediate effect until further notice.
MISA Malawi finds MACRA’s decision unwarranted and a very serious violation of media freedom and freedom of expression, which the supreme law of the country, the Malawi Constitution, fully recognises.
In its announcement, MACRA alleges that there are ‘some broadcasters’ who are indulging themselves in careless and unethical coverage of post-election events.
It is surprising and worrying that the regulator has decided to unlawfully punish all broadcasters, their listeners and the general public with an unjustified suspension of all phone-in programmes.
Thus MISA Malawi calls on MACRA to immediately reverse its suspension of phone-in programmes. As has been the case, we expect MACRA to discipline the few who may have breached their broadcasting licences. We however expect that that process will follow all the due procedures where, among others, the media houses are also given the right to be heard.
MACRA should not use its regulatory mandate to stifle Malawians’ right to know and freedom of expression.
MISA would also like to call upon all broadcasters to remain professional and ethical in their duties and respect the demands of their broadcasting licences.
By Talent Gondo- Opposition MDC officials have been told to stop questioning the legitimacy of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The state media reported that the Indian ambassador to Zimbabwe urged the opposition to stop going to the United States of America and the United Kingdom to seek redress of the political impasse in the country but to sit down to negotiate with President Mnangagwa.
In an interview with the state media, India’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Rungsung Masakui said:
This is not in the spirit of democracy. You can criticise the policies of a government — that’s a political right — but if you keep questioning the legitimacy, that is unthinkable. Political rivalry is not enmity.
The President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) is making efforts to create dialogue platforms with the opposition parties; it’s a way forward. But it is difficult for the dialogue to succeed if the main opposition party is not part of it.
Space is there for them to join in – the President even formally recognised the office of the opposition party leader . . . that is what is happening the world over.
Political parties all over the world have differences, but when it comes to fundamental issues of nation-building, they come together.
The ruling party here is making all efforts to move forward, but the opposition party does not want to negotiate — they are going out to the UK and the US and negotiating with them.
I don’t know how that is a way forward. I don’t know how other people can come here and solve your problems.
Jane Mlambo| Sitabile Dewa, one of the seven civil society activists arrested upon arrival from Maldives where they had gone to attend a workshop on non-violent action yesterday missed her graduation ceremony at Africa University in Mutare as she had not been released from custody despite the High Court granting her bail on Friday afternoon.
Dewa together with Nyasha Frank Mpalo, George Makoni, Tatenda Mombeyarara and three others were arrested and accused of subverting a constitutionally elected government, a charge they have flatly denied.
She was supposed to graduate with a Masters Degree at the Africa University in Mutare.
Below is Dewa’s marked chair whose occupant was in detention at the time the ceremony was underway in the eastern highlands.
By Dorrothy Moyo| Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has claimed that the man who once occupied his shoes, Tendai Biti is devoid of learning.
Tendai Biti is credited with boosting the Zimbabwean economy from a mere 4 billion dollar base,leading to a booming 17 billion one.
He is also arguably the best barrister in Zimbabwe who’s prominence and skill is at the level of the late national hero, Herbert Chitepo.
But Prof Ncube who appeared irritated by comments by Biti last week, said Biti is devoid of learning.
Responding, Ncube said, “Biti’s choice of crude language not only reveals his analytical deficiencies but also demonstrates lack of sophistication and poise normally associated with a global platform such as Chatham House. He has much to learn. However, this may take a while.”
Biti was speaking about Mthuli Ncube’s ongoing work as Finance Minister in which he is promising to fix the economy.
Of this, Biti’s comments to ZimEye were, “Mthuli is a loud mouth that doesn’t have a connection with its brain and the economy has found him out. This is about realism, this is about intelligence and this is about honesty. These three things are lacking in Mtuli Ncube.”
By Own Correspondent- Zanu-PF Spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo has said that the government needs to do more on corruption if it is to be taken seriously by international investors. Speaking in an interview with The Standard, Khaya Moyo said convictions of those accused of corruption and not just arrests are needed.
Said Khaya Moyo:
It is time we start seeing people going to jail for corruption. This will ensure investors take us seriously as a country. The number of those arrested suggests that we are doing well, but the convictions are really worrying. It seems as if the system is corrupt and we must deal with that.
We must be like the Chinese, they are very cruel with corruption and it has helped them grow their economy.
We have been wailing for too long and we must start to deal with the issues and not focus on tissues.
Our economy must be attractive, it must have that aroma to attract people and not smell like a rotten fish.
The issue of the economy should not be viewed as a Zanu-PF issue, it affects everyone and all of us must work for it.-Standard
Government Therapists Association (GTA) stands with the Health Apex Council’s decision to declare a deadlock on the cost of living adjustment and subsequently giving the employer 14 days notice to decisively deal with the pending issue since October 2018.
GTA is showing disquiet on the failure by the employer to award a suitable remuneration to health workers.
Jane Mlambo| Zimbabwe health workers union have announced that they will join the health apex council decision to embark on an industrial action to push for better working conditions.
The last time health workers went on strike, vice President Constantino Chiwenga announced that he had fired all of the nurses. Will the powerful vice President wield the axe and fire all the striking workers and plunge the already struggling health delivery system in total collapse?
Below is the health workers full text
The Zimbabwe Health Workers Union (ZIHWU) is saddened by the prevailing economic situation which has reduced its membership to become the working poor.
Salaries have lost value, leaving workers in abject poverty. As a union, we are deeply concerned by the employer’s insincerity on the plight of workers besides several calls by the Health Apex Council to have the conditions of Service of Health Workers.
As ZIHWU we are solidly behind the decision by the Health Apex Council to issue a notice of intention to embark on industrial action. As an affiliate of the Health Apex Council, we stand guided by the council on the way forward.
By Talent Gondo| The Agrippa Mutambara led Zimbabwe People First (Zim PF) which recently pulled out of the MDC Alliance has said that dialogue will continue with Nelson Chamisa’s MDC because the country has to go forward.
A senior party official said they now recognise President Mnangagwa as the legitimated leader of the country.
This is a departure from the position of the MDC which maintains that Mnangagwa did not legitimately win the July 2018 presidential election.
Senior party member Vongai Muti, made the statement during a recent show when she was asked if the MDC was right to put the question of Mnangagwa’s legitimacy as a precondition for involvement in the ongoing political leader’s dialogue.
Said Muti:
I think the dialogue can continue and will continue without the MDC. Because this defense that they have that they are putting a front that because they are questioning the legitimacy of the presidency – I think that issue has already been dealt with and it is retrogressive.
We want to move with people who want to move forward. If you want to stay where you are because you think you have numbers, listen, people are suffering out there, people are suffering at the grassroots as she (Linda Masarira) was saying. We need solutions.
I will re-emphasise that we appreciate what the president has done to make our lives easier as women. To make lives easy for the ordinary Zimbabwean. Let us work together for the common good of the Zimbabwean.
A pastor from a Pentecostal Church in Bulawayo allegedly died of stress after he sold a family house and invested in stands and other business ventures that were promised by Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries fronted by Prophet Walter Magaya, that are yet to come to fruition.
Pastor Ernest Mutasa, who was a pastor at Assemblies of God died in April after allegedly investing US$14 000 into the scheme in 2016.
His family, before and after the time of his death has reportedly been frantically trying to recover the investment. The late Pastor Mutasa’s daughter, Miss Bethel Mutasa (36) told Sunday News that her father made the investment in 2016, when he sold their family home to buy three residential stands in Douglasdale under Magaya’s supposed multi-million dollar housing construction scheme.
Miss Mutasa said not only did her father invest in the housing scheme but also in mining, and farming programmes under Magaya’s Yadah Connect a subsidiary of his PHD Ministries.
“What is really painful is that they caused his death and don’t want to acknowledge it. He was stressed and all he wanted to do was to secure a house for the family. He thought this was a good investment but on the contrary it took his life.
He sold our family house with the hope of building three houses, which would in turn make returns to the money he invested in the programme,” she said with tears clouding her eyes.
Miss Mutasa said she had to leave her job in South Africa to pursue the case and had been to PHD offices in Bulawayo many times, where she was on numerous occasions told that the investment was being processed.
“Many a time I have been there and it is the same answer I get. We are tired as a family and we are stressed. We lost our breadwinner due to stress and now we are suffering too, all because of some church ministry that doesn’t want to own up to its mess.
My father may have been alive now if it wasn’t for this,” said Miss Mutasa.
She accused PHD ministries of misleading people to fund the church’s programmes.
“They come up with different excuses all the time. One time they say they are reimbursing us, the next they say the stands will be availed with us being the first beneficiaries. We are tired of these lies and just want our father’s investment back,” said Miss Mutasa.
She said at one time because of the pressure she had been mounting on the ministry, she was blocked off their WhatsApp platform.
“They had the audacity to block me yet they owe us. They clearly showed how unprofessional they are. Sometimes I am referred to Harare, yet the investment was made in Bulawayo. So many excuses they have and it is frustrating.
“My mother too is showing signs of weariness due to stress of my father’s death and the failed investment,” said Miss Mutasa.
She said they were failing to meet rentals as the money her father had saved in a projection towards the completion of building a new home had run out.
“We are failing to pay rentals now, yet my father had a great investment. Now we are forced to scrounge around, which is really disheartening,” she said.
“ . . . my father’s dying wish was for us to expose Magaya and his church. He wanted us to find a means to reach out to TB Joshua, whom he says is his spiritual father,” said Miss Mutasa.
Sunday News is in possession of audio recordings where the late Pastor Mutasa made his creed, with several other audio messages of him instructing his daughter on what to do concerning the issue. A woman who identified herself as Mrs Dube operating from the church’s Bulawayo office said she was aware of the issue and the church through its relevant organs was working towards reimbursing the Mutasa family the money back.
“I am aware of that issue and a refund is being processed as I speak. I cannot comment further on the issue and it would be prudent if you sought a comment from Harare,” she said.
An Overseer at the church who only identified himself as Clive said the church was not ready to comment on the matter
“You cannot run with that story. Get in touch with me on Monday and we can have a man to man talk,” he said.
In 2016, Prophet Magaya commissioned a site in Douglasdale, Bulawayo, where he promised to build 5 000 medium to low density houses as part of the multi-million housing project spearheaded by the church.
The project was part of an ambitious scheme which would have seen the church construct houses in the entire Sadc region. However, Sunday News has established that nothing much has been done at the construction site with reports that beneficiaries were also now disgruntled over the slow pace of the project. – State Media
