Own Correspondent|President Emmerson Mnangagwa refused to attend the memorial service let alone the high profile burial of the late liberation war stalwart Dumiso Dabengwa on claims that the family had requested a private burial by merely declining a Heroes Acre burial.

Shockingly, his state apparatus however failed to give the family a similar respect for a private burial as they continued to try and manipulate the programme and events at the service and burial.

Perhaps the biggest task that the state security team was given by Mnangagwa’s office was to completely shut out opposition leader Nelson Chamisa from being recognised and even being offered an opportunity to address the huge gatherings at the two events.

It is no secret that the adored young MDC leader had struck a cosy relationship with late Dabengwa who publicly endorsed Chamisa as the next President of the country. Dabengwa had to go all out and step down from contesting the 2018 elections inviting his party members to back Chamisa in the presidential race.

Besides the public knowledge of Chamisa and Dabengwa’s affection, the government Joint Operations Command that claimed to have taken over the mourning and burial programmes just would not have anything to do with Chamisa.

On Friday, at the memorial service held at White City Stadium, Chamisa was denied VIP treatment and not even accorded a seat in the tightly controlled VIP tent. He had to find space in the public gallery tent that housed some distant Dabengwa relatives and some few lowly ranked ZAPU officials.

It had to take a very dramatic moment on Saturday for Chamisa to be allowed to address the gathering at the burial and get an opportunity to mourn with the Dabengwa family that had for long embraced him as their child through the late Dr Dumiso Dabengwa.

The dramatic moment came after Dabengwa’s widow, Zodwa Dabengwa (known affectionately as MaKhumalo) stood her ground and insisted that the young opposition leader should be allowed to speak.

“Yekelani umtanami akhulume, (allow my son to speak),” gogo MaKhumalo was overhead by sources close by while she was instructing members of the president’s office who were fighting to manipulate the programme.

Chamisa was not on the list of scheduled speakers and had already personally accepted the order and settled to see the programme through. However, at MaKhumalo’s insistence, Chamisa gave an impromptu speech in which he emotionally extolled the virtues of Dr Dabengwa and promised to honour all the ideals he had stood for.

Chamisa finished his speech by firing a salvo at President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputies for failing to grace the occasion despite the fact that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa saw it fit to send emissaries.

“Is it not a sad indictment that we have (South African) President Cyril Ramaphosa sending his emissaries, yet in this country we have our own vice President and even President who is not available to mourn with us?”, Chamisa said.

Own Correspondent|South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has sent a special condolence message on the death of opposition ZAPU leader Dr Dumiso Dabengwa describing him as a hero of the world and a true revolutionary.

The ANC delegation that was standing in for Ramaphosa at the burial of Dabengwa at his Manxeleni home in Ntabazinduna and led by Minister of State Security Ayanda Dlodlo described Dr Dabengwa as a true child of Africa, a son of the soil and commander.

“We are here to bury a son of the soil, the commander of Southern Africa revolutionary struggle, a child of Africa, the defender of the rights of those that are down trodden, the defender of the revolution of the people of South Africa and a child of the world,” said President Ramaphosa in a speech read on his behalf by Minister Dlodlo.

President Ramaphosa said Dr Dabengwa was a hero not only of the Zimbabwean people and the liberation struggle but was a hero of South Africa too.

“He is a hero of the world, his name will relive through the skies of Africa it will run and flow through the rivers of our respective countries – Limpopo River, it will shine like the sun that always rises in the east and set in the west,” said President Ramaphosa.

The South African President described Dr Dabengwa as, “a hero that none of us should have the luxury to forget”.

He paid special tribute to the family for having involved the people of South Africa and Zimbabwe as they prepared to lay a hero to rest.

“Special emphasis goes to those that fought with him in the battles in Sipolilo and this is the battle that crafted the history and umbilical cord between the people of Zimbabwe and the people of South Africa and for that we pay special tribute.

“We are nations that speak the same language, our cultures are the same let us remember and solidify the relationship between the two countries and between the two peoples that were fought for by Dr Dabengwa. That is history that should never be undermined, a history that should never be edited; his name must remain in the history books of both countries,” he said.

Lieutenant-General Gilbert Ramano a veteran of the South African liberation struggle also sung praises for Dr Dabengwa.

“I had the opportunity of serving under the command and leadership of Cde Dabengwa, he was a commander who was special, and he was a political military commander. He understood the struggle of the people of Zimbabwe and South Africa. It was an opportunity for me to be under a man of this calibre.

“He knew the whole front line all the way to Beira. And as a foot soldier myself, I can say he was involved in all aspects. He was brave and fearless but very kind and humble,” he said.

Shelly Brown who spoke on behalf of Umkhonto WeSizwe Military Veterans’ Association (MKMVA) said they were honoured to be in Zimbabwe for the burial of their fellow soldier.

“Cde Dabengwa shared the trenches with most of the veterans in the liberation struggle. It was therefore with a deep sense of loss and sadness that (MKMVA) received the devastating news of Cde Dabengwa’s death. We honour and recognise him as one of the greatest sons of Zimbabwe both in the position as the President of Zapu and as a former Zipra chief of intelligence,” she said.

“It was in the latter capacity that blood ties of revolutionary solidarity were formed between Cde Dabengwa and MKMVA.

“As committed as he was to the liberation of Zimbabwe he was similarly committed to secure the liberation of the people of South Africa.

“He was a true Pan-Africanist. Cde Dabengwa was never an armchair revolutionary, he lived out his unwavering commitment on the battle front.

“He lead from the front and was prepared to face the enemy and faced danger and potential death with his fellow soldiers. Cde Dabengwa never created parallel structures, even severe provocation never allowed political wounds inflicted on him as an individual to influence his understanding of the revolution and his commitment to unity,” she said.

Dr Dabengwa died on Thursday last week in Nairobi Kenya on his way back to Zimbabwe from India where he had gone to get treatment on a long kidney ailment.

Source: State Media

“Everywhere I went today there were not more than 10 cars”

— Fortune Chasi (@fortunechasi) June 1, 2019

That’s not me talking. That’s why it’s in quotes .

— Fortune Chasi (@fortunechasi) June 1, 2019

The Champions League final, second leg tie between Esperance of Tunisia and Morroco’s Wydad Casablanca was suspended for over an hour in the Stade Olympique de Rades before the match was awarded to the Tunisian side.

Esperance retained the title in a dramatic fashion after Wydad refused to return to the field in protest of VAR not being implemented on Walid El Karti’s 58th-minute equaliser that was ruled out.

Gambian referee Bakari Gassama chose not to use video assistance to review the goal, which led to the visitors walking off the pitch and refusing to return.

Following an hour stoppage, Gassama awarded the victory to the home team who were leading by 1-0 at the time the play was stopped, courtesy of Youcef Belaili’s first-half effort.

They won the tie 2-1 on aggregate after the first leg of the final ended 1-1.

According to BeIN Sport Gassama didn’t consult VAR because the system was not working due to “technical problems”.

Meanwhile, the first leg of the final played in Morroco was also riddled with controversy which resulted in referee Gehad Grisha being suspended for six months by CAF.

Matabeleland North Minister of State Richard Moyo got a rude awakening on Saturday when he was booed by some mourners at the burial of the late ZPRA Intelligence Supremo Dumiso Dabengwa in Ntabazinduna.

Minister Moyo was speaking on behalf of President Emmerson Mnangagwa who did not attend the burial because it was a private family ceremony.

When Moyo stood up to go to the podium after being invited by the Master of Ceremony some mourners started singing the Ndebele protest song: Into oyenzayo siyayizonda.

Richard Moyo became unpopular with some section on Nabazinduna and Matabeleland people when he criticised Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni for leading a spirited effort to bar government from taking over a farm in his area.

The booing started again when Moyo was recognising some VIPs who were present including Chief Fortune Charumbira.

Earlier during the event the Dabengwa family through their spokesperson showed their displeasure at the government’s plan to take over the funeral through implementing their own program and disregarding the one that the family had proposed.

The family spokesperson, Gibson Sibanda took over as MC and insisted that the family will conduct their own program before handing handing over to the government.

Speakers during the event included South Africa’s Minister of State Security Ayanda Dlodlo, Shirley Brown from Umkhonto weSizwe veterans.

The Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces General Philip Valerio Sibanda was in attendance.

MDC leader Nelson Chamisa and Chief Ndiweni have lashed out at President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputies for failing to attend the Burial of struggle veteran Dumiso Dabengwa who was buried at Ntabazinduna about 40 kilometres outside Bulawayo.

Speaking after the conclusion of the state programme of Dabengwa’s burial, both Chamisa and Chief Ndiweni said they were saddened by Mnagagwa’s absence from the event.

“I’m sad that those who rule us did not want to honour the man we are burying here with their presence.This speaks to the fact that things are not well in our country,” said Chief Ndiweni.

He also lamented the economic collapse in the  and the state of democracy which he saidis in serious trouble. 

” The state of democracy in Zimbabwe is in serious trouble, there are many issues that we need to resolve,” said Chief Ndiweni.

He the Zimbabwe people are living in is not the one veterans like Dabengwa fought for.

“Something has gone wrong and all of us need to speak up, need to have a voice to that conversation which can put our country straight,” he said.

Chamisa on tbe other hand said the Burial of Dabengwa was not a partisan event but was meant to honour his contribution to the liberation of Zimbabwe.

Independent|persistent price volatility in the economy has left producers and retailers in Zimbabwe with very limited options apart from indexing their products in the US dollar or pegging their Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) prices using the black market rates of the day.

To some extent, this was inevitable after the economy rolled back to the hyperinflation era at the beginning of the year, with the January 2019 inflation rate above the 50% mark.

Although the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) inflation statistics are far from accurate in measuring the events in the market where the inflation rate is above 100%, they still paint a picture of the high volatility in the economy.

The local currency (RTGS dollar) has lost more than 98% of its value since introduction on February 20 2019 with the official inter-bank exchange rate at 4,95 to the US dollar. Prices for goods and services are however informed by the parallel market rates where US$1 fetches about $7,30 RTGS.

De facto dollarisation, also known as unofficial dollarisation, arises when individuals lose confidence in a domestic currency and hold foreign currency bank deposits or notes to protect against high inflation in that domestic currency as is the case in Zimbabwe at present.

De facto dollarisation includes the spontaneous adoption of the dollar by producers and retailers as a means to trade or store value without government legislation or recognition. In March 2019, Zimbabwe gazetted two legal instruments: the Exchange Control Regulations (Amendment) of 2019 (Statutory Instrument 32) and the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) for (Amendment) of the RBZ Act and RTGS Electronic Dollars Regulations of 2019 (Statutory Instrument 33).

The statutory instruments mean that the RTGS dollar (inclusive of bond notes and coins) shall be the legal tender in Zimbabwe although the law does not prohibit the use of multi-currencies adopted in 2009 for the pricing of goods and services, recording debts, accounting and settlement of transactions locally. Local producers and retailers have predictably used this window to price their products in the US dollar rather than continue with the exchange rate madness, which calls for price adjustments whenever the RTGS weakens against the dollar.

History has revealed that in most countries where official dollarisation happens, the government or its central bank gives in to popular market demands to adopt the dollar as legal tender.

It has also been evident that countries that fully dollarised have struggled to shake off the US dollar in the absence of fundamental changes to the economy, especially in building confidence in government institutions and growing domestic production. An immediate and noticeable effect of dollarisation is on price and economic stability as evidenced in 2009 when Zimbabwe adopted the US dollar as legal tender. The country actually experienced deflation as year-on-year inflation reached a record low of -7,5% in December 2009.

The economy experienced deflation for a prolonged period from 2014 to 2017 and this brought joy to local consumers. Dollarisation enabled businesses and investors to plan better and replenish stocks at reasonable profit margins.

It is fair to say that the use of the US dollar in Zimbabwe in the short term alleviates the greatest pains of hyperinflation.

However, it is not the ultimate solution to economic growth in the medium to long term. The government has to manage the negative impact of dollarisation, especially the prevailing de facto dollarisation which creates artificial shortages of the coveted US dollar on the inter-bank market. The most immediate challenge is on tackling pricing distortions in a liberalised market where similar products are priced in different currencies using different exchange rates to the US dollar as is the case in the pharmaceutical sector.

The Competition and Tariff Commission of Zimbabwe, which is the pricing watchdog of the government, has to establish pricing standards in critical sectors of the economy so as to manage the cost of doing business locally. Oligopolistic tendencies, where producers collude to set high prices or profiteer on limited units, have to be kept in check.

Without managing this key element, products produced locally will gradually fall off the shelves, with cheaper imports replacing them. Lack of enforceable pricing standards in the local economy means that foreign companies or businesspeople selling their products in Zimbabwe profit from higher prices charged locally while evading formal banking channels.

Proceeds from such trading often find their way to foreign banks through foreign currency externalisation. Externalisation is actually rampant where regulations enforce trading in a weaker RTGS dollar when imports are indexed in the US dollar or rand.

Product dumping of cheap merchandise from the Far East is likely to increase. In order to protect the local industry, the government needs to review upwards tariffs levied on industrial merchandise (finished goods) imports and tighten border controls among other measures. A complete trade liberalisation will take Zimbabwe back to the 2011-2013 era when the trade deficit averaged US$4,5 billion yearly.

Zimbabwe is not in short supply of foreign currency as the country exported goods worth more than US$4,23 billion in 2018 on top of remittances of over US$1 billion. Local foreign currency accounts boast of more than US$800 million while the inter-bank market has only traded less than US$100 million with most of the funds being released by the central bank.

The clear conclusion is that consumers and businesses do not have confidence in the local currency and various interventions by the government. Using the US dollar is motivated by the need to survive for most businesses which suffered massive exchange rate losses from October 2018 to date.

De facto dollarisation is helping local producers to get fair value for their products, keeping them in business. Local producers learnt well from their painful experiences in 2008 and have remained alert to the black market exchange rate. It can only be rational given the prevailing economic uncertainty in Zimbabwe.

Victor Bhoroma is a business and economic analyst. He is a marketer by profession and holds an MBA from the University of Zimbabwe (UZ).

Below is a picture of the former president Robert Mugabe in Adidas sportwear.

The dateless picture went viral on Saturday afternoon.

Mugabe was removed in a military coup in November 2017 and in recent days he has been spending his time at home or in the far east where he regularly visits for medical care.

By Farai D Hove| Chief Felix Ndiweni has said that someone in the country vision so that the Almighty God will soon deny someone vision to stop them going where they thought they were going.

Chief Ndiweni was speaking at the holy Ntabazinduna mountain during the burial of the late ZANU President Dumiso Dabengwa.

Said Ndiweni, “On many occasions the Lord God Almighty will deny someone knowledge.

“The Lord God Almighty will deny someone vision. The Lord God Almighty will deny someone hearing, to stop them going where they thought they were going.

“In Zimbabwe, why would ubaba Dabengwa come from Ntabazinduna? He could have come from Lupane, Tsholotsho, many other places. He comes from Ntabazinduna, he is ours.”

Below is the speech (part transcript) by Chief Felix Ndiweni at the burial of the late national hero, Dumiso Dabengwa:

Thank you very much. Than you very much great people.

We have a very important job to accomplish today. Thinking of our past, our history. I am asking those standing to sit down, to respect. Today we are going to be very firm.

You are not here by mistake…in Ntabazinduna by mistake. On many occasions the Lord God Almighty will deny someone knowledge. The Lord God Almighty will deny someone vision. The Lord God Almighty will deny someone hearing, to stop them going where they thought they were going. In Zimbabwe, why would ubaba Dabengwa come from Ntabazinduna? He could have come from Lupane, Tsholotsho, many other places. He comes from Ntabazinduna, he is ours.

CLAP CLAP.

I speak of Ntabazinduna because right behind me there, you will see the mountain, Ntabazinduna, the mountain that formed this nation in this part of the country. It is not just a mountain. Land is just not land, Land is spiritual, mountain is spiritual. Moses and the burning bush on the mount Sinai, on the mountain, as with us, as with us.

Moses with the 10 Commandments on the mountain, as with us, as with us. Where-ever you look in the scriptures, the Messiah in the garden just before Iscariot betrayed him, on the mountain top, as with us, as with us.

So I am trying to pass over to you that it is not just a mountain. And even if you go to Psalm 37 you will find an amazement, land is not free, land has a condition. The Lord God Almighty says if you are righteous in my sight, I will give you the land and also your descendants …that land. if you are wicked I will take that land from you….

All these people have come to give honour to this great hero, and they have come to observe how we have laid this great hero to rest. If we have buried him the wrong way, they will have to say it. This is very touchy and says a lot about our country.

By Talent Gondo- South Africa Deputy President David Mabuza’s wife Nonhlanhla Mnisi has caused a stir on social media after she wore a dress that became almost transparent when the light hit it at a certain angle.

By Own Correspondent- Pro-democracy and human rights campaigners who are facing allegations of plotting to overthrow President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government will have to endure another week at the Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison.

The five activists, George Makoni aged 38 years, Tatenda Mombeyarara aged 37 years, Gamuchirai Mukura aged 31 years, Nyasha Mpahlo aged 35 years and Farirai Gumbonzvanda aged 26 years, have been in custody since May 20, 2019.

According to the ZRP, Makoni, an Advocacy Officer with Centre for Community Development in Zimbabwe, Mombeyerara of International Socialist Organisation, Mukura of Community Tolerance Reconciliation and Development, Mpahlo of Green Governance Zimbabwe and Gumbonzvanda, a volunteer at Rosaria Memorial Trust, allegedly connived with their accomplices, who are still at large and travelled to Maldives on 13 May 2019, where they attended a training workshop organised by Centre for Applied Non Violent Action and Strategies (CANVAS), a Serbian non-governmental organisation, with the intention of subverting a constitutionally elected government.

Two more activists, Rita Nyampinga and Stabile Dewa, have been arrested on the same charges and have also applied for bail at the High Court. Their bail application is yet to be heard.

By Own Correspondent- The ZIMBABWE International Book Fair Association (ZIBFA) has postponed this year’s edition of the Bulawayo Book Fair event that was initially scheduled for today and tomorrow at Large City Hall.

The book extravaganza will now be held on June 3 and 4 at the same venue.

The ZIBFA interim chair, executive board member Memory Chirere, said; “The Bulawayo Book Fair event will now be hosted in conjunction with the City of Bulawayo as they celebrate their 125th anniversary.”

Chirere said the book fair, to be held under the theme Footprints Of The Book: Milestones and Opportunities will comprise of activities that will include exhibitions, children’s reading tent, live literature centre and a spelling bee/quiz competition.

“We would like to extend our invitation to headmasters, teachers, parents, schoolchildren, writers, editors, printers, publishers, booksellers and librarians in the Matabeleland and Midlands regions to visit this unique Bulawayo Book Fair exhibition,” he said.

“We also wish to extend a warm welcome to members of the general public to visit the Bulawayo Book Fair to discover the opportunities that lie in books for further learning and knowledge acquisition.”

Chirere said the book fair would provide all stakeholders the opportunity to sample books for educational advancement, professional development and individual intellectual growth.

“The Bulawayo Book Fair workshop will be focusing on Footprints of the Book: Milestones and Opportunities. The workshop will provide an opportune platform to discuss issues that are beneficial to the book sector and exploit synergies that help to grow the industry,” he said.-Newsday

Over 200 pupils from Tantseka Village in Mthatha, South Africa have to relieve themselves in the open after a contractor allegedly locked their school toilets last month.

The contractor locked the toilets over outstanding payments from an agent the education department hired.

“Younger pupils sometimes relieve themselves in the schoolyard. “We have no control because it’s between the department and the contractor,” Maxwebisa said the contractor warned them at the beginning of the year that he would close the toilets.

“We reported it to the department. He comes to the school to check if the toilets are still locked, but the department never sets foot here.” Teacher Weziwe Nogemane-Zozo said: “We have to wait for those who have gone to relieve themselves. Teaching has been disturbed as a result.”

Contractor Jerry Sifanele of Siyaphambili Trading said although he couldn’t say exactly how much he was owed, he would only unlock the toilets when he was paid. Gwegwe, Xhwili and Julukuqu primary schools have also been affected. Sifanele said: “It’s been two years since I signed the completion certificate and have been waiting for my money”.

Education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima said the contractor was paid what was due to him. “He has a contractual duty not to disturb the use of sanitation facilities. The department awaits legal action by implementing agent Mvula Trust, the contractor’s employer.”

Trust spokesman Mohale Mashao said the contractor has been paid for work done. Mashao said they gave him another chance to check the final accounts and if he felt they were incorrect, to refer it for independent arbitration.

“The only outstanding issue relates to the final accounts which were approved by public works in September 2018. The contractor refused to accept them and has been referred to the contract.” He said they’d start legal proceedings if pupils were still denied their rights.

By Own Correspondent- Police in Mutare arrested a five-man gang suspected of illegal fuel dealings.

The five were arrested in the Nyamakate industrial area after being caught red-handed, draining fuel from a tanker.

This was revealed to the state media by national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi. He said:

The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirms the arrest of five accused persons in Mutare for unlawful dealing in fuel which occurred in Mutare on May 26, at around 2100 hours.

The five accused persons were arrested in Nyamakate area, Mutare, were they siphoned a total of 10 x 25, litres diesel from a tanker.

Police investigations revealed that one of the accused persons was the driver of the tanker. The ZRP has intensified its surveillance on illegal dealers and will not hesitate to arrest anyone found engaging in unscrupulous activities.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Energy and Power Development, Fortune Chasi, said that the government will clamp down on those involved in selling fuel on the black market, causing artificial shortages on the formal market.-StateMedia

By Talent Gondo- The Director of the Dumiso Dabengwa Foundation, Mthulisi Hanana came out guns blazing in defence of the late national hero Dumiso Dabengwa’s legacy.

Hanana was speaking during a memorial service held in honour of the departed hero on Friday at Bulawayo’s White City Stadium.

He called on Dabengwa’s spirit to tell other departed heroes, the likes of Tongogara, Masuku, Mujuru and Lesabe of the misery being experienced by Zimbabweans at the hands of rogue elements. Said Hanana

He was passionate about young people. He believed that their time is now. Dabengwa and others altered the course of this country at a young age, this generation must do the same.

I must say that he was scarred by that genocide until the day that he passed on. Till the day he died, he never understood why comrades who fought the colonial government side-by-side with him turned against him and others.

He did not understand why civilians were butchered by an army that was supposed to be professional.

He appealed that Gukurahundi must never be a closed chapter, just like the liberation struggle.

We must always remind our people that people died for being ZAPU, they died for being Ndebele and died for supporting Joshua Nkomo.

The next genocide can only be avoided when this one subject is spoken about.

Tell [Josiah] Tongogara and [Solomon] Mujuru that the army now assists in political transitions, and now shoots innocent civilians. Tell Lookout Masuku that your names do not appear in any of the history books.

Tell Jimmy Ntuta that his murderers have not faced justice. Tell Thenjiwe Lesabe that she’s a national heroine and we’ll do our best to preserve her legacy and tell Chief Khayisa Ndiweni that umntanakhe uthwelenzima (his son is being persecuted)

By Own Correspondent- Former Zimbabwean ambassador to China, Christopher Mutsvangwa has disowned a Twitter account posting messages in his name.

The parody account posted a message saying that ZANU PF has failed to run the country and should therefore quit.

The post reads:

Am trying without success to find a conceivable and credible excuse for my party and govt’s failure to resolve the current economic haemorrhage.

Comrades, lest just quit and let the next generation take over. They too love this country. They need it more than us in fact.

Earlier in the year, when another “fake” account posted in Mutsvangwa’s name, he blamed the former Higher and Tertiary Education Minister Jonathan Moyo as well as G40 members.-StateMedia

By Own Corrrespondent- Responding to a question on a state media program called The Chase: Delving Deeper Into Zimbabwe’s Political Dalogue, spokesperson for the MDC led by Nelson Chamisa, Jacob Mafume said there is no table for negotiation in President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s political parties dialogue (POLAD).

Mafume said this while responding to the question on why the MDC was not in the POLAD:

He said:

“There is no table. There is no table. We do not know what it is that is there. There is what we call a monologue. For you to have a table, you must have a framework. of discussion. We cannot have like in boxing, someone that you are going to be boxing with saying that they are the referee and them saying that they are also going to be the timekeeper. You will have all sorts of problems. If you have a political standoff., you have a political standoff with someone.

We as the MDC have a political standoff with Zanu Pf and Mr Mnangagwa. And President Nelson Chamisa has indicated that he is willing to have a one on one with Mnangagwa, he is willing to have a meeting where there is a mediator.

And if there is no mediator, then there is no table. We do not know where the table is and where we are supposed to go. We cannot go to a person or to a group where we have a person that we have a standoff with. Our issues have been clear, let us have a mediator for the dialogue. Lets talk about a return to legitimacy and agree on the road map.

Let us talk about the national healing, economic progress, nation building, international re engagement. We have set out our agenda on the table and upfront but we have not received a response. What we have seen is a general invite to someone’s house which is the state house. We see no table.”

The Strive Masiyiwa owned Steward Bank is reported to have fired its chief executive officer (CEO) Lance Mambondiani for alleged foreign currency mismanagement.

Mambondiani was forced to resign on Friday after 4 years at the helm.

A source told ZimEye, Financial Director Kris Chirairo has been appointed acting CEO.

HON. SEN. TIMVEOS: Thank you very much Madam President for giving me this opportunity to ask my question. My question is directed to the Minister of Finance and Economic Development and I am happy he is here today. What measures are you going to put in place to curb illegal dealing in foreign exchange? We hear reports that some children of Ministers are involved in illegal activities?

THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. M. NCUBE): I thank the Hon. Member for that very pertinent question. She said this is illegal dealings. We are bringing the law to bear onto those who are doing this illegally. Certainly, we are not aware that children of Ministers and those in privileged positions are involved. The law does not discriminate between those privileged and those who are not. Therefore, if the law has to take its course, it is going to be applied equitably to all. I thank you.

HON. SEN. TIMVEOS: On a point of order. I think when we come to the House we are very much serious. We are representing Zimbabwe. When I ask a question and Ministers start laughing, I feel very – I do not know.

THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: I do not know what the Ministers are laughing at.

HON. SEN. TIMVEOS: The follow up question is that we have been following the news. Hon. Mutsvangwa’s son was caught with over US$200 000 and is alleged to have been illegally dealing.

THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: Hon. Minister, can you allow the Senator to ask her question.

HON. SEN. TIMVEOS: I am talking about the issue which is before the police.  Madam President, there is a Minister’s son who was caught with over US$200 000 and illegally dealing in foreign currency. When the police apprehended him, he was found with US$20 000.

THE HON. PRESIDENT OF SENATE: What is the question now?

HON. SEN. TIMVEOS: What is the Minister of Finance going to do to stop such illegal activities?

HON. PROF. M. NCUBE: The Hon. Member has been very clear in the question in saying that the issue is before the police which really means that they are dealing with it. That in a sense, the Minister of Finance has no role because the law enforcement agents have already started their process and they are dealing with the matter. Obviously, we will also watch the space to see how that is concluded. The matter is before the police. The police are doing their job.

Correspondent|White City Stadium in Bulawayo on Friday turned out into a no holds barred battle ground as speaker after speaker at the Dumiso Dabengwa Memorial Service condemned the ruling ZANU PF party, government and the army for continued brutality on the people of Zimbabwe.

The Zanu-PF officials and military commanders who were in attendance probably had their longest day as they froze speechless with each speaker narrating how the regime treated the country’s greatest liberation war fighter after independence.

Dabengwa’s brother, Jabu, fired first, saying the former intelligence chief of ZAPU’s armed wing, ZIPRA, left behind a suffering nation due to continued failures by the ruling party.

“He was a principled man, he loved people. He wanted to see prosperity in this country, he wanted see people free and happy,” he said.

He recalled how Dabengwa, having been acquitted on charges of treason, was held indefinitely under colonial-era emergency laws by the new government after Zimbabwe’s independence.

“I visited him at Chikurubi, after he was arrested. One day I said to him ‘when are they saying you will come out of prison?’ He said, ‘I don’t know. They said if I don’t join Zanu I will never come out.’ He told me he had his principles, he would have to die first before anyone could force him to leave ZAPU,” Jabu recalled.

Dabengwa, who died in Nairobi, Kenya, on May 23, also yearned for the return of ZAPU properties and ZIPRA files from the war, which were seized by the government during Gukurahundi.

Jeremy Brickhill, a white ZIPRA veteran who named his son Dumiso, turned up the temperatures with a rousing speech, extolling the virtues of the liberation war hero before adding to loud cheers: “In his last days, Dumiso always tried to find solutions. Dumiso always sought a way forward. He was engaged in dialogue even with those who would not listen.

“Today, more than ever, we need to find solutions to the problems in our country; we need to complete our quest for true liberation. To the young people here, I say pick up the spear and free yourselves as Dumiso did.

ZAPU Acting president, Isaac Mabuka called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to set up an independent body, to deal with the controversial issue of conferring heroes’ status on outstanding Zimbabweans.

Mabuka said because Zanu-PF was monopolising the heroe status, there are people who cannot leave the ruling party for fear of not being declared heroes when they die.

He added the issue must not be the sole responsibility of the ruling Zanu PF party.

“The President (Mnangagwa) has set so many commissions. If the so called new dispensation is really new, the President should appoint an independent commission, which selects national heroes and heroines.

“These days we have people who cannot leave Zanu-PF just because they want to be declared heroes when they die,” said Mabuka.

He blasted Zanu PF legislators who refused to observe a moment of silence for Dabengwa in Parliament, describing them as ignorant.

“Only four days ago, we heard that in Parliament, some MPs shouted the name of Dabengwa and I have seen the Minister of Industry (Mangaliso Ndlovu) here. I would like to send a message that Dabengwa cannot be called a traitor. I believe even the generals behind me would not agree with that. The party must reign in on those members,” Mabuka said.

“That they sit in Parliament we fought for and say Dabengwa is a traitor, we do not agree with that.”

Mabuka said Dabengwa had been fighting all along since independence to have the Zapu and Zipra records, which were confiscated by government, returned and until he died, that had not happened.

MDC leader Nelson Chamisa was barred from a VIP tent in which sat Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Phillip Valerio Sibanda, Prisons boss Commissioner General Paradzai Zimondi, Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu, Deputy Defence Minister Victor Matemadanda and Bulawayo’s provincial affairs minister Ruth Ncube.

Chamisa finally found a seat at the front of an adjacent tent, where he was joined by his deputy Welshman Ncube, former Speaker of Parliament Lovemore Moyo and the Ndebele king Bulelani Lobengula.

THOUSANDS yesterday thronged White City Stadium to pay their last respects to national hero Dr Dumiso Dabengwa as speakers from a cross section of society testified to his impeccable liberation war credentials and contributions towards development.

Dr Dabengwa’s cortege arrived at White City Stadium just after 10:15AM and was made of the hearse carrying his body, vehicles carrying family members, Government officials, close friends and Zapu members among others.

He will be buried in Ntabazinduna today.

Dr Dabengwa died last week on Thursday in Nairobi, Kenya en-route to Zimbabwe from India where he had been rushed for medical treatment.

He died at the age of 79 following liver related illness.

People from all walks of life and politicians from across the political divide attended Dr Dabengwa’s funeral service in true testimony of statesmanship.

Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Bulawayo Judith Ncube said when Dr Dabengwa died procedures that are usually followed before a national hero is declared were abandoned attesting to his stature.

She said Dr Dabengwa is true national hero of impeccable character.

“Many people have spoken about ubaba uDabengwa’s remarkable contributions to the national cause. Dabengwa was not anointed a hero, he worked for this accolade that no one can erase or take away from him. What happened in declaring him a national hero is that there wasn’t a meeting to deliberate about what honour suits him. But the President soon after learning that he had died, that a hero had died, he (President Mnangagwa) adjourned a meeting that he was holding and had to make a Press briefing quickly thereby confirming that a hero of heroes had died. The President was observing ubaba uDabengwa’s works,” she said.

Ncube said Dr Dabengwa was a great visionary and level headed man who led by example.

She challenged Bulawayo residents to stop fighting over trivial issues and work towards reviving the city’s industries in honour of his vision.

“Mama maKhumalo, God bless you. Our hero and commander has gone, he was not the type who would demand to be followed but his actions always spoke louder than words. We are grateful that ubaba uDabengwa was declared a national hero, so we want to say rest in peace our Zimbabwe’s hero,” she said.

Former Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) military wing, Chief of Staff and Patron of the Joe Modise Foundation Major General Jackie Sedibe (Retired) described Dr Dabengwa as a selfless servant of humanity and a gallant warrior for social justice and peace.

“Dumiso Dabengwa belonged to a rare breed of freedom fighters whose patriotism goes beyond national boundaries. A warrior who believed that their own freedom cannot be meaningful as long as their neighbours still toiled under the oppressive clutches of Colonialism and Imperialism,” she said.

“Cde Dabengwa’s credentials are to be found in his life-long commitment to the struggle for the liberation of the people of South Africa which he saw as a part of his role as a combatant for the liberation of his own country Zimbabwe.”

Zapu acting president Mr Isaac Mabuka commended Government for declaring Dr Dabengwa a national hero.

“There was precedence that if you wanted to be a hero you had to join Zanu-PF. But there is now a new precedence because the precedence that was there was going to make future governments even of opposition parties that if you do not belong to our party you won’t be a hero. Now we have seen a new direction that even if you are in the opposition party, you can be a national hero. We thank the President of the Republic for that,” said Mr Mabuka.

A member the National Security Organisation (NSO), which Dr Dabengwa headed as Zipra intelligence chief, Mr Jeremy Brickhill described the national hero as man of integrity.

“Dabengwa was a fearless commander. He never issued orders which he himself would not carry out. He was a kind commander. He cared about his soldiers. Dumiso taught us many lessons but today I want to talk about the lessons he left me. He was a soldier of peace, he believed and fought for our development. Dabengwa didn’t want to manage poverty or increase it he fought to overthrow poverty,” said Mr Brickhill.

“He respected traditional culture but rejected tribalism he fought against racism, tribalism and discrimination all his life. He fought for the liberation of Zimbabwe.”

He paid tribute to Dr Dabengwa’s widow for standing by her husband through the difficult moments.

Dr Dabengwa’s younger brother Mr Jabu Dabengwa described the national hero as a principled man who joined politics in his early 20s.

Mr Dabengwa said his older brother would convene political meetings at their Mpopoma house which later landed him in jail after calling the then government rotten.

He said while Dr Dabengwa was politically active, he remained a family man who made time for his wife, children and siblings.

Services chiefs led by Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Phillip Valerio Sibanda, Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga represented by Deputy Commissioner-Gen in charge of Operations Learn Ncube and Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services Commissioner General Paradzai Zimondi among others members of the security attended the funeral service.

Also in attendance was Industry and Commerce Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu and Defence and War Veterans Deputy Minister Victor Matematanda.

MDC president Mr Nelson Chamisa, his deputy Professor Welshman Ncube among other members of the opposition also attended the funeral service.

The others who attended the service include Zanu-PF Politburo member Tshinga Dube, former Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association national chairman Jabulani Sibanda and former Zanu-PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo.

By Chimanimani Correspondent | In a clash with local councilors, ZANU PF leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa has stood to defend illegal settlers in Chimanimani.

There are over 5000 people who illegally settled themselves in the areas of: Charter Estates, Martin Forests, Nduka Farm in Ward 11, Gwindingwe Forest, and parts of Cashel Forest.

The illegality of their settling in the area arises from the fact that they do not have offer letters from the responsible minister.

This group since has as a result come under a looming raid by local councilors.

Speaking during a briefing, the Chimanimani MP Joshua Sacco said Mnangagwa defends the people saying it has to be either voluntary or a High Court order without burning or destroying structures using armed police, soldiers or other inhumane process.

President Mnangagwa said using soldiers or police is anti government, said Sacco.

To this some of the councilors said they will get directives from DA John Misi, not the MP.

The development saw Mnangagwa being seen as being against the councilors over the illegality of the settlements.

But the settlements can be regularised by a simple stroke of the pen by a minister. The problem with the settlements can thus be fixed without the need of a speech of compassion from the President, ZimEye reveals. This is because offer letters can be passed without a court process since they rest solely in the minister’s discretion.

Some residents told ZimEye.com that they do not believe Mnangagwa is sincere.

“I doubt ED and Sacco’s sincereity, I think it is a political gimmick because most of the people living in this area were told it is okay to stay there,” said one.

They continued saying, “this is being done just to keep their votes. What I foresee is a situation in a few months’ time, people will be relocated, and for now the support is just temporary.”

President Mnangagwa has set August 3 as the day for the by-election to fill the National Assembly seat for Lupane East that fell vacant following the death of Zanu-PF Parliamentarian Sithembiso Gumbo in April.

Gumbo died on April 5 at United Bulawayo Hospitals from injuries sustained in a road accident.

President Mnangagwa issued the proclamation in yesterday’s Government Gazette under Statutory 123 of 2019.

“Whereas the Speaker of Parliament has notified me in writing of a vacancy which has arisen by reason of the death of honourable Sithembile Gumbo on 5th April 2019, who was elected member of the National Assembly for Lupane Constituency.

“Now therefore, under and by virtue of the powers vested in the President as aforesaid, I do by this proclamation- (a) order new elections for the constituency of Lupane East; and (b) fix Wednesday the 14th June, 2019, as the date on which the nomination court shall sit, commencing at 10 o’clock in the morning, at the magistrates court Western Commonage for the purpose of receiving nomination for election as member of the National Assembly for the constituency for Lupane East and (c) fix Saturday the 3rd August, 2019, as the day which poll shall be taken if a poll becomes necessary in terms of section 46 (17) (c) of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13),” President Mnangagwa said in the proclamation.

State Media|PRESIDENT Mnangagwa will not attend liberation struggle icon Dr Dumiso Dabengwa’s burial today in the spirit of respecting the bereaved family’s request for privacy.

This was said by Presidential spokesperson Mr George Charamba in a brief interview soon after President Mnangagwa officially opened the Zimbabwe Annual Mining Conference in Victoria Falls yesterday.

Mr Charamba said President Mnangagwa will be represented at the burial set for today at Dr Dabengwa’s home area in Emanxeleni, Ntabazinduna in Matabeleland North.

“If a national hero’s family accepts the designation of national hero but opts for private burial, immediately the State President cannot participate directly except through delegated authority. The moment the President gets to that, it means we take over and that breaches the privacy and control of the family. So he will be represented at an appropriate level,” said Mr Charamba.

He said a similar scenario has been used with other national heroes who were declared national heroes but their families opted for private burials.

“In short the President doesn’t go. This is for the purpose of upholding the privacy and control preferred by the bereaved family but more critically to also protect the National Heroes’ Acre because the moment we allow people to have a bite of the cherry then we are undermining the national shrine,” said Mr Charamba.

President Mnangagwa left Victoria Falls soon after officially opening the mining conference because of other commitments in Harare.

Last week he mourned the death of Dr Dabengwa saying the former Zipra intelligence supremo was and will always remain a hero.

Dr Dabengwa died in Nairobi, Kenya last week while en-route to Zimbabwe from India where he had been taken for medical treatment. The late national hero who died from a liver related illness, was 79.

TEACHERS are meant to be people that children look up to.
And schools are meant to be places of learning.

Nyamandlovu Primary School has been hit with what has become the latest violent incident of child abuse after a Grade Seven learner developed signs of post-traumatic stress disorder after he was allegedly brutally and repeatedly assaulted on the head with a switch by his teacher as punishment for making noise.

After the attack, and according to a medical report, the 12-year-old pupil sustained bruises on the scalp, had swollen eyes and the injuries were described as “very serious”.

The teacher, Victoria Vambe, allegedly struck the pupil several times with a switch on the head on 25 February this year. The pupil reportedly sustained bruises on the head as a result of the assault.

The father of the child is now demanding justice after evidence of plans, by the parties involved in handling the matter, to sweep it under the carpet despite the fact there is a medical report showing that the pupil suffered severe injuries as a result of the alleged attack.

The matter was reported at Nyamandlovu Police Station on 25 February under case number CR01/ 03/ 19 and its wheels are still sticking, much to the chagrin of the boys’ parents.

Speaking to B-Metro , the boy’s father Itai Muzambwe fumed saying he was not happy with the way the matter was being handled both by the police and District Schools Inspector (DSI).

“On the day in question my son came home bleeding and told me he was beaten by the teacher. He said the teacher repeatedly struck him with a switch leaving him with wounds on his head. He felt dizzy after the attack.

When we took him to hospital the doctor who attended to him said he suffered severe injuries on the head.

“As a result of the attack, my son is also now experiencing some strange exhibitions like jerking movements after every 10-15 seconds; signs which I suspect are symptoms of a seizure. He is also now appearing confused and that abnormal condition started after the attack by the teacher. I don’t understand why the teacher was so brutal,” said Muzambwe.B-Metro

IN a protest like fashion, a sexually-frustrated husband is reportedly keeping his lover’s clothes including underpants under his pillow as a way of “fixing” his wife who has been constantly denying him sex for 13 years.

Msindiso Mpofu from Malungu Village in Lupane reportedly staged the strange protest against his wife Maria Mpofu as punishment for denying him his conjugal rights.

This was revealed by his wife who was seeking a restraining order against him claiming Msindiso has been physically and emotionally abusing her from the time they got married in 1975.

“Msindiso Mpofu is my husband and we got married in 1975. From the time we got married I have never known peace as he was constantly verbally and physically abusing me. He has beaten me up on several occasions and my leg once broke as a result of his assault.

“He is now in love with another woman and this came to light after I discovered that woman’s clothes under his pillow. He sells our matrimonial property without my consent and spends the money with his girlfriend. He is always chasing me out of the matrimonial home and at one time I slept in the bush after he chucked me out of the house. By doing all this he is emotionally abusing me as his wife,” said Maria.

She further said her husband once threatened to fatally stab her with a kitchen knife.

In response, Msindiso didn’t refute his wife’s abuse accusations. He, however, defended his actions saying his wife was denying him his conjugal rights.

“We have been married for 44 years and from that marriage we have 10 children together. My wife has been denying me sex for the past 13 years and that infuriates me as her husband. It is true that I am now seeing another woman and with that woman we have been in love for 17 months now.

“She stays about four kilometres from our homestead but every day I brave that long distance going to her place to have sex with her. What should I do when she is refusing me sex? She should know that I am a man and I can’t do without sex,” responded Msindiso.

The seemingly astounded magistrate Rachael Mukanga allowed Maria’s petition and granted an order which compels Msindiso not to verbally, physically and emotionally abuse his wife.

Msindiso was also ordered not to dispose of matrimonial property without his wife’s consent.B-Metro

A MARRIED woman from Gokwe became the face of shame and infidelity after a used condom and underwear were found in her bedroom hut.

Nyarai Chalisegela is married to Edward Ndlovu, an artisanal miner based in Zhombe.

Last weekend on Sunday around 7pm, Edward’s younger brother Inos allegedly spotted a man sneaking out of Edward’s bedroom.

He became suspicious and asked Chalisegela about the man but Nyarai professed ignorance and went into her bedroom as Inos followed and stumbled on a used condom as well as men’s briefs on the floor.

A source said Nyarai tried in vain to bribe Inos with a bucket of maize but was turned down.

Inos took the used condom and man’s underwear to Chief Njelele’s secretary Fanuel Mhike who confirmed the incident.

“We are dealing with a case where Edward Ndlovu’s younger brother Inos spotted a used condom on the couple’s bed and men’s underwear on the floor. Inos confiscated the evidence and gave it the Chief’s office. She tried to bribe him with a bucket of maize but he refused,” said Mhike.

Edward added: “When I came here during the weekend from Zhombe I could not find her. I heard she went to her parents. We are still waiting for her. I will know the position to take after we engage in discussions with her and her family and Chief Njelele.”
Nyarai said it was a half truth.

“A used condom was found on my bed. I don’t know about the underwear. On the day in question I was not around I had gone to the farm,” she said.B-Metro

Respected political analyst Dr Pedzisai Ruhanya has castigated Emmerson Mnangagwa for failing to attend liberation war icon Dumiso Dabengwa’s funeral.

See his tweet below :

Christopher Mutsvangwa yesterday dismissed a Twitter account posting messages in his name.

This follows a message circulating on social media purporting to be his, alleging that Government and Zanu-PF should quit as they have allegedly failed to deal with economic challenges in the country.

Mutsvangwa said he does not have a Twitter account.
The offending Twitter message reads: “Am trying without success to find a conceivable and credible excuse for my party and govt’s failure to resolve the current economic haemorrhage. Comrades, lest just quit and let the next generation take over. They too love this country. They need it more than us in fact.” This is not the first time Ambassador Mutsvangwa has had to come clean on parody accounts.

In February this year, messages were also sent on a fake Twitter account purportedly to be his which he denied saying he suspected the self-exiled Professor Jonathan Moyo of being behind the fake Twitter account.

He said he suspected Prof Moyo is behind the fake micro-blogging account.

“That account is definitely not mine; they are imposting and often abusing my name. I have seen the account and I want to dismiss it as fake. They are trying by all means possible to soil my name. I suspect its Jonathan Moyo and the usual G40 suspects,” he said.State media

President Mnangagwa does not attend burials of national heroes whose families opt for private burials to allow them privacy and control, Presidential spokesperson Mr George Charamba has said.

The clarification follows social and mainstream media speculation on whether or not President Mnangagwa would attend the burial of national hero Dr Dumiso Dabengwa at his rural home in Ntabazinduna today as per the request of his family.
Other people have even gone to the extent of describing the request as a snub.

Mr Charamba said the policy is that when someone has been declared a national and the family requests private burial, the President should give that family some space.

“You know our policy, if a national hero’s family accepts the designation of a hero as national, but opts for private burial, immediately, the State President cannot participate directly except through delegated authority,” said Mr Charamba, who is also Deputy Chief Secretary (Presidential Communications).

“The moment the President gets to that (attending the funeral), it means we takeover; so that breaches the privacy and the control of the family.
“You notice all those who opted to be buried away from the (National) Heroes’ Acre, the President doesn’t go, and I say, this for the purposes of upholding the privacy preferred by the family and the control preferred by the family.”

Several national heroes have been buried away from the revered shrine at the request of their families.State media

Farai Dziva| Emmerson Mnangagwa has said there is no justification for the restrictive measures imposed on members of his ruling party Zanu PF.

Said Mnangagwa on Friday :“While indeed we still say to those who imposed sanctions on us, remove them, because there is no justification for the embargo, we should not bury our heads in sand because of those sanctions.”

He added:“We should realise that we have resources in our country. We must, therefore, focus on harnessing those resources to develop, modernise and industrialise our country and our economy.

We should not have sanctions impugn our capacity and capability to use our resources to the benefit of our people. We should rise using the resources at our disposal and move forward.”

Zimbabwe will leverage on its natural resources and will not be deterred by the economic embargo imposed on it by Western nations, which have caused untold suffering of the people, President Mnangagwa has said.

The Head of State and Government was speaking after witnessing the signing ceremony of an investment agreement on Southern Serui Platinum Concessions between the Government and the Bravura Consortium for aero-magnetic exploration of the 3 000ha Muflox claims.

The claims are situated north of Selous along the Great Dyke in Mashonaland West Province.
The ceremony was held at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare yesterday, where the President commissioned two aero-magnetic planes to be used for the exploration.

The Bravura Consortium is a multinational mining house with subsidiaries in Nigeria, DRC, Guinea and Zimbabwe.

President Mnangagwa said the country has been under sanctions for a long time, resulting in the collapse of the economy.

This, he said, left the country’s development stagnated.
“While indeed we still say to those who imposed sanctions on us, remove them, because there is no justification for the embargo, we should not bury our heads in sand because of those sanctions,” he said.State media

ZIMBABWEANS should not allow social media to shape their opinion of the country since agents of regime change such as MDC-Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa and his allies were using it to post subversive statements aimed at unseating the elected Government, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa has said.

Addressing the ZANU-PF Women’s League executive at the party’s headquarters in Harare yesterday, Minister Mutsvangwa said social media should not be used to influence opinion.

“There is need to monitor the use of the social media at all levels, since it is being abused by the country’s detractors to influence opinion,” she said.

She narrated how some mischievous individuals have gone to the extent of creating fake Twitter accounts of eminent persons such as the president of the chief’s council Chief Fortune Charumbira and Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veteran’s leader and her husband Cde Christopher Mutsvangwa and posting tweets denouncing the President, party and Government.

“This infiltration is to cause division among top Government officials,” she said.

Turning to the economy, Minister Mutsvangwa said Government understands and empathises with the hardships people are experiencing.State media

By Own Correspondent- Zanu PF Women’s League has daredMDC leader Nelson Chamisa calling on him to come on the ground if he is ready for war.

The women’s wing made the remarks following reports in the state media that Chamisa had threatened to lead crippling demonstrations over the deteriorating economic conditions and shrinking democratic space.

Chamisa attributes both the economic and political crises to bad governance by president Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.

Addressing the delegates at the ZANU PF headquarters, the Secretary for Women’s League Marbel Chinomona said:

If he is ready to go to war, let him come on the ground. As women, we are ready to deal with Chamisa if he attempts to start a war. We warn him to stop abusing innocent and unsuspecting people to engage into violent demonstrations because the women and Zanu PF at large will not fold hands and let him destabilise our hard won independence to achieve his political regime change agenda.

Monica Mutsvangwa, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services and Women’s League Secretary for Administration urged the Women’s League members from the grassroots level to be strong and rally behind President Mnangagwa. She also claimed that there are saboteurs who use social media to destabilise the economy.-StateMedia

Farai Dziva|MDC A vice president Tendai Biti has disclosed that Emmerson Mnangagwa is involved in several clandestine business deals in the country.

Biti has revealed that Mnangagwa is the man behind Zuva Petroleum.The Zanu PF leader usually portrays himself as a political saint.

Speaking at the MDC A Congress in Gweru Biti said:”Who do you think is the owner of Zuva Petroleum? It’s Emmerson Mnangagwa.

That is why the company is selling fuel in hard currency without being stopped from doing so.

I can also tell you that Mnangagwa invested millions of dollars in the company.Zuva Petroleum is untouchable because Mnangagwa is wholly in charge of the company.

He is hiding behind a consortium of businesspeople but he is the man in charge of the company,”said Biti.

With an unstable currency, shortage of fuel and energy in the once Great Zimbabwe, President Emmerson Mnangagwa is setting himself for the greatest fall, warns opposition party leader Nelson Chamisa.

According to NewsDay, Chamisa said the country will be having a long winter faced with debts to the relentless socio-economic and political crisis.

“Winter is coming; you look at how the hard-working people have lost dignity. The teachers, police, military and civilians have lost dignity and they can’t take in that much,” he said.

The purchasing local currency’s power has eroded over the past week after government removed a fuel subsidy that somehow stabilized prices of most basic commodities.

The Zimbabwean currency has been the fastest losing value currency against other hard currencies. It’s currently trading at 1:8 to the US dollar on the black market as of yesterday, earning most workers’ salaries to less than US$100 per month.

Chamisa said that once his party is in office, it would work on restoring the dignity of hard work by curing economic problems in the country.

“We can deliver and restore dignity to the working majority of Zimbabwe. We have a smart plan, but for us to do that, there is need to restore legitimacy in this country,” he said.

“We need to go to the table and ensure that we ring in reforms that ensure we never have contested elections,” he added.

Chamisa warned that if there was no immediate channel of communication between his party and Mnangagwa’s Zanu PF, the economic meltdown would detonate.

Government has blamed western sanctions for hurting the economy. Chamisa responded and said the sanction song was “an excuse by failures whose sole purpose of being in government was entrenching power for purposes of corruption”.

“The country is facing these problems because we have people who have no idea how to run the country, looting and lining their pockets through corruption,” he continued.

“During the (2009-13) inclusive government, we had these measures, but we delivered. We changed people’s lives. These measures that the US has against Zimbabwe were here during that time.”

The warning of Chamisa came in as while cabinet discussed the price increase of basic goods and services and it was alleged that this decision was driven by the parallel USS market which allegedly, authorities was being influenced by movement on the stock market.

State Media|Newly-appointed South African Minister of State Security Ayanda Dlodlo has said liberation icon and ex-Cabinet minister Dr Dumiso Dabengwa ranks high among the region’s liberators.

Dr Dabengwa affectionately known as “The Black Russian” died in Nairobi, Kenya last Thursday enroute to Zimbabwe from India where he had gone to receive medical treatment.

He was 79.

In an interview with Chronicle, Minister Dlodlo, a veteran of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the military wing of the African National Congress (ANC), revealed how they used to sing about Dr Dabengwa and other leaders of the liberation struggle as motivation in the fight to end apartheid rule.

“I know ubaba uDabengwa. I was not in his generation, I did not come from the Luthuli detachment that fought alongside Zipra, (but) I was generations later in the 80s. In Umkhonto we Sizwe, we used to sing about ubaba Dabengwa, Joshua Nkomo, Samora Machel and other leaders of the struggle,” said Minister Dlodlo, who joined the liberation struggle at the age of 17.

“I’m not confused about his contribution towards the liberation of both Zimbabwe and South Africa. He stands out in the top of the list of the prominent liberators in our region.”

Minister Dlodlo, who, like Dr Dabengwa, also received training in Moscow, Russsia, recalled the collaboration between Zipra and MK and the famous Wankie and Sipolilo operations of 1967 and 1968 respectively.

“The Luthuli detachment fought alongside Zipra in the Wankie and Sipolilo battles, some of the famous battles in the war to liberate both countries. The umbilical cord between Zipra and MK is very strong and it is difficult for some of us to shake off that umbilical cord,” she said.

A Zapu report to the Central Committee to the party’s 1984 congress, the late liberation founding father Dr Joshua Nkomo said of the two campaigns: “One of the most important experiences of the armed struggle was contained in the Wankie/Sipolilo

Campaigns of 1967 and 1968. Using the experiences of the 1960s these became the first large scale operations ever launched in Zimbabwe, which involved several men. These campaigns were planned and jointly led by ZPRA and MK commanders.

“Their full history is yet to be told like so much of our rich history of the liberation struggle. But we would like to mention two important aspects of these campaigns. In the first place, because of the scale of the fighting and the outstanding courage of our fighters, these battles had a profound effect on the people of Zimbabwe,” said Dr Nkomo then.

“They showed that it was possible to tackle the enemy on our own soil with modern weapons and inflict serious damage on the regime. They showed that the racists were not as invincible as they claimed.”

Minister Dlodlo said she got to know Dr Dabengwa in the 1980s as the MK had a safe house opposite the Zipra intelligence supremo’s farm.

“I got to know him later in life; we had a safe house in Bulawayo opposite his farm. When he was arrested in the 1980s, our safe house was raided too, but I had travelled to Harare to get some money. It was at that time that I got to know more about Dabengwa,” she said.

On a personal note, Minister Dlodlo said over the years, she and the Dabengwa family established a strong relationship.

“When I got to South Africa I made it a point to get to know him and we eventually met later when he visited the country. We developed a friendship and I also got to meet his family, including his wife (Zodwa) and his children,” said Minister Dlodlo.

She said because of the friendship with the family, she personally assisted the family when the body of Dr Dabengwa arrived in South Africa from Kenya in arranging logistics that it be flown to Zimbabwe.

Minister Dlodlo was one of the first high profile people to send condolence messages following the death of Dr Dabengwa on Thursday last week.

By Own Correspondent| President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s private jet which he reportedly hired from Dubai to fly him from Harare to Victoria Falls and back has flown to Malawi this afternoon.

The Airbus A318-112 (Elite), REG A6-CAS, is believed to be in Malawi to pick up Mnangagwa’s deputy Kembo Mohadi who was attending the inauguration of President Peter Mutharika today.

Refresh this page for latest updates.

Thomas Mlambo has caused a stir in South Africa.

The SABC 1 sports presenter was seen in a slightly compromising situation live on TV and appeared helpless when trying to cover it up.

As much as it might have been an embarrassment for him, it was a blessing for the ladies.

The Tv Sport Anchor from Soccer Zone and Sport at 10 TV has been getting all the right reactions from the ladies.

On social media, Lindokuhle said this was just pleasing for her eyes and it should happen more often.

“This is a bonus of his good presenting. I love him and hope that God will keep revealing this gift more often,” said Lindokuhle.

Beauty Khoza said she was never a sports fan but after she saw this post on twitter, she’s definitely going to start being a super fan.

“God just keeps revealing amazing things and I’m pleased to be one of the people he reveals these gifts to. May whoever made Thomas horny keep doing it for Mzansi ladies. We appreciate you,” she said.

Zenzile also appreciated seeing the apparent erection and hopes he gets more of these.

“It’s pleasing her, especially to single ladies. SABC needs to have more of these contents and we will keep watching the show,” she said.

Ntokozo said she saw it and continued with her life because it was not a big deal.

“I saw this and I was wondering what his hand was doing down there. I notice the former Miss SA (Phuti) who was a guest on this show wearing a shot dress, maybe she was the cause of this,” said Ntokozo.

“Anyway, I switched off my TV and went to bed,” she added.

While ladies were happy, some men sympathised with him and some were mad at him.

Moses said this once happened to him high school and he understands the pain and embarrassment.

“I don’t see how this is funny. No guy should ever be caught up into this situation. I sympathise with you but I wonder what your girl will say after seeing these,” said Moses.

Nathi was annoyed and said he just saw his girl jumping after seeing Thoma’s erection.

“Now I’m questioning the size of my 4-5. What will it take for these men to shut down their perverted minds,” said Nathi.

https://twitter.com/MrsKillMonger/status/1134054904379641856

Source: DailySun

VANCOUVER– Hawkish Vice President, Constantino Chiwenga, is all but now a heatbeat away from being Zimbabwe’s next president, amid claims in international diplomatic circles that China’s president, Xi Jinping, is understood to have thrown his weight behind Chiwenga taking over from troubled incumbent, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Spotlight Zimbabwe can exclusively report.

According to an Asian diplomat based in Ottawa, who spoke to us this week, it is now not a question of if, but when Chiwenga is going to take the political reigns in Harare.

Spotlight Zimbabwe, reported last week that Mnangagwa is facing the boot in a mooted subtle army campaign, code-named “Operation Restore Economy”, which is expected to be in motion at anytime, to rescue the country from worsening socio-political conditions and threats of a near apocalyptic economic collapse. The army operation is said to be reminiscent of the November 2017 Operation Restore Legacy, which triggered the demise of former leader Robert Mugabe.

Disclosures of another possible military putsch in changing government, have caused trepidation and panic in Mnangagwa’s camp, with one of his loyalist faction players and former deputy finance minister, Terence Mukupe, warning on his twitter handle last week, that “daydreamers” he accused of trying to use the same Mugabe coup strategy to topple Mnangagwa, would be met by a ready response without giving elucidation.

“There is a fierce foreign policy war between the U.S and China in Zimbabwe,” said the envoy during a confidential briefing where they spoke on condition of anonymity. “The Chinese president has thrown his weight behind your vice president who headed the Zimbabwean army previously. It is a complex issue at play. The current vice president is the one who flew to Beijing shortly before president Mugabe was removed from office in November 2017 to assure Jinping that China’s massive business interests and companies will be secure and protected in Zimbabwe under whatever new leadership, through the army’s oversight. It is now not a question of if, but when he’s going to be president of the country, and it entirely depends on him and his health.”

Chiwenga is currently out of the country for medical treatment at an Indian military hospital, although there is speculation that he might have left India last week for “undisclosed business” in Dubai.

The diplomat said Chiwenga has won favour with China and Jinping because of his efforts to restore and maintain Zimbabwe’s Look East Policy, which is biased towards Beijing launched by Mugabe after facing international isolation and targted sanctions, which is now increasingly under threat from the West, as the so called new dispensation by Mnangagwa’s economic policy team is bent on re-engagment with Washington and Brussels.

Mugabe’s “Look East” policy, was aimed to expand bilateral and trade relations and offer priority to investors from not just China but Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, India, and Russia.

“Vice President Chiwenga is pro-China on economic policy, where as Mnangagwa has fallen with China in recent times over his government’s attempts to renew ties with America and the EU. He (Chiwenga) has been promised billions of dollars to revive the economy, that will be extended to Zimbabwe by China through BRICS.”

BRICS is the acronym coined for the association of five major emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, founded in June 2006. Originally the first four were grouped as “BRIC”, before the induction of South Africa in 2010.

“China has a big economic fund for Zimbabwe believed to be in the range of up to US$50 billion, which they intend to release in tranches over the coming years. Chiwenga has been tasked with fixing the Mnangagwa succession issue, and that it is welcome for him to take power until 2023, where your military leadership will choose either another military leader or civilian leader to contest the next elections in consultation with the Chinese military and government. A lot will depend on the vice president’s health status, but either way he will make contigency plans and measures to ensure that the Zimbabwe military remains in charge of the current and future presidency.”

Chiwenga is said to be considering former reserve bank governor, Gideon Gono, as Mnangagwa’s replacement or alternatively other army insiders, such as foreign affairs minister, SB Moyo and his counterpart in cabinet lands and agriculture minister, Air Marshal Perence Shiri.

Other contenders for the highest office in the land include: former defence minister, Sydney Sekeramayi; current defence minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri; former Zanu PF political commissar and local government minister, Saviour Kasukuwere.

In early May, this publication reported that Mnangagwa’s presidency is about to come to a crashing halt, following reports that China had dropped him as their political point man in Zimbabwe. High level officials close to the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) citing a plethora of reasons, said Beijing had reportedly resorted to silently deal directly with the country’s top military brass and leadership instead, while preparing for an aftermath administration in Harare.

Jinping made his first state visit to Zimbabwe in December 2015, making him the most prominent global leader in many years to visit the country.

Chiwenga then visited China shortly before Mugabe’s ouster in November 2017. The trip was initially reported to be a medical check-up that had coincided with a “normal military exchange mutually agreed upon by China and Zimbabwe” and has to this day remained shrouded in mystery.

The VP also met with General Li Zuocheng, a member of China’s Central Military Commission, which is the highest decision-making body for China’s armed forces, together with that country’s former defense minister General Chang Wanquan. Wanquan was succeeded by General Wei Fenghe, who was appointed to head China’s defense ministry in March 2018.

A Zimbabwe online publication recently reported that the Chinese military was concerned about Chiwenga’s alleged alcohol and drug abuse. The newspaper said it was in possession of an exclusive cable by an American diplomat in Harare revealing that some staffers at the American Embassy met with Chinese Embassy staffers and discussed the nature of Chiwenga.

Military intelligence sources say despite his personal issues, Chiwenga has nonetheless received Jinping’s endorsement, and was focusing on mastering statecraft, from a military doctrine perspective.

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