Farai Dziva|Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers were forced to run for dear life after being bashed by illegal foreign currency dealers in Chinhoyi.
The ZRP’s Criminal Investigations Department (CID) were brutally assaulted as they tried to confiscate money from the illegal foreign currency dealers.
“The officers got more than they bargained for after they were thoroughly bashed for attempting to seize money from foreign currency dealers,”sources in Chinhoyi said.
By Own Correspondent- The first group of Chinese tourists under the Touch Road Project arrived in the country recently, for a four day tour of Zimbabwe.
This follows the successful signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between Zimbabwe and China recently.
The delegates, the first batch of the expected 10 000 tourists set to visit Zimbabwe under the “Touch Road project” arrived aboard a chartered Air Ethiopian Airways and were received at the Robert Mugabe International Airport by Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira and other senior government officials.
In her welcoming remarks, Mupfumira said the arrival of the delegation is the beginning of the implementation of the agreed areas of cooperation between Zimbabwe and its all weather friend, China.
She said:
“We are happy to note that our cooperation with China Touch Road International Group has contributed to the growth of tourists arrivals in Zimbabwe. There will definitely be a marked increase as we want to draw all our Chinese visits to Zimbabwe to a meaningful number.”
Before coming to Zimbabwe the group went through Djibouti and Tanzania as part of their 10-Day African journey.
Mupfumira also revealed that the grand group will tour the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Great Zimbabwe, the National Monument and the majestic Victoria Falls.
She added:
“Our delegates will get a chance to experience our wonderful people, our culture, our heritage and our rich history. They will also see Zimbabwe’s pristine wildlife and nature, the mythical Kariba Dam, the mighty Zambezi and not forgetting the mountainous areas of the Eastern Highlands.
This visit will not be a once off visit from such groups since we are expecting more Chinese groups to come to Zimbabwe. Through this initiative, we are expecting about 10 000 Chinese tourists.
Our country has not been performing well as a tourism destination for the Chinese market since the closure of the Zimbabwe Tourist Office in Beijing and the withdrawal of Air Zimbabwe flights in September 2011. These negative market developments saw tourists’ arrivals from China declining from 30 549 arrivals in 2011 to 11 439 in 2018.”
The Tour Africa- The New Horizon Tourism Project has been identified as one of the opportunities meant to open the Chinese market to destination Zimbabwe considering that tourism is one of the key pillars of economic revival in Zimbabwe.
Farai Dziva |Zimbabweans strongly feel Emmerson Mnangagwa is feigning concern about Dumiso Dabengwa’s death.
See below comments on Mnangagwa’s statement about Dabengwa’s death:
Sijabulisiwe Masilela: He is so good when it comes to condolences. Thus what he knows best.
Tafadzwa Makuwarara:
Dabengwa was a better man than him,that’s why he insulted him,but at the end of the day respect to Cde Dabengwa .MHDSRIP.Tazz Dee Siba:May Dabengwa’s soul rest in peace.
Lovemore Gowe:It’s natural, those are crocodile tears.Portia Mar: Anofarira zvitunha quote by R.G Mugabe.
Wayne Mrengwe:President ED is a mature leader who knows how to forgive and forget, thank you President.
Flabba Flabba: crocodile tears.Poisson Muchetura: That’s politics isu tinopinda papiko.
Farai Dziva|Several Zimbabweans have said the Marondera woman who was arrested after being found in possession of mbanje should not be prosecuted as she was only trying to fend for her family.
The woman was arrested after being found in possession of 52 kilograms of mbanje.
Sandra Rusenza said: Don’t blame her, the situation is bad ari kuedza kurarama. Better pane kuba.
Cathew Manyani commented:It’s very unfortunate. She needs a good lawyer. I don’t believe the weed is hers. She could have been used by someone. If she doesn’t get legal representation she will definitely go to jail.
Prosper Chibvura:Please this is not fair. A woman of her calibre should be cautioned and given another chance and supported with a legal project so that she continues to do the best for her family. Haana kuba haana kuuraya haana kumukira hurumende haana kuita chitadzo kunaMwari. REGERERAYI VAKADAYI VANOITIRA ZVINHU FOR A REAL CAUSE!!!
Shepherd Mukuta:God bless her she is doing this for her living.
Pana Pana:Hupenyu hwakaoma arikutsvagawo yefood neyevana yexul fees ….may God bless her family.
CIO agents harassing ARTUZ officials ahead of 3 June job action.
Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe, ARTUZ has recorded twelve cases of members of the dreaded Central Intelligence Organisation, CIO, interrogating and harassing our members ahead of the 3rd of June job action.
Mashonaland West and Matebeleland South recorded eight cases between themselves, Midlands one, Mash Central two and Mashonaland East one.
The spy agents are targeting schools where our provincial and district leaders are resident. They proceed to invite our leaders for questioning which lasts for up to four hours. The questions asked include how we are mobilizing, who is sponsoring and list of our members in each district. The interrogation is concluded with death threats if the person participates in the coming job action.
Our schools are no longer safe for ARTUZ members. They are living in fear of a State which is supposed to protect them.
ARTUZ hereby;
Reiterates the call for safe schools wherein people with no business with the schooling ecosystem should be banned from schools;
Notes the paranoia that has gripped our government which is failing to resolve the economic crisis engulfing our nation;
Reminds the government of Zimbabwe that workers have a right to engage in job actions as guaranteed in section 65 of Zimbabwe’s constitution;
Announces the inevitability of 3rd of June 2019 job action if our demand for US dollar salaries is not met by then;
Pronounces our legal intention to sue the state for the gross human rights violations it is perpetrating against our membership
MPs have pleaded with gvnt to create separate fuel stations for them saying they cannot jump the "Angry" fuel queues. Should Gvnt create separate fuel stations for MPs?
— ZimEye (@ZimEye) May 24, 2019
By Own Correspondent- A Mabvazuva Primary School headmaster who violated tenets of good corporate governance by single handedly picking a company to supply an assortment of ICT equipment, instead of going to tender, was last Thursday convicted of criminal abuse of office and jailed for three years.
Benson Matare, (59), was posted to the school by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education three years ago following his demotion from the position of Makoni district deputy schools inspector due to a number of alleged scandals.
He was found guilty of violating tender procedures and his incarceration has send jitters in the education sector in the district.
He will, however, serve an effective two years behind bars after the magistrate Mr Shane Kubonera suspended one year of the initial sentence on condition that he does not commit a similar offence and good behaviour.
Matare, who was represented by an unnamed Harare-based lawyer, had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
He has since instructed his lawyer to lodge an appeal against both conviction and sentence at the High Court.
Matare was convicted after a full trial which saw incriminating evidence being adduced from his subordinates and officials from the parent ministry.
Matare awarded a contract worth $42 837, 00 to Lifemark Computers Pvt without following proper tender procedures.
Prosecutor Mr Gift Mtigwa told the court that Matare was supposed to source for three competitive quotations from different suppliers.
He instead hand-picked Lifemark Computers Pvt.
In so doing he usurped the powers of the sub-procurement of the School Development Committee (SDC) which is mandated at law to preside over the supplier selection process and compile a comparative schedule justifying its decision.
“Sometime in October 2017, the parents with students enrolled at Mabvazuva Primary school resolved to acquire computer laboratory equipment comprising of 40 modern computers and nine interactive smart boards affixed with projectors.
“Matare, as the headmaster had the mandate to spearhead the process of acquiring the said computer laboratory equipment. Instead of advertising for at least three competitive quotations from different suppliers for the supply of the equipment, since the purchases were above the $10 000 stipulated at law, Matare hand-picked and entered into a contract with Lifemark Computers Pvt to supply the equipment at a cost of $42 837, 00.
“This was contrary or inconsistent with accused’s duties as a public officer. The offence came to light sometime in April 2018 when numerous complaints of misappropriation of funds at the school were received by the Makoni district schools inspector Nathaniel Machini,” said Mr Mtigwa.-StateMedia
By Own Correspondent- The Zanu-PF Youth League executive will address inter-district meetings in all provinces beginning with Mashonaland Central, in a bid to lure young people to participate in national development, an official has said.
The meetings, will run till June 8 and will also see the launch of the “10-hectare project”, an initiative that will see party youth create employment in farming and retail.
In an interview, Zanu-PF secretary for Youth Pupurai Togarepi (55) said the national leadership was also going to appraise members on prevailing economic developments.
“We are starting in Mash Central and the leadership is going to meet the membership to explain the vision of President Mnangagwa and activities they can engage in to participate in the economic development of the country.
“We will also explain the prevailing economic challenges and talk about the youth about their issues,” Togarepi said.-StateMedia
The day we lost the best son of the soil. This is one of the grieved day for Mthwakazi nation and Africa as a whole.
We remember you Dr Dumuso Dabengwa, the Zipra intelligence supremo. The worthy and courageous Black Russian. The militant of the great revolution. The one who gave his life for the freedom of our people.
Crushing down imperialism and colonialism was the duty you assigned yourself to. You were prepared to pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of the armed struggle against white colonial regime. You chose duty and the struggle against blind submission. Your magnificence a hundred times will be exalted, and glorified will be your unique contribution in liberating Zimbabwe.
Incarcerated alongside with the late military general Lookout Khalisabantu Vumindaba Masuku on trumped-up charges of treason by Mugabe, Mnangagwa and cronies. The Zimbabwe regime master planned this conspiracy to make the Mthwakazi nation talentless and crippled, by killing her people in most heinous way possible through Gukurahundi. For love of country you accepted pain, torture and isolation. Those who attempted to humiliate you only succeeded in glorifying you. Your enemies shall forever harvest shame.
Your name is scribed in the story of Africa’s quest for freedom. Indeed, time can neither soil your work nor tarnish your great and proud image. Your courage, resilience and determination shall forever be our inspiring guidance in the struggle to liberate Mthwakazi nation. Your spirit of heroism shall forever strengthen our souls so that the weakening instinct of self-preservation, which may besets us in our struggle, shall not blind us of our duty to set Mthwakazi free.
Oh! Beloved son of our People. You will never be forgotten. Lala ngokuthula qhawe lama qhawe!
We Carry On!
Vuka Mthwakazi Sizwe
The Supreme Court appeal by MDC leader Nelson Chamisa against a High Court ruling which nullified his presidency has left his rivals confused. The application was made on the eve of the MDC elective congress which opens today in Gweru.
According to Tonderai Bhatasara, a Harare lawyer, the appeal suspends the judgment of the lower court.
Speaking to the Daily News, Bhatasara said:If you note an appeal, it suspends the judgment of the lower court. In this case, the noting of an appeal by the appellants will have the effect of suspending the judgment by Justice Mushore.
He added that implementing the High court ruling was not a walk in the park. Bhatasara added:
The problem in this case, however, is that the judgment itself is difficult to enforce. It ordered the conducting of an extraordinary congress after 30 days; I don’t think the 30 days have elapsed.
So the applicants in the Supreme Court appeal are not yet in contempt. The order has got so many terms but the most critical one is the holding of an extraordinary congress, which is not yet ripe.
The remarks by Bhatasara are preceded by a High court ruling yesterday afternoon which dismissed an application by Maureen Tavengwa which sought to bar Chamisa’s party from conducting the elective congress.Daily News
By Own Correspondent- The Presidential Advisory Council (PAC) yesterday made recommendations to President Mnangagwa and Cabinet ministers on how to fight corruption, in a development expected to add impetus to Government’s commitment to combat the vice.
President Mnangagwa and several Cabinet ministers held a three-hour meeting in which the PAC tabled a comprehensive report of recommendations on how to turn around the economy with measures to fight corruption taking centre stage.
In an interview after the meeting, PAC acting coordinator Mr Edwin Manikai said: “We presented our PAC fourth advisory note to His Excellency the President and he invited some of his Government ministers and officials. The fight against corruption was top on the agenda and we made some recommendations on how we believe we can improve and accelerate the fight against corruption,” said Mr Manikai.
He said President Mnangagwa accepted most of their recommendations as his Government had already been contemplating implementing some of them.
“The President agreed with us. I cannot tell you the exact nature of the input we made but we had two resolutions to support the fight against corruption which we believe are not only positive for the fight in order to improve the business environment but tried and tested in other jurisdictions. So we are not going into uncharted territories, we have examples. In fact, one of the things we recommended we have done it in this country successfully before,” said Mr Manikai.
“The President was actually supportive and he said it was not new, it was something that his Government was contemplating and our endorsement confirms that it is the right direction. So we hope to see virtually immediate traction and velocity in the fight against corruption. We have proposed to fortify the capacity to do the job, we have also proposed to utilise local but experienced qualified people to assist the Government.”
On the economy, Mr Manikai said the PAC had long advised that Government liberalise the foreign exchange and fuel markets, which he said Government had embraced recently.-StateMedia
By Own Correspondent- ZBC TV soapie Wenera boss Edmore Ndlovu is reportedly neglecting his workers’ welfare amid indications that actors and actresses have gone for months without salaries.
The revelations comes after one of the actors well known as Mohammed Asalif real name Lloyd Boora reportedly left the production company in search for greener pastures. Asalif has since joined a Rhumba band which he is now managing.
Commenting on a Facebook post in which Edmore Ndlovu was looking for funding for Wenera, one Kate Muchena who is believed to be a former actress at the production wrote that Edmore was untrustworthy and diverting the money which he was supposed to give actors for his own benefit.
Muchena said:
“The guy itsotsi uyo meaning this guy is a crook. Haabhadhare meaning he does not pay and treats cast like slaves. Nxa!”
An inside source exclusively confirmed to Zimeye that Ndlovu diverts funds for his personal use and never pays actors.
The source also revealed that he only cares for Zolile Makheleni who plays the role of Tsotsi, Arnold Gara who plays the role of T One and Tinashe Pundo who plays the role of Gugu in the soapie.
Other actresses and actors who left the soapie over the same issue include Maneta, Jerry Kujeke, and Joseph Magigani.
In 2017, Jerry Kujeke once told a local publication that Ndlovu had failed to pay him leading him to approach legal action.
However, Ndlovu in a telephone interview with Zimeye denied the allegations and said that he pays his actors and for four years that the soapie has been in existence he has been consistent with paying them.
He also denied knowing some of the actresses who raised the claims although they have appeared in some of the seasons of the soapie.
“Kana muchiti havasi kutambira munoti vari kurarama sei makore ese iyaya meaning if you are saying that they are not being paid, how do you think that they are surviving all these years,” said Ndlovu.
Besides being accused of not paying Wenera actors and actresses, Ndlovu has also been accused of nepotism with sources alleging that he gave himself and his children acting roles in the soapie which is popular on ZBC TV.
By Own Correspondent- A commercial farmer from Chipinge, who shot and injured his security guard while shooting dogs that had strayed into his cattle pens, was last week convicted of the crime.
Joubert Francois Johannes, (36), of Lushon Farm appeared before senior Chipinge magistrate Mr Joshua Nembaware last Thursday facing charges of negligently causing serious bodily harm.
In convicting him, Mr Nembaware noted, among other things, that Joubert acted unreasonably.
“He did not exercise proper care and he was not even remorseful after the shooting. He blamed the complainant for his negligence,” said Mr Nembaware.
In mitigation, through his lawyer Mr Langton Mhungu, of Kwirira and Associates, the farmer pleaded for a non-custodial sentence saying he was a first offender and that he had no intention to injure the complainant.
However, in aggravation, the State pressed for a deterrent sentence.
The court then adjourned in terms of Section 54(2) of the Magistrates Courts Act to seek for increased sentencing jurisdiction from the Prosecutor General.
The matter was remanded to June 11 for sentencing.
Prosecutor Mr Gift Bikita said on October 5 last year at around 6am, the suspect and his employee Francis Makuyana (63) were at the shed at the accused’s house.
Johannes then saw some stray dogs which had entered into his cattle pens. He went into his house and armed himself with a shot gun.
The complainant then went to the guardroom where he intended to prepare his meal.
Johannes then fired two shots hitting one of the dogs which died instantly, but the other shotgun pellet strayed and hit the complainant in the stomach.-ManicaPost
By Own Correspondent- A young Mutare businessman has been arrested in connection with a fuel scam in which he is alleged to have siphoned 18 000 litres of diesel from a Zuva service station in the middle of the night, prejudicing hundreds of motorists who were queuing to procure the same.
The scandal, one of which the newly-appointed Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi vowed to end, also involves fuel attendants at the Blue Star filling station located near the Green Market in Sakubva.
Nolan Simbarashe Manyuchi (32) and his truck driver Liberty Mukuto (26) will today (Friday) appear before a Mutare magistrate on theft charges.
They were arrested on Wednesday and have spent two nights in holding cells at Mutare Central Police Station.
Deputy Manicaland police spokesman, Assistant Inspector Luxon Chananda, said the crime was committed on May 17.
Circumstances to the case are that Officer Commanding Mutare District Police, Chief Superintendent Florence Marume, received a tip off that the suspects were going to execute their plan at night in the cover of darkness.
At around 12 midnight, Chief Sup Marume set up an ambush with a team of cops and raided the suspects who were in the middle of pumping 18 000 litres of diesel into their tanker.
During the raid, the driver of the truck bolted from the scene. He was arrested three days later together with Manyuchi.
The fuel tanker was subsequently impounded by the police. The truck which is currently parked at Mutare Central Police Station will be used in court as exhibit.
Cops handling the case revealed that the owner of the service station was not aware of the midnight transaction.
They said hundreds of motorists who were queuing for fuel in the afternoon were advised that the product had run out but more than 18 000 litres of diesel were in the underground tanks set aside for the midnight scam.
On Wednesday, after he was sworn in at State House, Minister Chasi vowed to end fuel hoarding and other corrupt practices.
He said he will empower the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority to tightly monitor activities and restore order in the energy sector.
Minister Chasi said acts of misconduct by some fuel attendants who sell thousands of litres to individual customers prejudicing other queuing motorists must end.-ManicaPost
On behalf of all members of Mthwakazi Liberation Movement (MLF) and the whole Mthwakazi at large, we learnt with great shock that His Excellency Honourable DD has passed on.
Our sincere condolences go to the family of our dear hero and to ZAPU. He passed on at a very bad time after having revealed that ZANU pf abjectly refused to shelter UMkhonto Wesizwe after Zimbabwe’s independence and worked with the Apartheid regime and their joint plan (ZANU pf and Apartheid SA) resulted in the Gukurahundi GENOCIDE and the delay of South Africa’s independence by at least 10 years.
Because of such revelations, we knew that ZANU would do all it could to silence him from telling more but we never thought it would be so soon and we wonder when will ZANU stop murdering Mthwakazi people. Recently, it was Misheck Velaphi Ncube, and barely two weeks after, it is Dabengwa. How on earth would death strike on Ex Zipra camp only and leaving out the Ex Zanlas?
It is high time ZANU realises that we have eyes, we can see and we will not sit back anymore while our human history books are being taken away from us just like that.
It is painful that the likes of Dumiso Dabengwa, Mishack Ncube etc, you passes on before seeing the Mthwakazi Independence, but may we make it a promise to them all that we will in whatever cost, deliver Mthwakazi from Zimbabwe colonialisation.
Rest in peace
Qhawe lama qhawe! Mrashy’omnyama!Imbabal’eyal’ukudl’amath’eZanu Yakheth’ukubuyel’emanxiweni.
Lala kahle sohlala sikukhumbula!
CALL FOR PITCHES FOR IGNITE TALKS
The Zimbabwe Center for Media & Information Literacy in partnership with the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) Journalism and Media Studies Department, is pleased to invite pitch proposals from students for ignite talks to be presented during the second edition of the Zim New Media Summit.
The Summit will take place from 18 -19 July 2019 at NUST under the theme “New Media and Democracy: Beyond Fake News, Disinformation and Misinformation”.
The Summit will be delivered through panel discussions, paper presentations, parallel workshops and ignite talks.
Proposals for ignite talk pitches must generally fall within one of the following sub-themes drawn from the main Summit theme:
(1) Fake News and Democracy
(2) Fake News and Local Journalism
(3) Fake News and Social Media Legislation
(4) Fake News and Business
Only four successful pitches will be selected for presentation during the Summit.
This call is strictly for students from local tertiary institutions. Students from NUST, Lupane State University, Bulawayo Polytechnic, Zimbabwe Open University (Bulawayo) and Catholic University (Bulawayo) are encouraged to apply.
The deadline for submission is 7 June 2019 at 12 midnight. Successful applicants will be notified of the Summit logistics by 12 June 2019 and will be allocated a mentor who will assist them with their topic.
Follow this link to apply: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSedh8ojmciQItrCCuFCoXA6N4zSmhSqrcftC88rcCmWOg7kxQ/viewform?usp=pp_url
Most currencies have snappy names, like yen, won, kip or lek. Some have unfortunate ones: dong or colón. Few have names as cumbersome as Zimbabwe’s Real-Time Gross-Settlement Dollars, also known as rtgs-dollars or “zollars”.
Hard to say, the new currency is also hard to price. Last week it lost about 20% of its value against the American dollar, according to Market Watch, which tracks the currency’s movements on the black market. This week it zagged, then zigged again (see chart). “You have to follow Zimbabwe hour by hour,” says an economist in Harare.
Zimbabwe’s previous homegrown currency was destroyed by the hyperinflation of 2007-08, forcing the country to adopt the American dollar (and other foreign currencies) instead. That worked well until 2015. But in the final years under Robert Mugabe, the longstanding dictator ousted in November 2017, the government could not muster enough genuine dollars to meet its spending ambitions. Instead it paid people with money of its own creation, transferred electronically into their dollar bank accounts. These “zollars”, it claimed, were identical to a dollar. But if depositors withdrew them from the bank they received not greenbacks, but “bond notes”: paper currency issued by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, the country’s central bank.
Last October the new government, led by Emmerson Mnangagwa, admitted that zollars and dollars were not the same, allowing depositors to keep them in separate accounts. By mid-December the banking system had almost 9.7bn in zollar deposits and only $660m in dollars. But the government insisted that a zollar could fetch $1.
If only. In reality, the central bank sold only small amounts of the American currency at the official one-to-one exchange rate, reserving a portion for grain and fuel imports, another for essential inputs to production and the remainder for favoured insiders. Dollars could be bought for higher prices on the black market. But that was not an option for many listed companies and foreign multinationals, which were wary of breaking the rules. They struggled to find hard currency. Delta Corporation, a beverage firm that bottles Coca-Cola, had to stop making fizzy drinks for months.
With the economy going flat, the government finally dropped the pretence of parity, devaluing the official exchange rate by 60% in February. But this forced move was not accompanied by a plan to build the new currency’s credibility. It was a “kick-and-rush strategy”, says one observer. Like an English football team in the 1980s, the government hoofed the currency upfield, with no guarantee of regaining control.
Three months later the gap between the official and unofficial exchange rates has only widened. The finance ministry can boast a narrower budget deficit, thanks partly to higher fuel duties and a 2% tax on financial transactions. The central bank is also apparently planning to limit the growth of the money supply, narrowly defined, to 8-10% this year. And the government has asked the imf to monitor its progress, even though it will remain ineligible for any imf money until it has settled more than $5.6bn of arrears to other official creditors, including the World Bank.
None of this, however, has brought the new currency under the government’s spell. In March the economy suffered from Cyclone Idai, which displaced 16,000 households and damaged crops that were already suffering from severe drought. The water shortage has also parched the country’s hydroelectric dams, contributing to widespread power cuts. Last week the state electricity utility said it cannot import more electricity from South Africa and Mozambique until it has settled its $80m debts to their producers. Its search for dollars may have contributed to the latest sharp turn in the exchange rate.
Over the weekend the Reserve Bank said it would step in, selling some of the $500m it has reportedly borrowed from the African Export-Import Bank, a multilateral lender based in Cairo. And on May 21st it did so. But this support for the local currency was overwhelmed by another revelation. The central bank said Zimbabwe’s petrol companies would no longer receive dollars at highly favourable rates, leaving them unsure if they could cover their costs. The confusion has prompted long queues at petrol stations, a further loss of confidence and another dash for dollars.
The new currency is becoming less widely used as well as cheaper. Shops and even schools are increasingly demanding dollars in payment, or setting zollar prices forbiddingly high. Inflation surpassed 75% in the year to April. If the government cannot restore faith in its own currency, the country may once again adopt America’s instead.
That should restore price stability: Zimbabwe’s inflation averaged less than Japan’s from 2012 to 2016. But it would also obliterate many households’ zollar savings, create a shortage of small bills and coins, and limit the room for macroeconomic manoeuvre. The dollar has a simple name. But redollarisation could be as ugly as it sounds.TheEconomist
By Own Correspondent- A prison officer at Chikurubhi Maximum Security Priso was assisted by a group of faithful inmates in chasing after and apprehending two inmates who had escaped during their daily chores.
Reports suggest that the officer and a group of prisoners who were walking along Mutoko Road saw two escaping prisoners John Penzura and Peter Enock Muzanenhamo. The officer and the group of inmates followed enmasse and apprehended pair.
Harare magistrate, Mr Edwin Marecha sentenced the escapees to 12 months in prison, but, suspended 3 months on condition that they do not commit similar offences within five years. Penzura was already serving a four-year jail term for indecent assault, while Muzanenhamo was serving five years for robbery.
It is alleged that the duo had been assigned to work at the prison farm but hatched a plan to escape. They disguised themselves in other clothes and ran away and were only spotted along Mutoko Road where they were apprehended.-StateMedia
By Own Correspondent- Members of Parliament here have implored government to allocate them separate service stations alleging that they cannot be seen to be jumping the prevailing long winding queues because “the anger on the ground is unhealthy.”
The legislators who are also demanding a salary hike, claim that their earnings have been eroded by galloping inflation.
MPs reportedly earn a basic salary of about $2 000 per month. Their seating allowances fall between $800 and $1 000 monthly.
Responding to Norton MP Temba Mliswa (Independent) who had raised the issue of legislators’ remuneration, Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda said:
The first (grievance) one under welfare, I think it goes without saying that you have a valid point and we should be able to deliberate on that issue tomorrow (yesterday). It is on the agenda of the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders (CSRO).
Mliswa also called on Parliament to allocate MPs their own service station so that they will not have to spend time in fuel queues jostling with “angry” citizens.
He said:
I think the fuel situation requires probably a specific service station to be allocated to members of Parliament because what is happening is totally impossible.
We get fuel coupons but we have no access to the fuel. The queues which are there, for us to be seen having to jump the queues again creates a lot of problems because the anger which is on the ground is not healthy.
The MPs argued that their conditions of service should be upgraded to the level of that of the other State organs, that is, the Executive and Judiciary.-DailyNews
By Wilbert Mukori| Last week RBZ Governor, Dr John Mangudya, and Finance Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, were thrilled to announce that the country secured a $500 million loan. The loan would end the shortages of fuel, wheat, medicine and foreign currency that had plagued the nation, they said.
For a nation who import bill has ballooned into hundreds of millions of dollars as its own local industry collapsed so we imported even more whilst earning less from exports; the loan will easy the shortages but only for a month or two at most. This is voodoo economics at its worst; we borrowing money to spend it on recurrent expenditure with no or little hope of generating wealth. How are we going to repay the debt?
Worse still, tomorrow, when the present loan is spent, we will face an even tougher challenge of raising enough to pay for the recurrent expenditure and repay the loan.
Governor Mangudya and Minister Ncube were thrilled with the $500 million loan but many Zimbabweans out there were not; Zanu PF is dragging the nation into a debt trap. When you are in a hole, stop digging! Many people wanted to know were the loan was coming from. Bloomberg has uncovered the source of the loan.
“The Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) stepped in to provide collateral for the African Export-Import Bank’s $500 million loan advanced to Zimbabwe recently,” reported Bulawayo 24.
“Bloomberg has reported that the loan, which will be paid over four years when production starts, is backed by a mine that Great Dyke Investments, a venture between Russian investors and the Zimbabwean military, plans to build at a cost of $4 billion.
“Bloomberg reports that the structure of the deal was decided earlier this month at a meeting attended by officials from Zimbabwe’s treasury, central bank, mines ministry, Afreximbank, and Great Dyke Investments chairwoman, Hespinah Rukato, the people said. The mine could produce about 800,000 ounces of platinum group metals a year if built.”
ZNA, s***t! It does not get worse than this!
It was Tendai Biti, when he was Minister of Finance during the GNU, who first flagged the existence of a shadowy informal body, the Joint Operation Command (JOC), a Mafia type junta, comprising the top brass in the Army, Police, CIO and Prison Services headed by Robert Mugabe, Emmerson Mnangagwa and a handful of other select Zanu PF officials operating alongside the formal government.
Central government bankrolled JOC activities and its members extravagant lifestyles notable Robert Mugabe and his family whose globetrotting have broken all world records. And yet JOC has secured even more funds from other clandestine sources such as black-market trade in foreign currency and looting.
The top brass in ZNA, Police, CIO, Prison Services and other JOC members were all granted mining concessions in Marange and Chiadzwa diamond fields. The late Edward Chindori Chininga, himself a former Zanu PF Minister of Mines, revealed the true nature of these concession in a parliamentary report in 2012 of which he was chairman. The concessions allowed the mining to take place with no records of quality or quality of diamonds, where the diamonds were sold and for how much, etc., etc. And so it was impossible to know how much was earned, the tax payable and so the concession holders and their partners did not pay any taxes.
In 2016 Mugabe admitted the country had been “swindled” out of US$15 billion in diamond revenue. A Canadian NGO specialising in diamonds estimated that Mugabe earned US$2 billion from diamonds in 2012 alone. Mugabe never arrested even one diamond swindler or recover one dollar. How could he when he is one of the swindlers himself.
When Emmerson Mnangagwa took over from Mugabe following the November 2017 military coup, he promised to end corruption. A year and half down the line, he too has failed to arrest even one diamond swindler or recover one dollar. A few weeks ago he finally admitted his failure. “Corruption is deep rooted!” he confessed.
How can he uproot corruption when he and his fellow JOC Mafia junta who helped him stage the November 2017 coup are corrupt themselves and are godfathers corruption?
The confirmation that the ZNA and the other JOC operatives are extending their wholesale looting mining concessions from diamonds to platinum, lithium and many other resources and activities is most disconcerting.
Of course, the top brass in the ZNA, Police, CIO and the rest of the JOC junta members KNOW they have no business holding mining concession in Marange, Great Dykes or anywhere else in the country. If anyone of them wanted to be a miner, they must resign the position in the Army, Police, Government or whatever. They will then be issued a mining licence subject to the same rules and conditions as everyone else. This is exactly what they do not want and hence the reason they have propped up this Zanu PF dictatorship and will resist any democratic change.
Zanu PF is illegitimate and as long as the country remains a pariah state ruled by corrupt and vote rigging thugs the country’s economic meltdown will only get worse. The $500m loan will buy temporary respite from the shortages but at the price of even worse hardship ahead. The use of this new loot-all-you-want platinum concession to secure the loan is proof the Zanu PF junta would rather sell this nation to the devil himself than give up power. – SOURCE: zsdemocrats.blogspot.com
By Own Correspondent- A minister’s son has taken a successful Chipinge farmer to court to force him off a farm.
Manicaland minister, Ellen Gwarazimba’s son, Remembrance, dragged retired Swiss banker, Richard Le Vieux, who has established a reputable business of exporting coffee, avocados and macadamia nuts for the past 30 years,to court for failing to vacate part of FarFell Coffee Estate.
In a warned and cautioned statement recorded by one Assistant Inspector Makovere at Chipinge Rural Police Station, Mbudzana (40) believes that the white commercial farmer was unlawfully occupying the land.
“I know the accused person, namely Richard Le Vieux as a director of Farfell Coffee Estate referred as the first accused person. On January 10 2019, I successfully applied for A2 model resettlement and I was allocated land by the acquiring authority at Lot 1 of Farfell Coffe Estate, Chipinge, measuring 229,400 hectares through an offer letter,” the letter read.
“I immediately approached the officers of the provincial land who took me to the said land. I was shown the boundaries of the farm physically against a respective map which I also now see before the court as an exhibit.”
He said Vieux refused to vacate the land on January 17.
Le Vieux pleaded not guilty to contravening section 3(2) ()a) as read with section (3)(3) of the Gazetted Land (Consequential Provisions) Act (occupying gazetted land without lawful authority) when he appeared before Chipinge magistrate, Farai Gwitima.
He was remanded out of custody to May 29 for the continuation of trial.
The former Finance Minister and current VP aspirant at the upcoming MDC party congress, Tendai Biti has poured out his views on the ongoing ZANU PF leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa’s dialogue calls.
Speaking to the German broadcaster, Deutsche Welle, Biti said he fears an implosion in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabweans are being hit by skyrocketing fuel prices as well as rolling power cuts as the country’s economic woes deepen. In an exclusive interview with DW, the opposition politician and former finance minister Tendai Biti called for a national dialogue in Zimbabwe under the auspices of a regional or international confederation of states. He gave a scathing assessment of the performance of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was elected after the ouster of Robert Mugabe in November 2017.
DW: Mr. Biti, how would you describe the current situation in Zimbabwe?
Tendai Biti: I think it’s an absolute mess, an absolute dog’s breakfast – CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW
Jane Mlambo| Leading poll watchdog, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has heightened calls for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to rope in opposition leader Nelson Chamisa in the national dialogue if the country is to entertain hopes of proffering lasting solutions to the current economic challenges facing the country.
In a statement yesterday, ZESN also called for the inclusion of parties which participated in the July 2018 harmonised elections as well as other electoral stakeholders including civil society, churches, the media, women and persons with disabilities.
“The network also notes that some political parties which participated in the harmonised elections are not participating in the political dialogue raising issues around the legitimacy of the dialogue, which issues, in our view, merit consideration by the conveners of the dialogue, so that no political player is left out.
“ZESN reiterates its position that the dialogue must be inclusive of all electoral stakeholders namely civic society organisations, churches, the media, women, persons with disability, and youths among others,” said ZESN.
The elections lobby group urged government to make use of the Mothlante Commission recommendations that there be a multi-party reconciliation initiative with national and international mediation to address post election problems that continue to haunt Zimbabwe.
“The Motlanthe Commission into the 1 August shootings recommended the establishment of a multi-party reconciliation initiative, including youth representatives, with national and international mediation to address the root causes of the post-election violence.”
Though ZESN acknowledged the establishment of an inter-ministerial task-force to address recommendations and issues raised by the various election observer missions as well as the Motlanthe Commission, it raised concern that government was reluctant on implementing the recommendations.
ZESN recommended that the national dialogue results in an Electoral and Political Reforms Taskforce or a Working Group comprising of Parliament, institutions supporting democracy, political parties, CSOs and faith based organisations and other key stakeholders to closely monitor the timeous implementation of recommendations proffered by local, regional, and international election observers ahead of the 2023 elections.
The British Prime Minister Theresa May has announced she is resigning. Speaking on Friday morning, Mrs May said she will leave by the 7th June 2019.
An extremely tearful May, spoke out her last words before whisking herself away from the cameras.
“I will shortly leave the job that has been honour of my life,” she said. WATCH THE LIVE FOOTAGE BELOW –
By Own Correspondent- A survey done by the state media shows that commuter buses price hikes is now causing people to go to work late because they will be waiting for cheap ZUPCO buses.
Pressure on ZUPCO buses is now increasing because commuter buses are increasing prices every day.
In an interview commuters said it was better to be late for work than to use commuter buses, they are too expensive.
“We chose to wait for buses because they are affordable, we will not use commuter buses whilst cheap buses are there.”
“We wait for the ZUPCO buses even if we late for work, we cannot afford to pay $5 to go to town every day,” she said.
Shopkeepers said are willing to open shops late because they cannot afford to use commuter buses every day.
“I work in a shop so we will open the shop anytime I get there because if I use commuter buses I will starve my children at home,” he said.-H Metro
As Emmerson Mnangagwa’s deputy Constantino Chiwenga appears to continue on his several health falls and ascents, Spotlight Zimbabwe alleges that there is an ongoing plot to remove Mnangagwa in a coup. Below is the full text –
Itai Mushekwe/Mary-Kate Kahari
COLOGNE/HARARE– Combative Vice President, Rtd General Constantino Chiwenga, and a hardline military faction backing his political doctrine and ambitions, are reportedly on the verge of booting President Emmerson Mnangagwa out of office at any moment now, through another subtle military intervention, allegedly called ‘Operation Restore Economy’, Spotlight Zimbabwe, can exclusively reveal.
The revelations by well placed military intelligence sources and long-time serving former cabinet ministers, come at a time when the country’s economy is descending into near collapse, with the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority this week, hiking the pump price of diesel and petrol to ZWL$4,89 and ZWL$4,97, respectively. The annual inflation rate in Harare has also soared to 75.86% in April 2019, up from 66.8% in March.
Mnangagwa is said to have been warned by the army in October 2018, to urgently put the country’s economic house in order, as they feared a possible popular uprising over his administration’s new extortionate taxes, uncontrollable price escalations, and growing shortages of fuel, but he has failed to find a breakthrough thus far.
Operation Restore Economy, the sources say is reminiscent of the November 2017 Operation Restore Legacy, a military campaign which triggered the demise of former leader Robert Mugabe. The operation started on the 13th of November 2017 and ended on the 18th of December 2017, with Chiwenga and current Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) Commander, General Philip Valerio Sibanda, being the main protagonists and masterminds of the ‘smart coup’ which led to Mugabe’s resignation after 37 years in power.
Spotlight Zimbabwe, reported last week that Mnangagwa is due to tender his resignation as the country’s leader in less than twelve months, to avoid a humiliating exit, after failing to resolve Zimbabwe’s economic crisis and suffering an alleged business fallout with powerful securocrats rooting for Chiwenga, to either take over or name a successor to finish off Mnangagwa’s term.
According to fresh information from the intelligence sources and former ministers, Mnangagwa is keen to save face and resign to avoid humiliation, but a Zanu PF faction supporting his presidency is resisting the move, together with one of his own ministers thought to be “engaging some hostile world powers in secret” to rescue his boss through an emergency economic bailout package, thus the army resorting to launch preparations of the operation, as all indications are that Zimbabwe is unlikely to get any meaningful economic loans, thereby breeding grounds for popular uproar and political instability in the country, if the economy fails to find a new captain altogether.
“The General (Chiwenga) might not be in the best of shape health wise, but an elaborate plan in already on the table to boot Mnangagwa out of power,” one of the sources said in a telephone briefing last night. “What people do not know is that, this army operation code named ‘Restore Economy’ is three- pronged in nature. This means the military has at least three ways and options of making sure that Mnangagwa is gone. The first is a recall by the party, allowing CGNC to replace him in the fashion and manner, the ANC dealt with Jacob Zuma in February 2018; an impeachment parliamentary process over the deteriorating economy; or call for his arraignment in the killing of innocent protesters in August 2018 and early this year.”
Two former cabinet ministers under Mugabe, one of them having worked in a national security related portfolio some years ago said the army operation against Mnangagwa, has been planned and necessitated also by intelligence reports that one of the powerful ministries in government, is now allegedly involved in “quasi presidential activities” through foreign hands signalling a dangerous capture and threat to national security, without giving further detail.
“Our media perhaps chooses to be blind and passive, but there is a complex political power matrix in our government,” the ex- ministers said. “You guys only focus on the so called cartel inside the country, without a clue about the real usurper. Thanks to our central and military intelligence, we are fairly safe. There is a ministry that has been running around world capitals canvassing political support to enable Mnangagwa to finish his term, and potentially stand for re-election, but that is not going to happen. The army is angry with the foreign interference. You will soon find out more about the hidden faces behind all this.”
Spotlight Zimbabwe has also gathered that Chiwenga in now in favour of former reserve bank governor, Gideon Gono, to replace Mnangagwa should his health woes continue to trouble him. However the army is believed to prefer an arrangement where Chiwenga takes over the presidency on a transitional basis until 2023, when fresh presidential and parliamentary elections are due.
Gono was first appointed as governor of the central bank in November 2003 because of his reputation as a turnaround specialist, particularly because of his work at the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe. Chiwenga, who is a friend of Gono might be looking at Gono’s background and credentials as the better candidate to attempt an economic revitalisation, where Mnangagwa has failed.
Other contenders being considered include: former defence minister, Sydney Sekeramayi; current defence minister though remote-Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri; former Zanu PF political commissar and local government minister, Saviour Kasukuwere.
The other emerging dark horses are from within the military camp, and these are foreign affairs minister, Sibusiso Busi Moyo and his counterpart in cabinet lands and agriculture minister, Air Marshal Perence Shiri.
Meanwhile Chiwenga is reportedly back under the knife for the second time in India, where media reports suggest he was airlifted for treatment from the capital late at night on May 18. – Spotlight
The U.S. Justice Department unveiled 17 new criminal charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Thursday, saying he unlawfully published the names of classified sources and conspired with and assisted ex-Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in obtaining access to classified information.
The superseding indictment comes a little more than a month after the Justice Department unsealed a narrower criminal case against Assange.
Assange was initially charged with conspiring with Manning to gain access to a government computer as part of a 2010 leak by WikiLeaks of hundreds of thousands of U.S. military reports about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
He now faces a total of 18 criminal counts, and could face many decades in prison if convicted.
“These unprecedented charges demonstrate the gravity of the threat the criminal prosecution of Julian Assange poses to all journalists in their endeavour to inform the public about actions that have been taken by the U.S. government,” said Barry Pollack, an American attorney for Assange.
The Justice Department said that not only did Assange aid and encourage Manning with the theft of classified materials, but he jeopardized the lives of human sources that included Afghans, Iraqis, journalists, religious leaders, human rights advocates and political dissidents from repressive regimes by publishing their identities.
Law enforcement officials said on Thursday that the State Department had pleaded with Assange not to reveal the identities of such sources, but Wikileaks ignored the warning.
Manning was arrested in May 2010 and convicted by court martial in 2013 of espionage in connection with the 2010 Wikileaks disclosures.
President Barack Obama reduced Manning’s sentence to 7 years from 35 years, but she is now in jail after repeatedly refusing to testify before a grand jury investigating Assange.
Wikileaks describes itself as specializing in the publication of “censored or otherwise restricted official materials involving war, spying and corruption.”
Assange is now fighting extradition to the United States, after Ecuador in April revoked his seven-year asylum in the country’s London embassy. He was arrested that day, April 11, by British police as he left the embassy.
He is now serving a 50-week sentence in a London jail for skipping bail when he fled to the Ecuadorean embassy in 2012.
The decision to charge Assange with espionage crimes is notable, and unusual. Most cases involving the theft of classified information have targeted government employees, like Manning, and not the people who publish the information itself.
In the wake of Assange’s arrest, prosecutors in Sweden re-opened a criminal investigation into allegations that Assange sexually assaulted a woman during a visit to Sweden. At one point, before his arrest in Britain, Swedish prosecutors charged him with assaulting two women.
Swedish authorities recently sent British authorities a fresh request for Assange’s extradition.
The decision regarding which country should have its chance to prosecute him first is now in the hands of Home Secretary Sajid Javid, Britain’s interior security minister.
The Justice Department’s quick turnaround with the filing of a more substantial indictment against Assange is not surprising.
Under extradition rules, the United States had only a 60-day window from the date of Assange’s arrest in London to add more charges. After that, foreign governments do not generally accept superseding charges.-Reuters
Former Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) chief executive officer Frank Chitukutuku, who is under investigation for fraud, has been given a 30-day ultimatum to give an account of how he acquired an array of immovable and movable assets worth over US$20 million.
High Court judge Justice Erica Ndewere ordered a freeze of the assets pending finalisation of the criminal case.
Chitukutuku now has to give a detailed statement to the head of the police’s Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) within a month.
The State claims Chitukutuku may have acquired his property through criminal activities, hence the need to have the same frozen.
The decision was made following an ex-parte application by Prosecutor-General Mr Kumbirai Hodzi for an unexplained wealth and asset freezing order in terms of Section 37B as read with Section 37H of Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) (Amendment of the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act (Chapter 9:24) and Exchange Control Act) Regulations, 2018 (Statutory Instrument 246 of 2018).
Justice Ndewere ruled in favour of the State and barred any interested parties from dealing, in any way, with the property in question.
The order was issued after convincing arguments by the prosecution team led by chief law officer Mr Chris Mutangadura.
Mr Mutangadura heads the asset forfeiture unit at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
Chitukutuku is said to have acquired 10 motor vehicles between September 2013 and April last year.
These vehicles include two Mazda T35 trucks, a Hino Dutro truck, Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota Prado, Nissan NP200, Range Rover, Hino Ranger and a Land Rover Discovery.
Sometime in 2011, Chitukutuku reportedly acquired residential properties namely: Property measuring 4 048 square metres held under Deed of Transfer 3232/11 situated at Lot 1 of Lot 3 of Lot 56A Borrowdale Estate, Harare and another one measuring 8 853 square metres held under Deed of Transfer 3885/11 situated at Lot 3 of Subdivision C of Subdivision B of Subdivision D of Nthaba of Glen Lorne.
The State also claims Chitukutuku built or acquired a multi-million dollar thatched precast-walled house at the top of a mountain at Belmont Farm, Goromonzi, adding he also has six state-of-the-art fowl runs, five tractors, a 10-tonne UD truck, 4 x 200-litre PVC water tanks, as well as several structures at the farm.
Apart from a long list of expensive properties, Chitukutuku is also said to be the owner of two renowned companies, Farm Pride (Private) Limited situated at 49 Kent Road, Chisipite, Harare and an insurance company, Champions Insurance, which boasts of assets estimated at over US$15 million.
According to the State, Chitukutuku acquired the properties at a time he was lawfully earning a combined $8 500 from Zinara as well as his farming activities.
-State Media
By Nhlanhla Moses| It is imperative and inescapable for any objective coach to field the best team for the match regardless of affection or disaffection thereof, for individual players at his or her disposal.
In that regard, the MDC’s 5th Congress delegates, who are pencilled to grace the prestigious Midlands city of Gweru to elect the party’s new leadership from the 24th to the 26th of May 2019, are dutifully expected to choose and field the best possible team of VPs out of the rich array of talent which they are enviably spoilt with.
Like a soccer coach who is spoilt for choice of only three gifted and free-scoring strikers from a pool of great players with technical prowess, the MDC family is spoilt for choice of three VPs from its reservoir of unmatched political talent from the vast pool of eight nominated potential vice presidents.
This rich reservoir of manpower boasts of Professor Welshman Ncube, Eng. Elias Mudzuri, Paulina Mpariwa, Tendai Biti, Morgen Komichi, Lynnette Karenyi Kore, Lilian Timvoes and Tracy Mutinhiri. These are great political players with great leadership qualities of which only three should be selected.
Faced with such a Herculean task of choosing the best marksmen is an elephant in the house for the individual delegates and or their handlers, the grassroots party membership. Fortunately, the foresighted and rather prophetic MDC founding president, Dr Richard Morgan Tsvangirai(MHSRIP) left the caricature template and slate, albeit indirectly.
All those deliberately wise cannot ignore it. Any digression from vaSave’s basic guideline, whether consciously or subconsciously, will be suicidal for the party and the generality of the disenfranchised and downtrodden grassroots Zimbabweans as it would concretize ZANU PF’s dictatorial stranglehold on to power and callously cement the continued suffering of ordinary Zimbabweans.
As the MDC family heavily descends on the Congress venue for its potentially explosive and mouth-watering 5th national Congress in Gweru, the delegates and the generality of party faithfuls should be consciously mindful of the visionary initiatives and sacrifices of the departed but immortal Tsvangirai.
Before his untimely passing on, the ungrudgingly forgiving Tsvangirai miraculously smoked the peace pipe with his MDC founding colleagues, Ncube and Biti, among others, an unprecedented feat in Zimbabwean politics.
The momentous incident is reminiscent of the biblical exploits of a loving father whose unfailing love saw him embrace his previously errant and self-exiled son back home. Ironically, although Zimbabweans are generally known to be allergic to forgiving, the iconic Tsvangirai has led by example and the MDC family should emulate him by fully embracing integration in a balanced manner.
In that vein, any runaway attitude with the leadership inheritance by anyone of Tsvangirai’s political sons or offspring, whether through hook or crook, will see the titanic people’s party go for the dilapidating shipwreck.
President Tsvangirai’s colourful railroad political crossing signage and markings cannot and should not be ignored by any serious advocate of democracy. Therefore, all delegates are expected to unencumberedly vote with a clear conscience as they choose the best three, towing vaSave’s clearly delineated pathway. Allowing themselves to be bought by anyone would be diabolic betrayal of the struggle for democracy.
Tsvangirai’s Template for Integration
Being the unparalleled and indelibly immortal unifier he was, the legendary Tsvangirai coined the reunification and reconfiguration of the MDC into the integrative and broad-based alliance as he selflessly strategized, carved and molded a unique winning formula for the MDC in the 2018 harmonised elections and beyond. Sadly and annoyingly, vaSave could not live to actualize his beautiful and irresistible dream of a free, democratic and prosperous Zimbabwe which, twenty years after the formation of the MDC, still remains a pipedream.
Pursuant to that, deductive logic implies that the candidates, in the form of the striking duo of Professor Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti have been posthumously provided by the immortal and never-dying, Tsvangirai philosophy. What remains, as the current context dictates, is the expert identification of a plausible and befitting female candidate and crafty political player to cap the wonderful and free-scoring VP triangle which will see the rejuvenated MDC scoop an unassailable runaway victory in the anticipated 2023 plebiscite. Naturally, the befitting name of Amai Lynnette Karenyi Kore comes into the fray!
Although the popular and down-to-earth Tsvangirai probably felt he could leave anytime, he still acted responsibly for the good of the party and the country by skilfully crafting an excellent formula for integration for the MDC.
Mindful of the expertise and experience of Professor Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti, Dr Tsvangirai brought back the then two presidents of their respective political parties, namely the MDC and PDP, respectively. The selfless humility exhibited by the two saw them climb down from the helm of their individual parties to work with Tsvangirai and later, with the charismatic Nelson Chamisa.
The striking compromise by the two principals is a stark semblance of the monumental exploits of Father Zimbabwe, Dr Joshua Nkomo who selflessly and shockingly agreed to be junior to Mugabe through the 1987 Unity Accord forged between the arrogant ZANU PF and PF ZAPU. Biti and Ncube are the leaders of the moment and the future, only requiring the meritorious partnership with the enterprising and workaholic Lynnette Karenyi Kore.
This would excellently sum up the MDC quadrilateral of the free-scoring presidium comprising the charismatic Nelson Chamisa, the cool and collected Professor Welshman Ncube, the professionally radical Tendai Biti and the motherly Lynnette Karenyi Kore.
Basic Guiding Principles
Congress delegates are expected to religiously head-clamp their egos by aligning themselves to the unbending principles and values of democracy, nonracialism, nontribalism, gender equality and parity, nonregionalism and unquestionable selfless patriotism. In that regard, sober-mindedness on the part of the delegates, is desperately called for. Creating a grocery-club VP triangle and presidium of friends, relatives, homeboys and shameless bootlickers will maliciously maul and fatigue the fight for democracy. Congress delegates have no choice but to usher in an able, committed, truly representative, balanced and democracy-oriented integrative presidium.
This ideal VP triangle should delineate the true image of multiculturalism and diversity both in the physical and intangible social spheres in the Zimbabwe context. Academic expertise, government experience, loyalty to democratic dictates, balanced integrative representation and ability in servant leadership should be some of the benchmarks for creating a sharp-shooting VP triangle that will resonate with the grassroots voters in 2023 and beyond, both internally and externally, by attracting the broad pool of undecided freelance voters.
This could also win back the vast array of the previously disaffected members of the party who sadly left through a litany of blood-draining splits that have incessantly rocked the party. This could bring back the nostalgic memories of the MDC’s glory of yester years.
Therefore, it is inescapably imperative for the 5th Congress to cement and reinforce integration if the MDC is to reinvigorate and fortify itself in readiness for the potentially bruising 2023 plebiscite.
The Ncube-Biti-Kore combination could be the perfect bolt-and-nut reply to elusive democracy, runaway inflation and the economic freefall currently pounding Zimbabwe into a disastrous pulp. Kore is the perfect cog in the presidium as she is a tried and tested cadre of immeasurable resilience and brings forth the much-needed feminine and motherly balance which is in tandem with the party’s targeted, though elusive 50:50 women and men representation in leadership positions in the party and Zimbabwe at large.
CONCLUSION
The unending, wailing echoes of Tsvangirai’s unequivocal call for inclusive and balanced integration are still bellowing loudly and clearly to those who are not immune to constructive advice. The only plausible posthumous award the Congress delegates can give to the iconic, visionary and foresighted Tsvangirai is the vote for a truly integrated new MDC leadership at all levels of the party including the presidium.
Failure to heed the call would be foolhardy, to say the least. It is also noteworthy that riding on the bushfire popularity, charisma and feigned loyalty to Chamisa should never be allowed to prevail over loyalty to the party and its founding democratic principles. Ultimately, it can be confidently asserted that the prolific VP trio of Ncube, Biti and Kore will see the MDC massively score freely and unencumbered in 2023 and even beyond!
‘Those who can, let them hear!’
To Cde DD, my hero.
Now that you have decided to take a bow and rest, I hope you will choose to lie next to your family, friends and comrades right among the people you sacrificed your youth and life for.
I hope you will help redefine true heroism that is recognised not by authority but by your people, your brothers and sisters, the elders and children in the community you lived-the hero who lived alongside his people, who will be buried by his own and whose bones will lie among his peoples bones, not in some exclusive cemetery alongside those who looted from the people while they were alive and continue to loot from the people in their death.
While the children of the poor fought in the trenches, theirs went to universities in the west, they lived in comfort in the cities in Lusaka and Maputo, while the poor toiled in the battlefront.
After the war they lived in state houses and palatial homes, drove around in German luxury cars while the people sat 4×4 in kombis driving on dilapidated roads.
In death they lie in an exclusive estate overlooking all the people, where the people are supposed to worship them and commemorate their filthy lives.
Sometimes I wish one day the real people put dynamite on their graves, dig up their filthy bones and build a children’s park in that hilly space.
It’s coming but you, my hero ,won’t be dishonored with the children of snakes because you will not be in the company of thieves, murderers, looters, rapists and straight faced liars for you chose to stand with the people, live with the people and you shall lie amongst the people.
Gen Lookout Masuku, your friend, is lying among the people. Let his and your examples be the light and inspiration to all our heroes. Let all our remaining heroes choose to lie right beside Gen Masuku, like Charles Grey did-among the people with the people and laid to rest by the people.
Let us honor you forever and ever. Let the people’s history engrave your name and memory in our hearts. Hard to take as it is, we all stand in awe of a giant who gave so much so others could live more meaningful lives. That is heroism. Sacrifice.
Those who stood against the freedom you sought for all must hang their heads in shame.
Your Truly
Iphithule Thembani KaMaphosa
iJekwane.
The government is adamant that ZUPCO is profitable despite a 50 percent reduction in bus fares. Whilst all local urban routes now cost 50 cents from $1, the company charges, in that order, $0.75 and $1 for a distance of up to 30km and 40km.
Professor Amon Murwira, acting minister of Local Government, Public Works, and National Housing said transport is actually overpriced in the country. Professor Murwira said:
With this card there is no need for the customer to carry cash anymore.
You will be having the card which has money in advance and then you can use it every time. It therefore means 0.50 cents, according to calculation, can make a big bus make profit. The transport in this country is overpriced. We are proving through technology that we can have proper prices. So, I think that is basically the issue of introducing efficiencies using technology at Zupco. This is why we say Zupco will make profit even at 0.30 cents.
He added that fuel prices had no direct bearing on the bus fares. Murwira also said that the vision is to transform into a situation whereby business does not over-profiteer or under profiteer based on the efficiency of their collection system.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi added that the government was assuming its role of a public protector.State media
Prime minister widely expected to set departure date within days amid mounting pressure from cabinet and Tory MPs
Correspondent|British Prime Minister Theresa May’s days in Downing Street are coming to a rapid end.
Speculation is mounting that the prime minister could announce her resignation within days, amid mounting pressure to quit from within her cabinet and her party.
She angered many Conservatives on Tuesday by making a fresh offer on Brexit in a final bid to get her deal through parliament, including compromises on a customs union and a second referendum.
That prompted Andrea Leadsom, the leader of the Commons, to resign, while senior cabinet ministers demanded that Ms May abandon the new plan, and many MPs stepped up their calls for her to go.
Ms May is due to meet Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 Committee that represents Tory MPs, on Friday. He is likely to re-iterate MPs’ demands that the prime minister set a date for her departure.
Will Theresa May resign?
This is far from clear. Ms May has so far rejected all calls to step down before she delivers Brexit.
She has vowed to resign if MPs approve her exit deal, but has not said when she will leave office if she is unable to secure approval for her plan.
With there being little prospect of the deal passing the Commons, she has come under mounting pressure to set a timetable for her departure regardless of what happens in relation to Brexit.
Reports suggest the prime minister will announce a timeframe for her resignation in the coming days, and possibly as early as Friday, but she will do so only when she has no other option left. Most Conservative MPs believe this is already the case.
What if she refuses to go?
If Ms May refuses to step down, or at the very least to set a date for her departure, she faces being forced from office either by her cabinet or by Conservative MPs.
Both have grown increasingly frustrated at her handling of Brexit and there are now very few Tory MPs who believe she should stay in office beyond the next few weeks.
Under current Conservative Party rules, a vote of no confidence in the leader cannot be held until December – a year after the last one, which Ms May won. However, the executive of the 1922 Committee has come under pressure to change this.
The executive is said to have already held a secret ballot on whether to change the rules to allow another vote of confidence in Ms May within days. These votes will reportedly be counted on Friday if Ms May refuses to set a date for her departure when she meets Sir Graham.
If the rules are amended, 15 per cent of Tory MPs – 48 MPs – would need to request a confidence vote for one to take place. This threshold is all but certain to be met.
The vote itself is decided by a simple majority. While Ms May comfortably saw off the bid to oust her last December, there is now believed to be a majority among Conservative MPs for her to be forced from office.
Government ministers have voiced strong objections to her latest Brexit offer, outlined in a draft of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, which enshrines the deal in law. While they have stopped short of publicly calling on the prime minister to go, in private most believe she has no chance of getting the bill through parliament and that her exit from No10 is now imminent.
What will happen when she resigns or is forced out?
Whether she resigns on her own accord or is forced out in a no confidence vote, the end of Ms May’s premiership will trigger a Conservative leadership contest.
The other big question is whether she will stay in office while the leadership contest to succeed her takes place, or whether she will step down immediately and her deputy, David Lidington, step in as interim prime minister.
Theresa May: ‘If Parliament passes the Bill before the summer recess, the UK will leave the EU by the end of July’
Her predecessor, David Cameron, stayed on until Ms May was chosen to replace him it is widely expected that she will also stay in place during the leadership contest.
But the length of the leadership contest will be decided by the 1922 Committee.
How does a Tory leadership contest work?
Conservative Party rules are very vague about how the leadership contest will work will work.
The timeframe is up to the 1922 Committee executive to decide.
All that is certain is that Conservative MPs will whittle down the number of candidates, of which there are expected to be many, to two. These will then be put to all party members in a ballot.
Many Tory MPs want the process completed before parliament’s summer break beings in mid-July. This would require a short, sharp leadership election lasting around a month. If the 1922 Committee opts for a longer contest, it would be expected that the new leader would be in place in time for the Conservatives’ annual conference at the end of September.
What does it mean for Brexit?
Theresa May’s deal is dead on arrival in the Commons – so much so that even if she is still in office when it is due to be debate in early June, she may not bother to put it to a vote.
Even many Tory MPs who voted for it last time around, when it was defeated by 58 votes, say they will not do so again.
It now seems all but certain that Theresa May she now cannot deliver Brexit.
What this means for Britain’s departure from the EU depends on who takes over as prime minister.
If, as many expect, it is a Brexiteer such as Boris Johnson or Dominic Raab, they will have to decide whether to try to renegotiate the deal or leave without a deal on 31 October.
The candidates have been coy about their intentions and the fate of Brexit will likely become clear only during the leadership contest. All that seems certain is that Theresa May will not be the prime minister when Britain leaves the EU – if indeed it does at all.
Senator Lilian Timveos believes she has what it takes to be the MDC Vice President since she is hardened enough to withstand military handling! Courageous and strong willed; loyal yet visionary and an audicious unifier.
As the party is entering the dangerous unchartered territory of a desperate ZANU PF government, Timveous says she is one capable servant leader with the character and capacity to provide a strong MDC leadership front to confont and tackle Zanu Pf.
ZimEye had a one on one interaction with the aspiring Vice President and below is the full text of the conversation:
“Senator Lillian Timveos’ Manifesto for Vice President”
Who is Senator Lillian Timveos?
“I am a wife, a mother and a woman in Zimbabwe. Timveous is also a businesswoman in Zimbabwe, who understands the challenges facing both businesses, consumers and our jobless youth.
Since joining the party, I’ve committed myself to upholding MDC values and principles. I have worked hard for the party in various capacities, that include as the Midlands Provincial Chairperson.
I stand proud to have been the first female provincial chair for Midlands where i discharged my duties effectively, uniting the party membership and at the same time bringing in an effective mobilisation exercise that stood the test of time up to this day.
I cannot claim to be a leader of miracle, but all that I have achieved as provincial chair was through teamwork. As such, this is one of my strengths, that of motivating teams around me and fostering advocacy teamwork. Teamwork can only be effective through mutual respect and such has been my humility and cavalry.
Senatorial Manifesto:
Today I celebrate, my second term as Midlands Senator. During my previous tenure, I worked with the disadvantaged, HIV & AIDS patients and Organisations caring for HIV & AIDS.
As committee chair for HIV & AIDS, I have travelled globally for summits and forums that informed best practices globally. Through my leadership contribution, Zimbabwe was well represented and through report back, I urged both government and MDC party to realign policy framework.
Timveous is also currently the Chief Whip, in the Senate, a position I am indebted to both the party and my colleagues in the Senate. It is a post of trust and responsibility. All these appointments reflect the integrity of the person here standing and no doubt the humility that comes with it.
MY COVENANT
The Congress from May 24 to 26, 2019, IS FOR YOU! It is for you to renew leadership that will withstand the ferociousness of ZANU PF thuggery, that will quantum leap MDC into power by reclaiming our country from the current misrule of Mr. Mnangagwa and his military junta.
Leadership guided by integrity, accountability and responsiveness to the needs of both the party and the people of Zimbabwe. A leadership that can give the party national, regional and international traction.
It is because of all this that I stand ready, to be your Vice President, not a woman vice president but a Vice President of equal fit, who has stood firm in testing revolutionary times.
In line with that covenant, my campaign team is diverse. I have the youth, the main wing and the women assemblies. If I am elected, I intend to be the vice president for you all.
This is our struggle, together we can take it further and reclaim our country. The onus is yours, the chance to rescue yourselves and the country from the jaws of poverty, unemployment, corruption and state sponsored violence; depends on who you will choose at the Congress, to be in your presidium.
It depends on who you will chose to steer the ship of change forward. I stand ready as your servant, to work for you and change the status quo once and for all.
That being so, I pray that you will vote for me based on my pledge to deliver my duties in line with our policy blueprint for Transformation, Opportunity and Prosperity.
PARTY PLEDGE:
Once elected into office, Timveous pledges to assist and support the President in discharging his duties, defending the party principles and constitution and also to act as president in the absence of the president in line with provisions of Section 9.1 and 9.2 of the party Constitution.
It is my wish to add value to the visionary leadership of President Advocate Nelson Chamisa by bringing in my vast political experience, loyalty, integrity, visionary and accountability in the presidium.
Election into office makes me part of a strong leadership team which compliments each other guided by the party values, principles and ideology. I thus pledge to work towards increasing the participation of people with disabilities in the party structures and as members. My office will be open to all.
I pledge to engage and harness the Zimbabwean Diaspora community expertise and include them in policy making decisions and issues affecting our country.
To the nation of Zimbabwe I pledge:
To work with all our elected Mayors and local authorities across the country, in conjunction with the secretary for local governance in the party, to ensure that our councils deliver services to the people.
As a mother I know the difficulty of living without water and sanitation and while they are challenges caused by the Zanu PF government, it is our duty to deliver in all the councils we have won and as your Vice President I will be pushing for this.
My sincere desire is to be at the forefront of providing leadership in peaceful nonviolent protests to reclaim our stolen victory. 2.6 million Zimbabweans voted for our President Advocate Nelson Chamisa and we must reclaim that victory and end the tyranny of ZANU PF junta.
Timveous also pledges to advocate for removal of duty and VAT on sanitary wear so that all women can access this critical service. I will also champion and spearhead the provision of free sanitary pads in all schools for our young girls. I will also amplify my work in the Senate on HIV/AIDS by increasing oversight on the HIV levy. This levy from our Tax Payers it cannot be abused
PLEDGE TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY:
Once elected into office, I pledge to work in collaboration with the women’s assembly in engaging former stateswomen and women leaders who have made an impact such as Ellen Sirleaf Johnson of Liberia and many others, to be a voice on behalf of us as Zimbabweans calling on the Mnangagwa regime to respect our rights and restore the people’s vote.
FINAL WORDS TO THE ELECTORATE:
The verdict is yours! We are entering the dangerous unchartered territory of a desperate ZANU PF government that will require an MDC strong leadership to confront. I congratulate President Advocate Nelson Chamisa for coming out of nomination process unopposed.
President Nelson Chamisa is a very strong leader, we must no fail him; we need to elect the best team among us to compliment his visionary leadership. I stand here to the scrutiny, and I am not afraid to face the judgement day, for the party is bigger than life!
Senator Lilian Timveos is your Vice President, hardened enough to withstand military handling! Courageous and strong willed; loyal yet visionary; unifier yet audacious.
I thank you and May God bless you all!
By Own Correspondent- Reports suggest that the South African based ladies who appeared in assault video that went viral on social media recently now face three years jail time for kidnapping and assaulting a husband snatcher.
In the video, the accused appear beating and kicking the “husband snatcher”. They also cut her hair with a pair of scissors.
The accused, Jane Nyama, Adda Mukwanda, Memort Maraura, and Juliana Chaputika are also alleged to be illegal immigrants in South Africa.
The MDC Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora has explained why his name does not appear as an appelant against Justice Edith Mushore’s verdict which voids Chamisa’s presidency over the party.
In appeal papers submitted by the party yesterday, Mwonzora appeared as a Respondent instead of an Appellant.
News readers yesterday complained why he appears in opposition to his own boss, and furthermore in opposition to his own party.
Speaking to ZimEye Friday morning, Mwonzora said there was nothing unusual because “the matter is being handled by our lawyers. “
He continued saying that the party’s lawyers have not spoken to him. “They have not spoken to me. The decision to appeal was a resolution of the National Standing Committee and NEC. Our lawyers have not talked to me,” he said.
NewsDay|GWERU lodges and hotels are fully booked ahead of the MDC elective congress this week to decide the party’s leadership.
The City of Progress, as Gweru likes to call itself, will host 6 200 MDC delegates from across the country, who have already elected Nelson Chamisa as party leader — nominated unopposed — for the fifth MDC congress.
The party will start by holding elections of the youth and women’s assembly leadership tomorrow, before Chamisa officially opens proceedings on Saturday.
Elections for the hotly-contested standing committee positions will be held Sunday when congress closes.
“Friday afternoon, we are going to have national elections for youth and women assemblies concurrently. On the same day, we are going to have a national executive meeting,” part of the programme reads.
“On Saturday May 25, 2019, there shall be a congress official opening at Ascot Stadium, where everyone is invited to bear witness on this special, great event, then delegates will be divided into thematic committees. At 2pm, the congress will receive feedback from the thematic committees,” the programme further reads.
Party spokesperson Jacob Mafume confirmed they had snapped up most of the guest rooms in the city.
“We have just ensured that most of our delegates have accommodation as preparations are at an advanced stage. We are ready for our congress,” he said.
Mafume confirmed the programme, saying the elections would be conducted in the most transparent manner.
“Our elections are going to happen on Sunday. They will be a display of how democracy manifests. The main event happens on Saturday, when there will be the official opening of congress by the president,” he said.
The MDC will hold national executive meetings tomorrow to look at proposed constitutional amendments, which will be discussed Saturday.
State Media|Three Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) workers who were arrested recently for defrauding the scandal-hit State entity of at least $130 000 have appeared in a Chinhoyi court.
Zinara provincial vehicle licensing supervisor Philliman Muvindi and licensing clerks Nyasha Peter Zhangozha and Leo Chikaponya appeared before Provincial Magistrate Mr Tavengwa Chibanda on Friday last week facing fraud charges involving $138 594.
Mr Chibanda remanded the trio in custody to May 30.
Muvindi, Zhangazha and Chikaponya allegedly used Zinara’s name and created fictitious bulk licensing accounts system in Chinhoyi.
Allegations are that sometime during a period extending from January 2017 to May 5 this year, the trio created fake bulk licensing accounts which they used on 132 different occasions. The three allegedly received money from walk-in customers and licensed the vehicles using the top up credits they had entered in ZINARA bulk licensing accounts.
It was further alleged that they pocketed the money they received from clients and issued them with licenses without depositing the money in the Zinara account.
Zinara, represented by chief executive Ms Mathelen Mujokoro said the issue came to light on May 10 when an audit was conducted at the Chinhoyi branch. The company suffered a total loss of $138 594 and $5 300 was recovered from two vehicles bought by Muvindi and Zhangazha allegedly using proceeds from the crime.
Muvindi and Zhangazha allegedly bought a BMW 350i registration number AEM 5768 and a Toyota Allion registration number AEA9479 worth US$5 300.
Prosecutor Ms Kessia Teveraishe Zinyemba told the court that Muvindi, Zhangazha and Chikaponya issued fake deposits using Muvindi’s profile ZW000BWG. Muvindi is also accused of being responsible for creating and topping up the Bulk Vehicle Licensing Account.
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By A Correspondent| The MDC Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora has explained why his name does not appear as an appelant against Justice Edith Mushore’s verdict which voids Chamisa’s presidency over the party.
In appeal papers submitted by the party yesterday, Mwonzora appeared as a Respondent instead of an Appellant.
News readers yesterday complained why he appears in opposition to his own boss, and furthermore in opposition to his own party.
Speaking to ZimEye Friday morning, Mwonzora said there was nothing unusual because “the matter is being handled by our lawyers. “
He continued saying that the party’s lawyers have not spoken to him. “They have not spoken to me. The decision to appeal was a resolution of the National Standing Committee and NEC. Our lawyers have not talked to me,” he said.
Harare magistrate Mr Hosea Mujaya on Thursday ruled that the five members of Civil Society Organisations arrested by police at Harare Airport on arrival from Maldives have a case to answer.
Mujaya made the ruling in an application by the State for the placement on remand of the accused persons which was contested by their legal counsels.
He noted that, there was “some nexus between the accused persons and the offence and therefore the application of placement of the accused persons on remand succeeds”.
The five are Tatenda Mombeyarara (37) attached to the International Socialist Organisation, Centre for Community Development in Zimbabwe advocacy officer George Makoni (39), Nyasha Frank Mpahlo (35) of Green Governance Zimbabwe, Gamuchirai Mukura (31) of Community Tolerance Reconciliation and Development (COTRAD) — and a woman, Farirai Gumbonzvanda, a volunteer at Rosaria Memorial Trust.
According to the state, the five allegedly received training in the Maldives with intent to roll out violent demonstrations in the country and are facing allegations of subverting a constitutionally elected Government.
After introducing ZUPCO buses that are evidently running at a loss, Government has gone ahead and opened its own satellite shops that will provide basic commodities to the public at a lower price than the prevailing market price.
The Shops are being run by SILO Foods Industries a division of the Grain Marketing Board. The GMB itself was last week exposed to be buying maize grain at $724 and selling it at $425.
The government venture which started operating as a fully-fledged commercial business unit in April this year, now has 84 shops countrywide, Grain Marketing Board (GMB) general manager Mr Rocky Mutenha has said.
In an interview with state media last week, Mr Mutenha said the products were being sold at reasonable prices in an effort to stabilise prices on the market.
“From April 1, 2019, Silo Foods became a stand-alone institution wholly owned by the GMB and are already operational. Silo products are already available at our 84 depots countrywide. We have gone beyond that to open satellite shops where Silo products are already being sold,” he said.
“Products such as mealie-meal, wheat flour, stockfeeds, salt and samp are already on the shelf and are being sold to the general public. Our prices are reasonable, remember Silo Foods was established to stabilise foodstuffs prices on the market, so we are a force to reckon with on the food market.”
A survey showed that the firm was selling a kilogramme of rice at $3,30 for its brand and $3,70 for Pagoda rice, while 2kg was selling at between $6,10 and $7 depending on the brand. This compares with prices of between $7 and $9,50 prevailing on the market.
A 5kg packet of Silo rice is selling at $15, compared to between $23 and $30 charged for similar products on the market.
A 5kg and 10kg of Silo upfu was going for $5,70 and $10,75 respectively while other brands on the market were going for above $7 and $11, respectively.
A 500g packet of Silo sugar beans is selling for $2,60 while the prices of similar products on the market are ranging between $3,64 and $3,79.
Apart from mealie-meal, rice and sugar beans, the company’s product range also comprises salt, samp, bran, peanut butter, kapenta, Pearl Millet grain, flour, mixed fruit jam, coffee, maputi, and popcorn.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa announced the roll out of Silo Foods after a Cabinet sitting at the end of March this year.
“With respect to the Public Enterprise Reform Programme, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development (Professor Mthuli Ncube) updated Cabinet on progress made following the de-merger of the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) into the Strategic Grain Reserve division and a commercial arm, Silo Food Industries.
“The minister highlighted that the following steps of progress had been made towards operationalisation of Silo Food Industries: that Silo Food Industries is set to begin operations in its new status from 1 April, 2019, that various institutions have already expressed interest to partner Silo Food Industries and that Silo Food Industries requires US$54,7 million and RTGS $40 million to finance its operations over a five-year period.”
“Taking into cognisance the critical role Silo Food Industries is set to play in the economy, Cabinet approved that the process of appointing the Silo Food Industries Board be expedited to give necessary strategic guidance and oversight to the entity; that funding proposals from potential strategic partners for Silo Food Industries be submitted for consideration and approval by Government and that Government’s minimum equity holding in Silo Food Industries be 26 percent.”
Government has since injected $70 million into to the business for it to ramp up production.
An additional US$95 million will be invested over a three-year period to make the project both viable and sustainable.
Explaining his disgust over the controversial choice of heroes and heroines by ZANU PF, and why he would rather be buried in the lands of his forefathers in Ntabazinduna than at Heroes Acre, the late liberator, Dumiso Dabengwa said this would be the same as being laid to rest among “thieves and crooks”.
Dabengwa spoke to the Daily News in a 2015 interview saying, “I come from the rural area at Ntabazinduna. That’s where my roots are and my grandparents, my parents and relatives are buried there, and that’s where I will be buried.
“I don’t wish to be buried anywhere else. I want to join the rest of my family. If they bury me at the Heroes Acre, I will probably rise from the grave,” Dabengwa said.
He said even if he were to become president of the country, he would not consider being buried at the National Heroes Acre.
Pointing to revered fellow nationalists such as James Chikerema and the founding father of Zanu, Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole —who were denied national hero status simply because they had fallen out with Robert Mugabe — Dabengwa said the country’s history would never be complete without the proper mention of such people.
“When you overlook people like Chikerema and Sithole, you are not doing the history of this country any good. These are the people who started the liberation struggle.
“Of course, they made their mistakes later on, but their contribution cannot be disputed or wished away. Their contribution cannot also be rubbed out by the mistakes that they made at the end,” Dabengwa asserted.
A police officer from Bulawayo allegedly assaulted another officer believing that he was having an affair with his wife.
Edson Utete pleaded not guilty to an assault charge when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate, Mr Franklin Mkhwananzi.
He was remanded out of custody on free bail to June 3. The matter was remanded to a later date because the medical report was outstanding. Utete allegedly assaulted Mr Stephen Chada, a police officer stationed at Magwegwe.
The court heard that the two are neighbours and the reason for the alleged assault was that Utete suspected that Mr Chada was having an extra marital affair with his wife. Prosecuting, Mr Mufaro Mageza said on May 18 this year at around 7.30PM at Ross Camp, Chada and Utete had a misunderstanding.
Utete was alleging that Chada had an extra marital affair with his wife. “This did not go well with Utete who then assaulted Chada with fists all over his body several times, kicked him once on the stomach before further striking him once with an unknown object on his neck,” said the prosecutor. -state media
Bulawayo Correspondent| In an rare stance, veteran opposition politician Professor Welshman Ncube has hinted at abandoning his soft-punch approach by taking up a confrontational route aimed at Zanu PF.
In a special message directed primarily at MDC members ahead of the congress in Friday but with far reaching aim at Zanu PF, Prof Ncube said it was time to tackle “Zanu PF head on.”
“The time to confront ZANU PF head on both on the streets and in the legislature is now and I am ready to play a determining role in both avenues of confrontation” said Prof Ncube.
Prof Ncube is seeking to retain his vice president position.
Added Prof Ncube “We will meet in order to develop a people centred programme by which over the next five years we will have to set millions of Zimbabweans on a trajectory of defiance against state brutality, genocide denialism, electoral theft, unemployment, currency crisis, rampant prices, under development and all forms of evils imposed on our beloved Zimbabwe by the politico-military regime of our times.
“Together we shall push that there be democratic change in Zimbabwe even before 2023′.
During the party candidates caucuses, current deputy national chairman Tendai Biti routinely called for mass action against President Emerson Mnangagwa government and “have Nelson Chamisa at State House before end of the year.”
It is understood that the party is demanding for conditions of dialogue, early elections this year, and this was made public at a rally meeting last week.
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Explaining his disgust over the controversial choice of heroes and heroines by ZANU PF, and why he would rather be buried in the lands of his forefathers in Ntabazinduna than at Heroes Acre, the late liberator, Dumiso Dabengwa said this would be the same as being laid to rest among “thieves and crooks”.
Dabengwa spoke to the Daily News in a 2015 interview saying, “I come from the rural area at Ntabazinduna. That’s where my roots are and my grandparents, my parents and relatives are buried there, and that’s where I will be buried.
“I don’t wish to be buried anywhere else. I want to join the rest of my family. If they bury me at the Heroes Acre, I will probably rise from the grave,” Dabengwa said.
He said even if he were to become president of the country, he would not consider being buried at the National Heroes Acre.
Pointing to revered fellow nationalists such as James Chikerema and the founding father of Zanu, Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole —who were denied national hero status simply because they had fallen out with Robert Mugabe — Dabengwa said the country’s history would never be complete without the proper mention of such people.
“When you overlook people like Chikerema and Sithole, you are not doing the history of this country any good. These are the people who started the liberation struggle.
“Of course, they made their mistakes later on, but their contribution cannot be disputed or wished away. Their contribution cannot also be rubbed out by the mistakes that they made at the end,” Dabengwa asserted.
A 52-YEAR-OLD teacher from Gwanda died allegedly after a beer binge with friends.
Mr Edmond Mchilo Ncube, who had been teaching at Gungwe High School for more than 10 years, allegedly went drinking at Gungwe shops with colleagues on Sunday night.
They are said to have left for their homes while he joined a different drinking group. Mr Ncube allegedly passed out on the shop’s veranda after having had one too many.
Sources who spoke to The Chronicle said Mr Ncube had family problems and had since become a heavy drinker.
He was spotted by passersby on Monday morning who realised he was having difficulty breathing and rushed him to Gungwe Clinic. “They carried him to the clinic where he died soon after arrival. He was short of breath. He died before he was even placed in a ward,” said a source from the village, Mr Lizwe Moyo.State media
A POLICE officer from Bulawayo allegedly assaulted another officer believing that he was having an affair with his wife.
Edson Utete pleaded not guilty to an assault charge when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate, Mr Franklin Mkhwananzi.
He was remanded out of custody on free bail to June 3.
The matter was remanded to a later date because the medical report was outstanding.
Utete allegedly assaulted Mr Stephen Chada, a police officer stationed at Magwegwe.
The court heard that the two are neighbours and the reason for the alleged assault was that Utete suspected that Mr Chada was having an extra marital affair with his wife. Prosecuting, Mr Mufaro Mageza said on May 18 this year at around 7.30PM at Ross Camp, Chada and Utete had a misunderstanding.
Utete was alleging that Chada had an extra marital affair with his wife.
“This did not go well with Utete who then assaulted Chada with fists all over his body several times, kicked him once on the stomach before further striking him once with an unknown object on his neck,” said the prosecutor.State media
HIGHLANDERS could be going through one of their worst periods in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League so far, but former player Joel Luphahla believes Bosso will soon rise from the ashes again.
Luphahla’s team TelOne is facing the Bulawayo giants on Sunday at Barbourfields Stadium, at a time Highlanders are struggling in the league, where they have not won a match in eight games played in this campaign.
The former Bosso speedy winger is a technical manager at the Gweru-based side, which he guided to league promotion.
“People are reading too many wrong signs in this Highlanders side. The team is not as bad as people are saying. They have a good side which is very competitive. It’s just that they have been unlucky in front of goals and we expect a tough match on Sunday.”
“For anyone who has watched them play, they can tell that Bosso is a good side and should be approached with caution. I watched them play against Chicken Inn and I was impressed by their type of play. They might have lost that match, but I felt they deserved to have come out of the match with something,” he said.
TelOne are going into the match with their confidence high, having upset the league champions FC Platinum 1-0 at the same venue a fortnight ago, before grabbing a point away at Manica Diamonds in Gibbo last
weekend.
“The match will be tough. We cannot fool ourselves to think that we will easily grab maximum points from a ‘struggling’ Highlanders side. They are in need of their first set of three points and that makes them a dangerous side. We respect them as a team, but we will work hard and try to continue with our fine run,” said Luphahla.Newsday
The Zanu-PF Youth League executive will address inter-district meetings in all provinces beginning with Mashonaland Central, in a bid to lure young people to participate in national development, an official has said.
The meetings which start today, will run till June 8, will also see the launch of the “10-hectare project”, an initiative that will see party youth create employment in farming and retail.
In an interview, Zanu-PF secretary for Youth Pupurai Togarepi said the national leadership was also going to appraise members on prevailing economic developments.
“We are starting in Mash Central and the leadership is going to meet the membership to explain the vision of President Mnangagwa and activities they can engage in to participate in the economic development of the country.
“We will also explain the prevailing economic challenges and talk about the youth about their issues,” Togarepi said.State media
Oil prices in New York fell below $60 a barrel for the first time since March after a surprise jump in American crude inventories alleviated concerns over a supply crunch, while fears of a full-blown trade war between the US and China weighed on the outlook for demand.
Futures fell as much as 2,4 percent in New York, and in London Brent crude fell below $70 a barrel. American stockpiles rose by 4,7 million barrels last week to the highest level since mid-2017, despite expectations for a decline, while fuel inventories also climbed. Global equities weakened after the White House was considering cutting off the flow of vital US technology to five Chinese surveillance companies.
Oil is on course for its first monthly loss this year after a dramatic escalation in the trade dispute between the world’s two biggest economies jeopardized the outlook for global growth. While there’s no shortage of supply risks – including the possibility that the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries will extend its output curbs or that rising tension in the Middle East will disrupt energy flows – swelling US stockpiles are mitigating those concerns.
“Neither renewed Middle East tensions nor the possibility of extending OPEC+ output cuts has managed to bump crude oil from its tight range,” said Ole Sloth Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank A/S in Copenhagen.
West Texas Intermediate crude for July delivery fell $1,39 to $60,03 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange at 1:29 p.m. London time. — Bloomberg.
A group of faithful prisoners from Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison assisted a prison officer in chasing after and apprehending two inmates who had escaped during their daily chores.
There was drama when the two prisoners were spotted along Mutoko Road by the officer and his group of prisoners while they were on their way from another assignment and started running away.
The group then gave chase alongside a prison officer and apprehended the two, about 500 metres away.
The escapees, John Penzura (38) and Peter Enock Muzanenhamo (34) were yesterday jailed nine months each by Harare magistrate Mr Edwin Marecha.
Mr Marecha had initially sentenced the two to 12 months in prison before suspending three months on condition that they do not commit similar offences within five years.
He said inmates were assigned to work at the prison farm, but hatched a plan to escape.State media
The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) has approached Sakunda Holdings over possible resumption of electricity generation at the private firm’s Dema diesel power plant.
The Dema power plant has been mothballed for the past 18 months after Zesa’s transmission and distribution arm said it no longer required power from the plant. The plant has design capacity of 100 Megawatts (MW).
Sakunda Holdings chief operating officer Charles Chitambo, yesterday told a touring Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Energy and Development that the diesel powered plant could resume power production.
He said this was because drought conditions that necessitated establishment of the plant in 2015 had resurfaced.
“The reason why we are not producing any power is technically that some 18 months ago ZETDC said they no longer require this power.
“From the best of my understanding, at that time Eskom was able to give them power and they were able to obtain power cheaper from Eskom than ourselves. Right now Eskom can’t give them that power,” he said.State media
President Mnangagwa has described the late liberation war icon Dr Dumiso Dabengwa as a principled and resourceful person, whose heroics ranked high among the pioneering generation of early nationalists and freedom fighters.
In a statement he read from his Munhumutapa offices in Harare yesterday, the President said Dr Dabengwa served the country well and helped to grow the peaceful environment that prevails up to this day.
“I have learnt with a deep sense of pain and grief of the death today of Cde Dumiso Dabengwa, following a long period of being unwell.
“My last contact with the late Cde Dumiso Dabengwa was at State House this April, a few days before our independence celebrations,” said President Mnangagwa.
“He clearly looked unwell, and I directed Government to arrange for his speedy evacuation to India for urgent medical attention at Government expense.
“That was promptly done, and we all hoped that Cde Dabengwa’s condition would improve and take a turn towards full recovery. Sadly, that was not to be, and we lost him today in Nairobi, Kenya, as he was being flown back home,” said President Mnangagwa.State media
By Own Correspondent- A 63 year old Marange man has been hauled to court facing an indecent assault charge after he allegedly caressed the private parts of his brother’s six-year-old daughter.
The accused, from Chikwariro village under Chief Marange, denied the charge when he appeared before Mutare magistrate Tendai Mahwe.
He, however, admitted to fondling the minor’s breasts.
It is the State case that sometime in September last year, the accused, taking advantage of the absence of the complainant’s parents, got inside the house and found her sitting on the floor. He allegedly sat next to her and touched her private parts.
The complainant then informed her brother who in turn told their mother, leading to the accused’s arrest.
The matter was remanded to tomorrow for sentence.
Mathew Chimutunga prosecuted.-Newsday
By Own Correspondent| Eastern Cape police said on Thursday they had arrested a man who tried to break into a police station in Storms River.
The man was found inside an office at the police station just before 1am.
“A member working at the Community Service Centre spotted someone on the CCTV monitor scaling a boundary fence at the back of the police station and immediately summoned other colleagues for assistance,” said Sergeant Majola Nkohli.
The man forced open a window and made his way inside the office.
“It is said that a suspect was arrested inside the office busy disconnecting a computer. Police also recovered two memory sticks inside his pocket,” Nkohli said.
“A preliminary investigation has revealed that the memory sticks belong to a member who works at the police station.”
The man was to appear at the Humansdorp Magistrate’s Court on Friday on charges of housebreaking and theft.-TimesLive
By Own Correspondent| Police in Marondera have arrested a 45-year-old woman after she was found in possession of 52kg of dagga.
This is a developing story. Refresh this page for updates.
The same judge who 2 weeks ago ruled against MDC president, Nelson Chamisa, Justice Edith Mushore, has dismissed an application for an interdict stopping the MDC Congress.
Justice Mushore ruled that the application by Maureen Tawengwa, who was a secretary for Gokwe Sesame under the 2014 structure, ws not urgent.
Tawengwa yesterday filed a High Court application through her lawyer, Ashel Mutungura, seeking an order to stop the MDC congress from going ahead.
The application came after High Court judge Justice Edith Mushore early this month ruled as illegal the way Chamisa and co-vice-president Elias Mudzuri were appointed by the opposition party’s late founding leader, Morgan Tsvangirai.
MDC5thCongress unstoppable as High Court Justice Mushore dismisses urgent application by Gokwe applicants
By Own Correspondent- The fuel situation in Zimbabwe remained dire on Wednesday despite the government hiking the price of the precious liquid by over 50 per cent the previous day.
Long, winding queues were the order of the day at most service stations where the fuel was available.
The shortages have been a nightmare for commuters who are now struggling to travel to and from work as most kombis spend time in fuel queues while the cheap Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) buses are in short supply.
Those public transporters who were operating had hiked transports fares by more than 100% in most cases.
In Bulawayo, Kombi operators threatened to park their minibuses while in Mutare, school children were forced to walk to school as they could not afford the new fares.
In an interview with Newsday, Urban Commuter Operators of Zimbabwe president Simbarashe Ngarande said:
The issue of fuel is always tricky on our operations because whenever there is a fuel price increase, spares go up as well.
As commuter operators, we were waiting for what we were promised by the former Transport deputy minister Honourable Fortune Chasi (now Energy minister) that we will also have to be allocated subsidised fuel so that we don’t pass the burden to the commuting public.-Newsday
By Own Correspondent- The European Union in Zimbabwe and the United States of America have issued condolence messages through their Embassies in Harare following the passing away of Zimbabwe’s liberation war hero, Dr Dumiso Dabengwa.
The US embassy in Harare posted a message on its Twitter page which reads:
We offer condolences to Zimbabwe on the death of liberation hero Dumiso Dabengwa. He dedicated his life to the emancipation of the people of Zimbabwe.
His courage and service in politics and government reflects his commitment to a better Zimbabwe. Dabengwa’s legacy inspires us all.
Wrote the European Union in Zimbabwe:
“We are saddened to learn of the passing on of ZAPU leader, Dumiso Dabengwa who will be remembered for his contribution to Zimbabwe both before and after Independence. Our sincere condolences to his family and friends. May he rest in peace.”
Dabengwa died in Kenya on Thursday morning while he was returning home from India where he was undergoing treatment for a liver ailment
By Own Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s special anti-corruption unit has been tasked to comb through a forensic audit report on scandal-ridden National Social Security Authority (NSSA), which could lead to the arrest of some senior executives at the pension fund and senior government officials.
Addressing a press conference Tuesday, Labour and Social Welfare minister Sekai Nzenza said the special anti-corruption unit was going through the report before determining their course of action.
She said:
“Where the evidence warrants either criminal action or recovery through civil remedies, we shall pursue the same in the interest of justice.”.
Although the minister refused to divulge contents of the report which was compiled by BDO Auditors on behalf of the Auditor-General, Mildred Chiri, Nzenza said the audit deals with the ICT, investment, human resources and corporate governance issues.
Nzenza, who was accompanied by her permanent secretary Simon Masanga and NSSA board chair Cuthbert Chidoori, said the forensic audit covered the period from January 1, 2015 to February 28, 2018.
“We are in the process of reviewing the report and have engaged a team of lawyers to offer legal counsel after careful appraisal,” she said.
Chidoori struggled to justify why the report was not being made public and would not give a timeline as to when it would be tabled in the National Assembly as required by law.-Newsday
THE Supreme Court will on Friday 24 May 2019 preside over the hearing
and determination of an appeal filed by Gift Machoka Konjana of MDC
Alliance party who is seeking an order to overturn the Electoral
Court’s decision confirming Dexter Nduna of the ruling ZANU PF party
as the legislator for Chegutu West constituency.
The Supreme Court will hear the matter at 9:30 AM at Mashonganyika
Building in Harare in which Konjana also wants the matter to be
referred to trial before a different Judge to consider the legal
challenge over the erroneous declaration of Nduna as the winner of the
parliamentary election by Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
In his appeal Konjana, who is represented by Advocate Tererai
Mafukidze instructed by Tarisai Mutangi of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human
Rights, argued that Electoral Court Judge Justice Mary Zimba-Dube
erred in October 2018 in finding that his petition against Nduna was
fatally defective solely on account of being brought on notice yet
section 169 of the Electoral Act makes such notice mandatory.
Justice Zimba-Dube in October 2018 dismissed Konjana’s election
petition on the basis that he had filed a defective election petition.
But in his appeal, the MDC Alliance party’s losing parliamentary
candidate charged that Justice Zimba-Dube erred by declining to
exercise discretion to condone non-compliance with its rules upon
erroneously finding that the electoral law does not vest in it the
competence to regulate its process yet section 171(9) of the Electoral
Act vests such competence.
Konjana argued that Justice Zimba-Dube blundered by placing no
significance on the merits of his petition in view of the fact that
ZEC acknowledged under oath the error that resulted in the undue
return complained against.
As relief, Konjana wants the Electoral Court’s decision to be set
aside and in its place be substituted with an order to the effect that
the matter be referred to trial on the merits before a different Judge
of the Electoral Court.
By Dorrothy Moyo| ZANU PF president Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday appeared to mourn the same man he once labeled a cochroach and got jailed for 4 years on trumped up charges, Dumiso Dabengwa.
Dabengwa died Thursday after a long health battle.
In his message of condolence to the Dabengwa family Mnangagwa said he had huge respect for Dr Dabengwa and the contribution he made to the country.
“I am very sorry to hear of the passing of Comrade Dumiso Dabengwa. I had huge respect for Dumiso and his contribution to Zimbabwe: As a liberation fighter, a long standing Minister of Home Affairs & as a man. My deepest condolences are with his friends and family at this sad time,” read the tweet
Farai Dziva|The government has barred Chief Felix Ndiweni from participating in key national programmes, it has emerged.
According to Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Minister Judith Ncube the government has no time for the chief.
She has also pointed out that Chief Ndiweni is not like Chief Fortune Charumbira, president of the Chiefs’ Council.
“The Vice President(Kembo Mohadi) is meeting all the chiefs from Mat North.
As you are aware that he is the one in charge of peace and reconciliation in government, so he wants to hear from them the issues affecting them and the challenges they are facing.
… We don’t have time for Ndiweni. Who is he to be put on our agenda? We don’t have time for him, he is just a mere chief like any other. It’s not like he is Chief (Fortune) Charumbira, so nothing is important about him,” Ncube told Daily News.
VIDEO LOADING BELOW…
By Own Correspondent- Opposition MDC has revealed plans to launch the country’s economic blueprint which the party believes will bring the desired change for the country’s ailing economy.
Jacob Mafume, national spokesperson for the MDC led by Nelson Chamisa said this at a presser held at the party headquarters in Harare Wednesday.
Said Mafume:
“We are going to launch the “RELOAD” document, the new economic blueprint and framework that is going to reload this economy. It will reshape the country’s economy.
We have got the answers (to the country’s woes), we are the thinking party and we hold the brain trust of Zimbabwe. And as i highlighted earlier, we have successful economic planning ministers like Tapuwa Mashakada, successful former education minister David Coltart, successful former industry minister Welshman Ncube vying for posts, former Finance minister Tendai Biti and remember even our president, he was a former ICT minister where the sim card, that you used to buy using a cow became affordable and you could buy it using a dollar.
So we have people with the answers, we have people who provided the brain trust of Zimbabwe over the past two decades. And we have got the solution. We are going to put it in the reload document. It is a policy framework that is going to be the alternative framework that we are going to use to transform the economy from a dead economy to an economy that the international community and international business can engage in.
This is a document that we have been working with over time and the delegates will get time to interrogate it and allowed to look at it and it will set the framework for the economic recovery of the country.”
By Own Correspondent- Villagers in Nswazwi, Bulilima West, Matabeleland South have reportedly gone for 8 years without water after the engine that pumped water to their taps broke down.
The pump, which provided safe drinking water for the villagers, was taken for repairs by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA). It has not been returned.
A local businessman said that villagers are now sharing drinking water with animals from a river. He said:
We had our engine here, but when it broke down, it was taken by Zinwa and never returned. Right now, we are sharing water sources with animals.
As I speak, there is a donkey which is rotting in the dam and that’s the same water we are drinking. We appeal to the government to solve this water problem.
A local traditional leader, Headman Jetjeni, under whose jurisdiction the villagers fall disclosed that four of his villages were affected by water challenges. He said:
The other problem is that elephants also drink from the dam and it’s now fast running out of water.
When we reach August or September, it would be dry and we find it difficult to get water for our livestock and domestic use.-Newsday
By Own Correspondent- There was an explosion at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals on Monday evening as a patient attempted to commit suicide using an unidentified explosive device, in the process endangering the lives of fellow patients and health staff.
Although no one was injured in the explosion, including the patient in question, sources close to the happenings said linen on the bed was reduced to ashes.
The man, who is believed to have had some social issues prior to his admission last Friday, was by end of yesterday reported dead due to his “rapidly deteriorating” health condition.
Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals public relations officer Mr Lainos Dhire confirmed the incident, but could not provide details on circumstances surrounding the issue saying the case has since been handed over to the police.
“We have received a report of that nature from one of our wards and we immediately called the police who are now handling the matter. We are, however, not at liberty to give details due to patient confidentiality, but we can reveal that no injuries occurred,” said Mr Dhire.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday said investigations were underway.-StateMedia
By Own Correspondent- Former Chitungwiza chamber secretary Ms Priscilla Vengesai’s bid to register with the High Court a more than $330 000 award has sparked an ugly legal wrangle with the council which is now seeking to block the motion.
Ms Vengesai approached the higher court to register her award after the council allegedly breached an agreement to pay her all her dues in terms of the agreement.
The parties had hammered out a settlement which culminated in the council agreeing to pay Ms Vengesai $65 000 in outstanding benefits.
The Labour Court had ordered the municipality to pay her outstanding salary arrears of $65 000, while the cost of a residential stand and school fees for two children amounting to $247 000 was to be paid by end of March, this year.
In her court filing, Ms Vengesai argues that the municipality defaulted in making payments as agreed.
She argues that the default by council meant that the agreement struck between the parties was no longer in force and parties have to revert to the Labour Court judgment.
According to the Labour Court judgment, council needs to fork out more than $330 000 to pay Ms Vengesai.
Though Ms Vengesai agrees to have been paid in part, she wants the municipality to deduct whatever it paid her, under the labour court judgment.
“Therefore the Labour Court judgment is still extant and registrable before this court,” she argues.
“Wherefore, applicant persists in her claim and prays for an order in terms of the draft.”
But the municipality insists that it fully paid Ms Vengesai what was due to her in terms of the deed of settlement signed by both parties.
It argues that the Labour Court judgment is no longer extant and cannot be registrable.
“This application ought to fail with costs at a higher scale, because the applicant is abusing the court process and not being honest,” read the municipality’s opposing papers.
Ms Vengesai, who was dismissed by council after being found guilty of breaching conditions of her contract in 2015, won her case in February this year.
She was suspended for allegedly mobilising councillors to pass a vote of no confidence in her superiors.
It was reported that a subsequent special council meeting agreed to dismiss Ms Vengesai which dismissal was endorsed by the Local Government Board. StateMedia
By Own Correspondent- A Binga inyanga serving nine years in prison for illegal possession of 400 grammes of pangolin scales has approached the High Court challenging his sentence.
Damason Mutale (39) of Chininga village was last year convicted of violating a section of the Parks and Wildlife Act (unlawful possession of pangolin trophy scales) and sentenced to an effective nine years in jail by Binga magistrate Mr Livard Philemon .
Mutale, through his lawyers Mvhiringi and Associates, filed an application challenging both conviction and sentence.
He is seeking an order nullifying Mr Philemon’s sentence, arguing that it was too excessive. In his grounds of appeal, Mutale said the lower court erred by failing to consider special circumstances.
“The court a quo erred grossly at law and fact in finding that there were no special circumstances in the case yet appellant pointed out that he was a traditional healer, ” argued the lawyers.
The lawyers also said the court erred by failing to recognise that the appellant is an unsophisticated and uneducated man.
“The appellant was genuinely ignorant of the law and was genuinely mistaken for thinking that as a traditional healer he could continue to use the pangolin scales for traditional purposes,” said the lawyers.
According to papers before the court, Mutale was arrested after someone tipped an official from the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) that he was in possession of 71 pangolin scales.
Zimparks officials teamed up with police detectives and raided Mutale’s home leading to the discovery of the pangolin scales weighing 400g. He failed to produce a permit leading to his arrest. -StateMedia
By Own Correspondent- The trial of prominent Harare lawyer Puwai Chiutsi (50), who is facing fraud allegations after allegedly selling land that had been repossessed from him by the Sheriff of the High Court to Mashwede Holdings, has been set for June 20.
Prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa asked the court to postpone the matter to June 20 saying further investigations are to be conducted at the Deeds Office and at the High Court.
Chiutsi made an application for the temporary release of his passport with effect from yesterday to June 4 after indicating that he intended to travel outside the country.
Harare magistrate Mrs Barbra Mateko released Chiutsi’s passport and ordered him to return it on the agreed date.
The complainant is Tendai Mashamhanda, the director for Mashwede Holdings.
It is the State’s case that sometime in September 2017, Chiutsi’s property, called Remainder of Subdivision C of Lot 6, Highlands Estate, was sold to Bariadie Investments by the Sheriff while acting in terms of the High Court order in a matter against Chiutsi and Elliot Rogers.
Chiutsi allegedly lost ownership of the property and several attempts to appeal against the High Court order at the Supreme Court were unsuccessful.
It is alleged that Chiutsi misrepresented to Mashwede Holdings and made an affidavit that the property had no mortgages or any encumbrances and sold it for $230 000 cash.
The complainant suffered financial prejudice of $230 000 and nothing was recovered. -StateMedia
By Own Correspondent- The MDC elective Congress slated for this weekend is facing another legal challenge after an official from Gokwe filed an urgent chamber application to stop it from going ahead.
Maureen Tawengwa, who was a secretary for Gokwe Sesame under the 2014 structures, on Thursday filed a High Court application through her lawyer, Ashel Mutungura. She is seeking an order to halt the MDC Congress at the 11th hour.
Speaking to a local publication, Mutungura confirmed the development. Said Mutungura:
I can confirm the application has been filed with the High Court in Harare. It is an urgent application to interdict Nelson Chamisa from proceeding with the Congress.
There are several reasons; one being that the structures going to the Congress are illegal. The 2014 structures are still in office and their term expires in October and new structures can only be in place after the old ones are dissolved.
Tavengwa has also argued that the nominations were characterised by fraud and other irregularities and that nonmembers were allowed to participate.
The nonmembers who were nominated include Tendai Biti, Settlement Chikwinya and Jacob Mafume, she argued.
Advocate Thabani Mpofu, who is representing the MDC, said that he is not aware of the latest application.
This latest application follows on the heels of a ruling by High Court Judge, Justice Edith Mushore in early May this year which nullified party president Nelson Chamisa’s election.
The case was brought before the High Court by another Gokwe Sesame official, Elias Mashavira.
Meanwhile, the MDC has vowed to continue with its Congress this weekend.-Newsday
By Own Correspondent- Daughter to former hero and MDC founding President, the late Morgan Richard Tsvangirai, Vimbai Tsvangirai Java is recovering well, a senior MDC offical has confirmed.
Tsvangirai Java who last week survived a car crash which killed two other MDC stalwarts is reportedly getting better.
Said party spokesperson Jacob Mafume while addressing the media at Morgan Tsvangirai House in Harare, Wednesday:
“We are also happy that Vimbai Tssvangirai is making a speedy recovery from the injuries sustained in the car accident and we thank the nation for your prayers and over that we are happy.”
By Own Correspondent- Liberation war hero Dr Dumiso Dabengwa (80) died in Kenya on Thursday morning en route to Zimbabwe from India.
Dabengwa died following a battle with a liver related ailment.
The Zapu leader was airlifted to the south Asian country in April, after having received medical attention in South Africa since November 2018.
He had not been seen in public in months due to his failing health. Shortly before being taken to India, the liberation war cadre underwent surgery in South Africa.
Dabengwa served as the head of Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) intelligence during the Rhodesian Bush War.
From 1992 to 2000 he served in the government as Minister of Home Affairs, and in 1991 he was appointed to the chair of the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project.
During the Rhodesian Bush War the white minority nicknamed him the “Black Russian” because he trained in Moscow, Russia.
In 1982 Dabengwa was charged, with Lookout Masuku and four others, of treason by the Mugabe administration. They were acquitted due to lack of evidence in 1983. On release they were redetained under emergency regulations. At this time the Gukurahundi began.
Dabengwa was released four years later.
Dabengwa ran as a ZANU-PF candidate for a seat in the House of Assembly from Nkulumane in the 2000 election, but was defeated by Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) candidate Gibson Sibanda. Dabengwa said that the MDC would have won even if its candidate was a donkey.
He was again defeated in the March 2005 parliamentary election. He served as a member of the ZANU-PF Politburo,but he announced his support for the opposition candidacy of Simba Makoni in the March 2008 presidential election at a press conference in Bulawayo on March 1, 2008.
A spokesman for Mugabe said that Dabengwa’s defection to Makoni was unimportant, claiming that Dabengwa did not command any support.
It was reported that Mugabe had offered to appoint Dabengwa as Vice-President following the election as the replacement for Joseph Msika, but that Dabengwa had declined the offer.
Below are eight things you probably didnt know about Dabengwa:
By Own Correspondent- The opposition MDC has revealed that the party is set to launch a new economic document which is set to transform and redefine the country’s economy trajectory.
This was revealed by party national spokesperson Jacob Mafume at a presser held Wednesday at the party headquarters Morgan Richard Tsvangirai house in Harare.
Said Mafume:
“We are going to launch the “RELOAD” document, the new economic blueprint and framework that is going to reload this economy. It will reshape the country’s economy.
We have got the answers (to the country’s woes), we are the thinking party and we hold the brain trust of Zimbabwe. And as i highlighted earlier, we have successful economic planning ministers like Tapuwa Mashakada, successful former education minister David Coltart, successful former industry minister Welshman Ncube vying for posts, former Finance minister Tendai Biti and remember even our president, he was a former ICT minister where the sim card, that you used to buy using a cow became affordable and you could buy it using a dollar.
So we have people with the answers, we have people who provided the brain trust of Zimbabwe over the past two decades. And we have got the solution. We are going to put it in the reload document. It is a policy framework that is going to be the alternative framework that we are going to use to transform the economy from a dead economy to an economy that the international community and international business can engage in.
This is a document that we have been working with over time and the delegates will get time to interrogate it and allowed to look at it and it will set the framework for the economic recovery of the country.”
By Own Correspondent- Newly-appointed Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi yesterday took his oath of office before President Mnangagwa at State House and vowed to end fuel hoarding and other corrupt practices.
The minister said he would also keep an eye on critical parastastals in the fuel and power generation industry to ensure high standards of corporate governance.
The minister said he will empower the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) to take full charge of the sector and tightly monitor activities to restore order in the energy sector.RELATED ARTICLES
This follows the recent unearthing of a hoarding case in which a service station in Chinhoyi reportedly sold 10 000 litres of fuel to an individual despite a long winding queue of desperate motorists.
Minister Chasi replaced Cde Joram Gumbo, who is now Presidential Affairs Minister responsible for Implementation and Monitoring.
Minister Chasi said his first meeting with the fuel industry will discuss acts of misconduct by some fuel attendants and find ways of rectifying the problem.
“This afternoon I am meeting the fuel industry and get feedback from them on the fuel price adjustment.
“I would also like to speak to them about the misconduct that is going on at service stations, some of them going beyond the conditions of their licences regarding how much they can sell to a single customer.
“There are instances where 10 000 litres of fuel is sold to one person when there is a long queue and everybody else does not get fuel.
“There is a service station that has done so in Chinhoyi and I have asked ZERA to investigate that development so that we take remedial measures,” he said.
Minister Chasi said ZERA should be adequately empowered to deal with challenges in the fuel sector.
Minister Chasi said he will ensure ZERA take full charge of sector to do away with hoarding of fuel and other corrupt activities dogging the fuel industry.
He said fuel attendants should be called to order and stop illegal dealings that find diesel and petrol on the black market.
“Beyond that I would like ZERA to take charge of the industry in accordance with what their founding statute requires them to do. We intend to empower them in terms of their monitoring functions. We want to ensure there is no favouritism in the purchase of fuel.
“There is misconduct by fuel attendants that that must end,” he said.
Minister Chasi said he will ensure that parastatal boards are properly constituted with members of high integrity with the zeal to improve service delivery.
“We must be very strong on the governance of parastatals involved in the fuel and power generation. I am going to have an eagle’s eye on ZESA because it is a critical parastatal. I want to ensure that all the boards are sufficiently skilled. They should have men and women of integrity.
“I would like to ensure that procurement is done properly and ZERA should take charge of the industry to ensure transparency,” he said.-StateMedia
By Own Correspondent- ZAPU President Dumiso Dabengwa has died.
Dabengwa, has been unwell since December 2018 and was in India where he was seeking treatment.
Sources privy to the developments said Dabengwa died while he was on his way back home from India.
Said Ezra Tshisa Sibanda,
“Devastating news on the passing on of former ZIPRA forces Supreme, ZAPU President, the Black Russian, Dumiso Dabengwa. May his soul rest in peace.”
Said another source at the Dumiso Dabengwa foundation:
“The Foundation will issue a statement soon regarding the matter.”
In April 2018, the former Home Affairs Minister was pictured sitting in a wheelchair at Joshua Mqabuko International Airport – his first public sighting since December before he underwent lengthy treatment in South Africa earlier on in the year.
A family source revealed that the 79-year-old had liver disease, and the disease was associated with fatigue, weakness and weight loss.
This is a developing story. Refresh this page for updates.
Analyst, Felix Chiroro has exposed a long list of contracts worth $27 billion the Mnangagwa administration misled the public on.
Writing on Thursday, Chiroro said, Some of us do not make a living out of politics and have the guts to confront you head-on.
FULL TEXT:
A LONG LIST OF LIES, FAKE DEALS AND INCOMPETENCE BY THE MNANGAGWA ADMINISTRATION:
— March 22, 2018: Zimbabwe signed a $4.2 billion deal with Karo Resources, a closely held Cyprus-based company, to build a platinum mine. On April 17, Mnangagwa tweeted that the project is moving ahead and will create 2,500 jobs. On May 15, Tharisa Plc, which has taken a stake in the project, said some drilling has started and the company is awaiting approval of its environmental-impact assessment study. Still waiting even now…
— May 18, 2018: The Herald reported that South Africa’s Nkosikhona Holdings will build a $5.2 billion coal-to-fuel plant in Zimbabwe. A search of South Africa’s company records shows Nkosikhona has one director and an address in a light-industrial area.
— Nov. 1, 2018: Mnangagwa told reporters that Invictus Energy Ltd. had found oil and gas deposits in the country. The next day, Invictus said it hadn’t discovered oil.
— Feb. 19, 2019: A venture between the Zimbabwean and Zambian governments said they’ve shortlisted bidding groups for a $4 billion hydropower plant on the Zambezi River. How far?
— April 10, 2019: Deputy Mines Minister Polite Kambamura said a deal had been signed with Russian investors to build a $4 billion platinum mine. The project is struggling to attract finance because potential backers are wary of the stake held by Zimbabwe’s military.
— April 23, 2019: Mines Minister Winston Chitando said an agreement has been signed with China’s Tsingshan Holding Group Co. to build a 1 million-metric-ton per year stainless-steel export facility in the landlocked country, as well as a power plant and a possible lithium mine at a total cost of $10 billion. Where is it? How about fixing the old ZISCO issue first?
— May 15, 2019: In an article headlined “U.K. beef giant takes over CSC,” the Herald said Zimbabwe’s state-owned cold-storage company would transfer its cattle ranches and abattoirs to Boustead Beef Ltd. for 25 years in exchange for it investing $130 million in the company and paying off debts of $42.5 million.TurnS out the British “giant” is a “briefcase company” with no history of doing business. There is no record of Boustead on the U.K.’s companies register.
No, this is not on. Some of us do not make a living out of politics and have the guts to confront you head-on. I want my vote back.
By Own Correspondent– A Bulawayo man is battling for life at United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) after a suspected armed robber stabbed him at his Mahatshula home in the wee hours of Tuesday.
Elliot Chikandiwa was stabbed with a screwdriver during a scuffle with Brian Gumede who had broken into his house at round 1AM.
According to sources, Chikandiwa woke up after he heard noises coming from the kitchen.
“ When he went to the kitchen to check, he was confronted by Gumede who was armed with a screwdriver and a scuffle ensued. During the scuffle, Gumede stabbed Chikandiwa on the head and left side of the ribs with the screwdriver, “said the source.
Chikandiwa screamed for help and other people who were in the house rushed to the kitchen and managed to apprehend Gumede who was later identified as a squatter from Killarney Squatter Camp.
The badly injured Chikandiwa was later rushed by ambulance to UBH where he is admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Residents later took turns to clobber Gumede using an assortment of weapons before handing him over to the police
Bulawayo acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele confirmed Gumede’s arrest.
“We have arrested a 28- year -old man from Killarney Squatter Camp for allegedly breaking into a house in Mahatshula suburb. The suspect, who gave the police two different names, is alleged to have stolen bread and 2kgs of flour. After being interrupted, he stabbed his victim before other people in the house subdued him,” said Asst Insp Msebele.
She also confirmed that Chikandiwa is battling for life in the ICU at UBH.
Asst Insp Msebele urged members of the public not to take the law into their hands even when they feel aggrieved as they risk arrest.-State Media
By Own Correspondent- Secretary for Finance and Economic Development George Guvamatanga has said that Zimbabwe has enough foreign currency for businesses to meet their foreign payments if the interbank starts operating efficiently.
Guvamatanga said that Zimbabwe was generating over US$1,2 billion per year in export proceeds, which should be enough to support the business community.
Speaking during a ZBCTV programme Face The Nation on Tuesday night, Guvamatanga said:
Once we get the interbank operate efficiently, there is enough foreign currency for everyone. The only problem is that at the moment it (forex) has been inefficiently allocated.
As long as it is efficiently allocated, we have more than enough foreign currency. If you look at our total export receipts and compare them to our nearby countries and other countries in Africa which I will not mention, we actually have twice or three times the export proceeds compared to them and they do not have the same challenge we are facing.
The Secretary indicated that foreign currency has been leaking through imports. He also revealed that exporters and some individuals are holding onto their money in nostro and offshore accounts without liquidating it. He added that as of Friday last week, the country had US$800 million in nostro FCAs while US$700 million was due to be received in export receipts.
Guvamatanga added that the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, Dr John Mangudya was working to make sure the money is put on the interbank market.-StateMedia
By Own Correspondent- A Bulawayo resident magistrate Tawanda Muchemwa has been acquitted of assaulting and kidnapping his maid.
Muchemwa who works at Esigodini magistrates courts, through his lawyer Mr Tanaka Muganyi of Tanaka Law Chambers, had denied the charges and applied for a discharge at the close of State case on Tuesday.
Harare regional magistrate Mrs Lucie-Anne Mungwari, sitting at the Tredgold Magistrates’ court in Bulawayo, yesterday dismissed the case on the grounds that State witnesses gave inconsistent statements about what transpired.
“The State called evidence of the witnesses and the information they gave was to be considered in making the final ruling.
“There was no evidence to prove the assault from the analysis of the statements and what was said in court.
“Referring to what the complainant gave to the court, she mentioned that she was assaulted for an hour and sustained bruises but the doctor did not indicate that on the medical report.
“This shows the court that she is untruthful. She completely changed the whole story during cross examination.
“Complainant said she was locked in the house, yet the police found her doing her chores in the form of laundry outside the house she had claimed she was locked in. This has left the court wondering if ever she was locked inside.
“This has also made the kidnapping allegations to remain without substance as at first the investigating officer said they had not recorded the charge.
“If ever she was kidnapped how would she be free to go and buy airtime as one witness told the court that there is a time she called the complainant who told her that she was at the shops buying airtime.
“Therefore the application for a discharge at the close of the State case is granted,” said the magistrate.
Muchemwa (35) of Hillcrest suburb in Bulawayo was said to have assaulted his maid, Ms Shaymore Musendekwa (20), at the instigation of his wife.
His application for discharge was based on what he termed “inconsistencies in the State witnesses’ testimonies.
“One wonders how three people would come up with three different versions of the same incident. It is strange that there can be three truths of the same incident, in fact that is impossible,” said Muchemwa through Mr Muganyi.
Prosecuting, Mr Thobekani Nyathi said on May 8 last year at around 4.20PM, Ms Musendekwa intended to bath Muchemwa’s children and when they refused to comply, she told their mother, Mrs Petronella Muchemwa.
He said instead of rebuking her defiant children, Mrs Muchemwa accused the maid of troubling her children before she reported the complainant to her husband through a phone call.
Mr Nyathi said the accused person arrived home shortly after 5PM and allegedly indiscriminately assaulted the complainant with a belt several times all over the body.
Three days later, he said, the accused person allegedly ordered the victim to lock the gate to the house before she handed over the keys to him.
The complainant phoned her aunt, Ms Primrose Gwese, who in turn reported the matter to the police leading to Muchemwa’s arrest.-StateMedia
The EFF has welcomed Cyril Ramaphosa’s re-election as the president of the country, but warned the president not be influenced by outside forces.
Malema told Ramaphosa that he won’t finish his term if he doesn’t heed his warning.
“The position you occupy needs someone who’s going to be honest with you… those who failed were told many times that they were right even when they were wrong…You must never listen to those who say your are right against the courts,” he said.
Malema said those before Ramaphosa failed because they were wrongly advised.
“Stellenbosch is a problem, we know your proximity…We have not elected Oppenheimer… We told your predecessor we have not elected the Guptas, we elected him and he didn’t listen. Listen to the collective wisdom of the people who elected you… Once you listen to white monopoloy capital, you must know that you are likely not to finish you term,” Malema said.
Ramaphosa will be inaugurated on Saturday, at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.
MPs were sworn in on Wednesday in the National Assembly.
Source: eNCA
ZimEye will be livestreaming a press conference by the Movement for Democratic Change led by Nelson Chamisa.
Said the MDC Information Department:
Thursday, 23 May 2019
Notice of a Press briefing
Members of the media are invited for a Press Conference at 1115hrs today (Thursday,23 May 2019) at Morgan Tsvangirai House.
All Media invited
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Jane Mlambo| High Court of Zimbabwe has granted an order to stop the construction of a wedding venue at Hillside Park, a wetland area by a company linked to Former cabinet minister Petronella Kagonye.
According to the court order filed by Hillside Park Association who were represented by Memory Mafo of Scanlen and Holderness, Kagonye’s company named Gracious All Time Functions Private Limited was ordered to suspend all operations and remove its equipment at the site with immediate effect.
“The 1st respondent planned development on stand number 19 594 Harare Township in the District of Harare measuring 1, 0195ha also known as Hillside Wetlands is hereby declared unlawful.
“The first respondent is ordered to permanently cease all construction work related to the development and remove all machinery on the site,” reads the Court order.
Harare has been battling against invasion of wetlands by property developers, something that have worried environmental conservation activists who feel the destruction of wetlands will cause water problems in Harare including flooding and avoidable purification costs for municipalities.
Opinion By Stanley Goreraza|Prices have gone helter-skelter with images of the President being fixed to dart boards as sharp and piercing words are angrily thrown at him on social media and general national discourse.
But Va Mnangagwa is only following what everyone with authority on economic matters advised. He has rightly left the meeting of demand and supply to market forces. The moment he grabs a hammer like his predecessor to halt the free movement of prices, it becomes smash and break! Things will go from bad to worse. Goods will move from shops to the black market as prices reach zero gravity.
Our business people adopted a culture of unethical practices during the unforgettable years of record breaking inflation. Business ethics and morals were abandoned during that time as survival of the fittest became the only rule. Since then we have never been really ethical and responsible in our business conduct. Just listen to this : Transport into town costs a dollar during the day and from 4:30 when people knock off, Kombi fares soar to $4 or even $5. There is no justification for this kind of abuse and it can only be explained by greed, the same motivation for corruption!
Yes the economy is in bad shape but in an environment where greed and profiteering are rampant, what do we expect? We must also blame ourselves for our unwelcome circumstances.
Everyone providing a product or service is after a windfall. That kind of attitude is destructive when it is widespread and accepted as perfectly normal.
NEWLY-appointed Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi yesterday took his oath of office before President Mnangagwa at State House and vowed to end fuel hoarding and other corrupt practices.
The minister said he would also keep an eye on critical parastastals in the fuel and power generation industry to ensure high standards of corporate governance.
The minister said he will empower the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) to take full charge of the sector and tightly monitor activities to restore order in the energy sector.
This follows the recent unearthing of a hoarding case in which a service station in Chinhoyi reportedly sold 10 000 litres of fuel to an individual despite a long winding queue of desperate motorists.
Minister Chasi replaced Cde Joram Gumbo, who is now Presidential Affairs Minister responsible for Implementation and Monitoring.
Minister Chasi said his first meeting with the fuel industry will discuss acts of misconduct by some fuel attendants and find ways of rectifying the problem.
“This afternoon I am meeting the fuel industry and get feedback from them on the fuel price adjustment.
“I would also like to speak to them about the misconduct that is going on at service stations, some of them going beyond the conditions of their licences regarding how much they can sell to a single customer.
-State Media
Zimbabwe has enough foreign currency for businesses to meet their foreign payments if the interbank starts operating efficiently, Secretary for Finance and Economic Development Mr George Guvamatanga has said.
He said Zimbabwe was generating over US$1,2 billion per year in export proceeds, which should be enough to oil the operations companies if taken to the interbank market.
Mr Guvamatanga said this on Tuesday night during a ZBCTV programme, Face The Nation.
“Once we get the interbank operate efficiently, there is enough foreign currency for everyone. The only problem is that at the moment it (forex) has been inefficiently allocated,” said Mr Guvamatanga.
-State Media
