By Own Correspondent- Leader of the opposition MDC party, Nelson Chamisa has said that he and his colleagues fear for their lives alleging that the government has placed them under 24-hour surveillance.

The Daily News reports that the government suspects that the opposition party is planning mass demonstrations against President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Speaking to the Daily News, MDC Vice president Morgen Komichi said that the worsening economic situation in the country coupled with the fear of Chamisa has unsettled the government. Komichi said:

President Chamisa is very unsafe because he is viewed by Mnangagwa’s government as its biggest enemy … together with several other senior party officials who have been put under surveillance because they realise that with the economic situation becoming worse in the country, the chances that people will go into the streets anytime are more than 70 percent.

Addressing mourners on Wednesday during the funeral wake of Tafadzwa Mhundwa, Chamisa indicated that he had since changed his traveling patterns. He said:

After we ended our programme in Bulawayo, I told Komichi that we were now leaving for Harare to which he told me that he does not travel at night.

I maintained that I would be travelling at night and told him to rest. My travelling at night has a reason. “When we travel, we do not publicise it because we are always in danger. We are swimming in a river full of crocodiles.

Chamisa’s remarks are a reminiscence of remarks that were made by the party’s spokesperson, Jacob Mafume last year.

By Own Correspondent- A Harare lawyer and academic, Fadzayi Mahere, said the current situation with power cuts is a clear indication that President Mnangagwa and his government have dismally failed and should simply resign.

She added that the entire system is dysfunctional, corrupt and toxic.

On the issue of dialogue, Mahere opined that it is pointless to talk with someone who gives John Mangudya (RBZ governor) another 5-year term. She said:

This business of only having power for a couple of hours while we are asleep is not sustainable.

We’ve hit rock bottom but they continue to dig in. The government has failed.

ED and friends must accept responsibility for their failure and resign. The entire system that they run is dysfunctional, corrupt and toxic.

The Zanu PF culture will choke any strategy that anybody suggests for lunch. My solution is therefore that they must go.

… There was a moment when dialogue could have been a plan but then the powers that be adopted a bogus version thereof.

It will take a lot more to restore confidence. How do you have a dialogue with someone who gives Mangudya another 5-year term and hopes for economic success?

Video loading below…

By Own Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has implored political party leaders to move away from the election mode and join hands with hims as the legitimate elected leader of the nation in rebuilding a better nation for all.

He said thsi at the launch of the Code of Conduct for National Dialogue at the HICC in Harare today.

Said Mnangagwa:

“Just as i said in my inauguration speech, I am a listening President and i will continue to listen. I embrace those who are willing to join hands in the re- building of our nation. Every Zimbabwean is important…..It does not serve any purpose to continue in election mode.. when citizens are yearning for social growth.”

By Own Correspondent_ Addressing delegates at the launch of the Code of Conduct for political parties in the National Dialogue, President Emmerson Mnangagwa implored the country’s leaders to be exemplary in their conduct.

Said Mnanngagwa:

“As leaders, we must strive to be exemplary. We must say no to all forms of hate speech and conduct that will bring harm to our people. When there is unity, God will command blessings to our nation.”

Video loading below…

By Own Correspondent- Professor Welshman Ncube, MDC deputy president has claimed that the late party leader Morgan Tsvangirai anointed him to be Nelson Chamisa’s assistant before he died.

Speaking on the sidelines of the MDC Mashonaland West provincial caucus meeting on Tuesday, Ncube said:

The most important thing is that when president Tsvangirai was to pass on, he specifically and entrusted me with the responsibility of assisting president Chamisa in the struggle against the junta regime that we have in Zimbabwe today. I promised him in the presence of Chamisa that I will do all I can.

He also said that selection of the deputy president must be on merit as the president needs proper assistance.

He added:

Our people believe that we are an inclusive country. We are a tolerant party, we must select and elect people who will honestly and properly assist the president in his task, so there is absolutely no risk of that happening.

Ncube was MDC’s founding secretary-general, with Tsvangirai as president in 1999.

By Own Correspondent- Addressing leaders of parties who are part of the political parties National Dialogue initiated by President Emmerson Mnangagwa today, Justice Commissioner Sello Nare revealed the 15 key guidelines to be adhered to by all parties as they dialogue.

Nare added that the doors to dialogue were still open to all political parties at whatever stage.

Said Nare:

“The doors to dialogue are open to all and it does not matter whether you have joined or not.”

Those who signed the Code of Conduct were presidential candidates or their representatives from the following political parties:

Bethel Christian party, Coalition of Democrats, Democratic Opposition Party, Independent, the Movement for Democratic Change led by Dr Thokozani Khupe. Nationalist Alliance Party, National Constitutional Assembly, the New Patriotic Front, Rebuilding Zimbabwe Party, the United African National Council, United Democratic Front, United Democracy Movement, People’s Rainbow Coalition, #1980 Presidential Candidate, Zimbabwe Partnership for Prosperity Party, #1980 Freedom Movement for Zimbabwe and Zanu Pf.

Farai Dziva|Bryn Mteki has praised Emmerson Mnangagwa for inviting opposition parties to the national dialogue process.

Mteki made the remarks at the launch of the National Dialogue at the HICC in Harare.

“Your Excellency we salute you for inviting us to this noble discussion platform.

We have to bury our differences and move the nation forward.Let us digress from lady politics to national politics,” said Mteki.

“We believe this is the right platform for us to lay the foundation for building our nation,” added Mteki.

By Own Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa is attending the Political Parties Dialogue Launch at the Harare International Conference Centre.

ZimEye will be livestreaming the event.

Refresh this page for latest updates.

Farai Dziva|Former MDC official Lucia Matibenga has attacked MDC A leader Nelson Chamisa for snubbing the Zanu PF initiated National Dialogue.

Speaking at the launch of the National Dialogue in the capital today Matibenga said:”If you are a Zimbabwean and if you are patriotic then you have to be part of this dialogue.

That is why I am part of the dialogue.If you choose to stay away from this key national process then you are unpatriotic,” said Matibenga.

Chamisa argues the national dialogue process is meant to legitimize and authenticate Mnangagwa’s controversial victory in the 2018 polls.

Analysts say Mnangagwa is using the dialogue process to coax the restive Zimbabwean population.

Farai Dziva|Former MDC member Lucia Matibenga has said Emmerson Mnangagwa was given the mandate to rule the country during last year’s elections.

Matibenga urged the opposition to accept the outcome of the 2018 polls to enable the nation building process to commence.

“There is no need to argue about the outcome of the 2018 polls because we are all aware of the fact that a winner was officially announced.

Our focus should be on how to develop our nation,” said Matibenga.

By Own Correspondent| Controversial businessman who has in the past hogged the lime light for allegedly duping the country’s power utility ZESA of millions of dollars has responded to the newly appointed minister’s statement instructing ZESA to recover the money lost to him.

Wicknell Chivhayo, whose statement reflected that he appeared unfazed by the threats showered praises on the newly appointed Energy Minister Fortune Chasi describing him as a level headed politician who would act accordingly once properly briefed of the correct facts of the Gwanda solar project.

Said Chivhayo:

Hon Minister Chibabest is not only a very Senior Advocate but a seasoned level headed politician of unquestionable integrity. When he’s fully briefed of the correct facts on the ground I’m optimistic and confident he will come up with a different conclusion based on an informed position. I can only but celebrate that with a pragmatic Minister like him “against all odds” success of the project is inevitable…???…???…???…?‍♂️?‍♂️?‍♂️…???

By Own Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said Government is committed to sustainable growth of the tourism sector through the implementation of various initiatives.

He said this during a cocktail he hosted for a visiting 343-member Chinese tourist delegation at State House last night.

The delegation comprising tourists, buyers and journalists, is part of a tourism project organised by Touchroad International Holdings Group dubbed “Tour Africa — The New Horizon”.

Said Mnangagwa:

My Government has adopted various strategies to ensure sustainable long-term growth of the tourism sector.

These include increasing tourist arrivals and promoting investment in tourism-related infrastructure. We therefore continue to encourage investment in infrastructure such as hotels and other facilities that will widen our tourism products.

The introduction of a number of incentives will further help promote investments into the sector. These include the declaration of a Tourism Special Economic Zone, which covers Victoria Falls, Binga and Kariba tourism corridor, among others.”

President Mnangagwa added that duty exemptions were also available for the importation of tourism capital goods and safari vehicles.

“Government is also scaling up efforts to rehabilitate and modernise airport infrastructure as well as road networks connecting tourist resorts. To this end, the Belt and Road Initiative spearheaded by His Excellency Xi Xinping will go a long way in enhancing interconnectivity with countries to facilitate not only trade but also tourism and people to people exchanges. Hence tourists can use Zimbabwe as a gateway to other tourist destinations in the Southern African region.

“Our country’s tourism sector has received international recognition and endorsements which saw us being nominated as the 3rd Best in Travel in the World, and we are among the top 10 ‘must visit’ destinations and chosen the Sustainable Destination of the Year during the recent ITB Berlin Travel Show.

This commitment of monthly tourist delegations by Touchroad International Holdings Group is yet another welcome endorsement and recognition of Zimbabwe as a safe and must-visit destination.”-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent- A group of shady organisations from Zimbabwe with links to the opposition MDC-Alliance has in recent months been hard at work laying the groundwork for civil unrest set to be unleashed next month, a report by The Herald has alleged.

Foreign organisations are coordinating workshops and training in Zimbabwe, the region and overseas to effect illegal regime change.

Also in the mix are individuals that security services in Zimbabwe have been watching.

According to information at hand, the organisations are seeking to unleash a wave of violent demonstrations beginning next month, with ring leaders of civil unrest having received training in the Czech Republic and the Maldives

Further, The Herald has been told that after the training, the groups briefed MDC-Alliance president Mr Nelson Chamisa.

Currently, there is a group training in the Maldives, which began on Tuesday and ends on Sunday and is being conducted by Center for Applied Nonviolent Action and Strategies (CANVAS), a Serbian organisation which trained MDC activists who were involved in the coordination of the January 14 to 16 violent protests.

Eight local activists, including a multimedia journalist from NewsDay, are attending the programme and will be instrumental in training and instigating mayhem to be rolled out in June.

The eight are drawn from civic organisations which include Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellency, Centre for Community Development, Trust Africa, Rozaria Memorial Trust, and Community Tolerance and Reconciliation Trust.

CANVAS was founded in 2003 by Serbian nationals Srdja Popovic and Ivan Morovic and has been involved in the training of anti-government activists in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Iran, Lebanon, Tibet, Ukraine and Venezuela.

MDC activists who attended the training in the Czech Republic were sponsored by Trust Africa (Zimbabwe) which is headed by Mr Briggs Bomba, who also heads Zimbabwe Alliance, a donor collaborative sponsoring regime change efforts in the country.

According to documents leaked from Mr Chamisa’s office, the MDC and Trust Africa seconded six members to the workshop, which was held in Prague, from May 6 to 10.

The purpose of the workshop was to share plot to unleash violent protests unearthed transitional experiences of countries such as Argentina, Georgia, Poland, Russia and the Czech Republic, among others. The workshop was funded by National Endowment for democracy (NED), an American private and non-profit organisation which focuses on “strengthening democratic institutions”.

Although Mr Bomba did not return calls as promised by his office, a source at Morgan Tsvangirai House – the MDC headquarters – confirmed details of the workshop held at CEVRO Institute, a private university in Prague, owned by a civic organization with the same name.

According to the CEVRO website, the organization was established in 1999 in Prague, as a non-profit organization “seeking to support democratic development home and abroad”.

“The workshop was held at CEVRO Institute, Jungmannova 17, 111000 Prague 1, Room Number 218. The workshop topics focused on dismantling of the State Security apparatus and the investigation and prosecution of the crimes of the regime, among others.

“Case studies on the transition experiences were drawn from Georgia, Estonia, Argentina, Poland and Czech Republic. The activists also toured the Chamber of Deputies and Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic.

“The workshop follows efforts to push for the formation of a transitional authority in Zimbabwe in the aftermath of the 2018 harmonised elections,” the source said.

The workshop was also attended by activists from Vietnam, Armenia, Azerbaijah, Bolivia, Burma, Burundi, North Korea, Uganda and Venezuela.

According to the training programme, topics were based on the Georgian, Estonian, German, Polish, Russian and Czech experiences and centered on the dismantling of state security apparatus, prosecution of regime crimes and transformation of political system.

Presenters included CEVRO director Jiri Kozak; Anton Vacharadze, direction head at the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information; Gabriela Ippolito-O´Donnell, director of the School of Politics at the University of El Salvador; and Franciszek D?browski, a lecturer at the Academy of Warfare in Warsaw.

“The workshop focused on how to unseat authoritarian regimes using peaceful means. Modus operandi for the unseating would include massive demonstrations, sit-ins, student protests, civil disobedience and online activism.

“What we want to do is to pressurise the regime into concessions with protestors. The most powerful tool to be used is grassroots mobilization and use of the internet for sharing information. This is exactly what we did during the January protests, we used the internet,” the MDC source said.

“We have been told that the security sector’s top hierarchy is disgruntled with the current regime and is willing to work with Nelson Chamisa but are fearful of their future in the aftermath of regime change. We have suggested that Chamisa should approach the security sector’s top hierarchy and assure them of no reprisals if the MDC wins.”

The MDC has previously denied instigating and coordinating public violence, especially on August 1, 2018 and January 14 to 16 this year.

The August 1 post-election violence left six people dead and property worth millions of dollars was destroyed in Harare.

Prior to the election, Mr Chamisa has threatened that he would make Zimbabwe ungovernable if he did not win.-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa is under increasing pressure from Western countries to implement security sector reforms, a report claims.

In recent months, Mnangagwa has retired several senior military figures who perpetuated “toxic politics”, some of whom will be deployed to diplomatic missions.

Some of the retired commanders are Major-General Anselem Sanyatwe, who was the commander of the Presidential Guard; former Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) chief-of-staff (administration) Douglas Nyikayaramba, chief-of-staff responsible for service personnel and logistics, Major-General Martin Chedondo, and Air Vice-Marshal Sheba Shumbayawonda.

In an article on April 28, Mnangagwa’s blue-eyed boy, Nick Mangwana said that the changes were part of the security sector reforms.

Mangwana’s sentiments are considered to be those of Mnangagwa.

Said Mangwana:

President Mnangagwa has redeployed those members of the security services who have served their country with distinction to other areas of the establishment to strengthen Zimbabwe’s democracy.

These include General Constantino Chiwenga (Rtd), who is now Vice President, Major-General Sibusiso Moyo (Rtd), who is now Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and a host of other eminent sons who have been redeployed to the party and diplomatic service.

He has also permanently retired those members who perpetuated toxic politics of yesteryear and appointed and elevated other patriotic cadres to replace them.

However, a retired army commander who spoke to the Zimbabwe Independent said that it was not possible to drive out the military from politics completely as Mnangagwa lacks popular political support having initially risen at the behest of a military coup. The retired commander is quoted as saying:

It is an implausible scenario to say Mnangagwa is undertaking security sector reform as Mangwana claims.

What Mnangagwa is doing is changing faces within the command element to consolidate power and protect himself from possible removal by the same military.

In the first place, Mnangagwa and his military allies, before the new splits, thwarted security sector reform under Mugabe because of militarised politics and the succession battle.

So they won’t embrace it now because the military is the foundation of his administration; overhauling it means he will be left exposed and won’t survive politically.

Remember he has no popular electoral support and this was demonstrated during last year’s general elections.

He relied on the military to assume power, he depended on it to controversially win the election and still relies on it to remain in power.

What he has done and is still doing is merely replacing commanders he doesn’t want or those he doesn’t trust with those who are loyal to him.

The military infrastructure remains the same because he is aware that he can’t institute genuine security sector reforms without collapsing his rule.

By Own Correspondent- Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube reportedly clashed with ZANU PF MPs on Wednesday morning over a number of issues.

The MPs were summoned for a caucus before they went to Parliament where Ncube was expected to make a presentation.

The party had gathered intelligence that the MPs intended to grill Ncube over the deteriorating economy as well as their welfare.

As a result, the party pre-empted an ugly clash between Ncube and the MPs.

Reports indicate that the angry MPs accused Ncube of sabotaging the party through his damaging policies.

The Zimbabwe Independent spoke to a number of MPs who attended the caucus who revealed that the irate legislators took  Ncube to task over his austerity measures.

One of the MPs who spoke to the publication had this to say about Ncube:

The meeting turned chaotic as MPs confronted Ncube.

Some accused him of being a sellout and a traitor who had introduced policies that will cost the party in the next elections. He didn’t take that particular criticism lightly.

Instead of retreating, he stood up and launched counter-accusations against MPs and started banging tables in a fit of rage.

He insisted that the policies would work if they had the support of the party.

This further infuriated the MPs and the scene became dramatic as some started walking out, while others kept on locked in heated exchanges him.

In the end, Togarepi calmed down the situation and ended the meeting.

By Own Correspondent- Cash-strapped Chitungwiza Municipality owes former and current workers close to $29 million in salary arrears and terminal benefits.

A recent council report reveals that current employees are owed over $16 million while the human resources department could not ascertain the arrears for March.

“The balance of salary arrears stood at $28 843 892 of this $16 854 762 is for current employees. All former employees are owed a total of $4 634 762,” reads the report.

“We could not establish a reasonable basis for March 2019 employment costs because of increased difficulties associated with estimating salaries for one payroll because the human resources department inherited a payroll which was behind by seven months in September 2018.

Mrs Mary Mukonyora, the human resources director, said the continued failure to meet monthly obligations could result in litigation.

“There is a monthly obligation of $88 000 that should be paid to former workers. Challenges facing the department are the late payment of salaries.

“Whilst council has enjoyed a stay in terms of labour related issues due to payment plans and deeds of settlement, council is struggling to fulfil its obligation which may result in resurgence of court cases,” she said.

“There were 89 cumulative labour cases recorded during the month under review from the previous 88 cases recorded the previous the month.

“Of these 89 cases, 45 are being handled by human resources whilst council lawyers are handling 44 cases.” -StateMedia

TENSIONS boiled over at a Zanu PF parliamentary caucus meeting on Wednesday morning as MPs confronted Finance minister Mthuli Ncube over the parlous state of the economy and their welfare issues.

This comes as MPs are also calling for a 250% increase in Constituency Development Fund allocations, saying the RTGS$50 000 which they are receiving each was insufficient to allow them to undertake development projects in their constituencies.

Ahead of Ncube’s Wednesday address to parliament on the economy, Zanu PF summoned its MPs to a caucus meeting at the party headquarters in Harare to whip them into line after it reportedly gathered information that they intended to tackle him head-on over the spiralling economy and their welfare before the nation.

Ncube’s presentation in parliament was broadcast live on state television, ZBC.

In the tense caucus meeting, agitated parliamentarians accused Ncube of sabotaging the party through his damaging policies and not taking their welfare issues seriously.

Ncube was also asked to field questions to MPs in the meeting, but left early leaving Zanu PF deputy chief whip Obedingwa Mguni on the firing line.

Zanu PF MPs who spoke to the Zimbabwe Independent in off-the-record briefings this week said there was a tense atmosphere in the caucus meeting as MPs attacked Ncube and openly denounced him.

Sources said the meeting started with the Zanu PF chief whip Pupurai Togarepi, MP for Gutu South, outlining the agenda — which was to discuss how they should conduct themselves during the state-of-the-economy address.

Ncube was then invited to speak to the MPs, they said.

In his address, which was repeatedly interrupted as he was also later in the day in parliament, Ncube said government did not have the means to fund MPs’ lavish lifestyles.

“Basically, we zeroed in on our welfare issues; for instance we were previously promised Toyota Landcruiser vehicles, but Ncube told us that government for now can only afford Toyota Hilux trucks. Alternatively he offered us vehicle loans amounting to RTGS$40 000.

“In the last parliament, we got US$35 000 and the MPs felt that Ncube was being dismissive. What sort of a car can you buy now with RTGS$40 000? We demanded that he should at least raise it to at least RTGS$200 000, but he refused.

So people started making all sorts of accusations and hurling insults at him,” one of the MPs who attended the meeting said.

“There was also the issue of our sitting allowances. As you may be aware, we get RTGS$100 per sitting, which is now very insignificant. So the MPs put it to him that since he is the one who devalued the currency, he should own up and make sure our allowances are reviewed upwards. Again he did not budge. This greatly angered some of us.”

Another source said: “The meeting turned chaotic as MPs confronted Ncube.

Some accused him of being a sellout and a traitor who had introduced policies that will cost the party in the next elections. He didn’t take that particular criticism lightly.”

According to sources, chaos intensified when Ncube stood up and put on a brave face as he took the marauding MPs head-on.

“Instead of retreating, he stood up and launched counter-accusations against MPs and started banging tables in a fit of rage. He insisted that the policies would work if they had the support of the party.

“This further infuriated the MPs and the scene became dramatic as some started walking out, while others kept on locked in heated exchanges him. In the end, Togarepi calmed down the situation and ended the meeting,” the source said.

Later in the day, Ncube kept the National Assembly in wait for about half an hour, raising fears that he might have developed cold feet to avoid facing the combined wrath of Zanu PF and opposition parties.

But when he finally made his way into the House, Zanu PF MPs maintained their cool throughout his presentation, which had to be cut midway through in accordance with the Standing Rules and Orders which prohibit parliament business from proceeding beyond 7:55pm unless prior special leave is sought.

Togarepi yesterday declined to comment on the issue.

“Parliament’s administration is dealing with those issues through the Ministry of Finance. Both parties are guided by decisions already made on the adjustments to their allowance,” he said.

Ncube could not be reached for comment as his mobile number went unanswered. — Independent

By Own Correspondent | A United Kingdom based woman poured “jecha” on her husband’s marriage to his Zimbabwean based sweetheart after she successfully approached the High Court seeking the nullification of their secret wedding arguing that she was still customarily married to him.

Dorothy Mtetwa, dragged her husband Lesley Amos and his newly found love Mavis Sibanda who secretly tied the knot last year, to court where her plea to have the duo’s union nullified was later granted.

In an exclusive interview with ZimEye, Thursday night, Mtetwa narrated how her cheating husband left the UK clandestinely to marry his “sweetheart” secretly.

“He was just saying all sorts of things about me including that I was cheating on him, which really on the contrary was not true because it was him who would spend two weeks without coming home. He made his plans and did not tell me about his trip despite that I am the one that was very instrumental in him getting his documents in order both here in the UK and back home(sic).

Mtetwa revealed how she got wind that Amos had paid lobola for Sibanda and how he was planning to wed, through her husband’s relative.

Amos, who is related to prominent politician Margaret Dongo, initially claimed that Dongo knew about his marriage to Sibanda before back-tracking and revealing that she was never a part of it.

Said Mtetwa;

‘My husband’s sister told me that she knew this woman as her brother’s girlfriend but did not think that their relationship was that serious.”

Amos had only disclosed to a chosen few that he had paid dowry for Sibanda, which his UK based first wife Mtetwa found out.

“My advice to women who will be put in the same situation like mine is that stand up for your rights. If you are violated approach the courts for redress. In Zimbabwe, it is not too expensive. Sue them.

Even when you are married customarily, you also have rights and the law recognises that marriage so sue your husband and his mistress until they know that it’s wrong.”

Mtetwa however said before taking the bold step of nullifying the duo’s marriage which she believe was done in order to facilitate for Sibanda’s entry into the UK since she is a qualified nurse, she tried to engage her husband’s concubine to advise her that Amos was married.

“She (Sibanda) would not listen and she told me hurting words. I even advised her that she should seek other ways of coming to the UK instead of destroying my marriage but she remained adamant.”

Today Mr Lesley Amos, speaks on ZimEye.com

Meanwhile, last night Mr Amos appeared via phone to respond to his ex wife’s allegations that he was a cheat who took advantage of his spouse to use her for immigration papers only to desert her for a Harare based nurse after 25 years. FULL VIDEO BELOW – 

A comment from the small house was not possible at the time of writing.

VIDEOS LOADING BELOW…

The Movement for Democratic Change Alliance has been invited to the launch of the Political Actors Dialogue at the Harare International Conference Centre set for today, one of the conveners Justice Selo Nare said.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to officially launch the dialogue.

Leaders of at least 17 political parties are taking part in the national dialogue which MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has boycotted because he argues that Mnangagwa cannot convene any dialogue since he is one of the disputants.

The national dialogue is being convened by Nare and Zimbabwe Gender Commission Chair Margaret Mukahanana-Sangarwe.

Chamisa preferred the dialogue to be convened by someone from outside Zimbabwe or a local church leader but United Nations representative to Zimbabwe Bishow Parajuli said that locally initiated dialogue usually provided a lasting solution.

Chamisa does not recognise Mnangagwa as President of the country because he argues that he won last year’s presidential elections though he failed to prove so in court.

WIFE IN CELEBRATION:

HUSBAND’S RESPONSE:

Own Correspondent|Zimbabwe’s former deputy minister of finance, Terrence Mukupe, is facing jail over a $24,237 debt after Quality Insurance Company approached the high court seeking an order to have him caged.

Mukupe is yet to respond after the insurance company issued the summons for civil imprisonment against him at the High Court in Harare, NewsDay reported on Thursday. The debt was incurred in 2012

Quality Insurance asserts that the former minister is required to pay the claimed sum by virtue of a judgement against him in 2017, adding that he was also ordered to pay charges relating to the judgement. Should he renege he will be forced to appear before a judge to explain further as to why he shouldn’t be imprisoned.

Mukupe was further advised to bring evidence supporting his financial position in regard to evidence of income as well as expenses and liabilities.‌

Last year Trust Bank applied for him to be imprisoned over a $32,593 debt. The bank alleges Mukupe defied a 2013 court order from High Court judge Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo compelling him to clear his debt.

Controversial businessman, Wicknell Chivayo has responded to newly appointed Minister of Energy and Power Development Fortune Chasi’s demands for him to return the US$5 million that he was advanced by the Zimbabwe Power Company.

Chivayo’s company, Intratek Zimbabwe was awarded the US$200 million tender by the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) for the construction of the Gwanda Solar Power Project but meaningful progress is yet to made on the project almost three years later despite the fact that Chivayo received an advance of US$5 million from Zesa in irregular circumstances.

Due to the lack of progress, the government tried to prosecute Chivayo but were defeated at the courts with the judges ruling that the businessman had committed no crimes.

However, soon after his appointment, Chasi went on the attack and called on Chivayo to return all the that he had received from Zesa.

The Minister’s demands did not seem to trouble Chivayo who told Zimlive,

“All I can say is that against all odds, success of the project is inevitable. The minister is a very senior advocate and level-headed politician of unquestionable integrity. When he’s fully briefed of the facts on the ground, he will come up with a conclusion based on an informed position,” he said.

State Media|Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) secretary, Nora Tsitsi Tsomondo has been acquitted of charges of concealing a transaction from her principals in a botched $1 billion Hwange tender.

In her ruling Harare regional magistrate Ms Lucy Mugwari said there was no evidence linking Tsomondo to the offence.

“Through the evidence of all the witnesses there was no evidence to prove the accused acted in a corrupt manner,” she said.

Ms Mugwari also said that the State had failed to prove a prima facie case and the two men who were her principals had indicated that they were not deceived.

Allegations were that between 2011 and 2018, ZPC undertook an engineering procurement and construction contract for the expansion of Hwange 7 and 8 power stations.

The tender project was awarded to Chinese company SinoHydro Corporation at a contract price of $1,1 billion.

It is alleged in order to access funds, Government represented by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development entered into a preferential buyer credit loan agreement with China-Exim Bank.

This prompted the need for notarial security cession agreement for the project which was in favour of China-Exim Bank in the sum of $4 501 166.

The State alleges on May 14, 2014, Tsomondo was requested by financial director, Hubert Chiwara, to register the notarial security cession agreement with the Registrar of Companies. Tsomondo advised Chiwara that the cost of registration would not exceed $100 000.

It was the State’s case that on the same day, Tsomondo wrote to Sheilla Mugugu Law Chambers requesting a quotation for legal fees for drafting, preparation for filing, lodging with the Registrar of Companies and the notarial deed of the security cession. Mugugu allegedly charged two percent of the $1,1 billion contract which was $5 001 166.

Tsomondo allegedly negotiated for a reduction which resulted in Mugugu invoicing $4 501 166.

It is alleged on May 17 this year, Tsomondo went on to engage Mugugu for the registration without advising her principals that $100 000 was changed to $4 501 166.

The State alleged, by so doing Tsomondo corruptly concealed a transaction which has an actual financial prejudice to ZPC of $4 501 166.

The offence came to light when Tsomondo tendered an invoice of $4 500 000 from Mugugu to Chiwara for payment instructions.

HEALTH and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo has defended the First Lady, Amai Auxilia Mnangagwa’s interference in government affairs, saying she is assisting the health sector.

Dr Moyo said the First Lady has managed to mobilise resources for hospitals and clinics which the Ministry would not have ordinarily managed to procure.

The Minister was responding to legislators’ questions during the National Assembly’s Question and Answer session on Wednesday afternoon.

Dr Moyo said Amai Mnangagwa, through her charity organisation, Angel of Hope Foundation, has gone out of her way to assist the health sector.

Legislators had quizzed the Minister if the First Lady was not interfering with Government operations following her recent visit to the National Pharmaceutical Company (Natpharm).

“The First Lady’s work is philanthropic. She is the Ambassador for Health and Child Care. She was always the Ambassador for Maternal and Child Care. She has done a tremendous amount of work for the country,” said Dr Moyo.

“Without any doubt, the First Lady has managed to acquire equipment on behalf of the Ministry and on behalf of all of us. She has managed to acquire equipment which we could have never been able to acquire. She has worked right through. She is a hard worker who cannot be stopped. In actual fact, as the Minister of Health and Child Care, I do encourage her to continue assisting us as much as possible.”

He said while Government is grappling with foreign currency shortages, the First Lady has managed to source health equipment from overseas.

“There is no foreign currency but she manages through her foundation to gather equipment for us from America, Europe and Japan. What more do you want? She is there for us as a mother who is looking after the whole family and making sure that the health of Zimbabweans is well looked after and in a much better position. There is no need to condemn the First Lady for her good works,” Dr Moyo said.

By A Correspondent| The government of Zimbabwe has subtly announced plans to repeat the military violence of August 2018 and January 2019, next month.

Zimbabwe has been set for another round of military attacks.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Has Zimbabwe returned to where it was a week before President Mugabe's removal?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) May 17, 2019

Zimbabwe has returned to where it was early Nov 2017 just before Robert Mugabe's removal? pic.twitter.com/me3P7qdOwp

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) May 17, 2019

The loud statement was published over a state media broadsheet summing up a propaganda pullover similar to the August 2018 and the January 2019 preparations. The pointers are contained in the below state “news” article whose pivot is a worry that members olof the public are disgruntled over the 2018 election rigging and the questionable constitutional court verdict by Chief Justice Luke Malaba whose writ is still to be produced. Already, state economists say the first round of state terror attacks (August 2018) cost Zimbabwe over $16 billion, in what has caused a sudden flight of capital and great economic uncertainty.

The below state media article seeks to draw Emmerson Mnangagwa’s nemesis, Nelson Chamisa to the fore of allegations. It was printed with Nelson Chamisa’s face albeit with neither comment nor constultation with the accused.

WILL THE TERROR ATTACKS WORK THIS TIME?

Below is the state media article:

Herald Article: A group of shady organisations from Zimbabwe with links to the opposition MDC-Alliance has in recent months been hard at work laying groundwork for civil unrest set to be unleashed next month, according to our Harare Bureau.

Foreign organisations are coordinating workshops and training in Zimbabwe, the region and overseas to effect regime change in the country.

Also in the mix are individuals that security services in Zimbabwe have been watching.

According to information at hand, the organisations are seeking to unleash a massive wave of violent demonstrations beginning next month, with ring leaders of civil unrest having received training in the Czech Republic and the Maldives

Further, our Harare Bureau has been told that after the trainings, the groups came and gave briefings to MDC-Alliance president, Mr Nelson Chamisa.

There is a group undergoing training in the Maldives, which started on Tuesday and ends on Sunday and is being conducted by Centre for Applied Nonviolent Action and Strategies (CANVAS), a Serbian organisation which trained MDC activists involved in the coordination of the January 14 to 16 violent protests.

Eight local activists, including a multimedia journalist from NewsDay, are attending the programme and will be instrumental in training and instigating mayhem to be rolled out in June.

The eight are drawn from various civic organisations which include Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellency, Centre for Community Development, Trust Africa, Rozaria Memorial Trust and Community Tolerance and Reconciliation Trust.

CANVAS was founded in 2003 by Serbian nationals Srdja Popovic and Ivan Morovic and has been involved in the training of anti-government activists in Azerbajan, Belarus, Georgia, Iran, Lebanon, Tibet, Ukraine and Venezuela.

MDC activists who attended the training in the Czech Republic were sponsored by Trust Africa (Zimbabwe) which is headed by Mr Briggs Bomba, who also heads Zimbabwe Alliance, a donor collaborative sponsoring regime change efforts in the country.

According to documents leaked from Mr Chamisa’s office, the MDC and Trust Africa seconded six members to the workshop, which was held in Prague, from May 6 to 10.

The purpose of the workshop was to share transitional experiences of countries such as Argentina, Georgia, Poland, Russia and the Czech Republic, among others. The workshop was funded by National Endowment for democracy (NED), an American private and non-profit organisation which focuses on “strengthening democratic institutions”.

Although Mr Bomba did not return calls as promised by his office, a source at Morgan Tsvangirai House – the MDC headquarters – confirmed details of the workshop held at CEVRO Institute, a private university in Prague, owned by a civic organisation with the same name.

According to the CEVRO website, the organisation was established in 1999 in Prague, as a non-profit organisation “seeking to support democratic development home and abroad”.

“The workshop was held at CEVRO Institute, Jungmannova 17, 111000 Prague 1, Room Number 218. The workshop topics focused on dismantling of the State Security apparatus and the investigation and prosecution of the crimes of the regime, among others.

“Case studies on the transition experiences were drawn from Georgia, Estonia, Argentina, Poland and Czech Republic. The activists also toured the Chamber of Deputies and Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic.

“The workshop follows efforts to push for the formation of a transitional authority in Zimbabwe in the aftermath of the 2018 harmonised elections,” the source said.

The workshop was also attended by activists from Vietnam, Armenia, Azerbaijah, Bolivia, Burma, Burundi, North Korea, Uganda and Venezuela.

According to the training programme, topics were based on the Georgian, Estonian, German, Polish, Russian and Czech experiences and centred on the dismantling of state security apparatus, prosecution of regime crimes and transformation of political system.

Presenters included CEVRO director Jiri Kozak; Anton Vacharadze, direction head at the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information; Gabriela Ippolito-O´Donnell, director of the School of Politics at the University of El Salvador; and Franciszek D’browski, a lecturer at the Academy of Warfare in Warsaw.

“The workshop focused on how to unseat authoritarian regimes using peaceful means. Modus operandi for the unseating would include massive demonstrations, sit-ins, student protests, civil disobedience and online activism. What we want to do is to pressurise the regime into concessions with protestors. The most powerful tool to be used is grassroots mobilisation and use of the internet for sharing information. This is exactly what we did during the January protests, we used the internet,” the MDC source said.

“We have been told that the security sector’s top hierarchy is disgruntled with the current regime and is willing to work with Nelson Chamisa but are fearful of their future in the aftermath of regime change. We have suggested that Chamisa should approach the security sector’s top hierarchy and assure them of no reprisals if the MDC wins.”

The MDC has previously denied instigating and coordinating public violence, especially on August 1, 2018 and January 14 to 16 this year.

The August 1 post-election violence left six people dead and property worth millions of dollars was destroyed in Harare.

Prior to the election, Mr Chamisa had threatened that he would make Zimbabwe ungovernable if he did not win.

By Own Correspondent-A concerned parent of a Form 2 pupil at Founder High School Etiwel Mutero has written to the Head of the school with shocking claims that a Form Two Maths teacher identified as Chivava has not been attending lessons for a full year.

Wrote the parent:

“This letter serves to complain over your Form Two Maths teacher Chivava. As I was going through my Form two child’s Maths Book this holiday I found out that her Maths book has not been marked since Form one. I interrogated her on why her book has never been marked ever since Form 1 and she said the teacher does not come to class. She said the teacher comes to class once in two weeks and that this is his habit since January 2018.”

He further revealed that there was another teacher who was offering extra lessons at the schools. “Secondly, she (daughter) told me there is a teacher by the name Mzizi who is giving extra mathematics lessons for money within the school premises.

“My questions are: were you aware that Chivava is not attending his lessons and that he is not marking our children’s work since January 2018? Do you check the pupils exercise books to see if teachers are doing their work properly as the school overall supervisor?

Is there no link between Chivava and Mzizi, since Chivava is not attending his form 1 and 2 lessons then assign Mzizi to give Maths lessons for money within the school premises. Is it legal for teachers to use school premises to make extra money?”

Parents who spoke to this publication said if the allegations are investigated and found to be true the said teachers should be suspended and forced to pay back al the money they have benefited from the pupils.

Farai Dziva|Zimbabweans have called on Emmerson Mnangagwa to reign in on war veterans leader Victor Matemadanda as he is a security risk.

Zimbabweans also condemned Zanu PF youths for threatening Chief Ndiweni.

Rangarirayi Mutukura said :The
Deputy Minister is a security threat.

Desmond Tinarwo commented:
This is the kind of reckless behaviour that can cause war!

Gilbert Makombora:
Must be arrested
That is unacceptable.

Andrew Marime:
Lawlessness nation, it’s sickening. Why can’t a person speak his mind and not be manhandled? His freedom of speech is guaranteed (whatever that means!)in the Zim Constitution.

If anything it’s the deputy minister who needs to be indicted for inciting violence.

Farai Dziva| Legendary musician Clive Malunga has disclosed that he last had sex in 2002 when he parted ways with his wife.

The Nesango hit-maker has also said he is committed to studies and he has no time for ladies.Malunga owns Jenaguru Culture Centre.

“I am currently doing my Masters in Business Administration (degree) with Great Zimbabwe University,” Malunga told H-Metro.

One of the country’s top musicians and music promoter, Malunga, has decided to go back to school.

“It is time for educating our minds than wasting time having sex.”

Malunga, however, urged men not to divorce their wives saying it was only him who was unlucky in marriage.

“I think I am unlucky in marriage. To all men, get me correctly here, I am not saying leave your wives, no, but I am just honestly telling you that I have a bad luck in marriage, hence decided to stay single for life with my children.”

“So inini handichada, I am now just staying and educating my children who are now respecting me more because they now know that our father is an organised parent and he is a father,” he said.

ZIMBABWE’s rate of inflation will remain high until October this year and is likely to go into the negative going into early next year, Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube has said.

Latest figures released by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) this week show that the country’s month-on-month inflation rate rose by 1,14 percentage points to 5,52 percent in April from 4,38 percent in March.

ZimStat also indicated that year-on-year inflation last month as measured by all items Consumer Price Index stood at 75,86 percent, while that of March was 66,80 percent.

This means that prices as measured by the all items Consumer Price Index increased by an average of 75,86 percent between April 2018 and April 2019.

Responding to questions in Parliament on Wednesday, Prof Ncube said:
“I will be on record to say that inflation will remain high until about October this year, that is our prognosis. After that, it is expected to fall right into early next year.
“Our reasons are as follows; the increase in inflation is also due to a technical factor in the sense that when the inflation picked up in October last year to about 16 percent just for that month alone, that shifted the index
to a higher level and the way inflation is measured you always compare the level of index from the previous year to the current year.”State media

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday said the country would not fully depend on hydro-electricity generation in view of the reality of climate change, which has forced a drastic drop in power generation at the giant Kariba Hydro-Power Station due to declining water levels.

Kariba Station is the major source of electricity in Zimbabwe following commissioning of Kariba South units last year, which were built at a cost of about $500 million.

However, declining water levels have seen local power generation reduced drastically at a time when thermal power generation is also weak due to ageing equipment. In view of this the power utility, Zesa, has resorted to massive load shedding which has seen some places experience power outages for more than 10 hours.

The situation has sparked public outcry with businesses also complaining that their operations are being negatively affected.

Addressing guests at the commissioning of the $62 million Unki Mines smelter plant in Shurugwi, President Mnangagwa said his Government was working on mechanisms to deal with the power supply issue and other utilities for the benefit of the economy and its populace.

“Measures to avail enablers and utilities such as electricity and adequate water supply are high on our priority list. Because of climate change we are fully aware that we cannot fully depend on hydro-electricity, we have to diversify,” he told the large gathering that attended the commissioning event at Impali Primary School.State media

CHIPINGE District Hospital was a few months ago rocked by allegations of theft of drugs by staff members which forced the district’s administration to institute investigations.

The allegations, which came before the devastating tropical cyclone hit the country and were exposed via social media, have also seen the Ministry of Health and Child Care dispatching an investigating team from Harare to look into the matter.

Chipinge District Hospital is one of the centres where Cyclone Idai victims have been receiving treatment and the referral institution serves other communities from as far as Mozambique.

Sources at the referral hospital, said vital medical drugs have been misappropriated with some of them finding their way to private institutions.

“The matter came to light through social media,” said the source.
“This was before the cyclone disaster and I am pretty sure the district administration was seized with the matter. I am also sure that an investigation into the matter was launched although we are not aware of the findings,” said the source.

Chipinge district administrator Mr William Mashava acknowledged that allegations of misappropriation of medical drugs were raised at the hospital.

He, however, said the allegations were being peddled by people involved in the institution’s internal politics after some staff members were disgruntled by manpower changes that were made at the hospital.

“Remember they came from social media and I am sure there was nothing serious as the allegations were more of clashes as a result of politics at the hospital,” he said.State media

Correspondent|Former tourism minister, Walter Mzembi has been placed on the South Africa wanted list as the State is making efforts to secure his attendance for trial.

Addressing the court, prosecutor Brian Vito said initial efforts to have Mzembi ‘informally’ returned to Zimbabwe had proven to be futile so they had now engaged Interpol for him to be formally on the wanted list.

Vito tendered the letter written by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission to Interpol to ensure the deportation of Mzembi.

Responding to the application, defence counsel Farai Mushoriwa who is representing Mzembi’s accomplices Aaron Mushoriwa and Miriam Sangarwe opposed the umpteenth postponement that was being sought by the State.

“The document tendered is of no effect as it doesn’t constitute the requirements of the Extradition Act which requires the issuance of a warrant of arrest giving particulars of the offence, sworn statement of the investigating officer and an affidavit from the prosecutor general.

“The effect of the document placed before the court is that the court will be hamstrung for the next ten years as they have no idea of where Mzembi is so they should do the humane thing and remove the alleged accomplices from remand.

“The State wanted to unlawfully abduct Mzembi and violate his rights of movement which they found impossible due to the large population in South Africa,” said Mushoriwa.

Brian Vito made an undertaking to have charges withdrawn from Mzembi’s accomplices if he fails to have him extradited on the new trial date 30 July.

Regional magistrate Hosea Mujaya remanded the matter to July 30 for trial. H Metro

By Own Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) board of directors has fired seven senior officials in what has been described as a move “in line with the company’s drive towards rebuilding public and market confidence”.

The senior executives at the company were being accused of corruption and abuse of office.

The board fired the following officers:

• the chief executive officer,
• chief finance officer,
• supply chain executive,
• chief human resources executive,
• chief security officer,
• engineering executive and,
• the audit executive.

ZCDC board chairman Engineer Killian Ukama confirmed the developments in a statement saying:

The board of directors wishes to make the following announcements; in line with the prevailing operating environment and the need to rebuild public and market confidence the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company board has resolved to make changes to management.

The board has terminated contracts of employment for seven executives.

Ukama also revealed that the chief operation officer Mr. Roberto De Pretto has been appointed the acting chief executive officer with immediate effect until further notice.

Prosecutors with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), have gone on strike in protest over the arrest of Tapiwa Kasema who is under fire for allegedly releasing the passport of former cabinet Minister, Ignatius Chombo.

Kasema was hauled before the magistrate’s court on allegations of criminal abuse of office as a public officer after he ‘nicodemously’ connived to release the travelling document which had been kept by the courts. Provincial Magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti released him on $150 bailwith reporting conditions.

Business Times is reliably informed that prosecutors at NPA have now gone on strike protesting the decision to arrest Kasema.

The arrest of Kasema follows recent revelations that prosecution of corruption cases has been largely frustrated by deep rooted corruption with the Judiciary, NPA and law enforcement agents.

Allegations against Kasema emanate from the court session on May 10, 2019, where Chombo, who is facing criminal abuse of office and fraud applied for the release of his passport.

Kasema consented to the passport being released despite the fact that he knew that Chombo’s passport was being held in respect of two other records which the accused was not handling. He is accused of acting contrary and inconsistent with his duties by consenting to the release of the passport thereby showing favour to Chombo.

Own Correspondent|Two illegal diamond miners have reportedly been shot dead and scores others injured after security details at the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamonds Company shot at over 300 of the miners at a newly discovered diamonds base in Marange.

Highly placed ZimEye.com sources indicated that villagers in Marange discovered a new diamond rich area outside the ZCDC concession area a couple of weeks ago and started harvesting the precious stone outside the government mining company’s knowledge.

The reports indicate that ZCDC got wind of the mining activity and dispatched heavily armed security details on Tuesday morning to disperse the miners.

The guards are reported to have gone on an instant spree shooting at the over 300 miners killing two on the spot and injuring forty others.

The sources indicate that the area has since been declared a no-go area and soldiers from the Zimbabwe Defence Forces have been deployed to guard the area together with the ZCDC guards.

Efforts to get a comment from police in Mutare and ZCDC officials were not successful at the time of writing.

Jane Mlambo| Transport and Infrastructure Development minister Biggie Matiza has endorsed his former deputy Fortune Chasi in his new position saying he is capable of delivering on his duties and tasks.

“A big task for a capable man . All the best in your new ministry, it was a pleasure working with you. @fortunechasi,” said Matiza.

Posting on Twitter, Matiza wished the ‘capable’ Chasi success in his new job.

“I’ve just been to hospital to visit and pray with Hon Vimbai Tsvangirai Java,MP.I am glad to see her steadily recovering and in stable condition.We thank God for the grace and covering upon her life. Thank you all for your prayers and continuous supply of comfort. Be Blessed!” Said Chamisa.

State owned Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) board has terminated employment contracts of seven executive directors to restore public and market confidence.

In an effort to ensure that the diamond producing company continues to attract investors and sustain production as well as viability, ZCDC board chairman Engineer Killiam Ukama said it was therefore important to make changes to its management.

Therefore, the board has terminated contracts of the chief executive officer, chief supply officer, supply chain executive, chief human resources executive, chief security officer, engineering executive and audit executive.

The Chief Operations Officer Mr Robnerto de Pretto has been appointed the Acting Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect until further notice, said the ZCDC board chairman.

The state owned company has also assured its stakeholders and partners on commitment to strengthen its systems and processes.

ZCDC is 100 percent owned by the government of Zimbabwe through the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation, a state enterprise incorporated under an act of Parliament.

The aims of the company are to carry out prospecting, exploration and evaluation, mining, processing and sale of diamonds in order to achieve better responsibility, accountability and transparency in the mining of the precious commodity.

-State media

Jane Mlambo| Energy and Power Development Minister Advocate Fortune Chasi has already set the bar too high for any cabinet minister after hitting the ground running and proving everything wrong with Joram Gumbo in just two days.

Chasi has already called on Zesa management to do everything to ensure that the $5 million advanced to Intratek Zimbabwe for the Gwanda Solar Project is recovered.

Minister Chasi said even if the courts have exonerated the company and its director Wicknell Chivayo, Government needs the money recovered at all cost.

“We want our $5 million back”, he said.

Farai Dziva|Zimbabweans have called on Emmerson Mnangagwa to reign in on war veterans leader Victor Matemadanda as he is a security risk.

Zimbabweans also condemned Zanu PF youths for threatening Chief Ndiweni.

Rangarirayi Mutukura said :The
Deputy Minister is a security threat.

Desmond Tinarwo commented:
This is the kind of reckless behaviour that can cause war!

Gilbert Makombora:
Must be arrested
That is unacceptable.

Andrew Marime:
Lawlessness nation, it’s sickening. Why can’t a person speak his mind and not be manhandled? His freedom of speech is guaranteed (whatever that means!)in the Zim Constitution.

If anything it’s the deputy minister who needs to be indicted for inciting violence.

By Own Correspondent- Operational shortcomings laid bare by events such as the violent demonstrations that engulfed the nation in August 2018 and January 2019 forced police to implement recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry into the Post-Election Violence, a top cop has said.

Commissioner General of Police Godwin Matanga said this in his speech officially opening the Rebranding Refresher Training Programme for Junior Officers at Morris Depot yesterday.

“We noted that key among the recommendations was the need for equipping the police with necessary skills and capacity for dealing with rioters,” said CGP Matanga.

“Police (have) to be further trained in order to be professional and non-partisan in the interests of national cohesion and the protection of all citizens and cooperate failings to be prevented in the future.

“Training and supervision of police officers shall be ongoing in order to ensure that all strategies to rebrand and transform the organization dovetail with government’s national trajectory.

“Let me say to the participants, your deeds as police officers must be responsive to the people’s aspirations.

“In the Second Republic, we need to entrench a new work ethic, servant leadership and ensure timeous response to matters that affect our communities,” said CGP Matanga.

He said economic turnaround and the mantra, Zimbabwe is Open for Business can only find traction if police rid communities of the fear of crime and match criminals blow for blow.

CGP urged officer in charge stations to have a greater responsibility that calls for sober mind, dedication and willingness to learn and serve the nation.

Participants have been drawn from duty uniform branch in Mashonaland East province, Criminal Investigations Department and Harare duty uniform branch.

The training, among others is covering crime management, management of discipline, public order management, corruption, customer care, community policing, cybercrime and intellectual crime.

CGP Matanga said the organisation had dedicated the year 2019 as the year of training running under the theme; ZRP Re-Branding to Restore Public Confidence for Peace and Economic Development in the Second Republic.

By Own Correspondent- Prosecutor Tapiwa Kasema appeared in court yesterday facing criminal abuse charges for unprocedurally releasing former Minister Ignatius Chombo’s passport.

He was not asked to please when he appeared before Harare provincial magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti Guwuriro.

Prosecuting Moses Mapanga told the court that on May 10, Chombo who was facing criminal abuse of office and fraud charges was appearing in court 6 at Harare Magistrates’ Courts for routine remand for CRB’s 11633/17, CRB12182/17 and CRB2254/18 where he made application for the temporary release of his passport on record CRB11633/17, which was being handled by Kasema.

It is further alleged that regardless of the fact that the he knew that Chombo’s passport was being held in respect of the other two records which the accused was not handling, accused acted contrary and inconsistent to his duties by consenting to the release of the passport only on record CRB11633/17 for the purpose of showing favour to Chombo.

He was released on $150 bail and was ordered to surrender his passport.

The matter was remanded to June 5.-HMetro

By Own Correspondent- The case in which a woman is suing a member of Parliament for Mberengwa North, Tafanana Zhou (Zanu-PF) for breaching his promise to marry her after breaking her virg!nity has taken a new twist after the accused legislator claimed that the woman was not virg!n at all as she had done this to another man.

Part of Zhou’s response reads. The respondent is not personally known to me and I have never met her and what I know is that I received WhatsApp messages from a person who alleged to be the respondent making s.e.xual advances towards me. The person went as far as introducing herself to me by sending me her pictures and I did not respond.

I submit that the respondent cannot prove at all that she is known to me and that I had s.e.xual intercourse with her.

Most importantly, she alleges at the time she had s.e.xual intercourse with me she was a vir_gin and this cannot be true. I am advised by my legal practitioner that on November 12, 2014, at Zvishavane magistrate court and under case number 999/14, the respondent instituted a claim of seduction against one Simon Magidivana of Zvishavane. In her particulars of claim, the respondent alleged that she fell in love with Magidivana between August and October in 2014 during which she was a vir_gin and they had se_x.

… I aver that there are no issues in this matter as it is clear that as per respondent’s allegations she lost her vir_ginity sometime in 2014. The claim by the respondent is not made with a bona fide intention of seeking justice.

The case is still pending.-StateMedia

NewsDay|GOVERNMENT says it will award its workers another pay increase in June as prices of basic commodities continue to skyrocket, eroding the purchasing power of disposable incomes.

Chairperson of the Public Service Commission (PSC) Vincent Hungwe said government was aware of the chaos in the market wrought by the price hikes which are daily eroding the recent salary increments awarded to civil servants.

Revealing that a new proposal to further cushion the workers had been tabled, he said: “Since the 1st of April, there has been some changes, some challenges within our economy and we are continuing to engage employees in order to come up with a mid-term adjustment to their salaries sometime in June and July.”

In April, government offered civil servants a pay rise, lifting the lowest paid to ZWL$600, which has now been eroded to the equivalent of almost US$100 as the RTGS dollar continues to take a hit on the black market where it is now trading at around ZWL$570 per US$100.

Hungwe said the increase was gifted to the workers by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, without any need to negotiate for it.

“We do engage with our employees from time to time and you will recall that at the beginning of the year the President granted civil servants some resources which were not negotiated.

It was the President merely indicating and recognising that there has been some challenges with respect to the economy and the increases in prices,” he said.

“Subsequent to that we engaged with our employees for purposes of coming up with a cost of living adjustment to the tune of $400 million which became operational from April 1.”

Increasingly agitated government employees, especially teachers have been taking government head-on, demanding better working conditions and salaries that can meet their daily basic needs.

Hungwe said the PSC was looking at other ways which are not limited to increasing salaries and allowances for civil servants in order to cushion workers from the harsh economic meltdown.

“Over and above salaries and allowances for civil servants, there is always a consistent focus on our part as the employer to ensure that non-monetary benefits continue to be delivered to our employees,” he said.

“Just watch this space, within the coming two to three months and see the extent to which we would have gone to see that the non-monetary benefits become a reality. All this is intended, of course, to ensure that workers continue to be barricaded against some of the vicissitudes that one finds in the economy.”

Meanwhile, Mnangagwa appointed commissions for the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, police and prisons, which will all be chaired by Hungwe.

The commissioners, who were approved a month ago and took oath of office before Mnangagwa, will begin work to improve the conditions of service for soldiers, police and prison officers.

Most of the 18 commissioners, who are retired members of the army and police, are of advanced age.

Newly appointed Energy and Power Development Minister Advocate Fortune Chasi has hit the road running calling on Zesa management to do everything to ensure that the $5 million advanced to Wicknell Chivayo’s Intratek Zimbabwe for the Gwanda Solar Project is recovered.

Minister Chasi said even if the courts have exonerated the company and its director, Government needs the money recovered at all cost.

“We want our $5 million back”, he said.

More to follow…

By Own Correspondent- Advocate Fortune Chasi, the newly appointed Energy Minister has revealed that he did not sleep on the night he was handed the tough Energy and Power Development ministry in a mini-reshuffle by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Chasi revealed this after many social media users had suggested that he was waking up to his new job as the minister of Energy. The Ministry is convincingly at a Lazarus moment considering that Zimbabwe is facing a gigantic fuel crisis and a crippling blackout. The minister said:

I’m yet to sleep. How do I?

After studying the task ahead, Chasi concluded that heading the ministry was a mammoth task. He, however, insists that concerted efforts by all stakeholders are bound to bear the desired outcome.

Many social media users were very pessimistic arguing that Chasi was handed “a live snake”. One of his followers on twitter wrote:

Even if you change the bar, as long as you don’t have money to buy alcohol you won’t get drunk.

The tweet suggested that it was not about the rotation of ministers. The government needs to provide, in addition to the human capital, other resources particularly the financial resource which is currently very scarce.

By Own Correspondent- Former tourism minister, Walter Mzembi has been placed on South Africa wanted list as the State is making efforts to secure the fugitive’s attendance for trial.

Addressing the court, prosecutor Brian Vito said initial efforts to have Mzembi ‘informally’ returned to Zimbabwe had proven to be futile so they had now engaged Interpol for him to be formally on the wanted list.

Vito tendered the letter written by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission to Interpol to ensure the deportation of Mzembi.

Responding to the application, defence counsel Farai Mushoriwa who is representing Mzembi’s accomplices Aaron Mushoriwa and Miriam Sangarwe opposed the umpteenth postponement that was being sought by the State.

“The document tendered is of no effect as it doesn’t constitute the requirements of the Extradition Act which requires the issuance of a warrant of arrest giving particulars of the offence, sworn statement of the investigating officer and an affidavit from the prosecutor general.

“The effect of the document placed before the court is that the court will be hamstrung for the next ten years as they have no idea of where Mzembi is so they should do the humane thing and remove the alleged accomplices from remand.

“The State wanted to unlawfully abduct Mzembi and violate his rights of movement which they found impossible due to the large population in South Africa,” said Mushoriwa.

Brian Vito made an undertaking to have charges withdrawn from Mzembi’s accomplices if he fails to have him extradited on the new trial date 30 July.

Regional magistrate Hosea Mujaya remanded the matter to July 30 for trial.

By Own Correspondent| The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has revealed that police in Guyu have recovered fourteen out of twenty five goats that were stolen in the area between 12 March and 13 April 2019.

According to a statement posted on their twitter handle, the suspect Unkemetsi Ulukile Moyo, a 22 year old is still on the run.