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

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

The post reads:

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

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

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

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

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

He said:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He will be buried in Ntabazinduna today.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See his tweet below :

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He was 79.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Refresh this page for latest updates.

Thomas Mlambo has caused a stir in South Africa.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: DailySun

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

spotlight zimbabwe

Prophetic Healing Deliverance Ministries (PHD) leader Walter Magaya and his wife, Tendai, have opted for an out of court settlement to repay a $US23 million owed to Homelink Finance Private (Limited) in a bid to save their expensive guest house.

The couple whose empire is embroiled in several criminal cases were recently hauled to court by the company over failure to repay the loan.

A lawyer representing Homelink Finance confirmed recently before a High Court judge Justice Happius Zhou, that parties have agreed on settling the matter without involving the court.

“Parties have agreed on a settlement and would want to proceed in that manner,” said the lawyer from Shomwe-Nyakuedzwa Attorneys.

Magaya’s lawyer Everson Chatambudza confirmed the position before the Judge granted the order by consent from both parties.

According to court papers, Magaya and his wife bound themselves as surety and co-principal debtor to a loan extended to Yadah Connect Private Limited in 2018.

The clergyman risked losing his massive property in Waterfalls, which is used as a guest house.

Stand Numbers 167 and 168 of Prospect, Harare, measuring a combined 7,9 hectares were tendered as security for the loan and they become executable upon failure by the debtors to service the loan.

The couple had also offered mining machinery, equipment and vehicles financed under the facility as security.

Homelink, through its lawyers had filed summons for provisional sentence against the two as well as Yadah Connect.

They had submitted that the defendants breached the loan agreement hence an order compelling them to pay should be issued. 

According to court papers, Homelink had extended a facility of US$23 338 745 to Yadah Connect in 2018.

The parties agreed that the loan would be repaid in 33 monthly instalments of US$784 873,62 inclusive of interest, with effect from December 31 last year.

The repayment was to be paid in US dollars.

Listening to the speeches at DD’s memorial reminds me that Zimbabwe faces a huge challenge demanding national healing.Our country is deeply divided.The people are wounded and in pain.National healing,apology and restoration a must! pic.twitter.com/lMfP5YZ3HS

— nelson chamisa (@nelsonchamisa) May 31, 2019

A self-styled Bulawayo Pastor Anglistone Themba Sibanda has come out guns blazing against MDC leader Nelson Chamisa for his statements that he will unleash a program of action against ZANU PF.

Addressing a press conference this week Sibanda said, “Nelson Chamisa has been threatening that citizens must rise up against the government of President Mnangagwa. If he wants war he must resign from being a Pastor and go to Syria.”

The statement by Sibanda invited the fury of social media users who accused the pastor of being used by ZANU PF..

Bulawayo South losing MP candidate Josphat Ngulube said, “This is Nonsense being uttered by a failed Pastor , politician and activist. Anglistone is now a ZANU PF mouth piece same person who claim to be a human rights defender. He is used in Matabeleland to cleanse Mnangagwa. Anglistone is a jack of all trades but a master of none. If he is a real pastor not bogus one he should condemn ZANU PF and Mnangagwa for making Zimbabweans to suffer like this! Demonstration is in our constitution because it’s a way of telling these cunts that we are suffering and we have been reduced to mere beggars. Pastor enjoy ZANU PF money and shut up.”

Other users accused Sibanda of selling his soul to ZANU PF because he became broke after separating with his wife and the subsequent marital scandals that were widely reported.

Watch Sibanda below:

Farai Dziva|Many Zimbabweans are deeply reluctant to embrace “Prophet” Oscar Pambuka’s new ministry.

The former ZBC broadcaster has pleaded with Zimbabweans to give him time and space to prove how he has been supernaturally transformed.

Paradzai Dombo commented :He is to clever to be a prophet.

Nicodemus Mupawose:Eish guys this is wickedness…

Innocent Muneri Mhosva:You lied for yearz at zbc u want to lie again to us.

Magaret Moffat:Hehehe wonders shall never end here in zim, we have seen things Mwari huyai vanhu vaye vatanga.

Edmond Dika: Yaah but that grin unsettles me, Oscar, so help me God.

Desire Tinotenda Murahwa: My headmen are better than,you prophet.

Nicodemus Mupawose:I think everyone is a prophet in Zimbabwe but what suprises me most is Zimbabwe is now rated as one of the poorest countries in the world with prophets everywhere.

By A Correspondent| Emmerson Mnangagwa’s wife, Auxillia is preparing to fly to Chimanimani to address cyclone victims. Her upcoming visit follows that of Local Government Minister July Moyo who descended onto the area today, Friday.

Sources close to the development told ZimEye, Auxillia will fly into the area with pots to present to victims.

Today Minister met chiefs and councilors. The First Lady is now to follow him on yet to be revealed date.

A source told ZimEye, “she will go to Joshua Sacco’s wards with pots. Chimanimani has 1223 tents and four camp sites.” – MORE TO FOLLOWS

Farai Dziva|Battle lines have been drawn ahead of the ward 31 by-election in Bikita District.

All aspiring councillors have successfully filed papers at the Nomination Court in Bikita setting the stage for a pulsating race for the ward 31 council seat.

MDC candidate Moses Maposa was ecstatic after successfully submitting his papers at Bikita Rural District Council offices.

Maposa will battle it out with Peter Mavenga of NCA and Thomas Mataga of ZANU PF.

Newly elected MDC National youth organising Secretary and Masvingo Urban ward 4 councillor Godfrey Kuraone said: “We are going to campaign vigorously in ward 31 in order to reclaim this council seat. We won it in 2008. We can do it again.”

By Own Correspondent- A senior security officer is reported to have said that the Zimbabwe state security is reported to have acquired more ammunition.

The officer also said that several police officers have undergone extensive training recently. Weapons purchased include water cannons, teargas canisters, and guns.

Some believe that the security sector is on high alert as it prepares to squash possible protests by various groups over the shrinking democratic space and the collapse of the economy.

The Independent reports that three batches of police officers have undergone paramilitary training at Shamva Battle Camp. A senior security officer is reported to have remarked:

This means about 1 050 regular police officers have received the training. In the event of civil unrest, they will be deployed alongside officers from the Support Unit which specialises in crowd control. There is a plan to extend the programme to other provinces because most of the trainees have been from Harare.

The officers are receiving month-long paramilitary training, which is gruelling in nature and has a lot of emphasis on physical fitness. They are being trained in the use of baton sticks, shields and helmets as well as crowd control and crowd dispersal.

They are also being trained to use new weaponry which has been acquired, including Mossberg shot guns, which can be used even within a range of 10 metres unlike the previous ones which could only be used at a range of 75 metres and above, for fear of causing fatalities.-The Independent

By Own Correspondent- Energy Minister Fortune Chasi and central bank governor John Mangudya have said that foreign fuel suppliers are now demanding cash up front when purchasing fuel.

The development follows failure by the Zimbabwean government to honor its US$200 million on time. This is said to have exacerbated the challenges associated with the importation of fuel.

Speaking before the Parliamentary Committee on Thursday, Mangudya said:

Fuel queues are an eyesore, we don’t want to see them. The fuel situation is a symptom of a bigger problem in the economy.

The scarcity of foreign currency has made it difficult for local oil to pay for fuel upfront. Resultantly, the central bank is forced to write a letter of credit to foreign suppliers on behalf of local importers guaranteeing that payment will be made for fuel supplies. 

Mangudya said the central bank had in the past two weeks issued US$115 million in letters of credit to oil companies to import 170 million litres of fuel, enough to last just over a month.

Companies which supply Zimbabwe with oil, Glencore, Total and Trafigura,, Engen and Independent Petroleum Group still ship fuel to Zimbabwe but keep it in bonded storage in Msasa, Harare until they have been paid in US dollars.

ZGC PRESS BRIEFING ON GENDER ASSESSMENT OF CYCLONE IDAI

INTRODUCTION

The aftermath of the cyclone naturally triggered a response mechanism spearheaded by Government with a lot of support from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) development partners and individuals.

And indeed, a lot of work was done. Roads and bridges were temporarily repaired such that almost all parts of the affected areas are now accessible; tents and homes were erected to at-least provide shelter for everyone; public facilities such as schools, clinics, business centres were rebuilt, electricity and communications lines were reconnected and most importantly, food, clothing and psycho-social support services were provided.

As I speak, we understand that I can safely confirm that all stakeholders who are responding are striving to meet minimum humanitarian standards, and conditions including human rights  for the Chimanimani community to try and carry on with their lives.

Having said that, allow me to unreservedly express our gratitude to all the institutions and individuals who are working tirelessly to bring back life to Chimanimani to normal. And in the same spirit, I would like to commend all Zimbabweans and the international community for supporting, in so many ways, the people of Chimanimani and all those who were affected by Cyclone Idai.

I also wish to acknowledge the commitment from Government, CSOs, development partners and even individuals, to work towards restoring minimum requirements for human life by international standards in the affected areas.

I also wish to acknowledge the resilience that the mission noted among the people affected by Cyclone Idai especially women and girls. Many continue to make very progressive steps towards personal and communal rehabilitation by way of rebuilding their own homes and banana plantations; assisting in the response mechanism such as rebuilding roads and other public infrastructure; actively participating in the provision of psycho-social support services as well as assisting several visitors to appreciate what really happened on that fateful night.  

Therefore, while we are in the process of compiling a full report on the mission, we thought, together with Oxfam, that it was prudent to have this press briefing in which we intend to share our preliminary findings and recommendations with the media and our stakeholders.

And please note that this is a preliminary report. A full report will be shared with all our stakeholders and will also be made public as soon as it is finalised.

As directed by its functions, the Commission in partnership with Oxfam Zimbabwe, visited Manicaland province, Chimanimani from the 19^th to the 25^th of May 2019 with an objective to appreciate the effects of Cyclone Idai from a gender perspective.

The aim was to assess and identify key gender, protection and safeguarding gaps and produce recommendations that will increase the capacity of Government and humanitarian actors to adequately respond to gender inequalities and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the response mechanisms to Cyclone Idai.

During the gender assessment of the response mechanisms, the mission considered the following broad topics:

ACCESS TO SERVICES AND RESOURCES

•  SHELTER AND GBV

Information on access to services and resources was provided by Government, local and INGO staff working in Chimanimani. We found that humanitarian efforts are striving to ensure that at least every individual has a roof over their heads. There are concerns relating to   types of shelter provided in terms of convenience. These include:

1. Tents –  the tents have two compartments only, inadequate particularly for parents with grown up children/wards of different genders. 
2. Private homes – those who still have their homes intact are having to accommodate  relatives who lost their homes due to limited temporary tent shelters.
3. There were  allegations of sexual harassment during food and non-food distribution. Although this could not be immediately substantiated during our short visit, the Commission is considering to carry out thorough investigations on these allegations.  Should such allegations be proved the Gender Commission will facilitate measures to  bring the perpetrators to account.
4. There is no security around the camps. The Camp manager knocks off around 6pm and no security is provided during the night which may pause security risk especially to women and children.
5. There is no perimeter fence around the camp so trespassers come in and out of the camp without control especially at night. This may expose inhabitant to violence, and sexual abuse by trespassers.
6. Lack of privacy presents a huge risk of exposure to anti-social behaviour such as sexual abuse as both girls and boys share the same compartment.

Recommendations on shelter

• there is need for more tents to reduce overcrowding and ensure that children of different genders sleep in different tents. .
•  Urgently enhance security by establishing a gendered satellite police station at each of these camps and facilitate the setting up of neighbourhood watch committees managed by   the camp inhabitants.
•  Urgently assist those who are rebuilding their homes which were partially damaged by the cyclone.
• In the long term, there is need to consider other forms of emergency shelter such a traditional hut, log cabins which can be dismantled and used by the tenants when they relocate to permanent homes. etc.
• Urgently start the process  of constructing  permanent housing for the  survivors since tent accommodation is not sustainable given the approaching winter season.
• The survivors, across genders, should be involved in the relocation process.

(ii) FOOD AND NON-FOOD ITEMS  DISTRIBUTION MECHANISMS

The mission noted that there was a lot of aid which came through Government, CSOs, development partners, NGOs, well-wishers including Churches and even individuals. These donations, except some from a few NGOs, were deposited at a single central distribution point. It was from this central distribution centre that all the affected wards would then access respective aid. And considering this system from a gender perspective, we were informed that:

• The distance between the distribution centre and other wards was too long which affected women and girls more than men and boys. Women and girls reported that sometimes they would go back home  without any allocations due to the stampede that characterised the access to food and clothing. This meant that women and girls are forced to walk to and from the distribution centre even at night. Men and boys sometimes had to sleep at the distribution centre. In cases where some women and girls decided to sleep at the distribution centre, it triggered violent backlash from their husbands and/or fathers.
• While gender considerations were put in place from the beginning some aid bodies did not fully consider the gender requirements as focus was on saving lives and/or recovery of bodies.
• The central distribution point system meant people with better social connections, (predominantly males) and power were reportedly claiming the best donated goods.
• Donations are also not reaching the most isolated communities.
•  It was also alleged that some men   who were given responsibility to distribute food and clothing were abusing their power by seeking sexual favours from females in need of the aid. 
• There was suspicion from some husbands that their wives could have given in to these sexual demands in turn created domestic violence.  
• It was also reported that in the usual instances aid was given to men who were regarded as heads of households. This criterion ended up disadvantaging women and girls headed families as well as women in a polygamous relationships.
• The fact that men predominantly oversee sourcing of assistance and its distribution, of items such as sanitary wear and under-garments, which meet the needs of   women and girls ended up being regarded as secondary and at times being completely disregarded.
• Because of this arrangement where men were distributing aid, some older women and men at times ended up receiving sanitary wear at the expense of women and girls.

Recommendations

• Collection of disaster statistics should as much as possible be disaggregated. 
• Aid distribution should be decentralised in a manner that will make access to aid as easy and transparent as possible.
•  Aid distribution should be based on a proper needs analysis, organised vetting system and downward accountability so that items end up in the correct hands in appropriate quantities as well.
• Women and/or girls should be represented in all response structures and mechanisms especially those relating to aid distribution.
• Aid distribution systems should always be cognisant of the fact that there are women and child headed families just as much as there are women in polygamous marriages who would also need aid.
• Any aid distribution centre should establish distribution mechanisms that are transparent, efficient, effective and most importantly, gender sensitive.
• Most people interviewed preferred donors to distribute the aid directly to beneficiaries since there is not likely to be any favouritism.

HEALTH

Health and gender are always an inseparable matrix and indeed general health of the people in Chimanimani was an area of interest to the mission. It was observed that:

• Some women reported that their reproductive health medication such as birth control pills were swept away leaving them exposed to unplanned pregnancies. The service providers were alleged to not be fully responsive to the special needs of women in this situation.
• While it was noted that more women received psycho-social support, it was also a worrying observation that less men have received this very crucial service especially members of the Civil Protection Unit.
• Elements of anti-social behaviour have also been noted especially on the side of men who at times resort to violence as a way of compensating for the loss that they have suffered.

Recommendations

• It is not clear what coping methods are being used by the affected communities. We observed that most adults are passively relying on donated goods and government distributions.  More psycho-social support is needed especially to the victims. And there should be a deliberate strategy to reach out to the men for psycho-social support as many are overwhelmed by denial and the feeling of guilt for ‘failing’ to protect their families in the face of the cyclone.  Psycho-social services should also accommodate individuals who have been working with survivors.
• In the meantime, there is an urgent need to sustain supply of primary health services in general and services relating to maternal and reproductive health services for the benefit of women and girls.
• There is a need for government and other organisations operating within the health sector to work closely with the local village health workers for access and distribution of drugs and other health services.
• In the long term, there is a need to establish a district hospital for Chimanimani. The whole district, which is highly populated as well, does not have a district hospital such that emergency cases are referred to Chipinge or Mutare. 

LIVELIHOODS

Before the cyclone, Chimanimani was a thriving economic hub with huge banana and macadamia nuts plantations as well as avocados, oranges and many other fruits.  The means of livelihood have been affected by cyclone. Artisanal mining was also another source of livelihood for the locals. Some of these economic activities were either severely disrupted or virtually wiped away by flooding.  There is need to support the affected communities with agricultural inputs and implements, and introduction of income generating activities.

Recommendations

• There is need for income generating projects that are supportive of women such as vegetable gardens and poultry. This is necessary so that women can have other income generating project for themselves. The support to be provided should be to restore livelihoods and enhance resilience of communities to build their capacity to meet future shocks Rehabilitation of productive agricultural assets such as irrigation facilities as part of the early recovery efforts.

•  Other gender related issues

The mission also discovered that child marriages is a huge problem in the province. While, the issue does not have a direct relationship with Cyclone Idai, its existence has implications for gender and social relations in the face of natural and other disasters which increase the vulnerability of girls and young women. Prevailing problems imbedded in the cultures of the people particularly their traditional and religious beliefs and practices only serve to exacerbate the situation of certain groups of people within the community, in this case the underage mothers and their children. There is need for a comprehensive field assessment into the gender dynamics which were at play before, during and after Cyclone Idai. Such an assessment will allow for thorough investigations into other pertinent issues such as the allegations of sexual harassment during aid distribution.

Key informants

• Resident Minister for Manicaland
• Provincial Administrator
• District Administrator and representatives of relevant government departments including Civil Protection Unit
• Humanitarian agencies & Civil Society Organisations on the ground including Musasa Project, Padare and development partners.
• Local leaders
• Survivors, men, women and youths

For more information, contact Margaret Mukahanana Sangarwe, ZGC Chairperson

By Rumbidzai Madhibha- In a statement on facebook today, recently proclaimed “prophet” Oscar Pambuka asked people not to judge him using his history, saying that God chooses whom he wants.

His statement read:

“Its indeed amazing, mesmerising and quite interesting to note that most people surely don’t have work to do. It also shows lack of understanding and yes the labourers are few but the workload is too much.

Yesterday I revealed that I am a Prophet and all hell broke loose because I saw that most of you don’t even know what the term Prophet means. A simple definition of a Prophet is an inspired teacher or proclaimer of God’s will.

I also saw that most of you are used to the theatrical and trance making prophets who tell you that the undergarments you are wearing is black or white ignoring those who proclaim God’s will.

There are those who said, ” ah usatambe naMwari like they were sent by God. Kkkkk What a big joke. Carry your own cross and let God the Creator of everything judge not us beings fighting for our own salvation.

That Prophet, Pastor or whatever you call it you listen to at your church, did God speak from the Heavens and say this man or woman is from me?
Who are you to say this person does not qualify or qualifies.?

God is not a politician that he takes sides and favours numbers. Not at all. God loves that person who follows His will. Period. You can be one or two out of millions its OK.

Prophets are not voted into office like you think or need to be ordained on Facebook. God chooses whom He wants.

All those looking at someone’s past lack wisdom and understanding for after repentance the old is gone and the new has come. We are all sinners but we need to repent and those of God you will know them by their fruit and also those from the Devil you will see with their fruit as well.

Judge not Judge not Judge not. No retreat No surrender.”

By Own Correspondent- There is no such thing as bad publicity and this phrase rings true for a Bulawayo woman, Violet Chikwezeze, who received help after her horrifying sex life with a goblin was publicised.

Chikwezeze said whenever the nasty visitor was enjoying ‘pleasure’ with her, her husband Lovemore Mandigora, who was also refusing to meet her needs, would jump off the bed and seek refuge in the living room.

“My husband does not treat me as his wife. He is not sleeping with me. I feel I have a spiritual husband as something mysterious is sleeping with me, usually in the middle of the night.

“It’s been happening since January last year. When I refuse to sleep with that mysterious creature it violently attacks me, resulting in me bleeding from the nose and mouth.

“Surprisingly, whenever that is happening, my husband quietly moves away from the bed such that when I wake up I find him in the sitting room watching television and sometimes on his phone.

“He knows what is happening and does not want to assist me. Whenever I confront him he turns hostile and starts accusing me of being abusive,” Chikwezeze complained bitterly.

And many thanks to B-Metro, which covered the larger than life experience at the Bulawayo Civil Court leading Chikwezeze to be freed from the goblin that had enslaved her for more than a year.

Chikwezeze claimed after the story was published by B-Metro, she met a member of the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries who after listening to her heart-rending ordeal immediately counselled her together with her husband before he referred them to Prophet Walter Magaya for deliverance.

Chikwezeze who got her deliverance after a struggle said after counselling, the Good Samaritan gave them anointing oil which she claimed they administered all over their bodies.

Giving her testimony during a church service which was also broadcast live on the church‘s Yadah TV, Chikwezeze who was accompanied by her husband said her bedroom freedom was restored after she had painstakingly tried to seek help from several prophets and traditional healers without success.

“I finally received help after I had tried several prophets and traditional healers to no avail. From that very day we were counselled and given anointing oil which we applied on our bodies we started feeling different from the past months. We felt happier and our affection in the bedroom was also restored after several months of not sleeping together.

“That very night when we were assisted the goblin came as usual, but it did nothing to me and it was also the last time it visited our bedroom,” said Chikwezeze while receiving a resounding applause from the church.

Prophet Magaya urged the couple to always pray and put faith in God in order to safeguard their marriage which was on the verge of collapse because of the goblin.

Chikwezeze was happy to pour her heart out to B-Metro saying she was no longer experiencing agonising pains and repeated nocturnal visits from the mythical creature which had been spiritually violating her for 13 months.

“I now have peace in my house and I am so grateful that the thing which had been spiritually violating my body is gone. I am now having decent night sleeps after that deliverance by Prophet Magaya,” she said.

The couple also thanked this publication for coming to their rescue by publishing their plight leading them to get help

By Own Correspondent- A male prostitute from Mkoba suburb in Gweru who has been masquerading as a woman for the past five years, was recently assaulted by his client after discovering that the thigh vendor was actually a man.

The incident occurred at the popular Mpambadzire night club in Mkoba 6 shopping centre after the man, Bismarck Damba, who was popularly known as Cynthia Damba was exposed.

Patience Moyo, a vendor who witnessed the incident unfolding said everyone was shocked to discover the “woman” they had known for years was a man.

“We have known Cynthia for quite some time now and it is disturbing and shocking to find out that she is a ‘man’. We have known her for more than five years, and we never at any time suspected that ‘she’ might be lying about her identity,” said Moyo.

Tatenda Chiminya who works as a cashier in one of the shops at the shopping centre said it remained a mystery how Damba managed to fool everyone.

“What remains a mystery is how he managed to convince everyone that he is a ‘woman’. How then was he sleeping with clients for the past five years. And in those five years, none of his clients noticed that he is a man pretending to be a woman. He was also part of an all-female dance group that always performed in the club. The whole incident feels like a script from a movie,” she said.

A female sex worker who declined to be named and works in the same night club said it was a relief that Damba was finally caught.

“He was taking our clients from us and to us it’s a relief that he has been exposed because our clients will finally come back to us,” she said. B

Farai Dziva|The MDC A Mutoko East has said Emmerson Mnangagwa must concentrate on seeking solutions to the country’s waning economy – instead of blaming former President Robert Mugabe for the current mishap.

“In life when you don’t admit failure you will not move forward.

The more ED refuses to admit that we are in a mess the more it wil become even worse.

He is blaming Bob but Bob wakasiya chinhu chichifamba ichi iye kwakubvisa mavhiri hanzi economic overhaul.”

The country’s economic problems are increasing with each passing day and analysts say Mnangagwa has dismally failed to turnaround the economy.

By Own Correspondent- The avenging spirit of a teenage girl who was allegedly raped and murdered about 16 years ago is wreaking havoc in her killers’ family demanding 10 beasts claiming the compensation was lobola which was supposed to be paid to her parents as she would by this time have been married.

The restless spirit of Vimbai Zingoni from Huchu area in Gokwe is reportedly venting its anger on Rukanda family in Zhombe following her grisly murder by Owen Rukanda who is also now deceased.

According to a source close to the Zingoni family the spirit of the teenager has been speaking through one of her family members claiming the family of her alleged assailant would not know peace until they met her demands of paying an additional 10 head of cattle in addition to the other 10 they paid before her burial.

By Own Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions has implored President Emmerson Mnangagwa to urgently convene a Tripartite Negotiating Forum (TNF) meeting to address economic challenges being faced by the nation, saying failure to act would lead to unrest.

The prevailing economic crisis has seen inflation skyrocketing and prices rising beyond the reach of many.

“Your Excellency, the situation on the ground is volatile and the nation is on the edge. Your intervention in this matter is urgently sought,” a letter written by ZCTU president Peter Mutasa to Mnangagwa dated May 29, read.

This is the second time that labour has demanded dialogue with government, saying if the State fails to call for a national TNF, the situation would explode and demonstrations were bound to take place.

“Your Excellency, the rising inflation and prices has had a devastating impact on ordinary citizens incomes for those lucky enough to be in work or to have a pension, (which has been) miserably eroded, condemning many into abject poverty,” Mutasa said.

“Their predicament is worsened by the fact that most people do not have access to foreign exchange, while service providers are demanding payment in hard currency. All of this leaves most people unable to pay for critical services, be it education, housing, healthcare or transport.”

The letter by the country’s largest labour federation follows a resolution of its general council to engage government on the crisis before rolling out demonstrations and other forms of protests to force authorities to act on the economy.

ZCTU said the TNF was a matter of urgency and government needs to engage labour and business to arrest the economic deterioration.

In January, it organised a three-day stayaway after Mnangagwa announced a 150% fuel price hike.

The stayaway turned violent, with security agents killing 17 people to ruthlessly crush the demonstrations, according to human rights groups. Hundreds other were injured.

By Own Correspondent- Energy minister Fortune Chasi and Reserve Bank governor John Mangudya yesterday blamed the social media for spreading false narratives about the fuel situation, resulting in panic-buying and contributing to rises in prices of basic commodities.

Chasi and Mangudya made the remarks when they appeared before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Energy chaired by Gabbuza Joel Gabuza.

Chasi said there was now need for self-regulation of the petroleum industry and also blamed shortages of fuel at service stations to corruption, where the product is sold to friends only.

Mangudya said in South Africa, fuel only costs US$1,05, Zambia US$1,07 and in Zimbabwe, using the interbank market rates, it is $1 or $0,94, adding that the plan now was to gazette service stations which would be allowed to sell fuel in foreign currency.

Chasi said in order to come up with a solution to the fuel problem, it needs a concerted effort by everyone, including policy measures, as well as to deal with cartels that want to profiteer at the expense of the motoring public.

“We are going to launch an investigation regarding transactions at fuel depots, misbehaviour and favouritism at service stations, where some people receive large amounts of fuel when there is a long queue and then it (gets) finished (quickly),” he said.

“We have seen all sorts of stories on social media and a lot of irresponsible behaviour by people, where we have seen pictures on WhatsApp of fuel said to be sold at $7,89 per litre and because of this, the public has panicked and rushed to buy fuel, thus creating shortages.”

He said to mitigate the fuel challenges, a six million-litre ethanol storage facility was being built to ensure the sustainability of the 1:20 ethanol blending, as well as looking at the introduction of solar-powered and hydrogen-powered vehicles.

Chasi said there was need to develop rules by the petroleum sector to ensure that people with fuel coupons are not affected, adding his ministry would continue to identify miscreants in the fuel industry that cause the shortages.

Mangudya said adequate funds had been made available for procurement of fuel, with $115 million letters of credit (LCs) issued for fuel imports.

The amount is enough to purchase 170 million litres against a monthly requirement of 130 million litres, he said.

He added that the RBZ was servicing a $200 million legacy debt which affected companies like Total, Engen and Trafigura.

“So fuel is plenty in Msasa. All LCs were at an exchange rate of 4,625% and there was no need for fuel companies to use the current exchange rate to sell the fuel because it means they will be benefiting themselves,” Mangudya said.

“They should use the rate for which the LC was established. There was no price increase and there was a social media price announced, and because of lack of confidence people listen to alternative facts and followed the panic mode.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

Farai Dziva|The human rights activists who were arrested for allegedly plotting to overthrow Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government have been further remanded in custody.

The activists applied for bail and the matter was heard at the High Court today.

The High Court has set June 7 as the date the ruling on their bail application will be passed.

The activists include Gamuchirai Mukura, Farirai Gumbonzvanda and George Makoni.

“The matter was heard today and the High Court has set June 7 as the date for the ruling on our bail application,” said one of the lawyers representing the activists.

Farai Dziva|Pressure is mounting on Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to release human rights who are accused of plotting to topple the Zanu PF government.

Masvingo based Non Governmental Organization COTRAD whose director Gamuchirai Mukura was arrested alongside four other activists, has called on Mnangagwa’s government to release the detained civil society leaders as a matter of urgency.

See below COTRAD’ s statement: Real Life History of the arrested Human Rights Defender (Mukura Gamuchirai).

Mukura is a former student activists from Great Zimbabwe University. He rose to become the Masvingo Provincial Chairman of ZINASU chapter. Mukura visited all universities and tertiary institutions in Zimbabwe fighting for academic freedoms.

In 2011 he finished his first degree and graduated at Great Zimbabwe University in the Social Sciences Faculty.

He then formed the organization- COTRAD with other student activists.

COTRAD is an institution that seeks to promote youth participation in local and national process, inclusion of women and people with disabilities in decision making processes, peace building and social accountability initiatives.

COTRAD is now a household name in Masvingo Province. COTRAD has a lot of success stories in service delivery issues in Masvingo.

We hereby call upon the government to release Gamuchirai Mukura and all the detained activists.

Jane Mlambo| A letter from Russia was read at White City stadium where a memorial service for the late National Hero Dumiso Dabengwa was being held.

According to the letter, Dabengwa was a real friend of Russia, with his loss not only affecting his family but them too in Russia.

The friends from Russia said Dabengwa was a strong man of courage and a liberation struggle hero.

Jane Mlambo| According to a source attending the late Dumiso Dabengwa memorial event at White City Stadium in Bulawayo, opposition powerhouse and MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa was denied a seat in the VIP tent forcing him to sit with ordinary people in the other tents.

Below is Chamisa’s picture sitting with his Vice President Professor Welshman Ncube and former national chairperson Lovemore Moyo.

Said Pelandaba Mpopoma legislator Charles Moyo while reading the Fourth Order on adjourned debate on motion on the Report of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission regarding the 2018 Harmonised Elections Tuesday:

“I now move to post election phase that is on page 26.  It is clear here that the board initially announced the results for the top three presidential candidates as Emmerson D. Mnangagwa having 50.8%, Nelson Chamisa having 44.3% and a nonentity Thokozani Khupe receiving 0.9%.  

After the constitutional petition, there was a review of the percentages here whereby Emmerson Mnangagwa was then declared that he gunned 50.6% from 50.8%.  There was a decrease of Chamisa’s vote from 44.3% to 44.39%.  Therefore, ZEC acknowledged that the first set of presidential results was wrong.  How do we then trust either the 3^rd, 4^th or 5^th presidential results which were announced? 

They admitted that there were mathematical or statistical errors –  who knows that there were such errors?  They only know.  Therefore the issue of legitimacy cannot be washed away.  It is very clear because there was such a review.  

There is also an issue that in the court papers that is on page 26 where the ZEC Chairperson conceded that some polling stations may have been counted twice.  How many were counted more than twice, ten, twenty or fifty times?  Therefore we cannot wash away the issue of legitimacy.  This report clearly points out that there is legitimacy crisis in Zimbabwe.  As a country, we must come up with a solution because we are being guided by what is written in the report. 

I can go on and on.  The military was heavily involved.  You can see recommendations on page 33 – 8.3.1 where it says ZDF should refrain from use of live ammunition on civilians during demonstrations and even after elections.  It is clearly written in the report.  It is very clear that the issue of legitimacy is questionable and as a country we must solve this.  I thank you.”

Jane Mlambo| Barely two months after the dreadful Cyclone Idai disaster ravaged Manicaland province, a Germany energy company Little Sun and its local partner Alight Zimbabwe Trust an Alumni association to Plan Zimbabwe have handed over USD$25 000 worthy solar powered lights to Red Cross Zimbabwe for onward distribution to affected communities.

Cyclone idai left a trail of destruction in Chimanimani and Chipinge districts with thousands of residents left homeless forcing the government to relocate most of the victims to safer areas.

In an interview with ZimEye, Alight Zimbabwe Trust (Plan Alumni) Programs and Resources Mobilisation manager Edwin Sithole said ,”the aftermath of the disaster is one critical area where many people ignore as many organisations believe in distributing handouts during the disaster period with the aftermath often ignored.”
Sithole added that they were moved to chii in with assistance after noting the terrible situation in which Cyclone Idai victims have been going through since the disaster.

“We sought assistance from our partner, Little Sun Germany who then donated Solar lamps to us to help the victims of disaster to access clean source of energy,” he added.

“When a disaster strikes, women and children especially girls are victims of darkness and as we are moving forward with the Plan International theme that says #Getting GirlsEqual# we found it very necessary to give Lights to the affected communities but with much emphasis on women and girls,” added Sithole.

Mason Hoffein Little sun Germany Business development Manager for Africa said they pushed to help after noticing how the disaster has caused untold damage to the communities in Chipinge and Chimanimani.
“As a company it is one of our key responsibilities to come to the side of those communities in need of assistance and Chimanimani and Chipinge became our center of attraction.

“We will continue to help Zimbabwe with solar powered energy as we believe that Natural Velux Lights are for Learning, Earning and Learning.

“We hope and trust that this donation will go a long way to helping vulnerable communities especially girls and women in those areas.

Redcross Finance Director Mr Morris Machawira thanked Little sun Germany for remembering the victims of the Cyclone idai disaster.
Light is important in a disaster situation yet more often our target is mostly food, forgetting that light is also a basic necessity, we are thankful and we believe this help will go a long way to helping people in Chiping and Chimanimani to access clean source of energy , Natural Velux lights.”

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions has implored President Emmerson Mnangagwa to urgently convene a Tripartite Negotiating Forum (TNF) meeting to address economic challenges being faced by the nation, saying failure to act would lead to unrest.

The prevailing economic crisis has seen inflation skyrocketing and prices rising beyond the reach of many.

“Your Excellency, the situation on the ground is volatile and the nation is on the edge. Your intervention in this matter is urgently sought,” a letter written by ZCTU president Peter Mutasa to Mnangagwa dated May 29, read.

This is the second time that labour has demanded dialogue with government, saying if the State fails to call for a national TNF, the situation would explode and demonstrations were bound to take place.

“Your Excellency, the rising inflation and prices has had a devastating impact on ordinary citizens incomes for those lucky enough to be in work or to have a pension, (which has been) miserably eroded, condemning many into abject poverty,” Mutasa said.

“Their predicament is worsened by the fact that most people do not have access to foreign exchange, while service providers are demanding payment in hard currency. All of this leaves most people unable to pay for critical services, be it education, housing, healthcare or transport.”

The letter by the country’s largest labour federation follows a resolution of its general council to engage government on the crisis before rolling out demonstrations and other forms of protests to force authorities to act on the economy.

ZCTU said the TNF was a matter of urgency and government needs to engage labour and business to arrest the economic deterioration.

In January, it organised a three-day stayaway after Mnangagwa announced a 150% fuel price hike.More in Home

The stayaway turned violent, with security agents killing 17 people to ruthlessly crush the demonstrations, according to human rights groups.

Hundreds other were injured.

-Newsday

Mystery surrounds the distribution of fuel in Zimbabwe after authorities have established that while enough funds have been availed for players to procure the product, it has not been channelled to the market, resulting in shortages that have been witnessed countrywide.

It has also emerged that for the month of June, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) released letters of credit for the acquisition of 170 million litres against a national requirement of 140 million, raising serious questions about leakages in the industry.

This came out after Energy and Power Development Minister Advocate Fortune Chasi and RBZ Governor Dr John Mangudya met fuel players in Harare yesterday and told them about new measures to curtail leakages in the fuel supply system.

Among the measures will be the renewal of licences half-yearly and cancellation of operating licences for those who flout procedure.

Minister Chasi later appeared before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Energy and Power Development.

He said the measures were expected to instil discipline in industry players and plug leakages amid indications that the RBZ has made provision to acquire 170 million litres of fuel for next month against a requirement of 130 million litres.

“I was in a meeting with players from the fuel industry and this is the second time that I am meeting them since I was appointed. The meeting was occasioned by the queues that we are seeing at the service stations throughout the country.

“The meeting was attended by the Reserve Bank Governor Dr John Mangudya and his staff and I made it very clear that licences are issued when the regulator is satisfied that it’s in the national interest. And so when people begin to misbehave, as we understand from the public because I have been inundated by many complaints from the public, we act,” he said.

Minister Chasi added: “Some say that when fuel is delivered, only a few people a served then they are told that fuel is finished when it’s evidently clear that the fuel was there. There has also been instances where service stations refuse certain types of payments, insisting on US dollars.

“This has occasioned untold suffering on the driving public and as Government we are there to protect the national interests. We are there to make sure that fuel is distributed rationally throughout the country.”

He said he made it very clear during the meeting that this strong element of dishonesty will not be tolerated by Government.

“We have agreed with the industry that all service stations will be wet today (yesterday). So we are expecting that they will be some movements — significant movement — around the issue of availability of fuel.

“I also mentioned that I have just completed work on regulations around penalties for misbehaviour and those regulations will be sent to the Attorney-General for examination and finalisation. We expect them to come into force pretty soon. We need order in this industry.

“I pointed that in order to enhance availability of information to the public, I will be publicising who received what amount of fuel and when, so there is nowhere to hide.

“I also remind them that their licences will be due for renewal in six months. So when that time comes we will look at the conduct and behaviour of each player and it’s our right as government not to renew licences of entities run by devious people.”

Minister Chasi also indicated that they had set up task forces to investigate misconduct by some service stations that are responsible for diverting fuel to the parallel market.

“We learnt that depots are also part of the cause of the problem, fuel is escaping through those depots and we are going to investigate on that,” he told the parly committee after he had been asked what he was doing to end fuel queues.

Dr Mangudya told the same committee that investigations were necessary since the country since the country was procuring more than enough fuel every month.

“As of now we have letters of credit worth 170 million litres of fuel for the coming against 130 million litres required by the nation for the same period,” he said.

He assured the committee that the Central Bank will always avail funds to procure adequate fuel every month.

On fuel pricing, Minister Chasi said the industry pointed out that there was instability in terms of some of the templates that were being used to determine fuel prices.

“I have asked them to go and develop that position, giving us facts and figures. We are due to meet them the week after next, on Thursday so that we can develop the issue they have raised.

“The governor was able to demonstrate to the industry that people accessed money to bring in certain levels of fuel and that there is fuel. This why we are saying the queues must begin to move without delay,” he said.

Minister Chasi said the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) last week announced the fuel price and it had not changed.

Last week ZERA gazetted new maximum retail prices of fuel reflecting average increases of 46 percent for blend petrol and 49 percent for diesel.

ZERA said the new prices were premised on the interbank market rate and will see a litre of blend petrol (E10) retailing at $4,97 while diesel will sell at $4,89 per litre.

ZERA said the new prices were in line with measures taken by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) on fuel procurement, now based on the ruling exchange rate on interbank market where oil marketers now obtain forex to import fuel.

The country has been facing intermittent fuel shortages as a result of a shortage of foreign currency and activities of dealers who are working in connivance with people in the fuel industry especially attendants who have been accused of diverting fuel to the black market.

-Online

According to the Zimbabwe Independent, a large number of police officers are also undergoing rigorous paramilitary training to ensure that they will be adequately prepared to crush the protests. Prices of goods and services have skyrocketed and have gone up sevenfold in some cases since the fall of former President Robert Mugabe, while salaries have largely remained the same.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government is reported to have acquired new weapons and equipment as it prepares to crush the expected protests over the deteriorating economy and standard of leaving. Security sources who spoke to The Zimbabwe Independent said.

About 1050 regular police officers have received the training. In the event of civil unrest, they will be deployed alongside officers from the Support Unit which specialises in crowd control. There is a plan to extend the programme to other provinces because most of the trainees have been from Harare.

The officers are receiving month-long paramilitary training, which is gruelling in nature and has a lot of emphasis on physical fitness. They are being trained in the use of baton sticks, shields and helmets as well as crowd control and crowd dispersal.

They are also being trained to use new weaponry which has been acquired, including Mossberg shotguns, which can be used even within a range of 10 metres unlike the previous ones which could only be used at a range of 75 metres and above, for fear of causing fatalities…the ammunition is less lethal as it disintegrates after being discharged from the guns, but it can cause serious injuries and is good for crowd dispersal.

Another security officer told the publication. If you go to the back of Harare Central, you will officers and some soldiers ready for deployment. The plan though is not to deploy soldiers but the police because of the killings in January and August.

In an ironic development, a Zambian prophet has said that despite Mnangagwa’s confidence that no one can remove him, God included, there will be a ‘mighty uprising’ which will see people turning on Mnangagwa.

-Online

ENERGY minister Fortune Chasi yesterday revealed that water levels in Lake Kariba were so low that current supplies will only be able to generate power for the next 14 weeks, paving way for deeper power cuts in the country.

In a ministerial statement in the National Assembly, Chasi said the power situation was dire.

Earlier, when Chasi appeared before the Gabbuza Joel Gabuza-led Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Energy, he said heads would roll at power utility, Zesa Holdings.

He said those involved in shady energy deals, which saw the country losing millions of dollars to projects such as the Gwanda solar project, would be brought to book.

“The hydrological condition of Kariba Dam is that last week, the dam was 32% full and on Monday, it was 29% full, and if that trend continues, this means that in theory, within 14 weeks, Kariba will not be able to have power,” Chasi said.

“Zimbabwe and Zambia are allowed enough water to generate 358 megawatts (MW) and during the rainy season, they were allowed 418MW.”

Chasi said power usage was expected to rise from 350MW to 600MW during the winter season and this would worsen the situation, adding that load-shedding was here to stay.

“The shortages of foreign currency in the country has had a negative bearing on electricity supplies and the current electricity import bill is $83 million and as a result neighbouring countries are reluctant to supply electricity to Zimbabwe. We export 80MW of electricity daily to Namibia,” he said.

The country is enduring its worst rolling power cuts in three years, and although its mines have been spared so far, analysts say the cuts will hurt economic revival efforts.
Shortages of foreign currency have hampered Zimbabwe’s ability to import fuel, while Zesa is owed $200 million by government, companies and individuals.

Chasi told the Energy Committee that power blackouts lasting up to 10 hours could not be avoided as Zimbabwe is producing 1 100MW a day against a demand of 1 500MW.

The country required $96 million to import more than 200MW from regional suppliers like South Africa’s Eskom and Mozambique’s Hydro Cahora Bassa and Electricidade de Moçambique, said Chasi.

Zimbabwe owed the utilities $70 million for previous imports.

“There is no guarantee that there will be water, what we are seeing is a southward movement in water levels at Kariba. If the trend goes like that, we will probably say just after 14 weeks Kariba will not generate any megawatts,” Chasi said.

Kariba, the largest electricity producer in Zimbabwe with a capacity of 1 050MW, is generating less than a third of its installed capacity due to low water levels caused by a severe drought.

Zimbabwe commissioned an additional 300MW at Kariba last year, its biggest investment in electricity in more than 25 years, but a lack of investment is blamed for the current power shortages.

In a ministerial statement, Chasi said most problems in the energy sector were caused by lack of respect of law, and lack of corporate governance. Chasi said there was need to ensure that each parastatal in the energy sector is manned by qualified boards and management in order to have sustainable energy in the country.

The minister also told MPs that electricity tariffs will not increase as government was financially supporting Zesa. He said Zesa is owed $1,2 billion, with the largest chunk being local authorities owing $300 million and government departments $32 million.

On winter wheat, Chasi said farmers will be supplied with power four days per week.

-Newsday

Government will continue to engage civil servants and adjust their salaries against the prevailing inflation levels not the foreign currency exchange rate, Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube has said.

Responding to questions in Parliament on Wednesday, Prof Ncube said Government cannot benchmark its workers’ salaries on the RTGS dollar exchange rate to the United States currency.

 “First of all, when you think of salary adjustments for the civil servants, we never benchmark to an exchange rate to the USD in which case he’s used a parallel market rate of 1:8. We don’t do that. We try to bench mark salaries to the inflation level and that is how it ought to be done.

“Secondly, should we give civil servants an increase in line with the exchange rate which some Members of Parliament are mentioning? The answer is no. We’ll continue to engage the civil servants and it will be an increase that begins to ameliorate against the current levels of inflation and we’ll continue to engage them so that we can adjust their emoluments both in monetary and non-monetary terms,” said Prof Ncube.

He said Government has surplus revenue in both RTGS and US dollars, which has benefited civil servants and other humanitarian needs such as Cyclone Idai.

“In RTGS currently and cumulatively, our surplus is about RTGS$600 million. If you divide that with the current exchange rate you get about US$$100 million.

“Having a surplus stops growth in money supply which in the long run will contribute towards a stabilisation of inflation. The surplus is being used to cushion civil servants in terms of higher wages. In January, we gave them a cushioning of RTGS$63 and an additional RTGS$400 million from April 1, 2019 to December. 

“We’re also using the surplus for social protection programmes starting with Cyclone Idai. We have allocated $100 million towards that process but also, we are using the surplus for the usual social protection programmes such as the food programme in both rural and urban areas,” said Prof Ncube.

He said the surplus revenue was also being used to support other social services such as the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM). 

“In addition to that we’re going to use the surplus for importing food. We have already issued out a tender through the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) to import additional food to deal with the impact of the drought. So it is being used in these areas,” said Prof Ncube.

Earlier, Parliamentarians had requested Prof Ncube to explain how Treasury was making surplus revenue yet inflation was increasing at an alarming rate.

“In his quarterly address to us, Prof Ncube mentioned that he had received income of 8, 2 percent. In the very next breath, he mentioned that there was 66 percent inflation. How can he claim to have a surplus when all those were figures of collection, 8 percent versus 66 percent?

“For example, if one is receiving a salary of $2 000 and they have got the exchange rate moving by 8, which means their salary is now $250. Now, if you’ve got a surplus, why have you not given the civil servants a very meaningful increase,” asked Harare North MP Allan Markham.

Mutare Central MP, Innocent Gonese asked the Minister if the surplus was of any real benefit to Zimbabweans looking at the standards of living that were deteriorating.

-State Media