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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Zimbabwe has been set for another round of military attacks.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

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

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) May 17, 2019

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

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) May 17, 2019

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

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

WILL THE TERROR ATTACKS WORK THIS TIME?

Below is the state media article:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wrote the parent:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Zimbabweans also condemned Zanu PF youths for threatening Chief Ndiweni.

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

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

Gilbert Makombora:
Must be arrested
That is unacceptable.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The board fired the following officers:

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

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

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

The board has terminated contracts of employment for seven executives.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-State media

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

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

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

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

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

Zimbabweans also condemned Zanu PF youths for threatening Chief Ndiweni.

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

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

Gilbert Makombora:
Must be arrested
That is unacceptable.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The matter was remanded to June 5.-HMetro

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

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

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

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

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

The case is still pending.-StateMedia

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More to follow…

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

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

I’m yet to sleep. How do I?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jane Mlambo| European Union Ambassador to Zimbabwe Timo Olkkonen has reiterated that western investors do not want to associate their operations with the Zimbabwe military which has been involved in civilian shootings.

Posting on Twitter, Olkkonen questioned the comparative advantage of having the military engaged in mining.

By Own Correspondent| DJ Fantan of the Chillspot Records has defended the explicit lyrics from some artistes at his recording stable.

This comes after some of the artistes under his recording label such as Boss Pumacol, Uncle Epatan and X-Faya performed explicit freestyles with some unprintable words that praised marijuana, violence and sex.

Bazooker, who records with Chillspot, was among the artistes on that freestyle medley but his lyrics were clean.

The video of the freestyle went viral on social media.

Fantan said dancehall is a different music genre which talks about real issues that happen in the society.

“Dancehall lyrics are different from any other genre.

“You sing what is happening on the streets and the society, this is what makes dancehall different from sungura or gospel.

“If people know dancehall is not gospel maybe they will understand where we are coming from,” said Fantan.

Fantan said these dirty songs have a category in the Zim dancehall in the name of club songs.

“That is why in Zim dancehall awards we have a category called club songs.

“This is a category where you people call it dirty songs, but these songs reflects the truth of what is happening in the streets.

“Drugs are being abused in the streets, prostitution is happening in the streets and the youths are also indulging in sexual activities, its reality.

Winky D back in the days, did songs like Mzii and Mabhebhi hobho, Seh Calaz has a song Ndakarohwa nemuzii, Soul Jah Love has Gumkum, Killer T has a song with the lines ndikamuona achifamba yangu inomi** and Sniper Storm has also these types of songs.”-HMetro

The MDC condemns attacks on Chief Ndiweni over his expression against human rights violations by the military State.

In response, the cult displayed that by all accounts the Chief was right. Matemadanda’s press conference, Nick Mangwana and Energy Mutodiwere all inciting and unacceptable.

Within a day of their reckless utterances the Chief was attacked by a Zanu PF mob in Bulawayo who attempted to take his vehicle. It is clearthat vehicles given to Chiefs were meant to convert them into a captured community. This too is unacceptable. Not to mention that Zanu PF wasall in defence of Chief Charumbira when he was found on the wrong by the courts for partisan behavior.

Chief Ndiweni has not in any way supported any political party, but castigated violations of citizen rights. If he is on the wrong, there is alwaysdue process. Barbaric attacks on the Chief are unacceptable.

Zanu PF functionaries in government who made reckless statements must be held to account and those who attacked the Chief, intending toimpound his car in Bulawayo must be investigated and brought to Justice.

MDC 5th Congress: Defining A New Course for Zimbabwe!

Jacob Mafume
MDC National Spokesperson

By Own Correspondent- A Kwekwe-based pastor has sued his wife of eight years for allegedly failing to value their marriage and disturbing his peace.

Pastor Ronald Nyambira, of a church whose name was not disclosed, hauled his wife Chido Precious Nyambira to court for abuse and disturbing his peace.

The two are on separation and Ronald told the court that he had separated with his wife because she did not value the marriage.

” My wife is staying at her mother’s house at the moment because we are on separation; we separated because I want her to value our marriage. I am a Christian and I do not believe in divorce so this is just a separation until we solve our differences.

” The problem now is she comes to my place to harass me, causing scenes even in the presence of other people. I want her to stop abusing me like that. I just want her to visit me peacefully so that we discuss the children if there are any issues concerning the children,” said Nyambira.

in response to the accusations made against her, the wife lashed out at her husband for being irresponsible and neglecting his children ever since she had moved out of their matrimonial home.

” He is neglecting the children and does not want to provide money for them; if I visit him to discuss the children he tells me that he does not have money. I do not know the meaning of his silence about our marriage so I do not know the meaning of his actions,” she said.

The presiding magistrate Vimbai Mutukwa granted a mutually binding protection order compelling them to observe peace between themselves for the sake of their children while they solve their issues amicably.

By Own Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Republic Police has issued statement warning members of the public regarding fake bond notes which are in circulation.

Read the notice:

BEWARE OF FAKE BOND NOTES IN CIRCULATION. THEY ARE IN $5 BATCHES WITH SERIAL NUMBERS:

• AC6699084
• AC3887855
• AC1213446

By C/INSP Rabson

OIC ZRP Hillside

Former white farmers dispossessed under the Zimbabwe government’s land redistribution would accept land instead of cash as compensation for their loss, a senior Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) official has said.

About 4,000 farmers were turfed off the land at the turn of the century as President Robert Mugabe’s government pursued what it said was a drive to address colonial land ownership imbalances.

The policy caused upheaval in the key agriculture sector, resulting in economic turmoil from which the country is yet to recover from. Zimbabwe was also isolated from its traditional western donors and investors as a result.

Zimbabwe’s 2013 Constitution acknowledges the need for the former farmers to be compensated, but for improvements only.

While the Mugabe administration undertook to make good on the compensation promise, even making some token payments, his successor, President Emmerson Mnangagwa appears to be making a bigger push on the matter.

Government has set aside $53 million (US$16 million) in the 2019 budget, a modest amount considering a total compensation bill which is estimated to be in the order of billions of US dollars.

But CFU director Ben Gilpin told the Zimbabwe Independent that some farmers would be willing to get some land back in lieu of compensation.

“To pay me, government has to take money from taxpayers. Wouldn’t it be ok that, instead of excluding me from farming, you give me a land lease where I pay money to the state to meet its obligation?,” queried Gilpin, who says he lost a farm he purchased in 1987.

“I think there’s a great opportunity for government to embrace Zimbabwe citizens of competence on a non-discriminatory basis and say, if you are a farmer and we owe you money, let’s offset this by giving you access to the land.”

He, however, said a good number of the 3,500 farmers on record as eligible for compensation had aged and were no longer interested in farming.

“If you look at the age of farmers when they lost land, they were 55, some older. Most of the elderly are not interested, but parts of the younger generation are just looking for opportunities to farm,” Gilpin said.

“It has happened in other parts of the world. This is one way of dealing with it. It’s a win-win. If it can be done, why can’t it be one of a menu of options?”

A reported 860 farmers have signed up for the first round of compensation under the $53 million fund, which will benefit the most distressed.

-Newzwire

Gynaecologists have warned the public against wearing used underwear they buy from flea markets around the country, saying doing so, exposed unsuspecting women to sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Bulawayo City Council (BCC) recently announced the ban on the sale of used underwear citing health reasons.

But in Harare, the sale of second-hand panties and brassieres (bras) has become a brisk business at most flea markets, particularly at the Charge Office and Mupedzanhamo in Mbare.

Most of the undergarments are stained with unknown substances.

The debate on the sale of second-hand underwear has remained a sensitive issue, and health experts are saying that it could be a ticking time bomb.

Harare-based gynaecologist, Felistus Shambare — who runs a clinic in the Avenues area — said many unsuspecting women were exposing themselves to all types of diseases, including STIs, by using these second-hand panties.

“There is a high likelihood of getting an STI from wearing or sharing someone else’s underwear,” said Shambare. “Some bacteria is very resistant and can survive the conditions, long enough to infect someone. Pubic lice have been known to survive the harshest conditions, and are not easily killed. These little parasites can cling tightly to a certain spot and even a general wash might miss them”.

Another gynaecologist and obstetrician, Martha Stevenson, said it was high time the government adopted a sterner stance against the practice.

“I tell you, although there has not been tangible evidence to link the used underwear with any particular incidence of an infection, the possibility is there,” she said. “We are constantly presented by our patients with the strangest types of infections. We cannot rule out that such practices could be contributing to these odd diseases. No one knows what kind of chemicals are used to preserve the items during their sea voyage.”

Stevenson also warned women against washing the underwear with bleach or stronger solutions.

“It is possible that one might fail to totally rinse out the solution, and whatever chemicals that form part of the bleach might harm the ‘sensitive’ parts.”

A nurse from Belvedere council clinic also said it was unhygienic to wear used underwear, just as much as it was unethical.

“It is unhygienic and according to our African culture you cannot share undergarments with someone else,” she said.

But people who spoke to Standardcommunity last week were reluctant to take advice from health experts.

“If you wash it thoroughly the stains come off. It’s just dust and dirt because these items come from faraway places. Many people including the prospective buyers handle the stuff with bare hands, which are not always clean,” said one undergarment vendor, who spoke to Standardcommunity in Harare’s central business district.

“Even if you buy new underwear, unless it is sealed, you will still wash it before you wear it, so there is nothing peculiar about washing used underwear,” said another vendor who identified herself only as Anna.

She added: “It is good business and besides, women want to look good and prefer the labels that we sell.”

True to her word most of her wares comprised known labels like Wonderbra and Victoria’s Secret.

“People prefer labels more than the fact that it has been worn before. The items last for a long time, unlike the dollar for two [items] that people buy in shops. They may be new but they are not strong. Mazhing zhong chaiwo [They are not strong]” said one Aaron Poshai.

They advertise the wares by shouting, “Svikai muone US$1 bra yekuStates ichangovhurwa bhero (Come and see, a bra from the US going for a dollar).

UNCOMMON PRACTICE FOR AFRICANS

Other people however discouraged the practice.

“People should be careful; the satanists are now very clever they use all sorts of ways to lure innocent people into their cults,” said Tatenda from Waterfalls. “Those items might have been offered to the dark one first, and anyone who wears them might end up behaving exactly the way they want them to.”

Gogo Mazhenje, who sells vegetables along Fourth Street, said it was not common practice that African women wear used underwear.

“During our times when we were growing up, that was not allowed because you could end up with numerous problems like jeko [period pain]” she said.

Harare City Council has seemingly turned a blind eye on the issue, as more and more vendors are openly selling the underwear.

Council spokesperson, Leslie Gwi-ndi had not responded to an email sent to him by the time of going to print.

Finance minister Tendai Biti once said, any man whose wife wore used underwear should consider himself a failure.

-The Standard

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Farai Dziva|Elias Mashavira the man who “challenged ” Nelson Chamisa’s presidency at the High Court denies he has links with Zanu PF.

Mashavira says he is a mere cattle herder from Gokwe and he is not in any way linked to Zanu PF.

However, sources in his home area claim he is a Zanu PF informer.

Mashavira said he discovered the constitutional violations by himself.

“I am not a Zanu PF member and I discovered the constitutional violations by myself,” claimed Mashavira.

Farai Dziva|The preparations for the MDC A National Congress are at an advanced stage, the party’s organising secretary, Amos Chibaya has said.

Read Chibaya ‘s statement below :

MDC Congress on course: Party programmes to continue as scheduled
Following the highly political judgement.

The ruling is essentially meant to destabilize the party.

This memo serves to inform all structures that all party programmes and activities are continuing as scheduled.

Our Congress is on course. Now that we have finished all preliminary congresses by democratically electing new leaderships up to the provincial level, we must brace for the ultimate national Congress in Gweru from 24-26 May 2019.

In the meantime, the thematic outreaches and provincial assembly campaign caucuses must proceed as scheduled.

The courts will not give us a leader. We are going to democratically elect our national leadership at our Congress in Gweru. No political judgement will side-track us from our scheduled activities.

The party remains solid and firm under the leadership of President Nelson Chamisa, who was overwhelmingly elected by all the party’s 13 provinces.
MDC 5th Congress: Defining a New Course for Zimbabwe.

MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora was grilled on his plans if given a second mandate to run the office, with some party members accusing him of being involved in the double nomination of candidates.

But Mwonzora brushed aside the accusations and vowed to stay loyal to party leader Nelson Chamisa, and ensure the party will never split.

“What is important is the relationship between the president and secretary-general. If I am not happy, I go to the office of the president. We are close to each other and deal with the disputes,” he said.

“That’s why I have been secretary-general under our late icon Morgan Tsvangirai. There was no split, I have been secretary-general under our president Chamisa, there was no split and there will be no split because we know how to deal with disputes in a mature way.”

Party members also accused Mwonzora of having a hand in the recent High Court judgment which declared Chamisa as an illegitimate party leader.

“Zanu PF killed our people, killed our industries and our economy, we have to remove this government. That is our main objective,” Mwonzora said.

MDC vice-chairman aspirant Job Sikhala said: “There are people who want to personalise the president because they come from the same village; that is what I will stop. I will take the president from the pockets of those who want to personalise our president and will give him back to the people.”

-Newsday

Farai Dziva|MDC A Youth Assembly national executive member Arnold Batirai Dube has castigated Zanu PF youths for insulting Chief Ndiweni.

Batirai Dube is the councillor for ward 24 in Bulawayo and he is vying for the position of deputy chairperson in the MDC youth assembly.

“Zanu PF must desist from abusing traditional leaders,
Chief Ndiweni must be respected,”said Batirai Dube.

He strongly warned Zanu PF youths to stop harassing the traditional leader for merely expressing his views.

“Chiefs are custodians of our national culture, heritage and integrity and they deserve respect.

Chief Fortune Charumbira has openly declared allegiance to Zanu PF but nobody raised a finger.Why are they tormenting Chief Ndiweni?” Batirai Dube argued.

Newly appointed energy minister, Advocate Fortune Chasi has been urged to liberalized fuel imports as well as break the fuel cartels in order to address the shortages that have seen queues becoming the order of the day across the country.

Posting on Twitter, an economic analyst Brains Muchemwa said the only way out of the current situation is reverting to market prices and dump subsidies which are responsible for the ever growing queues.

By Own Correspondent- President Mnangagwa has assured doctors at public hospitals that Government will ensure they are fully stocked with drugs and medical equipment while looking at their welfare.

He said this after meeting a delegation of doctors at State House in Harare at a meeting arranged by First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa, who is also the Ambassador of Health and Child Care, as a follow-up to an earlier meeting this year.

The meeting mainly centred on the working environment for medical practitioners and their tools of trade.

Head of delegation Dr Faith Muchemwa told journalists after the meeting that they were leaving the State House satisfied.

She said they were invited by the First Lady, who has shown deep concern about their work.

“She initially invited us so that she could understand what was really going on because she cared about the health of the population,” she said.

“She arranged for us to meet His Excellency.”  Dr Muchemwa said the meeting went well and expressed confidence that their plight could soon be a thing of the past.

“It has been a really good meeting and we were listened to,” she said.

“We have been assured that most of the things that we have been requiring are actually already on their way through the Honourable Minister (Obadiah Moyo).”

Minister Moyo said the President was going to utilise his influence to be able to get the requested products and ensure that all hospitals are fully stocked.-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent- Zanu Pf has pledged commitment to continue pursuing developmental initiatives in Mutasa despite the ruling party losing a rural local authority seat to the opposition MDC Alliance  in the just ended by-election in Ward 10.

Zanu PF’s Margaret Tindirika who garnered 548 votes behind MDC A’s Rosemary Mukodza who got 801 votes, said the ruling party will continue working for the people in line with President Mnangagwa vision 2030.

Tanyaradzwa Chirima (NCA) pulled 16 votes.

Ward Election Officer Conillias Mudehwe said all the candidates accepted the results.-ManicaPost

By Own Correspondent- Primary and Secondary Education Minister Professor Paul Mavhima has revealed that Government will pay school fees for all children who lost parents and guardians during the recent Cyclone Idai as well as provide books to learners in all areas affected by the devastating tropical storm.

More than 364 people died after Cyclone Idai ravaged the eastern parts of Zimbabwe on March 15 and 16 this year with Ngangu Township and villages in Rusitu Valley in Chimanimani district being some of the hardest hit.

Professor Mavhima said food will also be provided in schools in areas affected by Cyclone Idai.

“We have already instructed headmasters to compile lists of pupils that lost parents or guardians during Cyclone Idai. As Government, we pay school fees for all children who lost parents and guardians during the recent Cyclone Idai as well as provide books to learners.

“We are happy that distribution of books has already started in some areas and we will make sure there are adequate books in schools located in all those areas that were affected by the cyclone,” said Minister Mavhima.

The Primary and Secondary Education Minister said all schools in Chimanimani managed to conduct normal lessons on opening day while repairing of damaged infrastructure in schools is almost complete.

“We are also excited that all schools in Chimanimani and Chipinge opened for second term just like all the other schools in areas that were not affected by the cyclone.

“As you can see here at Ngangu Primary, repairing of damaged infrastructure in schools is almost complete. The good thing is that in some instances we are actually placing better facilities than what was previously there,” he said.

Among the schools that Minister Mavhima toured recently are Ngangu Primary, Chimanimani Secondary, Vimba Primary, Kwirire Primary, Mutsvangwa Primary and Secondary.-Manica Post

Mthwakazi National Party observes with attention the orchestrated onslaught directed at the paramount Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Khayisa Ndiweni by the imperfect state of Zimbabwe and ZANU PF, a clear attack on the right to freedom of expression of the oppressed Mthwakazi nation.

Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni, like many other esteemed chiefs within Mthwakazi who remain true to the cause of the people of Mthwakazi, is a beacon of Mthwakazi sovereignty. MNP asserts that the right to dissent and to express and disseminate one’s ideas are critical components of free expression and a cornerstone of a democratic society. Since the time Chief Ndiweni wrote a joint letter with Chief Maduna calling for the United nations to intervene in the resolution of the Gugurahundi genocide matter, Mnangagwa and his cronies have upped their aggression against him.

Our chief is being persecuted for being the voice of Mthwakazi people who have suffered all various forms of oppression under the Zimbabwe colonial rule including denial of our right to self-determination in a free and sovereign Mthwakazi state, denial of our identities as the Mthwakazi people, destruction of Mthwakazi minority languages, ethnic dilution of Mthwakazi, Gukurahundi genocide, displacement of our people from their ancestral land, military ocupation of our country, socio-economic marginilazation, cultural suppression and oppression.

The heavy-handed effort by Mnangagwa’s ZANU-PF regime meant to undermine the authority of our traditional authorities and the pillars of our culture, to persecute her people and disrupt Mthwakazi’s quest for freedom  is tantamount to colonialism. Mnangagwa’s regime, like the Smith regime and all other colonial administrations before it, recognises that the only way to dominate Mthwakazi is to interfere with her culture and tradition through the subjection of our traditional leaders.

In light of our commitment as MNP to defending the people of Mthwakazi and our right to freedom of expression, we call on the Zimbabwe regime to stop on its march of aggression against Chief Ndiweni. We want to put it clear before our oppressors that a people who have lost their fear can never be re-injected with fear and that destiny can be delayed but can never be denied.

We recognise the inherent need to restore the sovereign authority of traditional leaders as the pillar of our independence in order to safeguard our culture, tradition, language and historical heritage.

We call upon the people of Mthwakazi to unite across social divides in support of Chief Ndiweni in order to limit the influence of the Zimbabwe regime on what is left of our independent traditional systems. 
Mthwakazi will be free.

Vuka Mthwakazi Sizwe!

MNP President S.V Mabhena

By Own Correspondent- Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni of Ntabazinduna, with the aid of known anti-Government activists, yesterday stage-managed an attack on himself by people he claimed to be Zanu-PF youths in Bulawayo, reported The Herald.

According to the report, the chief, who claimed his assailants sought to confiscate his Government-issued vehicle, was pictured pouring petrol all over the car and threatening to burn it if anyone touched it.

The pictures went viral on social media after being published by activists led by Zenzele Ndebele, who recently claimed to have survived a suspicious accident in which all four bolts on the “lower control arm of the front wheel on the left side of my vehicle came off simultaneously”.

A senior Zanu-PF official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, poured cold water on Chief Ndiweni’s claims saying “his story simply does not add up”.

“For starters, it is a known fact that all Zanu-PF structures in Bulawayo were dissolved. How did Chief Ndiweni know that his attackers were Zanu-PF youths; did they identify themselves as such? The pictures that Ndebele posted do not show any Zanu-PF regalia.

“Secondly, how was this attack coordinated, considering that Ndiweni lives in Ntabazinduna and not Bulawayo? How did Zanu-PF youths know where he was in Bulawayo? Did they prophesy his presence in Bulawayo?

“This event was clearly stage-managed and broadcast by Ndebele a few minutes after it allegedly happened. If that is not suspicious, I don’t know what is,” the official said.

Chief Ndiweni has been accused of abusing his position to further the agenda of the opposition MDC-Alliance with Zanu-PF challenging him to step down from the chieftaincy and join mainstream politics.

Apparently angered by the Government’s decision to resettle an indigenous farmer at a farm in Ntabazinduna previously occupied by a white family, Chief Ndiweni last week addressed a Press conference in Bulawayo and called for tougher sanctions against Zimbabwe.

Chief Ndiweni sensationally appealed to the international community to escalate sanctions on President Mnangagwa’s Government, claiming it has failed to pursue democracy.

It is understood that before addressing the Press, Chief Ndiweni wrote to a number of foreign embassies calling for further sanctions to be imposed on Zimbabwe.

He has also set up a parallel organisation to the Chiefs Council under the banner of College of Amakhosi, where he is reportedly seeking to rope in some traditional leaders from Matabeleland and Midlands provinces.

After the 2018 elections, Chief Ndiweni visited opposition leader Nelson Chamisa to “endorse” the MDC-Alliance leader despite his defeat in the polls at the hands of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Besides his links with the Chamisa-led party, Chief Ndiweni has had liaisons with secessionist movement Mthwakazi Republic.

However, the relationship with the two are said to have suffered a temporary knock after Chief Ndiweni and some colleagues visited Mr Chamisa to update him about the “installation” of a Ndebele King in South Africa.

Zanu-PF Matabeleland North provincial chair Richard Moyo said they are aware of all Chief Ndiweni’s shenanigans.

“He must just join politics and leave the chieftaincy. He should join mainstream politics by joining these political parties that he is aligned to or even form his own and we will show him how winning politics is played, he has no chance against Zanu-PF,” said Moyo.

“In pursuit of a political agenda, he has chosen to advocate for the suffering of the people instead of working towards their development and unity. We know that initially he was running with secessionist movements like Mthwakazi and later we heard he was endorsing Chamisa despite his loss in the 2018 elections.”

Moyo urged traditional leaders to ignore Chief Ndiweni and continue working for the people.

“He has shown his true colours and his destructive politics and I don’t think any self-respecting traditional leader who has their people at heart can follow such kind of behaviour. They should just ignore his attempts to divide the chiefs in the country,” he said.

In a statement on Sunday, Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Nick Mangwana said Chief Ndiweni’s utterances were inhuman and against Zimbabwe’s cultural beliefs.

‘‘Chief Ndiweni sentiments are deplorable, parochial and ignorant coming from a traditional leader,’’ he said. ‘‘It is tragic that one of those constitutionally expected to uphold our customary values and community cohesion has chosen to not only be a controversial political player, but to repeat a shameful familial history by calling for suffering to be visited upon the people of Zimbabwe.’’-StateMedia

The Matabeleland Collective is deeply concerned about the attacks on Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni that threatens his safety and security and calls upon relevant security sectors to ensure that his safety and security is guaranteed.

The Collective strongly believes in the creation of safe spaces for dialogue on issues affecting people of Matabeleland, events of today undermines candid engagements processes that have commenced.

We call upon authorities to also ensure that his right to freedom of expression is protected as espoused in the Constitution.

The Collective believes every citizen has a right to express themselves in line with Constitutional provisions of freedom of expression without undue interferences. The Collective calls upon concerned parties to pursue dialogue than to resort violence to resolve issues.

By Own Correspondent- A 16-year-old Malaysian girl killed herself after her Instagram followers voted overwhelmingly for her death.

The girl, who has not been named, posted a poll on Instagram asking followers is she should die or not. After 69% of the respondents said that she should die, she killed herself.

According to police in the east Malaysia state Sarawak, the girl posted the poll with the message: “Really Important, Help Me Choose D/L”

A lawyer and MP in the north-western state of Penang, Ramkarpal Singh, however, said that those who voted for the young woman’s death could be guilty of abetting suicide.

He said:

“Would the girl still be alive today if the majority of netizens on her Instagram account discouraged her from taking her own life? Would she have heeded the advice of netizens to seek professional help had they done so?

Did the encouragement of those netizens actually influence her decision to take her own life? Since attempted suicide is an offence in this country, it follows that abetting one to attempt suicide may be, too.”-Guardian

CITE|There is a general concern at the low literacy levels among Councillors with various stakeholders calling on the government to insist on minimum educational qualifications for aspiring and elected councillors to improve their competence in executing their duties.

The Urban Councils Act which governs the mandate and conduct of Councillors is silent on educational qualifications.

Speaking during a public finance management reform Indaba organised by the Zim Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) recently, Samukeliqwa Dube from Umzingwane Rural District Council said councillors with a certain level of education would make them able to comprehend budget issues.

The Indaba ran under the theme “Influencing the legislative and institutional reform agenda for public finance management in Zimbabwe.”

“The issue of concern is that if we have councillors without any educational qualifications they won’t understand the processes of budget and how to be accountable and transparent. We need people who understand what they are doing and why they are doing it,” said Dube.

An official representing ZIMCODD, Florence Ndlovu said with devolution on the horizon there was a need for councillors to be equipped on how to effectively manage resources and funds.

“Devolution is approaching and the question is, are our councillors prepared? Are our councillors ready to monitor resources when we are devolved?

“Political parties have to start capacity building for their candidates so that when they get to these positions they are able to know what a budget is. They should not wait for the Council to teach them,” said Ndlovu.

“Resources will also be given according to competence. Do our councillors have proper CVs in terms of public finance management.”

Another participant said councillors chosen should be locals so they do not misuse funds.

“We need to go back to the previous system where we chose councillors from people who owned houses in those areas. If they are tenants, how will they be accountable for misuse of funds because the person will go back where they came from.

“At least if the councillor is a landlord we can go and sell their house,” he said.

Nhlanhla Mlilo from National Association of non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO) however differed saying educational qualification does not qualify someone to be efficient.

“Joseph Chinotimba, compared with most Members of Parliament has made contributions that are better than those of educated MPs.

“Development is not a concept that you can extract from education. Sometimes you do not need to go to school to appreciate devolution,” said Mlilo.

HUNDREDS of Zanu-PF members aspiring to be part of the Bulawayo Provincial Executive Council on Monday thronged the party offices at Davies Hall to submit their CVs and application letters.

Zanu-PF Bulawayo Province will go to the polls on Saturday and Sunday for the provincial council executive council elections after Zanu-PF First Secretary and President Mnangagwa dissolved all the party’s structures in March this year.

The Provincial elections were slated for last Sunday but were deferred due to the burial of the Zanu-PF National Consultative Assembly member and national hero Velaphi Misheck Ncube on Thursday last week.

Retired Colonel George Nare, who is in charge of the exercise, said all members interested in contesting for the positions of Provincial Chairperson for the Main Wing, Women’s League and Youth League should have submitted their CVs to the Provincial Administrator by Tuesday afternoon.

“Due to the burial of the national hero Cde Velaphi Ncube, we had to move the provincial elections to this weekend. The PEC elections will be held on 18 and 19 May 2019,” he said.

“All members who are interested in contesting positions of Provincial Chairpersons for Main Wing, Women’s League and Youth League in the Provincial Council Elections should submit their CVs to the PA’s office by 14 May 2019 at 1200 hours.

“These individuals should have served as a member of the district for at least one term, or should have been a Provincial member, or in the case of one being a member of a senior organ, one must first resign and have proof of resignation.”

All those aspiring to be in the Youth League executive are to be between 15 and 35-years-old.

The venues for the Polling Stations are Davies Hall (Area 1), Sub-Office Magwegwe (Area 2), Mpopoma Park (Area 3), Bullet Shopping Centre (Area 4) and Nketa Hall (Area 5).

The polling stations will be open from 10AM to 4PM.

Most of the people who dropped their CVs said they were pleased with the transparency of the process.

“This process has been transparent since day one and it shows that the party is really rebranding and restructuring, doing away with cancerous elements who believed in imposition of leaders,” said one member.

“As you can see, all age groups are represented well here, showing that the party is for everyone. I hope that people will be able to select their provincial leaders peacefully.”

The party leadership said the dissolution of the party’s structures in Bulawayo and Harare was meant to address problems that have resulted in the party perennially losing elections in the two metropolitan provinces.

The restructuring process by Zanu-PF is part of preparations for the 2023 harmonised elections and the party said it is pleased with the progress so far.

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday swore-in three six-member commissions for the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Zimbabwe Republic Police and Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services during a ceremony held at State House in Harare.

The swearing in of the commissioners was done in terms of the Constitution, which provides for the establishment of such commissions, adding to the governance reforms that are being undertaken by President Mnangagwa’s administration, which is also expanding civil and political rights in the country.

President Mnangagwa said it was a requirement of the supreme law of the country to set up the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Services Commission, “consisting of a chairperson, who must be the chairperson of the Civil Service Commission and a minimum of two and a maximum of six other members appointed by the President.”

The first to be sworn-in was the Zimbabwe Defence Commission in terms of Section 217 of the Constitution. The six who took oath of office before President Mnangagwa were — Bishop Morris Gwedegwe, Air Commodore Anele Moyo (Rtd), Major General Etherton Shungu (Rtd), Colonel George Nare (Rtd), Mrs Patricia Sarah Bwerofa and Mrs Sheilla Mahere-Nyagumbo.

The Police Services Commission members who were sworn in are Mr Great Fortune Zengeni, Mr Benson Gasura, Mr Casper Khumalo, Ms Plaxedes Gezha, Ms Mercy Muchirahondo-Murevesi and Dr Nyasha Kaseke.

The last set of commissioners to take oath of office were those who will serve under the Prison and Correctional Services Commission. These are Colonel Godfrey Matemachani (Rtd), Mrs Pauline Mukondiwa, Brigadier General Milton Siziba (Rtd), Mrs Pauline Chapendama, Mrs Charles Manzini and Mrs Priscillah Murombedzi.

Persons to be appointed to these three commissions, according to the Constitution, must be chosen for their knowledge of or experience in the administration, management and military affairs, police affairs and prisons affairs.

Also considered for appointment is their profession and qualifications.

At least half of them must be persons who are not and have not been members of the Defence Forces, police and prison services, says the Constitution.

Also according to the supreme law, at least one of them must have held senior rank in the respective portfolios for one or more periods amounting to at least five years.

State Media|THE Member of Parliament for Mberengwa North, Tafanana Zhou, is challenging a $30 000 lawsuit by a local woman accusing him of breaching a promise to marry after allegedly breaking her virginity.

The Mberengwa woman, Ms Henrietta Tafadzwa Chauke (35), a student nurse in Harare, through her lawyers Mugiya and Macharaga Law Chambers, last week filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court under case number HC 980/19 citing Cde Zhou as a defendant.

She is demanding $30 000 from the politician for contumelia arising from the alleged breach of promise to marry her. Ms Chauke said she fell for the legislator in February last year after he had promised to marry her.

Zhou is however, challenging the summons and wants the application to be dismissed, claiming the woman is a serial litigant who is abusing court processes to humiliate him.

In papers before the court, the politician said she did not know Ms Chauke and the allegations were trumped up charges.

Zhou through his lawyer Mr Tawanda Tavengwa of Mutuso, Taruvinga and Mhiribidi Legal Practitioners, filed an application for dismissal of action at the Bulawayo High Court, citing Ms Chauke as a respondent.

“The respondent is not personally known to me and I have never met her and what I know is that I received WhatsApp messages from a person who alleged to be the respondent making sexual advances towards me. The person went as far as introducing herself to me by sending me her pictures and I did not respond,” he said.

“I submit that the respondent cannot prove at all that she is known to me and that I had sexual intercourse with her.”

In papers before the court, Zhou also attached WhatsApp messages where Ms Chauke was allegedly pestering him for sex.

He further said the respondent raised similar allegations against one Mr Simon Magidivana in 2014 demanding US$10 000 for contumelia.

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

Zhou said Ms Chauke was abusing court processes, arguing that the woman carries no genuine intention of seeking seduction damages.

“It is my averment that the claim has no prospects of success. It is frivolous and vexatious in nature and is designed to tarnish my good name and social standing. I am a Member of Parliament and I am inclined to believe that it is my opponents who have hatched a plan to bring my name into disrepute. I aver that there are no issues in this matter as it is clear that as per respondent’s allegations she lost her virginity sometime in 2014. The claim by the respondent is not made with a bona fide intention of seeking justice. Wherefore, I pray for an order dismissing with costs the summons filed under HC980/19,” said Zhou.

Ms Chauke, in her summons, said she fell in love with the MP in February 2018 and three months later he orally made a promise to marry her.

She said she had sexual intercourse with Zhou which was premised on prospects for an imminent marriage. At the time of the sexual intercourse with Zhou, Ms Chauke said she was a virgin.

The woman said Zhou terminated their relationship in February this year for no apparent reason, consequently violating his promise to marry her.

She wants to be compensated for damages emanating from her alleged former boyfriend’s actions.

State Media|Zanu PF has accused Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni of Ntabazinduna of abusing his position to further the agenda of the opposition MDC challenging him to step down from the chieftaincy and join mainstream politics.

The ruling party accuses Ndiweni for calling on tougher sanctions to be imposed on Zimbabwe.

Angered by the Government’s decision to resettle an indigenous farmer at a property in Ntabazinduna previously occupied by a white family, Chief Ndiweni last week addressed a Press conference in Bulawayo and called for tougher sanctions against Zimbabwe.

Chief Ndiweni appealed to the international community to escalate sanctions on President Mnangagwa’s Government, claiming it has failed to pursue democracy.

Zanu-PF Matabeleland North provincial person Richard Moyo said they are aware of all Chief Ndiweni’s shenanigans.

“He must just join politics and leave the chieftaincy. He should come into mainstream politics by joining these political parties that he is aligned to or even form his own and we will show him how winning politics is played, he has no chance against Zanu-PF,” he said.

“In pursuit of a political agenda, he has chosen to advocate for the suffering of the people instead of working towards their development and unity. We know that initially he was running with secessionist movements like Mthwakazi and later we heard he was endorsing Chamisa despite his loss in the 2018 elections.”

Moyo called on traditional leaders to ignore Chief Ndiweni and continue working for the people.

“He has shown his true colours and his destructive politics and I don’t think any self respecting traditional leader who has their people at heart can follow such kind of behaviour. They should just ignore his attempts to divide the chiefs in the country,” he said.

In a statement on Sunday, the Permanent Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Nick Mangwana, said Chief Ndiweni’s utterances were inhumane and against our cultural beliefs.

‘‘Chief Ndiweni sentiments are deplorable, parochial and ignorant coming from a traditional leader,’’ he said.

‘‘It’s tragic that one of those constitutionally expected to uphold our customary values and community cohesion has chosen to not only be a controversial political player but to repeat a shameful familial history by calling for suffering to be visited upon the people of Zimbabwe.’’

COMIC PASTOR’S SATIRICAL PORTRAYAL OF EMMERSON MNANGAGWA’S BREAD BREAKTHROUGH- FULL TEXT

Today I met mpfana anogadzira polon yekuisa pakati pechingwa, using only Zimbabwean beef! He has made 5,000 slices of polon to supply Harare neChitungwiza. “I am always happy to meet local entrepreneurs and learn about their initiatives to build our comedy” – Comic Pastor Prosper Nengomashi