As usual, the church will not tire in warning and admonishing the rulers of our land as long as they continue to exhibit ungodliness in their governance which continues to impoverish the masses.

Social unrest remains inevitable as long as socio-economic injustices persist in Zimbabwe and the leaders should know better. We caution that intimidation and suppression of people’s freedoms will not work.

Recently, the government arrested union leaders from the education sector and other human rights activists accusing them of plotting unrest. Subsequent to that, the Minister of Home Affairs issued warnings to civic organizations that government will descend heavily on anyone suspected to or organizing demonstrations.

We wish to state that Citizens are entitled to their freedoms and it is perfectly in order for anyone or organization for that matter to demonstrate over any disgruntlement especially where misgovernance and unfair labour practices are concerned. We all know that teachers and the entire civil service have been underpaid for decades.

The same teachers demonstrated and walked more than 200km last year just to make a point on their deplorable conditions of service, only to be arrested in Marondera just before they entered the capital. People’s earnings have been eroded and rendered useless. This erosion is a result of the loss of value in our currency which, according to the Bible, is typical of a nation whose leadership has become morally decadent.

“….Your silver has become dross… Your rulers are rebels, companions of thieves, they love bribes….’ Isaiah 1:7,22,23

Chapter 59 of our Constitution grants citizens, rights to demonstrate peacefully and 58 the right to associate with anyone of choice and to assemble but president ED Mnangagwa’s government has no regard whatsoever for the constitution which he as president swore to uphold.

Almost all demonstrations against government’s incompetence, no matter how peaceful, including those cleared by the courts, have been met with brute force yet we talk of new dispensation and openness to business.

The nation and economy are worse off today than they were in 2017, not implying of course that Mugabe’s era was any better. But to emerge from a coup and not experience tangible positive changes, means it is just a change of power from one dictatorship to another mafia type of governance.

Zimbabwe’s rate of inflation has shot up to more than 60%, which is by far higher than the single-digit it was in 2017, a clear indication of poor performance, a direct result of bad governance and poor economic policies.

Is it not strange that we cry about sanctions yet one of the major causes of sanctions is gross human rights violations? Are we, therefore, doing ourselves any good by continuously being repressive, killing our own people yet putting up unreasonable smokescreens?

Ironically, the government talks of austerity measures and urges everyone to be patient, and bear the hardships for a little longer, and yet government leaders are not subjecting themselves to the same lean expenditure patterns! We only get to hear about the luxurious jet having been donated after a national outcry at such senseless extravagance.

Why wasn’t the announcement made when the supposed donation of such princely value was made, if at all it was a gift? Does the president expect the nation to buy such cheap hoodwinking gimmicks?

There isn’t any amount of commitment by the government to cut back on its expenditure and the workers and the nation have eyes hence so much restlessness. Politicians spent big on personal medicals outside this economy than they do on trying to revive our ailing health system. They buy luxurious cars, fleets upon fleets from outside and pay lip service towards reviving local plants e.g. Willowvale Motor Company, Quest automobile in Mutare, we inherited from Smith in functional state.

The price increases from fuel to every other commodity and now to basic goods like bread have just gone beyond the reach of many. Why is it that we took land from whites but are now failing to grow basic cereals like maize and wheat? Who owns all the fertile arable land now, that used to produce the same to the extent of feeding the entire region? It is therefore unrealistic, not to expect demonstrations and uprisings given such untenable economic conditions?

There is no need for a foreign power to influence anything nor anyone because President ED Mnangagwa’s government has created perfect conditions for unrest, for protest and turmoil. He comes from a liberation war background and he should know better the reasons why tens of thousands left the country to wage war against Ian Smith.

However, the sad reality is that so-called liberators have become today’s greatest oppressors.

The church, therefore, sends serious warning signals to President ED’s government that, the same script that was resisted by the masses with the church included, will always play out if his government does not correct the wrong fundamentals. Bad governance never wins the favour of people no matter how many they kill, jail, intimidate and maim.

The nation is groaning because of the brutal evil system of governance that is corrupt and incompetent, that kills its own innocent and unarmed citizens for just registering their displeasure.

We warn again President Mnangagwa that God is on the side of the weak and the oppressed and he dethrones evil rulers.

-Online

By Own Correspondent| Central Bank Governor John Panonetsa Mangudya, has unveiled a rescue package which is set to ease the current fuel woes.

The package which Mangudya said will see improved fuel deliveries is set to see the central bank releasing Letters of Credit (LCs) worth US$50 million to the major fuel retailers in the country called the Big Four.

The Big Four are Zuva, Engen, Sakunda and Puma and are said to have started receiving deliveries from Wednesday by the Minister of Energy and Power Development, Joram Gumbo.

Mangudya said that in future, LCs will be processed earlier to avoid gaps which result in fuel shortages on the market.

Said Mangudya:

The situation has started to improve, starting Wednesday this week because nearly every fuel company was given LCs, including the big four.

Going forward, the RBZ is working towards synchronising the lead time between the establishment of the LCs and their confirmation so there are no gaps in the release of the product to the market.

The lead time must be minimised and we are going to be more meticulous going forward to minimise time difference between the establishment of LCs and supply of fuel.

According to Investopedia, a letter of credit is a letter from a bank guaranteeing that a buyer’s payment to a seller will be received on time and for the correct amount.

In the event that the buyer is unable to make a payment on the purchase, the bank will be required to cover the full or remaining amount of the purchase.-DailyNews

South Africa’s political parties differ on a lot of things, but there is one thing they agree on during elections, and that’s getting as many people to cast their ballots.

They all realise that the higher the number of people who go to polling stations on voting day, the higher their support may be.

Voter turnout is one of the key aspects of any election, with commentators and politicians seeing it as a level of representation of the will of the people.

As of midday, the IEC’s data was showing that voter turnout for this year’s elections was at 65.47%. At that hour, 8 103 of the 22 925 voting districts had completed their counting of votes.

Rain and cold weather in a number of provinces on Wednesday sparked concern, with political parties fearing that people would stay away from the polls, avoiding standing in long queues for hours during inclement conditions. However, it’s still too soon to conclude why a larger percentage of voters would have stayed home during Wednesday’s polls. Voter apathy and a disillusionment with the parties on offer may also have played a role.

In 1994, when the first democratic elections were run by an interim commission, it was difficult to gauge the turnout of voters, as millions of black South Africans were voting for the first time. Voters weren’t expected to register to cast their ballots and thus it was impossible to determine a voter turnout percentage.

In 1999, with a base of 18 172 751 registered voters, the final turnout was 89.3%.

As is the trend in most young democracies, voter turnout dropped five years later during the 2004 election, but the final percentage was still significantly high at 76.73%. The real number of registered voters increased to 20 674 923.

Five years later, in 2009, the number of registered voters jumped to 23 181 997. The voter turnout bucked the trend, increasing to 77.3%.

The decline resumed in 2014, when turnout dropped to 74.48%. The base of registered voters that year was 25 388 082.

-News24

Following the demotion of journalists aligned to Deputy Chief Secretary to the President George Charamba, a Zanu PF apologist, Tafadzwa Tuboy Mugwadi has attacked Acting Editor Tichaona Zindoga over his decision to reshuffle reporters, lebelling him a school deserter.

Posting on Facebook, Mugwadi had no kind words for those who called him a Charamba loyalist saying their decision to move him from Social Media Manager to a new desk called The Knowledge Centre was their pure jealousy.

Below is the full text of Mugwadi’s post;

So my homeboy and brother, Cde George Charamba (GC) has become a problem simply because of abject idiocy, legendary ineptitude and monumental foolishness of some semi-educated dwarfs whose disdain for GC can only be understood from lucifaric jealousy?

I never new I am loyal to GC but guess what, my loyalty to him have just began on a double note.

Indeed, only the tallest tree attracts the wood cutter. Academic Birds of the same intellectual feathers must be allowed to fly together.

I have not time for born-frees turned school deserters whose only claim to their current work station is based on nice lips as well as arranging unsuspecting female upstarts for sexual escapades with superiors where upon they are fired for non-compliance.

Jane Mlambo| A community-based organization in Chipinge, PYD secured support from FEPA to reconstruct an ECD block that was devastated by the recent tropical storm Cyclone Idai. The reconstruction initiative helped children from poor background to access education and in turn prevent the dropout rate in the area.

According to the 2017 Annual Education Statistics Profile for Manicaland Province, school age population for Chipinge is 155 944 and of this figure 54 211 are enrolled at infant level. The district has 136 primary schools and the majority of them serve low income bracket. The ECD block at Rimbi Primary School is one of the schools that serve a low-income community.

Tropical Cyclone Idai effects undermined social developments of the Rimbi community, as it exacerbates inequality and marginalization. The destruction of the ECD block in March 2019, is a clear indication of climate related vulnerabilities. In the immediate aftermath of the tropical Cyclone Idai, the damage to the ECD block interrupted children’s education. This posed serious challenges as the Rimbi community is already strained by the current harsh economic environment coupled with a looming drought.

“PYD places education and health of the most vulnerable members of our community at the core of the community development agenda.” Artwell Chingwara, PYD’s Information and Social Media Officer said.

“When Cyclone Idai struct in March this year, there was a rather depressing picture in terms of the impact of the destruction. PYD provided a strong framework with which reconstruction was possible and fell within the time for the school opening” Palmer Simango, Chairperson of the SDC Committee at Rimbi Primary School applauded the role of PYD. “The support that we received confirmed that PYD is indeed socially embedded in our local community.”

It becomes imperative that for social development to be realized in rural communities, quality school infrastructure has to be constructed. The quality infrastructure improves student outcome and reduces school dropouts. This augurs well with the 2030 agenda for sustainable development goal no. 4. Thus, the reconstruction of the ECD block at Rimbi Primary School was done with main objective of improving every child’s well-being.

Own Correspondent|Financial news site and watchdog Financial Express reports that the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has introduced a new lot of Bond Notes to cater for tobacco growers.

According to the report Dr Mangudya introduced $12m new notes to cater for the demands of the farmers.

The amount takes the total value of Bond Notes in circulation in the country to $450m.

Mangudya has previously said that the central bank continues to exercise restraint on the release of cash into the market to curb inflation.

Bond coins and bond notes in circulation in the economy account for around 5% of money supply.

“But following the start of the tobacco marketing season, new notes were injected to enable growers to withdraw cash.”

Speaking on inflation, Mangudya said the central bank is targeting inflation to end the year at 15% with deceleration expected to start around October.

The newly-elected MDC Bulawayo provincial executive has lashed out at losing candidates who have appealed against the results, claiming the action was tantamount to an insurrection against party leader Nelson Chamisa.

MDC Bulawayo members, who comprise legislator Phelela Masuku and 11 others, appealed to the party’s national executive council (NEC) challenging the elections in the province, claiming the process was flawed.

Yesterday, the newly-elected Bulawayo executive came out guns blazing, describing the losers as trying to discredit Chamisa.

Provincial spokesperson Swithern Chirowodza said: “From the look of things, it comes across more as an insurrection against MDC president Nelson Chamisa than an appeal against alleged electoral irregularities.

“The appellants are bent on disfiguring president Chamisa’s image by falsely portraying him as one who presided over the April 17 MDC Bulawayo provincial congress.”

The MDC Bulawayo members’ appeal came at a time when Chamisa has already been nominated, uncontested, as the party’s president by all the 13 provinces and now waits to be confirmed by the national congress to be held in Gweru from May 24 to 26.

Southern Eye understands that an MDC special committee has been put in place to deliberate on issues raised by some members to the NEC.

In the provincial elections, James Sithole beat Masuku with 509 votes to 307; Felix Mhaka won the deputy chair position; while Earnest Rafamoyo won the provincial secretary position and is deputised by Walter Taranhike.

The new provincial organiser is Helen Zviviri, deputised by Colet Ndlovu. Chirowodza won the spokesperson position, and is deputised by Gladys Mathe and the treasurer became Sonny Phiri, deputised by Grace Mathe.

Meanwhile, MDC Midlands’ women assembly members, who petitioned the party’s national organising department seeking to reverse the election process for the provincial wing held on April 10 in Gweru, have withdrawn their challenge and thrown their weight behind the winners.

-Newsday

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa’s continuous failure to solve the country’s economy will hand the MDC-Alliance an electoral victory in the Mutasa Rural District Council ward 10 by-election slated for tomorrow, the opposition candidate said.

Rosemary Mukodza, who is representing the MDC in the by-election made the remarks on Wednesday at Masere Business Centre in Mutasa Central constituency where she was addressing scores of party supporters.

She will battle it out with Magret Tindika from the ruling party and Justine Chirimo from the Lovemore Madhuku-led National Constitutional Assembly.

Mukodza said she has been doing door-to-door campaigns prior to the rally that was graced by party vice-president Morgan Komichi, national organiser Amos Chibaya, Mutasa Central MP Trevor Saruwaka, Mutasa South MP Regai Tsunga, among others.

“I want to thank leaders of my party for coming to show support. I am very humbled by your gesture, we have been doing door-to-door campaigns urging voters to go and vote early in the morning and secure our victory,” Mukodza said.

“I don’t think the Zanu PF candidate has a chance to win because her leader has already failed. Do you think the Zanu PF candidate can stand any chance in this ward election when her leader (Mnangagwa) has failed? Mnangagwa’s failure to run the country will work in our favour.”

She added: “We are not going to sleep on Saturday because we are very aware that this party is capable of rigging this election. Zanu PF has the mechanism to do that.”

Saruwaka said the ward was a MDC-Alliance stronghold and the party will retain the seat that fell vacant after the conviction and later imprisonment of councillor Frank Chitembwe of the MDC over the violent January fuel price hike protests.

“This is our stronghold and we are very confident that we are going to win the ward at all cost,” he said.

MDC has a history of not faring well to Zanu PF in by-elections and has lost several seats to the ruling party during by-elections.

Last month, the opposition was stunned by the ruling party when Kidwell Mujuru (Zanu PF) won the Cowdry Park council seat in Bulawayo urban, the opposition’s strong hold. The MDC had fielded two candidates for the election characterised by voter apathy.

-Newsday

Jane Mlambo|Opposition MDC leader has tweeted about a Chinese proverb that says “If you are a leader and you have no followers, you are simply taking a walk.”

Tbough he did not explain why he likes the proverb, it could be a way of mocking Thokozani Khupe who was over the moon yesterday hinting that he would be taking over the MDC headquarters and party structures.

By Platform for Youth Development| On 29 April 2019 villagers in Munyokowere were served with eviction notices by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement. The eviction notices gave at least 750 villagers seven days to vacate the land they have been occupying since the early 1990s.

PYD, a community based organization is dismayed by the government’s penchant to use institutionalized intimidation in an environment where the communities might have little bargaining power to contest the evictions, as they often lack formal documentation of their customary land rights and access to justice.

In the process, PYD engaged the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) on behalf of the villagers. The ZLHR wrote to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Settlement.

“That some of our clients have been in occupation for a long period as such have built their livelihood, they have built their houses and they have minor children who cannot soldier the harsh winter.” Reads part of the letter to the government. They went on to state that “The state despite demand of request for offer letters has either failed or neglected to provide them with security of tenure.” The letter continued.

The eviction notices are deemed to be necessitated by a 2018 Cabinet resolution on illegal settlers. The cabinet resolved that all people found in farms without any offer letter, permit, lease or title deed are committing a crime in terms of the Lands Consequential Provisions Act Chapter 20:28.

“The cabinet resolution is admittance that there is rampant corruption in the land governance system and that the evictions are not structured but just a moment to punish some communities that did not vote for Zanu PF in the 2018 plebiscite.” Claris Madhuku, PYD Director said.

He went on to state the role of his organisation in the matter. “PYD is at the community level to protect the vulnerable members of our community who are exposed to political vindication and manipulation. Again, we applaud the organizational value of ZLHR in its response to our human rights violation alert.”

Administration of the Lands Consequential Provisions Act Chapter 20:28 neglected the land rights of resettled villagers

The Munyokowere villagers case dates back to the colonial era. In the 1950s, they were forcibly evicted by the colonial government to pave way for the commercialization of Middle Sabi.

They were resettled back in the area in the early 1990s. The first batch of resettled villagers amounted to 39 families and the number has since grown to 750 families. The then Chipinge District Administrator (DA) Mufukera formalized the villagers’ settlement. This move by the local authority heightened villagers’ perceptions and expectation regarding the right to the land.

The manner and timing of the notice of eviction is likely to impact negatively on the villagers’ food security and livelihoods. The absence of formal offer letters, permit, lease or title deed in the area clearly proved a glaring weak land governance system in Zimbabwe.

This seriously impair the land use rights of local people as they are not properly reflected in our domestic legal system. Weak land governance systems can thus negatively affect local populations and their food security since they will be open to political manipulation as being witnessed in Munyokowere village.

This case from a face value can obscure important but masked socio – economic and political issues. The political culture in Zimbabwe has created social inequities in rural communities and they are seemingly allowed to persist, and in the process violate the notion of social justice within the local context.

“What they have done to the villagers is unjust and smacks of arbitrary authority from our government. The government must ensure that customary land rights are protected and leveraged against manipulation.  is the same institution that is exposing vulnerable communities.”

Allan Murozvi said. Allan Murozvi is a community activist working with the Platform for Youth Development Trust (PYD).

The villagers claim to the land evolve through the principle of kinship that was recognized by local government authorities including the then Local Government Deputy Minister Morris Sakabuya.

Distortions around customary ownership of land is the bedrock of the villagers” dilemma. The eviction notices enunciated by the government make it clear that the presence of the villagers in Munyokowere since the early 1990s was a result of political patronage.

The false sense of security that the local political and administrative leadership provided to the Munyokowere villagers became an instrument for regulating access to communal land, and also determined the granting of rights. This was done in the narrative of procuring and maintaining political support in the Middle Sabi.

“The government has to understand and interpret their laws in the context that the control of land is vested in an ancestry group and access is determined by social identity. This particular defines our social identity as a people and we cannot be denied that identity.”

Headman Munyokowere is quoted as saying. He is one of the 750 villagers served with a notice to vacate the land. Headman Munyokowere bemoaned the fact that the government since the period of their resettlement failed to ensure that customary land rights are protected.

Zimbabwe’s main opposition the MDC plans to appeal against a ruling by the high court that its leader Nelson Chamisa illegitimately succeeded the late Morgan Tsvangirai.

Justice Edith Mushore made the ruling in a case brought before her by Elias Mashavire, the party’s Gokwe district organising secretary, who challenged Tsvangirai’s decision to appoint Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri as two of his three deputies.

In 2017 the same court dismissed an earlier lawsuit challenging Tsvangirai’s appointment of Chamisa and Mudzuri.

Justice Mushore, in her ruling on Wednesday, directed the party to hold an elective congress in a month’s time using MDC-T’s 2014 structures.

At the party’s 2014 elective congress Nelson Chamisa lost to outgoing secretary for information and publicity Douglas Mwonzora for the post of secretary general. Thokozani Khupe, who leads the current breakaway MDC, was elected vice president.

Chamisa along with Elias Mudzuri were appointed as deputies by Tsvangirai to join Khupe,  a move largely seen as a balancing act to contain Khupe’s growing support base. 

If the party uses the 2014 structures, as ruled by the high court, Chamisa will effectively not be up for the party’s leadership. The ruling falls in favour of Khupe who, after the death of Tsvangirai in 2018, failed to wrestle power from Chamisa leading her to contest the general elections as the breakaway MDC-T while Chamisa went with MDC Alliance.

Responding to the court decision, Chamisa’s spokesperson, Nkululeko Sibanda, said it did not affect them because they were not “MDC-T”.

“It is just the MDC, MDC T is not the legal name of the party for which Advocate Chamisa is president,” he said.

The MDC Alliance defines itself as “an electoral bloc formed between seven political parties.”

Senior MDC Alliance member David Coltart said they would appeal against the ruling and party business would go on uninterrupted.

“It will be appealed. This is what is called a brutum fulmen [empty thunder], an ineffective order. By the time the appeal is heard a duly constituted congress of the MDC will have been held and Chamisa elected,” he said.

The MDC Alliance will hold its elective congress between May 24 and 26 in Gweru, Zimbabwe’s third largest city. Chamisa will go into the congress uncontested after all of the party’s 13 provinces endorsed him to lead the party for the next five years.

Meanwhile, heading to congress, Chamisa said the alliance’s strategy for the next five years was to put pressure on Zanu-PF.

“If there is no political dialogue, we say this and we will say it again, we are going to resort to constitutional avenues and platforms around our rights to express ourselves until what we believe to be the legitimate request is acceded,” he said.

First Lady, Auxillia Mnangagwa has rubbished claims that she was fast turning into another Grace Mugabe.

“I have never instructed any minister to do any work or even summoned anyone to my office. I spend much of my time in rural areas interacting with old people, even parents of these MDC officials who are complaining that I am taking over government business. It is wrong to try and compare me with Grace Mugabe.

“I am not a government employee. I have no powers over ministers, but I just help in my role as the First Lady to raise awareness on health issues. I also take care of their mothers and their supporters.”

“I don’t get any cent from Treasury for all the projects I do. There are many people who support us and not even a single cent comes from government. People should appreciate that through my humanitarian work, I assist people across the political divide. I don’t select whether Zanu PF or MDC.

“In fact, we don’t want to see people wearing party regalia at our functions. I am doing my duties as the First Lady, which is social work, helping the needy where possible. I am not into politics,” she told Newsday

State Media|PROPHETIC Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries leader Walter Magaya and his wife, Tendai, have been taken to the High Court for failure to repay a US$23 million loan to Homelink Finance (Private) Limited.

Magaya and his wife bound themselves as surety and co-principal debtor to a loan extended to Yadah Connect (Private) Limited last year.

He risks losing his sprawling property in Waterfalls, Harare, 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.

They also offered mining machinery, equipment and vehicles financed under the facility as security.

Homelink, through its lawyers, Shomwe-Nyakuedzwa Attorneys filed summons for provisional sentence against Mr and Mrs Magaya as well as Yadah Connect.

The company argues that the defendants breached the loan agreement, hence an order compelling them to pay should be issued.

Homelink, according to the papers filed at court, 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.

Repayment, according to the papers, was to be paid in US dollars.

Interest on the loan facility, according to the agreement, should be charged at the aggregate rate of 7,5 percent per annum but subject to change in line with the prevailing market conditions.

Magaya is yet to respond to the civil claim.

State Media|A FORM four pupil allegedly drank himself to death in a suspected Vuzu party binge in Nkulumane suburb.

Brandon Zimba (18) of Nkulumane suburb died on Saturday night at a party in the company of his friends and cousin at a house in the same suburb.

He was staying with his grandfather following the death of his father years ago and his mother works in South Africa.

The mother, Ms Sithembiso Zimba said she was devastated by her son’s death.

She said his behaviour completely changed when he moved to a new school and she suspects it was as a result of influence from bad friends.

“Never at any point in my life did I ever imagine that my child would drink himself to death. Growing up, he was obedient and brilliant in school. He started school in South Africa and came home for his secondary. I took him to Sizane High School and his school performance was very pleasing.

“The school, however, hiked fees and I was forced to transfer him. I regret that move because it has led to the death of my son. At the new school, I started receiving reports that he had started drinking. The elders who stayed with him would sit him down and each time he apologised and promised to change,” said Ms Zimba.

She decried the growing culture of juvenile delinquency and said she believed her child’s demise was a result of bad friends.

“This society and this new culture of today will ‘finish’ our children and something needs to be done to stop it. We don’t know what transpires at these Vuzu parties, perhaps they abuse all sorts of drugs besides alcohol. Those that were with him should have called for help when Brandon passed out but unfortunately they decided to watch him die. I am asking myself why him?” she said.

Ms Zimba said she now regretted her decision to work in South Africa to fend for the family.

“I keep asking myself if the situation would have been different had I stayed home and taken care of my children. But I am living in South Africa to work and fend for my children. I did all I could for him as a single parent. I am doing all I can even for his younger siblings, his sister aged 14 and his younger brother aged six,” she said.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the death.

“I can confirm that we are dealing with a case of sudden death and investigations are underway.

Brandon’s grandfather, who only identified himself as Mr Ndebele and was Brandon’s guardian said he was shocked by the boy’s death.

“I knew him to be a quiet fellow but there is a saying that still waters run deep. I cannot express my devastation and I cannot even imagine what his mother must be feeling following his death. He was the eldest and his father died some years ago.

“There is a sick culture that is slowly engulfing the youths and it is time communities took a stand. We have been reading about these strange parties and happenings but I never thought that one of these things done by youths could lead to the death of my grandson,” said Mr Ndebele.

Brandon will be laid to rest today at Athlone Cemetery after a funeral service at Kings and Queens’ funeral parlour at 8AM.

Police have been raiding Vuzu parties where youths abuse alcohol and drugs and also engage in sex but it is proving difficult to ban these parties completely.

Own Correspondent|MDC Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora has blasted excited MDC-T Deputy President Obert Gutu over claims that his party is readying to take over all MDC properties and recall members of parliament in the wake of the controversial High Court ruling issued on Wednesday.

Mwonzora, who like Gutu, is also a legal practitioner accused the MDC-T leader of rushing to speak on the court judgement without reading through it.

Speaking in a breaking interview with Simba Chikanza of ZimEye.com on Thursday, Mwonzora rubbished claims by Gutu that the Thokozani Khupe led splinter was accorded rights to the MDC property through the judgement.

“Mr Gutu did not read the judgement; the judgement did not say transfer property it does not talk about property at all. There is no way in the judgement where there is the issue of property or money is talking about this is an extension of the judgement it is not there in the judgement Simba if you look at it. So these are political statements this is political banter and it is not helpful what is important is what the judgement says. What the issue at stake is. What does the judge say, it does not make a judgement on property at all,” said Mwonzora.

Below is the full text of the interview with the beleaguered MDC leader. Mwonzora is widely viewed to have had a hand in the judgement which stripped his long-time rival Nelson Chamisa of the presidency of the party.

SC: Good afternoon honourable Mwonzora. Can you hear me sir? Simba Chikanza here.
Are you happy? Excited?

Mwonzora: Yes.

SC: …with the court verdict Sir, I have been trying to hear (from you), are you in acceptance with the court verdict; are you one of those who are calling for an appeal against it?

Mwonzora: I am not commenting on the High Court verdict Simba. I am sure the spokesperson of the party made a statement on behalf of the party.

SC: Ok so you stand by that statement of the spokesperson?

Mwonzora: I have spoken to you already I have already spoken to you Sir. I have already answered.

SC: But sir, Thokozani Khupe claimed that she was going to be working with you.

Mwonzora: I am sorry I am sorry my friend, I think you should forewarn me if you want to interview me.

SC: Oh I apologise, I thought that I had done that; I had notified your aide when you were in Parliament?

Mwonzora: I did not know.

SC : Would you like us to start right now?

Mwonzora: You know what Simba, I am sorry. I am sorry I may sound rude to you; it is not my nature but I do not want to comment about it.

SC: Thank you sir. I had to ask you because your name is in print. Thokozani Khupe has already has made ownership…

Mwonzora: What are the specific allegations against me maybe I can throw it off?

SC: The allegation against you is that you are behind the High Court defeat of Nelson Chamisa yesterday and also that you are working with Khupe and she has communicated in a statement that you are working with her, this morning.

Mwonzora: Well, you must understand that the High Court application was filed last year in September and in that High Court application I am the 5th Respondent, in other words I am being sued as well and the judgement was against me as well; how can I be behind it and for what reason? This is just a smear campaign by my opponents in the party they always want to find something to blame me when things go wrong. There is a court case the party has lost the court case my own opinion I did communicate my opinion to the leaders of the party on how we could have averted that disaster; but to say that I have anything to do with it it is simply a smear campaign Simba; I have nothing to do with it.
Regarding now what Thokozani Khupe said in her statement, I saw it today; the statement says that she will communicate with the Secretary-General of the party. What it means is right now as we speak there is a court judgement, and in terms of that court judgement there is a certain status which is there until that verdict has been varied; until the court verdict has been overturned, then the status quo as per judgement, so I don’t see anything sinister about that; so she has not communicated with me and unfortunately she has issued a statement but I have not received any formal communication with her.

People lose court cases, they don’t lose court cases because there is Douglas Mwonzora there. This is not the first time that we have lost a court case. We lost the election petition it was not my fault; now that there is a high court case yesterday, how is that my fault?

SC: And, lastly thank you for that. Your having been mentioned by her in her statement, are you not going to respond against it because she has stated… are you not disturbed that she has rushed to mention you?

Mwonzora: Certainly not, I see nothing wrong with that. I see nothing really wrong there because she says that she is going to get in touch with the Secretary General of the party. I am the Secretary General of the party it is when she gets in touch with me that I will appropriately respond to her, remember this is a statement in public I don’t have to respond to it. I will respond to the specific communication that she talks about me in her statement. That is the civilized thing to do in my view. So I am waiting for her communication, and I will respond to it accordingly. But for me to trade conversations with her through the press will not be proper. She simply was not directing this to me, she was directing to the public to inform them that I am the secretary-general of the party when she does that I will speak to her I want to put it up that i do not view her as an enemy, I do not view her as a person that I do not talk to and converse with. So I will talk to her and will hear what she has to say and I will respond.

SC: Are you not concerned Sir. I am sorry that I am repeating it but this is the other bit now which is how other legal experts have interpreted that judgement that it has numerous failures, misdirections that have led to it being seen as a defective judgement?

Mwonzora: Sorry, Simba.

SC: Other legal experts say that the verdict which she is celebrating is a defective judgement, there are numerous misdirections over 12 misdirections and would that not give some sort of position or preposition to you not to even imagine communicating with her?

Mwonzora: I am a legal expert as well. And I see nothing wrong with talking to a person who has said she wants to talk to me in my official capacity as the secretary-general I am not going to close that door, it is not a civilized thing to do and it does not make political sense to me. Now, I have seen a lot of commentaries on the judgement, I agree with some I do not agree with some and so on. And I have looked at the judgement myself, I have my opinion and I have communicated my opinion to the leadership.

SC: In private you communicated all that in private and did not make it public?

Mwonzora: Yes I communicated in private just like I did last year before this matter was even lodged in court;you may want to know that I did convene a meeting involving Dr Khupe, Advocate Chamisa, and Elias Mudzuri, I did commit I did convene a meeting with them in my capacity with the Secretary General and legal advisor and I did give them what I thought was the legal opinion, was the legal position of the party, whether they took or did not take it is another matter; and I also in my capacity as the secretary-general I then advised that they should seek external legal counsel, and get an external legal opinion on the issue; we got that legal opinion, whether they followed it or not is another issue, but the thing is I did what I could in my capacity as Secretary General. Now there will be a lot of comment on a judgement. Some of the comments are political some of them are legal now this in my view when you look at that judgement you will have to look at it from a legal point of view does it make legal sense what are those things that the judge is talking about do they make legal sense? So the fact that a lot of people have commented I saw one comment by a respected academic which showed me that he did not read the judgement. Errm he was rambling and so on I did not expect that from an academic of his calibre he is a person that I respect, and I have privately conversed with him that he should first read things before he comments.

SC: So in essence, you are seeing that this judgement is strong;it is sound basically?

Mwonzora: Well, I have opinion on this judgement that I don’t want to communicate right now to the public I have communicated opinion to my leaders now I won’t tell the leaders what they want to hear; I will tell the leaders the legal position and the legal opinion; that is what I am there for. That is what I am elected to do; I am not defending anything;I am not attacking anything but I think that the analysis of the judgement so far done is poor.

SC: You mean that the analysis that is criticizing the judgement so far is poor?

Mwonzora: The analysis that has been done, it does not criticise the judgement only. Now, what people have been commenting on the judgement… for and against has convinced me in some instances that they did not apply their minds to it; and I am urging all our legal experts to read the judgement first so they can give sound Advice. Now we are unable to get sound Advice from what has been written so far, because it has been done in a poor way.

SC: would you say here that the Threat for instance to seize property by orbit is normal because he has already announced that MDC property is going to be transferred to Khupe. You as the Secretary General would you stand in opposition against that?

Mwonzora: Exactly Simba this is my point; it shows that Mr Gutu did not read the judgement; the judgement did not say transfer property it does not talk about property at all. There is no way in the judgement where there is the issue of property or money is talking about this is an extension of the judgement it is not there in the judgement Simba if you look at it. So these are political statements this is political banter and it is not helpful what is important is what the judgement says. What the issue at stake is. What does the judge say, it does not make a judgement on property at all.

SC: So, lastly let me ask you there are accusations; I am sure you have seen allegations against your character… generally you being that very same person who is standing to gain because now quite frankly Nelson Chamisa has been your nemesis ever since 2014 the very same year to which this judgement extends, the roll back. How could you assure the public here, that you do not stand to gain from a loss in this case of Nelson Chamisa or a de legitimising of Nelson Chamisa [LONG PAUSE]. I think I have lost you there sir.

ABRUPT ENDING ….

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

ZimEye yesterday spoke to Douglas Mwonzora’s aide at around 3pm and obtained permission to interview the MDC Secretary General before he exited the parliament building. Below was the full discourse with the man who this week was accused of conniving with the judiciary so to crush his enemy of many years, Nelson Chamisa through Wednesday’s high court verdict.

Simba Chikanza (SC) spoke with Advocate Douglas Mwonzora.

SC: Good afternoon honourable Mwonzora. Can you hear me sir? Simba Chikanza here.
Are you happy? Excited?

Mwonzora: Yes.

SC: …with the court verdict Sir? I have been trying to hear (from you), are you in acceptance with the court verdict; are you one of those who are calling for an appeal against it?

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Mwonzora: I am not commenting on the High Court verdict Simba. I am sure the spokesperson of the party made a statement on behalf of the party.

SC: Ok so you stand by that statement of the spokesperson?

Mwonzora: I have spoken to you already I have already spoken to you Sir. I have already answered.

SC: But sir, Thokozani Khupe claimed that she was going to be working with you.

Mwonzora: I am sorry I am sorry my friend, I think you should forewarn me if you want to interview me.

SC: Oh I apologise, I thought that I had done that; I had notified your aide when you were in Parliament?

Mwonzora: I did not know.

SC : Would you like us to start right now?

Mwonzora: You know what Simba, I am sorry. I am sorry I may sound rude to you; it is not my nature but I do not want to comment about it.

SC: Thank you sir. I had to ask you because your name is in print. Thokozani Khupe has already has made ownership…

Mwonzora: What are the specific allegations against me maybe I can throw it off?

SC: The allegation against you is that you are behind the High Court defeat of Nelson Chamisa yesterday and also that you are working with Khupe and she has communicated in a statement that you are working with her, this morning.

Mwonzora: Well, you must understand that the High Court application was filed last year in September and in that High Court application I am the 5th Respondent, in other words I am being sued as well and the judgement was against me as well; how can I be behind it and for what reason? This is just a smear campaign by my opponents in the party they always want to find something to blame me when things go wrong. There is a court case the party has lost the court case my own opinion I did communicate my opinion to the leaders of the party on how we could have averted that disaster; but to say that I have anything to do with it it is simply a smear campaign Simba; I have nothing to do with it.
Regarding now what Thokozani Khupe said in her statement, I saw it today; the statement says that she will communicate with the Secretary-General of the party. What it means is right now as we speak there is a court judgement, and in terms of that court judgement there is a certain status which is there until that verdict has been varied; until the court verdict has been overturned, then the status quo as per judgement, so I don’t see anything sinister about that; so she has not communicated with me and unfortunately she has issued a statement but I have not received any formal communication with her.

People lose court cases, they don’t lose court cases because there is Douglas Mwonzora there. This is not the first time that we have lost a court case. We lost the election petition it was not my fault; now that there is a high court case yesterday, how is that my fault?

SC: And, lastly thank you for that. Your having been mentioned by her in her statement, are you not going to respond against it because she has stated… are you not disturbed that she has rushed to mention you?

Mwonzora: Certainly not, I see nothing wrong with that. I see nothing really wrong there because she says that she is going to get in touch with the Secretary General of the party. I am the Secretary General of the party it is when she gets in touch with me that I will appropriately respond to her, remember this is a statement in public I don’t have to respond to it. I will respond to the specific communication that she talks about me in her statement. That is the civilized thing to do in my view. So I am waiting for her communication, and I will respond to it accordingly. But for me to trade conversations with her through the press will not be proper. She simply was not directing this to me, she was directing to the public to inform them that I am the secretary-general of the party when she does that I will speak to her I want to put it up that i do not view her as an enemy, I do not view her as a person that I do not talk to and converse with. So I will talk to her and will hear what she has to say and I will respond.

SC: Are you not concerned Sir. I am sorry that I am repeating it but this is the other bit now which is how other legal experts have interpreted that judgement that it has numerous failures, misdirections that have led to it being seen as a defective judgement?

Mwonzora: Sorry, Simba.

SC: Other legal experts say that the verdict which she is celebrating is a defective judgement, there are numerous misdirections over 12 misdirections and would that not give some sort of position or preposition to you not to even imagine communicating with her?

Mwonzora: I am a legal expert as well. And I see nothing wrong with talking to a person who has said she wants to talk to me in my official capacity as the secretary-general I am not going to close that door, it is not a civilized thing to do and it does not make political sense to me. Now, I have seen a lot of commentaries on the judgement, I agree with some I do not agree with some and so on. And I have looked at the judgement myself, I have my opinion and I have communicated my opinion to the leadership.

SC: In private you communicated all that in private and did not make it public?

Mwonzora: Yes I communicated in private just like I did last year before this matter was even lodged in court;you may want to know that I did convene a meeting involving Dr Khupe, Advocate Chamisa, and Elias Mudzuri, I did commit I did convene a meeting with them in my capacity with the Secretary General and legal advisor and I did give them what I thought was the legal opinion, was the legal position of the party, whether they took or did not take it is another matter; and I also in my capacity as the secretary-general I then advised that they should seek external legal counsel, and get an external legal opinion on the issue; we got that legal opinion, whether they followed it or not is another issue, but the thing is I did what I could in my capacity as Secretary General. Now there will be a lot of comment on a judgement. Some of the comments are political some of them are legal now this in my view when you look at that judgement you will have to look at it from a legal point of view does it make legal sense what are those things that the judge is talking about do they make legal sense? So the fact that a lot of people have commented I saw one comment by a respected academic which showed me that he did not read the judgement. Errm he was rambling and so on I did not expect that from an academic of his calibre he is a person that I respect, and I have privately conversed with him that he should first read things before he comments.

SC: So in essence, you are seeing that this judgement is strong;it is sound basically?

Mwonzora: Well, I have opinion on this judgement that I don’t want to communicate right now to the public I have communicated opinion to my leaders now I won’t tell the leaders what they want to hear; I will tell the leaders the legal position and the legal opinion; that is what I am there for. That is what I am elected to do; I am not defending anything;I am not attacking anything but I think that the analysis of the judgement so far done is poor.

SC: You mean that the analysis that is criticizing the judgement so far is poor?

Mwonzora: The analysis that has been done, it does not criticise the judgement only. Now, what people have been commenting on the judgement… for and against has convinced me in some instances that they did not apply their minds to it; and I am urging all our legal experts to read the judgement first so they can give sound Advice. Now we are unable to get sound Advice from what has been written so far, because it has been done in a poor way.

SC: would you say here that the threat for instance to seize property by Obert Gutu is normal, because he has already announced that MDC property is going to be transferred to Khupe. You as the Secretary General would you stand in opposition against that?

Mwonzora: Exactly Simba this is my point; it shows that Mr Gutu did not read the judgement; the judgement did not say transfer property it does not talk about property at all. There is no way in the judgement where there is the issue of property or money is talking about this is an extension of the judgement it is not there in the judgement Simba if you look at it. So these are political statements this is political banter and it is not helpful what is important is what the judgement says. What the issue at stake is. What does the judge say, it does not make a judgement on property at all.

SC: So, lastly let me ask you there are accusations; I am sure you have seen allegations against your character… generally you being that very same person who is standing to gain because now quite frankly Nelson Chamisa has been your nemesis ever since 2014 the very same year to which this judgement extends, the roll back. How could you assure the public here, that you do not stand to gain from a loss in this case of Nelson Chamisa or a de legitimising of Nelson Chamisa [LONG PAUSE]. I think I have lost you there sir.

ABRUPT ENDING ….

Farai Dziva|Embattled MDC A Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora says he does not regard Thokozani Khupe as an enemy.

Speaking in an interview with ZimEye.com Mwonzora said:”Well I am not bothered by what Thokozani Khupe has said.In actual fact she merely informed the public about her desire to have a meeting with me, in my official capacity as the Secretary General of the MDC.

With all due respect I do not regard Khupe as an enemy.I have to hear her side of the story.”

“We have lost court cases before and why should I be blamed for the High Court ruling? I think that is not fair to be frank with you.

As far as I am concerned Khupe is yet to contact me formally so I will wait for the appropriate time to respond to her remarks,” added Mwonzora.

Mwonzora is also unmoved by allegations of plotting to topple party leader Nelson Chamisa and he has somehow managed to avoid direct confrontation with the youthful MDC leader.

Farai Dziva|The High Court of Zimbabwe yesterday ruled that Nelson Chamisa should immediately relinquish the post of MDC president.

Following the ruling, Zimbabweans have expressed mixed sentiments on the issue.

See comments below :
Guernzy Surrel Nyandoe:
So these captured courts have ruled that the MDC must use 2014 structures.

Where in the world have we ever heard or seen human run systems remaining stagnant and unchanged for a period as 5 years? Even in draconian political systems structures change with time. Just as it is in this case, Khupe is having her own party.

Trevor Chagonda:
Chamisa should just form a new party and leave the MDC with the so called rightful members. For 2023 there is still time to form a new party and mobilize effectively.

Patrick Zigori:
Is Mphoko not the legitimate Zanu PF president?

Shinga Feresu:
Does Coltrat know all MPs and councillors are going to lose their posts. Next is reelection under Kuphe. There is no MDC A. So all are now illegitimate. They all messed up. Legally they will lose.

Farai Dziva|Controversial MDC T deputy president Obert Chaurura Gutu has urged Nelson Chamisa to appeal to the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe against the High Court Ruling that reversed his appointment as MDC A leader.

“Today’s political issues are anchored on soft power as opposed to buffoonery and populism. Political strategy entails using brains and not brawn to outwit and outsmart your detractors.

Sell them a dummy and make them believe they have made it before unleashing lethal soft power. A sucker punch,” declared Gutu.

He added :”Any decent lawyer will tell you that when you don’t agree with the ruling of a court of law, you don’t lambast the judicial officer and/or any other court official for that matter.

You simply lodge an appeal against the court’s ruling to a superior court. Simple.”

263chat|Wednesday High Court Ruling which invalidated MDC President Nelson Chamisa as the legitimate opposition leader has opened a can of worms as President Emmerson Mnangagwa and former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko power debacle in the wake of Robert Mugabe collapse in November 2017 comes into retrospection.

United Kingdom-based renowned academic lawyer and advisor to the former Premier the late Dr Richard Morgan Tsvangirai, Alex Magaisa, has it that under the Zimbabwean constitution former Robert Mugabe’s deputy; Mphoko, should have taken over as President ahead of President Mnangagwa,  who had been fired for lacking probity.

“If someone goes to court and argues that Mr Mnangagwa was illegitimately installed as President in November 2017 and that under Zimbabwe’s Constitution Mr Mphoko should have been the lawful successor in the interim, Justice Mushore might just agree. But I’m NOT going to bet on it!

“Many did not notice what the coup authors did in November 2017 to create a veneer of legality.  Dubious cases were brought to court;  one of them was to declare that the military’s conduct was constitutional and another to declare that Mnangagwa’s firing as VP had been unconstitutional,” Magaisa wrote on his micro-blog Twitter Thursday morning.

Magaisa further laid into the judiciary saying the same High Court was skewed by the November 2017 power transition architects, who intelligently sold the nation a dummy in a bid to clear a way for Mnangagwa ahead of Mphoko.

“In this way, the authors of the coup used the High Court to legally sanitise the coup and incredibly, to reinstate Mnangagwa! This was to pretend that Mnangagwa and Mphoko were at par therefore opening a way for Mnangagwa to succeed Mugabe while elbowing out Mphoko.

“The capture of referees is probably the most egregious assault on democracy. They bend to the ruler’s will while the rest are under the spell of legitimacy, believing that referees are impartial, fair and deliver legitimate decisions. One has to overcome that naivety,” he added.

263Chat could not get Zanu PF’s side as party  spokesperson Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo is in South Africa where he is overseeing polls while secretary for administration Obert Mpofu and secretary for legal affairs Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana were not available.

Meanwhile, early Thursday, Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Permanent secretary Nick Mangwana wrote on his micro-blog Twitter distancing President Mnangagwa from court interference charging there is no value for him.

“The way courts are demonised in Zim is highly contemptible. To even accuse President ED of being involved in a judgement with zero political dividend to him smacks of ludicrous paranoia and conspiracy theories reaching fantasy grade. What value would he derive out of this?” he wrote.

Chamisa’s MDC has however treated the court ruling as an empty thunderbolt vowing to progress with the party’s fifth elective congress end of this month for the first time without the party founding father, Dr. Tsvangirai.

Chamisa, who is heading for the congress uncontested, is on the brink of shaking off legitimate controversies surrounding his ascendancy to power in February 2018 after the death of Tsvangirai, who succumbed to the cancer of the colon battle in South Africa on Valentine’s Day.

Own Correspondent|Vehicles and farm equipment belonging to former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe’s company Gushungo Holdings are set to be auctioned on Saturday.

In a notice by Ruby Auctions, the auctioneer said they had been instructed by their “most valued client” to sell at least 40 vehicles, most of them Toyota D4D off-road trucks.

There were also about 30 tractors and accessories to be sold in-situ at the Gushungo Dairy estate in Mazowe where 80 newly resettled farmers were forcibly removed from the area to make way for a dairy project.

Since being deposed in a coup in November 2017, the Mugabe family’s  business fortunes at Alpha and Omega Dairy have taken a gradual dip, just like most companies operating in the failing economy.

Last year the company reduced salaries and commission fees for its workers before going into this year without paying at all. 

Earlier this week, Alpha and Omega’s southern region sales executive Cassim Asani told journalists that the company’s flagship products such as milk and ice cream were not selling as well as in the past.

“We are producing the products but the rate of uptake in supermarkets is very low because the majority of the people do not have enough buying power,” he said.

Asani added that the company was struggling to raise foreign currency to source ingredients and spare parts for its imported machinery.

“When we want to import ingredients and spare parts, forex is not yet readily available,” he said.

However, in January Alpha Omega Dairy was one of the companies allowed to import duty-free powdered milk. The company has a government agreement where it is meant to import a maximum of 100,000kg of full-cream milk powder a year and a maximum of 50,000kg of skimmed milk powder.

The ambitious project by the former first family was marketed as a beacon of hope for the local dairy industry by the Mugabes when they were in power.

Using political leverage in 2009, the Mugabes, through proxies, forced Nestlé Zimbabwe – the local subsidiary of the Swiss company – to buy milk from them despite the milk not meeting minimum standards required by Nestlé.

Addressing a Zanu-PF crowd at his birthday party, Mugabe instructed his then indigenisation minister Saviour Kasukuwere to start with Nestlé when embarking on company seizures because they refused to buy his milk.

“Nestlé refused to buy milk from Gushungo dairies. I told Kasukuwere to begin with them and tell them he was sent by me. We should deal with them; let them get out of the country,” Mugabe said.

But despite preferential treatment the company failed to bring back the glory years of the dairy sector which at its peak in the 1990s produced an average of 260 million litres of milk.

Last year, the country’s milk producers came up with an underwhelming 70 million litres of raw milk against a demand of 120 million litres.

The deficit is covered by milk imports from SA. As such government has since engaged a state-run Belarus milk enterprise with the hope of setting up shop in Zimbabwe.

Correspondent|MDC-T Deputy President Obert has threatened that his party will move in to recover all the party assets that are in the custody of the MDC led by Nelson Chamisa.

Gutu’s statements comes after a High Court judge on Wednesday delivered a ruling that Chamisa is not the legitimate President of MDC.

“There shall be very, very serious and far-reaching implications and repercussions following upon Justice Edith Mushore’s judgment handed down yesterday.” Gutu said. “Party assets and funds that are presently in unlawful hands shall be recovered. Absolutely no doubt about that!”

Gutu told the MDC that if they agree with the court judgement they must not attack the court but lodge an appeal.

“Any decent lawyer worth his/salt will tell you that when you don’t agree with the ruling of a court of law, you don’t lambast the judicial officer and/or any other court official for that matter. You simply lodge an appeal against the court’s ruling to a superior court. Simple!”

Farai Dziva|Embattled MDC A Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora says he does not regard Thokozani Khupe as an enemy.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Speaking in an interview with ZimEye.com Mwonzora said:”Well I am not bothered by what Thokozani Khupe has said.In actual fact she merely informed the public about her desire to have a meeting with me, in my official capacity as the Secretary General of the MDC.

With all due respect I do not regard Khupe as an enemy.I have to hear her side of the story.”

“We have lost court cases before and why should I be blamed for the High Court ruling? I think that is not fair to be frank with you.

As far as I am concerned Khupe is yet to contact me formally so I will wait for the appropriate time to respond to her remarks,” added Mwonzora.

Mwonzora is also unmoved by allegations of plotting to topple party leader Nelson Chamisa and he has somehow managed to avoid direct confrontation with the youthful MDC leader.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Farai Dziva| The MDC Youth Assembly has described yesterday’ s High Court ruling as a clear attempt by Emmerson Mnangagwa to coax Zimbabweans after “stealing the 2018 polls.”

See the MDC Youth Assembly statement:
The MDC Youth Assembly hereby re-affirms that the legitimate President of the MDC is President Nelson Chamisa.

The choice of President Chamisa is the best choice that was done by the MDC.

President Chamisa is our constitutionally and legitimately chosen leader as per our Party’s Constitution.
The MDC Youth Assembly is happy with preparations for Congress so far and nothing will stop the People’s Movement from proceeding with its legitimate processes.

The Youth Assembly is impressed by the performance and discharge of duty by President Chamisa, including but not limited to the successful integration of Alliance Partners and maintaining stability and massive growth of the party resulting in winning 2.6million votes in the elections.

President Chamisa is the most popular political figure in the country and the court of public opinion points to him as the most trusted and loved political leader in Zimbabwe.

We note that it is Mnangagwa’s strategy to shed-off his illegitimacy stigma by casting aspersions on our legitimate leader, President Chamisa.
Mnangagwa is trying to run away from his 2018 defeat and is restless and has made many attempts against the People’s President, which are notably:

1) Attempted to increase Presidential age limit to 53 just to exclude President Chamisa and failed
2) Recognized Khupe as the main opposition leader for dialogue at the exclusion of President Chamisa and the process has failed.

3) Attempted to sponsor candidates to challenge President Chamisa at congress and failed
4) Attempted to tarnish and blackmail President Chamisa through the State Media and failed
5) Now trying to impose a process for the MDC, and it will fail.
President Chamisa is the Party and National President and not a court President. We will not allow anyone to choose a leader for us.
President Chamisa is the People’s President, the People’s Choice.
MDC 5th Congress: Defining a New Course in Zimbabwe!
Brian Dube
National Youth Spokesperson

Farai Dziva|Controversial MDC T deputy president Obert Chaurura Gutu has urged Nelson Chamisa to appeal to the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe against the High Court Ruling that reversed his appointment as MDC A leader.

“Today’s political issues are anchored on soft power as opposed to buffoonery and populism. Political strategy entails using brains and not brawn to outwit and outsmart your detractors.

Sell them a dummy and make them believe they have made it before unleashing lethal soft power. A sucker punch,” declared Gutu.

He added :”Any decent lawyer will tell you that when you don’t agree with the ruling of a court of law, you don’t lambast the judicial officer and/or any other court official for that matter.

You simply lodge an appeal against the court’s ruling to a superior court. Simple.”

Farai Dziva|MDC founding member and lawyer, David Coltart has described the High Court ruling that nullified Nelson Chamisa’s presidency as “empty thunder.”

Journalist and filmmaker Hopewell Chin’ono said :” I am not a lawyer, I expect lawyers to give us their views in due course.”

Coltart referred to the judgement as “a brutum fulmen – ‘empty thunder’, an ineffective order.
He also called it a “pathetic interference with the due processes of a political party.”

Farai Dziva|Hard-hitting social media analyst Antony Taruvinga has said Emmerson Mnangagwa is evidently manipulating the courts in an attempt to consolidate his grip on power.

“Mnangagwa cannot dictate using the courts what should happen in the MDC.

Nelson Chamisa’s appointment as a substantive president was constitutionally done by the National Council and the Congress will ratify the decision on 24 May 2018.

The party has moved on, Nelson Chamisa was nominated unopposed. This is Mnangagwa’s dark agenda of trying to destroy the movement. Stop interfering in the party’s internal processes,” said Taruvinga.

MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora has allegedly gone into hiding amid reports that party youths are baying for his blood over his links with the High Court ruling that nullified Nelson Chamisa’s appointment.

According to reports, Mwonzora is believed to have decided to stay away from public places and is also shunning the party headquarters for fear of being attacked.

This follows a ruling by the High Court of Zimbabwe that nullified Nelson Chamisa’s presidency of the party, with journalist Hopewell Chin’ono insinuating on social media that Mwonzora had the High Court judgement a week before it was delivered.

A group of party youths, popularly known as the Vanguards, have also been seen surrounding party vice President Elias Mudzuri’s Milton Park home in Harare, singing derogatory songs. The youths accused Mudzuri of undermining Chamisa, saying Mudzuri sponsored the High Court application by a Gokwe MDC official which resulted in yesterday’s ruling.

ZOOMZimbabwe understands a report has been made to the police regards Mudzuri’s safety and the disturbance of peace at his home at lunchtime Thursday.

ZOOMZimbabwe has received information that Starman Chamisa, a relative of Nelson who is also the legislator for Mbare, is at the centre of an operation hunting for Mwonzora.

“Starman Chamisa has been tasked with hiring thugs that should find and beat up Mwonzora,” a source close to the developments told ZOOMZimbabwe.

“This followed a social media post by Chin’ono that linked Mwonzora to the leak of a High Court ruling to a NewsDay journalist, Blessed Mhlanga, last week,” the source said.

Writing on social media last night, Chin’ono said: “Weeks ago I urged Wamba (Nelson Chamisa) and the MDC to accommodate Mukoma Douglas Mwonzora after he had been rejected by the MDC branches in his quest to lead the main opposition party.

“Today he stands accused of having known ahead of time about the exact nature and contents of today’s court ruling that nullified Wamba’s Presidency.

“Senior MDC folks are saying that he told a Newsday journalist about it and that they chose to keep quiet to see how it will pan out.

“In a toxic political environment like this one, I urge Mukoma Douglas Mwonzora to clear his name. ‬Did he tell a Newsday Journalist or not about the contents of today’s judgement?

“Is he the source referred to in Blessed Mhlanga’s tweets? Did he mention the ruling days ago and it’s nature and contents?”

-Online

The outspoken businessman sensationally claimed that the rumours that Ginimbi and Miss V Candy are dating were false but it was obvious that the two were having s.e.xcapades. Chivayo made these claims on a comment on the microblogging site Instagram. Harare businessman and socialite Wickell Chivayo has spoken out on the Ginimbi Miss V Candy dating allegations, claiming that the two might be frequently having s.e.x.

” In my view knowing Genius to be a businessman and Mrs V Candy being a prominent DJ I really don’t think they are dating at all. However, it can only be obvious that they are most probably having s.e.x maybe just 5 or 6 times a week which really doesn’t mean anything to two big names in the entertainment industry. To guys like Ginimbi s.e.x is a hobby, just like sport (playing tennis, soccer etc.)”

This comes after rumours surfaced earlier this week that the radio personality Miss V Candy, real name Nonhlanhla Thuthani, was dating businessman Genius Kadungure, after she was captured on several occasions at the businessman’s Domboshava mansion wearing different outfits.

-Online

Jane Mlambo| Former President Robert Mugabe’s farm equipment has been advertised for auction in what signal a collapse of the once thriving business run by the former first family.

The items on offer includes over 20 motor vehicles, an almost similar number of tractors and accessories that includes disc harrows among others.

The items will be auctioned this Saturday the 11th of May by Ruby Auctions at their premises in Waterfalls.

A male student at Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT), was on Wednesday night run over and killed by the institution’s bus.

The incident occurred during a stampede, with students trying to board the bus.

The bus is said to have been in motion as the driver was in the process of parking it properly when the student fell down and critically injured.

The injured student was initially taken to Chinhoyi General Hospital but later referred to Parirenyatwa hospital in Harare.

He, however, succumbed to his injuries en route to Parirenyatwa.

The incident was confirmed by Mashonaland West police spokesperson Inspector Clemence Mabgweazara.

The name of the deceased student has not yet been revealed.

-State Media

PARLIAMENT yesterday demanded to know how $9 million, allegedly extended to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) by the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) for the repair of silos, was used.

The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Lands and Agriculture chaired by Gokwe Nembudziya MP Justice Mayor Wadyajena grilled GMB chief executive officer Rockie Mutenha over the issue and the progress made so far in repairing silos that store grain.

Wadyajena said GMAZ chairperson Tafadzwa Musarara had indicated to the committee that GMAZ gave GMB $9 million in 2017 for rehabilitation of silos, and even pointed out that they had an agreement with GMB that the amount would be offset through grain.

GMAZ spokesperson Garikai Chaunza was also mentioned by Wadyajena as having indicated that as GMAZ they were waiting for an audit report indicating how the $9 million was used.

But Mutenha denied that GMB had received money for repair of silos from GMAZ, adding that they never entered into any loan agreement with anyone.

“We did not sign any contract with anyone and as far as we are concerned we did not receive money from anyone, other than Treasury and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe,” Mutenha said.

“The funding for repair of silos came from two sources and $6 318 627 came from Treasury through the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe from the grain procurement account and $1 016 281 came from GMB funds, giving a total of money paid for repair of silos at $7 334 909,” he said.

Mutenha said the $7,3 million for silos repairs was paid to a company called Adherechem. But the committee demanded that Mutenha must produce the contract between GMB and Adherechem, and papers which showed the shareholding structure of Adherechem.

The GMB boss said in 2017 they submitted a list for rehabilitation of all 12 silos in the country in Karoi, Magunje, Mukwichi, Lions Den, Banket, Norton, Chegutu, Concession, Chiweshe, Murewa, Bulawayo and Aspindale. The tender was won by Adherechem.

“The job for the first 10 concrete silos was completed by October 12, 2018. For the steel silos in Chiweshe and Mukwichi, they needed to remove old steel and put new sheets, and these were completed in April this year,” he said.

Wadyajena then asked Mutenha to explain how RBZ allocated $27 million to GMAZ for wheat and maize purchases when it was a private entity and not the parastatal responsible for grain purchases.

“The RBZ said we cannot have parallel structures to import wheat and we were told to allow them (GMAZ) to bring wheat. The RBZ governor said GMAZ was already running it and we cannot have two parallel structures,” Mutenha said.

-Newsday

VOA|Zimbabwe has clamored for outside investment in recent years, but villagers north of the capital are resisting a Chinese mining project they say will spoil the environment and fail to bring them much benefit.

The villagers are from Domboshava, a rocky area north of Zimbabwe’s capital, and they are disputing a Chinese company’s decision to start quarry mining.

Seventy-year-old Florence Nyamande is among those saying no to the proposed project by Aihua Jianye Company.

“The Chinese are the money mongers of Zimbabweans. They take riches here, they take it to China. They do not develop our places. So we do not need them here,” Nyamande said. “Seriously with a deeper heart, seriously with a mind, we are disappointed. We said ‘No’ and ‘No’. That is multiplicated (multiplied) ‘No.’”

​The villagers do not think Aihua Jianye will create the 500 jobs in the area it promised. They also say the quarry mining will leave large ponds filled with dirty water.

Zimbabwe Deputy Minister of Information Energy Mutodi – who is the parliament member for the area – is also against the $500 million quarry mining project.

He says he is not going against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s mantra that “Zimbabwe is open for business.”

“It is open to business, but not to business that is gong to affect our environment. We want to preserve the environment. We want our community to develop, yes. But let our environment remain intact. We cannot have a situation come here take the proceeds, enjoy it in other countries, yet our people remain poor,” Mutodi said.

Mutodi notes the Chinese company has advertised for only 40 jobs in the area, less than one-tenth of what it promised.

Percy Mudzidzwa, whose company GeoGlobal Environmental Solutions is representing the Chinese firm, rejects allegations that 20,000 people would be affected by the 33 hectare mining project.

Some locals say the project will affect a graveyard and a natural spring. Mudzidzwa says that is not so.

“Not even a grave is going to be moved. But there is a misconception. We proposed that that the graves be fenced. There is a spring, which is above the grave site, we proposed that the spring be fenced too,” Mudzidzwa explained.

Now the project waits for the country’s Environmental Management Agency to make a final call if the Chinese company can go ahead.

Own Correspondent|An overly excited MDC-T leader, Thokozani Khupe has hit the road running in embracing the controversial High Court ruling which declared Nelson Chamisa as illegitimate President of the opposition.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Khupe said she was ready to seek audience with party secretary general Douglas Mwonzora to take over the opposition party.

“This victory not only vindicates Dr Khupe and those in the MDC that have always stood for principle over political expediency but it’s a victory for all democratic forces and the rule of law in our country,” said Khupe.

The full statement reads as follows:

Dr Thokozani Khupe, welcomes and accepts today’s judgement of the High court of Zimbabwe in Harare.

This victory not only vindicates Dr Khupe and those in the MDC that have always stood for principle over political expediency but it’s a victory for all democratic forces and the rule of law in our country.

This judgement is also a damning indictment to the many so called legal scholars in the broader 
democratic movement who for the past years like the disgraced biblical Pontius Pilate looked the other way when the movement was veering off our founding values with such alarming impunity.

Justice Edith Mushore, reminded us again what it is to be Zimbabwean by choosing courage and integrity over bigotry, misogyny, cowardice and mobocracy. It is therefore not surprising that those who seek power through violence and fraud are not able to successfully impeach her “Ratio decidendi” and are descending to their lowest weapon of choice which is personal insults and attacks on our judiciary.

Dr Khupe will soon be contacting the SG of the party, Dr Mwonzora, and other elected leaders to see how best they can implement the ruling of the High Court.

Dr Khupe has noted and welcomes the intention by some to appeal the judgment as this will give the superior courts an opportunity to confirm the universal rights of all Zimbabweans to fair and just
administrative justice within any social organisation of their choice.

Dr Khupe demands all members of our movement to unite and be magnanimous at this time irrespective of their chosen side in this debacle.

Honourable Advocate Nelson Chamisa, and those close to him must not be verbally abused or belittled in any way, shape or form. He remains an indispensable leader of our movement and to that end he deserves the uttermost respect from all disciplined cadres of our movement.

Issued by Khaliphani Phugeni
On behalf of
Dr T Khupe (President)

A poster circulating on social media with forgotten former vice President Phelekezela Mphoko as the ruling Zanu PF candidate in the 2023 elections.

Mphoko was fired from Zanu PF in 2017 following a military coup that resulted in the elevation of Emmerson Mnangagwa and the coup master-minder Constantino Chiwenga.

Jane Mlambo| Opposition MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa has praised South African election commission (IEC) for the transparent manner in which they are running the elections hailing how all participating political parties have direct access to the portal receiving results from polling stations.

Posting on Twitter, Chamisa blasted the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) for denying them access to the results server.

“Unlike with ZEC in Zim, the IEC of RSA results center is fully transparent. The management system works & each party has direct access to the portal receiving results from the polling stations.This works & no V11s are alterable.We demanded but were denied access to the server.”

State Media|THE High Court has dismissed a petition by losing MDC Alliance candidate for Bulawayo South Mr Muvirimi Francis Mangwendeza who was challenging Zanu PF candidate Mr Rajesh Kumara Indukant Modi’s victory in last year’s harmonised elections.

In his petition filed at the Bulawayo High Court citing Cde Modi and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) as respondents, Mr Mangwendeza alleged that the polls were tainted with irregularities.

Mr Mangwendeza, through his lawyers Ncube Attorneys, sought an order nullifying the results of the July 30 harmonised elections for the Bulawayo South seat. 

He wanted the seat to be declared vacant.

Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Thompson Mabhikwa ruled that the petition lacked merit and failed to meet the required legal standards.

“In casu, a reading of the petition gives an impression that the petitioner did not have a chief elections agent or polling agent. There is no mention of their role, observations or any complaints received or made by them on the alleged irregularities,” he said.

In dismissing the petition, Justice Mabhikwa said Mr Mangwendeza failed to prove to the court the alleged malpractices and irregularities which he claimed affected the outcome of the election.

“No cogent explanation has been given as to why the first respondent (Mr Modi) should be so punished. Accordingly, it is ordered that the petition is dismissed with costs on ordinary scale. The election result for the National Assembly seat for Bulawayo South Constituency pronouncing the first respondent as duly elected winner, stands,” ruled Justice Mabhikwa.

Mr Mangwendeza contested with several other candidates from other political parties as well as independent candidates.

In his founding affidavit, he said on July 3, Zec allegedly published a malicious statement declaring that he was part of the 24 people who had withdrawn from the race without his knowledge and verification. 

He argued the statement de-campaigned him as those who supported him would have thought he was no longer in the race. 

Mr Mangwendeza said his loss in last year’s July 30 election was largely due to Zec’s declaration, claiming to have discovered the anomaly on July 28 during the inspection of ballot papers.

“The election for the Member of the National Assembly seat for Bulawayo South on July 30, 2018 was not conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Electoral Act and such mistake or non-compliance did affect the outcome of the election. The election of the first respondent (Mr Modi) in such an election therefore cannot stand and has to be set aside,” he said.

Mr Mangwendeza said during the inspection he realised that some ballot papers for the MP did not have his name on them as a candidate. 

Mr Mangwendeza said on July 29, it turned out that more ballot papers had his name missing in ward 21 and ward 6.  He said Zec indicated that their system was fool-proof, but it turned out that this was not the case as it emerged that not all the ballot papers in question were cancelled.

MDC Statement 8 May 2019|We have just been advised of the High Court of Zimbabwe judgement issued by Justice Edith Mushore today.

We fundamentally disagree with the judgement.

The choice of leaders of any political party, the world over is the sole preserve of the members of that party.

It can never be a judicial process. Equally, the actions, activities and programmes of a political party, being a voluntary organisation whose existence is protected by the Constitution, is the sole preserve of the members that party.

In the past few months, over 500 000 members of the MDC have been involved in a process of electing their leaders at lower levels, from branch to the province. More particularly, over 10 200 branches, 1 958 wards, 210 districts and 13 provinces have been elected.

In just a few weeks’ time, the MDC will complete the process of democratically electing its leadership at a Congress convened in terms of its Constitution.

Strangely, Justice Mushore’s judgement contradicts and totally ignores an earlier judgement of the High Court which ruled on the case of Murimoga versus the MDC.

We are fully aware of the machinations and strategies being deployed by the Mnangagwa administration to destabilize and destroy the people’s project.

We reiterate that Emmerson Mnangagwa is illegitimate and no amount of diversionary tactics will change this fact.

For the avoidance of doubt, preparations for the main Congress are at an advanced stage and 6 800 delegates will attend. That process is irreversible. We shall hold a historic and joyous Congress under the theme: Defining a new course for Zimbabwe.

All roads lead to Gweru.

Jacob Mafume

MDC Spokesperson

State Media|The Combined Harare Residents’ Association (CHRA) has urged the Harare City Council to respect residents’ rights and follow the legal route when demolishing houses that were built without its approval.

Council recently warned owners of such properties that their structures faced demolition if they failed to regularise them in terms of city building by-laws.

CHRA director Mrs Loreen Mupasiri-Sani told the media yesterday that they were concerned about the complete disregard for the law by the City of Harare when carrying out demolitions.

She said council should first find an alternative place for the people likely to be affected by the demolitions.

“CHRA is deeply concerned by the complete disregard of the law by the City of Harare when executing house demolitions around the capital. They are creating a major humanitarian disaster because residents are not only left homeless but are exposed to various diseases as well,” she said.

“Inasmuch as we do not condone illegal housing structures, we note with concern that the City of Harare has failed to respect citizens’ constitutional right of freedom from arbitrary eviction as enshrined under Section 74 of the country’s supreme law.

“Arbitrary evictions not only violate the right to shelter but the right to life, which is enshrined under Section 48 of the Constitution. With regards to the illegal structures, the City of Harare’s Planning Department is equally to blame as they have been complicit on issues of double allocation of stands and of housing stands on wetlands.

“Corruption and abuse of power thus remains the main issues fuelling the sprouting of illegal structures in Harare,” she said.

In an interview with state media over the proposed demolitions yesterday, Harare City Council corporate communications manager Mr Michael Chideme said council’s preoccupation was not on demolitions but on giving security of tenure to residents through regularisation of their houses and to ensure that they pay for services which they have been enjoying for free.

He, however, said those who settled on wetlands, spaces reserved for the construction of schools, hospitals, clinics and business will be removed so that those pieces of land can be tirned over to their original purposes.

Own Correspondent|Zanu-PF national spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo has scoffed at what he called the MDC’s attempt to involve the ruling party in its internal affairs after the High Court nullified the appointment of Nelson Chamisa and Eng Elias Mudziri as party co-vice presidents and directing the party to hold an extraordinary congress a month after the date of the order.

Speaking to state media after the shock High Court Ruling, Khaya Moyo, claimed the ruling by the High Court was purely an internal matter of the MDC and his party has no role in it.

“The court ruling by Justice Edith Mushore ordering the MDC party to hold an extraordinary congress within a month to elect a substantive leadership is purely an internal matter within the MDC,” he said.

“It has absolutely nothing to do with Zanu-PF and its visionary leader Cde ED Mnangagwa as insinuated by its spokesperson Mr Jacob Mafume. It is clear from the court proceedings that the applicant is an MDC member. Zanu-PF is too principled a party with a revolutionary history to engage in MDC shenanigans.

“President ED Mnangagwa is too pre-occupied with matters of the state economy as evidenced by the ‘Zimbabwe is open for business’ mantra and vision 2030.”

The High Court ruled that the decision by the late MDC-T president Morgan Tsvangirai to hand-pick two additional vice presidents was illegal and that the party should hold an extraordinary congress within a month using 2014 structures.

This follows an application by Gokwe district organising secretary Elias Mashavire challenging the 2016 decision by the late MDC-T leader who chose Chamisa and Engineer Mudzuri as his other deputies on top of Dr Thokozani Khupe, who had been voted in the congress of 2014 .

Chamisa and Khupe went their separate ways following the death of Mr Tsvangirai in February, last year.

At the time, Khupe insisted she was the bona fide MDC-T leader because she was the only one elected party vice president at congress.

Yesterday, Justice Edith Mushore ruled that the appointments by Tsvangirai Chamisa and Mudzuri as party co-vice presidents three years ago was invalid.

Chamisa and Mudzuri were listed as second and third respondents in the matter.

“The appointment of second (Chamisa) and third (Mudzuri) respondents as deputy presidents of the MDC party were unconstitutional and therefore null and void,” said Justice Mushore.

“The appointment of the second respondent as acting president and president of the MDC party were unconstitutional and therefore null and void.”

In addition, the judge ruled that all the decisions made under the Nelson Chamisa administration are invalid and he cannot preside over party matters.

“All appointments and or reassignments and all actions of the second respondent in his purported capacities as deputy/acting or incumbent president were unconstitutional.

“The first respondent (MDC) be and is hereby ordered to hold an extra-ordinary congress after the lapse of at least one month after the date of this order.”