MDC supporters recount horror attacks from Chinotimba #OpenParlyZW pic.twitter.com/8tjmHbhd3z

— Open Parly ZW (@OpenParlyZw) May 11, 2019

By Own Correspondent| Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has revealed that the current crop of those aspiring to assume leadership posts at the forthcoming National Elective congress is impressive.

He expressed optimism that the incoming MDC leadership will change the party and country’s political trajectory.

Said Chamisa:

“I am so impressed by the calibre of candidates nominated for various senior leadership positions this congress.

The quality of debate during the newly introduced campaign debate forums or caucuses is supremely inspiring.

Without doubt, congress delegates are spoilt for choice. Politics in MDC and Zimbabwe will never be the same!”

By Own Correspondent| There was drama at a local church in Bulawayo after two pastors exchanged blows during a church service in Lobengula West Surbub.

According to a local media report, two rival leaders from rival factions disrupted the church service when they engaged in a fist fight.

After the drama one of the church leaders approached the courts to seek justice. 

Sources privy to the development said drama started when a group led by one Bishop Dube started its own church.

Said one Nyoni:

“We have never enjoyed peace as they keep on coming to our Lobengula West Branch to disturb church services.

Weeks back the rebels stormed into the church and ordered the master of ceremonies to sit down. They removed the curtains stating that no church service would take place.

The rebels caused disturbances which were characterised by shouting and name calling stating that the service should end immediately and ordered the pastor on duty to sit down.

They continued shouting obscenities in front of congregants and banged on the door. One pastor and the other church elders were threatened with beatings. They threatened that they were prepared to die for their cause. They stood at the centre of the congregation and stopped the pastor from preaching. Normal service can no longer be conducted due to these disturbances.”

In response, Dube dismissed the allegations and told the court that the complainant was seeking attention. 

He said:

“I reside in Magwegwe North and have always worshipped ay Lobengula West, whenever my duties do not take me elsewhere. The complainant is a deacon and in charge of Mahatshula where I assume, he still worships.

His information about my attendance at Lobengula West church premises can only have passed on him and incorrectly.” 

Western Commonage magistrate Stephen Ndlovu struck the matter off the roll when both parties absconded the next court sitting.

By Dr Tafara Shumba|I wish to clarify a few things about the High Court Judgement on Adv Nelson Chamisa’s Presidency. Nowhere in the judgement is there a reinstatement of Thokozani Khupe as the Deputy President and/or Acting President.

The Judgement does not install anyone as the Acting President because even if it wanted to, the court was mindful of the fact that Madam Khupe’s term would have expired on 15 February because the Acting capacity is for one year. It could not otherwise say failing to hold an Extra-Ordinary congress is unconstitutional but Madam Khupe’s stay beyond a year is constitutional. From 15 February, her own actions would have been null and void.

The Judgement does not say President Chamisa is barred from leading the MDC. It only declares what he has done as null and void. He will not be in contempt of Court if he goes and addresses a rally or chair any meeting of the MDC because he has not been barred – his actions will only be later declared by another court as null and void if the court thinks his chairing or participation in a meeting was illegal.

There are no appointments made by the President or Acting President in the MDC. The Constitution clearly states all the appointments were by the National Council. It if the function of the National Council to – 6.4.2 1 (k) To elect, reappoint and reassign Party Secretaries defined in clause 6.4.4.2 of this Constitution save those that are directly elected at Congress.

The upcoming MDC Congress was not convened by President Nelson Chamisa but by the National Council. See “6.2.4.1.A notice convening the Congress shall be sent to all Provinces and Districts by the Secretary General on the direction of the National Council at least 2 (two) months before the date of the Congress.”

The judgement does not stop the MDC from holding its congress as planned. It simply states what should have happened and what should happen but does not stop the MDC from curing itself. For example, the MDC can dissolve itself – who will call the extra-ordinary congress?

There is no difference between an Extra-Ordinary congress and a congress under the MDC Constitution except for the fact that Congress is once every five years but if you want to do another in between you call it an extra-ordinary congress

The court did not direct Madam Khupe to convene an Extra-Ordinary congress (they are just being mischievous). The court clearly directs the 1st Respondent (the MDC) to convene an Extra-Ordinary congress which it does among other means through – “6.2.5 An extra-ordinary Congress may be called: (a) By a simple majority vote of the National Council or two thirds vote of the National Executive which vote shall be conducted by a secret ballot.”

The court does not order the Party to return to 2014 structures. That is a another lie. All decisions made by the National Council and the Party except for those the court declared null and void remain valid. Those include all appointments re/assignments made by the National Council including expulsions and accepting resignations. Only two things were declared null and void by the court – the appointment of President Chamisa and Sen Mudzuri as deputy Presdents and the appointment of President Chamisa as President by the National Council.

The court does not say the Extra-Ordinary congress must be held in a month. It says after a month because of – “6.2.6 A notice convening an Extra-Ordinary Congress shall be sent to all members entitled to attend and to each branch by the National Council at least one month before the date of the meeting.” Of course that in itself is undue interference by court because the MDC Congress has the power to condone and ratify short notice periods because of – “6.2.3 The functions and Powers of Congress shall be: (f) To review, ratify, modify, alter or rescind any decision taken by any organ or official of the Party. (g) To condone any reasonable non-compliance with the time limits provided for in this Constitution, save for the time limits defined in Article 6.2.2. (6.2.2 is the timeline for when Congress must be held).

The Judgement does not say the MDC must close shop until it holds an extra-ordinary congress. It simply says, in terms of your constitution you were supposed to have an Extra-Ordinary within a year, now go and do it.

The MDC Congress already called by the National Council (who is the 1st respondent in the Judgement) has already called for a Congress that can address the Extra-Ordinary Congress. For example, the Congress can choose to “6.2.3 The functions and Powers of Congress shall be: (i) To dissolve the Party in terms of this Constitution.”

One option is for the National Chairperson Sen Thabitha Khumalo to convene national council because of –“ 9.3 National Chairperson 9.3.1 It shall be the duty of the National Chairperson to: (a) Perform the duties of the President’s office in the event that both the President and Deputy President are unable to perform the functions of the President’s office”.

National Council could postpone Congress from 24 may to around 15 June giving the Month Notice of an Extra-Ordinary congress.

The Extra-Ordinary Congress will do what congress would have done. Do not forget that the 2014 Congress was an Extra-Ordinary Congress because it was held before 5 years.

The other option is for the National Council to accept that the two months notice given for the Congress is in fact enough for an Extra-Ordinary congress because in any case notice for Extra-Ordinary Congress is one month.

Legally, the key person going forward now is Sen Thabitha Khumalo as the Party Chairperson.

This is a very soft Judgement and can easily be addressed, from a legal perspective.

The Judgement leaves everything in the hands of the MDC. The MDC should therefore simply proceed and conducts its business as usual. Lastly and quite curiously – The case cited The MDC, President Chamisa, Sen Mwonzora, Madam Khupe, Sen Mudzuri and Sen Komichi as respondents. Only Senator Komichi and President Chamisa responded. Madam Khupe, Sen Mudzuri and Sen Mwonzora may choose not to respond in their personal capacities if they feel the case favours their personal ambitions. It’s their right. But for Sen Mwonzora in particular, as the MDC Secretary General, no matter his personal feelings – (“the 9.5 Secretary-General – 9.5.1 The Secretary-General shall: (b) primarily be responsible for the efficient organisation and administration of the (e) Be the custodian of all important Party documents, lists, papers and records”) to fold his arms whilst the MDC Party is being sued raises serious questions for any credible organisation.

Dr/Adv Tapiwa Shumba in his personal capacity.

President Mnangagwa yesterday dispatched a high powered inter-ministerial delegation to investigate the evictions at Chemagora farms in Gokwe about two months ago that left over 100 families living by the road side.

Speaking soon after a closed door meeting that lasted over two hours, Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri, who was leading the delegation, said they were going to brief the President on their findings and that Government was working on addressing the plight of the affected families.

“As you might be aware, after the land reform, we had illegal settlements that continued to mushroom throughout the country. Government is now conducting a clean-up exercise to do away with these illegal settlements,” he said.

“We are doing this countrywide and Chemagora was one of the affected areas so we are here on a fact-finding mission.

“Government is doing everything to resettle the affected families, but as you must bear in mind that the country is not expanding. We will however, not leave the affected people stranded.”

There has been accusations and counter accusations over the Chemagora evictions prompting the Deputy Minister of Defence, Victor Matemadanda, who is the Member of Parliament of the area to send an SOS to Government to quickly find an alternative place for the affected families.

Other members of the inter-ministerial delegation were Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Cain Mathema, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Paul Mavima, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Sekai Nzenza and Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs, Larry Mavima.

Matemadanda also attended the meeting.

-State media

The Marriages Amendment Bill which will repeal a legal provision that criminalises “wilful” transmission of HIV to a partner has been approved by Cabinet.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said a Clause in the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act that criminalises transmission of HIV by one partner to another would be repealed.

Minister Ziyambi said this yesterday in Harare while responding to questions from journalists during a post Cabinet briefing which was chaired by Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira.

He said the Marriages Amendment Bill, which was approved by Cabinet, would also repeal that Clause of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

“Yes, indeed Cabinet approved that we repeal the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act where it speaks about these criminalisation so we will repeal the Criminal Code in this regard,” said Minister Ziyambi.

The Marriages Amendment Bill will soon be gazetted before it is tabled before Parliament for debate.

The decision to criminal transmission of HIV dovetails with what Minister Ziyambi told Parliament in earlier this year where he made a commitment to that effect.

In March, Minister Ziyambi made an assurance to repeal the Clause during a question and answer session after Zengeza West legislator Mr Job Sikhala (MDC-Alliance) had asked if Government was considering amending the law which criminalise transmission of HIV.

“When this legislation came into effect, the thinking then was that we need to control the spread of HIV by criminalising those who transmit it to partners willingly. But the global thinking now is that that law stigmatises people living with HIV and studies have shown that it does not produce the results that were intended. What the Ministry is going to do is to repeal that section of the law and ensure that we keep up to speed with modern trends in the world,” said Minister Ziyambi in the National Assembly.

He said the fastest way of doing it was to incorporate the provision in the Marriages Amendment Bill.

Earlier on Minister Mupfumira said Cabinet approved the Coroner’s Office Bill. She said the Bill sought to help safeguard human lives through facilitating specialising investigation of preventable deaths and identification of deceased persons.

“The country has previously relied on expatriates for the specialised investigations required to conclude such cases, which arrangement has now become unsustainable. In more precise terms, the Bill will establish an efficient coroner system to look into the cause of death in the following circumstances among deaths that occur without a medical doctor’s attention, surgical operation table deaths and deaths while in jail, police custody or other central authority control,” said Minister Mupfumira.

-State Media

As Matebeleland South Province we are not moved by the politically motivated High court ruling concerning our party and it’s leadership.

As a Province, we are behind our President Adv. Nelson Chamisa and the entire party leadership and we know our leaders were appointed according to the party statutes and it is worrying that Zanu PF wants to interfere in selection of MDC leaders using it’s proxies.

As a province we are not going to allow that and shall defend our president with all the tools at our disposal.

The High court or ZanuPF cannot choose Leaders for our party. MDC members are the ones who choose their leaders using it’s internal democracy.

We remain solidly behind our President and the entire leadership including those who have just been nominated by provinces.

We are currently seized with preparations for the Congress which is due on the 24th of May.

We are more than ready and keen to elect the new leadership under our able President, Adv. Chamisa.

No amount of intimidation and harassment shall stop the MDC train which is already in motion.

As a party, we shall be Defining a New Course for Zimbabwe.

Solani ‘Njemnyama’ Moyo
Matabeleland South Chairman.

By David Hofisi| The High Court sitting at Harare dealt a blow to Nelson Chamisa’s leadership of the MDC on 8 May 2019.

In the case of Elias Mashavira vs. Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and Five Others, Justice Edith Mushore ruled that Chamisa’s ascension to the  Deputy President, Acting President and substantive President were contrary to the MDC Constitution.

Criticism of the judgment has been as swift as it has been acerbic. The MDC claimed the ruling is part of the“machinations and strategies…deployed by the Mnangagwa administration to destabilize and destroy the people’s project.” Alex Magaisa referred to it as “embarrassment to the legal and political system,” whilst MDC member and lawyer David Coltart called it a “desperate and pathetic move.”

This is at odds with other commentators, most prominently scholar Derek Matyszak, who pointed out Chamisa’s questionable rise to the party presidency ahead of the court’s findings. In assessing these opposing views, I am convinced that it is the populist-driven nature of the MDC which makes its supporters oblivious to the legal consequences of its constitutional misfeasance.

The decision by the High Court is based on the concept of constitutionalism: the limitation of power by a supreme law. Article 6.4.4.1 of the MDC Constitution states that all members of the National Standing Committee, including the Deputy President(s), are elected at Congress.

Both Nelson Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri were appointed by  Tsvangirai in July 2016, with theblessing of the National Council, but without being elected at Congress.

In response, Morgan Komichi argued that the National Council could (and did) condone this departure, but failed to point out the constitutional provision allowing such departure and condonation. For that reason, the appointments were found to be contrary to the MDC Constitution and it was ruled that Dr.Thokozani Khupe should have acted as President pending an Extra-ordinary Congress.

The High Court also struck down the elevation of Nelson Chamisa to substantive President without the constitutionally mandated Extra-ordinary Congress as well as all assignments and appointments he made in his capacity as President/Acting President.  

It is noteworthy that, at the time of the appointments of Messrs Chamisa and Mudzuri, Article 6.4.4.1 only provided for one Deputy President. This is affirmed by Article 9.2 which, to this day, refers to the duties of ‘the’ Deputy President. Justice Mushore opined that “it should be obvious that the mention of Deputy Presidents in the plural is a typographical error.” The real reason for the inflation of deputies is probably less benign.

As Matyszak explains, it was only after the Chamisa’s elevation was questioned that the MDC Constitution disappeared from the party website, later resurfacing with the letter ‘s’ added to two provisions referring to the Deputy President. This constitutional revisionism became the basis to justify Chamisa’s elevation after the fact.  

The ruling of the Court is therefore based on the MDC’s failure to live up to its own constitutional dictates. 

MorganKomichi contended that the constitution attached to the court application was not the correct version, but did not attach any other version.

The Court noted that he actually quoted substantially from the attached version, thereby confirming that it is the authoritative text of the MDC. Further evidence of this proposition is evinced by the critiques of the judgment, none of which take issue with the reference to constitutional provisions or how they were interpreted.

To the contrary, the critiques have been singularly framed through a political rather than legal lens, abandoning the tradition opposition space of the liberal left (calling for more judicial activism) and attacking the judges from the conservative right (demanding they stay out of political disputes).

Effect of the Ruling
This means Nelson Chamisa is not, at law, the legitimate President of the MDC and neither is Elias Mudzuri a legitimate Deputy President. None of Chamisa’s appointments and assignments are cognizable at law. An Extraordinary Congress must be held, but it seems it is only Dr. Khupe who can be its legitimate Acting President.

This is the confusing part of the ruling, since Dr. Khupe will likely argue that her own party already held such congress and elected her the substantive leader.  The MDC is likely to appeal the findings, which will suspend the operative part of the judgement. They will also likely argue that their upcoming congress cures all the alleged defects. It is not apparent, given that Chamisa’s elevation and actions have been struck down, whether such congress will have that legal effect. Politically, Chamisa will likely soldier on, but his ability to claim ownership over the MDC party name and assets is now seriously in question and is certainly vulnerable to formidable legal challenge.

Criticism Of The Ruling
a)Murimoga Case
Both Magaisa and the MDC take issue with the Court’s failure to abide by the findings in the case of Patson Murimoga and Another vs Morgan Richard Tsvangirai N.O. and 4 Others HH635/17. 

In the Murimoga case,  two members of the MDC challenged the appointment of Nelson Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri to the positions of Vice Presidents (later called Deputy Presidents). 

JusticeHlekani Mwayera dismissed the case on a technicality, ruling that the applicants did not have the legal standing to institute thematter.

The Court did not rule on the actual matter of Chamisa and Mudzuri’s appointments.

However, in Mashavira, Justice Mushore ruled that the applicant possessed sufficient legal standing since, among other reasons, Morgan Komichi acknowledged that he was a party member who even campaigned for Nelson Chamisa in the presidential elections.

The MDC is arguing that since the issue of legal standing was dispositive of the Murimoga matter, the Mashavira case should have also been similarly dismissed. This is something the Judge actually addressed;
It is elementary law that this court is not estopped from coming to its own determination in a matter involving different facts andcircumstances and different parties by a court of parallel jurisdiction.
In other words, it is a basic tenet of court hierarchy and judicial precedent that the High Court is not bound by its own rulings, butthose of a superior court.

The Judge could have gone even further and stated that similar facts and circumstances do not guarantee similarity in outcome (unless a superior court has so ruled). Thus the Murimoga reference was hopelessly ineffectual for NelsonChamisa’s cause.

Political Machinations
Bereft of legal criticism, the supporters and sympathizers of the MDC have resorted to conspiracy theory.

It is not about their constitution, its interpretation or any judgement with findings contrary to those by Justice Mushore.

Rather, there is a hidden political hand. Magaisa quotes from Levitsky and Ziblatt to argue that the ruling is part of a masterful use of the courts to sideline the opposition as done by Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa in 2011.

Coltart asks whether a Court could ever rule against ZANU PFand Mnangagwa in the way the High Court ruled against Nelson Chamisa’s MDC .

It is certainly true that Temba Mliswa and Didymus Mutasa’s Constitutional Court challenge of their expulsion from ZANU PF andparliament was unanimously dismissed. 

However, it bears remembering that when Tendai Biti and 20 other members of parliamentsimilarly challenged the MDC for their expulsion, they were also unanimously dismissed. 

There is no record of the judiciary issuingjudgments to the opposition which it does not render to the ruling party.

When the Constitutional Court had the opportunity for, to use Magaisa’s words, a “calculated existential assault upon the country’s leading opposition,” it actually upheld Morgan Tsvangirayi’s claim as the bona fide leader of the MDC.

Similarly, in the Murimoga case, the High Court did not gleefully accept the opportunity to undermine Nelson Chamisa’s legitimacy. It actually found in his favour and ruled against the applicants.

It is not apparent why a judiciary on a warpath against the opposition would rule in their favour in these high profile cases. This undercuts Magaisa’s claim of an orchestrated use of the courts to sideline the opposition.

Legal Genesis
It is helpful to recall previous cases relevant to this discussion. In Movement for Democratic Change vs. Thokozani Khupe andTwo Others HB 111/18, Nelson Chamisa’s MDC approached the High Court to stop Dr. Khupe from using the name MDC, MDC-Tor any of its derivatives. That case was dismissed since no court had ordained Chamisa’s party as the legitimate MDC.

However, Justice France Bere singled out Dr. Khupe’s insistence on constitutionalism as highly commendable. 

Chamisa appealed that ruling in Movement for Democratic Change vs. Thokozani Khupe and Two Others SC369/18.

In that case, he agreed to have the matter sent back to the High Court to determine the issue of the legitimate MDC party.

But having so agreed, Nelson Chamisa quietlyremoved it from the High Court roll, with members of Dr. Khupe’s party celebrating the removal as evidence that Chamisa was aware of the weakness of his claim.

The legal question of the legitimate MDC could have easily been settled if Chamisa had pursued his case in the High Court. Instead, and possibly realizing the weakness of his claim, he turned to the people to vote in the election and justify his position by popular acclamation. This explains both the party disdain for constitutionalism and their unrelenting populist critiques of the judiciary.

Populist Attacks From The Right 
The language of non-interference from the courts is usually associated with the conservative right as it seeks to shield its interests form the progressive agenda pursued by the liberal left. The political right prefers popularly elected representatives (populism) taking precedence over judges limiting their power by law (constitutionalism).

Thus, in spite of having been the first ones to pursue legal action to stop Dr. Khupe from using the MDC name in HB 111/18, Chamisa’s MDC now insists that the courts must not interfere in party business.

Coltart has called the Mashavira judgement a pathetic interference with the due process of a party whilst the MDC has stated that selection of their party leaders can never be a judicial process. Magaisa refers to the internal affairs of companies as a comparator for non-intervention by courts when matters can be solved by internal majorities. It is apparent that this courtroom defeat has led to a migration by the opposition to the political right, arguing for the primacy of majorities in lieu of constitutional compliance.

For these reasons, the MDC has retorted that, “over 500 000 members… have been involved in a process of electing their leaders atlower levels, from branch to the province.”

Coltart says the legitimate faction of the MDC is that which garnered 2,4 million votes in the last election.

 Alex Magaisa summarises the point;

…the wheels of justice are so far behind the political realities that it leaves judges and the justice system looking utterly out of touch and the subject of ridicule.

The fact of the matter is that the dispute which Justice Mushore purports to resolve hadalready been settled by the court of politics…Both factions of the MDC contested and the results are there for all to see.

Thejudge wants to rewrite this political outcome under the veneer of legality.
In that paragraph, Magaisa inadvertently presents the most concise defense of the deferential judicial method I have read in recent history.

That is to say, court decisions must reflect political realities and defer to electoral victors, their constitutional impropriety notwithstanding.

The court of law must necessarily follow the “court of politics.” It is about numbers, majorities and ensuring that legal remedies do not alter political outcomes.

Yet constitutionalism has never been about numbers, for we would simply subject ourselves perpetually to the majority. Constitutionalism limits majorities so that populism does not devolve into a tyranny of the majority.

It protects “discrete and insular” minorities and gives them a fair shot in a system permanently structured to their disadvantage.

It is only through constitutionalism that a female candidate from a minority ethnic group had an opportunity to lead, even if temporarily, the biggest opposition party in the country. This is laughed off by Coltart because she got less than 1% of the vote in the presidential election – yet that is irrelevant.

The MDC Constitution never required the most popular Deputy President of the party or the most popular member of the MDC to take over, but simply the officer elected as Deputy at Congress. Using populist arguments against constitutional dictates is not only unfortunate but dangerous. ZANU PF, and not the MDC, has been the most consistent victor in Zimbabwean elections. Inviting the courts to refrain from altering political realities and outcomes is to not only support a deferential treatment towards ZANU PF, but also celebrate assimilation of the courts as agents of political, and not legal, realities.

Nothing could be more dangerous for our already fragile democracy.

Conclusion
It is highly likely that the reason for lack of substantial legal criticism of the Mashavira judgement is that none exists.

This explains the singular focus on mass popular appeal. It is apposite to quote Coltart fourteen years ago as he left Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC,”Iam not swayed by mere numbers; if I were I would have joined Zanu PF a long time ago.”

The party which is admonishing the Courts because of their showing in the last election should be cautious in its insistence on the mantra of numbers and populism when those have already been weaponized by ZANU PF.

The current critique from the opposition strongly suggests that they are not so much averse to the Courts as they are envious of ZANU PF and wish to replace its brand of populism with their own in lieu of introducing the much needed culture of constitutionalism and respect for the rule of law.

THE Zanu-PF observer mission has castigated attempts to discredit the South African national elections in the wake of claims of double voting with some videos circulating on social media of some people committing the mischief.

South Africans cast their votes in the country’s national elections on Wednesday.

In an interview with a South African television station, Zanu-PF secretary for Business Liaison Cde Sithembiso Nyoni, who is heading one of the ruling party’s teams observing the elections, said the incidents were too few to affect the poll outcome while the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) was well equipped to trace those double voters.

Cde Nyoni is part of the 11-member election observer mission, chaired by Cde Patrick Chinamasa, dispatched by President Mnangagwa to observe the South African polls.

They broke into three teams led by Cdes Chinamasa, Nyoni and Simon Khaya Moyo respectively.

Cde Nyoni said allegations of electoral irregularities will always be there, the commission has confidence in the capacity of the IEC in addressing the concerns.

“We visited about 20 polling stations and we were very careful in terms of observing how the elections were being run. These allegations will always be there, but the important thing is, according to what we saw, it is possible to trace who has voted twice because your system is tight.

“This (alleged double voting), if it happened, and I have been following your media, the IEC is committed to following whoever has voted twice,” said Cde Nyoni.

She said the implications on the double voting incidents would be determined by how the IEC handles the matter.

“What puzzles me, I was following this very closely, is I heard that there are people who have confessed that they voted twice and the question we have as observers is why did they do it and then go to confess. What was their objective?

“The public of South Africa needs to look at those questions, who are those people and I think the way IEC is going to handle it is really what is going to determine what will happen, but I don’t think there could be as many people which could affect the election outcome,” said Cde Nyoni.

She said her team was happy with the reception and cooperation they received from IEC officials and political parties during their mission.

“We were very happy and the people were happy. What pleased us is that we would see EFF on one side of the gate dancing and campaigning and on the other side ANC dancing, they were both happy campaigning peacefully and that is how it should be,” she said.

-State Media

Bishop Charles Motondo was jailed 10 months after he pleaded guilty at a hearing in April to three counts of fraud by misrepresentation and one count of possessing criminal proceeds. The self-appointed bishop had fabricated car crashes in order to claim thousands of pounds from insurance companies.Charles Motondo who preaches at a Pentecostal church in Leeds bought policies using personal details of two people in his congregation.

He then called the insurers impersonating the congregants whose details he had used.Leeds Crown Court heard Motondo used another person’s information to buy a fake policy with an insurance company.

He later contacted insurers claiming to be the policyholder, stating he had crashed his Vauxhall Corsa into a parked Range Rover and took full responsibility.The Range Rover in question was actually his. This time he contacted the insurers as himself and he made a damages claim and one for the cost of a hire vehicle.

However, he made inconsistencies in his claim which resulted in it being rejected.

The insurer then raised suspicion with the City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department. The police made investigations leading to the arrest of Motondo.

-Newsday

THE fuel situation has started to improve and is expected to get better in the next few weeks as the country’s top four fuel companies started picking up fuel from the Msasa depot yesterday.

This follows the intervention by Government through availing Letters of Credit (LCs) worth over US$50 million to Engen Petroleum, Total Zimbabwe, Zuva Energy and Puma Energy.

Energy and Power Development Minister Dr Joram Gumbo said this yesterday while responding to questions from journalists during a post-Cabinet briefing.

“At least four or five big oil companies have already started picking up fuel,” said Dr Gumbo.

He said Total Zimbabwe had LCs of about US$13 million which have matured; Zuva US$12million and Engen US$25 million.

Some small fuel companies were given their usual allocations and cash.

LCs, also known as a documentary credit or letter of undertaking, are a payment mechanism used in international trade to provide an economic guarantee from a creditworthy bank to an exporter of goods.

A snap survey by The Herald yesterday revealed that fuel tankers had started delivering fuel to a number of service stations in Harare, a move described by Dr Gumbo as a “good sign”.

Government is optimistic the fuel situation would improve further in the coming weeks.

Dr Gumbo said while Government continues to import fuel every week, the country has adequate stocks that will see “our country and economy running”.

He said despite foreign currency shortages which occasionally impact on fuel availability, the country will never run dry.

“I want to assure the nation that there is commitment from the Government to make sure that there is no time that the nation will ever ground to a halt because of fuel shortages.

“We keep on doing our best to make sure that there is adequate fuel in the country.

“Our problem, which we normally meet, is because international companies do not allow our local companies to pick the fuel at Msasa and Mabvuku depots before the Letters of Credit reflect in their own countries,” said Dr Gumbo.

Dr Gumbo added that there was collective responsibility between him and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor Dr John Mangudya in terms of procuring fuel.

The clarification comes after social media was awash with claims that only the RBZ had been burdened with ensuring availability of fuel.

“To say there is no collective responsibility is unfounded. I was trying to express in Shona that the office of the RBZ governor, which is seized (together) with the committee that does the allocation of forex each week for fuel companies, had for that particular week not been able to release enough money.

“As I speak right now, the RBZ has been able to release a good amount of money and more oil companies than usual which are Zuva, Engen and Total, among others, have started picking up fuel from Msasa since yesterday which should see a stability in the fuel supply in the country,” said Minister Gumbo.

Meanwhile, Dr Gumbo said Government’s decision to liberalise the foreign currency exchange rate in February has resulted in a decline in fuel consumption.

Consumption of diesel has gone down to about 3 million litres per day while petrol consumption has also declined to about 2 million per day.

Before that, individuals and companies were gobbling about 4,5 million litres of diesel per day and 3,8 million litres of petrol per day.

Yesterday’s post-Cabinet briefing was chaired by Environment and Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira, who was standing in for Information Publicity and Broadcasting Service Minister Monica Mutsvangwa.

-State Media

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday congratulated Zimbabwe-born academic Dr Tererai Trent for being named among the World’s Top 10 Most Inspiring Women “Sculpted for Equal Rights”.

Dr Trent, who is based in the United States, will have her life-size bronze statue erected at the Rockefeller Centre in New York City on August 26 during the launch of Statues of Equality.

Posting on his Twitter handle, the President said the nation is proud of her work of promoting equality and empowerment for girls and women.

“Congratulations @TereraiTrent who has been honoured as one of the 10 most inspiring women in the world, part of the “Sculpted for Equal Rights” initiative.

“All the people of Zimbabwe are deeply proud of you & your work in promoting equality & empowerment for girls & women,” the President wrote.

The sculpture is in honour of her role in promoting equality and empowerment for girls and women.

It will stand alongside those of other eminent women who have received the same honour, notably Oprah Winfrey, Pink, Nicole Kidman, Jane Goodall, Cate Blanchett, Janet Mock, Tracy Dyson, Cheryl Strayed and Gabby Douglas.

Dr Trent was born in Zvipani Village in Karoi District, Mashonaland West Province, in 1965.

She was not allowed to go to her local school, Matau Primary School, as a child due to poverty as well as being female, although her brother Tinashe, an indifferent student, was given the opportunity to attend.

In 1991, Jo Luck from Heifer International visited her village and asked every woman about her greatest dream.

Dr Trent said she wanted to go to America and get a bachelor’s degree, followed by a master’s and eventually a PhD.

Encouraged by her mother, Dr Trent wrote down these dreams, put the paper in a scrap of tin, and buried it.

In 1998, she moved to Oklahoma with her husband and their five children.

Three years later, she earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education and her master’s degree in 2003.

In December 2009, she earned her doctorate from Western Michigan University; her thesis looked at HIV/AIDS prevention programmes for women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa.

Her life story was featured in the book “Half the Sky”, and in an excerpt of that book published by The New York Times Magazine.

Subsequently, TV mogul Oprah Winfrey ran a segment on Tererai in the Oprah episode concerning the book “Half the Sky”.

After earning her PhD in 2009, Dr Trent obtained a two-year commitment to work with Heifer International (which paid for her PhD).

Also in 2009, she founded the Tinogona Foundation, later renamed Tererai Trent International, which has built several schools in Zimbabwe.

-State Media

Jane Mlambo| The European Union ambassador to Zimbabwe Timo Olkkonen has told president Emmerson Mnangagwa that he must never repeat the military terrorism of January 2019.

Ambassador Olkkonen, said that Zimbabwe’s reputation was tarnished by the brutal crackdown on unarmed protestors in January.

The attacks loudly criticised by the United Nations, saw over 17 killed by live ammunition and several women reporting rape.

Writing on his Twitter portal, on Europe Day, Olkkonen said, “Violence and human rights violations in January resulted in the loss of lives and suffering, tarnished Zimbabwe’s image abroad and were a setback in EU-Zimbabwe relations. I hope we don’t see these events repeated!”

He was commenting on Europe Day which is observed on May 9 each year, marking the presentation of the Schuman Declaration in 1950.

This is what proposed the creation of a European Coal and Steel Community, the forerunner to the European Union.

Meanwhile, the January protests were in response to Mnangagwa’s own decision to raise the price of fuel by over 150 per cent, making it the most expensive in the world, something which Russia criticised within days back then.

The State of the Church for the sake of the Nation

08 – 09 May 2019

Large City Hall, Bulawayo

1. We, the leaders of the ZHOCD made up of EFZ, UDACIZA, ZCBC and ZCC, come together as the leadership of the Zimbabwean Church which makes up the majority of the citizens of this nation’ today to call the nation towards a united, sincere and committed approach to solving the pressing challenges affecting our people. We reiterate our call for a comprehensive and inclusive national dialogue.

2. Church leaders are disheartened as they witness the heavy toll of ongoing fuel shortages, price hikes, heavy taxation and currency crisis.

The desperate cries of struggling Zimbabwean families as they battle to put food on the table, send children to school, seek healthcare for the ill, make a living in difficult economic conditions and cope with life’s struggles in a context of austerity require urgent attention.

3. The time to act is now. It is not God’s will for our people to be divided, suffering and to be in perpetual conflict. Our relationships with each other need healing. Our economy must do more to meet our people’s needs for dignified and fulfilled lives free from want. Our people’s desire to be heard and to meaningfully participate in the decisions that impact their daily lives must be honoured.

4. To this end we will immediately begin preparations for the holding of an inclusive National Convention convened by the Church to explore ways towards practical resolutions to pressing challenges based on a shared national vision. This National Convention towards National healing and reconciliation; Responsible and responsive governance; and a Just economic and social contract will seek the support of all stakeholders.

5. We are also instructing our technical teams to formally request the expansion of the Tri- partite Negotiation Framework and its legislative mechanism to accommodate the Church, Civil Society and other organised interests in dialogue processes to secure the nation’s shared future.

6. We also instruct our technical teams to establish three Ecumenical Commissions on National healing and Reconciliation; Economic justice; and Constitutional Democracy to coordinate the preparations towards the upcoming National Convention and the on-going work of the National Dialogue Process.

7. We are calling the nation for a Sabbath season of rest from all forms of polarising political activities and contestation, finger pointing and violent conflict. This is vital to build trust and confidence in the national dialogue process and to ensure ownership for its outcomes.

8. We appeal to the International Community for respectful solidarity and accompaniment as we pursue a locally driven process. Further, we implore you to remove sanctions even as we call upon our own government to comply with International standards and norms of human rights, democracy and good governance.

9. We reiterate our preferential option for the vulnerable, marginalised, voiceless and all those in the diaspora to be given opportunities to voice their concerns and fully contribute to the National Dialogue as full citizens of our great nation.

10. We request all Christians to remain in prayer for the Church’s efforts to unite the nation and facilitate nation building dialogue under the will of God.

How good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters live together in unity… For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore’ (Psalms 133 verse 1 -3).

By Own Correspondent| President Emmerson Mnangagwa has promised to resolve the biting fuel and foreign currency shortages threatening to bring the economy into recession.

Addressing mourners at the burial of the late liberation war hero Misheck Velaphi Ncube at the National Heroes’ Acre, said Zimbabwe was poised for economic boom regardless of the challenges it is facing at the moment.

Said Mnangagwa:

“We are currently facing various economic challenges in our country such as the foreign currency and fuel shortages. However, I assure the nation that my administration will resolve these issues without fail.

Meanwhile, our business people at every level must be ethical in their conduct, the rebuilding of our economy is everyone’s responsibility.

I urge us to also remain vigilant and alert in upholding peace and considering our national interests in all that we do, as we move forward on the path towards growth and prosperity. Our country means men and women like the late national hero we lay to rest today.”-Newsday

A man from Mvuma got more than what he bargained for when he was scalded with boiling water by a woman whom he was asking for sex from.

The woman, Mberikunashe Chipiwa(23), who resides at Carval Bar in Mvuma was dragged to court by Josphat Mukwavaya (35) following the incident.

She pleaded guilty to the charge when she appeared before Mvuma magistrate Mr Tafadzwa Mhlanga and was released on $50 bail.

She told the court that she acted in self-defence as she thought the complainant wanted to rape her.

“I was defending myself because l thought he wanted to rape me. He mentioned that he wanted to sleep with me and he started walking towards me. I panicked thinking that he wanted to rape me that’s why l poured hot water on him,” she said.

Representing the State, prosecutor Michael Kazemba told the court that on April 17 at Carval Bar around 9pm, the accused and the complainant had a misunderstanding over mealies which the complainant had taken from the accused’s pot.

A heated argument ensued between the two and Mukwavaya accused Chipiwa of being sexually starved saying it was the reason why she was short tempered. He then advanced towards Chipiwa saying he wanted to help her relieve her sexual frustrations.

This did not go down well with the accused who took a pot of boiling water from the stove and emptied the contents on the complainant’s body.
The matter was reported to the police leading to Chipiwa’s arrest.State media

State Media|The Marriages Amendment Bill which will repeal a legal provision that criminalises “wilful” transmission of HIV to a partner has been approved by Cabinet.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said a Clause in the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act that criminalises transmission of HIV by one partner to another would be repealed.

Minister Ziyambi said this yesterday in Harare while responding to questions from journalists during a post Cabinet briefing which was chaired by Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira.

He said the Marriages Amendment Bill, which was approved by Cabinet, would also repeal that Clause of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

“Yes, indeed Cabinet approved that we repeal the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act where it speaks about these criminalisation so we will repeal the Criminal Code in this regard,” said Minister Ziyambi.

The Marriages Amendment Bill will soon be gazetted before it is tabled before Parliament for debate.

The decision to criminal transmission of HIV dovetails with what Minister Ziyambi told Parliament in earlier this year where he made a commitment to that effect.

In March, Minister Ziyambi made an assurance to repeal the Clause during a question and answer session after Zengeza West legislator Mr Job Sikhala (MDC-Alliance) had asked if Government was considering amending the law which criminalise transmission of HIV.

“When this legislation came into effect, the thinking then was that we need to control the spread of HIV by criminalising those who transmit it to partners willingly. But the global thinking now is that that law stigmatises people living with HIV and studies have shown that it does not produce the results that were intended. What the Ministry is going to do is to repeal that section of the law and ensure that we keep up to speed with modern trends in the world,” said Minister Ziyambi in the National Assembly.

He said the fastest way of doing it was to incorporate the provision in the Marriages Amendment Bill.

Earlier on Minister Mupfumira said Cabinet approved the Coroner’s Office Bill. She said the Bill sought to help safeguard human lives through facilitating specialising investigation of preventable deaths and identification of deceased persons.

“The country has previously relied on expatriates for the specialised investigations required to conclude such cases, which arrangement has now become unsustainable. In more precise terms, the Bill will establish an efficient coroner system to look into the cause of death in the following circumstances among deaths that occur without a medical doctor’s attention, surgical operation table deaths and deaths while in jail, police custody or other central authority control,” said Minister Mupfumira.

Farai Dziva|The mother of Brandon Zimba, the teenager who died mysteriously while drinking beer blamed bad friends for the tragedy.

The tragedy happened in Bulawayo last Saturday.

Sithembiso Zimba said she was devastated by her son’s death.

She said his behaviour completely changed when he moved to a new school – 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 Zimba.

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

VICE PRESIDENT Kembo Mohadi who recently brewed a major storm when he violently harassed his ex-wife has said a cultural approach should be the foundation stone for the country’s peace building and conflict resolution initiatives as it is based on Unhu or Ubuntu.

Mohadi who has been generally condemned as undeserving because of his violent nature, controversially overseas the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission and chairs the Cabinet Committee on National Peace and Reconciliation.

Addressing traditional leaders from Mashonaland Central in Mazowe yesterday, Mohadi, said: “I have resolved to base my peace building and conflict resolution crusade on our tradition and culture cognisant that I have to engage other social groups.

“I have deliberately decided to anchor my peace building and conflict resolution initiative on our tradition and culture because I strongly believe in the sustainability of our cultural norms and values in building a strong Zimbabwe.”

The Mashonaland Central dialogue is the first one as Mohadi embarks on a nationwide tour to meet chiefs and other stakeholders like schools, colleges, universities, women groups, business groups and religious organisations to find long lasting solutions to conflict resolutions in Zimbabwe.

“Commissions, agencies, faith-based organisations and civil society organisations play a critical role in peace building and conflict resolution, especially in towns and cities. The roles of these organisations and commissions in peace building and conflict resolution together with traditional and cultural approach which I am initiating in Mashonaland Central gives us a multi-faceted national approach to peace building and conflict resolution based on the philosophy of Ubuntu/Unhu,” he said.

Mohadi said for peace to prevail, it starts with individuals.

“As individuals, we should be peaceful and live harmoniously with others in the family and community. Peace should also prevail in the family.

“Members of families are expected to be at peace with each other. A peaceful individual, a peaceful family results in a peaceful community. When we have peaceful communities, they become building blocks for a peaceful nation.”

Mohadi himself recently divorced with his wife, Senator Tambudzani Mohadi after going through a dramatic two decades of domestic conflict in which Mohadi claimed he last enjoyed intimacy in 1999.

He called for the teaching of the country’s norms and values to young children for them to be responsible citizens when they grow up.

“Children should be taught our norms and cultural values when they are young because what they will become when they grow old is detectable when they are young.

“Children are the future and in our culture they have the fundamental building blocks of the inculcation of our values like respect of adults, respect of others, respect and care of our natural resources,” he said.

Mohadi also called for the speedy resolution of conflicts before they escalates into wars.

“We are all aware that there are threats to peace which usually lead to conflict. These misunderstandings may escalate to disputes which become violent and destructive.

“Protracted conflicts sometimes result in wars. Conflict disturbs peace and retards development,” said Mohadi.

The dialogue was attended by the province’s 26 traditional chiefs, provincial leadership as well as district administrators.

State Media/ZimEye.com

By Farai D Hove| The Energy Minister, Joram Gumbo says the government has suddenly licensed over 34 companies to compete with the ZANU PF controlled national power utility, ZESA.

Gumbo said this as he confirmed rumours that Zimbabwe will soon be totally switched off power supplies.

Minister Gumbo said the government has since moved to look out for other alternative sources of electricity for the nation.

Gumbo revealed that the simple pivot of the current crisis is shortage of foreign currency.

How the the zanu PF regime has refused to simply adopt the South African Rand as a transaction currency has remained a puzzle among many economists as ZimEye reveals.

Furthermore, Zimbabwe’s electricity problems began after the ZANU PF regime at the turn of the 1990s, forcefully snatched power generation facilities from local councils and formed one huge parastatal controlled from the ZANU PF party’s shake shake building. This is how the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority was formed.

Gumbo said, “thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to assure the nation and inform them about the situation of power supply in the country.

“It is a fact and very known that the water levels at Kariba have gone very low to an extent that we might not be able to generate power by October, if we don’t manage manage our water very well, and also we are having challenges at Hwange because of coal apply, which are caused by the breakdown of machinery, which has become very very old and that has now forced us as a ministry to make sure, that we look at other means to make sure that the nation does not go dark and as a result we have licensed over 34 companies which have received licences to provide solar into the country to make provision for that.

“And while we are at that as well we have also just as a warning to say that we might be forced before all these other issues are in place we might be going for load shedding but I want to assure the nation that the times of load shedding that are being put in the newspapers might not all be that long because we are trying as much as possible that we contain the situation. Cyclone Idai was very bad for us, it was a very bad for Mozambique as well but on the contrary it also was very good for the kubota basa because the Dam is full.

“In the next few days I will be making a trip to Mozambique to make an arrangement for increased imports of power from the Cabora Bassa, because the Cabora Bassa is spilling, so I want to assure the nation that is much as possible the nation of government is cognizant of that effect of the low water levels in the Kariba dam and also the situation at Hwange as mitigatory factors, we are looking at importation of fuel from the Cabora Bassa, and also from Escom, as we have always done. We might have situations whereby we can have the usual problems of shortages of forex here and there but I want to show the nation that the situation will be under control.”

Gumbo was speaking to the state owned ZimPapers.

A 46-year-old Gweru man was last week sentenced to an effective 15 years behind bars for indecently assaulting and sexually abusing his 14-year-old daughter.

He pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecent assault and two of sexual abuse when he appeared before Gweru regional magistrate Mrs Pathekile Msipa.

He was, however, convicted after a full trial due to overwhelming evidence.

The abusive father was initially jailed for 20 years before five years were suspended on condition of good behaviour.

It was the State case that in 2015, the complainant was left under the care of the father by her mother.

The court heard that the complainant slept in the same room with the father but using different blankets.
The father later got out of his blankets and sneaked into his daughter’s and started fondling her buttocks and breasts before raping her.

Sometime in 2017, the convict was caught red-handed fondling and caressing the complainant while holding a condom in his hand.
In February 2018, the father also went into a bush to fetch firewood together with the complainant.

While in the bush, the father tripped the complainant and again raped her.
The complainant later told her mother about the abuse and the matter was reported to the police leading to the abusive father’s arrest.State media

THE Grain Millers’ Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) and the Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers (CZR) yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding for self-regulatory mechanisms to rein in wanton price increases.

As part of the agreement, GMAZ and CZR said they will deploy a team of 150 people across the country starting Monday to monitor prices of basic products such as salt, flour, rice and mealie-meal to ensure shop owners adhere to agreed prices.

Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, GMAZ president Mr Tafadzwa Musarara said the milling industry has always published recommended prices of mealie-meal, rice, flour and salt, but consumers have remained vulnerable to some unscrupulous retailers who are bent on profiteering.

Mr Musarara said the milling industry had tried to be considerate in terms of costing.

“You may recall that we have also set our recommended prices that are prices quoted by the miller to the wholesaler and to the retailer, which we have dubbed the maximum recommended prices,” he said.

The maize-meal recommended price for the miller is RTGS$10,50 for a 10kg packet while the retail price is RTGS$11,85.

Prices for rice and self-raising floor have also been computed and agreed on.

Mr Musarara said recommending prices on its own is not enough without actually “monitoring the prices, (and) without ensuring compliance and protecting the consumer”.

“We have gone further to introspect and come up with the committee that is going to look at the enforcement or monitoring of these prices nationwide,” he said.State media

Independent|UNITED Kingdom-based financial services consultancy ICG Capital and Finance Corp has singled out Finance minister Mthuli Ncube as the biggest obstacle stalling the finalisation of a US$5 billion debt restructuring and refinancing package it extended to Zimbabwe in 2017.

As exclusively revealed by the Zimbabwe Independent last week, the London-headquartered consultancy, in partnership with five top-tier United States banks, tabled the multi-billion dollar debt restructuring and refinancing package for Zimbabwe two years ago as part of a deal that could help the southern African country offset its ballooning liabilities. The proposal was tabled following the dramatic ouster of long-time ruler Robert Mugabe through a millitary coup in November 2017 and the subsequent ascendency of Emmerson Mnangagwa to power.

Zimbabwe, hamstrung by an US$18,6 billion debt stock, and cut off from accessing fresh lines of credit, is struggling to settle US$2,3 billion owed to various multilateral lenders. Although the southern African country is currently implementing an International Monetary Fund (IMF) Staff-Monitored Programme (SMP), the process does not include the desperately needed financial bailout package which is seen as key towards extricating Zimbabwe from its mounting debt woes.

ICG Capital and Finance Corp this week told the Independent that two years after submitting its US$5 billion debt restructuring and refinancing bid to Zimbabwe, the Harare authorities have dithered on the deal, while no other immediate solution appears in sight.

“We have been waiting a year-and-a-half to get the mandate signed in order to start the debt restructuring and re-financing process. Since ICG originally submitted its proposal in 2017, Zimbabwe’s Sovereign Debt (SD) obligations have doubled and are now currently standing at approximately US$20 billion,” said the London-based consultancy, which specialises in mobilising finance for private and public sector development projects and procuring credit for sovereign governments.

“It seems that for some unknown reason, the Ministry of Finance is not co-operative and are reluctant to work with ICG, unlike the governor of the Reserve Bank.”

At the time of going to print, Ncube had not responded to questions sent to him.

The financial consultancy, which is currently mobilising US$1 billion loans for various countries in Eastern Europe, warned that owing to Zimbabwe’s debt headache and in the absence of an immediate solution, the country’s frail economy would continue hurtling down the abyss.

“The country is heading into a dire situation whilst the national economy continues to be mismanaged,” the consultancy, which is currently financing multi-billion dollar infrastructure and energy projects across the world, told this newspaper through emailed responses this week.

According to the mandate finance agreement (MFA) negotiated between ICG Capital Corps and the Harare authorities — seen by the Zimbabwe Independent — the financial consultancy made commitment to mobilise US$4 billion in fresh capital through a Eurobond once the southern African country had extinguished its gargantuan debt stock.

The total deal would rise to US$5 billion.

With Zimbabwe referred to as “Party A” and ICG Capital amd Finance Corp as “Party B” under the MFA, the London financial consultancy would also be obligated to advise Harare on currency reforms as well as negotiating with various financial institutions for lines of credit on behalf of the southern African country.

According to the proposed agreement, once Mnangagwa’s administration approves the bid by ICG Capital and Finance Corp, the debt restructuring and refinancing programme would be rolled out in five phases.

The deal would be implemented in stages, namely team set up and detailed planning, sovereign debt analysis, sovereign debt policy priorities, financing options and transaction management and close. The firm also committed to support Zimbabwe implement the ongoing IMF SMP which is tailored around a raft of reforms meant to deepen macro-economic stability and fiscal discipline.

According to the arrangement, ICG Capital would also assist Zimbabwe identify a “lead manager/book runner from amongst suitable investment banks”.

The financial services consultancy also committed to advise Harare “in all aspects of the Eurobond transaction from choice of investment bank, through bond placement, to financial closing”.

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.

Government has extended the role of marriage officers to include traditional and religious leaders such as Vapostori as it seeks to liberalise the solemnisation of unions.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said the Marriages Act will be repealed and replaced with one consolidated Marriages Amendment Bill which will also criminalise marrying a girl below the age of 18 and pledging of minors for marriage.

Minister Ziyambi said this today in Harare while addressing journalists during a post Cabinet briefing that was chaired by Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira, who was standing in for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa.

More to follow…

A self-styled Congolese preacher who leads mainly Zimbabweans in Leeds, UK has been jailed for 10 months, for fraud.

Bishop Charles Motondo who has been in private meetings with Emmerson Mnangagwa, fabricated car crashes in order to claim thousands of pounds from insurance companies. Motondo bought policies using personal details of two people in his congregation and then rang insurers posing as them.

The 40-year-old, who preached at a Pentecostal church in Leeds, had admitted fraud and money laundering.

Police said Motondo “was completely immoral in his actions”.

Leeds Crown Court heard Motondo used another person’s information to buy a fake policy with an insurance company.

He later contacted insurers First Central claiming to be the policy holder, stating he had crashed his Vauxhall Corsa into a parked Range Rover and took full responsibility.

The parked car actually belonged to Motondo, who contacted insurers this time as himself and made a damages claim and one for the cost of a hire vehicle.

Inconsistencies were uncovered in his claim and it was eventually rejected.

An investigation was started by the City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department after First Central raised suspicions.

Inquiries found the Corsa could not have been in the alleged accident as at the time it was in a yard at a church where Motondo delivered sermons.

Officers also discovered he had earlier made a fraudulent claim with another insurer when he pretended his partner’s Jaguar, as well as his Range Rover, had been involved and he tried to claim personal injury costs for a fake passenger.

Det Con Jamie Kirk said: “Motondo was completely immoral in his actions, and had no issues using other people’s personal details to make fraudulent claims so that he could make a financial gain.”

Motondo, of Nowell Walk in Leeds, pleaded guilty at a hearing in April to three counts of fraud by misrepresentation and one count of possessing criminal proceeds.- BBC/Additional Reporting

THE Mutasa Rural District Council ward 10 by-election is set to be held tomorrow, and the opposition MDC hopes it will win the seat after they were stunned last month in the Cowdray Park by-election won by Zaanu-PF.

Rosemary Mukodza, who is representing the MDC in the by-election 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.

By Dorrothy Moyo| The European Union ambassador to Zimbabwe has told president Emmerson Mnangagwa one he must never repeat the military terrorism of January 2019.

Ambassador Timo Olkkonen, said that Zimbabwe’s reputation was tarnished by the brutal crackdown on unarmed protestors in January.

The attacks loudly criticised by the United Nations, saw over 17 killed by live ammunition and several women reporting rape.

Writing on his Twitter portal, on Europe Day, Olkkonen said, “Violence and human rights violations in January resulted in the loss of lives and suffering, tarnished Zimbabwe’s image abroad and were a setback in EU-Zimbabwe relations. I hope we don’t see these events repeated!”

He was commenting on Europe Day which is observed on May 9 each year, marking the presentation of the Schuman Declaration in 1950.

This is what proposed the creation of a European Coal and Steel Community, the forerunner to the European Union.

Meanwhile, the January protests were in response to Mnangagwa’s own decision to raise the price of fuel by over 150 per cent, making it the most expensive in the world, something which Russia criticised within days back then.

Correspondent|Prominent academic and Lupane State University Centre for Continuing Education director Dr Ndabezinhle Ncube sprinted from court proceedings before committing suicide, new details have emerged.

Dr Ncube who committed suicide by hanging himself at his house in Manningdale suburb in Bulawayo on Friday last week appeared before Magistrate Racheal Mukanga before sneaking out to commit suicide.

According to B metro, Dr Ncube couldn’t fathom the idea that his wife Evon Ncube had dragged him to the Bulawayo Civil Court seeking a protection order against him, also claiming that he was cheating on her with several women.

Apparently, fearing the humiliation of a trial, Ncube sneaked out of the court leading the presiding magistrate Racheal Mukanga to grant an order in his absence compelling him not to verbally, physically and emotionally abuse his wife or threaten her in any way.

A bottle of Kontakil poison which was bought on the day in question was also found next to his lifeless body. Dr Ncube is also alleged to have left three suicide notes in which he was accusing his wife of cheating on him.

Farai Dziva|MDC deputy chairperson Tendai Biti, who is a legal practitioner, has said Nelson Chamisa remains the leader of the opposition party in spite of the High Court ruling.

” For the avoidance of doubt the leader of the Democratic Movement is Advocate Chamisa.

This a de facto and de jure fact .Two point six million Zimbabweans agreed with that position on 30 July 2018. A court of law can never be an electoral college,” said Biti.

“Of all forms of pervasion judicial Capture is most corrosive. The judiciary is at the center of upholding the rule of law ,enforcing justice to avoid self redress. Where the judiciary puts itself in a position of ridicule , issues orders that are brutum fulmen, it undermines itself.”

Farai Dziva|Outspoken MDC deputy president yet again attacked MDC A president Nelson Chamisa claiming the youthful opposition leader is “illegitimate.”

“Yellow journalism has gone awry! One thoroughly discredited and bogus online publication based in the UK continuously refers to me as ”Controversial MDC-T Vice President”. I’m anything but controversial. I simply speak truth to power. And yellow ”journalists” are rattled,” claimed Gutu.

He added:”If you’re illegitimate, you’re illegitimate! Simple! No amount of angry outbursts against Zimbabwe’s judiciary will cleanse your illegitimacy! An illegitimate ‘leader’ runs an illegitimate organization. Simple!

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

Farai Dziva|Zanu PF apologist Brian Mudumi has accused the MDC A of attempting to blame Zanu PF for its glaring shortcomings.

“It’s funny how the MDC comes up with its own Constitution, violates its own Constutution, and when others in the same party go to court, and the appointment of VPs and MDC President are nullified by the courts, it’s very surprising that MDC turns around and says the Courts are biased.

Worse still they blame Zanu PF, did Zanu PF draft the MDC constitution for them? Did Zanu PF violate the MDC Constitution for them? The Judgement by the Court is simply saying; Follow You own Constitution. Period,” claimed Mudumi.

By Harare Residents Trust| The City of Harare has virtually legalised the construction of houses on illegally acquired land in a move genuinely showing that the Council does not wish to end the reign of land barons and illegal activities on its land, including wetlands.

By legislating that they will be regularising all houses and other buildings built without following council’s rules and regulations, the City of Harare is openly encouraging desperate homeseekers to secure their place without going through council, and then approach council to have the illegal properties registered. The council would then charge penalty fees and other charges for one to be considered now legal. The move by the council shows a total disregard of processes in favour of short cuts in order to raise more revenue through capitalising on the desperation by the illegal settlers who fear that their properties would be demolished if they do not pay the fines and regularise their properties with the Council.

The Council paddocks on the outskirts of Kuwadzana and Mufakose have now partly been converted into residential stands. These paddocks served to purify the sewerage from the sewer ponds before the water flows into the rivers that lead into the main water bodies. By increasing the human population in that strategic area means the council has dismally failed to control urban planning and development. The resultant urbanisation is pathological with likelihood of more housing units exerting more pressure on the sewer and water infrastructure, and ultimately a breakdown of other social service delivery systems.

Ideally, the Council should have fully utilised its enforcement divisions so that all illegal activities are nipped in the bud before they mature as they have now done. Land barons have always worked with Councillors and Council officials in the Housing and Community Services Department and the Department of Works on plan approvals. The regularisation programme is only motivated by the desperation to raise revenue to pay salaries, but the council land will soon run out and without upgraded infrastructure, where else would they get the quick revenue to cover the gaps. The ad hoc management of the council demonstrates the incapacity of most managers in council to modernise urbanisation, and properly structure Harare suburbs in a systematic manner.

The only other reason they have regularised is to save the criminals who have illegally authorised the invasion of our wetlands and parcelled out council land to people who paid money to individuals instead of the council. The biggest beneficiary of this huge scandal are city managers and councillors who were involved. And now they come up with the regularisation agenda in order to escape scrutiny.

Housing delivery must be expedited, but not in an unsustainable manner. Land use must be relevant, justified and of benefit to citizens and the environment.

Farai Dziva|MDC T Youth Assembly leader Patson Murimoga is surprisingly fighting in MDC A Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora’s corner.

Murimoga also known as Mhenyamauro has openly attacked those want to discredit Mwonzora.

See Murimoga-s argument:

Report doing the rounds that the MDC Secretary General is in hiding is false and malicious.

Mwonzora was at party Headquarters from morning and left going to Parliament at 2pm.

The statement is designed to course mayhem after the High Court ruling.

I talked to the SG on his way out of Harvest House and he didn’t look like someone in hiding. Yes there are people not happy with the High Court judgment but there is no reason to fuel unnecessary tension.

If the judgment is wrong there are processes for remedy. If it’s right there is only one option to follow it.

Violence or threats of violence will not change the truth. Facts are stubborn. Chinja iwe! Maitiro ako ayo!

The Zimbabwe Music Rights Association on Thursday pleaded with parliament’s portfolio committee on Information, Media and Broadcasting Services to help them recover more than $700k worth of royalties owed by the state broadcaster Zimbabwe Broadcasting Cooperation (ZBC) since 2011.

The association which has a membership of more than  3 600 artists revealed before the committee that ZBC was the chief defaulter compared to other entities,

Zimura’s lawyer Witness Zhangazha told the committee that ZBC had failed to comply with the payment plan they had agreed on.

“If you were to look at these acknowledgements vis-a-vis  the dates of payment that are shown in the statement  you will see that none of these diverse acknowledgements was complied with in full by ZBC, they would make promises to pay,  this is why we felt let’s try this honourable arm of government , we have tried the other one which is the courts but it failed,” Zhangazha said.

Chairperson of the portfolio committee on Information Prince Sibanda assured the association that the committee was going to invite ZBC so that they can explain their operation among other things.

The cabinet on Thursday approved the Marriages Amendment Bill, which will see the repeal and replacement of the Customary Marriages Act (Chapter 5:07) and the Marriages Act (Chapter 5:11).

The new law seeks to outlaw child marriages and homosexual marriages, among other provisions in line with the new constitution.

This was revealed by the Minister of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Priscah Mupfumira, who was representing Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa during a post-cabinet media briefing.

“The objectives of the Bill are inter alia [to] ensure gender equality; recognise the rights of women, youth and children; recognise the cultural groups and the preservation of cultural values and practices which enhance the dignity, wellbeing and equality of the people; provide for free and full consent to marriage by the intending parties; to accord the primacy of the best interests of the child, prohibit same-sex marriages; and recognise the supremacy of the constitution which invalidates, any law, practice, custom and conduct inconsistent with the constitution.”

The issue of same-sex marriages is a hot potato, with “progressive” elements in society calling for its canonisation while “conservatives” consider it a taboo.

There was an uproar a few weeks ago when it was reported that some legislators were pushing for the lowering of the age of sexual consent to 12 years.

By Johnson John Munatsi| The support Chamisa is getting its like a tsunami. Everyone is madly in love with this young giant politician. He showed all the signs of a great leader .

He managed well Mudzuri en Mwonzora very well knowing that they have ulterior motives.

Zimbabweans see HOPE and LIFE in Chamisa’s leadership. Managers are made but leaders are born.

I have also now joined in as supporter and foot soldier of Nelson Chamisa and his ideologies? If Zanu is that much afraid of him ,i like him. He is the answer. Chamisa is for the people.

Watch out for a revolutionary experience in progress.

Even if he forms another party ,i will follow there. Why wasting time with Zanu prefered candidates like Khupe, Mudzuri en Mwonzora?

If Zanu was serious abt helping MDC to select its leaders why they are not selecting Bvondo,Biti ,Welshman and other militant and hands on leaders.

Today we are in Midlands for a series of consultative meetings with opinion leaders, key stakeholders and party structures. We shall then proceed to attend the Midlands provincial caucus in Gweru for the congress candidates debate. We lead.We plan.We fight to win!

— nelson chamisa (@nelsonchamisa) May 10, 2019

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.

RBZ says it has injected $12m bond notes mainly for tobacco growers and amount of bond notes on circulation so far is now at $450m. @tambarara @happ_zenge pic.twitter.com/VLV1Yw3TtB

— Financial Express (@FinxZim) May 9, 2019

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.

I like this Chinese proverb, "If you are a leader and you have no followers, you are simply taking a walk".

— nelson chamisa (@nelsonchamisa) May 10, 2019

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 ….