By Own Correspondent- Government has with immediate effect suspended Chitungwiza Central Hospital clinical director Dr Patrick Dhliwayo and transferred principal nursing officer Mirriam Mangeya over a plethora of misconduct allegations as part of an ongoing exercise to bring sanity to public health institutions.

Mangeya has been transferred to head office awaiting transition to a new work station while Dr Dhliwayo was effectively put on suspension for verbally abusing fellow doctors.

Incidentally, Dr Dhliwayo was last year sentenced to six months imprisonment with an option of a fine after he was found guilty of physically assaulting nurses at Zengeza Clinic.

In a letter seen by The Herald, signed by the Acting Secretary for Health Dr Gibson Mhlanga, Dr Dhliwayo is accused of verbally abusing six co-workers, among them three fellow doctors.

“You are hereby charged in terms of Section 4 (a) of National Employment Code of Conduct Regulations 2006, Statutory Instrument 15 of 2006.

“There is reason to believe that you committed an act of misconduct or acts of misconduct as defined in Section 4 in that; victimisation of a subordinate, Dr Arthur Mhizha, issuing threats to a subordinate Lawrence Kasinganeti, issuing threats to a subordinate Ndarukwa and Dzikamai and turning clinical meetings into forums of verbal abuse of GMOs Dr Shongo and Dr Ekofo,” reads Dr Dhliwayo’s charge sheet.

Mangeya’s letter stated that the former Chitungwiza hospital top nurse will report to the ministry’s head office by May 9, 2019.

By Own Correspondent- Harare City Council has been losing millions of dollars to space barons and cartels within and outside council that have been pocketing millions of dollars from council markets depriving the city of much-needed revenue.

Some politicians have been conniving with council officials to deprive the city of revenue from Mupedzanhamo, Mbare Musika, Glen View Area 8 Furniture Complex and other markets in Highfield.

Harare recently regained control of Carter and Paget houses in Mbare, 10 years after it lost the buildings to an infamous violent outfit called Chipangano.

The city lost over $3,6 million in revenue during the years when the buildings were under the control of Chipangano, whose leaders pocketed all the money paid by tenants.

Mbare vendors are reportedly paying thousands of dollars to politicians who lost in last year’s elctions, but now acting as “space barons”.

A known Highfield “space baron” married six wives thanks to the thousands of dollars he gets from vendors.

A report on revenue collected from the informal sector and challenges being encountered presented to the Informal Sector Committee by Housing and Community Services director Mr Edmore Nhekairo said council collected $7 652 376 from 2016 to date.

In 2016 council collected $3 360 000 and in 2017 the money declined to $2 000 476 before taking a further dip in 2018 when only $1 532 473 flowed into its coffers.

From January to March this year council collected $759 427, more than half of what was collected the whole of last year.

Nhekairo reported that he had put in place various strategies to improve revenue collection which included periodic rotation of market officers and assistants as well as identification of more sites, among others.

Council is also repossessing defaulters’ market stalls for non-payment of tariffs and has introduced an electronic receipting system to curb leakages through corruption.

The recent Informal Sector Committee minutes say the Director of Housing and Community Services reported that the strategies had been put in place to enhance revenue collection included routine transfer of market officers and market attendants, control and monitoring of overlaps and ensuring that traders produced proof of payment upon entering the market.

Also arising from the same discussion, the committee requested progress on areas such as Marlborough Home Industry and Siyaso Home Industry where traders were not paying.

“The Director of Housing and Community Services reported that the traders at Siyaso Home Industry had not been paying (their dues) over the years. They only started paying after the district officer had engaged them. They had offered to pay $20 a month,” reads the minutes.

“After the joint operation command operation, the district officer had engaged them and they had agreed to pay the requested amount. They had, however, requested for the same arrangement at Mupedzanhamo where a municipal detail manned the gate and ensure everyone paid.”

With regard to Marlborough Home Industry, Nhekairo reported that the site was allocated in 1998 but had not been serviced to date.

He said there were no roads, running water or toilets and traders had resisted paying as the site was not serviced.

Nhekairo also reported that the other major problem at the home industry was that the traders had been allocated stands ranging from 800 square metres to 1 000 square meters which were way bigger than the 50 square metres for the other industries.

“To that effect, he had engaged the Survey Section to do a proper mapping of the stands and the latter had submitted a report to the Planning Division to formally allocate the stands. The traders were told that for them to qualify for the allocation, they had to pay at least 25 percent of their arrears by April 3o for them to enter into lease agreements with council.

By Own Correspondent- Opposition MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa, has placed the blame on President Emmerson Mnangagwa for the political impasse between the country’s main political parties, claiming that the latter has refused dialogue.

In an interview with a local publication, Chamisa said that he sent his emissaries to Mnangagwa several times only to be given a cold shoulder.

Said Chamisa:

We have sent letters to him (Mnangagwa); we have sent emissaries; I have sent several people to his offices but they have found the doors locked and iron-willed, but we will keep knocking because what moves us is the suffering of the people.

Zimbabwe is polarised and people are too angry…my plea and request to Mnangagwa are to come down from his high horse. Pride has never been known to be a progressive disposition — people need to be united (and) not put asunder.

Chamisa bemoaned citizens’ suffering, especially the hardships being experienced by the country’s younger generation.

He said:

“Many young people have never been employed; many young people do not know a payslip or the meaning of a salary.

Many young people are not aware of a higher purchase of lay-by dispensation – they don’t how to purchase things on credit and these are basic things in other countries.

These issues need to be addressed. It is not good to be stone-hearted and cruel to the people.

Everyone is suffering; civil servants are suffering and we are decimating the honour of professionals and punishing professional and academic excellence.

Learning and earning qualifications have been emptied of their meaning. I listen to our men and women in uniform, their cries are still the same.

In government, many shares with me their agonies that should call for sensitivity on the part of the leadership.”-DailyNews

By Own Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa this morning toured Matapi flats in Mbare, one of Harare’s oldest suburbs which was recently given a facelift.

Mnangagwa, toured Mbare in the company of heavily armed soldiers. Both Zanu Pf and the opposition MDC have claimed to have given the flats a facelift.

By Own Correspondent- Police have released the names of two Hwange Magistrates Courts’ officials who died in an accident on their way to attend a colleague’s wedding in Bulawayo on Saturday.

Officer Commanding Police in Lupane District, Chief Superintendent Edgar Dhliwayo identified the deceased as Loveness Maseko (32) and Pertunia Mawundura (27).

Maseko was a policewoman attached to the National Prosecution Authority as a prosecutor at Hwange Magistrates’ Courts while Mawundura was the Judicial Service Commission’s Matabeleland North provincial administration officer also stationed in Hwange.

The two were travelling together with area prosecutor in-charge of Matabeleland North Martha Cheda and Hwange Magistrates’ Court prosecutors Tsepo Cheda, Charlene Murove-Gorerino and Jamesina Makanza as well as a policewoman Assistant Inspector Ester Sibanda, who is also attached to the NPA as a prosecutor.

Chief Supt Dhliwayo said Maseko and Mawundura were sitting in the twin cab’s loadbox when the accident occurred.

He said the Isuzu twin cab, belonging to the NPA, burst a rear right tyre before veering off the road where it hit a tree killing the two on the spot.

“On Saturday at around 10AM, seven passengers were driving in a KB300 Isuzu twin cab from Hwange to Bulawayo and on approaching a curve at the 62km peg, the car burst its right rear tyre and veered off the road to the left whereupon it hit a tree,” said Chief Supt Dhliwayo.

Maseko and Mawundura died on the spot.

They’re next of kin have been notified, police said.

The injured were rushed to Mpilo Central Hospital where Cheda, Cheda and Makanza were treated and discharged.

Murove-Gorerino and Asst Insp Sibanda were still admitted yesterday but in stable condition, said Chief Supt Dhliwayo.

He urged motorists to exercise caution when driving.

“Motorists should exercise extreme caution and avoid speeding especially when approaching curves. That portion of the road might look good because it is straight but there are a lot of livestock hence speeding is not advisable,” he said.

By ZIMCODD| The current economic meltdown in Zimbabwe is slowly turning the Southern African country into a “house of hunger.” The ushering in of a new dispensation in the famous month of November 2017 ignited a sense of hope among Zimbabweans, with the majority hoping for socioeconomic turnaround after years of economic stagnation. Nevertheless, it all remained a pie in the air, with Zimbabweans now in a worse off situation than before. From bizarre bread price hikes and the entire rise in prices for basic commodities and services, shocking data hikes, deteriorating health services and the overall economic recession, citizens are continuously impoverished and wallowing in abject poverty.

Despite the depressing situation citizens are suffocating under, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development claims that the Transitional Stabilisation Programme anchored on austerity for prosperity has led to economic growth. The Minister is reported having claimed that due to TSP, the country registered 4 percent growth in its gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018, marginally down from the initially set growth target of 4,5 percent. To access the media report click here.

Furthermore, the government of Zimbabwe has already reported revenue surplus for December 2018 and January 2019. The declared surplus is not congruent to the socioeconomic situation in the country where an ordinary citizen’s life has not improved. It is disheartening that the government is concentrating on quantitative growth of the economy without matching it to the material conditions of the citizens. It is worrisome that the so called growth has not translated into improved living conditions for the general citizenry. The much celebrated economic growth comes at a time when the country is grappling with socio-economic woes characterized by deplorable public social service delivery and where 70% of the country’s population is languishing in poverty.

“Evident successes are in fiscal consolidation and discipline, the removal of various pricing distortions, monetary sector and currency reforms, infrastructure rehabilitation, and Doing Business Environment reforms which will attract investment.” Prof. Mthuli Ncube. The claims that pricing distortions have been removed are alarming when in actual fact the prices of individual commodities are not following the laws of supply and demand, in a free market economy Zimbabwe is currently pursuing. Currency shortages and uncertainties coupled with looming hyperinflation are continually fuelling cost distortions and what makes the problem more complex is the fact that skyrocketing prices has eroded the buying power of the majority whose incomes remained stagnant. The removal of pricing distortions will remain a fallacy if the currency issue is not resolved once and for all and ensure that there is consistency in the currency regime.

In terms of fiscal discipline, it does not suffice to say that the government has made success as claimed by the Finance Minister up until a time when there is evident transparency and accountability in fiscal management. As it stands, fiscal management in the country is shrouded in secrecy, lack of accountability with misappropriation and abuse of public funds being the order of the day as evidenced by the recent Zimbabwe National Roads Administration Authority (ZINARA) Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) scandal where reports claim that more than $1 million was abused under the pretext of being a fund for the road administrator’s CSR activities. Transparency and accountability remain low hanging fruits for the government and what is required is honouring constitutional and associated legislative provisions on public finance management.   

With the government cheering austerity measures, citizens are grappling with high cost of living in an economy crumbling at its knees. Evidence of economic growth should manifest itself through improved material living conditions for the ordinary citizens.

Government is coming under increasing scrutiny over the manner it handled cyclone idai aid with political activists demanding an audit of how the monies and donations were used.

Chiposi who is a losing parliamentary candidate for Southerton in Hararevsaid Activist Fungai Chiposi called on the government through the Auditor General to audit public as well as private led donation campaigns to check if all contributions went to the intended objective.

Chiposi also suggested that guidelines be put in place for future situations where Zimbabweans will donate to disaster causes.

“Our budding democracy needs this opportunity to grow stronger. Our listening President, who is the President of all citizens of Zimbabwe, must order the Auditor General’s office to audit all donations and systems that came into play during this disaster. Every donated cent and banana must be accounted for.

“The report must be immediately made public so that the nation learns for the future. Systems to handle future disasters must be put in place and guidelines made public. Creation of a disaster fund is of utmost importance. Earmarking independent response organisations will quickly mobilise resources in future.

“An audit of Cyclone Idai disaster will also assure citizens that their money and goods were put to good and intended use and thus motivate them to help more in future. Distribution of relief and disaster assistance donations along political lines should be a thing of the past. The international community should rest assured that all their help will be used as intended and accounted for.

“The Auditor-general must not focus only on government ministries but everyone who played a part in receiving donations for and behalf of Cyclone Idai survivors,” said Chiposi.

Former Bulawayo provincial minister Angeline Masuku declared that she too must not be buried at the National Heroes Acre in Harare after the Zanu-PF politburo initially turned down a request to have Misheck Velaphi Ncube declared a national hero, ZimLive reported.

The politburo had initially declared Ncube a liberation war hero to be accorded a state-assisted funeral, and the party’s secretary for administration Obert Mpofu had been sent to convey the message.

But an emergency meeting at the party’s provincial HQ at Davies Hall in Bulawayo on Friday ended with a delegation being sent to Harare to make the case to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, two officials briefed on the meeting confirmed.

Ncube, who died on April 29 from diabetes at the age of 82 and was one of the pioneer ZIPRA fighters during the 1970s independence war after receiving military training in Egypt in 1962, was declared a national hero on Saturday after Mnangagwa overruled the politburo, the officials said.

“Masuku was quite forceful at the meeting, saying that if Ncube was not declared a national hero then she too and everyone else in the room did not deserve the honour. She said Callistus Ncube, who was buried at the National Heroes Acre also did not deserve to be there ahead of Ncube,” one Zanu-PF official said.

“She was supported by central committee member Joseph Tshuma and others who said the denial of national hero status to Ncube reflected a skewed understanding of the liberation history, with only former ZANLA combatants considered fit for the honour.”

Zanu-PF politburo member, Munyaradzi Machacha, who was appointed by Mnangagwa to oversee the restructuring of the party in Bulawayo, was so alarmed by the strong objections among ex-ZAPU officials that he called Mnangagwa during the meeting to tell him that “people are angry down here.”

Mnangagwa said he would meet a two-member delegation that travelled to Harare to see him. He told the officials that he knew Ncube, and had sent him a personal message through Bulawayo’s provincial minister Judith Ncube during the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair at the end of last month after learning that he was hospitalised.

Mnangagwa subsequently overruled the politburo and directed officials to declare Ncube a national hero.

Speaking at the Ncube home in New Lobengula in Bulawayo on Saturday, Zanu-PF politburo member Absalom Sikhosana said: “He was involved at all levels of the liberation struggle. He was involved at all levels of the political leadership. There is no reason whatsoever for denying him that right (national hero declaration). That’s the appropriate consideration befitting a man of his calibre.”

Ncube was the ZAPU administrator soon after independence in 1980 and was among top leaders arrested after the government allegedly discovered arms caches at a farm owned by the party.

The arrests, which also saw the detention of late ZIPRA commander Lookout Masuku and current ZAPU leader Dumiso Dabengwa being charged with treason, marked the beginning of the Gukurahundi massacres.

At the time of his death, Ncube was a member of the Zanu-PF national consultative assembly.

Burial arrangements were yet to be announced on Sunday.

-ZimLive

Latest data from Zimstat shows that the average Zimbabwean lived on $5.63 per day while an average family of five persons needed $872.94 in order to survive and not to be deemed poor. 

This means that Zimbabweans are now living slightly below the World Bank’s updated international poverty line of US$1.90 a day, at US$1.87 (based on March end official interbank rate of 3.012).

 According to the Poverty Datum Lines for March, the total consumption poverty line for a family of five stood at $872.94 in March 2019. This means that an average household required that much to purchase both food and non-food items for them not to be deemed poor. This represents an increase of 5.53% from February 2019 figure of $827.19.

According to the latest PICES (Poverty Income, Consumption and Expenditure Survey) report, The average household size in Zimbabwe is 4.2 persons. Household sizes in rural areas are on average larger with (4.5 persons) compared to household sizes in urban areas with (3.4 persons).

 The PDL for the country stood at $174.59 per person in March 2019, an increase of 5.53% from February’s $165.44.

Number of people living in extreme poverty in Zimbabwe at the date of the last Poverty Survey was 2.5 million representing a poverty rate of 16%. This is below the 18% poverty rate that the World Bank considers as being in extreme poverty. According to the World Bank’s Poverty Report for 2018 titled; Piecing Together the Poverty Puzzle, released recently, most of the 43 countries with poverty rates above 18% are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Zimbabwe’s poverty gap is at 3.5.
 
According to the report, Sub-Saharan Africa has little or no chance of achieving the UN target of having not more than three percent of its population living in extreme poverty by 2030.  The rate of reduction is decelerating despite the dramatic decline of poverty in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) since the early 1990s.

The food poverty line (FPL) as at March 2019 stood at $58.93. This means that the minimum needs basket cost that much per person in March 2019. This represents an increase of 2.7% over February’s $57.38.  The March 2019 FPL for an average of five persons in Zimbabwe stood at $294.66 from $286.90.

No details included in the Zimstat PDL index are provided but the differences in costs between different parts of the country are shown. The TCPL for an average household in March 2019 ranged from the lowest of $825.00 in Mashonaland East Province to the highest of $902.00 in the Matabeleland North Province. Bulawayo experienced the highest inflation among the surveyed regions with the average cost of living rising 7% to $866.00. Meanwhile, Matebeleland South experienced the lowest rise in living costs at 4.5% to $887.00.

PICES notes that in Harare Province 27.7% of the economically active persons 15 years and above are unemployed while 26.1% are in the paid employee permanent category. In Bulawayo 26.7% of the economically active persons are unemployed while 23.8% are paid employees permanent.

It is noted that the proportion of unpaid family workers is lowest in Matabeleland North with 0.6% and highest in Manicaland with 3.4%. It is also noted that most provinces with a large rural component are mainly engaged in agricultural activities. The proportion of communal and resettlement farmers across provinces excluding Harare and Bulawayo range from 62.9% in Mashonaland East province to 82.1% in Matabeleland North.  

Online

President Mnangagwa has once again come to the aid of the family of former Prime Minister and the late MDC T founding leader, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai by providing financial and logistical support to the memorial service of the former opposition leader to be held in Buhera today. 

Government yesterday dispatched two graders to clear the road linking Murambinda road to Mr Tsvangirai’s homestead and will provide food for more than 5 000 people expected to throng Humanikwa village in Buhera where the memorial service would be held. 

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the assistance Government was providing to the Tsvangirai family was consistent with President Mnangagwa’s commitment to unity and peace in the country.

“I do not have the actual detail of what has been given to the Tsvangirai family but what is critical is that President Mnangagwa will continue supporting the family because Mr Tsvangirai worked well with us as Government when he was Prime Minister during the Inclusive Government. It is also in the spirit of oneness that President Mnangagwa is showing this gesture. You might also need to know that the Tsvangirai family invited President Mnangagwa to the memorial service and obviously he will respond appropriately just as he did during the funeral wake when he sent me and Oppah Muchinguri to represent him,” said Minister Mutsvangwa. 

In an interview yesterday from Buhera, Mr Manase Tsvangirai, younger brother to the late Mr Tsvangirai confirmed the development and said the family felt indebted to President Mnangagwa. 

“As the Tsvangirai family, we are very grateful to President Mnangagwa and the Government for the continued support that they have been rendering to us starting from the illness of my brother in South Africa up to date when we are holding a memorial service for him. I am sitting on my brother’s homestead right now, there are two graders clearing the road, tents and being pitched, Government has pledged to provide food that will be served to more than 5 000 people expected to come,” said Manase. 

“Had it not been for Government, I do not think that as a family we would have been able to manage this memorial. Of course, there are other individuals who have come to assist in some way but the Government, led by President Mnangagwa, has assisted us in a big way to ensure that the event succeeds.” He said President Mnangagwa had not only assisted them to make the memorial a success but had fulfilled his pledge to help the family.

“Right now, Government is paying tuition fees for Mr Tsvangirai’s children in Australia and in South Africa,” said Manase. 

He said Government had not relented on assisting the family from the time of Mr Tsvangirai’s illness. 

“Government rendered help to us from illness of my brother in South Africa up to his death, it provided air tickets for people who went there, paid hospitals bills, ferried the body to its burial including the food just to mention a few. We remain grateful to President Mnangagwa,” he said.  Turning to the memorial, Manase said the wish of the family was that the event should not be used as a campaign platform. 

“We know that the MDC, which my brother led, is approaching its congress, and there might be a temptation for some to use the event as a campaign platform. This is why we were saying we are encouraging people not to put on self serving regalia but regalia that espouses the work of Mr Tsvangirai whom we are commemorating,” he said. 

Mr Tsvangirai died in February last year at a hospital in Johannesburg after he succumbed to cancer of the colon.

-Online

Zimbabwe Newspapers (Zimpapers) Group radio division staff reportedly downed tools yesterday in protest over late payments.

A staffer at Diamond FM in Mutare, who preferred to speak on condition of anonymity, told NewsDay that the company was ill treating them.

“We are on go-slow today because our employer is paying us two weeks on after the actual pay day. Another grievance is that there is unfair treatment of independent contractors,”the source said.

“These are supposed to get benefits such as sick leave, medical aid and bonuses, but they have not gotten them for the last three years. There is also no salary increment.”

Another source said after their efforts to negotiate were turned down by the employer, they thought the only language Zimpapers bosses could understand was an industrial action.

The staff said the strike had spread to Zimpapers Group’s other radio stations such as Capitalk FM in Harare and Nyaminyami FM in Kariba.

The Zimpapers Group is alleged to have not been spared by the “austerity for prosperity” measures which was introduced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government as staff salaries

have been eroded following the devaluation of the local Real Time Gross Settlement dollar currency against its benchmark, the United States dollar.

Zimpapers Group spokesperson Beatrice Tonhodzayi said they had met staff in Mutare and resolved their grievances.

“Our teams are at work. The stations are on air. There were some internal meetings with staff in Mutare, as is the case with any organisation in these tough times, but all is well. Like

any other business, we continue to engage with staff as we move forward,” she said.

-Newsday

FIRST LADY Auxillia Mnangagwa on Saturday stood up scores of Beitbridge civil servants and her ruling Zanu PF party supporters gathered for what has become a traditional national clean-up exercise recently launched by her husband President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

As early as 7:30am, Beitbridge district development committee members had gathered for the First Lady’s briefing, but instead Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs minister Abednico Ncube showed up for the function.

No explanation was given. Some participants, who had availed themselves for the cleaning exercise, dismissed the event as a publicity stunt after the Environmental Management Agency and

the Beitbridge Municipality selected the border post leaving several dirty areas in the town, where the generation of litter is spiralling out of control.

“We have a company contracted to clean the Beitbridge Border Post and this cleaning should have been taken to Dulivhadzimo or other places where it would drive the message to residents.

This is like preaching to the converted. It is a publicity stunt,” remarked one participant.

Mnangagwa has declared every first Friday of each month as a national clean-up day. He has been actively involved, going to various places around the country to lead the national cleaning exercise.

At the poorly-attended gathering in Dulivhadzimo Stadium, Ncube asked law enforcement agents to arrest and bring to book litter bugs.

”I urge all law enforcement arms such as EMA, the Zimbabwe Republic Police and Beitbridge town police to be on guard to prevent further littering and dumping of waste,” he said.

He said there was need to strengthen laws against littering at the same time calling for the recycling of waste coupled by separation of litter at source.

“I am reliably informed that 60 residents of Beitbridge received training on waste separation at source. I want to implore Beitbridge residents to (take advantage of the) opportunities

that come with the high volumes of recyclable waste. Let us think of recycling enterprises as income-generating projects,” said Ncube.

Beitbridge deputy mayor Munyaradzi Chitsunge asked the 60 000 residents of the border town to collectively combat litter.

He said local authorities faced a major problem in solid waste management and this also affected the country and continent at large.

Chitsunge said his council was ready to partner with other stakeholders in cleaning up of the border town.

-Newsday

Jane Mlambo| Former Bulawayo senator David Coltart has tweeted his excitement on returning to Harvest House, the MDC headquarters.

Coltart left the main MDC together with Professor Welshman Ncube in 2005 following sharp disagreements on the party’s participation in the Senate elections.

He was appointed Minister of Education, Sports, Arts and Culture on a MDC-M ticket and had stuck with Ncube until the parties joined forces to create the MDC-Alliance.

Coltart is gunning for the MDC Treasurer General post at the upcoming elective Congress.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

By Farai D Hove| The late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s firstborn son, Edwin, took a loud swipe at MDC President Nelson describing his complaints about the 2018 election rigging as futile.

Edwin was humiliated during his father’s memorial on Saturday, while ordering Chamisa to stop complaining about electoral fraud. Below is an excerpt of his speech (ALSO WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW):

Edwin: I would like to finish saying Morgan used to know that power which comes without peace is a futile exercise. Power without peace is a futile exercise. To those who are ruling right now and to those who are aspiring for power, power without peace is futile. Because the country of a democratic dispensation cannot prevail in an atmosphere of violence and despair. I shall finish by saying Morgan said himself, to all of us as his children my children I cannot rule the country watching dead bodies in the street. I will have to know when to stop, I will have to stop. I will have to know when to stop and when to proceed. So because of all this let us all conclude by saying our country is not in a good place. But there is Hope. This country is endowed with resources, with abilities, with capacity we must use all our potential for the progress of this country. Let me stress one little point, let me just say this so that you understand this, there is a gratitude I want to extend to those who have made contributions. I want to praise the government I want to praise president (Emmerson Mnangagwa).

LOUD BOOING FROM STAGE.

Edwin: No please listen to me, pay attention to me. Listen to me, listen to me.

CROWD SCREAMS: GET AWAY, GET AWAY!

– Amos Chibaya rises.

Chibaya: Tshisa Mpama Tshisa! Maoko mudenga!

Chibaya: Chinja, I said wave your hands in the air, both of them!

CROWD RESPONDS LOUDLY…

Chibaya: I think this is the last time he is speaking please let us pay attention to him. Gukula, Izenzo! Please we want order.

Edwin Tsvangirai returns on front stage.

Edwin: Machinja! Machinja! Machinja, veduwee…

Please listen to me, please listen to me now, please listen to me, you have eaten Sadza, you have eaten food, please be grateful, thank you

By Own Correspondent- Following the recent visit to National Pharmaceutical Company (Natpharm) by the first lady, Auxillia Mnangagwa, the government has given Natpharm a one-week ultimatum to disburse medicine to health institutions across the country.

Health and Child Care Minister Obadiah Moyo said failure to do so, heads would roll.

He said:

I am giving you one week to clear all those boxes that are here. You have to make sure that all those stocks move to districts, laboratories, clinics. We cannot have excuses. So it is up to you to come up with a system in place that takes care of the movement of the products.

The minister also said that he expected a change in the way things were done at Natpharm. He also said that he was shocked to realise that Natpharm was stockpiling drugs. He also said that Natpharm should make sure all the products are disbursed as soon as they arrive.

Natpharm managing director, Mrs. Florah Sifeku had earlier revealed that they distribute medicine that would have been ordered. With regards to medicine in stock, she said that some laboratories had already ordered them but were not able to immediately take them up because of the absence of other consumables and equipment.-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent- Zanu Pf has sent an over 10 member delegation to China for exchanging ideas.

The delegation is led by national party chairperson Oppah Muchinguri.

Speaking during an interview before the departure of the delegation, Munyaradzi Machacha said the trio was meant to strengthen relations between Zimbabwean and the Chinese ruling parties.

He said:

This is part of our regular cooperation. We are two revolutionary parties that share a rich history. We want to exchange views on party building so that we can strengthen the party.

Muchacha also said that ZANU PF intended to learn economic policies from its Chinese counterpart. He also noted that China has been doing well economically hence the need to copy and domesticate some ideas.

The party’s look East policy has been criticised for not bearing any significant results to the country. The policy was adopted following a fall out between Zimbabwe and Western economies like the UK and the rest of the European Union

By Own Correspondent- Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has said that in the event that the MDC manages to get into government, his government will not have three vice presidents.

The structure of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) currently accommodates three vice presidents.

Speaking at a memorial service for the party’s founding president Morgan Tsvangirai in Buhera on Saturday, Chamisa said:

“Some ask where the vice presidents issue came from. One of the ideas Tsvangirai brought up was the three vice presidents. In the ZCTU, from whose womb the party was formed, there are four presidents; we ended at three.

Some ask what does this mean? In government we won’t have that, the government is supposed to be lean and mean. We’ll separate the government from the party.

The agenda started by Morgan Tsvangirai is not going to be betrayed. We remain going back to the centre, which is the ZCTU. The party was born out of the determination of the workers.”

By Own Correspondent- Over 130 youths were arrested in Bulawayo for conducting the infamous “vuzu” parties in the city over the weekend.

A Vuzu party has been defined by some as an orgy or underground club setting party for teenagers, popular in Bulawayo where they engage in all sorts of immoral behavior.

The 131 youths, including one 13-year-old boy and 15 girls, who were being held in custody will appear in court today.

ZRP Acting Spokesperson for Bulawayo province, Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the arrest to the State Media.

Ncube also revealed that some of the young people are alleged to have been drunk on alcohol and drugs. Alcohol, drugs and used condoms, as well as sex enhancing pills, were discovered at the crime scene. Below is a photo of things discovered.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police has appealed to parents and other members of the community to assist law enforcement agencies in dealing with the vuzu parties scourge which has rocked Bulawayo.

Whilst some have suggested that those engaged in such parties be rounded up and disciplined, some have dug into the likely causes of such parties. Some have claimed that parents are no longer executing their duties, objects, and responsibilities as guardians in society. Some have blamed economic conditions for the conduct of the youths.-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent- The Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Matthew Harrington has said that the Zimbabwean government must reform for sanctions to be lifted. The diplomat specifically identified the use of the security sector to intimidate citizens and the media and repressive laws as major issues to be dealt with.

Speaking at Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, Harrington said that the removal of sanctions depended upon Zimbabwe.

Harrington said:

“Any goodwill from the international community that might have been generated by an improved election process dissipated as a result of several problematic developments.

In addition, in January and February (2019) the army launched a sustained crackdown on citizens in response to their protests over fuel price increases. We welcome a better relationship with Zimbabwe, but the ball is very much in the Zimbabwean government’s court. If there’s real, concrete progress in the areas laid out in the ZIDERA legislation Zimbabwe will find a committed partner in the United States.”

By Own Correspondent- Zimbabwe teachers said yesterday they will stage massive demonstrations and they will not go back to work unless the government reviewed their salaries.

Teachers are supposed to go back to work on Tuesday this week when the schools open for the second term.

Amalgamated Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz) secretary-general, Robson Chere, also said their members would be embarking on a go-slow. “We have resolved to embark on a series of protests, to demand a living wage. We have since written to the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and also the ministry of Finance about our eroded wages.

“However, they seem reluctant to act and we are fully aware that the language they understand most is through action, and our members are ready for that

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general, Raymond Majongwe, also accused the government of spurning their calls for dialogue.

“We have communicated to the government that things are bad. We asked them to organise a meeting, but they are not responding. Judging from what is on the ground, teachers are not going to teach.

“We tried our best to engage the government, and so they must not blame us if our members fail to come to work. We gave them enough time, but they did nothing,” Majongwe told the Daily News.

“Our members are just going to check in on Tuesday, but they are not going to undertake any duties. We are having a sit-in whilst we prepare to escalate the protest to a higher level.” Chere said.

Early this month, the government announced salary increments ranging from 13 percent to 29 percent, depending on grades, leaving the lowest paid State worker getting RTGS $600.-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent- Zanu-PF Secretary for Legal Affairs Paul Mangwana dismissed as false claims by MDC-Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa that Zanu-PF and MDC-T had agreed on a transitional authority.

During Operation Restore Legacy, Zanu-PF recalled Mugabe — then party’s president and First Secretary — before instituting impeachment proceedings in Parliament which also involved opposition legislators. And as the august House sat in the afternoon of November 21, Mugabe tendered his resignation, writing to the Clerk of Parliament that he was stepping down.

Mangwana claimed that the removal of former president Robert Mugabe in November 2017 was the party’s internal project and the opposition MDC was only roped in as a back-up against some ruling party members deciding against the impeachment of the former president in Parliament.

Chamisa wildly claimed at the memorial service of the late opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai at the weekend that President Mnangagwa had betrayed the late Tsvangirai by allegedly backtracking on concessions he made to secure the opposition leader’s backing in the ouster of the former president.

When Mugabe fell, the stricken Tsvangirai left the hospital in South Africa in apparent anticipation of trappings of the development. But Mangwana, who is Zanu-PF’s legal secretary, said Tsvangirai was only promised his pension and that his welfare would be looked after, a promise which Government has since fulfilled.

“I was involved in the discussions and we never deliberated on a transitional authority or any coalition,” said Mangwana. “This was purely a Zanu-PF internal process. The only role played by MDC-T was as insurance in Parliament in case some of our legislators do not show up for the vote of no confidence.”

Mangwana said Zanu-PF had a two-thirds majority and could have removed the former president without the involvement of the opposition party. “So, there was no talk of any coalition at any point,” he said. “Zanu-PF had the majority to Government by itself. Whoever is saying anything to the contrary is peddling falsehoods.”

Chamisa was quoted saying, “Tsvangirai told me that Chamisa, we are now going to help remove the poverty caused by Mugabe, but the assurance I have is that we are going to have a transitional authority.”

“I said to him, this was a good thing, but asked him if he was sure about the people he was dealing with and he said ‘let us give them time’. We gave them time and they betrayed my old man.” Zanu-PF resolved to impeach former president Mugabe on November 20, 2017 after he refused to resign. The resolution to impeach Mugabe was reached by a caucus of Zanu-PF parliamentarians.

The party said the former president faced several charges including allowing his wife Dr Grace Mugabe to usurp constitutional powers when she was not an elected official. On November 21, 2017 Mugabe resigned from office following a week of unrelenting pressure from the public and his own party Zanu-PF, for him to step down after 37 years at the helm.

Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda made the announcement during a joint sitting of the National Assembly and Senate in the capital that was debating a motion to impeach the now former president.-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent- Prosecutor Edmore Nyazamba on Saturday appeared in court facing charges of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer after he allegedly failed to oppose an application for exception by former minister Supa Mandiwanzira at the High Court recently.

Mandiwanzira was eventually acquitted of all the charges involving breach of procurement regulations when he awarded a $218 million contract to Megawatt, a South African-based consultancy company, on behalf of NetOne.

As part of his bail conditions, the prosecutor was ordered to surrender his travelling documents to the Clerk of Court. The prosecutor was also ordered not to interfere with witnesses and to continue residing at his given address while reporting twice a week on Mondays and Fridays at Mbare Police Station until the matter is finalised.

Nyazamba (42) is being accused of acting contrary to his duties when he failed to lodge relevant papers in opposing Mandiwanzira’s application seeking review of the trial court’s proceedings. Nyazamba was not formally charged with criminal abuse of duty when he appeared before Harare magistrate Learnmore Mapiye, who remanded him to June 3 on $200 bail.

Nyazamba’s lawyer, Bhekithemba Mlausi, made a complaint to the court over failure by the police to divulge all the allegations being levelled against his client when they took him to the station.

He said Nyazamba was informed of some of the charges he is facing shortly before the proceedings of the remand hearing. Charges against Nyazamba arose on March 6, when he was assigned to handle a court application filed at the High Court under case number HC 1761/19 for review involving Mandiwanzira, who was challenging the decision of the trial court to dismiss his application for exception.

The matter had been set for March 8.

It is alleged that on March 8, Nyazamba informed the court that the State’s intention to oppose the application and asked for time to file his papers.

This resulted in the matter being deferred to March 19 and notwithstanding the deadline given, and contrary to his duties, Nyazamba failed to lodge relevant papers, allegedly showing favour to Mandiwanzira.

This prompted the matter to be set down on the unopposed roll on March 27 before it was again deferred to April 3 on which date Mandiwanzira’s application was granted unopposed by Justice Mathonsi.

FIRST LADY Auxillia Mnangagwa on Saturday stood up scores of Beitbridge civil servants and her ruling Zanu PF party supporters gathered for what has become a traditional national clean-up exercise recently launched by her husband President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

As early as 7:30am, Beitbridge district development committee members had gathered for the First Lady’s briefing, but instead Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs minister Abednico Ncube showed up for the function.

No explanation was given. Some participants, who had availed themselves for the cleaning exercise, dismissed the event as a publicity stunt after the Environmental Management Agency and
the Beitbridge Municipality selected the border post leaving several dirty areas in the town, where the generation of litter is spiralling out of control.

“We have a company contracted to clean the Beitbridge Border Post and this cleaning should have been taken to Dulivhadzimo or other places where it would drive the message to residents.
This is like preaching to the converted. It is a publicity stunt,” remarked one participant.

Mnangagwa has declared every first Friday of each month as a national clean-up day. He has been actively involved, going to various places around the country to lead the national
cleaning exercise.

At the poorly-attended gathering in Dulivhadzimo Stadium, Ncube asked law enforcement agents to arrest and bring to book litter bugs.

”I urge all law enforcement arms such as EMA, the Zimbabwe Republic Police and Beitbridge town police to be on guard to prevent further littering and dumping of waste,” he said.

He said there was need to strengthen laws against littering at the same time calling for the recycling of waste coupled by separation of litter at source.

“I am reliably informed that 60 residents of Beitbridge received training on waste separation at source. I want to implore Beitbridge residents to (take advantage of the) opportunities
that come with the high volumes of recyclable waste. Let us think of recycling enterprises as income-generating projects,” said Ncube.

Beitbridge deputy mayor Munyaradzi Chitsunge asked the 60 000 residents of the border town to collectively combat litter.

He said local authorities faced a major problem in solid waste management and this also affected the country and continent at large.

Chitsunge said his council was ready to partner with other stakeholders in cleaning up of the border town.

Paul Nyathi|The EFF’s firebrand Commander In Chief Julius Malema has been invited to attend the MDC’s elective conference that will be held in Gweru later on Africa day weekend in May, ZimEye.com can reveal.

Malema will be joined by Kenya’s former prime minister Ralia Odinga amongst other opposition political party leaders in the continent who are yet to confirm attendance after invitations by the MDC have also been extended to them.

According to reliable sources within the MDC who requested anonymity at the stage, invitations have already been sent out to more than a dozen leading political leaders in Africa including EFF leader Julius Malema to attend the congress.

“Among the list of invited dignitaries will include diplomats and civil organisations from various embassies based in Zimbabwe and political leaders from the African continent,” said the source.

More than 9000 delegates are expected to converge at Ascot stadium in Gweru for the opposition party’s 5th elective congress where Nelson Chamisa will attend uncontested.

This will be the first time the new look United MDC will hold an elective congress without founding leader the late Morgan Tsvangirai.

Tsvangirai’s MDC had a “T” at the end – which stood for Tsvangirai himself. This was to distinguish his MDC from the Welshman Ncube MDC which had cut ties with Tsvangirai. Ncube was the founding secretary-general of the MDC.

Just before he died Tsvangirai had agreed to bring back former “rebels” who had been founding members of the party. This included Welshman Ncube, Tendai Biti and Job Sikhala. For his part, Chamisa agreed to accommodate and rope in his former “comrades-in-arms” into his election campaign.

The coalition under their umbrella became known as the MDC-Alliance party just before Zimbabwe’s 2018 elections. The reason for the name change was that former MDC member Thokozani Khupe was arguing in the courts that her formation was the bona fide MDC-T.

The MDC Alliance has since completed its integration of alliance partners to rename the party by its founding name MDC leaving Khupe running with the MDC-T name.

Malema will attend the congress fresh from a gruelling election set for this Wednesday in South Africa where he is fighting to increase his party’s six percent representation in parliament to a higher stake where they are targeting at least 25%.

So far the youthful leader has done very well matching the giant ruling ANC pound for pound in the election campaign rallies.

State Media|POLICE have arrested 131 rowdy youths in Bulawayo in an operation that saw law enforcement agents also confiscating alcohol and sex enhancing pills from teenagers headed to Vuzu parties where they engage in risky unprotected group sex.

Young people in Bulawayo have developed a tradition of going on the rampage in the city centre on the first Saturday after schools close and the last Saturday before a new school term begins.

Police said those arrested on Saturday are aged between 14 and 24 years and are in custody awaiting to be taken to court for criminal nuisance and public drinking.

Their arrest follows the arrest of 40 others aged between 15 and 25 years on the first Saturday after schools closed last month.

Forty nine more were arrested on the last day of the 60th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.

The latest arrests follow warnings by the police that they had increased deployment of officers to deal with the unruly youths over the weekend.

Police raised concern that there is a growing trend of youths causing anarchy in the city centre or organising Vuzu parties where alcohol and drugs are abused leading to unprotected sex.

Bulawayo acting police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said police on Saturday walked the talk and made arrests and some of those arrested had sex enhancing ‘vuka vuka’ pills.

“We arrested 131 youths in the CBD for criminal nuisance and public drinking. Some of these kids were making disruptive noise in the city and uttering obscene words and drinking alcohol in public.

“We also arrested a 28-year-old kombi driver, Nkosiphile Ndlovu, who was driving a Toyota Hiace with number plate ADZ 1987. Alert cops intercepted the vehicle which was headed towards Mahatshula suburb. The kombi had 25 youths and it was loaded with alcohol, nine packets of unused condoms, sex enhancing pills and mbanje,” he said.

Insp Ncube said Ndlovu’s vehicle was impounded.

He said seven 750ML bottles of Breakers spirit, one bottle of Gold blend, one 750ml bottle of Two Keys, one 150ML bottle of Modivine spirit and peppermint cigarettes were found in the kombi.

Insp Ncube said those who were arrested were taken to Central Police Station awaiting court appearances.

“They are in safe police custody waiting to be taken to court. We have asked their parents and guardians to bring their birth certificates for those under age as we want to avoid being given false names. They will be charged with public nuisance and public drinking,” he said.

“They will also be released after their parents and guardians consult the Department of Social Welfare as it has become clear that there is no proper parenting of some of these children at home.

“It still doesn’t make sense that parents and guardians allow their children to be all over town when they clearly know of the activities they usually indulge in.”

Insp Ncube said the police want parents to raise responsible children.

He said the girl child is abused at Vuzu parties.

Prosecutor Edmore Nyazamba on Saturday appeared in court facing charges of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer after he allegedly failed to oppose an application for exception by former minister Supa Mandiwanzira at the High Court recently.

Mandiwanzira was eventually acquitted of all the charges invloving breach of procurement regulations when he awarded a $218 million contract to Megawatt, a South African-based consultancy company, on behalf of NetOe.

Nyazamba (42) is being accused of acting contrary to his duties when he failed to lodge relevant papers in opposing Mandiwanzira’s application seeking review of the trial court’s proceedings.

Nyazamba was not formally charged with criminal abuse of duty when he appeared before Harare  magistrate Mrs Learnmore Mapiye, who remanded him to June 3 on $200 bail.

As part of his bail conditions, the prosecutor was ordered to surrender his travelling documents to the Clerk of Court.

The prosecutor was also ordered not to interfere with witnesses and to continue residing at his given address while reporting twice a week on Mondays and Fridays at Mbare Police Station, until the matter is finalised.

Nyazamba’s lawyer, Mr Bhekithemba Mlausi, made a complaint to the court over failure by the police to divulge all the allegations being levelled against his client when they took him to the station.

He said Nyazamba was informed of some of the charges he is facing shortly before the proceedings of the remand hearing.

Charges against Nyazamba arose on March 6, when he was assigned to handle a court application filed at the High Court under case number HC 1761/19 for review involving Mandiwanzira, who was challenging the decision of the trial court to dismiss his application for exception.

The matter had been set for March 8.

It is alleged that on March 8, Nyazamba informed the court that the State’s intention to oppose the application and asked for time to file his papers.

This resulted in the matter being deferred to March 19 and notwithstanding the deadline given, and contrary to his duties, Nyazamba failed to lodge relevant papers, allegedly showing favour to Mandiwanzira.

This prompted the the matter to be set down on the unopposed roll on March 27 before it was again deferred to April 3 on which date Mandiwanzira’s application was granted unopposed by Justice Mathonsi.

-State Media

Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri and 9 other senior ZANU PF officials have flown to China. The last time Vice President Constantino Chiwenga flew there, a coup happened within days.

The 10 member delegation have traveled there for an exchanging of ideas.

In an interview before the departure of the delegation, Munyaradzi Machacha said the trip would strengthen relations between Zimbabwean and the Chinese ruling parties.

He said ZANU PF intends to learn economic policies from its chinese counterpart. He also noted that China has been doing well economically hence the need to copy and domesticate some ideas.

Machacha said, “this is part of our regular cooperation. We are two revolutionary parties that share a rich history. We want to exchange views on party building so that we can strengthen the party. – state media

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

By Farai D Hove| The late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s firstborn son, Edwin, took a loud swipe at MDC President Nelson describing his complaints about the 2018 election rigging as futile.

Edwin was humiliated during his father’s memorial on Saturday, while ordering Chamisa to stop complaining about electoral fraud. Below is an excerpt of his speech (ALSO WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW):

Edwin: I would like to finish saying Morgan used to know that power which comes without peace is a futile exercise. Power without peace is a futile exercise. To those who are ruling right now and to those who are aspiring for power, power without peace is futile. Because the country of a democratic dispensation cannot prevail in an atmosphere of violence and despair. I shall finish by saying Morgan said himself, to all of us as his children my children I cannot rule the country watching dead bodies in the street. I will have to know when to stop, I will have to stop. I will have to know when to stop and when to proceed. So because of all this let us all conclude by saying our country is not in a good place. But there is Hope. This country is endowed with resources, with abilities, with capacity we must use all our potential for the progress of this country. Let me stress one little point, let me just say this so that you understand this, there is a gratitude I want to extend to those who have made contributions. I want to praise the government I want to praise president (Emmerson Mnangagwa).

LOUD BOOING FROM STAGE.

Edwin: No please listen to me, pay attention to me. Listen to me, listen to me.

CROWD SCREAMS: GET AWAY, GET AWAY!

– Amos Chibaya rises.

Chibaya: Tshisa Mpama Tshisa! Maoko mudenga!

Chibaya: Chinja, I said wave your hands in the air, both of them!

CROWD RESPONDS LOUDLY…

Chibaya: I think this is the last time he is speaking please let us pay attention to him. Gukula, Izenzo! Please we want order.

Edwin Tsvangirai returns on front stage.

Edwin: Machinja! Machinja! Machinja, veduwee…

Please listen to me, please listen to me now, please listen to me, you have eaten Sadza, you have eaten food, please be grateful, thank you

Below is the first state media report over the murder of a ZANU PF member exposed by ZimEye.com last week:

The dispute over the gold claims in Chegutu turned fatal last week when one man was shot dead after police tried to control a marauding crowd of approximately 3 000 artisanal miners who wanted to stop the Deputy Sheriff from evicting them.

The artisanal miners, who are part of the Danangwe District Youth Mining Co-operative, have been embroiled in a dispute with Breekridge Investments over the gold claims. The case, however, spilt into the High Court which ruled against the artisanal miners.

In an interview, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the death of Lovemore Feyani after the skirmishes that followed when the Deputy Sheriff tried to evict the artisanal miners.

“On April 25 this year, Mr Drian Mudimu, an Assistant Sheriff, was accompanied by the police to evict some artisanal miners in Chegutu but was confronted by at least 3 000 men who were resisting the eviction order.

“The artisanal miners threatened the court official and police fired teargas to disperse the rowdy crowd and, subsequently, fired shots at the crowd which had turned violent leading to the death of one man,” he said.

Asst Comm Nyathi said police are, however, investigating the case. He also urged artisanal miners to resolve their differences without engaging in violent activities.

“What is important is for them to resolve their disputes peacefully. This also includes the other stakeholders in the sector and we want to urge them to play their part and work in peace and harmony with others,” he said.

“The artisanal miners should also be reminded that that there are certain procedures that need to be followed in resolving disputes without resorting to violence.”

The Danangwe District Youth Mining Co-operative recently vowed to take over the five blocks that are part of 61 claims believed to be lying idle for alleged speculative purposes. The co-operative’s chairperson, Mr Stewart Luckford, said their decision was informed by Government’s intentions to repossess idle gold claims which he claimed had been lying idle since 1969.

He said Breekridge came in 2000 to do exploration and displaced people between 2001 and 2002 but no mining had been taking place since then.

“In 2010, we organised ourselves as youths and formed our co-operative which was fully registered in 2014 and since then we have been religiously contributing gold to Fidelity Printers and Refiners.”

He said the miners invested their funds to resuscitate the mines abandoned several years ago. Mr Luckford said the youths were ready to work with the company suing them as long as the five blocks were secured.

Mashonaland West provincial Chiefs’ Council chairman Senator Chief Ngezi also called for dialogue between the company and the co-operative.

“They should come to the negotiating table. They might claim the claims but the youths are also bona fide citizens who should benefit from the country’s natural resources.

“I once assisted Breekridge to resolve a dispute with a farmer when they wanted to construct a road through his farm and the issue was solved amicably so the same can be done at the mine,” he said.

Government has raised concern over claims held for speculative purposes across the country.

By Farai D Hove| ZANU PF President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his entire cabinet bunked the memorial of the late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai in Buhera on Saturday. While the function food and other expenses were sponsored by the government, there was not a single person visible representing Mnangagwa either officially or socially. This was all contrary to a promise by the government that at-least 2 senior officers would attend. At the time of writing, government had not responded to questions on why they chose to bunk the memorial. BELOW WERE THE LIVE SCENES –

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…. 

we said Mnangagwa if you misbehave, we will go to the https://t.co/6DKzwo5Pmz one voted for nangagwa that is why we went to the constitutional Court, no one voted for him, his presidency was created by the court, not the votes, says @nelsonchamisa LIVE ON https://t.co/RMz9FsvEJW pic.twitter.com/4jsFPHr3FT

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) May 4, 2019

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Below w

Zimbabwe teachers said yesterday they will stage massive demonstrations and they will not  go back to work unless the government reviewed their salaries.

The Teachers are supposed to go back to work on Tuesday next week when the schools open for the second term.

Amalgamated Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz) secretary-general, Robson Chere, also said their members would be embarking on a go-slow. “We have resolved to embark on a series of protests, to demand a living wage. We have since written to the  ministry of Labour and Social Welfare and also the ministry of Finance about our eroded wages.

“However, they seem reluctant to act and we are fully aware that the language they understand most is through action, and our members are ready for that

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general, Raymond Majongwe, also accused the government of spurning their calls for dialogue.

“We have communicated to government that things are bad. We asked them to organise a meeting, but they are not responding. Judging from what is on the ground, teachers are not going to teach.

“We tried our best to engage the government, and so they must not blame us if our members fail to come to work. We gave them enough time, but they did nothing,” Majongwe told the Daily News.

“Our members are just going to check in on Tuesday, but they are not going to undertake any duties. We are having a sit-in whilst we prepare to escalate the protest to a higher level.” Chere said.
Early this month, the government announced salary increments ranging from 13 percent to 29 percent, depending on grades, leaving the lowest paid State worker getting RTGS $600.

-Daily News.

Standard|late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s eldest son yesterday made an impassioned plea to the country’s political leaders to set their difference aside and help resolve the economic crisis facing the country.

Edwin told hundreds of people that attended his father’s memorial service at Humanikwa village in Buhera, Manicaland province, that opposition leaders must draw lessons from Tsvangirai, who at some point worked with former president Robert Mugabe in a joint government.

“As you might recall, we had an economic crisis sometime back and my father sacrificed his life and family for the good of the people,” he said.

“I think we are at that point now where the economic situation is bad.

“I think we have reached the same levels, if not worse. Things are hard and we are saying let us put the interest of the people first.”

Edwin said Tsvangirai was able to put his differences with Mugabe aside for the sake of the country.

“As you heard that my father sacrificed for Zimbabwe, he refused to get state power through blood, but opted to engage with his enemy,” he added.

“We are saying, we are back to the same situation that forced my father to talk to Mugabe. Can our leaders put the interest of the people and do something? These are the times that require such leadership.”

Chamisa has refused to be part of the national dialogue initiated by Mnangagwa, saying talks must be mediated by a neutral person.

He also wants the talks to deal with last year’s disputed elections while the Zanu PF leader insists that the 2018 polls are now history.

Meanwhile, Edwin was booed by the crowd when he thanked government for giving financial assistance to the family.

The government provided security and food at the event. In his address, Chamisa also thanked the government for providing assistance to the former prime minister’s family.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

VIDEO: Edwin Was Filmed LIVE Reading A Speech Which Attacks Chamisa And 1 Aug Victims| WHO WROTE THAT SPEECH?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) May 5, 2019

The late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s firstborn son, Edwin, was humiliated during his father’s memorial, while ordering the new MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa to stop complaining about electoral fraud. Below is an excerpt of his speech:

Edwin: I would like to finish saying Morgan used to know that power which comes without peace is a futile exercise. Power without peace is a futile exercise. To those who are ruling right now and to those who are aspiring for power, power without peace is futile. Because the country of a democratic dispensation cannot prevail in an atmosphere of violence and despair. I shall finish by saying Morgan said himself, to all of us as his children my children I cannot rule the country watching dead bodies in the street. I will have to know when to stop, I will have to stop. I will have to know when to stop and when to proceed. So because of all this let us all conclude by saying our country is not in a good place. But there is Hope. This country is endowed with resources, with abilities, with capacity we must use all our potential for the progress of this country. Let me stress one little point, let me just say this so that you understand this, there is a gratitude I want to extend to those who have made contributions. I want to praise the government I want to praise president (Emmerson Mnangagwa).

LOUD BOOING FROM STAGE.

Edwin: No please listen to me pay attention to me. Listen to me listen to me.

CROWD SCREAMS: GET AWAY, GET AWAY!

– Amos Chibaya rises.

Chibaya: Tshisa Mpama Tshisa! Maoko mudenga!

Chibaya: Chinja, I said wave your hands in the air, both of them!

CROWD RESPONDS LOUDLY…

Chibaya: I think this is the last time he is speaking please let us pay attention to him. Gukula, Izenzo! Please we want order.

Edwin Tsvangirai returns on front stage.

Edwin: Machinja! Machinja! Machinja, veduwee…

Please listen to me please listen to me now please listen to me, you have eaten Sadza, you have eaten food, please be grateful, thank you

Medicines are now being sold illegally on the streets in Zimbabwe as prices of drugs in pharmacies continue to increase beyond the reach of ordinary Zimbabweans. The Sunday Mail reports that antibiotics, painkillers, contraceptives, dermatological creams and body enhancement supplements are now readily available on the streets in the country. The drugs are muggled into the country.

Medicine Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) spokesperson Shingai Gwatidzo commented on the issue saying the formal market is well regulated, quashing the problem of counterfeit medicines.

However, the problem has been the mushrooming of informal drug markets which can be attributed to the high costs of medicines in pharmacies and their pricing in foreign currency, especially the United States dollar.

In order to curb the problem of illegal medicines and drugs, MCAZ is conducting training and capacity building activities for ZIMRA and port health officials, so that they are able to carry out consignment verification and alert law enforcement agents where suspicious goods are identified.

-Online

Farai Dziva|Edwin Tsvangirai, the son of the late legendary MDC founding father, Morgan Tsvangirai, has been castigated for being disrespectful to his father.

While addressing the mammoth crowd at Tsvangirai’ s memorial service in Humanikwa village on Saturday, Edwin repeatedly addressed his father by his first name.

“Morgan was a humble figure and he was a selfless character . Morgan was a man of the people and we learnt a lot from him,”said Edwin.

He was booed by MDC supporters for praising Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Farai Dziva|Irate Zimbabweans have accused Edwin Tsvangirai of selling his integrity for money.

See comments below:
Nigel Gwirikwiti:
Masimbiro akaita Edwin iyo nyika isina chingwa, arikuchiwanepi chikafu! Kusimba kunge Wicknel! He has been financially captured by the Junta! He sold his integrity for money.

Norman Mdzimiri:
He deserved it cz the statements were an incite to the MDC-A family. Sadza rezuva rimwe rinotibatsirei ivo vakauraya our icon. Calling his father by first name does not show respect to him at all that is why he was called to order.

People were right, nesuwo taramba zva Edwin cz he doesnt know the pain of the struggle!

Melody T Gwese:
WE DEMAND AN APOLOGY…iwe bleeding Edwin..

Sasha Sarudzai Shaka:
He just is Tsvangirai’son who z he to tok abt GNU taura zvekurangirira baba vako chete nd liv politics to politician.

Shami Maworera Masibanda:
He deserved it, y being too loyal to the people who betrayed his father.

Ossah Tiri Flynn:
In other words he’s talking to Chamisa. He’s been paid by ED it’s obvious.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

The late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s firstborn son, Edwin, was humiliated during his father’s memorial, while ordering the new MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa to stop complaining about electoral fraud. Below is an excerpt of his speech:

Edwin: I would like to finish saying Morgan used to know that power which comes without peace is a futile exercise. Power without peace is a futile exercise. To those who are ruling right now and to those who are aspiring for power, power without peace is futile. Because the country of a democratic dispensation cannot prevail in an atmosphere of violence and despair. I shall finish by saying Morgan said himself, to all of us as his children my children I cannot rule the country watching dead bodies in the street. I will have to know when to stop, I will have to stop. I will have to know when to stop and when to proceed. So because of all this let us all conclude by saying our country is not in a good place. But there is Hope. This country is endowed with resources, with abilities, with capacity we must use all our potential for the progress of this country. Let me stress one little point, let me just say this so that you understand this, there is a gratitude I want to extend to those who have made contributions. I want to praise the government I want to praise president (Emmerson Mnangagwa).

LOUD BOOING FROM STAGE.

Edwin: No please listen to me pay attention to me. Listen to me listen to me.

CROWD SCREAMS: GET AWAY, GET AWAY!

– Amos Chibaya rises.

Chibaya: Tshisa Mpama Tshisa! Maoko mudenga!

Chibaya: Chinja, I said wave your hands in the air, both of them!

CROWD RESPONDS LOUDLY…

Chibaya: I think this is the last time he is speaking please let us pay attention to him. Gukula, Izenzo! Please we want order.

Edwin Tsvangirai returns on front stage.

Edwin: Machinja! Machinja! Machinja, veduwee…

Please listen to me please listen to me now please listen to me, you have eaten Sadza, you have eaten food, please be grateful, thank you

A Buhera woman has told President Emmerson Mnangagwa to leave office and allow opposition leader Nelson Chamisa to govern as he is the one who won the 2018 elections.

WATCH VIDEO BELOW

WATCH VIDEO BELOW….

Own Correspondent|President Emmerson Mnangagwa has opted to show his crocodile character shedding crocodile tears in memory of the late MDC founding President Morgan Tsvangirai.

In his latest Facebook posting, Mnangagwa parades a photo of him with an ailing Tsvangirai which attracted wide spread criticism when it was first made public just a couple of days before Tsvangirai passed on.

Mnangagwa’s choice of the rather unpleasant picture of him with Tsvangirai is likely to attract huge criticism on the genuineness of his message to the nation o. the occasion to remember the gallant fighter for democracy in the country.

Wrote Mnangagwa:

Today, as we remember Morgan and his contribution to the nation, let us all choose to live those values which he embodied; unity, dialogue, and patriotism.

We live in challenging times, and only by working together, irrespective of party, ethnicity or totem, can we build a peaceful and prosperous Zimbabwe. May Morgan’s memory be blessed, and let us all join hands for the wellbeing of our great nation.

We publish below some of the public appearances of Mnangagwa with Tsvangirai from where he could have chosen a featured image for his memory with Tsvangirai.

ZIMBABWE international midfielder Marvelous Nakamba is set to get some competitive game time ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Egypt after making his first appearance for Belgian football champions Club Brugge in over a month last week.

The star midfielder had been on the sidelines since picking a hip injury during a training session with Club Brugge on March 6, before being ruled out of action for close to eight weeks.

The injury saw Nakamba missing the Warriors’ final Afcon qualifier against Congo in March, although he made the trip to Harare to be with his Warriors teammates ahead of the match that Zimbabwe won 2-0 to secure a ticket to the finals set for June in Egypt.

However, in what should be in major boost for the Warriors ahead of the continental showpiece, Nakamba made a return to action for his club after coming on as a substitute during Club Brugge’s 1-0 win over Anderlecht in the ongoing Jupiler Pro League Championship Play-offs.

Nakamba is also expected to feature for Club Brugge, who are currently on second position on the six-team Jupiler Pro League Championship Play-off standings, when they take on log leaders Genk in back-to-back top-of-the-table clashes scheduled for today and next Sunday.

The Zimbabwean star will be hoping for a strong finish to the season but is enduring a frustrating season at the Belgian football champions after seeing limited game time this term after reportedly falling out with his Croatian coach Ivan Leko.

Leko, according to reports from Belgium last week, has also clashed with other senior players at the club such as captain Ruud Vormer, Hans Vanaken and Stefano Denswil.

However, with the Croatian coach reportedly set to be replaced by current Feyenoord boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst when his contract runs out at the end of the season, Nakamba, who has made just 16 league appearances this year compared to 35 last year, will be eager to finish the campaign on a high.

Nakamba was a regular member of the Club Brugge side when he arrived in Belgium from the Netherlands last year as they won the league title in his maiden season at the club.

He followed that with strong eye-catching performances in his first games this season, including in the UEFA Champions League, which led to significant interest in his services across Europe, with English Premiership side West Ham United leading the charge to secure his signature.

-The Standard

Two Mberengwa brothers were last week sentenced to a combined 100 years in jail after committing a spate of armed robberies and rape.

Shepherd (33) and Tafadzwa (22) Hove pleaded not guilty to five counts each of rape and robbery when they appeared before Gweru regional magistrate Phathekile Msipa.

They were, however, convicted after a full trial and each sentenced to 50 years in prison.

Msipa suspended 10 years, leaving them to serve an effective 40 years each.

The siblings, who are already serving 18 years each following their recent conviction for multiple counts of unlawful entry and theft, will now stay in jail for 58 years each.

Prosecutors said from May 24 to 31 last year, Shepherd, Tafadzwa and their accomplices who are still at large armed themselves with an axe, machetes and Okapi knives and proceeded to Svita business centre in Mberengwa where they raped two women before robbing various shopkeepers of goods worth $3 276.

In another incident at Mahlamvana the trio ordered a shopkeeper, Jeep Maphosa, to surrender all his money and he gave them RTGS$80 before they went on to steal his other property.

-The Standard

Beitbridge town was partially deserted yesterday morning as hundreds of the border town’s residents thronged Mtetengwa communal lands to send off a community leader and businessman Isaka Tshivi, who died last week.

Tshivi, fondly known as Mulalo, Venda for peace, might have not been declared by government as a hero, neither did he get a state-assisted funeral, but the crowds that thronged his village and family’s burial acre easily accorded him the status.

Motor vehicles from the border town made a beeline stretching for more than 5km along the Bulawayo highway as people visited the Tshivi homestead to bid farewell to the man who died after a long illness.

The same vehicle convoy cut across Mtetengwa village and temporarily brought traffic between Bulawayo and Beitbridge to a standstill as mourners drove to the Tshivi family graveyard about 5km from the village shared with Vice-President Kembo Mohadi and his divorced wife Tambudzani, both related to Tshivi.

No one really mentioned his otherwise heroic contribution during the war as a youth activist of note in the Zimbabwe African People’s Union, which saw him being detained for almost a year without trial.

His academic exploits as an accounting diploma certificate holder in then Rhodesia, an achievement of note in the past, was not even talked about.

Yet his humility and expertise in nurturing drivers, a self-taught business he started in 2 000, his warm advice to upcoming businessmen, his attitude above petty tribal politics and religious attendance to issues of Beitbridge town’s development was topical as he was laid to rest.

His love to debate developmental issues glowed in the memories of many present during the Venda early morning burial ritual, a ceremony which started as early as 4am and ended just after daybreak when he was laid to rest.

Beitbridge town clerk Loud Ramagkapola described Tshivi as an active participant in developmental issues who gave his time to issues concerning his home town.

“He was a man who was concerned with the development of this town.

“Each time there were issues to do with signage, accidents and potholes, Mulalo would always call in the office and advise,” Ramagkapola said in a graveside interview.

“He was also concerned about driving schools that were not paying their dues to council and besides, he was full of history and memory of past events within the Beitbridge municipality and we have lost a library, which we were always tapping from.”

A security representative of a company contracted at the Beitbridge border post, Godknows Nhokwara, said during disturbances that rocked the border post on July 1, 2016, Tshivi gave shelter to security guards whose lives were under threat from rioters.

“The rioters ended up burning a state warehouse, but Tshivi sensing possible threat to life, gave the guards shelter and saved them.

“He was selfless and put his life on the block for the guards,” said Nhokwara.

Speaker after speaker gave heart-warming testimonies of how Tshivi, born on January 2, 1952 at Beitbridge District Hospital, led a simple life yet positively influencing others.

Beitbridge paramount chief, the youthful David Mbedzi, whose title is Chief Tshitauze, appealed to his people to be calm and follow the footsteps of Tshivi, whose love for others was visible.

Senator Tambudzani Mohadi, parliamentarians Ruth Maboyi, Albert Nguluvhe, Lisa Singo and diplomat Aaron Maboyi joined scores of businessmen, civil servants and people from all walks of life from as far afield as Johannesburg, Harare and Bulawayo together with Mtetengwa villagers to pay tribute to Tshivi who distinguished himself as a social giant.

“Here is how a hero is defined, it’s simply not by proclamation, but how one lived within his community,” Beitbridge deputy mayor Munyaradzi Chitsunge.

Family spokesman Elias Tshivi said he was at a loss for words.

“The people have given our brother a befitting send-off. He was a pillar we will never be able to forget. We lost a good man,” he said.
Tshivi is survived by 19 children from his two wives and was a grandfather of 25.

-The Standard

The late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s eldest son yesterday made an impassioned plea to the country’s political leaders to set their difference aside and help resolve the economic crisis facing the country.

Edwin told hundreds of people that attended his father’s memorial service at Humanikwa village in Buhera, Manicaland province, that opposition leaders must draw lessons from Tsvangirai, who at some point worked with former president Robert Mugabe in a joint government.

“As you might recall, we had an economic crisis sometime back and my father sacrificed his life and family for the good of the people,” he said.

“I think we are at that point now where the economic situation is bad.

“I think we have reached the same levels, if not worse. Things are hard and we are saying let us put the interest of the people first.”

Edwin said Tsvangirai was able to put his differences with Mugabe aside for the sake of the country.

“As you heard that my father sacrificed for Zimbabwe, he refused to get state power through blood, but opted to engage with his enemy,” he added.

“We are saying, we are back to the same situation that forced my father to talk to Mugabe. Can our leaders put the interest of the people and do something? These are the times that require such leadership.”

Chamisa has refused to be part of the national dialogue initiated by Mnangagwa, saying talks must be mediated by a neutral person.

He also wants the talks to deal with last year’s disputed elections while the Zanu PF leader insists that the 2018 polls are now history.

Meanwhile, Edwin was booed by the crowd when he thanked government for giving financial assistance to the family.

The government provided security and food at the event. In his address, Chamisa also thanked the government for providing assistance to the former prime minister’s family.

-The Standard

Son of the late MDC icon, Morgan Tsvangirai, Edwin has pleaded with political leaders to put national interests ahead of their egos, telling thousands of party supporters who gathered in Humanikwa village, Buhera that his father sacrificed for Zimbabwe.

Edwin who was speaking during the memorial service said, his father refused to get state power through blood.

“As you heard that my father sacrificed for Zimbabwe, he refused to get state power through blood, but opted to engage with his enemy,” he added.

“We are saying, we are back to the same situation that forced my father to talk to Mugabe. Can our leaders put the interest of the people and do something? These are the times that require such leadership.”

His call appeared to be targeted at MDC leader Nelson Chamisa who has refused to budge from his move to disregard President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s victory in the July 2018 elections.

ONE of the country’s agricultural experts, Mr Basil Nyabadza, says the Government should be wary of the emergence of agro-processing industry cartels, which are fast threatening national security.

Mr Nyabadza, a seasoned farmer and Agriculture, Rural and Development Authority (Arda) board chairperson equated the agro-processing industry cartels to “vultures circling in the sky waiting for the demise of their prey.” 

He said there has been an upsurge in the number of conglomerates creating monopolies across the entire agro-processing value chain and assuming powers to determine prices of goods on the local market.

“The food industry is key to the well-being of our people throughout whether in urban or rural areas and that food chain is now under threat because there is monopolistic situation existing within it (food industry). You will find out that it’s well structured, its cartels running whether it is the beef, mealie-meal, flour, bread, cooking oil or the sugar industry.

“There are cartels even in the tobacco industry and so on. Our agricultural structures and the marketing of agricultural produce are founded on cartels. They are not declared cartels but are effective and working and have serious impact in the shortest period of time. That combination sadly undermines national security and causes conflict between business and Government,” said Mr Nyabadza.

He said the cartels are behind the unabated and wanton price increases of goods, notably basic commodities since last year.

“They (cartels) sit around a table and decide what to charge on beef and so on and prices go up in all provinces. It’s not coincidental. It’s a few minds who structure, where is the foreign currency element? Everything is driven by a strong black market economy, which has a leadership and that is causing harm, hence the VP (Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga)’s strong language against economic terrorism within our economy,” said Mr Nyabadza.

He said there was also a cartel working tirelessly to throw spanners on the financial reforms being implemented by Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube.

“The Ministry of Finance has enacted positive policies to generate revenue to address our deficit within Zimbabwe. Government is liquid for the first time in many years. We commend Professor Ncube for his visionary policies and those programmes are now undermined. So it appears there is a black market team working flat out to undermine Government.

“There was Government putting together a structure of Command Agriculture to say let’s grow maize and wheat as your raw materials but they (agro-processing companies) fold their arms. 

“Some are not taking part, they simply use the wheat and maize and if it is not available, they will want to import . . . Every day we eat bread, mealie-meal and meat products and animals consume stock feed they (agro-processing companies) have got all that and it’s a cash rich industry, which is what fuels the black market and now they undermine Government policies and then some fold their arms,” said Mr Nyabadza. 

-State Media

PARENTS have resorted to buying school uniforms from small and informal traders and manufactures ahead of schools opening on Tuesday as the prices of uniforms in established retailers have gone up by about 100 percent, Sunday News has established.

Schools open for the second term this week and apart from school fees increases mainly by boarding schools, parents are also grappling with the prices of uniforms whose prices have gone up sharply. A survey by Sunday News revealed that parents in Bulawayo have instead turned to buying from small traders and manufacturers.

“I went to a known store and was told a jersey for my Grade One boy now costs $45. Here the same jersey, in fact a better and thicker one is going for $20,” said Mrs Emma Moyo who was scouting for uniforms from informal traders on Friday.

Some of the informal traders said they were recording brisk business since last week as more people were opting for their uniforms.

“Some parents bring their fabric and some we provide hence we then negotiate the prices but we can charge as low as $10 per pair of trousers. Some parents also bring samples of school badges and we are able to fix them. It is clear that people now see us as an alternative,” said Mr Bernard Mlilo, who operates near the National Railways of Zimbabwe Station in Bulawayo.

Sunday News discovered flea market traders who are also ordering their merchandise from South Africa and Botswana who have also become the alternative for hard pressed parents. Most flea markets in Bulawayo are stocked with uniforms that are cheaper. As for the leading retailers school jerseys cost an average of S$45 while some school trousers are selling for as much as $50. The director of Esats shop, Mr Hassan Esat, said that the price increase was due to the increased prices of raw materials.

“We have increased our prices because imported raw materials have become expensive. However, we take pride in the shop because we are selling uniforms that are 30 to 40 percent cheaper than other large scale retailers. We have not done any advertising but basically we are known to be a cheaper shop compared to other stockers and have been established for many years. That way we can maintain costs and keep our merchandise cheaper,” he said.

Parents said they were worried that this would be one of the most difficult school openings they will face.

“Everything has gone up, from school fees, food and uniforms. The Government has to intervene otherwise as parents we will suffer,” said Mrs Emelda Moyo who said he has three children at school.

“I bought two tunics, two blouses and a tie for a Grade One child and that cost me $232. The cost of uniforms is now high but all we have to do is sacrifice for the kids. Most shops tell us they are pegging their prices depending on the rate of foreign currency on the black market, it is not fair.”

The biggest nightmare among parents is that most schools have winter uniforms that are different from summer uniforms so the parents have no alternative except to buy.

“It is like the kid is starting a new year, we are buying new uniforms for winter. We must also buy books and other stationery. I don’t even want to start imagining about the food, bread has gone up, Mazoe has gone up and surely how are we going to buy all these. A packet of potatoes now costs $20 while a tray of eggs is $12,” said another parent who preferred anonymity.

The Government announced that it is planning to come up with price guidelines to ensure that the business community comes up with proper pricing following wanton price increases. The country has witnessed a spate of price increases that has eroded most people’ earnings. Employers have also been hit hard with frequent requests from their workers to adjust salaries.

-State Media

BULAWAYO’s water supply dams received just 5 778 565 cubic metres of water during the 2018/2019 rainy season, an amount that is enough to last an average of 50 days, putting fears that the city, already experiencing water shedding, will face serious water shortages this year.

This comes as the Meteorological Department has indicated that the rainy season is now officially over. Bulawayo consumes an average of between 116 078 cubic metres and 135 394 cubic metres a day of water. According to the latest dam statistics the city’s dams stand at 54,38 percent full with one of the dams, Upper Ncema, likely to be decommissioned in the next few days as it stands at eight percent full.

In terms of inflows since the start of the rainy season the city’s dams got 5 778 565 cubic metres of the 225 491 811 cubic metres which is in the dams, this translating to just 2,6 percent of the total figure. At 2 413 328 cubic metres, Insiza Mayfair got the bulk of the inflows followed by Lower Ncema which got 1 296 110 cubic metres while Upper Ncema at 415 200 cubic metres got the least inflows. 135 394.

In most cases a dam is decommissioned after it reaches 10 percent of its capacity to allow the water to sustain its underwater life. The statistics also showed that Mtshabezi which has a capacity of
51 996 000 cubic metres still has the highest levels at 83,12 percent full, a figure which reduced from 87,7 percent last month, Inyankuni, which has a carrying capacity of 80 781 000 cubic metres is 63,74 percent full a drop from 64,43 percent last month and Insiza Mayfair, with a carrying capacity of 173 491 000 cubic metres is 58,92 percent full a drop from 61,56 percent last month.

Lower Ncema which has a carrying capacity of 18 237 700 cubic metres has actually increased levels as it is pegged at 81,18 percent up from 66,69 percent last month, Umzingwane with a carrying capacity of 44 663 500 cubic metres has dropped to 22,66 percent from 28,04 percent last month while Upper Ncema which has a carrying capacity of 45 458 500 cubic metres has dropped to eight percent from 18,52 percent last month.

Pumping from Mtshabezi Dam- according to the statistics — still remains erratic with the local authority failing to get water from the dam the whole of last week. In an interview with Sunday News yesterday, Meteorological Services Department duty forecaster, Mr Batisayi Haanyadzise said while the rainy season was over the region could still get slight but not significant rainfall as the seasons move from summer to winter. 

“It usually takes time for seasons to transition to the next season due to the atmospheric conditions, take for example when the rainy season came to an end there was too much moisture in the atmosphere which is why we recently experienced some isolated showers. In the case of Bulawayo, it falls under the Southern region and during winter they experience drizzle conditions and in some cases thunderstorms but this still won’t trigger the inflows as high as we want but still the dams might get some inflows mainly due to the moisture coming from the Indian Ocean,” said Mr Haanyadzise.

The city is already enduring a 48-hour water shedding schedule but with the latest dam statistics supplied by the Bulawayo City Council, it seems highly likely that the schedule will soon be increased. The city faces perennial water shortages with city fathers identifying the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project as the long term solution to the city’s problems. 

Other projects identified include the Epping Forest boreholes project that will increase the water being pumped from the Nyamandlovu Aquifer and the duplication of the Insiza pipeline to complement the current pipeline and increase water being pumped from Insiza Mayfair. Bulawayo is also said to be operating with a deficit of four dams as an additional supply dam is supposed to be constructed after every 10 years.

A Buhera woman has told President Emmerson Mnangagwa to leave office and allow opposition leader Nelson Chamisa to govern as he is the one who won the 2018 elections.

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Jane Mlambo| A Chipinge based pressure group, Platform for Youth Development (PYD) last week intervened to stop the eviction of more than 500 families from Munyokowere village in Chipangayi,ward 5 of Chipinge West constituency in Manicaland.

Details surrounding the legal case are long and winding but very painful and difficult to justify why such a callous and cruel decision was being implemented by government.The matter which is now being handled by Advocate Peggy Tavagadza of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) involves vulnerable women and children who are still to recover from the trauma of Cyclone Idai which struck the most in Chipinge and Chimanimani in March 2019.

The various eviction letters handed to the Munyokowere villagers are signed by Mr.Tapiwanashe Chagwesha acting on behalf of the Ministry of Lands ,Agriculture ,Rural Resettlement ,Water & Climate .The letters which are dated the 27th of April 2019 have been received by villagers with shock and amusement considering the villagers’ claim to the area in question ,and also their amicable relationship with the responsible government departments such as the office of the District Admnstrator and that of the Chipinge Rural District Council.

The Munyokowere villagers were given only 7 days to vacate their areas of jurisdictions despite having received no communication prior to the eviction and neither is there an alternate place for the villagers to be accommodated for humanitarian considerations.

This eviction is being done allegedly to fulfill some cabinet resolution directing the aforementioned government department to role out nation wide eviction of people from gazzetted stateland.

Platform for Youth Development is not convinced that this is the role of government to punish vulnerable citizens. This case flies in the face of justice and the approach being announced by President Mnangagwa,especially that there has been no prior communication to the villagers on account of human life and security.It is therefore a community responsibility at leadership and humanitarian purposes for PYD to rescue the villagers by challenging these illegal evictions.PYD has been with the affected villagers as soon as they received the eviction letters and we are more than convinced that their rights have been violated by those with the mandate to protect them.Due processes required by law have not been followed and we will stand to prove this.

PYD is aware of the provisions of the law which has not been followed and therefore has approached ZLHR to challenge the evictions in the court of law using the constitution of Zimbabwe.

It is sad to note that these evictions are being done by government when schools are opening for second term in less than three days from now.PYD is also equally concerned that the evictions have waited for the cold winter season to come before being implemented.This can not be fair !

The Munyokowere villagers are now phycologically traumatized and uncertain over their future due to the act by a government department to evict them without following due processes.

PYD has been privileged with the history of the Munyokowere villagers since the 1950s in our appreciation of the matter at stake .There is evidence of paper trail and affidavits confirming that, the land in question was legitimately allocated to the Munyokowere family by the then Chipinge District Administrator Mr Mufukare who was representing the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing in 1992.

This was done following a request from ARDA and Settler farmers who needed the spiritual prowess of the family to handle misfortunes linked to our Ndau traditions and rituals within the designated area.If the area is gazetted as claimed, due processes must be followed.

Henry Munyokowere is a an active and legitimate village head in terms of the law.

Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza lauded his 12-year-old daughter and gave her money at May Day ceremonies designed to honour the country’s top workers.

“Head of state Pierre Nkurunziza gave an envelope (of money) to his daughter Naomie Nkurunziza, who has been behaving well at home,” state broadcaster RTNB said in an overnight tweet, without specifying the amount.

“Pierre Nkurunziza says that she is hard-working and loves Burundian culture and sport,” it said.

The May 1 ceremonies, which took place at a sports stadium at Rumonge, about 80 kilometres south of the capital Bujumbura, saw Nkurunziza hand out awards to senior state officials, farmers, the national football team, a judo champion, governors and district administrators.

The decade-old tradition has also seen Nkurunziza reward one of his sons, Jonathan, who was aged five at the time, his wife, Denise Bucumi, and one of their nannies.

Burundi has been in turmoil since the president announced in April 2015 that he intended to stand again for the presidency. He was re-elected in July of that year.

Violence claimed at least 1,200 lives and displaced more than 400,000 between April 2015 and May 2017, according to estimates by the International Criminal Court which has opened an investigation.

Civil society activist Pacifique Nininahazwe, who lives in self-imposed exile, said in a tweet that Nkurunziza’s awards to his family “remind me of (Ugandan) dictator Idi Amin, handing out military decorations to his five-year-old son!”

“What resemblences there are between these two Kafkaesque, blood-stained tyrants,” he wrote.

Nkurunziza’s spokesman, Jean-Claude Karerwa Ndenzako, told AFP “acknowledgement (of hard work) is not something that is exclusive to the state or to organisations — it’s more a reflex that everyone should have.”

The money that the president gave his daughter “came from his own pocket,” he said.

-Online

MDC President Nelson Chamisa has said that the late Morgan Tsvangirai was betrayed by Zanu-PF leaders after the coup that deposed Robert Mugabe. According to Chamisa, Tsvangirai supported the coup on the understanding that a transitional authority.

He was speaking at the memorial of the late Tsvangirai in Buhera today. Said Chamisa:

The MDC largely supported and urged its members to take to the streets along with other Zimbabweans leading to the forced resignation of Robert Mugabe in November 2017. Following the coup, Zanu-PF senior members declared that the Mugabe removal was a Zanu-PF matter and would be handled by the party alone.

TWO court officials from Hwange Magistrates’ Court died on the spot while others were injured after a vehicle they were travelling in burst its tyre and veered off the road along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road yesterday.

The two were part of a group of seven officials from the Judicial Services Commission who were travelling in a vehicle, an Isuzu twin-cab belonging to area prosecutor-in-charge of Matabeleland North Province Mrs Martha Cheda, who was also injured in the accident.

They were travelling from Hwange to attend a wedding of a colleague in Matsheumhlophe in Bulawayo when the accident occurred at the 60km peg near Insuza. Officer Commanding Police in Lupane District, Chief Superintendent Edgar Dhliwayo confirmed the accident which occurred yesterday morning.

He, however, said details were still sketchy.

“I can confirm that we received a report about an accident that killed two people while others were injured. I can’t give more details as yet as we are waiting for a report from a team that went to attend the scene,” said Chief Supt Dhliwayo.

He said the deceased’s bodies whose names are withheld as their next of kin were yet to be informed yesterday, were ferried to the mortuary while the injured were rushed to Mpilo Central Hospital.

One of the deceased was a prosecutor while the other was an office administrator at the Hwange Magistrates Courts.

When Sunday News got to the scene yesterday afternoon police forensic experts had already combed over the accident scene, with one officer standing guard over the twisted metal wreckage of the twin-cab.

-State media

*Q: What would you say is the current state of relations between Japan and Zimbabwe?

A: Relations between Zimbabwe and Japan have not been bad; we are enjoying, it’s been good and friendly relations since independence.

As a matter of fact, the embassy here in Zimbabwe established and opened in 1981 just after independence.

And the following year, the Zimbabwean Embassy in Tokyo also opened.

So, of course, there have been ups and downs because of certain political and economic situations.

Q: What is your take on the current reforms being implemented by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration?

A: From the beginning of his term, President Mnangagwa talked about a very important thing, which is political, economic and social reform.

I think that this country needs to reform in many areas.

Given the natural resources and rich human resources, there is need for a good system to make those talented people show their abilities. Look around, it is often talked about that the informal sector is huge, but from my perspective, if the informal sector is so active, it means that there are so many Zimbabweans with talent to run businesses.

Why do they stay in the informal sector?

Ask them why they can’t tap into the formal sector, it is because there are too many rules and regulations.

I think that’s why they just stay in the informal sector.

I am not one to teach how things should be done, but my sense is: make the rules and regulations relaxed for businesses to prosper and let those talented people thrive.

Q: There has been a raft of ease of doing business reforms that have been put forward by Government. What do you think of them?

A: My personal observation is that there are not so quick, but I am not disappointed because of that because in any democratic country, even Japan, the reform is not so easy and not quick.

No government can do everything all at once.

So from that perspective I am not so disappointed. For example, the fiscal discipline, I believe they are doing very well and the monetary policy as well.

That is necessary.

There is some fine-tuning (that needs to be done) so that the general public accepts the system (new monetary policy on interbank market).

In order for the people to accept that system, probably Government needs to deal with the workable inter-banking system.

Without making the inter-banking system work, it will be difficult for the individual and the businesspeople to rely on the new system.  They will go to the black market and try to get foreign currency, (where) the exchange rate is very high, and that will be reflected in the price.

That is the kind of cycle the people are suffering.  The businesspeople are suffering from that. I don’t know how that can be fixed, but at least try to make the inter-banking system work so that the general public, including the private sector, accept it.

More than that, my real feeling is that try to tackle the corruption, as the President mentioned.

Q: Which areas of possible investment do you see in Zimbabwe which Japanese firms would be interested in investing in?

Also, has there been any specific investors in Japan that have shown their interest?

A: I do not want to single out one, there are many. In February, we had the Japanese business mission and they explored many areas – mining, agriculture and energy.

Many Japanese companies are competing (to invest here) and I cannot mention their names, but the point is, many times I am asked the same question, and my answer is ask your local companies.

If they are happy with the working environment in Zimbabwe, why wouldn’t the Japanese companies want to invest?

If they are suffering, and I think they are suffering, then it is very difficult for investment to come to this country.

Because once they invest here they will suffer the same.   So my answer to that question is not sector-specific but system-specific.  There needs to be reforms, reforms, reforms. This country has huge potential, it has rich national resources and talented people. Something needs to be done to exploit those natural resources.

-State media

Veteran nationalist Cde Misheck Velaphi Ncube, who died on Tuesday has been declared a national hero.

Cde Ncube, who was a Zanu-PF National Consultative member, died in Bulawayo after a long illness.

He was 82.

In a telephone interview last night, Zanu-PF secretary for administration Dr Obert Mpofu confirmed Cde Velaphi’s national hero status.

“I am just coming from announcing the declaration at the funeral vigil,” said Dr Mpofu.

“The party recognises those who sacrifice their lives towards liberating the country and he was one of those people.

“He was involved in the liberation struggle and was incarcerated with the current President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) at Khami (Prison).

“After Independence, he served in the National Consultative Assembly and the Central Committee and has always been with the party.

“The President sent me to go and announce the declaration and that is where I am coming from,” he said.

Bulawayo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Cde Judith Ncube thanked President Mnangagwa for according Cde Ncube the revered status.

“We are so thankful that he was declared a national hero. Indeed he was one of the pioneers of the liberation struggle. He fought among the first group of cadres who launched the struggle on the Zipra side.

“I am struggling to think of words to describe him. He was one of the cadres who fought the famous Hwange Battle in the 1960s.”

Minister Ncube said at the time of his death, Cde Ncube had started documenting his history with the help of renowned historian Cde Pathisa Nyathi.

“He had been meeting with Cde Nyathi to document his history together with other cadres who include Cde John Maluzu, Cde Nzimela and Cde Clark Mpofu. These veterans had been meeting at Cde Ncube’s house so that they would capture some of those striking features of the liberation struggle that have not been widely documented,” said Minister Ncube.

Funeral arrangements for the national hero would be announced tomorrow.

The late national hero was one of the pioneer guerrillas under Zipra, serving in several positions both in the military wing during the war of liberation and in politics.

He is among the first ‘Group of 12’ to undertake military training in Egypt in 1962.

In 1966, he and his colleagues took advantage of the political instability in the Congo where they raided the Congolese rebels, poisoned them before looting their weapons.

His mission led to the first smuggling of weapons into Southern Rhodesia.

Soon after his death, Zanu-PF Bulawayo province had applied for a national hero status for the late cadre.

Addressing mourners last week, Politburo member Cde Absolom Sikhosana said if cadres like Cde Ncube are not declared national heroes, then no-one deserves that honour.

“If he is not declared a national hero, then we would be making a mockery of that status. A real mockery of that status because the man is more than deserving, he is more than qualified.

“He was involved at all levels of the liberation struggle. He was involved at all levels of the political leadership. There is no reason whatsoever for denying him that right. That is the appropriate consideration befitting a man of his calibre,” said Cde Sikhosana.

-State Media

The current uptake of about 85 percent in transactions using the local RTGS systems is a clear sign Zimbabwe is now nearing the stage where it might be convenient to introduce a new local currency.

Economic analysts say conditions are now favourable for the re-introduction of a local currency, which will ensure a real and practical gauge of economic performance.

The observers further argue that the country can no longer continue relying on a multi-currency regime, which has, in recent times, triggered economic distortions.

The basket of currencies was adopted in 2009 after the country had gone through a phase of economic decline.

Speaking at a currency reforms breakfast meeting hosted by the Business Economic Empowerment Forum in the capital, economist Mr Persistent Gwanyanya said authorities need to push for a “good-bye” to the multi-currency system.

“The foreign currency, in the country, should be channelled towards other priority areas so that we industrialise,” he said.

“The best way to go is to use our own currency, which is the trend all over the world. If we look at strides that have been made in the fiscal front, conditions are ripe for our own currency.”

Mr Gwanyanya added that, last year, Zimbabwe generated US$6,2 billion, which was the highest in history.

He also said a record US$4,2 billion, in exports, was recorded in 2018.

“When we adopt a local currency, the available foreign currency will be channelled towards importation of goods and other developmental projects,” explained Mr Gwanyanya.

“We already have a pseudo local currency in the form of RTGS and the only way that money can work is through complete abandonment of other currencies.

“The difference between now and the difficult period around 2008 is that, currently, the pseudo local currency is on demand in the economy as 85 percent of local transactions are in RTGS and this is the right condition needed to support a new currency.”

Mr Gwanyanya added that instilling confidence and fiscal discipline was key in the introduction of the new currency.

On the adoption of the rand Mr Gwanyanya said while South Africa was Zimbabwe’s biggest trading partner, the revenue inflows were in United States dolars.

“More than 85 percent of our exports come from five commodities which are gold, tobacco, platinum, chrome and diamond,” he said.

“These are marketed mainly through South Africa, but eventually the ultimate takers are outside South Africa and the payments are in US dollars.”

Another economic analysts Mr Eddie Cross also said pointers were that it was not feasible to adopt the Rand.

“Any discussion on the Rand, as means for primary exchange in Zimbabwe, is really that majority of our people have rejected it,” he said.

“We notice that the Rand is used commonly in Matabeleland because of the large population of Zimbabweans from that side who are in South Africa.

“To be accepted in the Rand Union, there are also some conditions to be met and our economic fundamentals are far adrift from those conditions.”

Addressing Zimbabwe-South Africa Bi-national Cooperation in Harare in March, Finance and Economic Development Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube said it was not necessary to opt into the Rand Union as modalities for a local currency had been put in place.

-State Media

Jane Mlambo| Opposition MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa yesterday saluted police officers deployed at the memorial of the late party leader Morgan Tsvangirai saying they were doing a great job as opposed to what they have been known for.

Government which was literally running logistical operations of the memorial service including providing food and logistics deployed hundreds of police officers to maintain order at the well attended event.

“If you accept me as a leader you listen to me, allow me to thank the presence of members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) who are maintaining order here. .,” said Chamisa.

Jane Mlambo| Barely a few months after bragging or having addressed the fuel shortages in the country, government is now back to square one, with queues getting longer and longer with each passing day.

The situation has become so dire that most service stations in Harare do not have fuel or are dispensing diesel only.

Since August last year, Zimbabwe’s economy has been on a nosedive with prices of basic commodities now beyond the reach of many.

Though there are no shortages of other basic commodities, fuel has continued to be government’s biggest headache as they struggle against skyrocketing foreign exchange rates.

While government would want to hike fuel prices, the thought of another potentially deadly encounter with opposition and civil society groups could be the reason why there is no talk of another price increment.

Opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa yesterday told party supporters and delegates who gathered at the memorial service for the late leader Morgan Tsvangirai that he will drag President Emmerson Mnangagwa to dialogue to arrest the biting economic situation facing the country.

Chamisa repeated his call for genuine dialogue warning Mnangagwa against discussing with smaller parties while ignoring the MDC.

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Standard|Thousands of pupils, especially boarders, could fail to return to school when the second term begins on Tuesday due to skyrocketing fees, parents have said.

A number of schools increased fees substantially following the rapid rise in the prices of goods and services since February when the government introduced a new currency.

The introduction of the RTGS dollar by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, which discarded its controversial policy maintaining that bond notes were at par with the United States dollar, has stoked inflation.

On average a boarding school, which was charging $700 fees per term is now demanding at least $1 400, a survey revealed.

Some private schools are charging in US dollars with a top Harare school demanding fees of up to $10 800 in local currency or US$2 455, for full boarders.

Day scholars should pay RTGS$6 600 or US$1 500, while weekly boarders must part with RTGS$8 900 or US$2 023.

“We cannot really blame the schools, after all, everything is going up.

“However, the government has a responsibility to ensure that people are cushioned from this price madness,” said Christine Bhowa, who has three children in boarding school.

“In total I need to pay around RTGS$4 000 for all my children and then there is money for transport and their groceries.”

While school fees shot up, salaries for many workers have remained stagnant.

Besides school fees, parents have to contend with high prices of uniforms, with blazers for primary school children now costing $243.

Prices for a pair of school shoes range between RTGS$60 to RTGS$120 and a pair of socks costs RTGS$8.

Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Raymond Majongwe said civil servants were hardest hit by price hikes.

“Teachers are wallowing in poverty. According to our calculations RTGS$4 000 is an ideal salary for a family of six, but teachers are earning RTGS$452 which is a mere US$90, “he said.

“That is why the teachers are considering going for only a few days per week because it is not easy for them to report for duty every day on such a pittance.

“Zimbabwe is a unique country where everything is determined by government, which is not honouring the collective bargaining process.”

Civil servants were awarded a marginal pay increase last month, but they complain that it has already been eroded by inflation.

State Media|THE dispute between the Bulawayo City Council and the government run Zimbabwe Power Company over the ownership of the Bulawayo Power Station has taken a dramatic twist after it emerged that title deeds to the disputed property were transferred to the power utility without the knowledge of council.

This comes despite the local authority previously boldly claiming they had the title deeds to the property and the power utility was in actual fact their tenant.

The power station is historically a land mark building for the City of Bulawayo which in its hay days got the City the nickname “KoNtuthu Ziyathunqa” (a place of smoke) as the power station produced non stop smoke in the production of thermal power that supplied the now defunct city industries with electricity.

It is not clear how the ZPC got to have the title deeds as the power station was constructed and fell under the jurisdiction of the local authority until 1987 when Zesa was given the sole mandate of power generation in the country, taking over from local authorities.

Zesa was then required to pay royalties to the local authority, a matter which has also been subject to controversy after the power utility reneged in paying the royalties to the council, with the debt currently standing at $105 564 101. Over the past few years the council, with the backing of residents, has been pushing to reclaim the running of the power station arguing that not only did they have the title deeds to the station but Zesa was a dishonest tenant.

However, investigations have revealed that the power station’s title deeds have since been transferred to be under the jurisdiction of Zesa, a matter that has caught the local authority by surprise and have made moves to challenge the transfer in the courts of law.

A visit to the deeds office confirmed that the title deeds to the power station were endorsed in July 2017 to Zesa. The local authority’s chamber secretary, Mrs Sikhangele Zhou, also confirmed the recent developments revealing that they were in the process of challenging the transfer of ownership in the courts.

“We only got to know of the transfer of ownership last year when we aired our objection in the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera)’s move to renew the Zimbabwe Power Company’s power generation licence for the Bulawayo Power Station.

“Zera informed us that there was an endorsement on our title deeds and indeed when we went to check at the deeds office, we found there was a change of ownership which caught us by surprise because this was done behind our back as we have the original title deeds which is why we are preparing our papers to challenge this illegal endorsement at the courts,” said Mrs Zhou.

Efforts to get a comment from Zesa spokesperson, Mr Fullard Gwasira were fruitless. However, a source from the company in Bulawayo said the station was now under the ownership of Zesa.

“Yes, the title deeds are now under the name of Zesa, just go check with the deeds office,” said the source.

Commenting on the matter, Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association acting co-ordinator, Mr Emmanuel Ndlovu said there was something amiss with the transfer of ownership of the power station which had to be investigated and rectified.

He revealed that they were also taking court action against the power utility to challenge the transfer of ownership arguing that the power station belonged to the residents of Bulawayo and cannot be transferred without the knowledge of residents.

“We are certainly taking court action to ensure that the matter is rectified, our legal team will soon be meeting with council’s legal team to share notes and map a way forward.

“However, we are clear that the property belongs to residents and transferring it to Zesa is illegal. What we will also be challenging is the decision by Zera to renew the power utility’s power generation licence despite both the local authority and us as residents noting our objections,” said Mr Ndlovu.

In December last year, Zera announced in a public notice that it had received an application from ZPC for amendment of the electricity generation licence to be extended by 20 years from 2024.

The licence was also to enable it to produce 120 megawatts of power with 90 megawatts to be fed into the national grid. Residents, through the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association and the Bulawayo City Council, had objected to the application saying they were the owners of the power station. Zera, however, went on to renew the licence last month.

STANDARD Chartered has retrenched more than 100 employees with more lay-offs planned as the bank has begun outsourcing some of its operations in Zimbabwe to countries such as Kenya, Malaysia, China and India, it has been revealed.

StanChart, one of the oldest banks operating in Zimbabwe, closed one of its branches in Harare last month as part of the new strategic thrust that insiders said was likely to cost more local jobs.

Insiders said the restructuring had caused anxiety among employees who fear losing their jobs.
According to a memorandum to workers written by StanChart’s head of human resources Audrey Mlambo, which is in our possession, the bank will soon retrench
another 20 workers.

The reasons given for the retrenchments was the migration of the bank’s operations to its Global Business Services (GBS) centres in Chennai and Bangalore (India), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Tianjin (China).

“Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) runs the majority of its businesses and operations supporting various countries in Asia, Middle East, Africa, Europe and Americas out of its Global Business Services centres in Chennai/Bangalore, Kuala Lumpur and Tianjin,” reads part of the memo.
“These world-class operation hubs enable the bank to run its business and operations with great efficiency and leading-edge controls and service management while maintaining robust business continuity with maximum flexibility with respect to scale.

“As part of continuing review of our strategy and in a bid to improve effectiveness and efficiencies of our business operations, SCB has concluded that the best option is to migrate the country operations from Zimbabwe to GBS centres in India, Malaysia and China.”

A source said another Stanchart branch in Harare’s Borrowdale suburb could soon close down.
Stanchart chief executive Ralph Watungwa told Standardbusiness that the bank was evaluating its channels of delivery because branch transaction traffic in Zimbabwe was on the decline.The Standard