Farai Dziva|MDC founding member and lawyer, David Coltart has described the High Court ruling that nullified Nelson Chamisa’s presidency as “empty thunder.”
Journalist and filmmaker Hopewell Chin’ono said :” I am not a lawyer, I expect lawyers to give us their views in due course.”
Coltart referred to the judgement as “a brutum fulmen – ‘empty thunder’, an ineffective order.
He also called it a “pathetic interference with the due processes of a political party.”
Farai Dziva|Hard-hitting social media analyst Antony Taruvinga has said Emmerson Mnangagwa is evidently manipulating the courts in an attempt to consolidate his grip on power.
“Mnangagwa cannot dictate using the courts what should happen in the MDC.
Nelson Chamisa’s appointment as a substantive president was constitutionally done by the National Council and the Congress will ratify the decision on 24 May 2018.
The party has moved on, Nelson Chamisa was nominated unopposed. This is Mnangagwa’s dark agenda of trying to destroy the movement. Stop interfering in the party’s internal processes,” said Taruvinga.
Farai Dziva|Emmerson Mnangagwa is losing sleep in a desperate attempt to destroy the people’ s project, the MDC A has said.
Addressing the media at a news conference on Wednesday in Harare, MDC A spokesperson Jacob Mafume said:”We are fully aware of the machinations and strategies being deployed by the Mnangagwa administration to destabilize and destroy the people’s project.
We reiterate that Emmerson Mnangagwa is illegitimate and no amount of diversionary tactics will change this fact.”
“For the avoidance of doubt, preparations for the main Congress are at an advanced stage and 6 800 delegates will attend. That process is irreversible,” added Mafume.
MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora has allegedly gone into hiding amid reports that party youths are baying for his blood over his links with the High Court ruling that nullified Nelson Chamisa’s appointment.
According to reports, Mwonzora is believed to have decided to stay away from public places and is also shunning the party headquarters for fear of being attacked.
This follows a ruling by the High Court of Zimbabwe that nullified Nelson Chamisa’s presidency of the party, with journalist Hopewell Chin’ono insinuating on social media that Mwonzora had the High Court judgement a week before it was delivered.
A group of party youths, popularly known as the Vanguards, have also been seen surrounding party vice President Elias Mudzuri’s Milton Park home in Harare, singing derogatory songs. The youths accused Mudzuri of undermining Chamisa, saying Mudzuri sponsored the High Court application by a Gokwe MDC official which resulted in yesterday’s ruling.
ZOOMZimbabwe understands a report has been made to the police regards Mudzuri’s safety and the disturbance of peace at his home at lunchtime Thursday.
ZOOMZimbabwe has received information that Starman Chamisa, a relative of Nelson who is also the legislator for Mbare, is at the centre of an operation hunting for Mwonzora.
“Starman Chamisa has been tasked with hiring thugs that should find and beat up Mwonzora,” a source close to the developments told ZOOMZimbabwe.
“This followed a social media post by Chin’ono that linked Mwonzora to the leak of a High Court ruling to a NewsDay journalist, Blessed Mhlanga, last week,” the source said.
Writing on social media last night, Chin’ono said: “Weeks ago I urged Wamba (Nelson Chamisa) and the MDC to accommodate Mukoma Douglas Mwonzora after he had been rejected by the MDC branches in his quest to lead the main opposition party.
“Today he stands accused of having known ahead of time about the exact nature and contents of today’s court ruling that nullified Wamba’s Presidency.
“Senior MDC folks are saying that he told a Newsday journalist about it and that they chose to keep quiet to see how it will pan out.
“In a toxic political environment like this one, I urge Mukoma Douglas Mwonzora to clear his name. Did he tell a Newsday Journalist or not about the contents of today’s judgement?
“Is he the source referred to in Blessed Mhlanga’s tweets? Did he mention the ruling days ago and it’s nature and contents?”
-Online
The outspoken businessman sensationally claimed that the rumours that Ginimbi and Miss V Candy are dating were false but it was obvious that the two were having s.e.xcapades. Chivayo made these claims on a comment on the microblogging site Instagram. Harare businessman and socialite Wickell Chivayo has spoken out on the Ginimbi Miss V Candy dating allegations, claiming that the two might be frequently having s.e.x.
” In my view knowing Genius to be a businessman and Mrs V Candy being a prominent DJ I really don’t think they are dating at all. However, it can only be obvious that they are most probably having s.e.x maybe just 5 or 6 times a week which really doesn’t mean anything to two big names in the entertainment industry. To guys like Ginimbi s.e.x is a hobby, just like sport (playing tennis, soccer etc.)”
This comes after rumours surfaced earlier this week that the radio personality Miss V Candy, real name Nonhlanhla Thuthani, was dating businessman Genius Kadungure, after she was captured on several occasions at the businessman’s Domboshava mansion wearing different outfits.
-Online
Jane Mlambo| Former President Robert Mugabe’s farm equipment has been advertised for auction in what signal a collapse of the once thriving business run by the former first family.
The items on offer includes over 20 motor vehicles, an almost similar number of tractors and accessories that includes disc harrows among others.
The items will be auctioned this Saturday the 11th of May by Ruby Auctions at their premises in Waterfalls.
A male student at Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT), was on Wednesday night run over and killed by the institution’s bus.
The incident occurred during a stampede, with students trying to board the bus.
The bus is said to have been in motion as the driver was in the process of parking it properly when the student fell down and critically injured.
The injured student was initially taken to Chinhoyi General Hospital but later referred to Parirenyatwa hospital in Harare.
He, however, succumbed to his injuries en route to Parirenyatwa.
The incident was confirmed by Mashonaland West police spokesperson Inspector Clemence Mabgweazara.
The name of the deceased student has not yet been revealed.
-State Media
PARLIAMENT yesterday demanded to know how $9 million, allegedly extended to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) by the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) for the repair of silos, was used.
The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Lands and Agriculture chaired by Gokwe Nembudziya MP Justice Mayor Wadyajena grilled GMB chief executive officer Rockie Mutenha over the issue and the progress made so far in repairing silos that store grain.
Wadyajena said GMAZ chairperson Tafadzwa Musarara had indicated to the committee that GMAZ gave GMB $9 million in 2017 for rehabilitation of silos, and even pointed out that they had an agreement with GMB that the amount would be offset through grain.
GMAZ spokesperson Garikai Chaunza was also mentioned by Wadyajena as having indicated that as GMAZ they were waiting for an audit report indicating how the $9 million was used.
But Mutenha denied that GMB had received money for repair of silos from GMAZ, adding that they never entered into any loan agreement with anyone.
“We did not sign any contract with anyone and as far as we are concerned we did not receive money from anyone, other than Treasury and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe,” Mutenha said.
“The funding for repair of silos came from two sources and $6 318 627 came from Treasury through the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe from the grain procurement account and $1 016 281 came from GMB funds, giving a total of money paid for repair of silos at $7 334 909,” he said.
Mutenha said the $7,3 million for silos repairs was paid to a company called Adherechem. But the committee demanded that Mutenha must produce the contract between GMB and Adherechem, and papers which showed the shareholding structure of Adherechem.
The GMB boss said in 2017 they submitted a list for rehabilitation of all 12 silos in the country in Karoi, Magunje, Mukwichi, Lions Den, Banket, Norton, Chegutu, Concession, Chiweshe, Murewa, Bulawayo and Aspindale. The tender was won by Adherechem.
“The job for the first 10 concrete silos was completed by October 12, 2018. For the steel silos in Chiweshe and Mukwichi, they needed to remove old steel and put new sheets, and these were completed in April this year,” he said.
Wadyajena then asked Mutenha to explain how RBZ allocated $27 million to GMAZ for wheat and maize purchases when it was a private entity and not the parastatal responsible for grain purchases.
“The RBZ said we cannot have parallel structures to import wheat and we were told to allow them (GMAZ) to bring wheat. The RBZ governor said GMAZ was already running it and we cannot have two parallel structures,” Mutenha said.
-Newsday
VOA|Zimbabwe has clamored for outside investment in recent years, but villagers north of the capital are resisting a Chinese mining project they say will spoil the environment and fail to bring them much benefit.
The villagers are from Domboshava, a rocky area north of Zimbabwe’s capital, and they are disputing a Chinese company’s decision to start quarry mining.
Seventy-year-old Florence Nyamande is among those saying no to the proposed project by Aihua Jianye Company.
“The Chinese are the money mongers of Zimbabweans. They take riches here, they take it to China. They do not develop our places. So we do not need them here,” Nyamande said. “Seriously with a deeper heart, seriously with a mind, we are disappointed. We said ‘No’ and ‘No’. That is multiplicated (multiplied) ‘No.’”
The villagers do not think Aihua Jianye will create the 500 jobs in the area it promised. They also say the quarry mining will leave large ponds filled with dirty water.
Zimbabwe Deputy Minister of Information Energy Mutodi – who is the parliament member for the area – is also against the $500 million quarry mining project.
He says he is not going against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s mantra that “Zimbabwe is open for business.”
“It is open to business, but not to business that is gong to affect our environment. We want to preserve the environment. We want our community to develop, yes. But let our environment remain intact. We cannot have a situation come here take the proceeds, enjoy it in other countries, yet our people remain poor,” Mutodi said.
Mutodi notes the Chinese company has advertised for only 40 jobs in the area, less than one-tenth of what it promised.
Percy Mudzidzwa, whose company GeoGlobal Environmental Solutions is representing the Chinese firm, rejects allegations that 20,000 people would be affected by the 33 hectare mining project.
Some locals say the project will affect a graveyard and a natural spring. Mudzidzwa says that is not so.
“Not even a grave is going to be moved. But there is a misconception. We proposed that that the graves be fenced. There is a spring, which is above the grave site, we proposed that the spring be fenced too,” Mudzidzwa explained.
Now the project waits for the country’s Environmental Management Agency to make a final call if the Chinese company can go ahead.
Own Correspondent|An overly excited MDC-T leader, Thokozani Khupe has hit the road running in embracing the controversial High Court ruling which declared Nelson Chamisa as illegitimate President of the opposition.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Khupe said she was ready to seek audience with party secretary general Douglas Mwonzora to take over the opposition party.
“This victory not only vindicates Dr Khupe and those in the MDC that have always stood for principle over political expediency but it’s a victory for all democratic forces and the rule of law in our country,” said Khupe.
The full statement reads as follows:
Dr Thokozani Khupe, welcomes and accepts today’s judgement of the High court of Zimbabwe in Harare.
This victory not only vindicates Dr Khupe and those in the MDC that have always stood for principle over political expediency but it’s a victory for all democratic forces and the rule of law in our country.
This judgement is also a damning indictment to the many so called legal scholars in the broader
democratic movement who for the past years like the disgraced biblical Pontius Pilate looked the other way when the movement was veering off our founding values with such alarming impunity.
Justice Edith Mushore, reminded us again what it is to be Zimbabwean by choosing courage and integrity over bigotry, misogyny, cowardice and mobocracy. It is therefore not surprising that those who seek power through violence and fraud are not able to successfully impeach her “Ratio decidendi” and are descending to their lowest weapon of choice which is personal insults and attacks on our judiciary.
Dr Khupe will soon be contacting the SG of the party, Dr Mwonzora, and other elected leaders to see how best they can implement the ruling of the High Court.
Dr Khupe has noted and welcomes the intention by some to appeal the judgment as this will give the superior courts an opportunity to confirm the universal rights of all Zimbabweans to fair and just
administrative justice within any social organisation of their choice.
Dr Khupe demands all members of our movement to unite and be magnanimous at this time irrespective of their chosen side in this debacle.
Honourable Advocate Nelson Chamisa, and those close to him must not be verbally abused or belittled in any way, shape or form. He remains an indispensable leader of our movement and to that end he deserves the uttermost respect from all disciplined cadres of our movement.
Issued by Khaliphani Phugeni
On behalf of
Dr T Khupe (President)
A poster circulating on social media with forgotten former vice President Phelekezela Mphoko as the ruling Zanu PF candidate in the 2023 elections.
Mphoko was fired from Zanu PF in 2017 following a military coup that resulted in the elevation of Emmerson Mnangagwa and the coup master-minder Constantino Chiwenga.
Jane Mlambo| Opposition MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa has praised South African election commission (IEC) for the transparent manner in which they are running the elections hailing how all participating political parties have direct access to the portal receiving results from polling stations.
Posting on Twitter, Chamisa blasted the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) for denying them access to the results server.
“Unlike with ZEC in Zim, the IEC of RSA results center is fully transparent. The management system works & each party has direct access to the portal receiving results from the polling stations.This works & no V11s are alterable.We demanded but were denied access to the server.”
Dear ZimEye.com Editor|This High Court ruling on Nelson Chamisa leadership of the MDC is just senseless. No matter how much ZANU PF may try to clear its name out of the judgement everyone can tell that it smells of their influence on the judiciary.
No sane High Court judge could have come up with the kind of ruling unless there would be a gun to their head to make the ruling.
I thought the initial clear fact is that Nelson Chamisa is not the leader of the MDC-T that the High Court judge refers to. A court ruled sometime ago that Thokozani Khupe is the genuine leader of the MDC-T and made almost exactly the same inferences as with the current ruling.
MDC-T went on to hold its extra ordinary congress which the High Court judge says must be held. In that congress, Khupe was elected as the new President of the MDC-T.
Khupe further went on to officially dismiss Chamisa from the MDC-T and also wrote to parliament asking for Chamisa to be recalled from the August house.
Now how else does Nelson Chamisa come into the leadership dispute of the MDC-T?
The judge in his judgement further stated that ALL endorsements that were made by Chamisa when he was Acting MDC President are duly declared null and void.
It is not clear what the judgement refers to here. If the spirit of the judgement is what it appears to be, then it means that all Members of Parliament who contested elections on Chamisa’s endorsement are invalid and may need to be removed from parliament prompting nearly fresh general elections in the country.
With all due respect to the judiciary system in the country, this ruling calls for a strong nationwide voice to demand for the removal of ZANU PF influence into the operations of the courts.
Zandie Moyo ZimEye.com reader
State Media|THE High Court has dismissed a petition by losing MDC Alliance candidate for Bulawayo South Mr Muvirimi Francis Mangwendeza who was challenging Zanu PF candidate Mr Rajesh Kumara Indukant Modi’s victory in last year’s harmonised elections.
In his petition filed at the Bulawayo High Court citing Cde Modi and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) as respondents, Mr Mangwendeza alleged that the polls were tainted with irregularities.
Mr Mangwendeza, through his lawyers Ncube Attorneys, sought an order nullifying the results of the July 30 harmonised elections for the Bulawayo South seat.
He wanted the seat to be declared vacant.
Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Thompson Mabhikwa ruled that the petition lacked merit and failed to meet the required legal standards.
“In casu, a reading of the petition gives an impression that the petitioner did not have a chief elections agent or polling agent. There is no mention of their role, observations or any complaints received or made by them on the alleged irregularities,” he said.
In dismissing the petition, Justice Mabhikwa said Mr Mangwendeza failed to prove to the court the alleged malpractices and irregularities which he claimed affected the outcome of the election.
“No cogent explanation has been given as to why the first respondent (Mr Modi) should be so punished. Accordingly, it is ordered that the petition is dismissed with costs on ordinary scale. The election result for the National Assembly seat for Bulawayo South Constituency pronouncing the first respondent as duly elected winner, stands,” ruled Justice Mabhikwa.
Mr Mangwendeza contested with several other candidates from other political parties as well as independent candidates.
In his founding affidavit, he said on July 3, Zec allegedly published a malicious statement declaring that he was part of the 24 people who had withdrawn from the race without his knowledge and verification.
He argued the statement de-campaigned him as those who supported him would have thought he was no longer in the race.
Mr Mangwendeza said his loss in last year’s July 30 election was largely due to Zec’s declaration, claiming to have discovered the anomaly on July 28 during the inspection of ballot papers.
“The election for the Member of the National Assembly seat for Bulawayo South on July 30, 2018 was not conducted in accordance with the principles laid down in the Electoral Act and such mistake or non-compliance did affect the outcome of the election. The election of the first respondent (Mr Modi) in such an election therefore cannot stand and has to be set aside,” he said.
Mr Mangwendeza said during the inspection he realised that some ballot papers for the MP did not have his name on them as a candidate.
Mr Mangwendeza said on July 29, it turned out that more ballot papers had his name missing in ward 21 and ward 6. He said Zec indicated that their system was fool-proof, but it turned out that this was not the case as it emerged that not all the ballot papers in question were cancelled.
Correspondent|Former president Jacob Zuma casts his vote at Ntolwane Primary School on Wednesday.
AFormer president Jacob Zuma cast his vote amid an ecstatic reception at Ntolwane Primary School in his home village of kwaNxamalala on Wednesday morning.
Zuma was accompanied by two of his wives, Sizakele MaKhumalo Zuma and Tobeka Madiba Zuma.
The voting station came alive when the former president arrived. Even IFP members in a tent adjacent to the school’s entrance cheered at the sight of Zuma’s arrival.
The former leader cracked jokes with the IEC official who inspected his identity document.
He also shared a light moment in the queue with Inkosi yamaNxamalala Bhekumuzi Zuma and promised to make time to see the chief after the elections.
MDC Statement 8 May 2019|We have just been advised of the High Court of Zimbabwe judgement issued by Justice Edith Mushore today.
We fundamentally disagree with the judgement.
The choice of leaders of any political party, the world over is the sole preserve of the members of that party.
It can never be a judicial process. Equally, the actions, activities and programmes of a political party, being a voluntary organisation whose existence is protected by the Constitution, is the sole preserve of the members that party.
In the past few months, over 500 000 members of the MDC have been involved in a process of electing their leaders at lower levels, from branch to the province. More particularly, over 10 200 branches, 1 958 wards, 210 districts and 13 provinces have been elected.
In just a few weeks’ time, the MDC will complete the process of democratically electing its leadership at a Congress convened in terms of its Constitution.
Strangely, Justice Mushore’s judgement contradicts and totally ignores an earlier judgement of the High Court which ruled on the case of Murimoga versus the MDC.
We are fully aware of the machinations and strategies being deployed by the Mnangagwa administration to destabilize and destroy the people’s project.
We reiterate that Emmerson Mnangagwa is illegitimate and no amount of diversionary tactics will change this fact.
For the avoidance of doubt, preparations for the main Congress are at an advanced stage and 6 800 delegates will attend. That process is irreversible. We shall hold a historic and joyous Congress under the theme: Defining a new course for Zimbabwe.
All roads lead to Gweru.
Jacob Mafume
MDC Spokesperson
THE International Football Association Board (Ifab) has announced some changes in football laws that will see, among other amendments, a coach being sanctioned for an offence committed by an unidentified team official.
Another key change is that the ball will now be deemed to be out of play if it touches the referee, remains in play and a team starts a promising attack; the ball goes directly into the net or the team in possession of the ball changes. Play will resume with a drop ball.
These and other changes that will come into effect on June 1 were announced during Ifab’s 133rd annual general meeting in Aberdeen, Scotland, in March this year.
“A number of changes to the laws of the game for 2019/20 were approved which follow the principal aims of the ‘play fair’ strategy; improving player behaviour and increasing respect, increasing playing time and making the game fairer and attractive,” wrote Lukas Brud, the Ifab secretary.
He said all changes are compulsory for friendly matches and competitions starting on or after June 1, 2019.
“Competitions which start before June 1, 2019 may implement them or delay their implementation until no later than the start of the next competition,” wrote Brud.
The meeting considered feedback from two years of experiments with law changes, which have the potential to improve the image of the game and reduce the time lost to substitutions and goal-kicks.
Players being substituted must leave the field at the nearest point on the boundary line unless the referee allows the player to leave quickly or immediately at the halfway line.
“The current dropped ball procedure is unsatisfactory as it often leads to confrontation or a ‘manufactured’ restart which is exploited unfairly like kicking the ball out for a throw in deep in the opponents’ half.
“The new procedure is for the dropped ball to be uncontested, it will be dropped for only one player and all other players must remain at least four metres away.
“Play will then continue as normal, that is the ball is not given back to the opponents,” reads the Ifab circular.
If play was stopped when the ball or the last touch of the ball was in the penalty area, the ball will be dropped for the defending team goalkeeper.
In all other cases, the ball will be dropped for one player of the team that last touched the ball at the place where it was last touched.
The Ifab first met on June 2, 1886, in London, in an event attended by two representatives each from the English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh associations.
The Ifab soon became established as the guardian of the unified laws of the game and tasked with preserving, monitoring, studying and amending football rules.
To this day the laws of the game can only be changed by the Ifab.
Laws of the game changed significantly over time.
The penalty kick and goal nets were introduced in 1891. Between 1896 and 1899 it was agreed that each team should have 11 players on the field; that a match is to last for 90 minutes and that the field ought to have the dimensions it still retains today.
Integration was formalised as Fifa joined the Ifab as a full member in 1913.
In the newly restructured body, Fifa was given the same voting power as the original four associations put together.
Own Correspondent|Vote counting in South Africa’s sixth democratic elections resumed in earnest after polling stations closed last night and initial results are slowly trickling into the province’s elections nerve centre in Century Centre.
Nationally, the African National Congress (ANC) is enjoying an early lead followed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
By 4am on Thursday morning, 887,867 valid votes had been captured.
Party agents sat anxiously with their eyes fixed to their computer screens and monitors showing the early votes.
The ANC has taken an early lead at just over 50% nationally followed by the DA and EFF at 28% and 7%, respectively.
In the Western Cape, the DA was sitting on 60% of the vote so far.
It will still be more than 48 hours before South Africans know the final results.
The Guardian|Russian specialists planned to influence South Africa’s general election in order to strengthen the ruling African National Congress party (ANC), documents seen by the Guardian and local media in South Africa suggest.
The documents were apparently prepared by an organisation linked to Yevgeny Prigozhin, a St Petersburg businessman who is close to Vladimir Putin. They promise a campaign “to support the ruling ANC ahead of elections” and to counteract and “discredit” the pro-western Democratic Alliance party. It is unclear whether the plan was executed. The plan was first reported by the Daily Maverick newspaper.
Voting booths opened on Wednesday in South Africa’s sixth general election since the first free polls in the country in 1994. The ANC has held power ever since but faces widespread discontent among voters angered by a series of major corruption scandals, power cuts, inflation and unemployment.
There is little doubt that the ANC will obtain a majority in parliament and that the incumbent president, Cyril Ramaphosa, will get a new mandate. However, supporters say he needs to show he has reversed a steady decline in the ANC’s popularity if he is to implement an ambitious reform agenda that has stalled since he took power last year.
The plan to interfere in South Africa’s election was coordinated by a Russian political technologist, Peter Bychkov, who works for Prigozhin, according to the documents. The disinformation campaign was plotted by a Russian-owned NGO, the Association for Free Research and International Cooperation (Afric), under the guise of research.
In February, according to the documents, Bychkov dispatched a small team of political analysts from St Petersburg to South Africa. They were based within Afric and another research outfit, the International Anticrisis Center (IAC). This appears to be the first time the Prigozhin network has been active in South Africa, but there is no evidence it had any effect, the paper said.
The documents were obtained by the Dossier Center, an investigative unit based in London and funded by the Russian businessman and Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky.
Moscow’s goal was to tarnish the reputation of the leaders of the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a far-left party headed by a former ANC official, the documents suggest. Tactics include “public rhetoric”, “generating and disseminating video content”, “coordinating with a loyal pool of journalists” and “producing pro-ANC videos”.
The documents include several pages of analysis that suggest the ANC will struggle to poll above 50% and that the EFF is likely to come second.
This runs against most experts’ projections, which place the ruling party on between 55% and 60%, the DA on about 20% and the EFF on 15% at most.
In recent years, Russia has sought to play an increasing role in Africa and to boost its military and political presence on the continent. In October, Putin will host an Africa-Russia summit in the resort of Sochi. The Kremlin’s apparent strategy is to support incumbent presidents and to work against “pro-western” parties and reform movements.
According to the US special counsel Robert Mueller, who investigated Russia’s attempts to influence the 2016 US election, Prigozhin runs the notorious troll factory in St Petersburg – the Internet Research Agency (IRA) – and was responsible for an extensive social media operation in 2016 to mobilise support for Donald Trump and to disparage Hillary Clinton. Afric and the IAC are IRA offshoots, according to the documents.
Prigozhin is linked to the Wagner Group, a paramilitary organisation that has been active in several African states, including the Central African Republic. His political operatives popped up last year in Sudan and tried unsuccessfully to keep President Bashir in power. They also travelled to Madagascar ahead of elections there last November.
The South Africa operation was smaller and more lacklustre than Moscow’s recent extensive effort in Sudan. Nevertheless it appears to be an example of the Kremlin’s ambition, opportunism, and desire to stop dead in its tracks any “pro-western” shift, whether in Africa or elsewhere.
Bychkov denied any knowledge of the operation, the Daily Maverick reported, saying: “Yes, listen, well, if someone somewhere wrote something, it’s a fantasy. I have never dealt with all this African politics. I am in St Petersburg and doing other things.”
The ANC has had good relations with Moscow since the days of its long and bitter battle against the racist apartheid regime.
State Media|The Combined Harare Residents’ Association (CHRA) has urged the Harare City Council to respect residents’ rights and follow the legal route when demolishing houses that were built without its approval.
Council recently warned owners of such properties that their structures faced demolition if they failed to regularise them in terms of city building by-laws.
CHRA director Mrs Loreen Mupasiri-Sani told the media yesterday that they were concerned about the complete disregard for the law by the City of Harare when carrying out demolitions.
She said council should first find an alternative place for the people likely to be affected by the demolitions.
“CHRA is deeply concerned by the complete disregard of the law by the City of Harare when executing house demolitions around the capital. They are creating a major humanitarian disaster because residents are not only left homeless but are exposed to various diseases as well,” she said.
“Inasmuch as we do not condone illegal housing structures, we note with concern that the City of Harare has failed to respect citizens’ constitutional right of freedom from arbitrary eviction as enshrined under Section 74 of the country’s supreme law.
“Arbitrary evictions not only violate the right to shelter but the right to life, which is enshrined under Section 48 of the Constitution. With regards to the illegal structures, the City of Harare’s Planning Department is equally to blame as they have been complicit on issues of double allocation of stands and of housing stands on wetlands.
“Corruption and abuse of power thus remains the main issues fuelling the sprouting of illegal structures in Harare,” she said.
In an interview with state media over the proposed demolitions yesterday, Harare City Council corporate communications manager Mr Michael Chideme said council’s preoccupation was not on demolitions but on giving security of tenure to residents through regularisation of their houses and to ensure that they pay for services which they have been enjoying for free.
He, however, said those who settled on wetlands, spaces reserved for the construction of schools, hospitals, clinics and business will be removed so that those pieces of land can be tirned over to their original purposes.
Own Correspondent|Zanu-PF national spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo has scoffed at what he called the MDC’s attempt to involve the ruling party in its internal affairs after the High Court nullified the appointment of Nelson Chamisa and Eng Elias Mudziri as party co-vice presidents and directing the party to hold an extraordinary congress a month after the date of the order.
Speaking to state media after the shock High Court Ruling, Khaya Moyo, claimed the ruling by the High Court was purely an internal matter of the MDC and his party has no role in it.
“The court ruling by Justice Edith Mushore ordering the MDC party to hold an extraordinary congress within a month to elect a substantive leadership is purely an internal matter within the MDC,” he said.
“It has absolutely nothing to do with Zanu-PF and its visionary leader Cde ED Mnangagwa as insinuated by its spokesperson Mr Jacob Mafume. It is clear from the court proceedings that the applicant is an MDC member. Zanu-PF is too principled a party with a revolutionary history to engage in MDC shenanigans.
“President ED Mnangagwa is too pre-occupied with matters of the state economy as evidenced by the ‘Zimbabwe is open for business’ mantra and vision 2030.”
The High Court ruled that the decision by the late MDC-T president Morgan Tsvangirai to hand-pick two additional vice presidents was illegal and that the party should hold an extraordinary congress within a month using 2014 structures.
This follows an application by Gokwe district organising secretary Elias Mashavire challenging the 2016 decision by the late MDC-T leader who chose Chamisa and Engineer Mudzuri as his other deputies on top of Dr Thokozani Khupe, who had been voted in the congress of 2014 .
Chamisa and Khupe went their separate ways following the death of Mr Tsvangirai in February, last year.
At the time, Khupe insisted she was the bona fide MDC-T leader because she was the only one elected party vice president at congress.
Yesterday, Justice Edith Mushore ruled that the appointments by Tsvangirai Chamisa and Mudzuri as party co-vice presidents three years ago was invalid.
Chamisa and Mudzuri were listed as second and third respondents in the matter.
“The appointment of second (Chamisa) and third (Mudzuri) respondents as deputy presidents of the MDC party were unconstitutional and therefore null and void,” said Justice Mushore.
“The appointment of the second respondent as acting president and president of the MDC party were unconstitutional and therefore null and void.”
In addition, the judge ruled that all the decisions made under the Nelson Chamisa administration are invalid and he cannot preside over party matters.
“All appointments and or reassignments and all actions of the second respondent in his purported capacities as deputy/acting or incumbent president were unconstitutional.
“The first respondent (MDC) be and is hereby ordered to hold an extra-ordinary congress after the lapse of at least one month after the date of this order.”
Dear Editor|It is now clear that ZANU PF government has been (and is) manipulating judiciary to suppress the voice of the people. The nullification of Nelson Chamisa Presidency is not only evil but a reflection of an unholy correlation between judiciary and ZANU PF.
I am afraid that ZANU PF and judiciary are now provoking people to go on rampage. There is no doubt that our judiciary’s dead image has been further tainted by this politically motivated ruling against Nelson Chamisa.
This piece seeks to demonstrate that the latest court ruling will not work but it’s likely to cause anarchy and despondence in our country.
The then Vice President ED Mnangagwa’s suspension by the then legitimate Head of State President RG Mugabe was above board. What was interesting to note is that the then President appointed the Vice Presidents Mphoko and Mnangagwa. An appointee is like someone on probation, the one who appointed the appointee can terminate him/her anytime.
However, the judiciary of Zimbabwe overturned the expulsion because ZANU PF didn’t want Mphoko to lead (probably because he is a Ndebele). In politics Vice Presidents are terminated without court interferences, Jacob Zuma was terminated by Thabo Mbeki but nothing happened.
I was also equally shocked when the judiciary declared that the removal of RG Mugabe from power was not a coup. The army machinery were brought on streets, some (like Munetsi & others) died. The soldiers went to RG Mugabe’s residential home and forced him to resign. The judiciary of Zimbabwe legitimized the coup they failed to provide convincing reasons in their ruling.
Today, the same judiciary wants to frustrate the darling of the people Nelson Chamisa because he promised mass action soon after the MDC alliance’s congress. The nullification of Nelson Chamisa’s Presidency is an attack on democracy and suffering Zimbabweans. Chamisa was not expelled like what happened to Vice President Mnangagwa. Surprisingly, the (expelled) ED Mnangagwa was given a positive ruling by the judiciary while the one appointed by the party’s highest organ is nullified by the same judiciary. Zimbabweans need answers to this?
The ruling party and judiciary should be very careful. Suck kinds of rulings are likely to push the citizens to a wall. The judiciary of Zimbabwe should try to be fair all the time. There is evidence that ZANU PF is interfering with the judiciary. We want peace in our country and not despondence.
This ruling by the subjective judiciary has already dealt a blow to the national dialogue. The only hope of Zimbabwe is on dialogue but the latest ruling has just destroyed our only hope. The ruling is also going to affect the Zimbabwe’s dying economy negatively. Investors are not comfortable in investing in areas that are undemocratic.
I urge MDC alliance to go ahead with the congress. Going to court is a waste of time because everything has been stage managed. Chauya Chauya.
Opinion By Don Chigumba
@Donchigumba
The Chinese government has advised the visiting ZANU PF delegates to that country, they must stop corruption and furthermore realise that power comes from the people.
The Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Mr. Song Tao said ZANU PF should instill stability in the country.
Tao said, “you should adhere to a people centred development approach, development is by the people for the people.
“We take people’s aspirations for a better life as the goal of the whole party.
“In development we have always adhered to reform and opening up. We want to emulate development through reform.
“We have to strike a balance between stability, reform and development. Without stability there is no development.”
Tao also said China is doing well because it inculcated the spirit of zero tolerance to corruption. He said, “We must have cadres that have professional competency, loyalty and responsibility to implement the right positions of the party.
“A party should cause institutional building to manage financial and personal affairs and keep the exercise of power within the cage of institutions.”- state media
By Farai D Hove| ZANU PF President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday literally leaked speech passages used by the late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s son Edwin during the latter’s father’s memorial.
At the weekend as ZimEye reveals, Edwin Tsvangirai caused a scene when he read from a white paper passages which have since been resounded by Mnangagwa.
There was drama when Edwin was humiliated on stage as he said, “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!
Yesterday, Mnangagwa was found resounding passages of Edwin’s speech. Mnangaagwa was assuring investors that they can have access to and repatriate their dividends. He was opening the 35th International Chromium Development Association (ICDA) conference in Victoria Falls. Mnangagwa said: “We’re a country endowed with vast natural resources and a huge growth potential particularly in the chrome and platinum group of metals mining sub sectors. As our country accelerates its modernisation and industrialisation agenda, the development of these mining sectors will be given greater attention in our bid to accelerate economic growth.
“In response to market expectations and global best practices, we continue to make responsive laws to reform our business operating environment through policies that are transparent, consistent and predictable.
“We’ve implemented the amendment of the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act and investors are also free to choose to partner with locals on mutually beneficial and agreed conditions. All investors are free to repatriate their dividends in accordance with our laws.”
The government has revealed that it approved new increases of school fees by public schools.
The DailyNews, quotes Primary and Secondary Education minister Paul Mavima confirming that several schools had applied to increase their fees again.
He said: “I am not in a position to tell how many had applied initially and how many have been approved. You can get that information from the permanent secretary who is in charge of that.
“Any increases outside the approval by the secretary are thus illegal. You can get a full schedule of the applicants and those that were approved from the secretary.”
One of the schools that have increased fees is Arundel which now requires day scholars to pay RTGS6 600 or US$1 500, while weekly borders will be paying RTGS$8 900 or US$2 023. Full borders will have to pay RTGS$10 800 or US$2 455.
The full list of Zanu-PF members who flew to China and are currently there with female heavyweight, Oppah Muchinguri are: Engelbert Rugeje (National Political Commissar), Simbarashe Mumbengegwi (Secretary for External Affairs), Mabel Chinomona (Secretary for Women’s League), Paul Mangwana (Secretary for Legal Affairs), Lovemore Matuke (Secretary for Security), Pupurai Togarepi (Secretary for Youth Affairs), Munyaradzi Machacha (Principal of the Chitepo Ideological College), Douglas Mahiya (Deputy Secretary for War Veterans).
Other members of the delegation are Women’s League National Political Commissar Apolonia Munzerengi, Tsitsi Gezi (Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly) and Tsitsi Muzenda (Politburo member).
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s party, ZANU PF has said it is too busy to be interested in removing Mnangagwa’s nemesis, Nelson Chamisa from his party headship.
This was uttered by ZANU PF national spokesman Simon Khaya Moyo. Moyo spoke following allegations that ZANU PF influenced yesterday’s High Court verdict which declares that Nelson Chamisa does not at all occupy his position of MDC president.
Yesterday, Justice Edith Mushore ruled that the appointments by the late Morgan Tsvangirai of Mr Chamisa and Engineer Elias Mudzuri as party co-vice presidents three years ago was invalid.
Mr Chamisa and Eng Mudzuri were listed as second and third respondents in the matter.
“The appointment of second (Chamisa) and third (Mudzuri) respondents as deputy presidents of the MDC party were unconstitutional and therefore null and void,” said Justice Mushore.
“The appointment of the second respondent as acting president and president of the MDC party were unconstitutional and therefore null and void.”
In addition, the judge ruled that all the decisions made under the Nelson Chamisa administration are invalid and he cannot preside over party matters.
“All appointments and or reassignments and all actions of the second respondent in his purported capacities as deputy/acting or incumbent president were unconstitutional.
“The first respondent (MDC) be and is hereby ordered to hold an extra-ordinary congress after the lapse of at least one month after the date of this order.”
This means the party’s national council has to go back to the status quo and follow dictates of their constitution to deal with the upcoming congress.
It also means that Mr Chamisa cannot preside over the congress because he was an ordinary card-carrying member of the party before his surprise elevation.
Commenting, Khaya Moyo said, “The court ruling by Justice Edith Mushore ordering the MDC party to hold an extraordinary congress within a month to elect a substantive leadership is purely an internal matter within the MDC.”
He continued saying, “it has absolutely nothing to do with Zanu-PF and its visionary leader Cde ED Mnangagwa as insinuated by its spokesperson Mr Jacob Mafume. It is clear from the court proceedings that the applicant is an MDC member. Zanu-PF is too principled a party with a revolutionary history to engage in MDC shenanigans.
“President ED Mnangagwa is too pre-occupied with matters of the state economy as evidenced by the ‘Zimbabwe is open for business’ mantra and vision 2030.” – state media
Farai Dziva|Only MDC members have the mandate to elect the party leadership, spokesperson for the opposition party Jacob Mafume has said.
Mafume was addressing an urgent news conference at Morgan Tsvangirai House in the capital today.
The opposition party invited members of the media fraternity to the urgent news conference following a High Court ruling ordering MDC A leader Nelson Chamisa to cede the presidency.
“MDC members have the mandate to elect the leadership of the party, according to the Constitution.
As such preparations for the Congress are progressing regardless of the High Court ruling.
As far as we are concerned the party’s internal processes cannot be determined by external influence,” said Mafume.
Farai Dziva|MDC A leader Nelson Chamisa has said the people of Zimbabwe cannot wait for 2023 given the fact that their suffering has become unbearable.
Chamisa has attributed the socio-economic problems bedevilling the country to the disputed results of the 2018 polls.
“Why wait for five years. We must begin the journey with the July 2018 disputed elections so that issues of legitimacy are dealt with, issues of parliamentary reforms are dealt with, (and that there is) political dialogue.
If there is no political dialogue, we say this and we will say it again, we are going to resort to constitutional avenues and platforms around our rights to express ourselves until what we believe to be the legitimate request is acceded,” Chamisa told a daily publication.
A systems administrator with financial service provider Kelhead (Private) Limited trading as Zimbabwe Shared Service, appeared in court on allegations of defrauding Agribank of $252 579,76.
Tafadzwa Kelvin Badza (age not supplied) faced fraud and money laundering charges when he appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Barbra Mateko. He was granted $500 bail. As part of his bail conditions he was ordered to surrender his travelling documents with the clerk of court.
He was also ordered to continue residing at his given address, not to interfere with witnesses and to report to the police twice a week on Mondays and Fridays. It is alleged that sometime in September, Badza opened two open personal instant Agribank accounts number 5048759001670979 and 5048759002522252.
Prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa told the court that during the period extending from September 2018 to April 29 this year, Badza manipulated the Agribank computer system from his workplace by transferring funds from Agribank pool account and credited his two accounts with a cumulative figure of $252 579,76. – state media
Farai Dziva|The MDC A has described the country’s education system as pathetic and chaotic.
See below the MDC A statement on the country’s education system:
Right to education under threat as schools open
As the second school term of 2019 starts there are problems at every angle.
The teachers are disgruntled, the cost of living has increased beyond their reach and wages remain the same.
Calls to pay them in US dollars continue to fall on deaf ears and the teacher pupil ratio is still strenuous on the part of the educator.
Conditions of service are becoming worse by the day and safety nets are suffering the blow of a mismanaged economic mismanagement.
Problems with medical aid are increasing by the day and those going for retirement are facing eroded pensions, same as the ordeal described in the Justice Smith Commission Report of 2017.
Industrial Action is looming.
On the other hand, some parents are being made to pay school fees in US dollars either in full or part of it. The government has stubbornly refused to adopt holistic and genuine currency reforms.
Some will have to downgrade schools for their children, while some in poor families will even drop out.
There is everything wrong with the system and unfortunately children are made to suffer. Their rights are being taken away by an inconsiderate cabal whose agenda is that of power retention and self- aggrandizement.
The right to education provided for in the Constitution is no longer guaranteed.
It is a total reversal of the gains of the liberation struggle. There is also the issue of poor education facilities, pupils walking long distance to the nearest school and an unfair disadvantage for those attending school in neglected parts of the country.
The MDC suggests the following be done urgently:
Farai Dziva|The big question many Zimbabweans are asking is whether Auxillia Mnangagwa deserves to be a health ambassador.
Mrs Mnangagwa was recently appointed health ambassador because of her passion for the well being of the people of Zimbabwe, according to state media reports.
See below comments on Mrs Mnangagwa’ s appointment as health ambassador:
Addie Sikuza:
I think the paediatric doctor who cried because of the health conditions in hospital deserves to be the Ambassador, not this woman.
Nozipho Bakani Gumede:
Shuwa this is like Mr Bean buying himself Christmas presents, posting them to himself…
Kerita Tawana Choga:
Well to be perfectly honest, in my humble opinion, of course without offending anyone who thinks differently from my point of view, but also by looking into this matter in a different perspective and without being condemning of one’s view’s and by trying to make it objective, and by considering each and every one’s valid opinion, I honestly believe that I completely forgot what I was going to say.
Pana Pana:
Yes yes we all know that but ukaona kangoma koririsa soooo
Kel Kevin:
Zimbabwe comedy series, they removed Doctor Amai and inserted Amai Doctor..
UPDATE ON THE CYCLONE IDAI DONATION THROUGH RED CROSS
The Executive is pleased to announce that the Cyclone Idai donation cheque was today handed over to the British Red Cross, for onward transmission to the Zimbabwe Red Cross as agreed. We would like to thank all those who donated to this disaster. Thanks also go to those who braved the rain to witness the handover.
The following attended the handover event at Leeds Red Cross.
Mr Muneri
Mr Mupandawana
Ms Garikai
Mr Mushava
Ms Margie Chihera
Mrs Dube
Mr Mundenda
Mr Tawonezvi
Below are the photos and a few videos for the handover event.
Again. Thank you
K. Mushava
ZLC Secretary-General (On behalf of the ZLC executive)
“We are not prophetic we are just journalists, we have sources, six days ago we had the judgement which has been delivered today because it was a court issue we sat it out waiting for it to be delivered this Wednesday- but how was it leaked,” journalist Blessed Mhlanga tweeted of the below tweet:
VIDEO LOADING BELOW…
BY DR MASIMBA MAVAZA | Zimbabwe has but to lament the politicization of our justice system. If a decision does not please one political party it is quickly labelled a political decision. It is sad that even renowned lawyers like Tendai Biti rushes to the twitter and wilfully mislead the public. Firstly the courts must never interfere into internal politics of a political party or any club, unless there is a flagrant disregard of the law. If there is such blatant disregard of your own constitution the court will and has the right to order you to follow your own constitution. Looking at more recent appointed judges, all extremely well qualified for the Court it is an insult to them to say their decision was strictly on party lines or close to it and that doesn’t make any sense. If that happens then that suggests that the process is being used for something other than ensuring the fair execution of justice.
The Court underscored its power to shape Zimbabwean life when it took major cases about the internal conflicts of political parties. But this is not simply a case of the court thrusting itself into politics. It is a case of the political parties demonising the courts even if there is no reason to do so.
The way these cases developed and made their way to the highest court also illustrates the reverse — how politics shape the court. Each case grows out of a struggle between left and right where politics have pushed the law: between a quest for universal coverage and the members of the party, between an emphasis on openness and hostility toward another party and between a promise of access to justice and the unyielding opposition to keeping that promise.
Each party has its program and works to turn it into law. But it becomes unfortunate once that party approaches the court for intervention.
To start with the case of the illegality of Chamisa and Mudzuri was never settled at court. The high Court dismissed a law suit challenging MDC T Leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s appointment of national executive members Advocate Chamisa and Engineer Elias Mudzuri as party co-vice presidents. This was the case cited as Murimoga v MDC T. In his decision Justice Hlekani Mwayera decided the matter on preliminary points which were raised by Thabani Mpofu Advocate who acted for MDC T.
The reason for the decision was that 1. The applicants had no right to bring a case against MDC as they were not paid up members of the party. This is known in law as legal standing, or locus standi in judicio. The court accepted that and threw the case out. There was no going dip in the merits of the case as brought in by the applicants. So to say the case was decided is totally misleading and as always Biti and MDC are walking on a tighter rope and bordering on the lines of contempt.
The reality of the matter for Chamisa must be read in the statement of Tsvangirai himself after the decision of Justice Hlekani Mwayera, he said the promotion of the two was meant to help him run the party as the country prepares for 2018 elections. According to Tsvangirai the appointment was not permanent but a temporal measure which would be sorted after elections. Unfortunately Tsvangirai dies and Chamisa rode on the dead man and jumped on his grave and took over the reins with the advice of Biti and Job Sikhala. His actions have brought the case to where it is now.
This appointment angered a lot of MDC T bigwigs who felt that Tsvangirai was wrong in handpicking his blue eyed boys to the lofty position ahead of the rest in the contest to succeed him.
Tsvangirai had breached Article 6.4.1 of the MDC T constitution and did not empower the council or the party president to appoint a deputy president.
So for any MDC T or A member to say that the case was decided by Justice Mwayera is outright lies and misleading.
The love for power by Chamisa has made the MDC look like a dog’s breakfast. Now the ruling by the court today which nullifies the appointment of Nelson Jigis Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri as vice presidents opens people to speculate that “a sharply political, divisive hearing process” increases the odds that justices are seen as partisans it’s a very unfortunate impression the public might get from the comments by MDC A. Despite the allegations by the MDC A the High court record belies the Chief Justice’s claim of political neutrality on the part of the Justices. But on most issues over which there is sharp political division in the country, the Justices’ positions reflect the politics of the presidents who appointed them.
This is not to say the Justices see their role as promoting the agenda of one political party or the other. We can safely assume that there are not party caucuses among the judges. But the Justices do have political views and those views matter in much of what the Court does.
The political views of the Justices matter because they themselves have established and perpetuated constitutional doctrines and interpretive principles that require courts to make political choices. Particularly over the last several decades, the High Court has put itself and other courts in the position of having to resolve cases by making some of the hard political decisions left by the framers to the legislative and executive branches of government.
This politicization of the work of the courts is the product of the Supreme Court’s creation of an array of balancing tests and what it calls levels of scrutiny. In other words, legislation and administrative actions will be presumed to be constitutional unless particular constitutional prohibitions are violated or the Court finds that the political process has produced undesirable results as a consequence of the lesser political influence of particular groups of people. The Court, not the Constitution, will determine which constitutional prohibitions and what groups warrant special consideration and what legislation is undesirable.
The legitimacy of the courts depends on their strict adherence to the rule of law. It might be argued that judicial application of a three part balancing test is the rule of law, but when courts effectively declare that the law is what they say it is, it is difficult to take their claim of allegiance to the rule of law seriously.
The reality is that there is much at stake for both parties. Many decades of balancing jurisprudence have assured that who sits on the nation’s highest court matters to the most fundamental concerns of the nation’s political parties and special interests. Unless and until our courts can find a way to restore the rule of law to their own work, we can expect that a politicized confirmation process will long survive the tenure of political parties.
The decision by the judge Mushore was that Tsvangirayi acted unconstitutionally by appointing Chamisa and Mudzuri. Therefore the appointment is now invalid as of now as it was then. This then meant that the appointment of Chamisa as an acting president was unconstitutional as its beginnings were tainted by illegality.
As is expected in the political parties or organisations the court can only rule that the party be bound by its law. So the judge then ordered MDC T to hold an elective congress as a matter of urgency.
There is nothing wrong with this judgement and the judge did not descend into the arena, neither was the judge blinded by the dust of the players.
The outcry against the judgement is misdirected. Looking at the case on the round MDCA or T will have to show the world that they abide by the rule of law. Chamisa has been an illegal; leader all along and has no right to even claim any victory in the elections he lost. Even if he had won the elections which he did not he would have been disqualified by this ruling?
This is the time Chamisa must make things right and see through a congress. Since there is a congress penned for this month it will be in order that the congress be allowed to proceed and that Mwonzora as the Secretary General presides over the Congress.
In recent years most democracies have faced the problem of undemocratic political parties. In other countries undemocratic political parties will be banned, but Zimbabwe had allowed MDC T to trudge along in the illegality they enjoyed. Chamisa forgot the saying that when in a glass house does not throw stones. Political parties must be democratic not only externally, in their goals but also democratic internally, in their organizational practices. The very interdependence between political parties and democracies should promote the parties adherence not only to democratic goals and activities but also to democratic internal structures, such internal democracy must be mandatory and the courts must enforce fairness where internal democracy is thwarted.
[email protected]
By Own Correspondent- First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa’s role in state affairs has come under scrutiny from observers who claim that she is interfering with government business.
Mnangagwa recently railed at bosses at the National Pharmaceutical Company (NatPharm), a state-run enterprise, over the unavailability of medicines in hospitals while they are in stock at the warehouse.
She has, however, defended her actions as a health ambassador. Said Mnangagwa:
I have been a health ambassador for quite some time and my role is to help the vulnerable in whatever possible way.
When I made a visit to NatPharm, I had asked the Minister of Health (Obadiah Moyo) to accompany me so that I could appreciate their operations.
It is unfortunate that he was in a meeting. He sent a representative.
Meanwhile, University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer Eldred Masunungure said that is is not unusual for first ladies across the world to be involved in humanitarian work.
Said Masunungure:
During the first days of Mnangagwa’s rule, he promised to keep his family away from State matters and he managed to do so in the run-up to the elections.
But now, he might need to reconsider certain things and ensure his wife does not get too much attention and compete with him in State papers.
First ladies the world over are known for humanitarian work and giving a human face to the State. They are there to do social work and that is what Auxillia should focus on. She must continue with her humanitarian work and not try to venture into governance issues.-Newsday
By Own Correspondent- Opposition Zapu leader Dumiso Dabengwa is still receiving specialist treatment in India for an undisclosed ailment, party officials confirmed yesterday.
Dabengwa was airlifted to the south Asian country in April, after having received medical attention in South Africa since November 2018.
The Zapu leader, who has not been seen in public in months due to his failing health, recently underwent surgery in the neighbouring country, before he was flown to India.
His family has been tight-lipped on his health status, pleading for privacy.
Zapu spokesperson Iphithule Maphosa confirmed Dabengwa was still hospitalised in India.
“Dabengwa has had tests run on him as of Friday (last week) and we await results, which should come through in the next five or seven days. Meanwhile, he is being monitored as we wait for the test results after which the doctors will advise the way forward,” Maphosa told Southern Eye.
Maphosa was also mum on what Dabengwa is suffering from.
Maphosa last month said the former Home Affairs minister “often complained of fatigue owing to his failing health condition” before he was flown to India for specialist treatment.
Dilapidated infrastructure, lack of machinery and drugs, a brain drain and inhibitive costs in the country are forcing many Zimbabweans to seek medical attention in foreign lands, especially South Africa and India.
The former Home Affairs minister has not been active in Zapu politics and planned to step down at the party’s upcoming congress.-Newsday
By Dr Nkululeko Sibanda| The judgement is not just confusing it is confused, it not just inconsistent, it is congested, it is not just absurd, it is also impossible to interpret, the Court can not say it has been fulfilled, it is thus impractical and unenforceable.
For example, how would you determine the pre-2014 structures. Some of those people have left the party and are now working for other parties.
Whose list will the Court be willing to accept? Are they planning to storm our Congress and prevent it from going forward?
Even the party it refers to can be a problem, the constitution they are referring to is itself something likely printed by Jongwe Printers and Publishers.
After putting the past nail on the economy’s coffin Mnangagwa, is destroying every institution with the zeal of a mindless child.
He is destroying the Army, Airforce, Police and this is the one of the last nails couts’ of the coffin. The Courts just lost all legitimacy by wading into politics in such an obvious manner.
We will have nothing by the time President Chamisa gets to State House if it does not happen within short order.
We have just been advised of the High Court of Zimbabwe judgement issued by Justice Edith Mushore today. We fundamentally disagree with the judgement. The choice of leaders of any political party, the world over is the sole preserve of the members of that party.
It can never be a judicial process. Equally, the actions, activities and programmes of a political party, being a voluntary organisation whose existence is protected by the Constitution, is the sole preserve of the members that party.
In the past few months, over 500 000 members of the MDC have been involved in a process of electing their leaders at lower levels, from branch to the province. More particularly, over 10 200 branches, 1 958 wards, 210 districts and 13 provinces have been elected.
In just a few weeks’ time, the MDC will complete the process of democratically electing its leadership at a Congress convened in terms of its Constitution.
Strangely, Justice Mushore’s judgement contradicts and totally ignores an earlier judgement of the High Court which ruled on the case of Murimoga versus the MDC.
We are fully aware of the machinations and strategies being deployed by the Mnangagwa administration to destabilize and destroy the people’s project. We reiterate that Emmerson Mnangagwa is illegitimate and no amount of diversionary tactics will change this fact.
For the avoidance of doubt, preparations for the main Congress are at an advanced stage and 6 800 delegates will attend. That process is irreversible. We shall hold a historic and joyous Congress under the theme: Defining a new course for Zimbabwe.
All roads lead to Gweru.
Jacob Mafume (MDC National Spokesperson)
Farai Dziva|
Jürgen Klopp says he will forever cherish the 4-0 victory over Barcelona on Tuesday which sealed their second successive Champions League final.
Liverpool completed one of the greatest comebacks in the European football, overturning a 3-0 first leg deficit, thanks to braces from Divock Origi and Georginio Wijnaldum, a half-time replacement for the injured Andy Robertson.
The triumph is Liverpool’s first ever four-goal comeback in Europe.
“I told the boys ‘because it is you, it is possible, there is a chance.’ Really, they are mentality monsters. The boys had a mix of big heart and football skills, it was unbelievable. I am really proud to be the manager of this team. I will remember it forever,” said Klopp.
The gaffer also hailed the “genius” of Trent Alexander-Arnold for the quick-thinking corner that created Origi’s 79th-minute winner and caught every Barcelona player unawares in the penalty area.
“It was a genius moment from Trent. Wow. I saw the ball flying in the net and I didn’t know who took the corner or who scored. Now I saw it back, incredibly clever. I thought our performance was better than 3-0 in Barcelona and tonight probably Barcelona is better than 4-0,” Klopp added.
Liverpool now wait for the winner between Ajax and Tottenham ahead of the Madrid final set for June 1.
Farai Dziva Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp has praised the “genius” of Trent Alexander-Arnold in the team’s fourth goal against Barcelona on Tuesday night.
Arnold took a quick-thinking corner that created Origi’s 79th-minute winner, the defender’s second assist of the game.
The 20-year-old was leaving the corner flag to let Xherdan Shaqiri take the set-piece when he saw Origi open and unmarked inside the keeper’s box.
He quickly played the ball to the striker who made no mistake to put it away for the winning goal.
Farai Dziva| Harare Giants Dynamos have suffered a suspension blow as their leading striker Ngandu Mangala will miss the game against Walter Magaya’s Yadah FC on Sunday.
Mangala accumulated three yellow cards and will be out on suspension. He joins defender Godfrey Mukambi who is serving a one match suspension.
Black Rhinos’ Wellington Taderera is also on suspension.
Farai Dziva|The country’s main opposition party, MDC A has castigated government bureaucrats for spending ZINARA funds on personal aggrandisement while hundreds are perishing on the country’s roads.
See the MDC A statement below:
Vehicle levies must be returned to councils
The corruption exposed yesterday by the Public Accounts Committee vindicates the MDC’s assertion that the country has been captured by a dangerous group of scoundrels who have converted the state into an arena of self-aggrandizement.
We have made the point consistently that corruption is the biggest single premium on the Zimbabwean Economy.
It boggles the mind how a sane management would decide to give each other tens of thousands of dollars in hairdo allowances, which should have been used on roads.
In a poverty stricken country where the tax payer cannot afford a loaf of bread, thousands of ZINARA funds were spent on gym equipment.
ZINARA is rotten to the core.
The public accounts Committee Chaired by MDC Deputy Chairperson Hon Tendai Biti also exposed that hundreds of millions of dollars have been paid to a software company whose granting of such an obscene contract is deep in murky waters.
It is the same ZINARA which was part of the Dexter Nduna scandal.
The MDC mentions in its SMART policy document that reform of Public Enterprises must be placed at the centre of rethinking the State.
They are an instrument of arbitrage and patronage, they are also to aid and abate Zanu PF’s autocratic agenda. It is unacceptable.
To deal with corruption the MDC restates the following:
We also demand that vehicle levies be returned to local authorities, ZINARA cannot be allowed to continue mismanaging the fund.
MDC 5th Congress: Defining a New Course for Zimbabwe!
Jacob Mafume
MDC National Spokesperson
Farai Dziva|The big question many Zimbabweans are asking is whether Auxillia Mnangagwa deserves to be a health ambassador.
Mrs Mnangagwa was recently appointed health ambassador because of her passion for the well being of the people of Zimbabwe, according to state media reports.
See below comments on Mrs Mnangagwa’ s appointment as health ambassador:
Addie Sikuza:
I think the paediatric doctor who cried because of the health conditions in hospital deserves to be the Ambassador, not this woman.
Nozipho Bakani Gumede:
Shuwa this is like Mr Bean buying himself Christmas presents, posting them to himself…
Kerita Tawana Choga:
Well to be perfectly honest, in my humble opinion, of course without offending anyone who thinks differently from my point of view, but also by looking into this matter in a different perspective and without being condemning of one’s view’s and by trying to make it objective, and by considering each and every one’s valid opinion, I honestly believe that I completely forgot what I was going to say.
Pana Pana:
Yes yes we all know that but ukaona kangoma koririsa soooo
Kel Kevin:
Zimbabwe comedy series, they removed Doctor Amai and inserted Amai Doctor..
Farai Dziva|Only MDC members have the mandate to elect the party leadership, spokesperson for the opposition party Jacob Mafume has said.
Mafume was addressing an urgent news conference at Morgan Tsvangirai House in the capital today.
The opposition party invited members of the media fraternity to the urgent news conference following a High Court ruling ordering MDC A leader Nelson Chamisa to cede the presidency.
“MDC members have the mandate to elect the leadership of the party, according to the Constitution.
As such preparations for the Congress are progressing regardless of the High Court ruling.
As far as we are concerned the party’s internal processes cannot be determined by external influence,” said Mafume.
Farai Dziva, Voice of Bikita, a Maskingo based network has conveyed condolences to the families of 60 people who perished in a horrific bus accident in South Africa yesterday.
“Sad news- The Masmery bus accident claimed the lives of 60 people
at the Luis Prichard Hill.
Very sad all the people who perished are breadwinners.
Back home people have become victims of the Zanu PF misrule forcing them go out of the
country to for themselves and their families.
To all relatives
family and friends who lost your loved ones we
say don’t worry it shall be well.
May their souls rest in peace
Zororai Murugare
Lala ngokhutula
Farai Dziva|MDC A leader Nelson Chamisa says he hopes South African elections will reflect the true will of the people of that country.
“Join me in wishing all South Africans a credible, successful, peaceful, free and fair elections in their voting processes.
Africa must lead the way in inclusive, transparent and undisputed electoral processes upon unbiased media and truly independent electoral bodies.Shine Africa shine!!
May God bless Africa,” said Chamisa in a statement on Facebook.
By Own Correspondent| At a time when a video emerged of Nelson Chamisa’s opponent, the ZANU PF president Emmerson Mnangagwa boasting that his party is a law unto itself, it is the army, the police and everything one can imagine, the High Court has nullified the appointment by MDC its current leader Nelson Chamisa following the death of Morgan Tsvangirai.
The sudden verdict also nullified the appointment of Chamisa and Mudzuri as VPs by Morgan Tsvangirai making it out as “unconstitutional.”
Opposition MDC will issue a presser in response to a High Court ruling nullifying the presidency of its current leader Nelson Chamisa.
ZimEye will be livestreaming the press conference.
Refresh this page for latest updates
Farai Dziva|The MDC A has described the country’s education system as pathetic and chaotic.
See below the MDC A statement on the country’s education system:
Right to education under threat as schools open
As the second school term of 2019 starts there are problems at every angle.
The teachers are disgruntled, the cost of living has increased beyond their reach and wages remain the same.
Calls to pay them in US dollars continue to fall on deaf ears and the teacher pupil ratio is still strenuous on the part of the educator.
Conditions of service are becoming worse by the day and safety nets are suffering the blow of a mismanaged economic mismanagement.
Problems with medical aid are increasing by the day and those going for retirement are facing eroded pensions, same as the ordeal described in the Justice Smith Commission Report of 2017.
Industrial Action is looming.
On the other hand, some parents are being made to pay school fees in US dollars either in full or part of it. The government has stubbornly refused to adopt holistic and genuine currency reforms.
Some will have to downgrade schools for their children, while some in poor families will even drop out.
There is everything wrong with the system and unfortunately children are made to suffer. Their rights are being taken away by an inconsiderate cabal whose agenda is that of power retention and self- aggrandizement.
The right to education provided for in the Constitution is no longer guaranteed.
It is a total reversal of the gains of the liberation struggle. There is also the issue of poor education facilities, pupils walking long distance to the nearest school and an unfair disadvantage for those attending school in neglected parts of the country.
The MDC suggests the following be done urgently:
Farai Dziva|MDC A leader Nelson Chamisa has said the people of Zimbabwe cannot wait for 2023 given the fact that their suffering has become unbearable.
Chamisa has attributed the socio-economic problems bedevilling the country to the disputed results of the 2018 polls.
“Why wait for five years. We must begin the journey with the July 2018 disputed elections so that issues of legitimacy are dealt with, issues of parliamentary reforms are dealt with, (and that there is) political dialogue.
If there is no political dialogue, we say this and we will say it again, we are going to resort to constitutional avenues and platforms around our rights to express ourselves until what we believe to be the legitimate request is acceded,” Chamisa told a daily publication.
Own Correspondent|The South African Independent Electoral Commission said that an elderly voter has died at a polling station in Elandspoort in Tshwane.
Mamabolo said the elderly voter had collapsed and passed on in a voting station in Elandspoort, Tshwane, on Wednesday.
Mamabolo made the announcement during a media briefing in Pretoria on Wednesday.
“As always in the election of this magnitude there are some challenges reported, including an instance where officials arrived late for duty and where materials were delayed. This had all been resolved by 9am,” he said.
“The IEC is sad to report the death of a deputy presiding officer in the Eastern Cape due to illness overnight and extends its condolences to the family. The commission also received reports of an elderly voter who apparently died in a voting station in Elandspoort, in Tshwane, today. Accordingly we express our condolences to the family,” Mamabolo said
Mamabolo said that they experienced a few problems at some voting stations.
“By 11.30am, only 17 voting stations remained unopened due to access challenges, 14 of which are in the southern coast of KwaZulu-Natal. The commission is working very closely with security agencies, supported by government departments, to open the stations as soon as possible.”
Jane Mlambo| Former spokesperson of MDC-T led by Thokozani Khupe, Linda Masarira has mocked MDC leader Nelson Chamisa following a shocking High Court ruling that nullified the youthful politician’s appointment to the position of vice President by the late party founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai as null and void.
Posting on Twitter, Masarira who is no stranger to controversy said;
“He legitimacy what not what not. The legitimate has been ruled the illegitimate. Karma karma karma… Operation Restore Legitimacy. Oh what a wonderful way to start my Wednesday,” Masarira said.
The High Court has also ruled that Chamisa’s subsequent assumption of the MDC presidency following Tsvangirai death was unconstitutional, and has ordered the party to hold extraordinary congress within a month to elect a legitimate leader.
By Own Correspondent- A High Court judge ruled on Wednesday that opposition leader Nelson Chamisa is not the legitimate president of the MDC, further instructing the party to hold an extraordinary congress within a month using its 2014 structures.
The court further ruled that the vice-presidential appointments made by late party leader Morgan Tsvangirai are null and void.
The court has ordered the party to convene an extraordinary congress within a month.
Commenting on the judgement one of the MDC founding members David Coltart said the ruling will be challenged.
More details to follow.
By Farai D Hove| At a time when a video emerged of Nelson Chamisa’s opponent, the ZANU PF president Emmerson Mnangagwa boasting that his party is a law unto itself, it is the army, the police, the army, and everything one can imagine, the High Court has nullified the appointment by MDC Chamisa as the party president following the death of Morgan Tsvangirai.
The sudden verdict also nullified the appointment of Chamisa and Mudzuri as VPs by Morgan Tsvangirai making ot out as “unconstitutional.”
The High Court has nullified the appointment by MDC of Nelson Chamisa as the party president following the death of Morgan Tsvangirai.
The party will now have to go back to structures of 2014 and the appointment of Chamisa and Mudzuri as VPs by Morgan Tsvangirai was unconstitutional. BELOW IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE JUDGEMENT –
By Own Correspondent| At a time when a video emerged of Nelson Chamisa’s opponent, the ZANU PF president Emmerson Mnangagwa boasting that his party is a law unto itself, it is the army, the police and everything one can imagine, the High Court has nullified the appointment by MDC Chamisa as the party president following the death of Morgan Tsvangirai.
The sudden verdict also nullified the appointment of Chamisa and Mudzuri as VPs by Morgan Tsvangirai making it out as “unconstitutional.”
After realising that Chamisa has virtually won the popular vote within the party’s internal electoral processes, Zanu PF is now hoping to use the courts to pull down the youthful MDC A leader.
Zanu PF hardliners have vowed to relegate the youthful MDC A leader to the political dustbins by ” all means necessary.”
Mnangagwa’s administration is now wading into the internal affairs of the ruling party’s biggest contender in the 2018 July elections in a development which has been described by analysts as testimony that Zanu Pf sympathises with leader of an MDC breakaway faction led by Thokozani Khupe.
This is a developing story. Refresh this page for latest updates.
By Own Correspondent- One of Opposition MDC’s founding member, David Coltart, has described today’s High Court ruling as empty thunder and gave assurance that it will be repealed.
The High Court today ruled that MDC leader Nelson Chamisa is an illegitimate president.
The ruling said that Chamisa appointment to the position of vice president by Morgan Tsvangirai before the latter’s death was null and void.
Said Coltart in a comment about the ruling:
“It will be appealed. This is what is called a brutum fulmen – ‘empty thunder’, an ineffective order. By the time the appeal is heard a duly constituted Congress of the MDC will have been held and @nelsonchamisa elected. Pathetic interference with the due process of a party.
Hundreds of commuters in Harare were yesterday left stranded after commuter omnibus operators hiked fares in most part of the city, citing fuel shortages.
The Zimbabwe United passenger Company (Zupco) buses, which were introduced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa early this year to solve transport problems have in the past weeks disappeared from the areas they were supposed to be servicing.
From Kambuzuma to town kombis were charging $2, a rise from $1, the same with Waterfalls, while Chitungwiza was $3,50, up from $2. Mufakose to Mbare was $2 up from $1.
A kombi driver who plies the Chitungwiza-Harare route told NewsDay that kombis would hike their fares further if fuels supplies remain erratic.
“There is no diesel, at the few service stations where it is available, one can spend the entire night in the queue and still not get a full tank, which is enough to carry passengers for the better part of the day,” said the public transport operator who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“We are turning to the black market where it is very expensive. We have to raise the fares for us to make a profit. Otherwise we would be working all day without getting anything.”
Another kombi driver said the fare hikes were necessitated by fuel shortages.
“If fuel shortages worsen, we will be left with little or no option, but to hike the fares,” he said.
A survey conducted by NewsDay in Harare yesterday showed that few service stations had long meandering queues while some had no fuel at all and in most suburbs in the capital city, many kombis were not operating due to shortages of fuel.
In an interview with one of the Harare commuters, Primrose Chitiyo said she went home late trying to secure cheap transport.
“I am no longer able to cope with the situation. Yesterday (Monday) I went home around 8pm because kombis were charging $2 yet I only had a dollar. I tried to look for cheap transport, but there was none and I had to look for someone who could lend me some money after realising that I could sleep in town,” she said.
Tawanda Guze said the prices had gone beyond their reach for someone who has children commuting to school.
“We are calling for the government to address the situation urgently. This is too much for us. We are already struggling to make ends meet and the fare hikes are making us suffer more. Imagine I have pupils who would want to go to school so they can have a better future,” he said.
But Energy minister Joram Gumbo insisted that there were enough fuel supplies in the country and he attributed the shortages to lack of foreign currency.
“Let me make it clear, my job is to facilitate the importation of fuel into the country. As far as I am concerned, there is enough fuel supplies in to the country, but there are shortages of the foreign currency for service stations to buy it,” he said.
By Own Correspondent- A foreign investor is considering pulling out of the country after its proposed US$2 million diaper manufacturing project in Bulawayo stalled due to a shortage of foreign currency to import raw materials.
In an interview, Masters Diapers Zimbabwe director Mr Nigam Desai, whose project is the first of its kind in the city, said their investor, a Mauritian company, which is registered in South Africa, has given them 30 days up to May 21, 2019 to show progression of the project.
“Recently, we had a meeting with our investors and they expressed concerns on the delay of this project going ahead. It’s now almost one year and they have been very patient but they have now come to the point where they’re considering withdrawing the investment from Zimbabwe,” he said.
“This is due to the fact that the machines have been here in the country for almost a year, the concerns are that the machines are sitting idle, gathering dust and rusting and the technology has been compromised.
“You can’t allow the machinery to sit like this for too long, it’s not generating any income and maybe in two-three years time, the machines will become obsolete because the technology is moving at such a fast pace.”
The foreign investor bought the equipment for Masters Diapers Zimbabwe with the hope that the local company would source its own income or foreign currency to secure raw materials for the project to take off.
The diaper manufacturing business was expected to kick off between November and December last year but still hangs in the balance as Masters Diapers Zimbabwe is yet to secure an undisclosed amount of foreign currency allocation from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ).
Jane Mlambo| A high court judge has ruled that Nelson Chamisa is not the legitimate leader of the MDC & that the MDC must hold an extraordinary congress within a month using 2014 structures.
It says the VP appointments by Tsvangirai are null & void.
Interestingly, two years ago a High Court judge ruled that Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri were legitimately appointed as Vice Presidents of MDC.
More to follow…
By Own Correspondent- Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor John Mangudya has predicted that the economy is on the mend following the recent fiscal and monetary measures put in place.
Mangudya said this on Tuesday at the State of the Economy (SoE) Report presentation in Harare.
He said:
We are in transition to a stable economy and a stable economy is required for purposes of increasing growth.
The economy is expected to adjust soon from the recent fiscal and monetary policy measures. We have done very well under circumstances which are so difficult.
As a nation, we have been shaken by policy measures we have adopted, but they are for a good cause to a permanent stable solution. A superstructure which is strong to expand the economy.
The central bank chief added that measures that will bring stability to the economy include reducing the high fiscal deficit, among others.
Said Mangudya:
These include reducing high fiscal deficits, which were translating into the higher money supply, fiscal consolidation, encouraging pricing of goods and services in RTGS$, reducing the huge import bill which is fuelling foreign currency demand.
… The decline in monthly inflation since the peak in October 2018 signals dissipation of inflationary pressures.
Inflation has, however, continued to rise as the rate of the RTGS dollar has weakened against the greenback on the alternative market. An acute shortage of fuel has also worsened the situation as foreign currency remains scarce.-DailyNews
By Own Correspondent- Police have launched a manhunt for a man who killed his ex-wife at a farm in Beatrice before setting a hut on fire in an attempt to burn the body on Saturday following a misunderstanding over the upkeep of their two children.
The man whose name is still being withheld is still on the run and his whereabouts are still not known.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident. “We are investigating a case in which a man killed his former wife at Plot 5, Silver Oak Farm in Beatrice. The man had a dispute with his wife and they went on separation.
“The man then went to live in Chinhoyi resulting in the wife falling in love with another man at the same compound,” he said.
He said sometime in March, the man returned from Chinhoyi and started staying at the same compound alone.
Investigations revealed that the ex-wife then started demanding financial support from the man for the upkeep of their two children.
“On the 4th of May, she went to the former husband’s wife and a dispute ensued. The man then killed her with an unknown object which is yet to be identified and then set a hut on fire while the body was inside,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.
Some alert neighbours extinguished the fire and made a report to the police.
Asst Comm Nyathi urged couples to resolve disputes amicably and not through violent ways.
The latest incident comes after, police are still battling to arrest a 50-year-old Harare man, Petros Pomborokani, who allegedly shot and killed his estranged wife and brother-in-law at their Gletwin home in Harare following a protracted marital dispute in March
The whereabouts of Pomborokani, a former Ministry of Health and Child Care official, are still a mystery amid widespread belief that he could have skipped the country through illegal points. Police have been appealing for information on the whereabouts of Pomborokani, who is suspected to be holed up in South Africa or Namibia.-StateMedia
By Own Correspondent- The High Court has nullified the appointment by MDC of Nelson Chamisa as the party president following the death of Morgan Tsvangirai on February 14 2018.
According to the court ruling issued Wednesday, the party has to revert back to its 2014 structures.
The appointment of Chamisa and Mudzuri as Vice Presidents by Morgan Tsvangirai was also deemed as unconstitutional.
This is a developing story. Refresh this page for latest updates.
By Own Correspondent- Thirteen Zimbabweans, including four children, died and 36 others were injured when a Marsmery bus they were travelling in overturned just outside Makhado town in South Africa’s Limpopo province.
The accident occurred on Monday at about 5PM along the N1 highway which is one of the major roads which links South Africa and the rest of the Southern Africa Development Community.
It was not immediately clear where the Zimbabweans were headed to or were travelling from but Marsmery is a Zimbabwean bus company.
Emergency services ER24 spokesperson Mr Russel Meiring confirmed the accident to the South African media.
“ER24 paramedics, along with several other services, arrived on the scene to find the bus lying on its roof off the roadway. Numerous patients were found lying around the scene,” he said.
Mr Meiring said 36 people were treated on the scene and their injuries ranged from minor to critical.
He said several people died on the scene and others succumbed to their injuries at nearby hospitals. Once treated, other patients were transported to nearby hospitals for further care.
Limpopo Member of the Executive Committee (MEC) responsible for Transport and Community Safety Makoma Makhurupetje said the exact cause of the accident is not yet known but reckless driving could be a possible cause.
“I want to extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of 13 Zimbabwean nationals who died late yesterday afternoon when the driver of the bus they were travelling in lost control and overturned on the N1 north, near the Ingwe Hotel in Makhado. I also wish a speedy recovery to others who were injured during the crash,” she said.
“We are deeply concerned about accidents involving buses as they lead to more loss of lives compared to ordinary motor vehicles.”
“The driver and vehicle fitness of long distance cross border buses is also a matter of deep concern to us as this is the third time now that we are losing lives because of long distance buses.”
Ms Makhurupetje said it was high time law enforcement officers stepped up their routine checks on long distance buses to avoid similar accidents.
Limpopo Department of Transport spokesperson Mrs Matome Moremi-Taueatsoala said they will be working with the Zimbabwean authorities to identify and repatriate the bodies.
“The Road Accident Fund (RAF) and the Department of Health will henceforth be working with the Zimbabwe Consulate to deal with the issue of identification of bodies.
“In addition, RAF will handle the repatriation cost,” she said.
The N1 highway has become a death trap as many Zimbabweans are losing their lives on that road.
The latest accident comes a few months after nine Zimbabweans were killed in a road accident in Polokwane when a bus they were travelling in overturned.-StateMedia
By Own Correspondent- Harare City Council (HCC) has warned owners of properties in some of the city’s plush suburbs who built houses that were not approved by council that their structures face demolition if they fail to regularise them in terms of building by-laws.
The targeted structures are in areas such as Belvedere West, Bluff Hill, Borrowdale, Mabelreign, Glaudina, Carrick Creagh, Mt Pleasant Heights, Gletwyn, Crowhill Extension, Grobbie Park, Goodhope, Adlynn and Waterfalls.
Other areas earmarked for regularisation include Dzivaresekwa Extension, Southlea Park, Stoneridge, Eyrecourt, Saturday Retreat, Warren Park, Kambuzuma, Glen Norah, Hatcliffe Extension, Budiriro, Mufakose, Kuwadzana, Mabvuku and Tafara.
In a statement, HCC urged those with completed houses that were not approved to visit the planning offices for regularisation.RELATED ARTICLES
“City of Harare is aware that various identified suburbs in areas without certificates of compliance have completed building structures which are occupied without approval of the building plans in violation of the Model Building By-Laws of 1977.
“Owners of such building structures mentioned above are advised to visit Building Inspectorate offices at Cleveland House, Leopold Takawira Street, or their nearest district office for payment of their plan submission and regularisation fees and penalties,” reads the statement.
The city has advised applicants who want to regularise the structures to provide proof of ownership of stand, approved copy of town planning layout, copy of survey diagram, sewer and water reticulation designs among other things.
The local authority has urged residents to comply as it will deploy officers to inspect the houses.
“Teams of our development control officers and building inspectors will soon be visiting all affected suburbs making door-to-door inspections of such properties.
“Residents are kindly advised to cooperate with our inspectors who will be carrying official identification particulars. Failure to comply may result in demolition of such structures and any costs incurred will be recovered from the property owners.”
However, the city said regularisation will not be allowed for properties that were developed on schools, institutions, wetlands and other environmentally sensitive sites.-StateMedia
By Own Correspondent- Zimbabwean sensational gospel artiste Sabastian Magacha has caused an uproar on social media with the outfit he was wearing in a picture posted recently.
Magacha said that the outfit was part of a collection of various items he is yet to release to the public. The outfit has feminine looks and critics have added that it is ungodly for him to wear it.
I am a creative person. The clothing line is one of many creative things that I am working on. The collection has various items that we will release as time progresses, and this particular attire is mostly a suit.
We decided to add a kente tail to give it an African Flair.
For this particular look I took a lot of inspiration from Jesus, who wore robes. My aim is to create something that is global,” he added. Magacha said his dressing may not be welcome to some people, but there are some who appreciate his style.
As someone, who has been in the public glare for over 15 years, I have received a lot of negative and positive comments from people.
I will always appreciate their opinions. My main focus is on God and for me to allow the gift of creativity that He gave me to manifest.See photo below:
Magacha responded to his critics saying that his relationship with God matters the most. He also that his faith is as solid as it can be
By Own Correspondent- Health Minister, Dr. Obadiah Moyo has revealed government’s plans to improve the health delivery system including the nurses’ working conditions.
The Minister was speaking at the Nursing and Midwifery Universal Health Coverage Summit held in Harare on Monday.
He said:
Zimbabwe today has joined other nations by launching this programme which has been adopted by many nations. This comes after we have realised the need to improve nurses’ working conditions and developing marginalised health centres starting with primary health care which serves most rural areas in the country.
There are plans underway for the ministry to empower the least qualified nurses so that fewer complications will be referred to district and provincial hospitals. Under the same umbrella, big health institutions will have at least four qualified doctors, so that patients will be served urgently.
I am addressing this on the nurses’ perspective. My vision is for the health services to have a down-to-top approach where all ideas from the junior health subordinates must be listened to and used by the ministry to make the necessary adjustments.
The disclosure comes when the Zimbabwe Nurses’ Association(ZINA) president Enock Dongo had called upon the government to improve nurses’ working conditions. Issues they raised include salaries and shortage of medical equipment.
Own Correspondent|Opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has hailed the quality of leaders that the party structures have nominated for National leadership.
Writing on his social media platform, Chamisa said the delegates to congress will be spoilt for choice when they take part in the elections.
“I’m so impressed by the calibre of candidates nominated for various senior leadership positions this congress. The quality of debate during the newly introduced campaign debate forums or caucuses is supremely inspiring. Without doubt, congress delegates are spoilt for choice. Politics in MDC and Zimbabwe will never be the same,” said Chamisa.
Meanwhile, the youthful MDC leader has also wished South Africans well as they go to the polls today.
“Join me in wishing all South Africans a credible, successful, peaceful, free and fair election in their voting on Wednesday. Africa must lead the way in inclusive, transparent and undisputed electoral processes upon unbiased media and truly independent electoral bodies. Shine Africa shine!!” May God bless Africa.
By Own Correspondent- The trial of former Information Communication Technology and Courier Services Minister Supa Mandiwanzira for criminal abuse of office failed to kick off yesterday after the defence team said it was not ready.
The case was rolled over to today. Mandiwanzira is accused of appointing his unqualified personal assistant to the board of the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (Potraz).
Advocate Thembinkosi Magwaliba, Mandiwanzira’s lawyer argued that he had not been informed about the trial date.
Mandiwanzira’s application for the release of his passport was opposed by prosecutor Michael Chakandida. Mandiwanzira had indicated that business and health were in jeopardy. The prosecutor, however, opposed it saying that the application was not in good faith since there were no confirmed dates on which Mandiwanzira would be visiting China. Chakandida argued:
For the accused to seek a passport basing on engagements that are pending simply shows how the application was made in bad faith.
The State is doubting the authenticity of the document. It has not been furnished with the original by the accused used or the lawyer.
The State fears that if the passport is released the accused will flee from justice.
Mandiwanzira is among several other former top government officials to have been arrested when ascended to the presidency.
Some analysts have however argued that the arrests were only targeted on perceived members of the G40 faction. They also said that no imprisonment has been done since the arrests began.
By Own Correspondent- Kadoma CBD was brought to a standstill recently as cars were speeding and hooting with sex workers singing and chanting obscene songs as a way of paying their last respects to a local hoo_ker who was recently found murdered in her house by a suspected client.
The deceased identified by police as Bridget Envarator Karonga of Katumba Street, Rimuka was buried at Empress in Kadoma.
According to reports by ZwNews. Police recently launched man hunt for a suspect who murdered the 25-year-old woman in cold blood.
Mashonaland West provincial police spokesperson Inspector Clemence Mabgweazara said on April 24, at around 11pm, Karonga was spotted at Rumwe Shopping Centre in the company of an unidentified man, who was wearing a green T-shirt and khaki pair of trousers.
The two then reportedly went to Karonga’s house for a night of intimacy.
They were also seen by fellow tenant, Rutherford Gambinya entering the house.
Police said, when Gambinya went to the toilet later that evening, he observed a trail of blood along the passage, stretching from the house’s main door, leading to Karonga’s room.
Gambinya then alerted neighbours who then tried to break the door, but failed and reported the matter to the police.
A police reaction team attended the scene and forced-open the door only to find Karonga lying dead in a pool of blood.
Her body, which was riddled with stab wounds on the chest, was then conveyed to Kadoma Hospital mortuary for a postmortem.
A blood-stained kitchen knife was recovered at the crime scene.
Jane Mlambo| Former Finance minister Dr Ignatius Chombo has been implicated in a land wrangle case by a renowned deceased Harare lawyer Inviolata Dumbutshena who defeated the Zimbabwe Defence Forces in court.
Chombo who during his time as the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing acquired vast tracts of land is alleged to have been the owner of the residential stands behind Strathaven Shopping Centre in Avondale, Harare which the ZDF sought to illegally grab from Invioletta Dumbutshena’s client Mrs Mary Madzima.
According to a ZimEye source, “These residential stands on paper belong to Mrs Mary Madzima but the real owner is Dr. Ignatius Chombo. The legal fees for this Defence were paid by Dr Chombo. Mrs Mary Madzima and Dr Ignatius Chombo are friends and she benefited a lot of favours from him, from supplying uniforms in most government departments including ZRP jerseys.
“Now when Dr Chombo intended to make these residential stands his, he hatched a plan whereby Mrs Mary Madzima would go for an Interview that she intended to acquire the stands in order to construct a crèche for kids.
“Dr Chombo had already spoken to the then Minister of Primary & Secondary Education, Mr. Lazarus Dokora about the issue who then conducted the interview. Mrs Mary Madzima was then promised a residential stand as a token of appreciation in Pomona Borrowdale.
“After the interview the residential stands were then put in Mrs Mary Madzima’s name and she was given a token of appreciation as agreed. What she then did was to register the Pomona residential stand in her daughter’s name, Chiedza Madzima.
“These residential stands are still there in the names as given above.
“Right now Invioletta’s mother is furious with Mrs Mary Madzima as she is claiming compensation for the loss of her daughter.
“She is aware that her daughter stood in for a case of land that was fraudulently converted to someone’s name for their benefit,” the source said.
Own Correspondent|After a tumultuous six weeks or so, protests have again flared up in several major townships. Fears that Election Day would be affected have been realised.
As South Africans express their democratic right to vote in the elections on Wednesday, other angered citizens are exercising their rights to protest. In at least three major settlements, demonstrations have kicked off on election day according to media reports from South Africa.
The first reported incidents came from Khayelitsha in Cape Town. Residents had blockaded the road before dawn on Wednesday, with some major roads being closed off to the public as the discontent intensifies over poor service delivery in the region.
Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the Western Cape, residents of Plettenberg Bay have also taken to the streets to vent their frustrations. This is affecting the N2 road and traffic is already being forced to take an alternative route.
Although there are no disruptions to report on the N1 or N3, communities serviced by the N2 seem to be the ones vocalising their concerns on Election Day. Protests in Umlazi, Durban flared-up on Tuesday night and continued in Wednesday morning.
From around 5:00, sections of the N2 near Umgababa, Lamontville, Higginson Highway in Chatsworth, Ntuzuma and Mary Thipe Road in Cato Manor have been blighted by burning tyres and debris.
The situation in the townships outside of Durban is arguably the most fraught of the lot – and their protests don’t just involve traffic disruption: SABC reported this morning that two community halls set-up as voting stations have been burned down as part of the demonstrations.
Own Correspondent|Living to his pre election undertaking, opposition Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane has cast his vote early making him the first of political party leaders to cast his vote.
The early bird Maimane arrived at the voting station in Soweto just before 7:30 to cast his vote.
Play Video42s
‘This vote is about competence’ – DA’s Maimane casts his vote in Dobsonville
Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane joined the queues at the Presbyterian Church in Dobsonville, Soweto to cast his vote.
DA leader Mmusi Maimane placed his ballot paper in a voting box in front of spectators and the media in Dobsonville, Soweto on Wednesday.
“This vote is about saying let Mmusi Maimane run this country so that we can take it forward, so that we can make sure we clean out this country,” says Maimane.
“It is about building a government for all – black, white, Muslim, Christian,” he added.
State Media|Harare City Council (HCC) has warned owners of properties in some of the city’s plush suburbs who built houses that were not approved by council that their structures face demolition if they fail to regularise them in terms of building by-laws.
The targeted structures are in areas such as Belvedere West, Bluff Hill, Borrowdale, Mabelreign, Glaudina, Carrick Creagh, Mt Pleasant Heights, Gletwyn, Crowhill Extension, Grobbie Park, Goodhope, Adlynn and Waterfalls.
Other areas earmarked for regularisation include Dzivaresekwa Extension, Southlea Park, Stoneridge, Eyrecourt, Saturday Retreat, Warren Park, Kambuzuma, Glen Norah, Hatcliffe Extension, Budiriro, Mufakose, Kuwadzana, Mabvuku and Tafara.
In a statement, HCC urged those with completed houses that were not approved to visit the planning offices for regularisation.
“City of Harare is aware that various identified suburbs in areas without certificates of compliance have completed building structures which are occupied without approval of the building plans in violation of the Model Building By-Laws of 1977.
“Owners of such building structures mentioned above are advised to visit Building Inspectorate offices at Cleveland House, Leopold Takawira Street, or their nearest district office for payment of their plan submission and regularisation fees and penalties,” reads the statement.
The city has advised applicants who want to regularise the structures to provide proof of ownership of stand, approved copy of town planning layout, copy of survey diagram, sewer and water reticulation designs among other things.
The local authority has urged residents to comply as it will deploy officers to inspect the houses.
“Teams of our development control offcers and building inspectors will soon be visiting all affected suburbs making door-to-door inspections of such properties.
“Residents are kindly advised to cooperate with our inspectors who will be carrying official identification particulars. Failure to comply may result in demolition of such structures and any costs incurred will be recovered from the property owners.”
However, the city said regularisation will not be allowed for properties that were developed on schools, institutions, wetlands and other environmentally sensitive sites.
Own Correspondent|Barcelona’s team bus did not wait for Lionel Messi as it departed Anfield without the Argentine after the Champions League defeat to Liverpool.
VIDEO LOADING BELOW…
Messi suffered a miserable night for his club as Liverpool completed a stunning comeback to knock Barca out of the Champions League on Tuesday evening.
Barcelona appeared to have a commanding advantage after securing a 3-0 win in the first leg at Camp Nou last week.
But Jurgen Klopp’s side put four past Barca without reply to book their place in the Champions League final in Madrid on June 1.
Messi, meanwhile, was required to undergo a doping test immediately after Barca’s crushing defeat at Anfield.
And according to local media, the process took so long that Barca’s team bus headed to the airport while Messi was still at Anfield.
Messi was eventually able to provide a urine sample, while special arrangements were made to reunite the Argentine with the rest of the squad and coaching staff before they travelled back to Spain.
Messi also walked through the mixed zone at Anfield much later than the rest of Barca’s players but said nothing to the media as he was escorted out of the stadium.
Meanwhile, Sergio Busquets has apologised after Barcelona’s humiliating exit.
‘They have been better than us. I apologise,’ said the midfielder.
‘After what happened in Rome, this happened again. It’s tough to go out like this after the first-leg result.
‘Liverpool have been smarter than us, they were faster. I think we had chances to score the goal we needed, but it wasn’t meant to be today.’
Below is the video of ZANU PF President Emmerson Mnangagwa boasting that his party is the law unto itself in Zimbabwe. In the footage, Mnangagwa says: “We (ZANU PF) must be respected, we are majority, we are the people, we are the government, we are the army, we are the airforce, we are the police, we are everything you can think of.
“We determine who can do mining in Zimbabwe. We determine who can construct a railway line in Zimbabwe. We determine who can build a road in Zimbabwe, no other party can do so. – CROWD CLAP CLAP”
State Media|WHEN the late Oliver ‘Tuku’ Mtukudzi’s will was read out last week, a lot of people concluded that the superstar disliked his daughters after it emerged that he had left all his movable and immovable property to his spouse, Daisy, leaving them with nothing.
But an interview that was conducted by Mai Chisamba at Pakare Paye Arts Centre for his 60th birthday six years ago made it clear that Tuku likely did not hate his daughters, but was a man who believed in empowering children and not spoon feeding them.
“Children should work for their own money and not expect handouts from their parents. A child should be empowered so that they are successful in life. A child that is given money or a car by their parent . . . you’ll have destroyed their future. They won’t know how difficult it is to save and buy a car,” Tuku, who died at the age of 66 on January 23, told Mai Chisamba in the interview.
“So when you die, who do you think will keep on dishing out things like that to your child? No one. . . A child should be taught how to get these things on their own.”
With these sentiments, it is now apparent why Tuku deliberately left out his four children Samantha, Selmor, Sandra and Sybil from his last will and testament.
The late Tuku said just because he was successful, it did not mean his children could draw on his accomplishments.
In order to be successful in life, Tuku suggested that children listen to their parents for guidance. He also said parents should learn to support their children’s talents.
“There’s no such thing as a talentless child. All children tell their parents that this is who I am and what I am. Unfortunately as parents, we don’t listen to them because we’re older than them and they can’t advise us, we know better.
“When a child wants something to pursue his talent, you have to buy them. If they want a guitar, buy, a tennis racket or a football, just buy. Support them because in all that, a child will be trying to find what he or she is good at.
“They know what they’re good at and you as parents don’t know,” Tuku once said.
Looking at Selmor, Tuku’s advice seems to be working as she has become her own person and is working hard to build a name for herself through her Selmor and Friends concerts which she is staging nationwide.
She has even managed to convince corporates such as Impala Car Rental to support her. The car rental company recently gave her a new Range Rover for use during her tours.
State Media|THE late national hero Velaphi Misheck Ncube played a critical role in the attainment of the country’s independence and the successful implementation of the Unity Accord, war veterans said yesterday.
The late Zanu-PF National Consultative Assembly (NCA) member died last week at the age of 82 after a battle with diabetes.
War veterans yesterday said Ncube’s works speak volumes about his dedication to the country hence he deserved to be accorded the highest honour afforded to former freedom fighters.
Zanu-PF Politburo member and war veteran Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube said Ncube was one of the first pioneers of the war of independence.
“I know him very well. In the early 1960s, he was one of the few brave young men who went to war after realising that it was the only way to win the country from the colonisers.
“He was part of the group that went to Egypt to study, with special focus on sabotage, while others went to China, Algeria and Ghana. After finishing their studies, they went to Zambia but there were no weapons,” said Rtd Col Dube.
He said Ncube was also one of the people who went to Congo to buy weapons, loaded them into trains and smuggled them into the country.
“I joined the war in 1963 and Velaphi was already there. He was jailed for many years after being sold out and was released after independence and went into the party structures.
“Because he loved peace, he played a big role in the implementation of the Unity Accord,” said Rtd Col Dube.
Another former freedom fighter, Christopher Sibanda, said the late national hero was a hard working, straight forward man who loved peace.
“Velaphi was a man of action who never wasted time as far as his work as a politician was concerned. I started knowing him in 1963 when he was spearheading the mobilisation programme to educate people about the liberation struggle.
“He worked day and night and managed to smuggle weapons into the country despite the dangers. He put his life at risk as he worked tirelessly for the country until he was sold out leading to his arrest. He was released when the country attained independence,” he said.
After independence, Sibanda added, Ncube played a pivotal role in the party structures and rallied behind the late Vice President Dr Joshua Nkomo in promoting unity among the people of Zimbabwe.
“Velaphi was one of the comrades who quickly embraced the Unity Accord and went out to the people to explain its significance. He managed to mobilise many people and he played a big role in the formation of structures after the merging of Zapu and Zanu.
“There were a lot of disagreements as the two parties tried to form the structures but comrades like Velaphi were always there to encourage people to be peaceful in the party,” said Sibanda.
War veterans chairman for Bulawayo province Cephas Ncube said he worked with the late Ncube after independence in 1980.
“He was one of the party leaders who worked tirelessly for the revolution to make sure that the country attained independence. He also played a critical role during the implementation of the Unity Accord in 1987.
“After this he continued to work for the party as a member of the district committee, provincial executive, Central Committee and the NCA,” said Ncube.
Another war veteran Zephaniah Nkomo said he worked with the late national hero in 1980 when he was an officer linked with the then Brady Barracks military camp.
“Velaphi was an honest man who always emphasised the importance of safeguarding the country’s interests.
“He was very passionate about the liberation of the people of Zimbabwe hence his involvement in the liberation struggle and the ruling Zanu-PF party,” said Nkomo.
Ncube’s burial has been set for tomorrow at the National Heroes’ Acre in Harare.
A funeral service will be held at 9AM in Bulawayo today before his body is flown to Harare for burial.
The national hero leaves behind his wife Margaret, nine children, 16 grandchildren and two great grand children.
Mourners are gathered at 70590 Lobengula West in Bulawayo.
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention takes note of Mr. Julian Assange’s conviction by a UK court on 1 May 2019, and his sentencing to 50 weeks imprisonment. On 4 December 2015, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention adopted Opinion No. 54/2015*, in which it considered that Mr. Assange was arbitrarily detained by the Governments of Sweden and the UK.
The Working Group issues the following statement:
“The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention is deeply concerned about this course of action including the disproportionate sentence imposed on Mr. Assange. The Working Group is of the view that violating bail is a minor violation that, in the United Kingdom, carries a maximum sentence of 12 months in prison, even though the bond related to the bail has been lost in favour of the British Government, and that Mr. Assange was still detained after violating the bail which, in any case should not stand after the Opinion was issued. The Working Group regrets that the Government has not complied with its Opinion and has now furthered the arbitrary deprivation of liberty of Mr. Assange.
It is worth recalling that the detention and the subsequent bail of Mr. Assange in the UK were connected to preliminary investigations initiated in 2010 by a prosecutor in Sweden. It is equally worth noting that that prosecutor did not press any charges against Mr. Assange and that in 2017, after interviewing him in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, she discontinued investigations and brought an end to the case.
The Working Group is further concerned that Mr. Assange has been detained since 11 April 2019 in Belmarsh prison, a high-security prison, as if he were convicted for a serious criminal offence. This treatment appears to contravene the principles of necessity and proportionality envisaged by the human rights standards.
The WGAD reiterates its recommendation to the Government of the United Kingdom, as expressed in its Opinion 54/2015, and its 21 December 2018 statement, that the right of Mr Assange to personal liberty should be restored.”
………………………………..
The UN Working Groups are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.
Telegraph|It may be the Rainbow Nation, but the political history of South Africa has long been writ in black and white.
Quarter of a century after the end of apartheid, however, there is a twist in the script.
On Wednesday, when South Africa votes in a general election, some of the country’s whites will mark their ballots for the African National Congress for the first time. In contrast, a growing number of blacks are set to turn their backs on the party that liberated them from decades of white rule.
One man is responsible for this apparent contravention of the unstated rules of South African politics: Cyril Ramaphosa, the would-be reformer who became the country’s fourth black president in February last year.
For a cautious moderate, Mr Ramaphosa elicits strong passions. To those impatient for a more equitable distribution of South Africa’s wealth, he is sometimes seen as a mealy-mouthed cipher for white business who long ago betrayed the ideals of the black liberation struggle.
For others, he is the one man who could stop the rot in Africa’s most famous party and rescue the country from perdition after years of crippling looting under his predecessor Jacob Zuma.
Among the latter are a surprising number of whites, most of whom usually vote for South Africa’s main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA). Peter Bruce, the former editor of Business Day, the country’s foremost financial newspaper, is one of the most prominent of such voices.
Although describing himself as “very much not” a typical ANC voter and admitting he will be “holding his nose” when he casts his ballot for the party, the choice for him is simple.
“We are in the fortunate position of having somebody quite sensible, a very centred, sane and rational person, as president of the ANC at the moment,” he said. “I think it would be a ridiculous thing to turn down the opportunity to try to strengthen his hand.”
There is little doubt that the ANC, as it has in all five previous elections since the dawn of majority rule, will form the next government.
Yet Mr Ramaphosa is vulnerable. Should the ANC’s share of the vote slip substantially below the 62 percent it won in 2014, a powerful alliance of Zuma loyalists and far-left populists within the party could attempt to overthrow him.
The president represents much that they detest, from his investment-friendly instincts to his determination to clean up the rot that took hold of South Africa’s institutions in the Zuma years.
It is precisely that prospect, though, that endears him to many in South Africa’s white-dominated business world.
“Some wealthy whites I know are voting for Ramaphosa,” says Peter Leon, a former DA provincial leader and partner at the law firm Herbert Smith Freehills. “They think he is the Gorbachev of the ANC, that he will lead the country out of the wilderness.”
That sentiment is shared, to a degree, even among some white farmers. Causing widespread alarm, Mr Ramaphosa gave his backing last year to an ANC proposal to allow the seizure of white-owned farms without compensation.
In the verdant pasturelands of the Natal midlands, white farmers are nervous that such a move could turn into a Zimbabwe-style land grab.
But even here some, like Grant Warren, who owns a dairy farm making artisanal cheese in the rolling hills of the Karkloof outside the town of Howick, are contemplating voting for the ANC for the first time.
They hope that Mr Ramaphosa can rein in his party’s populist instincts and ensure that land reform is carried out in a measured manner — although many wonder if he is really strong enough to do so.
“I trust him and I would like to vote for him, but I haven’t decided yet,” Mr Warren said as he walked through a field of Red Holsteins.
“When you see the scoundrels on the ANC’s list of candidates you have to wonder if he will be taken out by his own people.”
Finding an equitable solution that still manages to protect property rights in South Africa is one of many challenges Mr Ramaphosa will face in his first full term.
The heady optimism that culminated in Nelson Mandela becoming president 25 years ago on Friday has largely evaporated amid growing anger that South Africa remains one of the world’s most unequal states.
At a convention centre in Nasrec, a Johannesburg suburb close to the township of Soweto, a group of black South Africans tours the ANC pavilion in the building where Mr Ramaphosa was voted in as the party’s leader by the narrowest of margins in December, 2017.
The stirring slogans of the ANC’s Freedom Charter, adopted in 1955, are displayed on exhibition boards: “The people shall share in the country’s wealth,” one declares, “The land shall be shared among those who work on it,” another, “There shall be work and security,” a third.
Stan Masevhe and his friends are unimpressed. All these years later, South Africa’s wealth and land are still disproportionately in the hands of whites. Most blacks still live in squalor. Unemployment stands at 27 percent.
“They have failed to deliver on so many of these promises,” says Mr Masevhe, a government health worker. “Where I live in Limpopo we are still fetching water from the river.”
For the first time, he will not be voting for the ANC, opting instead for the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a radical party whose leader Julius Malema calls Mr Mandela a “sell-out”, advocates the seizure of all white farms and proposes the redistribution of wealth through blanket nationalisation.
“Malema is a fresh man with fresh ideas,” Mr Masevhe says. “We need an equal share of the land. The EFF says it will take the land without compensation. That is the way forward.”
Yet, until Mr Zuma became president in 2009, South Africa was taking steps to becoming a fairer society. Black membership of the middle class grew to 50 percent, while 90 percent of households were connected to the grid, giving many black South Africans electricity for the first time.
The progress came to a stuttering halt in the Zuma years. Commissions of enquiry are beginning to reveal the startling amount that was plundered, perhaps in excess of £21 billion.
Economic growth came to a standstill as state-owned enterprises were raided. Eskom, the state electricity monopoly, saw its debt rise tenfold. As a result power cuts have been a near daily event in much of the country, at least until the election campaign began.
Far more farmland could have ended up in the hands of blacks, too — but a lack of access to credit and a failure to offer training to blacks meant that 90 percent of black-owned farms failed and now lie abandoned.
Mr Ramaphosa is trying to repair a rotten legacy, and has begun appointing reputable professionals to senior positions.
But the holdovers from the Zuma era still hold great sway in the ANC, controlling some of its top posts. Many are itching to replace Mr Ramaphosa with one of their own, a chance that could come if the party fares poorly on Wednesday.
Should they succeed, commentators say, the party is likely to embrace at least some of the more radical policies of the EFF — currently the only party projected to increase its share of the vote — if only to distract attention from the resumption of looting.
Given the risk, not all white farmers around Howick are embracing “Ramaphoria”. Should the pro-market DA lose seats there will be even less chance of preventing land seizures, says Robin Barnsley, who owns a large commercial chicken farm with his brother Kevin.
“We’ve been told that Ramaphosa is our only hope but I wouldn’t change the way I vote,” he said. “He will never succeed as long as the upper echelons of the ANC are dominated by the Zuma camp.
“He will go ahead with expropriation. He has to listen to his lieutenants.”
Own Correspondent|South Africa goes to the sixth democratic general election Today (Wednesday) with the scales slightly tipped in favour of the ruling African National Congress (ANC).
The ‘Rainbow Nation’ held its “first free and fair election” in 1994, shortly after white minority rule was brought to a halt.
The Contenders
The governing ANC’s support has gradually diminished over the years while a party formed by its former youth leader, Julius Malema – the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) – has gained a lot of ground.
The white-dominated Democratic Alliance (DA), which has been the main opposition since then, has maintained its strongholds. Nonetheless, the ruling party, embattled as it is, looks likely to retain national governance although voter surveys show that Wednesday’s polls could be its biggest litmus test yet.
The party has been dogged by factional wars, and is still nursing the wounds left by former President Jacob Zuma’s turbulent second tenure. But, with President Cyril Ramaphosa, a much more respected figure, loved by the markets and deemed more or less ‘incorruptible,’ the party is hopeful of a triumphant election.
What are the national elections?
The southern African country holds elections every five years. South Africa has two types of elections: national and provincial elections, and local government elections.
In a national election, voters get to elect a new National Assembly and new provincial lawmakers in each province, also known as the National Council of Provinces. The two chambers combined constitute Parliament.
The country uses the proportional representation method where the number of votes each party gets in the National Assembly and Parliament is determined by its share of the vote. Each party then decides which of its members will fill the seats.
How does SA vote?
Voters choose the party whose policies they relate with rather than an individual candidate. Voting will be done in 22 924 voting stations mostly in schools and community halls. The Electoral Commission led by Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo will preside over the election.
Voting stations open as early as 7:00, before closing as late as 21:00. The votes are tallied overnight and if one party receives over 50 per cent of the vote, it is declared the winners.
Build up to the election
In the run-up to the elections, there was an uproar over the Parliamentary party lists the ANC, DA and EFF submitted.
Campaigns were largely peaceful except for cases of xenophopia a month to the polls which were said to be politically instigated.
Seats for a majority in Parliament
There are 400 seats in the country’s National Assembly meaning a party can hold a majority if they secure 201 seats or more.
If no party gets the seats it can form a coalition with another party to seize control of Parliament. The DA and EFF entered a coalition to take control of Johannesburg, Nelson Mandela Bay and Tshwane during the 2016 municipal election. Fissures have since appeared in the coalitions and ANC is hoping they do not team up again.
The Presidency
Once the winner has been decided, the presidency automatically vests in the leader of the successful party. The inauguration ceremony has been set for Africa Day, May 25, 2019, signalling the beginning of the five year term.
In the video below supporters and members of be Economic Freedom Front party led by Julius Malema took to the streets last night to sing and chant victory songs as they prepare for the national elections. ZANU PF has made a public claim that the African National Congress is going to win.
But who will win this year’s national elections?
By George Mlilo| In what could be a dead end for the convicted fraudster Wicknell Chivayo, Harare provincial magistrate Mr. Hosea Mujaya has set the 21st May for his trial for bribery.
In court papers, Chivayo allegedly bribed former Zimbabwe Power Company board Chairperson Stanley Kazhanje in an endeavor to get the Gwanda Solar tender. Records narrate that he allegedly transferred $10 000 to Kazhanje towards obtaining the tender
The State had at the beginning dropped the bribery charge when Kazhanje trial commenced.
Following the disclosure by the prosecutor, Mr. Brain Vito that the amalgamation of Chivayo’s case with that of Kazhanje was complete, the magistrate Mujaya set May 21 as the trial date.
The prosecutor also indicated that he would still need some time to serve summons.
Passports are a right and every citizen seeking it must get it; It is the role of government to make sure they provide that right. Internal documents seen by ZimEye show that there is a 15 applications per day cap which still stands. The impeccable documents reveal that- Each province has a 15 application cap with the exception of Harare that issues out a maximum of 20 a day. Harare is the only province with a cap of 20.
Farai Dziva|There is no respite for Zimbabwean citizens hoping to obtain passports as confusion continues at various registry offices across the country.
Well placed sources have revealed only 15 emergency passports are being processed per day, resulting in meandering queues at the registry offices.
Meandering queues have also been the order of the day at Makombe building in Harare where wary citizens have expressed concern at the pace with which the passports are being issued. Said Nyaradzo Nyirenda from Highfield in Harare: “This will open avenues for corruption because it seems those with fat pockets are prioritised at the expense of those who cannot afford to pay bribes. I cannot stay here (in Zimbabwe) and I want to work for my family elsewhere but Mnangagwa’s administration is bent on making sure that i don’t get a travelling document for me to legally leave this country. They are just pushing us to become border jumpers and illegal migrants.” Government is on record saying that passport production had been affected by technical glitches in one of the machines that is used during passport production. The Registrar General is on record saying that the government department was facing a systems failure which was being addressed. However, ZimEye exclusively established that passport production is currently restricted to 15 passports daily due to a myriad of reasons some of which include shortage of passport paper and forex challenges. This according to findings by this publication has forced the Registrar General’s office to downsize their operations, thereby creating a huge backlog. Earlier this year, the Registrar General admitted to parliament that the demand for emergency passports had surged thereby putting pressure on the available dwindling passport paper.Last week government officials in the registry department claimed technical glitches due to systems challenges had been fixed. Printing soon resumed. However it emerged that despite the partial breakthrough, woes have continued.
Internal documents seen by ZimEye show that there is a 15 applications per day cap which still stands. The impeccable documents reveal that- Each province has a 15 application cap with the exception of Harare that issues out a maximum of 20 a day. Harare is the only province with a cap of 20.
A latest comment was impossible at the time of writing.
ZimEye will be following up with the registrar general to establish if and when the situation will improve.
Own Correspondent|Liverpool entered the second leg of the Champions League semifinal on Tuesday facing what was viewed as an improbable 3-0 deficit.
The Reds had the support of the Anfield crowd but were without the services of Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino due to injuries. The Reds somehow overcame the long odds and pulled off an incredible 4-0 victory to advance to the Champions League final on June 1 in Madrid, Spain against the winner of Tottenham vs. Ajax.
Divock Origi and Georginio Wijnaldum both scored twice, with three of Liverpool’s goals coming in the second half.
Barcelona, meanwhile, crashed out of the Champions League by blowing an enormous lead for the second consecutive season in unbelievable fashion.
After Origi’s first goal in the opening minutes, Liverpool’s dominance continued. The team was stronger on the ball, looked more confident and never gave up, and in the second half everything went right.
Minutes after coming on, Wijnaldum finished this ball inside the box to make it 2-0, leaving Liverpool a goal away from potentially forcing extra time:
Then just three minutes later, Wijnaldum did it again with a header goal:
As the match seemed destined for extra time, Liverpool caught Barcelona napping with a corner kick incoming. Trent Alexander-Arnold walked away from the ball as if he was giving up the set piece, but then he quickly saw Origi all alone and took it, setting up an absolutely jaw-dropping fourth goal:
With that, the comeback was complete and Barca fell short of its goal, as it has done each of the last four UCL seasons.
Goal scorers
⚽ Liverpool – Origi (7′)
⚽ Liverpool – Wijnaldum (54′)
⚽ Liverpool – Wijnaldum (56′)
⚽ Liverpool – Origi (79′)
By Farai D Hove| Scores of people complained Zimbabwe Republic Police officers yesterday threw teargas gas canisters at them in the capital city.
Although a comment from the police could not be obtained at the time of writing, several impeccable sources complained of this development and one journalist captured the below video in the aftermath.
Meanwhile, the permanent secretary, Nick Mangwana said in a tweet that, “the ZRP has embarked on reform, rebranding and modernisation. Their conduct at Mr Tsvangirai’s memorial has been widely praised. They are retraining and embracing new technologies for effective policing. A few old habits will die hard but the political will is there.”
DID YOU WITNESS THE TEARGAS ATTACK? – Send your story videos and pictures to ZimEye.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday implored the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) nations to stick to their collective position on sustainable elephant conservation management and reject machinations by powerful nations to impose a ban on legal ivory trade as this disregards spirited efforts and investments by the affected nations.
Mnangagwa said this while addressing delegates at the Kasane Elephant Summit 2019 in Botswana, where two other African leaders spoke strongly about the need for Southern African nations to benefit from their natural resource.
The summit, which ended yesterday, was held under the theme: “Towards a Common Vision for the Management of Southern Africa’s Elephants”.
Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe will in June host the inaugural AU/UN Wildlife Summit which presents KAZA nations an opportunity to share views on unlocking value from wildlife.
“As we approach CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of fauna and flora), let us therefore, resolutely affirm our collective position on sustainable elephant conservation management. Let us boldly speak with one voice, in the best interests of our communities. The ‘one size fits all’ banning of everything under CITES, disregarding the good efforts and investments by our respective Governments is neither sustainable nor desirable,” said Mnangagwa.
“Elephants are arguably a symbol of success in conservation strategies in our region and a key draw card to our tourism industry. It is most opportune that we are meeting to reflect on this important species as well as recalibrate our strategies to ensure that appropriate benefits accrue to our nations and respective communities.
“The savanna elephants which are predominantly found in southern Africa constitute approximately 50 percent of the continent’s elephant species. This bears testimony to our region’s success in championing sustainable conservation programmes that are expanding the elephant habitat,” he said.
Mnangagwa said it is equally imperative that the global community considers the voices and concerns of countries that are successfully conserving these species. Poverty eradication, economic empowerment and the improvement in the quality of life of rural communities can only be enhanced if countries are allowed to trade and benefit from natural resources.
“We will continue to honour our obligations and play our part in strengthening collaboration within the KAZA framework, our National Elephant Management Plan and the African Elephant Action Plan. To this end, 13 percent of our land area is protected under the Transfrontier Conservation Area and Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE), which we are set to invigorate to reduce human-elephant conflict. My Government has since increased the area where wildlife conservation is recognised as a viable land use,” said Mnangagwa.
The summit was attended by President Mokgweetsi Masisi (Botswana), President Edgar Lungu (Zambia) and President Hage Geingob (Namibia). President Juao Lourenco (Angola) was represented by the country’s Minister of Tourism.
Botswana has the highest elephant population in Africa followed by Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia and Angola.
The KAZA range measures about 520 000 square kilometres and hosts three quarters of the 415 428 elephants found in Africa.
The summit raised concern about the upsurge in elephant poaching in Africa, with an analysis report by the Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) revealing that Africa experienced the highest levels of elephant poaching in 2011.
Ivory laundering peaked between 2012 and 2013, and though there are signs of decline.
It was noted that despite pressure on poaching, African elephants continue to live outside protected areas, posing additional challenges for wildlife authorities, as levels of human-wildlife conflict continue to escalate.
A moratorium on international trade that was put in place between 2009 and 2017 has failed to tame illegal ivory trade, as the vice actually increased during the period.
Ivory stocks held by KAZA range states have continued to grow and efforts by these countries to manage their populations are subjected to biased international media scrutiny that ignores the plight of rural communities who bear the brunt of living with elephants.
“Addressing human-wildlife conflict continues to be a priority of my Government. We are continuously strengthening the law enforcement to combat internal and cross-border wildlife crime. My Government stands ready to increase its participation in regional anti-poaching strategies. I encourage all of us to continue to implement robust and versatile mechanisms in our elephant conservation toolbox,” said Mnangagwa.
It was noted that legal international trade in live elephants and their products is increasingly prohibitive despite Appendix Two listing permitting commercial elephant trade.
More worryingly, plans are underway to make it more difficult to import hunting trophies into the European Union and the US. – state media
By Dorrothy Moyo| The state owned Herald newspaper yesterday reported that Great Britain has commended Zimbabwe government reforms when the ambassador had only given a nod to promises to reform which are just on paper.
Speaking after a meeting with Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration Obert Mpofu at the Zanu-PF Headquarters yesterday, British Ambassador to Zimbabwe Ms Melanie Robinson said, “we had a good opportunity to discuss the UK-Zimbabwe relationship and I was able to assure the chairman (meaning Secretary for Administration) of the UK’s commitment to seeing Zimbabwe succeed and our desire to see Zimbabwe along its pathway to a more prosperous, peaceful and democratic future,” she said.
“I was able to express our support for the reforms the President has laid out on the economic and political side and that those reforms are meaningful and sustained and to say the more Zimbabwe is able to reform, the more the UK is able to engage and support that reform process. We had a very productive discussion around those issues.”
Obert Mpofu said the discussions centred on Government’s reform agenda.
“The discussion we had this morning revolved around reforms; constitutional reforms, the land policy, the Motlanthe Commission, economic issues to do with the sanctions, the issues to do with our currency and other related issues,” Obert Mpofu said.
“But I can assure you that the meeting was very helpful in terms of issues topical between us. On the issue of the Commonwealth, the ambassador spoke strongly about the need for Zimbabwe to go back to the Commonwealth.”
First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa yesterday officially opened an early cervical cancer detection and treatment centre at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare where women will be screened for free in a move aimed at fighting the silent killer.
The Chinese government, through Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, partnered with the Ministry of Health and Child Care and donated the equipment to be used.
The First Lady, who was on Monday appointed Health and Child Care Ambassador, has been leading in the fight against cancer urging women to get tested for cervical and breast cancer.
She led by example when she got screened for cervical and breast cancer at United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH), as a way of motivating women to do the same.
Her awareness campaigns saw over 100 000 women undergoing cervical cancer screening last year.
Officiating the event yesterday, the First Lady urged women to take advantage of the newly opened clinical camp and get screened early.
“I salute the collaborative efforts by the two sister hospitals — Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital — in alleviating the scourge of cervical cancer which, according to statistics from the Zimbabwe Cancer Registry, is the most common cancer among women,” she said.
“Today is a significant day for me as I witness two great hospitals from different parts of the world walking the talk in addressing this global health challenge.
“As such, I would like to commend the kind gesture made by China through Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital to continue partnering Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in this noble cause.
“I have also noted that Harare tops the provinces in terms of the number of women with confirmed cervical cancer. It is therefore befitting that this screening and treating camp is done here at an institution in Harare,” she said.
The First Lady thanked the Chinese government for donating the equipment.
“I would like to appreciate the equipment that you donated to this organisation and other resources that you have channelled towards this programme.
“The developed world has managed to reduce the incidents of cervical cancer through the use of cytology-based screening, a great breakthrough and one of modern medicines.
“Of the 275 000 cervical cancer deaths recorded globally annually, 85 percent occur in developing countries. Our efforts in the Third World to replicate similar results have not taken us anywhere near our wishes due to a number of reasons among them lack of resources.”
Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo said he was happy that cervical cancer, which is a dreaded non-communicable disease among women, was receiving much attention in the country.
“I want to assure you that my ministry will continue to fight this scourge and we shall not relent in this fight,” he said.
“This is the third time in three consecutive years that such a clinical camp has been held at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and we hope that this phase will see over 3 000 women being screened and some receiving the necessary treatment.
“I am happy that the First Lady continues to distinguish herself in the area of health and child care. We are proud of her good work.”
Speaking at the same event, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Guo Shaochun said: “In response to the call for assisting in health delivery in developing countries including Zimbabwe, President Xi Jinping announced at the 2015 UN Sustainable Development Summit that China will implement 100 maternal and child health projects in developing countries, especially in Africa.
“This commitment is echoed by the presence of the First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa today whose devotion in women and children’s welfare has strengthened our faith in contributing towards Zimbabwe’s public health undertaking.- state media
