Farai Dziva |Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration has run out of ideas to turnaround the country’s economy, former Finance Minister Tendai Biti has said.

Biti has also predicted a total demise of the country’s economy.

In an interview with Daily News last Wednesday, Biti said:”I predict that by the end of June this year, it (the black market forex rate) will be 1:10 … in other words, people are becoming poorer and poorer.

Bad economic mismanagement is the theft of people’s savings and this has been created by Mthuli Ncube and his team.”

Farai Dziva|Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Ezra Chadzamira seized the pulpit during the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) Easter celebrations and urged the congregants to support Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Chadzamira stunned the congregants when he abandoned the guiding theme and began to propagate Zanu PF ideologies.

Chadzamira said he was aware of the fact that all ZCC members would vote for Mnangagwa in the 2023 polls and beyond.

“We are proud of you and we know that you all support President Mnangagwa.

As you know, our President is a visionary, as such he needs your support in his efforts to transform the country’s economy,” said Chadzamira.

Below were the live comments as 28,000 Zimbabweans converged to listen to the crocodile gang leader, William Ndangana’s secretary spoke to ZimEye on Saturday afternoon. VIDEO:

TENSION between Zanu PF and war veterans continue to simmer after former freedom fighters stormed out of the Independence Day celebrations in Bindura last Thursday after their leader was blocked from occupying a position at the top table.

The acrimonious relationship was laid bare after the provincial war veterans’ chairman Sam Parirenyatwa was denied the opportunity to be among the top leaders during the celebrations.

This comes amid revelations that Zanu PF provincial structures are not happy with a recent directive to have war veterans occupy commissariat positions thoughout the party structures, in line with a resolution made during a central committee meeting on November 19, 2017 when former President Robert Mugabe was recalled from the party.

The war veterans have also been at loggerheads with the party’s leadership and early this year, threatened to picket against top Zanu PF chefs that include Obert Mpofu, Patrick Chinamasa and David Parirenyatwa, among others working at the party headquarters in Harare.

The former combatants have also petitioned the national Zanu PF leadership, including the President’s Office over what they called were their differences with the Zanu PF leadership.

But things got to a head in Bindura last Thursday when the war veterans provincial chairman was blocked from taking a seat at the top table by security details.

Parirenyatwa refused to entertain questions. “I am not going to comment,” Parirenyatwa said.

Many people who attended the celebrations told NewsDay that they were left tongue-tied over the unusual incident.

Sources said the situation was tense and it was unusual that war veterans stormed out of the celebrations that largely recognise their efforts in liberating the country.

“As proceedings were kicking off, someone announced that a certain vehicle had its lights on and the driver

was supposed to attend to the problem immediately. The vehicle belonged to Parirenyatwa, who was already at the high table,” a war veterans official who requested anonymity disclosed.

“He went on to attend to the vehicle, but when he returned he was stopped from getting on to the high-table by suspected Central Intelligence Organisation operatives. He tried to reason, but was told he was unfit to be among the provincial leaders.”

The official added: “This didn’t go down well with him and other war veterans. They confronted the operatives who clearly disclosed that they were acting on orders from their bosses who were working with the Zanu PF provincial executive.

“An altercation ensued in full glare of those who were close and in no time, some of the war veterans started shouting that they were not going to take the matter lightly. Although people didn’t expect it, they left the celebrations, leaving those at the high table hugely embarrassed.”

Bindura is one of Zanu PF’s hotbeds where the war veterans demonstrated against former President Robert Mugabe before he was deposed in a coup in November 2017.

Recently, the war veterans accused the Zanu PF provincial executive of imposing the party’s commissar and of unfairly and corruptly parcelling out land, among other accusations. They claimed this was a calculated move to sideline them and silence them for their criticism over the manner in which the province is being run.

Contacted for comment, Mashonaland Provincial Affairs minister Monica Mavhunga said she was not aware of the development, saying she only arrived to perform her duties and was too busy to observe who was present or absent.

“When I arrived, I only did my job and had no time to observe who was at the high table or not. In fact, some of the items on the programme were aborted because of rains,” Mavhunga said.

Asked if she was aware of the growing rift between the party’s provincial structures and the war veterans, Mavhunga said: “I am not aware of that.”

-Newsday

MDC will spend close to $2 million on 6 000 delegates who will attend a crunching May 24 electoral congress in Gweru as the party seeks to chart a new way forward following the death of its founding President Morgan Tsvangirai.B

The congress, which will either make or break the MDC, will most likely confirm Nelson Chamisa as new party president after the youthful leader managed to bag 12 nominations from 12 provincial congresses held so far. One province, South Africa, is still outstanding.

Other political players will still face cliff hanger fights as they battle to remain politically relevant in the party and country as battle lines have already been drawn on the influential positions of vice-presidents, secretary-general, treasurer general and spokesperson with party heavy weights set to trade pound for pound.

Chamisa confirmed that 6 000 delegates will decide the fate of close to 30 party stalwarts who are looking to find place in the 10 member standing committee directly elected at congress.

“We have a membership of over a million people, but as we go for congress we will only have 6 000 delegates attending in a representative capacity, but we want to ensure that the leaders are acceptable not just to our members of the 6 000 delegate, but also to the general populace. This is why we are opening a campaign season in the form on town hall meetings,” said Chamisa.

Party spokesperson Jacob Mafume could not confirm the actual figures the party will have to mobilise for its congress, but said it will run into millions.

“Treasury is working on the figures, but we can’t even conclusively say how much will be used because prices are changing on a daily bases and, therefore, it becomes difficult to say, but it will run into millions,” he said.

The party, which is struggling financially, said it will largely rely on its members and other well-wishers to fund the congress.

“We have to rely on our members and well-wishers, especially seeing that government is withholding our share from the Political Parties Finance Act, we have not been given our money so we will find alternative ways,” Mafume said.

NewsDay

Jane Mlambo| Parents and the local community in Chibuwe, Chipinge are up in arms against Chibuwe Primary School head and School Development Committee chairperson over abuse of the BEAM scheme funds.

According to a dossier circulating in the community and in possession of ZimEye, the parents are livid over what they said is an unholy alliance between the school head Mr Noel Mashava and SDC Chair Phainas Bote who have failed to explain how they used funds from BEAM.

This is amid reports that some of the pupils who are on the school list had actually paid their own tuition after the school threatened to send them back home over non-payment of fees.

“The school received the funds early this year or in December last year.

“The school head then connived with BOTE who happened to be the then outgoing SDC chairperson to sign for the withdrawal of the funds and quickly made unclear payments through bank transfers.

“This was even done without the knowledge of the then acting deputy headmaster Musikavanhu who has now left the office.

“More-so, the beneficiaries of this facility are yet to receive their receipts as proof of payments.

Unfortunately some of these beneficiaries were even forced to pay for their own tuition fees since the BEAM funds were not availed on time,” reads the damning dossier.

The community complained that the school is struggling against shortage of books, furniture and other essentials yet the two find it good for themselves to fatten their pockets at the expense of benefiaries.

“furniture is still a nightmare for many pupils despite the fact that the school is situated in the midst of a well resourced community.

“The school has a printer and a photocopier that also service the community on certain charges but the money is not booked down..how it is used is another question,” further reads the dossier.

The deals are such that Chamisa will guarantee Mudzuri retains his vice president’s post and Mwonzora settles for the secretary-general post with both rallying behind him.

MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa’s secret deals with the party’s secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora and one of his vice presidents Elias Mudzuri on the hand so that both do not contest him for the presidency at their next congress has been received with mixed views.

Both Mudzuri and Mwonzora were potential challengers who may have given in because of a possible backlash from some of Chamisa’s militant lieutenants. Some political and social analysts said they supported Chamisa’s move saying even in established democracies, political negotiation is an established concept employed to reach a political agreement.

They said by negotiating with the two, Chamisa is showing magnanimity and leadership rather than zero-sum politics. Others are, however, of the opinion that while this negotiation would signify a maturing democracy in the MDC Alliance; it was made for the image built of an invincible Chamisa whose legitimacy would have been severely damaged.

They said the fact that there were incidences of intra-party violence means there are unresolved internal issues that the movement must find time to reflect upon and become a united, well-coordinated political party that can mount a serious intellectual and social-economic alternative to Zanu-PF.

They added that true leadership should pass through the test of popularity and ideas, not coercion as having been alleged by some of the MDC Alliance officials. Political analyst MacDonald Lewanika, while he is not sure of the credibility of these backroom deals, he believes it is not a bad thing after all.

“Democracy is not just about to contest it is also about to comprise and accommodation, and carrying everyone along. This way the MDC preserves its best and brightest in leadership after all leadership is not about positions it is about the disposition of leadership and real leaders can lead from anywhere. At least this way the MDC will have sound leadership at different levels.”

Journalist Stanley Kwenda said while there’s no doubt that Chamisa is the most popular of the three candidates, for the sake of the party, it was a good move for the three to negotiate.

“At the end of the day, this will avoid the splits we have seen in the past. Even the two men know that Chamisa has the momentum, so I wouldn’t say they were dribbled but rather they took a decision in the best interest of their party.

“In the end it’s the party that wins and the millions of people who voted Chamisa in the last election. The sooner they get this congress out of the way the better because they have other important issues to do with such as electoral reforms. 2023 is not that far, they can’t afford to waste more time,” said Kwenda.

Political analyst Maxwell Saungweme said Chamisa is doing well, trying to unite the party ahead of this Congress that can leave the party more divided than united.

“He is demonstrating political maturity by not seeking vindictiveness and total destruction of his party adversaries post-congress. He is rising above the misguided elements in his party who saw the death of Mudzuri and Mwonzora’s careers post-congress. He is being a leader. “Democracy is not only about contested polls but it can also be negotiated freely and fairly and win-win outcomes realised. He is doing right. This is what Morgan Tsvangirai would have done,” said Saungweme.

Social analyst Rashweat Mukundu said politics is not only about contest but the negotiation and alliances and both Mudzuri and Mwonzora realise that they are no match for Chamisa judging by the on-going nominations. “It is however in Chamisa’s interest that the two remain in the MDC and that fractions are limited as much as possible; this is part of building a stronger MDC.”

Social analyst Precious Shumba however, believes negotiations by their very nature are a compromise on principles, values and beliefs.

“They always come after a protracted contest for supremacy, and when you see protagonists negotiating and sharing positions and promising each other certain things, it means that the democracy has been compromised to the extent that it becomes an elite pact to be on the feeding trough.

“Power by all means necessary is a major worry in African politics, and the MDC Alliance should be the leading light in promoting democracy that promotes freedom of choice, right to contest for its membership, and guarantee freedom after speech.”

He said the MDC is called the movement for democratic change, meaning they are a mass-driven social-political movement that is inspired by democratic values and principles in their conduct as an organisation and the officials have to be demonstrating their democratic credentials.

“If however, the negotiations took place at the instigation of their different sets of followers, it means that the MDC Alliance leadership of Mwonzora, Chamisa and Mudzuri timely responded to an expressed need for compromise to maintain the party’s unity.

There is apparent intolerance in the rank and file of the followers as shown in the different reports of violence against perceived enemies of their respective leaders.

“In politics, there are vested interests to pursue and protect, and I am certain that Chamisa was the one who was under more pressure to be uncontested at their congress because if he was going to be contested by Mwonzora or Mudzuri, it would have meant that a significant portion of the MDC Alliance base has divided loyalty,” said Shumba.

He added that because if they went in to July 2018 elections with him as their candidate, and at their first congress following their founder’s death, the expectation would have been for more candidates coming forward to express their interest in the Presidency of their Party, without anyone being seen to be victimised for expressing a mere desire to lead the movement.

Shumba said it would have been more democratic if Chamisa did not attend the provincial congresses when he was an interested party.

“The principle of democracy should be anchored on the right of individuals to make informed choices on their leadership without apparent coercion in the form of raising hands as a way of voting. The vote should remain a secret and that way we are able to evaluate one’s real and genuine support.

“Secondly, if it were possible to invite nominations from the floor during the congress, with no threats to life, democracy in the movement would have come out of age. As it stands, there is possibility that the negotiations were simply done to silence Mwonzora and Mudzuri, while designed to guarantee Chamisa an uncontested position at Congress, thereby maintaining a fallacy of invincibility.

That is a danger to both the movement and democracy as a concept of transparency and accountability.” Shumba said his view is that the negotiations are a process of making sure that Chamisa is thought to represent in full all MDC Alliance followers without allowing that hypothesis to pass the test of democracy.

“My expectation was that since the MDC Alliance is always very critical of Zanu-PF, they would invite such electoral bodies like the Zimbabwe Election Support Network and the Election Resource Centre and their close ally Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions to conduct their elections in a free and fair manner to demonstrate what they really desire for Zimbabwe so that we all appreciate what we are missing as citizens without them as the ruling party.

“In another view, Mwonzora and Mudzuri are being saved from their political dustbin. The negotiations may be seen as a way of saving their positions from being taken by other party officials who have been nominated to those positions. Because if they do not manage to hold any position of leadership, they will be forgotten outside the movement and will find it difficult to mount a formidable comeback,” said Shumba.

Zimetro

Opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) President Nelson Chamisa has given President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s national dialogue a chance before unleashing a typical rollercoaster protest across the country a move he said is aimed at compelling the 76-year-old Zanu PF leader to come to the negotiation table.

Chamisa said the country needs dialogue urgently as the living conditions continue to deteriorate amid economic collapse as prices of basic commodities continue to skyrocket on the back of disputed elections which spilled in the constitutional court with the 41-year-old former minister’s application dismissed for lack of evidence.

Speaking to Voice of America’s Studio 7 on Monday night, Chamisa insisted that the July 2018 election is still an open chapter whose results remain contested in the political spheres although the constitutional court upheld Mnangagwa’s victory whose result Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) revised more than twice.

“The dialogue that we want is that which will bring all hands on the deck to look into what happened on the 30th of July 2018’s general elections. What we have seen is that (Mnangagwa) do not want to talk but he will come. We are just finishing our congress thereafter we will be focusing on working to improve the livelihoods of our people,” he said.

The opposition which is currently seized with its internal electoral processes ahead of its fifth elective congress slated for this May, is understood to be planning to roll mass protests across the country to compel the Zanu PF led government to come on the dialogue table.

Chamisa lashed at Mnangagwa saying Robert Mugabe’s successor is not Father Christmas who can just serve out political positions charging that positions should not be the focus.

“One person cannot make things work in a country. Mnangagwa is not Father Christmas, he is not baba Harare. He is not father Zimbabwe who just dish out positions. People voted for us and for change therefore their will must be respected. We must sit down and discuss how we should return the country to the majority rule.

“I was not elected by the people to go into parliament but to lead people in restoring their dignity through improving the economy and political freedom of the nation. The issue is not about positions but people’s welfares,” Chamisa said.

Mnangagwa called for dialogue mid-January 2019 after the popular stay away protest brought the country to a halt with security forces unleashed on civilians leaving a trail of bloodshed.

Chamisa however, snubbed the dialogue call citing that Mnangagwa was not fit to convene a dialogue let alone coming up with point of references for the discussions.

In response, Mnangagwa said he observed Chamisa’s democratic right not to be part of the dialogue which other political players attended but later on significant opposition leaders like Noah Manyika and Nkosana Moyo among others pulled off.

All Africa

Mpofu was quoted by state media as saying that consultations to pave way for the constitution’s amendment were already underway.

Zanu PF has begun a process of amending the party and country constitution to consolidate their grip on power, Secretary for Administration, Obert Mpofu has said.

“Consultations that will pave way for the amendment of the constitution have been sanctioned by the politburo. So we have already put in place a committee which is working on the modalities.

“For example, the positions of secretaries are out-dated and they will be amended up to the praesidium,” said Mpofu.

Farai Dziva |Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration has run out of ideas to turnaround the country’s economy, former Finance Minister Tendai Biti has said.

Biti has also predicted a total demise of the country’s economy.

In an interview with Daily News last Wednesday, Biti said:”I predict that by the end of June this year, it (the black market forex rate) will be 1:10 … in other words, people are becoming poorer and poorer.

Bad economic mismanagement is the theft of people’s savings and this has been created by Mthuli Ncube and his team.”

There are reports circulating on social media indicating there is an outbreak of bovine tuberculosis in the country.

Bovine TB usually affects animals such as cattle, but it can affect practically all mammals causing a general state of illness, coughing and eventual death. It can be transmitted from animals to humans as well as to other animals.

Transmission of the Bovine TB:
The disease is contagious and it is spread by contact between infected domestic animals such as cattle, and humans.

Usually, the disease is spread by animals or humans inhaling infected droplets which are expelled from the lungs by coughing.
Infection can also occur from direct contact with a wound that might happen during slaughter.

It is also believed by most people that calves and humans can also become infected by ingesting raw (unpasteurized) milk and other dairy products from infected cows.

It is possible for an infected animal to spread to many others and humans before the disease is detected. The symptoms do not show quickly.

Some of the Bovine TB Symptoms In Humans:
Young children infected typically have abdominal infections and older patients have swollen and sometimes ulcerated lymph glands in the neck.State media

Farai Dziva|Respected political analyst Dr Pedzisai Ruhanya has urged MDC A officials to desist from jostling for positions and focus on the 2023 elections.

” I Expect those contesting for power to shape the political trajectory of the MDC post Tsvangirai with OPEDS in major newspapers articulating the new thinking, political program to wrestle power, reform the state from failing Ruka Chivende and KRINIC,” said Dr Ruhanya.

“Back in Joburg. Been watching MDC Congress processes in Zim. Not seen any thread on ideas by those contesting for power at their provincial and district congresses.

Everyone wants power; to do what with that power;no counter hegemonic program to the failing Zim regime.”

By Own Correspondent- Former G40 kingpin and Zanu Pf Cabinet Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo has scoffed at President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration describing it as a “wilting banana republic which has reached a point no return.”

Said Prof Moyo in a series of tweets:

“The wilting started from the very beginning and it progressively got worse and reached a point of no return with the November 2017 military coup that restored the Mgagao 1975 fiasco, which led to the 1980 rot in the first place: then gukurahundi, Esap, Warvets payout, DRC and history!”

Diamond looting: Lacoste. Command Agriculture looting: Lacoste: Dema looting: Lacoste. Africa Chrome looting: Lacoste. Treasury Bill looting: Lacoste. This and more was pre-coup. As for their post coup looting, don’t even start to mention. Their wives, children and clans have joined!”

When asked if his statement were sour groups because he was envious of Mnangagwa and whether it was Mnangagwa who forced him to exile, Moyo said:

“Come on. How can I envy someone whose only known real job before he joined his murderous politics was a COURT INTERPRETER in Zambia?

“Don’t confuse Mnangagwa with Chiwenga. After all, Mnangagwa was himself a fugitive when Chiwenga’s maurading soldiers forced me into exile during the November 2017 military coup. The record is clear and the story is coming soon!”

34 people escaped death by a whisker when a Greyhound bus travelling from South Africa to Bulawayo caught fire this morning at the 35 km peg along the Beitbridge Bulawayo road.

Policemen on the ground said further investigations into the incident were underway though they suspect mechanical fault.

“According to the driver, he saw some smoke from the back of the bus where the engine is located.”

“He then stopped in the middle of the road and opened all the doors for the passengers to get out. They managed to escape with a few goods but the bus and the rest of the goods were reduced to shells,” said one police officer.

In November last year 42 people were burnt to death when a bus travelling from Zvishavane to South Africa caught fire near West Nicholson along the Bulawayo Beitbridge road.

-State Media

Jane Mlambo| On the weekend of 15 – 17 March 2019, both Chimanimani and Chipinge districts suffered multiple destruction from Cyclone Idai with survivors needing shelter, water, food, medication and blankets. There was massive death and destruction of property and infrastructure in the two districts. However, on 20 April 2019, Platform for Youth Development (PYD) held a community prayer meeting at Checheche growth point in remembrance of Cyclone Idai victims. The prayer meeting was focused on restoring and maintaining hope in the affected communities, at the same time allay the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.

“We carry strong sentiments and beliefs about our relatives and friends who fell victims to the devastating Cyclone Idai, and as the Ndau people we were raised to love, serve, and honour our fellow people no matter what the situation. Cyclone Idai destroyed families, individual lives as well as our community fabric.” Claris Madhuku told the gathering.

“The clean-up campaign and the prayer meeting is a symbol of hope as we recover from the Cyclone Idai disaster. As a Christian clergy, we are to play an important role in identifying individuals with challenges in facing with the reality of the Cyclone Idai disaster and we are prepared to offer support to the victims.” Added Rev Joseph Mugidheya of the United Church of Christ in Zimbabwe (UCCZ).

The prayer meeting was a collaboration between PYD and religious leaders in Chipinge district as a collective effort to provide both material and emotional/spiritual support to Cyclone Idai victims. PYD strongly believed that the community prayer meeting was a strategy for reducing the victim of Cyclone Idai’s trauma. Survivors of a devastating phenomenon of the stature of the Cyclone Idai usually feel guilty about loved ones who lost their lives and property lost. Thus, a community prayer meeting helped by reducing survivors’ guilt and increasing their hope for future life.  In PTSD, the acceptance of a spiritual power normally leads to a spiritual awakening which, in turn, can assuage survivor guilt. From the speeches and prayer outline that was conducted during the meeting, it became evidently clear that the survivors of Cyclone Idai had found refugee in the community safety net and empathy.

“For those of us who were left suffering after the disaster, the prayer meeting is the first step in giving us the strength and hope to carry on living.” Said Mrs. Irene Kaitu (56 years), one of the Cyclone Idai survivors

Cynthia Gwenzi, PYD Gender and Advocacy Officer stated that the Cyclone Idai had a gender perspective in its trail of disasters. “Women feel powerless in decision– making process. Powerlessness in decision – making increase their social and psychological vulnerabilities and women are at risk of falling into deeper poverty post Cyclone Idai.” She said.

The meeting was well attended by both the Christian community and other civic leaders within the Chipinge district. The community applauded PYD for taking the initiative to remember the victims of Cyclone Idai as well as invoking a collective effort in offering spiritual and moral support to the survivors.

Farai Dziva|Former Zanu PF strategist Professor Jonathan Moyo has denied he solely crafted the controversial Public Order and Security Act(POSA).

Moyo virtually distanced himself from the draconian act that was used to muzzle dissenting voices- especially members of the Movement For Democratic Change.

Moyo tweeted:”@BitiTendai
@DavidColtart as respected lawyers & MPs when POSA was debated & enacted by Parliament on 31/1/02, you can help set the record straight on which minister steered POSA into law.

Now even ZanuPF mouthpieces are parroting the entrenched lie about POSA and me!”

Farai Dziva|Emmerson Mnangagwa has pleaded with Zimbabweans in the diaspora to return and support the economic recovery programme.

Mnangagwa made the call at the Independence Day commemorations at the National Sports Stadium.

” I am aware that some of our citizens are currently spread across the Diaspora.

The raft of reforms we have started should enable some of them to return home and assist in building our nation.

On foreign relations, the engagement and re-engagement policy with all countries in the international community, based on mutual respect, is progressing well.

Various strategic engagements have resulted in the signing of numerous bilateral cooperation agreements and concrete investments.

We, however, call for the unconditional removal of the illegal and unjustified economic sanctions imposed on us so that our nation can realise its full developmental potential, free from any hindrances,” said Mnangagwa.

Farai Dziva|Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Ezra Chadzamira seized the pulpit during the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) Easter celebrations and urged the congregants to support Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Chadzamira stunned the congregants when he abandoned the guiding theme and began to propagate Zanu PF ideologies.

Chadzamira said he was aware of the fact that all ZCC members would vote for Mnangagwa in the 2023 polls and beyond.

“We are proud of you and we know that you all support President Mnangagwa.

As you know, our President is a visionary, as such he needs your support in his efforts to transform the country’s economy,” said Chadzamira.

Jane Mlambo| A Twitter user, Runyararo Diana has ignited war on the popular social media platform after posting that the new government under President Emmerson Mnangagwa had made strides in reducing the cost of living in the country.

Diana argued that when Mnangagwa assumed office, bread was USD$0.90 cents before going down to USD$0.70 cents.

She also said fuel which was being sold for US$1.36 was now at US$0.75 among other examples cited.

By all standards. HE President Mnangagwa has made long strides in reducing the cost of living in Zimbabwe.

Bread was US$0.90 now US$0.70
Cooking oil was US3.20 now US$2.67
Chicken Inn was US$3.50 now US$2.25
Petrol was US$1.36 now US$0.75
Rent for a family of 4 US$300 now US$98

— Runyararo Diana (@DianaRunyararo) April 22, 2019

The post which has over 700 comments has attracted backlash from Twitter users who questioned the logic behind the post considering that most people are paid in the local RTGS currency and not United States dollars Diana made reference to.

Tell me you are joking. Did you type this in your sober state of mind or under the influence of some substance?

— Mphini Dube (@MphiniSir) April 22, 2019

Salaries were USD$500, now they are USD$150…. But it's your Tweet, go on sis

— Phinias Shonayi (@phiniassZW) April 22, 2019

By Own Correspondent- Former MDC secretary for Legal Affairs David Coltart has defended ex-Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo on allegations that he was involved in the drafting and steering of the notorious Public Order Security Act.

In a tweet posted on Tuesday Coltart said:

“As I recall it was Patrick Chinamasa who steered POSA through parliament with great support from the then speaker of parliament Emmerson Mnangagwa.”

Professor Moyo added, “And the Minister of Home Affairs was John Landa Nkomo.”

The issue began when Moyo invited Coltart and former Finance Minister Tendai Biti to respond to ZANU PF Patriots who had said, “Jonathan Moyo’s  POSA is gone. Government last Friday gazetted the Maintenance of Peace and Order Bill to replace the POSA in line with its commitment to open up democratic space and align laws with the constitution as part of the reform agenda of the Second Republic.” 

By Own Correspondent- Harare City Council has revealed that the local water authority’s water production levels are depressed adding that available chlorine gas can only last the next two days.

Said Harare City Council in a statement:

“We have enhanced engagement with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe over the timely release of forex to companies that import water treatment chemicals from South Africa and China. Currently our water production is very depressed.

We are managing only 100 million litres against a daily average of 450 million litres. Our available stocks of chlorine gas can only last us for two days.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has promised to release an initial US$150 000 towards the importation of chlorine gas. We use a tonne of chlorine gas daily. Chlorine is used as a disinfectant to kill bacteria in the water.

The City requires US$3 million every month for the purchase of water purification chemicals.

The other chemicals we use are activated carbon for removing odours, alum sulphate and sodium silicate for removing solid particles, lime for pH regulation, sulphiric acid to reduce pH, HTH for removing algae and ammonia for chlorine retentionin the reticulation system.

Stocks of the other chemicals are also at depressed levels.

By Own Correspondent- Rural public institutions are set to receive a major boost after the Rural Electrification Fund (REF) revealed that it will electrify them for free.

This was revealed by REF public relations and marketing executive Johannes Nyamayedenga who said:

“The decision to electrify public institutions for free was arrived at by REF board after realising that some schools and communities were facing financial challenges to fund the project.

We have a facility where we offer 100 per cent capital subsidy, he said. People do not pay for the construction of lines, but only for internal wiring of their buildings and connection fees to the ZETDC.

Those who qualify for this facility are primary and secondary schools, Government extension offices, chiefs’ homesteads and Government departments such as police posts, District Development Fund, Agritex and Department of veterinary services offices among others.

This is only done for the administration block, science laboratories and computer laboratories to ensure pupils and students can learn in a conducive environment.

Nyamayedenda said that as of now, REF has managed to electrify more than 4 000 schools, among other structures in the rural areas. He said:

“The authority has electrified 2 699 primary schools, 1 359 secondary schools, 874 rural health centres, 411 Government extension offices, 244 chiefs’ households, 952 business centres, 774 small scale farms, 1175 villages and 803 other institutions.”-StateMedia

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 last month and is threatening to kill more people through international phone calls.

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 appealed for information on the whereabouts of Pomborokani, who is suspected to be holed up in South Africa or Namibia.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday said investigations were still in progress.

“The suspect is still on the run and we are still looking for him,” he said.

Sources close to the investigations said there have been rumours that Pomborokani is being spotted in some nightclubs in Gletwin and other areas.

Pomborokani is also alleged to be threatening to kill all those he suspected of once having an extra marital affair with his late wife, Ms Olivia Zenda.

A statement obtained from police states that Pomborokani is threatening to kill several people using international cellphone numbers.

-State Media

Mayor of Harare Councilor Herbert Gomba confirmed today that City of Harare is producing less than 100 megalitres per day. This amount of water is further reduced by physical losses through burst pipes which ranges around 45% of the daily water production. This means that Harare Metropolitan Province is receiving at most 50 megalitres per day against daily demand of 800 megalitres which can surge to 1200 megalitres during the hot season.

The above figures confirms that Harare Metropolitan Province has a looming potable water disaster.

The Mayor of Harare further stated that the dangerously low amount of water available to residents is chiefly caused by scarcity of forex to purchase water treatment chemicals.

Community Water Alliance will soon engage the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr. John Mangudya so that there is consistent and period supply of chemicals which should never be elicited by interventions of Civic Society Organizations. It should be an obligation that Dr. Mangudya should fulfil and respect religiously. Dr. Mangudya should completely stop playing games with people lives and health by urgently availing forex needed for water treatment chemicals. This should be the case in all Local Authorities and it has to be consistent.

The impeding disaster on water delivery confirms our position that water delivery now requires stakeholders approach which break the sectoralization approach that has dominated water interventions for the past decades. CWA will soon expedite the process of ensuring that the Water Technical Committee composed after the January 2019 Harare Metropolitan Province Water Conference, meets and address the impeding disaster.

By Farai D Hove| The exiled Prof Jonathan Moyo on Monday declared himself innocent of the draconian Public Order And Security Act.

Writing in the afternoon, Prof Moyo, who is on record abusing the Itai Dzamara family’s sympathisers saying they must be arrested for reporting on his abduction, said, “Hon Tendai Biti and Hon David Coltart, as respected lawyers & MPs when POSA was debated & enacted by Parliament on 31/1/02, you can help set the record straight on which minister steered POSA into law. Now even Zanu PF mouthpieces are parroting the entrenched lie about POSA!”

Prof Moyo was supported by Coltart who replied saying, “as I recall it was Patrick Chinamasa who steered POSA through Parliament with great support from the then Speaker Emmerson Mnangagwa.”

But is Jonathan Moyo innocent? On the 15th Jully 2015, Moyo tweeted saying anyone who has reported that Dzamara was abducted must be arrested for causing alarm and dispondency. “Those who say Dzamara was abducted must prove their claims or be charged of causing alarm and dispondency,” Prof Moyo tweeted.

By Own Correspondent- War veterans have called for unity among Zimbabweans in order to deal with the deteriorating economic situation.

Spokesperson of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association, Douglas Mahiya has sought to absolve the ruling ZANU PF party for superintending over the economic decay.

He shifted the blame onto the “enemy”.

Said Mahiya:

“It is not the fault of the ruling party or government, but it is the fault of the enemy who has made inroads and advanced in tactics to ensure that the economy doesn’t perform because of sanctions and many other issues that are being unleashed to the Zimbabwean people.

It is up to us as a nation to advance and force the enemy to retreat by uniting. It is time to unite and set aside our differences and confront the enemy so that we achieve our goals and at least have food on our tables.”

Over the past several months, ZANU PF has resorted to the Mugabe-era tactic of blaming Western countries for anything and everything negative.-Newsday

By Own Correspondent- MDC president Nelson Chamisa’s alleged Machiavellian deals with party rivals have drawn mixed responses from political analysts.

Chamisa reportedly made secret deals with his likely challengers at the May Congress, secretary general Douglas Mwonzora and vice president Elias Mudzuri.

The deal entails that Chamisa retains his post unchallenged with both Mwonzora and Mudzuri retaining their posts.

MacDonald Lewanikwa is of the view that such deals are not bad at all since politics is no longer a zero-sum game. He said:

Democracy is not just about to contest it is also about compromise and accommodation, and carrying everyone along.

This way the MDC preserves its best and brightest in leadership after all leadership is not about positions it is about the disposition of leadership and real leaders can lead from anywhere.

At least this way the MDC will have sound leadership at different levels.

A social analyst, Precious Shumba is not enthused by backroom pacts, which he considers compromise principles, values and beliefs.

Said Shumba:

They always come after a protracted contest for supremacy, and when you see protagonists negotiating and sharing positions and promising each other certain things, it means that the democracy has been compromised to the extent that it becomes an elite pact to be on the feeding trough.

Power by all means necessary is a major worry in African politics, and the MDC Alliance should be the leading light in promoting democracy that promotes freedom of choice, right to contest for its membership, and guarantee freedom after speech.

If however, the negotiations took place at the instigation of their different sets of followers, it means that the MDC Alliance leadership of Mwonzora, Chamisa and Mudzuri timely responded to an expressed need for compromise to maintain the party’s unity.

There is apparent intolerance in the rank and file of the followers as shown in the different reports of violence against perceived enemies of their respective leaders.

In politics, there are vested interests to pursue and protect, and I am certain that Chamisa was the one who was under more pressure to be uncontested at their congress because if he was going to be contested by Mwonzora or Mudzuri, it would have meant that a significant portion of the MDC Alliance base has divided loyalty.

Shumba added that Mwonzora and Mudzuri may have saved their political careers by agreeing to the deals. He said:

My expectation was that since the MDC Alliance is always very critical of Zanu PF, they would invite such electoral bodies like the Zimbabwe Election Support Network and the Election Resource Centre and their close ally Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions to conduct their elections in a free and fair manner to demonstrate what they really desire for Zimbabwe so that we all appreciate what we are missing as citizens without them as the ruling party.

In another view, Mwonzora and Mudzuri are being saved from their political dustbin.

The negotiations may be seen as a way of saving their positions from being taken by other party officials who have been nominated to those positions.

Because if they do not manage to hold any position of leadership, they will be forgotten outside the movement and will find it difficult to mount a formidable comeback.-DailyNews

By Wilbert Mukori_ As far as Mnangagwa is concerned last year’s elections were free, fair and credible. He has invited opposition parties, civic society and all other interested parties to a national dialogue to discuss the country’s worsening economic situation, etc. on condition that the participants recognise him as the legitimately elected president of the Republic.

So far Nelson Chamisa and one or two other opposition leaders have refused to attend the national dialogue because he refused to accept Mnangagwa’s legitimacy. He has now softened his stance. 

“MDC-Alliance president Mr Nelson Chamisa has made a major climb-down on his hardline stance against inter-party dialogue and called for an engagement between him and President Mnangagwa to tackle national challenges affecting the country,” reported Bulawayo 24. 

“In a clear about turn, Mr Chamisa said he was willing for a direct engagement with President Mnangagwa to discuss political, economic and social issues affecting the country, while the party’s spokesperson Mr Jacob Mafume said they were willing to compromise on their previous demands.” 

Some of the demands by the MDC-Alliance described by some political analysts as bizarre included the establishment of a Transitional Authority to run Government.

Other demands included opening up debate on President Mnangagwa’s legitimacy which has long been concluded by the Constitutional Court which upheld his election victory after Mr Chamisa approached the superior court challenging the July 30, 2018 election results. 

Mr Chamisa posted a conciliatory message on his twitter account at the weekend where he called for people to rise above party politics.

Nelson Chamisa and his MDC Alliance, like all the other opposition parties and candidates who participated in last year’s elections, knew that Zanu PF was going to rig the elections. They knew what since the 2013 rigged elections not even one meaningful reform was implemented and with no reforms it was clear Zanu PF will rig the 2018 elections. And they did.

Legitimate?

Compromise! What is there to compromise about? Whether or not Mnangagwa and his regime are legitimate is not a matter of what Mnangagwa, the sell-out opposition or anyone else says but what the historic facts say.

Last year’s elections were a repeat of the 2013 elections complete with the same glaring flaws and illegalities. 3 million Zimbabweans in the diaspora were denied the vote only for Mnangagwa to promise after the vote they will get the vote next time.

The public media remained the exclusive monopoly of the Zanu PF. Zanu PF operative and local leaders used state aid and resources to coerce the voters, especially in the rural areas, to attend party rallies and then to vote for the party’s candidate. 

ZEC Independence

ZEC failed to release a verified voters’ roll although this is a legal requirement. The regime increased the number of polling stations from 2 000 in 2008 to 9 000 in 2013 to over 11 000 last year. ZEC failed to make public some of the polling station results although this was another legal requirement. 

ZEC was also required by law to keep a record of all voters who refuse to vote in both the parliamentary and presidential race; again there was no such record. There were over 70 000 more ballots cast in the presidential race than in the parliamentary one. Ever the blind could see the elections was being rigged!

“The electoral commission (ZEC) lacked full independence and appeared to not always act in an impartial manner. The final results as announced by the Electoral Commission contained numerous errors and lacked adequate traceability, transparency and verifiability,” stated the EU Zimbabwe Election Observer Mission’s final report. 

“Finally, the restrictions on political freedoms, the excessive use of force by security forces and abuses of human rights in the post-election period undermined the corresponding positive aspects during the pre-election campaign. As such, many aspects of the 2018 elections in Zimbabwe failed to meet international standards.”

In short Emmerson Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF party are illegitimate because last year’s election process was pregnant with flaws and illegalities, errors and irregularities, etc. It simply beggars belief how anyone could ever judge such a flawed and illegal process free, fair and credible. And if the process failed to meet international standards of free, fair and credible; how could the result be anything else other than illegitimate. 

You Are Illegitimate!

Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown is a result of 39 years of criminal waste of the nation’s human and material resources by the corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF regime. As much as Mnangagwa would like to give the impression that he has transformed Zimbabwe since taking over from Mugabe following the November 2017 military coup. The truth is Zimbabwe is still a pariah state ruled by corrupt and vote rigging thugs. 

By blatantly rigging last year’s elections Mnangagwa has confirmed Zimbabwe is still very much a pariah state governed by an illegitimate regime. Even if Chamisa join all the other opposition parties and candidates and proclaim Mnangagwa the legitimate president, that will not change the reality that he is illegitimate.  

As long as Zimbabwe remains a pariah state, there will be no meaningful economic recovery because no local and foreign investor or lender will ever want to do business with a pariah state. No one!

Mnangagwa is illegitimate because last year’s elections were not free, fair and credible. It was clear from the start that the elections would be rigged. No one in the opposition camp should participated, they did out of greed. It is the same greed that have the opposition taking part in these Zanu PF led national dialogue. 

Chamisa, you are now ready to recognise Mnangagwa as the legitimate president in return for a seat on the gravy train. This is not the first time MDC have sold out and Mnangagwa knew you would sell-out. Still both Mnangagwa and yourself can delude yourself that Mnangagwa is now legitimate, he is not, and that the compromise will deliver any meaningful economic recovery, it will not! 

“We need to put an end to these economic problems for the sake of ourselves and our children,” maintains Chamisa.

Zimbabwe’s economic problems will remain, indeed will get worse, as long as the country remains a pariah state. We need to cures ourselves of the curse of corruption, vote rigging and illegitimate regimes by acknowledging the problem of vote rigging and dealing with it and not selling-out by pretending the illegitimate is legitimate!

By: Nomusa Garikai: “In Zimbabwe, we are currently undergoing our own struggle of light over darkness. As we walk the road of transformation and reform, we are guided by our Lord Jesus Christ’s teachings of forgiveness, peace, love and take comfort from his victory,” said Mnangagwa in his East Message

This is just wishful thinking! Here is a regime that promised to hold free, fair and credible elections only to blatantly rig the elections. 

Mnangagwa promised “zero tolerance on corruption” and one year and half later has failed to arrest even one of the big fish. He has since admitted that “corruption is deep-rooted”. Of course, it is deep-rooted; he and his fellow ruling elite leaders are the godfathers of corruption! 

“For a while the challenges we face are significant, we are resolute in our faith that with hard work, sacrifice and unity we too will triumph. May the Almighty protect and bless our land,” he continued.

Zimbabwe is in this economic and political hell-hole because of 39 years of gross mismanagement, rampant corruption and tyrannical Zanu PF rule. The regime has managed to stay in power regardless of the people’s democratic wish for meaningful regime change because it rigged elections. 

Zimbabwe’s economic and political mess is a man-made problem; mismanagement, corruption, etc. are problems of bad governance. It is, per se, within our mortal power to end this mess by replacing the bad government with a good, competent and accountable government. 

It is ironic that Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF cronies are the ones who have created the de facto Zanu PF dictatorship, ruthlessly imposed it on the nation and ruthless resisted its dismantling. His solution is that we must have faith and work hard. Have faith in what? In Zanu PF’s voodoo economic policies delivering economic recovery regardless of the corruption, mismanagement, etc.! 

After 39 years of Zanu PF misrule with disastrous consequences it will be insane to expect the regime to delivery economic recover. 

If Zanu PF is allowed to stay in office until 2023 the regime will rig that year’s elections too and retain Zimbabwe’s pariah state status complete with the economic meltdown we see today. No doubt Zanu PF will be arguing the nation to work even harder, suffer even more heart-breaking hardship as part of the “austerity for prosperity” and never to lose faith in the regime delivering economic prosperity, its Vision 2030 Middle Income status. 

Vision 2030 is nothing but a mirage and after 39 years of chasing mirages; it is madness to continue. As long as Zimbabwe remains a pariah state ruled by corrupt and vote rigging thugs economic recover much less prosperity will remain a mirage.  

“Our own struggle of light over darkness!” Our struggle is for democracy over dictatorship. The only sure way to dismantle the Zanu PF dictatorship is for Mnangagwa et al to step down so allow the appointment of an interim administration that will be entrusted to implement the democratic reforms the nation has been dying for all these years.

A World Food Programme (WFP) was yesterday involved in an accident at Nyautsa Bridge in Chipinge.

Details of the accident have not been availed to ZimEye

VIEW PICTURE BELOW…

By Own Correspondent- Ousted Zanu Pf Spokesperson, Rugare Gumbo has revealed how the former president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe ill treated colleagues during the liberation struggle.

Speaking to a local publication, Gumbo said Mugabe would punish others for merely having a diverging view.

Said Gumbo:

“We were treated like dogs. We spent at least three months detained in holes dug in an open place which were closed from the top at about 5 pm, only to be reopened the following morning.

The holes were six metres deep and four metres wide. It was hell on earth and we all thought we were going to die.

At one point the holes were filled with soil and only our heads were left protruding out. But we all survived the ordeal.”

Gumbo was incarcerated alongside the likes of the late Henry Hamadziripi, former police commissioner general Augustine Chihuri, former ZBC chief executive Happison Muchechetere and Mukudzei Mudzi.

By A Correspondent| ZANU PF members are fuming over plans to officially announce party president Emmerson Mnangagwa’s neice, Lydia Heather Mudhari as the Zimbabwe consul to Scotland.

Sources inside ZANU PF UK confirmed the development to ZimEye as some threatened to “pour jecha” on Mnangagwa’s niece.

Zimbabwe is opening the consulate at a time when it is closing numerous embassies across the world, where is the logic?, ZANU PF sources fumed speaking to ZimEye.

“Mudhari has been assigned the post, and it now awaits public announcement,” an impeccable source told ZimEye.

Heather Mudhari’s appointment was also confirmed by senior sources in ZANU PF. Although a government announcement was unavailable, the local ZANU PF leader, Marshall Gore was already referring Scotland based Zimbabweans to Miss Mudhari for assistance with passport documents, however saying the official setup is yet to be done.

For a person to be appointed an ambassador, they need to have first undergone special training for over a year and sources questioned why Heather Mudhari has been rushed to the post without the requisite training.

Our undercover investigations involved a test using a real case of a Glasgow based woman desperate for an ETD to travel for her mother’s funeral in Harare.

ZimEye believes the consulate service was now already functioning by Monday morning and the official position was only twisted after senior ZANU PF officials noticed that ZimEye has opened an investigation.

“Where and when did she do training for the post?,” a top ZANU PF member questioned.

Mudhari was contacted and she her tone of voice sounded “street level, rough” while responding.

She did not deny that she now carries the title, “ambassador.”

“Can you call the embassy in London” she said in response after answering to the salutation which was repeated thrice to her ears.

She then abruplty dropped the phone while the client was still speaking. – THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY –

The planned office address for the embassy could not be established at the time of writing.

By Own Correspondent- An 18 year old Filabusi man allegedly fatally struck his 18 year old neighbour with a brick on the head following a misunderstanding over his 13 year old girlfriend.

Carlson Ndlovu (18) of Zamanjalo Village found Mbongiseni Sibanda (18) at his girlfriend’s home on Friday last week and questioned him on his intentions.

A fight allegedly broke out and the two traded heavy blows.

Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele said Sibanda was arrested and was assisting police with investigations. 

He said:

“I can confirm that we recorded a murder case which occurred in Filabusi area on Friday.

Mbongiseni Sibanda went to Carlson Ndlovu’s girlfriend aged 13-years at around 2PM and borrowed a cell phone and promised to return it. At around 7PM, Sibanda went back to the juvenile’s home to return the cell phone and while he was there Ndlovu arrived and found them talking.

Ndlovu confronted Sibanda demanding to know what he was doing at his girlfriend’s home which resulted in a misunderstanding. Sibanda fled from the homestead and Ndlovu pursued him.

This forced Sibanda to retaliate and he picked up a brick and struck Ndlovu on the back of his head.”

Chief Insp Ndebele said Ndlovu died on the spot as a result of the heavy blow.

He said police were called to attend the scene and Sibanda was arrested while Ndlovu’s body was taken to Filabusi District Hospital Mortuary.

Chief Insp Ndebele said it remained a cause for concern that murder cases were being recorded over trivial issues. He urged members of the public to desist from resorting to violence to resolve disputes.

He said:

“It’s alarming that we continue to record murder cases over trivial issues. Like in this case these youngsters had a fight which resulted in loss of life just because one was speaking to the other’s girlfriend. When people are faced with disputes they should resolve them amicably and not resort to violence.”

By Own Correspondent- Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa and President Emmerson Mnangagwa are likely to meet at the memorial service for the late Morgan Richard Tsvangirai set for May 4 in Buhera.

Tsvangirai, who succumbed to cancer of the colon on February 14 2018 is set to be remembered at his rural home in Buhera early next month.

Family spokesperson, Manase Tsvangirai said preparations were at an advanced stage for the memorial and invitations had been sent to many individuals and institutions.

Despite having dedicated his life to fighting Zanu-PF, Tsvangirai’s family said they would like everyone including Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF to attend.

The family of the late MDC founding president Morgan Tsvangirai revealed that they had invited both government and Zanu-PF party to the former Prime Minister’s memorial.

“This is not a closed session,” Manase said.

“This memorial is open to everyone be it political parties, churches, individuals or other organisations, everybody is being invited. The reason is that Morgan made friends with everyone during the Government of National Unity, so we cannot be found singling out some people that they must not attend. Even Zanu-PF is invited. We have send invitations through the right protocol channels.”

Manase added: “We also invited President Emmerson Mnangagwa, we sent through the invitation and an accompanying letter. Morgan was a former Prime Minister of Zimbabwe and not of a party and because of that there is no way we can have selected people to attend.

“Morgan worked for Zimbabwe and we are saying everyone, be it the President, government officials and war veterans and other political parties are invited. This is going to be a very big function.”

Before his death, Mnangagwa and other senior government officials paid a courtesy call on Tsvangirai at his house in Harare. He was also given a State assisted funeral. MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume said the party has no problem with Zanu-PF or any other person attending the memorial of their founding leader.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commissioner has started warming up for the 2023 harmonised elections by convening a national multi-stakeholder conference aimed at reflecting at the July 30, 2018 general polls with a view to draw lessons on how to improve the coming plebcite.

Recently, the election management body invited stakeholders from within the country, the Sadc region and others from Nigeria to brainstorm how to conduct a flawless 2023 harmonised elections.

It was a no holds barred meeting with virtually every person or organisation with a say, in elections being taken on board in order to tap wisdom from their experience.

Notable entities present were political parties, civil society organisations, women organisations, law enforcement agencies, legal experts, representatives of disabled persons, political scientists, media representatives and traditional leaders among others.

Topical issues that came up for discussion were lessons from Bio-metric registration, voter education, vote counting, tabulation and transmission and election legal framework.

Others were reflections on the regional, continental and international standards for democratic elections, election dispute resolution mechanisms and role of the media as well as that of traditional leaders among other several issues.

The thrust of the conference was to reflect on the just ended elections focusing on what went right and what was it that went wrong before proffering suggestions for improvement.

Some of the political parties that attended the indaba were Zanu-PF and MDC-T led by Dr Thokozani Khupe with the MDC-Alliance conspicuous by its absence despite the fact that its secretary general, Mr Douglas Mwonzora was earmarked to deliver a speech.

Major issues about political parties were the need to register them during elections coming from Sadc Parliamentary Forum representative Mr Sheunesu Kurasha.

The need to enhance internal party democracy also took centre stage with Zanu-PF Secretary for Legal Affairs Cde Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana calling for external independent bodies to superintend primary elections to enhance democracy.

“I think it is an issue we will discuss during national inter-party dialogue. A lot of undemocratic processes are taking place within political parties and we do not talk about it. In other countries they allow the national electoral body to manage internal party process. I am speaking as an individual. I believe personally that let us also subject our internal party processes to scrutiny by independent bodies,” said Cde Mangwana.

People representing visually impaired persons said they were averse to assisted voting saying it undermined their right to secrecy of the vote.

They proposed that there be use of braille ballot papers to accommodate them.

But Zec commissioner, Mrs Sibongile Ndlovu called for further interrogation to the braille proposal saying it had the possible effect of undermining other rights.

“Zec is very much concerned about the secrecy of the vote. From the suggestions, it has side effects. Imagine in a constituency where you have one blind person and we have this ballot paper in braille. Are we not going to have these people afraid to come forth because they would be saying people would know who I would have voted for. So that is one crucial matter we have to consider I think moving forward we should come together and modify these suggestions in order to maintain the secrecy of the voter,” said Mrs Ndlovu.

Zec chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba assured participants that the election management body would treat contributions from the conference with the seriousness it deserved.

She said producing a free, fair and credible election was not the sole responsibility of Zec alone.

“We are all accountable for the credibility of the electoral process. So the lessons that will emerge from this process will assist not only Zec as the election administrators but all election stakeholders in contributing towards the attainment of credible and acceptable electoral processes,” said Justice Chigumba.

Zimbabwe Republic Police Commissioner, Erasmus Makodza said most offences that took place in the previous elections were mainly intra-party violence from major political players Zanu-PF and MDC Alliance.

On bio-metric registration, it was noted that despite some few challenges, ZEC had acquitted itself well in registering voters using the new system.

A voter registration expert from Zambia, Mr Fredrick Lemisa and Zimbabwe Election Support Network representative, Ms Ellen Dingane commented ZEC for their use of the BVR.

“A lot of things in the BVR worked well. It was a confidence booster. It passed several tests. The use of SMS (short messages services) was highly commendable,” said Ms Dingane.

Mr Lemisa implored ZEC to procure BVR kits on time so that there was adequate lead time for aggrieved parties to challenge the process without disrupting the election calendar.

A media representative Blessed Mhlanga implored ZEC to have a responsive Public Relations directorate that disposes inquiries from the media on time.

Given the conference in Nyanga, Zimbabwe is set to revolutionise its electoral system by moving a gear up given the enthusiasm demonstrated by participants.

The next election to be held in 2023 might appear to be far but Zec have set the tone for credible election through conducting preparatory work when it engaged stakeholders.

State Media

THE BULAWAYO MDC provincial leadership is mobilising members to close ranks and focus on rebuilding the party’s structures following last week’s divisive congress.

Divisions rocked the opposition party at the election of a new executive last week, which some party members claimed was mainly on tribal grounds.

Provincial chairman, James Sithole, who is also the party’s legislator for Makokoba confirmed to the Southern Eye the party was left divided after the provincial congress, but pleaded with rival camps to “shun tribalism and close ranks for the good of the party”.

“The party constitution is clear on issues to do with tribalism. The party is against tribalism. We need each other regardless of what tribe or race one belongs to. I am going to work with everyone to ensure the party remains united. My immediate task is to unite and rebuild the party by bringing everyone together,” Sithole said.

Tribalism has remained a thorn in the flesh of the MDC Bulawayo structures. In November 2018, deputy mayor Tinashe Kambarami survived an ouster on grounds that he was an “outsider”.

At last week’s provincial congress, Kambarami grabbed the provincial youth chair post ahead of the incumbent Mlandu Ncube, who was being pushed to assume the post of deputy mayor.

“It is natural that those who were not successful feel aggrieved. It is also normal that ahead of any competition for positions, and in this case, the provincial congress, you find camps or divisions. It, however, does not mean we will remain divided. Instead, we remain one solid party,” Sithole said.

He added: “There are no winners or losers after the congress. The winner is the party, though it is obvious that those who were not successful may not feel good, but they will heal and come around. We will work together, and my main responsibility is to unite and rebuild the party.”

MDC leader Nelson Chamisa recently slammed Bulawayo provincial structures for indiscipline, tribalism, factionalism and violence, among others, during an urgent provincial assembly meeting held at its city’s offices.

Chamisa blamed this state of affairs for the party’s poor showing in a recent Cowdray Park local government by-election won by Zanu PF.

Zanu PF’s Kidwell Mujuru won the by-election contested by 17 other contestants, among them two from the MDC as a result of factionalism.

Southern Eye

By Own Correspondent- Chimanimani District Administrator, Lloyd Kasima reportedly threatened to have Free Zim Congress leader Joseph Busha arrested  for distributing food aid to Cyclone Idai survivors without following due procedure.

Busha, had donated 2 000kgs of mealie meal to Chimanimani cyclone survivors without first seeking permission from the DA’s office.

A 263Chat source said:

“When Busha arrived, he was asked why he had handed over mealie meal without  consulting the DA’s office. Busha urged that he had  he had done so on  humanitarian grounds and had considered that not all  areas where accessible  due to damaged road network.

The DA then said if Busha had been caught in the act (of distributing the food items) he would have been  arrested as he was undermining  protocol. He said Busha would have been in big trouble if he had been caught.

Busha later said protocol must not be important in times of need. He said:

This is a Zanu-PF way of doing things and it scares away those who want to help. This is also an infringement of the right of movement for people as those in need should be allowed to get food assistance from whoever wants to help them.

Why should we go through protocol when we want to help, this opens up chances of politicization of relief aid.

The biggest challenge about relief aid is there is a lot manipulation. There are people who benefit and are not supposed to benefit and officials don’t really care.

THE family of the late MDC founding president Morgan Tsvangirai said they have invited both President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the ruling Zanu PF party to the former Prime Minister’s memorial.

Tsvangirai succumbed to cancer of the colon last year and his memorial is finally going to be held in his rural home on May 4 in Buhera where he was buried.

Family spokesperson, Manase Tsvangirai said preparations were at an advanced stage and invitations had been sent to many individuals and institutions.

Despite having dedicated his life to fighting Zanu PF, Tsvangirai’s family said they would like Mnangagwa and Zanu PF to attend.

“This is not a closed session,” Masase said.

“This memorial is open to everyone be it political parties, churches, individuals or other organisations, everybody is being invited. The reason is that Morgan made friends with everyone during the Government of National Unity, so we cannot be found singling out some people that they must not attend. Even Zanu PF is invited. We have send invitations through the right protocol channels.”

Manase added: “We also invited President Emmerson Mnangagwa, we sent through the invitation and an accompanying letter. Morgan was a former Prime Minister of Zimbabwe and not of a party and because of that there is no way we can have selected people to attend.

“Morgan worked for Zimbabwe and we are saying everyone, be it the President, government officials and war veterans and other political parties are invited. This is going to be a very big function.”

Before his death, Mnangagwa and other senior government officials paid a courtesy call on Tsvangirai at his house in Harare.

He was also given a State assisted funeral.

MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume said the party has no problem with Zanu PF or any other person attending the memorial of their founding leader.

NewsDay

THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority has surpassed its revenue target for the first quarter of the year collecting over $2 billion which is 41,5 percent above its set target of $1,4 billion.

The statistics were released by Zimra chairman Dr Callisto Jokonya in his revenue performance report for the quarter ended March 31.

“Revenue performance for the first quarter pf 2019 surpassed the set target in both gross and net terms. During the quarter, gross collections amounted to $2,059 billion, which was 41,5 percent against the set target of $1,455 billion .

“After deducting refunds of $114, 98 million, net collections were $1,944 billion. This translates to a positive variance of 33,62 percent above the target of $1,455 billion,” Dr Jokonya said.

He said the figures of the first quarter had grew by 85,13 percent from the $1,112 billion collected in the same period last year while the net collections grew by 83,82 percent from the $1,057 billion collected last year.

“Positive performance is attributed to the significant contributions from the Intermediate Money Transfer Tax, corporate income tax and excise duty.

“This is buttressed by the Authority’s revenue enhancement measures and strategies aimed at promoting voluntary compliance,” he added.

In his analysis of specific revenue heads Dr Jokonya said individual income tax was $235,91 million against a target of $235,21.

He attributed the marginal rise in beating the target due to salary adjustments made and cushioning allowances made to employees in the period.

Corporate Income Tax collected was $242,08 million against a target $172 million translating to a positive variance of 40,74 percent.

“Gross VAT on local sales amounted to $336,7 million up from the $265,699 million collected in Q1 of 2018. This translates to a positive variance of 9,28 percent above the set target of $308,1 million and a growth factor of 26,7 percent.

“After factoring VAT refunds of $114, 35 million, net collections of $222,35 million were 27,83 below target. However, when compared to the first quarter in 2018, net collections grew by 5,15 percent from 211,45 million. The revenue head contributed 11,43 of the total net collections during the quarter under review,” Dr Jokonya added.

In the period under review Dr Jokonya said VAT on imports was $127,27 million and 8,23 percent above the set target of $117,6 million.

Customs duty was $91,52 billion which was below the set target of $110,78 million.

“Excise duty collections amounted to $565,65 million against a target of $242,19 million. This translates to a positive variance of 133,5 percent. Excise duty collections increased by 142,44 percent from 4233,32 million realised in the first quarter of 2018. The revenue head contributed 27,47 percent to total net collections during the first quarter of 2019.

“The performance of the revenue head is attributed to increase in the demands of diesel and petrol,” he said.

The IMTT collected was $282,84 million against a target of $150 million.

Dr Jokonya said the revenue targets were expected to continue on a positive trajectory going into the second quarter.

“Despite the challenges the economy is facing, revenue performance is anticipated to maintain a positive trajectory. The fiscal and monetary policies announced by Government give us assurances that the economy is on a recovery path,” he said.

He added that the Authority would continue implementing strategies that would enhance with tax compliance and expanding the tax base.

State Media

THE 60th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) opens in Bulawayo today, with record-breaking subscription at 532 direct local exhibitors and 16 countries participating.

The figure compares favourably with 491 direct local exhibitors recorded in last year’s edition, showing growing positive business sentiment and a strong desire to increase trade.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni is scheduled to officially open the five-day prime trade showcase on Friday, seen as the biggest ever after exhibition space, for the first time in years, was sold out.

The event runs under the theme, “Propagating Industrial Growth through Trade and Investment”.

Briefing journalists in Bulawayo yesterday, ZITF Company board chairperson Ms Ruth Ncube said most exhibitors arrived over the long Easter holiday period and were putting final touches to their stands.

“Participation figures for the exhibition are quite pleasing. Our targeted 2019 available space was taken up at 100 percent.

“Further to that, we availed five percent additional space (2 648 square metres) to accommodate the overflow. Five-hundred-and-thirty-two direct local exhibitors have booked, compared with 491 last year,” said Ms Ncube.

The space being made available for sale, she said, rose from a low of 47 612 square metres in 2016 to a high of 57 732 square metres this year.

She said of the 532 direct local exhibitors, 16 percent were first timers displaying a wide range of products and services.

In terms of geographical mix, 55 percent of confirmed local exhibitors were from Harare, 25 percent from Bulawayo, 15 percent (other towns) and five percent from the international sector. Foreign nations participating at this year’s ZITF include Belarus, which will be participating at the trade showcase for the first time, the United States of America which is making a return after a three-year hiatus, Botswana, Ethiopia, Japan, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates among others.

Some of the major highlights of this year’s trade fair include the ZITF International Business Conference tomorrow, the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI)/ZITF Buyer-Seller Platform Breakfast on Thursday as well as the Zimbabwe-Belarus Business Forum on the same day.

Ms Ncube said the ZITF International Business Conference is arguably the largest business meeting in the country with this year’s high-level symposium that will run under the theme, “Industrial Growth as an Anchor for Achieving Vision 2030,” expected to attract more than 800 delegates.

“They include the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Professor Mthuli Ncube, CZI president Mr Sifelani Jabangwe, ZimTrade chief executive officer Mr Allan Majuru as well as One-Stop Investment Services Centre chairman Dr Washington Mbizvo, among other prominent speakers,” she said.

Vice President Retired General Constantino Chiwenga will deliver the key note address at the event. Ms Ncube said continuing the industrialisation focus of the business exhibition, the CZI/ZITF Buyer-Seller Platform Breakfast will also present an opportunity for business-to-business engagement between industrialists and suppliers of production equipment and technologies.

“Other speakers include Industry and Commerce Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu, Export Credit Guarantee Corporation head of operations Mr Andrew Mafukidze and the CZI Matabeleland chamber president Mr Joseph Gunda.

“A business delegation from Botswana will also be in attendance to discuss opportunities for the promotion of bilateral trade between Zimbabwe and Botswana. The event will be capped by business-to-business matchmaking meetings between local and international buyers and sellers of goods and services,” said Ms Ncube.

State Media

Below is a video skit of the phone call that changed everything between the Limpopo and the Zambezi river. The date is 7th November 2017. In the skit vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa receives a telephone call from the then commander of the defence forces Constantino Chiwenga. FULL VIDEO:

https://youtu.be/FU3w9dLVLSc

Farai Dziva|Opposition leader, Joseph Busha has challenged Emmerson Mnangagwa to tell the what he has achieved since he assumed power.

Busha is the leader of Freezim Congress.He was speaking to NewsDay in Mutare on Friday after donating groceries to Clyclone Idai victims in Chimanimani.

“I want Emmerson Mnangagwa to prove that he is leading the best government, he should show us why he is the best; he should show us how many jobs he has created; he should show us by building hospitals and clinics; and he should show us by helping improve the living conditions of Zimbabweans.

My view at the moment is that this government is not different from the old one of Robert Mugabe. I believe that nothing is going to change in terms of economy, as long as Zanu PF is leading our country,” said Busha.

Farai Dziva|War veterans have blasted some unscrupulous businesspeople who are sabotaging economic revival efforts in a bid to soil Emmerson Mnangagwa’ s image.

Douglas Mahiya has described the hiking of prices as pure sabotage.

“The unjustified bread price increase is clearly a political weapon by the baking cartel. This is clearly a calculated move meant to anger the public and make them to revolt against the constitutionally elected Government.”

“The move is also meant to sabotage President Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030 and as war veterans we will stand to defend the economic programmes by our President.”

“We strongly condemn this profiteering habit by bakers and we urge them to desist from the habit of making unjustified profits at the expense of the poor.”

Mahiya said ZNLWVA will stand with the people and make sure the unjustified profiteering will not succeed.

“We will make sure this cartel bites the dust,” he said. “This is to ensure that the Zimbabwe revolution we fought heroically as young people thrives and succeeds. The Vision 2030 and goal of a middle income economy will be pursued with unremitting vigour.”

Mahiya called on Government to take stern measures to ensure the protection of citizens.

“We call upon the Ministers of Industry, Finance and Justice to take drastic and decisive measures to deal with these cartels. All initiatives must be put in place to ensure that all basics are affordable to everyone,” he said.

Chimanimani District Administrator, Lloyd Kasima on Friday threatened to arrest Free Zim Congress leader and businessman, Joseph Busha over what he termed “unsanctioned distribution of food aid” to Cyclone Idai survivors, 263Chat has learnt.

Busha, one of the 23 presidential candidates in the July 2018 elections, had visited the cyclone ravaged community of Chimanimani to donate 400 bags of 5kgs mealie meal.

The South African based businessman initially donated more than 50 bags of mealie meal to the Tiya village before proceeding to Ngangu Township.

Upon arrival at Ngangu Township, Busha according to a source proceeded to meet the DA and Chimanimani East Member of Parliament, Joshua Sacco and other district members.

Kusema questioned Busha over his donation which he said had been done without the involvement of government.

“When Busha arrived, he was asked why he had handed over the mealie meal without making consultations with the DA’s office. Busha then said he had done so as a humanitarian and had considered that not all areas could be accessed as there bad roads.

“The DA then said if Busha had been caught in the act (of distributing the food items) he would be arrested as he was breaking protocol. He said Busha would be in a lot of trouble if he had been caught.

“It is then that Busha told the DA that food should not be banned from reaching to the people on need,” the source said.
The DA is alleged to have told Busha that next time he should come through the provincial offices which will direct him to the DA’s office.

Contacted for comment, Busha said his donation was not a political distribution but a humanitarian one.

He condemned the confrontational approach saying it intimidates people who wants to help in the future.

“This is a Zanu-PF way of doing things and it scares away those who want to help. This is also an infringement of the right of movement for people as those in need should be allowed to get food assistance from whoever wants to help them.

“Why should we go through protocol when we want to help, this opens up chances of politicization of relief aid, ” Busha said.

“The biggest challenge about relief aid is there is a lot manipulation. There are people who people who benefit and are not supposed to benefit and officials don’t really care.

“Myself as an individual and as a representative of people, certainly I was very touched hence we were not doing on a political or bipartisan basis that’s why we took the donations to the people and the district’s offices to make sure that we put into their hands and they donate to those in great need,” said Busha.

Among those that received the aid in Tiya village were people clad in Zanu-PF regalia.

Sacco told 263Chat that the new dispensation led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa is tolerant enough and will continue to accept goods from anyone regardless of political affiliation.

“Under the new dispensation, the political space has been opened up and Zimbabwe is a free country. It actually shows that this would never happen under the old era, this is the new dispensation for you,” he said.

Tiya village headman, SaTiya paid homage to Busha over the donations saying despite being one of the affected people, they have only received aid once.

“We are hungry and suffering, we are told that people are donating but that food is not getting to us, we have only received aid once and this is the second time. Our people really need this food and we appeal for more,” he said.

There has been a lot of concern over the distribution of food items and relief aid as allegations of manipulation have surfaced.

263 chat

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa is hopeful that the comatose economy taking a beating from rising inflation, shortage of critical foreign currency, collapsing public services and disgruntled labour will resurrect in the same manner Jesus Christ rose from the dead.

Mnangagwa in his Easter holiday message posted on his official Twitter account said the current hardships Zimbabwe is facing were coming from forces of darkness.

“In Zimbabwe, we are currently undergoing our own struggle of light over darkness. As we walk the road of transformation and reform, we are guided by our Lord Jesus Christ’s teachings of forgiveness, peace, love and take comfort from his victory,” Mnangagwa said.

The general populace is struggling to eke a living following a sharp increase in prices of basic commodities, including bread, mealie-meal and fuel against a diminishing disposable income.

Government has warned business that action will soon be taken against them for wanton price increases described by the President as “cruel and inhumane”.

Mnangawa said all this was just a passing phase, which will be overcome as his government implements the Transitional Stabilisation Programme.

“For a while the challenges we face are significant, we are resolute in our faith that with hard work, sacrifice and unity we too will triumph. May the

Almighty protect and bless our land,” Mnangagwa said.

Opposition MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa, who took to his rural home in Masvingo for the Easter holidays, said it was time to reflect and forgive.

“Easter is about forgiveness, sacrifice, hope and triumph on the cross. Jesus Christ died for us to enjoy the fruits of salvation; his death, burial and resurrection mean that we have a hope of heaven and life eternal. Zimbabwe shall be saved,”

Opposition parties have called on Mnangagwa to allow for open and genuine political dialogue and discuss his legitimacy, while implementing genuine legislative reforms as the only way to end economic collapse in the country.

Chamisa has snubbed dialogue between Mnangagwa and all presidential candidates in last year’s elections, arguing he would only be part of a dialogue process mediated by a neutral mediator and on neutral ground.

The youthful opposition leader said unless the underlying problems, which he said includes disputed elections, reform of the security sector and respect for human rights are dealt with, the economic woes would continue.

“They are bringing artificial answers to the deep-seated problems, they are not attacking the problem, the issue is about consistence of policy, confidence in the market, predictability, dealing with political and economic noise,” he said.

https://youtu.be/FU3w9dLVLSc