By Own Correspondent| The Kadoma based Zanu Pf stalwart who was captured on camera assaulting Mr Pedzisai Mangisi of Chief Nemangwe area in Gokwe South for stealing gold, told the court that he suffered psychological trauma from the media backlash.
Litten Chikoore (35) said the local, regional and international condemnation that the 45 second video where he was assaulting his “thief” traumatised him hence the court should be lenient with him as he was already paying the price for his action.
6 days ago, ZimEye launched a program to identify and get Litten Chikoore arrested… 19,000 people joined in to search and @PoliceZimbabwe have managed to arrest the suspect. Below was the program… https://t.co/Ky8HWr4HjH
The story, which was exclusively and extensively run by ZimEye leading to his arrest saw Chikoore of Waverley being convicted by Kadoma magistrate Takudzwa Gwazemba after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
He was remanded out of custody to April 10 for sentencing.
Gwazemba however remanded Chikoore out of custody claiming that he was a suitable candidate to be remanded out of custody as he had handed himself to the police in the company of his lawyer Ignatius Murambasvina of Murambasvina Legal Practice.
Prosecutor Gracious Chaminuka told the court that Chikoore assaulted Mangisi of Chief Nemangwe area in Gokwe South several times all over the body with a baton stick on an unknown date sometime in November last year at his mine in Kadoma.
She said Mangisi sustained serious injuries following the assault and a medical report was produced in court as an exhibit. Chaminuka said Chikoore deserved a custodial sentence as he was a potential criminal with previous three cases at the court which were all withdrawn before trial.
The cases included a 2014 attempted murder case under CRB number 12/06, pretending to be a policeman under CRB number 12/08 and allegedly contravening the Mines and Mining Act in 2016.
Murambasvina, however, pleaded with the court to give Chikoore a non-custodial sentence arguing that he was a first offender who had co-operated with the police when he handed himself and assisted them to locate the complainant.
He also said Chikoore was the sole breadwinner for his two wives and six children and the complainant did not suffer serious injuries as shown by the medical report.
Murambasvina said his client first handed Mangisi to the police after discovering that he had stolen 400 grammes of gold from him but they were advised to have an out of court settlement which infuriated him leading to him assaulting the complainant.
He further argued that Chikoore had already suffered psychological trauma as the matter had received too much attention on social, local and international media.
Zengeza West legislator and lawyer Mr Job Sikhala was yesterday barred from representing two parliamentarians facing allegations of demanding a $400 000 bribe from a local businessman after the committee set up by Parliament to investigate the matter ruled that there was conflict of interest due to his role as a Member of Parliament.
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Mr Sikhala was representing Messrs Anele Ndebele (Magwegwe) and Prince Sibanda (Binga North), who are facing the allegations together with Mr Temba Mliswa (Norton) and Cde Leonard Chikomba (Gokwe Kabuyuni)
The four were members of the now disbanded Mines and Energy Committee and are accused of demanding the bribe from Mr James Ross Goddard of JRG Contracting (Pvt) Ltd as a “facilitation fee” to enable him secure a contract to mine coal at Hwange.
The Parliamentary Privileges Committee charged with investigating the matter and chaired by Chief Fortune Charumbira ruled that Mr Sikhala was conflicted in the matter since he was part of Parliament and would take part in debate when the results of probe are brought up in the House.
Mr Sikhala said he would consider taking up the matter with the High Court arguing his clients were being denied their right to a lawyer of their choice as enshrined in the Constitution.
“I will consult with my clients for instructions but might make an urgent chamber application because my clients are being denied their right to a lawyer of their choice,” he said.
The hearing was then adjourned to today after lawyers representing Mr Mliswa and Cde Chikomba requested documents pertaining to the matter.
Advocate Tawanda Zhuwarara is representing Mr Mliswa while Mr Simon Musapatika is representing Cde Chikomba.
Following the alleged request for the “facilitation fee” Mr Goddard alerted Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga and Vice President Kembo Mohadi.
Mr Goddard’s firm reportedly advised that it could not meet the demand and that it went against the principles that JR Goddard Contracting has been operating under since inception in 1982.
Furthermore, it was reportedly brought to the attention of the legislators that their demand was a serious challenge to President Mnangagwa’s anti-corruption efforts.-state media
BRIEF UPDATE: The controversial preacher who eloped with a small house, Admire Kasi has been arrested for fraud in Harare.
Pastor Kasi as he is popularly known, was scheduled to appear before the Harare magistrates courts Monday morning. The case was delayed to around noontime.
It involves the sale of fake stands.
Kasi who endured 2 nights in prison has since been granted bail.
The matter is recorded under case number CR 2856/03/19 Harare Central Police Station DR 46/03/19 CCU, CRB 4253.
At the time of writing, there were rumours that Kasi “fled” Zimbabwe on Monday soon afterwards. When ZimEye contacted him, his UK numbers were unresponsive. He however picked up his WhatsApp number before hanging up.
The petition in its raw unedited form reads: “…Admire Kasi ran away from Zimbabwe to the UK after he duped and stole from so many people in Harare by selling houses and stands that where occupied already giving people fake documents of ownership. He recently went back to Zimbabwe and was arrested. He was given bail without conditions and now he is planning on returningback to the UK without paying back people their money. Please home office for the sake of people hard earned money. He must not be allowed to run away from his crimes by returning to the UK. He Must pay for his crimes in Zimbabwe.”
The trial of a suspected serial fraudster has opened a can of worms on Deputy Minister for Defence and War Veterans Affairs Victor Matemadanda.
Matemadanda has confessed to paying out $600 to the suspect posing as High Court judge Justice Mafios Cheda.
The suspect who allegedly masqueraded as the judge and swindled several Government officials of large sums of money continued yesterday with one of the victims, Deputy Minister for Defence and War Veterans Affairs Victor Matemadanda testifying.
It is alleged Tinashe Munhuweyi (36), of Mufakose in Harare would call the victims and introduce himself as Justice Cheda and would pretend to be desperate and in urgent need of financial help.
Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Dr Sekai Nzenza and Member of Parliament for Bubi constituency Richard Moyo were also conned.
Other victims include Great Zimbabwe University Professor Ben Siyakwazi and a relative to the late retired High Court judge, Justice Simpson Mutambanengwe, Naboth.
According to the State, the named victims lost a total of over $12 000.
Matemadanda yesterday took to the witness stand and narrated before magistrate Mrs Rumbidzai Mugwagwa how he lost his $600 to the suspected fraudster.
Matemadanda said when he received the call for help from the imposter, he was made to believe it was Justice Cheda since they had met on several occasions.
He said he realised that he had been duped after “Justice Cheda” became evasive when he wanted his money back. “At one point, I called him (Munhuweyi) and he said he was in Namibia on his way to Belarus for a court session,” he said.
“He then said he had instructed his wife to send me my money but nothing came through. He was always changing stories that is when I realised I had been played.
“I conducted my own investigations and later spoke to the real Justice Cheda, who knew nothing about the transactions. Justice Cheda even said he had also received various complaints of people who had been duped in his name.”
Munhuweyi denied the allegations.
Prosecutor Ms Patience Chimusaru alleged that on September 17 last year, Munhuweyi contacted Cde Matemadanda while purporting to be Justice Cheda and misrepresented that he had two trucks which had run out of fuel at Chirundu Border Post.
He allegedly requested for $600 to refuel the trucks and pay for other expenses. Munhuweyi allegedly asked Matemadanda to transfer the money into a supplied EcoCash account and promised to repay the debt.
Munhuweyi allegedly became evasive. On November 28, Munhuweyi, the court heard, contacted Minister Sekai Nzenza masquerading as Justice Cheda and lied that his nephew had a truck carrying fertiliser which had a breakdown on its way from South Africa.
He asked for $825 to fix the truck before asking for a further $863 the following day which he said was for fuel.
The money was sent via EcoCash. Minister Nzenza became suspicious due to the unending demands and made her own investigations which unearthed the scam.
Using the same modus operandi, Munhuweyi allegedly defrauded Professor Siyakwazi after misrepresenting that his son “Christian Cheda” had died while on his way to India for medical attention.
He then said he was looking for financial assistance towards his son’s funeral.
Meanwhile, in a separate case Pastor Admire Kasi yesterday appeared in court representing his real estate company, which is being charged with fraud that happened in 2002.
Husband to gospel musician Ivy Kombo, Pastor Kasi returned to Zimbabawe recently from his United Kingdom base.
He appeared before magistrate Mrs Vongai Muchuchuti-Guwuriro and was remanded out of custody pending trial.
Prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa told the court that Pastor Kasi was not being charged in his personal capacity.
It is the State’s case that sometime in 2012, Priscilla Moyo saw an advert in a local newspaper that indicated Adsa Real Estate was selling a stand in Bluffhill, Harare.
She became interested and proceeded to Adsa Real Estate offices on February 22.
Moyo, the State alleged, paid a total of Z$1 495 537 in three instalmants for which she was given receipts.
After paying the full purchase price, Moyo who was then based in Botswana, gave his brother Kennedy power of attorney to sign the agreement of sale which was done on February 25.
It is the State’s case that on March 18, Moyo paid the balance of Z$580 000 to Adsa Real Estate’s secretary and was issued with a receipt.
She was promised the title deeds. Moyo, the court head, did not develop the stand but was later surprised to see someone else developing it. – Additional reporting – state media
Farai Dziva|Opposition MDC A North America has nominated Nelson Chamisa for the presidency as preparations for party’s Congess continue.
Nominations are being carried out across provinces.
The latest province to conduct its Congress is MDC North America.
Below is the list of its nominations:
President: Nelson Chamisa
Vice Presidents: Morgen Komichi, Welshman Ncube & Lilian Timveous
Chairperson: Thabitha Khumalo
Deputy Chairperson: Happymore Chidziva
Secretary-General: Chalton Hwende
Treasurer: David Coltart
Organising Secretary: Amos Chibaya
Information Secretary: Jacob Mafume
Deputy Information Secretary: Tamborinyoka
Farai Dziva|MDC A leader Nelson Chamisa has urged Emmerson Mnangagwa to resolve the issue of Gukurahundi atrocities to enable national healing to take place.
In a statement to commemorate the Rwanda genocide, Chamisa urged authorities in Zimbabwe to look into the Gukurahundi issue with sincerity.
“Our hearts and minds are with the great people of Rwanda who commemorate the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 genocide which saw the slaughter of over 800 000 minority Tutsis.
This reminds us all in Zimbabwe to resolve the Gukurahundi massacres for true national healing to take place,” said Chamisa.
Farai Dziva|Supporters of MDC A vice president Elias Mudzuri and secretary general, Douglas Mwonzora have forged an alliance meant to topple party president Nelson Chamisa.
Intelligence sources in the opposition party have revealed Mwonzora and Mudzuri factions have joined hands in Masvingo Province to topple Chamisa at the May Congress.
“Masvingo Mayor Collen Maboke funded the bussing of delegates for Masvingo North’ s District Congress.
The majority of the delegates for Masvingo North District Congress came from Gutu South and Masvingo Urban.
Peter Chigaba coordinated the bussing of people from Gutu South.
In Chiredzi South Ms Emmaculate Makondo tampered with the structures and personally forced party members to nominate Masvingo Provincial chairman James Gumbi.
The signatures of those who are said have nominated Gumbie were all forged.
Mwonzora recently held meetings with the Gumbie faction at Flamboyant Hotel and Mayor Maboke ‘s offices,” impeccable party sources revealed.
The country woke up to early Monday morning reports that Brighton Elliot Moyo had passed on following a short illness.
According to the widely covered story, Elliot died last week in South Africa and was buried on Saturday.
An apparent relative who spoke to H-Metro claimed Elliot passed on three days after his stomach started swelling.
He is reportedly survived by his wife.
But people were not convinced about the news reports and took to social media to voice their doubts.
Elliot made headlines earlier this year after a video of him being resurrected at Alph Lukau’s Alleluia Ministries International church emerged.
In the video, a woman shouted: “Pastor Alph, something is happening outside. There is a family that is about to bring a corpse to Zimbabwe, but they are saying something is happening, man of God.
“As the funeral parlour drove over the church door, their neighbour said it seemed like the fingers of this dead corpse were beginning to move,” she added.
The pastor went outside, then asked the workers to take the coffin out of the hearse.
He asked the workers to open the coffin. He spoke to the deceased’s older brother before the coffin was completely taken out of the hearse.
According to the deceased’s landlord, the man had gotten sick and started “coughing a lot” on Friday.
“We took him to the hospital and they said they could not help him because he did not have papers, so we took him to the doctor and he died there,” she claimed.
The family then took the body to the mortuary, where it was kept until Sunday.
Pastor Alph then asked the congregants to lift their hands and start praying.
“Rise up!” he shouted, before the man got up and sat in the coffin, looking confused, like a modern-day Lazarus.
In an episode of SABC actuality show Cutting Edge last month, allegations of fraud and deception emerged against the miracles industry in South Africa, particularly those involving Lukau.
Lukau and his lawyers have claimed that Elliot had been totally unknown to Lukau prior to the “miracle”, though some individuals Cutting Edge interviewed alleged this was unlikely and that the man’s family was apparently known to have worked with the church prior to Elliot’s “resurrection”.
The church allegedly preys on and recruits the poor, and immigrants in particular, with one person interviewed, Samantha Revesai, claiming she was asked to fake her HIV-positive status and play along with the ruse that she had been healed after supposedly living with the disease for three years.
She claimed the church had offered her payments of R1,500 per month to stick to the story. The church allegedly also created fraudulent medical paperwork using her name in an attempt to convince congregants that she’d gone from being HIV positive to negative.
There are only two documented cases in human history of people with HIV being cured. Neither of them was Revesai.
“I was not [HIV] positive. I was never positive.”
She claimed she hadn’t even known this was going to be done on her behalf, but she’d played along anyway.
Blessing Kwemelao claimed to have recruited people such as Revesai to be part of Lukau’s “miracles”, with his recruits allegedly then trained to act as though they had various disabilities that could be healed, or to play along that they’d been cured of disease, including cancer.
Kwemelao admitted he had worked as part of three to four teams to find people to allegedly take part in staged miracles. He said that, due to his strong build, he had helped to carry actors with fake disabilities and had given people stage cues during services for when they should come forward to claim they’d been healed.
Elliot’s timber yard employer, Vincent Amoretti, repeated allegations that he had heard his employee had previously done “stunts” with the church.
“From what I can understand, his wife, sister and aunt work with the pastor (Alph Lukau). And that’s how he got in.”
Cutting Edge also visited Elliot’s residence in Nellmapius, east of Pretoria, where they found a community divided about the resurrection video, with most of the individuals they found saying they were not convinced.
An anonymous person who claimed to know both Elliot – apparently a father of two – and his wife, claimed the church had tried to get her to act in a stunt for the church, doing something involving rats or snakes tucked into her clothes. These creatures were allegedly to emerge at the appropriate time during a service.
“Grace”, one of Elliot’s claimed church friends from Nellmapius, told the show that people agreeing to act as “cripples” could be paid R3,500 each.
“They don’t want South Africans … they want Zimbabweans because they’re untraceable.”
Elliot’s friend “Paul” claimed he’d last seen the resurrected man on February 21, a day before he allegedly died.
“He never died. He was also never sick. He left on Thursday,” Paul said. “They only act to get paid and make ends meet.”
Cutting Edge could find no documentation or testimony from a medical professional as evidence that Elliot had ever been officially declared dead, which would have been a necessity if his lifeless body had indeed spent three days in any mortuary as claimed.
The Kings and Queens Funeral Service company repeated their protestation that their hearse had been used under false pretences. The Black Phoenix Funeral Parlour also distanced themselves from the whole affair.
According to Elliot’s friends, he has probably fled the country and gone back to Zimbabwe.
Men can reproduce eggs almost up until they die. Unlike women, who have an finite amount of eggs, sperm can always be replaced, so it never runs out. This is why sperm banks are one of the top choices for single women who want a child, and couples who may be having fertility issues.
But being a sperm donor means you there is basically no limit to how many children you can be the father to.
One wife experienced the downside of this when her husband of eight years revealed to her how many women had picked his sperm out of all the other options at the bank.
The woman asked for advice on a social media platform whether she was out of line in considering a divorce when she found out her husband was the father of 47 children, at last count.
While she said she always knew he was a sperm doner, she wrote in the post: “I was… Not expecting that many.
“It’s clearly my fault for not asking how many. At the time, I literally said I ‘didn’t care’ about his sperm donation and ‘didn’t want to know,’ so I can’t blame him for not telling me how many. I literally told him not to.”
In the thread, members can post their dilemmas, and the community responds with their judgment of whether or not they are overreacting.
Hundreds of people responded to the post, with the majority concluding that she was in the wrong.
People said they didn’t understand her position of worrying about the problems 47 children could cause as they get older. Some said 47 children reaching out for his contact details would merely be an “inconvenience,” rather than a disaster.
“Seems like the only problem that is guaranteed is you leaving him and upending your daughter’s life,” wrote one person.
“You knew in advance, specifically asked not to know how many and have been married for years,” wrote another. “What’s the real reason you want a divorce?”
Many of the comments agreed with this question, suggesting the poster was looking for excuses to get out of an unhappy or unsatisfying marriage.
“Well, it would suck if their child ended up falling for a half sibling later in life because the child has 47 of them out there,” one poster said, which kicked up a debate about incest and genetics.
Overall, the results were pretty unanimous, with most people thinking the poster was out of line to consider a divorce when her husband simply helped multiple people start a family.
“He didn’t personally impregnate 47 women,” noted one user. “Don’t ruin your daughter’s life over this … Talk to a therapist or marriage counsellor first.”
Farmers being evicted from their farms during the land reform.
Correspondent|Former white commercial farmers who had their land expropriated under the fast track land reform programme in the early 2000’s have accepted government’s offer of an interim payment of RTGS$53m.
In a statement the Commercial Farmers Union said they had to accept the advanced interim payment as some farmers were in financial distress.
“As this is a limited fund, it is hoped that those who are not in financial distress do not take it up so as to maximise the effect on others not so fortunate.”
Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube budgeted RTGS$53m in his 2019 national budget as compensation to the former farmers, and the offer has now been accepted by a union representing the farmers.
Zimbabwe introduced a new currency called the RTGS$, or real-time gross settlement dollar, in February.
In 2000 Zimbabwe expropriated land from white commercial farmers without compensation and distributed it to landless black people and the connected elite, who now own multiple farms.
The total bill could run into billions and the Zimbabwean government is working with international financial institutions on how best to fund the compensation.
In its own statement on the issue, which was released over the weekend, the Zimbabwean government said by end of April 2019 the registration papers for beneficiary farmers would be complete and disbursements will commence.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government sees the paying of compensation to white farmers as key to mend ties with the West, and set aside $17.5 million in this year’s budget to that end. The initial payments will target those in financial distress, while full compensation will be paid later.
“The registration process and list of farmers should be completed by the end of April 2019, after which the interim advance payments will be paid directly to former farm owners,” Zimbabwe’s ministries of finance and agriculture said in a joint statement on Monday.
They said the process to identify and register farmers for compensation was being undertaken the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) and a committee representing the farmers.
A committee comprising government officials and former farm owners is currently valuing improvements made on the farms. That process should end next month and will determine the full amount due to the farmers.
The government, which maintains it will only pay compensation for infrastructure and improvements on farms and not for the land, is talking to international financial institutions on options to raise the full amount to pay farmers.
Colonialists seized some of the best agricultural land and much of it remained in the hands of white farmers after independence in 1980, while many blacks were landless.
Valuations for farm improvements are also expected to be completed by end of May 2019, reads the statement.
BRIEF UPDATE: The controversial preacher who eloped with a small house, Admire Kasi has been arrested for fraud in Harare.
Pastor Kasi as he is popularly known, was scheduled to appear before the Harare magistrates courts Monday morning. The case was delayed to around noontime.
It involves the sale of fake stands.
Kasi who endured 2 nights in prison has since been granted bail.
The matter is recorded under case number CR 2856/03/19 Harare Central Police Station DR 46/03/19 CCU, CRB 4253.
At the time of writing, there were rumours that Kasi “fled” Zimbabwe on Monday soon afterwards. When ZimEye contacted him, his UK numbers were unresponsive. He however picked up his WhatsApp number before hanging up.
The petition in its raw unedited form reads: “…Admire Kasi ran away from Zimbabwe to the UK after he duped and stole from so many people in Harare by selling houses and stands that where occupied already giving people fake documents of ownership. He recently went back to Zimbabwe and was arrested. He was given bail without conditions and now he is planning on returningback to the UK without paying back people their money. Please home office for the sake of people hard earned money. He must not be allowed to run away from his crimes by returning to the UK. He Must pay for his crimes in Zimbabwe.”
Own Correspondent|Zimbabwe’s Warriors have avoided meeting neighbours and rivals South Africa in the group stages at the 2019 African Cup Of Nations Finals in Egypt in June.
The Warriors and Bafana Bafana were seeded into the same pot going into the draw set for April 12 in Egypt.
Egypt as hosts booked their place in the first seed for the 2019 African Cup of Nations finals to avoid playing top flight teams Ghana, Tunisia, Cameroon, Senegal and Ivory Coast in the tournament’s group stage.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Sunday the seeding of the teams that will participate in the AFCON finals as Morocco, Nigeria and Algeria came in the second seed five days before the tournament’s draw.
The CAF announced that the 2019 African Cup of Nations will start on 21 June and end on 13 July.
Egypt will host AFCON 2019 after original host Cameroon was stripped of its duties due to delays in its preparations for the expanded 24-team tournament.
The opening match, which will feature the Pharaohs, is scheduled to take place at the 74,100-seat Cairo Stadium.
The AFCON teams’ seeding:
First seed: Egypt, Ghana, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Senegal
Second seed: Morocco, Nigeria, DR Congo, Algeria, Mali and Guinea
Third seed: Uganda, South Africa, Guinea-Bissau, Zimbabwe, Angola and Burundi
Fourth seed: Mauritania, Namibia, Benin, Kenya, Tanzania and Madagascar
Implementation of Compensation of Former Farm Owners by the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe.
Minister Perence Shiri
1. As stated in the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP) (October 2018-December 2020), the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe under the New Dispensation, is committed to finalise compensation to all former farm owners who were affected by the Land Reform Programme.
This is being done in accordance with the country’s Constitution and Zimbabwe’s obligations under the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (BIPPAs).
2. In this regard, the Ad Hoc Compensation Working Group, comprising Government officials and representatives of former farm owners, is currently working towards the computation and establishing the Compensation Quantum figure for farm improvements based on an agreed method of valuation.
Given the significant progress made to date, it is anticipated that this comprehensive farm improvements valuation exercise will be completed by the end of May 2019.
3. The completion of the work of the Ad Hoc Compensation Working Group will enable Government and former farm owners, in conjunction with cooperating partners, to progress towards closure of the land issue.
4. Reflecting Government’s commitment to compensate former farm owners for farm improvements and recognising that a large number of farmers are still to he compensated, Government allocated RTGS$53million in the 2019 National Budget for interim advance payments.
These interim advance payments will be made to former farm owners affected by the land reform program and who are in financial distress.
5. The process to identify and register former farm owners who want to participate in the interim advance payments scheme has now commenced and is being coordinated by the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU), and the Compensation Steering Committee (CSC) representing former farm owners.
6. The registration process and the list of farmers should be completed by the end of April 2019, after which the interim advance payments will be paid directly to former farm owners by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement.
Government will put in-place institutional arrangements to expedite the disbursements for these interim advance payments.
7. In the meantime, Government’s accelerated farm valuation exercise for farm improvements is expected to be completed by end April 2019. This will pave the way for both parties to reach an agreement on the Compensation Quantum figure for farm improvements by end of May 2019.
8. Consultations on sustainable options for mobilizing the requisite compensation resources are being explored in conjunction with the International Financial. Institutions and other Stakeholders.
Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement
Own Correspondent|Kgalema Motlanthe said this week that the ANC needed to lose power in order to reflect on itself. South Africans what they thought of his statement.
Opinions were divided, with some agreeing and others arguing that Motlanthe was way out of line. Dave Ntsoana, for example, said that Motlanthe’s comment was unfair. “Cyril is doing his best, Kgalema should know better cuz he failed when he was deputy and the president,” he posted. Irish Ira agreed, saying, “Mxm this old man must just enjoy pension from my ANC and stop talking toomuch…”
Others, however, agreed with Motlanthe.“ANC has lost the plot a long time ago in 2007,” wrote one user, Malose Mhaloko. “We have been led on its lies all along. You can’t let people that openly steal from you to lead you.” Lungi Nhlapo expressed a similar sentiment, writing, ” Yes he’s correct but that will never happen, unfortunately.
It’s just up to us the people of SA, especially the youth, to vote discerningly.”Similarly, Ntebo Mofephe summed up a lot of comments by saying that the ANC needed to reflect because it had lost its way. “They [the ANC] have forgotten what they wanted this country to become… forgotten about their people and hold themselves like high and mighty.”
Own Correspondent|Political observers are expecting that Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir will be stepping down “soon,” in a typical Robert Mugabe way as pressure from citizens and the army against him mounts.
According to online observers it is only a matter of time before the army decides who will be the transitional leader of the Arab African country, which has been witnessing massive protests for the past four months.
Informed sources in Sudan who talked to African online media said that after Sunday’s meeting of the National Defence and Security Council headed by Al-Bashir, “it has become clear that the army has picked its side.”
After the meeting, the council said in a statement published by the Sudanese official news agency that “the protesters represent a segment of society that must be heard.”
However, according to two different sources, a large faction in the army insists that the Sudanese Minister of Defence Awad Ibn Ouf, who is also the president’s deputy, cannot be the one to lead the transitional period after Al-Bashir steps down.
“The council is currently looking for someone with a military background, respected by middle and high ranking officers, and with no political affiliations. Someone not wanted by the International Criminal Court,” one source added.
Among the names that are being circulated behind closed doors at the moment, according to observers, is retired Armed Forces Chief of General Staff Lieutenant-General Emad Al-Din Mustafa Adawi.
Meanwhile, Sudanese soldiers intervened to protect demonstrators on Monday after security forces tried to disperse a sit-in by thousands outside the defence ministry in central Khartoum that started on 6 April, the anniversary of the military coup that forced Jaafar Nimeiri to step down in 1985 after massive protests.
Sudanese activists shared videos showing the army’s intervention to stop police violence against protesters while demonstrators chanted “one people, one army.”
PARLIAMENT’S Public Accounts Committee chairperson Tendai Biti says the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) is effectively broke after government ran up its overdraft facility with the bank to finance its budget deficit.
Biti, who also served as Finance minister in the government of national unity between 2009 and 2013, said his committee will next month submit a report which will “shock” the nation.
Speaking at a meeting to discuss the state of the economy organised by the British Council last week, Biti said government has been running up the overdraft facility to partly finance the budget deficit despite the RBZ being broke.
“As I am talking to you now, the government’s overdraft with the central bank is in excess of US$3 billion. In my capacity as chair of the Public Accounts Committee, we had the central bank governor (John Mangudya) giving evidence and testifying before our committee and in May of 2019 we are going to present before Parliament a report about the extent
of that overdraft facility and that report is going to shock you,” he said.
“Here is the challenge: The central bank itself is broke, undercapitalised. So, the money that the government has actually been taking from the central bank does not belong to the central bank, it belongs to you and me. That is why you woke up one morning and went to your bank, whether it is Steward Bank (as an example), FBC, Standard Chartered Bank or First Capital Bank and your bank told you that there was no money…
“…because there had been a bank robber who had actually literally and metaphorically raided the central bank and that bank robber was central government. When the Government of National Unity collapsed in 2013, we physically left US$6,5 billion and that is why you were able to go to an ATM (automated teller machine) and get as many US dollars as possible.”
“The law, section 11 of the Reserve Bank (of Zimbabwe) Act, says the government overdraft with the central bank should not be more than 20% of the previous year’s revenue,” Biti added.
However, this amount is about three times its permissible overdraft limit as stated in the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Act.
In September 2018, the Parliament Budget Office said the country’s sovereign debt of US$20 billion (estimate for 2018) was primarily driven by government’s deficit financing activities of running up the RBZ overdraft facility and the issuance of Treasury Bills.
Vote of confidence Welshman Ncube, Chamisa and Biti
Own Correspondent|The opposition MDC Matabeleland South province has given confidence to under fire party Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora and nominated him to return his position at the party congress set for next month.
The province also nominated party President Nelson Chamisa as the presidential candidate. His deputies according to the province must be Morgen Komichi, Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti.
Mbizo legislator, Settlement Chikwinya was nominated to be Mwonzora’s deputy.
Thabitha Khumalo was also retained to her current position as party national chairperson assisted by outgoing Youth Assembly chairperson Happymore “Cde Bvondo” Chidziva.
Mkoba legislator Amos Chibaya current Organising Secretary, party spokesperson Jacob Mafume were also nominated to retain their respective posts.
Meanwhile provincial strongman Solani Moyo popularly known as “Blackdog” retained his position as Provincial Chairman dismissing weak challenge from former Provincial Spokesperson Akem Moyo and former Provincial Organising Secretary Mqabuko Ndhlovu who chickened out of the race at the last minute.
Fast rising former Provincial Youth League leader and Women Quota Member of Parliament Lindiwe Maposa was elected as the new Provincial Women’s Wing Chairperson, while Edgar Ncube is the new Youth Chairperson.
Farai Dziva|CAPS United mentor, Lloyd Chitembwe is not happy with the decisions made by the referee during’ yesterday’ s clash with Highlanders.
Chitembwe believes the referee should have awarded them a penalty during the explosive league encounter against Bosso.However, he has refused to comment on the disallowed goal late in the game.
The Green Machine and Bosso settled for a goalless draw at Barbourfields on Sunday.
The encounter, however, was marred by a number controversial decisions from the match officials including an ignored 62nd-minute penalty appeal after Valentine Ndaba went down in the box and when Dominic Chungwa hit the back of the net on the stroke of full-time but was adjudged to be in an offside position.
“According to the laws of the game that the same referees teach us, I thought that was a push (on Ndaba) inside the box, and if it’s inside the box, it’s a penalty,” Chitembwe said after the game.
“From the angle where I was, I thought that was a push, and at the same time, I am not in a good position to comment about the disallowed goal.”
“But if indeed Dominic was coming from an onside, it should have counted as a goal. Unfortunately, it’s not for me to make those decisions and it’s disappointing ” he added.
Farai Dziva|Opposition MDC A North America has nominated Nelson Chamisa for the presidency as preparations for party’s Congess continue.
Nominations are being carried out across provinces.
The latest province to conduct its Congress is MDC North America.
Below is the list of its nominations:
President: Nelson Chamisa
Vice Presidents: Morgen Komichi, Welshman Ncube & Lilian Timveous
Chairperson: Thabitha Khumalo
Deputy Chairperson: Happymore Chidziva
Secretary-General: Chalton Hwende
Treasurer: David Coltart
Organising Secretary: Amos Chibaya
Information Secretary: Jacob Mafume
Deputy Information Secretary: Tamborinyoka
Farai Dziva|There is confusion over former Vice President Joice Mujuru’s plans to rejoin the ruling party, Zanu PF.
Yesterday Zanu PF secretary for administration, Obert Mpofu claimed Robert Mugabe’s former deputy was on her way back to the ruling party.
However, In a statement on a social media page widely believed to be run by Joice Mujuru, a response has been made to Mpofu’s statements.
“I will NEVER rejoin Zanu-PF. I’m not desperate. There’s my son to support! He’s the president,” said the statement.
The authenticity of that popular social media account is however yet to be verified.
Mujuru, who turns 64 years old next week on 15 April, served as Vice-President of Zimbabwe from 2004 to 2014. Emmerson Mnangagwa and the military junta allegedly plotted Mujuru’s downfall as she was seen as an impediment to the Midlands godfather’ s ascendancy.
Below is a statement written by MDC A spokesperson Jacob Mafume- on the country’s failed monetary policy.
At least six weeks after Mangudya presented a wishy-wash, self-contradictory and retrogressive Monetary Policy Statement, Zimbabweans are paying the price. The exchange rate is collapsing every day, the price of the US dollar continues to firm against the fictitious RTGS dollar. It is fictitious both by definition and by reality; sadly ED Mnangagwa is creating jokes around it.
He flanks himself with his chief economic aides – John Mangudya and Mthuli Ncube to make terrible economic decisions which worsen the suffering of the citizen. The MDC finds this unacceptable. We find it unacceptable for Mnangagwa to insult a currency which he imposed on the people and legislated through the back door by way of an unconstitutional statutory instrument.
He is not only responsible for its creation but the fundamentals around it both the objective circumstances (Trade position or the relationship between exports and imports) and the subjective (The social contract or its absence thereof). There are unending spikes of prices of basic commodities.
The fuel crisis is worsening. We made the point that the monetary policy should have removed the role of RBZ in allocating funds for fuel. The fuel industry has the capacity to import on its own and shortages would not be an issue.
This is also true with any other quasi-fiscal activity pronounced together with the introduction of the so-called RTGS dollar. Mangudya and Mthuli must resign. The country requires genuine structural reforms. Sadly and strangely, the man who pretends to be doing this work is celebrating turning the nation into beggars. MDC: Defining a New Course for Zimbabwe Jacob Mafume MDC National Spokesper
Farai Dziva|Dynamos coach Lloyd Chigowe is disappointed with the way his team allowed Hwange to come from behind to beat them 2-1 in a match played at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday.
The Glamour Boys dominated possession and created several chances throughout the game. They went into the lead in the 65th minute courtesy of Tawanda Macheke’s fine effort but the visitors made a quick response as they equalised two minutes later through Eddie Nkulungo who completed his brace on the 75th minute.
Nkulungo’s first goal came after he dispossessed Jimmy Tigere of the ball inside the box while his second was a low drive which could have been easily dealt with by keeper Simba Chinani.
“We went to sleep in the crucial moments of the game, we gave away two cheap goals,” fumed Chigowe after the game.
“I am not happy at all with the way we defended. We could have scored more goals had we not gone to sleep in defence.
“Hwange defended for their lives and at times they were defending in numbers and they took their chances.”
Chipangano keeper Taimon Mvula also pulled an outstanding performance, keeping his team in the game with several terrific saves.
Farai Dziva|Supporters of MDC A vice president Elias Mudzuri and secretary general, Douglas Mwonzora have forged an alliance meant to topple party president Nelson Chamisa.
Intelligence sources in the opposition party have revealed Mwonzora and Mudzuri factions have joined hands in Masvingo Province to topple Chamisa at the May Congress.
“Masvingo Mayor Collen Maboke funded the bussing of delegates for Masvingo North’ s District Congress.
The majority of the delegates for Masvingo North District Congress came from Gutu South and Masvingo Urban.
Peter Chigaba coordinated the bussing of people from Gutu South.
In Chiredzi South Ms Emmaculate Makondo tampered with the structures and personally forced party members to nominate Masvingo Provincial chairman James Gumbi.
The signatures of those who are said have nominated Gumbie were all forged.
Mwonzora recently held meetings with the Gumbie faction at Flamboyant Hotel and Mayor Maboke ‘s offices,” impeccable party sources revealed.
Farai Dziva|MDC A leader Nelson Chamisa has urged Emmerson Mnangagwa to resolve the issue of Gukurahundi atrocities to enable national healing to take place.
In a statement to commemorate the Rwanda genocide, Chamisa urged authorities in Zimbabwe to look into the Gukurahundi issue with sincerity.
“Our hearts and minds are with the great people of Rwanda who commemorate the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 genocide which saw the slaughter of over 800 000 minority Tutsis.
This reminds us all in Zimbabwe to resolve the Gukurahundi massacres for true national healing to take place,” said Chamisa.
Farai Dziva|The country’s main opposition party, MDC A says it will not tolerate acts of hooliganism.
Below is a statement written by the party’s Information and Publicity Secretary, Jacob Mafume:
The MDC has moved to conduct Provincial Congresses, yesterday North America held its Provincial Congress successfully and nominated leaders for standing Committee positions,the national Youth and Women’s Assemblies.
The same process will happen today the 7th of April 2019 in Matebeleland South.
Nominations are being done in line with the MDC Constitution.
Those nominated will then be allowed to campaign freely, for now members are not at a stage of canvassing as a requirement of the Constitution.
The Provincial Congresses follow successful conducting of branch,ward and district Congresses.
The MDC has since fine tuned mechanism on dispute resolution as well as establishing a framework to handle any violent behavior.
This includes drafting an elaborate code of conduct for all who are nominated as candidates.
Any acts of violence or breach of the code of conduct will be dealt with without fear or favour, proportionate with the offense and in line with party statutes.
The MDC Congress must be peaceful, fair, civil and democratic.
We are setting a stage for strengthening a people’s alternative and defining a new course for Zimbabwe.
MDC: Defining a New Course for Zimbabwe!
Jacob Mafume
MDC National Spokesperson
Farai Dziva|There is confusion over former Vice President Joice Mujuru’s plans to rejoin the ruling party, Zanu PF.
Yesterday Zanu PF secretary for administration, Obert Mpofu claimed Robert Mugabe’s former deputy was on her way back to the ruling party.
However, In a statement on a social media page widely believed to be run by Joice Mujuru, a response has been made to Mpofu’s statements.
“I will NEVER rejoin Zanu-PF. I’m not desperate. There’s my son to support! He’s the president,” said the statement.
The authenticity of that popular social media account is however yet to be verified.
Mujuru, who turns 64 years old next week on 15 April, served as Vice-President of Zimbabwe from 2004 to 2014. Emmerson Mnangagwa and the military junta allegedly plotted Mujuru’s downfall as she was seen as an impediment to the Midlands godfather’ s ascendancy.
By Own Correspondent| Brighton Elliot Moyo, the Zimbabwean man who made headlines across the world in February when he was ‘resurrected’ from the dead in controversial circumstances by South African-based miracle-man Alph Lukau, has died.
Moyo made waves across the whole world after a video in which he was allegedly raised from the dead after three days went viral although Pastor Lukau later backtracked on his claims and accused Moyo’s family of staging the miracle.
According to a local publication H-Metro, Brighton died last week in a village called St Luke’s in South Africa.
Unfortunately for Brighton, there was no resurrection this time and he was buried on Saturday. He is survived by his wife only as they had no children.
A close family member who spoke to H-Metro said,
“His stomach started swelling and didn’t stop for three days and on the third day, he died.”
According to other reports, when Brighton joined Lukau’s Alleluia Ministries International there were reports that he was HIV positive, had kidney failure and he also had TB (tuberculosis).
When reached for comment, officials from the church stressed that what happened in February was not a miracle.
Government is considering amending the Constitution to remove a clause, that makes the post of Vice President(s) elective, which is set to come into effect in the next harmonised elections in 2023.
The 2013 Constitution, through Section 92, has a 10-year transitional clause that provides for the joint election of the President and two running mates selected by the Presidential candidate.
However, bureaucrats working on an omnibus Constitutional Amendment Bill that is expected to refine the country’s supreme law say they will open debate on the usefulness of the clause, which Constitutional experts say is an “America concept” that can potentially precipitate a political crisis by creating two centres of power.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, who chairs the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce that was recently established to work on wide-ranging proposed amendments, said there was need to deeply reflect on this impending provision.
“We need to initiate debate on it; we need to ask ourselves whether we need such a provision,” said Minister Ziyambi.
“We are looking at and engaging the public and debating about whether it is necessary; but in my opinion, I do not think it is necessary.
“You do not want to create two centres of power; that is something we need to avoid at all costs.
“Naturally, the head of the executive is the President; what then does it mean when we have three people who are elected by the masses into the executive, who will wield more power?
“It is another issue that needs debate, and I think we need to take it out,” he said.
The clause, outlined in Section 92 of the Constitution, stipulates that the election of a President and Vice Presidents must take place concurrently with every general election of Members of Parliament, provincial councils and local authorities.
It reads: “(1)The election of a President and two Vice Presidents must take place within the period specified in section 158,” reads Section 92.
“(2) Every candidate for election as President must nominate two persons to stand for election jointly with him or her as Vice Presidents, and must designate one of those persons as his or her candidate for first Vice President and the other as his or her candidate for second Vice President.
“(3) The President and the Vice-President and the Vice-Presidents are directly elected jointly by registered voters throughout Zimbabwe, and the procedure for their election is as prescribed in the Electoral Law.”
In the event of a sitting President’s death, resignation or removal, the first Vice President will assume office until the expiry of the former President’s term.
Not People’s Will
Constitutional law expert and University of Zimbabwe law lecturer Professor Lovemore Madhuku said the provision was “not an idea that came from the people”.
“That is an American concept which has only applied in the United States and has been followed by very few other countries,” said Prof Madhuku.
“Otherwise the general trend is that you elect the President and the President must then have the leeway to constitute his executive through appointing his deputy and his ministers; that prerogative must be that of the President who is elected.
“The second thing is that that provision which is in the current Constitution never came from anyone, it was creation of Copac, it never came out of the public hearings.
“That is the problem with having a Constitution that is drafted by the elites,” he said.
Copac was a constitution parliamentary select committee that was set up to draft a new Constitution before 2013.
Professor Madhuka said the clause, which he described as “a terrible provision”, is potentially destabilising.
“From my studies of constitutionalism, it is a provision that destabilises political parties and nations.”
Certainty
However, Copac co-chair and Zanu-PF lead negotiator during the constitution-making process Paul Mangwana said the provision was meant to bring certainty to the succession issue.
“The logic behind that clause was to bring about certainty around the issue of succession of a head of state,” he said.
“In the event of failure by an incumbent to finish his term, then everyone would know who was next in line to finish the term.
“They are elected as a team and that kills off the debate around who is next in line.”
The omnibus Constitutional Amendment Bill that is currently in the works is expected to deepen civil liberties, individual rights, scrap the death penalty, extend the women’s quota system and entrench political and electoral reforms.
It is also primed to perfect the local systems of governance.
The high-level team will also fast-track legislation will enhance the ease of doing business and repeal laws that are inconsistent with the Constitution or previous court judges.
Minister Ziyambi is deputised by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo.
Other members of the taskforce include Ministers Monica Mutsvangwa (Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services), Professor Mthuli Ncube (Finance and Economic Development), Cain Mathema (Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage), Mangaliso Ndlovu (Industry and Commerce), Owen Ncube (Minister of State for Security in the President’s Office) and Attorney-General Mr Prince Machaya.
By Own Correspondent- Journalists here have been detained at Harare Central police station as they sought to present a petition against the harassment of journalists.
This is a developing story. Refresh this page for updates
MDC members opposed to Nelson Chamisa’s presidency are reportedly plotting to leave him isolated after the opposition party’s congress next month, with most of his trusted lieutenants culled off in the event that he retains the post.
Party insiders said while it was becoming clear that Chamisa could be headed for an easy win at congress, it was his lieutenants that are now being targeted, particularly those who broke away from the party in the past and only rejoined in the run-up to last year’s polls.
“The new plan is to surround Chamisa with a team that will not be entirely loyal to him. His opponents want to make sure that if he wins, he will not have an easy reign and will not manoeuvre easily, while, for instance, if Douglas Mwonzora loses, he wants to have insiders and control the narrative of the MDC (from the sidelines),” one of the sources said.
Already, the MDC has started provincial nomination processes, with its United States branch snubbing party deputy chairperson and Chamisa’s right handman Tendai Biti.
The US branch has, instead, thrown its weight behind youth leader Happymore Chidziva to deputise chairperson Thabitha Khumalo.
Theresa Makone has also been left out, with respected lawyer David Coltart nominated for the post of treasurer, while current vice-presidents Morgen Komichi and Welshman Ncube; and Lilian Timveous (MDC Senate chief whip) have been nominated for the three vice-presidents’ slots.
Chamisa yesterday told NewsDay that it was too early to discuss the outcome of provincial nominations as 12 more provinces were yet to file nomination papers ahead of congress.
“These statements are premature and party processes are guided by democracy. We have 13 provinces, three are outside Zimbabwe and the other 10 are in Zimbabwe. We have only started our provincial congresses today in Matabeleland South, where they will consider nominations from districts,” he said.
To contest for any position at national level, one needs at least two nominations from the 13 provinces.
There is serious jockeying, with top leaders desperate to retain their posts, traversing the width and breadth of the country coaxing delegates for nomination.
Charlton Hwende, a close Chamisa ally, is eyeing the post of secretary-general, currently held by Mwonzora, who is reportedly angling to take over the party presidency.
Mwonzora and vice-president Elias Mudzuri are the only candidates known to be plotting to topple Chamisa.
Both have confirmed their interest in the post.
But Mwonzora denied allegations that he was sponsoring a campaign to isolate Chamisa, saying the allegations were being raised by former party rebels to soil his image.
“What is ironic in the MDC is that the people who are bringing these allegations are people who split from the party, who took money away from the party and who called (the late party founder Morgan) Tsvangirai all sorts of names (before returning) to the party,” he said.
“We accommodated them and what they are trying to do is to drive a wedge between myself and Nelson Chamisa as a way of getting an accommodation. Fortunately, the MDC members are intelligent enough to read through this.”
Party spokesperson Jacob Mafume said: “There are ambitions and some of them run wild, at times ahead of the party, and these are not things the party is concerned about at the moment. We are going to run a successful congress and members will be deployed not because they are friends or enemies of a particular person, but because the members decide as such.”
Correspondent|GOVERNMENT has reportedly begun an exercise to register white former commercial farmers interested in advance payments as compensation while waiting for full packages for losses they incurred during the 2000 chaotic land reform exercise.
At least 4 000 white farmers are still waiting for compensation more than 18 years after they lost farms during the often violent land reform exercise, which government defended as necessary to correct colonial land ownership imbalances.
Finance minister Mthuli Ncube in his 2019 Budget statement set aside $53 million to compensate the farmers, a figure that has, however, been described as not enough to address the compensation stand-off.
Lands minister Perrance Shiri and Ncube, in a joint statement on Friday, said advance payments would be made to interested former farm owners, while government mobilises the needed financial resources for a full compensation package.
“The process to identify and register former farm owners who want to participate in the interim advance payments scheme has now commenced and is being co-ordinated by the Commercial Farmers’ Union (CFU) and the Compensation Steering Committee, representing former farm owners,” Shiri and Ncube’s statement said.
“The registration process and the list of farmers should be completed by the end of April 2019, after which the interim advance payments will be paid directly to former farm owners by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement. Government will put in place institutional arrangements to expedite the disbursements for these interim advance payments.”
It is estimated that government needs at least US$9 billion to compensate the farmers for their losses.
“In the meantime, government’s accelerated farm valuation exercise for farm improvements is expected to be completed by (the) end of April 2019. This will pave the way for both parties to reach an agreement on the compensation quantum figure for farm improvements by (the) end of May 2019,” the two ministers said.
“Consultations on sustainable options for mobilising the requisite compensation resources are being explored in conjunction with the International Financial Institutions and other stakeholders.”
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said the land reform exercise is irreversible, promising to compensate farmers who were hounded out of their land.
Jane Mlambo| Self exiled former Zanu PF politburo member Professor Jonathan Moyo has dashed to the defence of the opposition MDC saying legitimacy is derived from the people according to the constitution.
Prof Madhuku is being unhelpfully pedantic, perhaps for unfortunate political reasons. The Constitution is clear that legitimacy, that is to say executive authority, is derived from the people of Zimbabwe! pic.twitter.com/Ay2d1os7C7
Correspondent|Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote, known as Africa’s richest man, told a forum in Ivory Coast on Saturday how he once took $10m in cash out of the bank just to look at it and get it into his head that this was real money, not just figures on paper.
“When you’re young your first million is important, but after, the numbers don’t mean much,” Dangote, a manufacturing tycoon with a range of companies spanning cement to flour, told the Mo Ibrahim forum in Abidjan.
“One day, I cashed 10 million, put them in the boot of my car I put it in my room. I looked at them and thought ‘now I believe I have money’ and took it back to the bank the next day,” he told his audience.
Anecdotes aside, Dangote said that the two most promising sectors for Africa’s future were agriculture and new technologies. But he advised young African entrepreneurs not to get carried away by the first flush of success.
“Often in Africa we spend our projected incomes. There are ups and downs” in business, he warned.
Dangote said he regretted the customs and administrative problems that hamper business development throughout the continent.
As an example he cited the difficulties his cement group faces in exporting to Benin from Nigerian factories 40km from the border. Benin imported “more expensive” cement from China instead.
Correspondent|In a shocking development, the Zimbabwean man who was “raised from the dead” by South African prophet, Pastor Alph Lukau back in February has died. Brighton ‘Elliot’ Moyo made waves across the whole world after a video in which he was allegedly raised from the dead after 3 days went viral although Pastor Lukau later backtracked on his claims and accused Moyo’s family of staging the miracle.
According to local publication H-Metro, Brighton died last week in a village called St Luke’s in South Africa. Unfortunately for Brighton, there was no resurrection this time and he was buried on Saturday. He is survived by his wife only as they had no children. A close family member who spoke to H-Metro said,
His stomach started swelling and didn’t stop for three days and on the third day, he died.
According to other reports, when Brighton joined Lukau’s Alleluia Ministries International there were reports that he was HIV positive and he had kidney failure and he also had TB (tuberculosis).
A 20-YEAR-OLD Zhombe habitual thief was sentenced to three years in jail for unlawfully entering a house in Kwekwe and stealing goods worth $1 121 a week after his release from Khami Prison, where he had served a jail sentence over a similar offence.
Tinashe Sibanda (20) of Mashandike village, Zhombe, under Chief Malisa was slapped with a 36-month jail term by Kwekwe magistrate Stories Rushambwa.
However, six months were later suspended on condition that he restitutes $1 121 to complainant, Remekedzai Makunde.
Prosecutor Freddy Ndoro told the court that on December 29 last year, Sibanda broke into Makunde’s house in Newtown and took away property worth $1 121.
On New Year’s eve, Sibanda was arrested after the gas stove he had stolen was recovered.
Own Correspondent|Mthwakazi Kingdom restoration proponents have been sending reports within Matabeleland region that Hartzell High School which went on fire last week was burnt down by parents who were angry because of the deployment of a Ndebele speaking teacher at the school.
Over the weekend, social media groups in the Matabeleland region were hype on discussions that parents in Manicaland set the school on fire because of the presence of one Ndebele teacher while their region was “flooded with teachers who can not speak local languages.”
The proponents circulated an unverifiable media article indicating that parents at the school had protested against the school authorities over the Ndebele teacher before the school went up in flames.
Below is the news article making round within Matabeleland region and causing huge despondency amongst the people in the region.
Authorities at the school have however previously indicated that the fire was a result of an electrical fault.
ZimEye.com has not yet been able to verify with the authorities on allegations that there was ever a discourse over deployment of a Ndebele speaking teacher at the school.
Below are some of the discussions that emerged following the publication of the post on social media.
RESIDENTS of Chiredzi Town, dogged by perennial water problems, will have to wait a little longer to quench their thirst as former Chiredzi West legislator, Darlington Chiwa and the incumbent Farai Musikavanhu fight over bush pumps earmarked to ease water woes in three most affected wards.
Chiwa claimed that during his tenure he used his allocation of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to contract Chapeta Drilling Company to drill four boreholes in areas facing serious water problems around Tshovani suburb. He further said during the process he lost track of the whereabouts of the pumps to enable the company to complete installation, forcing him to temporarily shelve the project.
“I am supposed to make my acquittals of the CDF to Parliament in order to receive my outstanding perks so I was expected to account for the pumps. That prompted me to make my own investigations. I had to use my experience as a former detective to trace the pumps to Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) in Triangle after I got wind that Musikavanhu was receiving pumps from (Zinwa).
“When I confronted Zinwa manager he said Musikavanhu was the rightful person to collect the pumps. I was surprised how Zinwa got involved because they have nothing to do with those pumps since I had contracted a private player. If I had not intercepted the pumps; chances were high that there was going to be a duplication of a project which was completely funded by the eighth Parliament.
“That would have created a leeway for misappropriation of government funds availed through the current CDF being chaired by Musikavanhu, on the pretext that there are new boreholes that are being sunk. If the previous project and the current one are reconciled – it’s a fact that sitting Zanu PF MP is about to steal CDF funds on false pretences,” said Chiwa.
Musikavanhu, however, said he was invited by Zinwa to help with the installation logistics, but failed to explain why they extended the invitation.
“Well, I was invited by Zinwa as the responsible authority to help them with logistics of installing the pumps so there was never a question of me having to check with Chiwa. I am not sure where that is coming from because I met with Chiwa earlier in the week when we were installing the bush pump for the ward 5 borehole and there was no misunderstanding whatsoever,” he said.
Zinwa southern region manager, Peter Shotere, said he was not aware of who was supposed to receive the pumps since his bosses had not given him directives on the consignment. Asked how he ended up giving the pumps to Musikavanhu when he was not aware who drilled the boreholes, he said: “I wasn’t aware who was supposed to get the pumps because I was not told. I thought the pumps were availed during command water. I am not aware who drilled the boreholes I just thought Musikavanhu was supposed to get the pumps.”
A-27-year-old Chimanimani man left the gallery at the Mutare Magistrates’ Court in stitches after he told magistrate Nyasha Kuture on Saturday that he cultivated dagga after a friend told him that the drug had been legalised.
Farai Musiyazviriyo (27) from Maonzani village under Chief Mutambara pleaded guilty to the charge and was remanded in custody to tomorrow for sentencing.
“My Lord, I was cultivating dagga because there was a friend who told me that it has been legalised,” he told the court.
The court heard that on April 5, 2019, police detectives in Chimanimani got a tip-off that Musiyazviriyo was cultivating dagga at his family home.
Police raided his bedroom and recovered a packet of processed dagga and later recovered 19 plants of dagga, measuring one metre-long.
THE MDC-T led by former Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe, has said it will continue participating in dialogue meetings with President Emmerson Mnangagwa not because they support the present government, but as a sign of maturity.
Khupe’s MDC-T and several other parties have been attending the dialogue meetings with Mnangagwa, a platform which has been snubbed by the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC over the question of the Zanu PF leader’s legitimacy following the disputed July 2018 elections. MDC also takes exception to Mnangagwa being the convener.
Abednico Bhebhe, chairperson of the MDC-T, on Friday said the opposition party will continue engaging Mnangagwa not because they support him, but as “mature citizens” to find solutions to the country’s multi-faceted problems.
“This government is recognised by Southern African Development Community, African Union, European Union, United States and the United Nations, therefore, to any logical person it becomes apparent that any way forward can only come through dialogue,” Bhebhe told journalists at the Bulawayo Centre on Friday.
“Does this mean we agree with this government? Of course we don’t, hence the dialogue, but for us the welfare of Zimbabwe and her people trumps any personal ambition. It is not going to be easy, but the dialogue needs mature people and if we did not participate who was going to be the adult in that room?”
“Our Constitution states that the change we advocate for will be achieved only through democratic and peaceful means,” Bhebhe said.
Churches in Bulawayo under the Churches Convergence on Peace (CCOP) banner have frowned against the political parties’ dialogue meetings describing them as elitist, saying the trend set in 1979 at the Lancaster House talks is to blame for the country’s ills.
The CCOP has suggested that Zimbabweans, even outside the political realm, must participate in the talks to ensure an all-inclusive process for a shared national vision and prosperity.
FORMER National Alliance for Good Governance (NAGG) president Mr Shakespeare Maya, who has since rejoined Zanu-PF, has hailed President Mnangagwa’s triple-pronged re-engagement drive saying it has placed the country on a solid path to economic recovery.
Speaking at the Chinhoyi Press Club recently, Mr Maya said Zanu-PF was the only party that was able to spearhead broad-based development and protect the nation’s interests.
The opposition leader, who has participated in the Presidential elections since 2000 and retraced his footsteps to the ruling party in 2018, said opposition politics was a mirage and likened it to a desert.
“Since my return I have taken time to look closely at the new dispensation as a concept. I looked at several of its pillars and one which is attractive to me is that of re-engagement because we are on this planet together with others,” said Mr Maya.
“We are inter-connected, it will be very difficult for any country to seek to proceed and survive on its own while on this planet. It is clear that we had been so disjointed with the rest of the world and it was difficult for us to participate fully and meaningfully in a symbiotic association with other nations.”
He said President Mnangagwa was pursuing local, regional and international engagement which was a departure from the old dispensation which was averse to even local engagement with business and civic society.
“President Mnangagwa is not only engaging the international community. He has the local and international phases of engagement. We all know that Government never engaged non-governmental organisations and we see the current dispensation doing exactly that,” said Mr Maya.
The effort, he said, was however, not being fully reciprocated as some Western countries were only looking at their personal interests.
“They want us to deal with superficial issues. What President Mnangagwa is doing, however, is what was lacking. We had become a pariah state,” he said.
The President’s efforts, he said, had resulted in some protagonists managing to see his sincerity including Women of Zimbabwe Arise founder Mrs Jenni Williams, who recently described him as a listening President.
Turning to Zanu-PF, Mr Maya said his readmission had ended his many years in the political Diaspora where he wasted his energy.
“I came back to give a hand to the efforts of national reconstruction under the new dispensation as espoused by the new Zanu-PF leadership under President Mnangagwa.
“I know, as most Zimbabweans who choose to be honest should know that Zanu-PF provides the best institutional and ideological formulation for the development of our country and the protection of its national interests,” he said.
“Docking back into Zanu-PF was made easy for me because of Operation Restore Legacy which ushered in an atmosphere which presented Zanu-PF as a fitting home for any Zimbabwean or any associate seeking to channel their endeavours into the reconstruction of the country.”
THE Nelson Chamisa-led MDC Alliance has barred party members aspiring for various positions at its upcoming congress to stop using “pictorial advertising” before confirmation of their candidature.
The opposition party holds its elective congress in May — the first since the death of its founder Morgan Tsvangirai in February last year. The election comes at a time several former MDC rebels had rejoined the party now led by Chamisa.
Social media has been awash with posters of aspiring candidates vying for certain positions well ahead of their official nomination, forcing the MDC’s national organising department to step in to stop the practice.
“At a meeting of the standing committee held on April, 3, 2019 it was resolved that all aspiring candidates must with immediate effect cease using pictorial advertising to market themselves,” MDC deputy national organising secretary Bekithemba Sibanda wrote in a memo dated April 4.
The memo was copied to MDC standing committee members, national executive and provincial executive members.
“Aspiring candidates can only do so after they have been officially certified as nominated at the relevant congresses,” Sibanda added.
MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume said the directive was necessary to avoid a shambolic campaign ahead of the congress.
“We are saying, you cannot have people just waking up to put campaign posters, some for various positions ahead of being nominated, it’s shambolic. Aspiring candidates have to be nominated first,” Mafume said yesterday.
According to the template, a candidate is eligible to contest for any position from ward up to national levels if they have served in the party for at least five years while branches have a minimum of two years.
The party has been holding branch and district congresses that have, however, been marred by violence and allegations of vote rigging, among other malpractices. Provincial congresses are running from April 5 to 27.
Thokozani Khupe in a Mnangagwa funded helicopter ride
THE MDC-T led by former Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe, has said it will continue participating in dialogue meetings with President Emmerson Mnangagwa not because they support the present government, but as a sign of maturity.
Khupe’s MDC-T and several other parties have been attending the dialogue meetings with Mnangagwa, a platform which has been snubbed by the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC over the question of the Zanu PF leader’s legitimacy following the disputed July 2018 elections.
MDC also takes exception to Mnangagwa being the convener.
Abednico Bhebhe, chairperson of the MDC-T, on Friday said the opposition party will continue engaging Mnangagwa not because they support him, but as “mature citizens” to find solutions to the country’s multi-faceted problems.
“This government is recognised by Southern African Development Community, African Union, European Union, United States and the United Nations, therefore, to any logical person it becomes apparent that any way forward can only come through dialogue,” Bhebhe told journalists at the Bulawayo Centre on Friday.
“Does this mean we agree with this government? Of course we don’t, hence the dialogue, but for us the welfare of Zimbabwe and her people trumps any personal ambition. It is not going to be easy, but the dialogue needs mature people and if we did not participate who was going to be the adult in that room?”
“Our Constitution states that the change we advocate for will be achieved only through democratic and peaceful means,” Bhebhe said.
Churches in Bulawayo under the Churches Convergence on Peace (CCOP) banner have frowned against the political parties’ dialogue meetings describing them as elitist, saying the trend set in 1979 at the Lancaster House talks is to blame for the country’s ills.
The CCOP has suggested that Zimbabweans, even outside the political realm, must participate in the talks to ensure an all-inclusive process for a shared national vision and prosperity.
TWO shots that hit the upright, two monumental blunders by the out-of-sorts referee were the two key talking points in this second match of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League encounter played before a near capacity crowd at Barbourfields yesterday.
Highlanders captain of the day Prince Dube announced his presence in the game on his first official match since returning from South Africa with a 13th minute flashing move when he was sent through by Devine Mindirira but his booming volley on the run hit the upright post with CAPS United goalkeeper Prosper Chigumba well beaten.
Dube was to curse his footballing gods again in the 30th minute when another attempt to score saw the goalpost come into the way.
Highlanders continued dominating possession but that dominance could not be turned into goals.
“I thought Highlanders were in total control of the first half,” CAPS United coach Lloyd Chitembwe alluded in his post-match interview.
When the second half got underway, CAPS United were a changed side as they took the game to their opponents.
It was in one of such raids that the first of the referee’s blunders came when he waived play on after lanky Valentine Ndaba was pushed off the ball by Peter Muduhwa.
Deep into the second half Thabani Bamala, who was the referee, infuriated the Highlanders technical bench when, after Mindirira was brought down right in the centre, he chose to resume play with a drop ball instead of a Bosso free-kick.
Another big moment of the game was two minutes before time when CAPS United’s Dominic Chungwa thought he had given his side the winner after reacting faster to an Ariel Sibanda spill but far side assistant referee Wirimai Muroiwa had long raised his flag for off-side.
Despite going for 180 minutes without a win, Highlanders coach Madinda Ndlovu was not pressing any panic buttons, arguing that it was still early days.
“It’s still early stages of the season and besides this was not an ordinary game, it was a classic encounter and we witnessed one of the most exciting games. We are satisfied with the performance and the outcome,” said Ndlovu.
Chitembwe, while generally satisfied with the final outcome, was a bit disappointed with their failure to turn their second half dominance into goals and the disallowed “goal”.
“We are taught by the same referees that if a push happens it’s a direct kick and if it’s inside the box, a direct kick is a penalty but on that case it never happened,” said Chitembwe.
In form Hwange goalkeeper Taimon Mamvula thwarts another Dembare raid.
DYNAMOS goalminder Simba Chinani was the Fall Guy at Rufaro yesterday as the Harare giants threw away their lead to lose a Castle Lager Premiership football match they thought they had in the bag to Hwange in what boiled down to a tale of two goalkeepers experiencing contrasting fortunes at Rufaro yesterday.
Chinani had a bad day in the office while Hwange’s Taimon Mvula made a series of match-winning saves, including a last gasp bicycle kick by DeMbare skipper Edward Sadomba, to ensure that the Premiership returnees went home with maximum points.
Ted Ndlovu scored the winner for Hwange moments after he was introduced after Eddie Nkulungo had cancelled out Tawanda Macheke’s opener for Dynamos shortly after the hour mark.
Although DeMbare’s performance was a notch above their display in their season opener when they beat newboys Mushowani last week, goalkeeper Mvula was the striking difference between this vastly improved Dynamos and a Hwange side who came fighting for their lives.
The 25-year-old goalkeeper practically overshadowed the hosts, who on many occasions showed their might in a game that they also fielded their impressive Cameroonian players Claude Junior Ngahan and Vincent Hevre Mbega for the first time.
DeMbare had the most chances in both halves but Mvula literally kept them at bay.
“He was excellent that was one of his best games that I have ever watched. I thought he was outstanding and everyone could see that he is a good goalkeeper,” said Hwange assistant coach Brian Njovu.
The coal miners, who opened their campaign with a 2-0 home win over Yadah last weekend, were excited by the result. Njovu said they had not expected they would come back after they had conceded first in the 61st minute and gave credit to their men for their fighting spirit.
“I thought we did well to come back, it was a difficult match. You know Dynamos are one of the biggest teams in Zimbabwe and it’s not easy to play them in their home ground and I thought we were brave enough to come back from a game down to actually take the three points,” said Njovu.
Mvula was not intimidated by the vociferous Dynamos crowd after the giants got off to a flying start, denying Emmanuel Jalai and defender Munyaradzi Mawadza, who prodded home a loose ball from a corner early in the first half.
Still DeMbare enjoyed greater possession and created the most scoring chances despite some occasional forays by the visitors.
There were many exciting moments for the hosts and the highlight of the day was when Cameroonian Ngahan rode over a couple of tackles just after the break into the box but Hwange remained resolute.
All the while Mvula was always in the centre of the things.
But Macheke broke the ice with a fine finish just over an hour played when he controlled a pass from Tinotenda Muringai and coolly slotted the ball between the keeper’s legs. DeMbare’s celebrations were short-lived as Hwange hit almost instantly from a free-kick after goalkeeper Chinani fumbled a ball to the near post in the 63rd minute. Then defender Jimmy Tigere needlessly lost possession in the box and they were duly punished when substitute Ncube fired a low shot into the bottom corner. Again Chinani could have done better although the ball had taken a slight deflection.
On the other end, DeMbare could have got a late equaliser but Mvula kept frustrating them after scooping the ball from the line when Sadomba had connected with a low bicycle-kick from close-range.
The Glamour Boys coach Lloyd Chigowe chastised his players for going to sleep at the wrong moments.
“We were not that bad in terms of our overall performance. Hwange defended for their lives and at times they were defending in numbers and they took their chances. I would like to say we went to sleep at the wrong moments of the game.
“We also had some sloppy defending and we gave away two gift goals. I am not very happy especially with the way we defended. We could have scored more goals had we not gone to sleep in defence,” said Chigowe.
Teams
Dynamos: S. Chinani, A. Maliselo (J. Selemani, 76th minute), T. Muringani, M. Mawadza, J. Tigere, V. Mbega (T. Chisi, 46th min), E. Jalai, T. Moffat, T. Macheke, E. Sadomba, C. Ngahan (N. Katawa, 83rd minute)
Hwange: T. Mvula. K. Matake, N. Chinyerere, F. Chindungwe, G. Ndlovu, E. Nkulungo, A. Banda, A. Ndlovu (T. Ncube, 65th minute), S. Gadzikwa, E. Gwitima (G. Zulu, 90th minute), D. Maphosa
A-27-year-old Chimanimani man left the gallery at the Mutare Magistrates’ Court in stitches after he told magistrate Nyasha Kuture on Saturday that he cultivated dagga after a friend told him that the drug had been legalised.
Farai Musiyazviriyo (27) from Maonzani village under Chief Mutambara pleaded guilty to the charge and was remanded in custody to tomorrow for sentencing.
“My Lord, I was cultivating dagga because there was a friend who told me that it has been legalised,” he told the court.
The court heard that on April 5, 2019, police detectives in Chimanimani got a tip-off that Musiyazviriyo was cultivating dagga at his family home.
Police raided his bedroom and recovered a packet of processed dagga and later recovered 19 plants of dagga, measuring one metre-long.
South Africa’s government is still failing to acknowledge why its people attack other Africans.
Once again South Africa’s government has been caught off guard by a spate of attacks by locals on foreign African nationals. And once again it is scrambling to draft a plan to tackle the problem — seemingly without grasping why several past plans have failed.
The latest attacks happened mainly in the eastern province of Kwa-Zulu Natal. Though facts are hazy, it seems two South Africans were killed while attacking foreign-owned shops. In retaliation locals went on the rampage against a nearby settlement of foreigners, mainly Malawians, causing about 300 to flee for their lives.
Concerned African ambassadors met cabinet ministers — international relations minister Lindiwe Sisulu and police minister Bheki Cele — and drafted a joint plan to tackle the problem. But why will this plan succeed where previous ones didn’t? Attacks on foreigners — mainly Zimbabweans and Mozambicans — have occurred often since before the deadly 2008 spate. Attacks spiked again in 2015. And last week’s violence showed signs of expanding.
A sinister message put out on social media and sent directly to many, including some African ambassadors, threatened that all foreigners would be attacked “mercilessly” unless they left the country by May 13.
After each spike in attacks, Pretoria has drafted plans to address the problem. In 2015 it assembled an inter-ministerial committee to tackle it. And ironically the Department of Justice posted the latest plan, the National Action Plan to Combat Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, on 25 March — a day before the latest attacks.
Loren Landau, an expert on migration, xenophobia and diversity at the University of the Witwatersrand, says in The Conversation that the plan “offers frail remedies to poorly diagnosed problems”. He says it “relies on perceptions and politics rather than facts” and that it “almost totally” overlooks xenophobia.
The plan rehashes “familiar — but empirically questionable — claims that inequality and economic competition breed resentment and attacks on foreigners. But nowhere does it describe the local business interests, gangs, community leaders and political officials who typically foment xenophobic attacks”. Landau says it also fails to condemn the local, provincial and national politicians “who regularly blame foreigners for their own failures to deliver services as well as economic and physical security.”
That might be changing. African ambassadors say they persuaded Sisulu and Cele to instruct Cele’s deputy Bongani Mkongi to recant a vicious xenophobic statement about foreign Africans committing “economic sabotage’’ and threatening to overrun the country. The ambassadors said that although he made the statement two years ago, the video remained viral and he had never repudiated it, so it still incited xenophobia.
Mkongi had warned that it was unacceptable that 80% of a South African “city” — by which he meant Johannesburg’s rundown Hillbrow suburb — was “foreign national” and that if nothing was done about it, the whole country would become “80% foreign national” and the country’s president would eventually be a “foreign national”.
Mkongi insisted that his remarks weren’t xenophobic, which seemed to symbolise the whole government’s failure to recognise that xenophobia was behind many of the attacks on foreigners. This denialism seems to lie at the root of its failure to address the problem.
And next month’s national elections only seem to be fuelling the problem. Last week President Cyril Ramaphosa told an election rally that government would crack down on undocumented foreigners. The opposition Democratic Alliance is no better. Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba has been condemning foreign immigrants for years and his party has an election platform of getting tough on them.
After meeting the African ambassadors last week, Sisulu said Ramaphosa and the ruling ANC both believed the problem was “pure criminality”. However she also hinted that government might now take a wider view, after hearing the ambassadors who clearly believe the attacks are motivated by xenophobia — or “Afrophobia” as some call it, as most victims are African.
“While the ANC may not want to admit it, there is a very real problem of xenophobia in SA”, says Gareth Newham, head of the Justice and Violence Prevention programme at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS). He said a 2017 paper by the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation on Social Cohesion between South Africans and African foreigners found that South Africans lacked trust in people from other African countries — 56% didn’t trust African foreign nationals; 17% did.
Around 40% of South Africans said they would stop foreign nationals from starting businesses or accessing services in the areas where they lived. About 20% supported the government removing all foreign nationals irrespective of their legal status.
Newham said attacks continued partly because South Africans know they can get away with it, as the police rarely act against perpetrators. He said short-term interventions could include politicians and influential people — such as local musicians, actors, celebrities and the media – speaking out against xenophobia and promoting cohesion with African foreigners.
Police should be more active in gathering intelligence to pre-empt attacks, and arrest and prosecute perpetrators. “There also needs to be efforts to address the xenophobic attitudes held by many police officials and action must be taken against them”.
Stephanie Wolters, Senior Research Fellow at ISS, says xenophobic eruptions over the years “have already done substantial damage to South Africa’s reputation in the rest of Africa”. Coupled with restrictive visa policies, this has discouraged many highly skilled African immigrants from settling in and travelling to South Africa — with significant economic implications.
Ramaphosa implicitly acknowledged the harmful economic impact, promising after last week’s attacks that police would crack down on perpetrators. He said “our economy and society benefit from our extensive trade and investment relations with partners on our continent”, many of whom were living in South Africa and “making important contributions to the development of our country”.
“African development depends on the increased movement of people, goods and services between different countries for all of us to benefit. We will not allow criminals to set back these processes,” Ramaphosa added.
Loren says the government must stop scapegoating foreigners for its own failure to deliver services and economic opportunities to its people. The experts agree that South Africa can’t wait for economic equality before tackling xenophobia. In fact, it is often xenophobia that is hurting economic opportunity, especially in our vital African markets. – ISS
Harare civil court granted Vamwene the protection order against Muroora.
Correspondent|A Harare woman allegedly beat up her mother-in-law after an altercation had broken out between the two over household chores.
The two women who are at daggers drawn appeared before the court at Harare Civil Court yesterday.
Patience Pakanai dragged her daughter-in-law Nunurai Tambu to court, applying for a protection order against her, whom she sensationally accused of physically assaulting her.
The court heard that Tambu was in the habit of physically and verbally assaulting her mother-in-law, whenever she was instructed to do house chores.
Tambu did not deny the allegations but conceded to the charges, stating that her actions were justified because of her mother-in-law’s ill behaviour.
” I assaulted her because she was forcing me to do the house chores for her yet I live in my own room. She insults me with her friend that is why her son is nolonger talking to her because of her behaviour,” she said.
Pakanati told the court that her efforts to solve the issue amicably were in vain since she was no longer in talking terms with her son.
” I tried to engage my son over his wife’s behaviour, but he told me that his wife and I should fix our own issues without including him. She refuses to do any duties yet she uses the toilet and now my tenants are nolonger doing house hold duties because of her,” she said.
Pakati also added that she wanted the two to be evicted from her house since they were no longer able to reside together peacefully.
In response, Tambu challenged Pakatis wishes stating that the reason why the two were staying at her house because they could not afford to rent elsewhere.
Presiding magistrate Tafadza Miti granted the protection order in Pakati’s favour and sternly ordered Tambu not to assault her mother-in-law.
“It was one of the most gruesome sights I have ever seen.”
These were the words of Bester Maree from ACSU Security as he recalled a vicious scene in which a 20-year-old Ermelo resident was attacked and killed by his own dogs.
Ruan van Staden died at around 11:00 on Thursday.
“There was blood all over the yard and he was lying in a pool of blood”, he continued.
He saw that the two dogs had their jaws clutched around Van Staden’s neck and head.
Maree ran home, got his hand weapon and fired a shot to try and chase the dogs away.
The dogs apparently let go and fled, but after a short while they continued. When ACSU arrived at the scene, the dogs were dragging Van Staden’s motionless body around the yard.
Paramedics could not get to him because they feared they would also be attacked.
Van Staden had serious wounds to his head and throat. All his clothes had been torn off.
Maree and his colleague, Hennie Engelbrecht, shot and killed the dogs. Maree said it was still a mystery why the dogs unexpectedly turned on their own owner. Van Staden was a trailer builder by trade and ran a small business where he would sell and rent out trailers from his house. – AFP
Emmerson Mnangagwa being sworn in as president after the court ruling.
Correspondent|NCA leader Lovemore Madhuku has said the Constitutional Court put the issue of Mnangagwa’s legitmacy to rest, and anything else will not change that fact.
Speaking to the Standard, Madhuku said: “Mnangagwa’s legitimacy is not derived or conferred by an individual, but by law.
“The legitimacy of the president or government is not derived from you and me, but from the law.
“The day the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson announced that he had won the election and declared him as such, his legitimacy was dealt with.
“He is not a legitimate president just because (Nelson) Chamisa or MDC Alliance supporters have said so. He is a legitimate president by operation of the law.
“To make matters worse, he was confirmed a legitimate president by the Constitutional Court and Chamisa is the one who took the matter there.
“It was going to be a different matter had he not taken the matter to court. But he decided to take the matter there and a decision was made.
“We are a constitutional democratic country and therefore we abide by whatever decision the law makes.
“You have to understand that at all times people have their preferred leaders and it is normal, but the rule of law is supreme. So we are not there to deal with any legitimacy question.”
On the issue of dialogue, Madhuku said it must not be mistaken for power sharing. He said the political parties are dialoguing with the ruling party to resolve issues in a mature way as well as bring forth the much-needed electoral reforms ahead of the 2023 elections.
More on ZOOMZimbabwe… South Africa-based civic society groups in Bulawayo to campaign against sanctions
“If you look at the agenda of our meetings, it is all about Zimbabwe and how we could take it forward.
“We are dealing with how to grow our economy, share ideas and views.
“These ideas are not measured by the number of people who voted for us.
“We are all Zimbabweans and we have to share ideas and see if we can make Zimbabwe better.
“We are also dealing with political reforms so that we can make the 2023 election better.
“We are raising issues we believe can make us a better people come 2023 and have improved elections.”
Madhuku argued that the opposition parties have already made some headway in their dialogue with the ruling party.
He said: “I can give an example, at our first meeting as opposition parties, we demanded that soldiers who were on the streets should go back to the barracks as we felt it was wrong.
“Remember we held this meeting at a time when we had soldiers conducting roadblocks and we said it was not good for Zimbabwe.
“Within 48 hours, the military was withdrawn from the streets and we are happy that this was done through engagement, in a respectable manner.
“We also agreed and now speak with one voice on the issue of sanctions. This is not a Zanu PF issue.
“We have said sanctions are no longer necessary and they have to go.
“We have made a resolution to say, we should talk about sanctions as Zimbabweans and we shall speak our minds.
“This is not being influenced by Zanu PF, but looking at the reality, sanctions do not work.
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“The more recent issue is the visit to Chimanimani. You don’t know the significance of the visit we made as a team there and its impact on families.
“You should go to Chipinge or Chimanimani and ask how they feel after seeing a collective response from all political leaders on the national tragedy.
“People feel comforted. It is unfortunate that some people think they are the ones who must go and mourn with bereaved families, it is sad.
“We are Zimbabweans and share a lot together and in this case, we shared the burden as leaders and shared ideas on how to help the victims.
“More importantly, we have laid down a framework on how to tackle the issue of political reforms as we prepare for 2023.”
Madhuku was speaking in an interview with the Standard.
CHIEFS from Matabeleland region have lamented lack of respect they are given in their areas yet they are held in high esteem far away from home.
Speaking during the installation of Mbusi Bekithemba Ncube as chief Dakamela in Nkayi district last Friday, Chief Siansali of Binga said chiefs are forced to queue for fuel but when they are in Harare they are recognised by their badges and are allowed to jump queues.
“In Bulawayo they will not allow a chief to jump a queue. They will insult you with unprintable words even when you are in full chief’s regalia. In Harare when I go on Parliament business they don’t even ask my area of jurisdiction but once they recognise Iam a Chief, they ask me to go straight to the front to be served,” said Chief Siansali.
He said it was time locals respected their traditional leaders as is the case in other areas.
He said while respect should never be demanded from people, the behaviour by locals was forcing them to plead for respect.
Nkayi South MP Cde Stars Mathe said in other areas Chiefs were highly respected and the same should happen in Matabeleland.
“I have been to many provinces of the country and I have observed that chiefs are highly respected but here in Matabeleland we are not giving them the dignity they deserve. I wish to see a change when it comes to respecting our Chiefs especially here in Nkayi,” she said.
Meanwhile, Chief Siansili also urged Government to urgently address some of the challenges facing people of Matabeleland North province such as the issue of poor road network.
By Own Correspondent| Independent legislator for Norton Temba Mliswa will today appear before the Parliamentary portfolio committee on Priviledges where he will answer to corruption charges levelled against him.
Mliswa, who is set to appear with other legislators namely Gokwe Kabuyana’s Leornard Chikomba, Magwegwe’s Anele Ndebele and Binga North’s Prince Dubeko Sibanda.
The Priviledges Committee of Parliament is set to conduct the oral evidence sessions from Monday 8 to Wednesday 10 April 2019.
The purpose of the oral evidence sessions is to afford witnesses an opportunity to elaborate on issues raised in the statements and for the Committee to seek clarifications on the same.
A Kadoma ZANU PF leader who was captured on social media video assaulting Pedzisai Mangisi of Chief Nemangwe area in Gokwe South for stealing from him in a 45 second video that went viral, has been convicted of the assault.
Litten Chikoore (35) of Waverley in Kadoma was convicted by Kadoma magistrate Takudzwa Gwazemba on Friday last week after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
He was remanded out of custody to April 10 for sentencing.
Gwazemba however remanded Chikoore out of custody claiming that Chikoore was a suitable candidate to be remanded out of custody as he had handed himself to the police in the company of his lawyer Mr Ignatius Murambasvina of Murambasvina Legal Practice.
Mrs Gracious Chaminuka for the State told the court that Chikoore assaulted Pedzisai Mangisi of Chief Nemangwe area in Gokwe South several times all over the body with a baton stick on an unknown date sometime in November last year at his mine in Kadoma.
She said Mangisi sustained serious injuries following the assault and a medical report was produced in court as an exhibit. Mrs Chaminuka said Chikoore deserved a custodial sentence as he was a potential criminal with previous three cases at the court which were all withdrawn before trial.
The cases included a 2014 attempted murder case under CRB number 12/06, pretending to be a policeman under CRB number 12/08 and allegedly contravening the Mines and Mining Act in 2016.
Mr Murambasvina, however, pleaded with the court to give Chikoore a non-custodial sentence arguing that he was a first offender who had co-operated with the police when he handed himself and assisted them to locate the complainant.
He also said Chikoore was sole breadwinner for his two wives and six children and the complainant did not suffer serious injuries as shown by the medical report.
Mr Murambasvina said his client first handed Mangisi to the police after discovering that he had stolen 400 grammes of gold from him but they were advised to have an out of court settlement which infuriated him leading to him assaulting the complainant.
He further argued that Chikoore had already suffered psychological trauma as the matter had received too much attention on social, local and international media.
ZANU PF President Emmerson Mnangagwa ignored offers from ask South Africa’s army to rescue his own citizens only to resurface a week later to beg the neighbouring country for sniffer dogs to retrieve their corpses – but he has been conferred an award for a successful rescue operation.
Mnangagwa together with the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) were this Sunday (today) honoured with special commendation awards in recognition of the good work done in response to the devastating Cyclone Idai which hit Manicaland and other parts of the country.
Mnangagwa was handed the award by his own prophet, the disgraced Andrew Wutaunashe whose church recently split following a shocking adultery scandal.
He is also the same man who last year flew all the way to the United Kingdom to campaign for Mnangagwa using the churches in what many saw as the worst insult to the victins of the 1 August massacre.
The state broadcaster, ZBC reports how Mnangagwa and the ZDF were awarded by Wutaunashe at a special church service held in Ngangu today, Reverend Andrew Wutawunashe thanked Mnangagwa for working tirelessly to ensure relief aid reach all areas affected by the Cyclone Idai.
“Together we can conquer all obstacles if we unite for a purpose”, was the message by Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba who expressed gratitude to the church for the spiritual comfort and groceries donated to the attendees at the service.
Ministers present at the service who included Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Cde July Moyo and Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Retired Air Chief Marshal Perrence Shiri said the church plays a central role in bringing people together, promoting love and unity.
The Faith for the Nation campaign pledged to build at least 10 houses for the Cyclone Idai victims, 5 in Chimanimani and 5 in Chipinge and has since committed to rebuilt damaged infrastructure such as schools and clinics.
Meanwhile, the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) over the weekend donated two truck-loads of groceries towards Cyclone Idai survivors in Chimanimani, Masvingo and Bikita.
By Own Correspondent- National Constitutional Assembly president Professor Lovemore Madhuku has said that the current MDC is no different to Zanu-PF.
Madhuku was speaking to the Standard in the Big Interview.
He said that MDC members are now loyal to the leadership instead of being loyal to ideas.
He had been asked how he compares the MDC of 1999 (which he was a founding member of) and the current MDC. Said Madhuku:
The MDC of 1999 is long lost and what we have now is something else, a replica of Zanu PF.
When the MDC was formed in 1999, it was a social democratic party and was the voice of the working people, but now, it is a voice of business.
Look at the structure, it proposes to have three VPs, way beyond what the constitution of the country provides for. How do you justify that?
This MDC of today is driven by individuals and loyalty is measured by being loyal to the leader and not the idea and belief.
This culture is known in Zanu PF. For 38 years we had Gushungo kuphela and now in Zanu PF they have ED Pfee, what is that?
In the MDC they have Chamisa Chete Chete, nothing different from what we opposed when we formed the MDC.
So I believe the MDC is now a different party with a different idea and path different from what we had in 1999.
As the political leader of the NCA, Madhuku is participating in the dialogue with President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Chamisa has refused to participate saying that Mnangagwa has no mandate to call parties to dialogue with him as he had not won the 2018 elections. Madhuku said the dialogue is not about Mnangagwa’s legitimacy but about building a new Zimbabwe and ensuring that the 2023 elections are free and fair.
The Harare Polytechnic has invited applications for the May 2019 intake.
Applications are invited from suitably qualified people to undertake the following courses beginning in May 2019.
PLEASE NOTE: The following courses require Mathematics as a prerequisite: Courses in IT, Banking and Finance, Accountancy, Print Production, Print Finishing Technology and Print Origination and Science Technology. Requirements for ND: A full NC award in the respective course, for HND a full ND award in the respective course.
1.0 APPLIED ARTS
1.1 NATIONAL CERTIFICATE
Cosmetology (Both Full Time and Part-Time)
1.2 NATIONAL DIPLOMA-
Beauty Therapy (Full Time)
Industrial Clothing and Construction (Full Time and Part Time)
2.0 AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
2.1 HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA
Automotive Engineering (Part time) ALL COURSES OFFERED ON FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME
3.0 COMMERCE
3.1 NC ND HND (All Courses offered on Part-Time basis)
Accountancy
Banking and Finance
Marketing Management
Purchasing and Supply Management
Accountancy (NC to ND only)
Pensions Management
Transport and Logistics Management
4.0 ICT
4.1 NATIONAL CERTIFICATE – (FULL TIME)
ICT
4.2 ND, HND (PART TIME)
ICT
5.0 LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCES
5.1 ND
Library and Information Sciences
Records Management and Information Sciences
5.2 HND)
Library and Information Sciences
Records Management and Information Sciences (All courses offered on Part-time)
6.0 PRINTING & GRAPHIC ARTS
6.1 ND
Print Production Technology (Part-time)
Print Finishing and Converting Technology (Part-time)
Print Origination Technology, (Part-time)
Requirements: A full NC award in respective course or equivalent.
7.0 SCHOOL OF OFFICE MANAGEMENT (Courses offered on Fulltime and Part time)
7.1 NATIONAL CERTIFICATE AND NATIONAL DIPLOMA
Secretarial Studies
7.2 HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA
Office Management
8.0 SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM (Offered on Full-Time and Part-Time)
8.1 NATIONAL DIPLOMA
Tourism and Hospitality Management
Professional Cookery
Baking Technology and Management Requirements: A full NC award in respective course, 5 ‘0’ levels including English and Science
9.0 SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY (Courses offered on a Part Time basis)
9.1 NATIONALCERTIFICATE
Science Technology Requirements: 5 ‘0’ levels including Mathematics, English and Science
9.2 HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA
Metallurgical Assaying
Food Science Requirements:A full ND award in respect of the course, 5’0’levels including Mathematics, English and Science
Applications should be addressed to:
The Principal Harare Polytechnic Att: Head of Respective Division/ Department P.O.Box CY 407 Causeway HARARE TeI:+263 4 2918 081/0867700034/2/3 Email : [email protected]
THE ADVERT IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE-www.hrepoly.ac.zw AApplications to be submitted by 23 April 2019. All returning students to apply immediately after publication of March/April 2019 results
Farai Dziva|Zanu PF Secretary for administration, Obert Mpofu, says the party is making effective changes and accepting its lost sheep.
“You will be seeing the new dispensation arrangement where we have fulltime members of the party, you will see a different Zanu-PF in terms of operations and effectiveness because we are not closing anyone out, we have agreed that all members who were expelled from the party or who left the party should come back.
“We have been approached by all the parties and now Mujuru (Joice) is coming back to Zanu-PF, Ambrose Mutinhiri has come back and many others have come back. This is not politicking but reality, I am getting a lot of appointments with opposition party members wanting to come back and it’s enough pointer that President Mnangagwa is a unifying leader,” Mpofu said.
Mpofu also said the restructuring that was going on within the party had seen members that have been expelled tracking back as they were still interested in working for the party.
“This restructuring exercise has actually given the members that sympathise with us some hope of participating in the party they love. The previous system was so restrictive that members were not allowed to exercise their democratic right to participate in the party. So this is one of the benefits and results in the last few weeks following the dissolution of Bulawayo Province for one,” he said.
Looking at the 2023 elections, Mpofu said the victory of the party in the Bulawayo by-election was a tiny portion of what was yet to come.
By Own Correspondent- Four more children have stepped forward as it has been revealed that Oliver Mtukudzi died without a will.
Of the four, two are male and the other two are female, all with different mothers. This brings the number of the late Dr Mtukudzi’s official and unofficial children to 10.
Said a member of the Mtukudzi family:
“There are the four girls — Sandra, Selmor, Samantha and Sybil.
Then there is the official out of wedlock son, Selby, whom you may be aware has a birth certificate. Then there is the young woman from Bulawayo to make them six.
“With the arrival of these four, the number now rises to 10. Some of them have actually been Kuma D (the Old Highfield home where Mtukudzi grew up). Vana tete vanoziva vazukuru vavo.
Vese vanosvikira pa 3081 (the aunts know their nephews and nieces. The new kids go to the family home first),” a close family member told the state media.
Meanwhile, the issue of “personal Tuku belongings” versus Tuku Music property (the company assets) has already caused an uproar in the family after Norton-based artiste, Mbeu, played Tuku’s acoustic guitar at the Cape Town Jazz festival last week.
Culturally, a deceased person’s belongings should not be touched for a specified period until certain rituals are done followed by the distribution of the property to various family members.
Tuku’s eldest daughter, Sandra, expressed anguish that her father’s guitar had been given to a “stranger” to use before the necessary observances were done.
“A lot of activities were put on ice because of this weekend’s ceremony. Why should Mbeu play our father’s guitar? This is a stranger and already he is being given our father’s property.
By Own Correspondent- In a perhaps nasty development which may leave thousands of customers of the late popular Chipinge traditional healer in anguish, Sekuru Ndunge born Charles Makhuyana Ndunge reportedly foretold his own death and warned people with any of his paraphernalia to return it before he died.
Sekuru Ndunge died on Monday from diabetes complications and he allegedly said this two weeks before his death.
James Muchemei, a senior member of a local apostolic sect told a local publication:
“It is less than a month now since he came to our church. He was seeking assistance from one of our senior prophets. That is when he was given a chance to speak to us. He openly told us that he would be dying soon.
During the same speech, he also told us that anyone who still has his paraphernalia must surrender. He meant that they should surrender before he dies but now that he has died I am not sure what will they those who have not surrendered) do.”
His eldest surviving son, Jabulani Makhuyana Ndunge, also told a local publication:
“He actually called some of his children and told us that he no longer has much time on earth. We took it lightly at that moment and we never knew it would be fulfilled so soon.
It is true that those who owe him must feel free to come and we go through the requisite rites so that they do not face any challenges in life.
Thousands of people came to pay their respects to Sekuru Ndunge who was buried on Wednesday.”
Farai Dziva |Cornered MDC A Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora allegedly held a secret meeting with Members of the Masvingo Provincial Executive Committee yesterday.
See a report compiled by the party’s intelligence department yesterday:
Masvingo Provincial Executive Committee held a private meeting with Mwonzora at Cllr Collen Maboke’ s office in Masvingo City today(yesterday).
Gumbi dumped the president (Nelson Chamisa) after he was undressed for dismally failing to drive Masvingo to victory in the 2018 harmonised elections.
Masvingo won only one seat out of 26 constituencies.
Masvingo Mayor Collen Maboke ‘s offices are being used as Mwonzora’s information centre.
Today (yesterday)Provincial chairman James Chafungamoyo Gumbi,Derek Charamba,Muranganwa Chanyau,Peter Chigaba,Simon Ziki and several others gathered at the office as they planned to launch Mwonzora’s presidential campaign.
Masvingo Provincial chairman Gumbi resolved to nominate Mwonzora for the presidency, Amos Chibaya as national chairman and Eng Elias Mudzuri as vice president.
Cllr Collen Maboke was ordered by president Chamisa to resign from the post of Mayor two weeks ago but has refused to obey party orders . It’s not surprising that the party’s meetings have been moved from the Rhodene party offices to Cllr Collen Maboke’ s offices.
Mwonzora also held a private meeting with Gumbi at Flamboyant Hotel.
This is the second meeting in a space of 4 days the Secretary General has held private meetings with the Masvingo Provincial leadership.
The District Congresses in Masvingo were all rigged and manipulated in favour of Gumbie.
Farai Dziva|Zanu PF Secretary for administration, Obert Mpofu, says the party is making effective changes and accepting its lost sheep.
“You will be seeing the new dispensation arrangement where we have fulltime members of the party, you will see a different Zanu-PF in terms of operations and effectiveness because we are not closing anyone out, we have agreed that all members who were expelled from the party or who left the party should come back.
“We have been approached by all the parties and now Mujuru (Joice) is coming back to Zanu-PF, Ambrose Mutinhiri has come back and many others have come back. This is not politicking but reality, I am getting a lot of appointments with opposition party members wanting to come back and it’s enough pointer that President Mnangagwa is a unifying leader,” Mpofu said.
Mpofu also said the restructuring that was going on within the party had seen members that have been expelled tracking back as they were still interested in working for the party.
“This restructuring exercise has actually given the members that sympathise with us some hope of participating in the party they love. The previous system was so restrictive that members were not allowed to exercise their democratic right to participate in the party. So this is one of the benefits and results in the last few weeks following the dissolution of Bulawayo Province for one,” he said.
Looking at the 2023 elections, Mpofu said the victory of the party in the Bulawayo by-election was a tiny portion of what was yet to come.
Farai Dziva|Fiery social media analyst, Antony Taruvinga has accused MDC A Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora of working with Zanu PF to destroy the opposition party.
Taruvinga has pointed out that Maridadi, who has been offered a diplomatic post by Emmerson Mnangagwa, is also closely working with Mwonzora to disrupt MDC A activities.
See Taruvinga’s statement:James Maridadi, a friend to Mwonzora has been appointed ambassador by ED.
Rewinding to 2018 general elections, despite losing primary elections to James Chidhakwa, Mwonzora signed Maridadi’s papers as his preferred candidate and caused double candidature in Mabvuku Tafara just like what he did in Cowdry Park.
Mwonzora is actually aware of an embarrassing loss at Congress, what he is pushing for right now is an infliction of maximum damage to the party and president before he takes the Maridadi route.
Farai Dziva|Controversial war veterans leader Victor Matemadanda was last week humiliated by former freedom fighters in Masvingo Province.
The war veterans openly accused Matemadanda of presenting fake liberation credentials. Matemadanda was in Masvingo Province last week where he officiated at a farming project.
Matemadanda was forced to leave the event in a huff as the few war veterans who attended the event hurled insults at him.
“Angry war veterans threatened to beat up Matemadanda for dragging their association into the mud.The former freedom fighters openly accused Matemadanda of lying about his liberation war history,” a government source said on Wednesday.
Olivine Industries Private Limited, has shut down its margarine plant.
The latest revelations are that Olivine has not been operating its margarine manufacturing plant since January this year.
The crisis was caused by shortage of foreign currency. Investigations by ZimEye for a 2 year period reveal that the forex problem emerged after the former Reverse Bank governor Gideon Gono was hired by the government to manage reserve allocations.
In December 2017, several cooking oil companies’s bosses who spoke to ZimEye complained saying they were on the brink of shutting down because of low forex-oxygen(as it were). Contacted for a comment, RBZ governor John Mangudya told ZimEye he is “not aware of such a thing.”
In the latest development, the Olivine acting chief executive officer, Mr Sylvester Mangani, has told the state media of a closure of its margarine unit.
Mangani said this was as a result of persistent shortage of foreign currency in the economy.
“There is a shortage of our buttercup margarine in the market. The margarine plant is closed from January 2019 due to shortages of raw materials,” he said.
Mr Mangani said margarine requires very special and patented flavours, which are imported.
He could not disclose how much foreign currency was needed a month but said apart from vegetable fats, all the other inputs were imported on a regular basis because the ingredients had a short shelf life.
“The company is failing to import raw materials because it has not received forex from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) since October last year,” Mr Mangani said.
Mr Mangani said before 2016, Olivine was a loss making company but that has become a thing of the past as the firm has successfully turned around under the new management and partnership with Surface Wilmar. He however said there was an urgent need to address the issue of forex shortage so that the company can continue with its expansion plans.
Last year Government disclosed that it was considering selling part of its 35 percent stake in Olivine to Surface Wilmer in order to raise foreign currency towards recapitalisation. Surface Wilmer is the largest producer of edible oils in the country and is the major investor in Olivine. – State Media – Additional reporting ZimEye
By Own Correspondent. HARARE- The embattled University of Zimbabwe chancellor who is facing court case of awarding a dubious degree to former first lady Grace Mugabe, Prof Levi Nyagura has retired.
In a public notice Doctor Anxious J Masuka who is chairman of University of Zimbabwe council said Prof Nyagura formally left the institution on 31 March 2019. Masuka said, ” We wish to inform University of Zimbabwe Community, stakeholders and the public that Prof Levi M Nyagura retired as Vice Chancellor of UZ with effect from 31 March 2019.”
Prof Nyagura joined on 2 April 1978 as a lecturer in Department of Curriculum and Arts Education, Faculty of Education. He rose through the ranks to become Deputy Dean of Faculty of Education (1982-1983), chairperson of Department of Curriculum Studies (1986- 1989) Pro Vice Chancellor (1995-2002) and later Vice Chancellor, post he held for 16 years. He was instrumental in establishment of Bindura University of Science and Technology, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Masvingo University College into Great Zimbabwe University among others, added Masuka. However, he has been replaced by Professor Paul Mapfumo as acting Vice Chancellor while the hunt for a substantive Vice Chancellor is appreciated. Prof Mapfumo has by acting since 16 August 2018 after Prof Nyagura was suspended following his court case where is accused of awarding a fake doctorate to Grace Mugabe. The case is pending in courts.
NCA leader Lovemore Madhuku has defended his participation in the dialogue led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, saying he is contributing to nation building and laying the groundwork for credible elections in 2023.
Madhuku (LM), who is one of the losing candidates of the 2018 elections in talks with Mnangagwa, told our senior reporter Xolisani Ncube (XN) in an interview yesterday that the dialogue was already yielding positive results.
He said Zimbabwe must move away from a perpetual election mode and called for Western countries to lift sanctions against the country.
Below are excerpts from the interview.
XN: Many people have questioned the logic of your participation in the national dialogue given the number of votes you got in the July 30, 2018 election. How do you justify your involvement in the talks?
LM: This is not a power-sharing dialogue, we do not seek to share or form a government of national unity, but we are exchanging ideas on national issues.
I see people trying to give a new definition for the word dialogue.
Those are not power-sharing talks, but a platform to share and exchange ideas with government.
As opposition, we are using this to ensure we raise our demands in terms of economic reforms and political reforms in a civilised manner.
So those who are saying we have no numbers are misplaced. It is not a game of numbers, but ideas and nation-building, having a shared vision for a better Zimbabwe.
XN: Some are saying these talks are meant to legitimatise Mnangagwa’s regime and you as opposition parties with very few supporters are being used to do that. How do you respond?
LM: Let me say this in a very clear and simple way: Mnangagwa’s legitimacy is not derived or conferred by an individual, but by law.
The legitimacy of the president or government is not derived from you and me, but from the law.
The day the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson announced that he had won the election and declared him as such, his legitimacy was dealt with.
He is not a legitimate president just because (Nelson) Chamisa or MDC Alliance supporters have said so. He is a legitimate president by operation of the law.
To make matters worse, he was confirmed a legitimate president by the Constitutional Court and Chamisa is the one who took the matter there.
It was going to be a different matter had he not taken the matter to court. But he decided to take the matter there and a decision was made.
We are a constitutional democratic country and therefore we abide by whatever decision the law makes.
You have to understand that at all times people have their preferred leaders and it is normal, but the rule of law is supreme. So we are not there to deal with any legitimacy question.
XN: What is really the agenda of the dialogue if it is not about power since politics is about power?
LM: If you look at the agenda of our meetings, it is all about Zimbabwe and how we could take it forward.
We are dealing with how to grow our economy, share ideas and views.
These ideas are not measured by the number of people who voted for us.
We are all Zimbabweans and we have to share ideas and see if we can make Zimbabwe better.
We are also dealing with political reforms so that we can make the 2023 election better.
We are raising issues we believe can make us a better people come 2023 and have improved elections.
XN: Do you think you are achieving the intended purpose of this dialogue and do you have tangible results so far to show the world that a dialogue is really necessary?
LM: Oh yes, we have done more than what we really think we should have achieved.
We have really made strides in setting the ground for political reform and we are speaking with one voice on issues that we think bring us together.
I can give an example, at our first meeting as opposition parties, we demanded that soldiers who were on the streets should go back to the barracks as we felt it was wrong.
Remember we held this meeting at a time when we had soldiers conducting roadblocks and we said it was not good for Zimbabwe.
Within 48 hours, the military was withdrawn from the streets and we are happy that this was done through engagement, in a respectable manner.
We also agreed and now speak with one voice on the issue of sanctions. This is not a Zanu PF issue.
We have said sanctions are no longer necessary and they have to go.
We have made a resolution to say, we should talk about sanctions as Zimbabweans and we shall speak our minds.
This is not being influenced by Zanu PF, but looking at the reality, sanctions do not work.
The more recent issue is the visit to Chimanimani. You don’t know the significance of the visit we made as a team there and its impact on families.
You should go to Chipinge or Chimanimani and ask how they feel after seeing a collective response from all political leaders on the national tragedy.
People feel comforted. It is unfortunate that some people think they are the ones who must go and mourn with bereaved families, it is sad.
We are Zimbabweans and share a lot together and in this case, we shared the burden as leaders and shared ideas on how to help the victims.
More importantly, we have laid down a framework on how to tackle the issue of political reforms as we prepare for 2023.
XN: Some are saying this dialogue is a process to enrich you through allowances, while Zanu PF is using it to portray itself as a party that is open and democratic. What is your reaction to such accusations?
LM: We are not paid anything to attend those meetings outside assistance to some leaders with transport and accommodation when need be.
We are political leaders and we have our independent parties. Why should we be paid?
In the case of us visiting Chimanimani, there was no way we could have visited the affected areas with our own transport resources given the state of the roads.
The state came in and provided transport to take us to those areas so that we could see and have a better understanding of this national disaster, which demanded a collective response.
By the way, this is not Zanu PF money, but state resources. So those who are saying we are getting paid are wrong.
XN: Some believe that you have a personal vendetta against the MDC given that in 2009 you were against the party joining the inclusive government and the constitution-making process.
LM: I still oppose the idea of a government of national unity and I will never support a constitution made by politicians.
I believe a true constitution should be made by the people, not driven by politicians.
I am in this dialogue to ensure that the question of the constitution is looked into and I can tell you, don’t be surprised to see the constitution being reviewed because we shall raise all these issues in a better and mature manner.
Do you know that in 2008 I was the person tasked to campaign for the MDC in Chipinge and we managed to win four seats out of five in the March 2008 elections?
(Morgan) Tsvangirai never visited this area because he gave me the sole mandate to do so and I brought a convincing result.
After the March elections, it is a well-known fact that my home area was destroyed by Zanu PF and my parents and relatives were subjected to torture by Zanu PF.
I disagreed with the MDC guys in 2009 when they decided to join the inclusive government, more so, the constitution-making process.
I strongly believe that the manner in which the constitution process went through is wrong. The MDC betrayed the struggle.
We can’t talk of the MDC we formed in 1999 anymore. The struggle for the poor is long lost.
XN: How come you are holding talks with Zanu PF, but you were against MDC joining hands with the same party?
LM: This dialogue is about the future of Zimbabwe, not power as I said.
We have to talk about 2023 and demand reforms starting now and the best process that we have is through this.
XN: What is your relationship with Chamisa?
LM: I have a good relationship with him that is in two ways. In 1999 when we started the MDC, I worked with Chamisa as a young brother of mine and I treat him like that. He treats me the same.
I worked with him together with Learnmore Jongwe and that relationship has never suffered until today.
He is my young brother whom I worked with so well.
Secondly, I have this relationship with him as my student at the University of Zimbabwe.
He was my student of law and that relationship also is still intact.
So I really have no animosity towards him. We have these two longstanding relations that cannot be broken down by politics.
XN: Politically, how do you relate?
LM: I relate with him as a person and my differences with the MDC are not with the people or personalities, but ideas.
My differences with them have to do with how they view issues.
The way they like to sympathise with Western countries on the issue of sanctions and this attitude to keep the country in an election mode.
I don’t believe we must continue being in an election mode. We must move forward.
The elections came and we have to move forward.
XN: Do you believe the 2018 elections were free and fair?
LM: The fundamental reason we are in the dialogue is to push that we do better come 2023.
We strongly believe the elections were not free and fair, but we need to move on and strategise for 2023.
We cannot perpetually keep our people in that mood of voting forever.
We need to focus on our economy and work on things we can agree on.
XN: How do you compare the MDC of 1999 and the current party?
LM: The MDC of 1999 is long lost and what we have now is something else, a replica of Zanu PF.
When the MDC was formed in 1999, it was a social democratic party and was the voice of the working people, but now, it is a voice of business.
Look at the structure, it proposes to have three VPs, way beyond what the constitution of the country provides for. How do you justify that?
This MDC of today is driven by individuals and loyalty is measured by being loyal to the leader and not the idea and belief.
This culture is known in Zanu PF. For 38 years we had Gushungo kuphela and now in Zanu PF they have ED Pfee, what is that?
In the MDC they have Chamisa Chete Chete, nothing different from what we opposed when we formed the MDC.
So I believe the MDC is now a different party with a different idea and path different from what we had in 1999.
XN: How do you react to allegations that you are a Zanu PF agent, especially following your participation in the Motlanthe Commission?
LM: To be in the commission of inquiry I was appointed based on my experience as a legal person and it is something good that the president appointed me to that team based on merit, not nepotism.
In the dialogue, I am there because I lead a political party, which is serious about politics and the future of Zimbabwe.
Let me tell you something, the MDC Alliance refuses to be in dialogue yet they participate in parliamentary business. What kind of hypocrisy is that?
Lucky to be alive, Magashule’s poisoned right-hand man
ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule’s right-hand man has survived an attempt to poison him — a plot that has helped fuel a climate of fear in the Free State that those suspected of leaking information about Magashule will be “dealt with”.
Chris Ackeer — who was released from a Johannesburg hospital on Friday two weeks after being admitted — is the second person with links to Magashule to have been poisoned.
Sandile Msibi, a Magashule ally who was head of the Free State department of police, safety and transport, died in December 2017 after being poisoned.
“I thought it was just an allergy,” Ackeer said after being discharged on Friday. “I would not know what and where I ate this, but it was confirmed that it was poison.”
Ackeer, from Bethlehem, has been close to Magashule since his time as Free State premier and is Magashule’s strategic manager at Luthuli House.
“I am not out of the woods yet but am getting better,” he said.
Ackeer declined to say if he had any suspicions about who might want him dead or if he would open a case with the police.
“Fortunately for me it was detected but I can’t really pinpoint what really happened.
Glad that I survived and I am home now,” he said.
Free State government officials say Ackeer is lucky to be alive.
“This poisoning was very quick and he ended up in hospital in a very serious condition. He’s lucky … here in the Free State no one survives poisoning,” one said.
“Msibi died a slow, painful death after there were allegations of corruption that were levelled against him. He was not going to go down alone as the Hawks were investigating the allegations. The best way was to kill him,” the source said.
Msibi was a senior official in several Free State municipalities before joining the safety and security department.
At Msibi’s funeral in January last year, Magashule told mourners that Msibi had been “murdered”. He said he and former North West premier Supra Mahumapelo had sought help from the then president Jacob Zuma in arranging for Msibi to be flown to Russia for treatment.
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Magashule said Msibi died a few days after plans for the trip were finalised, but before he could get on the plane.
Msibi was being investigated for allegedly channelling millions of rands’ worth of provincial legal consulting contracts to his personal attorney.
Another senior Free State government official told the Sunday Times that some officials have been living in fear after being accused of leaking information to the media. “ANC senior members including the SG would come to the province and we would have late-night meetings at his Free State house where we would be questioned about those who are leaking information,” this official said.
“This is getting scary. We are accused of leaking information to the media about the SG. We were told that individuals that are known were being investigated and they would lose their jobs.
“The Free State has turned into a very scary province to work in. We are called spies.”
Ignatius “Igo” Mpambani, known as Magashule’s bagman, was murdered in Sandton two years ago. He was allegedly connected to Magashule via a R230m asbestos slush fund.
Pieter-Louis Myburgh, in his recently released book Gangster State, quotes sources in the Free State close to Magashule as saying Ackeer was “a fixer of sorts”.
“Ace first brought Ackeer into the ANC to try and get more support from coloured voters in the Free State. Then he gradually started to work for Ace. Later he started doing Ace’s dirty work. He would pick up money for Ace or do other things that Ace couldn’t do with the people from his official bluelights security team,” according to the book.
Ackeer denied the allegations. “I am not the SG’s fixer and I don’t collect cash from other people on his behalf.”
Attempts to get comment from Magashule and his chief of staff, Justice Pitso, were unsuccessful by the time of going to print.
Legendary actress and wedding planner Sophie Ndaba, now Lichaba, may be planning her future outside her home in the ritzy suburb of Featherbrook Estate in Joburg.
Sunday World can reveal that Mercantile Bank applied for a judgment in the South Gauteng High Court in Joburg on Tuesday to attach the former Generations’ Queen Moroka star’s multimillion-rand manor in the luxury secured estate.
According to documents seen by Sunday World, Ndaba and her company, Sophla Trading, who were cited as the first and second respondents respectively, obtained a R2.2m home loan from the bank to purchase the house on September 15 2016.
They were required to pay R22,347 in monthly instalments for 20 years.
But the former Isidingo thespian failed to honour the contract when she defaulted for about four months and was more than R80,000 in arrears.
Ndaba confirmed that she was on the cusp of losing her house. She said she fell behind with her monthly instalments because the tenants she rented the house to defaulted on their rental payments.
“I rented the house to some people who converted the house into an office space. The lease agreement between me and the tenants states that they should pay the rental money into the bond account but they failed to do so for several months,” she said.
She said on learning of the application for a default judgment to take her house she contacted the bank officials who told her that they struggled to get hold of her because she had changed her contact details.
“But I have engaged my lawyers to write to the lawyers of the tenants to address this matter.
“My lawyers have also written to the bank’s lawyers to inform them of our intention to oppose the judgment. But remember, it is the bank’s house and it can do whatever it wants to do with it,” she said.
Ndaba said the bank would not have dragged her to court had she not changed her contact details.
“These tenants defaulted before and the bank contacted me immediately and I resolved the matter swiftly by making sure that they pay the rent money into the bond account.”
But it looks like Ndaba’s bond arrears is not her only woe as she was also taken to court before for another debt.
On September 28 2017, KLM Setati Food Services obtained a judgment in the South Gauteng High Court against Ndaba and her company.
They had failed to pay KLM Setati more than R150,000 for food it supplied after they won a school feeding scheme tender in Gauteng.
According to the papers we have seen, Sophla Trading, represented by Ndaba, signed papers acknowledging that they owe R151,178 to KLM Setati. Ndaba agreed to pay them R50,392 in three equal instalments between December 2016 and February 2017 but failed to do so.
“In breach of the said agreement, the defendants failed to pay any of the instalments in terms of [the] acknowledgement [of] debt agreement,” read the papers.
Ndaba said late payments by a department she expected funds from made it difficult for her to pay her creditors.
“We signed a cession agreement with the department to pay the suppliers but late payments made it difficult for us to pay the creditors, that is why they obtained judgment against us.
“But the matter was resolved with the lawyers of the said supplier and my understanding is that they will soon apply for recision of the judgment they obtained against me,” said Ndaba.
Paul Setati, manager of KLM Setati, confirmed that Ndaba owed the company money for services they rendered but declined to comment further.
“The relevant person to talk to about this is out of the country at the moment. You can call on Monday,” Setati said.
The company’s lawyer, Mike Ngomane, also declined to comment.
Mercantile Bank could not be reached for comment at the time of going to print.
Mnangagwa discussing with former colleague Saviour Kasukuwere
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been accused by a Zanu PF-aligned union of ignoring the plight of workers “to please his neo-capitalist friends”, in another sign of fissures in the ruling party.
Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Union (ZFTU) secretary-general Kennias Shamuyarira said the union was giving Mnangagwa seven days to deal with their grievances or face protests.
“The president, no matter how good the vision he tries to project to the people is, as long as it does not involve the workers, as long as it does not involve the generality of Zimbabweans, surely it remains a dream,” he said.
“It is an open secret that the president is now being surrounded by a cartel of monopoly capital.
“These people have been monopolising the market and causing an increase in the prices of basic goods for personal gain.
“This cartel makes wanton increases of prices of basic goods and services, which are not justified.
“But because they are the close buddies of the president, the poor people now suspect that he is part of that cartel.”
Shamuyarira said only a few individuals with access to Mnangagwa were benefiting from the economy, while the majority was wallowing in poverty.
“These people are misleading the president, busy telling him lies on the state of the economy and surely, we can’t keep quiet or else by August, if we don’t act now, we will all be dead due to stress-related illnesses,” he said.
“If the president still wants our backing as the labour movement, he must remove these capitalists near him.”
In January ZFTU’s rivals, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), organised a three-day stay away demanding that Mnangagwa addresses the workers’ plight.
The ZFTU leadership said this time around, the “entire working class” would organise if Mnangagwa did not meet them.
“Since he took over he has met business, he has met traditional leaders, and he has met war veterans, but not us as organised labour,” Shamuyarira said.
“Why? We want the minister of Labour to start by calling for the Tripartite Negotiating Forum and then call for an all- stakeholders’ meeting so that we could meet the president.
“We have engaged the minister and nothing has happened.
“These are the issues, which we believe may end up causing people to dem- onstrate; not responding to requests from the citizens.
“Why is it that the president is being pushed around like this by the same peo- ple who are self-serving leaving the foot soldiers behind? Whose interests is he serving?”
He added: “Workers have sacrificed a lot in this country. Some workers are going for months without salaries. Those who are being paid, they are getting peanuts.
“Why? This is all because we have capitalists who are there to fleece and get eve- rything around.”
The ZFTU boss also criticised the recent arrest of ZCTU leaders, saying the clamp- down was meant to intimidate labour from demanding better working conditions for their membership.
“When you try to strike, you are arrested and put in jail,” he said.
“You have seen that this government arrests trade union leaders just because they have spoken out. But for how long shall we keep quiet while we suffer?”
Mnangagwa’s spokesperson George Charamba could not be reached for comment yesterday.
However, Information ministry permanent secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana de-fended the president’s approach to issues raised by workers, saying his focus was on job creation.
“There is no better service to workers than ensuring that workers have job security and companies don’t close down,” he said.
“There is also no better service to workers than ensuring that there is job creation and more people get employed. This has been President Mnangagwa’s focus.
“That said, the president has met all groups of Zimbabweans, which reached out to him, including a number of trade unions even those perceived to be hostile to him.
“He believes in the engagement of the Zimbabwean people with their leadership. He is one of the most accessible leaders in the region.
“The ZFTU need to just invite him and if his diary permits, the president will meet them.”
The ZFTU was formed during former president Robert Mugabe’s reign and was meant to counter the ZCTU.
Zanu PF’s outspoken Buhera South MP Joseph Chinotimba was the union’s inaugural leader. The union has always fought in the ruling party’s corner.
Factionalism has resurfaced in Zanu PF only a year after Mnangagwa’s Lacoste faction prevailed over G40 with the help of the army, which toppled former president Robert Mugabe in 2017.
ZANU PF President Emmerson Mnangagwa together with the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) were this Sunday (today) honoured with special commendation awards in recognition of the good work done in response to the devastating Cyclone Idai which hit Manicaland and other parts of the country.
Mnangagwa was handed the award by his own prophet, the disgraced Andrew Wutaunashe whose church recently split following a shocking adultery scandal.
He is also the same man who last year flew all the way to the United Kingdom to campaign for Mnangagwa using the churches in what many saw as the worst insult to the victins of the 1 August massacre.
The state broadcaster, ZBC reports how Mnangagwa and the ZDF were awarded by Wutaunashe at a special church service held in Ngangu today, Reverend Andrew Wutawunashe thanked Mnangagwa for working tirelessly to ensure relief aid reach all areas affected by the Cyclone Idai.
“Together we can conquer all obstacles if we unite for a purpose”, was the message by Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba who expressed gratitude to the church for the spiritual comfort and groceries donated to the attendees at the service.
Ministers present at the service who included Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Cde July Moyo and Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Retired Air Chief Marshal Perrence Shiri said the church plays a central role in bringing people together, promoting love and unity.
The Faith for the Nation campaign pledged to build at least 10 houses for the Cyclone Idai victims, 5 in Chimanimani and 5 in Chipinge and has since committed to rebuilt damaged infrastructure such as schools and clinics.
Meanwhile, the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) over the weekend donated two truck-loads of groceries towards Cyclone Idai survivors in Chimanimani, Masvingo and Bikita.
MDC leader Nelson Chamisa faces the prospect of being challenged by two party heavyweights in his bid to succeed the late Morgan Tsvangirai after his deputy Elias Mudzuri declared he was ready to challenge anyone.”
The party’s provincial congresses begin today with Matabeleland South making its nominations for standing committee members and Harare will be the last on April 16.
Mudzuri, who has kept his ambitions a closely-guarded secret, yesterday opened up on his bid saying he would contest any position, including the presidency, if he is nominated.
“If nominated, I am prepared to challenge anyone,” he said.
The former Energy minister dismissed reports that he had struck a deal with Chamisa where he would have backed the party’s 2018 presidential candidate to lead the country’s main opposition party.
“The news report that made emphatic claims about a supposed deal between myself and Advocate Chamisa, is wholly untrue,” Mudzuri said.
“No such understanding has been considered, much less reached.
“The story could have only originated from a very mischievous tale bearer, seeking to engineer and manipulate public discourse to fit in a personal scheme.”
Mudzuri joins MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora, who has also declared that he would challenge Chamisa if nominated.
The MDC is currently holding branch, ward and district congresses ahead of the main congress to be held next month.
The process has been marred by violence pitting Chamisa and Mwonzora’s backers.
Mwonzora’s backers are claiming some party bigwigs are manipulating grassroots votes to ensure only those aligned to Chamisa would vote for the president at congress, a claim rejected by MDC organising secretary Amos Chibaya.
Mudzuri yesterday condemned the violence and called for unity in the party.
Meanwhile, the MDC has ordered officials eyeing various positions at its upcoming congress to stop using “pictorial advertising” campaign posters before they have been officially certified as nominated.
Social media has been awash with posters of aspiring candidates vying for certain positions even before they have been officially nominated, forcing the MDC national organising department to step in to stop the practice.
“At a meeting of the standing committee held on April 3, 2019, it was resolved that all aspiring candidates must with immediate effect cease using pictorial advertising to market themselves,” MDC Alliance deputy national organising secretary Bekithemba Sibanda wrote in a memo dated April 4.
The memo is copied to MDC standing committee members, national executive and provincial executive members.
“Aspiring candidates can only do so after they have been officially certified as nominated at the relevant congresses,” Sibanda added.
MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume said the directive was necessary to avoid a shambolic campaign process ahead of the congress.
“We are saying, you cannot have people just waking up to put campaign posters, some for various positions ahead of being nominated, it’s shambolic,” Mafume said.
“Aspiring candidates have to be nominated first.”
According to the template, a candidate is eligible to contest for any position from ward up to national levels if they have served in the party for at least five years while branches have a minimum of two years.
The MDC has been holding branch and district congresses that have, however, been marred by violence and allegations of vote-rigging, among other malpractices.
Victimised in full view of the police, Tambudzani Mohadi
Vice-President Kembo Mohadi has not been censured for allegedly threatening to his kill his ex-wife and damaging her property because no police report has been made a week after the shocking incident, it has been revealed.
Mohadi allegedly stormed Senator Tambudzani Mohadi’s Beitbridge home where he hacked three doors using an axe before towing away his former wife’s three cars.
At least 25 police officers witnessed the incident, but refused to take a report from the under- siege senator.
The Beitbridge senator argued she would only sign, as both witness and victim, a statement by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers who were present during the violent attack on her person and property on Saturday last week.
She said what police were requesting her to do was like a policeman who sees someone being killed and waits for a report from the victim.
“They were the witnesses, they have an eyewitness account. They must take action based on that. A crime was committed in their presence,” she said in an interview.
Police spokesperson Paul Nyathi referred all queries about the Mohadi case to the Information ministry.
Women Affairs minister Sithembiso Nyoni said she would not comment on the matter, which she said was private.
“I was out of the country when this happened, but it is a private family thing. It also involves the VP,” she said.
“I have no comment.”
Meanwhile, on Friday the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) demanded that Mohadi be held accountable.
“We are outraged by the reports of violence perpetrated by the VP against Tambudzani Mohadi,” the coalition said.
“It has also been reported that such shocking acts were committed in the presence of members of the ZRP.
“We believe that these are very serious allegations, which require investigations and due process of the law.”
WCoZ said the VP showed lack of respect for both the supreme law of the land and women.
“The battle against violence perpetrated on women and girls can never be won when the perpetrators are men in whom the people have vested the authority and trust to lead the nation,” the statement added.
“The VP of a nation should always be above reproach when it comes to violence and women’s rights issues.
“The VP, being a servant of the people, therefore must be reminded that the very foundation of our democracy and freedom is that this case should be treated as exemplary to all those who abuse their power to inflict pain and suffering upon women.”
The women also urged the police to act speedily and investigate the case.
“In addition, we call upon the judiciary to treat all cases of violence against women and girls as high priority and ensure that justice is served at all times,” read the statement.
“The failure by the ZRP to promptly address the issue raises concern over the failure by critical institutions to adequately provide redress to survivors of violence and thus there should never demonstrate laxity in responding to such cases.”
Meanwhile, former Harare West legislator Jessie Majome said it was wrong for people to always expect only women’s groups and activists to protest when women are abused.
“Why should the women only make noise when it is clear no one is listening or making an effort to act?” she said.
Majome described Mohadi’s case as a litmus test for the police and the judiciary.
“We were let down by the police, where is accountability in all this? Impunity at the highest level,” she said.
Former Zanu-PF Goromonzi West legislator Beatrice Nyamupinga called for Mohadi’s arrest.
“For a whole number two in the country to be so disrespectful to women is grossly unacceptable,” she said.
“If he respects himself, he must resign. How do we end gender-based violence when those who are supposed to champion the end to gender-based violence are actually on the forefront of being perpetrators?
“This is a clear case of abuse of power, and domestic violence and as such, he must be arrested.”
Mohadi divorced his wife early this year and the two are embroiled in a dispute over property.
By Wilbert Mukori| “They say you can only know the true state of a car when you lift its bonnet and look inside. And so it was back in September, when I was appointed Minister of Finance, and got to take a look at the true state of our nation’s finances,” wrote Finance Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube.
It is not everyone who claims to be a car mechanic who knows what they are doing. It is not all who see who perceive and it is not all who hear who understand.
Yes Minister Ncube, you opened the bonnet, looked inside but sadly came up with the wrong diagnosis and thus wrong cure.
“The budget deficit was huge, and growing at a rate of hundreds of millions of US Dollars per month, causing spiralling domestic debt and inflation with negative spillovers to the rest of the economy,” continued Minister Ncube.
“If we were to have any chance to resurrect the Zimbabwean economy and build a better life for the people of this country, we would have to take tough decisions, and fast. What was required was to cut unnecessary spending, while at the same time seeking new revenue sources.
“One of the key elements of our strategy to get our finances back on track was the Intermediated Money Transfer Tax (IMTT), popularly referred to as the 2 percent Tax, which we introduced six months ago in October 2018, to replace the previous flat tax of 5 cents per transaction.”
What touch decisions did you make to cut unnecessary spending such as the endless and expensive overseas trips for health care, begging, etc. by the ruling elite? The minister was himself on the high power entourage accompany President Mnangagwa on the 10 day jaunt to Asia and Europe in January 2019 in a hired 787-8 Dreamliner Jet costing the nation US$25 million.
Indeed, Mnangagwa announced the150% fuel increase, tough on the impoverished majority, before jumping on the luxury jet. When the people protested the fuel increase, the regime ruthlessly crashed the protests.
The 2% tax Minister Ncube is boasting about above, was specifically targeting the 90% unemployed who were not paying income tax.
Most of these people are subsisting as vendors earning a misery US$30 per month or less in a country with the Poverty datum line set at US$ 650 per month. Minister Mthuli Ncube wanted his cut from their meagre earning, his pound of flesh, just like the William Shakespeare’s Shylock.
“Government policies in Zimbabwe are worsening the country’s economic crisis, causing immense hardship to those less well-off, and crushing the human rights of those who dare complain, a group of UN experts* has warned,” report The Zimbabwean, quoting the ReliefWeb.
“We are gravely concerned that, as the situation in Zimbabwe deteriorates, the Government is pushing people further into poverty,” the experts said.
“We are not aware of any Government measures to provide even minimal safety nets for those who are already living on an economic cliff-edge and who will suffer the most from these regressive policies.
“The impact of economic reforms on human rights must be assessed against international norms and standards, in line with the Guiding Principles on human rights impact assessments of economic reforms.”
Zanu PF rigged last year’s elections, corruption is rampant in Zimbabwe, there is brutal repression, there is criminal waste of resources by the filthy few rich ruling elite who are not democratically accountable to the filthy poor masses, etc.
These are economic and political realities behind Zimbabwe’s economic mess and anyone who thinks the country can ever achieve any meaningful economic recovery without addressing these problems first is naive.
Professor Mthuli Ncube has pointedly refused to accept the elections were rigged, that corruption is rampant, etc. He is naive but, worst of all, he is arrogant!
“In just six months, the 2 percent tax has helped us to cut the deficit, invest in vital infrastructure, and put aside a sizeable sum that is being used to mitigate the effects of Cyclone Idai,” boasted Minister Ncube.
“We knew that the actions we needed to take would not necessarily make us popular, but they were necessary nonetheless.
“I was comforted in this realisation by the wise words of Albert Einstein, who famously wrote that “What is right is not always popular and what is popular is not always right.”
Einstein’s ‘right’ was based on sound scientific observation, logical analysis and even then was subjected to constant and vigorous peer review at all time. Your economic policies defy basic economics and common sense, they are voodoo economic imposed on a reluctant nation by a corrupt and tyrannical regime.
After 38 years of these foolish Zanu PF voodoo economic policies the people know they will never work and that is why the policies and the dictatorial regime are unpopular.
What is right is not always popular, that is true; still that does not meaning everything that is not popular in right! Your 2% tax and all the other policies are not popular and they will never bring about the economic recover because they are wrong.
As for you, Minister of Finance Mthuli Ncube, you are not Zimbabwe’s Albert Einstein genius of economics or anything!
Vice-President Kembo Mohadi has not been censured for allegedly threatening to his kill his ex-wife and damaging her property because no police report has been made a week after the shocking incident, it has been revealed.
Mohadi allegedly stormed Senator Tambudzani Mohadi’s Beitbridge home where he hacked three doors using an axe before towing away his former wife’s three cars.
At least 25 police officers witnessed the incident, but refused to take a report from the under- siege senator.
The Beitbridge senator argued she would only sign, as both witness and victim, a statement by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers who were present during the violent attack on her person and property on Saturday last week.
She said what police were requesting her to do was like a policeman who sees someone being killed and waits for a report from the victim.
“They were the witnesses, they have an eyewitness account. They must take action based on that. A crime was committed in their presence,” she said in an interview.
Police spokesperson Paul Nyathi referred all queries about the Mohadi case to the Information ministry.
Women Affairs minister Sithembiso Nyoni said she would not comment on the matter, which she said was private.
“I was out of the country when this happened, but it is a private family thing. It also involves the VP,” she said.
“Who is sponsoring Gang Violence in the Great Dyke? As a Trust formed to fight for peace and safety in the Dyke we are appalled by the increase in violence in the artisanal mining sector.” – Farai Maguwu Tau Moyo (The Great Dyke Communities For A Better Environment Trust).
VIDEO:
@edmnangagwa 's Kwekwe gang takes over white owned gold mine, Gaika. "as long as I live, these whites will never be able to take over this mine!," says frontman Vongaishe Mupeperi pic.twitter.com/k6pi1b5eDC
AFRO-FUSION singer Mbeu, real name Ashton Nyahora, has distanced himself from the “toxic” fights in the Mtukudzi family, which have seen him being accused of trying to appropriate the birthright of the late national hero’s children.
This follows Mbeu’s decision to lead the The Black Spirits, the late Dr Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi’s band, at the Cape Town Jazz Festival in South Africa last weekend, a role many believe should have been given to one or all of Dr Mtukudzi’s daughters.
There is massive talent in the Mtukudzi family. Tuku’s daughter Selmor, for instance, is believed by many to be his natural heiress while Samantha, another daughter, performed with her father as a backing vocalist for three years. However, Tuku’s widow, Daisy, last weekend entrusted Mbeu not just with the lead role in The Black Spirits, but also gave him the late superstar’s guitar.
This move angered many music followers particularly Tuku Music fans, who expected to see his popular and talented daughters leading the band and fulfilling their father’s shows.
Criticism, particularly on social media, was targeted at both Daisy, the Mtukudzi family matriarch, and Mbeu, for their role in seemingly trying to deny Selmor and Sandra inheritance of their father’s legacy. Samantha was at the Cape Town Jazz festival show but merely as a backing vocalist. In an interview with The Sunday Mail Society, Mbeu denied inserting himself into the Mtukudzi family feud and trying to steal anyone’s inheritance, saying people had just misunderstood his position. “I am my own man. I am Mbeu and I lead my own band, Mhodzi Tribe. I have no interest whatsoever of abandoning my solo career or my band to join anyone,” declared the “Mavanga” hit-singer.
“I grew up at Pakare Paye Arts Centre. I believe I am one of the centre’s products that have managed to stand on their own two feet. I know Mtukudzi’s music in and out, and have a good relationship with all the Mtukudzi family members. After Mdhara Tuku’s death, we did two shows with Selmor, here in Zimbabwe and in South Africa.
‘‘And when Walter (The Black Spirits manager) came asking me to assist at the Cape Town Jazz Festival show, I obliged. This means I have worked with both parties,” explained Mbeu. The young singer, who hails from Norton and was groomed at Pakare Paye Arts Centre, said he had no intention of picking sides.
“Selmor is my big sister. Daisy is my mother, she has cooked for me. I was simply helping. I love my band Mhodzi Tribe and intend to build a legacy that I will bequeath to my own children. The fights in the Mtukudzi family are their own. I’m not involved and I have no intention of doing so.”
On how he got hold of Tuku’s guitar, Mbeu said on his acoustic guitar he plays steel strings while Tuku’s has nylon strings, which is why he had to settle for Tuku’s guitar to ensure the sound came out right. “It wasn’t even my decision. That guitar is scary man.
The figure that thrilled millions of fans using that guitar is too big for me to even contemplate fitting into his shoes.
For me it was an honour and I enjoyed every minute
of it, but I’m sorry if it caused anguish to some.”
Even at the age of 70, Arshid Kazunga is a restless man.
His soul is tormented.
He constantly scratches his unkempt grey hair while aimlessly staring in space, as if he is somehow waiting for a solution to his woes to fall from the skies.
In 2015, he was sentenced to 20 years at Chikurubi Maximum Prison for a crime of passion that is unexpected for a man of his age – murdering his fourth wife.
But doing time is the least of his worries and reason for his sleepless nights.
“If I am lucky to walk out of this place alive, I will be 87-years-old,” he says as he uses his pale, old, shaky fingers to gesture for emphasis.
“However, I have accepted that I might die in here.
“What gives me sleepless nights is the blood on my hands.
“I am afraid of avenging spirits.
“The spirits might not affect me since I do not have many years left to live, but I have children. I do not want them to be punished for my sins.
“My wish is to settle this matter with my in-laws before I die.
“However, I am stuck in this place for many years, how will I do that?” Kazunga says.
As a sworn polygamist, his family had readily accepted his life choices.
In 1997, when he was 28-years-old, Kazunga married his first wife and sired five children.
Sixteen years later, he married his second wife and the couple also had five children.
A third wife was added to the ever-expanding family in 2000, but unfortunately, she died after two years.
It was, however, his marriage to a fourth wife, Juliet Kembo, in 2006 that turned his life topsy-turvy.
The fated union only lasted nine years.
Life-changing Twist
The Chikurubi inmate, who professes to be a hard worker that always provided for his expansive brood, forever rues that fateful day in 2015.
In fact, he is still locked in a time capsule.
The former Mount Darwin-based Kazunga reportedly dutifully visited his first wife in Guruve for a few days.
After making an unannounced return to his Mt Darwin home, which he shared with Juliet, he made a painful discovery that any man dreads – he walked in on his wife being intimate with an unidentified man on their matrimonial bed.
An altercation, which heatedly degenerated into a fist fight, ensued, but Kazunga was overpowered by his rival suitor, who subsequently made good his escape.
Kazunga – who had suffered a double whammy of being humiliated and thumped – succumbed to his bruised ego.
In an inexplicable moment of deranged rage, he then stabbed his wife twice on the neck, killing her instantly.
When he came to himself, Kazunga fled and sought refuge at his daughter and son-in-law’s house.
The latter alerted the police of the heinous crime, leading to Kazunga’s arrest.
“I loved Juliet, to tell you the truth,” he said during the interview.
“I remember I had paid ZW$1,4 trillion as a lobola, and although we never had children together, I loved her so much.
“The moment I saw her lying next to another man, I could not bear it, I got furious. She was mine.”
He reckons if he could turn back the hands of time, he would not harm his beloved Juliet.
“Although I loved her, it was not worth it,” he added.
“I should have just let her go with her lover. I am sure by now I would have forgotten about her and moved on with my life.
“I am now an old man, in prison, with no family and with a dead woman’s spirit hanging above my head for the rest of my life.
“My life should serve as lesson to all men out there. If you ever find your wife or partner with another man, let her go. Do not kill her. Do not try to teach her a lesson, just let her go.”
Final Wish
Kazunga’s final wish is to meet with his family, especially his in-laws.
“I rarely get visits from my family. The last time I got a visit was from my daughter in 2017,” he said softly.
“I am appealing to my family and in-laws to visit me so that we can settle the matter before I die. I have a few beasts that I can give them as compensation.
“I think this is one thing that will ease my mind and help me find rest even in death.”
With his hands folded behind his back, he lowly hangs his head and drags his feet back to his cell.
He looks up the huge thick walls that surround him, probably praying for his loved one beyond to come and help lift the burden he carries.
The Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC), expected to be reconstituted under a new law currently in the works, will be required to delegate some of its regulatory powers to an independent body of media practitioners in a development that is set to entrench self-regulation within the profession.
The Zimbabwe Media Commission Bill is set to scrap Government regulation of the industry while introducing co-regulation of the media between the ZMC and an independent professional body constituted by the industry.
The ZMC Bill is one of the three laws set to replace the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Aippa), scheduled for repeal soon.
DIVISIONS continued to rock the family of the late national hero, Dr Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi, as several family members, including daughters Selmor and Sandra, snubbed the “sham” memorial held in Madziva, Mashonaland Central, yesterday.
There was tension in the run up to the memorial, with a number of family members saying they had been kept in the dark insofar the programme of the ceremony was concerned.
Sandra and Selmor, Tuku’s daughters with first wife Melody, were conspicuous by their absence as well as other important figures like aunts, uncles, nephews and nieces.
Sekuru Patrick, who was supposed to represent Tuku’s father since he is the last surviving member, was also a no-show, as was a representative of Tuku’s mother, who was only identified as Gogo Veli.
Tuku’s nephew, Kabila, as well as his out-of-wedlock son, Selby — who were spotted by this publication’s reporters in Harare on Friday night — also stayed away.
Sources close to the family said most family members decided not to pitch up in protest over the way Daisy, Tuku’s widow, had handled the memorial.
“The girls could have made it in the morning, but they were stopped by other family members. The issue is that Daisy did not follow protocol in informing the relevant people about the memorial.
“She and her children carried the deceased (Tuku)’s items on their own without informing the family. They slaughtered a cow on Wednesday without the other family members’ involvement. She wanted them to be passengers at their son’s, father’s or brother’s funeral. They refused,” said our source.
After the memorial, the family was set to gather and distribute Dr Mtukudzi’s personal belongings (kugova nhumbi), as is the cultural norm, but that process hung by a thread last night, with indications that it could not proceed without all the family representatives as dictated by tradition. A close family member, who refused to be named, warned that tempers could flare if Daisy “arrogantly” continued doing things her way.
“Things cannot continue like this. We need to sit and map a way forward. As we speak, this ceremony is a non-event, it’s a sham,” said the family member.
A nephew to Dr Mtukudzi, Victor Rukainga, who was a close friend as well as a confidante of the late national hero, said his uncle would never rest in peace as long as the family remained divided.
“If you were listening closely, the pastor touched on this issue. He quoted Tuku’s song in which he sang ‘kana ndefa deedzai vana vangu’,’ said Rukainga.
“We do not know why they did not come, the children as well as some of Tuku’s sisters and relatives. But this is not the way to handle things. If there are problems in the family, they should have a round-table and address the issues,” he added.
The event, which kicked off at 10.25am with the raising of the national flag at Dr Mtukudzi’s grave by members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police in honour of the late national hero, ended just after 1pm.
In her speech at the ceremony, Daisy equated herself to an elephant, saying naysayers were like barking puppies that cannot do anything to her.
In apparent reference to the divisions, she said what was happening had always been the case when her husband was alive and so nothing had changed.
“I will keep quiet. I will not tarnish my husband’s image after he was honoured by the country as a national hero and mourned by the whole world,” she said.
Sculptor Dominic Benhura and singer Bob Nyabinde spoke glowingly about Dr Mtukudzi and offered words of comfort to Daisy and the family. A representative from the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation also comforted the family and asked them to continue with the work Dr Mtukudzi started, especially at Pakare Paye Arts Centre in Norton.
Throughout the event, Daisy and her daughter Samantha remained the closest relatives of Dr Mtukudzi in attendance.
Unlike at the funeral, where thousands thronged the National Sports Stadium, Tuku’s Norton home and his rural homestead in Madziva, attendance at the memorial was largely underwhelming.
A handful of cars were parked outside, while a marquee set up for hundreds had many empty chairs, with the majority of people at the event being members of the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe, the late Tuku’s church.
DYNAMOS coach Lloyd Chigowe is set to turn to captain Edward Sadomba as the obvious replacement for in-form striker Ngandu Mangala, whose availability is in serious doubt after he picked up a knock against Mushowani last week.
The Glamour Boys host coalminers Hwange in another tricky encounter against a team coming from Division One at Rufaro this afternoon.
Mangala saved an unconvincing DeMbare the opening day blushes last week with two well taken goals in the second half before limping off with an ankle injury later on.
The Glamour Boys may have celebrated too soon midweek announcing that the striker from the Democratic Republic of Congo was back to full fitness before the player aggravated the injury during Thursday training.
Chigowe was praying for positive news from the medical team on Friday, but the club has remained mum on Mangala’s availability for the Hwange tie.
But the veteran coach celebrated the return of Sadomba to full fitness while expressing confidence that there were capable replacements in the squad.
“The team captain, Edward Sadomba, is back to lead his troops. His availability is a morale booster, he’s the leader of the pack.
“The question mark still hangs over Mangala, but the medical team is going to advise us tomorrow otherwise we have a squad where everybody is prepared to do duty.
“We will take it on from what the medical team says, but definitely we will field a side that will fight for three points,” Chigowe said after Thursday training.
However, the coach’s mobile phone went unanswered the entire day yesterday while the club’s communication officer Tinashe Farawo had no news on Mangala’s availability by the time of going to the press.
Without Mangala, Chigowe has a decision to make on who partners Sadomba upfront between Tawanda Macheke, who supported Mangala well last week, and highly-rated Cameroonian Ngahan Claude Junior.
Junior and compatriot Herve Vincent Mbega missed the opening match of the season last week as their papers were not in order.
The two could make their debuts for Dynamos this afternoon while Sadomba makes an emotional return to the club that gave him fame close to 10 years ago.
Mbega is sure to start in midfield to replace versatile Young Warriors defender Tawanda Chisi, who impressed in the middle of the park last week.
The Dynamos coach is wary of the danger posed by Hwange, boasting of lots of premier league experience, who beat struggling Yadah FC at the colliery last week.
“Hwange are not newcomers to the league. Probably what might have changed is that they could have introduced one or two new players. But Hwange remains Hwange, traditional powerhouses in Zimbabwean football and we will treat them as such. If we put on a good shift and fight, we are good to collect the three points,” he said.
Dynamos will be looking for a positive start to the season and be in a position to compete for the league title after fighting relegation last season.
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ZVISHAVANE-based sungura musician Gift “Case” Amuli (pictured above) says he is on the mend from the injuries he suffered after his vehicle was involved in an accident in Gweru early this year.
The Wamatuka singer cheated death after his car overturned, and last week he told Standard Style that he was on the road to recovery although he still uses mobility aids.
He refuted claims circulaiting on social media that he had hit hard times and was failing to foot hospital bills.
“My car was severely damaged and it’s now a write-off,” Amuli said.
“My right arm was fractured and it is in a plaster cast, but I am recovering.”
Amuli was born in Zhombe in 1974 and began his music career in Zvishavane, where he was a member of the Shabanie-Mashava Mines sponsored outfit Zvishavane Sounds, which was led by the late Joseph Mutero. The group is famed for the hit Mutongi Gava.
Zvishavane Sounds members were employed on full-time basis by the mining company’s social welfare department. However, in 2002, Amuli went solo and released a five-track album titled Wedangwe, which was poorly recieved.
After a lengthy sabbatical, he released the album By Ginya, which carried the hit Amai Vevana, but his turning point was in 2013 when he dropped the album Munozvigona Sei, which had the chart-busting Wamatuka.
His other albums are Machena, Yave Munesu, Bhora Mberi and Masvingo.
The musician said the accident was a drawback to his career and bemoaned piracy.
“l promise to make a comeback soon because l have realised that l am starving my fans in terms of new music. I won’t disclose the exact dates, but this year l will do something for my fans,” he said.
“As artistes, we have been negatively affected by piracy to such an extent that we are disheartened to continue releasing music. I hope the government will put in place policies and laws to cushion musicians so that they get proceeds from selling their music.”
Jane Mlambo| Opposition MDC Deputy President has trashed media reports that he brokered a deal with his party leader Nelson Chamisa ahead of the party congress set for May this year.
Mudzuri said the story could have emanated from some mischiveouos tale bearer who wanted to manipulate public discourse.
Commenting in The Standard, Mudzuri said;
“The story could have only originated from a very mischievous tale bearer, seeking to engineer and manipulate public discourse to fit in a personal scheme.”
Jane Mlambo| Controversial National Patriotic Front Spokesperson, Jealousy Mawarire has charged that whenever President Emmerson Mnangagwa opens his mouth, he says the wrong things.
This comes after Mnangagwa said the death of people due to cyclone idai in Chimanimani and Chipinge was a blessing in disguise.
Mawarire blasted Mnangagwa saying; “Whenever @edmnangagwa opens his mouth, stuff meant for the sewer end oozes out.”
Zimbabweans have reacted angrily to Mnangagwa’s remarks with Nkosana Moyo’s APA saying the President was out of his depth and completely tactless.
“You are out of your depth, completely tactless, soulless and a downright embarrassment. The scary thing is you are oblivious to your failings like a giddy school boy.”
