Transport minister Blade Nzimande has dismissed claims that there is a shortage of truck drivers in SA that require “rare skills” – a claim which has led to the trucking industry hiring foreign nationals.

Nzimande addressed the media in Durban on Thursday amid ongoing negotiations with truck owners and truck driver associations following a spate of volatile protests. Trucks were burnt on the N3 freeway in KwaZulu-Natal, affecting thousands of motorists, during the protest action.

The protests stemmed from the alleged hiring of foreign drivers in the transport industry.

Nzimande provided feedback to members of various truck driving associations following preliminary investigations conducted by a task team formed to deal with the matter. 

He emphasised that the dispute was solely between employers and employees of the trucking industry and was one that need to be addressed by the department of labour moving forward.

Nzimade listed some of the key recommendations that were compiled by the task team. 

“There must be an enhancement of existing law enforcement operations by the various departments. There must also be workshops and security plans on how to enforce what are essentially our laws which include labour laws as well as other laws that relate to employment of workers and in particular employment of foreign nationals.”

He added that the proper processes should be followed in terms of such laws.

“There must be proof that the skills we are importing are scarce and not to be found. We don’t believe that that is a shortage of skills as far as truck drivers are concerned. Let’s say there were for the sake of argument, it’s not rocket science to actually train truck drivers.

“It’s an issue that the department of transport is constantly looking into and that is why the minister of labour said they are not aware of any applications as per the law. If I need a particular kind of skill and it is not in South Africa I need to apply to the minister of labour and home affairs, but there has been no application for truck drivers,” he said. 

Some other key recommendations made by the government- led task team were:

• Unannounced regular visits and inspections to the premises’ of truck owners, operators and logistic companies. 

• The strengthening of the process of validation and verification of immigration and visa documentation – including work permits and foreign drivers’ licences.

• The department of labour and home affairs must provide feedback on their analysis and impact of foreign nationals living or working in SA. 

Siphesihle Muthwa of the National Truck Drivers Federation said he distanced himself from the fiery protests along the N3, saying that as an organistation they would never fuel such violence.

He said South African truck drivers had the skills and yet were sitting at home unemployed. 

“We are saying it is enough now, it is enough. We can’t carry on like this.”

Muthwa painted a grim picture of foreign national truck drivers, listing a number of fatal accidents that they were responsible for. 

“In Nottingham Road, N3, we had an accident there that was a foreign driver pulling a container – five people died on the scene. The foreign driver ran away. In Heidelberg the truck driver [sic] was driving to Ladysmith, he hit a taxi there, 12 people died on the scene, the foreign driver ran away.

“N11, Fort Mistake, foreign national driver collided head on with a taxi [sic], nine people died, foreign driver ran away. Tugela, next to Engen garage there was an accident there, 11 people died – foreign national was driving, he ran away.”

He concluded by reminding the media about the incident on Fields Hill in Pinetown, Durban, when 21 people were killed when Swazi national Sanele May ploughed into a number of vehicles, an incident which made international headlines and resulted in May receiving an eight-year prison sentence. 

Kwazulu-Natal MEC for transport, community safety and liaison Mxolisi Kaunda concluded by praising the ministers of police, home affairs and transport who all convened in Durban on Wednesday and Thursday to resolve the matter. 

Times Live

Have you ever received an international call, whose quality was very poor, a lot of delays, and most importantly, the number calling you appeared as a local call instead of the international format? Well, some fraudster is fraudulently making that call possible using a Simbox. And Simbox fraud seem to be on the rise (or its happening) judging by messages Netone is sending its customers.

What’s Simbox fraud

A SIM box fraud is a setup in which fraudsters uses a device with several ports for SIM cards to connect international calls through it. In essence, the fraudster connects international calls through local phone numbers (of th country which they are operating) to make it appear as if the call is a local call. This way, fraudsters bypass all international interconnect charges.

You probably remember that in 2014 a certain Bulawayo guy was found operating a sim box that used 164 lines from all three Mobile Network Operators (MNO). The network operator whose SIM cards were used to connect the calls in Zimbabwe only get paid for a local call rate because the call was rerouted through a local SIM card. Then the fraudsters receive the international charges for rerouted calls.

So clearly the fraudsters deny MNOs from benefiting from international phone calls which bring them foreign currency that they desperately need in at this point of time in Zimbabwe.

However, this is not a problem that’s exclusive to Zimbabwe only. It is estimated that Africa loses over 150 million US dollars every year to interconnection frauds. And when we combine Africa and the rest of the world, the loss in revenue to MNOs is, not surprisingly, billions.

Causes of simbox fraud

More often than not, the problem is prevalent in countries where the incoming international traffic rates are high and controls are lax in terms of availability of SIMs. However, it’s not necessarily countries with high incoming traffic rates experience this fraud, but even those with competitevely low rates are hit with simbox fraud.

So I believe the availability of SIM cards at cheaper prices and the lack of law enforcement over the sale of prepaid SIM cards is the real issue that’s making Simbox fraud thrive in all countries, be it a country with cheap rates or high rates.

Is there any danger for the caller or receiver Simbox fraud call?

Apart from the poor quality of the call, there isn’t any clearly identified danger to the caller or receiver of a such a call connection.

Are MNOs detecting this fraud? And is it it on the rise?

To begin with, SIM boxes are programmed to mimic the activities of a normal call user. Couple that with the growing sophistication around SIM box technologies and the fraudsters getting smarter to outfox local operators, detecting Simbox fraud is getting way harder these days. Therefore its hard to really determine if Simbox fraud is on the rise because even the MNOs themselevs are failing to detect it. But rest assured the practice is happening in Zim.

Techzim

China is reportedly planning to station an elite special force from it’s red army in Zimbabwe, as Beijing moves to crystalize military cooperation with Harare, amid growing fears that the Asian powerhouse has formally approved plans to commence construction of an underground military base in the country, Spotlight Zimbabwe, can exclusively reveal.

The Telescope News, first broke the story about China’s planned secret state of the art underground base in the diamond rich Marange fields in eastern Zimbabwe in December 2014, which was going to be equipped with advanced radar systems, an operational control tower and other world class aviation technology facilities. Our disclosures resulted in a United States panel on Africa interrogating the matter during a hearing on Zimbabwe by the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations in 2015, thus raising alarm in Washington which was worried about China’s growing influence in Africa.

California Congresswoman, Karen Bass, went on to seek clarification on the issue from then U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Dr Shannon Smith, who had returned from a visit in Harare, but she was not provided with a direct answer.

The new mystrey of China’s red army’s special force stationing in Zimbabwe, also comes barely a year when Spotlight Zimbabwe, reported that China has reportedly deployed and installed a dreaded new generation of surface-to- air missiles (SAM) in the country. Experts say the SAM technology is similar to the one, which Beijing deployed to the South China Sea on Woody Island, comprising of her latest HQ-9 missiles.

It is thought that the special force, is primarily concerned with protecting China’s new military base in Zimbabwe, her huge diamond claims and gold mines across the country, where some of the SAM technology is believed to be installed.

According to a former minister with a security related portfolio in one of ex-leader President Robert Mugabe’s administrations, whose story has been corroborated by Asian diplomatic sources in South Africa, China has been working on sending her special military force to Zimbabwe since 2014 “to offer technical assistance and support” to the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), and an agreement was finally reached the following year between the two countries through their defence ministries and army leadership, but Mugabe called it off on the eleventh hour, after accusing the Chinese of corruption, and the plunder of diamonds in Marange.

Mugabe it is also now coming to light, had become suspicion of his then deputy, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s relationship with China, and that he was courting their support to replace him under the guise of war games and military exchanges with the red army.

“They (China) have been itching to set a permanent military presence in this country, to protect their vast economic interests here but Mugabe was resisting the overtures,” said the former cabinet minister. “Although the cover argument was around offering technical assistance and support to our armed forces, it later became clear that Mnangagwa had his own agreement and arrangements with China. This infuriated Mugabe, and it was also during the same period Mnangagwa had first travelled to China as vice president, holding high level meetings which his boss had not fully been briefed on. The incident increased Mugabe’s political mistrust for Mnangagwa, whom he suspected was presenting himself to President Xi Jinping, as the best political actor to secure China’s investments in Zimbabwe after he steps down. The rest is history. Mnangagwa has since invited China back to mine diamonds in Marange, and their special force has received the greenlight from vice president Rtd General, Constatino Chiwenga, to find a station in the country. Now there is every reason to believe that Mugabe’s November 2017 ouster, could have been a result of China viewing his stay in power as a threat to their economic investments, especially after having stripped them of diamond mining rights.”

The Communist Party of China, invited Mnangagwa to visit Beijing from July 6 to 10 2015. During this stay, he met business leaders and senior ruling party and government officials including former Chinese Vice-President Li Yuanchao.

Zimbabwe is a hotbed of Chinese investments topping billions of dollars across key economic sectors of mining, agriculture, and telecommunications. Chinese businessmen are involved in farming formerly white-owned commercial farms, and Beijing has won a contract to construct the country’s new capital city in Mount Hampden, including a new parliament to be built at a cost of US$46million.

Diplomatic sources said VP Chiwenga was allegedly at the heart of consenting to China bringing in their elite force to set camp in Zimbabwe.

“The main protagonist is your vice president,” said one of the envoys based in Pretoria. “VP Chiwenga has remained in regular contact with top officials from the People’s Liberation Army. He met with Chinese defence minister in 2015, when he was the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander, where stronger cooperation was forged and an agreement signed to have the special force come to Zimbabwe. It also blends well with his ambitions to takeover power, when his time comes. The army unit headed for Zimbabwe comes from China’s special ground force called PLASF (People’s Liberation Army Special Operations Forces).”

Army public relations staffers yesterday could neither confirm nor deny that China was about to deploy a special force in the country.

spotlight zimbabwe

By Own Correspondent| The Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCOZ) has urged responsible authorities to treat cases of violence with high priority.

The statement, was in connection with allegations of violence allegedly committed by Vice President Kembo Mohadi against his former wife Tambudzani Mohadi on the 30th of March 2019 in Beitbridge.

The Women’s rights group called upon the judiciary to:

“…treat all cases of violence against women and girls with high priority and ensure that justice is served at all times.”

WCOZ also reiterated its call for ending violence against women noting that they also have a right to live a life free of violence.

The group strongly condemned any form of violence at all levels.

In relation to the presence of members of the police force, WCOZ said:

“It has also been reported that such shocking acts were committed in the presence of members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP). We believe that these are very serious allegations which require urgent investigations and due process of the law.”

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa plans to appoint more opposition officials to key government positions notwithstanding his continuing brawl with MDC boss Nelson Chamisa – who has adamantly refused to recognise him as Zimbabwe’s legitimate leader, the Daily News reported.

This comes after the 76-year-old Zanu-PF leader appointed prominent former MDC legislator and spokesperson of the MDC’s revered late founding father Morgan Tsvangirai, James Maridadi, as one of the country’s new ambassadors – in a move which has surprised many in the country, including in Zanu-PF.

Mnangagwa’s spokesperson George Charamba told the Daily News yesterday that his boss would follow up on Maridadi’s appointment by picking more opposition officials in important government positions.

“We are on a nation-building project. We are interested in national cohesion. We are no longer concerned about political affiliations.

“He (Maridadi) is Zimbabwean and he has the qualifications. He has the qualities of a diplomat. In fact, we are going to appoint more individuals from the opposition,” he said.

Maridadi was this week selected as part of a group of ambassadors-designate who are undergoing a special induction programme meant to acquaint them with the key role of envoys.

He joined a group that included retired lieutenant generals Anselem Sanyatwe, Martin Chedondo and Douglas Nyikayaramba, as well as former vice air marshal Sheba Shumbayawonda – who are all set to take up ambassadorial roles having been retired by Mnangagwa earlier this year.

Maridadi, a former popular disc jockey, began his political career with former Finance minister Simba Makoni’s Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn in 2008, before he switched over to the MDC where he was appointed Tsvangirai’s spokesperson.

He later became an MDC MP and chief of protocol during the short-lived but stability-inducing government of national unity era.

Last year, he was defeated in the MDC primary elections ahead of the July 30 national polls and subsequently also lost his long-held Mabvuku-Tafara constituency to James Chidhakwa.

Yesterday, a stunned MDC described Maridadi’s appointment as “shocking, considering tense relations between the opposition and Mnangagwa”. “It’s shocking. It’s eyebrow-raising. One wonders what he (Maridadi) did to get rewarded at this stage. We understand that the struggle for democracy is hard and long. It’s difficult for many to last the distance.

“We know that the system deploys spies to infiltrate the party, but they are going to be outed and we will always have these people that always try to get to our principals,” MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume told the Daily News.

Chamisa has been brawling with Mnangagwa ever since he narrowly lost last year’s hotly-disputed July 30 presidential election – whose result he vigorously challenged at the Constitutional Court (Con-Court). The youthful opposition leader even went to the extent of accusing the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) of manipulating the poll results in favour of the Zanu-PF leader.

But Mnangagwa’s victory was upheld by the Con-Court, which ruled that Chamisa had failed to provide evidence that he had won the election. So far, there has been no meaningful engagement between Mnangagwa and Chamisa despite the Zanu-PF leader having invited his political rivals to several meetings which the MDC leader has consistently snubbed.

Political analysts said yesterday that while it was “normal in some countries” to appoint opposition figures into key government posts, it was surprising that Mnangagwa had picked Maridadi – given the strained relations between Zanu-PF and the MDC following last year’s disputed elections.

“While it is Maridadi’s right to take his career in any path that he so chooses, the appointment raises a lot of questions on how secure the opposition is from infiltration by people who do not believe in its struggle.

“It is normal in democracies for people to be appointed from across the floor and we had (former South African president Thabo) Mbeki appointing former DA leader Tony Leon as ambassador, but let’s remember that Zimbabwe is far from being a democracy nor a politically normal country.

“Having someone appointed by a party in government that shot what I believe to be Maridadi’s political mates on 1 August 2018 baffles the mind,” political analyst Rashweat Mukundu said. “This appointment also raises questions on how political leaders can easily and seemingly abandon struggles they once stood for.

“One can imagine that if Ian Smith was as lucky as Zanu-PF, then the liberation struggle could as well have been abandoned as people jostled to take positions and goodies that come with that.

“I don’t fault Maridadi for his decision. I only question how principled our politicians are,” Mukundu added. This is not the first time that a member of the opposition has been appointed to head a foreign mission.

Ousted former president Robert Mugabe appointed the late Trudy Stevenson, Hilda Mafudze, Hebson Makuvise and Jacqueline Zwambila as ambassadors during the GNU.

While Makuvise and Zwambila’s terms ended with the expiry of the GNU, Stevenson and Mafudze remained on tour of duty in Senegal and Sudan respectively well after the unity government.

Stevenson died last year in August, while Mafudze is now returning home to make way for a new appointee.

Correspondent|Former Energy and power Development minister who is now one of the country’s political veterans in the opposition MDC, Dzikamai Mavhaire has been convicted and fined $20 or rot in prison for four days.

Regional Magistrate Hosea Mujaya ordered Mavhaire to pay $20 after he had ruled that Mavhaire was willingly in default.

Mavhaire was last week slapped with a warrant of arrest after he was warned to come to court as a state witness in the ZPC matter involving Stanely Kazhanje.

In his defense the former ruling ZANU PF strongman said that he thought Kazhanje wanted to drag his name into mud.

Mavhaire is to testify on the matter of Kazhanje who was arrested and brought to court on allegations that on October 23, 2015 and while he was still chairperson at ZPC signed an Engineering Procurement and Construction contract of a 100 Megawatt Solar Project with Intratrek

It is alleged that during December 11 2015 to January 20 2016, ZPC paid Intratrek $1 263 154 in advance for the implementation of the project.

However, the State alleged that Intratrek did not fulfill its obligation, resulting in the management suggesting termination of the contract.

It is further said that on 21 January 2016 and under unclear circumstances, Kazhanje allegedly received $10 000 into his personal Barclay’s Bank account from Intratrek’s CBZ bank account.

It is the state’s case that in his capacity as ZPC’s board chairperson, Kazhanje presided over a meeting where it was resolved that ZPC must pay services direct to Intratrek subcontractors instead of terminating the contract.

This resulted in ZPC paying $4 387 849 as advance payment despite the fact that Intratrek had not fulfilled its obligation.

It is the State’s case that the $10 000 deposited into Kazhanje and the subsequent resolution not to terminate Intratrek’s contract gave rise to reasonable suspicion that Kazhanje was influenced by this payment to decide in favour of Intratrek.

By so doing, the state alleged that Kazhanje failed to declare any interests upon his appointment as the ZPC chairperson.

Magistrate Mujaya ordered Mavhaire to however appear in court on 15 April to testify in the trial without fail.

Jane Mlambo| State broadcaster ZBC yesterday boycotted an event in which the Minister of State for Manicaland Province Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba was expected to receive donated medicines and foodstuffs from Nedbank to the cyclone idai victims in Mutare.

According to one journalist in Mutare, Kenneth Matimaire, Gwaradzimba had to delay the handover event for about an hour just because the ZBC crew was not around.

“This is despite the fact that other journalists had pitched up to cover the donation.

“After she established that the ZBC crew was not insight, she advised Nedbank staff to accompany her to her offices and give her a brief of their donation as they wait for ZBC.

“The crew never came and she had to proceed with the donation.”

VIEW PICTURES BELOW…

VIEW PICTURES BELOW…

Chairperson of the Midlands State University`s Chemical Technology Department, Dr. Gift Mehlana has been awarded a £300 000 grant by the African Academy of Sciences and Royal Society to establish an independent research that will address global challenges relevant to Zimbabwe.

The award was presented at Naivasha in Kenya where African scientists drawn from across the continent convened from the 4th to the 5th of April,2019 to celebrate the start of their two year Future Leaders-African Independent Research (FLAIR) fellowships.

Dr. Mehlana was among the 30 FLAIR fellowships and the only Zimbabwean representing a local institution who received the award out of a pool of 700 applicants.

-MSU website

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Zanu-PF has lowered the maximum age for political office in the youth league to 35 in a fresh campaign that seeks to promote a greater voice for young people.

Zimbabwe’s median age is just 19, according to the United Nations, and many youths see the youth league’s ageing leaders as out of touch. The move is seen as a dig at the ruling party’s youth league boss, Pupurai Togarepi, 54, just the latest old person at the helm of the youth league after Absalom Sikhosana, now 70, who was the head of the youth league before Togarepi in 2017.

Zanu-PF youth league deputy secretary Lewis Matutu, 31, said they will not allow anyone who is above 35 years of age to hold any position in the ruling party’s youth structures during their on-going Bulawayo and Harare province restructuring process.

President Mnangagwa announced the dissolution of the executives of the two provinces about a month ago to address factionalism which the Zanu-PF leadership blamed for its failure to win urban constituencies in the two metropolises.

Matutu said they were moving to modernise the youth league.

“In Harare and Bulawayo, we are not going to allow anyone who is over 35 years to be in youth league structures. 

“As youths, we want to move with the times and modernise our youth league.

“We want to do away with those old and corrupt land barons who want to abuse our youths,” Matutu told the Daily News.

Youths have been crying for space both in party politics and national issues. Since Independence, Zanu-PF has been blamed of choosing “old youth” leaders who are over 35. The current national youth executive is populated with cadres who are above 40.

Last year, ahead of the December conference, war veterans and the women’s league moved a motion to have the conference push for the ruling party to use its super majority in Parliament to raise the minimum age for presidential aspirants from the current 40 years to 52.

The proposal was widely seen as targeted at MDC Alliance presidential candidate in last year’s election, 41-year-old Nelson Chamisa. When the subject was broached by some in Zanu-PF – several members of the party’s youth league, including Matutu, staunchly rejected the proposal, saying it was retrogressive and a threat to the Constitution.

“Youths constitute the largest percentage of the population and this is also the largest age group of people who vote and you cannot tell them not to participate in the country’s politics,” Matutu said after last year’s proposal.

Source – dailynews

Cyclone idai death toll has hit 344 people with more people still not yet accounted for .

Below is the breakdown of the death toll;

CYCLONE IDAI UPDATE:
DEATHS OF ZIMBABWEANS
Mozambique 158
Chimanimani 169
Chipinge 6
Buhera 1
Makoni 1
Mutare Rural 4
Masvingo. 5
——————————
Total 344

A crowded field of fresh faces and bigwigs has lined up to seek the MDC’s vice-presidential nomination. The diverse group vying to land the three VP posts, includes MPs and senators. A record four women are running, who would make history if more than one of them become the VP.

Incumbent vice presidents Morgen Komichi and Welshman Ncube, deputy national chairperson Tendai Biti, secretary for elections Murisi Zwizwai, Women’s Assembly boss Lynette Karenyi-Kore, treasurer-general Theresa Makone, deputy secretary-general Paurina Mpariwa; Midlands North provincial secretary Lillian Timveos have all launched campaigns to pursue a vice presidential bid, with Felix Magalela Sibanda joining the fray at the last minute, the Daily News reported.

Magalela Sibanda, who is former Bulawayo deputy mayor and former provincial information secretary, has written to all the MDC provincial executives, requesting them to nominate him for the position of vice president.

In his letter to all the provinces seen by the Daily News, Magalela Sibanda said his decision to contest for the position of deputy president at the May elective congress was informed not only by his desire to lead but also the fact that his participation will ostensibly “legitimise the congress”

“As a formality to yourselves, the esteemed provincial executive, I hereby seek your indulgence and support,” Sibanda said, adding: “I implore you to nominate me as one of the MDC vice presidents in the forthcoming MDC elective congress.”

Sibanda said he believes he has what it takes to take the party to another level if elected owing to his “vast” experience in the MDC since its formation in 1999. “I’m of the conviction that, contesting a political post in a mass party like ours is not only my desire but it would also legitimise, legalise and democratise the internal electoral processes.

“Therefore, whoever shall win fairly will be representing me too in the standing committee,” he assured the regional honchos.

Sources said Magalela Sibanda hopes to land the post currently held by Ncube whom he thinks has no support in the party structures. A respected lawyer, Ncube returned to the MDC towards last year’s general elections at the behest of the party’s late founding president Morgan Tsvangirai, who died of colon cancer last year.

“Sibanda is trying his luck hoping to shake Welsh by portraying him as someone who once betrayed Tsvangirai and hence unelectable. He is however, failing to read the politics properly because the return of Ncube and Biti is an issue of the Tsvangirai legacy and anyone who fights them will be fighting against that inadvertently and chances of success range between zero and slim,” a national executive member from Bulawayo said on condition of anonymity.

Ncube and Biti broke ranks with Tsvangirai in 2005 and 2014 respectively and went on to form their own political outfits.

The two former secretary- generals of the MDC bounced back last year when Tsvangirai decided to reunite the party before his death to form the MDC Alliance as part of his legacy.

They stood by Chamisa who was chosen to succeed Tsvangirai amid fierce resistance from both Elias Mudzuri and former vice president Thokozani Khupe who felt they were entitled to take over.

Their loyalty to Chamisa, according to insiders, has earned them respect from party supporters across the country, notwithstanding the attempts to spite them by their rivals.

“For someone who is politically astute, it is easy to see that it is suicidal to try and fight Biti and Ncube at this point in time because whatever outcome of the congress must reflect the commitment made by Chamisa to Tsvangirai that he will keep his legacy and that includes keeping Biti and Ncube close.

That is why the two will be vice presidents come what may,” the source said.

Source – dailynews

Former president Robert Mugabe’s son-in-law Simba Chikore’s application for discharge at the close of the state case has been dismissed by a Harare magistrate Victoria Mashamba for lack of merit while the state has been put on notice in the trial for Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (POTRAZ) director general Dr Gift Machengete after repeatedly failing to respond to his application for exception to allegations of violation of tender procedures.

The former president Mugabe’s son-in-law and his co accused Simbarashe Mutimbe are jointly facing charges of unlawfully detaining Chikore’s former secretary at Air Zimbabwe, Bertha Zakeyo.

In her ruling, Magistrate Mashamba said the central issue in the matter involved freedom which is a fundamental right and based on the available evidence, it was necessary for the accused to be put to their defence so that justice may be served.

She added that the state had managed to prove on the surface that there was a case as the co-accused had admitted having been instructed to close the gate unless the complainant surrendered her phone.

The matter will proceed on the 14^th of May.

In another matter at the Harare Magistrates Court, Harare regional magistrate Mr Hoseah Mujaya has put the state on notice after it has repeatedly failed to respond to POTRAZ director general Dr Machengete’s application for exception to charges of violating the state procurement procedures.

Mr Mujaya cancelled all bail reporting conditions for Dr Machengete and temporarily released his passport until the 17^th of April as the accused intends to go to Switzerland on government business.

Machengete was initially charged for abuse of office before the state made an about turn amending the charges to violation of tender procedures.

Mr Mujaya expressed dismay at the conduct of the state and rebuked head of the anti corruption special task force Mr Thabani Mpofu for having failed to appear before the court to respond to Dr Machengete’s application.

At the next appearance if there is no response from the state, Dr Machengete’s application for exception will be upheld.

-State Media

Jane Mlambo| In a desperate move that shows the Zimbabwe government is hard hit by the United States sanctions, President Emmerson Mnangagwa is hoping the donation by the western giant to the victims of cyclone idai will mark a change in relations between the two nations.

While addressing Chimanimani villagers yesterday, Mnangagwa said the US government made a donation of $2.5 million to Zimbabwe despite the unceremonious relationship existing between the two.

Posting on Twitter today, deputy minister of information Energy Mutodi expressed Mnangagwa’s hope that the donation will mark the end of hostile politics between Zimbabwe and the United States of America.

Check out @energymutodi’s Tweet: https://twitter.com/energymutodi/status/1114152154426691584?s=09

Farai Dziva|Zanu PF MP for Zaka East Robson Mavenyengwa was recently assaulted by angry Tongaat Hullet workers for seizing land belonging to the company.

The workers were left jobless and homeless following the seizure of productive land by Mavenyengwa and several Zanu PF bigwigs.

The former police officer had to run for dear life after being cornered by the angry workers.

The Tongaat Hullet workers who assaulted Mavenyengwa have since been arrested.

However, a member of the Tongaat Hullet workers’ committee has warned of more protests to come.

Farai Dziva|Fiery social media analyst, Antony Taruvinga has described James Maridadi as a political turncoat.

Maridadi was recently offered a diplomatic post (CIO level) by Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Below was 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|A Masvingo based schoolteacher has donated a huge portrait to Zanu PF leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The teacher, by the name Tinos Ndirowei has been castigated for desperately trying to gain political favour from Mnangagwa.

Ndirowei is a teacher at Mafomoti Secondary School in Mwenezi.

Fellow teachers in the area have alleged that Ndirowei is a Zanu PF spy.

“He is on a mission – how can he make a portrait of Mnangagwa at a time teachera are suffering as a result of the Zanu PF regime’s bad policies.

It is clear that he is part of the system.He is untouchable and he is above the school rules and regulations.To be precise the man is a spy,” fumed a teacher at the school.

Farai Dziva|Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa has been castigated for “celebrating the Tropical Cyclone Idai calamity.

A Masvingo based pressure group, voice of Bikita, blasted Mnangagwa for being heartless when he said bad things can attract good things.

“What a shame. How could you seem to celebrate the death of some people when you said ” Kuipa kwezvimwe kunaka kwezvimwe (life brings both good and bad).”

You also now admit that these RTGS are not equal to a USD. Ooooh cry my beloved Zimbabwe,” said the pressure group in a statement.

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Jane Mlambo| President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s drive to tame corruption is in turmoil with the so called criminals surrounding the former President Robert Mugabe being acquitted of criminal abuse of office by the courts.

Soon after his assumption of office, Mnangagwa said he was going to tackle corruption head-on but the latest acquittal of Supa Mandiwanzira has raised concerns over the sincerity of the former Justice minister to end the vice.

According to The Herald, the state is seeking to petition the High Court for a rescission of the judgment acquitting former minister Supa Mandiwanzira of criminal abuse of office charges that was delivered on Wednesday. The decision was granted in default after all the listed respondents — trial magistrate Mr Elijah Makomo, Prosecutor-General Mr Kumbirai Hodzi and the National Prosecuting Authority — failed to make representations on the matter.

Mandiwanzira was facing criminal abuse of office charges after he allegedly awarded a US$218 million auditing contract to South African-based Megawatt Energy.

The deal allegedly prejudiced NetOne of $5 million.

Anti-Corruption Special Unit director Mr Tabani Mpofu last night confirmed to The Herald they were in the process of filing an application for rescission of decision, which he claimed was erroneous.

“We are going to court to seek a rescission of the default judgment granted against us,” he said.

“It was erroneously granted because the Prosecutor-General’s Office was not served with the notice of set-down. In fact, the notice was served on the Attorney-General’s Office.”

Mandiwanzira approached the higher court challenging the trial court’s decision dismissing his application excepting to the charges.

Justice Nicholas Mathonsi granted a default judgment against the respondents in the matter that had been brought to court on the basis that it was unopposed.

“The application for review is hereby granted. The judgment of the first respondent dated 15th February, 2019 be and is hereby set aside and substituted with an order that count one of the charges brought against the applicant on the 7th of December, 2018 is hereby quashed,” ruled Justice Mathonsi.

Documents seen by The Herald, showed that none of the respondents were served with papers to make submissions.

The court papers show that Mandiwanzira’s lawyers served the Attorney-General’s Office although he was not part of the proceedings. Mandiwanzira sued the trial magistrate after he threw out his application for exception of the criminal charges.

He ruled that the former minister has a case to answer and should be put to his defence. Commenting on Mandiwanzira second charge in which he is accused of appointing his personal assistant to the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (Potraz) board, Mr Mpofu insisted the prosecution has a strong case against him.

-State Media

BULAWAYO had the highest number of convictions over public violence which occurred from January 14 to 16 this year, accounting for 225 of the 375 cases, according to the police.

The second highest cases were reported in Harare with 69, Mashonaland West 27, Manicaland 19, Mashonaland Central 14, Mashonaland East nine, Midlands six, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South three each, while Masvingo province had zero convictions.

The summary report for convictions on public violence cases covers from the day of the violence up to March 31.

According to the report, of the total number of the convicted people, eight were sentenced to seven years in jail each.

Of these, five were from Mashonaland East, two from Harare and one from the Midlands.

A total of six convicted persons were sentenced to six years imprisonment each, while 40 were slapped with a five-year jail term each, 29 were sentenced to four years each and 48 were given a three-year jail term each, followed by 65 who were give a two-year jail sentence each.

At least 92 were slapped with one year jail term each, 35 were sentenced to six months imprisonment each, four got five months each and 30 were slapped with three months’ imprisonment each.

Six of them were sentenced to strokes of the cane, which ranged from two to five each, while 12 others got suspended sentences.

The police indicated that 200 people from all provinces who were convicted were instructed to pay fines.

The violent demonstrations left 78 police officers injured in the line of duty, while one was killed.

Security services quelled the disturbances, arresting over a thousand participants, many of whom were caught looting and setting properties on fire.

-State Media

Jane Mlambo| A Zimbabwean born author now based in the United States of America has revisited the Grace Mugabe-Gabriella Engels incident which in his new book said could have been a trap by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s faction to soil the former first lady.

Breaking the news on Twitter, UK based constitutional lawyer Alex Magaisa said;

1. You recall when Grace Mugabe beat up Gabriella Engels? A new book suggests Grace fell into a carefully laid out trap by coup-conspirators pushing ED’s agenda. A reading from the book says Grace was lured into a trap, when called to the room, knowing she would snap & lose it.

2. I don’t know if it’s a case of coup conspirators trying to take credit after the event. The reading says the coup conspirators called each other in celebration once Grace had misused the cable on Ms Engels. If this is true and correct, who else was involved in this “trap”?

Jane Mlambo| Self exiled former cabinet minister, Professor Jonathan Moyo has fired salvo at President Emmerson Mnangagwa saying his excitement over the United States dollars from the Donald Trump administration raises fears that the donation will be stolen.

Posting on Twitter, Moyo also attacked Mnangagwa for failing to correctly name the local RTGS dollars which he reportedly called RTG.

“Mnangagwa, calling the collapsing local RTGS$ currency “ma RTG”, excited like a toddler who’s had a lollipop for the first time, talking about receiving USD 2,5 million from the US Ambassador in Harare for Cyclone Idai victims. This has raised fears the money will just disappear!

Jane Mlambo| Self exiled former cabinet minister, Professor Jonathan Moyo has fired salvo at President Emmerson Mnangagwa for appearing to celebrate receiving United States dollars while mocking the local RTGS while addressing cyclone idai victims in Chimanimani.

Posting on Twitter, Moyo said Mnangagwa’s excitement raises fear that the money will just disappear.

“Mnangagwa, calling the collapsing local RTGS$ currency “ma RTG”, excited like a toddler who’s had a lollipop for the first time, talking about receiving USD 2,5 million from the US Ambassador in Harare for Cyclone Idai victims. This has raised fears the money will just disappear!

Press Release

05 April 2019, Harare – The Government, United Nations, donors and Non-Governmental Organisations convened today to launch a revised Humanitarian Flash Appeal to include response to Cyclone Idai requesting for an additional USD 60 million, bringing the total amount to USD 294 million required by humanitarian partners to complement national response efforts to drought, economic challenges and Cyclone Idai in Zimbabwe.

The launch of the revised humanitarian flash appeal convened by the UN Resident Coordinator was held at the UN offices in Harare bringing together senior representatives from Government, Ambassadors, members of the diplomatic corps and heads of development cooperation, UN heads of agencies, and non-government organisations.

Launching the revised humanitarian flash appeal, UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Bishow Parajuli said, “The United Nations, in response to Government’s request, launched a Humanitarian Flash Appeal recently requesting for USD 234million to address the emergency needs of 2.2 million people as a result of economic challenges and drought in urban and rural areas of the country.

Cyclone Idai has left an additional 270,000 people extremely vulnerable, bringing the total number of people targeted for humanitarian assistance by the UN and humanitarian partners to 2.47 million people with USD 294 million resources required.”

Appreciating several contributions made including by the corporate, churches, schools and the public at large, Mr. Parajuli reiterated the commitment of the humanitarian community and called for an urgent response to the revised humanitarian flash appeal in order to meet various immediate needs, including food, water, shelter, health and nutrition, education, protection, and logistics as well as early recovery needs.

Noting the recent findings by the Zimbabwe Vulnerable Assessment Committee that over 5 million people will be food insecure in 2019, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet Ms Constance Chigwamba said, “our focus should not only be on the response to Cyclone Idai but also to the drought affected population.”

The revised Humanitarian Flash Appeal aims to respond to the rising humanitarian needs of people in Zimbabwe due to a dry spell, challenging economic situation and compounded by the recent Cyclone Idai disaster in the eastern highlands part of the country.

According to the UN Financial Tracking System (FTS) the funding for the drought response stands at USD 25.5 million representing 11% of the total requirement.  For Cyclone Idai the total funding received so far amounts to USD 5.4 million. Several additional pledges have been made by humanitarian partners and the FTS will update the response level going forward.

The three main objectives of the Humanitarian Flash Appeal remain as follows:

• To save lives and livelihoods by providing integrated humanitarian assistance and protection to people impacted by the economic crisis and severe food insecurity,
• To provide life-saving humanitarian health assistance by responding to outbreaks and procuring essential medicines,
• To build resilience of the most vulnerable communities to mitigate against the impact of the deteriorating economic situation.

Noting that the revised appeal complements the Government’s ongoing interventions and emphasising on the need to consistently adhere to humanitarian principles of impartiality, neutrality, independence and humanity in relief distribution in which those in need of assistance receive, Mr. Parajuli, said, “The Flash Appeal will continue to target the Cyclone Idai victims, hardest-hit districts, which were prioritised based on information and data available while a humanitarian cluster needs assessment is underway.”

Commending the strong partnership in response to Cyclone Idai, Permanent Secretary Chigwamba reiterated that a comprehensive needs assessment to ascertain the immediate needs of the population and the post recovery needs, particularly infrastructure reconstruction and rehabilitation.

The Humanitarian Flash appeal contributes to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and it 17 goals, by advancing the overarching principle of “leave no one behind” and adopting humanitarian-development and peace building nexus in support of Zimbabwe’s commitments to furthering its human rights and humanitarian obligations.

The United Nations System, through 2016-2020 Zimbabwe United Nations Development Assistance Framework, works with various partners to advance democratic, social and economic governance for quality service delivery in the areas of food and nutrition, gender equality, HIV and AIDS, poverty reduction, social services and protection and governance and human rights. To date, the UN in Zimbabwe has delivered over USD 1.2 billion in various development projects under the 2016-2020 ZUNDAF as it works towards inclusive growth and sustainable development in the country.

For further information please contact:

Sirak Gebrehiwot, UN Communications Specialist, UN Resident Coordinator’s Office E-mail: [email protected]

By Own Correspondent- MDC president Nelson Chamisa reportedly blasted party secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora for bringing the name of the party into disrepute.

Chamisa expressed his displeasure with his counterpart during the party’s standing committee meeting on Wednesday.

Senior officials who spoke to Newsday over the issue said:

Mwonzora was told by the president that this is not a peacock contest, where one is trying to spread feathers and be seen to be more attractive than others.

He was accused of trying to appropriate himself to Tsvangirai’s achievements and to claim all the landmarks into his name, such as the Constitution-making process.

He was accused of trying to personalise everything that the party achieved, thereby bringing the party’s name into disrepute.

He was asked why he was contesting the race that hasn’t been opened yet.

… As for Cowdray Park, the buck stops with Mwonzora and he must take responsibility.

He was reminded that instead of seeking media attention, he is supposed to put the house in order and effectively run the party.

Mwonzora is said to be ready to challenge Chamisa for the party presidency at the elective Congress to be held next month.

By Own Correspondent- Former G40 Kingpin and Zanu Pf politburo member, Professor Jonathan Moyo has scoffed at President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s recent utterances where he appreciated the value of the US$ against the local currency RTGs describing his actions as that of a “toddler”.

Moyo warned that the country’s recently introduced currency, the RTGs is on its way out following Mnangagwa’s statements.

Addressing victims of Tropical Cyclone Idai at Ngangu stadium on Thursday, Mnangagwa hailed the money donated by president Donald Trump’s administration towards supporting victims of the natural phenomena which ravaged Zimbabwe and Mozambique killing over 500 people and leaving hundreds others missing.

Said Mnangagwa:

“The one (donation) which pleases most is the one by Trump. It is Trump I am talking about. Do you really know Trump? The very same man who put sanctions.

Just yesterday he sent his ambassador over here, and he came with two and a half million dollars, heee! heee! (Loud Scream).

Two and a half million dollars from their own country not our RTGS [KWETE: SHONA STRONG PERJORATIVE, DISAPPROVAL], not the fake dollar you all know, but the one from their own country. Two and a half million dollars from their own country, and he said go and help yourselves.

And he said if you have any other needs, we have our station in South Africa, we are able to assist you, your only trouble is that of simply informing us, just tell us what you want and we will give you. This was all from from Trump.”

By Tamuka Chirimambowa| The MDC Alliance finally called for a congress to be held in May 2019 and this has already heated the country’s political temperatures. As the jostling for positions is already heating up, there are two names already appearing as front runners despite that no official nomination has yet taken place.

The incumbent, Nelson Chamisa and Secretary General, Douglass Mwonzora will likely lock horns for the Premiership of the opposition party which rekindles the 2014 rivalry when Chamisa lost the Secretary General’s position to Mwonzora.

Beyond the rivalry of these two protagonists, the May 2019 Congress has to be seen as an unresolved succession question and a battle for the soul of the party. I say so mainly for three reasons: Firstly, the defeat of the Thokozani Khupe Faction towards the July 2018 elections, did not result in total surrender but a tactical retreat as some of the sympathisers remained in the party to fight another day.

Secondly, It revives the failed succession plot, Project 2016 and a close read of characters in the MDC Alliance says it all. Thirdly, these two historical facts highlighted above are very important in understanding the current ructions within the opposition as they also morph into a generational transition happening within the national body politic. 

Could it be Generational? 

On my recent trip from Zambia, I overheard the bus crew discussing MDC Alliance politics. “These guys aren’t in the structures and they are in their late 30s and early 40s. They reasoned: MDC should leave Chamisa at the presidency. We want someone young like us and Mwonzora should know it’s not his generation.” I asked them what if Chamisa loses? They argued back and passionately saying “we will tell Chamisa to go and form another party and vote for him.” To my shock was the whole bus joining the debate in support of the bus crew.

Most of the passengers were cross-border traders, mainly young women and men in the ages between  20s and 40s. If this is representative of the nation, which I am tempted to believe so, then it seems some candidates are misreading history.

Beyond this anecdotal observation one has to read the 2018 elections results, ‘warts and all’; it is crystal clear that the MDC Alliance amassed more votes in the Presidential than Parliamentary contest. For the first time, the MDC breached the 2 million mark.

On the Presidential ballot, the MDC Alliance had a youthful and more appealing candidate. Also, when one reads the profile of the rallies, it was the young who dominated.

On the Parliamentary ballot, the MDC Alliance under-performed and interesting to note is that most of its candidates were older. ZANU PF had a much more youthful candidacy on the Parliamentary ballot among many other factors, it outperformed its Presidential ballot which was geriatric. What in interesting to note here, is that the Youth are demanding their seat on the governance table.

Love or hate him, with 70% of the population being 45yrs and below, Chamisa has no contest in the MDC or the country. It seems we have a new reality and the Ruling Party, ZANU PF will have to renew its party, a debate for another day. The Congress is going to be generational. It appears the Morgan generation time is over.

Remembering History: Project 2016

After the defeat of the MDC in the 2013 elections, there was an intense debate on the utility of continuing with Morgan Tsvangirai as the leader of the party. Overtures were made to him to retire and create a new role as an ambassador of democracy in Africa.

When those diplomatic manoeuvres failed and Morgan’s kitchen cabinet prevailed, a lot of young Turks in the opposition were disgruntled. The thinking that dominated then was that, Tendai Biti would take over from Morgan and Nelson would follow in line.

This group of young Turks were code-named project 2016 and later mutated into ‘MDC Renewal’. It had to take the Vanguard to extinguish Project 2016, after an alleged Judas Iscariot moment within its ranks.

Some would question about the 2014 split, but it is my contention that argument is moot as it focusses on the after-effects of a collapsed project.

This history is important to take note as it explains what appears a ‘newfound’ love relationship, yet it is one with deep historical roots. 

Come the 2019 elections, Project 2016 is back in the fold, although with variations in the leadership hierarchy to accommodate for the new realities. Project 2016 was largely an initiative of former student leaders, civil society activists and middle-class youth.

This group was very instrumental in the formation of the opposition but felt to have been left out of the processes in the party. It is not surprising that Generational Consensus emerged and became one of the vociferous groups in support of Nelson Chamisa’s ascendancy and as well reunion of the MDC.

The noisy and rag-tag fit character of Generational Consensus betrayed its student politics nature, but also proved effective in shaping a new narrative of ‘nothing for the young without the young’. But one cannot escape from the fact that convenience, opportunity and history also played a key role in the formation of the MDC Alliance. 

The coming back together of Tendai Biti, Jacob Mafume, Job Sikhala, Nelson Chamisa, Charlton Hwende, Settlement Chikwinya, Prosper Mutseyami, Lovemore Chinoputsa, Clifford Hlatshwayo, plus the new graduands Joanna Mamombe, Maureen Kademaunga, Gladys Hlatshwayo among many others cannot be read outside history, convenience and opportunity. This group has expanded beyond its student character to incorporate the middle class and ghetto youth, thus morphing into a potent political force that cannot be ignored. This is the challenge that “Mukoma Dougie” faces and the national demographics have made it worse. 

Die Another Day, Dougie Bond 007? In run up to 2018 elections the Khupe Faction won the battle for the name of the party but this became a symbolic or moot victory. One of the key backers of Thokozani Khupe then was said to be Douglass Mwonzora, although he later preferred to stay put and move on with his allies. It appears then, it was a tactical retreat to fight another day by the Khupe Faction.

The Chamisa Faction (read Project 2016) won the structures, the soul of the party. The 2018 elections results also proved further who won the heart and soul of the party and an almost repeat scenario of the year 2014 after the split. Two interesting things arise here: On, Mukoma Dougie was instrumental in the removal of the ‘Renewal Boys and Girls’ (read Project 2016) from parliament.

Two, the remnants of Project 2016 remained in the mainstream MDC and consequently, Nelson Chamisa was viewed suspiciously by Morgan’s Kitchen Cabinet. Going towards the 2014 Congress, Nelson Chamisa was poised for a landslide sweep and it had to take Morgan’s intervention to save Douglass Mwonzora’s political fortunes. Morgan felt threatened by Nelson’s meteoric rise and thus sought to trim his ambitions and keep him at bay. Morgan needed a checkmate for Nelson and he found it in Mukoma Dougie.

After Mwonzora’s failure to get a nomination from any province, Morgan had to overrule Manicaland and declare Mwonzora the winner despite him losing repeated votes. The election at the 2014 Congress was run by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), which was Morgan’s fort and it played significant role in tilting the fortunes towards Mwonzora.

This is not to say Mwonzora had no agency of his own, but what cannot be ignored is the Morgan factor in the 2014 Congress. Going into the 2019 May congress, the circumstances have largely changed. In the 2014 congress history, convenience and opportunity struck but in the favour of Mukoma Dougie. The question that begs: can Mukoma Dougie play a James Bond 007 and live to fight the May 2019 congress after initially losing the succession race? It seems this time, history, convenience and opportunity are stacked against him. 

It’s the Time for New Sprouts?

The reconfiguration of the MDC Alliance cannot be read outside the notion of time. There are those who have toyed with the idea that the structures are not in unison with the Tsar.

That’s a figment of imagination from those not wanting to acknowledge the reality. The horse has already bolted out and it is the time for new sprouts. The politically active population has become very youthful, and by their nature don’t subscribe to Old Edmund Burke’s ideas of order and rationality used by those opposed to Chamisa. The youth by nature are abrasive and daring and will continue to demand a position at the high table.

It is important for one to note that even the ZCTU that was Morgan’s power base has become a pale shadow of itself after the decimation of the working class by decades of economic decline. It is now the informal and unemployed classes that are on the ascendancy and also happens to be youthful. For this group, the lack of hope for a better Zimbabwe, educated or uneducated, unites them more as they toil together in Zimbabwe’s informal economy. This is the base that has taken over the MDC Alliance, hence the rise of Nelson cannot be read outside this group. The sprouts are green and new political season has come. Once again, it is history, convenience and opportunity at play.

Government is this year expected to issue community radio broadcasting licences to 10 private operators as part of its reform agenda to open the airwaves in the growing industry, with foreign players expected to share 20 percent of the market. The move, apart from creating a competitive environment for the broadcasting panorama, is in line with the country’s constitutional provisions for media variety.

In an interview with StarFM on Wednesday evening, Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana said his ministry has budgeted $98 000 to support the initiative.

“In our plan this year, we have already budgeted $98 000, this money is for community radio stations, which we used to support,” he said.

“Parliament has approved 10 community radio stations that will be issued this year. The money is there to support this. We are holding the money and it is losing value”

Mr Mangwana explained why it was necessary to speed up the alignment of the Broadcasting Services Act with the Constitution.

He said the Act is one of the many pieces of legislation that is not in sync with the Constitution and there are a lot of things that needed to be put in place.

“One of the major ones being that since the Act came in place in 2001 technology has moved on,” he said.

“There are things that have become obsolete. There are sections that are pretty much irrelevant and with the advent of this new technology it also means that we broadcast differently from the way we were broadcasting 18 years ago, when the Act came into place in 2001.”

Mr Mangwana said there was need to modernise the Act, which among other things to align it with treaties Zimbabwe is signatory to internationally and regionally.

He said in the Broadcasting Service Amendment Bill, Government seeks to underscore the distinction between licensing online platforms and normal broadcasting services, which uses the frequency spectrum.

“When it comes to current interpretation that we have is that there should be a call out made by the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ), which is a regulator for people to come and apply for licences, any one of those licences,” he said.

“Our interpretations could be different, but we need it to be very clear in the incoming Bill that only licences that require the use of the national resource, which is the frequency spectrum will need to have a public inquiry and would need the authority to call out for a particular genre.”

Mr Mangwana said Government has no problem when it comes to issuing licences that have no bearing on the frequency spectrum.

“Those ones should be applied for anytime, any day and they should be given anytime any day because they do not have any bearing on a depleting resource,” he said.

“So, if we can issue 3 000, or 10 000 of those licences, by all means let us do so, they are depriving nobody of anything. So we need that distinction to be made.”

Still on the issue of call out, Mr Mangwana said there is need to define how many terms a year that BAZ should call out for people to come and apply for the frequency spectrum.

“So, we propose that three terms per year at known frequencies and known time.

“There should be a call out. At the moment we do not have that. We can actually go for three years if people are abusing their positions without BAZ calling out for such licences.”

Mr Mangwana said the current Act, provides that licences for community radio stations should only be granted to corporate bodies, yet they are called community radio licences.

“In the currency BSA we say that licences should only be granted to corporate bodies, but we are calling these community radio licences, how does a community and corporate converge so we want to amend that to say communities can own these (community radio stations) they don’t have to be corporates they can be trusts and they should be able to own these and community radio stations. I think those are the key issues that stands out.”

Cabinet recently approved the repeal of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and reconstruction of media laws to align with the Constitution, in a major development for the media sector.

-State Media

A police raid on the offices of online news site 263 Chat after one of its journalists filmed the removal of street vendors in Harare is a blatant assault on the right to freedom of expression and media freedom, Amnesty International said today.

Police fired tear gas into the newsroom after chasing reporter Lovejoy Mtongwiza to the website’s offices. The journalist had been taking photos and videos of the police forcing out street vendors in the Zimbabwean capital.

“Today’s attack on the 263 Chat offices was designed to send a chilling message to journalists and shows the lengths the Zimbabwean police are prepared to go to muzzle media freedom,” said Muleya Mwananyanda, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Southern Africa.

“The authorities must end the attack on the media and launch a prompt, thorough and effective investigation into this attack and ensure that all suspected perpetrators are identified and brought to justice.”

263 Chat is an online news site which reports on political, economic and social issues in Zimbabwe.

Reporter Lovejoy Mtongwiza was deployed to the city centre to take pictures of a Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and Harare City Council operation to remove street vendors.

When a group of police and council officers pursued Mtongwiza, he ran away to his employer’s office. The police followed him and fired tear gas into the 263 Chat newsroom, where 14 other journalists were working. Officers also seized a mobile phone from one of the reporters.

Jane Mlambo| A Zanu PF aligned Twitter user has hit out at President Emmerson Mnangagwa for exposing his dislike for the local RTGS dollar when he visited Chimanimani where he addressed the affected villagers bragging about receiving US dollars for the cyclone idai relief.

Agaisnt Makuyana who has of late changed sides from Zanu PF to opposition accused Mnangagwa of celebrating the death of people when he appeared to suggest that bad things had brought with it good things (kushata kwezvimwe, kunaka kwezvimwe).

“Saka Team iri rinotofara kuti vanhu vakafa neCyclone, rikuwana maUSD mari kwayo Kwete maRTGS? Kunanzva varungu zvakadai, machinda anofarira varungu kupfuura @nelsonchamisa chaiye! Kubuda rute shuwa nekamari kasingatomboudzwe @realDonaldTrump kuti tapa ZW,” said Makuyana.

He accused Mnangagwa of preferring white people than his own countrymen Nelson Chamisa of the opposition MDC.

A THREE-METRE-LONG cobra caused a stir in Nkulumane 12 suburb in Bulawayo after it slithered into houses near a bushy area on the outskirts of the residential area.

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (Zimparks) rangers came to the residents’ rescue after dispatching snake catcher, Ahmed Mohamed Esat, who took three hours to capture the venomous reptile, his fourth one in a week.

The snake was first noticed on Tuesday night when it slid into a house close to the Roman Catholic Church, which has a large vegetable patch.

However, it was driven away by dogs at the house.

On Wednesday morning, the snake found its way into another house, three houses from where it initially appeared.

It slipped into a heap of bricks and residents had to call the Zimparks after failing to lure the reptile out of its hiding place.

Esat told Southern Eye that this was the fourth snouted cobra he had captured in a week.

“It’s about three to four years old. This is the fourth snouted cobra I have captured within a week,” Esat said.

He said he had been working with Zimparks for a couple of years. “I have captured a lot of snakes. You can follow my works there (on Facebook). I have also plans to work with the media to conscientise residents about my work and snakes so that they stay out of danger,” he said.

Snouted cobra is a large specie and adult sizes range from 1,2 to 1,8 metres, but they can reach a length of 2,5 metres.

Industry and Commerce minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu on Wednesday warned industry that the incessant hikes in prices of basic commodities will push long-suffering Zimbabweans to revolt.

The warning came as the consumer rights watchdog was calling on government to convene an urgent cost-of-living forum that would bring together business and consumers, among other stakeholders, in order to arrest the runaway prices.

Zimbabweans are being subjected to regular price increases, usually tracking the exchange rate between the United States dollar and the real time gross settlement dollar on the black market, which currently stands at 1:4.3. In the past week alone, prices of some basic commodities rose by as much as 75%.

Ndlovu told a Bulawayo provincial investment conference at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre that business should exercise caution.

“They are pushing consumers to revolt… We want to have candid discussions around this issue, which is killing our economy,” Ndlovu said.

Business cited an unstable exchange rate between the United States dollar and the RTGS dollar for the recent price hikes, but the Industry minister argued otherwise.

“I don’t know whether our economy is a foreign exchange market or what, but this does not make sense,” Ndlovu said.

Speaking to Southern Eye, National Consumer Rights Association (Nacora) advocacy and campaign adviser Effie Ncube urged all stakeholders to convene a cost-of-living forum to address the crisis before the situation got out of hand.

“This rise in the cost of living cuts a deep wound in the lives of people, harming the young and old, employed and unemployed, in a profound way, even for people accustomed to pain in recent years,” Ncube said yesterday.

“We call upon the government to urgently convene a cost-of-living forum in which government, business and workers and consumers will be represented. It must be remembered that not all consumers are workers, so the unemployed consumer must have a seat at the table as well,” he added.

“Appropriate steps should be taken to cushion consumers, both employed and unemployed, from the unrelenting rise in the cost of basic commodities upon which day-to-day life depends. The forum must address the real root causes of the unabated rise in the cost of living.”

Ndlovu said there was need to avoid the recurrence of the January protests against steep fuel price hikes, which resulted in security forces killing 18 and injuring nearly 200, according to human rights groups.

-Newsday

The State is seeking to petition the High Court for a rescission of the judgment acquitting former minister Supa Mandiwanzira of criminal abuse of office charges that was delivered on Wednesday. The decision was granted in default after all the listed respondents — trial magistrate Mr Elijah Makomo, Prosecutor-General Mr Kumbirai Hodzi and the National Prosecuting Authority — failed to make representations on the matter.

Mandiwanzira was facing criminal abuse of office charges after he allegedly awarded a US$218 million auditing contract to South African-based Megawatt Energy.

The deal allegedly prejudiced NetOne of $5 million.

Anti-Corruption Special Unit director Mr Tabani Mpofu last night confirmed to The Herald they were in the process of filing an application for rescission of decision, which he claimed was erroneous.

“We are going to court to seek a rescission of the default judgment granted against us,” he said.

“It was erroneously granted because the Prosecutor-General’s Office was not served with the notice of set-down. In fact, the notice was served on the Attorney-General’s Office.”

Mandiwanzira approached the higher court challenging the trial court’s decision dismissing his application excepting to the charges.

Justice Nicholas Mathonsi granted a default judgment against the respondents in the matter that had been brought to court on the basis that it was unopposed.

“The application for review is hereby granted. The judgment of the first respondent dated 15th February, 2019 be and is hereby set aside and substituted with an order that count one of the charges brought against the applicant on the 7th of December, 2018 is hereby quashed,” ruled Justice Mathonsi.

Documents seen by The Herald, showed that none of the respondents were served with papers to make submissions.

The court papers show that Mandiwanzira’s lawyers served the Attorney-General’s Office although he was not part of the proceedings. Mandiwanzira sued the trial magistrate after he threw out his application for exception of the criminal charges.

He ruled that the former minister has a case to answer and should be put to his defence. Commenting on Mandiwanzira second charge in which he is accused of appointing his personal assistant to the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (Potraz) board, Mr Mpofu insisted the prosecution has a strong case against him.

-State Media

Industry and Commerce minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu on Wednesday warned industry that the incessant hikes in prices of basic commodities will push long-suffering Zimbabweans to revolt.

The warning came as the consumer rights watchdog was calling on government to convene an urgent cost-of-living forum that would bring together business and consumers, among other stakeholders, in order to arrest the runaway prices.

Zimbabweans are being subjected to regular price increases, usually tracking the exchange rate between the United States dollar and the real time gross settlement dollar on the black market, which currently stands at 1:4.3. In the past week alone, prices of some basic commodities rose by as much as 75%.

Ndlovu told a Bulawayo provincial investment conference at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre that business should exercise caution.

“They are pushing consumers to revolt… We want to have candid discussions around this issue, which is killing our economy,” Ndlovu said.

Business cited an unstable exchange rate between the United States dollar and the RTGS dollar for the recent price hikes, but the Industry minister argued otherwise.

“I don’t know whether our economy is a foreign exchange market or what, but this does not make sense,” Ndlovu said.

Speaking to Southern Eye, National Consumer Rights Association (Nacora) advocacy and campaign adviser Effie Ncube urged all stakeholders to convene a cost-of-living forum to address the crisis before the situation got out of hand.

“This rise in the cost of living cuts a deep wound in the lives of people, harming the young and old, employed and unemployed, in a profound way, even for people accustomed to pain in recent years,” Ncube said yesterday.

“We call upon the government to urgently convene a cost-of-living forum in which government, business and workers and consumers will be represented. It must be remembered that not all consumers are workers, so the unemployed consumer must have a seat at the table as well,” he added.

“Appropriate steps should be taken to cushion consumers, both employed and unemployed, from the unrelenting rise in the cost of basic commodities upon which day-to-day life depends. The forum must address the real root causes of the unabated rise in the cost of living.”

Ndlovu said there was need to avoid the recurrence of the January protests against steep fuel price hikes, which resulted in security forces killing 18 and injuring nearly 200, according to human rights groups.

-Newsday

Jane Mlambo| Opposition MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa has mocked his nemesis President Emmerson Mnangagwa for disregarding the local currency when he appeared to celebrate receiving United States dollars from the American government.

Mnangagwa was in Chimanimani yesterday where he was accompanied by leaders of smaller parties to assess the damage caused by the cyclone idai which ravaged the eastern part of the country in March.

Commenting on Twitter, Chamisa mocked Mnangagwa for trashing the Zimbabwean currency.

TWENTY-EIGHT-YEAR-OLD Jane Machopa of village 3, Chigwendere homestead, Dombojena in Shurugwi was last week arrested for allegedly strangling her four-month-old son.

Acting Midlands provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende confirmed the incident.

“We have a murder and attempted murder case where a woman who was sleeping with her four-month-old twin sons, killed one and pulled the other’s tongue for reasons not yet known,” Mukwende said.

“The matter is under investigation and we suspect that accused is mentally challenged because on the day in question she started acting strangely and after committing the crime she is said to have started laughing after being asked why she killed her son.”

Mukwende said on March 26 at around 11am, Machopa was with her husband, Enoch Chigwendere in Shurugwi town when she started behaving strangely. The following day at around 4am, Machopa allegedly strangled Zvamaziva to death while her husband was sleeping.

When the husband woke up, she found Machopa pulling the other son Saviour’s tongue and he asked what she was doing and she reportedly started laughing hysterically. Chigwendere took the two children to a neighbour, but Zvamaziva was already dead while Saviour was rushed to Shurugwi District Hospital where he is admitted.

-Newsday

Correspondent|WAR veterans in Mashonaland West province have written to President Emmerson Mnangagwa demanding that ICTs Minister Kazembe Kazembe (pictured) be removed as the ruling party’s provincial chairperson.

The war veterans want the Zanu PF provincial executive dissolved in the same manner Harare and Bulawayo executives were dissolved.

In a letter which has also been copied to ZANU-PF national chairperson Oppah CZ Muchinguri-Kashiri, the war veterans demand that the entire ZANU-PF executive be dissolved on charges of imposing imposition of leaders whom they do not know.

They accused the Kazembe Kazembe-led executive of creating an acrimonious working environment and provincial minister Monica Mavhunga of causing rifts in the party.

“No one is happy about this issue. There is a problem in the provincial executive of the party which is trying to put someone who we didn’t choose so that they secure support at the upcoming restructuring. We had said the PC must come from our executive, we want someone who we nominated and that is General Mutasa,” provincial deputy chairman Lovemore Hodza said yesterday.

Hodza accused the provincial executive committee of cherry-picking their preferred candidate, against the Zanu PF policy.

“We will ask the provincial leadership to correct what they did so that we will be able to find each other and work together in harmony. We want to discuss this issue, but if they fail to do that, then we will take the matter forward,” Hodza said.

They accused Mavhunga of parcelling out land to Kazembe at Collinwood Farm which falls under the war veterans’ quota, making the minister a multiple farm owner.

The war veterans also complained that Mavhunga re-allocated land on other farms occupied by war veterans to, among others, Marjory Bwawa, who is fighting some two named legislators on one of the farms.

Finance and Economic Development minister Mthuli Ncube has warned the country to brace for an imminent rise in interest rates.

Interest rates in the southern African nation have been capped at 12% for the past two years, and bankers have been pressing for a review of the lending rates to avert a collapse of the banking sector.

“Expect interest rates to go up, that is how the monetary policy works if there is a shortage of liquidity or if the inflation rate is up,” Ncube said while addressing journalists on the sidelines of the Zimbabwe Accountants Conference 2019 in the capital yesterday.

He said Zimbabwe’s continued use of the United State dollar (US$) as a local and transacting currency was no longer sustainable, because it made the country’s exports uncompetitive.

“Three years ago, I did some analysis and found out that Zimbabwe had lost 50% competiveness in terms of export commodities by using the US$ as a transacting currency as well as a local currency,” Ncube said.

“The central bank was borrowing for you to spend money on a daily basis and this is not sustainable. We were borrowing about $2 billion just to use the US$ as the local currency and we can’t work like that. Zimbabwe needs to be normalised.”

The Treasury boss, who is targeting to cut the country’s budget deficit to single digit figures by year end, said the central bank and the fiscus have to protect the value of the local currency.

“Our job as the fiscus and the central bank is to protect the value of the local currency so that we can have confidence in it,” Ncube said.

“That protection starts with making sure that on the fiscal front we run a small deficit and not double digit and we determine that this year the deficit will be a single digit from what it currently was.”

-Newsday

Own Correspondent|Former ZIPRA intelligence officer and decorated liberation war hero Jeremy Brickhill (pictured) is billed to give a guest speech at the Annual Lookout Masuku Lecturer Series organized by Ibhetshu lika Zulu and Habakkuk Trust.

A message inviting delegates to the event said: Ibhetshu Likazulu in partnership with Habakkuk Trust invites Members of the public to the Annual Lookout Masuku memorial lecture on 5 April 2019 at the Small City Hall starting at 14:00hrs

Theme: Peace and justice as the Foundation of Human Progress

Jeremy Brickhill served in Zimbabwe’s liberation war as an officer in the military wing of Joshua Nkomo’s Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) and has a broad range of experience in conflict and post-conflict processes in Africa.

He led the Zimbabwe Advisory Team which supported Somaliland’s successful heavy weapon disarmament exercise in 1992-4, supported IGAD’s Special Envoy during the negotiation of the Sudanese Comprehesive Peace Agreement and was posted as an advisor to the African Union Mediation Team during the Abuja Peace Talks on Darfur.

Zimbabweans reacted with anger on social media, questioning the wisdom of the government’s expenditure at a time when courtrooms are cramped and ill-equipped, the national economy is crumbling and, according to the World Food Programme, 63% of the population live below the poverty line.

Their sentiments were echoed by Dumisani Nkomo, chief executive of Bulawayo-based rights organisation Habakkuk Trust, who said: “These are misplaced priorities. We need to focus on bread and butter issues and avoid expenditure on unnecessary luxuries.”

After poor rains and erratic weather destroyed crops, almost 5.3 million people in Zimbabwe are facing food insecurity; in 2017, the country was ranked 108th out of the 119 included in the global hunger index. The government has previously pledged to cut expenditure in response to rising food prices linked with the introduction of a new currency in February.

Lawyers in Harare said the government was wasting money on keeping a colonial tradition alive.

Beatrice Mtetwa, a senior lawyer in the capital, said Zimbabwe’s British colonial past remained embedded in its justice system.

“What surprises me in Zimbabwe is that we say everything against colonialism but we live more colonial than the colonisers themselves,” Mtetwa said. “A normal litigant would be intimidated to get into a courtroom full of ridiculously dressed judges. Why can we not dress decently? If we want to wear wigs , why can’t we make them in our own way? Those wigs were meant for white judges – we look ridiculous.”

Luke Malaba, Zimbabwe’s chief justice, has reportedly insisted on the use of wigs during proceedings.

Some of the wigs, made from horsehair, were delivered last week.

Another top lawyer, Alec Muchadehama, said legal practitioners should drop the tradition and make courts more accessible to the general public.

“I think we should move away from that culture to where judges look like an ordinary man and so that the courts look humane. We should simply believe that if a judge appears wearing a suit, it will not make them less of a judge,” Muchadehama said.

The use of wigs has been abandoned in South Africa, Kenya and several other Commonwealth countries.

In Britain, judges have stopped wearing wigs when hearing civil and family cases, ending a centuries-old tradition.

“In my view, it’s a bit unnecessary. From an ideological point of view, those wigs take us back to the colonial era. They make our courts inaccessible by the ordinary man. If the judicial services commission spends that money on rehabilitating dilapidated courts, that would make a lot of sense,” said Doug Coltart, a human rights lawyer.

Guardian

BULAWAYO had the highest number of convictions over public violence which occurred from January 14 to 16 this year, accounting for 225 of the 375 cases, according to the police.

The second highest cases were reported in Harare with 69, Mashonaland West 27, Manicaland 19, Mashonaland Central 14, Mashonaland East nine, Midlands six, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South three each, while Masvingo province had zero convictions.

The summary report for convictions on public violence cases covers from the day of the violence up to March 31.

According to the report, of the total number of the convicted people, eight were sentenced to seven years in jail each.

Of these, five were from Mashonaland East, two from Harare and one from the Midlands.

A total of six convicted persons were sentenced to six years imprisonment each, while 40 were slapped with a five-year jail term each, 29 were sentenced to four years each and 48 were given a three-year jail term each, followed by 65 who were give a two-year jail sentence each.

At least 92 were slapped with one year jail term each, 35 were sentenced to six months imprisonment each, four got five months each and 30 were slapped with three months’ imprisonment each.

Six of them were sentenced to strokes of the cane, which ranged from two to five each, while 12 others got suspended sentences.

The police indicated that 200 people from all provinces who were convicted were instructed to pay fines.

The violent demonstrations left 78 police officers injured in the line of duty, while one was killed.

Security services quelled the disturbances, arresting over a thousand participants, many of whom were caught looting and setting properties on fire.

State Media

A gang of suspected robbers on Monday morning sneaked into Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company’s (ZCDC) operating areas in Chiadzwa and entered a pit with ore that had just been exposed. Police have since arrested two suspects. Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Nick Mangwana said investigations were still in progress to ascertain if anything was stolen.

“In the early morning hours of April 1 2019, there was an intrusion by a suspected gang of robbers into the operational areas of the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company,” said Mangwana.

“The suspected robbers entered the pit where ore had been exposed earlier in the day. Two suspects have since been arrested. A full exercise to establish whether there was any loss and if affirmed then its level is underway.

“The people caught will be transparently prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and their accomplices will be pursued until every one of them is fully accounted for.”

The unfortunate incident, he said, prompted three ministers and the national security leadership to convene an urgent meeting on how to curb future intrusions.

“Following this incident, three Government ministers as well as the command of the national security establishment held a meeting on Wednesday, 3rd of April 2019 at the ZCDC operations to review security measures so as to avoid a recurrence of similar incidents,” he said.

Mangwana warned the public against committing such offences, saying those caught on the wrong side of the law will be dealt with accordingly.

“Government takes the security of national treasures and assets seriously and will do everything in its power to ensure that these are safeguarded and proceeds therefrom applied for national benefit,” he said.

Since the discovery of diamonds in Chiadzwa, the area surrounding the diamond fields has been besieged by opportunists from across the country prompting the Government to deploy members of the security forces to keep them at bay and to ensure orderly mining of the mineral.

State Media

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Speaking at Ngangu stadium yesterday afternoon, President Emmerson Mnangagwa rubbished the national currency the RTGS.

He said this while celebrating the aid given by US president Donald Trump.

He said Trump’s donation was outstanding in that it is in genuine US dollars not the fake dollar, the RTGS. He said “the one (donation) which pleases most is the one by Trump. It is Trump I am talking about. Do you really know Trump? The very same man who put sanctions.

“Just yesterday he sent his ambassador over here, and he came with 2 and a 1/2 million dollars, heee! heee! (Loud Scream)

“2 and a 1/2 million dollars from their own country not our RTGS [KWETE: SHONA STRONG PERJORATIVE, DISAPPROVAL], not the fake dollar you all know, but the one from their own country. 2 and a 1/2 million dollars from their own country, and he said go and help yourselves.

“And he said if you have any other needs, we have our station in South Africa, we are able to assist you, your only trouble is that of simply informing us, just tell us what you want and we will give you. This was all from from Trump. ” VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Finance and Economic Development minister Mthuli Ncube has warned the country to brace for an imminent rise in interest rates.

Interest rates in the southern African nation have been capped at 12% for the past two years, and bankers have been pressing for a review of the lending rates to avert a collapse of the banking sector.

“Expect interest rates to go up, that is how the monetary policy works if there is a shortage of liquidity or if the inflation rate is up,” Ncube said while addressing journalists on the sidelines of the Zimbabwe Accountants Conference 2019 in the capital yesterday.

He said Zimbabwe’s continued use of the United State dollar (US$) as a local and transacting currency was no longer sustainable, because it made the country’s exports uncompetitive.

“Three years ago, I did some analysis and found out that Zimbabwe had lost 50% competiveness in terms of export commodities by using the US$ as a transacting currency as well as a local currency,” Ncube said.

“The central bank was borrowing for you to spend money on a daily basis and this is not sustainable. We were borrowing about $2 billion just to use the US$ as the local currency and we can’t work like that. Zimbabwe needs to be normalised.”

The Treasury boss, who is targeting to cut the country’s budget deficit to single digit figures by year end, said the central bank and the fiscus have to protect the value of the local currency.

“Our job as the fiscus and the central bank is to protect the value of the local currency so that we can have confidence in it,” Ncube said.

“That protection starts with making sure that on the fiscal front we run a small deficit and not double digit and we determine that this year the deficit will be a single digit from what it currently was.”

He said the interbank foreign currency trading platform had been introduced to protect the local currency and strengthening the micro institutions for the monetary sector.

“We are not yet ready to target inflation because inflation is too high. When inflation calms down to a lower double digit, 12 to 15, then we will target it. For now, we are targeting qualities or monetary balances,” Ncube said.

He said since the government started charging duty in the currency in which a vehicle was acquired, currency deficit had gone down and this had helped calm inflation.

NewsDay

Correspondent|Simbisa Brands quick service restaurant Chicken Inn has filed a lawsuit against its rivals Packers International’s Chicken Slice alleging trademark infringement.

Chicken Inn has taken issue with Chicken Slice for using the word “Luv” in its marketing. It has also taken issue with Chicken Slice for using similar colours saying this would mislead customers.

In its court papers, Chicken Inn says: “[luv] is a “key element of the whole mark and Plaintiff (Chicken Inn) has derived extensive and long-standing goodwill in the market based on it in particular as well as the entire mark in general.”

“The use of the element ‘luv’ in particular, and the phrase ‘luv it’ in general, by the first defendant (Slice Distributors) is identical with, and so nearly resembles Chicken Inn’s registered trademark as afore-presented, as likely to deceive or cause confusion amongst customers in the market.

“In addition, the use of the offending mark by first defendant in its marketing, in conjunction with a colour scheme strikingly resembling that of Chicken Inn amounts to passing off by misrepresentation.”

Chicken Slice is yet to respond to the allegation.

Own Correspondent|Dismissed Thokozani Khupe led MDC-T spokesperson Linda Masarira has blamed Nelson Chamisa led MDC top officials who are lawyers for defending ZANU PF Officials arrested for corruption.

Writing on her Facebook page on Thursday shortly after ZANU PF legislator and former Minister Supa Mandiwanzira was acquitted on all corruption charges, Masarira blamed the MDC lawyers who defended him claiming that they are being selfish by standing for the ZANU PF leaders.

Wrote Masarira:

Did you know that after the legal aid from Job Wiwa Sikhala, Super Mandiwanzira was acquitted of zvese zvaaipommerwa?

Did you know that with the legal aid from Tendai Biti, Gideon Gono escaped his corruption charges?

Did you know that with the legal aid from Chamisa and Thabani Mpofu, Zuva Company dismissed workers unfairly?

The billion dollar question is: Why is it that opposition leaders only want to unite with ZANU PF in dealings that benefit them at personal level but they do not want to unite with ZANU PF on things that benefit ordinary Zimbabweans?

There is no excuse for jecha. There is no excuse for disunity. That’s pure greed at its best. Somethings are better left undefended.

The permanent secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, George Guvamatanga, has made a startling revelation that the government is operating with just one chartered accountant.

Guvamatanga said the skills gap makes it difficult to address compliance issues, especially when companies want to list on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE).

“For a company to be listed on the ZSE, there is a requirement that it should have a chartered accountant within the skills set of the organisation,”Guvamatanga said while launching the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Implementation Strategy Plan in Harare yesterday.

“We then have the biggest organisation in the land which is the government of Zimbabwe, you have been told that I was a banker before, I used to run an institution which had a balance sheet of $500m and we had 17 chartered accountants. I come to the government and I’m asked to run a $10bn balance sheet with one chartered accountant.”

Guvamatanga added: “When Honourable Tendai Biti calls me and says you’re not complying, where is this report? Honourable Biti, you should understand that it cannot be delivered with just one accountant, and there is really an issue with skills.”

Guvamatanga said the non-compliance trend spills into government ministries because of the skills gap.

“I think it might actually follow to ministries as well. You are also having budgets in excess of $2bn, zero chartered accountants, and you expect them to manage those huge budgets properly,” he said. “I could not tell you this Honourable Biti when you were asking me the questions in Parliament, but it’s one of the biggest reasons there is no compliance.”

Zimbabwe is targeting to migrate to Accrual Based Accounting by 2025, a move aimed at promoting transparency and accountability in government departments.

— BusinessTimes

Own Correspondent|Reports just received indicate that a gang of armed robbers has yet sneaked into Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company’s operating areas in Chiadzwa and got away with an undisclosed amount of diamonds.

According to sources in the area, armed man found their way into the heavily guarded area on Monday and entered a pit with ore that had been exposed earlier in the day getting away with the diamonds.

This comes barely three months after another gang, armed with AK47 rifles and dressed in proper military fatigue, overpowered security at the same ZCDC facility and got away with State diamonds during the #ShutdownZimbabwe protests in January.

The gang was reportedly working in collusion with company officials, and government fired 80 ZCDC employees as investigations into the crime gathered momentum.

According to the sources, two of the suspects in the latest incident have been arrested and in investigations are underway.

More to follow….

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed 15 new ambassadors drawn from different sectors to replace those who have either died, been recalled or retired.

The list of the ambassadors designate includes five service chiefs who were recently retired from the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) to take up diplomatic posts.

The retired generals are Lieutenant Generals Anselm Sanyatwe, Douglas Nyikayaramba, Martin Chedondo, Major General Thando Madzvamuse and Air Marshal Shebba Shumbayawonda.

Also on the list is former MDC MP for Mabvuku-Tafara Mr James Maridadi and University of Zimbabwe lecturer, Professor Charity Manyeruke.

Others ambassadors designate are officials in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade while some are former permanent secretaries.

These are Mrs Alice Mashingaidze, Mrs Abigail Shonhiwa, Ms Sophia Nyamudeza, Dr Emmanuel Gumbo, Messrs Chrispen Mavodza, Gumisai Gideon Gapare, Vusumuzi Ntonga and Dr Godfrey Chipare.

The group is undergoing a one-month training in diplomatic etiquette which began on April 1 and is being done by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade secretary Ambassador James Manzou said announcement of the postings of the ambassadors designate was a prerogative of President Mnangagwa.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade was instructed by His Excellency to run a diplomatic course from April 1 to May 9,” he said.

“It is a training for those that are going to be posted abroad and that also includes quite a number of officials from the Ministry who are also being trained for positing at various levels.”

Earlier this week, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Sibusiso Moyo addressed the ambassadors designate during their training and urged them to prioritise economic diplomacy by engaging potential investors and seeking new markets for the country’s products.

“The ministry has been expanded and indeed rebranded to include international trade so as to reflect the thrust articulated by His Excellency the President that, henceforth, the primary focus for our diplomacy and our diplomatic representation abroad must be trade, investment and tourism promotion. In other words, economic diplomacy,” he said.

State Media

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

MNANGAGWA ON ZBC VIDEO DISMISSING HIS OWN CURRENCY, SAYING IT IS WORTHLESS | WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE ECONOMY TODAY?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) April 5, 2019

By Chimanimani Correspondent| ZANU PF leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday declared that his country’s currency, the RTGS is worthless.

Speaking at Ngangu in Chimanimani, Mnangagwa  also went into an ecstatic musical overdrive while praising US president Donald Trump. Mnangagwa thanked Trump for releasing an additional: “$2.5mln US$ not RTGS or bond notes.”

Said Mnangagwa: “The one which pleases most is the one by Trump. It is Trump I am talking about. Do you really know Trump? The very same man who put sanctions.

“Just yesterday he sent his ambassador over here, and he came with 2 and a 1/2 million dollars, heee! heee!

“2 and a 1/2 million dollars from their own country not our RTGS [KWETE: SHONA STRONG PERJORATIVE, DISAPPROVAL], not the fake dollar you know, but the one from their own country. 2 and a 1/2 million dollars from their own country, and he (Trump) said go and help yourselves.

“And he said if you have any other needs, we have our station in South Africa, we are able to assist you, your only trouble is that of simply informing us, just tell us what you want and we will give you. This was all from from Trump. “

Yesterday footage emerged of the MDC party’s Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora saying that he expects his boss, Nelson Chamisa to support him for the party presidency in the same way he assisted Chamisa win the national presidency vote tally in Manicaland.

ZEC’s 2018 figures in Manicaland show Chamisa leading against Mnangagwa, said Mwonzora.

Speaking to 263chat, Mwonzora said, “The question of his rise to the presidency of the party is a matter of, that was a bit of an argument within the mdc and I do not want to revisit that. Suffice to say that he is the president as we stand and to that extent I do respect him as the president of the party. I worked with him well when he was gunning for the state presidency.

“I actually campaigned for him in Manicaland, and I am happy to say that Manicaland is the only rural province where MDC won without question.

“The president he won so and I do credit myself and my colleagues in Manicaland, for having stood by him, but that was that. That was in the state presidency.

“I suppose that if I were to be the president of the party I will expect the same from him I will expect the same from other leaders so we have always supported each other.”

The Zimbabwe Republic Police working together with Harare Municipal police besieged 263Chat office at Batanai Gardens before firing three tear gas canisters inside the cubic office and locked the door from outside leaving 16 people to suffocate inside this afternoon.

Hell broke loose when reporter Lovejoy Mutingwiza was ordered to capture running battles between the two sets of police forces and the vendors in First Street in the capital

Realizing that a photojournalist was taking pictures, overzealous police details attacked Mutongwiza who ran straight to the office to seek refuge.

Upon arrival at 263Chat offices, the group of rowdy details led by a ZRP uniformed officers budged into the newsroom before demanding to see the journalist in question. Superiors in the newsroom had to intervene reminding the uniformed police officer that the journalist was indeed accredited and was only doing his duty for a registered media outlet.

Skirmishes ensued leading to one ZRP police officer releasing three tear gas canisters inside the office before closing the door from outside for the inmates to suffocate. Journalists had to escape through the window including five women with the other lady (name supplied) expecting. Unfortunately the expecting lady had to be rushed to the hospital unconscious.

Renowned constitutional lawyer Fadzai Mahere described the incident as disgusting charging that the responsible culprits be brought to book.

“The journalists have a constitutional right under Section 61(1)(a) to freedom of the media which includes the right to seek and communicate information and the public has a constitutional right to receive that information. The police must be brought to book,” Mahere wrote on her micro-blog Twitter today.

MISA Zimbabwe also condemned the attack on 263Chat journalist.

“Police officers and local municipality officers are expected to be the guardians of the law and not violate it by carrying out unwarranted searches and seizures. The police is reminded of its duty to uphold and promote the enjoyment of rights which include the rights to media freedom as guaranteed in the Constitution,” read part of the statement from MISA Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile, the government through the ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services said it has already initiated investigations on the matter.

“Government has been made aware of an incident in Harare CBD which involves allegations of mistreatment of members of the media made against the police. These allegations are now under investigation.  Our constitution guarantees freedom of the media and government respects the constitution,” read part of the ministry’s statement.

A police report was made at Central Police Station.

-263Chat

By Own Correspondent- The government has revealed that it has commenced investigations on the assault of 263Chat journalists by police officers in Harare on Thursday afternoon.

The officers threw teargas canisters into the offices through a window and shut the door, forcing the journalists to escape through windows.

The police officers were engaged in running battles with vendors when the incident took place.

Reports indicate that the journalists were covering the disturbances when police officers charged, resulting in some journalists sustaining injuries.

Through its Twitter handle, the Ministry of Information said:

“Govt has been made aware of an incident in Harare CBD which involves allegations of mistreatment of members of the Media made against the police. These allegations are now under investigation. Our constitution guarantees freedom of the Media and Govt respects the Constitution.”

Police have arrested a Kadoma man who was filmed in a 45 second-video that has gone viral savagely assaulting a hapless man accusing him of stealing from him.

Litten Chikoore was arrested days after the video in which he was captured assaulting Mr Pedzisai Mangisi (30) with a hosepipe was widely shared on ZimEye and other platforms leading to his identification.

5 days ago ZimEye boadcast several programs one of which is below:

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

Chikoore Arrested https://t.co/SbnnBch0Gf v pic.twitter.com/Y1Wnx3rktN

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) April 5, 2019

In the video, the energetic Chikoore is seen whipping Mr Mangisi and vowing to stop the savage attack once he gets tired.

Mr Mangisi is seen lying on the ground wailing and pleading his innocence while Chikoore continues beating accusing his victim of theft.

As the video is ending, Chikoore is heard asking for “electricity” which some claim could have been an electric cord which he could have further used to assault Mr Mangisi.

Chikoore does not mention in the video what his victim had “stolen”. National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed Chikoore’s arrest.

He said police also located his victim, who together with other witnesses are helping law enforcement agents with investigations.

“We are still recording some witness statements and the full information will only be available after the investigation has been concluded,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

He said no one should take matters into his or her own hands.

“No one has got the right to assault or to mete out instant justice to any other person despite any wrong that one feels has been committed against him or her,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

Earlier police had twitted that Chikoore handed himself to the police. “The accused handed himself to the police accompanied by his lawyer. The due process of the law will now take its course and the accused will appear in court soon. The ZRP wishes to thank members of the public for the cooperation rendered in the inquires.

“The complainant Pedzisai Mangisi (30) has since been located while the accused person Litten Chikoore has been arrested,” said the ZRP on micro blogging site Twitter.

Last month, police in Matabeleland South arrested two men who shot a video while brutally assaulting a girl (15) for allegedly having love affairs with both of them in Phumuza village, Plumtree.

Police have repeatedly urged members of the public not to resort to violence in solving differences as some of the incidents end up being fatal.- state media/ additional reporting

By Own Correspondent- Police in the company of Harare City council municipal officers this afternoon stormed 263Chat offices and fired teargas at journalists before allegedly stealing yet to be named gadgets.

The police, were reportedly irked by one of the journalists Lovejoy Mutongwiza who was filming them as they engaged in running battles with vendors on the streets of Harare.

The gun totting policemen took aim at Mutongwiza who sought refuge at his offices with the police in hot pursuit.

They then threw a teargas cannister inside the 263 newsroom and reportedly stole gadgets.

The journalists said they were going to make a police report.

Said one of the journalists Costa Nkomo:

Attention Mayor Herbet Gomba, Information ministry, so today the Zimbabwe Republic Police in the company of municipal council police invaded our offices pursuing my colleague Lovejoy Mutongwiza who was taking pictures in CBD and fired tear gas inside our office, stole our valuables and left. This is satanic.

A game ranger who allegedly shot and killed a villager in the Jambezi area has been arrested.

Thubelihle Ncube (28) of Chidobe Village 4 is attached to Hwange Rural District Council Community Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (Campfire).

Ncube reportedly fired three shots at an elephant that was causing havoc in Chenamisa villager in Chief Shana’s area. A stray bullet discharged from his firearm hit Ms Irene Munsaka (62).

The victim was warming herself at a fireplace at her homestead when the bullet ripped through her left hip, killing her instantly.-StateMedia

Farai Dziva|MDC A intelligence sources are extremely worried about reports that a faction supporting Douglas Mwonzora for the presidency of the opposition party is dominating district and ward elections in Masvingo.

Reliable sources in the party have revealed current provincial chairperson James Gumbi wants Mwonzora to replace Nelson Chamisa as the leader of the party.

Gumbi is unhappy with the fact that Chamisa undressed him during a provincial council meeting at Mucheke Hall two weeks ago.

Chamisa accused Gumbi of performing dismally after the party managed to win just a single Parliamentary seat out of 26 constituencies in the province.

“What we are looking at is that the Gumbi faction is no longer supporting the president.Surprisingly the team is leading the race in the province.

We are also investigating sources of intimidation and violence,” said the sources.

By Own Correspondent| ZimEye has received sad news that the Build Zimbabwe Alliance president, Dr Noah Manyika’s deputy, William Pilbrough has died.

Dr Manyika said the man passed away on Thursday.

It was not clear at the time of writing what went wrong as his closest colleagues contacted by ZimEye.com said they knew nothing further.

What!!! I met him at the Zol counter at Sam Levy yesterday and had an animated chat with him and he looked as fit as a fiddle. What would have led to his untimely death if true??

— Coach Jerry?? (@maguranyanga) April 4, 2019

The party’s UK chapter leader, Todd Maforimbo who confirmed the sad development said, “We just received a message from Harare saying WIlliam is no more.”

Maforimbo did not explain further as he said details were too sketchy.

The late Pilbrough’s last tweets do not suggest any struggle with life.

In one of them posted at 12:21 AM – 3 Apr 2019, he said, “many people actually like Trump. They are entitled to their views. But this misses the point, he has alleged bias on the part of the media, against him. The CNN Ethiopian Airlines story appears to give credence to this and vice versa. Let’s not let our personal bias blind”

Pilbrough was an avid ZimEye reader.

Pilbrough, a British national though born in Zimbabwe, had relocated to Zimbabwe and had fought for and regained his Zimbabwean citizenship in 2017.

Former Minister Supa Mandiwanzira was yesterday cleared by the HighCourt of all the criminal abuse charges he was facing since being removed from the cabinet. Had he been found guilty, the Former Minister of ICT would have endured at least 20 years in prison or pay a fine.

His charges had come as result of being accused of breaching procurement regulations when he awarded a $218 million contract to Megawatt, a South African-based consultancy company, on behalf of Netone. In his defence, Supa Mandiwanzira said that his involvement had made Netone recover as much as $30 million that the state-owned Mobile Network Operator had lost to Huawei.

But the magistrate court had dismissed his argument saying that he couldn’t have acted on behalf of Netone since the telecoms operator has its own management which is charged with doing that. That is when the former Minister approached the High Court, which has now cleared him of the charges. He is now a free man.

Correspondent|Norton Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa has announced that he will be meeting MDC leader Nelson Chamisa to resolve an issue relating to the MDC dominated Norton Town Council’s refusal to have a ZIMPLATS  Community Share Ownership chicken abattoir to be constructed in the constituency.

In mid-March, Mliswa had written a letter to Advocate Chamisa complaining about the matter.

“Pursuant to this letter, I’ve had the opportunity to chat with Nelson Chamisa and once I’m back we’ve resolved to meet on the ground in Norton. After all it’s not about sitting in meetings or being selective but being on the ground and working with the people, we’ll eventually get there.” Mliswa posted on Twitter.

In the below letter Mliswa had told Chamisa that, “It has come to my disappointed attention that the intended establishment of the Zimplats Community Share Ownership Trust Chicken Abattoir scheduled to be located in Norton was denied by the NTC and is subsequently sited in Chegutu.”