Farai Dziva|Following the controversial win by Zanu PF’s Kidwell Mujuru in the Bulawayo Ward 28 by-election held on March 30, MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has blamed “an invisible hand” for his party’ s loss.

The MDC A lost to Zanu PF in its traditional stronghold.

Chamisa said: “
We have had a serious ‘invisible hand’ we have since discovered and about to cut it off.

The MDC leader promised “root and branch reforms and renewal” starting at the MDC Congress scheduled for May 24-26.

By Own Correspondent- Prison officers here had a torrid time resuscitating two convicts who fainted soon after receiving their sentencing at Gweru magistrates court.

The two protestors fainted after being jailed for an effective five years for public violence. However, two of the five years were suspended on condition of good behaviour.

The two and three others were convicted after a full trial by Gweru regional magistrate Phatekile Msipa . They are Previous Mutsetse (36), Tawanda Mupfumi (24), Talent Mlambo (29), Tichaona Mupfumi (22) and Bright Ngwarai (23).

Farai Dziva|Kembo Mohadi does not does not deserve to remain in the office of the Vice President, says Norton MP Temba Mliswa.

Writing on microblogging site Twitter on Monday, Mliswa said:
What happened to all the rape allegation dockets and cigarette smuggling assertions? It’s so sad @edmnangagwa allows himself to be surrounded by such a criminal of a VP. I’m looking forward to my day in court when I can expose all the V11s on him.

In the meantime, women must stand up in solidarity with Senator Tambudzani Mohadi. @zimbabwewomen @ZimWomenLawyers @ZimWomenInPolit @WomensActionFH @MusasaProject @WHO it shouldn’t matter if she was married to the VP or not, the law must take its course, no one is above the law.

Where are the Proportional Representation MPs at a time like this? They need to speak out against this injustice, what more opportunity do they need to prove their solidarity and mettle?

The Domestic Violence Act [Chapter5:16] Section 6(1) provides that…. the question then begs….was he arrested and will he be appearing before a court today and if not, why not? Is it an abuse of State Security and Office? Is that not a further offence?

No wonder RGM didn’t want him as VP, it’s an embarrassment to the country. What is Hon. Ziyambi as the Minister of Justice doing about this?
But then again after fighting for PG Goba’s removal to avoid being exposed, should we hold our breaths? We can’t continue like this…

This is the corruption that has eroded the moral fabric of our society.

Farai Dziva| There are growing concerns about xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

Several social media users have pointed out that Zimbabweans in South Africa are actually making such threats, but how true is this assertion?

See some comments below:
Mkhululi Ndlovu:
You are making the situation worse, why not focus on Zimbabwe government to fix the country so zimbos can stop economic migration and enjoy working in their own country.

Bullie LFire:
That message is being circulated by Zimbabweans cos most South Africans don’t even know about it.

Beauh Velapy:
Some of these so called messages circulating are written by our Ndebele brothers in SA to scare away Shona people in Mzansi. Those Ndebele who pretend to be Zulus.

By Own Correspondent| Following its defeat in the recently held council elections, opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has said the upcoming elective congress is going to come up with a perfect leadership.

Chamisa said the party’s loss in Codray Park was a reminder on the need for the party to reform its leadership.

Said Chamisa:

“The Cowdry Park Ward election results a stark reminder of the urgent need for far reaching ‘root and branch’ reforms and renewal set to kick in at congress.

Leadership excesses and conduct that resulted in the party donating a seat to our opposition is regrettable.This is the last of it!”

Former Finance deputy minister Terrence Mukupe is embroiled in a land wrangle in which he is seeking to evict resettled farmers at Mt Olympus Farm in Goromonzi.

The former Harare East legislator, who is reportedly behind Farmtel Investments, has since written to about seven farmers, through his lawyers Mangwana and Partners, ordering them to vacate the land.

According to a letter to one of the affected farmers gleaned by this paper, Farmtel claims that it was given the farm in 2016 by the Local Government ministry.

“We represent Farmtel Investments (Pvt) Ltd, kindly note our interests. Our instructions are to the effect that you are in unlawful occupation of a plot, Mt Olympus Farm Chishawasha B. The said plot is under the control of our client, who was allocated and given developmental rights to same by the Ministry of Local Government in 2016. Your continued presence has hindered progress and the execution of the agreement between our client and the Ministry of Local Government,” the letter read.

Mukupe yesterday directed NewsDay to seek comment from Farmtel management.

“Is there my name on the letters? Just talk to Farmtel, not Mukupe. Speak to the CEO of Farmtel. The guys at Mangwana will direct you to the guys at Farmtel,” he said.

NewsDay has been reliably informed that the farmers, who are in possession of offer letters, have since approached the Zimbabwe Lands Commission, which responded by summoning Mukupe for a hearing and clarification on the issue.

According to a letter dated March 28, addressed to Mukupe and signed by the commission’s assistant manager (legal services), one S Zimucha and gleaned by this paper, the former minister was summoned to give his side of the story concerning the farm wrangle.

“We are in receipt of a land dispute lodged by Mt Olympus farmers against you in connection with the above mentioned farm. According to our procedure, and as part of our investigations, we request that you furnish us with a response outlining your due claim of entitlement to the said farm as information constituting your side of the story within seven days of these summons,” the summons read.

NewsDay is reliably informed that there is contention on the location of the farm that is currently listed in Mashonaland East province, while Mukupe was allocated the land under Harare province.

-Newsday

By Own Correspondent- The MDC has accepted that there is indiscipline in the party which may derail its chances of forming the next government.

This comes after the party fielded two candidates in the Cowdray Park by-election where it lost to ZANU PF.

This is the first time that the MDC has lost the local government seat to ZANU PF since the year 2000.

Party president Nelson Chamisa vowed to take action so that such a scenario will not repeat itself. Said Chamisa:

“The party agrees that there are lessons to be learnt and we assure the public that the elections directorate is compiling the observations, made and working on a plan to correct all the mistakes that the party made.

We also accept the concern on the fielding of double candidates and appreciate that it created confusion. However, the party would like to assure its supporters that it (fielding 2 candidates) will not happen again.”

By Own Correspondent- A Guruve farmer was nabbed after his wife exposed him for cultivating marijuana in his maize field after he assaulted her over a domestic dispute.

The battered wife informed the police that her husband was cultivating ‘mbanje’ in his field leading to a search. 24 mbanje plants were found leading to the arrest of George Chikaka (27).

Chikaka, from Tenanog farm in Guruve under chief Chipuriro, appeared in court on Monday before Guruve magistrate Artwel Sanyatwe for unlawful cultivation of dagga.

Chikaka pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to six months imprisonment. Three months were suspended on condition of good behaviour and the remainder commuted to 105 hours community service at Horseshoe Primary School.-Newsday

By Own Correspondent- A str_p dancer has been arrested after she allegedly raped a mentally unstable man in Chinhoyi.

The dancer who has been identified only as Evernice works for Harare based Nice and Exotic dance group.

According to local publication, H-Metro, Evernice was apparently attracted to the man’s huge organ which he had been exposing while she was on stage.

A source who was at the club told the publication:

“It was on Friday last week at around 5 pm when the man was making some funny moves. He was exposing his privates and he has a big private organ which Evernice got attracted to and she then got interested to get close to the victim.

She wanted to see kuti munhu wacho anogona kuchishandisa here chinhu chake. She then took him to a room where she slept with him.

After she finished having se_x with him, mukomana wacho akabva atanga kunyara nyara meaning the man started being shy…She was advised to run away since she had committed an offence by sleeping with a person who is mentally challenged but she refused to run away saying that he was the one who had slept with her.

Dancers Association of Zimbabwe (DAZ) Harpers Mapimhidze confirmed the matter to H-Metro and condemned the dancer’s behaviour.

Said Mapimhidze,

We condemn such behaviour by a dancer and we don’t expect this in the future. She took advantage of the man’s condition to quench her appetite.

Mashonaland West Police Spokesperson Inspector Clemence Mabgweazara confirmed the arrest but said that he was unable to confirm the exact details when he was called.

By Own Correspondent- A member of the Apostolic sect appeared before a Mutare magistrate facing three counts of indecent assault and one count of aggravated indecent assault.

The 39-year-old man allegedly fondled his Grade 7 daughter’s breast and thrust his finger into her privates while conducting a virginity test.

The man died all allegations before Magistrate Lazarus Murendo who remanded him in custody to April 12.

According to the State, the man sneaked into the complainant’s bedroom on an unknown date in 2018 and fondled her daughter’s breasts, claiming that he was helping her.

This abuse happened several times and only came to light on March 26 this year when he attempted to do it again while his wife was around.

The girl screamed and this woke up her mother who quizzed the girl. She then spilt the beans on what was happening and further revealed that at one point, her father had slipped his finger into her privates.-Newsday

By Own Correspondent- Perennial water shortages in Gokwe North has been attributed to the destruction of wetlands.

A senior official has revealed that out of Gokwe North’s 11 wetlands, at least 7 have been completely depleted.

Gokwe North district environmental officer, Allan Machenjedze said this while speaking on the sidelines of the World Water Day commemorations recently.

He said:

Out of the 11 wetlands in the district, only four are flourishing as a result of good wetland management practices.

The depleted ones were because of poor wetland management practices emanating from human activities including farming on wetlands, streambank cultivation as well as other developmental projects on wetlands.

However, the remaining, owing to the observance of good wetland management practices which include the indigenous knowledge system (chivanhu), wetlands such as Dewe in ward 25 copper queen area, where no modern material is allowed to harvest the water, have remained undisturbed.-Newsday

By Own Correspondent- An audit by Grant Thornton shows a procurement crisis at the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara).

The audit reveals that under its “special projects arrangement”, Zinara has failed to uphold critical tendering principles.

Between 2012 and 2013, ZINARA paid Bermipools US$589 748, 94. The unregistered company is one of the companies Twalumba Holdings used to get a contract from Zinara. Twalumba Holdings was once investigated by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) over a US$2 million road rehabilitation tender involving Notify Enterprises. Notify Enterprises is one of its shelf companies.

Further, it has been revealed that Zinara under the special projects arrangement has granted tenders to connected individuals. For instance, ZINARA awarded a contract to Tencraft Construction. The company is linked to Mufaro Eric Gumbie the then principal director in the Ministry of Transport which oversees ZINARA.

ZINARA is said to have also awarded a contract to Haingate where  Saviour Kasukuwere a former cabinet Minister’s younger brother Tichaona is a director.

Badon Enterprises which is co-owned by Chegutu West legislator Cde Dexter Nduna and his wife Scholastica was also awarded a tender. Nduna however, claims that when the company was awarded a contract, he was yet to join politics.

The Grant Thornton audit report also unveiled over-payments made to some contractors. It also reveals that some contractors were paid for unfinished jobs. The report also indicated that same individuals using different company names kept on getting contracts.-StateMedia

FORMER MDC official Eddie Cross has triggered a storm following reports that he supported President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s penchant for flying in luxurious jets.

Opinion is sharply divided over Mnangagwa’s costly foreign trips at a time the country is mourning the death of over 300 Cyclone Idai victims.

In the midst of efforts to locate missing persons in Chimanimani, Mnangagwa left for a day’s visit to Angola last week.
From Angola, he headed to South Africa for yet another official visit.

But what infuriated his friends and foe alike was his decision to hire a luxury jet from Dubai to attend a meeting with the civic society in Bulawayo.

According to reports, the Airbus A318-100 flew seven hours and 16 minutes from Dubai to position in Harare, ahead of Mnangagwa’s flight from Harare to the second city.

An influential figure in the country, Cross told ZBC TV that “all trips by the president are very significant and essential, the spin by the independent press that the president’s trips are gobbling the fiscus are unfortunate. Look, some of these missions are planned well six months before. The president has a diplomatic and political obligation to fulfil international mutual agreements, so all his trips are justified”.

He went on to say that “the president should travel comfortably and on time so this issue of a hired jet, some are hired by his counterparts so it’s not fiscus money always, more so it is important like what happened when he had to trips to Russia and the UAE (United Arab Emirates) with the jet, it was fast for him to come back and attend to Cyclone Idai”.

In the wake of the ZBC report, MDC’s David Coltart took to social media yesterday, connoting that the former MDC legislator had probably been misquoted.

“The ZBC has posted that Eddie Cross says that Mnangagwa’s foreign trips on luxury aircraft and his hiring of aircraft from Dubai to fly to Bulawayo is justified. I presume that if he has been misquoted, he will refute this story,” he wrote.

Contacted for comment by the Daily News yesterday, Cross insisted that there was nothing sinister about Mnangagwa’s flight to Bulawayo.

“I believe it was justified because it was made available to him by the sultan of the UAE for a week; the special jet was made available for the President’s disposal for a week. That’s what I believe,” he said.

Leader of Gwanda Residents’ Association, Bekezela Maduna Fuzwayo, said it was shocking how members who desert the opposition suddenly become the ruling party’s ambassadors.

“It can never be justified; we don’t know what has come over him (Cross). It has become a trend that members who leave the opposition all of sudden start speaking good about the ruling party. He is eyeing something; very soon we will hear that he has landed a post,” he said.

Political analyst Dumisani Nkomo said although this was a clear misuse of funds, it was worrying that the reason behind Mnangagwa’s visit to Bulawayo had been overshadowed by the rancour over the mode of transport used.

“I personally don’t condone the misuse of public funds; but I also feel people are now ignoring the real story, the Gukurahundi issue that the president flew here to discuss. For the first time this issue is being discussed openly without fear. People are not talking about what was discussed during the meeting,” he said.

The Affirmative Action Group’s Matabeleland Chapter president Reginald Shoko said Cross’ sentiments were justified.

“From a macro-economic perspective, Cross was right in saying the president was justified; the national airline is only flying one plane and we cannot expect him to take it off route each time there is a trip,” he said.

“Sometimes we have to look at the office and not the individual. We have to respect that he is the Head of State, we could not expect him to fly with the public on the national airline.”

Daily News

The Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (Zinara) paid out over half a million United States dollars to a non-existent company between 2012 and 2013 under its “special projects arrangement”, investigations have revealed.

An audit by Grant Thornton shows that cumulatively, Zinara paid Bermipools US$589 748, 94 in two years.

Grant Thornton also established that Bermipools is one of the companies that were used by Twalumba Holdings to get a contract from Zinara.

Twalumba Holdings was once investigated by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) over a US$2 million road rehabilitation tender involving Notify Enterprises, one of its shelf companies.

However, in the case of Bermipools, checks with the Registrar of Companies showed that it is not a registered company.

Further, company registration books of some of the beneficiaries of contracts awarded by Zinara under the special projects arrangement show that they were dished out to connected individuals.

For instance, one contract was awarded to a company called Tencraft Construction.

Among the directors of Tencraft Construction was the then principal director in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development Engineer Mufaro Eric Gumbie (now late) yet Zinara is a parastatal under the ambit of the same Ministry.

Tencraft Construction was formed in 2006 under company number 1749/06.

Company certificates obtained from the Registrar of Companies showed that one of the Haingate directors is Tichaona Kasukuwere. Tichaona is former Cabinet minister Saviour’s elder brother. Another contract awarded by Zinara under the same special projects arrangement was given to Haingate.

Another company with a director known in political circles that benefitted under special projects was Badon Enterprises. The company is owned by Chegutu West legislator Dexter Nduna.

Haingate was paid varying amounts also in excess of US$5 million for two special projects awarded to the company.

Nduna co-owned Badon Enterprises with his wife Scholastica, making the company a Nduna family business.

Evidence compiled by Grant Thornton showed that Badon received payments from Zinara between 2011 and 2015 in excess of US$5 million.

Two years down the line in 2017, the company was declared insolvent. Nduna told the Herald that the company had since been liquidated.

He said he won the tender way before he joined politics meaning there is no connection between his political career and his Zinara contract.Nduna said raising issues of debts or abuse of money against Badon Civil Engineering was now immaterial because when the company was liquidated no creditors came forward.

“That company has since been liquidated,” said Nduna.

“The liquidators asked for any creditors to come forward before the company was liquidated and no one came forward. I don’t think it will make sense to start raising issues about closed company now.”

The Grant Thornton audit report unmasked that some contractors were overpaid and in other cases payments were made for incomplete jobs and in the absence of payment certificates as evidence of the work done.

It also emerged that Zinara awarded these so-called special projects to the same individuals using different company names, for instance in the case of Twalumba Civil Engineering.

The company got other contracts using other names such as Notify Enterprises.

State Media

By Own Correspondent| President Emmerson Mnangagwa will this Friday lead the National Clean-Up Day campaign in Victoria Falls.

The development follows a declaration by the country’s first citizen that the first Friday of every month shall be a National Clean-up Day whereby citizens are supposed to clean-up their surroundings between 8am and 10am.

Mnangagwa’s two deputies Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi will be leading clean up campaigns at Chigovanyika shopping centre in Chitungwiza and Whitehouse.

A VILLAGER allegedly beat a soldier to death in a dispute over a missing cell phone during a drinking spree at a business centre in Bulilima District.

Busani Sibanda (28), who was based at 23 Combat Station in Magunje, Hurungwe in Mashonaland West Province, had an altercation with Sithelo Ndlovu (30) after his cell phone went missing and suspected that Ndlovu had stolen it.

Chief Mpini confirmed the incident which occurred on Friday last week at around 6PM at Ndiweni Business Centre in Ndiweni Ward in Bulilima which falls under his jurisdiction.

“I received a report of a soldier who was killed at Ndiweni Business Centre. The deceased and the suspect are from my area although the soldier was based in another area. I’m not sure what caused the altercation as I’m yet to receive full details but the two men were fighting and the villager assaulted the soldier with a stick resulting in his death,’’ he said.

Chief Mpini said the incident had left villagers shocked and he raised concern over murder cases that were being recorded in the area.

The chief said people must drink responsibly and not turn drinking spots into war zones.

Sources close to the investigations said Sibanda and Ndlovu were drinking at a bottle store at Ndiweni Business Centre when Sibanda realised that one of his two cell phones was missing and he confronted Ndlovu.

A source who preferred anonymity said Ndlovu denied taking the cell phone and emptied his pockets for Sibanda to see but Sibanda accused him of either selling or hiding the cell phone.

“Sibanda took Ndlovu’s bicycle which was at the business centre and threatened to keep it if he didn’t return his cell phone. The two men started fighting and Ndlovu struck Sibanda with a big stick several times all over the body and also kicked him several times until he bled from the nose and mouth.

‘’Sibanda was rushed to Plumtree District Hospital where he died upon admission while Ndlovu was arrested,’’ said the source.

The source said Sibanda will be buried at his rural home in Bulilima tomorrow.

Zimbabwe Miners’ Federation (ZMF) president Ms Henrietta Rushwaya has lost the presidency of the association after the High Court declared the results and proceedings of the elections which brought her to the helm of the small-scale miners’ body invalid.

The court ruling handed down on March 26, 2019 came just as the ZMF announced a decision to change its name to the Zimbabwe Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners’ Federation (ZASMF).

Ms Rushwaya was elected ZMF president in June last year but a group of small-scale miners under the Zvishavane-Mberengwa Miners’ Association (ZMMA) challenged her election at the High Court.

The miners accused Ms Rushwaya of using unorthodox means to takeover the leadership of ZMF.

They filed an application at the High Court seeking an order to block the holding of the elections and to have them indefinitely rescheduled arguing that Ms Rushwaya wanted to usurp ZMF leadership through unconstitutional means.

High Court judge Justice Nicholas Mathonsi granted a provisional order suspending the holding of elections on June 14, 2018 but the federation went ahead with the elections which were won by Ms Rushwaya.

The old ZMF executive led by Mr Ishmael Kaguru boycotted the elections.

In her ruling last week, Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Nokuthula Moyo said:“The court, being a court of law, cannot embrace a willy-nilly departure from one’s constitutional dictates. Not only is adherence to one’s constitution good for law and order, but it is also a good corporate governance principle. The reason why there is a constitution in the first place is so that the association or organisation operates within the confines of good order to avoid chaos.”

She said the court could not encourage organisations to breach their own constitutions and do as they please.

“That is unlawful and this court cannot lend a hand to allow an unlawfulness to prevail. Respondent is bound by the provisions of the constitution and if intended to defend this application, it should have done so within the confines of its own constitution.It is for these reasons that I hold that the notice of opposition and the opposing affidavit are not properly before the court, as they have been brought through the back door and not in accordance with respondent’s own constitutional provisions. As a result, I will proceed to confirm the provisional order, which in my view stands unopposed . . . The provisional order granted by this court on June 14 2018, be and is hereby confirmed,” said Justice Moyo.

In an interview, ZMF general council member Mr Helem Mhlanga said following the final court order, they held their general council meeting in Gweru last Thursday .

“The High Court has directed that the old executive led by Mr Kaguru should take over the leadership of ZMF and lead the organisation to election.

“The second recommendation was to constitute a board as directed by the court, the board that would investigate the allegations levelled against (Ms) Rushwaya, the board will also assist vetting of candidates to participate in the ZMF next election,” he said.

State Media

CONSUMERS have expressed shock after major supermarkets and small scale retailers once again increased prices of some basic commodities by margins of up to 75 percent.

Despite the stability in the economy after the February Monetary Policy Statement, which has been widely endorsed by business, the latest price increases have put consumers in a corner, especially considering that most companies and Government have not increased salaries for their workers.

Grocery items that include flour, rice, cooking oil, sugar, salad dressing, toiletries, washing powder, cereals and meat have been on an upward trajectory in small and major retail outlets recently.

A snap survey conducted by Business Chronicle in the last three days has revealed that prices have gone up by 25 to 75 percent from the average prices of similar commodities last month. 

A two litre bottle of cooking oil, for instance, has gone up from an average of RTGS$7, 50 to RTGS$14 whilst a two kilogramme (kg) packet of chicken portions has gone up from RTGS$11 to RTGS$16.

A 10kg bag of mealie-meal has gone up from RTGS$6 to RTGS$8, 50 while 500g margarine, which has suddenly been in low supply, has risen to about RTGS$22 from an average of RTGS$8.

A closer comparison shows that prices for most basics have gone up by more than 400 percent between March-August last year and this year.

The wanton price increases have sparked outrage among consumers, who have expressed their disgruntlement saying the cost of living was now beyond their reach given low wages and salaries they were earning.

“These retailers are stealing from us by over pricing goods. Government must do something about it quickly before the situation gets out of hand. As a consumer I am slowly losing my buying power since my monthly salary does not tally with these exorbitant prices,” fumed Mrs Dorothy Phiri, a shopper at OK Zimbabwe in Bulawayo.

Some consumers said prices were cheaper and more stable when one buys with foreign currency. 

They, however, said the new pricing system was not fair for them as they were not earning forex.

“I have nowhere to get forex. However, when I go and buy it from the street and then do my groceries, sometimes I get better deals than when I use RTGS dollars directly at the supermarket. Something must be done about this currency issue as it is fuelling the parallel market,” said Mrs Nancy Mhoni who was shopping at a Choppies supermarket. 

Others said they preferred street vendors who sold grocery items at a price cheaper than supermarkets, but only accepted cash payment and mobile money payments at a premium. Commodities such as petroleum jelly, washing soap, body lotion, diapers, peanut butter, cereals, washing powder, bathing soap, rice and cooking oil mostly imported from South Africa are sold from pavements around the city. 

Commenting on the price increases, Confederation of Zimbabwean Industries (CZI) president, Mr Sifelani Jabangwe said they were due to the movement on the parallel market since the official market is offering rates that are very low for sellers.

“The price increases are due to the continuous movement on the parallel market. The official market introduced in February by the Central Bank is offering rates that are very low for sellers,” he said.

Mr Jabangwe said the price hikes are likely to be short term if the inter-bank market works to eliminate the parallel market. 

Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers (CZR) president, Mr Denford Mutashu, said the price hikes were induced by the prevailing shortages of foreign currency leading to supply constraints experienced by both producers and distributors in the country.

State Media

By Farai D Hove| Nelson Chamisa’s nemesis Douglas Mwonzora has admitted signing in Mr Collet Ndlovu for the Cowdray bi election, resulting in there being 2 candidates from the MDC party.

As a result the party was beaten by zanu-pf last week.

Mwonzora confirmed that he signed nomination papers for Ald Collet Ndlovu saying it was done as an emergency following January protests where public meetings were temporarily banned.

He said the party’s national chairperson, Ms Thabitha Khumalo, brought Ald Ndlovu’s nomination papers to him for signing and dismissed claims that factionalism was at play.

“There is no strategic value in Ward 28. If you look at it only one person will come from that ward as a delegate to Congress and that is the ward chairman. So I fail to see the logic behind that accusation. To me it was simply an emergency, then we rectified that when the election was then postponed. I then ordered a primary to be done which would include all the other candidates. I have always insisted on primary elections. I don’t believe in imposition of candidates,” Mr Mwonzora said.

Farai Dziva|MDC A leader Nelson Chamisa has responded to claims by his political rival Emmerson Mnangagwa that he is unwilling to participate in national dialogue because he is unpatriotic.

Chamisa has described Mnangagwa as a “thoroughly mistaken” leader.

“THE FUTURE OF ZIMBABWE can only be built upon inclusive dialogue,common vision, shared values and national consensus on all key national questions. My message today to His Excellency, the EU ambassador to Zim & Managing Director for Africa, Koen Vervaeke in a meeting in Harare,” said Chamisa.

“My bro ED is bizarrely delusional and thoroughly mistaken!” Chamisa added.

Farai Dziva|The Government of Zimbabwe should exert pressure on South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to stop xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals.

On the contrary Deputy Information Minister, Energy Mutodi has said the Harare authorities believe Ramaphosa’ s government will bring the perpetrators of xenophobic attacks to book.Mutodi has chosen to be diplomatic in addressing the matter.

“We have noted some gruesome acts of violence perpetrated by South African youths against Zimbabweans & other foreign African nationals living in South Africa.

We hope the law will take its course on those criminals. We have confidence in the gvt of President Cyril Ramaphosa,” said Mutodi.

Several Zimbabweans have been killed in xenophobic attacks in the Republic of South Africa while hundreds have been injured and displaced.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

A BULAWAYO man who last week attacked and killed a 17 year old boy with a machete few meters away from Mahweba Night Club in Cowdray Park has appeared in court.

Bornwell Ndlovu (26) and his co-accused who is still at large brutally hacked Talent Sibanda to death at around 8:30 PM on Saturday last week.

Ndlovu appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Lungile Ncube facing a charge of murder and was not asked to plead.

Statement By The MDC|The MDC has received a number of concerns raised by the public pertaining results of a By-Election held in Cowdry Park over the weekend.

One of the major issues raised was that a loss of a seat in traditional MDC territory is unacceptable and that there must be no excuses about it.

The party agrees that there are lessons to be learnt and we assure the public that the elections directorate is compiling the observations made and working on a plan to correct all the mistakes that the party made.

We also accept the concern on the fielding of double candidates and appreciate that it created confusion. However, the party would like to assure its supporters that it will not happen again.

The congress will among other things discuss and strengthen disciplinary mechanisms as well as a holistic renewal of internal cohesion.

We, however, want to highlight that the times in which candidate selection was taking place also came with a hostile environment in respect of which targeted violence was being perpetrated on those mandated by the party to handle internal elections.

Some of them had their homes invaded while others were arrested.

In fact, one of the venues of the primary elections was raided by the police disrupting the process.

This resulted in challenges around candidate selection.

The party will, however, do more to motivate the social base to defend our zones of autonomy because the figures reflect high levels of apathy, our supporters must be assured that solutions are being sought in this respect.

MDC: Defining a New Course for Zimbabwe!

Jacob Mafume
MDC National Spokesperson

MDC Spokesperson Jacob Mafume has castigated party Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora over his remarks that the late founding figure Morgan Tsvangirai is turning in his grave due to the chaos in the two decade old movement.

In an interview with The Daily News, Mafume said the party was healthy without shambles as implied by Mwonzora.

Mafume added that Mwonzora was looking the grave of Tsvangirai telling him to go to Humanikwa village in Buhera where the former Prime Minister was buried.

“There are no shambles in the MDC, we have diplomats coming to meet president Chamisa. Can they come when the party is in chaos? We had former Nigerian President Olesugun Obasanjo meeting the president. Can he meet with a leader of a chaotic party. Maybe Mwonzora was looking at the wrong grave of Tsvangirai, he should go to Humanikwa (Tsvangirai rural home where he was buried).”

By Own Correspondent| Two suspected ladies of the night whose video torched a storm on social media while they were bashing a man with cooking sticks accusing him of infidelity had their day of reckoning in court.

The two identical twin sisters, Shyleen and Shylet Nyangade (22) from Kambuzuma – were facing assault and extortion charges when they appeared in court.

It is alleged that sometime in June last year, the twins hatched a plan to extort money from the complainant, who was in a relationship with Shyleen.

Their game plan was that Shylet would seduce the complainant during Shyleen’s absence.

The court heard that according to their plan, Shylet would take the complainant to the bedroom and then Shyleen would catch them in a compromising position.

The court heard that according to their plan, the complainant and Shylet went into the bedroom where Shyleen pounced on them and started accusing the complainant of infidelity.

The pair started bashing the complainant with cooking sticks and hands all over the body while recording a video.

The duo went on to extort US$3 000 from the complainant, threatening to leak the video on the social media if he failed to give them the money.

The court heard that in a desperate attempt to protect his dignity, the complainant paid the amount

Own Correspondent|MDC Youth Assembly Provincial Chairperson and former Chitungwiza deputy mayor Jabulani Mtunzi is currently in hospital after he was run over by a car in a hit and run accident.

According to a source who witnessed the incident, a vehicle wanted to run over Mtunzi and he ended up taking aim at ordinary civilians and children who were nearby.

Mtunzi sustained a broken neck and spinal injuries in the accident.

MDC MP for Zengeza, Job Sikhala is reported to have visited Mtunzi in hospital.

Party Spokesperson Jacob Mafume said the party will investigate the incident. “If it is true then it is unfortunate, the matter should be investigated by our security team and action should be taken.”

MDC deputy National Youth Chair, Shakespeare Mukoyi was arrested for attempted murder and spent the whole day at ZRP Harare central before being released into the custody of his lawyer Obey Shava. Allegations are that, on 16 January 2019, while in full mititary compat, Shakespeare shot a Zanu pf activist on the right thigh with an AK47 riffle.

Shakespeare will be appearing in court soon to answer to the charges.

The MDC has received a number of concerns raised by the public pertaining results of a By-Election held in Cowdry Park over the weekend.

One of the major issues raised was that a loss of a seat in traditional MDC territory is unacceptable and that there must be no excuses about it.

The party agrees that there are lessons to be learnt and we assure the public that the elections directorate is compiling the observations made and working on a plan to correct all the mistakes that the party made.

We also accept the concern on the fielding of double candidates and appreciate that it created confusion.

However the party would like to assure its supporters that it will not happen again.

The congress will among other things discuss and strengthen disciplinary mechanisms as well as a holistic renewal of internal cohesion.

We however, want to highlight that the times in which candidate selection was taking place also came with a hostile environment in respect of which targeted violence was being perpetrated on those mandated by the party to handle internal elections.

Some of them had their homes invaded while others were arrested.

In fact, one of the venues of the primary elections was raided by the police disrupting the process.

This may have resulted in challenges around candidate selection.

The party will however do more to motivate the social base to defend our zones of autonomy because the figures reflect high levels of apathy, our supporters must be assured that solutions are being sought in this respect.

MDC: Defining a New Course for Zimbabwe!

Jacob Mafume
MDC National Spokesperson

Farai Dziva|MDC T spokesperson Linda Masarira has castigated the xenophobic attacks on fellow Africans in South Africa.

“If what is happening in South Africa is #Xenophobia they would also be attacking the whites and the Chinese for stealing “their” jobs& starting “their” business.

Why should we hate and kill each other because of borders which were defined by the imperialist white man #NoToAfrophobia,” argued Masarira.

Bulawayo Deputy Mayor, Tinashe Kambarami was today convicted of contravening the PTC Act by sending a threating message to a member of a WhatsApp group. He was fined $50 by Bulawayo magistrate Franklin Mkhwanzi.

Victoria Falls entry fees have gone up from RTGS$7 to RTGS$15, the Zimbabwe and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) has said.
The hugely popular rain forest is a favourite for those visiting the resort town.
Entry fees for international tourists who constitute the larger percentage of the annual entries to the rainforest remain unchanged at US$30 for adults.
Regional tourists will continue to pay US$20 for adults.

-Online Report

Farai Dziva|MDC A vice president Morgen Komichi believes only party leader Nelson Chamisa will be nominated for the presidential post at Congress.

Komichi says he knows that all MDC 10 provinces will nominate Chamisa for the presidential post.

Komichi told The Standard ahead of the MDC A Congress set for May.

“The MDC people are going to nominate Nelson Chamisa with ease. He is going to be nominated by all 10 provinces in the country and our three external ones. No one is going to be nominated except president Chamisa,” said Komichi.

Farai Dziva|Former Zanu PF strategist Jonathan Moyo has said the opposition has to change its approach to electoral processes to be in a position to defeat the ruling party.

Writing on Twitter yesterday, Moyo urged the MDC A to put its structures in place ahead of the 2023 polls.

“NOTES FROM WARD 28 BY-ELECTION IN BYO: Politics is local.

Even national elections are contested & won locally. Elections are about figures wherein every vote counts.

Votes come from structures, Byo MDC structures are in turmoil. *ZanuPF won bragging rights, not supporters,” argued Moyo.

By Simba Chikanza| Today I am telephoning Police Commissioner Godwin Matanga to ask him to explain why he gave a police escort of 25 cops to accompany Vice President Kembo Mohadi to assault his exwife Tambudzani on Saturday. I believe a crime was committed; I also believe a crime is being committed as I write this, and due to the seriousness thereof, I will do everything on camera:

VIDEO LOADING BELOW

Farai Dziva|MDC A leader Nelson Chamisa has responded to claims by his political rival Emmerson Mnangagwa that he is unwilling to participate in national dialogue because he is unpatriotic.

Chamisa has described Mnangagwa as a “thoroughly mistaken” leader.

“THE FUTURE OF ZIMBABWE can only be built upon inclusive dialogue,common vision, shared values and national consensus on all key national questions. My message today to His Excellency, the EU ambassador to Zim & Managing Director for Africa, Koen Vervaeke in a meeting in Harare,” said Chamisa.

“My bro ED is bizarrely delusional and thoroughly mistaken!” Chamisa added.

Jane Mlambo| Seasoned journalist Hopewell Chin’ono has urged the opposition MDC to stop making claims that the Cowdry by-elections were rigged saying their failure to handle internal contradictions is the reason behind their loss.

Chin’ono said the MDC’s failure to handle internal party contradictions is the reason behind deputy minister Energy Mutodi’s victory.

By Own Correspondent| MDC Spokesperson Jacob Mafume has warned party cadres against violence adding that his party will investigate and punish those behind the violence which rocked Chitungwiza over the weekend.

Violent incidents in Chitungwiza over the past weekend left some MDC officials badly injured.

The violent clashes are alleged to have resulted from conflicts over the restructuring exercise currently being done by the party ahead of the elective Congress slated for May this year.

Zengeza East MP Goodrich Chimbaira nearly run over the town’s deputy mayor Jabulani Mtunzi minutes after a rowdy crowd beat the youthful party cadre to a pulp.

He is currently admitted at Chitungwiza General hospital where he reportedly suffered internal injuries.

However, Mafume daid the violent incidences were isolated hence they will not derail the preparations for the Congress.

Said Mafume:

“We are still to get reports, but as you know, our district meetings have been going on from Saturday and Sunday and we will get the feedback.

We deployed provincial and national members to monitor and supervise the process and they will give full reports. We have hundreds of district meetings going on, the bulk of them going on without any incident.

Where there has been any incident and caused internally, the appropriate action will be taken after a thorough investigation. We are, by and large, satisfied with the progress, although there have been few reports here and there.

We will investigate anything that comes out of the Chitungwiza processes, including any injury to person and damage to property to find out who caused it and where it came from and we will take appropriate action

A Newsday story that appeared today reported that the opposition MDC Secretary-General Douglas Mwonzora has called for the arrest and disqualification of candidates fomenting violence in the party following ugly skirmishes that rocked the party’s at the district congress in Chitungwiza and Chegutu over the weekend.

In Chitungwiza, party leader Nelson Chamisa’s supporters allegedly physically assaulted secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora’s sympathisers at the weekend, leaving Chitungwiza former deputy mayor Jabulani Mtunzi and several other party activists seriously injured and hospitalized at Chitungwiza Central Hospital.

Mtunzi is a Mwonzora ally.

Mwonzora confirmed the incident yesterday, and called for the perpetrators’ arrest and disqualification of candidates fomenting violence.

“The violence that is taking place is extremely disconcerting,” he told NewsDay.

“We will disqualify the violent elements from the congress race, but this violence has to be nipped in the bud.

“These people who perpetrate violence are criminals who belong in jail. The leaders in whose name these goons operate must publicly denounce violence, failure which they will be held responsible for the violence and disqualified, whoever they are.”

He confirmed that most of the victims were his supporters, but could not confirm allegations that the perpetrators were acting on Chamisa’s orders.

Mwonzora said he had not yet officially made up his mind which post to contest at the congress, although sources close to him said he was eyeing Chamisa’s presidency.

Both Mwonzora and Chamisa squared off in the 2014 elective congress where they contesting for the secretary-general’s position.

Chamisa lost the race, but was later handpicked for the party’s vice-presidency by the now late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

Mwonzora was reported yesterday saying founding party leader Morgan Tsvangirai must be turning in his grave following a recent spike in violent attacks within the party as the congress nears.

The MDC goes for Congress from 24 to 26 May.

Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has described vice President Kembo Mohadi as a criminal surrounding President Emmerson Mnangagwa who should have his day in court over his corrupt activities.

Posting on Twitter today, Mliswa said;

“What happened to all the rape allegation dockets&cigarette smuggling assertions? It’s so sad @edmnangagwa allows himself to be surrounded by such a criminal of a VP. I’m looking forward to my day in court when I can expose all the V11s on him.

” No wonder RGM didn’t want him as VP, it’s an embarrassment to the country. What is Hon. Ziyambi as the Minister of Justice doing about this? But then again after fighting for PG Goba’s removal to avoid being exposed, should we hold our breaths? We can’t continue like this….”

Jane Mlambo| Opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa has accused SADC of paying a blind eye to the perspective of the opposition in as far as the Zimbabwe question is concerned.

In a story published in the Newsday, Chamisa said SADC has always been listening to one side, challenging the regional bloc to get the opposition viewpoint to have a clear picture of the situation in the country.

“We feel that there has been an attempt on the part of Sadc, the chairperson of Sadc, the President of Namibia [Hage Heingob], to listen to one side. We feel that in order to have a perfect picture of what is happening in Zimbabwe, you must have a perspective from both sides. They must also listen to the MDC and not just Zanu PF,” he
said.

OPPOSITION MDC leader Nelson Chamisa, who recently embarked on a regional diplomatic offensive to sound Sadc leaders on Zimbabwe’s worsening political and economic crisis, has pleaded with the bloc to heed his party’s distress call.

“We feel that there has been an attempt on the part of Sadc, the chairperson of Sadc, the President of Namibia [Hage Heingob], to listen to one side. We feel that in order to have a perfect picture of what is happening in Zimbabwe, you must have a perspective from both sides. They must also listen to the MDC and not just Zanu PF,” he
said.

Chamisa said his party would continue to knock on the doors of African leaders and influential politicians to push the Zimbabwean agenda so that the political impasse is resolved.

He was recently in Botswana, where he was lobbying influential political leaders in an effort to have Zimbabwe’s political and economic challenges placed on the Sadc agenda.

In Gaborone, he reportedly met with senior government officials, ruling party members, former President Ian Khama and opposition leaders, where he apprised them on problems in Zimbabwe.

Chamisa said he used the Botswana trip to seek African solutions to the Zimbabwean problems.

“Had a hugely enriching engagement with HE Ian Khama, the former President of the Republic of Botswana, so fulfilling to tap and drink from his well of wisdom, fixing African problems to make all African countries citadels of democracy and prosperity is key,” he said.

Chamisa’s spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda said his boss was firming his diplomatic offensive and would continue to knock on the doors of all influential African leaders to ensure that the problem in Zimbabwe does not degenerate into chaos.

“President Chamisa is concerned about Zimbabwe, thus he is engaging in diplomacy on the African continent, as underpinned by essential ideas that Zimbabwe is part of a bigger African family, African counsel and support are fundamental,” Sibanda said.

Chamisa has so far met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and is looking forward to a meeting with Geingob, both believed to be sympathetic to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Both Sadc and the African Union have backed Mnangagwa’s call for the unconditional lifting of sanctions against Zimbabwe, and have not censored government’s recent violent crackdown on protesters, leaving Chamisa hanging out to dry.

-Newsday

Own Correspondent|President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rampant second Vice President Kembo Mohadi who was on a warpath over the weekend, was brought down to mother earth by junior Zimbabwe Revenue Authority officers when they refused to take orders from him at the border post.

Mohadi who nearly killed his former wife Tambudzani, in a fit of anger at the town on Saturday was left belittled when officials at the Customs and Excise offices defied his instruction to vacate a bonded vehicle transit shed he operates together with some businessmen and move to a new shed.

Mohadi, who jointly operates MOOMU trading as Malindi Transit Shed with Oscar Chiromo and one Mushipe, wants out of the business, where the two provided the shop the Vice-President rents as the licence holder.

He has built his own place at the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo’s Stand 411 in the border town, where he plans to relocate the business under a new arrangement.

Mushipe and Chiromo are said to be refusing his new arrangement, arguing they had invested thousands and will not recover if Mohadi abandons them before expiry of the agreed six-year period.

At the weekend, he had fights on two fronts — Mohadi stripped directorship from Chiromo, Mushipe and his children from his failed marriage with Senator Tambudzani Mohadi in favour of a new team, including his son Bruce, currently in trouble with the law on allegations of robbery.

Mohadi does not want anything to do with any member of his family, including Tambudzani, whom he threatened to beat up in full view of the police on Saturday.

Moomu had a contract with Chiromo and Mushipe, but Mohadi is said to have brought a court order stopping operations at Malindi saying the contract was over.

Malindi Transit Shed handles, on behalf of Customs and Excise, imported pre-owned vehicles prior to formalities like duty payment and temporary registration.

The arrangement was to decongest the border post, which handles hundreds of imported pre-owned vehicles weekly.

According to a source, Mohadi on Friday dispatched plainclothes police from the Beitbridge police to the transit shed.

“Plainclothes policemen came on Friday and ordered all operations to stop and directed customs officers to relocate to his new site. He selected staff and said he only wanted people from Beitbridge working at his new site,” a source said.

“He personally addressed workers and said he was closing down the site. All Customs officers were ordered to leave for the new site, but they defied his order and continued to work because they do not take instructions from him.”

A senior Customs and Excise official yesterday said officers had not left because the new site had not been inspected and no installations were in place.

“Everything is under control and officers are still at Malindi Transit Shed which has installations. We have not moved to a new site although we confirm such a development was there,” the official said.

A notice was, however, pasted at all gates indicating that they were moving office.

Mohadi also removed air conditioners reportedly installed by Chiromo and Mushipe, which he directed that they be installed at his new site.
After closing Malindi Transit Shed, Mohadi deployed police to the border post to direct drivers of vehicle carriers from South Africa to drop cars at his new site, which drivers ignored.

“Instead, the drivers of vehicle carriers took cars to Manica Transit Shed. They said clients did not want their cars taken to where Mohadi was,” the source said.

One of Mohadi’s daughters, director of Moomu, said she was surprised to hear she had resigned.

“I have not resigned, but I heard there was a letter of my resignation signed by me. I am not aware of that,” she told NewsDay, preferring not to be
named.

Chiromo and Mushipe were both not available for comment, but were said to have gone to seek legal protection.

Efforts to get a comment from the VP hit a brick wall, as his phone went unanswered yesterday.

-NewsDay