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.
Remains of the crash victims being ferried from site.
The preliminary report into the cause of the 10 March crash of Ethiopian Airlines which killed 157 people will be released soon, the country’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Nebiat Getachew, has told news agency Reuters.
A timeline has, however, not been set, Reuters report.
An anti-stalling system on the plane, a Boeing 737 Max, has been blamed for the disaster.
Soon after take-off – and just 450ft (137m) above the ground – the aircraft’s nose began to pitch down.
One pilot, according to the Wall Street Journal, said to the other “pitch up, pitch up!” before their radio died.
Leaks last week from the crash investigation in Ethiopia and in the US suggest an automatic anti-stall system was activated at the time of the disaster.
The Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) flight-control feature was also implicated in a fatal crash involving a Lion Air flight in Indonesia last October.
The Boeing 737 Max went down shortly after take-off from Jakarta, killing all 189 people on board.
Boeing 737 MAX models have been grounded around the world after the Ethiopia crash. — BBC
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.
Zifa could be handed a fine of up to US$1 million this week, the heaviest financial punishment slapped on the country’s football controlling body, should they be found to have breached the agreement to host this year’s Cosafa Cup senior men’s tournament.
The association are set to face the Cosafa Disciplinary Committee in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Thursday with judgment likely to be handed down within 48 hours of the hearing.
This means, by Saturday, Zifa will know their fate and the magnitude of the sanctions.
However, Zifa could avoid those sanctions should they, before the hearing is held on Thursday, come up with an alternative arrangement which guarantees the hosting of the region’s flagship football tournament in this country this year.
Cosafa announced on Sunday that Zifa had been dragged before the regional body’s disciplinary committee and the case will be heard on Thursday.
“The venue for the 2019 edition of the Cosafa Senior Tournament, scheduled from May 25 to June 8, remains undecided,’’ Cosafa said in a statement.
“The Zimbabwe Football Association is now in breach of their Hosting Agreement, signed by Zifa late in January 2019, and returned to Cosafa.
“Following a Board meeting convened on March 9 in Zimbabwe, Zifa reconfirmed their commitment to host the tournament in Zimbabwe, irrespective of whether they received Government funding and guarantees.
“Zifa management committed to presenting to Cosafa written confirmation of this decision no later than March 25.
“Unfortunately, they failed to deliver on the nominated deadline which has left Cosafa with no recourse other than to enforce their Disciplinary procedures, which calls for Zifa to attend a Disciplinary Hearing scheduled for April 4 in Johannesburg.
“The hearing will be handled by Cosafa’s independent judicial body, and the outcome and punitive action will be handed down within 48 hours of the hearing.’’
The regional football body said the uncertainty over the hosting of the tournament had come at a wrong time, given the importance which the nations which have qualified for the 2019 Afcon tourney had attached to the event, with all of them hoping to use it to prepare for the Nations Cup finals.
“Cosafa is, particularly, disturbed by the management of the process by Zifa as 2019 is a critically pivotal year for football in the Sub-Saharan region.
“For the first time in 21 years, five Cosafa member countries have qualified to participate in the continental showpiece, including Zimbabwe’s celebrated Warriors.
“The Cosafa Senior Tournament has consistently proved to be a vibrant platform of opportunity for all competing countries, and in 2019 has become a key factor in pre-Afcon preparation for the successful qualifiers, with coaches and team management planning to use the Cosafa tournament to fine tune their training prior to the Afcon June 21 kick-off.
“Cosafa remain hopeful that Zifa will remedy the current situation prior to the DC hearing on April 4.’’
Zimbabwe, South Africa, Madagascar, Angola and Namibia have qualified for the 2019 Afcon finals which is in stark contrast to what was the case, two years ago, when the Warriors were the only team from the region in Gabon.
Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister, Kirsty Coventry, revealed the country could not host the 2019 Cosafa Cup, which was last staged here in 2009, because of the short notice available to host a tournament of this nature.
Our sister paper, The Herald can today reveal that the fine, for withdrawing from hosting the tournament, ranges from US$500 000 to US$1 million depending on the circumstances which the Cosafa disciplinary committee can establish related to the case.
While the Cosafa disciplinary committee will use the regional body’s disciplinary code and the Cosafa competition rules and regulations to determine the case, what is critical here is that the regional body can also use the Caf rules and regulations, related to such cases, as and when they feel it’s appropriate.
Article 92 of the regulations of Africa Cup of Nations deals with such cases and is clear in its pronouncements with a fine of US$100 000 for withdrawal notified two or more years prior to the final tournament, a fine of US$300 000 for withdrawal notified less than two years before the date of the final tournament.
There is also a fine of US$500 000 for withdrawal notified within one year before the date of the final tournament, and a suspension at the next edition of the tourney, while a US$1 million punishment is inflicted on the association which would have withdrawn from hosting a tournament within six months before the start of the tourney.
There is also a suspension, from the next two editions, of the tournament.
The sanctions were imposed on Morocco after the North African nation pulled out of the hosting of the 2015 Afcon finals in the wake of the Ebola outbreak in some part of West Africa.
The Morocco FA were slapped with a US$1 million fine by Caf, who used the same regulations, which can be applied by Cosafa to deal with similar cases.
Morocco were also banned from the 2017 and 2019 Afcon tournaments.
They were also slapped with an US$8 million fine for damages which Caf claimed to have suffered because of the decision by the Moroccans to withdraw from the hosting of the 2015 Afcon tourney.
However, the Moroccans took their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport which overturned the ruling made by Caf and even reduced the severity of the financial punishment from US$1 million to US$500 000.
CAS said the issue related to the damages, which were being sought by Caf, should be examined by another body but Morocco were allowed to return to the 2017 and 2019 Afcon tournaments.
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.
Correspondent|WERE you fooled yesterday? Remember it was April Fools’ Day!
“The top story Lovemore Majaivana sneaks into the country” was just a light moment on April Fools Day.
Some readers did quickly realise that the story was a prank while some fell for the prank as they made enquiries how they could get in touch with musician Lovemore Majaivana while others were seen milling around the Small City Hall, the place where the singer was purportedly holding a meeting with his relatives.
However, in reality, Majaivana has not set foot in the country since self exiling nearly two decades ago.
The public have been yearning for his return and performance, but he has remained mum with no hope of him returning into the music scene altogether.
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.
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.
Haingate was paid varying amounts also in excess of US$5 million for two special projects awarded to the company.
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.
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 state media 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 Josephine Mukute| Good morning Bishop Manhanga, Pastor Dambaza and members of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Zimbabwe, Malawi and Upper Room Ministries congregation here present.
Invioleta Dumbutshena and her sister Josephine Mukute
I acknowledge the presence of a number of Ambassadors and thank you Your Excellencies for your support.
I acknowledge the attendance of those from the Government departments, Law Society of Zimbabwe, Legal fraternity and corporate sector here present, Dad, mum, the Mukute and Dumbutshena families, Norton constituents who have come out in support, friends and colleagues
All protocols respectfully observed.
I’ve written countless speeches, stood up before many platforms and spoken at numerous occasions but never did I imagine that I would be speaking at my baby sister’s funeral, it’s just not right. Vee and I shared endless conversations about how one day I would coordinate the best wedding ever seen for her but instead I’ve run around for her funeral….
Vee is amazing! Vee is a hard working all rounder and Vee is stubborn lol. Have you ever had the pleasure of being with someone who just gets you and knows what you want to say without you having to go into too much detail? Well that’s how it was with me and Vee. So much so that we called each other twins.
Whilst she’s my baby sister, Vee is mature beyond her age and she would often give me sound advice on many issues. The thing I appreciated about Vee’s advice is that she didn’t sugar coat things or tell me what I wanted to hear. She was honest and straightforward and when she could see I was being hard headed would try to be as diplomatic as she could and change strategy to make me see sense.
Vee is methodical and diligent with her work. I have had the great opportunity to speak with many of you who have shared experiences with Vee and whilst circumstances may differ her adept dexterity and proficiency remain constant in all accounts.
Vee is at the brink of her take off. Her astute intelligence has seen her win many key legal cases which will lay the foundation for an illustrious career. So upright and committed is Vee that I can see her stepping in her late grandfather’s shoes one day and becoming the Chief Justice, such is the depth of her integrity and sense of moral compass.
Vee works hard and plays hard too. Vee likes the finer things in life but also knows that to be able to afford them one has to put in the hours. Fiercely independent, Vee knows what she wants and how to achieve it. I’m proud of the way in which she’s grown her practice to a stage where she’s able to look after mum and look after mum she does with a fierce passion. There’s nothing that is too much for mum and Vee always makes sure she brings her something when she travels or happens to bump into something she knows she would like.
If you know Vee you’ll know that Vee loves shoes! We’ve often almost missed flights having to drag her out of the mall.
Let me let you in on a conversation about funerals we often shared. We promised each other that if one went before the other, that we would make sure that our funerals were a celebration party for popping champagne and drinking Remi, a celebration with no mourning or tears. So I’m sorry Vee, I’ve let you down, please forgive me but I’ve realised that it was easy for us to say that because we were together and now I can’t do it because it’s not a party without my sister.
Let me digress slightly, on Saturday when I made the fateful journey to collect my sister from Masvingo, I obviously had the opportunity to travel on the Masvingo – Harare road. In short what I can tell you from that experience is that the journey was a nightmare due to the deplorable state of the road. As the busiest road in the country, there is no way that Government can continue to sanction its use, it should be condemned! It is a death trap of bumpy surfaces and narrow strips unfit to travel at even 30kms per hour on. I therefore, as a person who has lost my sister on that murderous road appeal to the authorities to put selfish interests aside and focus on the rehabilitation of the road in order to mitigate the loss of life. It’s long overdue.
Oh and by the way, yes I know I’m still talking about Vee in the present, it’s because I’m not ready to let go. It’s not God’s plan and her time hadn’t come. My sister didn’t deserve such a tragic and abrupt end. She was someone that was such an energetic and bubbly force who touched the lives of many, such a tenacious and vibrant character should not be snuffed out so easily.
So outwardly I will be strong and get things done, but inside my spirit is broken and I’m torn because I just don’t know how I’m going to get on without my twinnie, I can’t imagine that we’re never taking another photo or trip together and I can’t imagine that she’s not here.
By Farai D Hove| Community reports on Monday claimed that vice president Kembo Mohadi looted cyclone idai grain and used it to bribe Cowdray Park residents as was revealed 2 days before the just ended by election last week. FULL TEXT:
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.
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|Respected political analyst Dr Pedzisai Ruhanya has called on the country’ s main opposition party MDC A to avoid the fielding of double candidates in future elections.
“2023 is on the horizon. MDC refuses to learn from proven irrefutable empirical evidence of how they lost many constituencies and councils in 2013, 2018 in places like Masvingo, Bulawayo, Mat South as a result of double candidates. Don’t blame rigging for such things,” said Dr Ruhanya.
” There are LOTS of power hungry delinquent elements in the MDC whose agenda is not the uplifting of the downtrodden in society but POWER AND MONEY. LOOKING FOR JOBS in politics!”
“The outcome of Bulawayo council by-election shows that like the Bourbon Monarch, the MDC has learnt nothing and forgotten nothing, hence their fielding of double candidates, greed for power, the will to power vs the will to transform. ITS ABOUT STOMACH POLITICS not reform agenda.”
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.
Cooking oil producers are struggling to access foreign currency from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) and the interbank market, which they need to import key raw materials, raising fears the country might face fresh shortages of edible oils if the situation persists.
This also comes as banks have demanded cash deposits upfront, at the going market exchange rate, to match the amount of foreign currency cooking oil manufacturers may seek to buy from the interbank market.
But Reserve Bank Governor Dr John Mangudya poured cold water on the claims by industry players that there was confusion and challenges around access to foreign currency by the cooking oil producers saying the companies know what to do, which they had always done in the past.
“These people know what they must do. They may be misrepresenting facts. Isn’t it that they have been drawing down LCs (Letters of Credit) from Afreximbank, including the fuel importers,” the RBZ chief said, adding that there was no confusion over the issue.
If importers are to get forex on the interbank they will need to fork out huge sums of RTGS dollars given that they will need to buy hard currency at the market rate instead of the previous 1 to 1 allocations by the RBZ.
Industry sources said last week that they had written to the RBZ, through the Oil Producers Association of Zimbabwe, seeking clarification on a number of issues, including the exchange rate at which they should get the forex.
In their correspondence, cooking oil producers indicated that some of their members had already run out of key raw materials, making it impossible for them to produce one of the important items in the food basket.
The country currently requires an estimated US$250 million for importation of crude oil and soya bean imports annually, which translates to a monthly budget of US$20 million for the entire industry.
Official estimates show that the country needs about 2 million litres annually, but faces intermittent shortages due to foreign currency challenges, as the country’s import bill continues to outstrip forex inflows.
Local producers were responsible for meeting 95 percent of domestic consumption, although Government last year allowed people with free funds to import basics such as cooking oil following serious shortages.
The Herald Business gathered last week that cooking oil producers were facing serious challenges getting foreign currency from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe or the recently introduced interbank market.
In the 2019 Monetary Policy on February 22, 2029, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe indicated that manufacturers would get forex through letters of credit (LCs) or facilities guaranteed by the African Export and Import Bank.
In his monetary policy statement last month Dr Mangudya said foreign currency for key commodities including fuel and cooking oil, would continue to be made available through LCs and or the central bank’s foreign exchange allocations committee.
Industry sources said that cooking oil companies were now in a quandary regarding access to the foreign currency they need to import critical raw materials such as soya beans, crude soya bean oil and palm fats.
Further sources claimed that previously, and in instances where the foreign currency was made available through RBZ, only selected players would get large chunks of allocations while other firms received nothing, which raised questions over fairness of allocations to the industry.
Efforts to get a comment from Oil Producers Association of Zimbabwe (OSAZ) chairman Busisa Moyo were not successful, as he was said to be out of the country.
Similar efforts to obtain comment from Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube, under whom the RBZ falls, and secretary for finance George Guvamatanga also failed to yield results.
But Olivine Industries acting chief executive Sylvester Mangani said after the MPS in February, they received further communication to the effect that cooking oil producers would buy forex from the interbank market.
“We have clarity on that; that we are supposed to get money (foreign currency) on the interbank although initially, from the monetary policy we were made to understand we would get it at a special rate from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe because cooking oil is an essential product.
“Obviously, that is not the case anymore. We have had some communication with the Reserve Bank,” he said.
Asked if they are able to get foreign currency from the interbank market, Mr Mangani said cooking oil manufacturers were not getting enough to sustain key imports.
“There is nothing trading on the interbank market, we are yet to see meaningful activity on that market. There are just small volumes trading, so whatever we are getting there cannot buy anything,” he said.
In January, Zimbabwe’s largest cooking oil manufacturer, Surface Willmar, was forced to suspend operations over foreign currency shortages.
The company, which last year acquired the country’s oldest cooking manufacturer, Olivine Industries, makes Pure Drop cooking oil and the Buttercup margarine and Olivine products brands.
Other than cooking oil, Olivine also produces margarines, bakers’ fats, candles, soya chunks, beans, tomato products, curries and mustards, chutneys and sauces, fortris juices, jams and marmalades, fruits and jellies, industrial and other products.
As companies’ external payments liabilities kept ballooning amid failure to obtain foreign currency for key imports, some manufacturers, including oil expressers, started quoting prices in US dollars.
Another major cooking oil producer, Willowton, announced this year that it would scale down production on the back of challenges in securing foreign currency.
Major cooking oil producers in Zimbabwe include Surface Wilmar, Olivine Industries, Willowton, Cangrow Trading, United Refineries and Pure Industries.- state media
A Harare magistrate is on April 10 expected to make a ruling on the application for discharge at the close of the State case by jailed RMG Independent End Time Message leader Robert Martin Gumbura and eight other inmates accused of attempting to escape from prison.
The foiled jailbreak took place in 2015 and the prosecution, led by Mr Michael Reza, finally closed its case last month after calling 10 witnesses who testified against the conspirators.
Gumbura is jointly charged with Blessing Chauke (29), Lucky Mhungu (42), Taurai Dodzo (51), Thomas Chacha (41), Thulani Chizema (36), Jacob Sibanda (32), Elijah Vhumbunu (42) and Lucky Matambanadzo (43).
They are facing several charges, including attempting to escape from prison. They initially appeared in court on March 30, 2015.
During trial, they took turns to make a cocktail of applications which contributed to delays in the progression of the case.
After the close of the State case, the prisoners’ lawyers —Professor Lovemore Madhuku and Mr Tapson Dzvetero — filed an application for discharge.
Magistrate Mr Francis Mapfumo was expected to deliver his ruling yesterday, but could not do so after the defence and the State filed their applications late.
Mr Mapfumo said he needed time to go through the defence’s application and the State’s response before coming up with a ruling.
He deferred the matter to April 10. The nine are accused of masterminding a foiled jailbreak at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison in 2015.
They are facing charges of attempting to escape from lawful custody, incitement in aggravating circumstances or alternatively conspiracy in aggravating circumstances for malicious damage to property.
It is alleged that during the morning of February 13, 2015 in B Hall, Gumbura allegedly incited other inmates to protest over the type of food they were being served.
Chauke, Matambanadzo, Mhungu, Dodzo, Chacha, Sibanda, Vhumbunu, Chizema and three other inmates who are now deceased, allegedly also influenced inmates to reject the porridge they were served, which had no sugar, to aid their escape.
This resulted in prisoners vandalising property whose value was estimated at $500 000. – state media
Lowveld sugar producer Tongaat Huletts Zimbabwe is in the eye of a storm after it used sugar cane export proceeds for more than 1 000 indigenous farmers in Chiredzi without their permission.
The firm was reportedly paid US$52 million in January for sucrose exports by the Zimbabwe Sugar Sales (ZSS), which markets and receives payment for all the sugar sold on the local and international market.
Tongaat was supposed to work out ways of paying out-grower farmers their share from the exported sugar but went on to use all the money without even consulting them. Farmers only received payment for sugar sold on the local market with Tongaat reportedly insisting that it used the hard currency to import fertilisers for the industry.
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.
Media Statement By MDC|Zanu PF deputy President Kembo Mohadi is reported to have attacked his former wife Sen Tambudzani Mohadi mafia style.
Mohadi was clearly a law unto himself enforcing his interests with the force of the level of the kul klux klan. This behaviour is unacceptable in a modern democratic society.
The issue of property is a civil matter, the judiciary is mandated to resolve disputes of that nature.
Mohadi knows that he is supposed to raise his concerns through the courts.
For a person who was a traditional Minister of Home Affairs, he cannot claim to be ignorant of what procedure demands.
In fact, we blame him for breeding a culture of partisanship in the service during his long tenure at the helm of the police.
The law is clear on the obligations of spouses on dissolution of their marriages.
He cannot be allowed to violate the rights of a defenseless woman by wreaking havoc at her home including using an axe and threatening to shoot her as reported in the daily papers.
The Constitution in section 51 states that “Every person has inherent dignity in their private and public life, and the right to have that dignity respected and protected.”
More importantly there is no one who is above the law, the Constitution binds everyone, including the State and the executive.
Reports are that Mohadi attacked Sen Tambudzani in full view of members of the Police.
The fact that he had guts to harass someone in front of potential witnesses and law enforcement points out to the fact that the Zimbabwean State on a broader scale has been captured by very dangerous individuals.
We demand that action be taken against Mohadi, everyone must stand up in protection of rights of women, in this case, they were clearly violated.
Allegations of malicious damage of property and deaths threats must be investigate if they are not investigated it encourages the violation of the Zimbabwean constitution.
MDC: Defining a New Course for Zimbabwe!
Jacob Mafume
MDC National Spokesperson
The post The MDC condemns the attack on women by powerful politicians appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.
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 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).”
Opinion By Charles Frank|Sometimes democracy comes as lemon and lemon juice can be turned sweet into a lemonade. In the movement’s upcoming congress we can then choose to elect certain leaders even fully knowing that they are suspected Zanu-PF spies.
It has been promulgated, postulated, assumed and even their behavior has shown that they are likely working with enemy that we want to destroy. It is therefore time that we show these hypocrites out by not voting them.
The upcoming MDC Congress is the right opportunity for the movement to cleanse itself and come out with a strong formidable team that can oust Zanu of hegemony out of power.
It’s now or never for the movement of democratic change.
The elective congress on May 24 would give our movement an opportunity to flash out spies, half-hearted cadres and sellouts. Some people in the movement have been labeled government spies and have worked with security services.
These must not be allowed to have posts in the movement if we are to wrestle power from Zanu-PF.
The question I always ask myself is why have we remained so foolish enough and failed to conquer the demons in our face. We have seen the evil staring at us but we want to allow it to devour us some more. We can’t see that some people are only with us to destroy us.
Ncube and Biti are not good for our movement. They did a great damage to the movement and looted assets in the form of vehicles and cash respectively but yet they have hoodwinked us again.
Today they are aiming at the jagular,that is the Vice-Presidency of MDC. Surely it would be out of sinc if we elected these Judases back into the party. They had destroyed us before and today they are back. This they would do again and again if we don’t stand firm and stop voting for them in the upcoming congress.
We have an option as the real MDC to say no to sellouts. We have a candidate for the Vice-Presidency. A man of stature, true genuine MDC red blood. A man who has given his whole life to the struggle.
A man who would bring the change we want. A man whose record is not soiled. This is non other than Hon Felix Mafa a man of the struggle.
The upcoming congress should elect the best team that would match Zanu-PF man to man. As the real MDC we can fail the people once more by electing mediocre and hypocrites. Together we can bring the change we want.
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
Since July 2018, ZEC registers duplicate candidates like Khupe against @nelsonchamisa, even allowing fake MDC logos, while at the same time promoting a single @edmnangagwa and his picture so that it sits at the top right of the ballot box facial | IS ZEC FAIR?
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.
Job Sikhala visiting 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.”
Watch Video: I challenge female parliamentarians to stand with Senator Tambudzani Mohadi and expose her brutal attack by Hon V.P Mohadihttps://t.co/BdrUlO95tS
— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) April 1, 2019
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.
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.
Farai Dziva|Elvis Chipezeze says he is working hard so that he gets a chance to stand between the sticks at the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Egypt this year.
The former Chicken Inn goalkeeper missed out on selection in the qualifying campaign despite settling well at his new club Baroka in the ABSA Premiership.
There were high hopes he could be called up for the last qualifier against Congo Brazzaville last week, but the coaches opted for Edmore Sibanda and Petros Mhari to give cover to first-choice keeper George Chigova.
In an interview with KickOff.com, Chipezeze indicated he was hopeful that he would make it into the final 23-man squad that coach Sunday Chidzambwa will choose for the finals.
“I am happy my brother because as a nation this is what we have always wanted, and that is to qualify [for the AFCON finals],” said Chipezeze on Warriors’ qualification.
“Hopefully now it’s time to work extra hard and be there in the final 23-man squad.”
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.
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.
Farai Dziva| Manica Diamonds FC coach Luke “Vahombe” Masomere is unhappy with his charges’ performance following yesterday’ s defeat to Caps United.
The league debutants were outclassed by Caps United from the initial whistle and the fact that they had a number of experienced players in their first team did not count.
They conceded as early as in the 4th minute when John Zhuwawu picked a loose ball in the box and hit the target.
The Eastern Highlands side almost let CAPS United doubled their advantage a minute later but Zhuwawu failed to bury his effort properly.
Just before the quarter hour mark, Makepekepe were forced to make an early substitution when club returnee Dominic Chungwa picked an injury. But the change never affected the game plan as the side remained in control of the proceedings and got the second goal from Joel Ngodzo who converted a penalty kick after Gabriel Nyoni had been fouled in the box.
Manica never showed any intention to recover from the deficit, instead, it was their keeper Joram Muchambo who made some telling saves and kept his team away from conceding more goals before the break.
The second half belonged to CAPS United in the opening stages with Nyoni, Phineas Bamusi and Blessing Sarupinda causing all problems while the introduction of Newman Sianchali later in the game proved too heavy for the visitors who had upped their tempo with hope of pulling one back.
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.
The Cowdry Park Ward election results a stark reminder of the urgent need for far reaching ‘root & branch’ reforms & renewal set to kick in at congress.Leadership excesses& conduct that resulted in the party donating a seat to our opposition is regrettable.This is the last of it!
Farai Dziva|Deputy Information Minister, Energy Mutodi has said the Harare authorities believe Cyril Ramaphosa’ s government will bring the perpetrators of xenophobic attacks to book.
“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.
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:
Farai Dziva|Respected political analyst Dr Pedzisai Ruhanya has called on the country’ s main opposition party MDC A to avoid the fielding of double candidates in future elections.
“2023 is on the horizon. MDC refuses to learn from proven irrefutable empirical evidence of how they lost many constituencies and councils in 2013, 2018 in places like Masvingo, Bulawayo, Mat South as a result of double candidates. Don’t blame rigging for such things,” said Dr Ruhanya.
” There are LOTS of power hungry delinquent elements in the MDC whose agenda is not the uplifting of the downtrodden in society but POWER AND MONEY. LOOKING FOR JOBS in politics!”
“The outcome of Bulawayo council by-election shows that like the Bourbon Monarch, the MDC has learnt nothing and forgotten nothing, hence their fielding of double candidates, greed for power, the will to power vs the will to transform. ITS ABOUT STOMACH POLITICS not reform agenda.”
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.
As the Women’s month 2019 draws to a close, for most women it feels like the first time women have experienced recognition and appreciation of this magnitude. It appears a special wave of attitude change is sweeping across our world and indeed our country. There have been unprecedented meetings, seminars, workshops, conferences and otherinformal gatherings in celebration of women. ‘We have to fix what’s broken in our society’……. that seems to be the general consensus prevailing across the gender divide. Therefore, as contribution to fixing what’s broken in our society and recognizing and celebrating women, we focus on one woman who is trailblazing in one of the most influential industries in the world. She is a superwoman at the top in the male dominated world of advertising in Zimbabwe. Her name is Juliet Makaza better known as Jules. She is the Founder and Managing Director of Urban Afrika Media which is one of the top 3 accredited advertising agencies in Zimbabwe and the fastest growing. Out of the top 10 accredited advertising agencies in Zimbabwe, Urban Afrika Media is the only accredited ad agency founded and managed by a woman. We got her views on a wide range of issues relative to the industry because we feel the stories of women’s participation in the advertising industry in Zimbabwe must be included in the historical narrative. Sadly, the media, the scholars and theresearchers have paid limited attention to such extraordinary females making waves in the advertising industry in our country.
Q: How difficult is it for a woman to start and run their own advertising agency?
Starting an ad agency is not difficult at all however, running it profitably is the greatest challenge. Not that women have no skills to manage a successful ad agency. Our male counterparts who dominate this industry globally have created deliberate structures and systems that disempower, oppressesand frustrates any woman attempting to challenge male domination in the advertising space. This is why we only have 0.1 % of ad agencies worldwide owned by women.Males in this industry are ruthless and will abuse structures and systems to pull you down. But women are resilient and determined. They have been pushing for a voice in this industry as far back in time as 1880 when Mathilde C Weil started the MC Weil Agency. 90 years later in 1970, the famous Barbra Proctor founded Proctor & Gardner becoming the first black woman in the world to own and operate an accredited advertising agency. Sadly, in October 2018, Barbra passed on. Her legacy lives on and to us she is what PhilipKothler is, to marketers.
Q. So what is the situation in Africa?
In Africa it’s really bad. I will give a personal example. If Urban Africa is owing just as little as $20k to some media house, 90% of the males in the industry make it their full time job to push for blacklisting even if there will be other ad agencies owing 10 times more than Urban Africa. We live with this all the time. Ironically, this now works to our advantage in the sense that as they focus on strategies to destroy Urban Africa, Urban Africa is focusing on strategies to make customers happy, effective pitching and winning new contracts. As a result, some agencies when they hear that they are pitching against Urban Africa, they withdraw. It’s so sad. Other women in the advertising industry in Zimbabwe include Thembe Khumalo of Brandbuilder and Sharon Mugabe of Imago Y & R. Outside of these, there is no record of female owned accredited ad agencies in the top 10 that I am aware of. However, in Zimbabwe we are fortunate in that there is so much support from the wider female business community and other progressive, highly professional, mentally stable and very secure male counterparts outside of the advertising industry.
Africa in general, the situation is gloomy. There are no records of female owned ad agencies in Nigeria. Zambia has Media 365 which is female owned whilst South Africa leads the pack with more than 7 female owned ad agencies. The ones that easily come to mind are Monalisa Zwambila owner of Riverbed, Masego Motsogi of 99c Johannesburg and Mira Kaddoura owner of Red & Co.
Q. How do you balance all of this with family life?
In my opinion it’s really not about balancing out. Rather it’s about a clear understanding and knowledge of what time it is. Is it work time, is it husband time, is it baby time and is it kids time? Whatever time it is, you give 100% of yourself and no balancing out. Every facet requires 100% of your time.Yes, some describe this as a balancing act but I would like to view it as effective time management. I make time to relax with my family, we like travelling particularly road trips, we like fishing and just enjoying our lives. Dad is a fishing enthusiast, I enjoy cooking and trying out different recipes,our eldest boy is a golfer playing off scratch, eldest daughter is an athlete, younger daughter likes ballet and our 2-year-old loves his toys. We all support Real Madrid, Caps United and the Warriors. We also like spending some weekends at our rural area in Madziwa where we are involved in farming. We are God fearing people and are members of Life and Liberty Ministries worshiping under Rev. Noah Pashapa better known as Uncle Pash. We believe in giving. Our social responsibility efforts are channeled mainly through a Christian based organization called Youth in Touch. In a nutshell that’s my homeground which is my final line of defense to wade off all the hate, the jealous, the wickedness and malice presented daily by some of the insecure,unprofessional and shameless male colleagues in the Zimbabwean advertising landscape. The homeground is my refueling zone girded by the wonder working power of the Holy Spirit.
Q. What’s the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start their own ad agencies?
First and foremost, I would like to declare that it’s very possible and lucrative. It’s a lot of hard work and sometimes working around the clock to prepare a pitch or put together a campaign. You have to have a passion for building and growing brands through innovative strategies. You have to enjoy doing this day in and day out. However, author Ayi Dan writing on the Forbes website on the 1st of June 2016 asks a pertinent question as a title of his article: Why Aren’t Women Starting Their Own Advertising Agencies?
“With the appointment of Kirsten Flanik to president of BBDO’s New York office, the advertising world reached a milestone: There is now a majority of female presidents and creative directors in the C-Suites of flagship offices in Madison Avenue. Women now head JWT, DDB, FCB, TBWA, Publicis, Hill Holliday, Y&R, Goodby, CP+B, Deutsch, Havas, Wieden+Kennedy, Droga5 and Arnold.
This development is long overdue. For decades, Madison Avenue didn’t just restrict women to the back of the bus, it actually didn’t even allow women on the bus.
So, is there gender equality on Madison Avenue? Hardly. The holding companies will claim that half of their employees are women and that 40% of the executive positions are held by them. However, there isn’t even one single woman CEO in any of the six holding companies, those advertising conglomerates that control 75% of advertising spending. And, only one woman, Tamara Ingram from JWT, runs one of the 15 global networks, after the resignation of Gustavo Martinez.
Progress, yes, but the gender gap on top of the advertising pyramid is still very real” (www.Forbes.com\Ay Dan:June 2016).
The highlight on the gender gap after a flowery narration of women now heading advertising agencies speaks to a clear shortage of women willing to step up and start their own advertising agencies. The battle is real. You have to bank on the power of the Lord.
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.
MDCA folks, STOP accusing ZANUPF of rigging the Cowdry by-election. You were beaten fair & square due to your weaknesses of indiscipline. Accept your loss respectfully whilst fixing why it happened. You gev us Energy Mutodi due to yo internal contradictions fielding 2 candidates
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.
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.
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.
1/ Rine manyanga hariputirwe! It’d appear that I didn’t blow hot air about Hon.VP Mohadi&a leopard can’t change its spots! The way he’s abused his wife over a protracted period is criminal. The abuse doesn’t end with her, there are many victims that’ve been swept under the carpet
— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) April 1, 2019
2/ 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.
— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) April 1, 2019
— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) April 1, 2019
4/ 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 & mettle?
— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) April 1, 2019
5/ The Domestic Violence Act [Chapter5:16] Section 6(1) provides that…. ??the question then begs….was he arrested&will he be appearing before a court today & if not, why not? Is it abuse of State Security & Office? Is that not a further offence? pic.twitter.com/c8aDrIiCUt
— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) April 1, 2019
6/ 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….
— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) April 1, 2019
7/ This is the corruption that has eroded the moral fabric of our society. It’s the same vein that is delaying the release of the Auditor-General’s forensic audit of @nssazw
— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) April 1, 2019
Parliament’s Committee on Standing Rules and Orders (CSRO) has stood by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s somewhat dubious appoint as ZACC Chairperson of Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo wife to Foreign Affairs Minister Sibusiso Moyo.
Zimbabweans have been condemning her appointment claiming that she was proposed as Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission chair on the strength of her marriage and not on her skill, experience, ability and integrity.
In a statement published by the parliament’s Speaker Advocate Jacob Mudenda, he says women’s careers should not be limited by their marriages as that is gender inequality.
Jane Mlambo| Embattled vice President Kembo Mohadi who caused a furore in Beitbridge recently when he confronted his ex wife Tambudzanai with an axe is in the eye of a storm with people calling on women groups to call him to order.
Writing on Twitter, Tajamuka spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi said women groups should not only voice out when MDC leader Nelson Chamisa jokes about women while remaining quite when Zanu PF officials show disrespect for women.
By Own Correspondent| Zimbabwe Democracy Institute founder Pedzisayi Ruhanya has warned opposition MDC against fielding double candidates arguing that such actions costed the party seats at both parliamentary and council level.
Ruhanya said if the party continued on such a trend, they risked losing more seats at the hands of their arch rival Zanu Pf come 2023.
He said:
“2023 is on the horizon. MDC refuses to learn from proven irrefutable empirical evidence on how they lost many constituencies and councils in 2013, 2018 in places like Masvingo, Bulawayo Matabeleland South as a result of double candidates. Don’t blame rigging on such things.”
2023 is on the horizon. MDC refuses to learn from proven irrefutable empirical evidence on how they lost many constituencies and councils in 2013, 2018 in places like Masvingo, Bulawayo, Mat South as a result of double candidates. Dont blame rigging on such things @nelsonchamisa
By Own Correspondent| A 19 year old man from Mvurwi drowned while trying to retrieve bathing soap from a river.
Maxwell Mutema from Barwick Farm died from drowning after he tried to retrieve a cake of bathing soap which had slipped into Mukwadzi river.
Maxwell’s twin brother, Clever and a friend identified as Anyway Magetsi were bathing with Maxwell on the fateful day but were unable to rescue him despite their best efforts.
Mashonaland Central police spokesperson Inspector Milton Mundembe confirmed the incident although he stated that Maxwell’s body is yet to be retrieved.-TheStandard
Do you think President Emmerson Mnangagwa will recall his deputy Kembo Mohadi for violently attacking his former wife Tambudzani over property in public?
By Own Correspondent| A law expert and political analyst, Alex Magaisa, has castigated the government’s decision to buy wigs for judges worth 100 000 pounds from the United Kingdom while the infrastructure at courts is in shambles.
Magaisa suggested that gocernment should have used the money to give a facelift to the courtrooms, revamping the toilets at the courts among other basic court infrastructure.
Writing on microblogging site Twitter on Saturday, Magaisa said:
“This story had eluded my attention. I have previously suggested the abolition of this dress-code for reasons of incongruity with the times and their ridiculous look on the judges. But on this occasion, just the cost factor alone should have prevailed upon the judges’ minds.
The amount of money spent on this ludicrous apparel would be enough to upgrade abysmal toilet facilities and waiting rooms at court buildings, let alone courtrooms themselves which are in a desperate state. But they export £100,000 to an English merchant in London – for wigs!”
So here is a country which is desperately short of forex. And what do the judges do with the little they get? They use it to buy horse-hair wigs from London! If they are really desperate for wigs they could ask local craftsmen to make the same wigs out of sisal fibre!
POWER struggles in the MDC turned violent at the weekend after party leader Nelson Chamisa’s supporters allegedly physically assaulted secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora’s sympathisers, ahead of the opposition party’s elective congress, next month.
Mwonzora has, over the past few weeks, earned himself the wrath of Chamisa supporters’ anger following reports that he was eyeing the party presidency.
Supporters from the two rival camps fought running battles in Chitungwiza on Saturday in the skirmishes which left Chitungwiza former deputy mayor Jabulani Mtunzi and several other party activists seriously injured.
Party sources told NewsDay that Mtunzi, who is believed to be sympathetic to Mwonzora, was admitted at Chitungwiza Central Hospital.
The clashes occurred during selection of candidates for the party’s district organs.
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 said.
“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.
Although both Chamisa and his spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda could not be reached for comment yesterday, party spokesperson Jacob Mafume said congress preparations were going on well despite the “isolated cases of indiscipline that will be thoroughly investigated”.
“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,” Mafume said.
“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 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.”
Mafume said the opposition party had a clear and detailed complaints filing mechanism, adding that those aggrieved must utilise the facility.
MDC national organising secretary Amos Chibaya described the Chitungwiza violence as unfortunate.
“We don’t have room for violence in our party. Those people causing violence belong to Zanu PF, they have Zanu PF demons and by so doing they have fired themselves from the party. Our template is very clear, we don’t tolerate violence,” Chibaya said.
He, however, denied reports that the instigators were working on Chamisa’s behalf.
“The violence has nothing to do with the senior leadership. People want positions because the MDC is a democratic party and it is a freedom train. No one wants to be left aside. The violence has nothing to do with anyone in the leadership,” he added.
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.
Although both Chamisa and his spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda could not be reached for comment yesterday, party spokesperson Jacob Mafume said congress preparations were going on well despite the “isolated cases of indiscipline that will be thoroughly investigated”.
“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,” Mafume said.
“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 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.”
Mafume said the opposition party had a clear and detailed complaints filing mechanism, adding that those aggrieved must utilise the facility.
MDC national organising secretary Amos Chibaya described the Chitungwiza violence as unfortunate.
“We don’t have room for violence in our party. Those people causing violence belong to Zanu PF, they have Zanu PF demons and by so doing they have fired themselves from the party. Our template is very clear, we don’t tolerate violence,” Chibaya said.
He, however, denied reports that the instigators were working on Chamisa’s behalf.
“The violence has nothing to do with the senior leadership. People want positions because the MDC is a democratic party and it is a freedom train. No one wants to be left aside. The violence has nothing to do with anyone in the leadership,” he added.
BPRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has, in an effort to pacify the Zanu PF old guard stripped of their ministerial posts and deployed to less influential posts as full-time party employees, assured them they wielded immense influence over government programmes.
Addressing Zanu PF’s 111 central committee meeting on Friday, Mnangagwa said the ruling party was more supreme than government and would give directives to Cabinet ministers.
“The supremacy of the party, as a philosophy, is the ideal position which we must concertedly work to achieve. Cognisant that government is a product of the party, we are all agreed that the party is supreme. The party came first, then the revolution came second,” he said.
Several long-serving former ministers, among them Patrick Chinamasa (Finance), Obert Mpofu (Home Affairs), Simon Khaya Moyo (Information) and Samuel Membengegwi (Foreign Affairs), were last year deployed to the party headquarters as newbies took over government business.
“We have failed to show the supremacy of the party over government. That we have not achieved yet. We must reach a stage where the party leadership departments are ahead of government, because government is born out of the party,” he said.
This comes amid reports that the old guard was not happy with the way the Young Turks were running government business, especially the introduction of policies seen as anti-people.
“The President is well aware that there are people who felt they were entitled to ministerial posts, particularly after backing him during the ouster of former President Robert Mugabe. However, he was also alive to the fact that their presence in government would not have inspired confidence in his leadership,” a source said.
“They are people who thought they would be rewarded and this has not been happening. This has caused serious divisions in the party. Some of this played out on the attempt to oust the youth leadership, and the eventual dissolution of the Harare and Bulawayo provinces.”
Mnangagwa warned party members against expelling each other, saying they were stronger together than divided.
“Let’s be happy to be a party of many than of a few. Let us not enjoy expelling each other from that party,” he said.
There are also moves to change the party’s constitution to ensure that Zanu PF retains a strong grip on ministers’ performance.
Mnangagwa said the proposed changes, which will be tabled at the next central committee meeting, were meant to ensure that Zanu PF catches up with modern ideologies.
“Yesterday (Thursday) in the politburo, we looked at various provisions of our constitution, which we think we will need to change,” he said.
“However, we are not able to have a coherent paper to submit to the central committee, but possibly at the next central committee. Some of the provisions still live in the past and we need them to move into the present, into the future.”
TA DRUNKEN 54-year-old shebeen queen from Bulawayo allegedly stabbed a man to death in Pumula East suburb after a misunderstanding on Saturday night.
Marshal Mkwananzi (21) originally from Zvishavane was visiting his siblings in Bulawayo when he met his end at Zenzele Bottle Store.
Sithembiso Mzizi allegedly smashed a beer bottle and used the jagged ends to stab Mkwananzi in the neck.
Witnesses said blood gushed from the wound and Mkwananzi tried in vain to stem the flow with his hands.
He died as he was being rushed to hospital.
The Chronicle caught up with Mkwananzi’s family yesterday and relatives said he was a peaceful man who died a painful death.
Residents on the other hand, described Mzizi as a “drama queen” who once stripped naked after having a misunderstanding with a fellow imbiber. They said Mzizi, also a shebeen queen in the area, was a bully and always carried a knife to scare anyone who dared cross her path.
Murdered Marshal Mkwananzi
“I was awakened at 11PM yesterday and informed that my grandson had been stabbed at a bottle store. I woke up and rushed there and could only find a pool of blood as the owner of the bottle store rushed him to Mpilo Central Hospital,” said Mkwananzi’s grandmother Ms Patricia Mnkandla.
“Allegations are that she used a broken bottle, which I doubt very much because when I got to the scene, there were no pieces of broken glass but blood all over the room he was stabbed in,” she said.
According to Ms Mnkandla, witnesses and neighbours confirmed Mzizi stabbed her grandson.
She said Mkwananzi’s brother-in-law had failed to save his life after he was stabbed.
He said he tried to stop the bleeding by pressing a piece of cloth against the wound but Mkwananzi was bleeding so profusely that within seconds the whole room had been filled with blood.
“We have tried to gather what really happened for her to stab my child and they keep saying Marshall was caught in a cross fire. Someone claimed the misunderstanding was over beer but I still cannot understand how and why such an elderly woman could have killed our child,” added Ms Mnkandla.
She said although the family was still in shock, they had started to make arrangements for the burial.
“My grandson lived in Zvishavane and had just visited his sisters as usual. He decided to go for drinks with his brothers-in-law and the next thing, he was dead. He didn’t even make it to hospital,” said Ms Mnkandla.
Efforts to get a comment from the bottle store owner were fruitless as he could not be reached.
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Chief Inspector Precious Simango said she was yet to receive the report.
A neighbour who preferred anonymity claimed that Mzizi was heard bragging that she had stabbed Mnkandla and was not scared of arrest.
“She openly told us that she is not even scared of the police and that nothing was going to be done to her. We are still in shock and we will forever be traumatised by the amount of blood that spouted from the boy’s neck after he was stabbed,” he said. — State Media
Correspondent|Musician Lovemore ‘Maji’ Majaivana reportedly sneaked into Bulawayo on Friday afternoon from the United States.
Sources said that Maji of the Umoya Wami hit was in the country at attend a family event in Bulawayo. As news spread over the weekend that the maestro was in the country, scores of his fans wrote a petition to beg him for at least one show and will be collecting signatures at the venue. His fans expect to take advantage of his presence at the City Hall to hand the petition to him, likely at the end of the family event.
His return to the country after 19 years could be the most exciting thing for his fans who have been craving for a performance from the icon. Maji’s relative who declined to be named said the singer was whisked from Joshua Mqabuko International Airport without being noticed on Friday afternoon.
“Majaivana arrived on Friday but he made it clear that he wanted his arrival and visit to be low key. He wants it to remain private as his life has been over the past decade or so.
“His fans who’re hoping for his return into the music scene might get lucky if he agrees to perform as some of his friends are pleading with him,” said the family member, referring to the petition that has been drafted.
“However, he is elated to be back home.”
The source said pictures that Maji took with relatives at the weekend will only be released after he has left the country. Asked when he would be leaving, the source said it is not clear. Pressed further, the source said Majaivana had met with his old friend Albert Nyathi, who is part of the team trying to convince him to perform one more time.
“It’s not clear when he’ll be leaving the country, but it will not be long,” the source said.
Majaivana left the country at the turn of the century and had not returned home. His visit could excite his fans who have been yearning for his return and performance. Majaivana’s music has remained relevant as it captures society’s mood, nearly two decades since his departure.
The University of Zimbabwe (UZ) has begun its search for a substantive Vice Chancellor to replace Professor Levi Nyagura, who left the institution amid allegations of abuse of office.
Prof Nyagura faced allegations of facilitating the unprocedural conferment of a Doctor of Philosophy degree on former First Lady Mrs Grace Mugabe.
Prof Paul Mapfumo is the Acting Vice Chancellor.
UZ has since advertised the post in the media.
“The ViceChancellor leadership role entails being able to provide visionary and strategic leadership to the university, including maintaining and promoting research, innovation and industrialisation as well as ensuring efficiency and good governance in the conduct of business of the institution,” read the advert from the university.
“Negotiate strategic linkages with local and international institutions regarding instructional resources and the use of information and communication technologies for key academic and administrative activities of the University.”
The new Vice Chancellor is expected to foster strategic partnerships and harmonious working relationships between and among various university stakeholders, staff, students, public and private organisations.
The late Morgan Tsvangirai with MDC leader Nelson Chamisa
MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora says the main opposition party’s revered late founding leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, is probably turning in his grave because of what he calls “the toxic politics obtaining in the party that he had lived and sacrificed so much for.”
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Daily News on Sunday last week, Mwonzora also said were Tsvangirai still around, he would be “terribly disappointed” by the petty agendas, the ill-discipline and the chaos that was consuming the party ahead of its elective congress in May.
This comes as there are growing reports of turmoil, thuggery, intimidation and manipulation of party structures within the country’s main opposition, as MDC bigwigs jostle for positions ahead of the fast approaching key internal elections.
The party will hold its eagerly-anticipated congress from May 24 to 26, where a new party leadership will be chosen — including the substantive successor to Tsvangirai — who died on Valentine’s Day last year after losing his brave battle against cancer of the colon.
The party’s charismatic interim leader, Nelson Chamisa, who narrowly lost to President Emmerson Mnangagwa in last year’s historic elections, is likely to face competition from Elias Mudzuri and Mwonzora at the congress.
Mwonzora said there was no doubt that if Tsvangirai was still alive, he would not countenance the present state of the MDC, where narrow agendas were marring the run-up to the congress. “I know Tsvangirai hated the vitriol which some party members direct at each other.
“He won’t be too pleased to learn, even where he is, that there are party members who are using hate language against other party members. Tsvangirai wanted a united, democratic party that always looks to and pays attention to its glorious founding values,” Mwonzora said.
He said preparations for the MDC’s congress, which he said had initially taken off “to a good start”, were now being marred by allegations of violence and “other barbaric acts” by some party members.
“The preparations for congress were going on well. However, we have now received reports of violence, intimidation and discrimination on the basis of people who supported me in 2014.
We have had to deal with congress-related suspensions and expulsions at lower structures. If all these things are true, then it is wrong, unfair, anachronistic to the party and therefore totally unacceptable. I hope the organising, elections and chairpersons’ departments bring the reports on these issues to our next Standing Committee meeting,” Mwonzora added of the current restructuring exercise which has caused serious divisions in the party.
Last week, disgruntled party members claimed that some senior MDC officials were imposing dodgy structures in the party along factional lines, to further their personal interests. They said this had created serious problems, to the extent that MDC organising secretary Amos Chibaya was “agonising” over which lists to accept from party structures, because of the chaos currently consuming the restructuring exercise.
“There is big trouble in the making because he (Chibaya) has to determine which lists to accept based on who was involved in the process.
“Parallel structures have been created in areas such as Dzivaresekwa, Kuwadzana, Zengeza East and Zengeza West. “The main danger is that those whose lists will be rejected will be crying foul, and thus, there could be chaos at congress because these people will still come claiming to be the bona fide structures and cause chaos and fights,” a worried national executive member told our sister publication, the Daily News a fortnight ago.
Another insider confirmed to the newspaper that the restructuring of the party, particularly at the level of branches and wards, had seen supporters of Chamisa, Mudzuri and Mwonzora coming up with different lists of what they were all claiming to be bona fide members.
Claims were also increasingly being made that Chamisa, Mudzuri and Mwonzora were separately seeking to influence the outcome of the restructuring exercise since elected officials would form the electoral college at the coming congress.
“This is what is causing the chaos in several provinces such as Mashonaland East, Chitungwiza, Harare and Masvingo, where there is serious infighting.
“The divisions are also emanating from claims that there are attempts to push out some members who are allegedly not loyal to Chamisa. Because of all this, disgruntled members are now also threatening to derail the restructuring exercise in protest,” the insider said.
Mwonzora told the Daily News on Sunday that it was his wish to see the country’s largest opposition party by far re-admitting disgruntled members such as former MDC deputy leader Thokozani Khupe — who quit the party in a huff last year ahead of the July 30 national elections.
“The MDC family must come together without conditions. Thokozani Khupe was … Tsvangirai’s longest-serving deputy, who possesses an internal party memory that we cannot just ignore. “In terms of the transgressions of all the people who split from the main MDC at one time or the other, one cannot argue that Thokozani transgressed more than the others. I think all the MDC members must come back and prosecute the struggle together as Tsvangirai had fought to achieve in his life,” Mwonzora said.
The MDC was hit by power struggles shortly after the death of Tsvangirai, when Chamisa assumed the reins of the party ahead of his rivals — albeit, under controversial circumstances.
The 41-year-old was accused of having allegedly used his then assumed closeness to Tsvangirai’s widow, Elizabeth, to torpedo the ambitions of the likes of Mudzuri and Khupe.
A titanic leadership battle subsequently ensued in the party, which eventually led to Khupe forming a breakaway faction — which went on to perform dismally in last year’s elections.
Chamisa ultimately prevailed over his party competitors after a consultative meeting of the MDC, which was held at its Harare headquarters — and which was attended by 639 delegates from 210 party districts — endorsed him as Tsvangirai’s interim successor and the party’s presidential candidate in the 2018 polls.
Paul Nyathi|Alpha Media Holdings owner Trevor Ncube has said brewed a major shocker when he suggested that Ndebele people in South Africa are the worst in supporting xenophobia probably against fellow Zimbabweans of Shona origin.
In a highly sensational tweet on Sunday, Ncube accused IsiNdebele speaking Zimbabweans of taking advantage of their closeness to South African tribes to turn against other African nationals in taking part in the xenophobic attacks that he prefers to call Afrophobia instead of xenophobia.
Zimbabweans from Matabeleland with SA Citizenship/Residence are the worst apologists to Afrophobia. They mistakenly think their proximity to Nguni Heritage is protection to incidiary hatred of black Africans. #NoToAfrophobia
Ncube said: “Zimbabweans from Matabeleland with SA Citizenship/Residence are the worst apologists to Afrophobia.
“They mistakenly think their proximity to Nguni Heritage is protection to incidiary hatred of black Africans. #NoToAfrophobia“
The tweet has attracted a huge debate on social media with some people accusing Ncube of missing the point while others decided to bash the media mogul who has been very apologetic to ZANU PF of late.
Zimbabweans from Matabeleland married to Shona women or benefitting from zanupf are the worst apologists to tribalism and dictatorship. They mistakenly think their proximity to Harare and Zanupf is protection from systematic & institutionalised tribal segregation.#NoToTribalism
South Africa has been experiencing fierce xenophobic violence in the last two weeks in which Zimbabweans especially ChiShona speakers have been victims.
Several people have been killed in the incidents three of whom were suspected to be Zimbabweans.
Own Correspondent|NKULULEKO Sibanda, the spokesperson for MDC leader Nelson Chamisa, has said the ruling party ZANU-PF rigged its way to victory in the Cowdray Park by-election.
Sibanda says ZANU-PF took advantage of the fact that Chamisa was focusing on the cyclone Idai-induced humanitarian situation in Chimanimani to rig the election, although he did not specify how.
“Look, we blinked and the rigging machine took advantage. This is primarily because the President (Chamisa) focused on the Cyclone and humanitarian situation. Be rest assured, President Chamisa will look into this,” Sibanda said Sunday on Twitter.
Sibanda’s statement contradicts that of MDC founding member David Coltart, who ruled out rigging in Saturday’s defeat of the MDC by ZANU-PF in ward 28 Cowdray Park by-elections.
Coltart bemoaned the fact that the MDC has moved away from its founding values of 1999 where it was grounded on principles of social democracy. He said ZANU-PF will continue winning as long the opposition party remained at sixes-and-sevens when it comes to ideology.
“You can’t tell us that Zanu-PF has rigged the Cowdray Park by-election. Try another excuse,” seasoned journalist Brezhnev Malaba said.
To which Coltart concurred: “This is correct. As flawed as our electoral system is this loss can not be blamed on rigging. Until everyone in the MDC rekindles the original vision of the party established on 11/9/99 we will allow ZANU-PF to rule in places where they are actually detested by the majority.”
Earlier on, former ZANU-PF propagandist Jonathan Moyo, who since last year has been a strong supporter of Nelson Chamisa, said the MDC had disconnected from the people who actually vote.
“The MDC Alliance has disconnected with Bulawayo voters. Time was when for every three registered voters in Bulawayo, two were MDC. The writing is on the wall: if the MDC-Alliance leadership does not introspect on this & reconnect with Bulawayo voters, trouble lies ahead!”
The MDC led by Nelson Chamisa fielded Collet Ndhlovu and Nomagugu Mloyi after failing to reach a consensus on who to represent the part. ZESN (2019) reports that ZANU PF decided to field Mujuru who lost the 2018 elections.
The MDC Alliance held primary elections which were won by a former Councilor, Collet Ndhlovu.
The disputed outcome of the primary elections resulted in more than one candidate from MDC Alliance filing their nomination papers with the Nomination Court.
Collet Ndhlovu and Nomagugu Mloyi represented the party in the by-elections and both of them polled 1450 votes combined, against 1899 by the ruling party candidate.
Bulawayo Chief Fire Officer Mr Richard Peterson has retired after serving the city for 11 years.
He retired together with Mr Charles Mawariwande who joined the department in 1975. The two each received $2 000 from their colleagues, retirement certificates and were taken on their last official tour of the Fire Station in Famona.
Mr Peterson who joined the local authority at the height of economic meltdown in 2008 said he leaves a happy man as he managed to oversee the equipping of the Fire Services department, now ranked among the best in the country in terms of service delivery.
Acting Town Clerk Mrs Sikhangele Zhou announced Mr Peterson’s retirement on Friday during a handover ceremony for donations by Operation Florian, a charity set up by British fire-fighters to save lives overseas by donating reconditioned fire engines and emergency equipment to other regions in the world at Famona Fire Station.
She said the highly beneficial partnership between the city and Operation Florian was Mr Peterson’s brainchild.
Mrs Zhou who is also head of the Fire Services department said Mr Peterson officially retired on December 31 2018 but was given a three-month contract extension which expired Friday.
“We recruited Richard Peterson to be chief fire officer in 2008. He was brave enough to assume duty in May 2008 when the Fire Station had nothing. He had the challenge therefore to revive it and that is why we then started looking for partners and finally the mission (Operation Florian) started in earnest in 2011,” she said.
“We have since 2011 had trainings and re-trainings for our firemen and we do not only confine the trainings to the City of Bulawayo.”
She said the Bulawayo Fire Brigade extends support to other regions as in the past they have been forced to offer services throughout the Matabeleland region and Midlands province.
‘‘Of note you will know that Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Wonders of the World would sometimes be unable to host international events because international events require you to assure our international visitors that they will be safe. In the last UNWTO hosted with Zambia, Bulawayo (Fire Brigade) had to go to camp for two weeks to give assistance to our brothers in Victoria Falls,” said Mrs Zhou.
Mr Peterson thanked his superiors and colleagues for the support they rendered to him during his tenure as the Chief Fire Officer.
“I came in 2008 and we had nothing as an emergency service but I told myself that I’m notoing to give up so early. I can’t come in and go out without having fixed things,” he said.
“We are here celebrating the work of Operation Florian and of course we are also celebrating my exit. I’m happy because I can look back and say at least we have done something with the Chamber Secretary and for your information we dominated at Megafest as an emergency service we got an award as the best emergency service provider .
“We also received a leadership award that had my name but it wasn’t mine, it was for the team because I work with the team,” said Mr Peterson.
He thanked Operation Florian for the support they have rendered to Bulawayo and other local authorities in Zimbabwe.
He also thanked his colleagues for the commitment that has seen them being recognised all over the country.-state media
This week in continuance of my pledge to push for the effectual ending of the land dispute in Kingsdale we had a delegation that went and appeared before the Land Commission in Harare.
This Commission, led by Justice Uchena, has been charged with investigating and identifying all state land in and around urban areas that was acquired and allocated to Ministry of Local Government as well as areas under dispute.
The delegation that went included Councilor Tachiona (Ward 12), Norton Residents Trust Chairperson Mrs. Museredza, ZANU PF Provincial Member and Kingsdale Co-operative Chair Mr Sibiya, Gaza Strip Chair Mr Masaraure, NORDA Service Delivery Head Mr Mzimba and personnel from my office.
*Land Disputes*
I have decided that Maridale, Marshlands, Knowe, Galloway must all appear before the Lands Commission so that they can lay their grievances before it for a comprehensive approach to the land baron issues in Norton.
People’s rights have been violated and they have been criminal tendencies and all this requires a holistic approach by the Land Commission which I’m very confident we will get since the Commission is an upstanding entity.
All who have bought stands illegally need to come forward whilst the chance is still there so that they won’t be bundled together with the criminals when the swift punch of justice descends.
In the meantime all those who are paying rates but without titles deeds should stop paying and the title deed holder/developer should be the one paying the rates. That is the law.
In fact they should be refunds to all those who have been paying rates and in pursuance of this the lawyers we have engaged will be writing to NTC to that effect. All those who have paid will be required to come forward with receipts of paid monies so that we craft a legal challenge for the reimbursement of funds. No one will be required to pay legal fees.
Councilor Tachiona has been fought in Council as he has fought for the people. At the end of the day people have the power and we must clean the rot at the NTC.
*Sub-division Permit*
Indications are that Maparahwe Properties is set to be granted another sub-division permit by NTC. This is a clear indication of a captured Council that is failing to run the rule on the land baron who has already failed to implement the requirements of the first permit.
Granting him another permit is a criminal endeavour that spites the residents who have been continuously paying for practically nothing.
Against this scenario its now a given that people will take to the streets in the case that Norton Town Council grants this subdivision permit. Citizens now have to stand up and we will demonstrate against the NTC until they get out of office. It’s criminal, immoral and unethical to continuously swindle the poor citizen.
*Compromised Town Engineer*
This past week they was so much ruction over the NTC Town Engineer who is completely conflicted and compromised in the case involving Killer Zivhu. She presided over a case in which she must have declared her interest and recused herself to maintain both her and the Council’s integrity.
Failure to do that has made her vulnerable to criminal accusations and she must either rescind herself or be suspended. Already there is a Director of Housing and 2 Councilors who are before the courts in cases involving lands issues.
Council needs to be impartial guardians overseeing land operations and respecting the rule of law at both ends. Allowing a conflicted individual to continue meddling in the case is both a criminal and immoral act considering all the people suffering due to that.
From this unhealthy situation prevailing its becoming apparent that NTC isn’t capable of dealing with such criminality despite our giving them a grace period to deal with it. It’s time we took our stand.
Demonstrations will be coming until something gives in. People cannot be expected to take everything lying down, being naïve and continuously getting the bad end of the bargain.
*NTC Document*
A further indictment of NTC’s dereliction of duty is apparent in their failure to implement what they noted in their own investigations and produced through a published document.
The documents notes all these wide ranging issues which I have been harping about.
Absence of a master-plan, bad water for people, developers owing over $5million, land being sold in a manner that isn’t transparent etc.
They have not implemented any of the things noted in it and when I call them out the accusation is that I’m playing politics. No. these are practical issues which are there and require attention as early as yesterday.
*Ineffectual Councilors*
The Councilors in Norton are also failing to step up to the plate and deliver as per their electoral promises and constitutional requirements. In essence and practice the Councilor is the father of development whilst the Legislator, of which I’m one, is supposed to be focused on the law making aspects.
However their performance has left a lot to be desired epitomised by the poor handling of the Community Share Ownership (CSO) Abattoir firm which has since been set up under Chegutu Rural District Council.
This absence of empathy and vision which has seen Norton losing more than 1500 job opportunities smacks of something that is worse than gross negligence of duty and inordinate politicization of very mundane matters.
Councilors as representatives of the people should come back to the people who voted for them and not exist in a separate realm where all they do is attend workshops, meetings whilst failing to meet and work with people. Progress reports are critical but nothing like that is happening.
I implore political parties to separate the time for politics and the time for working for the people. I have since written to MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa about this issue and the unfortunate act of his party’s Councilors.
Norton is poised for growth but it’s harder for it to grow with a cartel of corrupt Councilors defending their selfish interests. We shall use the power invested in people to demand good governance and to flush the system out. I will use everything within the law to iron out the system.
*Vendor’s Plight*
Notices have appeared warning vendors that an operation is coming to remove them from certain illegal sites. As I have stated before my position is that we want a clean, safe, orderly Norton but Council must be in the fore-front to make sure they have built the right amenities for the siting of the fish-market, green grocers and so on. They should by now be properly paved roads and pavements at the alleged legal sites.
More so Council has been taking money from these people whilst they sold their products from these illegal sites and suddenly they deem them illegal. It’s unethical.
So Council needs to do first things first before they jump into rash operational actions.
*Conclusion*
The picture from all this is very clear, NTC is conniving with a corrupt land barons and we as the people need to stand up for ourselves. I have declared war against land barons and will employ the full legal measures to see to it that people are not taken for a ride by a cabal of corrupt elites.
Hard earned citizen money has been abused in the acquisition of luxury goods whilst real criminals owing Council money have been allowed to go scot free. The time is nigh that we stand and be counted as a people who know their rights.
The chaotic Educational Curruculum created by the disgraced former Minister Of education, Lazarus Dokora, has produced 0 percent pass rates for more than 200 schools.
The development comes after barely 2 years of in-depth engagement with the government as it was informed that the curriculum does not work. In the below article the government appears totally clueless of what has caused the dismal failure.
Lazarus Dokora
STATE MEDIA FULL TEXT: The Government has expressed concern over the performance of some schools in national exams, amid indications that over 250 Primary and Secondary schools – mostly satellite schools – across the country recorded zero pass rates in the 2018 examinations.
Primary and Secondary Education Permanent Secretary Mrs Tumisang Thabela said the Office of President and Cabinet and the Public Service Commission were worried about the zero pass rate and were putting in place measures to address the situation.
Mrs Thabela was officially opening the National Association of Primary School (NAPH) and National Association of Secondary School Heads (NASH) inaugural joint track and field events competitions at Midlands Christian College in Gweru last week.
“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, the OPC and PSC are concerned about low standards in infrastructure and general teaching and learning levels in satellite schools which seem to precipitate zero percent pass rates,” she said.
“At Grade 7, 68 Primary schools recorded zero percent pass rate in 2018 while at “O” level, 194 schools had zero percent pass rate.”
Mrs Thabela said stakeholders raised concerns over what was seemingly a low pass rate, adding that reasons for such a pass rate could be attributed to the absence of the continuous assessment component.
“This brings me to the “O” and “A” level academic results for 2018,” she said. “You will notice that this was the first examination for our competence-based curriculum. “O” level pass rate was 32,6 percent, while “A” level was 84,7 percent. Pass rate at grade 7 was 53,42 percent.”
Mrs Thabela said appropriate feedback was required immediately and all efforts in supervision and monitoring should target the schools.
“My ministry and Zimsec are working tirelessly to have the continuous assessment framework in place as soon as possible,” she said.
Mrs Thabela said her ministry was encouraging every school to resuscitate school feeding programmes in the wake of the pending drought to reduce drop-outs.
“School feeding generally had been suspended because of the cholera outbreak,” she said. “With the advent of the effects of the prevailing drought in most areas in the country and the unfortunate effects of Cyclone Idai, the Ministry is encouraging every school to resuscitate school feeding.
“Modalities can be worked out at school, cluster and district levels so that we maintain the enrolments as well as reducing dropouts.”
Mrs Thabela said the NAPH and NASH track and field events competitions were in line with the thrust of the competence based curriculum currently being implemented which have physical education, sport and mass displays as standalone learning areas.-state media
The Zimbabwean economy is recovering zanu-pf president Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.
He passed these comments in a speech read on his behalf by Zanu-PF Secretary for Finance Patrick Chinamasa at the inaugural India Diaspora Convention yesterday.
“The country is on a path to economic recovery,” he said. “We have set ourselves a shared, ambitious yet achievable vision of becoming a middle income economy by 2030.
“We are confident that we will achieve this vision. However, our developmental trajectory will be smoother and softer with support from friends like India and its corporate citizens and the Indian Diaspora.”
Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe and India had strong historical and cultural relations, with the Indian community contributing to the country’s development.
“Indeed, that respect is grounded in the immense contribution and cooperation that this community has made over the years to this country in business, in politics, in diplomacy, in health, in academia and in many other walks of life,” he said.
Farai Dziva|The High Court of Zimbabwe has reversed the suspension of the operations of a Masvingo based Non Governmental Organization by Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Through the President’ s Office, Mnangagwa suspended the operations of Community Tolerance, Reconciliation and Development (COTRAD) two weeks ago.
See below COTRAD’ s statement:
Following a series of developments over the past few weeks, COTRAD has rolled out a campaign to sensitize and update its membership.
With the uncertainty and confusion that ensued following the un-ceremonial suspension of the organization by an overzealous Masvingo District Administrator (DA) Ray Hove on 11 March 2019, COTRAD embarked on a campaign to map the way forward.
The campaign included a series of meetings attended by over 700 COTRAD members in Chivi, Chiredzi, Masvingo and Zaka Districts.
The campaign was greatly necessitated by the fact that the devastating news of the suspension of COTRAD operations brought turmoil among its member – hence the need for confidence building and sensitization.
The suspension, which received local, regional and international condemnation was terminated by High Court Judge Justice Matanda-Moyo on 20 March 2019.
During the campaign COTRAD vehemently emphasized the need to maintain focus on its work with stakeholders including heads of government departments, traditional leaders and elected officials.
COTRAD’s vision is to build a democratic society with youth inclusion and participation.
Farai Dziva|Media mogul Trevor Ncube has said Ndebele people in South Africa are the “worst in supporting Xenophobia.”
The Alpha Media Holdings boss’ comments come after recent Xenophobic attacks in Durban South Africa.
“Zimbabweans from Matabeleland with SA Citizenship/Residence are the worst apologists to Afrophobia. They mistakenly think their proximity to Nguni Heritage is protection to hatred of black Africans.
# NoToAfrophobia
Since 2008, several xenophobic attacks against Africans from other countries have been carried out by black South Africans,” tweeted Ncube.
Farai Dziva|Manica Diamonds lost 2-0 to CAPS United in their first ever Premier League match played at National Sports Stadium on Sunday.
The league debutants were outclassed from the first whistle and the fact that they had a number of experienced players in their first team did not count. They conceded as early as the 4th minute when John Zhuwawu picked a loose ball in the box and hit the target.
The Eastern Highlands side almost let CAPS United doubled their advantage a minute later but Zhuwawu failed to bury his effort properly.
Just before the quarter hour mark, Makepekepe were forced to make an early substitution when club returnee Dominic Chungwa picked an injury. But the change never affected the game plan as the side remained in control of the proceedings and got the second goal from Joel Ngodzo who converted a penalty kick after Gabriel Nyoni had been fouled in the box.
Manica never showed any intention to recover from the deficit, instead, it was their keeper Joram Muchambo who made some telling saves and kept his team away from conceding more goals before the break.
The second half belonged to CAPS United in the opening stages with Nyoni, Phineas Bamusi and Blessing Sarupinda causing all problems while the introduction of Newman Sianchali later in the game proved too heavy for the visitors who had upped their tempo with hope of pulling one back.
The game ended with CAPS United grabbing maximum points in their first match of the season.
At Gibbo, Triangle beat Ngezi Platinum 2-1, thanks to goals from Russel Madamombe from the spot in the 16th minute and Kudzai Chigwida in the 38th minute.
Madumburo got their consolation from Barnabas Mushunje who converted from a freekick in the 28th minute.
Hwange beat Yadah 2-0 at the Colliery while TelOne and Herentals played to a goalless draw in Harare.
People criticising MDC for fielding double candidates when they clearly know it's a well known CIO attack even used in 2018 elections | THESE PEOPLE ARE –
Farai Dziva| In typical military, Constantino Chiwenga has declared that all political parties must participate in the coming national dialogue.
Chiwenga said this yesterday to scores of villagers at Masasa Primary School in Chikomba at the handover of food aid to affected communities in Mashonaland East.
See below part of a report published by a state run paper:
Vice President Chiwenga said the President and Head of State, Cde Mnangagwa will this week lead a delegation of all political parties participating in the ongoing national dialogue to Chimanimani to assess the damage caused by Cyclone Idai.
He said President Mnangagwa will tour all the four provinces — Manicaland, Mashonaland East, Masvingo and parts of the Midlands — that were affected.
“Next week, all the parties that are participating in the national dialogue agreed to accompany the President and visit Chimanimani in order to assess and try to assist with solutions to the tragedy that devastated that area.
“Those who refuse to participate in the dialogue will show that they do not care about the people of Zimbabwe.”
“This is why you should ask them when they come here looking for votes where they were when disaster was on your door,” he said.
Farai Dziva|The High Court of Zimbabwe has reversed the suspension of the operations of a Masvingo based Non Governmental Organization by Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Through the President’ s Office, Mnangagwa suspended the operations of Community Tolerance, Reconciliation and Development (COTRAD) two weeks ago.
See below COTRAD’ s statement:
Following a series of developments over the past few weeks, COTRAD has rolled out a campaign to sensitize and update its membership.
With the uncertainty and confusion that ensued following the un-ceremonial suspension of the organization by an overzealous Masvingo District Administrator (DA) Ray Hove on 11 March 2019, COTRAD embarked on a campaign to map the way forward.
The campaign included a series of meetings attended by over 700 COTRAD members in Chivi, Chiredzi, Masvingo and Zaka Districts.
The campaign was greatly necessitated by the fact that the devastating news of the suspension of COTRAD operations brought turmoil among its member – hence the need for confidence building and sensitization.
The suspension, which received local, regional and international condemnation was terminated by High Court Judge Justice Matanda-Moyo on 20 March 2019.
During the campaign COTRAD vehemently emphasized the need to maintain focus on its work with stakeholders including heads of government departments, traditional leaders and elected officials.
COTRAD’s vision is to build a democratic society with youth inclusion and participation.
By Jonathan Chando| While it is with deep regret and anger that I write this piece today, it also serves as part of my resolve to continue fighting for my people against three fronts, our continent faces.
These fronts are not easy to defeat, but given the resolve, resilience and determination we, as young guerrillas, displayed against the British and the Rhodesians in the 1970s, I’m encouraged to take the fight on these three fronts. I fight, not alone, but with the power of those who died for the same cause yesteryear, and the power of the one who led Moses out of Egypt.
Today I received some very disturbing news about of the death of my best friend and comrade’s only daughter, who was killed in the xenophobic attacks in Durban. She was an innocent girl, who had qualified as a cardiologist at the University of KwaZulu Natal and worked for a hospital in Durban, saving the very lives of those who killed her.
It pains me that this young lady grew up without her dad, because her dad died not for Zimbabwe but for the liberation of the very same country that has killed his daughter, South Africa.
Her dad had spent 4 years with me in the bush in North Eastern Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia) fighting Ian Smith’s army to liberate Zimbabwe. Her dad and I fought under ZANLA and worked together with our compatriots in ZIPRA in the then Sipolilo and Mutorashanga areas running up to Murombedzi. Her dad and I came back alive with other ZANLA and ZIPRA cadres at independence. We were part of the contingency that then formed the now ZNA, and having been intelligence officers back in the war, we joined the now ZIC.
In 1985, my friend met with his creator in a way that has devastated my whole life. He died a painful death, not for his country, nor for his family, but for South Africa. My friend was tortured and left for dead by our own colleagues for a “crime “ committed in the line of duty for a “foreign country”, South Africa. I say foreign because today I view it as foreign in the aftermath of the death of my friend’s daughter. I have always believed that Africa was my country, not Zimbabwe. I have always believed that we are one from Cape to Cairo. But now I have realised that my fight for that oneness is only beginning. We have to fight on three fronts to achieve that oneness in Africa.
My friend was tortured because he had led a team of military intelligence officers to break into the armoury at 3 Brigade in Mutare. They broke in and stole arms , military equipment and ammunition. They had been given official instructions to do this for a purpose, but unfortunately one of them was caught and arrested. He then sold out his colleagues, including my best friend and comrade.
They were arrested, but the stolen arms, military equipment and ammunition were not recovered. This infuriated the military police and the guys were tortured for days on end, but refused to talk. They refused to talk for two reasons. 1. They were professional military officers sworn to secrecy of their missions. 2. They were protecting the country from a humiliating and embarrassing situation.
My friend and his team had been assigned to ensure the supply of arms, military equipment and ammunition to our colleagues of Mkhondo We Sizwe. This they would do by breaking into armouries of the ZNA and AFZ , so that Zimbabwe would not be implicated in supplying South African guerrillas with arms. Zimbabwe had signed a secret agreement with Apartheid South Africa never to supply arms to ANC or PAC guerrillas. So breaking into armouries and stealing arms to supply our fellow guerrillas was a smarter way of doing this. Zimbabwe would deny supplying the arms to the Azanians as it would have proof of the break-ins and thefts.
But fate wouldn’t have it for my friend. The military police who arrested them did not know that this was a sanctioned mission by the state assigned to their colleagues. The powers that be kept quiet because the case had already been published in the media. So they threw my colleagues under the bus. They always say in intelligence circles, an intelligence officer is a dispensable tool.
My friend was released when they saw that he was about to die from the torture. He lived two weeks after he was released. This was one of the reasons I decided I didn’t want that job anymore, though it took me years to get a good reason to quit.
My friend left behind two toddlers, a daughter and a son. They grew up without knowing their father. Their dad had died for the South African cause. He had fought a good war for his country and accomplished. He was now fighting for our fellow neighbours who were still oppressed when he met his death.
My friend’s wife was also a Captain in the ZNA and she was subsequently dismissed for reasons best known to the authorities. She fended for her children through thick and thin.
The children grew up and both went to University.
Now the daughter is killed by South Africans in xenophobic attacks, yet her father died in the line of duty working to help liberate the very people who now kill his beloved daughter? This is the most painful part of my grief. That’s where the saying “it never rains but pours” came into my mind.
Now my fight as I mentioned is on three fronts.
The first front is fighting the oppressive capitalist system which divided Africa into these countries and continues to ensure that Africans fight against one another while the capitalists are free to move across Africa with impunity and plunder our resources.
The second front is the very leadership of our countries that abandons our liberation ideologies, values, Pan Africanist ethos, and suck up to the capitalist materialistic lifestyles at the expense of both their citizens and those who fought for Africa’s liberation. They have developed robust cartels and corrupt systems serving the same white capitalists and themselves, while preaching liberation slogans which they know little about.
The third front is the mental hypnotisation that Africa faces, which makes them believe that whites and capitalism are a better way of living. We have become slaves of a lifestyle that negates our cultural values and continental unity and the capitalists continue to throw this into our minds through the media and entertainment fora, social disinformation, education system and economic dominance.
Africa needs to refocus and fight a war against these three fronts for it to bring glory to itself and establish a united self loving continent. The fight will go on and one day we will triumph!
By Own Correspondent| The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) has donated foodstuffs towards the launch of a feeding scheme for schools in areas affected by Tropical Cyclone Idai.
The scheme, set ti be launched beginning next term will cover districts in Mashonaland East, Masvingo and Manicaland provinces.
Speaking during the handover of several foodstuffs worth $250 000 on Saturday to the Minister of State for Manicaland province Ellen Gwaradzimba, GMAZ chairperson Tafadzwa Musarara said:
“The scheme will target the most affected schools and we will work with our government which will help us to identify the needy areas.
We understand that most schools in Chimanimani and Chipinge were ravaged by Cyclone Idai. So the government will help us with the assessment.
Beneficiaries will be given porridge and Maheu in the morning and maize meal and beans in the afternoon.
… Most importantly, this scheme will help encourage attendances in schools. Some schools are remotely located and there is a lot of walking to and from and we felt that as businesses, moreso indigenous who have been enabled and empowered by the government in the food sector, it’s our responsibility to take a step forward.”
*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! pic.twitter.com/0CyR2gUnLH
