Former President Robert Mugabe’s nephew Innocent Matibiri who was fired from his post as Deputy Police Commissioner General last year has been dragged to the High Court after he allegedly failed to pay for day-old chicks supplied to him.

The former police boss was sued by National Foods Limited which wants the High Court to order Matibiri to pay close to $17 000 for day-old chicks and chicken feed supplied to him four years ago.

In its court papers, National Foods which is represented by Masawi and Partners said it has supplied day old chicks and stock feed to Matibiri who has since neglected to service the debt.

In its declaration, the company is quoted by Kukurigo as saying,

As a result, the defendant (Matibiri) became indebted to the plaintiff (National Foods) in the sum of $16 640.12. The defendant has in breach of the agreement failed, neglected and or refused to pay for the said chicks and stock feed.

Matibiri is yet to respond to the summons.

By Own Correspondent- Government has with immediate effect dissolved the National Aids Council (NAC) board barely a year after its appointment citing concerns that it was improperly appointed.

In a letter dated March 4, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo said President Emmerson Mnangagwa has consented to the dissolution of the board.

Read the letter:

“Further to our meeting of the 30th of January 2019, where it was noted that the NAC board was improperly appointed, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe has concurred to the dissolution of the NAC board with immediate effect and ordered that a new board be put in place in line with the provisions of the law.

NAC acting board chairperson Mrs Virginia Samkange confirmed that the board had indeed been dissolved. Other board members were Dr Josiah Tayi, Mr Chagwiza Togarepi, Mrs Nyasha Sithole, Rev Tanyanyiwa Chinyerere, Mr Stanley Takaona, Mrs Tariro Chikumbirike and Mrs Naume Mazango.”-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent- Higher Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Amon Murwira has clarified that there are no useless or useful degrees.

In an interview with Zimpapers Group Foreign Editor Tendai Manzvanzvike (TM), Murwira (AM) said he never said useless degrees. He said he was referring to remodelling Zimbabwe’s higher and tertiary education system. Murwira said Zimbabweans should be taught to start their own companies instead of being workers. Below is an excerpt of the interview:

TM: Professor Murwira, degree holders are asking: what is a “useless degree”?

AM: First of all, I never said “useless” degrees. It was your headline for purposes of selling the newspaper. There is no list for “useful” and another for “useless degrees”. It’s about the system — whether all your degrees are following what we call the National Qualification Framework.

But let me contextualise the whole issue. There is no investment which we can put in a person through education so that they become useless. We don’t want useless education.

What we’re talking about is that we are remodelling Zimbabwe’s higher and tertiary education system.

TM: What does it mean?

AM: I have always maintained that in the past we used to sit at an indaba.

The responsibility of an indaba was to teach people to do something. You could be taught to make a hoe or an axe.

After several indaba sessions, you would then emerge an expert. So, universities or schools are our modern day indabas.

Be that as it may be, they must be useful, just like our yesteryear indabas. Do you get it?- StateMedia

By Own Correspondent- MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has revealed that he is pained by sanctions calling on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to “clean his house” and address the issues influencing the imposition of sanctions on Zimbabwe.

He called on Mnangagwa to heed calls for dialogue as a way of moving the nation forward

Addressing delegates attending the party’s International Women’s Day commemorations in Chitungwiza Friday, Chamisa said

“I am pained by sanctions, I am saying sanctions must go, but for sanctions to go, i am saying certain behaviours must go. America has its conditions for sanctions and they are saying for you to get aid, there should be transparency and accountability.

I read in the papers that our government splashed over $500k on someone whom it tasked with sprucing up the image of someone to make them look like they are a saint when they are in actual fact evil. Do not look for someone to do a manicure on your hands, just bath.

In this government…….., it is easy, we will only correct five things and this country will be changed. We have a credible, bankable developmental trajectory which can transform this country. What we want is for sanctions to be removed. .. what is it that stops the government from stopping the murders, when we go for elections, let the winner lead.”

Watch the video below for this and more:

THE High Court yesterday freed MDC Alliance legislator for Kuwadzana East Chalton Hwende on $3 000 bail but barred him from addressing political gatherings and using the social media pending finalisation of his criminal case.

Hwende is being accused of subverting a constitutionally-elected Government.

High Court judge, Justice Davison Foroma ordered Hwende to report to the police twice every week and to surrender his travel documents with the court’s registry.

Hwende, according to the bail ruling, should surrender title deeds to the tune of $50 000 as surety.

The judge also ordered the politician to surrender his passport and to report to the police twice a week.

He must not interfere with State witnesses or police investigations.

Hwende initially appeared before a Harare magistrate on Wednesday where he was remanded in custody to March 20.

That prompted him to approach the High Court for bail.

The State alleges that during the period extending from December 28 to 31, 2018, Hwende posted on his Twitter handle messages that in their nature had the effect of inciting the people to revolt against the Government both in his personal capacity and as a Movement for Democratic Change Alliance Member of Parliament for Kuwadzana East constituency.

Hwende’s Twitter posts allegedly incited the public to overthrow the constitutionally-elected Government of Zimbabwe by engaging in mass protests characterised by violence hooliganism.

It is the State’s case that Hwende’s Twitter messages told members of the public that 2019 should be the year of the final push to what he called a new Zimbabwe.

The State alleges that as a result of the nationwide public violence committed by demonstrators following incitement by Hwende, lives were lost, multitudes of members of the public and police officers were injured, while some police institutions were attacked. Some police vehicles were damaged and burnt beyond recognition.

State Media

By Own Correspondent- As Zimbabwe joins the rest of the world in celebrating International Women’s Day, the women’s wing in opposition MDC has pledged commitment to supporting the current leader Nelson Chamisa’s quest to become the country’s president.

The women however lamented the escalating poverty levels under the leadership of Zanu Pf and President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Chairperson of the Assembly of Women, Lynette Karenyi said Mnangagwa’s administration had failed to change women’s circumstances hence the need for Chamisa to be afforded the opportunity to lead the nation.

Said Karenyi:

“We pray that one day when you are leading this nation, we will be plucked from the jaws of poverty…… We are going to stand by you, we are going to walk with you side by side. We know the country’s pharaoh is making it difficult , he is hard hearted. As women we are by your side. Fear not, the Deborahs are here for you, Zanu has its own evil plans, but God has his ways. As women, we pray for you, when the media writes what it writes, we stand for unity as women.

We will stand by you until you are at State House. Yes the Congress is coming but the congress does not put food on our tables, it doesn’t bring employment, but when you are leading this nation, our children are guaranteed of food on the table, our husbands are guaranteed of employment and we are guaranteed of better lives.”

By Own Correspondent- The Movement for Democratic Change president Nelson Chamisa will this afternoon (Saturday) address a Thank You Rally in Manicaland.

ZimEye will be livestreaming the rally.

Refresh this page for updates

By Own Correspondent- Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has run out of water treatment chemicals for the second time in less than two months as foreign currency shortages continue.

According to council minutes, less than a months’ supply of ammonia is left and the local authority may be forced to stop the water purification if supplies are not sourced soon.

Aluminium sulphate, chlorine and polyelectrolyte stocks are reportedly also critically low.

Read the minutes:

“Ammonia is at critically low levels with stocks lasting less than a month, but requisitions and orders have been done and stations are awaiting delivery. Aluminium sulphate, HTH stocks are enough for over 2 months. Chlorine is at critical 1 weeks supply.”

Councillors however accuse council management of poor planning. Recently, town clerk Christopher Dube told a local publication that council was engaging the central bank for assistance.- SouthernEye

By Own Correspondent- Founder, owner and executive chairman of Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) who was recently appointed to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Presidential Advisory Council, Trevor Ncube has likened MDC leader Nelson Chamisa to ousted former president of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe.

Ncube said Chamisa was like a mini Mugabe. He said this on Twitter when he was responding to a video of Chamisa where he was saying his challengers cannot nominate themselves as stipulated by the MDC constitution.

Said Ncube:

Dear Zimbabwe

“It is an open secret that when Morgan Tsvangirai was on his death bed this youngman was talking about a vacuum that needed to be filled. Now he is behaving like Robert Mugabe towards his challengers. This is a mini-Robert Mugabe. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

By Own Correspondent- Chairperson of the women’s wing in the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, Lynette Karenyi has said the women in opposition and nationally are pinning their hope of improved and better livelihoods on party leader Nelson Chamisa.

Speaking at the International Women’s Day commemorations held at Makoni in Chitungwiza under the theme “Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change”, the Assembly of Women said because women bore the brunt of poverty, it was high time that the country was led by a caring leader who prioritised the betterment of women’s lives.

Karenyi lamented that commemorations for the International Women’s Day comes on the backdrop of increased poverty and gender imbalances.

She said:

“This year’s theme entails pressing for progress… challenging the stereotypes. Zanu Pf has dismally failed…. Our wish is to see our president at the helm of leadership changing our circumstances as women.

Women are the caregivers , but they have nothing. Mr President, when someone gets sick, it is not the men who are burdened with the responsibility of caring for the sick, it is the women. We know very well that they (social care workers and other health practitioners) are given pathetic renumeration. We pray that when you are leading the country, you will change their circumstances and give them befitting renumeration.

Mr President, we are saying our children at tertiary institutions, because of the economic hardships, we are seeing young girls being taken advantage of by older men. They are being abused by adults, the sugar daddies….. They cannot afford meals and because of poverty, they end up engaging in prostitution. Our hope is that when you become the country’s leader, all these things will come to pass.”

She said the women’s wing was behind Chamisa as they hoped that he had the keys to unlock the country’s developmental trajectory for the betterment of women and the nation.

RESERVE Bank of Zimbabwe Governor John Mangudya was on Thursday grilled in Parliament over disparities between the official United States dollar rates of 1:2,5 and the parallel market rate of 1:3,6 resulting in price increases of goods and services.

Mangudya appeared before Parliament to speak about fuel challenges in the country when he was asked to explain the impact on the economy of the non-availability of foreign currency in the country and the introduction of the real time gross settlement dollars.

In his recent Monetary Policy statement, Mangudya pegged the US exchange rate at 1:2,5, moving away from his initial position that the bond notes and US dollar were at par at a 1:1 ratio.

Uzumba MP Simbaneuta Mudarikwa (Zanu PF) asked Mangudya to explain whether the price of fuel would increase, if the exchange rate was to float at, for example, a rate of 1:3.

Dangamvura Chikanga MP Prosper Mutseyami also demanded to know how Mangudya was going to manage the parallel foreign exchange rates that were always soaring.

“The exchange rate of 1:2,5 is the starting rate and is not a fixed rate, and we think that parallel rates exist throughout the world,” Mangudya said.

“However, street rates should not determine where prices should be and we will ensure we control that.”

He said there was no money in the country for big companies to be able to purchase foreign currency at the parallel market rate of 1:3,6.

Mangudya said in terms of fuel, the bulk of the orders should be done through the formal inter-bank rates.

“What has been happening in the past few weeks is that buyers of foreign currency (have) not (had) enough cash to purchase foreign currency. We are not convinced that there are companies or firms that can purchase foreign currency at a rate of 1: 3,6 because there is no money in the country.

“The people that can afford to buy from the parallel market are only small traders, or people that want to pay for DStv, otherwise people have no money to buy from the black market. Some of the fuel dealers are not able to purchase it at the prices we have today because there is no money and because of the balance at their banks,” he said.

NewsDay

By Own Correspondent| The European Union has implored the Zimbabwean Government to account for missing pro democracy campaigner Itai Dzamara.

Today marks four years after Dzamara was abducted while having a haircut near his home in Glen View Harare.

Dzamara was reportedly abducted by state security agents

Said the EU in a statement:

“Four years after his abduction, Itai #Dzamara remains missing. We call on Govt to shed light on his fate & serve justice, and to tackle all human rights violations decisively, in line with Zimbabwe’s repeated commitment to human rights, freedoms & national healing. #EU4democracy

Own Correspondent|Reports from Victoria Falls indicate that heavy gun fire exchanges were heard as police arrested former Victoria Falls mayor Sifiso Mpofu and two accomplices for alleged illegal possession of elephant tusks weighing 120kg on Thursday night.

Neighbours told state media that they heard gunshots and feared there could have been casualties. It could not be established whether the trio fired at the police or tried to resist arrest.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest of Mpofu (42) Milton Sibindi (47) and Phathiso Sibanda (49).

The trio was arrested after an anti-poaching team comprising police Criminal Investigation Department and Support Unit and rangers from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority reacted to a tip-off from an informer.

“Yes, I can confirm the arrest but details of the case will be availed in due course,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

Mpofu of 5449 Mkhosana, Sibindi who resides at number 5889 and Sibanda of 6244 in the same suburb are expected to be charged with illegal possession of raw elephant ivory.

“On Thursday evening, information was received that the trio was in possession of raw ivory. The anti-poaching team reacted to the tip-off and proceeded to Mkhosana turn-off to meet the informer who led the team to Mpofu’s house in Mkhosana,” said a source.

The anti-poaching team followed at a distance and parked away from the house waiting for a signal from the informer. After raiding the house, they recovered nine ivory tusks. Some were recovered in Mpofu’s bedroom following a search. Also recovered, said the source, was a licensed pistol loaded with three rounds of ammunition. The tusks were taken to the police where they were expected to be weighed and valued.

ZimParks national spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo yesterday said: “He (Mpofu) was found in possession of 11 pieces of ivory weighing about 120kgs. He is assisting the police with investigations and is expected to appear in court soon. We have managed to recover a pistol from the incident scene and we are warning poachers and the public that if they attempt to shoot at rangers they will be shot. We will fight fire with fire,” said Mr Farawo.

Mpofu who is the immediate last ruling ZANU PF mayor in the resort time is a fiery heavyweight in the party in Matabeleland North due to his very close links with party national Secretary for Administration Obert Mpofu.

The former mayor was heavily involved in the party’s campaign in the last election and believed to have funded several ZANU PF candidates in their campaign programmes.

Source State Media

By Own Correspondent- As women form the MDC commemorated International Women’s Day, women here observed a moment of silence in honour of the late wife to Morgan Richard Tsvangirai, Susan Nyaradzo.

Susan Tsvangirai died onMarch 6 2014 in a road accident along Harare Masvingo road.

Said the Assembly of Women Chjairperson, Lynette Karenyi:

“This time, we remember our late great mother Susan Nyaradzo Tsvangirai who died in a mysterious accident. Amai Tsvangirai died on March 6 2014. May her soul rest in eternal peace. She was a special someone to all of us as women. Let us observe a minute of silence in her honor.”

Exiled Former Cabinet Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo has unveiled King Lobengula and Queen Lozikeyi Dlodlo as the Founding First Family that founded the modern Zimbabwean State in 1870.

Professor Moyo said this while commemorating the International Women’s Day on Friday where he wished the late Queen a Women’s Day.

“King Lobengula and Queen Lozikeyi are Zimbabwe’s founding first family not because anyone wants them to be or does not want them to be; but only because it’s a historical fact. Plainly put, FACTS ARE STUBBORN. The mark of maturity for a person or society is the respect for facts.” Said Moyo.

Prof. Moyo’s words were not left without challenge as some people argued that Zimbabwe was not a Ndebele word and the country was only founded and named in 1980 as a successor to Rhodesia. However, Prof  Moyo maintained that his testimony was true and no one can argue with facts.

“No argument on that. Not because I agree with you but because what you are saying is irrelevant regardless of whether it’s true or not. The fact that is out there is that THE MODERN STATE in what is Zimbabwe today was founded in 1870. As such, today’s Zimbabwe began in 1870!

“I don’t need your support. It’s not about me but about facts which stand alone, independent of you and me or anyone else.”

Prof Jonathan Moyo✔@ProfJNMoyo · 13h

Happy International Women’s Day Everyone!

Prof Jonathan Moyo✔@ProfJNMoyo

King Lobengula and Queen Lozikeyi. #Zimbabwe‘s Founding First Family: 1870 to 1893! pic.twitter.com/AXbFkqzkOL2662:59 PM – Mar 8, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacy

148 people are talking about this

Byo 24

MAZOWE small-scale gold miners Shephard Nyazvigo and Phillip Makanya have lost a court case in which they were demanding $100 000 compensation from former First Lady Grace Mugabe, claiming she allegedly labelled them thieves, who wanted to wrest a citrus plantation from her.

In a ruling by High Court judge Justice David Mangota dated March 1, 2019, Nyazvigo and Makanya were ordered to meet the lawsuit costs.

“Whereupon after reading documents filed and hearing counsel, it is ordered that application for the upliftment of bar is refused. The defendant’s excerption be and hereby allowed with costs on a legal practitioner and client scale and the plaintiff’s claims is dismissed,” part of the judgment read.

The two approached the court in May last year, demanding $100 000 from Grace for defamation.

In their joint declaration, Nyazvigo and Makanya said they were the registered owners of a mining syndicate being Mondo 4, situated inside Grace’s Smithfield Farm.

The two said on April 2, 2018, Grace uttered words, publicised in a local paper, that they were illegal miners who had invaded her farm and were unlawfully carrying out mining operations thereon and also destroying her lemon fruit trees.

They claimed Grace labelled them illegal miners who stole her property and described them as thieves, stealing from her farm.

The also two claimed Grace’s utterances painted them in bad light and projected them as lawless people involved in illegal mining activities on her property.

The two miners added they had suffered irreparable damage to their character as a result of the utterances by Grace, which were publicised in a local newspaper.

Grace was represented by Chivore Dzingirai Group of Lawyers.

ZANU PF party spokesperson Simon Khaya has challenged former President Robert Mugabe to comment on allegations that he is bankrolling MDC president Nelson Chamisa in his quest to retain the party presidency at the elective Congress set to be held between the 24th and 26th of May.

Speaking to the media about Mugabe’s alleged funding of Chamisa after the party’s politburo meeting on Wednesday, Khaya Moyo said:
I have not heard any response from the former President about that, whether it is true or not true.
It is just rumours going around. But I am saying, if I were the former President, I would have responded to the allegations by now.”

Khaya Moyo, however, betrayed his party’s keen interest in what is happening in the Chamisa-led MDC.
“Our congress is in 2023, that is when we have a candidate and we know the candidate. How can we have a candidate for a party that is not ours? We don’t pick the candidate for other party.

We hear that some say the constitution says only four positions shall be contested at the Congress, and then others say, no, no, no, it is all positions.

Even their vice-president Elias Mudzuri has said we don’t think this Congress will come out well, the party might split. So where do we come in? Where does Zanu PF come in? We are very busy with our problems of fulfilling vision 2030.”Newsday

On International Women’s Day, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) calls on government to take more concrete action to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment in Zimbabwe.

Commemorated every year on 8 March, International Women’s Day offers an opportunity to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in their communities and countries.

The timely and importance of the 2019 theme “#BalanceforBetter”, cannot be over-emphasised.

In Zimbabwe, it is saddening that International Women’s Day is being commemorated at a time when many women have been victims of violence perpetrated by state and non-state actors. Regrettably, no action has been taken to provide effective remedies for all the women who have been subjected to unprecedented violations such as sexual assault, torture and arbitrary assaults. Several women have also been subjected to arbitrary arrests and detention following the protests held in January 2019. A number of women including women human rights defenders are still on trial facing charges of committing public violence and attempting to overthrow the government.

Although the Constitution explicitly guarantees women’s rights and while government has voluntarily committed to implement legislative measures to outlaw discrimination against women and promote their status, women continue to be marginalised and excluded from economic, social and political spheres of society.

Women continue to bear the brunt of economic mismanagement as they continue to lack access to basic services such as health care, potable water, shelter, food and other necessary amenities including decent livelihoods.

As an organisation committed to fostering a culture of human rights and a balanced world, ZLHR calls on government to:

o Thoroughly investigate the sexual violation of women and hold perpetrators accountable.

o Urgently implement legislative and administrative measures to outlaw discrimination against women and promote the status of women and align laws with the Constitution and ensure more participation and empowerment of women.

o Ratify all outstanding treaties and optional protocols such as the Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

OPPOSITION MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has said he also feels the pinch of US sanctions on Zimbabwe and wants them to be removed but wants President Emmerson Mnangagwa to sort out “your mess” first.

The US Embassy in Harare has for the past two days been saying sanctions affect only the 84 ZANU-PF leaders on the list.

Zimbabwe under former President Robert Mugabe was slapped with sanctions over allegations of human rights abuses which have since been renewed under Mnangagwa. The US and the European Union argue little has changed under Mnangagwa since he took charged following the November 2017 coup.

Chamisa told members of his party’s women’s assembly who had gathered to commemorate this year’s 112th International Women’s Day in Chitungwiza south-west of the capital.

The celebrations are running under the theme: “Think equal, build smart, innovate for change.”

Chamisa revealed he would also want to see the sanctions removed but argued Mnangagwa has no moral authority to call for the lifting of the targeted measures.

“I am also hurt by these sanctions imposed on this country. I am saying sanctions must go but, for sanctions to go certain behaviour must go.

“America is saying for us to bail you out; Zimbabwe must be accountable and responsible,” said Chamisa.

The 41 year-old lawyer chided Mnangagwa for splashing half a million dollars to a US firm contracted to do public relations work for the Zanu PF leader’s administration.

“You do not need all that but, just do the right thing and cleanse yourself from evil deeds.

“We want sanctions to go but, we want all bad habits such as civilian killings, deploying soldiers in streets and unnecessary arrests of opposition members done away with,” Chamisa told cheering supporters.

Two weeks ago Chamisa told supporters in Gweru that he would want Mnangagwa to agree to an arrangement in which they alternate to lead the country and Friday he seemed to repeat his plea.

“Mnangagwa must give us an opportunity to change things in this country, if someone accuses you of bad behaviour why can you not change your arrogance; five things need to be corrected in this country for progress’ sake.

“We will not waste time with financial issues. I have told his government about the economics of this country but, they do not listen. We have credible bankable alternatives,” said Chamisa.

The opposition leader insists he won last year’s presidential elections despite his challenge at the Constitutional Court being thrown out for lack of merit. Chamisa continues to demand that Mnangagwa cedes power “to those who won.”

He said the country‘s groaning because of Zanu PF’s sordid past.

“We are in pain, (but) if we implement our reforms, we are done with all these challenges. You (Mnangagwa) are not trusted because of your past record.

“Even the Chinese and Russians will not support you despite the public smiles because they don’t trust him,” he said. Mnangagwa has demanded that the sanctions be removed because they are hurting Zimbabweans. The Zanu PF leader has received support from Sadc and the African Union.

VIDEOS LOADING BELOW…

The 14-YEAR-OLD boy from Binga who allegedly killed his six-year-old sister for speaking IsiNdebele has been arrested.

The fugitive minor was allegedly hiding out in a cave near his home.
The suspect from Mulindi village, under chief Dobola, whose name is being withheld for ethical reasons, is suspected to have killed Senzeni Sibanda, a Grade One pupil at Mulindi Primary School, last Tuesday.

He severely assaulted his sister and threw her into a river resulting in her drowning.
He committed the crime while they were on their way to school.
The juvenile fled the scene and went into hiding last Wednesday after a search party discovered the body.

Following a tip-off, police ambushed the minor who was now allegedly hiding in a cave at a mountain, some few kilometres away from his village.
Police and neighbourhood watch committee members pounced on the juvenile in the early hours of Monday.
He was was found with blankets in the cave.

Villagers suspected his family hid him there and provided him with blankets.
Matabeleland North police spokesperson Chief Inspector Siphiwe Makonese confirmed the arrest of the minor.

“The juvenile is at a police station with his family assisting police with investigations. He will receive counselling from professionals in the process,” she said.State media

By Own Correspondent- In an interview with an American broadcaster, National Public Radio (NPR), Minister for Finance and Economic Development Mthuli Ncube claimed that former President Robert Mugabe was responsible for the brutal crackdown on protestors by security forces in January 2019.

Ncube made the claims despite that Mugabe was pushed out office in November 2017 in what political analysts have described as one of Africa’s “soft coups”.

Below is an excerpt from the interview:

SHAPIRO: As we heard, the president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, campaigned on this message of Zimbabwe is open for business. Earlier this year, widespread protests were violently shut down by the military. International investors want to see stability and rule of law before they put their money into a country. Are you concerned that the sort of violent crackdown on protesters we saw will actually scare away international investors?

NCUBE: You know, we had a previous leader of Zimbabwe who was in power for 37 years.

SHAPIRO: Robert Mugabe.

NCUBE: Yes. Let’s be honest. When you stay that long, you become the institution. You erode all other institutions. So when we have a new regime taking over, it just takes time for the institution to settle down and take over. So what happened during that period, the intensity of the protests basically overwhelmed the enforcement – law enforcement agents. It’s very clear. But the president came out very strong, very strong and said, look, I like the president, leader of Zimbabwe, I condemn this violence from both sides. And I think that is a very, very strong statement.

SHAPIRO: It was not just the violent crackdown in the heat of the moment. There was also the arrest of more than a thousand critics and civil society leaders detained without warrants on dubious grounds according to Amnesty International. Does that kind of a crackdown, even outside of a protest, tell the international community that Zimbabwe is not yet ready for being open for business?

NCUBE: As I say, it is really about the ability to cope with such intense protests in a situation where some of the state institutions are not as strong because their power is eroded by a – this leader who was there for too long.

Some Econet platforms cannot be accessed right now. They are saying that they are doing some maintenance work. EcoCash is not accessible completely whether via the mobile app or USSD. A similar reason is being given for the USSD platform whilst the data app is just timing out and then claiming that whoever is trying to access is not connected to the internet.

Econet are usually very good at communicating such anticipated down times well in advance. This time they just pulled the plug. This could mean there is an emergency of sorts and they could not wait.

There has been a number of problems on the Econet platform lately. Maybe this is their attempt to clean house once and for all. A bit inconvenient on a Friday night though.

Techzim

Correspondent|A Harare woman is at loggerheads with her sister-in-law who she accuses of organising girlfriends for her husband.

Eda Masango said Rufaro Forget was ever threatening to scald her with hot water, which forced her to seek protection order at Harare Civil Court.

“She is my sister-in-law but now I am afraid because it is now the third time she wants to scald me with hot water.

“She once scalded my son and claimed that it was a mistake and I forgave her but now my life is in great danger.

“We stay together but we are not talking to each other; she might end up putting poison in my food so I want to be protected,” she said.

Eda added;

“I am not a violent person; my children are still playing with her children even if she refuses her children to accept my gifts and food.

“She insults every family member even our neighbours. It is now affecting my relationship with my brother,” she said.

Rufaro denied the allegations saying she has never attempted or threatened to scald her.

“I am not a violent person but she is the one who insults me telling me that she will find another wife for my husband.

“I have never tried to scald her; she is not telling the truth.

“The real dispute is over the garden. There is a day she took my gardening hoe whilst I was weeding claiming that it’s her father’s place and I should leave.

“I never scalded her son willingly, but it was an accident and people make mistakes, “she said.

Presiding Magistrate Noah Gwatidzo, granted protection order in Eda’s favour.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission joins the nation and the rest of the international community in celebrating the International Women’s Day running under the theme, “Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change” placing innovation efforts by women and girls at the heart of all efforts that are channelled to achieve gender equality.

Over the years, women have proved that they are capable in economic, social and political spheres of life and their efforts have made the world a better place to live. Section 56 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe and other regional and international treaties that Zimbabwe is party to have guarantee equality and non-discrimination before the law.

However, the lived experiences of many women in Zimbabwe have limited their ability to be equal with men for them to excel in all spheres of life. Women and girls suffer disproportionately as existing inequalities are exacerbated by deterioration of current economic environment and acute poverty.

This has drawn back the potential of women to meaningfully contribute to development on an equal basis with their male counterparts. Women continue to experience inequalities including limited opportunities in accessing services, violation of their basic human rights such as the right to food and water as well as the right to health care which accords them value and dignity.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission is encouraged by the recent commitment by President Mnangagwa to continue working towards full equality and further empowerment of girls and women in Zimbabwe. The country has already set the tone for realisation of equality and gender balance through the Constitution and commitment to show political will by the leadership.

There is need to avail financial support, skills development and the appointment of women to critical positions of influence among other measures in order for the country to benefit from the full potential of women as equals in development.

ZHRC calls on the State to expedite the alignment of legislation such as the Children’s Amendment Bill and the Marriages Amendment Bill to the Constitution in order to adequately protect women and girls.

All stakeholders should collaborate in efforts towards empowering women in all spheres of life in order to realise the global theme of thinking equality and being innovative in order to realise the desired change.

The harmonisation of all these efforts will lead to gender quality and the full empowerment of women and girls in line with sustainable development goal number 5 on gender equality.

Women have proved that with a supportive and conducive environment they can champion innovative efforts that improve the world and indeed the future is female.

ZIMBABWE needs an effective overall monetary policy framework if its currency reforms move is to succeed, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said.

Addressing the media Thursday in Washington DC, the United States, Gerry Rice, from the IMF communications department, said the Zimbabwe’s monetary policy framework should be supported by market-determined interest and exchanges rates, together with prudent fiscal policies.

“And our initial evaluation of (the monetary policy) which has been announced by the Zimbabwean authorities recently is that it’s a step in the right direction to address distortions that have significantly impaired those macroeconomic outcomes…,” he said.

Asked what Zimbabwean finance and economic development minister Mthuli Ncube had discussed with IMF managing director Christine Lagarde, Rice said Ncube briefed Lagarde on economic developments and reforms in the investment-hungry country.

Rice said at present, the IMF did not have a financing programme with Zimbabwe, though they would continue to have discussions with the authorities to assist them in implementing the economic reforms contained in their transitional stabilisation programme.

“(The transitional stabilisation programme) is a wide ranging stabilisation and reform programme aimed at addressing what is clearly a deep macroeconomic imbalance challenge, as well as a broader set of social and economic challenges. So the…discussions are certainly continuing,” he said.

Rice said given the absence of a financing programme, future plans would depend on clearance of arrears to other international financial institutions and financing assurances from bilateral predators, agreement on policies and many such arrangements. — African News Agency (ANA)

Correspondent|Vice President Kembo Mohadi’s son, Bruce Nqobizitha Mohadi, was arrested on Wednesday after he was accused of seizing car keys and vehicle registration books from a Harare car sale at gunpoint.

Bruce together with an accomplice went to Covenant Car Sale on Chiremba Road in Braeside on Wednesday evening and demanded to see the owner Jethro Mavangwa. However, the two were unsuccessful in their demand as Mavangwa was said to be away from the office.

Mohadi and his companion then pretended as if they were interested in buying an Isuzu KB300 for $25,000. After being led into an office in order to sign papers and complete the transaction, Mohadi is reported to have pulled out a pistol and pointed it at the female employee demanding to know the exact whereabouts of Mavangwa.

The scared woman, Ruramisai Chikwekwete, spilt the beans on her boss saying that he was in Shamva. Mohadi and his partner also took out handcuffs claiming that they were police officers.

The two men then allegedly grabbed six vehicle registration books and the keys for the Isuzu. They then jumped into the vehicle and instructed Chikwekwete to tell Mavangwa to contact them on a number they had left.

The men were later arrested and they are facing armed robbery charges.

Three people died and four thers were injured in an accident which occurred in the Harare CBD this morning.

According to reports by ZBC the accident happened at corner 7th Street and Herbert Chitepo.

A Honda Fit travelling along 7th Street collided with a Honda Elysion resulting in the loss of 3 lives.

Eyewitnesses say the Honda Fit skipped a red traffic light resulting in the collision.

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa was one of the witnesses to the accident as his motorcade passed the intersection shortly after the accident occurred.

Traffic police were quick to clear the intersection which Mnangagwa uses daily when going to his Munhumutapa offices in Harare’s CBD.

A newspaper vendor said the President had a glance at the horrific site.

“It (accident) happened when the president had not passed by but the deceased were collected from the accident scene just as the President was passing.

“When the president was passing, there were so many people but he saw something…the president’s motorcade slowed down a bit because the intersection was congested,” he said.

Junior police officers at the scene of the accident said they were not permitted by their employer to speak to the press.

By Own Correspondent| A Gweru magistrate has acquitted opposition MDC legislator and National Organising Secretary Amos Chibaya for public violence.

Chibaya, had been on trial on charges of inciting public violence as defined in Section 187 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act during the January 14 2019 fuel protests which rocked the nation.

Said the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) in a statement:

“Gweru Magistrate Charity Maposa on Friday 8 March 2019 acquitted Hon. Amos Chibaya, the legislator for Mkoba constituency, who had been on trial on charges of incitement to commit public violence as defined in section 187 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act during anti-government protests held in January 2019. Hon. Chibaya, who is represented by Reginald Chidawanyika of ZLHR, is still charged with subverting constitutional government.”

Correspondent|President of Ideal Zimbabwe Tinashe Jonas has confirmed that he is taking a walk of sacrifice to Munhumutapa building on Saturday 9 March to arrest President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Vice Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi.

Jonas said, “I am arresting the above criminals on behalf of a fearful, oppressed, impoverished, over-fooled Zimbabweans and in honour of Military rule victims. Restoration of democracy, constitutionalism, and human rights.”

Jonas calls himself the Civilian President of Zimbabwe.

Many Zimbabweans have warned him not to engage in the act because it might be suicidal.

ZANU PF has challenged former President Robert Mugabe to respond to allegations that he was funding opposition leader Nelson Chamisa’s campaign to outfox his rivals ahead of the MDC party’s congress scheduled for May.

Addressing journalists after the party’s politburo meeting on Wednesday, Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said the burden was on Mugabe to respond to the allegations.

“I have not heard any response from the former President about that, whether it is true or not true,” Khaya Moyo said.

“It is just rumours going around. But I am saying, if I were the former President, I would have responded to the allegations by now.”

Further asked whether or not Zanu PF had sought clarification from Mugabe over the issue, Khaya Moyo said: “It has nothing to do with Zanu PF, it is something to do with the MDC as we have heard.”

There have been allegations by Chamisa’s backers in the MDC that Zanu PF was bankrolling the opposition party’s secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora’s campaign so he can edge Chamisa, who poses a serious electoral threat to President Emmerson Mnangagwa in the 2023 general elections after having lost narrowly to the Zanu PF leader in the July 30, 2018 elections.

One of Chamisa’s deputies, Morgen Komichi has claimed that Mnangagwa has panned out between $4 and $6 million to support revolt against the youthful leader, who gunned over two million votes and has refused to recognise Mnangagwa’s leadership.

But Khaya Moyo denied his party’s involvement in MDC affairs, dismissing allegations that Zanu PF was favouring a certain candidate in MDC.

“Our congress is in 2023, that is when we have a candidate and we know the candidate. How can we have a candidate for a party that is not ours? We don’t pick candidate for other parties.”

He added: “They are at each other’s throats, so where do we come in? We hear that some say the constitution says only four positions shall be contested at the congress, and then others say, no, no, no, it is all positions.

“Even their vice-president Elias Mudzuri has said we don’t think this congress will come out well, the party might split. So where do we come in? Where does Zanu PF come in? We are very busy with our problems of fulfilling vision 2030.” — NewsDay

In an interview with an American broadcaster this week, National Public Radio (NPR), Minister for Finance and Economic Development Mthuli Ncube claimed that former President Robert Mugabe was responsible for the brutal crackdown on protestors by security forces in January 2019.

Ncube made the claims notwithstanding the fact that Mugabe was pushed out office in November 2017.

Below is an excerpt from the interview:

NPR’s Ari Shapiro talks with Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube about his mission to turn around his country’s crumbling economy.
ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

Zimbabwe’s new president campaigned last summer on this promise.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

PRESIDENT EMMERSON MNANGAGWA: From now on, Zimbabwe is open for business.

SHAPIRO: Emmerson Mnangagwa used Zimbabwe is open for business the way Donald Trump used make America great again. Now, economic signals in Zimbabwe are pointing in the wrong direction. Inflation is above 50 percent. To try to get things on track, the country launched a new currency to replace its old cash system based on the U.S. dollar.

Zimbabwe’s finance minister is behind this move and others. He’s on a visit to the U.S. right now. And professor Mthuli Ncube joins us here in the studio. Welcome to ALL THINGS CONSIDERED.

MTHULI NCUBE: Thank you very much.

SHAPIRO: One very visible sign of Zimbabwe’s economic challenges comes at ATMs in the center of Harare, the capital, where people line up overnight. When I was there back in June, I met people who waited in line for hours just to withdraw $20 from the ATM. One of those people waiting in line was named Rumbitsai Chahara, and she spoke with us through an interpreter. Here’s what she said.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED BROADCAST)

RUMBITSAI CHAHARA: (Through interpreter) It’s very painful to have to wait for your money, especially if it’s money that you’ve worked for. And it feels like we keep getting pulled back when we should be moving forward.

SHAPIRO: I conducted that interview last June in Harare. And people we speak to in Zimbabwe today say that situation has not improved. What do you say to people like her?

NCUBE: The situation is improving, but improving slowly. But it will improve faster as we go along. You know why? Because what she was queuing for before was U.S. dollars. Zimbabwe does not print U.S. dollars. Zimbabwe does not have an agreement with the U.S. for the supply of U.S. dollars. So money ran out. So – but imagine that now if you have domestic currency that you’re able to print, that you control, then we will not have this problem.

SHAPIRO: But people need to have confidence in that currency, and inflation needs to be low enough that that currency is worth something.

NCUBE: There is reason not to be confident, and I agree with them. The reason was the macroeconomic management – the capacity, the determination, the focus – wasn’t there. That has changed since four months ago since we came in. We are running a budget surplus. We are containing the growth of money supply. We’re determined to give value to the currency that we’ve launched and want people to believe in us. We’re determined to make this right.

SHAPIRO: As we heard, the president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, campaigned on this message of Zimbabwe is open for business. Earlier this year, widespread protests were violently shut down by the military. International investors want to see stability and rule of law before they put their money into a country. Are you concerned that the sort of violent crackdown on protesters we saw will actually scare away international investors?

NCUBE: You know, we had a previous leader of Zimbabwe who was in power for 37 years.

SHAPIRO: Robert Mugabe.

NCUBE: Yes. Let’s be honest. When you stay that long, you become the institution. You erode all other institutions. So when we have a new regime taking over, it just takes time for the institution to settle down and take over. So what happened during that period, the intensity of the protests basically overwhelmed the enforcement – law enforcement agents. It’s very clear. But the president came out very strong, very strong and said, look, I as the president, leader of Zimbabwe, I condemn this violence from both sides. And I think that is a very, very strong statement.

SHAPIRO: It was not just the violent crackdown in the heat of the moment. There was also the arrest of more than a thousand critics and civil society leaders detained without warrants on dubious grounds according to Amnesty International. Does that kind of a crackdown, even outside of a protest, tell the international community that Zimbabwe is not yet ready for being open for business?

NCUBE: As I say, it is really about the ability to cope with such intense protests in a situation where some of the state institutions are not as strong because their power is eroded by a – this leader who was there for too long.

SHAPIRO: You returned home to Zimbabwe to take this job in the fall, and before that, you were the chief economist at the African Development Bank. You taught at Oxford. Now that you are home in Harare working on this issue every day, what has surprised you most?

NCUBE: Actually, nothing has surprised me. Having worked at the African Development Bank, I knew the depths of the challenge of working with Zimbabwe and trying to turn it around. For me, what has probably surprised me is more on the positive side, which is that the Zimbabweans have been – I think there’s a (unintelligible) with the economic reform agenda. I’m hopeful we will see this through. Zimbabwe will be normal again. We’ll turn it around.

SHAPIRO: Professor Mthuli Ncube, thank you so much for joining us in the studio today.

NCUBE: Thank you.

SHAPIRO: He is the finance minister for Zimbabwe.

Source: NPR

Farai Dziva|MDC A leader says the problems bedevilling the country cannot resolved in 2023 because the people of Zimbabwe have suffered for too long.

In a tweet Chamisa insisted the legitimacy crisis in Zimbabwe was deterring meaningful dialogue.

“We are doing everything within our power to deal with our circumstances now not in 2023,” said Chamisa.

“There shall be debate on how to deepen our internal democracy and strengthen our internal governance,” he added.

ZimEye would like to wish all our readers a Happy Mothers Day!

May you be richly blessed always for all your contributions to mankind.

Farai Dziva|Political analyst has sensationally postulated that supporting Zanu PF – especially when is a youth is tantamount to foolishness.

“If you are young especially born after 1980 and you support ZANU PF, you are the most foolish person in Africa South of the Sahara,” declared Dr Ruhanya.

“ZANU PF is not Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe is not ZANU PF. We love Zimbabwe but can’t love criminals and rapists who use our country to steal, arrest and engage in corruption. Opposing ZANU PF is a PATRIOTIC NATIONAL DUTY.”

By Own Correspondent| The Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe has issued an urgent notice calling on its membership to convene over reports alleging that government is proposing to reduce the age of consent to 12.

Said the women’s body in an urgent notice issued by its National Coordinator, Dally Ncube:

Urgent Notice

Dear Member

Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe has received disturbing reports about a discussion that was held by the Health and Child Welfare Committee last week at a workshop, which was pushing for the reduction of the age of consent for sex to 12 years.

It is critical that we urgently convene and address collective efforts to protect our girls whilst securing their health rights. Let’s discuss.

In light of this you are hereby invited to an URGENT Member’s meeting to be held tomorrow the 8th of March 2019, at 0900hrs at WAG Offices, 11Lincoln Rd, Avondale,Harare*

Kindly confirm participation on this email [email protected]

Warm Regards,

Sally Ncube
National Coordinator
Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe
13 Bates Street, Milton Park Harare

Own Correspondent|PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has set up an inter-ministerial special taskforce to lead in the political and electoral legislative reforms.

The Taskforce had a mandate to:

1)    Accelerate implementation of political, electoral and legislative reforms aimed at deepening the country’s democratic processes as well as the ease of doing business reforms
2)    To address the issues arising from the reports by the 2018 Harmonised Election Observer Missions as well as the findings of the Motlanthe Commission of Inquiry into the 1 August post-election violence.

Members of the Taskforce are:
•    Minister of Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi (pictured).
•    Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
•    Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services
•    Minister of Finance and Economic Development
•    Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage
•    Minister of Industry and Commerce
•    Minister of State Security in the President’s Office
•    Attorney General.

Facebook Comments

Own Correspondent|MDC Alliance member of the House of Assembly for Harare West, Joana Mamombe, has been granted $3,000 bail by the High Court of Zimbabwe.

Mamombe (25) was arrested last Saturday and was charged with subversion.

Mamombe who is facing subversion charges was then placed on remand pending trial. The magistrates court ruled that the facts as outlined by the State disclosed an offence.

She is accused inciting protesters in January who went on to loot private businesses and destroy property worth millions of dollars.

Detectives swooped on the youngest member of the current session of Parliament on Saturday morning as she was attending a Parliamentary workshop in Nyanga.

Meanwhile, fellow MDC Alliance legislator Chalton Hwende has also been released on $3,000 bail by the High Court. Hwende, who was released earlier today, was further ordered not to address public gatherings or use social media.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

THE Meet the People Rally that was to be addressed by President Mnangagwa at Lupane, Matabeleland North, tomorrow has been postponed.

Zanu-PF Matabeleland North Provincial secretary for administration Cde Douglas Khoza said a new date will be confirmed in due course.

“The visit by His Excellency President Mnangagwa has been postponed because he is busy with other programmes. This also has given us time to mobilise resources for the much anticipated event and we will most likely get confirmation of a new date next week,” said Cde Khoza.

He, however, said the province is always ready to receive the President.

President Mnangagwa is meeting party members in the provinces to thank them for voting for him and the party’s candidates in last year’s harmonised elections that ushered in the Second Republic.

The rallies are also a platform for President Mnangagwa to outline Government’s programmes and for the party to send a clear message to detractors that President Mnangagwa’s support base is strong.

-State Media

Today I salute, celebrate and honour all women around the world.

We have some of the most courageous and outstanding women leaders in our politics, economics and all other spheres of human enterprise.

I salute all women, particularly the rural women. Women have always been the indomitable pillars of families, sinews of communities and foundations of all great nations.

The cause for gender equality anywhere is for human rights everywhere.

Women have been given the short end of the stick by male dominated systems.In Zimbabwe, horrific crimes against women, including rape are common.

Our New Zimbabwe will end the impunity behind these gender atrocities.#balanceforbetter.

MDC leader Nelson Chamisa yesterday cracked the whip, ordering an immediate stop to the culture of intimidation and endorsements ahead of the opposition party’s elective congress in May.

Addressing journalists after a national standing committee meeting at Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House (formerly Harvest House) in Harare, Chamisa said the culture of intimidating other party leaders vying for senior posts should end.

He also said his party does not allow endorsements and ruled out of order, Harare province youth assembly which declared war on those wishing to challenge his presidency.

“We must understand that as we go to congress, tensions are likely to run high, it’s gonna be choppy, tough and exciting. Leaders are encouraged to exercise patience. We must not exchange blows in an undemocratic manner. We have also said as leadership, we are not going to accept those declarations typical of Zanu PF. We are not Zanu PF, we don’t have declarations, we have nominations and they would be announced,” Chamisa said.

Party secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora has been touted as one of Chamisa’s possible contestants. Chamisa took over the position following the death of founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai last year.

“We appreciate individual opinions, we appreciate assemblies having their own opinion, but we don’t want those opinions to be the basis of intimidating others who can be weakened. We want to make sure that democracy is there for all of us,” he said.

For his alleged decision to challenge Chamisa at the forth-coming congress, Mwonzora has been branded a Zanu PF agent.

But yesterday, according to Chamisa, the party resolved to stop name-calling and said State agents attempting to divide the opposition were bound to fail.

Chamisa said the standing committee discussed the template to be used at the congress as well as timeframes for congresses of lower structures.

The MDC said the forthcoming congress would strengthen the party and vowed that the party would never split.

“The MDC is not capable of splitting, yes, leaders will always join and unjoin, but it doesn’t mean that the party will split. Yes, it will exfoliate, peeling out the outer layer for renewal purposes because the people can’t split. It is a people’s project,” Chamisa said.

He added that the standing committee also discussed the state of the economy and how Zanu PF had failed to tackle the current economic crisis.

“Let us understand the nature of the crisis we are facing, let us understand the things that have to be resolved. Because people seem to be forgetting the national question, the national dilemma, is an issue of a disputed election on July 30 2018,” the MDC leader said.

Chamisa said the party was under siege from Zanu PF, which he said had re-launched the politics of yesteryear, the politics of attacking the opposition and closure of divergent views.

-Newsday

STATE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS (STEM)

         THE MINISTER OF HIGHER AND TERTIARY EDUCATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT (HON. PROF. MURWIRA): Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir, for allowing me to make a statement on the state of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in the Ministry.  

In this statement, I explain the approach which the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development is using in the management and application of STEM for purposes of the modernisation and industrialisation of Zimbabwe as well as the state of the application of STEM in Zimbabwe.

Our vision for Zimbabwe is to become a developed upper middle income economy by 2030.  This is only possible if we develop an industry that produces quality goods and services; if we develop an education system that leads to an industry that produces quality goods and services.  It is therefore, important to understand that science is the power that drives industry.  Energy from science has to be captured using a particular design, just as fuel needs a strong tank for it to be useful, otherwise it just evaporates.

Likewise, the education system that does not produce goods and services is not relevant at all.  In order for STEM to be useful in Zimbabwe, it needs an appropriate design for its implementation.  We are guided by the philosophy that we do not buy development but we have to create it through science, technology, engineering and mathematics.  No matter how many STEM subjects we teach, with a wrong system design, industrialisation would not happen.  

We have thus changed the design of the education system to make STEM effective for industrialisation.  What do we mean?  Our traditional education system in Zimbabwe; higher and tertiary education system had three aims or three terms of reference, which is teaching, research and community engagement.

In order for this country to move forward, we found it necessary to make sure that we have added in this portfolio, innovation and industrialisation so that we make STEM effective for this country.  Mr. Speaker Sir, if we ask a person that we have given a project to do research, teaching and community service and then all of a sudden in their output we expect industry, that would not happen.  Industry would only happen if we give those universities that term of reference; that thou shalt innovate; thou shalt industrialise in addition to teaching, research and community service.

The traditional model of teaching, research and community service is what we call Education 3.0.  The new design that we are introducing is Education 5.0 because it has got five terms of references, which is the context in which we are going to implement STEM in this country.  We know that education is very important in science, mathematics and engineering.  Therefore, we have started a training programme of science and mathematics secondary school teachers at Mkoba Teachers’ College where we have introduced a mandate of training science teachers and they have taken so far in May, 2018, 120 students. 

We had done the same thing at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic and we have also taken 120 students.  We have done the same at Masvingo teachers’ college with another number.  The total number that we have recruited so far from May 2018 is 330.

The logic is to make sure that we have teachers in our schools who can then teach the students.  The previous model was to give students scholarships to go and be taught science but in those schools, there are not enough science teachers.  So, we felt that this model has to be inverted so that we start by teaching teachers so that they can teach students.  

This therefore means that, the increased output of trained science and mathematics teachers will improve the quality of teaching culminating into the production of science and mathematics oriented students who will take up STEM related careers towards modernisation and industrialisation for growing the economy in order to achieve Vision 2030 of an upper middle income economy.

There was an acute shortage of science and mathematics teachers to teach the students we had given scholarships, obviously resulting in a low pass rate.  It was observed that the current average output of 856 science teachers per year from the three secondary school teacher training colleges; Belvedere Technical Teachers’ College, Mutare Teachers’ College, Hillside Teachers’ College and other universities was not enough against a projected demand of 5 000 by 2023 by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.  

We found out that this number would not be adequate to meet this and satisfy this, so we started on a programme to train for science and mathematics teachers and these are colleges that previously were not training secondary school teachers – which are Mkoba, Masvingo Teachers’ College and Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechinic.

In that regard, the Government identified these three primary school teacher- training colleges which I had mentioned to complement in the training of science and mathematics teachers.  To this end, last year alone, we invested $3 million in this exercise. Remember, we win or lose in an education system due to the mismatch between the design and the desired output. 

If we desire industry from our education system, therefore we should give the universities that mandate which we have done.  Because of the above intervention, by 2022, the total number of science teachers will be 3 003 and mathematics teachers will be 792 in addition to the total number of 1 660 from the three secondary teachers’ colleges.  The total projected number of science and mathematics teachers by 2023 would then be 5 455.

In this regard, we will have an excess of about 1 656, the excess will cover the teacher attrition which would have occurred along the way.  This way, STEM teaching will be effectively implemented.  STEM that is practiced and operated in the right environment will always cause industrialisation.  Further, for this to happen, as I have said before, we have reconfigured our education system from that of 3.0 to have two additional missions; innovation and industrialisation to make it Education 5.0.

Our universities have largely focused on the three that I was talking about.  As you can deduce, Education 3.0 was not meant to produce goods and services at all.  It is a design that was deliberately done.  It was a good design for the colonial system because the universities that were doing innovation were in the UK and the universities here in Zimbabwe were training people for the industry that would have been developed in the UK.

So after independence, we continued with this model and we got surprised that we do not have students that can produce industry but we have not moved away from the old model which was meant to produce workers for the industries that would have been thought of at Cambridge, Edinburgh and at Oxford. Now at independence, this model has to say Cambridge has to come here.  We think about the industry and we develop that industry.  That is why we are doing this STEM for industrialisation within the context of Education 5.0.

Education 3.0 is designed to produce research articles and materials for teaching and consultancy and not for production like Education 5.0 in which we are now implementing our STEM programme.  Our expectation for modernisation and industrialisation could not and cannot be met by the 3.0 design.  In fact, we cannot expect to have good results from a wrong design.

Our design of Education 5.0 is meant for and is expected to produce goods and services and thus is designed for the modernisation and industrialisation of this country.  We are redesigning and we have redesigned because the game is won or lost in the design stage.  We have said we are going to follow within this design, the heritage based development or philosophy which will guide the Ministry in its quest to advance science and technology for industrial development.

Our philosophy of heritage based science and technology development uses the most cutting edge competitive knowledge STEM, knowledge from anywhere in the world but is applied on the local environment.  Mr. Speaker Sir, Great Zimbabwe was built of stone that was around.  It was never built using stone that was imported.  Therefore our science has to use the local resources in order for us to advance this country. We are saying we cannot buy development.  

We can do development based on this heritage based philosophy.  Saudi Arabia is known for being developed because of its oil heritage.  Zimbabwe shall be developed using the resources that are here but using its people, science and colleges.  This is the context in which we are applying our STEM;  STEM on industrialisation that is based on the heritage. 

We have orange juice, why not matamba juice because grapes grow wild in Italy and in the Mediterranean.  Apples also grow wild in Europe.  When we bring them here, we are struggling to put them in a wrong envelope. That is why production is very expensive.  We are saying our science, technology, engineering and mathematics has to look near because they almost say in teaching, sometimes fools look far for solutions when the solution is just close to them.  This is what we are teaching to say matamba can make very good juice because we do not need irrigation on matamba.  Our expenses on irrigation are caused by the fact that we are growing a crop that should that not be grown in the first place in this climate. 

Our aim is for education to cause industry not vice versa.  We were used to an education system whereby a person finishes and say give me a job but then you wonder – why did we send you to school?  It was a wrong design of our education system. That is what we are saying.  Our STEM should be used within this context. 

Science and technology will be applied to advance the delivery of goods and services aimed at industrialising and modernising Zimbabwe.  We are implementing STEM at our higher and tertiary institutions using the heritage based philosophy which basically says; use the local environment to innovate.    You cannot import in order to develop. We have to be able to make sure that we reduce the import bill by making sure that we use science, technology, engineering and mathematics properly in this country on its local resources.

Mr. Speaker Sir, if you could allow me to say, for a non knowledgeable person, a diamond could be taken and put in a catapult and you shoot a dove and then you eat the dove because you do not know that it is a diamond.  What we are saying is that our knowledge should be based on the resources that we have.  Resources are not, they become.  Resources they become because of the way we apply science technology, engineering and mathematics to them.  Zimbabwe has to be wealth and not rich.  Rich means that you have got a lot of things but you do not know how to use them properly but if you are wealthy, your education is good and your resources are good, apply STEM on your resources and they become resources.  Zimbabwe becomes developed. This is the context in which we are applying STEM in Zimbabwe. We are implementing STEM with this philosophy.

Zimbabwe must be able to calculate based on her design aspirations.  What we are saying is, you can have as many equations as you want; as long as you do not know how to apply them to the local environment, it will remain bookish.   This is the way we are going to apply STEM in this country in Education 5.0.

You may calculate the most difficult differential equations but if they are not applied on the local environment, forget about development.

What is the state of science and technology and what we are now doing?  In order to produce goods and services, the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education and its tertiary institutions is shifting to the 21^stcentury shift whereby we are moving from only analysis to analysis and creation.

We have thus embarked on the construction of innovation hubs and industrial parks.  In the innovation hubs, prototypes shall be commissioned after going through technical evaluation followed by legal protection and market fitness.  At industrial parks, goods and services shall be produced.  Every tertiary and higher education institution shall be linked to an industrial park and this year we have got a budget of about 30 million that we will use to construct the first industrial park.  The other six innovation hubs are at the stage of completion as we speak. 

Midlands University Innovation Hub is already complete and it is already churning out products.  Our prioritised focus is on the following programmes within STEM:

1. Information and Communication Technology Research and Development Programme

The programme will solve problems and derive benefits from opportunities existing in the critical economic sectors or areas such as agriculture, weather, climate research, engineering, life sciences, space sciences, and mining among others.

The Government is expanding the high performance computing system to six fold in order to support economic development programmes.  This is the STEM that we are doing.  We are doing the live technologies research and development programme.  In this programme, genomic technologies will be used to address national health delivery challenges in the safe and effective treatment of diseases, new born babies screening for inherited diseases, forensic DNA for crime investigation, justice and national security, research in agriculture and cattle reproductive technologies.  It may please you Mr. Speaker Sir, to know that on the Mashava-Zvishavane disaster, it is the innovation hub at NUST which identified the deceased using this technology. 

The next project that we are doing is at Chinhoyi University of Technology where we have just completed a project whereby we have got 7 million capacity bull semen straws that we can produce annually.  We are producing 4 000 semen straws per hour for the purpose of reinstating or restocking of the Zimbabwe national herd among others.

On 22^nd of this month, this project is going to be commissioned.  We worked throughout last year to make sure that we have got national artificial insemination capability by having the gene pool that we actually control ourselves.  This is the work of the innovation hub at Chinhoyi University of Technology, these so called genomics technologies. We shall be inviting all Hon. Members to attend the launch.  As I said, this is real STEM not a drill. 

Geospatial, Aeronautical and Space Capability Programme

This is where we have started and instituted the Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency (ZIMSA) which we have done to facilitate the design and conduct of research and development initiatives that promote advances in Geospatial Science, Earth Observations, Space Science, Space Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Satellite Communication Systems, Global Navigation Systems, Land Positioning Systems, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and the launch of satellites.

You might know already, Mr. Speaker Sir, that Rwanda launched its first communication satellite this year.  We are looking forward to Zimbabwe having its communication satellite in the very near future.  This is the STEM that we are doing.

Energy and Minerals Research Programme

The programme focuses on providing the country with alternative forms of sustainable energy through carrying out research development on alternative sources of liquid fuels focusing mainly on abundant resources such as coal.  Zimbabwe has 26 billion tonnes of coal and this coal we are using to make fire, but this same coal we can use to make fuel.  So we have started on this project and we believe in the next three to five years we would have been somewhere.  This is the context in which we are applying STEM.

The programme also seeks to use local iron ore resources to produce steel.  We are also looking forward to producing 520 000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate from coal.  This is the STEM context which we are doing. 

Agriculture Research and Development Programme

Under this programme Higher and Tertiary Education Institutions will develop affordable smart agriculture solutions for local communities.  Local manufacturing of agricultural equipment like Grass Bail, we have already done that at Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) and we believe as soon as we finish doing the industrial park they will start real mass manufacturing.  You would know that in the electricity area HIT has already made a substituting transformer.

Critical Infrastructure Research and Development Programme

We are also applying STEM in critical infrastructure research and development programme.  The programme shall develop critical national infrastructure solutions for the 21^st Century modernised and industrialised Zimbabwe.  These critical infrastructure projections will be heritage based with emphasis on solving local challenges using high end scientific research and development on delivering of quality goods and services.

On heritage based, Mr. Speaker Sir, I want to emphasise to say you can go and study what we call plant chemistry or Psytochemistry in Canada using the best technology there, but when you come back here you might have been using a Maple tree which is the sign on the Canadian flag, when you come home you must know that here there is Muhacha and Mutondo.  So our education has mainly been designed to use examples and our students would stay in those examples and never get out.  When they come home they actually say can you import a Maple tree so that I can do my experiment but the Muhacha tree is just close by. 

This is the design of a colonial education system that we are undoing because we are saying mathematics is good, but please calculate based on the Mutoko granite.  That is all what we are saying.  So, the game is lost or won in the design.  Zimbabwe does not have a shortage of skilled people, intelligent people, but you can have a very good team. 

I would, if you would allow me Mr. Speaker Sir, to say in the late 90s we used to have a very good team which we called the National Dream Team which had Peter Ndlovu, Bruce Grobbelaar, Benjamin Konjera and others.  This team was very good.  Therefore, what we are basically saying is that you can have skilled people but when they are on wrong positions they will not deliver.  If you put Bruce Grobbelaar on Peter Ndlovu’s position, that team will not win.  So, we are saying we lose or win the game on design. 

We have said Africa’s tragedy has always been the tragedy of reading the wrong manual.  You are given a Nokia phone but then the manual is a Samsung one, it is just written Nokia on top and you will spend the rest of your life trying to solve the problem of a Samsung phone using a Nokia manual or a Nokia phone using a Samsung manual.  What we are saying is Zimbabwe has to wake up to say we lose or win the game in the design.

Our universities were never designed to make people make an industry, they were designed to have people go and work.  That is why we have a lot of students who then say, so where is the work – [HON. MEMBERS: Hear, hear.]- So our problem has not been a lack of educated or intelligent people, but our systems were not designed to deliver the desired output.  All lawyers, all doctors in this area, it was okay because they were producing lawyers.  The rest did not know at the end of the day what they had to do.  So, this is Education 5.0 that we are talking about in which we are applying STEM.

A nation normally fails economically because it is participating in systems it was never involved in designing, thus Education 5.0, Mr. Speaker Sir, our own design.  The heritage based philosophy of education is also our own design to deliver and modernise and industrialise Zimbabwe by 2030.  I submit, Mr. Speaker Sir.

By Own Correspondent- Addressing members of the Presidential Advisory Council (PAC), President Emmerson Mnangagwa challengeed the team to brace for battle as they identify ways of making Zimbabwe work again following the renewal of sanctions by the United State of America.

Mnangagwa was speaking at the inaugural meeting of the PAC at State House.

He said:

“Our country continues to suffer from the deleterious effects of the illegal sanctions imposed on us by the United States of America and the European Union.

As a result, there is a need for us to leapfrog the development, modernisation and industrialisation of every facet of our economy so that we catch up with other countries in the region and beyond.

Going forward, there is also a need for us to harness our potential in the various spheres of the economy through leveraging on our geo-strategic location to attract investment and facilitate trade across the region.”- Newsday

Own Correspondent|FORMER Victoria Falls Mayor Sifiso Mpofu was on Thursday evening arrested over a case of suspected poaching.

ZimParks national spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo confirmed Mpofu’s arrest on Friday morning.

Posting on Twitter, Mr Farawo said; “Ex Vic Falls Mayor and two others have been arrested for illegal possession of 120kgs of ivory. Say no to poaching.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

By Own Correspondent| The Women’s Assembly will today join the rest of the world in commemorating International Women’s Day

Invitation to International Women’s Day commemorations

The MDC Women’s Assembly commemorates International Women’s Day at Chapungu Village today, Friday 8 March 2019 in Chitungwiza from 1100hrs – 14:30hrs.

Chapungu village is close to Makoni Police Station. The thatch-roofed buildings just behind VID.

President Nelson Chamisa is the guest of honour.

By Own Correspondent- Deputy Defence Minister and secretary general of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) Victor Matemadanda has blamed former President Robert Mugabe for the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by Western countries.

Matemadanda claimed that Mugabe not only invited sanctions but he killed people and also destroyed the economy.

Said Matemadanda:

“Many people expected Mnangagwa not only to harass him but at least some measure to put Mugabe to order because he did not only kill people but destroyed this economy.

These problems that we have are a result of Mugabe’s rule, even the sanctions; he had fun travelling and insulting people like a crazy person.

Africa treated him like its crazy person and clapped hands for him. Now we have all these problems, yet he wants to act like a messiah.

Politicians should put the country first ahead of their personal interests and intensify national dialogue aimed at finding solutions to the country’s challenges, Presidential Advisory Council facilitator Mr Joe Mutizwa has said.

Mr Mutizwa said this yesterday at State House during the council’s inaugural meeting convened by President Mnangagwa.

He said the work of the recently established council would be greatly enhanced if Zimbabweans are united, dovetailing into President Mnangagwa’s push for a broad-based national dialogue that has involved major key stakeholders in the country, including the church, students, civil society and business.

“Your Excellency, this appeal is made having cognisance of the calamities that face our country in the form of economic hardships compounded by the severe drought and the onslaught of international sanctions,” he said.

Mr Mutizwa said it was important that leaders at all levels realised that turning around the fortunes of Zimbabwe required sacrifice from top to bottom.

“There may be quick wins but there will be no silver bullets or magic wands nor will there be miracle resurrections. There will be pain and suffering but it must be shared equitably across all levels of society,” said Mr Mutizwa.

Speaking at the same occasion, Alpha Media Holdings chairman Mr Trevor Ncube said there was need to put political differences aside and work towards building the country.

Mr Ncube said he would work towards ending polarisation in the media.

“Within that crisis of expectation, our country is polarised and we cannot build when we are divided, as somebody who is coming from the media I see the polarisation and division in our society projected in our media,” he said.

“I am hoping that my role in the PAC would be in nurturing and helping to build a media that contributes to national unity. Democracy can be ugly and messy, we do have different views but we only have one country, our role is to work towards the upliftment of that country.

“We cannot work and build in this toxic environment, the public and private media should stop being activist and work towards uniting our country.”

Another member, Ms Elisa Ravengai, said she will represent the interests of people with disabilities whom she said wanted empowerment.

“In Zimbabwe and the world over, disability has been treated as a charity issue where persons with disabilities are relegated to perpetual objects of pity. The medical approach sees rehabilitation as an end in itself although social welfare and medical interventions are very important,”

She called for alignment of laws to do with disabilities.

Industrialist Mr Busisa Moyo said there was need to for new technology for industry to flourish.

“The flow of information is still a big challenge in our country and so we will need to look into that,” said Mr Moyo.

Renowned banker Mr Zondo Sakala said it was important to realise that most projects had long gestation periods and required discipline and patience.

Others who addressed the gathering were Dr Nobert Mugwagwa and agriculturalist Dr Lindiwe Sibanda.

The advisory council comprises experts and leaders drawn from diverse sectors like business, health and social protection, agriculture, governance and human rights, faith-based organisations, tourism, education, minorities, ICT, civic society, communication and media management.

Other members Sakunda Holdings chief executive Mr Kudakwashe Tagwirei and Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) president Divine Ndhlukula (business); Agribank chief executive Mr Somkhosi Malaba and Africa Next chief executive Mr Lewis Musasike (financial services); Dr Godfrey Sikipa (health and social protection); Remigius Makumbe, Simbarashe Mangwende (infrastructure).

Other members are Natalie Jabangwe (ICT); Mr Aenias Chuma, seasoned lawyer Mr Edwin Manikai (governance and human rights); Professors Kuzvinetsa Dzvimbo and Robson Mafoti (education), Mr Herbert Nkala, Dr Shingi Munyeza (both from tourism) and Janah Ncube (civic society).

The minorities will be represented by CABS managing director Mr Simmon Hammond and Zimbabwe Investment Authority chairman Mr Richard Wilde.

-State Media

By Own Correspondent- Emmerson Mnangagwa junior, whose professional name is DJ St Emmo has released a new song called Delilah.

Emmerson junior, who is son to Zimbabwe’ s president Emmerson Mnangagwa is a professional DJ and has had a career in the industry in South Africa.

Listen to his song below:

The State intends to forfeit an immovable property belonging to former Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere, which he surrendered as part of his bail conditions after he allegedly fled the court’s jurisdiction.

Presidential Anti-Corruption Unit special prosecutor Zivanai Macharaga revealed this in a notice to Kasukuwere’s lawyers Charles Chinyama and Advocate Thembi Magwaliba dated February 27 and also addressed to the clerk of court.

The application was expected to be heard yesterday, but Macharaga and Chinyama agreed to have the matter postponed to March 14.

“We write to advise that on January 17, 2019 accused was issued with a warrant of arrest after he failed to appear for his trial. In terms of section 119 (1) and section 133 (a) of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act an order declaring any recognisance forfeited can be made,” the letter read.

“The State, hereby, notifies the court that on March 6, 2019, it shall make an application to have an immovable property surrendered by the accused person as surety to be declared forfeited to the State, as referred to in the minute dated February 22, 2019. The State will proceed to make such an application in view of the fact that accused has clearly defaulted court and has no willingness to stand trial. The accused has no right of audience before the court of law in view of the fact that he is a fugitive.”

Kasukuwere had applied for the release of his passport to enable him to seek medical attention in South Africa.

“The State will make the application as notified unless the accused appears in court in whatever condition be it sick or good health. If the State succeeds and has the immovable property forfeited such a property may be sold by public auction or the State may deal with it any other way allowed by the law and this will be done on the shortest possible time provided by the law,” the letter read.

But Magwaliba further challenged the purported notice of the State saying the section used to file the notice was defective.

“We further notice that your notice is purportedly predicted on section 199 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act and if the reading of the same section is correct, your notice is again defective since it is predicted on the wrong law. You may want to take this opportunity to visit the relevant section,” he said.

By Own Correspondent- Fresh details have emerged on the armed robbery case against Vice President Kembo Mohadi’s son, Bruce Nqobizitha Mohadi.

Mohadi junior was on Wednesday arrested after he allegedly seized car keys and vehicle registration books from a car sale at gunpoint on the pretext that he was a police officer.

While Bruce was reportedly still in police custody as of Thursday while consultations were ongoing, it is not yet clear whether he has been released or is still locked up pending court proceedings.

According to reports, Mohadi and a yet to be identified accomplice arrived at the Covenant Car Sale on Chiremba Road in Braeside, Harare, at around 9 AM on Wednesday and demanded to see the business’ owner, Jethro Mavangwa.

It is further alleged that an employee at the car sale, Ruramisai Chikwekwete called the owner who spoke to the two men who expressed an interest in buying an Isuzu KB300 for $25,000.

The two men allegedly pulled out a pistol and demanded that Chikwekwete tell them about Mavangwa’s whereabouts after claiming that they were police officers.

They then grabbed six vehicle registration books and the keys for the Isuzu before driving off.

The duo was later arrested by Braeside police and are facing armed robbery charges.

This is a developing story. More details to follow.

By Own Correspondent- A Chitungwiza man will forever rue the day he stole a Samsung J7 cellphone belonging to one Sensei Cletus phone after the latter allegedly went to consult popular ‘back to sender’ prophet Madzibaba Stephen in a bid to get his phone back.

The thief, identified as Vincent started suffering from itchy skin, stingings, hallucinations and hearing voices as a result of the spell cast upon him.

During an interview at a local radio station, Vincent was constantly scratching his body and could barely sit still.

Any attempt to make conversation with him would result in him conversing with unknown entities who he claimed were trying to silence him.

However Vincent’s woes came to an end after he returned the cellphone to Cletus, accompanied by his relatives and confessed his deed.

Cletus was told to urinate on Vincent’s head in order to free him from the curse.

Watch the video below:

Paul Nyathi|ZimEye.com readers have come hard on MDC parliamentarian Dr Ruth Labode who is the chairperson of the parliamentary committee on Health and Child Care.

Labode made a social media call for a debate on possibly reducing the age of sexual consent from 16 to 12 years.

Wrote Labode on her Facebook page:

Comrades and friends let us debate Sexual Reproductive Health Service and the current Age of Consent in Zimbabwe. Girls are having sex as early as 12yrs, as demonstrated by a report given by Ex-minister Education Dokora, to Parliament on the number of girls who got pregnant in Grade 7 and hence could proceed to Form 1 in 2017. The number he gave was 4500. An organization called Katswe Sisterhood exposed the rampant young Sex–Workers (as young as 9yrs) in Epworth. This issue was extensively debated in the 8th Parliament but NO solution was proffered. Currently the parliament is sitting on a petition from the Chiredzi Community asking parliament to investigation the alarming levels of Child Sex Work and Illegal Abortions in the community. What do we do?? Our moral values have been trampled upon by the extreme levels of poverty and lack of social systems. The current Age of Consent is going to be 18yrs which means if you are under 18yrs you a minor and should not consent to sex and cannot access health services in your own capacity. ASIKHULUMENI!!!!!

Below are some responses on her call for debate on the issue.

By Own Correspondent- Spokesperson for Zanu Pf Simon Khaya Moyo has challenged former President Robert Mugabe to respond to allegations that he is bankrolling MDC president Nelson Chamisa in his quest to retain the party presidency at the elective Congress set to be held between the 24th and 26th of May.

Speaking to the media about Mugabe’s alleged funding of Chamisa after the party’s politburo meeting on Wednesday, Khaya Moyo said:

“I have not heard any response from the former President about that, whether it is true or not true.

It is just rumours going around. But I am saying, if I were the former President, I would have responded to the allegations by now.”

Khaya Moyo, however, betrayed his party’s keen interest in what is happening in the Chamisa-led MDC.

He said:

“Our congress is in 2023, that is when we have a candidate and we know the candidate. How can we have a candidate for a party that is not ours? We don’t pick the candidate for other parties.

They are at each other’s throats, so where do we come in? We hear that some say the constitution says only four positions shall be contested at the Congress, and then others say, no, no, no, it is all positions.

Even their vice-president Elias Mudzuri has said we don’t think this Congress will come out well, the party might split. So where do we come in? Where does Zanu PF come in? We are very busy with our problems of fulfilling vision 2030.”-Newsday

By Own Correspondent- The United Nations Human Rights Council will dispatch special rapporteurs to Zimbabwe to investigate and assess allegations of human rights abuses by State security agents, Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary James Manzou revealed.

He said in terms of human rights violations, President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his administration had nothing to hide considering that the country was on a new trajectory which was different from the old order under the leadership of former president Robert Mugabe.

Manzou said this while appearing before the Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs to appraise parliament on progress made in the re- engagement efforts made so far by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.

He told parliament that Mnangagwa has already given the Council the nod to come to Zimbabwe because the government had nothing to hide.

“In terms of human rights, Zimbabwe and the President have nothing to hide. The Human Rights Council in Geneva wants to send special rapporteurs to Zimbabwe and the President has said let them come.”

President Mnangagwa yesterday held his inaugural meeting with members of the Presidential Advisory Council (PAC) and exhorted them to quickly give impetus to the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP) by proffering advice and assisting in the formulation of key economic strategies that advance Vision 2030.

The Head of State and Government said to propel development and improve people’s livelihoods, the PAC members should expend more energy towards supporting the TSP and policy pronouncements made under the Second Republic.

TSP is the Government’s economic blue print covering the period 2018 to 2020.

“The Transitional Stabilisation Programme and the various policy pronouncements made under the Second Republic should be a beacon through which we must unleash our full potential towards the attainment of Vision 2030,” President Mnangagwa said.

“We must therefore proffer our views, recommendations and solutions alive to the interests of the majority. Let us give due regard to the undeniable need to uplift the quality of life of the millions of our people throughout the country. As the Presidential Advisory Council your work programme should be informed by the immense opportunities in every sector in our nation and the various strategies we need to grow and develop our economy. The present challenges must never obscure or limit what we can become or what we should do, now and in the future. I challenge you to be informed by the hope of a better and more prosperous tomorrow.”

The advisory council comprises experts and leaders drawn from diverse sectors such as business, health and social protection, agriculture, governance and human rights, faith-based organisations, tourism, education, minorities, ICT, civic society, communication and media management.

All its 26 members attended yesterday’s meeting at State House save for three who were away on business.

Vice Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi, Cabinet ministers and senior Government officials were also part of the proceedings.

President Mnangagwa said the “Zimbabwe we want” will only be built through a collective, patriotic approach and singleness of purpose.

“That is the reason we gather today, with the overriding objective of working together towards attainment of an ambitious and yet achievable shared vision of becoming a middle income (economy) by 2030,” he said.

“Furthermore, we realise that nations, the world over, have to operate within a more interconnected and complex policy environment. This has given rise to the need for a greater involvement of private sector players in the governance and policy discourse. It is against this background that I saw it fit to constitute a Presidential Advisory Council. You are a team of experts and leaders from across a broad spectrum of professional skills to proffer strategic advice, guidance, information and recommendations on policies that support key goals under Vision 2030.”

President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe continued to suffer from the deleterious effects of illegal sanctions imposed by the West hence the need for it to leapfrog development, modernisation and industrialisation of every facet of its economy to catch up with other countries.

“Going forward, there is also need for us to harness our potential in the various spheres of the economy through leveraging on our geo-strategic location to attract investment and facilitate trade across the region,” he said.

“To this end, we are convinced that the rapid development and transformation strategies for economic development adopted by my administration will yield desired successes. Meanwhile, the engagement and re-engagement policy, stabilisation of the macroeconomic environment, zero tolerance to corruption, observance of rule of law and entrenchment of democratic values as well as the implementation of devolution and decentralisation of economic activity to provinces and local authorities for social equity should result in the marked improvement of the socio-economic landscape of our country. Let us build on this broad foundation and give impetus and momentum towards full economic recovery, development and prosperity for all our people.”

President Mnangagwa said interaction between him, Government officials and PAC members should be flexible and responsive while hinged on patriotism, trust, candidness and confidentiality.

“Allow me to assure you that members of my administration, at every level, will be receptive to your ideas, which must be informed and guided by national interests all the time,” he said.

“A collective approach implies collective responsibility with regards agreed and adopted positions. This is a fundamental principle. We must therefore seek to proffer strategies on how to develop, modernise and industrialise every part of our country, improve our infrastructure, speed up the development of rural industry systems as well as increase our overall productivity and exports to effectively enter and participate in the global value chains. Let us harness our collective capacities to create conditions where peace, unity and development can flourish in our country. Guided by our mantra ‘Zimbabwe is Open for Business’ our actions should never lag behind global developments and expectations. Together let us sharpen our focus and make solid footsteps as we define and walk the road towards delivering the Zimbabwe we want.”

The PAC members, whose contribution is voluntary, will hold office for the duration of the President’s tenure of office.

-State Media

By Own Correspondent- Constitutional experts have said MDC Alliance partners Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti cannot be appointed or elected to any post ahead of the party’s National Elective Congress since they have not been MDC members for at least five successive years.

A report by a local publication quotes a legal expert Advocate Samuel Chadenga confirming the development.

Chadenga said according to Section 5 of the MDC constitution, Biti and Ncube are not eligible to run for office.

He said:

“If the MDC want to go the constitutional way then Biti and Welshman are not eligible to run for any office ,they should wait for five years or two years if they want to be in the district council.”

Political analyst John Muchenje said  the MDC has no respect for their constitution an assertion which was denied by MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume.

Mafume said his party’s National Elective Congress is guided by a template from the National Executive Council.

He refuted claims that the party has a different copy of the constitution.-MorningPost

By Own Correspondent- Permanent secretary in the Information and Publicity ministry Nick Mangwana has claimed that President Emmerson Mnangagwa has taken action against the military as he promised following the January 14 fuel riots.

Responding to Bloomberg, Mangwana said:

When the president said ‘heads will roll’ he meant every word. We have seen the immediate retirement of senior commanders since that promise. We have seen soldiers convicted and imprisoned. What we witnessed is heads rolling.