Correspondent|MDC Alliance Secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora has confidently declared that he would have garnered more votes than what party leader Nelson Chamisa scored against President Mnangagwa in the July 2018 elections.

Appearing on Zi-FM Stereo’s The Platform anchored by Larry Kwirirayi on Monday evening, Mwonzora was asked if he could have won more votes than what Chamisa got.

“I think so,” said Mwonzora, with a chuckle.

Mwonzora however refused to stated expressly whether he was contesting against party leader Nelson Chamisa at the 24 May Congress.

“Let’s leave that to the MDC people to decide. If they feel that I am better as Secretary-General, so be it. If they want to elevate me, still that’s alright,” Mwonzora said.

He explained that the tradition in the MDC was that one does not declare their own candidature, but gets nominated by provincial congresses first. It is the nomination that he said will indicate where the party structures want him deployed.

On the same issue, Mwonzora described it as unfair that he was the only one being asked to declare his candidature prior to the sitting of the provinces and districts.

Regarding the outcome of the Congress, Mwonzora said he would accept the results of the vote and if he lost, he would congratulate the winner and work under them.

“The MDC was formed for a purpose. It has values, a Constitution and a system. It is those values that we must hold sacrosanct. The Congress time must never be a time for name-calling.

“This should be the time for re-uniting and having fun. Congress is not a matter of life-and-death issue like how some of my colleagues are taking it to be. But I am so happy that president Chamisa himself is not saying the things that some of the colleagues in the party are saying.”

By Own Correspondent| The Alliance for the People’s Agenda (APA) has announced that it is pulling out from the dialogue initiated by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

APA leader Nkosana Moyo was one for the losers in the 2018 presidential election who heeded the call to go to State House for talks with Mnangagwa.

Moyo pulled out citing insincerity on the part of Mnangagwa.

He joins Noah Manyika of Build Zimbabwe Alliance and Daniel Shumba of the United Democratic Alliance.

Below is the full text by Moyo:

The disclosure before Parliament by the Central Bank that it has borrowed US$ 990 m from foreign institutions wout Parliamentary approval in breach of s327 of the Constitution left us shocked . So too the disclosure that US$1.13 billion worth of TBs have financed ZAMCO s NPLs

— TENDAI BITI (@BitiTendai) March 4, 2019

By Own Correspondent| Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Energy Mutodi said that the country is experiencing an intermittent breakdown of internet services and mobile telephone access today, Monday.

Writing on Twitter on Monday late afternoon, Mutodi said:

“There is an intermittent breakdown of internet services and mobile telephone access today. Please take note that the government is equally disturbed by the breakdown and we hope normal services will be restored as a matter of urgency.”

By Own Correspondent- A meeting between the government and civil servants which was set to be held today has been moved to next week after the former requested for more time.

This was confirmed by Apex Council secretary David Dzatsunga.

Speaking to a local publication, Dzatsunga said:

“We received a communique from our chairperson Cecilia Alexander that the government had asked for time to a date next week to prepare for the meeting.

We want to discuss the cost of living adjustments with the government and the issue of the quantum of our salaries. We are demanding $3 000 and we want to know what the government is offering since the $300 million facility they gave us last time was to cover the period from April to December last year.”-Newsday

By Own Correspondent| Secretary general of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) Robson Chere has been found guilty of an assault charge by a Goromonzi court.

Chere was fined $100 or he faces 30 days behind bars.

His Lawyer Doug Coltart however dismissed the ruling arguing that the ruling was a travesty of justice.

Said Coltart:

“I disagree with the magistrate. We will certainly appeal. This is a travesty of justice, I disagree with both the sentence and the conviction. Its a clear case of self defence because the accused was attacked by a group of armed men with guns and guard dogs. In our law, the defence of self defence is an absolute defence, meaning that the verdict was wrong.”

ARTUZ President Obert Masaraure who attended the court in solidarity with Chere said:

“As a union, we view both the conviction and the sentence as grossly unfair. The state intends to destroy our union using the judiciary. The union will not be deterred by the state’s machinations, we will be appealing against both the conviction and sentence.”

Chere’s wife said she sat through her husband’s ordeal, feeling his pain.

She added that today was the culmination of her suffering as her husband reached his judgement day.

She said:

“I was worried but I knew it was a false accusation as the state tried to cook a story for my husband. I knew he was innocent. I feared for our three children though as I lied to them that their father had traveled to Tanzania. I didn’ t want them to know that he was in jail. It was during his first case of intimidation when he was incarcerated at Goromomzi prison..he was later acquitted and this time around he has been convicted.”

After paying the fine Chere said:

“The ruling did not take into consideration the circumstances of the imminent threats and danger I was facing at the time the alleged crime was committed.”

ARTUZ INFORMATION DEPARTMENT.

By Own Correspondent– The Harare City Council (HCC) is set to give its councilors residential stands in line with a 2011 ministerial directive.

According to the directive, sitting chairperson and mayors were to access residential stands in their or adjacent wards.

Minutes of the council’s housing committee read in part:

“The director of housing and community services reported that the circular provided that councillors shall access residential stands in the same local authority at 40 per cent of the cost of the price of the stand for those serving the first term irrespective of whether or not one owns such property prior to assuming public office.

Housing committee chairperson Hammy Madzingira said:

“The director of housing is supposed to have started the process last month. Councillors had also felt that city official without residential stands should also be considered for allocation of residential stands.”- DailyNews

By Own Correspondent- Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda has defended the manner in which MDC legislator for Harare West Joanna Mamombe was arrested during a parliamentary workshop in Nyanga at the weekend.

Mudenda denied that Mamombe was arrested while on parliamentary business and said she was arrested on her way back to Harare.

Said Mudenda:

“The people who arrested her were very civil…they actually approached me and I reminded them to observe the law which they did.”

However, Mamombe’s legal counsel, Jeremiah Bhamu told a  Harare magistrate on Monday that she was taken away by one Ernest Moyo while police officers claimed that the “arrest” had nothing to do with them.

Said Bhamu:

“Mamombe called me on 25 February and she advised me that they were people at her mother’s residence. She said I must attend to all legal issues arising. There wasn’t an arrest warrant and as an MP her address was known.

I then proceeded to Police Law and Order and I liaised with Detective Inspector Mariyapera and we agreed that the accused person was attending Parliament business. I also wanted to know why there are people at her mother’s place. He said they weren’t responsible for those people.

Mariyapera confirmed to me that they wanted to question Mamombe on allegations of public violence. While in the police station, I phoned the accused and told her the police had confirmed they wanted to charge her. I asked her when she would come to Harare and she said Saturday 2 March.

Subsequently, on Saturday, I received calls from Mamombe’s relative and fellow parliamentarian advising me that she had been picked by a large number of people. Before I made enquiry I talked to Innocent Gonese to check if any details of her being picked in Nyanga.

If the accused was arrested in Nyanga she was supposed to be taken to the nearest police station. I was told that Mamombe was arrested by one Ernest Moyo who claimed to be a member of Law and Order.

I then proceed to Law and order to look for the officer in charge. I narrated my case and I was told that they are aware of the case but he said there was no police officer at Law and Order Harare called Ernest Moyo. They also said they did not order anyone to arrest Mamombe.

I tried to make contact with Ernest Moyo and he told me that he would be in Harare after 3 hours. When I later went to Law and Order the police did not disclose to me the location of Mamombe.

It only happened by chance when I talked to an officer and I saw Mamombe seated in that office with one Runganga who said he didn’t know why she was in the office. The officer in charge also confirmed what happened to Mamombe was not from their orders.”

By Own Correspondent- A Zanu Pf youth league leader has claimed that the high levels of unemployment in the country has left most youths vulnerable to abuse by agents of regime.

Zanu Pf Deputy Secretary, Lewis Matutu last week claimed that the hordes of unemployed youths are being used as regime change agents.

Matutu, said this while speaking on the sidelines of a public lecture at Gweru Polytechnic:

He said:

“Unemployment levels obtaining in the country have left youths vulnerable to abuse by agents of regime change.

Some are recruited to destabilise the country through demonstrations and as such the youth league is all out to ensure an end to this. Idleness is very dangerous; we want to ensure that our young people feel accommodated.”

Matutu said that his party is inculculating the spirit of entrepreneurship in youth as part of the 2030 vision.-Newsday

Jane Mlambo| An angry Gokwe teacher was reportedly arrested during weekend after confronting the Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Paul Mavima in a beer hall over poor working conditions.

Stephen Mangoma of Mateta in Gokwe South district confronted Mavima who was in a bar in Gokwe on Friday, charging that the education minister was responsible for his suffering.

“I hate you, and I hate ZANU PF because you are responsible for our suffering,” shouted Mangoma.

Sensing danger, Mavima took to his heels while the angry Mangoma allegedly chased him.

Mavima was on tour in his Gokwe South constituency, visiting various party structures and supervising some of his community projects.

Mangoma was later on tracked down by police resulting in his arrest on Saturday and charged with disorderly conduct.

Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) president Obert Masaraure condemned Mangoma’s arrest which he described as harassment.

Mangoma was expected to appear before Gokwe Magistrate court today.

Correspondent|THERE was a heated moment in Parliament on Monday when the Public Accounts Committee, chaired by MDC Alliance deputy chairperson Tendai Biti was hearing from Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor John Mangudya.

Biti started off by creating a friendly atmosphere when he told Mangudya: “This is not going to be an adversarial inquiry. You’re someone I know, you put your country first. We’re here to help you do your job.”

Top of the agenda was the issuance of bond notes and coins as well as the Zimbabwe Asset Management Corporation (ZAMCO) (Private) Limited, a subsidiary of the Reserve Bank.

The central bank established the Zimbabwe Asset Management Company (Zamco) a few years ago to absorb non-performing loans that had reached alarming levels at over US$750 million soon after the introduction of the multi-currency regime. Zamco has also bailed out some local companies and parastatals that were teetering on the brink of collapse.

Giving his testimony today, Mangudya said ZAMCO was created to remove non-performing loans from bank balance sheets.

“The asset manager has so far acquired 1,016 loans worth $1.13bn. Of that, $260m has been repaid,” Mangudya disclosed.

“Without ZAMCO, many companies would have folded, jobs would have been lost,” Mangudya added.

Hon. Biti then asked who issued the Treasury Bills which ZAMCO used to acquire bad loans, to which Mangudya replied the bills were issued by central government.

Biti and Mangudya began sparring over over the status of funds the state uses to acquire debt through ZAMCO.

“If this is a charge on the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF), as a committee we are greatly concerned that this has happened without central government coming to us,” Biti said. “Parliament oversees the CRF, and you (ZAMCO) have received $1.13bn, but Parliament has not been told.”

Mangudya said all the amounts given to ZAMCO have been included in successive budget statements by Treasury, to which Biti insisted that was not the case.

Mangudya said: “In the last budget, Minister Ncube told Parliament that he was capping ZAMCO at $1bn, the asset manager will no longer acquire any further loans.

“ZAMCO is not our (RBZ) creation. This went through Cabinet and Parliament. The Minister took the numbers to Parliament and no one asked questions.”

The Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee was not amused. It demanded that because there are allegations of ZAMCO treasury bills being abused to the benefit of political elites, it will request a list of all the 1,016 borrowers whose loans were taken over by ZAMCO.

Cosmas Kanhai, the ZAMCO CEO, then said ZAMCO is governed by customer confidentiality rules and will not be able to share details of beneficiaries.

Biti countered him, saying ZAMCO is not a bank bound by confidentiality rules. “We have powers as Parliament to demand that list. We are demanding it,” Biti thundered.

Kanhai said $250m of the $1.13bn loans have been paid back, adding he was confident all the funds would be paid back by 2025, when ZAMCO is scheduled to be wound up.

Biti insisted that ZAMCO should hand over customer details to the Public Accounts Committee.
Biti then posed a question to RBZ chief John Mangudya: “What do you say to people who say ZAMCO is a toxic institution, acquiring toxic assets?”

Mangudya replied: “The RBZ position is that ZAMCO has done very well for this economy, without ZAMCO, this economy would have collapsed. Cites ZAMCO’s intervention to aid RioZim, as an example.

“ZAMCO has helped save companies such as RioZim, Windmill, StarAfrica, Ariston. Maybe one of your children is even employed by one of these companies. If these companies were not saved by ZAMCO, they would have collapsed.”

Biti then said: “Your Minister of Finance (Mthuli Ncube) thinks ZAMCO should be wound down. What do you say to that?”

“When you were Minister of Finance,” Mangudya replied, “we used to talk about this. When I was at the CBZ Bank. These are old loans, companies were chocking under the burden of high interest rates, something you know about.”

On the RBZ’s foreign loans, Mangudya said these amount to US$985m contracted by the central bank. The bulk of the funding has been sourced from: AfreximBank US$641m; PTA Bank US$152m; Banco de Mozambique US$25m; AfDB US$15m; PTA Reinsurance Corp US$9m.

Biti, citing the Constitution, asked why the RBZ has been contracting loans without Parliamentary approval.
Mangudya counters, citing the RBZ Act which says only ministerial consent is required.

Biti chipped in: “Are you saying the RBZ Act is above the Constitution?”
At that point, RBZ lawyer Webster Madera, weighed in, conceding that the RBZ Act is subservient to the Constitution, but said the central bank operates in terms of the RBZ Act.
Mangudya then said: “As the Reserve Bank, we cannot ask the Minister, upon receiving his consent, to go to Parliament. We are not accountable for that.”

Biti insisted: “Those loans are illegal, they are not binding,” he said, before turning to RBZ lawyer, and saying: “Webster, you know that, I taught you law.”
Mangudya: “Chairman (referring to Biti), I thought we were communicating. I don’t sit in Parliament.”

Biti: “Governor, with respect, you don’t have a casual interest in ensuring Parliament has approved or not.”

Mangudya: “We have taken note. What we did was in the national interest, within the RBZ Act. Going forward, we will ask the Minister to advise Parliament. Chairman, when you were Minister…”

Biti interjected: “No no no, we’re not going into history…”
Mangudya would not budge: “When you were Minister, you approved some loans without Parliament.”

Biti: “I’m ruling you out of order. We are not here to discuss my tenure. When I was Minister, you were not at the Reserve Bank.”
Mangudya: “But I have the records…”

Biti: “We have to answer this question: was this non-compliance willful or due to ignorance. We need to establish this because it has a bearing on the report we will make as a committee.”

Mangudya proceeded to say the nearly US$1bn foreign loans contracted by the RBZ are secured by future export proceeds for five year. Mangudya further said foreign loans are secured by gold exports for the next five years.

Mangudya also indicated the government’s overdraft at the RBZ stood at $2.9bn as of December 31, 2018.
Biti: “So, you’ve borrowed to lend government…”

Mangudya: “Mr Chairman, money is fungible. The world over, banks lend depositors’ funds. You imply we forced people to give us money for on-lending. We used the investment in the Bank, savings bonds.”

Biti: “Governors, are you saying, under oath and as a man of God, that the central bank has not taken people’s deposits to lend to government?”
Mangudya: “The answer is no.”

On govt abusing the RBZ overdraft facility by exceeding the statutory 20% of the previous year’s revenue,

Mangudya said: “We’re all culpable, why does Parly pass the budget knowing fully well about the government’s deficit? Where do you think the money comes from? As Parliament, you must also be meticulous when exercising budgetary oversight.”

Biti then asked if the RBZ had reserves as the central bank?
“We have three to four weeks’ import cover, some US$500m,” Mangudya responded.

On the issue of bond notes, Mangudya was asked about his oft-quoted vow to resign if bond notes fail.
Mangudya stuck to his guns. “Bond notes, as an export incentive scheme did not fail. Exports have gone up. Bond notes have only failed in the eyes of those who don’t understand the export incentive. The bond note did not fail.”

Biti then said: “By removing parity of the US dollar to the bond note, you admitted failure, why don’t you resign?”

To which Mangudya said: “What failed is the economy, due to excess govt expenditure. We now had excess funds in the economy and couldn’t maintain parity.”

The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee hearing with the RBZ has been adjourned to Monday, 11 March 2019.

Farai Dziva|Former Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation presenter Ezra Tshisa Sibanda has attacked MDC A deputy chairperson Tendai Biti for “causing disharmony in the opposition party.”

Sibanda argues there is no need to vilify Mwonzora who has expressed interest in challenging MDC A leader Nelson Chamisa at the Congress scheduled for May.

See Sibanda’s hypothesis below:
The culture of labelling any competitor Zanu PF is entrenched in the MDC.

Douglas Mwonzora is being abused, denigrated and called a Zanu PF project just like others before because he wants to challenge Chamisa for the presidency.

The smear campaign is being propelled by Tendai Biti, the same guy who dumped MDC before calling Tsvangirai all sorts of names and singing praises for Mugabe.

The same cabal is now conniving with Zanu PF’ s G40 to trample on the founding values of the MDC.

They are now ignoring the likes of Mwonzora, Khupe and others who have remained loyal to the party.

Mwonzora is a seasoned politician with more than 30 years experience in political activism. He is a seasoned legal practitioner who has been fighting for the respect of constitutionalism, reforms and democratic change in Zimbabwe . He has been tormented and arrested many times by Mugabe’s regime.

His crime now is challenging President Chamisa ahead of the Congress.

He is entitled to compete like anybody else who is a member of the party. Chamisa should not allow the Bitis and to divide the party even more. Everyone knows Biti wants Chamisa’s position though he behaves as if he is not interested.

Farai Dziva| Fiery political commentator Antony Taruvinga has claimed Douglas Mwonzora has literally written his political epitaph by challenging Nelson Chamisa for the MDC A presidency.

Taruvinga is of the view that Mwonzora will not even be nominated for the position.

Taruvinga argued: Douglas Mwonzora, you will not get a single nomination.

If you are tough, why cant you be tough to Zanu PF right now. The whole party administration is in a mess because we have a Zanu PF Secretary General.

Allow that to get into your skull.

The membership will not allow a Zanu PF puppet and a Johnny Come Late to derail the struggle.

We know why you have never been beaten, tortured or physically abused by Zanu PF. This is mainly because you are one of them.

There won’t be a presidential ballot paper. The nomination stage is the right time to deal with ninicompoopery and tomfoolery.

The First Lady, Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa has commended Harare Mayor, Councilor Hebert Gomba for supporting government programmes aimed at restoring Harare to its Sunshine City status.

This came out at the annual Green Valentine dinner held at the Mayors’ mansion in Harare last night.

The dinner brought together corporates and stakeholders to reaffirm their commitment to change the face of Harare City Council.

The First Lady said there is need for Zimbabweans to work together and help the local authority to realise its dream.

She commended Councilor Gomba for supporting government initiatives that include the national clean-up campaign, among others.

Amai Mnangagwa, who is the environment patron, reiterated on the need to turn litter into financial benefits through recycling.

Green Ambassador, Dereck Mpofu said Harare has the capacity to boast tourism if the city regains its Sunshine City status.

Councilor Kudzai Kadzombe said citizens should be educated on the need to beautify the city.

Different musical groups performed and the main song contained the ant-litter campaign message.

It was put across in different church traditions and culture.

A number of corporates participated and among them were the RBZ and Women’s Bank which has pledged to beautify Samora Machel Avenue near their bank.

Zbc News online

Correspondent|MDC Alliance Secretary-General Douglas Mwonzora has said he regrets the circumstances which led to former colleagues Dr. Thokozani Khupe and Mr. Obert Gutu leaving the party they helped found.

He said he used avenues within the party to protest against firing the colleagues, but his efforts were drowned by “people who did not care.”

Speaking at the weekend in a media interview, Mr. Mwonzora said: “I did not want the MDC to disintegrate, but some people did not just care. I still think that Ms Khupe, Mr. Abednico Bhebhe, Mr. Obert Gutu, Mr. Lovemore Moyo and others should not have left the party. But it became their choice; I also had a choice and my choice was to remain in the party.”

Khupe and Gutu are the president and vice president respectively of the rival opposition outfit, MDC-T.

Mr. Mwonzora was responding to allegations that as Secretary-General, he did nothing to protect members who were expelled without following party disciplinary procedures.

He said his options were limited as he was also a victim of the same circumstances that were facing Ms Khupe and Mr. Gutu.

“I did act (against their expulsion), and almost got expelled as well. You may know that I was also a victim, and almost got burnt in the hut as well. I protested within the party.”

The MDC Alliance heads towards an elective Congress on 24 May, with all the sixteen positions up for contest.

Speaking in the same interview, Mr. Mwonzora clarified the status of alliance principals at Congress.

“The position of the party is that those who have now been integrated into the MDC dissolved their parties and became MDC members with full rights, including the right to be voted into office.

“Presidents (Agrippa) Mutambara and (Jacob) Ngarivhume must be eligible to be voted if they are nominated, but on condition that they dissolved their parties. But i am not sure if they dissolved their parties; I will have to check. But if they did dissolve their parties, then they have full rights at Congress as MDC members.”

Three senior Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services (ZPCS) officers have been arrested on charges of engaging in a chicken project with jailed rapist and former senior Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe official Munyaradzi Kereke.

The trio are being charged for their links with Humanity Earth Trust founded by Kereke.

Senior sssistant commissioner Norbert Chomurenga, chief correctional officer Cephas Chiparausha and assistant commissioner Tonderai Mutiwaringa were all not asked to plead when they appeared before Harare magistrate Learnmore Mapiye last Friday, facing charges of criminal abuse of duty as public officers.

They were all remanded out of custody on $100 bail each.

Prosecutors said the three men also gave preferential treatment to Kereke in the form of allowing unscheduled visits from his relatives, enjoying extra free time compared to other prisoners and not allowing him to carry out any manual work in terms of set-out procedures.

Allegations against Chomurenga (58), Chiparausha (43) and Mutiwaringa (56) are that during the period extending from September 25 to August 2018, Chomurenga was the officer-in-charge at Chikurubi Maximum Prison being deputised by Mutiwaringa, while Chiparausha was the head of security.

After Kereke was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in July 2016, he was committed to Chikurubi Maximum Prison under prison number 594/16 where he then met the three top prison officers.

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On September 25, 2017, it is alleged Chomurenga and Chiparausha, who were acting in connivance with Mutiwaringa, in their personal capacities, entered into a memorandum of understanding with Humanity Earth Trust.

Prosecutors said the manner in which the contract was signed was inconsistent with how ZPCS enters into contracts and it was unknown to ZPCS commissioner-general Paradzai Zimondi.

They said during the period extending from September 25, 2017 to August 2018, Humanity Earth Trust provided a total of 3 000 birds, feed, medication and other sanitary requirements for the chicken-rearing project.

The three accused, as part of the agreement, provided space and labour in the form of prisoners, but for their personal benefit.

When the chickens were being sold, the customers paid money into Chiparausha’s EcoCash number 0773 834 712 and in the end his account was credited with a total of $8 282.

In December 2017, Mutiwaringa, who took over as officer-in-charge after the promotion and transfer of Chomurenga, received $2 252 from Chiparausha through his EcoCash number 0772812662 being project proceeds.

Standard

By Own Correspondent- Zanu Pf Secretary For Administration Simon Khaya Moyo has scoffed at opposition MDC allegations that his party is on an offensive to destroy the party adding that the MDC was a political outfit which was on its deathbed.

Khaya Moyo called on the MDC to direct its attention to resuscitating the party and solve the internal inferno threatening to consume it.

He said:

“It is quite mischievous for someone to suggest that Zanu PF has an interest in an outfit that does not have substantive political identity. That is farfetched and absurd. The mighty revolutionary Zanu PF has no business or any derived benefit from burdening itself with the internal affairs of another political party, let alone an outfit rocked by an internal political inferno threatening to consume it.

Instead of concentrating on pointing fingers at Zanu PF, Chamisa’s alliance should assign attention towards resuscitating themselves from the political deathbed they are in. It is evident that the MDC Alliance is in complete tatters and is confronted with imminent self-extinction as testified by one of its leaders, Elias Mudzuri suggesting a possible split at their forthcoming congress. He said so recently and it is on record.”

By Own Correspondent- MDC Alliance secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora has revealed that his working relationship with party president Nelson Chamisa is excellent denying allegations that he is working in carhoots with Zanu Pf.

Mwonzora said this in response to reports that he is working in cahoots with ZANU PF to capture MDC, by making sure that Chamisa loses the presidency of the party.

Said Mwonzora:

“I am happy that myself and president Chamisa are working well and waiting for the unfolding of the democratic process. I have come under attack from some senior party members, obviously in anticipation of the democratic process.

This is largely the work of the Twitter politicians who are unelectable and anticipate to be appointed by the president. I am happy president Chamisa and I are not engaged in unproductive hate language.

We are working well together, but some senior leaders in the MDC are resorting to hate language. I am going to raise this in the national standing committee meeting we are holding this Wednesday.”-Newsday

Jane Mlambo| Self exiled former cabinet minister Professor Jonathan Moyo has reported President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his Deputy Constantino Chiwenga to the international Criminal Court (ICC) over what he termed mass murder, torture, rape and disappearance of their political, ethnic and personal enemies since 1975.

Professor Moyo, a fierce critic of the Mnangagwa administration is currently in exile since the November 2017 military coup that ended former President Robert Mugabe’s 37 year rule.

Replying on the ICC’s Twitter post which indicated that murder was a crime against humanity, Professor Moyo took the opportunity to report Chiwenga and Mnangagwa over their rights abuses.

#Mnangagwa & #Chiwenga have been implicated in mass murder, torture, rape & disappearances of their political, ethnic & personal "ENEMIES" since 1975 in Zambia & Mgagao, in the gukurahundi years & throughout Zimbabwe's Independence years & most recently on 1 Aug 2018 & Jan 2019! https://t.co/7LVBGLwC6s

— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) March 3, 2019

By Own Correspondent- Zanu Pf has warned unrepentant G40 stalwarts working within the party that they face the chop as the party embarks on its restructuring exercise.

The party said that heads will roll in the ruling party amid indications that members of the infamous G40 cabal were frustrating party programmes.

This was revealed by Zanu-PF Director in the Commissariat, Retired Colonel George Nare while addressing party members during an inter-district meeting at Njube suburb in Bulawayo recently.

Nare said Zanu-PF was aware of G40 remnants within the party structures working with the opposition MDC Alliance to derail party programmes.

He said:

“The restructuring exercise is coming and this time it will be thorough and be rest assured that heads will begin to roll at party headquarters and more heads will continue to roll as we restructure our party.

We have since established that we still have G40 people who don’t want to reform and as I speak, one of our leaders was captured on video bad-mouthing our President ED Mnangagwa.

The imminent restructuring exercise is aimed at rebuilding our party structures from cell to national level. We want real fighters who will take the opposition head on. We therefore need to identify leaders based on merit and capability and this time we are saying there has to be thoroughness in choosing leaders able to shape the party at cell, district, provincial and national level.

The party wants honest leaders and regionalism and nepotism should not be condoned as that destroys our party. If you are a leader, you are a servant of the people who elected you not their master. The reason why we are losing elections in urban areas is because we don’t have good leaders. In fact, we have leaders who push their own agenda at the expense of party interests.”-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent- Zanu PF Secretary for Information and Publicity, Simon Khaya Moyo has distanced his party from the MDC National Elective Congress saying the party has no business in the Nelson Chamisa led MDC.

Khaya Moyo said his party had nothing to do with the imminent implosion and split of the MDC.

He likened the current debate and squabbles within the opposition to an internal political inferno threatening to consume the MDC..

In an interview with the state braodcaster, Khaya Moyo said recent claims by some MDC Alliance members that the revolutionary party is seeking to influence the opposition’s congress outcome are not only farfetched but also absurd.

Some opposition members have accused Zanu PF of masterminding a plot for Chamisa’s downfall.

The latest accusation from the MDC Alliance is that the purported rape case by Chamisa is a creation of Zanu PF.

However, Zanu PF had no kind words for the accusations, saying it has no business in affairs of a party facing an imminent implosion.

“It is quite mischievous for someone to suggest that Zanu PF has an interest in an outfit that does not have substantive political identity. That is farfetched and absurd. The mighty revolutionary Zanu PF has no business or any derived benefit from burdening itself with the internal affairs of another political party, let alone an outfit rocked by an internal political inferno threatening to consume it.

Instead of concentrating on pointing fingers at Zanu PF, Chamisa’s alliance should assign attention towards resuscitating themselves from the political deathbed they are in. It is evident that the MDC Alliance is in complete tatters and is confronted with imminent self-extinction as testified by one of its leaders, Elias Mudzuri suggesting a possible split at their forthcoming congress. He said so recently and it is on record.”

By Own Correspondent- A Gokwe teacher has been arrested for reportedly telling Primary and Secondary Education, Paul Mavima that he hates him and his party for causing teachers’ suffering.

The teacher, Stephen Mangoma of Mateta in Gokwe South district confronted Mavima who was in a bar in Gokwe on Friday and reportedly said:

“I hate you, minister. You are responsible for our suffering and I hate Zanu PF.”

Mavima was in Gokwe South constituency which he represents in Parliament and was visiting various party structures and supervising some of his community projects.

Mangoma was on Saturday tracked down to his base by police and was arrested. The accused’s relative told Newsday that Mangoma was likely to be charged with disorderly conduct.

Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) president Obert Masaraure said that Mangoma’s arrest is harassment.

He said:

“It is ridiculous and purely harassment of teachers who decide to challenge the authority for not taking care of their needs. The government of Zanu PF is failing to provide our needs as teachers and when we ask for our needs, they arrest us.”

By Own Correspondent- According to a report in the State Media, opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa went to Ghana for spiritual guidance.

The Herald quotes two sources saying Chamisa went to Ghana only and not different African countries.

Last week, the opposition said Chamisa had embarked on a diplomatic offensive but refused to reveal the countries he was visiting.

A source quoted by The Herald said Chamisa made a big call on a renowned prophet in Accra.

Said the source:

“Yes, Mr Chamisa was away and he travelled to Ghana. He did not brief many people in the party about the objective of the visit save to say he was going on a diplomatic offensive. We understand that he met one of the renowned prophets in Ghana for spiritual guidance as you know our leader is a pastor. His mission had little to do with politics as initially touted.”

The Herald reports other sources said Chamisa went to Ghana and attended a meeting of Regional Network for African Pastors.

Jane Mlambo| MDC Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora who is facing increasing pressure to step down from his planned challenge of party President Nelson Chamisa at the forthcoming congress has blasted what he termed Twitter politicians anticipating to be appointed by the youthful party Presidential candidate in the July 2018 elections.

Asked to comment on claims that he is being sponsored by Zanu PF, Mwonzora said, “This is largely the work of the Twitter politicians who are unelectable and anticipate to be appointed by the President. I am happy that President Chamisa and myself are not engaged in unproductive hate language,”

Mwonzora’s remarks could be targeted by Chamisa backers like party Deputy Treasurer Charlton Hwende whose Twitter handle has been the leading critic of prospective Chamisa challengers.

Powerful gospel choral outfit Vabati VaJehova, whose songs have made an impact in Zimbabwe and in the region are set to embark on their maiden United Kingdom tour, their first outside the African continent.

One of the group members, Richard Magaya, told NewsDay Life &Style yesterday that they were delighted to get the chance to play live for their fans in the UK at a show penciled for April 27 at the Banqueting Suite in Coventry.

“This is our first tour overseas, and we have been preparing for it for a long time. We are happy that we have finally made it though it’s only a one day show. Our UK fans will have the opportunity to sample our latest album, Tivavarire Denga, which has been well received on the local market and some songs from the other album to be released soon,” he said.

“We want to thank some people, who we cannot publicise, who are helping in various areas pertaining to the holding of this show.”

Among others, Vabati VaJehova will share the stage at the concert with Madzibaba Masango and Rhoda Tongogara, popularly known as Mai Tongogara.

The group broke into the music scene in 1999 with their debut album Mweya Mutsvene waMwari that included the hit song Anouya Chete.

To date, the group has released 16 albums and are set to add another one on April 4 on which they collaborated with Jah Prayzah on the track Fambai Naro Shoko.

-Newsday

By Own Correspondent| War veterans here have called on MDC to elect a leader who appreciates the value of being opposition.

War veterans Spokesperson Douglas Mahiya said the party should at its forthcoming National Elective Congress slated for May 24- 25 chose a mature leader who does not oppose Zanu Pf just for the sake of opposing.

Said Mahiya:

“MDC supporters must choose a person who they feel is mature, with political aptness who will be able to take their political party forward. That person must be someone who knows the values of being in opposition, political consciousness of the party; not a leader who just opposes for the sake of opposing. A leader who cannot oppose the ruling party’s good policies for the sake of opposing, but positive criticism. We are tired of an opposition leader who even blames the ruling party for a cloudy day because it was supposed to be sunny. As war veterans, we went to war for everyone to enjoy the freedom to choose who they want to lead them and we will not give the opposition a name to choose. But this is their chance to choose a mature person who will benefit both their party and the country.

More: NewZimbabwe.comDouglas MahiyaZANU-PF

Douglas Mahiya is a Zimbabwean politician and a member of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association. Mahiya is also a member of the Zanu-PF party. Read More About Douglas Mahiya

Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU PF) is a liberation war movement/party that has been ruling Zimbabwe since the country attained its independence in 1980. The party’s main agenda was to liberate the country from the bondage of settler regime led by Ian… Read More About ZANU-PFCATEGORIES

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Mangwana Refutes Allegations Of ZANU-PF Meddling In MDC Affairs

LovemoreMarch 4, 2019

Zanu PF secretary for legal affairs Paul Mangwana told The Standard newspaper his party has nothing to do with the ongoing “conflict” within the MDC Alliance.

Correspondent|MDC Alliance Member of the House of Assembly for Harare West, Ruvimbo Mamombe, has arrived at the magistrates courts.

Mamombe, who according to the party’s deputy treasurer-general Chalton Hwende is “the first woman to be charged with treason since the Cecil John Rhodes Era”, was arrested in dramatic circumstances on Saturday morning in Nyanga, after having been on the police wanted list for 55 days.

She was charged with treason.

The crime carries up to 20 years in jail on conviction.

The charges stem from an incident when she addressed a press conference on the 14th of January at Civic Center, Malborough, just as the violent #ShutDown Protests were building up across the country.

She is appearing in Court 6 at the Rotten Row magistrates court this morning.

Meanwhile, the court is packed.

Source:— News Agents

By Own Correspondent| Zimbabwean politician and media politician Acie Lumumba whose real name is William Mutumanje has announced that he has lost his father Brigadier General Emile Munemo.

He was the Director General in charge of Civil Military Relations in the Zimbabwe Defense Forces.

Said Mutumanje shortly after the death of his father:

“It is with a heavy heart we would like to inform you that my father Brig Gen. E.Munemo passed away last night. Mourners will be gathered at 46 Alexander Drive Hatfield.”

In an interview with the private press in 2016, Lumumba said he grew up with his step father and only knew about his real father later in life.

“My step-father was pretty much the father I knew growing up and he was of Congolese-Malawian decent. Only last year I learnt who my real father was, and that was a nerve-wrecking experience. I don’t really want to go into detail on it in this interview, but for the avoidance of doubt my roots are in Masvingo, Chivi District to be specific.”

At least 54 Filabusi families occupying Hilton Farm in Matabeleland South’s Insiza district have received “photocopied” notices of eviction allegedly signed by a Lands ministry official, one Musengi, giving them days to vacate the property and pave way for “some beneficiaries”, with some coming from as far as Masvingo.

The move has angered the local community, Bulawayo pressure groups and the militant Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) that have ganged up and also engaged lawyers to resist the evictions.

According to a photocopied notice of eviction letter signed by Musengi addressed to Marko Mpofu, he and several families at Hilton Farm in Filabusi, who have been residing at the place for years, must vacate the place on the grounds that they are illegal settlers.

“You are violating section 3 of the Gazetted Lands (Consequential Provisions) Act Chapter 20:28: Gazetted Land Act in that you are occupying the said property without lawful authority,” the letter, threatening arrests and prosecutions, reads in part.

However, the threats have been met with anger amid claims villagers are being evicted to pave way for “outsiders”, with analysts and political parties warning of tribal and ethnic land disputes.

“The removal of locals from the land to make way for outsiders is not only an act of violent injustice, but a demonstration of failure on the part of government to ensure certainty in the land reform exercise.

“It will not only flare up ethnic or tribal divisions in the country, but will itself stoke future tribal land wars in the country,” commented Effie Ncube, a Bulawayo based analyst.

“We are doing exactly what has been happening in central Africa leading to endless wars.

“This will only lead to further divisions and destabilise the country.

“What is troubling is the fact that the people being dispossessed of their land are survivors of the Gukurahundi atrocities that were committed at the superintendence of this government.”

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s deadly land conflict started over grazing cows’ pastures in 1999, when Hema herders evicted Lendu farmers after purchasing their land.

Eviction grievances led both tribes to pick up weapons, leaving several thousands dead.

“The land reform programme in Zimbabwe was skewed in the first place.

“It was another episode of land grabs by foreigners, just like the colonialists did in the 1800s, especially in Matabeleland provinces where locals lost land to foreign Zanu PF supporters,” said Zapu spokesperson Iphithule Maphosa.

“If nothing is done about this blatant land grab and displacement of people of Ndebele extraction, we are certain the next generation will revolt, plunging the country and particularly the region into a war over land similar to that of Palestine and Israel.”

The move to evict the villagers has been likened to the 2015 attempt by state spy Rodney Mashingaidze to grab Maleme Ranch in Matobo belonging to Peter Cunningham.

Mashingaidze’s manoeuvres sparked protests by the local community, chiefs, civic groups and opposition political parties, forcing him to back off.

Former vice-president Phelekezela Mphoko had to intervene and ordered Mashingaidze to vacate the property.

Mphoko directed the Lands ministry to identify a farm for him elsewhere and not Maleme, which also houses the Big Cave Camp and Ebenezer Agricultural Training Centre.

The farm was benefiting at least 800 families, with Cunningham being credited for assisting villagers with various projects, including poultry farming and teaching them modern farming methods.

Maleme Ranch provides grazing pastures to the villagers, who were also given pieces of land by Cunningham to do their small-scale agricultural projects, like poultry.

The militant MRP has since engaged Ncube-Tshabalala Attorneys to stay the Hilton Farm evictions with the party’s spokesperson Njabulo Ngwenya telling The Standard that the secessionist party would not stand idle while “our people are being evicted”.

“As MRP we reiterate that the custodians of our land are chiefs and headmen,” he said.

“Any eviction notice in Matabeleland is expected to carry the signature of our traditional leadership.

“We encourage the people of Matabeleland to unite and refuse to be bullied on their own land.”

Lawyers’ engaged by the MRP have managed to stay the evictions, possible arrests and prosecutions pending resolution of the land dispute, according to a letter addressed to the Insiza district Lands office dated February 7 after threatening legal action. The lawyers are representing the 54 affected families.

Bekezela Maduma Fuzwayo, a Gwanda commentator, argued failure to devolve powers as guaranteed in the constitution is the reason why Matabeleland continues to witness “tribally fuelled” land disputes involving locals and government officials from other provinces.

“It (devolution) is the only tool that we can use to fight the tribal segregation that our government has been ably executing since we attained independence,” Fuzwayo said.

“The spirit of devolution of power is very explicit that local people must be given priority in benefiting and having access to their local resources and so government needs to start believing in that now and practicing it even before devolution is implemented.”

Ncube, who is also the CEO of the Crown Council that is pushing for the restoration of the Ndebele monarchy, weighed in saying the planned evictions ran against the essence of devolution.

“It is an act against the spirit and letter of the constitution,” he said.

“By taking the land away from the people, as an instruction coming from central government, the leaders are trampling on the principles of devolution of power which is supposed to devolve the ownership of the land and devolve education, among others, to the people in their localities.”

Zapu said it was high time political parties and the legislature created a law that forbids tribalism by the Zimbabwean state.

“They must also expedite a proper land audit that is aimed at correcting the anomaly there is that the so-called land reform was just another episode of land grabs and dispossession of local people by foreign outsiders,” Maphosa said.

In separate interviews, the affected families said they would resist the evictions with Mpofu vowing, “I will die defending my land from being grabbed by outsiders.”

Standard

Own Correspondent|ZANU PF will soon force all senior Civil Servants to attend their Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology as a requirement for them to work for government.

Addressing ZANU PF members during an inter-district meeting at Njube suburb in Bulawayo on Sunday, Zanu-PF Director in the Commissariat, Retired Colonel George Nare who is also the Director of Administration and Finance at the School of Ideology, said there was a need to instill a sense of patriotism by training youths and prospective Government employees before they are admitted into the civil service.

“As Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology, we have come up with a programme to train our members on the history of the liberation struggle.

“We are even proposing that before one is appointed a Permanent Secretary or Director in a ministry, they should first go through the ideological college and pass an examination and this is because we have noticed that some of these people occupying these Government offices are working against the Government and the ruling Zanu-PF party.

“They are sabotaging our programmes by closing Zimbabwe for business yet we are saying our country is open for business,” he said.

Rtd Col Nare said the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology is expected to open more learning centres in the country’s 10 provinces as part of its expansion drive.

The school started offering an array of courses in January last year and was opened after a realisation that some people were joining Zanu-PF and even occupying leadership positions without enough knowledge of the party’s founding principles and the history of the liberation struggle.

“Zanu-PF wants to make sure that all of its members receive political orientation starting from cell level right up to national and that is why we are working on setting up schools in all the country’s 10 provinces and very soon Bulawayo will get one,” said Rtd Col Nare.

Own Correspondent|ZANU-PF has warned that heads will roll in the ruling party in line with its restructuring exercise amid revelations that there were some unrepentant members of the infamous G40 cabal who are frustrating party programmes.

Addressing party members during an inter-district meeting at Njube suburb in Bulawayo yesterday, Zanu-PF Director in the Commissariat, Retired Colonel George Nare, said they were aware of G40 remnants within the party structures working with the opposition MDC Alliance to derail party programmes.

“The restructuring exercise is coming and this time it will be thorough and be rest assured that heads will begin to roll at party headquarters and more heads will continue to roll as we restructure our party.

We have since established that we still have G40 people who don’t want to reform and as I speak, one of our leaders was captured on video bad mouthing our President Cde ED Mnangagwa,” said Rtd Col Nare.

He urged party members to choose leaders who are capable of mobilising support, particularly in urban areas which are perceived to be opposition strongholds.

“The imminent restructuring exercise is aimed at rebuilding our party structures from cell to national level. We want real fighters who will take the opposition head on. We therefore need to identify leaders based on merit and capability and this time we are saying there has to be thoroughness in choosing leaders able to shape the party at cell, district, provincial and national level,” said Rtd Col Nare.

He said there was a need for leaders to be honest and put the interests of the party first ahead of personal ones.

“The party wants honest leaders and regionalism and nepotism should not be condoned as that destroys our party. If you are a leader, you are a servant of the people who elected you not their master. The reason why we are losing elections in urban areas is because we don’t have good leaders. In fact, we have leaders who push their own agenda at the expense of party interests,” said Rtd Col Nare.

He slammed some senior Government officials accusing them of derailing Government programmes.

“They are sabotaging our programmes by closing Zimbabwe for business yet we are saying our country is open for business,” he said.

Correspondent|ZIMBABWE Revenue Authority multi-million dollar contract to install an online payment system in 14 banks linked to the tax collector was an underhand deal with no approval from the board, the High Court has ruled.

Chartered Systems Integrated (Pvt) Ltd was claiming over $5,3 million for the development, implementation and integration of a Zimra Online Payment System (ZOPS) at the banks connected to Zimra.

The court refused to grant the claim which exposed former Zimra information technology director Mr Tjiyapo Velempini for demanding 25 percent equity bribe from the firm.

Instead, Justice Pisirayi Kwenda granted an application by Zimra for absolution from the instance, with costs.

The technology firm had argued that it developed the solution which it presented to the tax collector on the understanding that a written contract would be signed once the solution was accepted.

The court also heard that when the pilot project was run at CBZ in 2011 and accepted, Mr Velempini solicited for a bribe and made it clear that for a contract to be signed his demand had to be met.

Despite non- payment, the firm claimed it went ahead with the project in “good faith” to cover all banks plus Econet, Telecel and NetOne, without a contract.

In his ruling, Justice Kwenda said recognition of such a shadowy arrangement was tantamount to rendering the whole legal framework discussed in the matter nugatory.

He said the judiciary, all its judges and courts were custodians of the Constitution with no discretion to undermine the law.

Justice Kwenda said allowing the technology firm and Mr Velempini to bind Zimra to a contract worth millions of dollars in flagrant and corrupt disregard of clear legislative provisions would be a serious dereliction of duty by the court.

The judge said the court’s findings on the illegality of the contract claimed by Chartered Systems would not change even if Zimra testifies

Correspondent|A Gokwe teacher was reportedly arrested at the weekend after confronting the Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Paul Mavima over poor working conditions.

The teacher, Stephen Mangoma of Mateta in Gokwe South district confronted Mavima who was in a bar in Gokwe on Friday. Mangoma allegedly said to Mavima: “I hate you, minister. You are responsible for our suffering and I hate Zanu PF.”

Mavima was in Gokwe South constituency which he represents in Parliament and was visiting various party structures and supervising some of his community projects.

Mangoma was on Saturday tracked down to his base by police and was arrested. The accused’s relative told Newsday that Mangoma was likely to be charged with disorderly conduct.

Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) president Obert Masaraure said that Mangoma’s arrest is harassment.

“It is ridiculous and purely harassment of teachers who decide to challenge the authority for not taking care of their needs. The government of Zanu PF is failing to provide our needs as teachers and when we ask for our needs, they arrest us.”

Own Correspondent|Self exiled former Minister Jonathan Moyo has dared the Zimbabwean government to arrest him from his exile base if they can.

Moyo was responding to weekend media that the Kenyan government, where he is hiding, Is considering extradicting him back to the country to face pending fraud charges on him. Moyo put up a brave face in a tweet on Sunday, daring the Zimbabwe Government to arrest him so that he could expose them.

“BRING IT ON. Extradition is a legal & not diplomatic process. It would be great to tell the world via an impartial court why and how I LAWFULLY fled Zim!,” Moyo said. When asked by a follower why he was not exposing the Zimbabwean authorities and instead waiting for him to get arrested before exposing them, he got angry.

But Moyo remained unfazed by the threats he could be smoked out from his hideout. Later on on Sunday, Moyo closed the day with a parable:

#AncestralTale
Baboon raids & chases Hare to capture & kill it. Hare runs away & hides somewhere.

BABOON: "Hare, I know where you are. You can't hide anymore."

HARE: *silence*

BABOON: "Hare, are you there?"

HARE: "No. I'm not!"

BABOON: "Ok. I'll comeback when you're there!" pic.twitter.com/ayQh9tB5BP

— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) March 3, 2019

“Baboon raids & chases Hare to capture & kill it. Hare runs away & hides somewhere. BABOON: “Hare, I know where you are. You can’t hide anymore.” HARE: *silence* BABOON: “Hare, are you there?” HARE: “No. I’m not!” BABOON: “Ok. I’ll comeback when you’re there!

Zimbabwean police have launched a manhunt for a former minister who fled to Kenya after defrauding Ksh40 million from a government kitty.

Jonathan Moyo fled Zimbabwe during the November 2017 coup.

He reportedly swindled the cash from Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (ZIMDEF) when he was the Minister for Higher and Tertiary Education.

Zimbabwean media reported that he is wanted for a slew of corruption charges stemming from his alleged abuse of millions of dollars from the fund.

The move comes as the Southern Africa State invoked the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Amendment Act to seize properties of individuals who  fled the country to avoid trial over corruption allegations.

There are reports that the government is also mulling using diplomatic channels to extradite the former minister, who is believed to be holed up in Kenya.

This was revealed by the head of the Special Anti-Corruption Unit in the Office of the President and Cabinet (SACU) Tabani Mpofu.

“We have accused persons who have absconded; we want to look at enforcing the bail conditions.

“Also procedures have commenced using bilateral and multilateral relationships to have the accused persons brought to book,” Mpofu mentioned.

Mpofu further indicated the dragnet will not spare high-ranking Government officials, who face the possibility of losing properties they surrendered as surety for bail.

Kenyans.co.ke

A 26-year-old man from Silobela has been sentenced to an effective 15 years for raping and impregnating his 18-year-old mentally challenged niece.

The uncle, of Zihawu in Silobela, Kwekwe, appeared before Gweru regional magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa last week facing several counts of rape.

Mrs Msipa initially sentenced him to 17 years in prison before suspending two years on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within the next five years.

The uncle was convicted after a full trial despite having pleaded not guilty to the charge.

In his defence, the uncle told the court that he was in love with his niece after proposing love to her and she had accepted. Mrs Msipa in passing sentence said the man should have a long prison stay because he had taken advantage of his mentally challenged niece.

State Media

The Reserve Bank Governor of Zimbabwe, Dr John Mangudya, is set to appear before the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee to explain several monetary issues as the august House resumes sitting this week after taking a two-week break.

Dr Mangudya has been invited to explain the operations of Zimbabwe Asset Management Company, special purpose vehicle created by Government to house non-performing loans from banks.

ZAMCO was formed in 2015 with a 10-year mandate to rid the banking sector of all non-performing loans after which the special purpose vehicle is anticipated to wind down its operations.

According to a schedule from Parliament, other issues that Dr Mangudya has been asked to explain are related to RBZ debts and Government overdraft facility with the central bank.

Discussions will also cover bond notes and coins.

The committee is expected to ask Dr Mangudya to explain the impact of the decision by the central bank to liberalise the foreign exchange rate as part of measures to contain the parallel market.

When the House resumes sitting tomorrow, the Privileges committee set up to investigate allegations against Norton MP Temba Mliswa (Independent) and three others is expected to table its report before the National Assembly.

Parliament Standing Rules and Orders Committee chaired by Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda appointed Chiefs’ Council president Chief Fortune Charumbira to look into allegations that Mliswa and three other legislators demanded a $400 000 bribe from a local businessman.

The SROC, which met a fortnight ago, has since dissolved the Mines and Mining Development portfolio committee which was chaired by Mliswa after it was felt that the bad blood among members could affect its business.

The setting up of a Privileges Committee followed a motion moved by Makoni South lawmaker Misheck Mataranyika (Zanu-PF), who submitted that allegations against Mliswa were of a serious nature requiring investigations by Parliament in order to safeguard the integrity of the august House.

The dissolution of the committee came after the SROC observed that the Mliswa-led committee would trade accusation each time committee members met.

Mliswa, was implicated together with three other members — Leonard Chikomba (Gokwe Kabuyuni, Zanu-PF), Anele Ndebele (Magwegwe, MDC) and Prince Sibanda (Binga North, MDC).

State Media

A senior Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) official has resigned over unclear reasons, several months after he was suspended on corruption charges, it has been learnt.

Zimra Commissioner in charge of Revenue Assurance and Special Projects Charles Jaure was last year probed after a whistle-blower wrote a dossier to Zimra, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and the Special Anti-Corruption Unit outlining a series of alleged corrupt activities carried out by the official while carrying out his duties.

He was later cleared by ZIMRA and returned to work.

According to internal memo seen by Business Times, Jaure has left the authority.

“I write to advise that Mr. Charles Jaure Commissioner Revenue Assurance and Special Projects has resigned from the Authority with immediate effect. He resigned for personal reasons and the Authority wishes to thank him for the services rendered,” Zimra Commissioner General Faith Mazani wrote in an internal memo dated February 8.

Questions sent to Zimra spokesperson Francis Chimanda were not responded to at the time of going to print.

In the dossier to ZACC and the Special Anti-Corruption Unit, the whistle-blower claimed that NetOne Cellular was underpaying value added tax, withholding tax, income tax, and special excise due to airtime in 2015.

A local audit firm then carried an investigation into the entity which highlighted gross irregularities which led to the firing of former CE Reward Kangai. He also cited how a local commercial bank was underpaying withholding tax.

In its 2017 annual report, Zimra said it had toll-free hotlines to receive reports on corruption, carry out asset declarations and lifestyle audits on staff members as deterrents to corruption.

Zimra, which underwent a major shakeup of senior managers has introduced a cocktail of measures such electronic cargo tracking to minimize revenue leakages at the country’s ports of entry.

In the first half of 2017, Zimra suspended 21 officials and recovered $120 million through its anti-corruption drive following tip-offs from members of the public. — BusinessTimes

Correspondent|Human rights lawyer and former MDC legislator for Harare West, Jessie Majome, has expressed her disappointment over fellow lawyer Job Sikhala’s statement demeaning women when he said the woman who was accusing MDC leader Nelson Chamisa of rape was “too ugly to be raped even if one found her naked.”

Sikhala posted the comment about the lady on his Twitter late Sunday evening.

“As a member of Zimbabwe Lawyers For Human Rights (ZLHR), I’m thoroughly disappointed that one touted as a human rights lawyer because of representing suspected shutdown rioters and looters would say this.

“It puts our ZLHR into disrepute -women’s rights are human rights. Dignity and respect please,” said Majome, who was hounded out of the opposition party towards elections last year.

Majome says Sikhala’s sentiments do not help matters at all serve to cast the wider body of lawyers in bad light.

“It also puts even the wider legal profession into disrepute. When we’re registered as legal practitioners we take an oath to uphold the laws of Zimbabwe, so for one to condone rape by men, to normalize that crime as if men habitually and occasionally rape is bad.”

Majome further said that Sikhala could be sued for his sentiments, regardless of the merits or lack thereof of the woman’s alleged police report.

“As a lawyer, he (Sikhala) should know that he is possibly liable for civil suit, whatever the merits or demerits of her alleged report. I read somewhere that there are issues of mental health involved – it gets even worse for him. He’s denigrating all women as fodder for rape.

“If we all just respect every woman’s and man’s dignity we’d avoid this gaffe. Section 51 of our Constitution says: Every person has inherent dignity in their private and public life, and the right to have that dignity respected and protected.

“It is sad that an MP and lawyer has fuelled so much misogyny.”

Sikhala, who is MDC Alliance legislator for Zengeza West, has since deleted his offending tweet but has not apologized.

He also got into eye of a storm after it became apparent he had used a photo of a woman who works at a public hospital in Kadoma as a midwife.

The woman Sikhala wrongly abused is a 49-year old widow and is said to be traumatized by the attacks she got on social media. She shares the same name and surname with the rape accuser, who however has since withdrawn her police report. 

By Own Correspondent| War veterans spokesperson Douglas Mahiya has called on the MDC to elect a mature leader awho will not oppose government just for the sake of opposing.

Mahiya said war veterans are tired of an opposition leader without political aptness.

Said Mahiya:

“MDC supporters must choose a person who they feel is mature, with political aptness who will be able to take their political party forward. That person must be someone who knows the values of being in opposition, political consciousness of the party, not a leader who just opposes for the sake of opposing. A leader who cannot oppose the ruling party’s good policies for the sake of opposing, but positive criticism. We are tired of an opposition leader who even blames the ruling party for a cloudy day because it was supposed to be sunny. As war veterans, we went to war for everyone to enjoy the freedom to choose who they want to lead them and we will not give the opposition a name to choose. But this is their chance to choose a mature person who will benefit both their party and the country.”

By Own Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) has written to the Health Services Board, expressing anxiety over the government’s failure to fulfil its promises.

The ZHDA agreed with the government in January on issues to improve the doctors’ working conditions, through the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), but to date, very few things have been fulfilled.

The letter, which is in the hands of a local publication and written by ZHDA secretary-general Mthabisi Bhebhe reads in part:

“Most of the matters in the CBA have not been fully implemented as agreed upon. This has created an impression that the ministry has entirely abandoned its workers and is failing in its duty to honour legally binding agreements.

… Hospitals remain in a dire state with no basic medical supplies. Most basic and lifesaving medicines remain unavailable and there has not been any form of communication on what the ministry is doing to address this challenge.

It has been observed with grave concern, cases of fatally ill patients being deprived of lifesaving services because the diagnostic and theatre equipment is not fully functional.

… Informed and guided by the CBA, which is a legally enforceable document, we request the ministry to respond to why it has willingly opted to delay and violate this particular area of the agreement.

We were given assurance that the ministry had intervened to improve transport to work by procuring fuel for doctors who are working in government hospitals. In good faith, we believed it was the case.

However, facts on the ground are that there has not been any intervention or improvement in this regard. Fuel is now expensive, in short supply and doctors continue sleeping in fuel queues.”

ZIMBABWE National Soccer Supporters Association president Charles Eddy Nyatanga has taken Sports minister Kirsty Coventry to court, alleging that she erred in appointing a Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) director-general and in denying Zimbabwe an opportunity to host the Council of

Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) tournament later this year. 

In his application filed at the High Court yesterday under case number 1650/19, Nyatanga is seeking to invalidate the appointment of SRC director-general Prince Mupazviriho, whose appointment Nyatanga said violated section 24 of the Sports and Recreation Commission Act (Chapter 25:15).

Nyatanga also wants an order declaring Coventry’s pronouncement that Zimbabwe was incapable of hosting the Cosafa 2019 edition null and void, saying what she had said was “unlawful, invalid and in contravention of the minister’s powers in terms of the SRC Act”.

Through his lawyers Deme Attorneys, Nyatanga said he only got to know that Mupazviriho had been appointed SRC director-general from newspaper articles.

“… it was reported that the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet (Misheck Sibanda) made an announcement of a list of persons that the President had reassigned, Mr Prince Mupazviriho’s name among the list. No further detail was provided on the particular role to which he was reassigned,” Nyatanga said.

-Newsday

Jane Mlambo| Zanu PF activist and loyalist John Muchenje blast other sections of the Youth League for arranging unnecessary rallies instead of focusing on economic development.

The Youth league had planned a solidarity March with Mnangagwa on Saturday 2 March but it has been postponed.

Posting on his Facebook Cde Muchenje said that Mnangagwa does not need those solidarity rallies rather he needs solidarity in fixing the economy.

“The youth league should not compete with the Zanu PF of Robert Mugabe, when we organise solidarity for President ED (Mnangagwa) we should do so by giving solidarity in fixing the economy and other pressing issues we are currently facing as a country,” said Muchenje.

The rally which has been slated for tomorrow has been postponed for the second time now amid reports that they are serious fights in the Youth League.

“The postponement of these rallies indicates the fights in the League,” Said a source within the Youth Wing.

In February 2019 the ZANU PF Youth League passed a vote of no confidence against its top leadership but the decision was later reversed by the National Disciplinary Committee.

The vote of No confidence was initiated by another faction within the League, sources close to the ongoing in the Youth League have confirmed to this publication that they are serious fights in the wing and this his staled progress within the League.

” Since the vote of no confidence took place some members who were in acting capacity have failed to give back power to the office holders and they are running parrarel offices,I can confirm that there is no direction in the League,” said a source in the League.

Efforts to get a comment from Pupurai Togarepi who is the Secretary for Youth proved fruitless as his Mobile phone was un reachable.

Farai Dziva|Professor Jonathan Moyo says he is unfazed by threats to have him extradited and he is ready to face Emmerson Mnangagwa in court.

Moyo was responding to a possible move by the government to have him extradited to Zimbabwe.
Moyo maintains he’s not afraid of any effort to extradite him:

BRING IT ON. Extradition is a legal not a diplomatic process. It would be great to tell the world via an impartial court why and how I LAWFULLY fled Zim!” Moyo said.

A state run weekly paper today carried an article titled “Noose tightens on corrupt officials …Govt to forfeit fugitives’ properties …Professor Moyo to be extradited “

By Own Correspondent| A Binga Chief who publicly criticised first lady Auxillia Mnangagwa for commissioning a “useless” fishing pond faces possible arrest on 28 February.

Chief Pashu, whose name is George Nyathi apparently told an advance briefing meeting of the fish pond commissioning that what his people really need are electricity and mobile phone connectivity and not a useless fish pond.

However, according to a confidential document, the ZRP, CIO and PSC conclude that Chief Pashu was not working alone.

The state security agents resolved that they would arrest and question him for his utterances.

Read the document:

A command agreed that he would be brought in for questioning on Monday, March 4, a later date [Pashu had been given three minutes to brief Mnangagwa] but went up to 12 minutes blasting the first lady until the first lady interjected telling the chief that you have undressed me. She said she did not go there to be undressed but to commission the projects at Manyanda Secondary School

Auxilia Mnangagwa, however, is reported not to have taken offence from the insult but advised the chief that he could air his grievances in the appropriate forum. The chief apologised and the first lady asked for permission to develop the area

Below is a recorded response by the MDC Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora replying questions over his bid to take over the party this year:

Thank you very much Mr Muzenda. The question is whether I am being influenced by Zanu PF to break up the MDC. Now how does the MDC break up by what is going on? Does the MDC break up because someone is likely to contest someone; is that the basis of breaking up the party?

When you are doing things in terms of the constitution, you are not breaking up anything, the Constitution of the party says as a member I can contest any position to which I am nominated. Now what does that mean when people think that if somebody is being contested that is going to be a breakup; is it an admission that the people will not accept the results of a congress, the results of an election? I think it would be bad to think that contesting an election as a way of breaking up the party. We have stayed together in the MDC, without a agreeing on everything everyone. So we are going to be contesting this election will must move away from this tendency of criminalising competition within the party. The constitution says we can contest, president Chamisa himself says we can contest any position and how does a person who can contest a position then break up? But I also see that this is a question that is really really undermines the Intelligence of the leaders. Why should MDC influence anyone? ….Sorry sorry zanu PF. Do I need to be told by zanu PF to contest a position so we can think for ourselves I think for myself secondly because I’ve read the constitution. I was party to the drafting of the constitution I was part of the resolution of the National Council I was part of the strategic planning which was presided over by the president. I was part of the Gweru rally where the president said this himself in a clear set the record straight that all positions were up for contest.

I see that a picture a video has been imported where there was a rally in Nyanga where I fully endorsed President Nelson Chamisa. There is no question that I supported Nelson chamisa bid for National presidency in this country; I was able to contain for him in Manicaland. I was able to campaign for him. One of my campaign speeches was actually used as an advertisement in the election; this is what we do he was our presidential candidate, and I owe him the duty of support, and in that video I am introducing him to my community in Nyanga North, and I am quite happy that I did the campaign for the president in Manicaland. And Manicaland is the only rural province, where even according to ZEC, President Chamisa beat Mnangagwa 296 votes to 292 votes. And I am proud for the role that I played there. I am proud of the voters in Manicaland. And this goes to buttress that I can’t be zanu PF. I can’t have my colleagues saying to me that you are suddenly zanu-pf because there is a competition coming on. So President Chamisa as things stand, he is still the president. I am the Secretary General when positions are opened the president’s is going to be opened, the Secretary generals is going to be opened and people compete. This is the essence of democracy. Democracy has its painful moments and this is one of them.

Below is a recorded response by the MDC Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora replying questions over his bid to take over the party this year:

Thank you very much Mr Muzenda. The question is whether I am being influenced by Zanu PF to break up the MDC. Now how does the MDC break up by what is going on? Does the MDC break up because someone is likely to contest someone; is that the basis of breaking up the party?

When you are doing things in terms of the constitution, you are not breaking up anything, the Constitution of the party says as a member I can contest any position to which I am nominated. Now what does that mean when people think that if somebody is being contested that is going to be a breakup; is it an admission that the people will not accept the results of a congress, the results of an election? I think it would be bad to think that contesting an election as a way of breaking up the party. We have stayed together in the MDC, without a agreeing on everything everyone. So we are going to be contesting this election will must move away from this tendency of criminalising competition within the party. The constitution says we can contest, president Chamisa himself says we can contest any position and how does a person who can contest a position then break up? But I also see that this is a question that is really really undermines the Intelligence of the leaders. Why should MDC influence anyone? ….Sorry sorry zanu PF. Do I need to be told by zanu PF to contest a position so we can think for ourselves I think for myself secondly because I’ve read the constitution. I was party to the drafting of the constitution I was part of the resolution of the National Council I was part of the strategic planning which was presided over by the president. I was part of the Gweru rally where the president said this himself in a clear set the record straight that all positions were up for contest.

I see that a picture a video has been imported where there was a rally in Nyanga where I fully endorsed President Nelson Chamisa. There is no question that I supported Nelson chamisa bid for National presidency in this country; I was able to contain for him in Manicaland. I was able to campaign for him. One of my campaign speeches was actually used as an advertisement in the election; this is what we do he was our presidential candidate, and I owe him the duty of support, and in that video I am introducing him to my community in Nyanga North, and I am quite happy that I did the campaign for the president in Manicaland. And Manicaland is the only rural province, where even according to ZEC, President Chamisa beat Mnangagwa 296 votes to 292 votes. And I am proud for the role that I played there. I am proud of the voters in Manicaland. And this goes to buttress that I can’t be zanu PF. I can’t have my colleagues saying to me that you are suddenly zanu-pf because there is a competition coming on. So President Chamisa as things stand, he is still the president. I am the Secretary General when positions are opened the president’s is going to be opened, the Secretary generals is going to be opened and people compete. This is the essence of democracy. Democracy has its painful moments and this is one of them.

CATCH THE CIO WHO ACCUSED CHAMISA OF RAPE

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) March 3, 2019

Continue reading “LIVE: Catch The CIO, The Guilty Nyaradzo Who Accused Chamisa Of Rape”

Continue reading “How The 2 Different Nyaradzo Nyathi’s Responded To Media Questions, One said “Pfutseke Mhani!,” Another Was Calm And Collected”

By A Correspondent| Zanu PF activist and ED loyalist Cde John Muchenje blast other sections of the Youth League for arranging unnecessary rallies instead of focusing on economic development.

The Youth league had planned a solidarity March with Mnangagwa on Saturday 2 March but it has been postponed.

Posting on his Facebook Cde Muchenje said that Mnangagwa does not need those solidarity rallies rather he needs solidarity in fixing the economy.

“The youth league should not compete with the Zanu PF of Robert Mugabe, when we organise solidarity for President ED (Mnangagwa) we should do so by giving solidarity in fixing the economy and other pressing issues we are currently facing as a country,” said Muchenje.

The rally which has been slated for tomorrow has been postponed for the second time now amid reports that they are serious fights in the Youth League.

“The postponement of these rallies indicates the fights in the League,” Said a source within the Youth Wing.

In February 2019 the ZANU PF Youth League passed a vote of no confidence against its top leadership but the decision was later reversed by the National Disciplinary Committee.

The vote of No confidence was initiated by another faction within the League, sources close to the ongoing in the Youth League have confirmed to this publication that they are serious fights in the wing and this his staled progress within the League.

” Since the vote of no confidence took place some members who were in acting capacity have failed to give back power to the office holders and they are running parrarel offices,I can confirm that there is no direction in the League,” said a source in the League.

Efforts to get a comment from Pupurai Togarepi who is the Secretary for Youth proved fruitless as his Mobile phone was un reachable.

SMALL-scale miners say the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) should consider paying them using the rand given that the country is facing challenges in sourcing United States dollars after South African banks cut off local financial institutions from importing the greenback.

RBZ deputy director for financial markets William Manimanzi recently revealed that the move by the South African banks was meant to mitigate the risk associated with dealing with Harare-based financial institutions.

Manimanzi also revealed the lowering of the forex retention threshold for small-scale miners from 70% to 55% was mainly informed by the fact that traditional sources of US dollar cash had shut their doors on Zimbabwe.

The Zimbabwe Miners’ Federation (ZMF), a representative body of small-scale miners, said government should consider buying their yellow metal using rands.

“Trading using the rand is far much better; to trade gold with the rand is far much better,” ZMF spokesperson Dosman Mangisi said.

“The reason is that South African banks that have been assisting the country with forex are now under pressure from the United States of America.”

Mangisi said many miners were buying their consumables in South Africa, hence using the rand would be more convenient for most of them.

“Even a number of manufacturers and suppliers are far much comfortable using the rand,” he said.

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya last month set the retention threshold for the gold sector at 55% and 50% for other minerals.

Tobacco and cotton growers were capped at 30% while manufacturing, tobacco and cotton merchants (for input schemes), horticulture, transport and tourism were put at 80%.

Mangisi said the retention threshold would cripple miners.

Mines deputy minister Polite Kambamura recently said after the RBZ unveiled its monetary policy, only 20kg of gold was delivered to the country’s sole buyer of gold, Fidelity Printers and Refiners.

Meanwhile, Association for Business in Zimbabwe (Abuz) chief executive officer Victor Nyoni urged the government to increase export retention thresholds for both large and small-scale gold producers to reduce demand for foreign currency in the inter-bank foreign exchange market.

“Abuz would like to appeal to government to increase export retention thresholds for both large and small-scale gold producers and for other mineral producers to levels higher than obtaining at the moment,” he said.

“This will reduce demand for foreign currency in the inter-bank foreign exchange market.

“Such a measure has the potential to stabilise the rate between the US dollar and RTGS dollar to reasonable levels.

“Abuz believes this is a better way of government’s intervention before even considering credit lines that come at a cost.”

Mangudya established an inter-bank foreign exchange market to formalise the trading of RTGS balances and bond notes with the US dollar and other currencies on a willing-buyer willing-seller basis through banks and bureaux de change.

The current rate against the green back on the interbank market is 1:2,5. — Standard

A member of parliament from Zimbabwe’s main opposition party Joanah Mamombe is spending the weekend in police custody. Mamombe was arrested by the Zimbabwe Republic police while attending a workshop in Nyanga. Mamombe had been on the police wanted list since 25 January 2019 following the January 2019 violent protests.

The January national shutdown that saw widespread looting and destruction of property when the Mnangagwa administration hiked the price of fuel by 150%.

The 25 year old Mamombe is the youngest member of parliament in the current Zimbabwean Parliament.

The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has issued a statement on their website condemning the arrest of Mamombe.

“The MDC condemns the arrest of Hon Joanna Mamombe which is nothing but an act of political persecution.

The MDC is concerned by the unrepentant behavior of the military State which continues to harrass MDC leaders, MPs, the general membership and leaders of Civic Society Organisations including workers’ Unions.

Hon Mamombe is not a criminal, the MDC is a team of law abiding transformers whose sole agenda is to create opportunity for prosperity to the people of Zimbabwe.

Criminals who are abusing public funds for personal gain including buying cars using state funds are walking freely while those who fight for the democratisation of Zimbabwe are persecuted.

We also condemn the claims by Jacob Mudenda that he has since handled the harrassmment of MPs.

The MDC is concerned by the abuse of law enforcement institutions and the Justice delivery system.

We are also concerned by the unnecessary raising of tension in a place where a conducive environment for dialogue must be created.

Several party leaders, MPs and councillors who are being persecuted must be allowed to enjoy their citizen rights.

The arrest of Hon Mamombe is an indictment of Mnangagwa’s pretence on commitment to dialogue.”

By Own Correspondent| MDC legislator for Zengeza West, Job Sikhala has been criticised for using abusive language to describe the mentally ill woman who accused Nelson Chamisa of rape.

Sikhala posted the woman’s picture on Twitter asking his followers if they would rape her kind.

Said Sikhala:

Guys here present can you rape this kind of woman nyangwe ukamuwana akashadabura meaning can you rape this kind of woman even if you found her exposing her private parts?.”

Sikhala however later deleted the tweet following a social media backlash from his followers.

By Own Correspondent| Party members in Zanu Pf have been urged to stop lying and gossiping as this potentially destroys the party.

Zanu Pf Secretary for Administration, Obert Mpofu claimed that the party is being destroyed by lies, gossip and money.

Mpofu made the staggering claims during an inter-district meeting at Davies Hall in Bulawayo on Saturday.

Said Mpofu:

“This is the issue that we are here to talk about and try to identify the challenges that are bedevilling us as a province.

As you can see the lies and falsehoods started spreading before we even came to Bulawayo that we were coming to destroy structures here and start afresh, that we were going to change many things and introduce new measures which were all lies.

Can people try and live by the truth as lies, gossip and money are what is killing the party.

This is why we sat down in Harare and said we need to look into Harare and Bulawayo provinces issues.

There is nothing that is very complex in Bulawayo but the truth of the matter is that we need to open up to each other and be leaders that speak the truth.

We have to be truthful about the number of cells that we have, if they are 10, just tell us that there are 10, if you lie about this figure then you send false messages to leadership which is not correct.”

By Own Correspondent| MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has revealed that he will support the winning candidate in the upcoming May 24- 25 party’s national elective congress.

Responding to a question from one Ronald Mbeke, Chamisa said while he hopes to emerge the qinner, he had no qualms rallying behind any other candidate who may emerge the winner.

Said Chamisa:

“I will support the winner. Hopefully i will be able to support myself. Lol. A great leader is always a great follower. I pray to be a great and good leader, I therefore follow other with humility.”

I will support the winner.Hopefully I will be able to support myself. Lol ..A great leader is always a great follower.I pray to be a great and good leader I therefore follow others with humility.

— nelson chamisa (@nelsonchamisa) March 3, 2019

By Own Correspondent| A team of senior Government officials from South Africa is expected in Harare this week ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to Harare next week.

Ramaphosa is expected in the country for the third session of the Zimbabwe-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC).

Said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in a statement:

“The Third Session of the Zimbabwe-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC) will be held on 12 March 2019 at Meikles Hotel in Harare. The meeting will be headed by the two countries’ Heads of State and Government, His Excellency, President E.D. Mnangagwa, and his South African counterpart, President Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa.

“The BNC is the highest bilateral framework of cooperation between Zimbabwe and South Africa. It will be preceded by a Ministerial Meeting on 11 March 2019, and a Senior Officials meeting on 7 and 8 March 2019.”-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent| Opposition MDC parliamentary caucus has expressed concern over the unwarranted attacks and arrests of its party cadres by state security agents.

In a statement issued by the party’s Parliamentary Chief Whip, Prosper C. Mutseyami, the party condemned the regime for its failure to uphold the Constitution.

Said Mutseyami:

“The manner the operation (to arrest Mamombe) was done sends shivers down the spine of the ordinary civilians. It is a sad incident reflecting retrogression in our Constitutional Democracy against reform pretence by Mr Mnangagwa. The regime’s disdain towards upholding fundamental human rights is reflected in these barbaric acts.

We publish below the fulk statement by the MDC:

Abduction of Hon Mamombe and Arrest of Hon Sithole concerns MDC Caucus

The Law and Order section has denied arresting Hon Joanna Mamombe who was abducted this morning in Nyanga while on parliamentary business.

A team of about eight henchmen who snatched Hon Mamombe Boko Haram style claimed to be from police law and order section were driving a Toyota Fortuner registration number ACI 4582. Honorable Joanna Mamombe had been in Nyanga for Parliamentary business since the 24th of February.

This is a result of Zanu PF military polical settlement which has seen them create vigilante groups and vested powers of the state to these killer units resulting in deaths of at least 17 people in January and 7 others on 1 August 2018.

An Honorable Member has privileges they must enjoy whilst on parliamentary business.
While in Nyanga, suspected security officers visited Hon Mamombe’s parents home in Glenorah at midnight in search of her, harassing everyone and intruding into personal privacy of innocent people.

Yesterday, another arrest was effected on Hon Godfrey Sithole who surrendered himself to the police. He appears in court today.

The regime’s disdain towards upholding fundamental human rights is reflected in these barbaric acts. The manner the operation was done sends shivers down the spine of the ordinary civilians. It is a sad incident reflecting retrogression in our Constitutional Democracy against reform pretence by Mr Mnangagwa.

The MDC caucus strongly condemns the abduction and arrest of Hon Mamombe and Hon Sithole.

When members of Parliament are harrassed and their rights violated in that manner it means the ordinary citizens are worse off. In general acts of torture, arbitrary arrests on trumped up charges, mass trials and conviction are of concern to the MDC caucus.

Our prayer is for the country to enjoy peace and harmony.

We will keep fighting for everyone to enjoy their fundamental rights as enshrined in our constitution.

Behold The New. Change That Delivers!

Hon Prosper C. Mutseyami
MDC Parliamentary Chief Whip

By Own Correspondent| MDC president Nelson Chamisa is set to address the Mashonaland West provincial structures in Chinhoyi this Sunday.

This was revealed by the party’s deputy treasurer-general Charlton Hwende.

He said:

“Today the President Nelson Chamisa is expected to address the Mashonaland West Provincial Structures in Chinhoyi.”

Chamisa on Sunday last week addressed a bumper crowd at Gweru’s Mkoba stadium in his latest ‘Thank You’ rally.

The MDC is set to hold an elective Congress at the end of May where Chamisa is expected to be challenged for the top post by secretary general Douglas Mwonzora.

Zimbabwe has made significant progress in its efforts to compensate white former farmers with valuations having been carried out for nine of the 10 provinces.

Government is of the view that dealing with the twin issues of farmer compensations and 99-year leases simultaneously is critical for the country to be able to securitise its land assets.

Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube told a breakfast meeting to review the 2019 Monetary Policy Statement that he was currently seized with the issue of compensating white former commercial farmers, describing the issue as “a bigger elephant in the room.”

“I must say that is an issue that I am currently seized with and I am very pleased to say that we as Government have made a lot of progress,” said Minister Ncube.

“First of all, the farmers themselves have made a lot of progress as they now have a figure of what they want to be compensated for improvements. And on our side as Government we have done valuations for nine provinces and we know the values of the improvements and we are using the same methodology. So we have covered nine provinces and what’s left is Mashonaland East, which we have run up to around 70 percent. We should be able to conclude the evaluations by end of March.

Section 295(1) of the Constitution stipulates that compensation for acquired agricultural land will be by done by the State.

And in the 2019 National Budget, Minister Ncube set aside US$53 million towards compensation for farmers displaced following the land reform programme.

He, however, admitted that Zimbabwe does not have the capacity to finance the compensation bill which runs into billions of dollars and the US$53 million was just to show commitment to this obligation. “In the agricultural sector we have created a dead asset in the form of land, and we need to turn it into a productive asset. It has two sources of value, there is intrinsic value of the asset itself and then there is the productive value in terms of what you plant.

“One of the issues that needs to be dealt with is the issue of 99-year leases, there are still some work to do to close that off. That needs to be sorted because without 99-year leases we can’t create enough cover in terms of property rights for banks to extend credit to farmers on the back of the 99-year leases,” said the Finance Minister.

All things being equal, the new 99-year leases should have the same tradeability as previous title deeds for commercial farms, which will allow them to be negotiable on the land market.

Although the Government has since announced significant improvements on the 99-year leases to enhance the security of tenure of the lease and making it bankable and transferable, their use appears to have been hindered by the lack of an effective land market, which will ensure that banks can easily trade the title deeds to recover loans in case of defaults.

State Media

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s special unit on anti-corruption is investigating alleged rampant abuse of funds at the government-owned Premier Services Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) amid claims that top executives bought luxury cars at a time the health insurer was struggling to provide basic services.

A whistle-blower reportedly submitted detailed information to the unit led by Thabani Mpofu of the National Prosecuting Authority on how executives were allegedly siphoning money out of Premier Service Medical Investments, a subsidiary of PSMAS.

Mpofu yesterday confirmed the investigation, but said he was not in a position to provide further details as he was out of town.

However, the “dossier” seen by this publication shows how the top managers including PSMI CEO Farai Muchena were allegedly looting from the insurer that mainly services civil servants.

Board members are also accused of abetting the alleged corruption by involving themselves in the day-to-day running of the insurer.

“The PSMI system is shamefully entrenched in corruption,” reads part of the report before the investigators.

“We are not in the transport industry, but surely this is pathetic to have a huge fleet of 250 cars for a company yet pharmacies are empty, no chemicals, it is just pathetic.

“In 2017 the company decided to buy brand new cars from suppliers (and the) selection of suppliers was not advertised, but cars were purchased.

“When the cars came, there was no clear allocation. Instead of the human resources department conducting the issuing of vehicles, board members decided to do it.”

PSMAS is a public health insurance agency with the bulk of its members being civil servants and, through PSMI, it runs medical centres across the country.

The “dossier” details how at least $15 million meant for medical aid claims was allegedly being siphoned out of PSMAS through PSMI and externalised by executives.

PSMI employees were allegedly not happy that millions were being spent on luxury vehicles for executives while the ambulance fleet was not being replenished.

— Standard

HEALTH workers at Kwekwe District Hospital are living in fear of attacks from assailants who besiege the hospital brandishing dangerous weapons.

The staffers were last week left shaking after four gun-totting men pounced on the institution, a move which has become synonymous with the institution as gold wars escalate in the mining town.

Kwekwe Hospital superintendent Dr Patricia Mapanda told an all stakeholders meeting last week that the men who were brandishing different kinds of firearms came to the institution although they left without harming anyone or taking anything.

“Last week, armed people pounced on us at night. They, however, left without taking anything or harming anyone and we thank God for that,” she said.

The men were believed to be hunting for their victim who was admitted to the hospital whom they wanted to finish off, a move now common at the institution.

“We are not sure whether they wanted to rob or they were looking for one of our patients. But from what I gathered, they were looking for a patient but did not find him and left. We thank God that no one was harmed,” she said.

Dr Mapanda pleaded with the Government to beef up security at the health institution saying such cases were on the increase.

“We are appealing to the relevant authorities to consider beefing up security at the institution as lives of not only patients but also health practitioners are at risk,” she said.

Illegal gold miners are on record for besieging the hospital as they hunt each other down as a result of the common gold wars in the district.

“We have been recording cases of murder, people invading our premises with dangerous weapons such as machetes, guns, among others attacking our patients. Our nurses are living in fear of these people who besiege the institution willy-nilly,” she said.

Chairperson of the Kwekwe Civil Protection Unit who is also Kwekwe District administrator, Mr Fortune Mpungu expressed shock at the matter and promised to take necessary measures.

“Kwekwe is a mining town and many things happen. However, some may go unnoticed if the authorities do not raise them. We are grateful that the matter has been raised. We are going to look at it as a matter of urgency,” said Mr Mpungu.

State Media

A POLICEMAN stationed at Sipepa in Tsholotsho District has appeared in court facing charges of aggravated indecent assault after he allegedly abused his Grade Three daughter on two separate occasions by inserting his fingers in her privates.

The policeman (32), whose identity cannot be revealed to protect identity of the victim, appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Mrs Sibongile Msipha-Marondedza last week facing charges of contravening section 65 (1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.

He was remanded in custody to 10 April for trial after the magistrate refused to grant him bail.

Prosecuting, Miss Councillia Ncube told the court that on 20 October 2018 in Tshabalala where the policeman lives, he inserted his finger into the girl’s private parts and continuously kissed her on the mouth and cheeks while the complainant and her younger sister were sitting in the sitting room watching television.

On 20 October 2018 at around 9pm the complainant and her younger sister retired to bed where the accused asked to join them but the complainant’s sister refused saying there was not enough space. The court was told that the following morning on 21 October 2018, the complainant woke up and found her father sleeping next to her in the sitting room. The man started kissing her daughter inserting his fingers into her panties.

When the daughter was making the bed, her father gave her sister 50cents and instructed her to play outside leaving the accused with the small girl. The accused further threatened to kill the complainant if she discussed and revealed what had happened.

The complainant while playing outside remembered that they were taught about sexual abuse at school leading her to flee from his father’s house taking along her younger sister to their mother’s house who also resides in Tshabalala. Upon arrival the girl kept quiet about the ordeal she faced.

The girl started to have some discharge on her privates and that is when she revealed to the mother what had happened leading to her father’s arrest. The girl was taken to a clinic for medical examinations.

State Media

By Own Correspondent| The Zanu Pf Secretary for Administration, Obert Mpofu has revealed that his party is being destroyed by lies, gossip and money.

Mpofu made the staggering claims during an inter-district meeting at Davies Hall in Bulawayo on Saturday.

Said Mpofu:

“This is the issue that we are here to talk about and try to identify the challenges that are bedevilling us as a province.

As you can see the lies and falsehoods started spreading before we even came to Bulawayo that we were coming to destroy structures here and start afresh, that we were going to change many things and introduce new measures which were all lies.

Can people try and live by the truth as lies, gossip and money are what is killing the party.

This is why we sat down in Harare and said we need to look into Harare and Bulawayo provinces issues.

There is nothing that is very complex in Bulawayo but the truth of the matter is that we need to open up to each other and be leaders that speak the truth.

We have to be truthful about the number of cells that we have, if they are 10, just tell us that there are 10, if you lie about this figure then you send false messages to leadership which is not correct.”

By Fungai Rori| Below is how MDC President Nelson Chamisa reacted to allegations of rape against his character.

Responding in writing, Chamisa described the allegations as “disgusting.”

He said “I have no time for zvinhu zvinosemesa kudaro! They don’t know me that well. I wait for all their dirty and foolish things.”

An hour later, the woman who accused him of rape withdrew her police case. – CLICK HERE TO READ MORE..

Paul Nyathi|The ZANU PF Secretary for Administration Obert Mpofu has finally come out clean and exposed his political party for exactly what it is.

Mpofu revealed to ZANU PF members that the party has been existing on lies, gossip and greed for money.

Mpofu who holds the third highest office in the party said this during a Bulawayo members’ inter-district meeting at the ZANU PF Davies Hall offices in the city on Saturday.

“This is the issue that we are here to talk about, can people try and live by the truth as lies, gossip and money is what is killing the party,” he said.

“This is why we sat down in Harare and said we need to look into Harare and Bulawayo provinces issues.

Mpofu said it was time to tell people the truth if the party is to move forward. He said when leaders do not have any people then it ceases to be a great leadership.

There is a widespread war within the party on claims that most party members are not fully backing their leader Emmerson Mnangagwa which compromises his position.

Members of the youth league have been battling to organise a “million man march,” to try and prove that Mnangagwa has the numbers behind him. The march has failed to take off as the numbers are not there.

“There is nothing that is very complex in Bulawayo but the truth of the matter is that we need to open up to each other and be leaders that speak the truth.” he said.

“For the party to remain popular among the masses we need to be truthful with each other, lies do not build us. Some of you spend a lot of time gossiping about fellow comrades in the party spreading lies. We will not prosper at all as a province.”

He announced that the party now had fulltime members who work for the party.

“We even have a budget now for our Central Committee members and they will be getting salaries and vehicles for their work. What is left is to give them the terms of reference and they go into the districts and branches and the province. Those vehicles are not for carrying vegetables, it must be for party business. We receive too many reports on how these resources are being misused and it is very embarrassing to say the least.”

“I was asked by the President as to what was the challenge in Bulawayo and I told him that there are people who want to personalise the province. I was asked by one comrade why I was interfering in the issues of Bulawayo and I want to tell that comrade that I am now a part of whatever happens in the province. We want to bring sanity and not protect those people who work against the party,” he said.

Government is actively reviewing degrees offered by State universities with a view to standardising qualifications and abolish ‘irrelevant’ programmes that are ostensibly creating ‘idle’ graduates who do not have innovative skills, it has been learnt.

Authorities intend to remodel university curricula to improve the competitiveness of local tertiary qualifications.

The Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (Zimche) has since been directed to audit all degrees at State universities.

The reforms, which are part of recommendations from the Zimbabwe National Qualification Framework, are also meant to ensure that 80 percent of core courses for similar degrees offered at all universities overlap. Higher Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Amon Murwira said the realignment was expected to be complete in time for the second semester (around August) this year.

“What we are doing is we have silently radically reformed higher and tertiary education since last year, after our skills audit,” said Prof Murwira.

“One of the things we did was to ensure that we have the Zimbabwe National Qualification Framework, which makes sure that our degrees equip graduates with knowledge and skill. We are, therefore, streamlining our education so that it results into that goal of producing goods and services.

“We have some degree programmes which, when one completes the studies, that person cannot even do what he has learnt.”

Prof Murwira said all degrees would be modelled according to the recommendations from the Zimbabwe National Qualification Framework.

“We promulgated three Statutory Instruments: SI 132 for higher education; SI 133, which caters for primary and secondary (education); and SI 137, which caters for the polytechnics. These Statutory Instruments are there to ensure that all degrees have minimum bodies of knowledge and skill, meaning all degrees must result in goods and services.”

Prof Murwira said the new measures were already being used in training doctors and lawyers.

“We are sharpening our higher education so that it results in what we want; we do not want to produce graduates that will, at the end of the day, not know what they will do in life. It is now the work of ZIMCHE to ensure quality standards in higher education are met.

“I am not saying there are specific programmes that will be dropped, that work is technical and will be done by ZIMCHE,” said Prof Murwira.

According to the 2018 National Skills Audit, Zimbabwe has a massive shortage of critical skills, with medical and health sciences, including applied and natural sciences accounting for the highest skills deficit.

The audit revealed that arts and humanities had a modest deficit of 18 percent, while the engineering and technology skills cluster has a 93,6 percent deficit.

Despite agriculture contributing around 70 percent of employment in Zimbabwe, the skills deficit in the sector stands at 88 percent.

State Media