Own Correspondent|OPPOSITION MDC leader Nelson Chamisa is reportedly seeking to meet South African President Cyril Ramaphosa when he arrives in Harare for an anti-sanctions lobby and bi-lateral meeting with President Emmerson Mnangagwa on March 12.

MDC insiders said Chamisa, who late last year claimed he had written to Ramaphosa seeking his intervention in Harare’s developing political crisis, will take advantage of the South African leader’s impending State visit to “door-step him” into a meeting.

“He is working out a plan to approach Ramaphosa for a meeting. It’s highly unlikely because Ramaphosa is coming here to meet (President Emmerson) Mnangagwa in his capacity as leader of Zimbabwe and specifically for business. The other thing is Ramaphosa has already taken a position and it’s almost a waste of time to think he will shift,” a top MDC source said on condition of anonymity.

Ramaphosa’s International Relations minister Lindiwe Sisulu, in announcing the visit, said South Africa was demanding the unconditional removal of sanctions against Harare to “allow development and reforms”.

“We are preparing for a bi-national with Zimbabwe, on March 12th. Our President [Ramaphosa] will lead the delegation to Harare. I think sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe will be top of our agenda and we are putting them across in the world, because we believe that for as long as Zimbabwe has sanctions imposed on it, the possibility of recovering from its economic woes will remain very glim and dim,” said Sisulu.

Sisulu was echoing Ramaphosa’s stance made at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, recently at which the South African leader said the world needed to give Mnangagwa’s administration a chance to implement its reforms and development agenda.

Chamisa’s spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda seemed to confirm an attempt to talk to Ramaphosa will be made.

“President Chamisa has the utmost respect for His Excellency, The Right Honourable President Ramaphosa. He has communicated with regional leaders at every turn and will continue to take every opportunity to engage with the region and especially the South African President His Excellency Ramaphosa,” he said.

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Khusela Diko was not available for comment.

South Africa’s ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mphakama Mbete, said he was not aware of Chamisa’s planned meeting with Ramaphosa.

“I have not been made aware of their (MDC) wish (to meet Ramaphosa). I can’t speak on behalf of my President regarding this issue,” he said.

Chamisa, Sibanda added, is concerned about the political, economic and social implosion that is worsening in the country, “and hopes that regional engagement would concentrate efforts on solving the problems that are within Zimbabwe’s control”.

“We surely can rebuild our country by dealing with the scourge of corruption, the inhumanity of human rights abuses, the indignity of a militarised State and the indecency of electoral impropriety,” the opposition leader’s spokesperson said.

“The president (Chamisa) will, with due respect, not engage in any diplomatic work using public media. If there are or were to be any communication with President Ramaphosa on his visit to Zimbabwe, the publicisation of the same would be subject to diplomatic protocols.

“President Chamisa always wants to balance public interest and support the work of the media with the need to respect diplomacy.”

Chamisa late last month rejected Mnangagwa’s call for a meeting to discuss the framework for possible dialogue among political actors in the country, instead demanding the release of activists arrested following deadly protests in January.

He has also demanded a neutral convener for such an indaba.

Other losing presidential candidates attended Mnangagwa’s meeting.

A teacher at Amaveni Primary School in Kwekwe was on Monday arraigned before the courts for shoving a Grade One pupil against a desk, resulting in her sustaining a cut on her forehead. The pupil was rushed to Kwekwe Hospital where she received several stiches on the forehead.

Mejulla Matina (51) appeared before Kwekwe magistrate Mr Tayengwa Sangster facing assault charges.

Mr Sangster remanded Matina out of custody on $50 bail.

She will be back in court on February 28 for commencement of trial.

In granting bail, Mr Sangster ordered her not to interfere with State witnesses, continue residing at her given address and report to Kwekwe Central Police Station every Friday.

Mr Sangster also advised the school headmaster to consider giving Matina a special leave so that she will not prejudice the pupil’s education or interfere with her.

The State had argued that Matina’s trial be fast-tracked in the interest of the complaint who is a minor.

“Your worship, I pray that the case be given due diligence it deserves so that we put the rights of the child first, bearing in mind that children have a tendency of forgetting easily, I, therefore pray that the case be dealt with as a matter of urgency,” said Mr Devine Chagombera on behalf of the State.

Matina’s lawyer, Mr Collen Maboka of Ruvengo, Boka and Company, argued that, she needed enough time to study the State papers and the medical report which were not made available to him.

It is the State’s case that on February 13 around 8am, the complainant failed to comply with given instructions during a Mathematics lesson.

This did not go down well with Matina who held the complainant by the ear and pushed her towards the table.

State Media

Farai Dziva|Deputy Media, Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Energy Mutodi has said Emmerson Mnangagwa has done a lot of things to preserve Robert Mugabe’s legacy.

Writing on twitter today Mutodi argued Mnangagwa has done justice to the legacy of the veteran leader.

Mutodi was responding to questions raised on the failure by government and the ruling party Zanu PF to celebrate the nonagenarian’s birthday.

“Today we got a fantastic holiday, Robert Mugabe Day. We got an airport named after him as well in addition to roads and schools.

Many thanks to President ED Mnangagwa for doing justice to the legacy of the former President,” said Mutodi.

Presidential spokesperson George Charamba said that he was not aware of any government plans to celebrate Mugabe’s birthday, while ZANU PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said that he was not sure if the party’s youth league had planned something.

Zete @95 to Zana: Bob’s Always Been Your Uncle

Open Letter to President Robert Gabriel Mugabe

Zhuwao Brief Reloaded 28 (ZBR28). Patrick Zhuwao. 21st February 2019

This open letter to you Gushungo, President Robert Gabriel Mugabe, is to wish you a happy birthday as you turn 95 on your way to a century; makati zete muchienda kuzana (relaxed on your way to a century).

I am honoured to have worked intimately with you. I am very elated that history will record me as one of very few senior leaders that consistently stood by you publicly and privately. I am proud to have served in your government as a cabinet minister for two years and a deputy minister for three years. I am gratified to have been an officer bearer under the civilian ZANU PF that you led from the time I was elected into the District Executive at Porta Farm in 1996 and rose up the ranks to be a Politburo member until 2017.

Those 21 years as a leader in ZANU PF, Parliament and Government gave me the opportunity to know you, appreciate the environment that you operated within, and understand the forces that you had to contend with. Unfortunately, a very large number of people, especially the younger ones, have only had to see you through the eyes of your detractors to a point where they profess themselves on you within an envelope of misinformation, ignorance and conjecture. Most of the people who interacted with you, including senior leaders, are not able to honestly tell your story because they remain terrorised and traumatised under a militarily captured ZANU PF and the militarised state of Zimbabwe.

Furthermore, Gushungo, when we engaged with you as senior leaders we considered such interactions as privileged discussions which we feel cannot be divulged without your express consent. As a result, the story of Zimbabwe and your participation in shaping our beautiful nation is being distorted. Worse still, all of those who supported the November 2017 coup nationally, regionally, continentally and globally have come to the sad realisation that the so-called MILITARILY ASSISTED TRANSITION was in effect a negation of the conclusion of a democratisation process that would have put the principles of the 2013 Constitution into effect.

Whilst some of us who were privileged enough to be aware of and agree with your plans on ZANU PF succession know that the November 2017 coup was in effect a MILITARILY INTERRUPTED SUCCESSION. Having had dinner with you and Honourable Saviour Kasukuwere at your Blue Roof Residence, I know for a fact that you planned on supporting Dr Sidney Sekeramayi to succeed you. From telephone conversations that you held with Professor Jonathan Moyo and myself jointly, I also know for a fact that you have never supported the notion of your wife taking over.

Some of the people that saw hope in the November 2017 coup are so emotionally scarred by the knowledge that they supported a misadventure that is worsening the plight of Zimbabweans. They did not understand what you meant and why you would consistently say that politics leads the gun and that the gun should never lead politics. They are not aware of how you attempted to forestall the military takeover of ZANU PF and in effect the country to a point where Zimbabwe is a now a military state. They are not even aware of your attempts, months before the coup, to request some regional leaders to speak to Chiwenga to accept Dr Sekeramayi as a successor instead of his plan to have Mnangagwa succeed you and him becoming deputy.

I am aware that divulging these issues is tantamount to betraying confidential conversations. I have had to do so in order to buttress my request for you to record your views, thoughts and perspectives. There are several of your former colleagues that are constrained from setting the record straight until you have done so yourself first. People need you to remind them of how you always stood by them and tried to protect them. You remain an indomitable icon to those that understand and appreciate you. However, I would like to request you to record your views and perspectives in order to assist those that have not been fortunate to know enough about you, what you believe in, what you stand for and what you have achieved. Happy birthday Gushungo.

Dear Zimbabweans, please know that President Mugabe tried to fight off the militarisation of our country. Bob’s ALWAYS been your uncle.

Asante Sana. Iwe Neni Tine Basa. Umsebenzi lo Umkhulu.

The health of vice president, Rtd General Constantino Chiwenga, has interested many in Zimbabwe. Speculation and rumours regarding his health have flooded social media platforms with many unofficially pronouncing all sorts of diagnoses and even his death.

Watch Video Below

Officials in the government have not been clear in their communication of his ailments, and this has perhaps fuelled speculation as social media commentators fill in the void caused by poor official communication of his real condition by government.

It is suspected that Chiwenga is suffering from the effects of polonium- 210 poisoning.

Some high level sources in the defence ministry are said to have disclosed that Chiwenga was rushed to India aboard a private plane for “urgent treatment” and “tests of any possible unidentifiable poisons.” Military intelligence officials suspect the former Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) boss, could have ingested the poison administered using food by his political enemies.

Chiwenga was the military general who led a coup that ousted veteran leader Robert Mugabe in November 2017, and installed Emmerson Mnangagwa as President.

Interestingly last year a video of a woman who claimed to be Chiwenga’s relative at Pastor Alph Lukau’s church seeking Devine intervention for the Vice President caused a lot of controversy after it went viral.

The leader of Alleluia Ministries International Alph Lukau gave a prophecy regarding Chiwenga in which he stated that the Zimbabwean Vice President was critically ill and was bewitched by someone whose tail he stepped on.

The health of Chiwenga has been shrouded in secrecy, superstition and so much rumours. There are also reports that Chiwenga visited another spiritual church of the white garmented Apostolic variety. There it is said he was told to apologise to Robert Mugabe (the former president) whom Chiwenga helped to overthrow in November 2017.

Last week, sources indicated that Chiwenga was unable to speak as his health deteriorates. The Vice President had not eaten for a week, the sources added.

A week before being airlifted to India, Chiwenga visited a hospital in South Africa where he told doctors that his esophagus was “dry”. He told doctors he was struggling to eat, which would account for his dramatic weight loss which was evident when he attended a Cabinet meeting on February 5 – his last public sighting.

Chiwenga reportedly underwent esophageal manometry, an examination to test the strength and muscle coordination of one’s esophagus when they swallow.

“It was detected that he was having motility problems, but not cancerous. He was advised to see an esophageal surgeon,” a South African medical source said.

If Chiwenga indeed has esophageal motility, which can lead to heartburn, that would suggest mounting health woes as it adds to the other health problems he and government officials have shared publicly.

Over the last year, Chiwenga has been in and out of hospitals suffering from a range of ailments including – according to him and government officials – exhaustion, poisoning and a bullet lodged in his lungs from the war of independence 40 years ago.

• RFN

Correspondent|FORMER Cabinet Minister Patrick Zhuwao has written an open letter to former President Robert Mugabe on the occasion of his 95th birthday, but the letter does more than congratulate Mugabe.

Zhuwao’s letter reveals a secret power transfer deal an ailing Mugabe attempted to strike which would have seen former Defense Minister Dr, Sydney Sekeramayi emerging as President of Zimbabwe, with Constantino Chiwenga as deputy.

Mugabe attempted to convince regional leaders to also warm up to the deal, Zhuwao reveals.

Zhuwao, who is also Mugabe’s nephew, asserts that Mugabe never planned to install his wife Grace as President.

Read the full letter below:

Proceed to page 2 below…

Mugabe was forced to resign following mounting pressure to impeach him from both ruling and opposition MDC MPs in November 2017.

By Own Correspondent| Opposition MDC T led by Dr Thokozani Khupe has hailed government for its current steps towards aligning the country’s laws to the Constitution.

Said party spokesperson Linda Masarira in a statement:

We applaud all steps that are being taken to align all the laws of Zimbabwe with the supreme law of the land which is the Constitution.

More than five years after the adoption of the new Constitution in 2013, there’s really no reasonable excuse why we still have several laws not aligned with the supreme law.

As the MDC-T, we perceive this alignment of laws with the Constitution as a low-hanging fruit that doesn’t need a lot of money and/or foreign currency to harvest it.

Sometimes, we are our own worst enemies by failing to simply perform the little things that don’t cost money but that go a very long way in enhancing our country’s democratic credentials.

Going forward, we expect the Government to move swiftly to ensure that Zimbabweans’ fundamental rights and liberties are not only respected but that they are also enforced and upheld.

The pariah State image that is still haunting Zimbabwe can easily be sanitised by simply making sure that the country’s Constitution is religiously obeyed and upheld.

It is also incumbent upon Zimbabweans as a people to responsibly enjoy our fundamental rights and liberties without trashing other people’s rights.

For instance, Section 59 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe gives us the right to engage in peaceful demonstrations that shouldn’t degenerate into orgies of wanton violence and the vandalization and looting of both public and private property. Put simply, no right is absolute.

There are always limitations that are meant to ensure the maintenance of law and order. On their part, security organs of the State should resist the temptation of over-reacting to violent demonstrations.

There’s always need to employ reasonable force rather than resorting to excessive force when dealing with unruly and violent demonstrators.

Linda Tsungirirai Masarira
National Secretary for Information and Publicity

Controversial MDC-T Spokesperson, Linda Masarira has heaped praises on former President Robert Mugabe saying he left a legacy of determining Zimbabwean matters locally and self pride among his people.

Posting on Mugabe’s 95th birthday, Masarira said it is up to Africans to continue with his legacy which was anchored on anti-imperialism and power of African people to chart their own destiny.

Farai Dziva|A Masvingo based pastor and youth leader, Isaac Makomichi has invited President Emmerson Mnangagwa and MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa to Masvingo for dialogue with the hope of resolving the current political impasse in the country.

Makomichi has indicated that he is in a position to provide funds to cover fuel and food expenses for the meeting.

In his interview with ZimEye.com, Makomichi, who is also a business mogul said: ” I see the need to chair the national dialogue meeting and I am determined to resolve President Mnangagwa and Mr Chamisa’s differences. I am inviting the two with all respect.I want them to come to Masvingo and we will look for a suitable room so that I can have a discussion with them.

I will give them time to resolve their differences,” said Makomichi.

” I will delegate duties to the two because there is a verse in the bible about the city yaka dzikinurwa nezano remurombo.It’s time for Zimbabweans to live in peace and unity.I want the two to give me a suitable date for the meeting.”

Makomichi is the president of Vulnerable Youth Support Network Trust and the leader of Miracle Healing and Deliverance Ministries.

Makomichi who is also known as the Lord of The Jungle has also said he will give Mnangagwa and Chamisa new posts and new duties as determined by the Holy Spirit.

One, Shingi Chida commented: ” The offer to chair the much anticipated national dialogue for free is good but the people around the leaders are giving their bosses bad advice.”

One of the survivors of the Battlefields mines disaster was mourned in Mukumbira, Mt Darwin North Constituency after relatives had presumed him dead.

The mines disaster was laden with anguish, expectation and despondency, and for the Madimutsa family of Mukumbura, the presumption was that one of their own, Thickmore had perished, prompting the gathering of mourners at a village in Mt Darwin north.

According to Thickmore’s father, Mr Takaruza Madimutsa, logistics to carry the supposed body of their kin had been made, with the area’s legislator promising to provide transport.

However, upon setting foot at Silvermoon Mine, Mr Madimutsa heard the good news that there were prospects of finding some of the trapped miners alive after rescuers heard some voices underground, but he dismissed the report, and instead assumed the voices were of ghosts.

A few minutes later, his son was brought to the surface, and he was the first one to be rescued.

Thickmore owes his rescue to the power of God and he vows never to venture into artisanal mining again.

When he went underground alongside his peers, he expected to be out just after a few hours and had not carried any food with him since it was tradition to always come to the surface for lunch or dinner.

Thickmore was one of the eight trapped miners who were rescued following the disaster in which 24 people were confirmed dead.

Zbc News online

Paul Nyathi|Malawian beer maker, Chibuku Products Limited (CPL), has said it has lost 50 percent of its market share in Dedza, Mchinji and Kasungu to smuggled beer products from Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Chibuku Human Resource and Corporate Affairs Manager, Gloria Zimba, disclosed this after Malawi Revenue Authority impounded a truck loaded with such products at Mchinji Border.

Zimba said districts such as Mchinji are infested with such products as bars and hawkers openly stock them despite being smuggled.

“Almost 90 percent of the bars at Mchinji Boma are selling Zimbabwean Chibuku Super, an beers from Zambia called Ng’ambazi, another one called Nkhwazi and another one called Mafuta. And, to our shock, all these products are sold at very cheap prices when you compare them to our local beer because they are just smuggled into the country.

“We have established that there is a full truck that carries over 2,000 cases. It comes every Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Other trucks park on the Zambian side of the border and people cross with their bicycles to buy and, at least, two trucks go through the Mqoucha-Jenda Border,” Zimba said.

She further said the government is also losing revenue to unpaid taxes from beer smugglers.

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has no plans to meet his predecessor, former President Robert Mugabe, even on the occasion of the latter’s 95th birthday today, NewsDay has learnt.

Mugabe turns 95 today and Information ministry secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana yesterday said there were no plans to give the former Zanu PF leader a treat.

“Nothing specific as far as I know. I will inquire with the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet (Misheck Sibanda).

“But I think it’s likely to be a private affair as it was last year,” Mangwana said. Mnangagwa’s spokesperson, George Charamba also said he was not aware of any planned engzagement between his principal and the former President.

“I am not aware of anything,” was all Charamba said. Mugabe was forced out of power after a coup in November 2017 and was succeeded by Mnangagwa, who he had sacked two weeks earlier. Towards the end of his reign, the former guerrilla leader’s birthday was declared a national holiday at the behest of the Zanu PF youth league as his lieutenants sought to curry favour with Mugabe amid a vicious internal power struggle.

Zanu PF spokesperson, Simon Khaya Moyo was not too enthusiastic about the holiday.

“It’s a Youth Day. I don’t know if anything has been planned. Ask the (Zanu PF) youth league,” Khaya Moyo said.

Zanu PF secretary for youth affairs Pupurai Togarepi said: “We have made a request to meet him, but we are yet to receive a response. Our plan is for a small indoor function at which selected youths will get entrepreneurial advice from different resource persons who we will invite.”

Togarepi could not be drawn into commenting on whether Mugabe had been invited to the event, but insisted that Zanu PF will cherish its former leader’s contributions to the “revolution”.

“Of course, we will remember him for the work he did in leading the country, as well as the revolution. That is why we have Youth Day falling on his birthday. We still hope we will be able to meet him,” Togarepi told NewsDay.

NewsDay

Sheron Shutu: Happy birthday baba!! We love and miss you ?

Helena Muriro Chikwanha: Happy birthday my brother gushungo enjoy your life to the fullest. May our God continue to keep you and surround you with his hedge of protection.

Alfred Mashabha: Happy birthday though your evil company is still haunting us.

Raymond Mtemeri: Happy birthday Bob.i wonder why u didn’t want to hand over power to these guys they are clueless on how to run a country. Pawaivepo taitambura asi apa tazotamburisa.

Lorraine Thoe Mahlangu: Happy birthday grandpa Bob, love you a lot.

Bernatoni Vandirai: Zimbabwe has experienced 38 years of disaster so far, Ian Smith never killed the citizens of Zimbabwe the way Zanu military government has done since they took power. There is nothing to celebrate at all, what people experienced is tears after tears, disastrous dictator, people burned alive by Gukurahundi, the brutality which the ordinary people received from those whom they expected better life and freedom from is just a disappointment of all time. An unbelievable shame of Africa, Sadc and AU just support their comrades. Till today we are still crying for freedom, tired of cleaning blood that is shed by those we thought would deliver Canaan, so sad and painful, there is no hope for a better life for all.

Lushmire Chinyowa: I will never say anything to a man who forced me to cross limpopo river when it was full to capacity running from my mother country going to a place with no relatives no destination no food no shelter. It was like I was exposing my body to anything dangerous it was do or die…. You ruined my life to its totality not only me majority some they divorced some died…. Nxaa I have a novel to write about your time in office sir… Only what I can recommend is your English that is the only one thing good about you above all..

Shaanyana Ntshabele: Happy birthday, you ruined Africa’s bread basket!

Mdara Kenny Nyatowo: Happy birthday uncle Bob the pain you put in us is still fresh & it still manifesting through your evil boys on the chair right now.

Benedict Kwangware: Happy birthday uncle Bob the pain you put in us is still fresh & it still manifesting through your evil boys on the chair right now.

Sam Tafadzwa Kachinga: Happy birthday. May God keep you.

Kishon Chisahwira: Your brood is giving us a torrid time ” like father like sons “but you were a lot smarter than these your brood if only you have groomed a successor in time we would not be suffering as we are right now.

Tanaka Munatsi: Your brood is giving us a torrid time ” like father like sons “but you were a lot smarter than these your brood if only you have groomed a successor in time we would not be suffering as we are right now.

By Own Correspondent| Former Finance Minister and current MDC AllianceNational Vice Chairperson Tendai Biti has advised Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya to abandon the ingroduction of RTGs dollars and instead dollarise.

Biti said this following the announcement of the 2019 Monetary Policy Statement by Mangudya in Harare (Wednesday).

Said Biti:

Mangudya is a thief because he has effectively devalued people’s salaries to the extent that if you earn $500, it means you now earn $100. There are going to be implications on inflation and there is going to be an impact on fuel prices and the economy, electricity costs, and there will be shortages at supermarkets.

Further floating the exchange rate and retention of the bond note will guarantee the continued existence of corruption in this economy. Zanu PF elites will continue raiding the RBZ for cheap foreign exchange, which they will arbitrage.

Liberalising or floating the exchange rate, without ring-fencing RTGS balances, will have the disastrous consequences of devaluing people’s balances and floodgates of litigation will open. Only Parliament can float or liberalise the exchange rate.

The RTGS dollar is a lot of rubbish, anything short of demonetising the bond note will bring futile results, and there is need for dollarisation.

By Own Correspondent| A 3rd year female medical student at Midlands State University, Lynette Ndlovu, has been elected President of the Federation of African Medical Students’ Association (FAMSA) becoming the first-ever female president from Southern Africa since the birth of the organisation in 1968.

Selection criteria was based on academic merit, sound leadership skills, and community service.

Said the Midlands State University in a statement:

Lynette Ndlovu has worked tirelessly over the years on her way to election in various capacities all the while, reaffirming her leadership skills, commitment and dedication towards empowering African communities. 2018 was a notable year for the University’s medical students as seven students were selected to be part of the inaugural Southern African boot camp on female reproduction including HIV/AIDS held in Malawi.

Ndlovu together with Nobert Mashoko represented Midlands State University and the country exceptionally well and this resulted in the birth of Youth Against Aids [YAA] sessions in high schools in the Midlands province through the ZiMSA standing committee.

Furthermore, Ndlovu was an active member of the organising committee for the African Regional meeting for medical students’ representatives from all over Africa, hosted by Zimbabwe last year (2018). The same year also saw Ndlovu being chosen to be part of the national advisory council at the ZiMSA annual general meeting held at the Zimbabwe Medical Association (ZIMA) headquarters in Harare.

It, therefore, goes without saying that Ndlovu’s excellent track record speaks volumes about her capabilities and leadership skills and further attests to the high calibre of medical students being nurtured by the University and the nation at large.

On behalf of the entire University community, we say Congratulations, Makorokoto, Amhlope and wish you all the success during your term of office as you undoubtedly serve with excellence.

Established in 1968, the Federation of African Medical Students’ Associations, FAMSA, is an independent, non political Federation of all Medical Students’ Associations in Africa.  it now has 25 member countries including South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Zambia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya and Ethiopia.

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“MOST ZIMBABWEANS WILL WELCOME YESTERDAY’S MONETARY POLICY STATEMENT” – THE HERALD‘PLEASE REMOVE ME FROM COACH OF YEAR AWARD SHORTLIST’ – SUNDAY CHIDZAMBWA

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“Most Zimbabweans Will Welcome Yesterday’s Monetary Policy Statement” – The Herald

StaffFebruary 21, 2019

In its commentary today, government-controlled daily publication, The Herald, has said that most people will welcome the new currency and policy measures announced by the reserve bank yesterday.

Said the Herald:

1′ 

“John Mangudya Is A Thief” – Tendai Biti

StaffFebruary 21, 2019

Tendai Biti, Former Finance Minister and current MDC AllianceNational Vice Chairperson has commented on the introduction of the RTGS dollar and floating of the exchange rate.

Harare lawyer Doreen Vimbai Gapare was recently fined $500 by the Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ) after she was convicted of unprofessional and compromised conduct in handling a case involving senior journalist Geoffrey Nyarota.

Nyarota, who is the founding editor-in-chief of the Daily News, reported Gapare to the LSZ in February 2017 for gross negligence in the handling of his dismissal by Association Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ), publishers of the Daily News, in May 2010.

The matter went to arbitration and on August 2, 2011, arbitrator Johnlife Mawire found ANZ guilty of summarily and illegally dismissing Nyarota from his employment.

The arbitrator then awarded Nyarota a total of $90 921 as compensation and damages, whereafter Gapare successfully applied for registration of the arbitral award at the High Court.

Nyarota was then requested by Gapare to pay Scanlen and Holderness $650 towards the execution of the award by the Deputy Sheriff. But after the money was paid, the execution was never enforced.

Subsequent inquiry by Nyarota revealed that the amount had been transferred to Gapare’s account at the law firm on her instruction.

ANZ later filed an appeal at the Labour Court against both judgment and quantification of the award and the court then requested the parties to file heads of argument in order for the matter to proceed, but Gapare failed to do so.

By the time the matter was finally set down for hearing, 19 months later, Gapare had still not done anything, claiming that Nyarota was in arrears in payment of his legal fees.

Nyarota dismissed her assertions, arguing that there was no record of any such demand having been made to him at the material time.

It, however, emerged that Gapare had, in fact, given an undertaking in writing to the clerk of the Labour Court in November 2012 that she would submit the heads of argument by December 2, 2012.

When the matter was finally heard on July 10, 2015, the Labour Court handed down a default judgment against Nyarota and upheld ANZ’s application.

Nyarota then reported Gapare to the LSZ in February 2017 and in June 2018, the LSZ ruled that it was Gapare’s duty to protect her client.

“In coming up with an appropriate sentence, council considered the fact that a legal practitioner should, at all times, while seized with a matter in the best interests of the client, as the client relies on the expertise and competence of a legal practitioner,” LSZ executive secretary, Edward Mapara wrote to Gapare in a letter dated February 5.

“It was council’s view that a legal practitioner’s conduct should not, in any way, prejudice the client, as had been the case in this matter. Council has, thus, resolved that you be ordered to pay a fine of $500 within 21 days of notification.”

In considering the case, the disciplinary and ethics committee of the LSZ also considered Nyarota’s complaint that Gapare had improperly associated with ANZ’s chief operations officer, Sharon Samushonga, when she took to hugging her in the court room.

Nyarota had complained that it was insensitive of his lawyer to display such affection in court towards his opponent.

-Newsday

A HARARE magistrate yesterday jailed Borrowdale police officer-in-charge Simbarashe Sibanda to four years for attempted murder of his police girlfriend in a dispute over relish.

Sibanda (40) was sentenced by Harare magistrate Jessy Kufa, who suspended one year of the sentence on condition of good behaviour.

The complainant Stella Ruswa is also a police officer.

In convicting him, Kufa ruled that Sibanda was a police officer who must have self-control.

“Sibanda must have controlled himself since he is a member of the police force. He should have known that gender-based violence was a serious case and a custodial sentence will deter other would-be-offenders as sentencing him to a fine or community service trivialise the offence,” Kufa ruled.

Prosecutor Chipo Matambo told the court that on June 8 last year at around 5pm, Sibanda visited Ruswa’s residence and realised that she had not prepared supper.

The court heard that only a pot with boiling water was on the stove and Sibanda confronted Ruswa about the issue.

Ruswa told Sibanda that there was no relish to prepare the meal, which did not go down well with him. A misunderstanding ensued between the two and Sibanda reached for the boiling water and poured it on Ruswa.

The court heard that Ruswa sustained severe burns and was admitted at West End Hospital for 11 days.

-Newsday

While it’s unlikely that many Zimbabweans yearn for former ruler Robert Mugabe’s return, the occasion of his 95th birthday on Thursday has led some to see him in a softer light.

“Comrade Bob” was toppled from 37 years in power in November 2017 following a brief military takeover that saw him replaced by his one-time protege, deputy and latterly, political rival President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Immediately after Mugabe’s resignation, there was an outpouring of joy and many people took to the streets to celebrate.

But Mnangagwa’s gloss quickly faded and the economic catastrophe facing Zimbabwe began to crystallise as cash shortages worsened and fuel prices soared.

“We miss Mugabe. If he didn’t care, at least he pretended to,” Harare resident Anita Mugombedzi told AFP. “If what we have seen so far is anything to judge by, Zimbabwe will be worse than it was under Mugabe at his worst.”

In the months after Mnangagwa took power, it became clear the security services were prepared to use deadly force to put down dissent — just as they had done under Mugabe.

Six people were killed after soldiers opened fire in downtown Harare following presidential elections in July, which Mnangagwa won despite rigging allegations and an appeal by the opposition.

In January, at least 17 civilians were killed according to community groups after a crackdown sparked by thousands of Zimbabweans taking to the streets to protest an overnight doubling of fuel prices.

There were also harrowing accusations by civilians of torture and sexual assault by the security services.

“Mugabe made mistakes but he was not as ruthless as those who took over from him. We thought things would be better under Mnangagwa but now many people are saying Mugabe was better,” said Edmond Jera, an unemployed accountant.

Mugabe’s birthday will not be publicly celebrated this year, and it will simply be a national holiday like any other.

Before his fall, his birthdays were week-long extravaganzas and he would receive cakes that weighed as many kilograms as his age along with lavish gifts including cattle and tributes from regime loyalists.

‘Divided’ nation

“The day is passing this year without the usual pomp and ceremony,” said Rashweat Mukundu, a researcher at the Zimbabwe Democracy Institute think-tank.

“Mugabe failed to leave a lasting legacy. He left a divided Zimbabwe. This should be a lesson to those in power today.”

Last year, Mugabe’s family and friends marked his first birthday since his defenestration with a low-key private birthday party at his Harare home attended only by members of his inner circle.

No senior government leaders were thought to have been present.

A pro-Mnangagwa march, originally planned for Thursday, will be held at the weekend, according to the ruling party’s youth wing.

“We are going to march in Harare to show support for our president,” said ZANU-PF’s youth leader Pupurai Togarepi.

But Togarepi diplomatically insisted that “we will remember the revolutionary work done by the former president”, calling him a “giant political icon”.

Harare resident Wright Chirombe said Mugabe’s allies had treated the ex-ruler unfairly.

‘Obscure and irrelevant’

“They should have kept on honouring him rather than want him to appear like he did bad things throughout his rule,” he said. “That’s betrayal, and it’s unfair. He made mistakes like all humans do, but there are many things he did which make him better than those who are now in power.”

Mugabe and his wife Grace, whose apparent thirst for power was seen as one of the factors that sparked the military takeover, have made few public appearances since the nonagenarian’s removal.

He has given only two media interviews since leaving office. In one, he called his removal a coup, and in another on the eve of last year’s general elections he said he would not vote for his former party.

“That’s the reality when you are out of power in most African states,” said Ibbo Mandaza, head of the Southern African Political and Economic Series think tank.

“It’s either you run away and die in exile — or you just become obscure and irrelevant.”

Following reports last year that Mugabe was receiving medical treatment in Singapore, Mnangagwa told a rally in Mugabe’s village that the former liberation fighter was due to be discharged — but was no longer able to walk.

“Mugabe had his many transgressions,” said main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party leader Nelson Chamise. “I see my colleague Mr Mnangagwa making an effort to double the catalogue of those transgressions.”

AFP

Own Correspondent|In a surprise move, the Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs Oppah Muchinguri has gazetted an extension of the retirement age of army reserves from 65 to 70 years.

According to the Gazette the changes will affect the Air Force under Statutory Instrument 17/ 2019 and Army Reserves under Statutory Instrument 18/2019 amending the Defence Act governing the respective reserves.

The effect of the gazette will allow the Minister, on the recommendation of President Emmerson Mnangagwa to permit a reserve member who reaches retirement age (65 years) to continue serving until 70.

By A Correspondent| Impeccable sources have moved to confirm reports that Emmerson Mnangagwa’s deputy, Constantino Chiwenga last month physically called on former President Robert Mugabe to apologise for conducting the coup that made Mnangagwa President in November 2017.

Why did Chiwenga suddenly apologise to Mugabe last month? He thinks –

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) February 21, 2019

This was during the chaotic moments when Mnangagwa was out on his trip to Russia, and other countries and the so called ShutDown stayaway was ongoing. During that time, all civil servants were furious after Mnangagwa announced a fuel price hike that turned Zimbabwe’s into the most expensive in the world.

The chaos saw on the 15th January, groups of soldiers descending onto schools to assault teachers forcing them to go and strike in public, while other security forces ordered civilians to go and loot from shops.

As is seen in a video of Mnangagwa’s in law Terence Mukupe’s confessions, even some youths arrested for looting were on an official party mission.

It is believed that there was a military operation set to remove president Emmerson Mnangagwa last month and social media posts by Mukupe appear to confirm as he tweeted thanking the ZIPRA wing of the military for intervening to save Mnangagwa.

It was in the middle of that chaos that Chiwenga was hit by deep regret.

When ZimEye’s Simba Chikanza contacted Chiwenga on the 15th Jan, he sounded distraught in his responses to the extent of completely forgeting who he was speaking with. (SEE THE FULL TRANSCRIPT ON ZIMEYE.

)

The sources told ZimEye, “it is true that he went to apologise to Robert Mugabe around the time ED was in Belarus.”

“When president Emmerson Mnangagwa returned, he was not at all amused and he told him (Chiwenga) you are now trying to play your tribal Zezuru games, right? – mavakuda kuita zvenyu zvemaZezuru handiti?

“But notwithstanding, Chiwenga still told him to go and do the same, that is, apologise to Mugabe,” our source concluded.

Mnangagwa has as a result of “security fears”, since retired four top army generals and re-assigned them to diplomatic service.

The four are Major General Martin Chedondo, Major General Douglas Nyikayaramba, Major General Anselem Sanyatwe and Air Vice Marshall Sheba Shumbayawonda.

ZIMBABWE is expected to experience near record-high temperatures across the country from today up to Saturday, the Meteorological Services Department (MSD) warned yesterday.

The MSD said in a statement that a series of high temperatures will hit the country’s low-lying areas today and the areas are likely to record extreme temperatures of between 30 and 36 degrees Celsius.

“The Meteorological Services Department wishes to advise the public in the following areas: Matabeleland South, Masvingo, much of Midlands, Manicaland and most of Mashonaland provinces that high daytime temperatures will affect these areas today,” reads part of the statement.

The department urged people to take precautionary measures such as drinking lots of water and avoiding prolonged stay in the sun.

“Due to the hot conditions, the general public is advised to stay hydrated by taking a lot of fluids and those engaging in outdoor activities are advised to put on sun hats,” said the MSD.

“Direct exposure to solar radiation should be kept at a minimum, especially during the hottest part of the day, which is between 11am and 3pm.

“These temperatures are expected to range from 30 to 36 degrees Celsius and are linked to hot and dry winds blowing from warmer regions near the Equator.”

The MSD department warned that the high temperatures could prompt violent thunder storms.

“It is also important to note that a combination of this moisture together with the heat can trigger violent thunder-showers that may be accompanied by hail and strong winds,” the department said.

“The temperatures are, however, expected to reduce in Matabeleland North and in some parts of Harare Metropolitan as those areas are expected to receive some light showers late in the afternoon. The strongest El Nino event ever recorded is now under way and is affecting Zimbabwe and other countries.”

Own Correspondent|Thousands of people from Gweru and surrounding areas are expected to fill up Mkoba Stadium in the city for opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa’s first rally in 2019.

Amos Chibaya, the MDC national organising secretary confirmed the rally, and that the police have been notified.

“Yes, I can confirm that on Sunday the 24th of February, MDC president, Honourable Nelson Chamisa will address a rally at Mkoba Stadium where we are gathering as a party to hear the direction we are taking amid this grinding crisis that our nation has been plunged into,” Chibaya said.

“Fuel queues are resurfacing, medicine in hospitals cannot be found, civil servants cannot go to work due to poor salaries, and the ordinary citizen is hungry and cannot put food on the table. The economy is on a free fall. This grand crisis shows that the current regime has failed and president Chamisa will articulate the way forward.”

Late last year, police refused to clear an MDC rally in the Midlands province following a cholera outbreak.

“It will be all systems out on Sunday. As we speak, I am in Mkoba overseeing our boys who are putting posters to announce the rally. This shows how serious this rally is going to be. I am making sure the rally takes place without any incidences. Actually the police have been very cooperative with us,” said Chibaya.

The MDC leader will be largely expected to touch on the proposed national dialogue with President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the party’s recent demand for a transitional government to pave way for a fresh round of elections to solve the legitimacy crisis of the current government.

Chamisa last month snubbed Mnangagwa when the Zanu PF leader called a meeting with all presidential candidates in last year’s elections. Chamisa insisted on an independent mediator and not the President, who he accused of being complicit in the political and economic mess rocking the country.

The opposition leader will also be expected to unpack alternative economic policies.

Top MDC Alliance officials, among them party deputy presidents Morgen Komichi and Welshman Ncube, as well as vice-chairperson, Tendai Biti, are expected to attend the rally.

By Nomusa Garikai| “It is an obligation upon every political player in the country to recognise the pronouncement by the Constitutional Court.

So the issue of the election of the President is not on the table and will not be on the table because a decision has been made by the highest courts on that particular issue. We are not entertaining any discussion on that,” said Paul Mangwana, Zanu PF secretary for legal affairs.

“We are saying we have a Government in place led by President Mnangagwa, but there are areas which require improvement from a social, political and economic perspective, let us discuss those issues with full recognition that there is a President who was elected by the people of Zimbabwe that is the context under which we are discussing. We are not discussing the legitimacy or otherwise of the election of the President. It is not an item on the agenda.”

Mangwana and Zanu Pf can say whatever they like the reality is that no one with a working brain including the many election observers and, most important of all, the investors and lenders condemned last July’s elections as a farce. Zimbabwe is therefore being ruled by a regime that has no democratic mandate to govern the country, making the country a pariah state no one would want to do business with.

The root cause of the country’s worsen economic meltdown is the failure of Mnangagwa’s clarion call, “Zimbabwe is open for business!”, to attract investors.

Zanu PF has always rigged the elections and presented the nation and the world with a fait accompli of a Zanu PF government. The party has got away with it in the past.

For 38 years Zimbabwe has been stuck with a corrupt and incompetent regime with the disastrous consequences of economic meltdown and political paralysis. The all-powerful and tyrannical Zanu PF party is surrounded by an enfeebled opposition parties, making Zanu PF the only game in town.

Still the country’s economic situation, with 75% of the people now living of US$30 per month in a country with poverty datum line is US$650, with basic services such as supply of clean water and health care all but collapsed, etc.; it is clear something must be done a.s.a.p. to revive the economy.

On the political front, it is clear that if Zanu PF remains in power until 2023, the party will rig those elections too to extend its rule.
As long as Zanu PF remains in power there is no hope of any meaningful economic recovery because under Zanu PF rule the country is and will remain a pariah state. Zanu PF must be forced to step down, the sooner the better to create the political space for the appointment of an interim administration to implement the reforms necessary for free, fair and credible elections.

The basis for demanding that Zanu PF step down is that the party does not have the mandate to govern the country since it rigged last July’s elections. Zanu PF cannot pre-empty the demand for it to step down by taking the rigged election off the agenda; it is the only issue on the agenda worth the candle.

Correspondent|THE Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) has notified members of the public that its officers will move door-to-door in some neighbourhoods in search of stolen army uniforms.

The soldiers will also be on the lookout for “other resembling clothing items”.

The operation will be mounted starting this coming weekend, according to the statement dated 20 February 2019.

Justifying the search, the army says this has been necessitated by a recent spike in armed robberies, intimidation, assault and other crimes which have been pinned on soldiers as the perpetrators would be wearing military camouflage.

The army further advises members of the public to voluntarily surrender such items to the nearest police station or army camp before the search begins.

Find below the full statement:

By Own Correspondent| A bolt of lightning struck dead three Mvurwi tobacco farmers over the weekend who were working in the grading shed at Muswite Farm.

The trio, Tonderai Mungate (21) Onward Gede (16) and Jameson (22), all from plot number 74 at Muswite Farm, were burnt to death in a grass-thatched tobacco grading shed on Sunday.

Mashonaland Central police spokesperson Inspector Milton Mundembe confirmed the incident. “I can confirm the death of three tobacco farmers who were struck by a bolt of lightning and died while grading tobacco in a thatched shed on Sunday,” he said.

According to John Gede (44), the trio were working inside the grading shed while he was working outside and a bolt of lightning struck, thereby killing the trio on spot.“We were working together at the plot when tragedy struck.

The three were operating from inside, while I was operating from outside. Suddenly a thunderstorm came and I sought shelter. After a few minutes, I saw the shed on fire. I screamed for help, but unfortunately, the three had been struck dead,” he sobbed.

In a related case, a 23-year-old Mt Darwin man was struck and killed by lightning yesterday while also hanging tobacco leaves in a grading shed.

Malven Ben (23), of Manuwere village under Chief Kandeya, was grading tobacco with his brother Allan Ben (22) in Mt Darwin when tragedy struck.  He was pronounced dead upon admission at Mt Darwin Hospital.-Newsday

RESERVE Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor John Mangudya yesterday announced the eagerly awaited monetary policy in which he liberalised the trade of foreign currency and effectively declared the real time gross settlement (RTGS) dollar as the local currency.

Below are reactions from analysts, economists and industrialists:

Godfrey Kanyenze, director for Labour and Economic Development Research Institute of Zimbabwe:

The RTGS dollar is a local currency that has been introduced by the governor. It is a desperate measure that the governor has taken because the fundamentals are not right for the introduction of a local currency. There is need for the availability of foreign currency for a local currency to be introduced. The availability of foreign currency is the only way to make the rate go down because as long as there is no foreign currency, the rate will continue to rise.

Former Finance minister Tendai Biti:

(Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John) Mangudya is a thief because he has effectively devalued people’s salaries to the extent that if you earn $500, it means you now earn $100. There are going to be implications on inflation and there is going to be an impact on fuel prices and the economy, electricity costs, and there will be shortages at supermarkets.

Further floating the exchange rate and retention of the bond note will guarantee the continued existence of corruption in this economy. Zanu PF elites will continue raiding the RBZ for cheap foreign exchange, which they will arbitrage.

Liberalising or floating the exchange rate, without ring-fencing RTGS balances, will have the disastrous consequences of devaluing people’s balances and floodgates of litigation will open. Only Parliament can float or liberalise the exchange rate.

The RTGS dollar is a lot of rubbish, anything short of demonetising the bond note will bring futile results, and there is need for dollarisation.

Sam Malaba, Agribank chief executive:

He has managed to deal with currency imbalances by allowing the rates to move to an interbank market rate, whereby the RTGS and nostro balances can trade in the nostro system on a willing-seller, willing-buyer basis, that’s removing a slight element of distortions. He has also indicated that he will provide some seed funding to the banks to meet bona fide import(s) requirements. Therefore, that will help to stabilise the exchange rate. By moving the rate, he is now allowing exporters to get the full value and not to subsidise importers.

Industrialist Delma Lupepe:

I am in full support of the monetary policy. I am sure in the near future we will be having our own currency. That is the next step. We are in the right direction. It could do a lot for us. For instance, remove price distortions. For us industrialists, it will help attract investors because investors could not understand the bond notes issue. It will bring stability to the economy, hence attract foreign direct investment.

Isaac Kwesu, Chamber of Mines chief executive:

The issue of the interbank trade of forex is a step in the right direction, as this will go a long in the preservation of value for exporters. It is our hope that the RBZ will pay the miners timeously to allow them to have adequate forex to import the equipment.

It is our prayer that the remaining percentage will be paid at the interbank rate to reduce the risk of affording the local inputs, which has gone up four-fold.

Sifelani Jabangwe, Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries president:

I think it speaks to our plea that we have been pushing to have a platform to trade forex. From the management perspective, it will allow us to plan using the prevailing rate. Business was getting from the black market and some were now using extremely high rates, but now this will normalise because there will be an official rate to work with. What is important for now is for the central bank to manage liquidity so that it won’t go out of control.

Industrialist Busisa Moyo:

The only move that I feel was not correctly analysed is the introduction of a 30-day limit. While I understand that it intended to encourage market players to use or spend their dollars on production, on the other hand, it will have the effect of driving dollar savings offshore. We are likely to see an increase in foreign direct investment since investors will get full value.

Economist Eddie Cross:

I am not going to be surprised if the rate is going to weaken again a few days later, but his announcement is a welcome development. For more than a year, the country had been trading in the black market sector, which was not a good thing.

The market in which the US$ should have been trading was a ratio of 4:1 to the bond note. What he has done is that he has set up a formal market and put into existence a system where banks and financial institutions can start trading in foreign exchange.

One can now take money from their nostro account and exchange it into RTGS, and that is the shift because we had a situation where no official market was in existence.

Felix Mhona, chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Budget and Finance (Zanu PF)

What the governor has now done is to formalise the black market rate and we feel that is the way to go. What it now means is that people will get foreign currency from the formal market, instead of the black market. As a committee, we will need to meet to look at the impact of the floating of the exchange rate on salaries and the economy.

Emcoz president Oswell Binha

The challenge with our country is that there are a lot of monumental mistakes that were done by the central bank and government in the past. It will not be easy for us as a country to correct those mistakes. As business players, we had put up what we call a call to action and we believe that, for once, government has listened to our call and plea. The pronouncement by the central bank is purely what we had proposed as business.

In essence, governor Mangudya has floated the exchange rate and allowed the market, through the banks, to determine the exchange rates as opposed to government and reserve bank being the ones to determine the rate

Under the circumstances, we believe the governor has bit the bullet and come up with the best monetary policy statement and we now need to monitor, going forward, how this turns out to affect the economy. We believe we need to keep the dialogue door open between the central bank, government, economists, and all relevant stakeholders.

— NewsDay

By Own Correspondent| Former President Robert Mugabe today turns 95.

His birthday is a public holiday known as  Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day.

During his reign, Zanu-PF youth league hosted lavish birthday parties for Mugabe using taxpayers’ money as well as coercing businesspeople and villagers to fund the event.

The former leader of Zanu-PF and Zimbabwe was removed from power in 2017 through a military coup led by General Constantino Chiwenga.

Mugabe resigned under pressure from the military after army tanks were deployed in Harare, and politicians close to him were attacked and fled the country for safety. His party’s legislators also moved a motion, together with opposition legislators to impeach him.

Media Statement By MDC|The MDC notes with concern Mr. Mnangagwa’s lack of sincerity to have genuine dialogue to resolve the challenges facing the people of Zimbabwe. He has shown little interest in dialogue with his body language clearly showing he is not ready and willing to find a lasting solution to the crisis. 

The Party remains committed to a process of genuine dialogue to resolve the multi-layered crisis currently confronting the people of Zimbabwe. The Party believes that genuine dialogue is in the interest of all Zimbabweans.

Genuine dialogue must be solely intended to resolve the various challenges facing the people and not to hoodwink the region and the international community that there is a sincere national conversation taking place in the country.

The Party leadership met for six hours today and noted the continued suffering of ordinary Zimbabweans due to the non performing economy and failure to deliver by Mr Mnangagwa’s administration.

The leadership however, restated the position that the MDC will only take part in a dialogue that is presided over by a credible, independent, mutually acceptable mediator/convener. It is only under such a convener that an agenda can be adopted and a sincere dialogue process begin to unlock the challenges affecting ordinary Zimbabweans.

There cannot be genuine dialogue in the current environment of systematic violence, intimidation of human rights defenders and contrived convictions. The party leadership noted with concern the slow genocidal campaign in the countryside, especially in the urban areas.

There has to be an immediate cessation of the current clampdown to create a conducive environment for a sincere national conversation.

Zanu PF’s lack of sincerity around dialogue manifests itself in the monologues currently taking place in which Zanu PF is speaking to like-minded individuals and institutions.

Jacob Mafume
MDC National Spokesperson 

By Farai D Hove | President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s deputy Constantino Chiwenga currently hospitalized in Asia is now unable to speak, it has emerged.

Insider reports reaching ZimEye say that the general who removed former president Robert Mugabe is now struggling to speak following his struggle with an undisclosed ailment.

Chiwenga was flown to India early February after his health deteriorated. 4 days later it got to the level of failing to eat.

However speaking is now difficult, a Harare based source told ZimEye.

Last night ZimEye telephoned the man and his cellphone reported a voice message in the Indian Hindi language. (ZimEye could not at the time of writing establish exactly where the man is.

ZimEye will reproduce the full transcript off the voicemail message.

Meanwhile the South African government yesterday sent well wishes to Chiwenga.

“On Zimbabwe, we must start by wishing Vice President Chiwenga a speedy recovery. We all know that he has not been well. I am informed by our High Commissioner, that he [Chiwenga] has travelled to India for further treatment that will help his condition,” South Africa’s International Relations and Cooperation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu told journalists in Pretoria.
“We wish him a speedy recovery there.”

Paul Nyathi|MDC National Deputy Chairman and former Finance Minister, Tendai Biti has described Wednesday’s monetary policy presented by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Magudya as a mere “dog’s breakfast. ”

In a social media post on Twitter in response to the central bank’s tactical reintroduction of the Zimbabwean dollar, Biti said the move will not be functional as the ruling ZANU PF lacks trust and transparency which are fundamental in the functioning of a formal economy.

Biti said the new Zim Dollar, introduced as RTGS Dollars will collapse and lead to hyper inflation, shortages and queues a situation Zimbabweans experienced in the years 2007 to 2014.

According to him the new currency lacks key fundamentals to give it value in the market such as market confidence and a stable macroeconomic environment.

“It is a disaster to embark on currency reform in the absence of key fundamentals to back that currency . These include market confidence, reserves , a decent Capital account and a stable macroeconomic environment,” said Biti.

Mangudya delivered the monetary policy at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe on Wednesday and announced the immediate floating of the United States Dollar and creation of a new currency known as the RTGS Dollar as the highlights of the country’s new policy.

The presentation of the policy was delayed last week after Biti made premature declarations that government was reintroducing the Zimbabwean dollar. The declaration was heavily disputed by government.

Prior the presentation of the monetary policy, Biti insisted on the demonetisation of the Bond Note as the immediate first step forward.

ZIMBABWE’S government dropped its insistence that a quasi-currency known as bond notes trades at par with the dollar as it overhauled foreign-exchange trading and effectively devalued the securities.

The measures are a step toward trying to create a new currency and stabilize Zimbabwe’s economy, which has been plunged into crisis as a shortage of foreign currency stoked the fastest increase in consumer prices in more than a decade and caused shortages of food, fuel and medicine. Zimbabwe abandoned its own currency in 2009 after inflation spiraled to 500 billion percent, allowing the use of the U.S. dollar and other units as legal tender. Bond notes were introduced in 2016.

The central bank will immediately establish an interbank foreign-exchange market in which the bond notes will be denominated as electronic money known as RTGS dollars, Governor John Mangudya said at a briefing Wednesday in the capital, Harare.

While the government has previously insisted that bond notes and RTGS$ are worth the same as U.S. dollars, the units are currently trading at between 3.66 and 3.8 to the dollar respectively on the black market.

Denominating bond notes as RTGS dollars will “establish an exchange rate between the current monetary balances and foreign currency,” Mangudya said. “The new framework is set to bring certainty, predictability and functionality to the economy’s foreign-exchange market.”

‘Effective Devaluation’

The announcement amounted to an effective devaluation, Harare-based economist John Robertson said.

“He didn’t mention it by name, but they have devalued it,” he said. “We should now see a convergence of a stable rate going forward. Buyers and sellers will now need to meet and agree on a rate.”

Mangudya said that under the new system introduced on Wednesday:

• RTGS dollars would be used by all entities including the government to price goods and services
• The use of RTGS dollars would eliminate the existence of a multi-pricing system; prices should either remain at their current levels or decline “in sympathy with the stability in the exchange rate”
• The central bank has arranged “sufficient lines of credit” to enable it to maintain foreign currency to underpin the exchange rate
• Foreign currency from the interbank market will be used for foreign-payment invoices

New Currency

The refusal by foreign traders to accept bond notes as legal tender resulted in payment problems for companies such as gold miners and grain millers and exacerbated shortages of raw materials. Shops also charged customers different prices depending on which unit they used to pay, offering discounts as high as 70 percent to those who used real U.S. dollars.

The central bank measures are a step toward Zimbabwe reintroducing its own currency, Neville Mandimika, an analyst in Johannesburg at FirstRand Ltd.’s Rand Merchant Bank, said in response to emailed questions. Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has said he wants a new currency introduced within a year.

“The move is largely constructive as the government now officially recognizes that U.S. dollars and RTGS$ are not at parity,” Mandimika said.

“The introduction of a Zim dollar will be just in name, but the RTGS$ is essentially the Zim dollar.” — Bloomberg

By Own Correspondent| Presenting the 2019 Monetary Policy Statement on Wednesday, Reserve Bank Governor (RBZ) Dr John Mangudya revealed that a legal instrument to ensure that RTGs dollars become part of the multi currency system in Zimbabwe had already been prepared.

Said Mangudya:

“After taking into account of the implications amd putting in place safeguards to maintain stability in the forex market, the bank is with immediate effect establishing an interbank foreign exchange market in Zimbabwe to formalise the trading of RTGs balances and bond notes with US$s and other currencies on a willing buyer willing seller basis through banks and bureaux de change under the following framework:

Denominating the existing RTGs balances , bond notes and coins in circulation as RTGs dollars in order to establish an exchange rate between the current monetary balances and foreign currency.

The RTGs dollars thus become part of the multi currency system in Zimbabwe. The legal instrument to give effect to this has been prepared.”

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has liberalised the US dollar exchange rate against Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) balances, bond notes and all currencies in the multi-currency basket as it seeks to formalise trade in foreign currency.

The US dollars in the new market will be retained export earnings, with the remainder continued to be allocated by the Reserve Bank for essential goods and services.

Delivering the 2019 Monetary Policy Statement (MPS) yesterday, RBZ Governor Dr John Mangudya said the move would bring sanity in the foreign currency market, promote exports, boost Diaspora remittances and investments, eliminate multi-tier pricing, as well as preserve the value of local forms of money.

The RBZ had pegged RTGS balances at one-to-one with the US dollar, but shortages resulted in high premiums for US dollars outside RBZ control.

Wild swings in parallel market exchange rates in the last quarter of last year spawned a spike in prices of goods and services, propelling monthly and annual inflation rates to record levels since dollarisation of the economy in February 2009.

As such, the central bank will, with immediate effect, establish an interbank foreign exchange market to formalise trade in foreign and local currencies through banks and bureaux de change on a willing-buyer, willing-seller basis.

This entails denominating the existing RTGS balances, bond notes and coins in circulation as RTGS dollars to establish an exchange between current monetary balances and foreign currency.

Dr Mangudya said to get the US dollar equivalent of current RTGS or electronic balances, the prevailing market determined exchange rate will apply.

“This will bring fairness and transparency in the distribution of foreign currency,” Dr Mangudya said, adding that the policy measures sought to formalise what was already happening on the parallel market, which the bank had no control over.

To anchor exchange rate stability, Dr Mangudya said the RBZ will aggressively intervene in the market to sterilise liquidity so as to help contain inflationary and exchange rate pressures.

Zimbabwe has $1,8 billion usable RTGS balances out of a total of about $10 billion.

Highlights . . .
Foreign exchange rate liberalised.
Interbank market to be established.
RTGS dollars now part of multi-currency basket.
Currency trade on willing buyer/willing seller basis.
Lines of credit to support foreign exchange regime.
RBZ to support importation of critical goods.
Retained export receipts to be used within 30 days.
Nostro FCA settlement platform established.
Prices to remain stable.
New exchange regime to preserve values.
Nostro balances increase 88 percent to $451 million.
The remainder is tied up in Treasury Bills, RBZ savings bonds and loans to public sector and private borrowers.

The RTGS dollars will become part of the multi-currency system and a legal instrument which amends the Finance Act of 2009 which pegged the US dollar at par with bond notes and RTGS balances, has already been prepared and will be gazetted soon.

Dr Mangudya said the bank had arranged sufficient lines of credit to maintain adequate foreign currency to underpin the foreign exchange market.

He said foreign currency from the interbank market shall be utilised for current bona fide foreign payment invoices, except education.

“All foreign liabilities or legacy debts due to suppliers such as International Air Transporters Association (and) declared dividends shall be treated separately after registering such transactions with the exchange control for the purposes of providing the bank sufficient information that will allow it to determine the roadmap for orderly expunging of the legacy debt,” Dr Mangudya said.

The RBZ will continue to provide foreign currency for the importation of critical commodities such as fuel, electricity, medicines and water chemicals through existing letters of credit facilities and the foreign exchange allocation committee.

Dr Mangudya said significant shifts in economic fundamentals during the last quarter of last year saw parallel market foreign currency premiums increasing from between 1,4 and 1,8 to the US dollar to current levels of 3 and 4.

This increase in foreign currency premiums had negative pass through effects on annual inflation, which rose from 5,4 percent in September last year to 56,09 percent in January this year, Zimbabwe’s highest inflation rate in nearly a decade.

“In this respect, continuing to use the US dollar as a unit of account, when its value has drifted away from the value of the RTGS dominated money supply has brought forth a number of challenges,” said Dr Mangudya.

“The challenges include multi-tier pricing by business, speculative pricing, loss of Government revenue, valuation and accounting difficulties, asset liability mismatches and negative investor confidence.

“The current monetary arrangements if maintained could pose the risk of costly redollarisation of the economy, which will move the economy into recession. This is evidenced by the fact that some businesses are already gradually reducing prices due to low demand in the economy.

“Moreover, some of those charging in foreign currency have also been experiencing reduced demand for their products and are thus reverting to pricing in RTGS and bond notes.”

Dr Mangudya said exporters on the other hand were fast becoming uncompetitive, as the export incentive scheme had been eroded by the forex premiums induced inflation.

Bureau de change will be allowed to purchase foreign currency without limits, but will be limited to sell hard currency for small transactions up to a maximum daily limit of US$10 000 per institution.

To allow exporters to benefit from the interbank foreign currency market and to promote uninterrupted supply of forex in the economy, the central bank increased foreign currency retention thresholds for some of the exporters.

Retained export receipts shall be utilised within 30 days, after which the unutilised export earnings will be offloaded into the market at the prevailing market exchange rate or critical imports and external payments.

Dr Mangudya said the measures were also aimed at increasing demand for domestic forms of payment and to preserve foreign currency for external payments that include essential imports.

State Media

By Own Correspondent| Addressing delegates at an International Day for People Living with Disability function in Kadoma recently, Mary Mliswa revealed that figures of the disabled used by Government could be understated as some parents hide their disabled children due to stigma.

Mliswa, who is Zanu Pf’s Hurungwe West legislator said there is need for government to reach out to such families through a door to door research.

She said:

“Some of the statistics that you have might not be correct because a lot of people are hiding their disabled children or relatives.

Government is offering many programs for those living with disabilities, but there is need for the Social Welfare Department from provincial down to district level to set up groups in wards that will move at each household assisting people with disabilities.

So we want a situation whereby you go door by door gathering the correct information while working with local leadership. These cases are rampant in rural areas.”

By Own Correspondent| Information and Publicity minister Monica Mutsvangwa has revealed that government is moving towards replacing the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) with a new law, the proposed Maintenance of Peace and Order Bill.

While addressing the media during the post-cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Mutsvangwa said:

Following the approval by the cabinet of the repeal of the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) at its previous sitting, Cabinet considered and approved the consequent proposed Maintenance of Peace and Order Bill, Whose provisions will be in conformity with the constitution of Zimbabwe.

There is a provision in POSA where the armed forces can be called to assist the police and the constitution says that once armed forces have been called to assist the police, the president must cause parliament to be informed.

We are going to insert that provision to ensure that within the Maintenance of Peace and Order Bill, that provision is captured whereby the president will now be called upon to inform parliament within seven days of its next sitting after deploying soldiers to assist the police.

By A Correspondent| There were fires inside Zanu-pf party last night as an alleged plot to humiliate first lady Auxillia Mnangagwa was unmasked.

The development saw accusations fingering party heavyweight Phillip Chiyangwa and a sitting cabinet minister, flying all over the place. Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi ended up dissolving a whole WhatsApp group in an attempt to dampen the bitter in fighting.

“Amai Mnangagwa and minister Mary Mliswa will be booed at the function on Friday,” one party member said.

Another passed allegations against Zvimba MP Philip Chiyangwa. Chiyangwa was said to have lost confidence in ZANU PF after posting a mock video of a child (representing zanu-pf) being overcome by a black animal. There was no suggestion however to link Chiyangwa to the supposed attacks on Auxillia Mnangagwa. THE VIDEO IS BELOW.

Menawhile, below was Ziyambi’s sudden announcement –

Dear Comrades.

It has come to my attention that several groups have been formed by comrades in the name of zanu Pf. While we applaud those that IT conscious for heeding H.E’s call to play with them on social media a disturbing trend has emerged where these groups are now being used to attack party leadership. It is against the Constitution of Zanu Pf and indeed our culture to attack party leadership let alone in public as this puts the name of the party into disrepute. Accordingly l hereby direct that all those Zanu Pf cadres from Mash west in groups such as Zanu Pf Mash West group Must exit. With immediate effect out provincial secretary for Information as well as Secretary for Administration have been directed to monitor all groups and anyone who hence forth continues to say things that puts the party into disrepute will be dealt with accordingly.

Yours Comradely

Ziyambi Ziyambi
Chairman

The Zimbabwe National Army is advising members of the public that it will conduct snap searches for ZNA uniforms and other resembling clothing items in residential areas starting on this weekend.

This has been necessitated by the sharp rise in cases of theft, robbery etc executed using military regalia mostly by rogue elements of the society. Members of the public are urged to voluntarily surrender these clothing items to the search teams before the searches are conducted or surrender them to the nearest police station or army camp.

Please be warned and comply accordingly to avoid any inconviniences that might be caused by the exercise.

Farai Dziva|MDC A leader Nelson Chamisa has dismissed claims that he is determined to bypass the constitution to remain at the helm of the opposition party.

Last week individuals calling themselves friends of Morgan Tsvangirai said Chamisa should cede power because his mandate had expired.

All posts will remain open to promote democratic principles, according to the youthful leader.

“All positions are open.Leaders are nominated and deployed by structures and membership in the provinces.There is no self-nomination in our party!

There is no party at law called MDC-T! We will educate and inform our members,” said Chamisa.

• RTGS dollars is a currency; an addition to multi currency; will be the functional currency; used for pricing, settlement of local transactions; budget is in this currency; legal instrument has been crafted, reference currency changed from USD to RTGS
• Lines of credit arranged to stabilize the currency
• RBZ will provide seed FX so that every bank can trade Friday morning
• RBZ will sell this FX to banks at a rate of allowable margin 2.5%
• Fuel, cooking oil, electricity etc will get separate allocations – will not be part of interbank applications
• 3.5 million individual accounts have $205 million only. People have no money! Bulk of RTGS is held by about 1,900 firms
• Managed float concept

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has with immediate effect denominated bond notes and coins replacing it with what they called RTGS dollars.

RTGS dollars will also including RTGS balances in bank accounts.

Presenting the 2019 monetary policy statement RBZ Governor admitted that the continued use of USD has had negative consequencies on the economy.

The legal instrument to back the new measure is already done and will be made into law soon, said Mangudya.

RBZ has announced that RTGS, bond notes and coins will be immediately denominated as ‘RTGS Dollars’.

The legal instrument giving effect to this has been prepared and will be gazetted soon.

RBZ Governor John Mangudya says the continued use of the USD has had serious negative consequences on the economy including speculative pricing and negative investor confidence, which need to be corrected.

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor Dr John Mangudya has admitted that the economy has largely deteriorated since last monetary policy statement in October 2018,we now in an (highly) inflationary environment and parallel market rate has more than doubled .

WATCH VIDEO BELOW…

By Farai D Hove | President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s deputy Constantino Chiwenga currently hospitalized in Asia is now unable to speak, it has emerged.

Insider reports reaching ZimEye say that the general who removed former president Robert Mugabe is now struggling to speak following his struggle with an undisclosed ailment.

Chiwenga was flown to India early February after his health deteriorated. 4 days later it got to the level of failing to eat.

However speaking is now difficult, a Harare based source told ZimEye.

Last night ZimEye telephoned the man and his cellphone reported a voice message in the Indian Hindi language. (ZimEye could not at the time of writing establish exactly where the man is.

ZimEye will reproduce the full transcript off the voicemail message.

Meanwhile the South African government yesterday sent well wishes to Chiwenga.

“On Zimbabwe, we must start by wishing Vice President Chiwenga a speedy recovery. We all know that he has not been well. I am informed by our High Commissioner, that he [Chiwenga] has travelled to India for further treatment that will help his condition,” South Africa’s International Relations and Cooperation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu told journalists in Pretoria.
“We wish him a speedy recovery there.”

One of the lawyers who represented President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s in his Constitutional Court election defence, Tinomuda Chinyoka was arrested on Monday after a human rights lawyer who is representing several individuals detained during last month’s fuel protests accused him of assault.

Brian Dube, who has also filed a complaint with the Law Society of Zimbabwe, said Tinomuda Chinyoka approached him from behind whilst he was in a court building in Gweru and “assaulted me by pressing me hard on my right collarbone with force and I felt pain.”

Chinyoka went on to issue several unspecified threats, boasting that he was connected to powerful people, Dube alleged.

The reported attack on the lawyer, who is also the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) MP for Gweru Urban, follows threats made by Mnangagwa at a rally in Mwenezi last Saturday where he vowed to “go after” lawyers representing hundreds of citizens detained over the January 14 nationwide protests.

Chinyoka was part of Mnangagwa’s legal team that successfully got the Constitutional Court to declare him winner of last year’s presidential election. He denied assaulting Dube, but confirmed that he had been arrested.

“Brian Dube and Jeremiah Bamu concocted a false assault charge against me to secure my arrest and removal from court. Instead of representing their client, they are busy lying and consorting with mobs to assault lawyers and witnesses,” Chinyoka said on Twitter, indicating that he would likely appear in court on Friday.

Dube said he was inside the Gweru Magistrates Court awaiting the arrival of his client, the MDC’s Chiwundura MP Livingstone Chimina, when he had a nasty encounter with Chinyoka.

The lawyer told Gweru Provincial Magistrate Charity Maphosa: “There was a gentleman that was seated right behind me on the bench there about 15 minutes ago, who stood up, charged towards me and pressed me on my right shoulder and indicated that I had ‘pissed him off’ with the defence outline and he was going to deal with me.

“He was standing right behind me in this courtroom. I asked him who he was because I have been seeing him a lot around these courts for the past three weeks and that’s when he refused to introduce himself saying I was not supposed to know him.”

He said he later learnt from one of his colleagues that the individual was Chinyoka.

“Your Worship, I stand before you threatened with unspecified action by a stranger, a person I don’t know. Lawyers should not be harassed in court, no matter how powerful some people are. Our independence as professionals is being tampered with.

“I make this submission on record because my fear is twofold: the first is that I don’t know what he is capable of and as a professional I’m frightened and therefore can’t exercise my rights to freely and independently represent my client.

“My second fear is that I am also a public official apart from being Honourable Chimina’s defence lawyer. I represent thousands of people who he might fail to control once they hear that I have been threatened.”

He said Chinyoka should not, in the first place, have had access to the defence outline which is only served to the prosecutors, accusing the state lawyers dealing with the case of working with Chinyoka.

Chinyoka was a losing candidate in the 2018 Gweru Urban Zanu PF primary elections. Had he won, he would have faced Dube in last July’s general elections. Late last year, he applied for the post of Prosecutor General but failed in interviews.

-Gweru Times