The deadly army crackdown against civil society and opposition activists might have been paused, but relatives of some of the people that were killed by soldiers are living in fear following alleged threats by security forces.

Following the government’s spirited efforts to play down the number of people killed by soldiers, The Standard tried to track down some of the relatives of the victims to tell their stories, but many were too frightened to speak out.

In Harare’s Epworth area, Thandiwe Ncube’s relatives initially ran away from their home when our news crew arrived at their house last Thursday.

After a few minutes, one of the relatives returned after she was convinced that the journalists had nothing to do with the security forces.

Ncube, a 53-year-old MDC Alliance supporter, was allegedly run over by an army truck on January 14 in Eastlea on her way to join protests in the city centre against the steep fuel price increase.

Her relative only agreed to speak to the news crew on the strict condition that her identity was protected.

“The majority of my relatives are in hiding because we are being harassed,” she said.

The woman said the family’s ordeal began on January 14 when they received news of Ncube’s death.

“On January 14 at around 12 noon we received a call from an anonymous caller who told us that our mother, Thandiwe Ncube, had died after she was hit by an army truck near the Vehicle Inspection Department’s depot in Eastlea,” she said.

“She was a known MDC supporter and had left home in the company of other fellow party members to go and protest in the city centre.”

She said when they arrived at the scene, they were told that Ncube’s body had been taken to Parirenyatwa Hospital.
The family managed to identify Ncube’s bruised body the following day, but were not allowed to collect it for burial as police said they were still conducting investigations into what led to her death.

“People were afraid to volunteer information to the police because of the arrests that were taking place at the time,” the relative said.

“Police were actually threatening to arrest anyone that volunteered to testify as they would be deemed part of the protesters.”

Ncube was eventually buried on January 20 at Zinyengerere Cemetery after the family stopped insisting that she was killed during the demonstrations.

“We saw that the matter was dragging on and there was no solution in sight,” her relative added. “The family had to do what the police wanted.”

She said soldiers frequently monitored the situation during the funeral wake and relatives were warned against insulting the country’s leadership in their eulogies.

Ncube is survived by four grandchildren and the oldest is 11 years old. One of her friends, who also requested to remain anonymous, said she saw Ncube being run over by the army truck.

“We were on our way to the city centre to join the protests when she was hit by an army truck that was full of soldiers,” she said. “She died on the spot.

“A few brave people gathered tree branches to cover her body, which was left in the open for some time.

“Some people have been coming here to threaten us saying we must not talk about the incident.”

Epworth was the epicentre of the protests that coincided with a three-day stayaway called by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions and #This Flag movement.

Residents readily pointed to houses where people died during the protests, but many were afraid to speak on record fearing harassment by the security forces.

In Mbare, 19-year-old Tawanda Bushu’s relatives said they were being visited by unknown people enquiring about his death.

“I cannot say the family does not want to talk to you, but I hope you understand our circumstances,” said one of Bushu’s uncles.

“Every day there are people coming here to ask about a lot of things and we don’t even know if they are genuine.
“We have accepted that Tawanda’s death is a loss that we have to live with.

“Such is life, but I think we are not ready to talk to you at the moment. What I can confirm is that Tawanda died.”

A climate of fear still pervades Mbare, but residents said they were relieved that soldiers had stopped their patrols.

Police spokesperson Assistant Commmissioner Charity Charamba requested questions about the alleged harrasment of families of people killed by soldiers but had not responded by the time of going to print.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week raised the ire of human rights campaigners when he told France 24 TV that there was no evidence that as many as 17 people were killed by the army during the crackdown.

He also disputed reports that 17 women were raped or sexually abused by soldiers.

The state-controlled media has been on a vicious campaign to discredit reports about the killings.
However, the international community has reacted strongly against the crackdown and the European Union parliament recommended tightening of sanctions against Mnangagwa’s regime last week.

The MPs urged “the Zimbabwean authorities to put an immediate end to abuses by security forces and to promptly and impartially investigate all allegations of excessive use of force by police and state officials in order to establish individual responsibilities, with a view to ensuring accountability”.

They also urged Zimbabwe to establish “an independent body to investigate complaints of police and military misconduct”.
Mnangagwa’s government was encouraged “to withdraw urgently all military personnel and the youth militia deployed across the country that are terrorising residents in clear violation of the Zimbabwean constitution”.

A report released by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum on February 10 said 17 cases of extra-judicial killings allegedly committed by the army had been recorded so far.

The NGOs said since January 14 they had documented at least 1 803 violations committed by the security forces across the country.
They include at least 17 cases of rape or other violations of a sexual nature, 26 abductions, 61 displacements, 81 assaults consistent with gunshot attacks, at least 586 assaults and torture, inhuman and degrading treatment including dog bites, 954 arrests and detention (including dragnet arrests), among other violations.

Mnangagwa’s government has repeatedly denied that soldiers were behind the violations, but he promised to bring the perpetrators to book after Britain’s Sky TV recorded two police officers and a soldier brutalising a suspect during the protests.

The government blames the MDC Alliance for the violence that erupted during the stayaway and claims that protesters stole guns at police armouries, which they were using to kill people.

The army said it used force proportionate to the level of the threat posed by the protesters, who it says looted 165 shops countrywide, an assertion challenged by the NGO Forum report.

On August 1, soldiers killed six people in Harare after they opened fire on protesters that were demonstrating against what they said were delays in the release of the presidential elections results.

A commission appointed by Mnangagwa to investigate the killings, which was led by former South African president Kgalema Motlanthe, last December recommended that soldiers and police officers behind the killings must be prosecuted.

Standard

A top Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) officer has accused his bosses in the spy agency of victimising him because they fear he will expose their corrupt activities.

Augustine Mutambu, the CIO’s material resources manager, said most of the CIO’s operations were marred by corruption and scandals.

He said his presence in the secret service was being viewed as a threat, hence the senior management’s continued refusal to have him reinstated. He was suspended on March 19, 2018.

“I verily believe I was then suspended from work in an effort to dismiss me so that, knowing too much of their skeletons, the culprits would create an information gap within the organisation and no one would expose or know their shenanigans,” Mutambu said in his founding affidavit filed in a court application pending at the High Court.

Mutambu recently petitioned the court seeking an order to compel CIO director genera Isaac Moyo and National Security minister Owen Ncube to allow him to return to work and to declare his suspension unlawful.

He said, he was suspended on allegations of unspecified “improper conduct”, and was directed not to report for duty pending investigations.

“Of course, I now understand that the allegations against me do not have anything to do with state secrets, but that I am alleged to have been corruptly awarding contracts of service provision with respect to CIO works and purchases. This is spurious and the allegations have no merit,” he said.

“I was merely a secretary of the CIO procurement committee, which was often alternately chaired by the organisation’s director general or his deputy and composed of members who were all my seniors, including the director administration, who originated my suspension order.

“It is clear the organisation is using me as a scapegoat for their corrupt activities for I had neither power nor say over what they (procurement committee) deliberated on and resolved, except to record their recommendations for awarding of contracts or decisions to secure assets or liabilities for the CIO.”

Mutambu also said soon after his suspension, there were concerted efforts by the former CIO director for administration to cover up his corrupt activities by immediately appointing a former senior official’s girlfriend into his position.

He said he was ready to provide the court with a few examples of corrupt activities at the spy agency to back his claims.

“Acquisition of the organisation’s properties in Emerald Hill was irregular [because it did not] match the value of the funds paid,” he said.

“The then director general was directly involved. The re-doing of the foyer works at Chaminuka Building, for which I am now being charged, was supervised by me as a result of direct instructions by the then director general, then director for administration and the now current director for administration,” he said.
“I was often ordered by the then director general to carry out his completely private business, as where I traversed Mashonaland West province during working days to look for a farm for (his father-in-law) Madzingira, until I found one.”

Mutambu also said the former director had a score to settle with him because he believed he did not treat him fairly during his tenure as chief transport officer for the organisation.

“The short of it is that there is no merit in the claimed suspension, except as an abuse of authority to settle scores and a measure by powers-that-be to forestall leakage of their deals, hence its continued unlawful operation,” he charged.

Below is a series of tweets as the South Africa based businessman Mutumwa Mawere exploded after his representative of many years Ashirayi Mtirikwi Mawere was filmed trying to grab a white owned farm:

This lad Ashirayi Mawere who's on video trying to grab a white owned farm, is @mmawere 's nephew; he once launched a party for the businessman in 2013 just before it flopped. He is a well known ZANU PF youth in Chipinge. @LynNemudonhi @ZimEye pic.twitter.com/JCQlNYjVnO

— Simba Chikanza (@schikanza) February 17, 2019

Goodness sake, this lad has been publicly representing you, officially, and today he is out grabbing a white man's farm. You should simply inform the harassed farmer Ashirayi is no longer your rep. It's that simple, and that is what's expected morally. @LynNemudonhi https://t.co/5EUUPbIBCT

— Simba Chikanza (@schikanza) February 17, 2019

Why don't you simply mention Ashirayi by name and publicly dissociate yourself from his banditry, since he has represented you before? Is it difficult to mention his name @mmawere ? https://t.co/ov9qZCrgQr

— Simba Chikanza (@schikanza) February 17, 2019

President Emmerson Mnangagwa says that his government is aware that there are plans for more demonstrations against his governance and they are ready to deploy security forces to deal with the demonstrations.

Addressing Zanu-PF supporters in Rutenga, Masvingo province, on Saturday, Mnangagwa said state security will bring all those who instigated and stoked the recent demonstrations to book.

“Nyika yedu yeZimbabwe, vatakabvisira chingwa pamuromo, vachena, havasati varegera kurwisa kuti chingwa chidzoke pamuromo yavo nenzira dzakasiyana.

“There are puppets that they have been creating in the country that move around preaching violence. We in Zanu-PF want unity and development of our country.

“If our chiefs preach unity, our churches preach unity and our party Zanu-PF preaches unity, our country will develop; there is nothing that will take us back,” said Mnangagwa.

“When we went to the AU (African Union) last week, first I had sent some of my members to Sadc countries to brief them on how the violence had erupted in January.

“Because in areas like Bulawayo, people were moving around telling others that you must engage in violence and anyone who gets arrested will have legal representations and there are lawyers waiting to assist.

“They were saying there are doctors waiting to treat those that get injured.

“We are going after those doctors and nurses.”

Added Mnangagwa’s: “Uyo anenge asarudza humhesvamukono, aiwa, takakwana, tosangana naye.

“Anenge asarudza runyararo nerugare, hallelujah kwaari, mazuva ako ngaawedzegwe munyika inotongwa navatema. Asi avo vakasarudza mhirizhonga, mazuva avo anounyana.”

The protesters, he said, had the audacity to bar people in Harare and Bulawayo from going to work.

“Vaipisa mabhazi, vachipisa police station nemota dzemapurisa. Makazviona kupi izvozvo?

“Ndikati haiwa, aiwa, hatidi violence, pasi nayo. Ndikati masoja pindai munyaradze vanhu avo, vakanyaradzwa, saka tava nerugare.

“Ikozvino, vari kuronga zvekuti vaite mhirizhonga.

‘‘Aiwa ndiri kuudza nyika yose zvayo kuti vasingadi runyararo moita izvozvo moinda kumhirizhonga.

“Asi vanoda runyararo, garai kudzimba dzenyu titarisane nevanenge vachiita mhirizhonga tigovagadzirisa,” he said.

He said investigations were in progress to fish out some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that were behind the violence, which claimed six lives and prejudiced businesses of more than $500 million in damages and unrealised earnings.

“We saw that the January violence that was organised by the MDC-Alliance was being backed by some NGO’s. So we are investigating those NGOs that led to the destruction of a lot of properties and looting of businesses.

“They burnt police cars and killed a police officer. This was organised by the MDC-Alliance as they were fulfilling what they had said during the campaign last year, when we were moving around saying we want free, fair and non-violent elections.

“Asi ava ve MDC-Alliance vaiti tikaita sarudzo idzi tinofanira ku winner isu, kana tisina kuwinner tichakanda jecha musadza. Ndozvavaireva izvi, mhirizhonga iriko nhasi, ndokukanda jecha musadza.

“Zvino kune varipano here vanobva kudzimba kwavo vanofarira kuti nyika iva nemhirizhonga? Hapana.

“Isu mu Zanu-PF ticharamba tichiparidza runyararo. We shall campaign for peace, for peace, for unity ndokuti hurongwa hwedu hwekusimudzira nyika yedu hubudirire.”

Mnangagwa thanked the people of Masvingo for not participating in the violent demonstrations.

Zimbabwe, he said, could only prosper and develop if people were united.

The rally was attended by Vice President Kembo Mohadi, senior Zanu-PF members and Government officials.

Source: State Media

Correspondent|THE Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) Chief Executive Officer Mr Sifiso Ndlovu has asked people to leave him alone saying he was “just a private citizen”, as fallout over his shocking $11000 monthly salary intensifies.

Ndlovu has come under fire from members of the public after it emerged in a leaked payslip that he was creaming off a salary which is more than 20 times what an average teacher he represents takes home.

Contacted for comment Mr Ndlovu could neither confirm nor deny the leaked pay slip. He said he has not seen it but had heard about it from Facebook.

“I haven’t seen it. I just heard about it so for me to say it’s my pay slip I will be lying,” he said.

Asked if the figures were true, he said he wouldn’t want to confirm or deny what was there but said he would appreciate if people respected his privacy.

“I am a private individual and I would have loved my privacy to be respected,” he added.

Mr Ndlovu said he was not perturbed by whoever posted it and what they think. However, he said he wanted to know why they decided to do so now when he had been working for Zimta for the past 27 years and nothing of that sort ever happened.

“I am not worried. I was last year awarded with an accolade for being the top union leader and for someone to try and drag my name in the mud and undo such kind of recognition at this critical time when we are fighting for our members’ welfare is both unfair and unfortunate. Why not leak pay slips of directors in Zanu-PF or MDC who are more of public figures than wasting so much energy on me,” he queried.

For the month of January 2019, he got paid the following:

• Communication allowance of $2,000;
• Basic salary of $3,808;
• Fuel allowance of $780;
• Transport allowance of $200;
• Housing allowance of $260;
• Grocery allowance of $82;
• Representation allowance of $761;
• among other dues.

Some of the people who commented questioned the wisdom of having a fuel allowance and a transport allowance especially that he was using union vehicles that were serviced by the union.

The salary has shocked many teachers and sympathisers out of their wits with questions of moral values raised in a country where teachers, whose interests Zimta represents, are getting a salary far much less than $1 000.

The association is sustained through deductions from members (teachers) across the country. The leaked pay slip was posted on micro-blogging platform — Twitter and those that commented questioned the rationale of paying a CEO such an “obscene” amount when those that were contributing were “wallowing in poverty”.

They said a CEO who was cushioned and insulated from the shocks of the harsh economy characterised by a price madness was never going to be able to stand for the workers effectively. Some, however, hinted that the leaked pay slip was nothing out of the ordinary as that was the norm with worker representative organisations and parastatal bosses.

A Twitter user said, “This is robbery at its best. Teachers are earning something less than $450 take home yet someone is grossing around $10 000 from their contributions. There should be a degree of proportionality in these salaries to those of the teacher union members.”

Some felt with such a huge salary there won’t be much motivation to fight for the teachers unless that salary was under threat.

Farai Dziva| The MDC Alliance will not be pushed by elements sympathetic to Zanu PF to push Nelson Chamisa out of office.

MDC Alliance Harare Province spokesperson, Fani Munengami yesterday said the opposition party would not be lectured on democratic principles by Zanu PF.

MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa on Thursday revealed the late Morgan Tsvangirai had instructed him to lead the party.

“I told the leadership that before
Tsvangirai passed on, he told me
to lead the MDC to achieve his
vision of unity.

My job is to ensure I provide a vision. A vision is for a few and provision for
many. What is the vision? This
year is our year of congress. We
are deepening our democracy
and democratically electing our
leadership. We want to show we
are not Zanu PF, but a party of
the people that is going to
lead.

We are going to congress in honour of the legacy of Morgan Tsvangirai. On January 5 (2018), before he went to seek medication, he called me. Luke
(Tamborinyoka) was there. His
wife (Elizabeth Macheka) was there and many others,” said Chamisa.

Farai Dziva|Outspoken Norton legislator Temba Mliswa says his family is in danger following ” death threats” from Chegutu West MP Dexter Nduna.

In a letter written to the Zimbabwe
Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) Mliswa’s appealed for urgent action from the commission.

RE: LETTER OF CONCERN AND
REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION
INTO VERBAL THREATS MADE
AGAINST ME BY HON. DEXTER
NDUNA
The above refers
My name is Temba Peter Mliswa,
a citizen of Zimbabwe and
Independent Member of
Parliament for Norton Constituency. I write to you in terms of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. section 243. which provides that the functions of the Zimbabwe Human Rights
Commission include

1. To receive and consider complaints from the public and to take such action in regard to the complaints as it considers
   appropriate.
2. Protect people against abuse
   of power and maladministration by the State and public institutions and by officials of those institutions.
3. Investigate the conduct of any
   authority or person, suspected of violating any of the hurnan rights provided in the Constitution’s Declaration of Rights. 4. Take necessary actions to assist victims of human rights violations to receive justice
   I make the following complaint
   regarding a verbal threat made
   against me by Hon. Dexter Nduna, Member of Parliament for Chegutu West Constituency, and request the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission to investigate these abuses and secure appropriate redress:
   During a Mines and Mining
   Development Parliamentary
   Portfolio Committee meeting in
   the Senate Chambers at the
   Parliament of Zimbabwe, Hon
   Dexter Nduna made personal
   ominous verbal threats against
   me of which video and audio
   evidence is available.
4. “Ndine vamwe vanhu
   vandakauraya vandisingazive”
   which translated into English
   means, ‘I have killed some people I do not even know’
5. “I will deal with you outside” (Parliament) As a result of these threats, the security of my person and that of my family is now at risk, my right to freedom of movement and expression have been seriously compromised. I therefore look forward to your urgent response in this regard. Yours sincerely
   Hon. Temba P. Mliswa
   Member of Parliament &
   Chairperson, Parliamentary
   Portfolio Committee for Mines &Mining Development

By Own Correspondent| ZANU PF president Emmerson Mnangagwa has summoned a white farmer who was accused of denying communities access to a water reservoir at his farm and prioritising livestock ahead of the people.

Speaking at Rutenga business centre saturday afternoon at his third Thank You rally, Mnangagwa said he had asked Masvingo provincial chairman Ezra Chadzamira to come with the said white farmer to his office on Monday.

Said Mnangagwa:

“…..I have asked Chadzamira to come with that white farmer denying people water to my office on Monday. There is Save Conservancy and Malilangwe Trust and they are still owned by the whites. We are independent and we are masters of our country. We are masters of our destiny and masters of the wealth given to this county by God. We must determine how to use those resources because it is ours. We can’t have wealth in our country and have others enjoy the fruits of that wealth while we are reduced to mere onlookers.”

Correspondent|RESCUE workers retrieved 24 bodies and eight survivors Saturday from two flooded gold mines in Battlefields where officials fear dozens more illegal miners are still trapped.

The two disused mines are situated near the town of Kadoma, 175 kilometres southwest of the capital Harare.

The rescued received medical attention on site before being take to hospital, but were in a stable condition, the report added.

In a clip posted on Twitter, one survivor told journalists that the waters had risen to neck level, forcing them to stand for days until it receded.

On Friday the government said that between 60 and 70 “artisanal” miners were trapped in two shafts.

It launched an appeal for $200,000 to be used “to pump out water, feeding the bereaved families and the (rescue) teams on the ground, transportation and burial of the victims”, Minister July Moyo said in a statement.

“Given the magnitude of this disaster, we kindly appeal to individuals, development partners and the corporate world for assistance in cash and kind,” he said.

Formal unemployment is estimated at over 90 percent and artisanal gold mining, mostly in mines long abandoned by big corporates, is widespread providing a source of income for many.

Artisanal mining is not banned outright in Zimbabwe, and is largely unregulated.

16 February 2019
Ref: Dr Charles Mungoshi Funeral Arrangements

Dr Charles Mungoshi, who passed away this morning at Parirenyatwa Hospital will be buried in Chivhu (Manyene , Marundamashanu farms) on Tuesday.

His body will lie in state at his home tomorrow Sunday, travel to Chivhu on Monday and buried on Tuesday.
Mourners are gathered at 47 Uta, Zengeza 1, Chitungwiza.

We are grateful for the outpouring of support and love we have received from all Dr Mungoshi’s friends and colleagues across the world.

Mungoshi Family

By Own Correspondent| Independent legislator for Norton Temba Mliswa has written a letter to the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) requesting the investigation of Zanu Pf’s Chegutu West member of parliament Dexter Nduna.

Mliswa said Nduna should be investigated for his verbal death threats to him during a parliamentary portfolio committee meeting adding that the threats now poses a security risk on his person and that of his family.

Below is Mliswa’s full letter:

RE: LETTER OF CONCERN AND REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION INTO VERBAL THREATS MADE AGAINST ME BY HON. DEXTER NDUNA

The above refers

My name is Temba Peter Mliswa, a citizen of Zimbabwe and Independent Member of Parliament for Norton Constituency. I write to you in terms of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. section 243. which provides that the functions of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission include

1. To receive and consider complaints from the public and to take such action in regard to the complaints as it considers appropriate.

2. Protect people against abuse of power and maladministration by the State and public institutions and by officials of those institutions.

3. Investigate the conduct of any authority or person, suspected of violating any of the hurnan rights provided in the Constitution’s Declaration of Rights. 4. Take necessary actions to assist victims of human rights violations to receive justice

I make the following complaint regarding a verbal threat made against me by Hon. Dexter Nduna, Member of Parliament for Chegutu West Constituency, and request the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission to investigate these abuses and secure appropriate redress:

During a Mines and Mining Development Parliamentary Portfolio Committee meeting in the Senate Chambers at the Parliament of Zimbabwe, Hon Dexter Nduna made personal ominous verbal threats against me of which video and audio evidence is available.

1. “Ndine vamwe vanhu vandakauraya vandisingazive” which translated into English means, ‘I have killed some people I do not even know’

2. “I will deal with you outside” (Parliament)

As a result of these threats, the security of my person and that of my family is now at risk, my right to freedom of movement and expression have been seriously compromised.

I therefore look forward to your urgent response in this regard.

Yours sincerely

Hon. Temba P. Mliswa

Member of Parliament & Chairperson, Parliamentary Portfolio Committee for Mines & Mining Development

By Own Correspondent| President Emmerson Mnangagwa has revealed that he beat his arch contender from the opposition MDC Alliance Nelson Chamisa by over 450 thousand votes in last year’s July 30 harmonised elections.

Addressing party supporters at Rutenga business centre on Saturday at his third Thank You rally, Mnangagwa said he beat Chamisa as confirmed by the country’s highest court, the Constitutional Court.

Said Mnangagwa:

“…..They say we have won elections…..and this young man …i beat him by over 450 000 votes. Even when he took the matter to the Constitutional court, the court confirmed our victory.

We have a two thirds majority in parliament but he insists that he won the presidential race and we say how is that possible when ZEC results are showing that Zanu-PF won.

We have said let us open the ballot boxes and he says no. They are just making noise and it’s allowed in a democratic state but they should do that in a peaceful way.

By Own Correspondent|  President Emmerson Mnangagwa has warned those implicated in derailing Command Agriculture through withholding fuel that government will soon take action against them.

Addressing party supporters at his third Thank You rally at Rutenga Business Centre, Mnangagwa said his office is aware that things are not moving well in Command Agriculture.

He said:

“On Command Agriculture, I hear things are not moving well. The leader of the programme withheld fuel and lied that the fuel had not been provided. Listen now if you are here, we are watching you as the Government and we can remove you.”

Silver Moon and Cricket Mines survivor narrates what happened @ZBCNewsonline pic.twitter.com/VYF8UDYwsW

— Merit Munzwembiri (@meritmunzwe) February 16, 2019

Media Statement|The leadership of the party and the MDC family at large joins the nation in mourning the death of Iconic author Charles Mungoshi.

The nation is indebted to his contribution in literary consciousness and the education of many Zimbabweans.

His works will live beyond his life which has sadly come to an end.

He is a hero of the Zimbabwean flagship,the size of his accolade cabinet speaks to this fact.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Mungoshi family in this trying time.

May His Soul Rest Peace

Jacob Mafume
MDC National Spokesperson

Own Correspondent|The ruling party aligned Zimbabwe Amalgamated Churches Council patron Jimayi Muduvuri (pictured) has told Vice President Kembo Mohadi that its members are planning to hold a million man march against targeted sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the US and the EU.

The church leader met with Mohadi on Friday and handed over a petition in which different churches under their banner endorsed and registered their intention to march against the sanctions.

This development comes a day after the EU endorsed a resolution to further tighten restrictive measures on targeted persons within the ZANU PF government.

EU travel restrictions and asset freezes continue to be imposed on a few individuals and Zimbabwe Defence Industries.

However, those sanctions are currently suspended, except in relation to Robert Mugabe, Grace Mugabe and Zimbabwe Defence Industries.

In an interview Friday, Muduvuri said sanctions affect the common man and not politicians.

“I was approached by churches to be their patron and we decided that it is our duty to push for the removal of sanctions because they are affecting the common people and not the politicians. This has nothing to do with politics, it is our wish to see every Zimbabwean happy and enjoying the fruit of their labour,” said Muduvuri.

“We want to paint the city white,” he added.

Paul Nyathi|At least eight illegal miners trapped inside flooded Kadoma Mines have so far been rescued alive early reports indicate.

Sources at the mine where intensive rescue operations are taking place have indicated to ZimEye.com that the eight were rescued from within a few metres from the entrance into the shaft though details are still not yet clear.

The miners have been trapped underground for at least four days now.

Government has since declared the tragedy a national disaster.

Various mining companies from Mashonaland West Province — including Zimplats, RioZim and small-scale miners — joined the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) in marshalling water pumping machinery to drain the flooded mines.

Rescue operations are expected to continue for the next couple of days as miners in the area claim that there is a possibility that about one hundred people could be stuck in the tunnels of the disused mine.

By Own Correspondent| Spokesperson of the opposition MDC Jacob Mafume has revealed that his party hails the EU parliament’s decision regarding the human rights situation in Zimbabwe.

In an interview, Mafume said:

We therefore welcome the position taken by the EU Parliament on the human rights situation in Zimbabwe. It is clear that the world is not buying the denial narrative of Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF.

The EU correctly locates the State’s hand in the death of 17 people in January 2019 and 7 deaths of August 2018. The bloc correctly condemns the excessive use of force by members of the security forces and several other violations including rape, torture, abductions, and targeted arrested and mass trials.

We welcome the EU’s recommendations which include among other issues, the points we raise around genuine dialogue.

By Own Correspondent| Zanu-PF Secretary for Legal Affairs Paul Mangwana has denied statements by opposition MDC’s Nelson Chamisa that Morgan Tsvangirai died a bitter man after the ruling party reneged on a deal to co-opt him into President Mnangagwa’s Government.

Mangwana said there were no discussions of a  National Transitional Authority or GNU with Tsvangirai.

Said Mangwana:

Never in our discussions did the issue of a National Transitional Authority or GNU come up from either side. Furthermore, Zanu-PF had resolved that former president Robert Mugabe would be removed through constitutional means and be replaced according to the dictates of that same Constitution, which has no provisions for a Transitional Authority or a GNU. 

There was no direct communication between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the late MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, in the days leading to the resignation of former president Mugabe. In my capacity then as Zanu-PF Deputy Secretary for Legal Affairs and Lovemore Matuke, in his capacity then as Zanu-PF Chief Whip, we were tasked with representing Zanu-PF in talks with the MDC-T in the processes regarding the former president’s impeachment.

We communicated with Douglas Mwonzora (the MDC-T secretary-general and my fellow COPAC co-chairperson) and Murisi Zwizwai (chief of staff) who served as representatives of the late Morgan Tsvangirai and his party.

By Own Correspondent| Students at Hillside Teachers’ College in Bulawayo on Thursday staged a peaceful demonstration protesting against the hiking of the boarding fees from $175 to $475.

The students staged their disgruntlement through song and and chanting slogans near the college’s administration block as lectures had been suspended.

The college’s acting principal Linda Sibindi told the state media that she could only respond to written questions.

However, Sibindi did not respond to emailed questions by the time of going to print.-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent| Zanu PF Masvingo Province says they are expecting close to 40 000 party supporters to attend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ‘Thank You’ rally slated for today in Rutenga Mwenezi.

Masvingo provincial chairperson Ezra Chadzamira told the state media that all is in place for the event.

The ‘Thank You’ rally is being held to appreciate the electorate in Masvingo for voting resoundingly for Zanu PF in last year’s elections.-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent| Leader of the splinter MDC faction Thokozani Khupe has denied claims that she sold out the struggle for democratic change and is now wining and dining with Zanu Pf.I don’t

Khupe said this during an interview with the State Media.

She said her party has nothing to sell like any other opposition party in Zimbabwe.

We publish below an excerpt of the interview between Khupe (TK) and the State Media:

SM: What is your take on the criticism from some of your colleagues in the opposition, especially MDC-Alliance who accuse of selling out to zanu-pf?

TK: If I had something to sell I would worry about those criticisms, unlike 2008 where my party had a leverage in terms of numbers in Parliament there was a basis of alleging or entering in the discourse of selling out.

Fortunately, for 2018, no one in the opposition has enough parliamentarians to give them any leverage, so factually there is nothing to sell.

However, my response is in the Shona adage, “Muzivi wenzira yeparuware ndiye mufambi wayo”.

I know that one thing this country has to deal with is corruption. Some of us know how many have been used to influence certain political positions that have been taken. We also know how people have attempted to bribe people in high positions to facilitate meetings with President ED Mnangagwa, it’s ironic how whilst the same people accuse some us of selling out. They are clearly clandestinely begging for a meeting.-StateMedia

By Nomusa Garikai| Rumour has it that Minister of Finance, Professor Mthuli Ncube, and the Governor of Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Dr John Mangudya are failing to agree on key monetary policies including when Zimbabwe should bring back the dreaded Zimbabwean dollar.

When came in as Minister of Finance, Professor Ncube boasted that he was going to attract investors, bringing economic stability, etc. None of these things have happened; instead the country’s economy has blundered from one economic crisis to the next.

When he first arrived the Minister was the Tzar no one dared to question but now after all these blunders; Governor Mangudya and others have the courage to disagree and say so loud and clear. The Tzar does not like it one bit!

Indeed Minister Ncube is now so unhappy in his job some people believe he is planning to walkout! “Historic comment. Something is afoot. Is there any merit to the talk in high places that your plans to do a Nkosana Moyo have reached an advance stage?” commented Professor Jonathan Moyo, clearly relishing the prospect of the discomfort it will bring to Mnangagwa and Zanu PF.

Dr Nkosana Moyo a technocrat appointed into Mugabe’s cabinet with as much fun-fare with the high hopes that he would inject new life into the cabinet and the economy. It was embarrassing when Moyo sneaked out of the country and then announced he had resigned out of frustration with the regime’s incompetence!

Professor Mthuli Ncube can f-off! He has already proven beyond all doubt that he is just a big-headed Professor Know-It-All with no common sense, he has blundered from pillar to post, promised mountains and yet delivered mole hills. Zimbabweans will have good cause to celebrate his departure.

Still, Professor Ncube must hunt down and quiz on whether he really believed the July 2018 Zimbabwe elections were free, fair and credible and Mnangagwa and his junta regime were legitimate.

It is inconceivable he was not aware of the damning reports by the many election observer teams including Zimbabwe’s own Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission; proof Zanu PF rigged the elections.

So Professor Ncube would have accepted his appointment as Minister knowing fully well that Zanu PF was illegitimate. There can only be one logical reason why he did that – to further his own selfish and egotistic interest regardless of the suffering and deaths the Zanu PF dictatorship was causing to the nation.

Indeed Professor Ncube has played his own role in bringing more grief to the nation. His 2% tax on electronic transactions had hit the poor hard. Government was getting a cut of the poor’s US$30 or less per month, in a country whose poverty datum line is US$650 per month, dragging them even deeper below the breadline.

One decent meal, life-saving medicine, etc. have become luxuries and hundreds of thousands have died in damn anguish.

Whilst Professor Ncube had no second thoughts in taxing the poor to death, he left the filthy rich ruling elite untouched. He not only failed to stop the looting but failed to get the looters to pay any tax on their loot.

If anything he using the cash squeezed from the poor to pay for the hired jets, overseas health jaunt, etc. for the ruling elite!

In 2016 Mugabe admitted the nation was being “swindled” out of $15 billion in diamond revenue alone. Mugabe was booted out of office in 2017 before he had arrested even one of the swindlers. Mnangagwa said his new dispensation had “zero tolerance on corruption”. He has been in office over a year now and has yet to arrest one diamond swindler!

Mnangagwa has been busy rigging the July 2018 elections and seeing to it the state security forces punished all those who dared protest the rigged elections, the soaring cost of living, etc.

It was Professor Mthuli Ncube, Minister Kirsty Coventry and many others’ job to sell a sanitised democratic Zimbabwe to the world.

Mnangagwa, just like Mugabe before, has never had an problems recruiting mean spirited sell-outs like Ncube, Coventry, etc. He paid them well! Pretty good wages for one Judas Iscariot kiss!

The growing number of blunders, the scandal of his own incompetence, the vote of no confidence from those around him, etc. is enough to warn Professor Ncube he should sneak out before the s***t hits the fan, so to speak.

Wherever you go, Professor Mthuli Ncube, you be be certain we will find you. You must explain to the people of Zimbabwe whether you really did not know that Zanu PF rigged the 2018 elections and was therefore illegitimate.

Zimbabwe has had more than its fair share of individuals so mean spirited they would sell their own mother for a price and be proud they had a mother to sell. We must hold these sell-outs to account and make it clear this behaviour will not be tolerated.

European Parliament resolution of 14 February 2019 on Zimbabwe (2019/2563(RSP))

The European Parliament,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on Zimbabwe,

– having regard to the final report of the EU Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) on the 2018 harmonised elections in Zimbabwe and to the letter issued on 10 October by the Chief Observer of the EU EOM to President Mnangagwa on the key findings of the Final Report,

– having regard to the statement of 17 January 2019 by the spokesperson of the Vice President/High Representative on the situation in Zimbabwe,

– having regard to the statements of 24 July 2018 and 18 January 2019 by the spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Zimbabwe,

– having regard to the Joint Communiqué issued following the EU-African Union Ministers of Foreign Affairs meeting on 21 and 22 January 2019,

– having regard to the monitoring report from the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission in the aftermath of the 14 January to 16 January 2019 ‘Stay Away’ and subsequent disturbances,

– having regard to the report of the Zimbabwean Commission of Inquiry into the 1 August post-election violence,

– having regard to the statement of 2 August 2018 by the spokesperson of the VP/HR on the elections in Zimbabwe,

– having regard to the joint statement of 2 August 2018 by international election observation missions to Zimbabwe’s harmonised elections denouncing the excessive use of force by
the police and army to quell protests,

– having regard to the joint local statement of 9 August 2018 of the EU Delegation, the
Heads of Mission of EU Member States present in Harare and the Heads of Mission of Australia, Canada and the United States on the targeting of opposition in Zimbabwe,

– having regard to the conclusions of 22 January 2018 of the Council of the EU in light of the ongoing political transition in Zimbabwe,

– having regard to Council Decision (CFSP) 2017/288 of 17 February 2017 amending Decision 2011/101/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Zimbabwe

– having regard to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights of June 1981, which Zimbabwe has ratified,

– having regard to the Constitution of Zimbabwe,

– having regard to the Cotonou Agreement,

– having regard to Rules 135(5) and 123(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the people of Zimbabwe suffered for many years under an authoritarian regime led by President Mugabe that maintained its power through corruption, violence, elections
plagued by irregularities and a brutal security apparatus;

B. whereas on 30 July 2018, Zimbabwe held its first presidential and parliamentary elections following the resignation of Robert Mugabe in November 2017; whereas the elections offered the country the opportunity to break with the history of contentious elections marked by abuse of political and human rights and state-sponsored violence;

C. whereas on 3 August 2018, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) declared Emmerson Mnangagwa winner of the presidential election with 50.8 % of votes against 44.3 % for the opposition candidate Nelson Chamisa; whereas the results were immediately contested by the opposition who claimed that the elections were rigged; whereas the Constitutional Court dismissed these allegations for lack of evidence and President Mnangagwa was officially re-invested on 26 August for a new mandate;

D. whereas the final report of the EU EOM states that the figures presented by the ZEC
contained many anomalies and inaccuracies and raised enough questions to lead to doubts as to the accuracy and reliability of the numbers presented;

E. whereas the day after the election, the delay in announcing the results had already led to an outbreak of post-electoral violence that left six people dead and many injured during protests called by the opposition; whereas international observers, including the EU, condemned the violence and the excessive use of force by the army and internal security forces;

F. whereas the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission published a statement on 10 August 2018 ‘on the 2018 harmonised elections and the post-election environment’ confirming
that protesters were assaulted by military forces, expressing deep concern about the
brutality and violent conduct of the police and stating that the fundamental rights of demonstrators were violated; whereas the Commission has called on the government to set up a national dialogue;

G. whereas on taking his oath of office in Harare on 26 August 2018, President Emmerson Mnangagwa promised a brighter, shared future for all Zimbabweans, transcending party
lines, with a government unwavering in its commitment to constitutionalism, entrenching the rule of law, the principle of separation of powers, the independence of the judiciary and policies that would attract both domestic and global capital;

H. whereas in September 2018 President Mnangagwa set up a commission of inquiry which, in December 2018, concluded that the demonstrations which caused extensive damage to
property and injury were incited and organised by both security forces and members of the MDC Alliance, and that the deployment of the military was justified and in accordance with the Constitution; whereas the report was rejected by the opposition; whereas the commission called for an investigation within the security forces and prosecution of those who had committed crimes, and recommended compensation for victims;

I. whereas political tensions have increased dramatically since the elections and reports of violence persist, seriously putting at risk the democratic trajectory initiated in the country;

J. whereas the collapse of the economy, lack of access to social services, and the rise in the price of the most basic of commodities pushed people to anger; whereas between 14 and 18 January 2019, Zimbabwe witnessed a surge in protests and demonstrations during a socalled national shutdown at the initiative of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions
(ZCTU), following a 150 % increase in fuel prices; whereas the protests were also in response to rising poverty, the poor state of the economy, and declining living standards;

K. whereas, faced with this protest movement, on 14 January 2019 the government denounced a ‘deliberate plan to undermine the constitutional order’ and assured that it ‘will respond appropriately to those who conspire to sabotage peace’;

L. whereas the riot police responded with excessive violence and human rights abuses, including the use of live ammunition, arbitrary arrests, abductions, the raiding of medical facilities treating victims of the repression, fast-tracking and mass trials of those arrested, the torturing of people under arrest, cases of rape and the destruction of private and public property;

M. whereas the Human Rights Commission appointed by the government made public a report which reveals that soldiers and the police had used systematic torture;

N. whereas more than 17 people have been killed and hundreds injured; whereas around one thousand people have been arrested, including children aged between 9 and 16, and about two thirds of those arrested were denied bail; whereas many are still being illegally detained and have allegedly been beaten and assaulted while in custody;

O. whereas evidence shows that the army has been largely responsible for the acts of murder, rape and armed robbery; whereas hundreds of activists and opposition officials remain in hiding;

P. whereas the government’s response to protests has been widely condemned as
‘disproportionate’ and ‘excessive’ by human rights observers and local and international actors, including the EU;

Q. whereas the interruption of telecommunications has become a tool used by the regime to block the coordination of demonstrations organised on social networks; whereas mobile
and land-line communications, as well as the internet and social media channels, were repeatedly blocked to prevent access to information and communication and in order to mask the massive human rights violations which the state was preparing to commit;

whereas the Zimbabwe High Court declared that the use of the Interception of Communications Act to suspend online communications was illegal;

R. whereas the authorities organised a massive door-to-door search for protestors, dragging from their homes peaceful protestors, human rights defenders, political activists, prominent civil society leaders and their relatives;

S. whereas neighbouring countries such as South Africa have become a hub for Zimbabweans fleeing political oppression and economic hardship;

T. whereas the police have continuously misused existing laws, such as the Public Order and Security Act (POSA), to justify the curb on opposition members and human rights activists, and to ban lawful and peaceful demonstrations;

U. whereas Zimbabwe’s record with regard to human rights and democracy is one of the poorest in the word; whereas Zimbabwean people and human rights defenders continue to suffer attacks, hate speech, smear campaigns, acts of intimidation and harassment, and
there have been regular reports of acts of torture;

V. whereas the President called for a national dialogue that started on 6 February and invited all political parties to take part, but the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), the main opposition party, refused to participate;

W. whereas Zimbabwe is a signatory to the Cotonou Agreement, Article 96 of which
stipulates that respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms is an essential element of ACP-EU cooperation;

1. Underlines its unanimous desire for Zimbabwe to become a peaceful, democratic and
   prosperous nation in which all citizens are treated well and equally under the law and where the organs of the state act on behalf of the citizens and not against them;
2. Strongly condemns the violence that occurred during the recent protests in Zimbabwe;
   firmly believes that peaceful protest is part of a democratic process and that excessive
   force in response must be avoided in all circumstances;
3. Urges President Mnangagwa to remain true to his inaugural promises, to move rapidly to take control of the situation and to put Zimbabwe back on a path of reconciliation and
   respect for democracy and the rule of law;
4. Urges the Zimbabwean authorities to put an immediate end to abuses by security forces
   and to promptly and impartially investigate all allegations of excessive use of force by
   police and state officials in order to establish individual responsibilities, with a view to ensuring accountability; recalls that the country’s constitution establishes an independent
   body to investigate complaints of police and military misconduct, but that the government
   has yet to set it up;
5. Urges the Government of Zimbabwe to withdraw urgently all military personnel and the
   youth militia deployed across the country that are terrorising residents in clear violation of the Zimbabwean Constitution;
6. Believes that freedom of assembly, association and expression are essential components
   of any democracy; stresses that expressing an opinion in a non-violent way is a
   constitutional right for all Zimbabwean citizens and reminds the authorities of their obligation to protect the right of all citizens to protest against their deteriorating social and economic conditions; calls on the government to put an end to the specific targeting of
   leaders and members of the ZCTU;
7. Underlines the fundamental role that the opposition plays in a democratic society;
8. Urges the Zimbabwean authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all political
   prisoners;
9. Calls on the Government of Zimbabwe to immediately stop the harassment and criminalisation of civil society actors and recognise the legitimate role of human rights
   defenders;
10. Asks the Zimbabwean Government to conform to the provisions of the UN Declaration on
    Human Rights Defenders and the international human rights instruments ratified by
    Zimbabwe;
11. Is deeply concerned about reported violations of due process through fast-tracking and mass trials; insists that the judiciary must uphold the rule of law and ensure that its
    independence and the right to a fair trial is respected in all circumstances; denounces all
    arrests made without bringing forward charges;
12. Calls on the Zimbabwean authorities to undertake a prompt, thorough, impartial and
    independent investigation into allegations of human rights violations and abuses, including rape and sexual violence by security forces, and to bring those responsible to justice; demands that access to medical services should be universally provided to the victims of such sexual violence without fear of retribution;
13. Condemns the internet shutdown that allowed the authorities to conceal the human rights
    abuses committed by the army and internal security forces and to obstruct independent reporting and documentation of abuses during the crackdown and immediately after the
    election; stresses that access to information is a right that must be respected by the
    authorities in accordance with their constitutional and international obligations;
14. Denounces the abusive use and restrictive nature of POSA, and urges the Zimbabwean
    authorities to align legislation with international standards for the protection and promotion of human rights;
15. Expresses particular concern at the economic and social situation in Zimbabwe; recalls
    that the country’s main problems are poverty, unemployment and chronic malnutrition
    and hunger; considers that these problems can only be solved through the implementation
    of ambitious policies on employment, education, health and agriculture;
16. Calls on all political actors to exercise responsibility and restraint, and in particular to refrain from inciting violence;
17. Reminds the Government of Zimbabwe that the support of the European Union and its
    Member States in the context of the Cotonou Agreement, and for trade, development, and
    economic assistance, is conditional on its respecting the rule of law and the international
    conventions and treaties to which it is party;
18. Recalls that long-term support hinges on comprehensive reforms rather than mere
    promises; calls for European engagement with Zimbabwe to be value-driven and firm in
    its positioning towards the Zimbabwean authorities;
19. Urges the government to immediately implement the recommendations on post-election
    violence made by the Commission of Inquiry, in particular the promotion of political tolerance and accountable leadership, and the setting up of a national dialogue conducted
    in a credible, inclusive, transparent and accountable way;
20. Notes the government’s will to deliver on reform commitments; stresses, however, that
    these reforms should be political as well as economic; encourages the government, the
    opposition, civil society representatives and religious leaders to engage on an equal footing in a national dialogue in which human rights are respected and protected;
21. Calls on the government to fully implement the recommendations made by the EU EOM,
    especially with regard to the rule of law and an inclusive political environment; underlines
    the ten priority recommendations identified by the EOM and set out in the letter of 10
    October 2018 from the Chief Observer to President Mnangagwa – namely, in order to create a level playing field for all political parties, to ensure a clearer and coherent legal
    framework; to strengthen ZEC by making it truly independent and transparent, thereby
    restoring confidence in the electoral process; to ensure that strengthening ZEC’s
    independence makes it free from governmental oversight in the approval of its
    regulations; and to create a more inclusive electoral process;
22. Calls on the EU delegation and EU Member State embassies in Zimbabwe to continue
    their close monitoring of developments in the country and to use all appropriate tools to
    support human rights defenders, civil society organisations and trade unions, to promote
    the essential elements of the Cotonou Agreement and to support pro-democracy
    movements;
23. Calls on the EU to step up its political dialogue with Zimbabwe on human rights on the basis of Article 8 of the Cotonou Agreement;
24. Calls on the European Council to review its restrictive measures against individuals and
    entities in Zimbabwe, including those measures currently suspended, in the light of
    accountability for recent state violence;
25. Urges the international community, notably the Southern African Development
    Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU), to give more active assistance to Zimbabwe to find a sustainable democratic solution to the current crisis;
26. Urges neighbouring countries to comply with the provisions of international law and to
    protect those fleeing violence in Zimbabwe with the provision of asylum, especially in the
    short term;
27. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to, the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the EEAS, the Government and the Parliament of Zimbabwe, the governments of the South African Development Community and the African Union, and the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

By Own Correspondent| Opposition MDC Alliance proportional representation legislator Concillia Chinanzvavana has taken President Emmerson Mnangagwa to the Masvingo High Court, seeking to force him to extend the tenure of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) to 10 years as prescribed by the Constitution.

Mnangagwa is the third respondent in the application, while Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi is the first respondent.

Vice-President Kembo Mohadi, who oversees the NPRC, is the second respondent, while the NPRC is the fourth respondent.

Attorney-General Prince Machaya is the fifth respondent in the application. The case came before Justice Joseph Mafusire yesterday, who reserved judgment. He said he would deliver judgment in a motion court and would advise the parties of his ruling.

Through her lawyer, Tendai Biti, Chinanzvavana argued the NPRC’s 10-year tenure was shortened by five years due to delays in coming up with an Act of Parliament to put it into effect so that it would start operations.

She argues that the NPRC was supposed to be operational on August 18, 2013 when former President Robert Mugabe took oath of office, meaning it could have ended on August 19, 2023, to make it 10 years. But due to delays in enacting the law to operationalise the NPRC, the commission only came into effect on January 5, 2018.

As a result, the NPRC will just exist for five years, and not 10, she told the court. She asked the court to declare that there was a constitutional breach in the delay in operationalising the NPRC. Chinanzvavana also wants the commission’s lifespan to be prolonged to January 5, 2028.-Newsday

By Own Correspondent| Zanu-PF Secretary for Information and Publicity Simon Khaya Moyo said Zimbabwe only takes instructions from its Constitution and the United States should stop lecturing her on what to do.

He said Zimbabwe is a sovereign state whose decisions must be reapected globally.

Said Khaya Moyo:

The Trump administration does not have even a bite of moral authority to lecture Zimbabwe on how to conduct her affairs. There is no need for one to keep reminding the USA that Zimbabwe is a sovereign State and that sovereignty is sacrosanct, hence it must be respected by every nation, America included. Zimbabwe does not take instructions from anyone and anywhere else other than from her own Constitution

By Own Correspondent| A Harare Magistrate Francis Mapfumo on Friday 15 February 2019 set free 51 Epworth residents arrested for public violence during the January 14 2019 protests.

The residents, arrested in the crackdown by police and soldiers after the fuel protests were represented by Nontokozo Dube-Tachiona, Kossam Ncube and Marufu Mandevere of ZLHR.

Only seven residents will be put to their defence.

Said the ZLHR:

A Harare Magistrate Francis Mapfumo on Friday 15 February 2019 set free 51 Epworth residents represented by Nontokozo Dube-Tachiona, Kossam Ncube and Marufu Mandevere of ZLHR, who had been on trial after they were arrested in January and charged with committing public violence during some anti-government protests. Only seven residents will be put to their defence.

By Own Correspondent| Renowned Zimbabwean author Charles Mungoshi has died.

Born on December 2 1947, Mungoshi died at Chitungwiza hospital this morning.

He had been ill for close to a decade from a neurological condition after he suffered a stroke in April 2010, which nearly paralysed him and pushed him into a two-month long comma.

Reports claimed that the stroke severely affected his nervous system leading to the shrinking of his brain.

Mungoshi was a prolific and multi-award winning novelist , poet , short story writer , actor who was internationally recognized and celebrated.

He published 18 books , which include Waiting for the Rain ( 1975), Ndiko Kupindana Kwemazuva(1975), Walking Still (1997), The Setting Sun And The Rolling World (1980), Stories From A Shona Childhood (1989) and Makunun’unu Maodza Moyo (1970) among a host of other publications.

He twice won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize of Best Book in Africa and was subsequently invited to meet the Queen of England , Queen Elizabeth.One of his poems was curetted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as a permanent display as public art at their new headquarters in Seattle, Washington, in US ,2011.

He was married to actress Jessesi Mungoshi.

Gudo sisters celebrating after hearing that Haru has been refused visa by the Brits ???????@LynNemudonhi @KristenMuwani @TalithaDube1 @TsunguAlice @samy_kundai @bond20bondy pic.twitter.com/coHsQesUjd

— Mbuya Gudo from dotito (@MamoyoT) February 15, 2019

By Dorrothy Moyo| Many Zimbabweans yesterday took time to review how it is that, two weeks before she was reportedly denied a UK visa, Al Jazeera correspondent, Haru Mutasa had attacked the British government as she communicated her personal allegations of allegedly interfering with the Zimbabwean Media.

No connection or cause of action could be established to link her visa denial to her allegations, and she yesterday published saying she was denied a visa on doubts that she would return to Zimbabwe. There was no suggestion that her visa denial is linked to her criticism of the UK and other western governments.

On the 3rd February 2019, she tweeted saying, “Attack me all u want …. but as media ask yourselves why countries like Britain, US, France, Germany want to push a certain narrative ….. we are often used, lets change it as media, not be manipulated all the time.”

Below was the trail of tweets (more to follow):

• 

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• 

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Paul Nyathi|Veteran Zimbabwean writer Charles Mungoshi has died.

A family notice to the media indicates that Mungoshi died this morning at Chitungwiza hospital after a long illness.

He suffered a stroke in April 2010, which nearly paralysed him and pushed him into a two-month long comma and never fully recovered ever since.

Mungoshi married actress, Jesesi Mungoshi, who played the title role in the 1993 Zimbabwean film Neria which featured the late Oliver Mtukudzi.

Details are still coming through and ZimEye.com will be giving a full coverage of the sad passing on of the veteran writer in the course of the day.

Newsday reports claiming that MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has moved to ringfence himself from potential challenges ahead of the party’s elective congress in October after declaring that he was ordained by the late party founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai for the post.

The report quotes the party leader at the Morgan Tsvangirai memorial lecture, where it claims that Chamisa invoked what he said he was told by the former Prime Minister.

“I told the leadership that before Tsvangirai passed on, he told me to lead the MDC to achieve his vision of unity. My job is to ensure I provide a vision. A vision is for a few and provision for many. What is the vision? This year is our year of congress. We are deepening our democracy and democratically electing our leadership. We want to show we are not Zanu PF, but a party of the people that is going to lead,” he said.

Chamisa said before Tsvangirai left for his medical sojourn in South Africa, he asked him to take over the reins of MDC and unite the party, including roping in Welshmen Ncube and Tendai Biti. 

“We are going to congress in honour of the legacy of Morgan Tsvangirai. On January 5 (2018), before he went to seek medication, he called me. Luke (Tamborinyoka) was there. His wife (Elizabeth Macheka) was there and many others. He said to me: ‘Chamisa, I am going, so I am leaving you in charge. I want you to bring Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti back into the party’,” he said.

“I said I have heard you, but the job you want to give me, this will cause problems if you leave me in charge. I said to him, ‘please, appoint Mudzuri to act while you are away, then I will do the work that you have asked me when you come back, but Tsvangirai asked me why I was refusing and I said if (Thokozani) Khupe hears this, she will faint.’”

Farai Dziva| Zanu-PF Secretary
for Legal Affairs Paul Mangwana has accused MDC A leader Nelson Chamisa of maligning Emmerson Mnangagwa through ” misrepresentation of facts. “

Speaking at the memorial service for the late Morgan Tsvangirai in Harare on Thursday, Chamisa said Mnangagwa had promised there would be a transitional government that would include the late opposition leader.

Mangwana claimed there was never a
promise of a Government of National Unity (GNU).

“Never in our discussions did the issue of a National Transitional Authority or GNU come up from either side.

Furthermore, Zanu-PF had resolved that former President Robert Mugabe would be removed through constitutional means and be replaced according to the dictates of that
same Constitution, which has no provisions for a Transitional Authority or a GNU,” Mangwana told Chronicle.

Mangwana further claimed there was never direct communication between
Mnangagwa and the late Morgan Tsvangirai- pertaining to the formation of a transitional government.

Paul Nyathi|The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority has finally ordered for the arrest of Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries leader Walter Magaya for tax evasion going up to $22 million.

The move by the police to summon Magaya follows a lifestyle audit done on him and his church dealings by ZIMRA, after suspicion that he had been under-declaring his earnings.

Records pulled up showed that Magaya is paid $40,000 per month, and his wife, Tendai, $15,500.

During the period January 2013 and December 2017, Magaya got a total $2,4 million, while his wife Tendai collected $950,000 or about $15,500 monthly.

This was revealed as PHD board member for finance Nelson Tawanda Marimo appeared before a Harare magistrate charged with four counts of Income Tax Act violations.

Police spokesperson Commission Charity Charamba confirmed police were investigating Magaya.

“He has been summoned for an interview,” she said. “Police are eager to interview him on allegations of tax evasion.”

Comm Charamba declined to give further details.

THE Chief Executive Officer of the Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (ZIMTA) earns a cool monthly salary of $10,891 before taxes and all deductions, a revelation that will certainly not sit well with ordinary teachers the majority of whom wallow in poverty.

A leaked payslip of Mr. Sifiso Ndlovu, the ZIMTA CEO, shows that he earns a basic salary of $3,800, but because of a labyrinth of allowances he creams off a total of nearly $11,000 in one month alone.

That is more than twenty times what is taken home monthly by an ordinary teacher he represents.

Mr. Ndolvu earns a fuel allowance of $780 per month, which sits pretty much above what the ordinary teacher takes home overally.

Still with that monthly fuel allowance in place, Mr. Sifiso Ndlovu creams off another cool $200 for “transport”, whatever that means.

For the month of January 2019, he got paid the following per month:

• Communication allowance of $2,000;
• Basic salary of $3,808;
• Fuel allowance of $780;
• Transport allowance of $200;
• Housing allowance of $260;
• Grocery allowance of $82;
• Representation allowance of $761;
• among other dues.

Teachers have persistently complained of poor salaries and conditions of work.

Early this week, rival teachers’ unions in Zimbabwe started fighting each other amid accusations that the two largest teachers’ bodies which called off last week’s planned strike have sold out the labour struggle.

The Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (ARTRUZ) accused its biggest rivals, the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) and the Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta) of selling out the labour struggle by buckling under pressure from the employer before their demands had been met.

In a statement released on Monday, ARTUZ said: “The wheels of inevitability have finally delivered the dreaded, but expected reality, sister unions have jumped ship. Our battle for a living wage, which we began in earnest with a 275km salary caravan from Mutare to Harare — followed up with a salary camp at (Finance) minister Mthuli [Ncube]’s office and capped with a historic job action have been compromised. The so-called big unions stepped in and gave false hope to the teachers, yet the intention was to rock the ship, which was gathering momentum.”

But PTUZ president Takavafira Zhou said they called off the strike because thousands of their members, who had heeded the call and stayed away, would have lost their February salaries.

— Zoom Zim

Own Correspondent|The late Zanu PF Bulawayo provincial chairperson and former Cabinet Minister Professor Callistus Ndlovu has been declared a national hero.

Professor Ndlovu died in South Africa on Wednesday this week.

Ndlovu is the third National Hero in as many months after Academia Professor Phenius Makhurane and musician Doctor Oliver Mtukudzi were accorded the same accolade.

The two heroes’ families declined to have their loved ones buried at the National Heroes Acre shrine opting to be buried at the rural homes in Gwanda and Bindura respectively.

Details of the repatriation of his body and burial will be announced in due course.

Own Correspondent|Seven Police officers who are based at Mtapa Police Station were arrested on Sunday morning after they were allegedly sharing money at Mtapa Cemetry. It is suspected that the proceeds were from illicit activities.

Midlands Police spokesperson Joel Goko could neither confirm nor deny the story. 
“I am getting the issue from you but l will investigate and get back to you as soon as l get something,” said Goko.

However circumstances are that on February 10, 2019 at around 11am a team of six members from Police Genera Headquarters Internal Investigations visited a roadblock site along Matobo Road opposite Mtapa cemetery. 

The roadblock was being manned by Constable Manatsa, Sergeant Gwadaura, Constable Kachiputu, Constable Sithole, Constable Mastetlo, Constable Mahachi, and Constable Mapasure all from ZRP Mtapa Police Station. 

The investigating team parked their car at distance but had a clear view of what was transpiring at the roadblock. While they were observing they saw Cst Manatsa and Cst Sithole leaving the roadblock site into Mtapa cemetery where they started counting some money behind the durawall. 

The PGHQ team pounced on the two Officers who then fled from the site leaving $36 and a Police cap behind. 

POLICE have instituted disciplinary proceedings against three Buhera constables facing charges of unprofessional conduct emanating from an incident in which they allegedly quarrelled with members of the public at a bottle store while clad in police uniform.

In a fiasco which occurred on February 9 at Buhera business centre one of the cops allegedly uttered unprintable obscenities towards a patron who was wearing a Zanu-PF T-shirt bearing the image of President Mnangagwa.

The junior officers, who were allegedly in drunken stupor, started chanting MDC-Alliance slogans, forcing other patrons to join them.

Officer Commanding Manicaland Police Commissioner Wiklef Makamache said drastic measures would be taken against officers who put the name of the organisation into disrepute.

“As we speak right now, disciplinary measures are being taken against the accused persons. This is an internal process and I assure you that criminal proceedings will also follow as soon as the in-house remedies are exhausted.

“As police we do not condone rowdy behaviour within the rank and file of the organisation.

“We get more worried if our members conduct themselves unprofessionally while wearing police uniforms.

“Undermining the office of the President of the country is a serious offence and we want to get to the bottom of what really transpired,” he said.

Commissioner Makamache urged members of the public to report cops who behave unprofessionally to the nearest police station. He said the ZRP was rebuilding its image and thus there is zero tolerance to corruption and unprofessional conduct.

Circumstances to the Buhera incident were that on the day in question at around 9pm Const Shushai Chiringa (36) who is stationed at ZRP Murambinda was clad in police uniform when he arrived at Matombo Bottle Store which is run by Takunda Chipenzi.

He allegedly confronted one Munoda Katiza who was wearing a ZANU PF yellow T-Shirt and a green cap with the image of the President Mnangagwa.

The cop allegedly touched Katiza’s T-shirt and shouted obscenities in vernacular language saying “Muchiri kupfeka hembe dzemunhu uyu arikutitambudza, bvisa madhodhi ayo. Mashaya hembe dzekupfeka here?”

He also spitted saliva on the ground.

Inside the bottle store Chiringa confronted Panganai Chifamba who was also wearing Zanu-PF Party T-shirt and a cap.

He uttered the same obscenities towards Chifamba. He then sat on the bottle store counter and started chanting MDC Alliance political slogans.

The two other constables, Terrance Makombe (27) and Ationeishe Musaigwa (32), stationed in Buhera, who were also drinking beer in the bottle store while in police uniform, joined in and responded to the slogan that was being chanted by Chiringa.

The situation got tense and the matters only chilled after the bottle store attendant switched off the radio and threatened to close shop as there was now chaos and disorder.

The three suspects subsequently left the premises.

The constables were arrested the following day after police intelligence officers picked up information about the case and carried out investigations.

Statements were recorded from witnesses who chronicled how the incident occurred.
Chiringa is being charged for undermining the authority of or insulting the President as defined in Section 33 (2) (a) (i) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9:23.

The three constables are also jointly charged for contravening paragraph 48 (1) (2) (g) of the Schedule to the Police Act Chapter 11:10 as read with Section 29 and 34 of the said Act which does not allow officers to be identified with an organisation or movement of any political character.

They are also being charged for contravening paragraph 35 of the Schedule to the Police Act Chapter 11:10 as read with Section 29 of the said Act which does not allow the officers to act in an unbecoming manner prejudicial to good order or discipline or reasonably likely to bring discredit to the police force.

The trio is currently on suspension awaiting appearance before the criminal and disciplinary courts.

• Manica Post

Correspondent|The Judicial Services Commission (JSC) has fired a senior Masvingo magistrate,Mr Peter Madhibha, for gross incompetence, among other charges.

JSC secretary, Mr Walter Chikwanha confirmed the sacking of Mr Madhibha,who was one of the most senior magistrates at the Masvingo Magistrates’ Court.

Mr Madhibha stood accused of passing non-custodial and lenient sentences on some offences that would under normal circumstances warrant stiffer penalties.

More details to follow…

Correspondent|Cabinet Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo has sensationally claimed that Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube’s plans to dump President Mnangagwa’s administration are now “at an advanced stage.”

This comes as Prof Ncube labelled as fake news reports by Zimbabwean media on Thursday that there are simmering fights between the Finance Minister and the Reserve Bank Governor John Mangudya over the re-introduction of a new currency.

“It’s fake news,” was all Mthuli Ncube said, tagging in a Zimbabwe Independent article.

At that point, self-exiled Jonathan Moyo responded saying “something is afoot.”

Said Jonathan Moyo: “Historic comment. Something is afoot. Is there any merit to the talk in high places that your plans to do a Nkosana Moyo have reached an advance stage?”

In 2001, Dr Nkosana Moyo was the Minister of Industry and International Trade in then-President Robert Mugabe’s government.

He was charge of the daunting task of attracting investment and reverse the economic implosion facing Zimbabwe.

But he resigned when he got frustrated that his economic policies were being crowded out by the hardened politicians around Mugabe.

Moyo then went and met Peter Longworth, the then British High Commissioner to Zimbabwe, before taking his family out.

He resigned soon as he and his family were safe in South Africa, and his resignation letter embarrassed the Mugabe government in a big way after it was leaked to the media.

Prof Mthuli Ncube is facing a daunting task. He was appointed in September 2018 with high expectations that the economy would respond positively to his appointment.

Half a year after his appointment, the economic fortunes have not reponded to Mthuli Ncube’s policies, at least in a positive way.

Inflation has spiralled out of control, with the latest figures announced by Zimstats this Friday putting it at 56,9%, a record ten-year high.

Mnangagwa has reportedly been forced to intervene in a growing turf war between Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya and his boss Ncube on the path Zimbabwe will take to deal with a deepening currency crisis.

The Monetary Policy Statement (MPS) was expected to have been delivered either in the last week of January or first week of February.

However, disagreements over proposed currency reforms has seen the MPS stall to a point that requires executive intervention.

It is these reports of infighting which have made Jonathan Moyo to suggest time might be nigh for Professor Mthuli Ncube to pack his bags and send in a resignation letter from a safe distance.

Agencies

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PRESIDENTIAL Spokesperson George Charamba has said that President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai had struck a deal to work together and unite the country, until Nelson Chamisa came onto the scene and “fouled the deal”.

“Chamisa did not realise that there was prior dialogue to the structure which he has now assumed leadership of, a dialogue that went ahead of the party, a dialogue that was national in outlook. He jettisoned it, he fouled it, but I would still say better late than never. Now I am seeing he is coming round,” Charamba said.

He was speaking in an interview with the Daily News.

Charamba added that although he could not disclose intimate details of the discussion between Tsvangirai — who died on February 14 last year, and whose medical bills and funeral expenses were partly paid for by the government — “it was a forward looking agreement, but it appears that the MDC leader was interred with his vision that he had for this country”.

Speaking in Harare at the first anniversary of Tsvangirai’s death, Chamisa also said the country was continuing to experience major problems because Zanu PF had not fulfilled its promise to form a transitional government which would have resulted in the mapping of a credible electoral roadmap, the implementation of much-needed reforms and the restoration of political legitimacy in the country.

“I was asked by Tsvangirai to attend Mnangagwa’s inauguration at the National Sports Stadium, but I remonstrated with him saying these people could not be trusted.

“He (Tsvangirai) told me that he had been assured that a transitional arrangement would be formed that would set the reforms and conditions for free and fair elections, but that is not what happened and he died a betrayed man,” Chamisa said — vowing never to fall in the same trap again as the talk about national talks keeps gathering steam.

Chamisa who has whittled his initial 10 demands for talks with Mnangagwa to just two, said yesterday that just as Tsvangirai had refused to be assimilated by Zanu PF during Mugabe’s ruinous rule, he would also not fall into the trap of the current president.

“I have told Mnangagwa that we should unite the people, but he is not yet ready. I will only accept dialogue when we have a credible convener and then we will put down our demands.

“We can only start dialogue from that stage. We want to ensure that there are reforms so that in the future we will not have disputed elections. We do not want people like (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson) Priscilla Chigumba running the elections … we want reforms so that we will not have disputed elections,” Chamisa said.

To push Mnangagwa to the negotiating table, the charismatic opposition leader told his supporters that the MDC would use its democratic right to demonstrate and reclaim its “stolen power” from Zanu PF.

“The ZCTU is the one that organised the very successful shutdown (of last month), but then the authorities thought it was us the children who had organised that, mistaking a child for the mother.

“But I can tell you that when we organise it (their own shutdown) it will be bigger,” Chamisa said.

Meanwhile, Mnangagwa while speaking at a belated New Year’s reception for members of the diplomatic corps which was held at State House in Harare yesterday, also called on Zimbabweans to work together for the good of the country.

“On the 6th of February 2019 I invited the leaders of all political parties and former presidential aspirants in the 2018 presidential elections to an unconditional dialogue aimed at narrowing our political differences and drawing a common socio-economic future and political path for our country.

“All presidential candidates who have the maturity and sense of leadership joined us. I call on those who refuse to take part in the national dialogue to stop grandstanding and playing games with the lives of the people of Zimbabwe,” Mnangagwa said.

Chamisa snubbed last week’s meeting insisting that he would only enter into formal negotiations with Mnangagwa if certain conditions were met.

Among his demands are mediation by a neutral third party and a requirement that all “prisoners of conscience” be freed, and that there be an immediate return to the barracks by the military.

Speaking yesterday, Mnangagwa said continuous dialogue within the country was something that he was determined to do as the country’s president — but accused “foreign hands” of fuelling last month’s violent fuel protests.

“What is indeed worrisome is the premeditated nature of this unprecedented violence, including active participation by extraneous foreign hands in collaboration with local surrogates, disguised as political, civic, labour, academic and non-governmental groupings.

“The demonstrations were therefore neither civil nor peaceful and were bent on effecting regime change,” he said — adding that the events, including the death of at least 12 people, and the alleged torture and rape of women by State security agents would be investigated.

“Any evidence of rogue police officers or soldiers taking the law into their own hands will be dealt with, and they will face the force of the law,” Mnangagwa said.

Mnangagwa also said the painful policy decisions that were being taken by the government were meant to improve the economic situation in the country. In order to succeed, we are aware that we must make tough decisions such as balancing our budget, bringing in investors and attracting FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) so that we create more jobs for our people,” he said.

He also said that his government was in the process of implementing the recommendations of the Kgalema Motlanthe-led Commission of Inquiry into the August 1 post-election killings.

This comes after Zimbabwe was last month thrown into a ginormous crisis when angry protesters flooded the streets of Harare, Bulawayo and several other towns across the country, demonstrating against sharp fuel price hikes.

Property worth millions of dollars was also destroyed and looted in the mayhem which ensued, after thousands of workers heeded the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions’ three-day strike call.

At the same time, security forces unleashed a brutal crackdown against the protesters, the opposition and civil society leaders — in a move which received wide condemnation in the country and around the world.

Rights groups also continue to report human rights abuses by security forces — including galling allegations that soldiers had raped women and girls during their much-condemned crackdown against innocent civilians.

Speaking earlier, Tsvangirai’s emotional wife, Elizabeth, also revealed how a sick Tsvangirai had initially been upbeat about the army moving in to remove Mugabe from power — which was the reason why he had taken part in the marches in which Zimbabweans had demanded the nonagenarian’s ouster.

“His vision was for Zimbabwe to be united. He wanted to see the people free to express themselves and he yearned for the life that the country experienced in the early 1980s when the people had enough to eat. He wanted people to have jobs. He supported the new dispensation because he sincerely believed that it was going to be the beginning of a new era.

“Unfortunately, something else happened. For the sake of my husband, I would like to say the people should unite, not only in the MDC but across the political divide,” Elizabeth said.

— DailyNews

THERE was high drama after Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor John Mangudya (pictured), in a fit of rage, tossed paper files at Finance minister Mthuli Ncube and walked out of a meeting, angrily slamming the door as tempers flared in an episode that left top government officials stunned at a meeting called by the Treasury chief last week.

The Zimbabwe Independent can reveal that a dramatic personal confrontation erupted between Mangudya and Ncube after sharp differences emerged over the direction to take on the monetary policy front, amid concerns the central bank governor could reverse fiscal gains recorded to date.

Highly-placed sources narrated a vivid account of the verbal showdown between Ncube and Mangudya inside Treasury, in the presence of various officials from the apex bank and the Finance ministry who were left astounded.

Mangudya had been summoned by Ncube to brief him on the draft policy statement, before he could obtain Mnangagwa’s approval to officially present the monetary policy statement.

Sources said Mangudya insists on maintaining the “current” parity trading ratio between the greenback and the bond note, a move Ncube believes does not make “economic sense” in light of how the surrogate currency is rapidly losing value against the US dollar. Ncube is pushing for the liberalisation of the exchange rate which entails the floating of the local unit against the greenback.

“Mangudya and his team from the RBZ were summoned to Treasury so that he could brief the Finance minister on the draft MPS before officially presenting it last week (February 7). As he was presenting the major highlights of the policy statement, it became very clear that Ncube, even as he sat on his chair calmly, was not impressed.

Midway through John’s presentation, Ncube interjected, pointing out that the policy statement was not comprehensive and that it did not holistically address the challenges buffeting the economy.

“Ncube spoke calmly but robustly, lecturing Mangudya as though he were his university student, that it would be catastrophic to maintain the equivalent trading ratio between the bond note and the US dollar. Perhaps fed up with being treated like a student, Mangudya rose from his chair, tossed a bunch of papers in the direction of Ncube and left the room with his team in tow.

“There was deathly silence in the room, and people only became alive to what had happened after JPM (Mangudya) stormed out,” an insider told the Independent this week.

Sources say the angry exchanges between the two prompted President Emmerson Mnangagwa this week to intervene by convening a series of meetings at his offices where Ncube and Mangudya were instructed to quickly iron out their differences and present the policy statement next week.

“The two have seen HE (His Excellency Mnangagwa) more than three times this week so that they could resolve their difference to make way for the presentation of the MPS next week,” a senior Finance Ministry official said.

“What I know is that JPM (Mangudya) has always been used to making his own decisions and sometimes controlling Treasury which appears is no longer the case.”

Sources said Ncube is very concerned with what he viewed as policy indiscretions on the part of Mangudya relating to his planned monetary policy.

He wants Mangudya’s policy to complement his fiscal measures aimed at ensuring there is a budget surplus, reduced current account deficit and an end to monetary policy expansion.

Key among his objectives is to “sterilise” money supply growth by ensuring no new money is created by the central bank.

“Mthuli wants a monetary policy that complements what he is doing on the fiscal side,” another Treasury source said this week. “He is running a budget surplus and is working to close the current account deficit. He wouldn’t want a monetary policy that undoes that. He also believes the country is in this mess because of fiscal indiscipline on the part of government.”

Sources added that Ncube also feels that Mangudya directly aided Zimbabwe’s monetary expansion policy that saw the creation of billions in bond notes, Treasury Bill issuances and electronic balances.

“The major differences between Ncube and Mangudya stem from monetary expansion due to fiscal imprudence. Ncube wants to sterilise money supply growth. Mangudya used to control Treasury. This is no longer the case and they are not seeing eye-to-eye.”

Mangudya was by law supposed to present the MPS at the end of January or in the first week of February, but was stopped from doing so by Ncube, who advised that the draft policy statement by the apex bank chief did not address concerns raised by various stakeholders during consultative meetings, and lacked clarity on the rational evaluation
between the bond currency and the US dollar.

Last week, Mangudya told the Independent that he had scheduled presentation of the policy statement on February 7.

However, sources said Mangudya was “instructed to go back to the drawing board” by the Treasury chief who felt the draft MPS was not comprehensive during a meeting held in the Finance minister’s office.

Policy differences between Ncube and Mangudya range from the efficacy of re-introducing the Zimbabwean dollar, re-dollarisation, joining the Rand Monetary Union and liberalisation of the exchange rate, among other contentious issues.

Mangudya, who separated bank balances in the local unit from accounts denominated in foreign currency in his MPS last year, is pushing for the re-introduction of the local dollar, a move that Ncube disapproves on account that key macro-economic fundamentals should first be addressed before Zimbabwe can take that path.

Ncube has said the southern African country, reeling under a volatile currency crisis, could reintroduce its local currency within 12-18 months once the macro-economic environment is stabilised.

Former finance minister Tendai Biti tweeted that government was planning to re-introduce the local currency this week, drawing the ire of officials from the apex bank and Treasury.

Contacted for comment, Mangudya downplayed his angry exchange with Ncube, noting that he had a “cordial and warm working relationship” with the minister.

“I am not aware of any meeting between myself and the President yesterday. I am not aware of any differences between myself and the minister. We have cordial relations,”
Mangudya said, adding that the MPS would be presented in “due time”.

Presidential spokesperson George Charamba did not respond to the text message sent to him while his mobile phone rang unanswered.

Biti told the Independent that although Mangudya wanted to announce the return of the local currency in his MPS, he was advised on the serious ramifications of such a move on the country’s creaking economy.

“The reason why there has been a delay is that they have been caught pants down by my tweet. They were flagrant. The delay is helping the economy because what government was doing was putting poison into the economy. It was going to introduce disaster in the economy because there have been no economic fundamentals, no exports and government is spending available money like aphrodisiac,” Biti said.

“There are differences between the approach of the Minister of Finance and the approach of the Governor of the Reserve Bank. The Finance minister has openly blamed the RBZ governor John Mangudya for sponsoring quasi-fiscal activities which have contributed to the large chunk of the budget deficit.”

Biti highlighted that the only viable route Zimbabwe could take to end its intractable currency crisis was to adopt the South African rand with the central bank abandoning the financing of “quasi-fiscal activities.”

“It is common knowledge that the RBZ is the centre of the problems in Zimbabwe,” he said. “We don’t need the RBZ. In fact, the RBZ should be shut down. I handled that
Ministry without the assistance of the RBZ. They need to strengthen the use of the multi-currency regime and pursue the option of the Rand Monetary Union.”

The yet-to-be-presented MPS is expected to give direction on interest rates, exchange rate, currency crisis and rising inflation.

Ncube’s austerity measures, spelt out in his maiden budget statement, coupled with Mnangagwa’s announcement of a 150% fuel price increase last month which triggered unrest, courted public anger and triggered violent nationwide protests in January.

Sources say government officials are apprehensive about a restive population’s unpredictable reaction should Mangudya announce a policy statement that deepens Ncube’s austerity measures.

On the positive, Ncube is now running a budget surplus and working on clearing the current account deficit.

— The Independent

Farai Dziva|The political impasse between Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa and MDC A leader Nelson Chamisa remains unresolved as the two rivals maintain their positions on the legitimacy issue.

Yesterday Mnangagwa took to the podium at State House and tore into his political rival claiming he was playing games at the expense of the lives of suffering Zimbabweans.

Mnangagwa also accused of the youthful politician of using unnecessary gimmicks to disrupt government programmes.

Speaking during a public lecture in Harare that was held to celebrate the life of the late MDC founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai, Chamisa said:”
The dates of the demonstration
will come, but we want this country to be peaceful and prosperous. But that has to be done on account of dialogue and we have said we need dialogue on these issues.

If Mnangagwa is not willing to
dialogue, we will have to invite
him to dialogue through political
pressure. In terms of the Constitution, we have a democratic right to demonstrate.We will have to bring everyone to Harare and this is the mother of all demonstrations.

This country must be liberated.
We will continue on the same path led by Tsvangirai. I have refused to
have my victory stolen by Mnangagwa. We are not going to
stop, we are going after him until
he lets go of what he stole.”

Farai Dziva|Respected political analyst Dr Pedzisai Ruhanya believes Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa liberated the people of Zimbabwe to inflict a new form of oppression on them.

Dr Ruhanya described Mngagwagwa’ s ascendancy to power as a well calculated ploy that was meant to hoodwink the people of Zimbabwe into believing the much anticipated change had arrived.

“Surely you can’t claim to be the legitimate leader of Zimbabwe with a questionable and ZEC manipulated decimal victory. I am happy the international community now questions this ED phrric victory!”Dr Ruhanya argued.

“YOU liberate people to inflict a new form of OPPRESSION; black on black. Please have your BOGUS liberation; you are the greatest and worst oppressors ever. To hell with your
facepowder independence!”

“Let me state once again here and publicly so, ZANU PF under ED or any other leader will not revive the economy that they captured for 39
years for parasitic, nepotism, familial, rent-seeking, neo-patrimonial purposes.”

A dark cloud has enveloped Zimbabwe following the Battlefields disaster where 38 miners are presumed dead. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the miners.

The MDC is however concerned by the government’s silence on the battlefields disaster. It is a National Disaster which must be treated as such. The same attention the government placed on   recent bus disasters must be accorded on the Battlefields disaster. And even more importantly the number being referred to is an estimate.

It is therefore imperative to take urgent rescue measures as there is a possibility to save lives. We have always raised our concerns on the effort the government places on ensuring the safety of artisanal miners.

The only time the government cares about them is when they take away the gold and pay them in RTGS or bond notes while they earn foreign currency and line pockets of the elites. Every other small scale miner faces the same danger, flooding risk is nationwide.

The MDC is aware of the Zanu PF government’s attempt to make the sector a partisan sphere. This has prevented stakeholders to assist and the miners to form Unions which would have sought to address conditions and safety issues.

In the future the MDC suggests the following:

1.  That the safety of artisanal miners be prioritised through the adoption of active policy measures.
2.  There must be an active program to build facilities especially on water and sanitation around mining areas where small scale minors operate and dwell.
3.  Depoliticisation of the sector.
4.  Transparency in the licensing of small scale miners
5.  Payment of small scale miners in United States dollars for the gold sold through Fidelity.
 –  Establishment of a dedicated emergency rescue framework in every mining area specifically the ones where small scale miners operate.
    –  Continuous assessment of the mining areas as opposed to criminalization of activity.

Behold the New. Change that delivers! 

Jacob Mafume
MDC National Spokesperson

By Own Correspondent| Widow of Morgan Tsvangirai, the late founding president of the MDC, Elizabeth revealed that her late husband was a very strong man despite enduring a lot of pain during his last days.

She was speaking at the memorial lecture for the late Tsvangirai at Exhibition Park in Harare, Thursday.

She said:

He was a very brave man, very courageous and he was just a hero. He was a patient man that at times you would wonder whether he was angry or not. When you expected him to be angry, he would maintain his cool.

We went to the doctor and all the tests were done, so we were waiting for the results for about two hours. I could see that his body was not well, but he put on a brave face and insisted that he was OK.

After two hours, the doctor came and he said ‘unfortunately, I don’t have good news for you’. This doctor is a white Zimbabwean working from South Africa. He looked at Tsvangirai and did not know where to start.

Then he looked at me. I was shaking. I could see that he was trying to console me. We were given the results. The doctor was crying, and he said we have less than 24 hours to go for the operation because cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

I was in tears. The doctor was crying, but instead of him (Tsvangirai) being worried, he was busy consoling me and the doctor. That’s how strong he was.

… During his last months, we went to East Africa. We had doctors from France, the United States and India who came to try and find if they could help him. A lot of people knew Tsvangirai, he was just a hero and he was loved.