First of all, we would like to APOLOGIZE for publishing an article earlier on which said that DStv was banning South African-registered Accounts (SRA) of customers who are in Zimbabwe. DSTV never said what was written in that document. In fact, DSTV (be it Multichoice or DSTV South Africa) hasn’t said anything at all of that nature.

However, the origins of that fake document is of significant interest. The story is mixed with fraud, conspiracy, and incompetence on the part of some local DSTV installers (agents) and DStv South Africa. As a matter of fact, that document is ‘alleged’ to have been forged by some DSTV installer (or many DSTV installers).

What’s been happening

Apparently, there were some DStv subscribers in Zimbabwe with South African-registered Accounts (SRA) SRAs that were paying half-price to watch any DSTV bouquet since last year. Sweet deal for customers. This was made possible through the exploitation (or manipulation) of DSTV South Africa’s subscription system.  And of course, DStv installers were part of the syndicate to make this fraud an overnight success.  A bouquet that should have cost you R 120, you’d pay just R 60 to access that bouquet when you subscribed via some shady installers.

Installers were using a very simple technique to ‘trick’ DSTV’s subscription system. When SRAs initially get registered, they get 2 weeks of watching DStv for free. So if your DSTV SRA is deregistered and the ownership is transferred, then DStv’s subscription system deemed the decoder as a new account holder hence you’d get the 2-weeks freebie. Accordingly, the DSTV installers exploited this loophole by switching customers’ accounts between deregistration and reregistration them- and the shady installer pocketed those half-prices you gave them to pay your half-priced subscription. As easy as that.

Unbeknownst to customers was that this cycle of deregistration and reregistration was making them accumulate debts with DSTV. The debts were incurred as result of the accumulation of reconnection fees which DTSV says the account holder should pay “if services have been disconnected due to non-payment or late payment”.

The drama starts

It so happened that DSTV found out about this trick/fraud and it decided to reconfigure its system. Therefore on Monday (this week) its subscription system finally closed that loophole. The shady installers who were involved in this shady deal started to feel pressure from subscribers who were paying those half-prices. But above all, they started to feel pressure from customers who, having called DSTV South Africa, were told that they were owing DStv hundreds of Rands.

Guess what the ‘smart guys’ (the shady DStv installers/agents) did to cool down the pressure they were getting from DStv subscribers (who they were dealing with)? They sat on their computer and started to design and write a memo addressed to Installers saying that DSTV South Africa was shutting down South African registered decoders/accounts (SRAs). And they started to circulate that document on social media.

Way forward

I feel sorry for customers who were duped by their trusted installers. Now they owe DStv hundreds of Rands. The sad news is that there is nothing you can do about it because DStv doesn’t endorse the use of SRAs with people outside South Africa. Even if you go to Multichoice Zimbabwe, it won’t help because it’s illegal to have an SRA when you are in Zimbabwe. Evidently, you cant seek recourse anywhere. Therefore you just have to take the hit and honor your Dstv debt.

Fingaz

The MDC notes with great concern the fact that cyclone Idai is heading towards Zimbabwe through Manicaland province to Harare.

The latest data shows it will be characterised by water, floods and winds of around 60 – 80 km. So far cyclone Idai has claimed 111 lives in both Mozambique and Malawi.

As the MDC, we mourn with our brothers and sisters in both Mozambique and Malawi who have lost their loved ones, properties and livelihoods.

The MDC calls upon the government through the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to inform the nation on how prepared we are for this disaster.

We are asking for a clear plan which informs the nation on how people in low lying areas will be moved to higher ground, what we are doing as a nation to avoid any deaths due to this cyclone and how ready the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) to intervene with a rescue plan when the need arises.

The MDC demands that the government informs the citizens in all those areas that are going to be affected by the cyclone on what they are supposed to do to survive this cyclone.

This is urgent and it should be done now before it is too late.

The government must inform the nation on our disaster preparedness as a nation as well as informing the nation on what measures the country is putting in place to mitigate on the effects of climate change given the impact that is now a yearly recurrence.

The MDC is asking the government to be proactive instead of reactive in times like these.

MDC – Defining a new course for Zimbabwe

Jacob Mafume
National Spokesperson

Jane Mlambo| According to unconfirmed reports, at least three people have died in Chimanimani’s St Charles Lwanga Seminary due to Cyclone Idai.

A government source who spoke on condition of anonymity said the deaths were caused by a rock boulder which collapsed early this morning.

“At St Charles Lwanga Seminary, Chimanimani, a rock boulder has claimed lives. At least 3 deaths in Chimanimani District to date,” said the source.

In Chipinge, a teacher’s house was blown off yesterday while most rivers are reported to be overflowing posing a serious threat to villagers.

More updates following…

TROPICAL Cyclone Idai has ravaged the eastern border city of Mutare, blowing off roofing sheets and damaging both trees and vehicles in its wake. Idai already been named the deadliest weather disaster of 2019 throughout the whole world, with 122 deaths as at Friday.

The Cyclone is expected to bring heavy rainfall and strong winds across the whole country between today and Sunday, according to weather forecasts.

Weather experts at NASA have forecast that Idai will bring highly destructive winds and heavy rains of 1 – 2 feet as it pushes west at about 12 kmh towards Zimbabwe through Friday night.  

Idai will likely die on Friday night over the high terrain along the Mozambique-Zimbabwe border, but its remnants will generate very heavy rain through the weekend.

Idai’s heaviest rains may exceed two feet in the higher terrain along the Mozambique-Zimbabwe border, according to recent runs of the HWRF model. Idai’s rains will likely cause catastrophic flooding in some regions.

The disturbance that developed into Idai originated in Mozambique earlier in March, when it caused flooding in northern parts of the country and in neighboring southern Malawi. Cuamba, Mozambique received 11.14” of rain in just 12 hours on March 7. At least 66 were killed by flooding in Mozambique and another 56 lost their lives in Malawi. This makes Idai the deadliest weather disaster so far in 2019, ahead of the 80 people killed in January flooding in Indonesia, according to statistics from insurance broker Aon. Idai’s floods have displaced 100,000 people and injured 688.

A storm tide of up to 13 feet above high tide may have occurred

Fortunately, Idai hit during some of the lowest tides of the month. In locations where Idai’s storm surge was 7 feet, the peak water levels would have been near what the normal high tide will bring on March 20, due to the phase of the moon.

Anything over a 7-foot storm surge would have been trouble, and RSMC-La Reunion warned with their 18Z Thursday advisory that Beira could expect a storm surge of up to 13 feet (4 meters), with a much higher storm surge over 20 feet (6 meters) at the mouth of the Pungwe River, which forms the western boundary of the city. The bay that the river flows into is funnel-shaped and shallow, which very likely allowed a huge storm surge to build up, since the dangerous southern portion of the eyewall moved over it for several hours.

A sea level rise of 1 meter will flood 40% of the town (42.5 square km), including the port and the airport. Beira’s port is the second busiest in the nation, and has long been a major trade point for exports coming in and out of Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia and other Southern African nations. According to a January article in Aljazeera.com, Beira is steadily sinking, and portions of the city now lie below sea level.

— ReliefWeb

War Veterans Secretary-General, Victor Matemadanda has told MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa to “chill and relax” as he is a beneficiary of former President Robert Mugabe’s dirty and stolen money.

The eccentric war vets supremo claimed that Chamisa has been in contact with Mugabe and has been funded in his quest to remain leader of the country’s largest opposition party.

“Chamisa should relax, he is too speedy, and he needs to ask himself where Mugabe is getting all the money that he is giving him. He should ask himself why Mugabe is funding him.

“If he (Chamisa) was mature enough, he would see that as the opposition, they used to talk about stories of Mugabe stealing money through his travelling expenses. Unbeknown to us, that money was being stolen to fund the opposition and by accepting the money,” said the Defence Deputy Minister.

However, the MDC party has poured cold on the allegations saying Chamisa has never been in contact with Mugabe.

“There hasn’t been any contact or visit between the two, if he had done so, it would have been known because Matemadanda is a security person. So all that is a small talk by people who want to run away from their failures” said the MDC party’s spokesperson, Jacob Mafume.

Mafume told 263chat that Matemadanda needs mental help as he sometimes forgets his national duties while focusing on the opposition.

“Matemadanda should visit a psychiatric hospital sooner than later. He seems to have forgotten who the leader of his party is, he seems to have forgotten that he is part of a government that is failing to provide medicines for hospitals…

“He has abandoned his duty to focus on opposition politics, if anything, he is the one who benefited from Mugabe.

“War vets got money from Mugabe, they got farms and everything from Mugabe and Chamisa has not received anything from Mugabe except probably his vote,” said Mafume.

He further claimed that the war vets leader has not achieved anything despite him having benefitted a lot on a silver platter.

“Matemadanda, for a man of his age, has not achieved anything except being a Deputy like (Deputy Information Minister) Energy Mutodi,” he claimed.

The war vets, despite their latest rant, have been calling for Chamisa to dialogue with President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the country’ economic situation continues to deteriorate.

— 263chat

Villagers in Silobela under Chief Malisa are up in arms with Chief Sigodo who they accuse of hiring thugs to push them out of a community owned mine trust.

So nasty is the dispute that war veterans who for years have benefited from the mine, have threatened to retaliate against Chief Sigodo who they feel has overstepped his authority.

Sigodo last week allegedly unleashed more than a dozen bouncers to assault community members who have claims at Peace Mine.
Peace Mine is a community trust ownership mine where villagers own the mining rights.

Peace Mine operations manager Malanga Nkiwane told B-Metro that the chief hired bouncers from as far as Bulawayo to hold the fort for him.
“Chief Sigodo sent about 20 bouncers who we later learnt were from as far as Bulawayo to force everyone out of this mine.State media

State Media – Former Cabinet ministers Walter Mzembi and Saviour Kasukuwere, believed to be holed up in South Africa, are at the centre of an attempt to push for regime change in Zimbabwe to salvage their waning political fortunes and ward off criminal charges they are facing in Harare.

Mr Kasukuwere posted a statement on his Twitter account in which he made threats of regime change yesterday after a magistrates’ court acceded to an application to have his Nyanga property seized after he skipped bail.

“I said it will be rough, but it is gonna be rougher but thereafter we will have a ZW (Zimbabwe) we all want. This monopoly and idiocy shall be challenged. With or without 2023 it is coming. Tatamba zvakwana,” said Mr Kasukuwere.

Another fugitive former Cabinet minister, Professor Jonathan Moyo, responded confirming the regime change plan by Mr Kasukuwere.
“Kasukuwere vows to take his fight to Mnangagwa after his property is seized,” said Prof Moyo.State media

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Below is a series of LIVE tweets and an interview illustrating why South Africa based female zanu-pf activist Gugulethu Ncube who launched a strip protest at the Union building in Pretoria, is potentially seeking to hurt the reputation of the MDC Vice President Prof. Welshman Ncube, and this without cause. When she approached ZimEye early in 2017, when Gugu had been ignored by every newspaper in South Africa, she presented herself as the professor’s daughter. She also said that she was thus related to the then president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma. ZimEye sought to verify her identity and found out that she did not tell the truth when she said that she had obtained a DNA test back in 1985 which resulted in her biological father killing her own mother in a murder suicide incident after discovering that her real father is Welshman Ncube.

On the issue of her having been raped by a South Africa based male NGO worker, Gugu Ncube at the side told ZimEye she was accusing the man just to get a private money settlement. She said this while asking ZimEye not to publish key elements of her allegations.

Below is the one hour long hour interview as well as written responses at the bottom. VIDEO:

Farai Dziva|One of the founder members of the Movement for Democratic Change Lawson Mapfaira popularly known as Dhara Rada has died.

Mapfaira died in Chivi in the early hours of today.

“When you talk of people who contributed to the launch of the party in Masvingo Province you will not miss his name.In 2000 Dhara Rada was one of the members who led the Recruitment Committee.

Mapfaira was a fearless and dedicated leader.Rest in peace Dhara Rada Lawson Mapfaira.

In 2000 he was at Chitungwiza Aquatic Centre at the party’s first Congress of the MDC,” said MDC A official Jeffryson Chitando.

By Dorrothy Moyo| Africa needs to create its own European Union type, Zimbabwe MPs debated on Thursday.

MP after MP spoke in support of the need to abolish border restrictions. Even the likes of Chegutu MP Dexter Nduna who kept talking about abstract subjects like “witchcraft,” were in agreement. (SEE VIDEO).

Said Wedza MP David Musabayana, “if you’re going free trade area then those borders are no longer relevant… the other good thing about these free trade areas… we are looking at what other continents have done… if we look at EU they have transformed it into a political bloc…

“EU is the most successful free trade area in the world…. that goes to show that it is important that we go to remove these borders or these tariffs…

“So Africa uniting for Africa you removing barriers will make sure that we create a big market where we want more than 1.2 billion people… why Africa is lagging behind is because of Africa has not been able to manufacture or to industrialize…because there is no individual market… there is no critical market to be able to sustain specific Industries for production but once we United it means we will be able to manufacture at low-cost.”

However, MDC MP Tendai Biti, had a different view and he said, “EU is succeeding not just because it is a free trade area, but because it is a monetary union.”

CLOSE to 150 girls from Monte Cassino Girls High School in Mashonaland East on Friday sneaked out of school and walked over 6km in soaking rain to the nearest police station where they reported sexual abuse by their teachers, among other complaints.

The girls also complained of corporal punishment, a substandard food menu as well as verbal abuse by teachers who include nuns from the Roman Catholic Church which runs the school.

The complaints sheet also included claims that pupils who did not pay for holiday lessons were being punished during the normal course of the term.

The girls walked 6km to the police station, the ZBC reported.

Macheke police invited officials from the district education office to address the pupils on the non-criminal aspects of their complaints. The officials promised to look into the grievances.

Police also told the pupils that investigators were being sent to the school to look into specific criminal allegations.

The determined girls numbering about 150 left their school at 4AM, arriving at the police station just before 6AM in an unprecedented demonstration and show of unity.

School authorities sent the school bus to fetch the pupils, who left the police station just after midday, the ZBC reported.

But before they left the police station, they were addressed by officials from the Ministry of Education as well as police officers.

ZOOMZimbabwe also understands the pupils later on had meetings at the school with Education officials, in which all teachers were ordered out.T

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has said he grew up aiming to become an airline pilot, but his ambitions changed due to colonial circumstances of the day.

He said this on Friday while interacting with youths at the Zimbabwe Youth Indaba which was organized by the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation.

The Minister Kirsty Coventry asked President Emmerson Mnangagwa what he wanted to be when he was a teenager.

The President narrated how his family had problems with the colonial government in rural Midlands under Chief Mapanzure, and they ended up emigrating to Zambia. He said that changed his dreams and he ended up pursuing guerilla warfare against the colonial regime.

The President also said the circumstances led him to become a lawyer although his heart was not into it. He wanted to be a soldier, he said.

He got the youths in stitches when he narrated how he burnt down a lecturer’s house as part of his political activism. He ended up being selected for training in Tanzania and eventually in China, he said.

Watch the video below:

“We must not just imagine the future we want but more importantly roll up our sleeves and put our shoulders to the wheel to realize the future we want,” said the President.

Speaking on the sidelines of the indaba, Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Kirsty Coventry said: “As the minister, I am really excited about this. I have been speaking to many youth groups here and I am glad the youths have been sharing with the President. It is not all about concerns alone; the youths proffered solutions to their concerns and shared them with the President,” she said.

More than 200 youths from all the provinces met and dialogued with the Head of State. Coventry reiterated that the event was apolitical.

“And let me be clear on one aspect. This is not a political youth gathering, it’s totally non-partisan. When we started planning this event, some people were saying it’s a politically-related event, but no! This is a platform organised for youths of Zimbabwe,” she said.

Some of the concerns discussed during the indaba today included youth empowerment, job creation and youth participation in national development.

Vice President Chiwenga as well as Cabinet Ministers and other government leaders attended the events.

THE Zimbabwe Republic Police has transferred a number of officers allegedly as part of efforts to “transform the organisation into a people- oriented force.”

In Bulawayo, most of the junior officers at Pumula Police Station were transferred to other stations.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday said there was nothing amiss with the new transfers as it was administrative.

“Transfers are an administrative issue which is meant to improve performance in the system and they are also part of a task development which is meant to promote job rotation. Above all, the officers commanding provinces like in this case Bulawayo province have the responsibility of transferring non-commissioned members who would have stayed at a particular station for five years or more,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

He said from time to time, the ZRP transfers its officers just like any other Government department as a way of staff development.

Asst Comm Nyathi said cops are also transferred so that they do not become too familiar with certain communities.

“We need to consider the experience which one has, the exposure and also the need to develop somebody and this is not peculiar or unique to policing alone.

“Transfers in government circles are meant to improve service delivery which then benefits the community. In our case we do not want somebody to stay at one station for 10 years,” he said.

Recently, the police redeployed senior officers which saw former national police spokesperson Commissioner Charity Charamba being deployed to head the Police Staff College.

State media

Correspondent|Emmerson Mnangagwa has said he grew up aiming to become an airline pilot, but his ambitions changed due to colonial circumstances of the day.

He said this on Friday while interacting with youths at the Zimbabwe Youth Indaba which was organized by the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation.

The Minister Kirsty Coventry asked President Emmerson Mnangagwa what he wanted to be when he was a teenager.

The President narrated how his family had problems with the colonial government in rural Midlands under Chief Mapanzure, and they ended up emigrating to Zambia. He said that changed his dreams and he ended up pursuing guerilla warfare against the colonial regime.

The President also said the circumstances led him to become a lawyer although his heart was not into it. He wanted to be a soldier, he said.

He got the youths in stitches when he narrated how he burnt down a lecturer’s house as part of his political activism. He ended up being selected for training in Tanzania and eventually in China, he said.

Watch the video below:

“We must not just imagine the future we want but more importantly roll up our sleeves and put our shoulders to the wheel to realize the future we want,” said the President.

Speaking on the sidelines of the indaba, Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Kirsty Coventry said: “As the minister, I am really excited about this. I have been speaking to many youth groups here and I am glad the youths have been sharing with the President. It is not all about concerns alone; the youths proffered solutions to their concerns and shared them with the President,” she said.

More than 200 youths from all the provinces met and dialogued with the Head of State. Coventry reiterated that the event was apolitical.

“And let me be clear on one aspect. This is not a political youth gathering, it’s totally non-partisan. When we started planning this event, some people were saying it’s a politically-related event, but no! This is a platform organised for youths of Zimbabwe,” she said.

Some of the concerns discussed during the indaba today included youth empowerment, job creation and youth participation in national development.

Vice President Chiwenga as well as Cabinet Ministers and other government leaders attended the events. 

Own Correspondent|Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor John Mangudya has explained how the “targeted” sanctions imposed by the United States of America on the country affect the financial system.

Local banks’ ability to access foreign lines of credit, as well as to process international payments has been negatively affected.

Said Mangudya: “It’s only a few banks which can take Zimbabwe’s risk. Zimbabwe is under sanctions and the sanctions are in three parts.

“The first one is ZIDERA, which says no one should give Zimbabwe development finance, be it the IMF, the World Bank or the African Development Bank.

“Secondly, there is OFAC, which says that the transactions from Zimbabwe should be scrutinised for compliance risk.

“Third is Zimbabwe’s exclusion from AGOA (the African Growth and Opportunity Act a piece of legislation that was approved by the US Congress in May 2000, whose purpose is to assist the economies of sub-Saharan Africa and to improve economic relations between the United States and the region), which means we do not have market access.

“These three pillars have placed immense constraints on the Zimbabwean economy,” Mangudya said.

US President Donal Trump extended the economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by one year.

Trump claimed Zimbabwe’s government continue to pose an “unusual and extraordinary” threat to American foreign policy.

Jane Mlambo| President Emmerson Mnangagwa Will tomorrow leave the country for United Arab Emirates on yet another ‘likely worthless’ state visit.

Since he took over power, Mnangagwa has been on a global whirlwind visiting countries including South Africa, Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan among others but the ordinary person on the street has not seen the results of his globetrotting.

Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa is on record saying Mnangagwa’s foreign visits will not yield results as long as his legitimacy is still in question.

PARIRENYATWA management have ignored an electrical fault which occurred after an inferno engulfed part of the wards last month, forcing the institution to switch off power for the maternity division, a situation which has been blamed for the rise in mortality and accidents in the maternity wards.

Even though the institution successfully runs a Kangaroo ward where mothers of premature babies are monitored as they naturally warm up their babies through cuddling, the absence of power in the maternity department has worsened the situation as babies are being born either deformed or dead.

In emotional plea to government to address the horrific state of affairs at Parirenyatwa Hospital, Pediatrician, Dr Azza Mashumba said the hospital management was busy painting the walls of Mbuya Maternity division while the situation inside the building was grotesque.

“There is no urgency at all, this fire happened on second of February 2019 but they are painting the outside. How is that important, how is that going to help at all. There is just no urgency at all.

“We are trying so hard, we have tried coming up with contingency plans but nothing is moving,” said Dr Mashumba.

In defense however, Parirenyatwa Hospitals Chief Executive Officer, Mr Thomas Zigora said painting of the wall was being done by a well-wisher and they were also looking into solving the electrical fault.

” A well wisher approached saying they want to paint the walls of the Martenity wards. It is not the hospital that’s doing it.

“As for the electrical fault, we are sure very soon it would have normalized as we have already started work on it.”

— Healthtimes

An incident in which gunmen in military gear overpowered security staff of the government-owned Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) in Chiadzwa, Manicaland, and held them hostage before escaping with valuable gemstones at midnight on January 15 this year during the #ShutDownProtests has led to Zimbabwean diamonds being classified as conflict diamonds by the United Nations.

As a result, the 69th plenary meeting of the United Nations (UN) has resolved to include a discussion on whether Zimbabwean diamonds should be classified as conflict gems during the inter-governmental organisation’s 74th general assembly meeting agenda.

The development follows intense lobbying by a grouping of international civil society organisations affiliated to the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) urging the UN to review its definition of conflict diamonds in order to encompass Zimbabwe’s gemstones.

The move, if it succeeds, will bar Zimbabwe from trading on the formal international market. This could deal a huge blow to the Zimbabwe government’s plan which is already in motion, where it selected Russian diamond miner Alrosa and China’s Anjin Investments to partner with the state diamond company ZCDC in exploiting the diamonds.

London-listed Vast Resources and Botswana Diamonds have said they are planning to mine diamonds in Marange in partnership with a local community trust.

The Independent newspaper reports that Zimbabwean Centre for Natural Resource Governance (ZCNRG) director Farai Maguwu, who presented the case for Zimbabwe at the plenary meeting in New York last week, urged the UN to classify Zimbabwean gemstones as conflict diamonds on the basis that they were being used to fund military operations in the country.

In a circular to member states last week, the plenary said it noted with concern the continuation of trade in conflict diamonds or blood diamonds on the international market, with serious impact on peace and the safety and security of people in affected countries as well as the systematic and gross human rights violations that have been perpetrated in such conflicts.

“The plenary acknowledges with great appreciation the important contribution that the European Union, as Chair of the Kimberley Process in 2018, has made towards curbing the trade in conflict diamonds, and welcomes the selection of India as the Chair of the Kimberley Process for 2019, the Russian Federation as the vice-chair for 2019 and the chair for 2020 and Botswana as the vice-chair for 2020 and the chair for 2021. The plenary requests the chair of the Kimberley Process to submit to the General Assembly at its seventy-fourth session a report on the implementation of the Kimberley Process. The session also decides to include in the provisional agenda of its seventy-fourth session the item entitled: The role of diamonds in fueling conflict,” the circular reads.

The KPCS was founded when southern African diamond-producing states met in Kimberley, South Africa, in May 2000, to discuss ways of stopping the trade in conflict diamonds and ensure that diamond purchases were not funding violence.

The result was an agreement by the UN, European Union, the governments of 74 countries, the World Diamond Council representing the industry and a number of interest groups such as Global Witness.

They established the KPCS, whereby members are required to certify that all rough diamond exports are produced through legitimate mining and sales activities and are conflict-free.

This is not the first time Zimbabwe finds itself at the centre of a diamond ban lobby.

Following the rise in the trade of blood diamonds between 2008 and 2009, Zimbabwe was facing a ban from the KPCS, but a meeting in Namibia in October 2009 recommended against the ban. However, international diamond buyers have had to purchase Zimbabwe’s gemstones in secrecy and avoid using the United States dollar in order to by-pass sanctions placed on Zimbabwe by the US.

Besides Zimbabwe, other countries which are likely to be affected by the development are Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo and Venezuela.

— The Independent

Farai Dziva|A Masvingo based NGO Community Tolerance Reconciliation and Development has filed an urgent court application challenging its suspension by Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Mnangagwa suspended the operations of the NGO on Monday. Government officials in Masvingo accuse the NGO of funding acts of hooliganism.

Impeccable sources have pointed out that Mnangagwa ordered Masvingo State Minister Ezra Chadzamira to deal with perceived Zanu PF opponents in the area.

“On behalf of Community Tolerance and Development (COTRAD), Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights has filed an urgent chamber application at High Court challenging government’s decision to suspend the non-governmental organisation’s operations and for it to to be allowed to resume full operations in Masvingo Province without any interference.

Government had on Monday 11 March 2019 ordered COTRAD to cease operations pending some so-called investigations into the organisation’s registration status,” Zimbabwe Lawyers For Human Rights said in a statement.

By Own Correspondent| MDC Secretary for Health and Child Welfare Dr Henry Madzorera has expressed solidarity with striking doctors calling on government to invest in the country’s health delivery system.

He said in a statement:

The health care delivery crisis in Zimbabwe has reached alarming proportions.

As the MDC, we express solidarity with the troubled medical practitioners and the needlessly suffering and dying patients of Zimbabwe.

While our leaders are jetting out daily to receive state of the art health care abroad, ordinary Zimbabweans are dying of easily curable conditions like appendicitis and diabetes in our hospitals for lack of basic medicines and consumables.

Our highly trained health workers are spending their time worrying, working dangerously without equipment, and helplessly overseeing the death of their valued patients without the wherewithal to assist them.

Infinitely more lives are being lost, or permanently disabled (cerebral palsy, etc).

This is the scale of catastrophe confronting us, and it’s completely preventable.

It seems this government sold us a dummy when they showed us tonnes of containers purportedly full of medicines and consumables end of 2018.

Now we know that was a hoax, because the medicines and consumables situation is worse now than it ever was.

The People’s party of Excellence calls upon this military government to take the lives of Zimbabweans seriously and prioritise health care.

The buck stops with the so called president of the nation.

Zimbabwe can’t be open for business if curable disease is decimating the workforce.

Financing health care must therefore be priority number one on the government’s agenda.

Here is some free advice to this failed government: The 2% transaction tax that government is collecting must go to healthcare in total. In addition, portions of other existing taxes like toll gate fees, carbon tax, vehicle license fees, tax on tobacco alcohol, etc, must immediately be channeled to healthcare.

This will immediately take care of this serious headache and the nation can begin to look at other areas of development.

The call for dialogue has already been made, and this crisis magnifies the urgency of dialogue to resolve national issues.

Apart from taking good care of our citizens, Zimbabwe has the potential to be a regional centre of excellence in healthcare.

This requires serious political will, commitment, and a SMART vision.

A healthy nation is a productive nation.

MDC: Defining a New Course for Zimbabwe.

Dr Henry Madzorera
MDC Secretary for Health and Child Welfare

“…I said it will be rough, but it’s gonna be rougher but thereafter we will have a ZW we all want. This monopoly and idiocy shall be challenged. With or without,2023 is coming.Tatamba zvakwana!…”

Farai Dziva|One of the founder members of the Movement for Democratic Change Lawson Mapfaira popularly known as Dhara Rada has died.

Mapfaira died in Chivi in the early hours of today.

“When you talk of people who contributed to the launch of the party in Masvingo Province you will not miss his name.In 2000 Dhara Rada was one of the members who led the Recruitment Committee.

Mapfaira was a fearless and dedicated leader.Rest in peace Dhara Rada Lawson Mapfaira.

In 2000 he was at Chitungwiza Aquatic Centre at the party’s first Congress of the MDC,” said MDC A official Jeffryson Chitando.

By Own Correspondent- Deputy minister of Labour and Social Welfare Lovemore Matuke told parliament that President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration is yet to review upwards the monthly allowance given to the elderly in Zimbabwe revealing that they are currently getting $25 RTGs bond.

He said this while responding to a question from Zanu-PF Nkayi South Member of Parliament Stars Mathe.

Said Matuke:

“In our Constitution, there is a clause which states that elderly people and young children are the burden of Government.  Government has put in place mechanisms to support such people.  For school going ages, there is BEAM which caters for them.  In our Constituencies we have our structures which recommend for support of the elderly and young ones who are in need. Government is responsible for that burden.  They can even get cash per month and also food aid is supposed to be given to those people.

I urge Members of Parliament in your constituencies to assist Government to identify such people so that they get assistance from Government.  Social Welfare officers will come to your areas to verify the existence of such people and then they get help.  I thank you.

It is the duty of the Government to take care of the elderly.  However, we have economic and financial problems at the moment.  Our funding might not be sufficient like other countries that you have mentioned but in accordance to what we have as a country, the Government is supposed to help the elderly with money.  At the moment they were being given $25 per month.  However it has been noted that the money is too little, it cannot buy anything.  The money is going to be increased so that it can buy something in order to take care of our elderly and young ones as stipulated in our Constitution.”

By Own Correspondent- Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has said that the arrest of a suspect only acts as a way of ensuring that they attend trial and it should not be used as a method to investigate a crime.

Ziyambi said this Thursday during a question without notice session at parliament.

He said:

“Arrest is a method of securing the attendance of somebody at trial and it is not supposed to be used as a method to investigate. When somebody is being arrested, there must be reasonable suspicion that an offence has been committed and they are ready for trial. That is one of the methods that are used to secure the attendance of that particular person at trial.”

Paul Nyathi|Giant Financial Weekly Newspaper, the Financial Gazette has issued a statement apologising to its readers for publishing a misleading article that DSTV South Africa was working on disconnecting Zimbabwean viewers who are subscribing in South Africa.

The same article was captured and credited to the same media here by ZimEye.com correspondents. The error is regretted.

Below the full statement by the Financial Gazette who originated the article which has also been captured by several other online publications.

“When we first published this article, we wrote that DSTV was switching off customers who were accessing South African accounts from Zimbabwe.

This is not true however. We profusely apologise for carrying that story.

The truth is a bit more complicated and we will publish on that very soon explaining exactly what’s going on.

Yes, accessing South African DSTV content from anywhere outside South Africa is illegal and not permitted by Multichoivce. They just don’t have a way of stopping such pirate accounts from receiving signal.

Again, very sorry for running an inaccurate story. We will give you details soon.

Farai Dziva| Government has, through a directive from Emmerson Mnangagwa suspended the operations of a Masvingo based Non Governmental Organisation (NGO).

Community Tolerance Reconciliation and Development has been banned for allegedly funding public protests.

Officials at the organization have confirmed the suspension is with immediate effect.

Community Tolerance and Reconciliation Development Trust is a youth organization that promotes democracy, development and human rights issues.

By Own Correspondent-  Deputy minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Douglas Karoro has revealed that all is set for the 2019 tobacco marketing season.

Karoro said TIMB had confirmed that the buyers were ready in terms of cash and floor space and the organisation was only waiting for the announcement of the tobacco auctioning date.

He said this while responding to a question from Zanu Pf’s Wedza North legislator, David Musabayana on progress made towards the commencement of tobacco auctioning.

Said Karoro:

“We visited TIMB offices who are the ones who control the tobacco auctioning to check on the preparedness. They informed us that all is in place. They were waiting for the date of the auctioning to come, including cash to be used to buy the tobacco. According to assessments, the buyers are ready in terms of cash and floor space.

When I say the preparations are at an advanced stage, I am telling the truth.  The issue of vendors who disturb the tobacco farmers when they come to sell their tobacco; we have looked at that and prepared for them.  We even looked at the issue of health and there was a comprehensive inspection that was done on the facilities so that they are able to hold many people who would be coming to sell their tobacco.”

By Own Correspondent- Two Masvingo coucillors nearly exchanged blows in the Masvingo City Council chambers over a resolution to create an audit department.

Ward 4 and 10 Councilors Godfrey Kurauone and Sengerayi Manyanga engaged into a heated argument and Mayor Collen Maboke had a torrid time restraining the two who were sitting next to each other.

Commotion started after Kurauone proposed to rescind a resolution which was made by the last full council, stating that the council was wasting resources and time going to see the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing with a proposal to have a stand-alone audit department.

A heated debate ensued over the issue with the majority of councillors against Kurauone until Manyanga challenged Kurauone to move a motion which could be seconded.

Manyanga started accusing Kurauone of wasting the full council’s time by not making it clear from the start that his question was just a motion.

“Kurauone was supposed to ask his question, like he has done now. He is wasting council’s time and taking us for fools. Your Worship, whenever you give him a chance to speak, give me also,” Manyanga said, seething with anger.

“He thinks he is clever and we are foolish, taking this whole house for a ride,” a charged Manyanga said.

Kurauone then stood up and told the mayor that Manyanga was on his phone during the debate, at which Manyanga interjected saying Kurauone was in South Africa when the issue was resolved and can cannot rescind something that was resolved in his absence.

“We are not fools here, we are councilors. You are the thief that is why you are opposed to a stand-alone audit department,” Manyanga charged.
The two councilors then stood up and started exchanging insults, during which Kurauone told Manyanga that the full council was not a Border Gezi camp.

“This is not a Border Gezi camp. You cannot bully everyone here,” an angry Kurauone said.

It took the intervention of Ward 1 councillor Selina Maridza to stop the two councilors from bickering, after which Mayor Maboke gave an order that the council will stand with the resolution to go see the minister of local government.-TellZim

By Own Correspondent- Addressing the media soon after the post cabinet meeting in Harare Thursday, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obediah Moyo denied that doctors are on strike.

Moyo challenged anyone who claimed that senior doctors were on strike to visit any hospital and confirm for themselves that they were reporting for duty.

Said Moyo:

“I would like to clarify the fact that there is no one on strike in the health sector. If reporters would like, you can even go and confirm with the consultants at Parirenyatwa hospital. They called us for a meeting because they had had a meeting the previous day with their local administration at Parirenyatwa and they were advising me on some of the issues they were not happy with.”

By Own Correspondent- Management at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals has reportedly ignored an electrical fault which occurred after a fire broke out and damaged part of the Mbuya Nehanda maternity division last month, rendering the institution a death trap for newly born babies.

The absence of power in the maternity ward has also worsened the situation as some babies are now being born deformed.

Paediatrician, Dr Azza Mashumba said that the government has to urgently deal with the issue.

She said:

“There is no urgency at all, this fire happened on the second of February 2019 but they are painting the outside. How is that important, how is that going to help at all? There is just no urgency at all.

We are trying so hard, we have tried coming up with contingency plans but nothing is moving.”

However, Parirenyatwa Hospitals Chief Executive Officer, Mr Thomas Zigora said that the painting of the hospital is being done by a well-wisher while the electrical fault would be addressed very so.

By Own Correspondent- Opposition MDC has described the ongoing strike by doctors as a reflection of a failed government which is implementing a soft genocide on its citizens.

National spokesperson for the MDC Jacob Mafume said in a statement:

“The strike of specialist doctors’ at Parirenyatwa Hospital is an indictment on the failed military government.

It is a high-level manifestation of a nation in crisis. Mnangagwa and his cabal must humble themselves and accept failure. They must apologise for failing the Zimbabwean people and concede to the convening of urgent dialogue.

Zimbabweans cannot continue to lose lives unnecessarily, the statement released by the doctors makes this point. They state that lives are being lost while doctors watch because there are no consumables required to do the work.

That emergency cases are now taking longer than normal while patients have to source consumables on their own. Doctors have also said they would be attending to emergencies only while resources reserved for these situations will last just a month.

This is a national disaster, it cannot be business as usual.

The military government has been committing a soft genocide – loved ones have been lost.

The MDC calls for urgent measures to combat avoidable deaths.

Only dialogue can resolve these issues. The People’s President, Adv Nelson Chamisa has already availed himself to deal with the challenges bedevilling our country.”

By Own Correspondent- Zimbabwe has agreed to allow South African officials to sit in official meetings of the Ministry of Finance.

This was revealed in confidential minutes of Tuesday’s South Africa-Zimbabwe Bi-national Commission, exclusively obtained by the Zimbabwe Independent, the publication claims.

According to the Independent, South Africa has demanded to monitor Zimbabwe’s economic affairs, and get latest updates if it was to engage Zimbabwe’s creditors. An official well-briefed on the developments told The Independent that:

Ramaphosa has taken a firmer position to build closer relations between South Africa and Zimbabwe than his predecessors as a way of trying to reinforce his control over the situation, help out Harare and stabilise the country while containing huge problems the local crisis is causing south of the Limpopo.

He really wants to help; his administration realises that South African can only contain problems Zimbabwe is causing in its backyard and in the region by stabilising it and assisting it to recover.

This is a much more sustainable solution than allowing Zimbabwe to sink, become South Africa’s poor 10th province or take advantage of its problems to tap into its labour reservoir, shrinking market and resources.

Already Zimbabwe is like a huge South African warehouse, but Ramaphosa wants to help with a sustainable solution. It is both in South Africa and Zimbabwe’s national interest.

… Zimbabwe is to extend an invitation to South Africa to participate in stakeholder meetings which Zimbabwe’s Finance minister holds on a regular basis, during which feedback is provided on the state of the economy and policy measures by the government (of Zimbabwe).

Going forward, the two ministers agreed to work together on engagements with international partners to provide support towards the economic reform agenda of Zimbabwe.

Earlier this year our government shut down the internet to stifle protests and when the internet was restored the government the government made sure that we still didn’t have our beloved social media platforms to communicate. This was the case for a couple of days but then order was later restored and Zimbos have been chatting away on these platforms with no problems since then.

In Chad, unfortunately, there is a different reality. Internet access was cut off towards the end of March. 28 March if we’re being exact and since then nothing has changed. Of course, the internet shutdown came about as a result of political and economic tensions in the country. In Zimbabwe, it was the fuel crisis and the subsequent raising of fuel prices that led to the shutdown. In Chad, it was a proposed constitutional change that would allow the allegedly unpopular ruling party to stay in power until 2033 that triggered the social media apocalypse. Prior to this extended shutdown, the Chad government had already established their reputation for having a quick trigger finger when it came to shutting down the internet, as a similar move was made in 2016.

Though the shutdowns were quite common for the country with a 6% internet penetration rate, they never lasted as long as this one has. For the mobile operators following a political directive, they’ve resorted to calling the disruption a ‘technical challenge’ which is a big reflection of how powerless mobile network operators at the mercy of dictatorial regimes have become.

human rights activists and groups like Africa Freedom of Expression Exchange have been campaigning to bring an end to the internet blackout but thus far this has not been fruitful.

The MDC today received with sadness disturbing news of the death of Blessing Toronga – a member of the MDC District Executive in Highfield.

Toronga was abducted by individuals driving an unmarked Foton vehicle back in January days after the ZCTU-called stay away.

The MDC made efforts to publicise his abduction and sort assistance in his location to no avail only to be told of the discovery of his body in a mortuary in Chitungwiza.

We are concerned by the consolidation of a predatory military state which devours its citizens. Zimbabwe cannot continue on this path.

Citizens are killed for exercising the right to form, join and participate in activities of political organisations of their own choice as enshrined in section 67 of the Constitution.

Zimbabweans now live in fear of disappearing as was during Ian Douglas Smith’s time when members of the special branch instituted forced disappearances on activists of black majority rule.

The idea of politically motivated deaths defeats the idea of the liberation struggle, it is a reversal of the gains and is unacceptable. The people who hijacked the agenda of independence must be jettisoned, they are a danger to society.

The Party send its condolences to the Toronga family and the Highfield community. May they find comfort in these trying times.

Rest In Power Mr Toronga

Jacob Mafume

By Own Correspondent- Bulawayo High Court judge, Justice Martin Makonese has denied Tashinga Musonza bail arguing the accused was a flight risk.

Musonza (29), an Air force of Zimbabwe pilot based at Josiah Tungamirai Airbase in Gweru, reportedly killed his lawyer girlfriend, Lucky Duve (32) last year accusing her of cheating on him with his unnamed colleague.

Musonza had applied for bail at the High Court through his lawyer James Makiya.

Justice Makonese dismissed Musonza’s application. He said:

It is now trite, that where the evidence against an applicant is overwhelming, the risk of abscondment is high. The court is aware that the applicant does not deny assaulting the deceased.

The court observes that the applicant’s defence is at variance with the cause of death recorded in the postmortem report. The question that arises is why the applicant seeks to mislead this court on the cause of death?

It is my view, that an applicant in a bail application who seeks to mislead the court is not a suitable candidate for bail.

By Own Correspondent- Panic has gripped the Bulawayo community after shocking and controversial statistics revealed that 80 percent of Bulawayo men that patronise bars and the red light districts are sleeping with other men.

The shocking and yet to be confirmed revelations were made by Bulawayo male sex workers to a local media outlet.

Outraged Bulawayo men took to micro-blogging site Twitter to express their disgruntlement and distaste at the allegations.

Some people made a joke of it while most women were panicking that they could be sharing their partners with men.

“We are having trouble dealing with omakhwapheni (small houses), and then we have to worry about other men at men’s conference? The drinking buddies! It just can’t be!” said one Lisa Khanye on Twitter.

Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) said they were aware of the statistics that have almost got Bulawayo Twitter crashing. They, however, said they could neither dismiss nor confirm the said figures.

In a statement to a local publication, GALZ regional director Teddy Munyimani said his organisation was aware of the statistics mentioned in the allegations, made online.

He said such claims would be credible if backed by evidence from a study.

“Statistics have to be backed by evidence, maybe of a study concluded of which we are not aware of any that has been done or its results shared or published,” said Munyimani.

He, however, highlighted that he would not dismiss the claims as sex was a private matter and hence it was difficult to really know for sure what happens behind closed doors.

“It is difficult to establish statistics of men in sexual relations, sex is a private matter and we are not in the business nor would we want to advocate for the policing of people’s bedrooms,” he said.

Some Twimbos were in denial, saying there was no such thing as male pr0stitution in the city of kings.

However, a local publication interviewed a network of the male sex workers community, who claimed to have many clients that were heterosexual during the day.

The male sex workers are however, not the ones behind the 20 percent revelation, which is alleged to be part of a study being carried out by a local organisation.

One of the male sex workers who spoke to B-Metro, Ayanda, said most men were in denial of having a fetish for other men.

“I have been in this business for a long time and people do not mind me anymore. However, the interesting part about my job is that I get to see the different side of people that other people never get to see.

“I am popular in clubs in Harare and Bulawayo and I often have clients that are married. The men are straight and heterosexual during the day but it is a totally different story after hours. I am happy because they enjoy my services but it sometimes beats me why they live a life of pretence during the day,” said Ayanda.

“When these men are with me, they get to live their fantasy and that is something that they will never get to experience in their marriages, as they are just for cover up,” said Ayanda.

Ayanda alleged that some very prominent pastors of popular Pentecostal churches were some of his regular clients.

He said the charismatic religious leaders were some of his best paying clients as they also took him away for holidays while pretending to be on business trips.

“Their wives are very comfortable with them having male personal assistants but they do not know that I am the side guy. I get annoyed though when the big men start wanting to own me. I do not date, I am in business. I also have my boyfriend and he supports my hustle.”

Sources said the statistics stem from a study that is being carried out by a local organisation. However, details were still sketchy as the study was not yet complete.

If there is some truth to the allegations, it looks like the city is surely in crisis.

JAMES Rubin, a lead lobbyist for a Donald Trump-linked lobby firm which was recently hired by the Zimbabwean Government to lobby for the easing of relations with the Trump administration, has defended the human rights record of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.

Rubin said that in any case, it is better for the Zimbabwean administration to be working with Americans than the Chinese “who don’t care at all about human rights.”

Rubin has told a top US political magazine Politico that while Zimbabwe’s new leadership has made mistakes, including a crackdown on demonstrators in January that reportedly killed at least 17 people, “it now is far, far better than Zimbabwe’s government was under Mugabe.”

“I’d rather Zimbabwe work with us (Americans) than with the Chinese, who don’t care at all about human rights,” Rubin said.

Rubin served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs in the Clinton Administration from 1997–2000. He has been assigned by Ballard as the lead lobbyist for Zimbabwe. Brian Ballard, the founder of the lobby firm, has strong ties to US president Donald Trump, having chaired the Trump Victory organization in Florida, a major swing state, during the US elections. He has also lobbied on behalf of the Trump Organization in the state for more than a decade. 

Zimbabwe has tried to retain lobbyists with presidential connections before. In 2008, Zimbabwean government officials agreed to hire two men who claimed have connections to Obama, who were later convicted of illegally attempting to lobby to lift U.S. sanctions on the country.

To emphasize his point, Ballard says last year it turned down lobbying requests from the Democratic Republic of Congo, a repressive regime accused of human rights abuses. After being turned down, the DRC government later approached “an obscure firm” called Sonoran Policy Group owned by one Robert Stryk where they paid $1.5 million, according to Justice Department disclosures, the Politico reports.

Regarding the arrangement with Zimbabwe, Ballard will work “to encourage a re-examination of Zimbabwe by the State Department with a view to establishing the best possible bilateral relationship with the United States and facilitating the restoration of Zimbabwe’s membership in good standing in the community of nations,” according to the firm’s contract.

But Michelle Gavin, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and a former U.S. ambassador to Botswana, said that while Zimbabwe’s new government had undertaken some reforms since Mugabe was ousted, the country is still plagued by corruption and human rights abuses.

“What we’re seeing on the ground I don’t think gives many observers any confidence there is genuine respect for the rule of law,” she said.

Bruce Wharton, a former U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe, tweeted last week that the country’s decision to hire Ballard was a “[t]ragic waste of public funds.”

James Rubin is married to Christiane Maria Amanpour, a British-Iranian journalist and television host. Amanpour is the Chief International Anchor for CNN and host of CNN International’s nightly interview program Amanpour, and she is the one who interviewed President Mnangagwa in September last year when he was attending the UN General Assembly.

Zimbabwe will pay US$500,000 every year until 13 February 2021, and the payments will be made quarterly, The first payment was made immediately after the signing of the contract by Zimbabwe’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sibusiso Moyo on 13 February 2019.

Apart from the US$500,000 annual fee, Zimbabwe will also pat the lobbysts any other incidental costs such as airline fees, hotel and travel fees, meals, car services etc which costs will be incurred during the execution of the duties.

By Own Correspondent- Seven people have died following an Ulemu bus accident.

Ulemu Bus Service overturned 10 kilometers from Nyamapanda on its way to South Africa.

The bus reportedly overturned as the driver was trying to avoid hitting a school kid.

Some of the injured are currently admitted at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare.

Senior Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi was not immediately available for comment.

Said Nyathi:

“I am in a very important meeting at Interpol offices. Call me around 2 pm.”

This is a developing story. Refresh this page for latest updates.

By Own Correspondent- An official from CIMAS reportedly died following an accident along Samora Machel in Harare this (Friday) morning.

Sources privy to the details allege that the official stopped his car along Samora Machel to speak with his yet to be identified friend.

The duo were standing between their cars which were parked in a convoy like manner.

A third car reportedly bumped into the car which was at the far end of the convoy and the official was crashed as he was trapped between the cars.

Efforts to get a comment from the police regarding the accident were futile by the time of writing as Senior Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi told ZimEye to call after 2 pm.

“I am in a meeting, please call me after 2pm” said Assistant Commissioner Nyathi.

This is a developing story. Refresh this page for updates.

Feedback from Chiredzi District Civil Protection Unit meeting:

Cyclone Idai is forecasted to reach us this evening or tomorrow morning.
It’s causing havoc in Mozambique and up to the noon today it had claimed 66 human lives.

Parents are advised to exercise discretion tomorrow on whether to allow their children to go to school or not especially where children cross streams and rivers.

People should move from low lying areas to high ground areas should they feel threatened

Rainfall in excess of 50mm is expected from tomorrow up to Saturday.
Let’s all be on standby to assist whoever will be in need.

Thank you

R. Zireva
Secretary General Mkwasine Management Committee (Interim)

By Own Correspondent- A Harare woman’s attempt to stop her husband’s secret wedding yesterday at the Magistrates’ Court hit a snag after she arrived moments after the conclusion of the signing ceremony and the duo had been declared married.

Only identified as Mrs Chidzoka, the blind woman only arrived at the court when her husband John Chidzoka and his new bride Charity Tembo were heading for a photo shoot.

Chidzoka was at a loss for words after she discovered it was too late for her to stop the wedding.

“I never thought that my husband would betray me in this manner. I would have understood if it was any other woman but not my tenant.

These people are taking advantage of the fact that I am blind hence I cannot see what will be happening right under my nose. Honestly, I am heartbroken.”

It is understood that John has been married to Mrs Chidzoka for more than 11 years now but they did not bear children during their marriage.

Tembo, who is said to have been a tenant at Chidzoka’s homestead for about two years, is alleged to have been enjoying an illicit affair with John.

“Charity does not have a husband of her own and she has a habit of cooking food which she offers to my husband without my knowledge.

Ever since my husband started eating her food, his behaviour has changed because he has turned into a drunkard.

There was a time when I visited my parents in the rural areas for about 11 days and on my return, I caught my husband red-handed as he was sleeping naked in my kitchen with Tembo who was also naked.

After this incident, Tembo has been threatening me and she once told me that she will take over my home, now she has.

John’s relatives are the ones who informed me early in the morning that my husband was getting married today at the court and I arrived late because I would have stopped this fake marriage from proceeding,” added Chidzoka.

Asked by the wife’s relatives who were also present at the court yesterday why John did what he did, he claimed he got married because he wanted to commence lessons at a bible school hence he needed a marriage certificate for registration since it is a must.

By Own Correspondent- Economist John Robertson has expressed optimism that the country’s economic trajectory is brighter following the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) decision to float the local currency last month.

Speaking at a meeting on the state of the economy organised by the British Council, Robertson said:

“At last, our situation has started to look promising. We all know the uncertainties that we have been battling with for years.

We have had shortages of bread, cash, fuel and various imports, including job opportunities and everyone, has their list of which I can say that our lists are now shorter. In spite of that, I would still say our situation looks more promising anyway.

What has changed? Well, the government has decided to let market forces decide the exchange rate for what is our almost new currency with our virtual RTGS dollars . . . Stability is an important objective from so many points of view, that if it can be reached, it would be a very worthy achievement.

We still have a lot to do to improve, but stable conditions would encourage investment and investment is the most important prerequisite for job creation.

Price stability will encourage business expansion, the efforts needed to establish new markets, the resourcefulness needed to design better products and the courage needed to venture into new areas of business opportunity.

And job creation will alleviate poverty and poverty is one of the more serious problems right now.”-Newsday

By Own Correspondent- Telecel Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd faces eviction from two rented premises over failure to settle rental arrears amounting to US$40 843.

The two properties belong to First Mutual Investment Company (Pvt) Ltd.

First Mutual has approached the High Court to force Telecel to settle the arrears and vacate its properties in Harare and Gweru.

In respect to First Mutual Gweru, the two parties entered into a lease agreement on August 14, 2013.

Telecel wanted to to operate a base station at its premises and pay a monthly rental of US$1 000.

First Mutual said:

“In breach of the parties agreement, the defendant (Telecel) failed to pay rentals and operating costs on due dates, resulting in the cancellation of the lease agreement and the lease also expired on July 31, 2018.”-Newsday

Correspondent|Masvingo District Administrator Ray Hove has with immediate effect suspended the Community Tolerance and Reconciliation Development Trust, a youth organization that promotes democracy, development and human rights issues.

The NGO is  alleged to have encouraged people to stage public protests early this year over the high cost of living following Emmerson Mnangagwa’s announcement of fuel prices of up to 150 percent.

When reached for comment, Hove declined to shed light on the circumstances leading to the suspension of NGO when he was asked by VOA Zimbabwe Service to provide details of the allegations being made against it.

Community Tolerance and Reconciliation Development Trust programs manager Zivanai Muzorodzi dismissed claims that the organization encouraged people to revolt against the government, adding that they are properly registered in Zimbabwe.

He claimed that the government does not tolerate any criticism.

This comes barely a month after President Mnangagwa told Zanu PF supporters in Masvingo province that his government will deal ruthlessly with NGOs that allegedly encouraged Zimbabweans to stage public protests in January this year “with a regime change agenda”.

By Own Correspondent- Former Midlands Provincial Affairs minister, Jason Machaya, has denied wrongdoing over the questionable allocation of stands when he was still in office arguing that he was merely implementing duties assigned to him by ousted leader Robert Mugabe..

Machaya is facing charges of criminal abuse of office for unlawfully parcelling out land in the Midlands Province.

He argues that he was arrested for doing duties assigned to him by former President Robert Mugabe.

Said Machaya:

“When I was appointed Governor and Resident Minister, I found a national housing project in place. I simply took over what the late governor Cephas Msipa was doing.

Further, the President (Mugabe then) also gave me directives on how I was to do my work. In respect to the charges for which I was/am to be tried, President RG Mugabe specifically directed me to do my work as I did.

Further, I wrote detailed monthly reports in respect of all the works I am being tried for, to the President. I also reported my work to the President and Cabinet.

The President and Cabinet guided my work and approved everything that I did, especially issues to do with things that are in the charges.

The President who authorised me to do what I did is no longer in office. The State has not interviewed him or recorded a statement from him concerning my activities.

I challenge them to do so. My conduct was only adjudged unlawful in about January 2018 after the removal of President RG Mugabe, yet he authorised my work.

Is there a law for one government and another law for another government? How was I supposed to know that what I was doing was criminal when what I was doing was being directed and authorised?”

Machaya made the remarks in his founding affidavit in his application to the High Court where he is seeking a review of his trial proceedings following the dismissal of his application for permanent stay of prosecution.-Newsday

By Own Correspondent- The remaining two bodies of miners who were trapped underground in a mine at Battlefields near Kadoma have finally been retrieved, a senior government minister has revealed.

Addressing the media at a post Cabinet briefing on Thursday, acting Information minister Sekai Nzenza said the two remaining bodies which had been trapped underground for over a month.

Said Nzenza:

“This brings closure to the rescue efforts pertaining to the Battlefields Mine Disaster. Cabinet once again expresses its deepest condolences to the affected families and the artisanal mining fraternity in general.”

Eight people were rescued alive after being trapped underground for four days when mine shafts at the Cricket 3 Mine were inundated with flood waters on February 12. At least 28 miners died in the disaster.

The Battlefields Mine Disaster has prompted Cabinet Ministers to pledge law reforms to legalise the activities of the artisanal miners which they hope will lead to greater safety.

Fidelity Printers and Refiners (FPR), a subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe responsible for the purchasing, refining and exporting of gold, is under fire for buying “stolen gold” from illegal artisanal miners who have invaded Gaika Mine in Kwekwe.

Court documents seen by this publication show that FPR was ordered by the High Court not to buy any gold being mined by the mainly Zanu PF youths who invaded Gaika Mine from February 2018.

Duration Gold Investments, Gaika mine owners, approached the High Court seeking an interdict to stop FPR from purchasing “stolen gold”.

Court documents issued in March 2018 under case number HC 622/18 ordered FPR, which is cited as the fourth respondent, “not to accept any gold won return from Gaika Mine from any person other than an authorised representative of applicant, that fourth respondent be and is, hereby, ordered to pay to an authorised signatory or credit applicant’s bank.”

However, an investigation this week revealed that FPR agents were buying gold from the illegal miners in defiance of the court order.

“I have a certificate to buy gold and this is legal,” an FPR agent in Kwekwe said.

“FPR has agents in and around Kwekwe who buy gold. We do not smuggle gold, we take it to Fidelity.”

Former Mbizo legislator Vongaishe Mupereri (Zanu PF), who is said to be the ring leader of the invaders, was also ordered by High Court judge Justice Nicholas Mathonsi to pay all the costs which were met by Duration Gold Investments.

“That first respondent (Mupereri) be and is, hereby, ordered to pay the costs of suit of this application on the attorney and client scale,” part of the court order read.

The court also ordered FPR not to be involved in any dealings with illegal miners from Gaika, since it would be a violation of the mine owner’s rights.

“That fourth respondent be and is, hereby, ordered not to deal with anyone other than an authorised representative of applicant in respect of any gold won from Gaika mine,” the court order read.

Illegal miners on the ground confirmed to this publication that they sold their gold to FPR agents in Kwekwe.

FPR spokesperson Chelesani Moyo directed all questions to Mehluleli Dube, who is the head of gold operations at FPR.

Dube told NewsDay that: “I am not aware of any court order, but if that is the case, then it will be easier for the complainant to track how much gold they would have lost. My logic is, if it is not bought by Fidelity, then it will be taken to the black market.”

-Newsday

By Own Correspondent- A Chinese multinational corporation Touchroad International is set to partner a local company, Mashonaland Holdings Limited, and convert Charter House in Harare into a five-star hotel.

The building will be remodelled into an 80-room hotel, with state-of-the-art facilities at an estimated cost of over US$10 million..

Touchroad International Holdings chairman, He Liehui revealed that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Mashonaland Holdings has been signed.

Said Liehui:

“It’s a very big investment because the building is old, it’s over 60 years old now, so a lot of systems need to be built. There is a need for new technology and security systems.

The investment will probably draw a lot of thousands (of dollars), I think we will invest more than $10 million.

Our policy is localisation, and since the building is here, the tourists will come here and pay here and they check in here.

It’s our first time to partner with a local company. If we hear it can be a success, we can partner with other countries.”

Tourism minister Priscah Mupfumira said that the project will revitalise the country’s tourism sector.-Newsday

President Mnangagwa has warned parastatals that continue to under-perform despite Government support saying days of perennial poor performances and failure to complete projects they would have embarked on are over.

The President said this in Beitbridge on Wednesday during the commissioning of the National Backbone Fibre Link, which connects the country with the rest of the world through South Africa.

His remarks come on the back of TelOne having accounted for every cent of the funds used under the US$98 million National Broadband Project (NBB) kitty.

The funds were availed by the China Eximbank as part of the mega deals signed by President Mnangagwa during his five-day State visit to the Asian country last year.

“I commend TelOne for the prudent manner they utilised the financial resources for this Government initiated and guaranteed project,” said President Mnangagwa.

“I urge all public entities to take a leaf from this good example and instil a culture of good stewardship, hard honest work, accountability and transparency in the implementation of national projects. The days of incomplete projects and non-payment of loans are over.”

TelOne was assisted by Government to get the US$98 million loan, with its sister company NetOne, being the guarantor.

TelOne managing director Chipo Mutasa said of the US$98 million, a total of US$23,6 million was used on the National Backbone Fibre Link while the rest of the funds went to the establishment of Data Centres in Harare, Bulawayo and Mazowe as well as upgrading of the entire voice/ broadband systems and some access systems, including fibre to the home.

Parastatals have become notorious for failing to deliver, with management paying themselves fatty cheques despite the abject performance of the firms.

Perennially, parastatals look to Government support, with the funds usually looted immediately after being received, which has prompted Treasury to call for the firms’ reforms.

In 2016, 30 out of 93 State owned Enterprises that were audited recorded a staggering loss of $270 million due to weak corporate governance systems and ineffective control mechanisms.

Zimbabwe has 107 parastatals. Plans are now afoot to reform 41 parastatals and state companies to ensure they return to profitability and relieve central Government of the burden of financing them annually.

The reform agenda includes full and partial privatisation of some firms, listing on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, re-bundling and “killing” those that have no hope of recovery.

TelOne is one of the companies earmarked for reform.

Meanwhile, TelOne’s National Backbone Fibre Link project was implemented by Huawei Technologies of China together with the parastatal’s team of engineers.

The project was done in record time of 18 months. Some of the sub-contractors who worked on the project include Best Group, RH Engineering and Pachedu.

Upstream internet bandwidth service providers through whom the connectivity to the rest of the world was facilitated include the West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC), Telkom of South Africa and TDM Mozambique for provision of back-haul services and Orange France.

State Media

Fidelity Printers and Refiners (FPR), a subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe responsible for the purchasing, refining and exporting of gold, is under fire for buying “stolen gold” from illegal artisanal miners who have invaded Gaika Mine in Kwekwe.

Court documents seen by this publication show that FPR was ordered by the High Court not to buy any gold being mined by the mainly Zanu PF youths who invaded Gaika Mine from February 2018.

Duration Gold Investments, Gaika mine owners, approached the High Court seeking an interdict to stop FPR from purchasing “stolen gold”.

Court documents issued in March 2018 under case number HC 622/18 ordered FPR, which is cited as the fourth respondent, “not to accept any gold won return from Gaika Mine from any person other than an authorised representative of applicant, that fourth respondent be and is, hereby, ordered to pay to an authorised signatory or credit applicant’s bank.”

However, an investigation this week revealed that FPR agents were buying gold from the illegal miners in defiance of the court order.

“I have a certificate to buy gold and this is legal,” an FPR agent in Kwekwe said.

“FPR has agents in and around Kwekwe who buy gold. We do not smuggle gold, we take it to Fidelity.”

Former Mbizo legislator Vongaishe Mupereri (Zanu PF), who is said to be the ring leader of the invaders, was also ordered by High Court judge Justice Nicholas Mathonsi to pay all the costs which were met by Duration Gold Investments.

“That first respondent (Mupereri) be and is, hereby, ordered to pay the costs of suit of this application on the attorney and client scale,” part of the court order read.

The court also ordered FPR not to be involved in any dealings with illegal miners from Gaika, since it would be a violation of the mine owner’s rights.

“That fourth respondent be and is, hereby, ordered not to deal with anyone other than an authorised representative of applicant in respect of any gold won from Gaika mine,” the court order read.

Illegal miners on the ground confirmed to this publication that they sold their gold to FPR agents in Kwekwe.

FPR spokesperson Chelesani Moyo directed all questions to Mehluleli Dube, who is the head of gold operations at FPR.

Dube told NewsDay that: “I am not aware of any court order, but if that is the case, then it will be easier for the complainant to track how much gold they would have lost. My logic is, if it is not bought by Fidelity, then it will be taken to the black market.”

NewsDay

Correspondent|MDC deputy chairperson and Harare East legislator Tendai Biti was left furious after the President’s Office reportedly seized a consignment of copies of a book he co-authored with two former Presidents of West African states.

The book, titled Democracy Works: Re-Wiring Politics to Africa’s Advantage, was written by Biti, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo as well as Gregory John Barrington “Greg” Mills, who heads the Brenthurst Foundation, based in Johannesburg, South Africa, established in 2005 by the Oppenheimers to strengthen African economic performance. Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf provided a foreword to the book which is set to be launched on 27 March in Johannesburg.

American political scientist Jeffrey Herbst, who is also the President of the American Jewish University in Los Angeles, California, co-authored the book. Picador Africa published the book in January this year.

Narrating his ordeal, Biti said: “In early January our publishers sent to Zimbabwe 18 copies of our book Democracy Works through DHL . We were ridiculously asked to pay duty by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra), which we did. Now the President’s Office, a euphemism for the CIO, has abducted these books.”

Biti said the courier company DHL just told him the books had been seized by the President’s Office. They were meant to act as samples for his own use ahead of the Johannesburg launch.

Democracy Works explores how we can learn to nurture and deepen democracy in Africa to ensure economic growth and political stability. It identifies a ‘democratic playbook’ to meet the threats to free and fair elections.

The authors also argue that substantive democracy demands more than simply regular polls, but that democracy is fundamentally about the inner working of institutions, the rule of law, separation of powers, checks and balances, and leadership in government and civil society, as much as it is about values and the welfare and well-being of its citizens.

The authors also argue in the 266-page book that democracy demands that local leadership has a plan for the country beyond simply winning the popular vote. 

The seizure of Biti;s consignment is not expected to affect the official launch on 27 March, 2019.

The book is expected to be a big hit on the market, with bookshops at OR Tambo International airport as well as leading SA bookseller Executive Books already displaying the copies for sale.

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa is today expected to interface with thousands of youths at the inaugural National Youth Indaba, Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister Kirsty Coventry has said.

The interface will take place at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC) under the theme: “My Future is Today’’.

The Indaba started yesterday with thousands of youths thronging the HICC where they shared their concerns which include youth empowerment among others.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Indaba, Minister Coventry said President Mnangagwa is expected to have some dialogue with the young people today.

“The President will be part of us tomorrow (today) and there will be some dialogue with the young people. The youths raised some real concerns and solutions which they feel they need to share with their President.

“As the Minister, I am really excited about this. I have been speaking to many youth groups here and I am glad the youths will be sharing with the President. It will all not be about concerns alone; the youths will proffer solutions to those concerns and share them with the President,” she said.

Minister Coventry said more than 200 youths from all the provinces are expected today to meet and dialogue with the Head of State.

“We are expecting more than 200 youths tomorrow. As a ministry, we have supplied transportation to all the provinces which will ferry the youths so they can share their opinions, concerns and solutions with the President.

She reiterated that the Indaba is not of political nature but is open to all youths of Zimbabwe.

“And let me be clear on one aspect, this is not a political youth gathering, it’s totally non-partisan. When we started planning this event, some people were saying it’s a politically-related event, but no! This is a platform organised for youths of Zimbabwe,” she said.

Some of the concerns expected to be discussed during the indaba today include youth empowerment, job creation and youth participation in national development.

Amongst Government officials who attended yesterday’s meeting are Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube who challenged youths to be innovative and use their skills to empower themselves.

State Media

By Own Correspondent- Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube said Zimbabweans should accept the new currency, the RTGS Dollar since it is the official currency.

Speaking at the inaugural Youth Indaba, organised by Ministry of Youth and attended by youths from all the country’s 10 provinces, he said:

“We have introduced the RTGS dollar. Citizens have to accept the introduction of the RTGS dollar. Whether you like the name or not, it is the domestic currency now, let’s respect it and support it.

I and the Governor (of the Reserve Bank, John Mangudya) are going to defend it. Defend its value, that’s our job.

Zimbabwe is the cheapest buy in Africa in terms of investment. It has gotten cheaper because there were coming at $1US to $1 bond note, now they are coming at US$1: RTGS$2.50 or depending on where the market is headed.

… But then it (value) can go anywhere. It is the business of the market. Our job is to manage the volatility, but not the level. Those of you who did statistics there is a difference between standard deviation and the mean.

The RTGS dollar was introduced as the new currency by the Central Bank governor John Mangudya as part of the basket of multi-currencies when he presented the Monetary Policy Statement.

Ideal Zimbabwe political party Tinashe Jonas will remain in prison custody after Harare Magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa denied him bail after he was arrested on Monday 11 March 2019 and charged with insulting or undermining authority of President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Magistrate Mugwagwa ruled that Jonas, who is represented by Nontokozo Dube-Tachiona of ZLHR, is not a good candidate to be granted bail as he is likely to abscond attending trial after he allegedly entered the country illegally.

The Youth Interface concept was birthed by former First Lady Grace Mugabe – ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa today attends his own interface rally at the inaugural National Youth Indaba.

This was revealed by Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister Kirsty Coventry who said it will take place at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC) under the theme ‘’My Future is Today’’.

According to the program, Mnangagwa will have some dialogue with the young people today.

Coventry said, “the President will be part of us tomorrow (today) and there will be some dialogue with the young people. The youths raised some real concerns and solutions which they feel they need to share with their President.

“As the minister, I am really excited about this. I have been speaking to many youth groups here and I am glad the youths will be sharing with the President. It will all not be about concerns alone; the youths will proffer solutions to those concerns and share them with the President,” she said.

Coventry added saying more than 200 youths from all the provinces are expected today to meet and dialogue with Mnangagwa.

“We are expecting more than 200 youths tomorrow. As a ministry, we have supplied transportation to all the provinces which will ferry the youths so they can share their opinions, concerns and solutions with the President.

She reiterated that the indaba was apolitical and open to all youths of Zimbabwe.

“And let me be clear on one aspect. This is not a political youth gathering, it’s totally non-partisan. When we started planning this event, some people were saying it’s a politically-related event, but no! This is a platform organised for youths of Zimbabwe,” she said. – state media

Farai Dziva | The president of the United Democratic Alliance, Daniel Shumba has castigated Emmerson Mnangagwa for equating himself to God.

Shumba,whose party withdrew from the Mnangagwa brokered dialogue, was at one point fired from the ruling party for supporting the Midlands godfather.

An irate Shumba said:”That’s clearly an arrogant and vindictive view from a President who claims he wants to promote unity but don’t take him seriously for equating himself to God, that is just a limitation of descriptive English.

That is the best he could do under the circumstances.”