By Own Correspondent|Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Environment and Tourism has revealed plans to summon the Minister of Environment Prisca Mupfumira over the continued destruction of wetlands in Harare.

Committee’s chairperson Concillia Chinanzvavana said that the Minister has to answer questions on development projects being done in the city that have negatively impacted water availability.

Said Chinanzvavana:

The minister of Environment should come to Parliament and provide evidence over the rampant destruction of wetlands we are seeing in many parts of Harare.

We have noticed that areas such as Borrowdale, Glen Lorne and Eastlea have developments on areas that are protected at law.

Correspondent|ZANU PF Bulawayo province has unanimously agreed that they will formally request National Hero Status for their late chairperson, Prof Calistus Dingiswayo Ndlovu.

Prof Ndlovu, 83, died at Netcare Pinehaven Hospital for Pancreatic Cancer in South Africa where he had been hopitalised.

The cancer had spread from the pancreas to his liver. He had begun chemotherapy on 8 February 2019.

In an emergency meeting that was convened at the Zanu-PF provincial offices in Bulawayo this afternoon, the party agreed that the late chairman deserved the highest honour in the land.

Former Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Minister Angeline Masuku said the party had suffered a great loss as Prof Ndlovu worked tirelessly for the party and needed to give him a sendoff he deserves.

“There is no other befitting status that can be given to him than that of a National Hero Status,” she said.

The party said all his documents on work he did for the party, government and the nation at large were in order.

“The time I was in Zambia he was already active in politics and all programmes were being managed by him. Some people gave up along the way during the liberation struggle but he was consistently and was there till the final steps. There was no gap in his participation throughout his life,” said Masuku.

David Ndlovu a member of the Central Committee who seconded Masuku in proposing that the late chairman being declared a National hero said, he participated in the armed struggle from the time he was a youth.

“He stood for us from the time he was a youth in politics and he was there pre and post-independence, he never gave up on the fight and is true that he was a consistent and persistent cadre. He deserves a national hero status,” he said.

Provincial Secretary for administration, Eliphas Mashaba said Prof Ndlovu was a man who they tapped knowledge and wisdom from, guiding the province till his death.

“The chairman brought normalcy to the province, he integrated us all in the party, we are at a loss of words, it is a dark day for us,” he said.

Prof Ndlovu was born on 9 February 1936.

He attained a Bachelor of Arts degree in History in 1965 at the University of South Africa and proceeded to do a Masters in History in 1969 at New York University and finally a Ph.D. in History in 1973 at the State University of New York.

He held various portfolios in the government. He also sat on various boards and was awarded freedom of the city in Minnepolis in 1972.

Mourners are gathered at number 3 Fletcher Avenue in Khumalo, Bulawayo.

— SundayMail

Correspondent|Latest news coming in from local media houses is that the health condition of vice President Constantino Chiwenga has deteriorated.

Chiwenga, who was flown to India last week, had been reported as having trouble eating, but new reports say the condition has further deteriorated.

The VP, who once revealed battling skin cancer, was last Thursday rushed to a South African hospital in Cape Town amid claims he was in “terrible shape”.

Presidential spokesperson George Charamba could not be reached to confirm the latest development while Information Deputy Minister Energy Mutodi said the matter was beyond his purview.

“It’s not within our purview. Get in touch with Charamba,” said Mutodi.

He appeared on state media this week vehemently denying claims of ailment while blasting social media gloating over his failing health.

Former first daughter Bona Mugabe’s husband Simba Chikore has been accused of being violent and allegedly detained a subordinate for two hours.

A Harare court has ruled that there will be an inspection in loco at the Robert Mugabe Airport offices to try and corroborate the conflicting evidence led by State witnesses and the Former Presidents son-in-law, Simba Chikore.

This comes after the State witness in Simba Chikore’s matter, a former Human Resources manager with the airline gave contradicting evidence as to the setup of the offices with the deatils given by the complainant, Bertha Zakeyo.

Chikore’s lawyer Jonathan Samukange applied for an inspection in loco in an attempt to prove to the court that the State witnesses are doctoring evidence in an attempt to nail the former airline boss.

Harare Magistrate Victoria Mashamba granted the application and the inspection will be conducted on February 19. After an intense cross-examination of the State witness by Samukange, it became evident that he was fabricating stories against Chikore out of bitterness for his improptu termination of contract with the airline as he told the court that he was angry for being fired from his position.

Chikore is facing charges of unlawful detention. He allegedly had Zimbabwe Airways legal head Bertha Zakeyo detained for two hours at the airline’s offices in June last year. Chikore is jointly charged with Safeguard security guard Simbarashe Mutimbe.

The two are out on $30 bail.

Morning post

THE Meteorological Services Department (MSD) says that heavy rains are expected in most parts of the country starting on Wednesday, 13 February extending to Saturday, 16 February.

Some areas are expected to receive rainfall in excess of 50 millimetres in just 24 hours.

A statement released by the MSD says: “In some places on Thursday 14 and Friday 15 February, parts of Manicaland, Matabeleland South, Masvingo Provinces, as well as southern areas of Midlands Province are forecast to receive heavier rains in excess of 50mm in 24 hours.

“Thereafter, the rains should steadily ease off giving way to bright and showery conditions in most areas, and localized heavier falls in places.

“Where possible, move from such areas. Try to avoid being caught outdoors or on the road during heavy storms, more so at night when flood dangers are more difficult to perceive.”

The Department will continue monitoring the conditions and update the public accordingly.

The public is also being requested to provide feedback or information on disasters.

By Nomusa Garikai| In the words of Immanuel Kant who said ‘by a lie, a man consumes his own dignity,’ it has become apparent that the MDC Alliance and its apologists, this time led by Tendai Biti have become shameless and taken where they left after last month’s events in their sustained campaign to derail and discredit the government’s continuing macro economic reforms which are already bearing fruit,” commented Nick Mangwana.

What is amusing here is that Nick Mangwana should be calling Tendai Biti an apologist and a desperate man when he is Zanu PF’s Permanent Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services – read Zanu PF’s apologist, liar and worse. A case of the pot calling the kettle black.

“Mr Biti claimed on his Twitter handle that the government is this week introducing the local currency, sending the whole economy into a panic mode with regards to the future of their current holdings of various currencies,” continue Mangwana

“The government’s economic policy direction is clearly contained in the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP) which articulates comprehensive, time specific and achievable plans of action to set the Zimbabwean economy on a growth trajectory in line with vision 2030 of an upper middle – income country.”

Actually I would like to take this discussion to a new level, the level Zanu PF has completely stifled, the level apologists like Mangwana and even the egotistic and pompous Minister of Finance, Professor Mthuli Ncube was never ever venture to trade. Instead of discussing the economic merits or otherwise of when the new local currency will introduce or that of the TSP in delivery prosperity in 2030; I want to discuss the political dimension.

a) The ordinary Zimbabweans out there had no meaningful say in any of Zanu PF’s economic policies and programmes. Zanu PF rigs elections denying the people any meaningful vote and then imposes whatever economic policies it sees fit. The best the regime has ever allowed the ordinary Zimbabweans to do is to comment on policies, etc. but don’t touch.

b) Ordinary Zimbabweans have no meaningful say in when, how, etc. any of these economic policies and programmes are implemented. Protest against worsening economic hardship has been ruthlessly silenced. The ruling elite have gone to town in their praise of Zimbabweans’ “resilience”. Whilst the ruling elite have been travelling to SA, Singapore, etc. for their health care needs, for example, because the nation’s health care services has all but collapsed. The ruling elite expect the ordinary people to just suffer and die quietly; all in the name of resilience!

c) Worst of all, not even one ordinary Zimbabweans will have a meaningful say even if any or all of these policies and programmes are a complete failure. Indeed that is exactly what has happen; Zimbabwe started as a middle income nation in 1980 and after 20 years or so of criminal waste of human and material resource under this corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship the country had sunk to its present position of being the poorest country in African.

d) By the late 1990s most Zimbabweans were painfully aware that whilst Zanu PF kept promising mass economic prosperity the regime was delivering mass economic poverty. People realised the need for democratic changes to restore their democratic right to a meaningful vote. People risked life and limb to elect Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends on the ticket they will bring about the democratic changes the nation was dying for. After 19 years on the political stage MDC leaders have failed to bring about even one meaningful democratic change. Not one!

e) Now will the national economy in total economic meltdown, with unemployment rate a dizzying 90%, 3 out of 4 Zimbabweans living on US$1.00 or less a day, etc. it is clear Zimbabwe cannot afford the luxury of assuming Zanu PF’s new currency, the TSP, etc. will work. All economic policies and programmes must be subjected to all manner of scrutiny at their formative stage and implementation. All Zimbabweans must be afforded a meaningful say in a free, fair and credible elections in who governs the country and hence what policies are implemented.

f) Zanu PF does not have the mandate of the people to govern since last July’s elections were NOT free, fair and credible. It is nonsensical and a waste of time to discuss Zanu PF’s economic policies and programmes when Zanu PF imposed itself and its policies on the nation and the nation cannot hold the regime to account regardless what happens!

Ever since the 30 July 2018 elections, Zimbabwe does not have a legitimate government because the elections were flawed and illegal.

“Major shortcomings in the pre-election environment impacted on the free expression of the will of electors, state resources were misused in favour of the incumbent and coverage by state media was heavily biased in favour of the ruling party,” EU Election Observers Mission stated in its final report.

“Further, the electoral commission lacked full independence and appeared to not always act in an impartial manner. The final results as announced by the Electoral Commission contained numerous errors and lacked adequate traceability, transparency and verifiability.

“Finally, the restrictions on political freedoms, the excessive use of force by security forces and abuses of human rights in the post-election period undermined the corresponding positive aspects during the pre-election campaign. As such, many aspects of the 2018 elections in Zimbabwe failed to meet international standards.”

Both Zanu PF and MDC Alliance have each claimed to have won the elections but that is just nonsense. Neither party can say who was on the voters’ roll, who voted, how many times etc. because no verified voters’ roll was ever realised although it is a legal requirement.

As the EU report rightly pointed out, some of the irregularities favoured the ruling party Zanu PF; still it will be foolish to award MDC Alliance electoral victory by default. The opposition had the chance to demand the release of verified voters’ roll, for example, but chose to participate regardless, out of greed. It should be noted that MDC Alliance leaders had the golden opportunity during the 2008 GNU to implement the democratic reforms to stop Zanu PF rigging elections but failed to implement even one reforms out of greed.

To would be wrong to award the opposition victory and reward they for their greed and incompetence. By the same token it would be wrong to allow Zanu PF to remain in power and reward the regime for blatantly denying the people their right to a meaningful vote..

After 38 years of gross mismanagement, rampant corruption and murderous tyranny Zimbabwe has the chance for a clean break. We need to implement the democratic reforms designed to dismantle the de facto one-party dictatorship and replace it with a democratic system of government. All we need to do is appoint an interim administration, in place of the illegitimate Zanu PF regime, tasked to implement the reforms.

It is right and proper that Zimbabweans should forget the economic dimension of Zanu PF’s policies and programmes and focus on the political one – we demand a meaningful say in where we are going as a nation and not to be led by the nose like a bull! We demand free, fair and credible elections now and not next time!

At least 23 illegal gold miners are feared dead after being trapped in shafts at two mines in Battlefields, Kadoma following heavy rains that led to the collapse of a dam wall last night.

The miners were reportedly trapped since 11pm last night at the RioZim-owned Cricket Mine and another one owned by a Mr Baxter.

The mines have three linked shafts said to be 30 metres deep and have 20 metre-wide tunnels.

RioZim spokesperson Mr Wilson Gwatiringa said he was on his way to the accident site to assess the situation and will issue a statement.

— State Media

“I’m shocked that they want to send me back to a place where all those terrible things are happening. I won’t be able to walk out of the airport terminal without being interrogated by the police. There will be brutal beatings. I won’t be spared,” says Victor Mujakachi, who faces deportation from the UK.

Mujakachi, who claimed asylum in the UK after a warrant was issued for his arrest in Zimbabwe due to anti-government blog posts, said he would ‘not be spared’ after the Home Office issued him with removal notice.

Zimbabwean asylum seekers who were forced to attend meetings with officials from their home country have been threatened with removal, in a move believed to be part of an agreement to “repatriate” thousands of failed asylum seekers to the country.

At least two people who arrived in the UK after fleeing political persecution in Zimbabwe were detained and issued with 72-hour removal notices while signing on with the Home Office at Vulcan House immigration reporting centre in Sheffield on Monday.

It comes after the two men, along with an unknown number of other Zimbabwean asylum seekers, were asked “distressing” questions by Zimbabwean embassy officials in “re-documentation interviews” which took place on 4 December.

Lawyers believe these interviews formed part of an agreement between the British and Zimbabwean governments for the UK to “repatriate” 2,500 Zimbabwean nationals in return for aid money. The Home Office did not deny the allegations.

Other Zimbabwean nationals who attended the interviews in December have been ordered to attend Home Office meetings in the coming week, and said they were “terrified” that the government was also planning to remove them.

It comes after more than 1,000 people were arrested and many brutally beaten during demonstrations in the Zimbabwean capital Harare last month following a widespread breakdown of public order linked to food and fuel shortages.

One of the men issued with a removal notice is Victor Mujakachi, who initially came to the UK on a student visa in 2003. He sought asylum when a warrant was issued for his arrest in Zimbabwe after he wrote blog posts hostile to the government.

Mr Mujakachi, 58, said that in his re-documentation interview in December, embassy officials had asked for more information about him and his relatives in a bid to confirm his identity – which he found “highly suspicious”. He added that he “would not be spared” by the Zimbabwean authorities.

Mr Mujakachi with his grandson in the UK
Speaking from Vulcan House on Monday, he said: “I’m shocked that they want to send me back to a place where all those terrible things are happening. I’ve been vocal about the atrocities through my Twitter feeds and on YouTube. I will definitely stand out.

“I won’t be able to walk out of the airport terminal without being interrogated by the police. There will be brutal beatings.

“There was recently a debate in the House of Commons condemning the brutality and heavy-handedness of the Zimbabwean army and the police. They’ve condemned it. Do they think a mere condemnation by words is going to stop what’s happening?

“Every government has a right to control immigration within its borders, but with this government it’s ideologically driven. They look at soft targets, and I am a soft target.

Mr Mujakachi’s son, Simba, who was also ordered to sign on with the Home Office on Monday, but was not detained like his father, said he believed that if his father was removed to Zimbabwe, he would be “killed straight away”.

“I don’t know how they can pull a move like this, working with the Zimbabwean government. It doesn’t make sense with what’s going on in Zimbabwe. It’s cruelty,” he said.

“I think he’s going to get killed straight away. They will take him from the airport straight away and we will never hear about him again. We know how this government runs. A lot of people have been taken recently and no one knows where they are.

“I haven’t eaten since I went and my dad got taken. I’ve been struggling to eat. I’m worried about my dad. I’m worried about me. I don’t know why I was let out yesterday, but I’m sure that sooner or later they will take me.”

Mr Mujakachi’s solicitor, Kathryn Hodder, who is seeking to submit an injunction to prevent his removal, said she believed the alleged agreement between the Home Office and Zimbabwean officials could be acting in breach of UK immigration rules, which prohibit “actors of persecution” being directly informed that an application for asylum has been made.

She added: “Before, they couldn’t remove Zimbabweans because there was no agreement with the government. So no one from Zimbabwe could be removed unless they got a passport.

“But it looks like this government wants aid from the UK, so it’s just part of politics – we’ll give you money if you take back your people.

“Victor didn’t have a passport, and now he’s got travel documents from the Zimbabwean government. The embassy representative had a big file and said he knew everything about him. It’s not good if they government knows about him even before he’s removed.”

Sheffield councillor Jackie Drayton, who accompanied Mr Mujakachi to sign on at Vulcan House, where he was detained, said it was “awful” that he was facing removal, saying: “He didn’t come prepared to not go home. It’s so sudden and shocking.

“Victor is somebody who has been threatened by the government. And he’s very active about the things going on at the moment. Yes, Mugabe is not in power now, but there’s no doubt people in his government are still I power, and it’s not a safe place for people.”

Marian Machekanyanga, another Zimbabwean national who was also forced to attend a re-documentation interview in December, and has been ordered to sign on next week, said she was “terrified” that she would have the same fate as Mr Mujakachi.

Marianne Machekanyanga fled political persecution in Zimbabwe in 2002 after campaigning against President Robert Mugabe’s government (Stuart Crosthwaite)
The 54-year-old, who has been in the UK for 16 years after fleeing political persecution for her opposition to the government, said: “I was in tears when I received the letter. I’m very scared. I know that they are going to take me. People are being killed by the regime. I’m even more scared than last time.”

It was widely reported by the Zimbabwean media in February that the then British ambassador to Zimbabwe, Catriona Laing, had told Kembo Mohadi, Zimbabwe’s deputy president, that the UK intended to deport illegal Zimbabweans to the country.

Mr Mohadi reportedly responded by saying the Zimbabwean government had no problem taking back its nationals but it needed to check them to ensure they were truly Zimbabweans.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The UK has a proud history of granting asylum to those who need our protection.

“Where a decision has been made that a person does not require international protection, removal is only enforced when we and the courts conclude that it is safe to do so, with a safe route of return.” — TheZimbabwean

Own Correspondent|The International Monetary Fund, IMF has revealed that finally Zimbabwe has cleared all its outstanding debts.

Director of Communication with the International Monetary Fund, Gerry Rice revealed this in a question posed to him about the recent reports of Zimbabwe’s indebtedness to the Fund.

Despite the clearance of the arrears Zimbabwe still owes says $687 million to the African Development Bank, $1.4 billion to the World Bank, $322 million to the European investment bank.

Mr Rice said “We have talked quite a bit about Zimbabwe here in the past but just to answer the question, and I’ve said it before here, that Zimbabwe has cleared, indeed, its arrears to the IMF.

He says “ I think that’s the word I would want to stress, is the “peacefully” and, you know, try to develop policies that will stabilize the economy and promote sustainable and inclusive growth and it’s clearly a very difficult situation there in Zimbabwe and we recognize that”.

A report released by the African Department of the IMF last week reveals that Zimbabwe’s expenditure is way above that of its counterpart and not effective.

The report proposes that the South African country cut wages for its top civil servant by 5 percent.

It also wants the country to limit the transfer of State Owned Enterprises, rationalize agricultural input schemes and address issues with regards to grain subsidies.

Jane Mlambo| Movement for Democratic Change has secured police clearance for the inaugural Morgan Tsvangirai Memorial Lecture which will be held at the Harare Showgrounds tomorrow, the day the late founding leader died last year.

According to Party Deputy Treasurer Charlton Hwende, the Memorial lecture will proceed after the Harare Provincial executive led by Eric Murai got a police clearance.

Tsvangirai succumbed to cancer of the colon last year and was buried in his Humanikwa, Buhera home.

Earlier on, police banned an organised march in honor of the iconic leader.

There was drama in parliament today as war between Norton member of parliament Temba Mliswa and Chegutu West legislator Dexter Nduna raged on, prompting the deputy  speaker  Tsitsi Gezi to chuck off Mliswa from the August House.

Before the commencement of the question and answer session, Mliswa took to the podium charging that he fears for his life following murder threats by Nduna.

The two exchanged words on Monday during a parliamentary committee on Mining and Mines portfolio meeting with Nduna warning Mliswa to be careful when dealing with him as he has killed a lot of people before.

When Mliswa stood up, he called Nduna a murderer whom parliament must investigate following his admission to have committed murder.

“Waakupenga manje , wazvionaka kuti munhu haauraiwe. You murderer come here. You are a murderer. Come here,” fumed Mliswa.

Mliswa’s rants at Nduna was supported by opposition legislators while those from Zanu PF labelled the Norton legislator a ‘thief.’

As the situation got nastier and Gezi failing to restrain the outspoken Mliswa, Energy and Power Development, Joram Gumbo stood up to calm the charging legislator, but to no avail.

The speaker had no option but to chuck off the former Mliswa from the August house to save parliamentary business.

Mliswa and Nduna caused a stir on Monday when they were captured on video trading insults with the former Hurungwe west legislator accusing his Chegutu counterpart of stealing $11 million from the Zimbabwe National Road Authority (ZINARA). On the other hand, Nduna warned Mliswa to be careful in dealing with him as he has a known record of killing people.

This attracted mixed feelings on social media with people demanding the arrest of Nduna whom they said had openly revealed his crimes.

-263Chat

Paul Nyathi|ZANU-PF Bulawayo provincial chairperson Callistus Ndlovu has died.

Ndlovu died on Wednesday in South Africa where he was receiving treatment.

The party’s provincial secretary for administration Elifasi Mashaba confirmed Ndlovu’s death.

The party has called for an emergency meeting at its Davies Hall provincial offices where more details will be announced.

More details to follow…..

THE Nelson Chamisa-led Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) on Wednesday welcomed the US government’s call for “a neutral third party” to preside over dialogue between Zimbabwe’s political rivals.

The US issued a strong statement on Tuesday, in which it condemned the violence that broke out last month and the heavy-handed response from security forces that followed.

Deputy government spokesperson Robert Palladino said the US wants soldiers accused of rape and torture during the crackdown to be tried for their crimes.

“The US remains seriously concerned about the excessive use of force by government of Zimbabwe security forces since January 14, which has resulted in at least 13 deaths, 600 victims of violence, torture or rape, and more than 1,000 arrests,” he said in a statement.

“The US calls on all sides to come together immediately in national dialogue. The dialogue process must be credible, inclusive and mediated by a neutral third party.

“In order for such a dialogue to succeed, the government of Zimbabwe should end its excessive violence and intimidation, immediately release the civil society activists who have been arbitrarily detained, and hold security force members responsible for human rights violations and abuses accountable.”

Palladino’s statement came a day after Namibian president Hage Geingob, the chairperson the Southern African Development Community (SADC), weighed in on Monday with support for president Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.

SADC’s response angered civic society groups and the MDC for failing to censure Mnangagwa for deploying the army.

This is the second time in six months that the army has been deployed onto the streets to quell protests. It was first deployed on August 1 last year, two days after elections were held. This marred the election outcome and resulted in six deaths and 35 injuries, according to the findings of a commission of inquiry led by former SA president Kgalema Motlanthe.

MDC national spokesperson Jacob Mafume told media that pressure on Mnangagwa from the international community, in this case from the US, was necessary for Zimbabwe’s government to be held accountable.

“The US’s articulation of a dialogue process and what is needed to bring peace to Zimbabwe is very clear and more pointed. We do believe that it is incumbent upon the international community to know that the statistics that are coming out are of actual people who have been harmed, killed and are suffering. That has to stop and we need to have a conducive environment for dialogue,” said Mafume.

The hardline stance taken by the US is likely to scupper Mnangagwa’s drive to court support from the West, after years of isolation.

At an African Union (AU) summit held over the weekend, foreign affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo put on a brave face amid the government’s growing isolation from Western countries since the army-led crackdown last month.

Moyo insisted that the “re-engagement process” would proceed as initially planned, despite the hostility.

Finance minister Mthuli Ncube is expected to travel to Washington next month and engage with US lawmakers to lift the sanctions imposed since 2001. But his trip is likely to be overshadowed by the concerns that the US has raised over the human rights situation in the country.

Ncube estimated that Zimbabwe has lost 80 lines of credit as a result of the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Amendment Act and the US-imposed sanctions. — TimesLIVE

Own Correspondent|MDC-T national spokesperson Linda Masarira has hit out at the United States of America’s call for democracy in other countries, saying it is not sincere.

Below is the full thread of her comments on Twitter:

Who appointed America to police the world? Who polices America and holds them to account for the human rights violations in America? They pretend to like “US” yet they are wolves in sheep’s clothing, pretending to be democrats whilst amplifying their own agenda.

The ZIDERA thing is being viewed by the majority as targeted sanctions, yet in actual fact, they are real sanctions, because it carries OFAC AND AGOA which are sanctions are for finances and travel bans respectively.

Conditions by the USA that caused the introduction of sanctions in Zimbabwe and which Zimbabwe must oblige by as at the inception of the introduction of the evil sanctions are;

1)Restoration of the rule of law ( including respect of ownership and title to the property, which is land)

2) Election or pre-election conditions
3) commitment to equitable, legal and transparent land reform (consistent with agreements reached at the International Donors’ Conference on Land Reform and Resettlement of 1998)
4) fulfilment of agreement of ending the war in DRC

5) military and national police subordination to civilian government
Let us start with number 5, the reason why it was a condition that Zimbabwe should withdraw its troops in DRC was that America had some interests there. She was funding the rebels because she wanted mineral resources in DRC including diamonds. With the assistance of Zimbabwe military, Kabila’s military was very strong such that the rebels could not stand a chance.

The reason why the Americans and their British counterparts wanted Zimbabwe to stick with the 1998 agreement on land reform was and still is to give back the whites the land they stole from us because they value land knowing that wealth is in the land.

The only time I supported Mugabe was on his stubborn stance on land reform. We can not allow only 6000 minority whites to own 51% of land while more than 13 million natives own less than 49%. Mugabe was good that he amended the constitution that if colonies failed to compensate for the land they forcibly took from native Zimbabweans, the government would reclaim it without compensation. As evil, as he was he managed to take the land and give it to native Zimbabweans which didn’t go down well with the white supremacists.

Do you know in September 2018 America fined CBZ bank $3.8b for doing a transaction on behalf of ZB bank, which is listed on the sanctions list? What it means is, America wanted to sweep all our fiscal budget such that we suffer more, ie OFAC (Office of Financial Assets Control).

The reason why these white supremacists want to be given back their farms is that they know that underground wealth such as minerals is hidden underground in their farms. We should come out clear as a nation, as to what we want, what we support or not to support.

ZIDERA is causing so much suffering to the masses in Zimbabwe The land reform program should stand and be supported by the government. It should benefit all Zimbabweans regardless of political party affiliation Efforts should be made to empower Zimbabweans to fully utilize our land.

By Own Correspondent- In a statement Zanu-PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo, said the recent votes of no confidence and dismissal of party members has the potential of destabilising the party.

This follows news of votes of no confidence in the party’s youth leaders Pupurai Togarepi, his deputy Lewis Matutu and three other executive members.

Mary Mliswa who is sister to Independent legislator for Norton Temba Mliswa was also booted out of the party’s Mashonaland West structures.

Khaya Moyo however said any action that is taken against members must be done in line with party regulations.

He said:

The party notes with concern that disciplinary processes are being raised against party members without following proper procedures as set out in the party Constitution. Most recently, votes of no confidence were moved against some officials of the party National Youth Executive and there are reports of similar actions being initiated in some provinces.

These developments have greater potential of fomenting disunity in the party and should stop forthwith. Previously, disunity forces under the G40 cabal used votes of no confidence to purge party members perceived to be against their destabilisation agenda.

Summary dismissal of party officials through votes of no confidence should only be occasioned in extra ordinary circumstances and can only be passed upon the following grounds: gross incompetence and/or dereliction of duty, gross, misconduct, disloyalty and treachery.

By Own Correspondent- An illegal money changer from Bulawayo lost a BMW vehicle and R80 000, US$5 000 and $8 000 bond to three gun-wielding men clad in balaclavas.

The suspects pounced on Joseph Karimazondo (34) on Monday at about 9 PM while he was in the company of his younger brother and his two friends outside a flat at the corner of Connaught Avenue and Fife Street.

The victim managed to disarm the robber who was wielding a gun and he escaped on foot.

His accomplices sped off in Karimazondo’s BMW that had his money and other valuables.

The suspects are reported to have dumped the car near the United College of Education and the vehicle has since been recovered.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Chief Inspector Precious Simango yesterday confirmed the incident.

“We are investigating an armed robbery which occurred at some flats near the city center. The victim who is an illegal money changer lost R80 000, US$5 000 and $8 000 bonds. We strongly appeal to members of the public to avoid traveling around with large sums of money as this makes them targets for criminals,” she said.

Chief Insp Simango said members of the public who might have information that could lead to the arrest of the culprits should come forward.

A source close to the victim said Karimazondo was attacked near his home.

“Bra Joe was driving from the City Centre to his home before meeting his friends who were hanging out in a Volvo near a flat where he lives. When he saw the two friends, he parked his car and joined them leaving his brother in his silver BMW car,” said the source.

“While they were still chatting in the car, three men clad in balaclavas pounced on them. The three started pelting them with stones. One of the accused produced a gun and pointed it at Karimazondo’s friend who was in the driver’s seat and threatened to shoot him. In all this, the robbers did not even make any demands.”

Karimazondo and his friends thought the suspects were carrying a fake gun, the source said, prompting the trio to fight back.

The source said one of the men attacked Karimazondo’s brother who was still in the BMW, ejecting him from the car. The other robbers escaped in the car, leaving their accomplice who then fled on foot.

The source said Karimazondo, his brother and friends suffered minor injuries.

They took the gun they had confiscated from the robbers to the police and reported the matter.

THE ZANU-PF Chegutu West Member of the House of Assembly Dexter Nduna has apologised for what he said in Parliament during a heated argument with independent Norton Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa.

During this week’s Monday heated debate in Parliament, Nduna threatened Mliswa with death and boasted that he had killed countless numbers of people some of whom he did not even know.

Nduna has now said he did not mean what he said but spoke in a fit of rage.

He claimed that because it was a fight and therefore, there is no formula to conduct a fight.

On the dismissal of Mliswa’s sister, Mary, from her role as Mashonaland West provincial treasurer, Nduna said she was demoted because of her links with the former G40 cabal.

He cited some of the G40 elements who were in good books with Mary, likes of Shadrack Mashayamombe, Reuben Marumahoko and Saviour Kasukuwere.

Mary was also accused of being a proxy for Temba Mliswa in controlling the province.

Nduna claimed that Mliswa had control over the whole of the ZANU PF Mashonaland West province through his sister.

He further claimed that the fight in Parliament resulted from Mliswa’s anger that his sister had been flushed out of ZANU PF.

— PindulaNews

Jane Mlambo| Former MDC Alliance Spokesperson, Obert Gutu has found a rare ally in Deputy Information minister Energy Mutodi who equated the powerful opposition leader Nelson Chamisa to Angolan and Mozambican rebel fronters Jonas Savimbi and Alphonse Dhlakama.

Posting on Twitter today, Mutodi accused Chamisa of confusing the international community and causing anarchy in the country while swearing the firebrand opposition leader will not rule Zimbabwe.

Twitter users however reminded Mutodi that Chamisa was not seeking to rule the country but leading.

Correspondent|A University of Zimbabwe girl is claiming $600 which she lent her ex boyfriend while they were still dating in July last year.

Karen Manyama dragged her former lover Shepard Marekani to court demanding the $600 debt after they ended their affair.

“I gave him the money because he wanted to fix his car, which had broken down. He had said that he would return my money as soon as possible,” she said.

Karen further explained that after she started demanding her money, her ex-boyfriend dumped her this emotionally stressed her into claiming back the money.

“I honestly wasn’t expecting him to break up with me after all the money he was owing me.

“I ended up claiming it for my own benefit since we had broken up,” she said.

In response, Shepard clarified that there was no specific date which the money was supposed to be paid since they borrowed each other in good terms.

“There was no date of when payment was to be made so she must not claim the money whenever she feels like it,” he said.

The case is still pending.

By Own Correspondent- Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa has revealed that government has proposed to repeal the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act in a move aimed at deepening the country’s democratic processes and related approved principles.

Addressing journalists soon after a cabinet meeting at Munhumutapa offices in Harare Tuesday, Mutsvangwa said the proposed move thus gives rise to the introduction of three separate bills namely the Access to Information Bill, the Zimbabwe Media Commission Bill and the Protection of Personal Information or Data Protection Bill.

She said:

Cabinet proposed principles for the repeal of the AIPPA presented by the Information minister. The principles give rise to the introduction of three separate bills namely the Access to Information Bill the Zimbabwe Media Commission Bill and the Protection of Personal Information or Data Protection Bill. However, at today’s meeting, only the principles for the Bill to introduce the Zimbabwe Media Commission were considered.

Cabinet noted that the proposed amendment is in fulfilment of the requirement to align the country’s laws to the Constitution and deepen the country’s democratic processes and accordingly approved principles.

By Own Correspondent| The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) on Tuesday allegedly refused to prosecute a team of security agents that allegedly robbed a Mbare shabeen owner of over $28 000 during the ShutDownZim protests.

The 10-member team of robbers is made up of police officers, Military Intelligence and Central Intelligence Organisation operatives.

The security officials conspired to rob a Shabeen on Mangende Street in Mbare on February 8 while armed with assault rifles.

Eight members of the gang are Pride Ziwenga, Wilson Masvayamwando, and Admire Gasva (all Military Intelligence); Matthews Tshuma, Fidel Marume and Simbarashe Bwititi (all CIO); Henry Banda (PISI) and Dennis Muroyiwa (ZRP Law and Order).

An unconfirmed report reported that eight of the gang members were let go after the NPA told police investigators to bring a full docket.

According to the police, the group robbed the shebeen’s owner of $28 000 bond notes and $100 before driving away in a white Nissan MP300 with registration number AEA 4471, a white Nissan MP300 without registration plates and a Datsun Go without registration plates.

It was established that the vehicles used during the robbery belonged to the CIO.

POLICE have reportedly declined to approve the opposition MDC’s application to stage a peaceful march in honour of the party’s late founding leader and former Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai.

Tsvangirai, a fiery former trade unionist, who during his heydays kept the Zanu PF government on its toes, died last year after losing a two-year-long battle with colon cancer.

The march, according to MDC officials, had tentatively been pencilled for tomorrow to coincide with the date he passed on last year before receiving a State-assisted burial at his rural home in Buhera.

Party insiders told NewsDay yesterday that there were sharp disagreements over how to go about commemorating the late party leader, with some pushing for a peaceful march, while others wanted an indoor memorial service.

“Some want to continue with confrontation with the government, but others want a more level-headed and pragmatic approach, which probably is what Tsvangirai would have wanted. The idea of proposing a march is basically by those who want to stoke tensions, which is wrong,” a top MDC executive said.

“Tsvangirai wanted a united country and in his last days, advocated for an end to the crisis than to seek and perpetuate it for selfish reasons. The family is not happy with the idea of using Tsvangirai’s name to further political ends.”

Party spokesperson Jacob Mafume confirmed police in Harare had indicated they would not sanction the proposed march.

“Police have verbally indicated to us that they will not approve the march. We will wait for their written communication before we decide on the course of action or exercise our rights,” he said.

“Our firm understanding is that police have no right to ban or approve the exercise of such a right, they can only facilitate.”

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi referred questions to his boss Commissioner Charity Charamba, whose mobile phone went unanswered.

The former Prime Minister’s brother, Manase, said there were various activities lined up, but ruled out a march as one of them.

“No, we are not organising a march or demonstration. There will be speeches to remember him maybe at a closed venue and likely his daughter (Vimbai, Glen View South MP) will organise a rally. We will support her as a family,” Manase said.

Last month, protests organised by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) against fuel price hikes turned into an orgy of violence before the army moved in and fired live ammunition, killing at least 17 people, while over 80 others sustained gunshot wounds.

As secretary-general of the ZCTU during his trade unionism days, Tsvangirai led the formation of the MDC in 1999, presenting the first formidable challenge to Zanu PF’s stranglehold on power and almost dislodged the ruling party.

The late veteran trade unionist made a political career anchored on successful protests against a litany of government policies demanding a widening of the democratic space.

He is credited with taming Zanu PF excesses, in the process laying the foundation for political tolerance in Zimbabwe.

-Newsday

Correspondent|Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) Commander General Philip Valerio Sibanda has banned ZDF officers from marrying non commissioned members according to a memo posted by exiled former Higher Education Minister Jonathan Moyo on Twitter.

In a document posted by Moyo, ZDF officers are banned from marrying non commissioned members under the Fraternisation Policy which took effect on 1 February 2019. The policy gives those already married to each other, six months to comply or be discharged.

Below is the tweet and memo.

By Own Correspondent| Reports from Botswana indicate that 5 people, one of whom is suspected to be a 2 year old minor died in a Seabelo bus accident that occurred along the A1 Road near Tropic of Capricorn around 6am on Tuesday morning.

According to the Botswana Daily News, local police head Superintendent Kgosienalerona Sechoni of Mahalapye said that the accident involved two buses, one of which was Zimbabwe bound and the other heading to Francistown.

His colleague on the Francistown bound bus reportedly assumed that the bus that he was trailing was in motion, only to realise when it was too late that the bus was stationery and as such crashed on it. The driver lost control after knocking against the rear of the other bus and drove through the bush.

The police said that initial reports indicated that the driver of the bus going to Zimbabwe had pulled off the road.

The deceased are three women, a man and boy suspected to be aged two years, according to Botswana police.-Botswana Daily News

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Cabinet has approved the repeal of the unpopular Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and tabled at least three Bills to replace the law that regulated the operations of the media.

Briefing journalists in Harare after Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the Act would be replaced by the proposed Zimbabwe Media Commission Bill, Data/Information Protection Bill, Freedom of Information and the Broadcasting Services Act Amendment Bill.

“Cabinet noted that the (ZMC Bill) principles were in fulfilment of the new dispensation thrust and in fulfilment of the alignment of the laws to the new Constitution and deepening of our democratic space,” she said.

According to Mutsvangwa, the proposed laws to replace AIPPA will be tabled at the next Cabinet meeting for interrogation and then sent to the Attorney-General’s Office for drafting before being introduced to Parliament for debate and possible adoption.

She also said Cabinet discussed a proposed amendment to the Police Act with a view to change the criteria for promoting senior officers.

Mutsvangwa, who sat next to Primary and Secondary Education minister Paul Mavima, said Cabinet also resolved not to increase the Zimbabwe School Examination Council (Zimsec) examination fees for Ordinary and Advanced Level this year.

Cabinet also received briefings on Mnangagwa’s recent trip to the Africa Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

-Newsday

Media Statement By MDC|The military government has removed any doubt of its cruelty and lack of remorse when its front man Emmerson Mnangagwa appeared in a disgusting interview of France24.

He displayed a clear misunderstanding of basics in Criminal Justice, he certainly does not qualify to lead Criminal Justice reform.

Not suprising that the years he served as Minister of Justice were wasted. No laws were aligned to the constitution. Instead, he was at the centre of taking away progressive clauses through dubious amendments.

Just like his old days of Gukurahundi and the 1st of August killings, in the interview, Mnangagwa was in denial, lied with a straight face and said hollow statements.

Mnangagwa in 1983 professed ignorance about Gukurahundi “I have never witnessed that, I have never heard about it except to read it from the press. I have never heard any complaint of that nature“

Yet reports including the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace revealed that more than 20 000 people had been butchered by the ruthless, Korea-trained, 5th Brigade which, on record, he had briefed the press on the trainers.

Thousands of deaths later and decades later he has failed to at least pronounce a word of apology.

He has not apologized for the 1 August killings. Neither has he taken responsibility even after reading out a report which squarely finds him guilty.

In fact before the Mothlante Commission, he had confessed ignorance of deployment of army.

The MDC finds his interview to be a continuation of his denial tactics, the kind which is unacceptable especially in a space relating to State sponsored deaths and rape.

His desire to see where the deceased were buried is shocking when the funerals were even screened live on international news channels.

President Chamisa attended some of these funerals.

Postmortem results confirmed that the deceased had died of bullet wounds, others after sustaining fatal blows from the indiscriminate assaults on innocent citizens.

The denial is a clear sign of arrogance, ruthlessness, cruelty- the very traits embedded in the Zanu PF DNA.

We also know that they are conflicted because evidence placed in court records by one of the killers is to the effect that Zanu PF had given guns to untrained thugs who killed people in cold blood.

The MDC also notes that Mnangagwa misunderstands the need to protect victims of rape.

His interview does not make it better, he trivializes the whole state instigated violence that took place in January, insisting that women were not raped because only one report was made to the police.

We in the MDC have argued then as we do now that only the Independent Complains Mechanism set out in section 210 of the Constitution has the lawful and reasonable grounding to investigate these issues.

Mnangagwa cannot keep hiding behind the so called regime change agenda statements of NGOs and the MDC when the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission made factual findings on the violations.

It is a constitutional commission not an NGO.

Mnangagwa is certainly bad for Zimbabwe. His leadership is in bad taste, his lying has reached astronomical levels and his arrogance keeps friend of Zimbabwe away.

Zimbabwe can only heal and move forward when the truth is told. We challenge Mnangagwa to do the honorable thing, and allow the will of the people to prevail.

Behold the New. Change that delivers

Hon. Dr. Bekithemba Mpofu
MDC National Deputy Spokesperson

Jane Mlambo| Opposition MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa has rallied his supporters that one day the oppressive Zanu PF regime will be defeated.

In a Twitter post early morning today, Chamisa said the history of most nations show that oppressors have been fought by the oprressed who uses weapons and brute force to suppress their liberation efforts but stated that in the end it will be victory for the people.

The Zanu PF regime has since the early 2000 unleashed violence on opposition supporters as they sought to protect their power and this resulted in the death of more than 1000 MDC members including Tonderai Ndira, Better Chokururama and Godfrey Kauzani among others.

A WOMAN suffering from high blood pressure and diabetes collapsed and died outside a food outlet in Bulawayo yesterday afternoon, the second such sudden death in the city within a week.

The incident occurred in front of a food outlet located at the corner of Fort Street and Leopold Takawira Avenue at around 12PM.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Chief Inspector Precious Simango confirmed the incident.

“I can confirm that a woman collapsed and died in the city centre this afternoon (yesterday) but we are yet to gather more details,” she said.

Eyewitnesses said the woman died while people were administering first aid soon after she collapsed as they thought it was just fatigue.

“When she collapsed, everyone thought its minor since it is very hot. People rushed to pour some water and while they were still trying to revive her, she died,” said an eyewitness.

Another eyewitness alleged that a person who identified herself as the deceased’s next of kin came to the scene.

“She said the sudden death may have been caused by high blood pressure and diabetes that the woman has been battling for some time,” said the eyewitness.
Last week, another woman collapsed and died while attending to a customer at a city fabric retail shop where she worked.

State Media

Paul Nyathi|State run Herald Newspaper on Wednesday went all out claiming that civil society organisations had lied that a Kadoma man was shot and killed by the army during last month’s citizen protests.

The media claimed that Tinashe Kaitano who appeared in court on charges of public violence on Tuesday had been listed as one of the people who was shot dead by state security officers by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO forum.

Activist Dewa Mavhinga corrected the state media misinformation in a Twitter message on Wednesday indicating that the person listed as killed in the NGO forum list was actually Tafadzwa Muswini and not Kaitano as deliberately misdirected by the state mouthpiece.

“State Media is misinformed, the Kadoma victim who was shot straight in the heart & killed is Tafadzwa Muswini, not Kaitano,” wrote Mavhinga.

The Herald unwarrantedly accused the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) for cooking up figures of people who died during last month’s violence in order to justify President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s claims that nobody was killed by the soldiers during the skirmishes.

Meanwhile, Kaitano (20) was on Tuesday convicted of arson for setting alight a zanu-pf administrative district office in the town.

Kaitano was convicted together with MDC-Alliance Kadoma District chairperson and Ward 2 Councillor Michael Gore.

Kadoma magistrate Tinashe Gwazemba remanded Kaitano and Gore in custody for sentencing tomorrow.

Kaitano and Gore were charged together with businessman Wellington Maketa and Elphigio Mapiriyawo.

Maketa and Mapiriyawo were acquitted after the State failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that they were involved in the violent protests.

Convicting Kaitano and Gore, Mr Gwazemba said public violence is a crime of serious nature.

He said witnesses who testified in court could not have grudgingly lied against the pair.

Mr Gwazemba said Kaitano was positively identified closing shops in Rimuka, barricading roads and uprooting road signs.

Gore is alleged to have threw stones at the zanu-pf Kadoma district party offices.

Ms Gracious Chaminuka prosecuted.

Paul Nyathi|The Zanu-PF Mashonaland West provincial executive committee last weekend removed Mary Mliswa-Chikoka from the position of treasurer and replaced her with Reuben Marumahoko, after it was felt that she was no longer carrying out the party programmes.

The resolution was made at a provincial executive committee meeting on Sunday.

Marumahoko’s elevation is subject to confirmation by the provincial coordinating committee set for this weekend.

Mliswa-Chikoka is also the Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs Minister.

In an interview after the meeting, provincial party spokesperson Abia Munjere said the decision was unanimous.

“The Mashonaland West provincial executive committee resolved to pass a vote of confidence in the treasurer Cde Mary Mliswa-Chikoka as she was no longer carrying out party programmes,” he said.

“She was now engaged in programmes that were contrary to the party.

“The PEC resolved that Cde Mliswa no longer holds any position in the party, but will continue in her position in Government as Minister of State.”

Mliswa was co-opted into the party from Hurungwe party administration district after then provincial vice chairman Keith Guzah deserted the party after he lost the primary elections.

The committee received party programmes for the year from the provincial executives of the women and youth wings.

Meanwhile, her brother, who is independent member of parliament for Norton constituency Temba Mliswa has accused his latest foe Dexter Nduna for instigating the dismissal of his sister from the provincial executive.

Mliswa took to Twitter to express his outrage at Nduna for executing the action.

Source: State Media

By Paul Nyathi|Three members of the Zimbabwe Police Services in Buhera have been arrested by their collegues for allegedly involving themselves in politics by criticising President Emmerson Mnangagwa and expressing their support of opposition leader Nelson Chamisa.

The officers have been arraigned before the police disciplinary system and are likely to be dismissed from service for chanting MDC slogans in a public place.

Below are parts of the charge sheets against the officers.

A woman appeared in court yesterday for allegedly duping two people of $116 400 in separate deals.

Deajury Doro (43) appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Rumbidzai Mugwagwa, facing two counts of fraud.

She was denied bail and remanded to February 26.

Ms Mugwagwa denied the accused bail on the basis that she committed the two offences while on bail involving another case.

‘’The chain of events shows she has the ability to commit the same crime again, hence there is need for the court to protect the public,’’ said Ms Mugwagwa.

The court heard that on September 3, the complainant Ruramayi Magaya received a phone call from Ronica Mapfunde, his former business associate, who advised him that Doro had access to United States dollars.

She then gave her Doro’s number.

On September 10, Magaya called Doro and told her that he was in need of United States dollars.

On September 12, Magaya met with Doro at Planas Stationery Shop at the corner of Nkwame Nkurumah Avenue and Leopold Takawira Street in Harare.

Doro made Magaya believe that she had access to United States dollars and as a result Magaya transferred $26 700 into her Steward Bank account through the ZIPIT platform from his three different CABS account numbers.

After the transactions, Doro promised to handover the cash to Magaya within an hour.

Doro failed to deliver the cash and as a result Magaya decided to reverse the transaction and went to Steward Bank with her.

When they got to the bank, Magaya ordered Doro to transfer the money into his friend’s account.

Doro then made Inter-Account Funds Transfer and left.

When Magaya enquired whether the money had gone through, the bank advised him that the transaction had been declined because Doro had provided incorrect information.

Magaya then reported the matter to the police.

Nothing was recovered.

The court also heard that on January 30, the other complainant, Nobukhosi Ndlovu, received a call from her friend Silence Mwanjira, who told her that Doro was selling 74 tonnes of groundnuts for $89 700.

Ndlovu told her friend that she wanted the groundnuts and was willing to pay the money via RTGS.

On the same day, Mwanjira sent Doro’s account number to Ndlovu, who then transferred the money.

Mwanjira advised Ndlovu that she would be able to collect the groundnuts once the funds had reflected in Doro’s account.

When the money went through, Ndlovu phoned Doro and they agreed to meet at Holiday Inn.

Ndlovu went to the hotel and tried to communicate with Doro, but her number was no longer reachable.

She became suspicious and contacted her bank to reverse the transaction, but was advised that Doro had already transferred $13 700 into different accounts.

The remaining $76 000 was still in Doro’s Steward Bank account.

Ndlovu was prejudiced of $89 700.

State Media

Correspondent|Ten people who were part of a gang of protesters in Mutare last month have each been harshly sentenced to three years in prison by a Mutare magistrate.

Tonderayi Maruta (45), Donstain Mulaka (35), James Marifiye (25), Gift Kambiro (27), Tatenda Matsika (25), Hamashow Zimunya (32), Biggie Chikunguru (28), Shepherd Manyaradze (15), Innocent Chidarura (15) and Blessing Chikwizura (31) were jailed by magistrate Tendai Mahwe.

The 10 were arrested after they allegedly attempted to block Feruka Road in Mutare.

In a stance that appears to be set up for all courts trying arrested protesters, Mahwe initially sentenced them to 36 months in prison each before suspending 12 months of the jail term for five years on condition that they did not commit a similar offence within that period.

Prosecutor Last Goredema proved that the convicts were part of a group of rowdy protesters that were arrested by the police on January 15 this year as they were marching along Feruka Road near Natvest Industrial Park.

The group, which was also burning tyres and blocking the road using boulders, wanted to march into Mutare’s Central Business District.

Source: State Media

Own Correspondent|Cabinet yesterday resolved to repeal the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and amend the Police Act as government succumbs to pressure to embark on reforms through aligning laws to the Constitution.

The repeal of AIPPA will give rise to three legal instruments — the Access to Information Bill, the Zimbabwe Media Commission Bill and the Protection of Personal Information/Data Protection Bill.

This was said by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa while addressing the media during a weekly briefing on Cabinet deliberations.

“Cabinet considered principles for the repeal of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, commonly known as AIPPA, presented by the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

In yesterday’s meeting, only the principles of the Bill to introduce the Zimbabwe Media Commission were considered, said the minister.

“Cabinet noted that the proposed amendment is in fulfilment of the requirement to align the country’s laws to the Constitution and to deepen the country’s democratic processes and accordingly approved the principles,” she said.

Minister Mutsvangwa said her ministry would expeditiously constitute boards for the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) and ZMC.

She said following a presentation by Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Cain Mathema on principles for the amendment of the Police Act to align it with the Constitution, Cabinet approved the principles paving way for the drafting of the actual Bill.

Responding to questions, Minister Mathema said most amendments to the Act were administrative as it sought to clarify different roles of various office holders such as the Police Commissioner-General, Police Service Commission, the responsible Minister and the President.

On reforms of State enterprises, Minister Mutsvangwa said Cabinet resolved to retain the State Lotteries and Gaming Board after it was noted that it was operating viably.

Cabinet was also briefed about meetings held between striking teachers unions and the Primary and Secondary Education Minister Professor Paul Mavima, which saw an agreement to call off the industrial action reached.

“Cabinet commended the unions for heeding the call to prioritise the interests of the learners as well as the country and reiterated Government’s commitment to the improvement of the teachers working conditions,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Busi Moyo briefed Cabinet on the 32nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Governments of the African Union held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 10 to 11 February 2019.

Source: State Media

A Harare Magistrate was left stunned after a State witness brought forward by the State to try and pin former Health and Child Care minister David Parirenyatwa down and prove his guilt in a matter in which he stands as an accused person exonerated him saying he had only looked out for NatPham during his time as minister.

The former Natpham chair, George Pasipanodya who testified in court cleared the former minister’s name saying he only had good intentions for his former employer saying Newman Madzikwa’s employment saying they were delays in acting on drug shortages and he seemed as a more effective option, the court heard.

“The former minister has only done what was good for the company. He sent Newman Madzikwa to act as a managing director after Nancy Sikefu who was in that position delayed to act on the issue of drug shortages in the country. As a board, we did our own independent investigations on the person we were being offered by the ministry and minister on a temporary basis to try and deal with the situation in line with governments 100 day action plan and we found out that with his qualifications and reputation he was the right person Natpharm was looking for,” the court heard.

Pasipanodya cleared the air on the issue of NatPham getting billed twice for the salaries of Madzikwa and Sifeku saying, Madzikwa was not even on the payroll for the six months he was with NatPham. He said Madzikwa only recivedtransport, and phone call allowances from their organization instead on the purported salaries.

Parirenyatwa is answering to charges of criminal abuse of office following allegations of giving a directive to apoint Madzikwa as the Natpharm managing director without proper procedure.

Pasipanodya also took time to mention the many favors that Parirenyatwa granted during his time in office to sustain Natpharm and the eminent drug shortages which the country was facing.

He said that the former minister has helped in the building of many warehouses across the nation and helped to secure a $26 million debt for Natpharm. He added that the reason why he gave Madzikwa was that the Natpharm situation was then not normal and it had become a public outcry and a matter of urgency in the country.

Parirentatwa who is represented by James Makina and Advocate Deepak Mehta has long pleaded not guilty indicating that he made all his decisions in compliance with the ministry’s ‘100 day action plan.’

Prosecuting Brian Vito alleges that Parirenyatwa on June 4, 2018 ordered NatPharm board chairman, Dr George Washaya, to terminate Flora Nancy Sifeku’s contract as managing director of the Government-owned company saying he required her services at his then Ministry before directing Washaya to appoint Newman Madzikwa as the acting managing director of NatPharm.

The board complied with the directive resulting in Sifeku and Mr Madzikwa both being given six-month contracts with effect from June to November 30, 2018. This allegedly resulted in NatPharm paying two salaries concurrently to Sifeku and Madzikwa for the managing director’s position, thereby prejudicing the company of $30 000. Parirenyatwa is out on $500 bail coupled with stringent bail conditions.

Morning post

Correspondent|Zanu PF youth league boss, Pupurai Togarepi, his deputy  Lewis Matutu and three other National Executive Council members have been cleared by the ZANU PF National Disciplinary Committee (NDC).

Sources said the NDC confirmed having received the vote of no confidence petition which endorsed the ouster of the entire executive but there were no incriminating evidence against the youth league leaders.

“The NDC has decided to give the executive another chance and that there was no evidence to suggest that the team was sabotaging the president,” the source said.

Insiders, however, said the issue is deeper than it appears to be as some very senior officials in the party have sought other provinces’ support to resist Togarepi’s ouster.

“There are people who have decided to engage other provinces so as to rally support for the executive,” the source said adding: “The move by the NDC will destroy other youths’ confidence because the youths are aware of how this executive is corrupt and has failed to carry out its mandate.

Own Correspondent|26-year-old Christina Hamilton who made headlines for marrying a medical doctor for convenience before milking him of his money and properties worth half a million dollars was on Tuesday convicted of all charges before she fled from the Harare magistrate’s courts, evading judgement.

Hamilton who was facing charges of theft of trust property and fraud, among others, was found guilty of all four charges against her just before lunch and the matter had been rolled over to 1415hours for sentencing when her lawyer applied that she be placed in his care instead of the court holding cells.

Minutes before Magistrate Francis Mapfumo walked into the court room for court proceedings, Hamilton left the court under the guise of being engaged on a phone call and was never to be seen again. A warrant of arrest has since been issued against her amidst fears that she might flee the country.

Alexander Tarasana Guni said he was still heartbroken following what his wife, Christina Hamilton did to him and is finding it difficult to stomach.

Guni told court that he married Hamilton a month after he met her and in five months, they wedded.

“I was fooled by her looks and I needed a partner for life. I thought I had found one not knowing that the accused never loved me. She hated me yet she needed what I had,” he said.

Hamilton allegedly changed ownership of expensive vehicles while the couple was in Honolulu for their honeymoon.

She also stole $US48,000 from Guni’s safe and made successive withdrawals from his company, Chrylex Medical investments bank account amounting $48,000.

The controversial bride is also accused of stealing $2,800 petty cash and Guni’s academic certificates as well as his practising certificate.

Guni told court that despite paying lobola and also tying the knot with Hamilton, they never stayed together as she kept on giving excuses for staying away from the couple’s matrimonial home.

After they wedded, she vanished together with her boyfriend, identified as Terrence Mauchaza.

“I believe she was working under the instructions of the boyfriend although I still call her my wife. We have not divorced; it hurts that she moved on…I assume because she now has a child who is not mine,” said the doctor.

Guni said Hamilton took with her, her three siblings on their honeymoon in order to deprive him of his conjugal rights.

“She booked a single room for the five of us at Meikles hotel in Harare. I then decided I will enjoy my rights when we go for a trip in Honolulu but then she lied she was having her menses for the two weeks we spent there,” he said.

Guni also told court that he gave Hamilton money to go and shop for their wedding in South Africa three times but she did not bring a single item.

“At one time she told me she was robbed and I had to send over 7000 rands to her, still she did not buy anything,” he said.

According to Guni, although things were patchy, the couple managed to have a posh wedding and it was his testimony that Hamilton’s ex-boyfriends and her other boyfriends were present.

He said Hamilton will make him feel bad each time he confronted her over cash and family disputes.

“I employed her to do administrative work but she never reported for duty. She only came to collect money,” he said.

The complainant told court that he even paid $30,000 for a fake wedding planner, one Hillary Ind who was conniving with his wife.

He said the planner did not organise anything and he lost his $30,000.

After the wedding, when a case for stealing the safe containing $48,000 was reported, Hamilton vanished for four years only to resurface recently.

Guni suspects she was hiding in United States of America.

In her defence to the allegations, she told Harare magistrate Mapfumo that Guni had no properties for her to have married him for convenience as all of the properties belonged to ‘their’ company and that he had manipulated her into marriage as she was only 21 at the time they exchanged vows.

She said everything she had taken was her entitlement as a wife and a shareholder in the company.

Police have increased deployment of officers in Bulawayo’s western suburbs to fight criminal activities. On Sunday, a message inciting citizens to embark on another stayaway was widely circulating on social media platforms.

However, the message found no takers as residents went about their business. Last month, when the country experienced violent opposition protests, rowdy elements looted and vandalised property worth millions of dollars in western suburbs. Hundreds of them we arrested for participating in the criminal activities and dozens have been convicted and jailed.

The Chronicle has since Monday observed that police patrol teams had been increased in western areas.

A comment could not be immediately obtained from the police on why there has been an increase in the deployment of officers. Bulawayo United Residents’ Association chairman Mr Winos Dube said it was not clear why the police had been deployed in huge numbers.

“We have seen the police officers but we have not been told why they have been deployed. Maybe because of what happened last month they are still monitoring the situation. I’ve driven along Siyepambili Drive to Mpilo Central Hospital where I came across police roadblocks,” said Mr Dube.

“The officers were not doing much. I did not see them stop any vehicle. They just stood there without bothering anyone. Maybe they are waiting to vanquish any potential threats.” Bulawayo Progressive Residents’ Association (BPRA) acting coordinator Mr Emmanuel Ndlovu said the residents’ body had also witnessed heavy presence of cops in western suburbs.

He implored the police to communicate with its stakeholders who include residents when they are doing things out of the norm. -state media

By A Correspondent| The Information Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa during the day relegated the issue of the plight of Zimbabwean students are currently stranded in Russia to the Ministry Of Higher Education.

Responding during her cabinet press briefing, minister Mutsvangwa said, “you will have to go to the minister of Higher Education. It wasn’t part of the brief this afternoon, but.. that one it’s a good question, go to the min of Higher Education”

A group of several higher education students during the week revealed that they are now stuck, totally grounded in Russia after the government of Zimbabwe failed to honour payments on their bursaries.

MORE FOLLOWS

Zanu PF Deputy Secretary For Youths, Louis Mathuthu has shifted focus to farming after youths league members passed a vote of no confidence in the national leadership.

Mathuthu posted a picture showcasing tomatoes from his farming investment saying that is where he is directing his energy and not factional fights that are threatening to tear the ruling party apart.

Meanwhile Twitter users reminded Mathuthu that Zanu PF has a tendency of using and dumping people, a scheme they said he had fallen victim to.

By A Correspondent| As if the drama from Monday’s parliament portfolio scuffle was not enough, the boasting self-confessed murderer, the MP for Chegutu, Dexter Nduna has taken his colleague Temba Mliswa to court for calling him a thief in Parliament yesterday.

Nduna’s court papers are below: (THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY)

Murderer who has robbed many of their lives, Dexter Nduna, sues @TembaMliswa $10mln for labelling him a thief. pic.twitter.com/74airH5maO

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) February 12, 2019

VIDEO LOADING BELOW:

By Own Correspondent- Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has welcomed the release from prison of party cadre and leader Amos Chibaya, whom he says is being persecuted for “his indomitability in the fight for democracy and freedom in Zimbabwe”.

Chibaya, has been languishing in prison together with other MDC stalwarts including Mbizo legislator Settlement Chikwinya and his Redcliff colleague Lloyd Mukapiko following their arrest by the government in the aftermaths of the January 14 fuel protests.

The trio, were together with over hundreds of other civilians arrested during the joint army and police crackdown on civilians and opposition leaders where they were charged with treason, looting and public violence among a host of other charges.

Said Chamisa following the release of the party’s National Organising Secretary:

“So glad to see The people’s Organiser Amos Chibaya in high spirit after being released from prison. It’s all persecution, Chibaya is a peacemaker and hard-worker. The comrade has been targeted because of his indomitability in the fight for democracy and freedom in Zimbabwe.”

I promised this thread thru which I share what I call “coup minutes” which give us an idea why the army took over power in Zimbabwe in Nov 2017 & continue in control up to today.

Before sharing coup minutes, I want to draw attention to a recent article by George Charamba in the Herald of 06 February 2019. Charamba was secretary to the soldiers who staged the coup and his signature is appended to the “coup minutes”.

In the Herald article, Charamba claims “carriers of Operation Restore Legacy (coup) are all Zanu-PF cadres to the bone” & that the coup was “motivated by the need to checkmate the alien G40 in order to rescue the party (Zanu-PF) & its govt”.This is consistent with coup minutes.

Just as Charamba declares in the Herald article of 6 Feb 2019, the soldiers who staged the coup feared takeover of Zanu-PF by G40 would impact on “electability of Zanu-PF in the 2018 elections”. Out of 15 concerns the soldiers had,13 directly had to do with Zanu-PF, the Party.

On this page, the soldiers clearly state that the coup “was meant to prop up the authority of the president & buttress his constitutional roles in running the affairs of the Party, Zanu-PF, & the nation of Zimbabwe.”

Page 7, like many sections of the coup minutes, contains the major reason for the coup, “threatened electability of Zanu-PF in the impending 2018 harmonised elections” which raised “the spectre of an electoral defeat” similar to 2008.

Page 8 tells us that the coup was also meant to enable the military to “reinstate bonafide party (Zanu-PF) processes for legitimate outcomes (at the extraordinary congress in Dec 2017). It was meant to reinstate ED who had been fired.

On page 9, the coupists claim their coup was meant to avert ‘a tribal war,’ “Hondo yemarudzi” which they argued, “posed a real threat to National Security & overall electability of Zanu-PF “.

Page 10 reveals that the coup enabled the military to takeover Zanu-PF & govt so the soldiers could fulfil 2013 Zanu-PF “unfulfilled” election promises because “the command element expressed fears that Zanu-PF faced another election without evidence of real economic recovery”.

Page 11. The coup was a result of the unhappiness the soldiers had over sidelining of war vets from both Zanu-PF & govt. They were angry that “even veteran commissars seconded to the party by the military were dropped or sidelined”.

Page 12 Command element wasn’t happy with the way Zanu-PF National Commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere, “was executing commissariat work”. The army expressed concern over the perceived influence that @ProfJNMoyo had on the Commissar.

The soldiers staged the coup bcaz they were unhappy with what they called “the culture of open disrespect of seniors (@edmnangagwa) in the party” (Zanu-PF) shown at “interface rallies”.

Page 14 shows the soldiers carried out the coup bcaz they were not happy with the “integrity & management of information & decisions of the party” (Zanu-PF) which they said were being communicated through social media.

The command element staged the coup bcaz of “growing anxiety… arising from well-publicised threats of dismissal or arbitrary retirement”. In short, the coup was to save their jobs.

Page 16: The soldiers, whose terms of office had expired, argued that the 2013 constitution “gave everyone occupying such constitutionally abridged posts a new countdown date” hence couldn’t be retired.

Page 17: The soldiers staged the coup caz they were not happy with the collapse of the “National Joint Operation Command” (JOC), allegedly, at the instigation of G40. They blamed Chihuri & Bonyongwe for its collapse.

Page 18 The soldiers threatened a “bloody” war if “a counter-operation led by the police” resisted their coup.

Page 19: The soldiers lied that they were not staging the coup to effect leadership change at the top echelons of Zanu-PF although they argued: “hard decisions… had to be made in the interest of the survival of the party.”

Page 20-21: The soldiers expressed anxiety over who was to succeed Pres Mugabe “should he choose to retire” & claimed “hard decisions had to be made “whilst there is still time “…” for the survivability of Zanu-PF “…”into the future.”

Conclusion: The coup minutes correctly show that the Nov 2017 coup had nothing to do with the welfare of Zimboz but the worry the military had over a seemingly certain 2018 Zanu-PF electoral defeat. As Charamba puts it “the carriers” of Coup are “Zanu-PF cadres to the bone.”

MDC Organising Secretary Amos Chibaya today received a warm welcome from fellow parliamentarians when he walked into parliament following more than two weeks in detention.

Read tweets below

By Own Correspondent- Zanu-PF Mashonaland West Youth League has endorsed the expulsion of leader, Pupurai Togarepi, his deputy  Lewis Matutu and three other National Executive Council members.

Togarepi, Matutu and the three National Executive Council members are accused of incompetence, gross misconduct and disloyalty, among other allegations.

The other three are the Youth League’s national secretary for Administration Tendai Chirau, the deputy national secretary for External Relations Admire Mahachi and deputy national Secretary for Environment and Tourism Mercy Mugomo. 

In a statement after a provincial youth executive meeting in Chinhoyi last week, provincial secretary for administration Ability Gandawa called on Zanu-PF’s National Disciplinary Committee to immediately review and conclude the matter.

Said Gandawa:

The Mashonaland West executive calls upon all Zanu-PF members to support the decision made by the national executive of the Youth League to reorganise its structure to suit the aspirations of the party which is to support the President in making Zimbabwe great again. To this end, the executive calls on the National Disciplinary Committee to immediately review and conclude the matter, to discharge members working against the vision of the President.

By Own Correspondent- South Africa’s Home Affairs Department is reportedly investigating self-acclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri’s residency in the country.

According to a report by Eyewitness News, Bushiri and his wife Mary, who both lead the Enlightened Christian Gathering Church, have drawn much attention after they were charged with fraud and money laundering.

The Malawian nationals are out on bail and will be back in court in May.

The department says the investigation into Bushiri’s residency is a routine exercise to assist in the ongoing investigation.

The department says that Bushiri first entered South Africa in September 2009 but only acquired permanent residency which would have allowed him to run his church in May 2016.

But his church is recorded to have been active in South Africa already in 2012.

Home Affairs says that the investigation is to establish compliance with the Immigration Act.

Officials say their investigation should be complete by the end of this week

By Own Correspondent| A Harare woman who was in a shop along Bank street in Harare will rue the day she carried a big bag while doing her shopping after council police dragged her into their truck in a blitz targeting vendors.

The woman, who was busy shopping and unaware that a council vehicle was just outside full of council police got the shock of her life after one of the municipal officers dragged her from the shop to the vehicle accussing her of vending and hiding her wares inside the shop.

She tried to explain that she was on a shopping spree and even showed the council police officer a list of items she was buying but the officer would hear none of it.

She was forcibly dragged into their van only to be later released after the intervention of one of the shop keepers.

By Own Correspondent- A pastor with the Family of God (Fog) church in Beitbridge, Henius Muzopa, faces arrest for allegedly bashing a female congregant on Sunday`in a feud which allegedly arose due to factionalism in the church.

It is alleged that Muzopa, responded to a greeting gesture by congregant Thokozile Moyo, with fists when the two met at their church premises in Dulivhadzimo.

Muzopa switched off his phone yesterday when a local publication sought comment.

According to witnesses, Moyo arrived at the church with Gloria Muleya Chimurudze to see an elderly member of the church who was sick.

Moyo held out her hand to greet Muzopa, who is from a rival faction, and he allegedly responded by punching her instead. He kicked her in the back as she turned to flee.

Moyo was briefly hospitalised after the alleged assault and a medical affidavit by Aramu Magodora described Moyo’s injuries as severe, but unlikely to cause permanent disability.

Moyo has since made a formal report under RRB number 3822334 at Beitbridge Police.

Ever since Fog founder Andrew Wutawunashe divorced his wife, quarrels have dominated the church after a provisional court ruling said members should share the churches registered in the couple’s names.-StateMedia

About 31 passengers who were travelling in a Brooklyn bus from Bulawayo to Mussina lost valuables worth thousands of dollars when armed robbers aboard the bus pounced on them Monday night.

According to sources, the incident occurred around 2300 hours near Irsvale Turn Off in Umzingwane district. 

The bus is said to have left with 36 booked passengers and did not pick up anyone along way.

However, upon reaching Irsvale one of the armed robbers stood up and fired in the air before ordering the driver to immediately stop the bus.

Four of his other accomplices emerged from the back and ordered the passengers to lie down before robbing them of their values which included phones, money and passports.

After committing the robbery, the five men disappeared into the night.

The bus then proceeded to Gwanda Police Station where a report was made.

The actual value of the goods is not yet known. 

Police in Gwanda have referred all questions to the national police headquarters.

The incident comes hard on the heels of an armed robbery which occurred in Beitbridge recently where one person was killed and 3 injured when a Smart bus they were traveling in was attacked by 2 armed robberies.

REGISTRAR General Clemence Masango says the printing of passports could come to a halt within the next two months if government fails to avail forex to import the special paper used to print the much sought-after document.

Masango was giving oral evidence this Monday before to parliament’s Defence and Security Services Committee.

The Registrar general said his office has fallen behind in the issuance of passports with those supposed to take 24 hours now taking a minimum of 3 days while three day passports now take a full week.

-Zimbabwe Star

By Own Correspondent| Zimbabwean author, Tsitsi Dangarembga has said President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s statements that women who claimed to have been raped during the January military and police crackdown on protestors were faking it is not only shocking but insensitive.

Dangarembga revealed that when she was raped, it took her 12 years to open up and reveal the matter.

She said:

Am beyond shocked by the denial of rape by President Mnangagwa. ZRP has publicly said it can take 8-10 years for a rape victim to come forward. In my case, I only faced it after 12 years, and still, don’t know where or how to report. The callousness exhibited here is mindblowing.

In an interview with AFP as reported by South African publication TimesLive, Tsitsi said Zimbabwe needs her #MeToo moment.

She said:

Violence is very much part of the fabric of our society and I believe we have to address this… if we want to overcome it.

I want to talk about my own story of abuse, which really robbed me of eight years of my life. I want to be one of the people in the #MeToo spots.

Tsitsi became famous after she published her book, ‘Nervous Conditions’ in 1988. Her novel was recently named by the BBC as one of 100 stories that shaped the world.

By Own Correspondent| Zimbabwean students in Russia through government scholarships have appealed to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration to honor their financial obligations and ensure that the students lead better lives abroad.

Below is the full text by the students:

This scholarship is meant for underprivileged students like those who don’t have parents like us. Our Zim govt promised to take care of us but it’s not. The weather is more than harsh here, as I write the temperature is 20 degrees below zero and it’s only the start of winter.

We haven’t paid rentals and compulsory medical insurance. There’s no food to eat and warm shoes for this winter. We need money. In Russia, there is no excuse for I don’t have. Why would you promise us that you will take care of us whilst you do the exact opposite?

If you had told us the truth we wouldn’t have accepted this offer from the word go. Why are you making us suffer like this? Girls are now well known for selling their bodies for them to eat and many have actually stopped their studies because the situation is unbearable.

Boys are making shisha in Nightclubs to make ants meat and few unfortunate ones are being sodomised. The situation is terrible and it needs the government immediate response.

As students in Russia who came to study through the so-called the Zimbabwe-Russian Government bilateral scholarships, we say it’s over. We are tired of lies by the Zimbabwean government and its ministry. We have been patient enough to wait for what you promised.

You published that the government is going to clear the arrears by the end of January 2019, but up to now, you didn’t release any cent. We are starving here, and to my surprise, the government is continuing to call for applications to Russia.

Life in Russia is extremely expensive. On top of that, we are obliged to pay expenses like rent, medical insurance, visa and transport. In the first place, the government has promised to give each beneficiary a stipend of $3000 per year and they made every student sign the forms.

Why can’t you keep the promise? We have spent more than half a year without money making us more vulnerable to hunger and starvation, police arrests and deportation.

The Russians kept their promise, as they said in the contract that they will pay tuition fees and they’re doing so. We started a new semester & we need money for registration, hostel fees, medicals and visas and to cover arrears for the previous semester that we started without money.

PLEASE! WHY DID YOU BRING US HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE? WE COULD HAVE TAKEN OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, BUT YOU LIED TO US. WHEN WE SENT YOU EMAILS, YOU TOLD US TO ASK MONEY FROM OUR PARENTS, AND HOW DO YOU EXPECT A PARENT-LESS STUDENT TO BEG MONEY FROM NO-ONE.

As a Zimbabwean student studying in Russia, every day I have to choose whether to skip crucial lessons and go to work or sit in class with an empty stomach. Every day I face humiliation at the hands of the school authorities for unpaid rent.

Every day I face humiliation at the hands of the school authorities for unpaid rent. Every day I wonder how I will be able to pay hospital bills if I get sick because I can’t afford medical aid. Our government has completely abandoned its responsibilities.

We live and study at the mercy of the Russian government. As graduation day approaches we are faced with a mountain of arrears accumulated over 5 years because of our government. All we want is for our government to grow a conscience. We try to be good ambassadors of our country.

However every time my stomach growls in class from hunger and every time people see me in tattered clothes, my country’s name is soiled.

The president visited Russia and as a father, we believed he would not come to see his children with open hands. Did I just say see, he even insisted on seeing only student representatives, shall we talk of closed arms too. He had a tight schedule, I understand.

The President promised he has availed something for us and starting January we would receive some money for the upkeep, The Minister of Finance was there agreeing that they do have something ready for us. We couldn’t be any happier, I for one was bubbling with joy!

The ZBC broadcasted that the students have been given their money. That’s assuring our parents with false hope. Now they followed a series of excuses; “the officials who are supposed to bring the money are waiting for their visas and will be coming next week.”

It’s now the third week, we are still waiting. Next week surely never arrives.
In 2016/17 academic year, we didn’t receive anything and we are being told let’s leave the past into the past. I am a student, in a foreign land and not allowed to work.

How can I forget that 2016/17 I wasn’t given anything when the debt I incurred is still there? We are simply asking the government to honour its end. We write, we call but it all has been futile.

As John Gottman would say, “Trust between the govt & its citizens is built in 2 ways; transparency through action. Follow through on your promises, the opposite erodes trust”. I will rest my case & hope our whispered shout falls on listening ears, listening govt & a listening President.

We are suffering here.

Correspondent|PROGRESSIVE Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) has petitioned the High Court seeking an order to reverse last month’s 150% fuel price hike made by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, arguing that the move was illegal and unconstitutional.

PTUZ filed the urgent chamber application alongside its secretary-general Raymond Majongwe, who filed in his personal capacity, while Mnangagwa, Finance minister Mthuli Ncube, Energy minister Joram Gumbo and the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority were cited as co-respondents.

The move to petition the court followed Mnangagwa’s announcement of new fuel prices on January 12 2019, making the commodity the most expensive in the world.

“This is an application seeking a provisional order and then a final order to set aside all recently ordered fuel price rises on the grounds of being patently illegal and also unconstitutional and of irreparable harm to us and others,” Majongwe said in his founding affidavit.

In his proclamation, Mnangagwa pegged the price of petrol at $3,36 from $1,32 and diesel from $1,24 to $3,11. The fuel increase however, led to violent protests, which resulted in extensive damage to property and looting. A brutal military crackdown, which ensued, resulted in the death of 17 people, torture and arrest of thousands.

“These increases made our fuel the most expensive in the world by a long way overnight, as can easily be confirmed from globalpetrolprices.com. We later found that the Presidential statement on fuel prices was not binding in law, but merely set as a policy. We have also found out that for all law-abiding citizens our fuel prices before the increases were already higher than the fuel prices for all of our neighbours,” Majongwe said.

“We also later found out that two Statutory Instruments (SI) were published in an extraordinary Government Gazette on the same day as the President’s statement. The two SIs were apparently meant to give legal effect to the President’s Press announcement, with the Minister of Finance increasing duty on petroleum products, while the Minister of Energy prescribed new pricing formulae for these.”

Majongwe further said Mnangagwa failed to take into account that some fuel dealers had paid duty at the old rates, which they still had in stock, resulting in them raking excessive profits.

“The price increase the President ordered for petrol also exceeded the combined rises in margins and duty per litre on pure petrol. SI 9 hiked duty on leaded and unleaded petrol by 186 cents per litre from 45 cents to 231 cents. Dealer margins were increased from 12 cents in all under SI 100 of 2015 to 25 cents in all under SI 10 of 2019. This gave a total of 199 cents per litre in increases, if the petrol being sold here as ‘blend’ is in fact entirely imported, yet the president ordered an increase of 207 cents in the petrol price,” he said.

“This application reveals compelling reasons to recognise that the government order to increase fuel prices was manifestly illegal and that the statutory instrument increasing excise duties published by the Finance minister, which underpinned and necessitated the price hikes, was manifestly ultra vires…”

The European Union delegation in Zimbabwe has mocked the state owned Chronicle over its story which suggested that the Western bloc had supported Zimbabwe’s re-engagement plan saying the story smacks of creative journalism.

Posting on Twitter yesterday, EU in Zimbabwe said their statement raised grave concerns over the recent violence in Zimbabwe and not what the Chronicle reported.

BULAWAYO’s biggest cemetery, West Park, has once again been decommissioned as it has run out of burial space with burials now taking place at Athlone and Luveve cemeteries.

West Park Cemetery was closed in 2016 after running out of burial space, but was later re-opened by the local authority targeting reserved land.

In its latest council report, the Bulawayo City Council said West Park Cemetery was decommissioned in December.

“West Park Cemetery was decommissioned on 18 December 2018 and burials are now taking place at Athlone West Cemetery,” reads the report.

Officials said those individuals who had reserved burial space would not be affected by the new position.

The council report shows that West Park Cemetery recorded an average of 15 burials per day.

Bulawayo has seven cemetery sites, namely Old Luveve, Luveve Extension, Luveve 3, Hyde Park, West Park, Lady Stanley and Athlone Avenue.

Other cemeteries are set to be opened in Marvel Township and Pumula South suburb.

In November, the local authority proposed mandatory cremation for people aged 25 and below as it grappled with a shortage of burial space in the city.

Some councillors mooted the idea of mandatory cremation of young people and double burial in one grave.

The Director of Health Services, Dr Edwin Sibanda, said efforts were being made to encourage residents to consider double burials.

“Once council cremator is available, relevant cremation policies will be formulated” said Dr Sibanda then.

He said children under 12 would be mandatorily cremated when they die.

Councillors were divided on the issue of cremation with some saying that people would never accept cremation but instead be encouraged to bury their loved ones in the rural areas to save space.

Residents have over the years opposed the idea of cremation, saying it was unAfrican.

In Bulawayo, it costs about $63 to cremate a body while conducting burial without a funeral policy costs no less than $1 000.

With cremation, costs of ferrying people to and from cemeteries are by-passed, and the cost of hiring a hearse to take the body to the graveyard is also avoided.

It also saves on land, but council has been facing an uphill task in getting people to understand and consider the rite.

Historian and researcher Mr Pathisa Nyathi is on record as saying that cremation has been practised by some cultures, but not among Africans.

“Such a subject is applicable to all our ethnic groups, Africans in general. People have a tendency of wanting to do things the way they have always been done.

“We have been around for thousands of years and Africans have been burying their dead.

“Africans believe in the dual nature of human beings, the physical and the spiritual. Death to the Africans is not the end but a new beginning and so what the Africans want is to bring back the spirit (umbuyiso).

“The grave becomes important in that rite,” he said in an earlier interview.

State Media

Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube has trashed claims by MDC-Alliance deputy chairperson and former Finance Minister Tendai Biti that Government will this week introduce a new currency. Mr Biti pontificated yesterday that authorities would, without due diligence, introduce a local currency that he said would be weak.

No official indications have been made to that effect and Prof Ncube has previously given a timeline of 12 months within which to reintroduce the local currency, provided certain fundamentals are in place.

But Mr Biti wrote on micro-blogging site, Twitter: “The regime will this week introduce a new Zimbabwe currency not backed by any #reserves & without the context of structural reforms which is a prerequisite for currency reform. That move is pure undiluted #insanity. An unbanked currency is just the #bond note by another name.”

Addressing the media on the sidelines of a tour of Nestlé, Prof Ncube said Mr Biti was entitled to his own opinion, but Government had set procedures and timelines to deal with the currency matter.

“Well, he is not in Government, but it is up to him to say whatever he wants to say,” he said. “He is free to comment and say anything.

“He is a member of the opposition so that is always welcome. It keeps us on our toes, but we have policies, we will do it when we are ready. But we have a game plan, a roadmap and we will do it when the conditions are right.”

Prof Ncube reiterated that Government would be in a position to clearly enunciate the currency reforms in 12 months.

“I cannot give a timeline, I have always consistently said in 12 months’ time we should have done a lot in reforming our currency and monetary system and I still maintain that,” he said.

Prof Ncube was on record saying Government was working on introducing a currency that would be stable and less volatile.

He said dealing with the fiscal side was the first order towards a stable currency.

State Media

Correspondent|A SUSPECTED protestor who initially told prosecutors during vetting for initial appearance at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts that he was given army uniform at the Zanu PF headquarters, yesterday changed his defence and accused the police officers who arrested him of forcing him to wear a friend’s military gear.

Shepard Magorimbo, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, appeared before magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa, who remanded him in custody to February 25.

While applying for his bail, Magorimbo told the court that he was arrested in the city centre and was taken to his place of residence by police officers who forced him to wear Fungai Makoni’s army fatigue that was in his room.

Magorimbo said the only link to the robbery charge he was facing was the mobile number used to transfer money from the complainant.

Magorimbo’s lawyer Blessing Mupwanyiwa told the court that the State must have brought the arresting officer to testify if it was opposing bail.

But prosecutor Sebastian Mutizirwa opposed bail, saying Magorimbo was arrested by members of the public while wearing army uniform. The prosecutor further said there was overwhelming evidence against Magorimbo and that he was a flight risk.

Mutizirwa said if Magorimbo was released, he would link up with his accomplices, who are still at large.

Magorimbo is facing two counts of robbery.

Meanwhile, Mugwagwa also denied bail to a 29-year-old serving soldier accused of robbing foreign currency dealers in Chitungwiza last week.

Norest Nyasoro of Manyame Airbase was charged together with Tichaona Sosera (27) and Mafeking Tagara (24).

In denying them bail, Mugwagwa ruled that the suspects were positively identified by the witnesses and that might influence them to flee the jurisdiction of court.
Mugwagwa remanded the trio in custody to February 25.

In another matter, MDC Alliance councillor for Epworth, Elias Sithole (45) was yesterday sentenced to five years imprisonment by Harare magistrate Edwin Marecha for participating in public violence. One year was, however, conditionally suspended.

In convicting him, Marecha said Sithole was positively identified by the complainants while leading a group of supporters to attack Epworth Police Station.

Correspondent|OPPOSITION politician and former Vice President of Zimbabwe Joice Mujuru has demanded that President Emmerson Mnangagwa take responsibility for civilians assaulted by State security agents during the clampdown on protesters in January.

Mujuru further said the President should be court marshalled as he was “the one giving orders” to the soldiers.

Responding to the news that soldiers are no longer allowed to wear camuflage in towns and other public places, Mujuru said: “The problem is not about soldiers wearing uniforms outside barracks but it’s about the behavior/the command given to them outside barracks.

“Soldiers follow orders, the one giving orders should be court marshalled, the Commander-in-Chief should take responsibility.”

Her statement came a day after President Mnangagwa in an interview on France24 TV questioned the genuineness of some reported murders and rape cases, as victims never came forward to report.

He said if victims did not trust the police, they could also take their cases to community leaders such as church elders who would find them help.

But Mujuru was not amused.

“Shumba haingarambe kuti haina kuuraya mombe iyo ine ropa paromo zvekuti munhu wese anenge achiona ropa racho.

“Events that happened in Zimbabwe, happened in the public. People saw the events happening , people recorded videos. You can’t cover up such things brought up by citizens.”

Mnangagwa dismissed the reports as stage managed. He told the France24 TV anchor: “It is all stage managed. We are challenging anybody, anybody local or foreign to produce the women so that the world can see them, and say this is what happened. We would want to see those.

“And with regard to the other issue that you have mentioned about the beatings, killings… you say a [extra]judicial killings. This is where the army is directly and purposely killing people… we would want to see evidence; we see all this on social media. But we would want to see evidence where the 17 people were killed. Where were they buried?”

MUKUPE SAYS THE LOOTING YOUTHS ARE ZANU PF HEROES, THEY WERE HERE AT ZANU PF HQ.

Emmerson Mnangagwa’s in law, Terence Mukupe has in a video recorded, confessed that the youths who were injured while looting during the January mayhem, were sent by ZANU PF.

He described them as Zanu PF children dispatched on mission from the ZANU PF headquarters.

Said Mukupe: “Those who are saying the youths were looting, down with them. They didn’t even care to get close to the incidents to see for themselves. How can your own kids be injured, and you fail to rise up to go and find out what has happened?

“And you find out on your own instead of relying on social media. When our children were at headquarters, at ZANU PF HQ. No one bothered to even get there and that is how you see that some people are merely interested in getting positions. So the matter here is, in my own books the youths who were injured Are Heroes to me.

“And I said it at Jekerere. When I said this, they started sending me messages telling me to behave (get back into line). You must support this person (nhingi). We want to pass a vote of no confidence on Emmerson Mnangagwa. If you do not do what we are telling you, you already know what we did to the late Gen. Mujuru.

“And I said that when I joined these things I did not do it in order to seek to breathe. I got in because I have faith in this thing that is called zanu-pf. I did not put my faith in a human being.

“So the issue is the person who is ruling, the person who was chosen by the people I know him. For you to say that you want to burn me inside my house my address I give it all to you. And I am happy that with these words (video ends) “