Correspondent|The Zanu-PF Youth League passed a no-confidence vote in its leader Pupurai Togarepi, his deputy Lewis Matutu and three other executive members on Wednesday.

The five were accused of stealing from the party, incompetence and treachery. They also faced accusations of being not up to the task of publicly defending the party’s leader Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is under intense internal and international pressure over his government’s heavy-handed handling of fuel protests last month.

“Cde Togarepi and Cde Matutu converted and diverted resources meant for the Youth League for personal use or for use without a resolution of the national executive,” said Godfrey Tsenengamu, the League’s national political commissar, during a media conference in Harare.

Tendai Chirai, the Youth League’s secretary for administration was also ousted along with Admire Mahachi, the deputy secretary for external relations and Mercy Mugomo, the deputy secretary for environment and tourism.

Tsenengamu said the resolution had been carried by a two thirds majority of Youth League’s national executive council. It must now be ratified by the Zanu-PF politburo for it to stand.

Tsenengamu briefed reporters in the company of the Youth League’s secretary for finance Getrude Mutandi and Godwin Gomwe, who chairs the Harare provincial executive.

Source: zimlive

EMMERSON Mnangagwa, the second executive President of Zimbabwe, is a man of many faces.

One side of him depicts an intimidating and no-nonsense character, while at the same time he appears to be soft as wool, as he often claims. Last week, I was among the four journalists who interviewed Mnangagwa. This offered a rare opportunity for private media journalists to see what sort of a man Mnangagwa is.

Yet, after a two and a half hour meeting with him on Wednesday evening, we were nowhere near understanding the kind of man he is. Not that he is beyond description, not at all. Perhaps owing to his security background, there is an inescapable sense that the man has lived in the shadows for too long, hence the aura of enigma. With the economy imploding and the nation on edge, one would expect to see a man distressed by the pressures of high office.

But as soon as we were ushered into his spacious office at State House in Harare, he got up, unsmiling, and motioned us to the seats, as he relaxed on a luxurious leather seat with his back to a wall.

“You wanted to see me. I am here, let me hear what you want,” he broke the ice, as soon as the introductions were over.

With a sizeable number of people in the room waiting, it was clear there was not much time and we immediately got down to business.

“Do you think the people of Zimbabwe like you at the moment, given the worsening economic hardships?” asked the journalist.

His answer, somewhat arrogant, somewhat frank, was: “I don’t think people can be so happy with the austerity measures we are putting in place, but you don’t become president to please people; you become president to take the country where it ought to be, not where some people want it to go.”

The best moment of the interview, perhaps, was when he was asked if he felt under pressure from the international community over how his administration handled last month’s protests.

Reclining in his seat, his face, which had been grave, suddenly broke into a smile. He blamed the West, saying: “We have had a lot of questions coming from that part of the world, but we said that they are the ones that sponsor the protesters. We have to do what we have to do. We cannot wait unt
il they think we are nice boys.”

The natural follow-up question was whether he thought that the state was heavy-handed in quelling last month’s riots?

In response he said: “They say we are too heavy-handed on handling the rioters, but how else were we supposed to handle it? You can’t go with a Bible to people who are destroying a tollgate and politely say Mr and Mrs so and so, can you please stop what you are doing.”

Interestingly, only days earlier Mnangagwa had expressed deep remorse to families that lost their loved ones at the hands of the military and promised to deal with the marauding soldiers. The smile suddenly disappeared from his face as he explained: “The Western countries don’t care about whether or not you are democratic. It all has to do with their interests. They work with some of the worst dictatorships and monarchs in the world and yet pretend to be champions of democracy. If you read a book called Economic Hitman, you will realise how they operate. They either poison you or they invade the country.”

One of the journalists asked: “Are you not afraid that they may come for you as well?”

He threw up his hand in a dismissive gesture and exclaimed: “Don’t worry about me, I know the game.”

Asked if he was in touch with ordinary citizens so that he knows what is going on in the country, Mnangagwa became jocular. “Yes, I am. People always seek audience with me here and are never turned away. When we go to the farm (in Kwekwe) for a weekend, a lot of people gather around to have fun. So, yes, I am very much in touch.”

One thing you cannot fail to notice when you are in his company is his paranoia. It was clear that the man prioritises his security. For instance, the meeting had initially been scheduled for 10am at Munhumutapa Building, in the central business district.

After having been ushered into the modest office, suddenly he said: “The environment here is not very relaxed. I think we will not be very comfortable to say things as much as we want here and so I propose that you come to State House in the evening at 6pm so that we can be free to talk.”

At the start of the meeting at State House, the journalists asked if they could be allowed to record the interview, to which he strongly protested.

“If you are going to record, then it means I will have to carefully measure what I say. If you don’t record, I will be free to talk to you as much as you want,” he stated.

This encounter with Mnangagwa — who is nicknamed “The Crocodile” — provided a fascinating insight into a man, whose years in security hardened him and made him an expert in hiding emotions .

Many will recall the days when he faced a barrage of attacks from his then Zanu PF nemeses at party events, even to the extent of participating in chanting slogans that denigrated him as he displayed extraordinary resilience to soak up the blows of public humiliation.

When you interact with Mnangagwa at a very personal level, this meeting proved, you are tempted to discard all the theories you may have heard about him, that he is a shrewd political tactician, callous, ruthless and all the gory imagery. And yet, no matter how hard he tries, it seems near-impossible to be charmed by him and, in the end, you go away somewhat frazzled.

-The Standard

A MAN who robbed and terrorized Harare residents while in army uniform before he finally got arrested has told a Harare magistrate that he got the camouflage from the ZANU-PF headquarters.

Shepherd Magorimbo, who was last week arrested for a string of robberies, told prosecutors during vetting before his court appearance that he was a member of the Zanu PF youth league.

“We were given the uniform at the party office,” Magorimbo said in response to a question by the prosecutor.

Magorimbo was clad in Zanu PF regalia in one of the pictures that went viral after his arrest while in other pictures he appeared in military uniform.

Police and the army have claimed that rogue soldiers were responsible for the shooting to death of protesters during the January demonstrations.

Magorimbo is being charged with two counts of robbery committed in a case presided over by magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa.

According to prosecutor Sheperd Makonde, on January 15 at the Seke Road flyover, Magorimbo, who was clad in the ZNA camouflage uniform, together with his four accomplices who are still at large, accosted Tapfumaneyi Muviyi and started accusing him of being a thief and threatened to take him to Harare Central Police Station.

Instead, they took him to the Seke Road flyover, forced him to reveal his EcoCash pin number and transferred $54 into their account and they also took $94 cash, two Samsung mobile phones and two Nokia mobile phones.

Magorimbo was positively identified by Muviyi. He is also accused of robbing a motorist, Nicholus Mupazi, along Baines Avenue in Harare.

Magorimbo, together with his two accomplices who were also clad in army uniform, got into Mupazi’s vehicle, opened the glove compartment and took R60 and a Samsung mobile phone and went away.

Magorimbo is now languishing in remand prison, a week after his arrest.

He will be back in court tomorrow after his case was postponed three times last week.

A soldier, Norest Sosera, appeared in the same court charged with robbery after he teamed up with his colleagues to rob foreign currency cash dealers in Chitungwiza.

The prosecutor Makonde opposed bail saying they received a call from army commander general Valerio Sibanda ordering them not to release civilian suspects who commit offences in army uniform saying doing so would tarnish the image of the army.

Standard

MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa wants any dialogue with President Emmerson Mnangagwa to yield a transitional authority that will prepare for fresh elections, it has emerged.

Chamisa rejected Mnangagwa’s July 30, 2018 election victory, claiming that the polls were rigged in favour of the Zanu PF leader.

The poll dispute has been blamed for Zimbabwe’s worsening economic and political problems and pressure is mounting on the two leaders to hold talks to resolve the crisis.

“For us, it’s not about power-sharing. It’s about the need to create a life for the people. It’s about how do we bring an end to the suffering of the people,” MDC Alliance spokesperson Jacob Mafume said in an exclusive interview.

“That is what can make the party happy. That is what will make my president happy.[The process] has to lead to reforms politically and economically.

“Dialogue should result in the adoption of a roadmap to legitimacy following last year’s shameful elections.

“If there is agreement on the above, there must be an implementation mechanism, which in the MDC’s view, is a national transitional authority.”

However, Information deputy minister Energy Mutodi yesterday said Chamisa must first acknowledge Mnangagwa’s election victory if he wanted any dialogue.

“(Mnangagwa) is ready to talk to anyone who matters, but he cannot talk to people who don’t recognise him as the president. “We have got to agree to the fact that he was elected by the majority and was declared winner,” he said.

“Anyone coming to him for dialogue must first acknowledge that.

“We are seeing immaturity on the part of Nelson Chamisa, political bankruptcy and a hive of regime change agents and that is stalling progress. Talks or no talks, we are fine.”

Mnangagwa also shared similar sentiments when he addressed some of the presidential election candidates that attended a meeting to draft a framework for dialogue last week. Chamisa boycotted the meeting.

Standard

One of the country’s leading gold producers, RioZim, has yet again stopped operations at three of its mines — Cam and Motor, Dalny and Renco — citing non-payment by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) for gold deliveries made to Fidelity Printers and Refiners.

Gold mines are required by law to sell their produce to Fidelity Printers and Refiners, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the central bank. 

Mining is the largest earner of foreign currency in the southern African country, contributing more than 60% of total exports, but miners are forced to surrender 70% of their export earnings to the central bank, which is supposed to allocate the foreign exchange to the rest of the economy. 

In exchange for the foreign currency, the central bank pays the exporter using Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS), crediting the exporter’s account with local currency.

“As of date, the company has experienced significant and persistent delays in payment of its foreign currency allocation for deliveries made to Fidelity Printers and Refiners since December 2018 and severely affected the viability of the company’s operations and consequently, the company has been recently forced once again, to involuntarily suspend production across all three of its gold mines pending full payment of its foreign exchange proceeds which it requires in order to produce the necessary consumables needed to keep gold production running,” RioZim said in a statement.

Last October RioZim also halted operations and then resumed after the central bank undertook to allow all gold producers to keep 55% of their export earnings in their foreign currency nostro accounts and to increase export incentives on all minerals. But according to RioZim this did not happen. 

RioZim reported that it was owed $92 million by the RBZ as of October 2018. 

“Notwithstanding these commitments, the board of RioZim regrets to advise that the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe through its wholly-owned subsidiary Fidelity Printers and Refiners has been failing to meet these commitments.” 

In the half year to June the gold business contributed around 90% of the company’s total revenue.

RioZim produced 2,1 tonness of gold in 2017, accounting for almost 10% of total output in Zimbabwe.

-The Standard

BULAWAYO South Constituency losing independent candidate in last year’s harmonised elections Josphat “Mzaca” Ngulube, has been granted bail, in a case where he and 11 others were accused of fanning and taking part in the violence that rocked the country in January.

As a result of the violence, property worth millions of dollars was destroyed. High Court Judge Justice Nokuthula Moyo granted Ngulube (34) and three others, Esther Mbewe (53), Fortune Masuku (29) and Melusi Moyo (32) $100 bail on Friday.

The other seven are still in custody. They were granted bail, after filing, through their lawyers from Majoko and Majoko, an urgent chamber application to challenge a decision made in the lower courts to deny them bail. The collective is now set to appear in court on Tuesday for commencement of trial.

They are accused of burning three cars, destroying a precast wall and breaking several windows of a house belonging to Zanu-PF Bulawayo provincial women’s league chairperson, Cde Eva Bitu. The other accused are Lavenda Moyo (66), Thabisani Ngwenya (32), Otilia Sibanda (34), Angeline Mwemba (41), Minenhle Mahlangu (28), Mwale Chifufu (34) and Duduzile Amisi (39).

According to the State’s case as presented by Ms Grace Zhou, on 14 January at about 7am, the accused persons, acting in connivance with 100 others, unlawfully blocked free movement of traffic at an intersection along Sizinda Road and Nketa Drive.

They allegedly engaged in acts of violence. They went to Cde Bitu’s residence and threw stones and destroyed a precast wall to gain access to the yard.

They destroyed window panes before torching her three cars, a Ford Ranger, Nissan NP 300 and a Toyota Vitz.

“They also damaged roofing sheets and the complainant managed to escape unhurt together with her family,” said Ms Zhou.

The court heard that the accused persons proceeded to Tshabalala Housing Office and clinic where they allegedly stoned the buildings. After the 2018 elections, Ngulube announced that he had joined MDC-Alliance and posted his picture with MDC-A leader Mr Nelson Chamisa on social media.

State Media

By A Correspondent| The ZANU PF terror machine took to levels at the weekend when it carried a propaganda document that contains concocted facts seeking to (convince the African summit delegates in Addis Abbaba) that the January military violence was engineered by a Third Force.

The same content document was used in Switzerland at the Davos summit where as ZimEye reveals, foreign heads of states were told insinuations that there was a Third Force during the Jan protests.

While at Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube’s business breakfast meeting in Zurich, word was sent round under a claim that there was an attempt by western powers to take over the country. It was said that the disquiet over Emmerson Mnangagwa’s fuel price rises was engineered by the West.

Zimbabwe, following Mnangagwa’s new fuel price, now has the most expensive fuel in the world, and in every other country of the world where the fuel price has been raised, civilians have complained- in Germany, motorists parked their cars in protests, and most recently in France street demonstrations were the order.

While at Mthuli Ncube’s meeting on 25th January, ZimEye questioned the logic of the Third Force claim, since in Zimbabwe’s case, it was the military who led the violence right from the start. Evidence was presented and none of the Ambassadors denied the efficacy of live video proof showing how soldiers literally beat civil servants particularly teachers while ordering them to go and join the strike. Even Emmerson Mnangagwa himself has officially updated in a memo saying that soldiers were insubordinate.

Another group of soldiers was unleashed on the civilians who were being pushed by the other to strike in public when from the start the job action was meant to be a mere stay away. In the process at least 17 people were killed amid over 1200 human rights violations and soldiers were recorded on video in several parts of the country forcing their way into people’s houses and torturing them. There are numerous reports of women being raped and several have testified on video that they were sexually violated in their own houses.

Despite all this evidence, the papers prepared by Zanu-PF officials blame opposition parties and “rogue NGOs” for “an orgy of violence” during the protest against fuel price rises. The papers accuse them of following a plan “by hostile elements to subvert the state by rendering the country ungovernable”.

The British Guardian reports that the document was likely produced by Zanu-PF officials for circulation among foreign diplomats at the African Union summit.

It was not clear at the time of writing, if any of the heads of states at the AU summit have bought into the propaganda. – ZimEye will do a follow-up investigation on Sunday.

Mr Fred Gasho is bitter that the family of the late national hero Oliver Mtukudzi did not alert him, as per traditional custom, of the demise of his son-in-law. Mr Gasho is the biological father of Daisy, Oliver’s widow.

Mr Gasho and his wife, Daisy’s step-mother, did not attend the funeral wake in Norton nor Mtukudzi’s burial in Madziva.

According to Shona traditions and customs, when an in-law passes away, a message, commonly called “mhere”, is dispatched to the other family. The message is usually accompanied by a token.

What irks Mr Gasho more is that he was also not informed of the illness that his son-in-law finally succumbed to.

“I was never told of the illness of my son-in-law, and later his passing on. It is very difficult to hear that your son-in-law has passed away, without hearing of his illness.

“Then we were shocked as everyone when we heard the news of his death on radio. We were waiting for official communication, as per our customs, but no word has come through. Therefore, we could not travel to a funeral which we were not informed of.”

He said when Sam Mtukudzi died in 2010, a message was dispatched, as well as a car, to ferry them from their rural home near Kapare School in the Magunje area of Karoi.

“This time they didn’t send any word nor car to ferry us but we hear they sent a bus to the Mashonga family, to take them to the funeral,” he continued.

Mr Gasho and Elizabeth Mashonga had Daisy but the two didn’t get married. Mrs Mashonga migrated to Zambia where she bore five other children, of which three are surviving. When her husband passed away in Zambia, she relocated to Zimbabwe where she is said to have lived the life of a loner.

According to recollections from villagers, in October 2016, Daisy’s mother was allegedly found dead after at least two days, by a small village girl who used to charge her phone. When the little girl had not seen the old lady for some days, she went into her hut to check, and found her dead.

Her memorial service in December that year was the last time that Daisy visited her mother’s home, which has since been sold.

“When Daisy’s mother passed away, I was not told again, despite that I had paid all formalities to make Daisy be recognised as a Gasho offspring. Basically, I had paid my dues and should have been recognised as such.”

When her mother left for Zambia, Daisy was left in the care of her maternal uncles, the Mashongas, to where a bus was recently dispatched to ferry mourners to Mtukudzi’s funeral, a development that has raised the ire of Mr Gasho.

Openly shedding tears, Mr Gasho said this was the son-in-law who had done three songs for him, whom he was denied a chance for a send-off.

“I am Nzou Samanyanga, so was Oliver, and that is why he did the song Cheka Ukama, as he wanted to marry my daughter. Then years later, when I pestered him for the remaining lobola for Daisy, he did Nyanga Yenzou, in which he was mockingly asking me where he could find an elephant tusk to finish off the lobola. Then he did Ndotangira Poi, another song he said was a tribute to me. So how can I have been denied a chance to send off my son-in-law, who loved and admired me so much?”

Mrs Agnes Gasho, the stepmother, said they enjoyed cordial relations with their in-laws, indicating that when Oliver’s mother was still alive, she used to visit them.

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“We never got to meet Oliver’s father, but his mother would visit us here. Besides us attending Sam’s funeral, Oliver and Daisy would attend most of the funerals within the Gasho family. So we have been taken aback a bit by the latest denial.”

Whilst father and step-mother are not exactly sure why or how their relationship with the Mtukudzi’s broke down, they said their last engagement was when Sam was buried in 2010.

“That was the last time we engaged with Daisy and Oliver and we haven’t spoken to Daisy in about five years, even over the phone. That is how our relationship has broken down but we are not sure why.

“Is this to say we “ate” our muzukuru? Or we “ate” our son-in-law? The way we have been side-lined has left us with a lot of questions.

“Now our daughter, Runako, is the one who is helping Daisy cope with the death of her husband. And she is telling us that Daisy is not feeling well, also.

Now if they could not tell us about the illness and death of our son-in-law, we just wonder how they will tell us of our daughter? If she passes on, not that we are wishing her death, will they tell us, when they could not tell us about Oliver?” queried Mr Gasho.

A stone throw away, at Daisy’s maternal side, in the Matumbura village, just near Birimahwe, Clara Chitake, a sister, confirmed that they had received word that Oliver had passed on and attended the funeral wake and burial on the strength of that word.

“Word was sent to us, through Friday Mashonga, who even spoke on behalf of us at the funeral. We are not sure if word was officially sent to the Gasho family, and in any case it was not our duty to make sure that word had been sent there.”

Never Gasho, cousin to Daisy and a friend to the late Oliver, said: “We are not sure why our family received the snub; it is still puzzling to us. Though I am cousin to Daisy, hence brother-in-law to Oliver, I was more of a friend than a brother-in-law. I started playing with Oliver well before he met my sister. And even before he married Melody, we grew up and played together in Highfield, alongside Thomas Mapfumo.”

He said what was more worrying is the news filtering in that Oliver was rushed to Avenues Clinic at the eleventh hour. “We hear Oliver had less than four hours on oxygen support, he was rushed to hospital when they saw he was losing the battle.

“But how can a person of Oliver’s stature suffer and die in silence? Why wasn’t he sent to hospital on time? He could even have received better treatment, especially in South Africa, given his profile and financial well-being.

“If funeral parlours scrambled to have Oliver’s body, what more if hospitals had known that Oliver was sick, don’t you think hospitals would have fallen over each other to take care of him? Why his illness shrouded in secrecy, why wasn’t the immediate family made aware of his illness?

“These are all questions that we have as a family. And all these questions are coming up because we were snubbed during his illness and subsequent death. If we had been aware of his illness, maybe we shouldn’t be asking all these questions.”

When reached for comment, Daisy said as far as she was concerned, the Gasho family was at her husband’s funeral. She subsequently cut the phone and switched it off thereafter.

State Media

By Own Correspondent| President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said it is important for African countries to work closely with the international community in order to resolve the many common challenges affecting the continent.

Mnangagwa said this siin after meeting political and business leaders from Africa and beyond in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where he is attending the African Union Summit.

He said:

Today at the AU in Addis Ababa, I met with political and business leaders from the region and beyond. Our continent is facing many common challenges which must be tackled together.

As Zimbabwe meets its own challenges head on, it is important we work closely with our partners in the international community.

After 3 Whole Weeks Of Raping Women, Killing Civilians, Military Suddenly Bans Soldiers Camouflage Outside Barracks | WHAT'S THIS: GOOD THING or JUST LIPSTICK ON A HYENA?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) February 9, 2019

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

The opposition MDC Deputy Treasurer, Charlton Hwende has threatened to sue Zimpapers over a story that appears in one of the state weekly newspaper his lawyers described as a malicious and defamatory to the person of their client.

Hwende has through his lawyers, Atherstone and Cook Legal Practitioners served Zimpapers with a legal letter dated 7 February 2018 in which he is giving the state owned newspaper ten days to retract malicious description of the Kuwadzana East lawmaker. 

“We will therefore desist from issuing court process against Zimbabwe Newspapers (1980) Limited / The Sunday Mail Newspapers provided within the 10 (ten) days of your receipt of this letter. The Editor/Publisher / Management of The Sunday Mail. 

“Publishes an unconditional retraction in respect of its subject attack on Honorable Hwende, and removes the article in its entirety from the Sunday Mail’s website and issues an apology and affirmation that the allegation referred to herein above are false and defamatory. In doing so, The Sunday Mail will ensure that apology and affirmation are published in each of the fora that have given or could give reason for our client’s complaint and promise to actively monitor and delete from its online platforms any newly published defamatory content relating to our client which might arise out of your recent publication of the article under discussion,” reads the letter

Hwende ‘s lawyers argued that the Sunday Mail on the 3rd of February 2019 published an article in which they described Hwende as a ‘garrulous parliamentarian’ and also that Hwende was referred to as a ‘ known sponsor of the notorious Vanguard –the MDC’s military wing’. 

Hwende’s lawyers further argued that the article violated the law in that it has resulted in the malicious and injury to the legislator’s reputation and dignity.

-263Chat

By Own Correspondent| Presidential spokesperson George Charamba has told opposition leader Nelson Chamisa to make up his mind on dialogue and stop globalising his decisions since the country’s economy has to move on.

Charamba’s statements come in the wake of failure by Chamisa to attend the President Emmerson Mnangagwa initiated pre dialogue discussion on Wednesday last week at State House.

Mnangagwa on the other hand also snubbed the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) dialogue prayer meeting which was held the following day (Thursday) and instead sent the Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri to read a speech on his behalf.

Deputy Information minister Energy Mutodi hinted to the media that Mnangagwa’s absence was deliberate. He said his boss did not attend the breakfast prayer meeting as payback to Chamisa for snubbing “his” pre dialogue meeting which was attended by over 15 presidential aspirants who contested the 2018 harmonised elections.

However Charamba accused Chamisa of failing to attend the Mnangagwa initiated pre dialogue meeting because he had not been given the go ahead by his “western handlers”.

Said Charamba:

“If he (Chamisa) is having difficulties with his external constituency, which as of yesterday (Wednesday) had not given him the nod to participate, that is a matter for him and his donors to deal with. He should never globalise his predicament because the economy has to move on.”

The Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army, Lieutenant General Edzai Chimonyo has reportedly banned all soldiers from wearing their camouflage uniforms outside the military barracks. BELOW WAS THE ANNOUNCEMENT

Mnangagwa has once again demonstrated his lack of care for the mounting economic woes in Zimbabwe.

He once again flew in a hired Swiss Dreamliner which will cost the fiscus millions. When flying business class, it would have cost less than $30 000.

He flies out in the middle of a crisis, teachers are on strike and the government has failed to even communicate a plan to both the civil servants and concerned parents.

Broadly, the economy continues to ail, fuel queues have resurfaced, there are serious bread and cooking oil shortages while the prices continue to spike.

These shortages are attributed to the unavailability of foreign currency much needed for the imports yet Mnangagwa always has the cash to fly in and out.

He sometimes visits Zimbabwe. A clear failure to break from the past.

On the other hand, his Deputies are interchangeably going out for treatment. While we wish them well we are concerned by the selfish abuse of taxpayers’ money.

The taxpayer, in turn, is exposed to death traps mistaken for hospitals.

The money should be used to improve local facilities and the public health delivery system in its holistic sense.

The money used by the current government on foreign health seeking trips could have built a new top of the range health facility.

Gold mines are closing because they are not receiving the forex they earn, yet that money is squandered in funding elite lifestyles and none capital ventures.

Zimbabwe needs leadership which places the citizen at the centre of government programs.

The abuse of public funds must stop.

Hon Bekithemba Mpofu
MDC Deputy National Spokesperson

VIDEO LOADING BELOW

Own Correspondent|MDC–Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa yesterday made a moving personal confessed that the country’s woes are caused by the country’s political forces more than any other factors.

Chamisa made the confession in Harare on Friday where he was part of political, church and civil society leaders who attended the National Leaders Breakfast Prayer Meeting held at the Harare International Conference Centre.

The meeting was organised by the Zimbabwe Council of Churches.

A highly moved Chamisa who is also an ordained pastor said the challenges facing the country could not be solved without repentance.

“There is no reconciliation and dialogue which can ever take place if there is no confession,” he said.

“I realise that President Mnangagwa is not here, I would have wanted to say what I want to say while he is around, but I will say my piece,” he said.

“We, the politicians are the source of agonies in our country,” he said. “I am ready right now to meet President Mnangagwa so that we can dialogue and solve the crisis this country is facing.

“There can never be a confession without revelation, and there can never be revelation without humility, so I must confess that as politicians we are the source of the agonies of our land.”

Chamisa said as political leaders there was need for them to repent from their wicked ways.

“As a people we have not reached the stage of humility. It should not be difficult for me to see (President) Mnangagwa and we dialogue.”

By Own Correspondent| Industry and Commerce Minister Nqobizitha Ndlovu said that the government met with bakers and discussed that the price of bread be reduced.

Ndlovu said that he is not aware of the current bread price but said that his Ministry and bakers are discussing the issue.

In a brief interview with the State Media Ndlovu said:

We met with bakers and they agreed that bread sells at $1,80 but I don’t know what the price is now. We met and we are discussing those issues.

We only try and intervene to minimise the effect on the people. On cost issues, National Foods and Innscor can help with that.

Bread remains in short supply on the market though, in small convenient shops in Harare, a loaf is being sold at $2.25 while other shops in most urban areas are selling it between $2.00 and $2.50.

Own Correspondent|Lorraine Guyo, who featured herself in the widely circulated “ndinyengei” social media video has been reinstated at her work after the company she worked for dismissed her last week over the video.

The company housed at the Meikles Hotel in Harare dismissed the woman who also suffered online abuse for putting the name of the company into disrepute.

After interventions from social media critics who felt the company was being too harsh on her, the management of the company reinstated her without conditions according to sources close to her.

Following social comments that linked Guyo to the five star Hotel, the Meikles Hotel issued a statement disowning the young Harare lady whose social media comic moment was blown out of proportion.

Correspondent|THE Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) has issued a statement saying that Zimbabwe Defence Forces Inspector-General, Major-General Douglas Nyikayaramba was misquoted by journalists and politicians with ulterior motives of creating despondency and insecurity in the country.

In the statement, the army says: “At no point during the press conference did the Major-General make reference to ZDF armouries being run over or raided by civilians.”

ZNA indicated that the police stations and some officers were the ones that were attacked and the military came in with reinforcements.

“During the unrests in the country that occurred from January 14 to 16, the protesters targeted police stations and members of that force on whom they vented their anger. This resulted in the ZRP calling for assistance from the ZDF to quell the rowdy elements in the streets.

“It has been reported countless times that the protesters attacked and killed a police officer at ZRP Southlea Park in Harare. She was eventually stripped naked in broad daylight.

“Similarly, these protesters also overran several ZRP establishments, in the process, raiding and burning down sensitive points of that organisation. These included armouries and records offices in Chitungwiza, Southlea Park and Dombotombo in Marondera,” reads the statement.

The incidents, the ZNA said, were the ones that were being referred to by the Major-General during the press conference.

“These are the places and occurrences that Major-General Nyikayaramba made reference to. One would struggle to ascertain where and when the same press conference made reference to the army and ZDF armouries being raided,” it reads.

Correspondent|of Zimbabwe Divine Destiny church and prominent human rights defender, Bishop Ancelimo Magaya, has told President Mnangagwa that God is not happy with the way he has been running the country.

Speaking in an interview with local media over the weekend, Magaya said that it was not the will of God for Zimbabweans to suffer in a country rich with so much minerals and other resources, warning that the President will face the wrath of God.

“It is not the will of God that Zimbabweans suffer this much in a land with natural resources… We have started to witness a new wave in price increases of every commodity including basics such as bread, mealie-meal, cooking oil etc.

“How do you expect families to survive? First, you outprice other motorists by making it unaffordable, you now want to outprice people from their basic food,” said

Magaya urged President Mnangagwa to pay attention to the people’s struggles or risk facing the wrath of God.

He said the church will not keep quiet over “such inhumane and ungodly behavior by leadership that purport to identify with the suffering masses, except in lip service.”

Magaya said Mnangagwa should brace for more protests as people are being pushed to the limits by the socio-economic challenges they face.

Since assuming office, Mnangagwa’s administration has been plagued by a number of challenges ranging from doctors’ strike, inflation, cash and fuel shortages, drug shortages, to name but a few.

He has also been faced with a huge doubt in his pledge to bring in a new dispensation which is different from his predecessor, Robert Mugabe.

In recent weeks, there has been a gross violation of human rights instigated by the army which has seen more than 16 people die from massive brutality.

This has further dented Mnangagwa’s re-engagement ambitions with Britain recently announcing that it is mulling imposing more sanctions on the troubled country’s leaders.

By Own Correspondent| The Zimbabwe Republic Police and the Vehicle Inspection Department are carrying out a joint operation to weed out unregistered and unroadworthy vehicles on the roads in and around Harare.

A shortage of number plates has prompted to allow vehicle importers to obtain Temporary Identification Cards (TICs) for indefinite use as it works on addressing the matter.

Normally, TICs have a 14-day lifespan.

In a statement issued on Monday, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joel Biggie Matiza said:

Any newly imported vehicles may not be driven on our public roads until and unless they have some form of acceptable and displayed identification documents such as Temporary Identification Cards (TICs).

The validity period of Temporary Identification Cards has with immediate effect, and in consultation with the Commissioner-General of the Zimbabwe Republic Police, been relaxed to run for an indefinite period from the date of issue, and until further notice from the statutory standard 14 days.

Chief police spokesperson Commissioner Charity Charamba said that unregistered vehicles are a cause for concern as some of them are used by criminals and when involved in accidents, they speed off.-StateMedia

THE price of bread has gone down to $1,90 per loaf from $2,50 but shortages remain.

The Chronicle yesterday observed that in Bulawayo supermarkets and Baker’s Inn outlets, bread was selling at $1,90.

A few outlets were selling a loaf at $1,80.

The price of bread from small bakeries remained unchanged at $2.

In a brief interview, Industry and Commerce Minister Nqobizitha Ndlovu said Government met bakers and they agreed to lower the price.

“We met with bakers and they agreed that bread sells at $1,80 but I don’t know what the price is now. We met and we are discussing those issues,” said Minister Ndlovu.

He said Government only intervenes when prices hurt ordinary people.

“We only try and intervene to minimise the effect on the people. On cost issues, National Foods and Innscor can help with that,” the Minister said.

National Bakers’ Association of Zimbabwe president Mr Ngoni Mazango said he could not immediately comment on the matter as he was in a meeting.

Earlier this week when the price of bread went up, Grain Millers’ Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) media and public relations manager, Mr Garikai Chaunza said even though an increase had been effected, the price of flour has remained unchanged.

He said flour supply to bakers has remained low due to the non-availability of foreign currency to bring in imported wheat which is still held up in Beira, Mozambique.

Addressing a Zanu-PF Thank-You Rally in Mt Darwin, Mashonaland Central last week, Vice President Kembo Mohadi said the Government would take care of its citizens.

“Basic commodities like cooking oil, sugar, salt, rice, mealie-meal, milk and flour; the prices are being looked into so that they become affordable to the generality of the public.

“Government is equally putting in place loan facilities for retailers who will maintain cheap prices. These will be supported by Government to make sure that their prices remain low,” said VP Mohadi.

“As Government, we are engaged with industry for a more stable price regime. We are seized with this matter”.

-State Media

A MAN from Gwanda who murdered a mentally-ill, homeless man and decapitated his head before cutting off his testicles for suspected ritual purposes, has been sentenced to life imprisonment.

Honest Moyo (24) of Mawane area in Guyu committed the crime in Colleen Bawn two years ago and had intended to smuggle the body parts to South Africa where he expected US$25 000 in payment.

Honest was convicted of murder with actual intent by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese yesterday.

In passing sentence, Justice Makonese condemned his conduct, saying he was driven by greed to commit the heinous crime.

-State Media

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesperson yesterday said the leader of the mainstream opposition MDC Nelson Chamisa “risked missing the bus” if he failed to pitch up for talks.

This comes as under-fire Mnangagwa is breaking new ground in his response to the worsening crisis in Zimbabwe by opening talks with opposition groups, as authorities begin to show more urgency about ending Zimbabwe’s decades-long political and economic mess.

Chamisa snubbed Mnangagwa’s talks-about-talks gathering at State House on Wednesday because he preferred the much-talked about national dialogue to be held under the guidance of an impartial convener. The dramatic development came after Mnangagwa had invited many of the country’s well-known opposition figures, including those who contested him in last year’s hotly-disputed presidential election.

Among the notable opposition politicians who attended Wednesday’s indaba were Thokozani Khupe, Nkosana Moyo, Lovemore Madhuku, Daniel Shumba, Elton Mangoma, Ambrose Mutinhiri and Bryn Mteki. In an exclusive interview with the Daily News yesterday, Mnangagwa’s spokesperson George Charamba urged Chamisa to drop his opposition to the talks saying he “risked missing the bus altogether if he insisted on pre-conditions that have either been met or are beyond the Executive.”

Charamba, who also doubles up as the deputy chief secretary to the President and Cabinet, alleged Chamisa’s decision to skip the meeting was “self-defeating” and claimed it was a sign that the he has “foreigners whispering to him.”

“As far as we are concerned, the question to us is, firstly, was that decision taken by Chamisa thoughtful and secondly whether it was independent? I would say it was thoughtless, the dialogue will proceed with or without him, except we don’t shut doors, we don’t shut windows, whenever he feels he wants to join, he will still be welcome, except he cannot hold the nation to ransom because he is not the summation of the nation.

“If he is having difficulties with his external constituency, which as of yesterday (Wednesday) had not given him the nod to participate, that is a matter for him and his donors to deal with. He should never globalise his predicament because the economy has to move on,” said Charamba.

In his letter to the chief secretary to the President and Cabinet, Misheck Sibanda, Chamisa’s chief of staff, Sesel Zvidzai, said the MDC’s position is that the dialogue process must be convened by an independent mediator and not one of the disputants.

“In this respect, the MDC believes that genuine dialogue can only take place if regionally facilitated and mediated by Sadc and guaranteed by the AU and the UN,” the MDC letter to Mnangagwa said.

Charamba said dialogue does not mean assimilation of the opposition by Zanu PF but rather will enhance cooperation among parties.

“I am raising this issue because I notice Chamisa has raised it, there is no implication at all that the President is the convener, no he isn’t or that Justice Sello Nare, head of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission is or isn’t the convener, we don’t know yet.

It is a matter that has to be resolved by the political parties, but the key issue is that they have put up mechanisms for resolving that issue,” he said.

Charamba said the ongoing talks among political parties should be managed locally, and ruled out any prospects of engaging foreigners to mediate the talks. Chamisa yesterday also exhorted the Church to mediate in the talks at a prayer meeting convened by the Zimbabwe Council of Churches held at a Harare hotel.

“Firstly, there was unanimity that national dialogue was important, so the principle of national dialogue was embraced; this is a national dialogue which should be a local affair under local management.

“Secondly, there was another decision that was reached to say that the dialogue must take the form and format of inter-State forum, there is a principle of parity which was embraced at yesterday’s (Wednesday) meeting, so they will meet as equals, whether you have structures or are the ruling party.”

Chamisa also spelt out 10 issues that Mnangagwa needed to meet before any meaningful dialogue could take place — including a requirement that all “prisoners of conscience” be freed, and that there be an immediate return to the barracks by the military.

Jane Mlambo| The President Emmerson Mnangagwa has justified the unleashing of violent militia to quell protests that broke out a few weeks ago.

In a government brief which is in the possession of the Daily News, the Mnangagwa said while they regretted the loss of life last month, the intervention of the security forces had been necessary to deal “decisively with the extreme provocation” by protesters.

“The security forces’ response was proportional to the threat posed. Unfortunately, some lives were lost, including that of a police officer, who was stoned to death.

“The provocation was extreme, and the officers had a constitutional duty to prevent further loss of lives, including their own. However, some misguided elements within the system and security forces committed excesses and the law is taking its course.

JITTERY authorities are bracing for another mega protest by angry labour unions and the opposition — who fear that authorities are planning to tighten the country’s repressive laws to stop a repeat of last month’s violent mass actions which left at least 12 people dead and hundreds others seriously wounded.

This comes as President Emmerson Mnangagwa has given the green light to the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) to spearhead talks aimed at resolving the country’s deepening political and economic crises.

The NPRC has already invited the opposition, Zanu PF, the church and other key stakeholders to submit their proposals which will guide the much-awaited national dialogue. This comes after Zimbabwe was plunged into a ginormous crisis two weeks ago, when angry protesters clashed with security forces during a stay-away which was organised by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, in protest against sharp fuel price hikes which had been announced by Mnangagwa.

But despite the withering local and international criticism that has been directed at the government regarding the ongoing crackdown against dissenting voices by the country’s military, authorities have remained defiant —and are girding themselves for an even bigger confrontation with their critics, documents in the possession of the Daily News show.

“Police deployments remain on the ground in order to reassure the citizens of their security. This is particularly so, given the fact that the MDC and other local merchants of regime change are planning to carry out further protests under the so-called National Shutdown II.

“It is pertinent to note that efforts are underway to align Posa with the 2013 Constitution. In addition, government is also alive to the constitutional rights of the citizenry, including the right to protest, as enshrined under section 59 of the Constitution.

“The above notwithstanding, the rights can be constitutionally derogated from a citizen on the basis of Article 86 of the Constitution which provides for limitations on rights and freedom for the public good,” the government says in the documents.

A fortnight ago, police and soldiers were engaged in running battles with protesters who flooded the streets of Harare, Bulawayo and other towns — to demonstrate against the steep fuel price hikes which were announced by the president ahead of his tour of Eastern Europe.

Property worth millions of dollars was also destroyed and looted in the mayhem which ensued, after thousands of workers heeded the ZCTU’s three-day stay-away call. At the same time, security forces unleashed a brutal crackdown against the protesters, the opposition and civil society leaders — in a move which received wide condemnation in the country and around the world.

At least 12 people died, while 78 others were treated for serious gunshot wounds, according to rights groups and medical doctors. Rights groups also continue to report human rights abuses by security forces — including galling allegations that soldiers had raped women and girls during their much-condemned crackdown against innocent civilians.

This prompted Mnangagwa to announce that he would probe the accusations, vowing that heads would roll if his government established that the abuses had indeed taken place.

The under-pressure 76-year-old Zanu PF leader made the announcement soon after he returned to the country, after cancelling his scheduled trip to Switzerland where he was due to attend this year’s meeting of the World Economic Forum (Wef).

“One week ago, I announced measures to stabilise our nation’s crucial fuel supply. I was aware that these measures may not be popular, and this was not a decision we took lightly. But it was the right thing to do.

“What followed was regrettable and tragic. Everyone has the right to protest, but this was not a peaceful protest.

“Wanton violence and cynical destruction; looting police stations, stealing guns and uniforms; incitement and threats of violence. This is not the Zimbabwean way,” Mnangagwa said on social media.

“Likewise, violence or misconduct by our security forces is unacceptable and a betrayal of the new Zimbabwe. Chaos and insubordination will not be tolerated. Misconduct will be investigated. If required, heads will roll.

“I invite leaders of all political parties as well as religious and civil leaders to set aside our differences and come together.

“What unites us is stronger than what could ever divide us. Let’s begin a national dialogue. Let’s put the economy first. Let’s put the people first,” Mnangagwa added.

In the government brief which is in the possession of the Daily News, authorities say while they regret the loss of life last month, the intervention of the security forces had been necessary to deal “decisively with the extreme provocation” by protesters.

“The security forces’ response was proportional to the threat posed. Unfortunately, some lives were lost, including that of a police officer, who was stoned to death. “The provocation was extreme, and the officers had a constitutional duty to prevent further loss of lives, including their own. However, some misguided elements within the system and security forces committed excesses and the law is taking its course.

-Daily News

Mthwakazi Republic Party activists have been arrested an hour ago by Bulawayo Police at Rainbow Hotel in Bulawayo. The activists thronged the Hotel after getting information on the exportation of Labour from Harare for the renovation of the Hotel.

The exported labour came today, in two buses from Harare. It is so sad that companies continue to sideline the people of Bulawayo when it comes to employment but utilize them as consumers. Rainbow Hotel has started a war with the people of Bulawayo. We demand those buses and their occupants to go back to Harare right now and we vow that they will not operate in Bulawayo with a tribal and hegemonic system.

The arrested are Thembisani Mfulongashi Mpofu, Rodney Ncube, Sthe Nyoni, Marshal Sibanda, Elington Nkomo, Lucky Maphosa, Nkosinathi Ncube, Kilion Masuku, Mthabisi Tomas, Mqondisi Sibanda and Iphithule Malahleka.

Bulawayo people matter too. Rainbow Hotel owners will rather take their hotel and relocate it to Harare. We are prepared to fill the horrible prisons of this country to defend the future of the people of Matabeleland.

We urge all our people to come in full force and defend and support these brave men and women. Let’s us all inform the world of this abuse and economic genocide which is an extension of Gukurahundi.

-MRP Information and Publicity Department

Suspected state agents yesterday, February 8, 2019 attempted to invade Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) offices around 1600 hours.

At the time they arrived, the secretariat was not at the office.

According to eyewitnesses, 4 men and 2 women clad in civilian clothes came and enquired the whereabouts of the secretariat (whom they labelled as criminals) from neighbours who professed ignorance over the matter.

They then proceeded to take pictures and videos at the premises after which they left promising to come back.

The recent event follows threats by a shadowy organization, the Citizen Forum which has threatened to besiege CiZC offices on the grounds that the pro-democracy group is allegedly pushing a regime change agenda. At a press briefing, the group alleges that it submitted petitions to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights on why they are representing people accused of participating in protests between 14 and 16 January 2019.

We suspect that the citizen forum is a surrogate formation of the ruling elite which was established to push the government’s agenda to clampdown on civic society in the country.

-Crisis Information

Jane Mlambo| Presidential spokesperson, George Charamba has told the Daily News that opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa’s decision to snub an invitation for dialogue at the State House was thoughtless.

Charamba said dialogue will process with or without Chamisa who made his position clear on why he will not be shepherded into negotiations before resolving legitimacy issues.

“As far as we are concerned, the question to us is, firstly, was that decision taken by Chamisa thoughtful and secondly whether it was independent? I would say it was thoughtless, the dialogue will proceed with or without him, except we don’t shut doors, we don’t shut windows, whenever he feels he wants to join, he will still be welcome, except he cannot hold the nation to ransom because he is not the summation of the nation.

“If he is having difficulties with his external constituency, which as of yesterday (Wednesday) had not given him the nod to participate, that is a matter for him and his donors to deal with. He should never globalise his predicament because the economy has to move on,” said Charamba.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spokesperson yesterday said the leader of the mainstream opposition MDC Nelson Chamisa “risked missing the bus” if he failed to pitch up for talks.

This comes as under-fire Mnangagwa is breaking new ground in his response to the worsening crisis in Zimbabwe by opening talks with opposition groups, as authorities begin to show more urgency about ending Zimbabwe’s decades-long political and economic mess.

Chamisa snubbed Mnangagwa’s talks-about-talks gathering at State House on Wednesday because he preferred the much-talked about national dialogue to be held under the guidance of an impartial convener. The dramatic development came after Mnangagwa had invited many of the country’s well-known opposition figures, including those who contested him in last year’s hotly-disputed presidential election.

Among the notable opposition politicians who attended Wednesday’s indaba were Thokozani Khupe, Nkosana Moyo, Lovemore Madhuku, Daniel Shumba, Elton Mangoma, Ambrose Mutinhiri and Bryn Mteki. In an exclusive interview with the Daily News yesterday, Mnangagwa’s spokesperson George Charamba urged Chamisa to drop his opposition to the talks saying he “risked missing the bus altogether if he insisted on pre-conditions that have either been met or are beyond the Executive.”

Charamba, who also doubles up as the deputy chief secretary to the President and Cabinet, alleged Chamisa’s decision to skip the meeting was “self-defeating” and claimed it was a sign that the he has “foreigners whispering to him.”

“As far as we are concerned, the question to us is, firstly, was that decision taken by Chamisa thoughtful and secondly whether it was independent? I would say it was thoughtless, the dialogue will proceed with or without him, except we don’t shut doors, we don’t shut windows, whenever he feels he wants to join, he will still be welcome, except he cannot hold the nation to ransom because he is not the summation of the nation.

“If he is having difficulties with his external constituency, which as of yesterday (Wednesday) had not given him the nod to participate, that is a matter for him and his donors to deal with. He should never globalise his predicament because the economy has to move on,” said Charamba.

In his letter to the chief secretary to the President and Cabinet, Misheck Sibanda, Chamisa’s chief of staff, Sesel Zvidzai, said the MDC’s position is that the dialogue process must be convened by an independent mediator and not one of the disputants.

“In this respect, the MDC believes that genuine dialogue can only take place if regionally facilitated and mediated by Sadc and guaranteed by the AU and the UN,” the MDC letter to Mnangagwa said.

Charamba said dialogue does not mean assimilation of the opposition by Zanu PF but rather will enhance cooperation among parties.

“I am raising this issue because I notice Chamisa has raised it, there is no implication at all that the President is the convener, no he isn’t or that Justice Sello Nare, head of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission is or isn’t the convener, we don’t know yet.

It is a matter that has to be resolved by the political parties, but the key issue is that they have put up mechanisms for resolving that issue,” he said.

Charamba said the ongoing talks among political parties should be managed locally, and ruled out any prospects of engaging foreigners to mediate the talks. Chamisa yesterday also exhorted the Church to mediate in the talks at a prayer meeting convened by the Zimbabwe Council of Churches held at a Harare hotel.

“Firstly, there was unanimity that national dialogue was important, so the principle of national dialogue was embraced; this is a national dialogue which should be a local affair under local management.

“Secondly, there was another decision that was reached to say that the dialogue must take the form and format of inter-State forum, there is a principle of parity which was embraced at yesterday’s (Wednesday) meeting, so they will meet as equals, whether you have structures or are the ruling party.”

Chamisa also spelt out 10 issues that Mnangagwa needed to meet before any meaningful dialogue could take place — including a requirement that all “prisoners of conscience” be freed, and that there be an immediate return to the barracks by the military.

-Daily News

Jane Mlambo| International human rights group, Amnesty International has urged the global community to censor President Emmerson Mnangagwa following his recent crackdown on opposition supporters and general civilians.

Following violent shutdown protests that Mnangagwa’s administration unleashed soldiers and police who descended heavily on protesters beating and killing up to 12 people.

In a statement released yesterday, Amnesty International said it launched its own investigation and unearthed massive rights abuses against civilians by security forces.

“The Zimbabwean authorities will never be able to convince anyone that the country is open for business if they continue to crackdown on anyone who dares to criticize them.

“People must be allowed to peacefully express their opinions, even if the government doesn’t like them.”

By Own Correspondent| A residents association in Chitungwiza, Chitrest has raised the flag over the town’s clerk Dr George Makunde’s work ethics alleging that he attends work only once a week.

Said Chitrest Board Secretary Tinashe Kazuru:

At Chitrest we are worried by how Dr Makunde the Town Clerk of Chitungwiza operates. Over a very long period of time it has become very fashionable for him to come to work at most once a week. He rotates his Directors to act as Town Clerk weekly during his absence. To us this strongly suggest Dr Makunde is not dedicated to the development of Chitungwiza. Hoping our Councillors will pick this up and put in place corrective measures.

Efforts to get a comment from Makunde were futile as his mobile phone was not available.

By Own Correspondent| A medical student Keith Ndlovu has drawn a portrait of the late hero and musician Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi.

Ndlovu, who said it took him 44 hours to draw the portrait said he was selling the portrait to the highest bidder.

He said he would donate 40 percent of proceeds from the sale to Pakare Paye Arts Centre.

By Own Correspondent| According to a report by Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), some Zimbabwean families are now having only one meal a day due to the harsh macro economic environment which has seen an increase in the prices of basic commodities.

The poor start to the 2018/19 rainfall season has made matters worse as rural households had their food security negatively impacted.

The report reads in part:

Some households are only consuming one meal a day and this is being supplemented with wild and other less preferred foods.

The national prevalence of acute malnutrition is expected to remain low, below 5% though it is expected to increase from the current levels.

The increase is likely to be influenced by increasing economic challenges, limited livelihood options and below average incomes which will affect households’ ability to access food and non-food needs.

Hence the level of acute malnutrition is likely to worsen due to the deteriorating food access situation.

By Own Correspondent| Acting President Kembo Mohadi is suing Norton Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa over his alleged defamatory tweet.

Mohadi is demanding compensation in the region of $10 million.

The lawsuit is in response to Mliswa’s tweet earlier this week where he said:

This is a move in the right direction of Emerson Mnangagwa. Goodbye Goodson Nguni. It’s now time for you to move to the corrupt ministers in Cabinet beginning with Vice-President Kembo Mohadi, judging from the evidence I will produce, it appears the level of corruption in the South is unprecedented.

Through his lawyers Mugiya and Macharaga Law Chambers, Mohadi issued a summons at the High Court on Thursday and served them to Mliswa on the same day.

Mohadi said:

Defendant (Mliswa) shall pay the plaintiff (Mohadi) the sum of $10 million as damages together with interest at the prescribed rate calculated from the date of initial publication to date of full payment. Both dates inclusive.

The said words are in their entirety false, wrongful and defamatory per se of and concerning plaintiff; were meant to imply, did imply and were construed and understood by the ordinary reader to imply that plaintiff is corrupt, criminal, unethical and unfit to hold any public office, especially that of Vice-President of the nation

By Own Correspondent| Opposition MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora on Thursday said that ordinary Zimbabweans felt abandoned by the international community over their muted outrage as state security agents killed and terrorised citizens during the January protests.

Mwonzora said that civilians felt abandoned by the international community while bearing the brunt of gross human rights violations at the hands of state security agents who killed and terrorised innocent civilians during and after the January protests.

He said this while addressing a Sapes Trust policy dialogue meeting in Harare on Thursday.

Said Mwonzora:

What is wrong is wrong, what the Americans did when they bombed Aljazeera (Baghdad 2003) is wrong. You do not go and bomb Alpha Media Holdings because America bombed Aljazeera. Where is the connection?

You are violating the rights of your people. If the American government would have shot people like what our government is doing, I am sure you would imagine the amount of outrage.

In order to suppress an insurrection you may need force, but that force has to be proportionate and reasonable. The people who were being harassed in videos that we are seeing were not in demonstrations, they were in their homes and they were being beaten by soldiers in their homes.

There is nothing that is being suppressed there because the demonstration is over. The people who are being raped showed there is no suppression of anything that is happening, this is sadistic and this is barbaric.

The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information, Ndavaningi Mwangwana, however, said that the level of force used was proportionate. He alleged that he received threats against his family from people he suspects to be opposition activists.-Newsday

By Own Correspondent| A South Africa church has discouraged those intending to drag President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his government to the International Criminal Court (ICC) over human rights violations arguing that such a stance will make things worse.

The Dutch Reformed Church said this in a position paper that the church officials Braam Hanekom and Llewellyn MacMaster released.

The church said there should be a win-win approach rather than the traditional opposition politics.

The paper reads in part:

Amnesty and assurance that the International Criminal Court will not strike out at senior government officials are important. Otherwise, a ‘fight-to-the-end’ scenario is definitely on the table. Traditional opposition politics will not function now.

Pressure alone, however, won’t work because you are dealing with a military situation that only knows one form of action. What is required is influenced by people who do not necessarily want to overthrow a government, but are level-headed and creating a win-win situation.

At this stage, we are pleading for intervention from institutions like the office of the Archbishop in Cape Town, the South African Council of Churches, the National Church Leaders Consultation, the South African and international governments.

South African opposition party, the Democratic Alliance recently threatened to take the Zimbabwe issue to the United Nations and the ICC.-Newsday

VICE-PRESIDENT Kembo Mohadi is demanding $10 million compensation from Norton MP Temba Mliswa (independent) for alleged defamation.

Through his lawyers Mugiya and Macharaga Law Chambers, Mohadi issued summons at the High Court on Thursday and served them on the Norton legislator the same day.

In his declaration, Mohadi said through his Twitter handle @TembaMliswa and in reaction to the announcement that all commissioners of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) had resigned en masse, Mliswa tweeted that the VP was corrupt.

“This is a move in the right direction Emerson Mnangagwa. Goodbye Goodson Nguni. It’s now time for you to move to the corrupt ministers in Cabinet beginning with Vice-President Kembo Mohadi, judging from the evidence I will produce, it appears the level of corruption in the South is unprecedented,” Mliswa tweeted.

Mohadi said as a result of Mliswa’s tweet, the allegations received widespread publicity.

“Defendant (Mliswa) shall pay plaintiff (Mohadi) the sum of $10 million as damages together with interest at the prescribed rate calculated from the date of initial publication to date of full payment. Both dates inclusive,” the VP said.

“The said words are in their entirety false, wrongful and defamatory per se of and concerning plaintiff; were meant to imply, did imply and were construed and understood by the ordinary reader to imply that plaintiff is corrupt, criminal, unethical and unfit to hold any public office, especially that of Vice-President of the nation.”

Mohadi said besides being VP, he was a businessman and a well-known person in Zimbabwe and abroad by virtue of his political and business positions.

He said despite courteous invitation to retract, Mliswa stubbornly refused.

“As a result of the publication of the said matter, plaintiff was damaged in his reputation, dignity and esteem in the eyes of his family, friends, political followers and associates, the citizenry of Zimbabwe in its entirety, his business partners and the global community,” he said.

The matter is pending.

-Newsday

By Own Correspondent| Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa poured his heart out Thursday at the breakfast meeting organised for the national leaders of Zimbabwe by the Zimbabwe Council of Churches.

The MDC leader attributed Zimbabwe’s challenges to politicians whom he said were behind the current economic mess.

Said Chamisa as he spoke before the country’s national leaders from all political parties, the clergy, civil society organisations, the international community, diplomats, security sector, the judiciary, women and youths among other representatives:

It is unfortunate that President Emmerson Mnangagwa is not here, I would have wanted to say what i am saying in his presence. But because he is not here, I will say what i will say in honor of the bishops here present, the seers, the diplomats and everyone else gathered here.

I will have to say my piece. This meeting is God sent. Allow me to thank the business community for without the business there is no politics, without politics there is no givernment, i honor you business people. I honor everyone here present, I honor those from the security sector.

Let me start by saying politicians are the problem, we are the trouble causers. There can never be repentance without confession, there can never be humility without acknowledgement. We as politicians are the source of agonies of our land. Why do i say so, it should not be difficult for me to sit and meet with Mnangagwa, he is president of his organisation and i am president of mine…..

There are issues of legitimacy that we should discuss and until that issue is resolved it becomes difficult for us to move things forward. I would i have been ready yesterday, today or tomorrow, if there is a room at this hotel for me to sit and talk with Mnangagwa i am ready…..any minute longer is a time wasted. We need healing, peace and unity and the coming together. For that to happen, there is need for me and Mnangagwa to dialogue.

Right now, i am a leader to members of parliament who can’t even sleep in their homes on account of just belonging to opposition. I come here as a leader of a people who have been brutalised for no apparent reason…..I inherited from the icon of peace, the late Morgan Richard Tsvangirai and you (Mnangagwa) inherited from the former president Robert Mugabe.

I am saying because we are both new players, lets have new politics. This country is far more important than all of us. If we are to dialogue, we need an independent convenor. There can be dialogue with all other political parties but the dialogue will not change much because those leaders are not the ones challenging the result. This is an electoral result that was disputed ,,, i do not respresent myself, i am carrying 2.6 million voices but some will say but Chamisa you got 2.1 million votes according to ZEC but again that is disputed.

……I told you that we need is dialogue. When the foundations are shaken what shall the righteous do? Our justice system is shaken… the water is sour… seek ye first the kingdom of God..

All we want is to unite our nation. Let us create that environment because we can’t have dialogue when people are imprisoned on account of politics. We love our army, yes but we cannot have our army in our homes. We are ready to dialogue anytime. Yes to a genuine, credible and inclusive dialogue. The reason why we are in this mess is because we are hiding the answer.I am not saying i am a saint, i need prayers too.

We have a conflict of what was declared by the court and what the people voted for.

By Own Correspondent| The Electoral Court has pjt to rest rigging allegations raised by opposition MDC Alliance confirming Philip Chiyangwa as the legitimate legislator for Zvimba South.

Justice Joseph Musakwa dismissed with costs an election petition by losing MDC-A candidate Nkosilathi Alloys Nyamadzawo, who accused Chiyangwa and his election agents of manipulating the July 30 harmonised elections declaring Chiyangwa as the winner.

In August, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) announced Chiyangwa’s victory with 11 819 votes.

He beat former Mines and Mining Development Minister Walter Chidhakwa, who was runner- up, with 4 856. MDC Alliance’s Nyamadzawo was also one of the losing candidates with 3 978 votes.

In September 2018, Nyamadzawo filed the petition challenging Chiyangwa’s victory.
In his application, Nyamadzawo sought an order nullifying the declaration of Chiyangwa as the duly elected Member of the National Assembly for Zvimba South.

He argued in the papers that Chiyangwa was seen buying soft drinks and beer for voters who were on their way to the polling stations and that he also intercepted voters who were on their way to Mpumbu polling station.

He also alleged Chiyangwa stockpiled maize grain in classrooms at Chikambi Primary School, with a view to entice voters.-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent| State owned Zimpapers have announced new cover prices for all its publications with effect from Sunday 10 February.

In a statement, Zimpapers said:

Zimpapers would like to advise its valued customers of new cover prices for all its publications with effect from Sunday 10 February 2019. The increases come as a mitigatory measure in the face of increasing costs of production.

New prices are as follows:Herald                                2.00
Chronicle                            2.00
Sunday Mail                       3.00
Business Weekly                3.00
Sunday News                     3.00
H-Metro                             1.00
B-Metro                              1.00
Kwayedza                          1.00
UMthuywa                          1.00
Southern Times                  1.00
Manica Post                        1.5

By Own Correspondent| A Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services officer stationed at Khami Maximum Prison in Bulawayo is battling for life in hospital after he shot himself in an attempted suicide.

Ngonidzashe Mutoti (36) who is admitted at Mpilo Central Hospital shot himself once in the chest while he was on duty at the prison.

The incident occurred at around 1 PM on Wednesday.-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent| The government is set to establish an emergency relief fund to assists businesses that were looted during the January riots.

In an interview after a tour of looted and burnt shops in Bulawayo, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development Professor Mthuli Ncube said:

This loss is devastating and families have been affected and so are jobs, so we are putting in place a special fund to assist the victims so we want them to compile their losses so that when we call for submissions they must be ready with details.

It is estimated that 181 shops were affected in the western suburbs of Bulawayo and to date, the assessment indicates over $30 million worth of losses were incurred including production losses although the process of collecting this information is continuing.-StateMedia

Below is Emmerson Mnangagwa’s statement (on video) as he revealed his official government policy. The below 2014 video is not the first and Mnangagwa has made such statements since 1983 which violent proclamations have scared investors and caused the economy to crash.

ZimEye reveals evidence showing how the economy has on several times crashed since 1980 as a direct result of Mnangagwa’s statements.

I CHOSE THE GOD OF VIOLENCE.

YOU SAY YOU WANT TO SEE A GOD OF PEACE.

BUT THERE ARE THOSE LIKE ME, WHO WANT THE GOD OF VIOLENCE.

HE IS A GOD OF VIOLENCE.

HE IS THE SAME GOD. SO FOR YOU WHO ARE BUSY PRAYING THAT EVERYTHING SHOULD WORK WELL, I SAY THOSE WHO HAVE MADE MISTAKES, LET THEM BE STRIPPED OF THEIR HERITAGE(ASSETS) GIVEN THEM BY JEHOVAH, THEY MUST BE VIOLENTLY BASHED – NGAVAROBWE!

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