By Own Correspondent| Zimbabwe Teachers Union (ZIMTA) officials have been accused of forcing teachers in Binga and Tsholotsho to bunk lessons and join a strike set to start on February 5.

Reports by the State Media allege that the move is politically motivated as suspected MDC officials are using the ZIMTA branded vehicles to intimidatte teachers to heed the call to go on strike.

Tsholotsho Rural District Council chairperson councillor Manger Sobane revealed that ZIMTA is indeed active in the area.

He said:

Zimta deployed vehicles and personnel into the district and their mission was to close schools. On Wednesday these officials were forcing our teachers to stop teaching and go home.

What bothered us is we knew that Government was in talks with civil servants regarding their salaries, so we don’t expect these officials to act that way.

However, ZIMTA said that it was not coercing teachers to go on strike, but rather, moving around communicating the organisation’s plans to go on strike next week.

ZIMTA chief executive officer Mr Sifiso Ndlovu said:

I do not know of such allegations of our officials forcing teachers out of schools. I believe the visits could have been discussing memos signed by Zimta and PTUZ and passing on the message as discussed that we are going on industrial strike on the 5th of this month.

On Thursday the Zimbabwe Teachers’ union and the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe issued a joint statement announcing their intention to go on strike starting on February 5.-StateMedia

Nelson Chamisa: Last year I lost my mother at the beginning of election season. I did NOT tell Nelson Chamisa she had passed,

Patson Dzamara called me and told me they where delaying their trip to a rally out of town & would come together to console me for a few minutes, their protocol security was already on the way.

They spent the full afternoon. Nelson took me to the side and hugged me like a brother would, he told me he was so sorry prayed for me, till now I don’t understand he was able to make people so happy at the funeral.

A year before that I was in court for disciplining Robert Mugabe and couldn’t afford a lawyer, he found me in Thabani Mpofus chamber and told Advocate Mpofu not to worry he would come represent me till I sorted myself out. I am not an MDC supporter, I actually don’t like them stereki, just mbinjana, but I acknowledge leader wavo anoda vanhu, that’s why vanhu vachimuda.

It is my prayer that I can one day return the grace you have shown me, that one day I can do for you more than you have done for me. To the political Maverick of politics in Zimbabwe Nelson Chamisa ??Head Bowed

By Own Correspondent| Government has dismissed media reports that the Zimbabwe Republic Police was tracking down 25 soldiers involved in looting.

Home Affairs Minister Cain Mathema said that the story was published by media houses pushing for ‘regime change’.

In a press statement released on Friday night, Mathema said:

The Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage has noted with grave concern an increase of media groups whose agenda is now very clear. They are pushing for regime change in Zimbabwe.

The story in the Newsday edition of 31st January 2019 cannot go unchallenged, which story is reproduced from The Guardian. The headline on the Newsday states that, ‘Police dossier nails army in rights abuses . . . 25 soldiers sought in looting case’, which creates a misconception that the Zimbabwe Republic Police is desperately pursuing leads to arrest 25 soldiers who have committed a crime.

This story was written and completed on the basis of sources and in order to give it credence a comment was then conveniently sought from the police. It is clear from the onset that the motive was to have an official comment from the police irrespective of whether police confirmed or not, thus justifying their story.

… We wish therefore to categorically dismiss these claims and challenge those with genuine complaints to report to the police.

The government has continued to strenuously deny reports that security agents were involved in looting and torture of members of the public during nationwide protests.-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent| A farmer in Chemagora village, Gokwe, was killed in revenge over a land dispute on Friday.

The farmer who had earlier on reportedly shot and killed a member of a group of illegal settlers on his farm identified as George Jongwe was killed in revenge by the illegal settlers.

The incident was confirmed by the Chemagora Small Scale Commercial Farmers’ Union chairperson in an interview with the State Media.

He said:

He had won a High Court case for the illegal invaders to be evicted from his farm. The High Court order was enforced this week on Tuesday.

Evicted invaders then came back in the early hours of this morning (yesterday) and attacked him with machetes, axes. He reacted in self-defence and shot and killed one before he was himself overpowered and killed.

Invasions of our farms are organised and there are ringleaders and land barons who benefited financially by illegally settling people here.

Midlands Provincial Administrator, Mr Abiot Marongwe, confirmed the alleged murder of the farmer. He revealed that he had sent the DA, a Mr Gwatiringa to investigate and compile a report.-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent| MDC leader Nelson Chamisa turnes 41 today.

Said Chamisa while appreciating the birthday messages from friends, family and Zimbabweans from all walks of life:

FEBRUARY 2 seems like the best day to be born.On a Thursday morning in 1978,unto this world a child was born and a bundle of energy was unleashed.Since then,mighty exploits and scores.I thank God for the grace and providence.Thank you all my dear friends for sweetening this life.If you’re a February baby, you’re certainly in good company. I share this birth month with many of you Februarians, including Robert Gabriel Mugabe, Winky D, Peter Ndlovu, Cara Black, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, Michael Jordan, Steve Jobs, Rosa Parks, Elizabeth Taylor Jennifer Aniston and Rupiah Banda!GOD BLESS YOU!!

By Own Correspondent| A march organised by lawyers in Midlands was on Wednesday crushed by riot police.

The lawyers had however notified the police of the planned march as required under the Public Order and Security Act.

The march was in protest over the blanket denial of bail by magistrates to MDC MPs arrested on allegations of public violence among other grievances.

The lawyers were however dispersed by police in full riot gear and equipped with water cannons.

While speaking to a local publication, Gweru Lawyers’ Association spokesperson, Esau Mandipa said:

We condemn the behaviour of the police because they violated our right to peaceful demonstration.

We notified them two days before and only on the day of the march that is when they came to us saying we could not march because police were understaffed due to the national clean-up campaign where deployments had been made.

We are saddened by the heavy-handedness of the police. At my office, for example, there were 10 riot cops manning the entrance for unknown reasons.

Midlands police spokesperson Inspector Joel Goko could not be reached for comment while national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi expressed ignorance fo the incident.-Newsday

By Own Correspondent| Arrested prophet Sherpherd Bushiri’s spokesperson, Zimbabwean journalist Maynard Manyowa, has made sensational claims that Bushiri is being punished for refusing to pay “blackmailers” US$1 million.

Manyowa said the charges against Bushiri were not only fake but were being instituted by those who had in the past tri3d to extort money from Bushiri.

Below is the full text of Manyowa’s statement;

This morning, as we sat in the CRL Commission waiting on the outcome of their Section 7 investigation, members of the HAWKS picked up Prophet Bushiri and charged him over a $1.1 million USD transaction involving his own money.

The merits of that case are a story for another day. For now i want to draw collective attention to the fact that for over a month now, we have been accused of being non-compliant, for being responsible for the stampede that killed our very own beloved family members, among other things.

The very same commission, a chapter 9 institution, empowered by one of the most powerful constitutions in the world, today ruled that there was no wrong doing on our part.

While we welcomed this vindication we did not celebrate it – because we are still mourning about the passing of members of our family.

However, i want to draw your collective memory to the last month. All the accusations leveled against us? What became of these?

We are now facing a whole new barrage of more accusations. As i said. Their merit will be tested in court and fully.

Since 2013, we have faced one assault and attack after the other. We have survived each.

From assassination attempts. From extortion attempts. Fake charges. None of those have stuck.

I want to avoid going into much details about what happened today. From being asked why a black man would buy a private jet to the guys who were asking for $1 million USD to make false charges go away.

So for today, i will remain quiet. But i do know one thing, like many of all these mountains we have faced, this will be overcome.

Mark my words!

I will leave you with this video, of the prophecy my father gave, about this very same day. He prophesied the day and he prophesied the outcome.

If he was right about the event he is right about the outcome.

Keep well!

Correspondent|MDC Deputy Treasurer-General Chalton Hwende, who is hiding in Namibia, is seeking the assistance of Namibian police to stop the possible “abduction and rendition” to Zimbabwe in the ongoing crackdown against opposition activists.

Addressing the media on Tuesday, party leader Nelson Chamisa described the crackdown as aimed at decimating his party.

“In the course of January 2019, our client was informed, through reliable sources, that members of the Zimbabwean intelligence agency, namely the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) travelled to Namibia to abduct and rendition him to Zimbabwe where he is apparently wanted for treason, incitement to commit public violence and other charges,” read the letter.

“According to the information, the members of the CIO already arrived in Namibia on or before 28 January 2019.”

In the letter, Hwende’s lawyers alleged that armed security officers had surrounded the homes of senior officials and MDC legislators.

Hwende claims there was a list in which his name appears of wanted persons and claims he would not receive a fair trial in Zimbabwe.

“We accordingly seek the protection of our client against what will be an unlawful abduction and the possible rendition of our client to Zimbabwe at the hands of the Zimbabwean Central Intelligence Organisation,” the lawyer wrote.

Hwende’s lawyers said should their client fail to be afforded the necessary protection, he would approach the Namibian High Court on an urgent basis for an appropriate order, including interdict.

On another note, MDC party’s spokesperson Jacob Mafume said they condemned yet another arrest of their organising secretary Amos Chibaya, who was nabbed moments after his release on bail by the High Court in Masvingo.

“We view both arrests of the organizer to be political, they are all about persecution and nothing to do with prosecution. The arrest is abuse of both law enforcement and the justice delivery system which is against the Constitution,” Mafume said.

TWO police officers stationed at Entumbane Police Station have been arrested for allegedly stealing two gas tanks and several cellphones which were part of the goods looted during the recent violent protests in Bulawayo.

Thulani Nyathi (33) of Lobengula West and Victor Peter Munondo (28) of Entumbane suburb yesterday appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Ms Sithembiso Ncube facing theft charges. They were remanded in custody to today for bail ruling.

Allegations are that a report was made at Entumbane Police Station indicating that there were looted goods that had been hidden in a broken down car at Entumbane Bus Terminus.

Two police officers who were initially sent to investigate came back empty handed.

VNyathi and Munondo then allegedly went to the Bus Terminus and arm-twisted a security guard manning the premises into showing them where the goods were hidden under the pretext that they were sent by their superiors to recover the loot.

They then took the looted goods, but did not surrender the loot at Entumbane Police Station.

Prosecuting, Mr Alfonce Makonese said on January 25 at around 8AM, police received a tip off that stolen goods looted during protests were hidden in a broken down vehicle at a car park at Entumbane Bus Terminus.

The Entumbane Police Station Officer-in-Charge, only identified as Chief Inspector Mpofu, then assigned his juniors to investigate.

“On January 26 at around 10AM, one Assistant Inspector Nkomo and a Constable Mavunga proceeded to Entumbane Bus Terminus. Upon arrival they failed to locate anyone and returned empty handed,” said Mr Makonese.

On the same day at around 6PM, Nyathi and Munondo went to Entumbane Bus Terminus and found a security guard manning the parking area.

“On arrival at Entumbane Bus Terminus’ car park, the accused persons introduced themselves to the security guard as Detective Constables Maveya and Moyo.

They lied to him that they had been sent by their superiors to collect the stolen goods. They searched a broken down vehicle at the car park and recovered two 5kg gas tanks, eight cellphones and six bottles of battery water,” said Mr Makonese.

They then endorsed their falsified names in the car park occurrence book on entry number 68/29.

The two allegedly lied to the security guard that they were taking the loot to Entumbane Police Station.

The court heard that the two cops did not surrender the stolen goods at the police station.

“On the same day at around 10PM, Assistant Inspector Nkomo later sent Constables Ndava and Chakabveyo to revisit the bus terminus and they found the same security guard who showed them the occurrence book depicting that goods had already been collected by the accused persons,” said Mr Makonese.

Investigations were conducted and the security guard managed to positively identify the accused persons in a parade leading to their arrest and subsequent recovery of the stolen loot.

Nyathi and Munondo, who are both self-actors, yesterday applied for bail pending trial. They argued that if granted bail they would not abscond, saying they were family men of fixed abode.

The State opposed bail, saying there was no guarantee that if granted bail the two men would not abscond. The investigating officer, Det Asst Insp Thomas Zimunhu, said the accused persons’ arrest was linked to the violent protests as they were found in possession of stolen goods hence if granted bail they were likely to abscond.

“It is in the interest of justice that accused persons should be remanded in custody until investigations are complete. If released on bail, there are fears that they might interfere with State witnesses, some of which are fellow police officers,” he said.

Det Asst Insp Zimunhu said the suspect who looted the stolen items is on the run and also known to Nyathi.

State Media

By Own Correspondent| Zimbabwean religious leader, Uebert Angel has issued a solidarity message to arrested religious leader Shepherd Bushiri.

Bushiri was arrested Friday in South Africa and he is being charged for money laundering and is set to appear in court on Monday.

Angel castigated Africa for specialising in arresting its successful black people ahead of arresting its woes including poverty.

Said Angel regarding the arrest:

It is MY OPINION that in AFRICA we have learnt to specialise in arresting successful BLACK people more than specialising in ARRESTING POVERTY

Angel also sent a solidarity message which was posted on Bushiri’s Facebook page:

PROPHESY THIS FOR YOURSELF AND Decree and Declare this FOR Major ONE and his family and all ECG:

Isa 54:
14 You’ll be built solid, grounded in righteousness,
far from any trouble—nothing to fear!
far from terror—it won’t even come close!
15 If anyone attacks you,
don’t for a moment suppose that I sent them,
And if any should attack,
nothing will come of it.
16 I create the blacksmith
who fires up his forge
and makes a weapon designed to kill.
I also create the destroyer—
17 but no weapon that can hurt you has ever been forged.
Any accuser who takes you to court
will be dismissed as a liar.
This is what God’s servants can expect.
I’ll see to it that everything works out for the best.”
God’s Decree.
.
.
Love you all! Signed: Uebert Angel

VICE President Kembo Mohadi has ordered Norton legislator Mr Temba Mliswa to within 24 hours retract allegations he posted on his Twitter account alleging that the former is corrupt and President Mnangagwa must fire him.

Mr Mliswa made the remarks in a tweet reacting to press statement by the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda, in which President Mnangagwa accepted the resignation of commissioners to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.

Mr Mliswa tweeted:

This is a move in the right direction @edmnangagwa Goodbye Goodson Nguni. It’s now time for you to move to the corrupt Ministers in Cabinet beginning with VP Mohadi. Judging from the evidence I’ll produce it appears the level of corruption in the South is unprecedented pic.twitter.com/EZx3HCHAbX

— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) February 1, 2019

VP Mohadi’s lawyer, Mr Norman Mugiya of Mugiya and Macharaga Law Chambers, said the information was “completely untrue”.

“It has come to our client’s attention that in an online publication by one Mandla Ndlovu on the social media site, entitled ‘Mliswa to expose Kembo Mohadi’ you supplied and caused to be published information which is completely untrue and defamatory of the good name and integrity of our client,” said Mr Mugiya.

The publication attributed to Mr Mliswa threatened to expose what he alleged to be corruption scandals by VP Mohadi. It also insinuated that VP Mohadi was unfit for office and “called upon President of the Republic to dismiss our client from that position”.

In the same article it was also alleged that VP Mohadi was linked to a stream of cases involving illegal takeover of farms, torture and murder.

“The above utterances directly or indirectly attributed to you are either defamatory per se or intended to mean that our client is a dishonourable person,” wrote Mr Mugiya to Mr Mliswa.

He said the utterances were understood by an ordinary reader to mean VP Mohadi is corrupt and undeserving to be Vice President of the Republic of Zimbabwe.

The remarks were published on internet which has worldwide readership.

“They besmirch the good name and reputation of our client. They are therefore defamatory. Our client demands the immediate retraction of the utterances in publications of an equal readership and prominence forthwith and in all cases within 24 hours of the delivery of this letter upon you,” said Mr Mugiya.

Failure by Mr Mliswa to do so will see legal action being taken against him.

State Media

SATAN TELLS GOD, BOW DOWN TO ME FIRST AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE WHOLE WORLD –  ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa says he is not averse to holding talks with the people’s President, Nelson Chamisa if he recognises him as the legitimately-elected leader of the country.

Mnangagwa said his door has always been open to engage anyone the same way he has done with industry, church, students, traditional leaders, the disabled and progressive political parties.

Mnangagwa said contrary to reports by Chamisa that he had written to him five times seeking dialogue, he was yet to see any correspondence.

“I have not seen any letter,” he said.

“I hear there are talks going on and this only in the media. I even have had to ask our party officials whether they have been in talks with the MDC behind my back. They are also surprised. I have never refused to talk and that is why after I came into office, you have seen me talking to all people from students, industry, the church, political parties and even traditional leaders. We continue to talk for the good of our country and my door is open. I, however, do not understand how he (Chamisa) would want to talk to me when he claims I am illegitimate. It implies that the talks will be illegitimate. I don’t want to see myself exchanging words with Chamisa, I don’t want to sink to that level. I leave all this to you.”

The state media reported claiming that Mnangagwa was the first to call for dialogue. It went on to allegebut the MDC alliance spurned the opportunity, choosing to take the route of violent protests.

Mnangagwa also accused western countries over the military engineered violent protests which he however blamed on the MDC Alliance.

Mnangagwa himself has officially stated that the security forces were “insubordinate” in the chaotic events that began on 14th of January.

The military chaos, which began when soldiers launched violent assaults on civilians beginning with teachers inside schools while ordering them to go and strike against the government, left six people, including a police officer dead, while property and cars worth millions were either burnt or destroyed.

Civilians however “endured a double sword” from one group of the military forcing them into rioting while another was dispatched to not only assault but kill them.

Mnangagwa however said the intervention by the country’s security forces was ideal.

“We have been accused of using disproportionate force, but these protesters were burning down police stations and various infrastructure, including toll-gates along our highways,” Mnangagwa said.

He accused western governments of sponsoring the violence.

“I am not sure how we were supposed to respond to that. Western countries, in particular, have raised concerns. Of course, we regret the loss of life, but we needed to protect property as well as other citizens not involved in the protests. We have told the Western countries that they cannot turn around and raise concerns when they are the ones sponsoring the violence.”

He added saying: “The army was reacting to restore order but you hear some saying its excessive force. The Western media wants to develop an image where developing countries are vilified, where they want to glorify the perpetrators of violence. You have to stop people who destroy properties. However, people just mention the reaction of the police and the army without looking at the perpetrators.”

Over 1 100 people have been arrested in connection with the protests and some have been convicted and jailed.

Mnangagwa said the United States in particular wanted an administration which worked according to its dictates.

“They don’t care about human rights; that is why you find that they support some countries with clear democratic deficits,” he said.

“It’s about US interests and if we were pliable and accept to be used, our country would not be in these problems. The Western media also turn perpetrators of violence and destruction into victims. But they don’t show the destruction of property and direct threat to the stability of our country they caused.”

On the alleged divisions between him and VP Chiwenga, Mnangagwa said: “the people who talk about these divisions, what example do they give? They have nothing to show for their claims. I have known Chiwenga since the struggle years. We are comrades and understand each other better than you all think. Somebody actually told me while I was in Eurasia that I would be barred from returning home and I just laughed that off.”

He also spoke about plans to introduce a local currency saying no “country can succeed without own currency.”

By Own Correspondent| Frank Buyanga visited the wounded victims of state-terror in some hospitals last week and paid for their medical bills.

The businessman’s African Medallion Group (AMG) established a humanitarian department to help those who were wounded during the fuel protests.

Said Buyanga:

Last week, we visited some of the victims in Zimbabwe, among the people we met included the woman who was shot in the leg, Patricia Kamuriwo, and who had to be carried in a wheelbarrow to get medical help.

In addition, Mr Felix Mafondokoto who was featured in the British Sky News report on Zimbabwe, was another victim whom we took to a private clinic, West End, for treatment and is now recovering at home with his loved ones.

We were deeply saddened by the violence that took place in our beloved nation of Zimbabwe.

More than a dozen people lost their lives during the January protests dubbed ShutDownZimthan a thousand people were arrested including 36 children.

 

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has reacted to the petition by lawyers over the alleged unjust handling of public violence cases.

Chief Justice Luke Malaba through the JSC Secretary Mr Walter Chikwanha released a 10-page report which answered to the raised questions, but hammered home the fact that judicial decisions cannot be reversed through petitions.

In response to the issues raised by 119 lawyers on the complaints against the handling of trials for the recently arrested protesters, Chief Justice Malaba held that both the JSC and his office are not empowered to interfere with the judicial decision-making process of any court.

In , the complaints raised by the legal practitioners were that magistrates were dismissing bail applications by the arrested suspects without due cause, the courts were allegedly fast-tracking trials without affording accused persons adequate time to prepare their defences and that the courts were refusing lawyers opportunity to take instructions from their clients.

On accusations of predetermination or instructive dispensation of justice, the JSC maintains that judicial officers independently exercise their discretion as demanded by the constitution.

On the question of high proportion of suspects denied bail, CJ Malaba noted that crimes of public violence, theft and destruction of property are serious infractions of the law which dismantle the fabric of society and those arrested for committing such vile acts must be processed through the criminal justice system where the charges are proven they must be convicted and sentenced accordingly, likewise where the charges are not proven they must acquitted.

The chief justice concludes by reminding the lawyers that petitioning his office and the JSC amounts to interference with the discretion and independence of judicial officers.

He instructed the Acting Secretary of the JSC to constitute a tactical committee of stakeholders from the Acting Chief Magistrate, the Law Society, the National Prosecuting Authority, the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services to address all issues and to ensure speedy trials with respect to the rights of accused persons.

Zbc News online

By Own Correspondent- Former ICT minister Supa Mandiwanzira’s media empire has been forced to implement tough survival measures as the country’s tanking economy takes its toll on industry and commerce.

Mandiwanzira lost his cabinet post after President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s victory in the disputed July 30 elections.

He was arrested for criminal abuse of office and is currently out of custody on $2,000 bail.

Staff at his AB Communications group claimed Thursday that salaries had been cut by 50 per cent, with the working month reduced to 11 days.

“We had to respond to the worsening economic situation,” a highly-placed insider told a local publication.

“We could have retrenched, but we chose an option which, at least, keeps people at work. This is a temporary three-month arrangement. We are hoping that, in that time, the economy improves.

You have to understand that in the current inclement economic environment, the advertising is one of the activities companies cut-back on in order to survive.

Banks are not going to advertise when they don’t have money to give anyone; just as an oil expressing company will not advertise when it’s not producing any cooking oil.

The official however claimed that most of the staff at the station had understood the situation and had “offered to continue coming to work for the full month, even if they would only be paid for 11 days”.

Group CEO Susan Makore however, denied staff claims that salaries had been cut by half.

She said:

“No salary cuts and, as I speak, we are currently processing January salaries. But, and as you may also know, various companies are implementing austerity measures and our organisation employs largely freelancers and they work as they are needed.”

By Own Correspondent- All is set for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s “Thank You” rally scheduled for Mt Darwin on Saturday.

Mnangagwa will address Zanu Pf stalwarts at Mt Darwin High School in Mashonaland Central.

The rally will be President Mnangagwa’s second rally following his first “Thank You” rally held in Zvimba, Mashonaland West Province.

Zanu PF Mashonaland Central Secretary for Information and Publicity Alfred Mufunga confirmed this weekend’s rally adding preparations are at an advanced stage with transport logistics having been put in place.

“Mashonaland Central is where the liberation struggle began and as you know Zanu PF won in all the constituencies so this is befitting.

People will be picked up at their administrative points and guests are expected to be seated by 10 am.”-StateMedia

Zanu PF made a clean sweep of all the 18 constituencies in Mashonaland Central in the 30 July harmonised elections.

HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa, pictured, has denied reports suggesting that all is not well between him and Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, the Daily News can report.

Speaking to journalists at an informal media briefing at Munhumutapa Building — the citadel of government power — Mnangagwa said there was no rift between him and Chiwenga, who led the military intervention that ousted former president Robert Mugabe in November 2017.

“That is democracy; there is freedom of speech including freedom of lies. Those who are saying this, I said come with examples to show that we are fighting. They had nothing to show for their claims,” he said.

“We went to war with Chiwenga and they were still young boys. They know that vane kamudhara kavo,” Mnangagwa said, tongue-in-cheek.

He also said he has one Twitter account, amid a festering row between his spin-doctors who are battling for control of his communications.

“I have one Twitter account — that’s my official account. I know there are many fake Twitter accounts and Facebook pages. For the issue of my spokesperson (George Charamba) and the ministry, I told them come and ask me first, I am the principal.”

Charamba has been trading barbs with officials at the ministry of Information over tweets posted from Mnangagwa’s official account which he strongly felt were not reflective of the official thinking.

Mnangagwa also spoke about prospects of dialogue between him and MDC leader Nelson Chamisa, saying his rival must first recognise him as the legitimately elected president before beginning any talks.

This comes as calls for national dialogue aimed at mitigating Zimbabwe’s myriad crises have reached a crescendo following ugly disturbances that erupted countrywide during protests against a fuel price hike announced by Mnangagwa last month.

The subsequent government crackdown against opposition officials and pro-democracy groups has also seen Mnangagwa coming under intense domestic and international pressure to reach out to Chamisa in talks aimed at ending the country’s decades-long political and economic crisis.

Before the chaos, Chamisa, writing on social media, had reiterated his desire for dialogue with Mnangagwa — whom he referred to as “my brother”, in a welcome move which signalled the abandonment of his once- militant approach to talks.

While Mnangagwa said he is not against talks, he said any such dialogue with Chamisa can only happen on the strict understanding that the 40-year-old lawyer and pastor recognise the Zanu PF leader as the legitimate winner of the hotly-disputed July 30 presidential election.

“There is no time. I said I am not anti-people, I always said my door is open and I am a listening president,” he said.

“I cannot talk to somebody who said I don’t recognise you because you are an illegitimate president, so then the talks will be illegitimate. I have met the churches, industries, women, youth, university students, traditional leaders and I will do it again. Even some political parties I met them here.

“I have never received any single letter from Chamisa. I don’t want to see myself exchanging words with Chamisa, I don’t want to sink to that level. I leave all this to you.”

This comes after Chamisa told a news conference at the party’s Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House headquarters in Harare on Tuesday that Mnangagwa’s legitimacy must form the agenda of the talks.

Asked about the brutal crackdown by security forces as the army moves to crush all possible opposition to the ruling Zanu PF party, Mnangagwa said: “The army was reacting to restore order but you hear some saying its excessive force. If someone burns a police station, the tollgate and we think the police must stop and watch this happening? The western media want to develop an image where the developing countries are vilified, where they want to glorify the perpetrators of violence. You have to stop people who destroy properties. However, people just mention the reaction of the police and the army without looking at the perpetrators.”

Across the country, the protests left charred car frames and tollgates, shattered shop windows and looted supermarkets and vandalised police stations — as well as a presidency in crisis.

There was widespread anger against the Zanu PF leader, with many slamming what they perceived as his out-of-touch leadership and the rising cost of living.

Mnangagwa said the people of Zimbabwe did not understand his administration’s austerity measures, introduced in October last year to reduce government debt and stabilise the economy, saying the fruits of the programme would be seen in the near future.

The austerity measures have seen government spending being slashed and new taxes introduced with Finance minister Mthuli Ncube saying there would be “pain and sacrifice.”

Mnangagwa told reporters: “I don’t think people are so happy with austerity measures which are there. Very few understand that these austerity measures will bring good life tomorrow, people don’t see this. You must be a president and leading a nation where the country ought to go, and not where people desire to go. We are in the right direction. I am committed to do things that will better this country.”

He shirked responsibility for the price hikes that partly sparked the protests, instead blaming business for not doing enough to earn sufficient foreign currency.

“Government is not business. It is supply and demand that will regulate all these things. People must identify opportunity and increase the supply side. As a president I will not regulate that,” he said.

Mnangagwa said government planned to introduce a new currency. He did not state when.

“I think the minister said we are working on fundamentals for them to be able to introduce our own currency. No country can succeed without own currency, so we must work on this issue. We must work on the production of gold, diamonds and our exports,” he said.

Mnangagwa acknowledged that the rising repression has put off western powers, undermining Zimbabwe’s efforts to re-join the international community.

“In the past two weeks, we have many questions coming from the western countries, but we explain to them what actually happened,” Mnangagwa said.

“We also said the question of us going to Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and China, that’s where we get assistance. Recently, we have never got any significant investment from the West.”

Amid the festering protests home, Mnangagwa — who was touring central Asia, Russia and Europe in a bid to drum up investment for the country’s crippled economy — was forced to cut short his trip to return home instead of attending the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Mnangagwa denied that he had been denied a bailout package from China, amid reports Zimbabwe has failed to honour loan repayments as Beijing tightens its lending terms and expects debtors to be more accountable.

“Who asked for bailout package from China?” Mnangagwa asked rhetorically. “We never asked for bailout package from China. We want investments not bailout package from China, then it’s a win-win situation.”

Mnangagwa also denied that South Africa is considering a bailout for Zimbabwe saying the country was borrowing from the African Union (AU)’s Nepad economic development agency, headed by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

“When we had cooking oil shortages, we said we have Nepad fund. The Nepad fund is structured to assist members who find themselves with a problem and is administered by South Africa but you must pay back,” Mnangagwa explained.

“We told South Africa can you give us a line of credit that’s why there have been discussions between the minister of

Finance and the governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe for a line of credit from South Africa.”

Mnangagwa also acknowledged that there was escalating corruption in Zimbabwe, which he said must end.

This comes as Zimbabwe has just been ranked 160th out of 175 countries on the Transparency International index, which measures public perceptions of corruption in public institutions.

“We now need the mindset change of our people, corruption must end,” Mnangagwa said. “I discovered that it is difficult to fight corruption because you are fighting corruption with people who are involved in corruption, but we don’t want to relent.”

Speaking about the amnesty window for the return of public funds illegally stashed abroad by individuals and companies, Mnangagwa said:

“From $1, 2 billion which was externalised, $860 million was brought back. What is remaining now, the persons come forward to us saying they have bought properties and agreed to pay it in certain time the initial amount.

“Some are going to be prosecuted, those who didn’t come forward. However, all the big guys who had externalised the money came forward and brought back the money.”

Speaking on reports he was on the verge of restructuring that Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc), Mnangagwa said: “For Zacc, icho chakaora kare, kare (it’s a rotten institution). I am going to make a statement on the issue of Zacc next week.”

Daily News

Paul Nyathi|President Emmerson Mnangagwa this morning took part in his highly valued monthly clean up exercise at Parirenyatwa Hospital.

He wrote on his Facebook page after the exercise which he has diligently followed since he launchex it in December last year.

This morning I took part in the cleaning up of Harare, while the First Lady was cleaning up Mutare, as part of the #MyEnvironmentMyPride campaign. A clean Zimbabwe is a healthy Zimbabwe, and a healthy Zimbabwe is a productive Zimbabwe.

On the way, we stopped at Parirenyatwa hospital in Harare, where we committed to revamping the maternity ward. We were blessed to meet with the newborn Zimbabweans and their brave mothers.

By Own Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority has confiscated walking canes donated to the blind by an India organisation Kantahry International.

The donation, which was supposed to be hande over to one Robert Malunda, a Bulawayo based blind graduate who is currently surviving on airtime vending was reportedly confiscated by ZIMRA and will only be released upon payment of the required $430.

The donation comes at a time when concern has been raised over the number of blind people who are being run over by cars in the central business district.

Lamented one Chris Tabvura:

Honestly, our ZIMRA has become clueless on the way they raise money. ZIMRA confiscated 100 donated canes for blind people, instead of handing them over to Robert Malunda, a Bulawayo based blind graduate who is surviving through selling Airtime. Malunda had requested for the donation from an Indian organisation Kanthary International and was given the donation to help fellow visually challenged colleagues who have been facing problem of hit and run by reckless drivers. Now that ZIMRA with educated professionals and respected Ministry are forcibly taking what was donated for the blind, what will become of these disadvantaged people? According to Malunda, ZIMRA is demanding US$430.00 as duty for donated walking sticks from India to be specific. Does our government care for the blind or want them to be knocked by motorists daily?

Murena Zvinoruka however said:

“There are rules and procedures to be followed for goods and services to qualify for duty free and the ZIMRA officials don’t have powers to allow goods through the boarders just because they are for blind people. These people have to follow the correct procedures when importing goods for the disabled as long as they do it properly the law allows these goods duty free

By Own Correspondent| A 29 year old Zimunya resident who was last weak brutaly assaulted by soldiers has died.

Noah Sahombe succumbed to injuries suffered during beatings by soldiers in Zimunya township around 8pm on Sunday 20 Jan 2019 in the aftermath of the stayaway.

He was taken to Zimunya clinic the following morning where he was referred to Mutare General Hospital.

His condition continued to deteriorate before he was referred to Parirenyatwa hospital where he died upon admission early Friday morning.

He leaves behind a wife (24) and two children aged 5 and 3 years old.

Said MDC Manicaland Spokesperson, Trevor Saruwaka:

We condemn this needless loss of life at the hands of the State. Noah was a young man who worked at a Filling Station in Mutare. The information at hand show that Noah was not an active member politically just like millions other Zimbabweans who go about their business without involving themselves in party politics.

He is a victim of a rogue government which is now cannibalizing it’s own children in order to cling to power by declaring ordinary citizens enemies of the state.

We call upon authorities to investigate and bring to book the murderers of Noah Sahombe.

May his soul rest in peace.

Trevor JL Saruwaka

Kadoma City Council risks losing its city status due to a marked decline in service delivery standards.

Kadoma, the only city in Mashonaland West province, has over the years become an eyesore, amid reports that other towns in the province like Chinhoyi were now offering better service.

The city, which held its centenary celebrations two years ago, is facing a myriad of challenges such as erratic water supplies, uncollected garbage, and poor water and sewer reticulation systems.

Speaking during a meeting of Sanyati District Government heads in Kadoma recently, Minister of State for Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs Mary Mliswa-Chikoka challenged the council to restore Kadoma to its past glory.

“If the truth is to be told, Kadoma has deteriorated, it is no longer that ‘city’. People are actually surprised that it is a city,” she said. “When people lobbied for a city status, it was because they saw wealth in the area. It is time to dig deep and start to relook at Kadoma with fresh eyes.”

Minister Mliswa-Chikoka challenged authorities to look for ways to ensure the city retained its status.

“Chinhoyi is definitely better than Kadoma now and all the little cities which are coming up, yet you are the only city in the whole province,” she said.

Singling out Rimuka, Minister Mliswa-Chikoka said:  “It used to be a marvel, but now it is something else. One is now actually afraid to visit the area because he or she will end up trampling on sewage. Sort it out. Councillors you have a big task to sort out the mess, let us put politics aside and develop Kadoma.”

State Media

By Own Correspondent- A UK legislator has urged the international community to effect a travel ban on President Emmerson Mnangagwa and put on hold engagement efforts with Zimbabwe.

Speaking in Britain’s lower House of Parliament, the House of Commons, Chair of the UK all-party parliamentary group on Zimbabwe, Kate Hoey said that the international community cannot ignore what is happening in Zimbabwe

She said:

The international community should suspend any initiatives relating to reengagement with the Zimbabwean government.

It is unacceptable in my view to be even talking about debt restructuring and private sector investment while so many Zimbabwean civilians are being assaulted and killed.

We are calling for the end of the deployment of the military, they have to go back into their barracks.

We have to get the United nations to make a very strong statement on the rule of law.

We need to call for an independent investigation of the human rights violation to be led by African Union or United Nations.

We have to get to who gave the orders it was the same with the people killed after the elections where we never got to the bottom of who gave the army orders.

By Own Correspondent- MDC Alliance’s Redcliff and Mbizo legislators who are currently behind bars for inciting public violence, Lloyd Mukapiko and Settlement Chikwinya, have taken their freedom bid to the Bulawayo High Court.

The duo were arrested on January 17 on allegations of inciting public violence during #Shutdown Zimbabwe protests triggered by fuel price increases are currently in Kwekwe Remand Prison. 

According to the State, the legislators addressed members of the public in Kwekwe and encouraged them to resort to violence during the stayaway. Chikwinya is alleged to have posted on his Facebook wall, a statement thanking people for taking part in the stayaway. 

The MPs are denying the charges.

Kwekwe magistrate Story Rushambwa ruled that they were not good candidates for bail.-Newsday

However, their lawyer Brian Dube revealed that the legislators have since approached the High Court for bail.

“We have lodged the application for the MPs’ bail at the Bulawayo High Court. The legislators are yet to be allocated a judge who will hear the bail application, but we hope that will be done this week,” Dube said.

He also highlighted that the two MPs cannot be said to be a flight risk.

“At law, all averments must be backed by evidence and as it stands there is no such to show that the MPs cannot be tried from home. They deserve their liberty because they have not been convicted,” the lawyer said.

In Gweru, accused persons who were denied bail by the lower court in similar offences were finally granted their liberty by the High Court this week.

The National Bakers Association of Zimbabwe has attributed the shortages of bread on the market to the lack of foreign currency to import wheat to make flour.

The association’s president Mr Ngoni Mazango said they had submitted applications for foreign currency to Government and were waiting for it to release the money.

“The Government has promised us an intervention on foreign currency which we require as bakers which was going to account for 80 percent of our forex requirement but in the month of November we only received 30 percent of the 80 percent.

“In December we received 27 percent of the 80 percent and this January we received 9 percent. We are grateful for the gesture but it is not enough,” said Mr Mazango.

He said they have been engaging Government and the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) on the way forward.

“Our stakeholders are saying they don’t have money to pay for wheat. We hope that they will address the issue as soon as possible before we run out of bread completely,” said Mr Mazango.

Bread supplies in the country have in the past two weeks declined drastically leading to shortages of the commodity on the market.

A survey by this publication this past week showed leading supermarkets and small shops in Gweru, Zvishavane and Kwekwe were now filling up the shelves reserved for bread with biscuits and cookies. Where bread is available it was being sold between $2 to $2,50 for a loaf.

Queues for bread in supermarkets which bake their own bread have now become a common sight.

Flour has also disappeared from the shelves.

State Media

According to Justice Ministry permanent secretary Virginia Mabiza, in 2018, over 50 people applied for the position of hangman…believe it or not…a few ladies applied…#thestruggleisreal pic.twitter.com/dI6kmSZRYX

— Thomas Mupfuka (@thomas_mupfuka) February 1, 2019

Correspondent|Norton Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa has threatened to expose Vice President Kembo Mohadi over corruption scandals. He fiurther called for the firing of the Vice Presiddnt highlighting that the corruption happening in Matabeleland is unprecedented.

Mliswa revealed this while celebrating the disbandment of the Anti-Corruption Commission after they sent in their resignation letters on Thursday.

“This is a move in the right direction Emmerson Mnangagwa Goodbye Goodson Nguni.” Mliswa said. “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’ll produce it appears the level of corruption in the South is unprecedented.”

The Anti-Corruption Commissioners led by Dr. Whambira resignd enmasse on Thursday after reports that Voice President Constantino Guvheya Chiwenga accused them of factionalism and being too aligned to [President Mnangagwa.

Mohadi has previously being linked to a string of cases involved illegal takeover of farms, torture and murder.

In 2016 when he was  security minister Kembo Mohadi and another businessman called  John Moyo lost a case in which they illegally removed one Reginald Dawson from being the Nerry Investments director.

Mohadi and Moyo on December 13, 2011 purportedly convened an annual general meeting of Nerry Investments in Beitbridge, chaired by Mohadi, where they resolved that Dawson be removed as a director in his absence.

Mohadi and Moyo purportedly took over control of the company, triggering a series of court actions, as Dawson challenged the move.

Mohadi is currently involved in a messy divorce case with his estranged wife Tambudzani Mohadi.

By Own Correspondent- Government has maintained its stance and blames opposition leader MDC leader Nelson Chamisa for causing violence during the #Shutdown Zimbabwe.

This is despite that the stay away which later turned out to be violent was organised by the Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU).

The government says that its intelligence services have gathered enough evidence to nail the MDC.

Responding to a question by Masvingo Senator Tichinani Mavetera (MDC Alliance) on why the government blames the MDC for the Mayhem, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said:

This country has got intelligence departments and there is nothing which happens without intelligence knowing. There was a threat of regime change, and there was a meeting on November 3 and November 7 at Wild Geese (Lodge) and on January 12 at Belvedere, and there is a record of that report. We would not have enjoyed this peace if we did not have intelligence.

It was an uprising and we saw hooligans looting shops and vehicles being torched, and police on duty were stoned to death and roads barricaded. There was unnecessary loss of life, but government intervened and managed to quell the noise and now we have peace.

The government’s response to the protests has been condemned from different quarters as too heavy-handed. At least 12 people were killed and more than 1 000 arrested.-Newsday

Suspended Chief Magistrate Mishrod Guvamombe has been arrested again.

Details on the reason behind his arrest are still sketchy.

More to follow…

SHANGHAI Stock Exchange-listed CHiNT Electric Co has reaffirmed its commitment to seeing through the successful implementation of the 100 Megawatts Gwanda solar project after its local partner, Intratrek Zimbabwe, won a contract dispute in the High Court.

The globally reputable solar energy company has also committed to secure a multi-million dollar advance payment guarantee and to deliver the first quarter of the Gwanda project’s total power output within six months after advance payment.

The $173 million solar project, which is set to be built in Gwanda, Matabeleland South province, appeared to have gone off rails after a contractual dispute between its local partner Intratrek and state power utility, Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC).

CHiNT and Intratrek were the lowest bidders to specification when they won the contract in 2015.

Intratrek then approached the High Court disputing claims by ZPC that it had failed to meet performance terms of the contract and that the contract between the parties had lapsed. The court ruled that the contract is still valid.

It ordered the parties to meet by early February to discuss the way forward and that any party that fails to play ball will be deemed to be in breach of the original dictates of the contract.

CHiNT this week wrote to Energy and Power Development Minister Joram Gumbo, re-affirming its commitment to the project as well as committing to provide advance payment guarantee to the tune of $51 million, being the foreign component for the first 26,1MW.

The company has proposed to implement the project in phases broken down into four modules of almost equal production capacities.

“We are gratified that the High Court of Zimbabwe has vindicated the supremacy of the EPC contract provisions in ruling that Gwanda project remains valid and in their wisdom, declaring the contract valid and calling for parties to engage and find each other for the benefit of the national project,” said CHiNT.

Minister Gumbo said yesterday that Government was still keen on the Gwanda project and desirous to see its successful implementation.

He also said the Ministry of Energy was open to engage CHiNT’s local partner to map the way forward, as directed by the High Court, once outstanding legal issues are resolved.

CHiNT said it awaited the intervention of the Ministry of Energy to make a decisive intervention by exhorting parties to the deal to dialogue on the way forward as directed by the court, which would demonstrate Zimbabwe’s openness for business, as declared by President Mnangagwa.

“This transaction is a litmus test to Zimbabwe’s commitment to upholding the supremacy of contracts and the safety of capital and investor rights,” CHiNT said in its letter.

In the letter, written by its vice president Dr Lin Bosheng, CHiNT said given Zimbabwe has imbued excellent solar radiation conditions and a good electricity transmission system, solar power represented a low hanging fruit for the country to get clean energy.

He also said that building excess power generation capacity through developing sustainable and clean renewable energy sources such as solar power represented an opportunity for Zimbabwe to earn the much sought after forex if it builds capacity to export into Sadc.

“Zimbabwe and China have long-standing, cultural, moral and economic relations dating back over 60 years, so we can count on the support and goodwill of both our Governments to see this project to fruition,” the CHiNT vice president said.

“We therefore want to regain momentum on this project so we hereby approach your office, reaffirming our commitment together with our partners, to deliver 100MW of clean energy into the Zimbabwean grid in the shortest possible time.”

CHiNT is a reputable conglomerate, being the fourth largest private energy enterprise in China with average net assets worth US$30 billion and average annual sales of US$9 billion. The energy company has a Chinese domestic market share of low voltage electronics and components of 40 percent.

With a staff compliment of over 29 000 worldwide, CHiNT has successfully installed an average of 5 000MW of solar generation plants worldwide, including power systems for Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company.

The company has 2 200 distributors in China and sales in over 130 countries.

“We are fully knowledgeable in this field with a track record in both manufacturing PV modules and operating PV power stations.

“We also have research and development facilities based in the US,” Dr Bosheng said.

Dr Bosheng said CHiNT’s track record bore testimony to its competence to deliver on the Gwanda solar project to agreed specifications and will carry the lion’s share of the project’s responsibilities. The Chinese energy giant said its local partner’s responsibility was 5 percent of the project works.

CHiNT said it has played a role in the Chinese sector and is ready and eager to share its experiences, as Zimbabwe embarks on this difficult, but necessary path towards energy self-sufficiency.

Intratrek was nominated CHiNT Electric contractor of the year for 2017 out of hundreds of other international contractors. It said it holds its local partner in high esteem.

CHiNT has experience doing projects in Zimbabwe including the 132Kv Norton sub-station, 132Kv Sherwood substation, 132Kv Gweru substation, 132Kv Zvishavane substation and 132Kv Redcliff substation among others.

State Media

By Own Correspondent- The National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) has met with various key stakeholders to initiate the planning process for a national dialogue.

NPRC chairman Justice Selo Masole Nare said the initiation of the planning process was held in terms of its mandate as provided for in Section 252 (d) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (Number 20) of 2013.

Justice Nare said the process also aimed at creating space for national conversations aimed at achieving social, economic and political transformation.

The commission said it had met Government officials, traditional leaders, churches, arts and cultural organisations, civil society, business, academia, persons with disabilities, women and youth, among others.

Speaking at a press conference in Harare Thursday, the NPRC chairman Justice Nare said:

“The objective of the meeting was to jointly develop a framework for a comprehensive dialogue. While the NPRC has set the creation of dialogue platforms as a key activity in its strategic plan, the events of the past few weeks have made it imperative to move with speed to create a space for national conversations towards social, economic and political transformation.

In an effort to come up with a framework for national dialogue, conversations were centred around the following key questions; Why are Zimbabweans not talking? What are the key pillars of national dialogue? Who should participate, how and at what level? How should a dialogue process be structured? What does a successful dialogue look like?

The meeting noted the need to address immediate issues as well as putting in place medium and long-term plans for dialogue. The commission will refine the contributions made today and come up with a framework that will be shared with all stakeholders.”-StateMedia

By Own Correspondent- Businessman and Zimpapers board chairperson Delma Lupepe’s bid to retain his property seized by a local bank over a 200k loan hit a snag after the High Court threw out his application for more time to service the loan.

Lupepe had approached the court seeking rescission of judgment in a matter in which Ecobank had obtained an order to eject him after he failed to pay rentals for the property.

The property was taken over by the bank, following his failure to service a $200 000 loan.

In his court application, Lupepe had pleaded with the court saying: “Respondent (Ecobank) herein applied for summary judgment on December 13, 2016. Applicant (Lupepe) filed a notice of opposition on December 29, 2016. The case was set down for hearing on July 14, 2017. I, hereby, submit that I inadvertently and unwittingly diarised the date of hearing as Monday July 17, 2017,” he said, adding he was not in wilful default.

But High Court judge Justice Happius Zhou, dismissed Lupepe’s application on the basis that his matter lacked merit.-Newsday

Correspondent|police officer who was chasing a fleeing kombi driver was killed in a tragic accident in Harare.

The police officer who was driving a Honda Fit was hit  by a motorist driving a Toyota Sprinter causing the Fit to overturn.

The officer died on the spot.

High-speed kombi chases by police were the order of the day during he last days of President Robert Mugabe’s reign in 2016 and 2017.

When President Mnangagwa came into office, new police boss Godwin Matanga promised a society-friendly police force.

Citizens expressed worry that ‘the habit of chasing commuter omnibuses laden with passengers” was slowly creeping back into the police force.

More details to follow…

By Own Correspondent– According to a report by a local online news agency, several senior police officers have been retired for allegedly failing to prevent fuel protests that rocked Zimbabwe on January 14.

Thee retirement is the third major reshuffle since President Emmerson Mnangagwa took over power in a military coup in November 2017.

Bulawayo province will be under a new commander after Senior Assistant Commissioner Happymore Sigauke was ordered to retire while Commissioner Bernard Dumbura takes over as the new police chief.

Sigauke was only promoted to the position last December after Learn Ncube was elevated to Deputy Commissioner General. 

Commissioner Erasmus Makodza is the new police chief for Mashonaland East, taking over from Senior Assistant Commissioner Lee Muchemwa. Muchemwa has been retired after protests rocked Marondera, the province’s capital.

Chief Superintendent Didymus Masiwa Sakarombe from Mashonaland West police headquarters replaces Chief Superintendent George Nenguwo, who was the district police chief for Marondera. The district police chief for Chitungwiza, Chief Superintendent Sekayi Mujiwa, has also been retired.

A police source reportedly revealed that President Mnangagwa’s administration is targeting senior police officers for failing to come down hard on protesters.-ZimLive

By Own Correspondent| President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said is willing to talk to opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa but only on the condition that he recognises his legitimacy as President of Zimbabwe.

Mnangagwa said that talks with Chamisa will be ‘illegitimate’ if the opposition leader refuses to recognise his legitimacy.

While addressing journalists at State House on Wednesday, Mnangagwa said:

I hear there are talks going on and this only in the media. I even have had to ask our party officials whether they have been in talks with the MDC behind my back. They are also surprised.

I have never refused to talk and that is why after I came into office, you have seen me talking to all people from students, industry, the church, political parties and even traditional leaders.

We continue to talk for the good of our country and my door is open. I, however, do not understand how he (Chamisa) would want to talk to me when he claims I am illegitimate. It implies that the talks will be illegitimate.

Churches and various civic groups have called for engagement between the country’s political leaders. However, Chamisa insists that he won the 2018, July 31 poll and will not recognise Mnangagwa as the legitimate President.

Government has shown its commitment towards abolishing the death penalty in line with international human rights obligations after it commuted sentences of 34 inmates on death row to life terms, a Cabinet minister has said.

There are 81 prisoners on death row while the total number now serving life terms is now 127.

The process of commuting the remainder on death row to life terms is now ongoing.

The moratorium on execution will pave way for the total abolition of the death penalty, according to a paper presented on behalf of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi by a senior ministry official, Mr Charles Manhiri, at the Zimbabwe Staff College yesterday.

Government is in the process of implementing strategies and policies aimed at abolishing the death penalty.

Minister Ziyambi said his ministry was waiting for Cabinet to approve its recommendations on the death penalty.

“Should Cabinet approve the ministry’s recommendation to abolish the death penalty, the constitutional provision which permits the imposition of the death penalty will be subsequently amended,” said Minister Ziyambi.

He said Government has not executed inmates on death row for over a decade now.

The last execution was carried out in July 2005. Executed then were notorious armed robbers Steven Chidumo and Edmund Masendeke.

Minister Ziyambi said his ministry on several occasions requested Cabinet to consider the granting of clemency on those sentenced to death. This has seen the sentences being commuted to life imprisonment.

“As Government we are mindful of the fact that the rights to life and dignity are the most important of all human rights and the source of all other personal rights contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHRs),” he said.

Minister Ziyambi said the death sentence was cruel and degrading punishment as it destroyed life and annihilated human dignity.

“Criminological researches have revealed that the death penalty does not deter the commission of crimes, but rather compounds it,” he said.

Minister Ziyambi said the possibility of the sentence being imposed on innocent people could not be ruled out and once executed, sentence is irrevocable.

State Media

A DARING gang, armed with AK47 rifles and dressed in proper military fatigue, overpowered security at a Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamonds Company (ZCDC) facility and got away with State diamonds during the violent #ShutdownZimbabwe protests, it has been reported.

The ZCDC security were overpowered and held hostage as the gunmen ransacked the facility and looted diamonds from the security vaults before making good their escape.

The was reportedly working in collusion with company officials, and government has since fired 80 ZCDC employees as investigations into the crime gather momentum.

According to a report by the Zimbabwe Independent, the heist also involved some illegal diamond miners.

Although Mines minister Winston Chitando confirmed that there was a breach of security on January 19, he said the workers were fired over “disciplinary cases”, without elaborating.

Chitando claims the “unidentified people”, who invaded Portal A mining area, only took “some tailings from dumps” which he said were not valuable.

The minister issued a hastily prepared press statement last night after the Independent asked him to comment on the brazen theft of diamonds.

“On January 19, there was an intrusion of unidentified people who entered into Portal A mining area of Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company. They took with them some tailings from the dumps. For the record, tailings are the residue of ore which would have been processed to extract diamonds and for which there is no value attached,” he said.

“This was an isolated incident which is being investigated by the police and which should not be viewed as a threat to diamond operations in Chiadzwa.
Until investigations by the police are concluded, there is no basis to speculate on the identity of the intruders and any speculation on such identity is premature.”

Chitando also said there was high-level security in the Chiadzwa diamond fields which prevented the “intruders” from laying their hands on the more valuable diamond ore.

“The security of our diamond fields is of the highest standards, which fully meet Kimberly Process Certification Systems requirements and which we continue to review regularly to prevent any breaches. It is precisely because of this that the intruders could not get to the area which contains valuable ores and processed material. The surveillance measures alerted the presence of intruders which enabled security to react accordingly. On a separate note completely unrelated to this incident, there are about 80 people who have been dismissed from Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company over various disciplinary cases,” Chitando said.

However, despite Chitando’s claims, sources at the state-owned miner told the Independent this week that the diamond heist was orchestrated by men wearing military gear, allegedly in collusion with some ZCDC employees.

Sources also disputed Chitando’s claims that the stolen diamond ore is worthless.

Information at hand also indicates that diamonds were stolen on January 15, which was at the height of the protests, rather than January 19.

“Eighty employees were affected. They were accused of stealing diamonds. Those who were relieved of their duties are from the geology and security departments.
Hearings are still ongoing and more are facing the chop,” a source said.

The company is also understood to be currently interrogating pickers and sorters of gemstones, which is a further indication that valuable material was stolen.

This information appears to dovetail with a statement by local non-governmental organisation, the Centre for Research and Development, which said 15 men in military gear and armed with AK47 rifles and accompanied by 30 illegal diamond miners made a dramatic escape with valuable gemstones after holding ZCDC security staff hostage movie-style.

The NGO says this happened at the ZCDC’s Portal B at Mbada Hills and in an area nicknamed Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe because of its rich diamond deposits.

This is in contrast with Chitando’s statement which said the theft occurred in Portal A. The NGO says the looting of the stockpiled diamond ore occurred at about midnight on January 15.

Security guards were held at gunpoint while their dogs were tied together. The looters then filled sacks with diamond ore.

“The reaction security team called upon to contain the situation stood aloof until the looting exercise was over. The same group made an attempt on the diamond vault at the main plant the following night of 16 January 2019 around 1am.

“Eyewitness accounts reported that only eight men were in military uniform and the rest were in civilian clothes but armed with AK rifles. After failing to break into the sorting room, the syndicate numbering up to 50 went for the stockpiled diamond ore.

“These rogue elements were caught on CCTV (closed-circuit television) camera, according to security sources at ZCDC,” the NGO said in the report.

Contacted for comment, ZCDC chief executive officer Morris Mpofu would neither deny nor confirm the robbery.

“I will not be able to respond to that issue this week. I am busy attending a strategic planning meeting in Nyanga. Maybe next week (I will be able to respond),” Mpofu said over the phone.

National police spokesperson Charity Charamba demanded written questions, but said she could not respond immediately.

Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Overson Mugwisi had not responded to questions sent to him at the time of going to print on whether members of the military were involved in the heist.

Despite boasting one of the world’s biggest diamond finds in a century, the country has struggled to realise meaningful gain from the mineral.

Rampant looting and smuggling of gems, particularly by organised syndicates, and the state have characterised operations at Chiadzwa since a rich diamond find was announced in the eastern parts of the country in 2008.

Companies with intricate links to the security services were among the players licensed by government when Zimbabwe began mining diamonds in Chiadzwa. However, the companies were booted out of the Chiadzwa on allegations of understating earnings, tax evasion and smuggling.

This subsequently led to the formation of the ZCDC in 2017, the only firm now extracting diamonds in Chiadzwa. There were reports recently that the Chinese-controlled Anjin Investments would be allowed back.

Zimbabwe’s former long-time ruler Robert Mugabe in 2013 accused the companies of failing to account for diamond proceeds worth US$15 billion.

—- Independent

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa (pictured) says he has no basis to hold talks with MDC leader Nelson Chamisa as long as the opposition politician does not recognise him as the country’s legitimate leader.

 He also said the use of lethal force by the military to crackdown on dissent was justified.

Rights groups say at least 12 people were killed by security forces when a three-day strike called by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) over a 150% fuel prices hike announced by Mnangagwa turned into violence and looting. Police have said only three people, including a law enforcement official, died and that over 1 000 people were arrested. 

The brutal suppression of the protests has led to comparisons with the dark days of Mnangagwa’s predecessor Robert Mugabe, who was removed from office in a coup in November 2017. With inflation at a 10-year high of 42,09%, a chronic cash shortage and regular increases in the prices of goods and services biting, while salaries have stagnated, Zimbabweans have lost patience with Mnangagwa. 

The President defended the army’s actions, which witnesses say included night-time raids on homes of and arbitrary assaults of alleged protesters.

“We have been accused of using disproportionate force, but these protesters were burning down police stations and various infrastructure, including toll-gates along our highways,” he told a group of journalists at State House on Wednesday.

“I am not sure how we were supposed to respond to that. Western countries, in particular, have raised concerns. Of course, we regret the loss of life, but we needed to protect

property as well as other citizens not involved in the protests. We have told the Western countries that they cannot turn around and raise concerns when they are the ones sponsoring the violence.”

For the first time, the Zanu PF leader responded directly to repeated calls by Chamisa for dialogue to resolve Zimbabwe’s political logjam in the aftermath of last year’s presidential election narrowly won by Mnangagwa, but challenged by the opposition

Chamisa approached the Constitutional Court in a bid to overturn the electoral outcome, but the petition was dismissed for lack of evidence by the apex court. But the opposition leader has maintained he won the election and wants Mnangagwa to relinquish power.

The MDC leader early this week told journalists that Mnangagwa’s legitimacy would be key to dialogue.

While Chamisa claims he has written officially to Mnangagwa requesting a meeting, the Zanu PF leader said he had not seen any correspondence.

“I have not seen any letter,” he said curtly.

“I hear there are talks going on and this only in the media. I even have had to ask our party officials whether they have been in talks with the MDC behind my back. They are also surprised,” the Zanu PF leader said.

“I have never refused to talk and that is why after I came into office, you have seen me talking to all people from students, industry, the church, political parties and even traditional leaders. We continue to talk for the good of our country and my door is open. I, however, do not understand how he (Chamisa) would want to talk to me when he claims I am illegitimate. It implies that the talks will be illegitimate.”

Mnangagwa accused the United States of seeking to “install a pliable administration in Zimbabwe”.

“They don’t care about human rights; that is why you find that they support some countries with clear democratic deficits. It’s about US interests and if we were pliable and accept to be used, our country would not be in these problems. The Western media also turn perpetrators of violence and destruction into victims. But they don’t show the destruction of property and direct threat to the stability of our country they caused,” he said.

Mnangagwa also laughed at reports that there were divisions between him and Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga. “The people who talk about these divisions, what example do they give? I have known Chiwenga and his colleagues [in the military] since the struggle years. We are comrades and understand each other better than you all think.

“Somebody actually told me while I was in Eurasia that I would be barred from returning home and I just laughed that off,” Mnangagwa said with a chuckle.

Newsday

A POPULAR city pastor who is also chairperson of the Civil Societies and Church Joint Forum Anglistone, Thembani Mthiyane Sibanda is flinging in controversy after a city man accused him of causing  “tension and confusion” in his marriage before he moved on with his estranged wife.

Sibanda recently wrote a long dossier to state media justifying the brutality by members of the army on innocent citizens claiming that protesting citizens were thugs.

A heartbroken Nketha Dlamini claimed Pastor Sibanda inappropriately associated with his estranged wife Sikhulile Ncube during the subsistence of their customary marriage.

The customary union was blessed with two children aged five and seven years respectively and the two had been married from 2011 to late last year.

Dlamini is a former chief executive officer for Mangwe Rural District Council while Ncube is a customer service officer with Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) in Bulawayo.

In an interview, a dejected Dlamini alleged that the senior pastor at Word of Faith International Ministries (according to Sibanda’s Facebook account), wrecked his marriage when he coerced his wife to dump him so that she can date him. He said the illicit relationship started when they were still staying together.

“What happened is that the other day when we were still staying together I took Skhue (Ncube)’s phone and was shocked when I discovered that the two-Ncube and Sibanda- have been communicating behind my back and at odd hours,” said Dlamini.

“After that discovery I approached one of my friends who said he was going to talk to Sibanda to find out what was happening. When my friend confronted Sibanda he told him that Skhue was a family friend.  Just imagine, Sibanda has been my friend for a long time not knowing that he has been secretly dating my wife.”

Dlamini said he has it on good authority that the two were “madly in love” adding that Pastor Sibanda shattered his life to the point that he once attempted suicide.

“Before we even separated I caught them together on several occasions, they looked cosy. When I later confronted Sibanda he bragged to me saying I was not going to get my wife back. At the same time Skhue also started telling people that we were no longer married and boasting that she was free to tell people about her life.”

Dlamini said before they separated Ncube would come home late claiming she was at work. He further said that he wanted the pastor to be stripped of his title so that he does not use his position to gain other women’s trust. When contacted on the allegations, Pastor Sibanda said he could neither confirm nor deny that he was dating Ncube. He infact mocked Dlamini saying he was a “bitter loser”.

“I am a single man and Skhue is a single mother who parted ways with Dlamini. Apparently, Dlamini is still married to his first wife Gladys Ndlovu. He is a bitter loser jealous that she has moved on and she is happy. She has facts and evidence on their story and how he was cheating on her with Linda Tlou.

“He has been everywhere including my church leadership trying to blame me for having failed his fake marriage where he did not even pay lobola. He is not even supporting his kids. He is just a miserable failure. Besides, there are political dynamics that motivate this story,” explained Pastor Sibanda.

Ncube said she dumped Dlamini after she discovered that he had lied to her that he had divorced his first wife Ndlovu when infact the marriage still existed.

“I have children with Dlamini but we are not married. We never got married because he lied to me that he had divorced his first wife. I moved out after I discovered that he was still legally married to his first wife. So I can’t stay with someone who lied to me he had divorced,” fumed Ncube.

When prodded to comment on the nature of her relationship with Pastor Sibanda, Ncube tersely said: “It does not matter who I should go or associate with. It is also not his (Dlamini) or anyone’s business.”

Ironically, Ncube’s brother Bizo confirmed that Dlamini was still their “legitimate” son-in-law though the two–Dlamini and Sikhulile – were having marital problems.

Source: B Metro

Correspondent|SEVERAL senior police officers have been retired for allegedly failing to prevent fuel protests that rocked Zimbabwe on January 14.

This is the third major reshuffle since President Emmerson Mnangagwa took over power in a military coup in November 2017.

Bulawayo will be under a new commander after Senior Assistant Commissioner Happymore Sigauke was ordered to retire. Commissioner Bernard Dumbura arrives from the Police General Headquarters as the new police chief. Sigauke was only promoted to the position last December after Learn Ncube was elevated to Deputy Commissioner General.

Commissioner Erasmus Makodza is the new police chief for Mashonaland East, taking over from Senior Assistant Commissioner Lee Muchemwa. Muchemwa has been retired after protests rocked Marondera, the province’s capital.

Chief Superintendent Didymus Masiwa Sakarombe from Mashonaland West police headquarters replaces Chief Superintendent George Nenguwo, who was the district police chief for Marondera. The district police chief for Chitungwiza, Chief Superintendent Sekayi Mujiwa, has also been retired.

A police source said that President Mnangagwa’s administration is targeting senior police officers for failing to come down hard on protesters.

ACTIVIST-Pastor Evan Mawarire has opened up on the horrors he witnessed in a cramped Chikurubi Maximum Prison cell of 53 people.

Evan Mawarire faces up to 20 years in jail if he is found guilty of subverting the state by condemning the government on social media while calling for peaceful protest.

The 41-year-old activist was among more than 1,000 recently arrested in scenes of violence and a brutal crackdown that saw a dozen people killed.

But having been bailed from the nation’s toughest jail after two weeks inside, Mr Mawarire told ITV News Africa Correspondent John Ray: “I’ve never seen the kind of injuries that I saw in prison.”

He said imprisonment meant being “in a cell, 9×5 metres and there’s 53 of us there” including an 18-year-old man with a leg broken, Mr Mawarire claims, by those cracking down on the violence.

Mr Mawarire told ITV News: “Police beat him and jumped on the leg and threw boulders on it.”

He said he saw two 16-year-old boys who “were lashed on their backs and on their legs” while those of adult age were left wailing like babies.

“It is agonising to hear grown men cry out of pain from wounds they received during this time,” he said.

ITV News filmed the destruction of an opposition neighbourhood in the capital Harare, while the first of hundreds of prosecutions began in the Zimbabwean courts.

Those convicted face long years behind bars as the nation’s flirtation with freedom appears to be over under the rule of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Scores of activists are in exile or – as one told ITV News – hiding for their lives.

“I don’t want to expose myself or my head will be on a chopping block,” Moenda Mbera said.

Pastor Evan said Zimbabwe in 2019 is worse than in the years of Robert Mugabe’s rule.

But he still had a message for his countrymen and women in these dark days.

“I really want to encourage Zimbabweans to stand strong,” he said.

“We can’t lose our voice. We lost it before. We can’t lose it again.” — iTV

By Own Correspondent| Two police officers Thulani Nyathi (33) of Lobengula West and Victor Peter Munondo (28) of Entumbane have been drahged to court for allegedly stealing two gas tanks and several cellphones which were part of the goods looted during the recent #shutdown Zimbabwe protests in Bulawayo.

The duo appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Sithembiso Ncube facing theft charges.

They were remanded in custody to Friday for bail ruling.

The court heard that a report was made at Entumbane Police Station indicating that there were looted goods that had been hidden in a broken down car at Entumbane Bus Terminus.

Two police officers who were initially sent to investigate came back empty handed.

Nyathi and Munondo then allegedly went to the Bus Terminus. They tricked a security guard manning the premises into showing them where the goods were hidden under the pretext that they were sent by their superiors to recover the loot.

They then took the looted goods, but did not surrender the loot at Entumbane Police Station.- StateMedia

By Own Correspondent| According to a report by The Mail and Telegraph Zimbabwe’s Immigration Department has deported two British and Indian nationals for violating the Immigration Act.

The two British nationals were found guilty by a Harare magistrate court of staying beyond the stipulated time limits set under the Immigration Act.

Mark Julian Pattle and Nicholas Bailey were arrested and charged with contravening Section 29 (1) (a) of the Immigration Act.

Indian nationals; Shashi Kumar Hassan Shivaraj and Yadav Sadev Lathu also suffered the same fate after they were also apprehended at a food joint at Marimba Shops in Belvedere, Harare

Shashi Kumar Hassan Shivaraj was allegedly employed at the restaurant in violation of his holiday visa, the Immigration department said.

By Own Correspondent| Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has justified the imposition of a curfew in high density suburbs by members of the security forces.

Ziyambi was responding to Paurina Mpariwa who had asked if Zimbabwe has a state of emergency which leads to the imposition of a curfew.

Mpariwa said people in high density areas are denied to move around after sometime in the evening.

However Ziyambi said the curfew is meant to make sure peace loving Zimbabweans are free to move at night. Said Ziyambi:

Mr. Speaker Sir, if you look at why there is this undeclared curfew, the reason was that these hooligans and looters were making people going about their business pay some passage fee because the roads had been barricaded and to get through that barricade you had to pay a certain amount. As a result, the Ministry of Home Affairs moved in swiftly so that people could move freely. The peace loving Zimbabweans were afraid to move at night because of these hooligans. What is happening is that the Ministry of Home Affairs has said there should be police officers who will patrol these areas and protect innocent civilians from these hooligans and thugs who will be barricading the roads.

Movement for Democratic Change leader Nelson Chamisa had a bitter lesson on Sunday at the burial of music superstar Oliver Mtukudzi after ZANU PF National Chairperson Oppah Muchinguri dumped him from getting VIP treatment at the funeral.

Chamisa who arrived just as government representative, Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri read a speech on behalf of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, was first denied entry into the Mtukudzi homestead. Hundreds of people broke a police and military barrier to create a path for 40-year-old, in the process disrupting Muchinguri’s speech as she repeatedly pleaded with the crowd to be quiet.

Once inside, Chamisa was denied a seat under the VIP tent, forcing him to follow proceedings while standing. A day earlier, state security agents denied him access into the National Sports Stadium where over 30,000 Zimbabweans attended a tribute concert for Mtukudzi, who died from diabetes on January 23 aged 66.

Chamisa and Muchinguri were seen in an animated discussion at one point. Muchinguri is heard accusing the MDC leader of “trying to steal the limelight”, to which Chamisa shot back: “This is a funeral, there’s no light at a funeral.”

Chamisa also accused Muchinguri of having a short memory, reminding her that when MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai died in February 2018, the Zanu PF chairperson had arrived at the funeral in Buhera by helicopter, and had been given time to speak even as MDC supporters objected.

After Mtukudzi was declared a national hero by the Zanu PF politburo, the state took over funeral arrangements, with a clear concerted effort to prevent the popular MDC leader from playing any role in the funeral. Chamisa visited Mtukudzi’s second home in Norton last Thursday, and was allowed to speak to mourners, describing Mtukudzi as a “unifier”.

On Sunday, Mtukudzi’s widow, Daisy, thanked Mnangagwa for bestowing national hero status on her husband, and paid special tribute to Zimbabweans whom she said had showered her family with love.

“They say music is an impoverishing career path, but Tuku proved you can be successful at it. He took care of me from day one. Ours was true love. Tuku must know I love him, and always will,” Daisy told mourners.

Mnangagwa, in his speech read by Muchinguri, said: “Let us never despise or seek to harm our motherland, an example set for us by Tuku. We must all be patriotic. Let’s take pride in that we are Zimbabweans. Artists have a role to play in nation building.”

The internationally-travelled Mtukudzi died at the Avenues Clinic in Harare on Wednesday, triggering an outpouring of tributes from around the world.

His music cut across generations and in his later years he produced duets with younger musicians, some of whom he nurtured at his Pakare Paye arts centre in Norton, outside Harare.

He has produced songs with South African group Black Mambazo as well as Hugh Masekela, the trumpeter and singer known as the “father of South African jazz” who used his music in the fight against apartheid and died on the same day in 2018.

WATCH VIDEO BELOW…

By Own Correspondent- Over 100 pirate taxis have been impounded by the Zimbabwe Republic Police in a blitz aimed at restoring order in the transport sector within the central business district in Bulawayo.

The clampdown against the “mushikashika” vehicles was carried out over the past weekend.

The pirate taxes are said to have forced registered commuter omnibuses plying the City to Montrose, Burnside, Nkulumane, Luveve and Mahatshula routes respectively to move elsewhere.

ZRP Bulawayo Deputy Spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube revealed that most of the pirate taxis, especially Toyota Vitz and Honda Fit models, are either mounted with fake number plates or have no number plates at all.

Bulawayo has received 75 buses under the government urban mass transportation system which started in Harare a fortnight ago.-StateMedia

Thursday, 31 January 2019

His Excellency, E.D. Mnangagwa, President of Zimbabwe

Office of the President, Samora Michel Ave, Harare, Zimbabwe

REQUEST FOR A FORMAL MEETING IN HARARE NEXT WEEK

Dear President Mnangagwa,

I have taken note of the statement issued on 29 January by your Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, the Honourable Monica Mutsvangwa.

As chairperson of the Southern African Partnership for Democratic Change, which represents opposition parties from the SADC region, I have a duty to speak up on behalf of our member parties and to speak out against any injustice in the region. The disturbing reports of beatings, arrests and other threats to hard-won democratic freedoms in Zimbabwe compels me to act.

The stability of Zimbabwe is critical to the stability of our region. The protection of democratic rights in Zimbabwe is critical to the advancement of democracy throughout the region. But more importantly, the safety and wellbeing of the people of Zimbabwe matter deeply to all of us, because we are one people here in Southern Africa. They are our brothers and sisters.

In the light of the fast deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe, I intend to head up a SAPDC fact-finding mission there as soon as possible, which would include a meeting with your government. Please indicate a date and time next week which best suits your schedule.

Our fundamental interest is to uphold and protect the principles of democracy in the region. The violence against civilians, the shut-down of the Internet and the detention of activists and opponents are thoroughly undemocratic acts. We cannot stand by and watch as Zimbabwean citizens are subjected to these abuses and killings.

In the absence of any meaningful intervention by either my own government or regional African bodies such as SADC and the AU, I have no choice but to intervene in an effort to help find a peaceful resolution.

We want to see Zimbabwe restored to calm and stability, and to see her people safe from violence and intimidation. We want to see a free Zimbabwean press, and we want to see your streets free from soldiers and guns. We want to see the return of all the individual rights enshrined in your Constitution.

I trust that you will see the value in such engagement with your government and that you will honour your minister’s commitment to meet with anyone seeking a solution to this crisis, as expressed in her statement.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Mmusi
Yours sincerely,

Mmusi Maimane MP, The leader of the Official Opposition in South Africa

Chairperson of the Southern African Partnership for Democratic Change