As Zimbabwe’s economy continues to
deteriorate, the opposition MDC has implored President Emmerson Mnangagwa to admit failure and open way for negotiations towards the setting up of a national transitional authority to
stabilise the country.

Following a month-old strike by junior doctors that has since been joined by other civil servants, including nurses and teachers who are demanding to be paid salaries in United States dollars, the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC said the
country was being held back by the “habitual dereliction of duty by those who stole an election”.

Addressing the media at the party headquarters in Harare yesterday, MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume said since Mnangagwa came to power after the disputed elections on July 30 last year,
the country “is back to square one”.
“The MDC suggests that Mnangagwa admits failure and kick-start a process of national dialogue towards a lasting solution to the problems arresting our country,” Mafume said.

Mnangagwa is, however, on record saying he and his Zanu PF party have no appetite to enter into a coalition government with “losers”.

The president has, however, at one point —
speaking through his spokesperson George Charamba in an exclusive interview with the Daily News — said he was open to talks with Chamisa, on the strict understanding that the MDC leader
recognised him as president.Daily News

Correspondent|The Minister of State for Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs, Mary Mliswa has expressed concern over civil servants’ lack of commitment to duty and ordered departmental heads to whip their juniors into line.

Minister Mliswa engaged heads of departments from Mashonaland West and voiced concern over observations she made in respect of civil servants’ unethical working culture.

She told the provincial heads that the junior departmental staff spend more time on social media, discussing political issues and sharing non-essential information, while others have a penchant of disrespect to clients.

Minister Mliswa further reminded the provincial departmental heads to draw up plans for the implementation of the devolution process.

Zbc News online

Correspondent|FC Platinum have announced the gate charges for their Champions League match against Orlando Pirates.

The Zimbabwe champions play their opening Group B match at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo after Mandava failed to meet the minimum standards to host the encounter.

The game will be played on Saturday, January 12.

The cheapest ticket has been pegged at $5 while a VIP seat cost $10. The VVIP is going for $20.

FC Platinum reached the mini-league phase for the first in their history after going past CNaPs of Madagascar and Congolese side AS Otoho D’ Oyo in the preliminary and first round respectively.

Correspondent|Three Kwekwe teenagers were on Wednesday arraigned on armed robbery charges after they waylaid a cop and a woman before robbing them of cell phones and cash on New Year’s Eve.

Cephas Ncube (18), Mtulisi Mtoyi (18) and David Mandebele (18) pleaded guilty to the charge before Kwekwe Magistrate Miss Vimbai Mtukwa.

Miss Mtukwa deferred the sentencing of the trio to a later date after they claimed they were all 15 years old, making it difficult for the magistrate to sentence them.

There was drama in court as they claimed police officers forced them to state that they were aged 18 years.

They, however, failed to produce identity documents and Miss Mtukwa referred them to a dentist for age estimation.

Ncube who is of no fixed aboard, claimed his documents were in Masvingo while Mtoyi who is originally from Gokwe said he did not have any while Mandebele said his were in Gokwe.

The State led by Mr Freddy Ndoro said on December 31, 2018 at around 7:45PM, the complainant, James Chaipa who is based at Kwekwe Central Police Station, was on his way home.

“The three accused armed with a machete and a catapult, ambushed him along Burma Road,” said Mr Ndoro.

He said they demanded cash and Chaipa gave up his G-Tel mobile phone and $200 as well as slippers and the trio disappeared into darkness.

The trio also used the same modus operandi and pounced on Efilda Phiri whom they robbed of $4, a Samsung mobile phone and groceries.

The duo separately made police reports at Kwekwe Central Police Station.

Following police investigations, the trio was arrested the following day leading to the recovery of Chaipa’s mobile phone and a pair of slippers in Mtoyi’s possession.

Phiri’s cellphone was also recovered.

VIDEO LOADING

Correspondent|The Commander of Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF), General Philip Valerio Sibanda has claimed that there were some detractors who wanted to manipulate the military for their personal gains and urged the military to remain resilient in maintaining peace and stability in the country.

In a New year message statement, Sibanda told the military to be prepared to play a major part in facilitating and supporting the various government programmes aimed at achieving vision 2030.

“Our officers, men and women of the ZDF were equal participants in doing all possible to maintain and promote a peaceful and stable Zimbabwe. This was despite the spirited efforts of our detractors to manipulate the military into doing ‘their bidding’ for their selfish ends,” Sibanda said.

He added that the military should know that the current challenges that are being encountered in the country are a passing phase.

“These challenges are not a good enough reason to lose focus and be ‘taken in’ by prophets of doom who have since independence in 1980 prophesied doom of one sort or another for our country,” he said.

Sibanda added that the defence forces’ focus should be on peace and stability in the country so that development can happen.

Beer drinkers may now need to think twice before downing the so-called wise waters.

This follows the steep increase in the price of clear beer – by more than 100 percent – hours after Delta Corporation Limited was forced to reverse its decision to sell its products in hard currency.

A survey by the Daily News yesterday showed that a number of retail outlets have hiked prices of lager beers with 375ml bottles now retailing at $3, 50 from $1, 50, while a 750ml bottle which was initially pegged at $2, 50, is now selling at between $6 and $8.

Even though most retailers are now selling at these new prices, Delta insisted yesterday that its wholesale prices have not changed.

“Our prices remain the same. We are still selling at the same price we provided in our circular,” Delta company secretary Alex Makamure said.

The Zimbabwe Stock Exchange-listed behemoth is principally the largest producer of lager beer, traditional beer, Coca-Cola franchised sparkling and alternative non-alcoholic beverages.

It has investments in associate companies whose activities are in cordials and juice drinks, wines and spirits.

On Wednesday, the company issued a circular to its customers announcing its decision to sell its products in the elusive US dollars (USDs).

In terms of the circular, the wholesale price for a 375ml bottle of beer fetched 80 cents, while a 750ml bottle should sell at $1, 50.

Delta had made it clear that the issue of unavailability of foreign currency was threatening its operations with the company struggling to meet orders and in the case of soft drinks, being out of stock for prolonged periods.

However, government intervened, resulting in Delta withdrawing its notice to sell exclusively in hard currency following a tense meeting with Acting President Constantino Chiwenga.

“The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) will endeavour to provide the foreign currency required to ensure that Delta continues to trade on the current basis,” a joint statement by Delta and the apex bank reads in part.

The Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers (CZR) confirmed the increases yesterday saying retailers hiked beer prices in anticipation of USD prices from Delta.

“What we discovered is that when Delta made the announcement that it will start selling its products in hard currency the market was left in shock and increased prices so that they can be able to restock,” said CZR president Denford Mutashu.

“The market was responding to these changes and was working with the parallel market exchange rate. Since the decision has been reversed, we believe the prices are also going to go down,” said Mutashu.

Mutashu said some retailers were still unsettled by the latest developments and are doubtful if the RBZ would be able to make available the promised foreign currency to Delta to enable the conglomerate to bring in imported raw materials for production.

“We are hopeful that if the situation normalises, the prices too will fall,” Mutashu said.

Beer supplies have been going down in recent months, as producers are struggling to get foreign currency to sustain their operations.

As the prices of beer continue to increase there are fears that people will turn to illicit drugs in a bid to get drunk.

Already, the Zimbabwean youths are at the centre of controversy over a record abuse of illicit drugs, which many have attributed to lack of employment.

Daily News

via Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition|Following the November 2017 military coup which ousted former President, Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe was plunged into a constitutional crisis and the situation further deteriorated following the disputed July 2018 polls.

The fact that the polls were presided over by a compromised electoral commission and were characterised by a number of irregularities and that the opposition disputed the outcome of the elections resulted in a legitimacy crisis on the part of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF party.

In as much as the ruling party has often declared that they were overwhelmingly voted into power, the legitimacy crisis is a reality that has also come with negative implications on economic development as well as democracy.

After the discredited elections, Zimbabwe’s economy has been on a continuous downward trend characterised by foreign currency shortages, fuel shortages and price hikes that have relegated the majority into abject poverty while cash shortages continue to persist.

Given the current environment obtaining in Zimbabwe, economic revival and engagement with the International community remains a pipe dream while investors have developed a wait and see attitude.

Job actions in the public service have also worsened the rot in the country and events currently obtaining on the ground point out that the situation could worsen further.

CIZC is concerned that the government’s response to protests by civil servants and ordinary citizens has been brutal and in some instances, the government has labelled genuine actions by suffering Zimbabweans as ‘regime change protests’.

We remain concerned that in the current context, the ruling party Zanu PF has shown an obsession with power rather than the need to address the continued crisis in the country.

Zimbabwe’s situation requires that political leaders put people first and CIZC reiterates calls for a national dialogue to address the multi faceted crisis in the country.

Resolving the political crisis prevailing in Zimbabwe through multi stakeholder political dialogue is key in resuscitating the economy and engaging with the international community.

Source: Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition

Motorists, transporters, farmers and the business community in Nyanga have called on the authorities to revoke licences of fuel service operators in the resort town who are hoarding fuel for resell at the parallel market and illegal export to other countries.

The motorists said they witness frequent supplies of fuel to the service stations but are dismayed by some operators who refuse to sell the fuel to locals at the official pumps and supply it to the black market.

They said such business practices are not only illegal but tantamount to sabotage at a time when the government is striving to resuscitate the economy by supporting fuel dealers with the scarce foreign currency.

It is alleged that only a few motorists are sold fuel at the official pump during the day and the rest is hoarded and filled in drums in the middle of the night for illicit trade, allegedly to the nearby Mozambique market.

Motorists called on the authorities to address the issue of prepaid account services as this was also being abused by service stations.

“It is very unfair that the reserve bank supports fuel suppliers with foreign currency but some operators cash in on the public and demand cash only and feed the black market. It is saddening, they deny us electronic money payments so that they get cash to resell on the illegal market. There is a network of illegal activities,” a transporter, Mr Bernhard Bore said.

“These are the people behind the illegal foreign currency dealings too,” he added.

Another motorist, Mrs Grace Nyamakanga called on the government to revoke licences of selfish business operators as they are working against the spirit of Zimbabwe is open for business.

One of the service station operators told the ZBC News that they were carrying out some tests at the pumps and could not say when they were going to normalise their operations. Another service station operator refused to talk to the press.

Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) Acting CEO, Mr Eddington Mazambani said prompt investigations were underway and those found disregarding the law will have their licences revoked immediately.

A member of the Joint Operations Committee in the district revealed that they now have a list of suspects, adding that arrests are imminent.

Nyanga now has several black market points where fuel is selling at $6 per litre against the recommended prices of $1, 38 per litre for petrol and $1, 34 for diesel.

Zbc News online

Government has warned people selling land within the new city boundary in Mt Hampden without consulting relevant authorities that they will be arrested.

Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri told journalists yesterday that Government was also concerned that some people were undertaking massive developments within the 18 000 hectares set aside for the new city without permits.

“I am aware and deeply concerned that there are unscrupulous individuals who are currently selling land within the New City boundary without consulting authorities and undertaking massive developments without obtaining permits.

To those selling land, may I warn you that it is fraudulent to do such transactions on land earmarked for national interest projects,” Minister Shiri said.

State Media

Media Statement|ZIMBABWE is back to square zero, the wheels have come off completely just five months after the sham election of July 30 2018 and over a year since the departure of Robert Mugabe.

The not so new actors have failed our people; the country finds itself in the prison of a deep structural economic crisis of malaise, capture, corruption, coercion and stagnation.

There is a huge fiscal crisis, lack of confidence, lack of trust, a crippling liquidity crisis, total social sector collapse and the old challenges of macroeconomic stability hitting rock bottom.

This is coupled by habitual dereliction of duty by those who stole the election, a shocking display of mediocrity and total misunderstanding of statecraft by some major players in government. Those with some idea lack the spine to look the beast in the eye and execute the necessary decisions which serve the interests of the working people in Zimbabwe.

In this statement the MDC wishes to address the following areas of urgent concern, President Nelson Chamisa will in the next few days address in detail the MDC Agenda of 2018 highlighting major steps Zimbabwe will have to take going forward.

1. The Political Crisis
2. The Economic Crisis
3. Social Delivery and labour unrest

It is the convergence of these three crises that have created a deadly cocktail that requires a major paradigm shift in the way the economy is run, the way of doing politics and the governance culture in Zimbabwe.

The Political Crisis
At the centre of the government’s failure to deliver is the legitimacy question following the false start of July 30 2018 which blew the opportunity to cure the legitimacy question. The MDC has made this point over and over again highlighting that the solution lies in President Chamisa’s five point plan.

Worsening this crisis is the confusion which is now manifest in the Zanu PF cockpit including its presidium. At one point the public is told that Dambudzo Mnangagwa is back on duty and the next day the government says he is still on leave while one Guvheya Chiwenga continues to sweat in the kitchen of power literally and metaphorically.

This confusion is toxic as it exacerbates an already volatile situation. A government at war with itself is the biggest enemy of the people.

This confusion is directly linked to the factional fights in Zanu PF especially the public spat in the Ministry of Information between Energy Mutodi, Monica Mutsvangwa and Nick Mangwana.

The Economy
The 2019 Budget has failed to cure structural challenges in the economy, instead the budget has created more confusion than answers especially in areas of the currency and its relationship with government tax.

The tripod exchange rates and pricing system owing to distortions caused by the bond note has reached the peak. Shortage of basic goods including fuel and cooking oil is worsening each passing day.Inflation is unabated causing more suffering to the Zimbabwean people, bread prices are set to go up once again. Actual figures are suppressed with government choosing to stay in denial and presenting a macro-economic framework with distorted figures even by the standards of the generous ZIMSTATS.

The budget deficit keeps ballooning, while there is no solution to the debt crisis while government keeps announcing new lines of credit most of which are funding non-capital ventures.

Zimbabwe suffers from massive corruption, nepotism and state capture. Recently a statutory instrument was gazetted merely to forgive taxes owed by a single Chinese company in a murky move with no official explanation to the people.

This happens in a situation where the government is taxing Zimbabweans to death, the introduction of the 2% tax completed the creation of a predatory robber state which pick pockets the poor.

The Social Crisis
The health sector has collapsed, there are no drugs in hospitals and a crippling industrial action by Medical Practitioners which has gone beyond a month.

The government especially Chiwenga has created a mess and failed in absolute terms to bring an urgent solution to the impasse, instead the government went to court and then prematurely suspended 530 Medical Practitioners.

Chiwenga even went on overdrive calling them names and referring to them as mere interns yet contradicting himself by saying the interns are not saving lives.

In diplomatic terms Mnangagwa accepts that his deputy has failed to deal with this issue therefore cutting his vacation short although no significant change has been seen.

Lives continue to be lost unnecessarily and the doctors have even stopped to attend to emergency cases.
The negotiations are being handled by insincere people who want to score cheap political points, the sector has become a risk to the workers who are supposed to work with no protective clothing.

There is a looming nationwide strike across the public sector with the government refusing to pay its workers in US dollars yet they are collecting various taxes in hard currency. They even afford to allocate forex to Delta Beverages, an economy cannot be run through attending only those who cry the loudest.

In the education sector a crisis is brewing as tuition is being charged in forex, uniforms are expensive and the parents have only RTGS sources of income. Teachers marched to Mthuli Ncube’s office towards the end of the year, there is a risk they are not returning to work.

The cost of living has increased, even the cost of going to work has become unbearable for workers and notices of industrial action have already been circulated.

Instead threats have been issued by officials from the Ministry of Information to the effect that repressive state apparatus will be unleashed to suppress labour’s exercise of its Constitutional rights in section 59 of the supreme law.

The MDC suggests the following urgent solutions

1. That Dambudzo Mnangagwa admits failure and kick starts a process of National Dialogue towards a lasting solution to the problems arresting our country.

2. That government fixes the health sector and save lives of Zimbabwean citizen.

3. That an honest, urgent economic recovery plan be produced and implemented.

4. That part of the US dollars generated by the government be used to pay public servants against a background of rising costs of living.

5. A lasting financial solution be adopted, the MDC has already stated that the following solutions be adopted.

i. Demonetization of the Bond Note;
ii. Securing and ring fencing existing RTGS balances in people’s banks;
iii. Strengthening the regime of multiple currencies in the short term;
iv. Joining the Rand Monetary Union;
v. Abolishing the Quasi Fiscal Activities of the Reserve Bank
vi. Resolving Zimbabwe’s national debt crisis
vii. Growing the economy through attracting foreign direct investment and creating a stable predictable policy environment

Jacob Mafume
MDC National Spokesperson

THE Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Professor Amon Murwira, has dispelled social media rumours that tuition fees for the Midlands State University had gone up.

Professor Amon Murwira said that no Government institutions could review school fees without approval, and further stressed that all State tertiary education institutions are not increasing school fees and should accept payment in local currency for Zimbabweans and foreign currency for foreigners.

“Those are fake reports circulating on social media causing panic. The correct position is that we did not approve a revision of tuition fees in State tertiary institutions,” said Prof Murwira.

He said all fees were revised annually by his ministry and any adjustments were communicated officially through his office.

“These are State-owned institutions and we cannot expect Government positions to be communicated through unreliable sources. School fees ordinances are signed by the minister and communicated officially,” he said.

Prof Murwira said State institutions complied with the law of the land and did not invent their own form of payment.

“We comply with the Government’s policy on forms of payment, which means these institutions continue accepting bank transfers, EcoCash and cash that they were using last year.

“Let it be clear that we have a policy that says foreign students only pay in foreign currency and this does not apply to local students. We do not demand foreign currency from local students. The only approved adjustment is that student on industrial attachment pay 60 percent of their school fees,” Prof Murwira said.

He urged stakeholders to report any institution that invents its own rules of payments so that it is corrected right away.

DECLARATION ON INCAPACITATION DATED 5th JANUARY 2019 We, the ZIMBABWE TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION;

HAVING collated experiences and submissions from our membership across all the ten (10) provinces,

NOTING the concerns and grievances raised in those submissions and the recommendations thereof;

CONCERNED about the rapid deterioration of conditions of work of our members across the country and the effects thereof, inter alia;
a) Systematic erosion of the value of our members’ salaries,
b) Sharp rise of prices of basic commodities and transport fares yet salaries remain static despite the decline of their value, and
c) Charging of prices of certain commodities in hard currency (USD) such as medicines.
OBSERVING that we have forewarned the Government of those eventualities,

WORRIED by the Government failure to address any of these grievances and concerns despite previous engagements and discussion;

NOW THEREFORE GIVEN THE FOREGOING, it is thus declared as follows:
a) Our members are unable to report for duty with effect from the 8th of January 2019 due to incapacitation.
b) To enable the teachers to report for work and to subsist, we demand the payment of salaries in US Dollars.

Correspondent|Suspected ZANU PF aligned residents in Masvingo here have threatened to go and stage a sit-in at the Masvingo City Council offices in attempts to force the ouster of two MDC councillors accused of corruption.

Ward four and five councillors Godfrey Kurauone and Daniel Mberikunashe, who retained their seats in the July 2018 elections, are accused of withdrawing $800 each from council coffers ostensibly to attend an Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe (UCAZ) workshop last year.

The two failed to attend the purported event and instead, went on to use the money to sponsor their party activities in Chiredzi and Mwenezi, during a tour of Masvingo province by MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa.

The Ministry of Local Government was notified of the acts and sources at the local authority said nothing pointing to an investigation or disciplinary action has emerged from authorities.

However, restless residents have expressed fear that the case which was unearthed three months ago may be swept under the carpet as no official communication has been made by the local authority on the matter.

Masvingo mayor, Collins Maboke refused to comment, directing all questions to Town Clerk Adolf Gusha who was not reachable when equal attempts to seek his remarks were made.

Last month, another group of over 50 residents petitioned Masvingo provincial affairs minister Ezra Chadzamira to rein in on the elected officials and bring the matter to finality.

The residents said it was time they took matters into their own hands as they have exhausted all channels for recourse.

“Council survives solely on money that we residents pay on a monthly basis to improve service delivery and not to line up elected officials pockets or sponsor political parties’ activities,” said an irate resident.

“What is now left is for us to have a sit-in demonstration at the civic centre as a sign that we residents are not impressed by the way the matter is dragging, and the two councillors should tender their resignations as they showed they are not trustworthy to occupy public office.”

A local lobby group, Masvingo United and Ratepayers Alliance distanced itself from the impending demonstration but said it is a constitutional right of any resident to demonstrate is one felt their rights were being infringed upon.

By Own Correspondent| A 22 year old Gwanda man has been hauled to court for raping his 88-year-old neighbour after he unlawfully gained entry into her bedroom hut in early morning.

Trust Ncube of Kafusi Village raided the woman while she was sleeping before raping her. He was not asked to plead when he appeared briefly before Gwanda magistrate, Mrs Nomagugu Sibanda facing charges of unlawful entry and rape. He was remanded in custody to January 17.

It is the state’s case that Ncube raped the old woman who stays alone on Wednesday at around 4am.

Revealed the state:

“Ncube went to the old woman’s home on January 2 at around 4am where he found her sleeping alone in her bedroom hut. Ncube forcibly opened the door to the woman’s bedroom and gained entry.

“He grabbed the old woman and dragged her out of her bedroom hut and raped her once before running away.

“The old woman fled to her neighbour’s homestead after Ncube had left and narrated what had happened. The matter was reported to the police resulting in Ncube’s arrest.”

ZIMBABWE’S restive civil servants have managed to nudge government into negotiations after they threatened to embark on a nationwide strike starting next week in protest over their poor salaries and the deteriorating economic situation in the country.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government, in a bid to avert a crippling strike, yesterday invited all heads of civil servants’ unions to a crisis meeting in Harare on Monday to address their welfare, amid threats by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions and the opposition MDC to join the industrial action.

Labour and Social Welfare acting minister July Moyo said all union leaders must attend without fail.

“The meeting is part of the commitment of government to engage with all its employees in pursuit of developing common positions in relation to the improvement of employee salaries and generally resolve any matters that impact their conditions of service,” he said in a statement.

Government workers, particularly teachers, had threatened to down tools on schools’ opening day on Tuesday if government failed to pay them in hard currency or increase their salaries to at least $3 000.

Moyo said besides union leaders, the meeting would also be attended by Labour, Finance, Primary and Secondary Education, Higher and Tertiary Education ministers and the chairperson of the Public Service Commission.

The meeting comes at a time government has failed to resolve the doctors’ month-long strike over similar grievances.

Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association chief executive officer Sifiso Ndlovu said his union was already consulting structures to come up with a common position ahead of the Monday meeting.

“We are consulting and ready to talk with the employer on issues that affect our membership. We are ready for that important meeting,” he said.

Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe president Takavafira Zhou said although they had not yet been officially invited to the meeting, they viewed it as an attempt to stop the imminent strike.

“We wonder why the employer had to wait until the 11th hour to attend to our issues, when it is very clear that we raised these issues long back?” Zhou said.

“It is an attempt to stop the strike or any industrial action. But we will see how the issue pans out. If they invite us under Apex Council, we will not attend the meeting. That Apex thing is a useless thing, which has a tendency to massage the employer. But if we are called as independent teacher unions, we will attend.”

Apex Council chairperson, Cecilia Alexander was not reachable for comment last night.

— NewsDay

The Nelson Chamisa led opposition MDC has told President Emmerson Mnangagwa to stop blaming underhand forces for the instability ticking the health sector.

Addressing journalists at the party headquarters in Harare yesterday, MDC shadow health minister Henry Madzorera said President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government was paying lip service to the health sector by prioritising security ministries in its budget allocations.

“The government cannot and should not hide behind a figure and blame doctors for this complete collapse of health services,” he said.

“Government collects taxes from people, and government has a responsibility to distribute our tax revenue in a manner that allows every Zimbabwean to enjoy the highest level of health and well-being possible.”

Madzorera added: “It is government’s responsibility to allocate 15% of total government expenditure to health, to manage additional ear marked taxes like the health levy, the Aids levy, in a transparent and accountable manner that benefits all Zimbabweans, to deal with the corruption that is haemorrhaging not only the health sector, but the entire economy and to start to improve the conditions in which our people are born, live, work and age in order to create a healthier population.”

Junior doctors have been on strike for over a month now, demanding regular supplies of drugs and equipment to public hospitals and to be paid in United States dollars, among other grievances.

The strike enters its 36th day tomorrow and several meetings between government and the striking doctors, including one with First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa held yesterday, have failed to break the deadlock.

Madzorera warned that government’s failure to handle the strike action would have devastating consequences on the country, as most of the doctors would leave for greener pastures

He said government did not need doctors to strike to realise that it has an obligation to buy drugs and other consumables required in hospitals.

MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume said Zimbabwe was back to “square zero”.

“The wheels have come off completely just five months after the sham election of July 30, 2018 and over a year since the departure of President Robert Mugabe,” he said.

Teachers and members of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions have threatened to down tools next week.

The labour unrest coincides with the schools’ opening on Tuesday.

Newsday

Press Statement|CIVIL society organisations call upon the Government of Zimbabwe to urgently address the dire situation facing hospitals as a result of the strike by doctors.

The current impasse, that is now reaching the 36th day, is causing untold pain, suffering, unnecessary loss of life, and is an affront to the right to health care, the right to dignity and the right to life.

We have assessed the unpleasant situation on the ground at the different public hospitals around the country and note with great concern the deteriorating situation which is now a national crisis.

It is common cause that the challenges in our health sector have over the years been exacerbated by inadequate funding to the Ministry of Health and Child Care. The 2019 national budget is no exception, it only allocates 8,9 percent, way below the recommended 15 percent as provided in the Abuja Declaration.

This is unacceptable and will not improve the precarious situation in the public health institutions.

Inadequate financing has over the years crippled critical hospital functions, provision of essential medicines, availability of protective clothing for health personnel and the much-needed equipment including leading to the mass exodus of health professionals.

The work boycott by doctors, that commenced in December 2018, is not a new phenomenon and continues to gravely compromise access to health care for the most vulnerable people in Zimbabwe, who cannot afford private health care.

Of concern is the closure of some wards at the referral hospitals due to lack of adequate manpower as a result of the ongoing strike.

The critical situation negatively impacts on the efforts made to contain maternal mortality, manage chronic illnesses and contain the spread of water borne diseases that continue to recur in the urban areas in Zimbabwe.

It is alarming that emergency services are also no longer readily accessible at some hospitals. The absence of a full complement of doctors at state-run hospitals puts a heavy burden on the nurses and other support staff at these institutions.

Efforts by the government to engage recent inexperienced graduates from medical schools with limited practical exposure is very dangerous and puts the lives of innocent patients at risk.

The state has an obligation to ensure that citizens’ right to health care is not compromised but progressively realised. This calls for honest dialogue with the experienced doctors for immediate implementation of measures to resolve the impasse.

Civil society organisations hold the Government of Zimbabwe, particularly the Ministry of Health and Child Care and the Health Services Board responsible and liable for the depressing situation obtaining at the state-run hospitals, the unavailability of services at these institutions and any attendant loss of life.

Therefore, Civil Society calls upon government to;

• Urgently resolve and in earnest engage doctors to address the concerns raised to ensure that the situation returns to normalcy and ensure that the majority of our citizenry is able to access quality health care in line with the provisions of section 76 of the Constitution;

• Respect and fulfill its constitutional obligations to facilitate the meaningful enjoyment of the fundamental rights and freedoms by citizens and doctors alike;

• Ensure adequate funding of the health care sector as the right to health is an empowerment right, which if impaired, will dislocate the enjoyment of other rights and freedoms;

• Finalise the review of the Health Services Act and make the Health Services Board more accountable, efficient and independent.

Endorsed by;

Chitungwiza and Manyame Rural Residents Association
Citizens Health Watch
Community Water Alliance
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
Harare Residents Trust
Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights
Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
Zimbabwe Peace Project

Government should take blame for the collapse of the health sector and stop blaming the opposition for inciting doctors and other civil servants to go on strike, the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC has said.

Addressing journalists at the party headquarters in Harare yesterday, MDC shadow health minister Henry Madzorera said President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government was paying lip service to the health sector by prioritising security ministries in its budget allocations.

“The government cannot and should not hide behind a figure and blame doctors for this complete collapse of health services,” he said.

“Government collects taxes from people, and government has a responsibility to distribute our tax revenue in a manner that allows every Zimbabwean to enjoy the highest level of health and well-being possible.”

Madzorera added: “It is government’s responsibility to allocate 15% of total government expenditure to health, to manage additional ear marked taxes like the health levy, the Aids levy, in a transparent and accountable manner that benefits all Zimbabweans, to deal with the corruption that is haemorrhaging not only the health sector, but the entire economy and to start to improve the conditions in which our people are born, live, work and age in order to create a healthier population.”

Junior doctors have been on strike for over a month now, demanding regular supplies of drugs and equipment to public hospitals and to be paid in United States dollars, among other grievances.

The strike enters its 36th day tomorrow and several meetings between government and the striking doctors, including one with First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa held yesterday, have failed to break the deadlock.

Madzorera warned that government’s failure to handle the strike action would have devastating consequences on the country, as most of the doctors would leave for greener pastures

He said government did not need doctors to strike to realise that it has an obligation to buy drugs and other consumables required in hospitals.

MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume said Zimbabwe was back to “square zero”.

“The wheels have come off completely just five months after the sham election of July 30, 2018 and over a year since the departure of President Robert Mugabe,” he said.

Teachers and members of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions have threatened to down tools next week.

The labour unrest coincides with the schools’ opening on Tuesday.

-Newsday

Government has said all State tertiary education institutions are not increasing school fees and should accept payment in local currency for Zimbabweans and foreign currency for foreigners. There were social media reports alleging that State institutions, including the Midlands State University (MSU), had increased their tuition fees and were demanding hard currency from local students.

In a recent interview, the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Professor Amon Murwira, said no Government institutions could review school fees without approval.

“Those are fake reports circulating on social media causing panic. The correct position is that we did not approve a revision of tuition fees in State tertiary institutions,” said Prof Murwira.

He said all fees were revised annually by his ministry and any adjustments were communicated officially through his office.

“These are State-owned institutions and we cannot expect Government positions to be communicated through unreliable sources. School fees ordinances are signed by the minister and communicated officially,” he said.

Prof Murwira said State institutions complied with the law of the land and did not invent their own form of payment.

“We comply with the Government’s policy on forms of payment, which means these institutions continue accepting bank transfers, EcoCash and cash that they were using last year.

“Let it be clear that we have a policy that says foreign students only pay in foreign currency and this does not apply to local students. We do not demand foreign currency from local students. The only approved adjustment is that student on industrial attachment pay 60 percent of their school fees,” Prof Murwira said.

He urged stakeholders to report any institution that invents its own rules of payments so that it is corrected right away.

-State Media

With the rain season now in full swing, Zimbabwe continues to battle against medieval diseases such as cholera and typhoid with Gweru and Bulawayo becoming the latest cities affected by the waterborne infections raising fears of a repeat of the health problems experienced late last year.

Bulawayo town clerk Christopher Dube said the local authority had started rolling out awareness campaigns to avert outbreaks of waterborne diseases, particularly against the background of sewer pipe bursts.

Ageing infrastructure has been blamed for the constant sewerage bursts across the city, specifically in high-density suburbs, sparking fears of outbreaks of cholera and other water-borne diseases.

“Our health department is on high cholera and typhoid alert. We are conducting awareness campaigns to prevent outbreaks of any waterborne diseases, especially with the rains upon us,” Dube said.

The country’s second largest city has largely been spared of deaths related to waterborne diseases such as typhoid, cholera and diarrhoeal cases.

Government last year declared a state of emergency following the cholera outbreak that claimed more than 50 lives, and affected several thousands in most parts of the country, particularly Harare, although Bulawayo was least affected by the disease.

Meanwhile, First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa, who was expected to officiate at the city’s clean-up exercise, failed to pitch as she was locked in meetings aimed at ending the doctors’ strike in Harare.

The clean-up campaign in Gweru was led by the Environmental Management Agency (Ema), with stakeholders calling on residents to keep their surroundings clean to avoid a resurgence of typhoid, which claimed over 10 lives in the city’s Mkoba high-density suburbs late last year.

“As Gweru, we are encouraged to take part in this national clean-up campaign by the past records, where we lost a significant number of lives due to diseases caused by lack of hygiene and uncleanliness,” Ema’s Midlands spokesperson Timothy Nyoka said.

“So many lives were lost due to typhoid last year, while in 2008, we had a deadly cholera outbreak. That is why a lot of stakeholders like police, NSSA [National Social Security Authority], Gweru City Council and the general residents came out in their numbers for the clean-up exercise.”

Gweru mayor Josiah Makombe said city fathers would be at the forefront of mobilising people to participate in the clean-up campaigns.

“We are all in support of the clean cities agenda and so we came here to lead from the front in the clean-up campaign,” he said.

“In this rainy season, if people do not live in clean spaces, we can easily be plunged into a health crisis, so we need to be very vigilant.”

-Newsday

The bond note is increasingly suffering rejection from the corporate sector after Delta Corporation Limited went public on Wednesday saying it will be selling its products in hard currency.

Delta said the move was aimed at sustaining its operations in the wake of serious shortages of foreign currency.

Analysts told the Daily News yesterday that the move by Delta has far-reaching implications on the country’s tottering economy.

More companies are seen demanding greenbacks for their products, thus pushing the broader workforce to agitate for hard currency salaries.

Already, doctors, nurses and teachers have put their employer on the spot, saying their remuneration should be in foreign currency.

Writing on his blog The Big Saturday Read, United Kingdom-based Kent University law lecturer Alex Magaisa, said it is clear that both capital and labour have rejected bond notes.

“More companies will follow and more workers will take the doctors’ route. There is, it seems, an inexorable march towards re-dollarisation and the demise of the surrogate currency,” said Magaisa.

“It’s going to be a hard year but one in which, I think, the country will be forced to new settings. Because current settings have, quite frankly, become moribund,” he added.

It, however, remains to be seen how government will deal with the situation, as it has asked for a round-table meeting with Delta to address the matter.

Industry and Commerce minister Mangaliso Ndlovu has described the move as illegal, despite the fact that Zimbabwe allowed the use of multi-currencies in February 2009.

It was in 2016 when the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) introduced the bond note as an export incentive.

Its functions were subsequently expanded to ease the liquidity crisis which saw long queues developing in banking halls.

The bond note has been on a free-fall since the introduction of a new fiscal policy framework in October last year which saw the introduction of separate accounts for foreign currency and the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) balances.

This created uncertainty over the future of bond notes, with the surrogate currency suffering heavy losses on the black market.

Yesterday, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) said all companies selling their products in US dollars must also pay their workers in that currency.

ZCTU president Peter Mutasa told the Daily News that the main labour union has as far back as 2016 been campaigning against the bond note.

“While Delta has taken a unilateral decision, we understand that it has taken a fair stance which will enable it to sustain its operations. Salaries should be pegged in US dollars.

“If we are to follow Gresham’s Law, there are no two currencies that can operate at par. Delta is communicating the message that labour has always been communicating since 2016. It’s very unfortunate that all along business has been siding with government,” Mutasa said.

President of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers Denford Mutashu, said re-dollarisation will result in price increases for those paying through electronic means.

Mutashu said businesses are now faced with a situation whereby they must consider viability and sustainability of their operations.

“As long as the foreign currency situation remains dire, the problem may persist. Delta has simply been bold to come out, otherwise most suppliers and manufacturers are doing it, including some that receive foreign currency from the Reserve Bank.

“Fuel dealers, schools, school uniform dealers, raw material suppliers etc are all demanding payment in foreign currency. If you look at the Delta model, they have many other suppliers along their value chain and most have been demanding payment in foreign currency both domestic and foreign. It makes the situation dire,” Mutashu said.

MDC official David Coltart, said Delta was bringing reality to the fore and that President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his team were out of touch with reality.

“The Mnangagwa regime and its sycophants are increasingly out of touch with the reality of the current economic situation. Fortunately, businesses have to confront this harsh reality and some have to guts to confront the absurd policies of this government. Amhlophe Delta,” he said in a Twitter post.

Daily News

BULAWAYO and Gweru city councils have scaled up the fight against waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid, following the onset of the rainy season.

Bulawayo town clerk Christopher Dube said the local authority had started rolling out awareness campaigns to avert outbreaks of waterborne diseases, particularly against the background of sewer pipe bursts.

Ageing infrastructure has been blamed for the constant sewerage bursts across the city, specifically in high-density suburbs, sparking fears of outbreaks of cholera and other water-borne diseases.

“Our health department is on high cholera and typhoid alert. We are conducting awareness campaigns to prevent outbreaks of any waterborne diseases, especially with the rains upon us,” Dube said.

The country’s second largest city has largely been spared of deaths related to waterborne diseases such as typhoid, cholera and diarrhoeal cases.

Government last year declared a state of emergency following the cholera outbreak that claimed more than 50 lives, and affected several thousands in most parts of the country, particularly Harare, although Bulawayo was least affected by the disease.

Meanwhile, First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa, who was expected to officiate at the city’s clean-up exercise, failed to pitch as she was locked in meetings aimed at ending the doctors’ strike in Harare.

The clean-up campaign in Gweru was led by the Environmental Management Agency (Ema), with stakeholders calling on residents to keep their surroundings clean to avoid a resurgence of typhoid, which claimed over 10 lives in the city’s Mkoba high-density suburbs late last year.

“As Gweru, we are encouraged to take part in this national clean-up campaign by the past records, where we lost a significant number of lives due to diseases caused by lack of hygiene and uncleanliness,” Ema’s Midlands spokesperson Timothy Nyoka said.

“So many lives were lost due to typhoid last year, while in 2008, we had a deadly cholera outbreak. That is why a lot of stakeholders like police, NSSA [National Social Security Authority], Gweru City Council and the general residents came out in their numbers for the clean-up exercise.”

Gweru mayor Josiah Makombe said city fathers would be at the forefront of mobilising people to participate in the clean-up campaigns.

“We are all in support of the clean cities agenda and so we came here to lead from the front in the clean-up campaign,” he said.

“In this rainy season, if people do not live in clean spaces, we can easily be plunged into a health crisis, so we need to be very vigilant.”

NewsDay

AT LEAST 53 passengers escaped death by a whisker on Thursday when a speeding Inter Africa bus they were travelling in failed to stop at a police-controlled roadblock along the Bulawayo-Masvingo Highway, resulting in the bus veering off the road and landing on its side.

Masvingo provincial assistant police spokesperson Sergeant Crispen Gwashu confirmed the freak accident.

He said the bus was travelling from Bulawayo to Masvingo when the accident happened at the 10km peg along.

Gwashu said out of the 53 passengers, two were admitted at Masvingo Provincial Hospital and were in a stable condition, while the rest sustained minor injuries.

They were all treated and discharged.

“The bus was coming from Bulawayo when the driver, who was speeding, failed to stop at the check point.

“There was a Nissan Navara vehicle which was at the check point and the driver side swiped the vehicle as he tried to manoeuvre the bus to the left side, resulting in it veering off the road and overturning,” Gwashu said.

He urged motorists to avoid speeding and exercise caution on the country’s highways.

The accident happened a few kilometres from the spot of another fatal road accident involving a commuter omnibus which overturned, killing five people on the spot on New year’s Eve.

Newsday

VETERAN journalist and founding editor of the Daily News, Geoffrey Nyarota, has been appointed head of journalism and communication training at the Christian College of Southern Africa (CCOSA).

In a statement on Friday, CCOSA said Nyarota’s appointment was with immediate effect and would help the college produce some of the best scribes in the region.

An international award-winning journalist, Nyarota is not new to journalism classrooms after a stint at the now-defunct Nordic-SADC Journalism Centre in Maputo, which was designed for mid-career journalists in the region..

A fellow of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University in the United States, Nyarota also served at Oslo University in Norway as a Guest Professor in the Department of Media Studies and Communication. He then served for four years on the board of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University in the United Kingdom.

He has written two books, with the latest titled The Graceless Fall of Robert Mugabe.

CCOSA was established in 1976 by American missionary, William K Warner.

Nyarota said he viewed his appointment as a challenge to take CCOSA’s journalism training programme to an even higher standard, working hand-in-hand with similar training institutions in the region and internationally.

“We will employ top-class journalists to produce a journalism graduate who will be the favourite recruit of editors in the region in terms of journalism best-practices and journalism ethics,” he said.

“The journalist we seek to train will be fully operational on different platforms — print, radio, television and digital, with a flair for investigative journalism.”

NewsDay

GOVERNMENT should take blame for the collapse of the health sector and stop blaming the opposition for inciting doctors and other civil servants to go on strike, the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC has said.

Addressing journalists at the party headquarters in Harare yesterday, MDC shadow health minister Henry Madzorera said President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government was paying lip service to the health sector by prioritising security ministries in its budget allocations.

“The government cannot and should not hide behind a figure and blame doctors for this complete collapse of health services,” he said.

“Government collects taxes from people, and government has a responsibility to distribute our tax revenue in a manner that allows every Zimbabwean to enjoy the highest level of health and well-being possible.”

Madzorera added: “It is government’s responsibility to allocate 15% of total government expenditure to health, to manage additional ear marked taxes like the health levy, the Aids levy, in a transparent and accountable manner that benefits all Zimbabweans, to deal with the corruption that is haemorrhaging not only the health sector, but the entire economy and to start to improve the conditions in which our people are born, live, work and age in order to create a healthier population.”

Junior doctors have been on strike for over a month now, demanding regular supplies of drugs and equipment to public hospitals and to be paid in United States dollars, among other grievances.

The strike enters its 36th day tomorrow and several meetings between government and the striking doctors, including one with First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa held yesterday, have failed to break the deadlock.

Madzorera warned that government’s failure to handle the strike action would have devastating consequences on the country, as most of the doctors would leave for greener pastures

Bulawayo, Gweru on high cholera alert
He said government did not need doctors to strike to realise that it has an obligation to buy drugs and other consumables required in hospitals.

MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume said Zimbabwe was back to “square zero”.

“The wheels have come off completely just five months after the sham election of July 30, 2018 and over a year since the departure of President Robert Mugabe,” he said.

Teachers and members of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions have threatened to down tools next week.

The labour unrest coincides with the schools’ opening on Tuesday.

NewsDay

SOME boarding schools are reportedly demanding that part of fees payment be in the form of groceries as they seek to cushion themselves against price hikes. Last term some boarding schools were forced to demand fees top-ups after prices of basic commodities shot up.

Schools open on Tuesday and some of them have applied to Government to increase fees.

It has emerged that some of the boarding schools are requesting that parents pay part of the fees in the form of groceries.

In an interview yesterday, Matabeleland South acting provincial education director Mr Lifias Masukume confirmed that some schools had approached his office requesting to have part of the fees paid in the form of groceries.

“Yes, they are waiting for that response. We are hoping that the request will be approved before schools open. Schools have given reasons why they want part of the fees to be paid in the form of groceries. Some schools said they had agreed with parents to provide groceries instead of hiking fees,” said Mr Masukume.

Some of the schools that are demanding groceries are Usher High School and Manama High School in Matabeleland South province.

The groceries list includes, among other foodstuffs, cooking oil, sugar beans, rice and sugar.

The Chronicle could, however, not independently verify the quantities that schools were demanding.

In Matabeleland North, the acting PED Mr Jabulani Mpofu said his province is largely rural and has not received many applications for fees hikes.

Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister Edgar Moyo said parents should pay what they paid last term as schools await a decision from Government on a new fees structure.

State Media

Own Correspondent|Prominent Pastor of Kingdom Devine Ministries Ian Ndlovu has issued a chilling prophecy that ZANU PF is going to split into two groups in 2019 if intercessors do not pray for the leaders to have unity.

The Bulawayo based Man of God was speaking at the crossover service held in Bulawayo on the 31st of December.

Ndlovu has been popular for prophesying accurate prophecies especially about the political arena.

Find the full prophecy below:

In 2019, the powers of Zimbabwe and Israel will be shaken. Many unprecedented events will begin to take place. God is going to shake Zimbabwe so that he can align it with his will and purpose. I see old friendships being changed. I see people who were friends becoming enemies and people who were enemies becoming friends.

According to the Spirit there are two major groupings in the ruling party and God says if there is no intercession the fallout will happen this year and there will be lots of trouble in the trouble. They may deny it but the Spirit say these are two groups in the party.

The spirit of God has told me that as Zimbabweans we need to pray because these shakings will cause intrigue, secret plots and counter plots to increase in this country.

We need to watch and pray for peace in this nation.

God also says pray for unity, the economy and the health of our leaders. The two major issue will be a challenge to our leaders is the economy and the health.

God also reiterates that the economy of this country will not come out of the woods until people dialogue and work together. The things that will take Zimbabwe out of its problems is not economic science or political science its prayer, dialogue and consensus. If the leaders do not do this we are going to suffer forever. Unless these steps are followed trauma is inevitable. The winner takes it all philosophy will not work in this. If they think am lying they should try it.

God is flexing his muscles to show that if I send my word and you do not follow it nothing happens.

The Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) has declared that they will embark on industrial action when schools open next week, as their grievances have not yet been addressed by the government.

ZIMTA is the largest teacher trade union in Zimbabwe representing at least over 40 000 members across the country.

Concerns raised by the union which have forced their members to down their tools include salary erosion, inflated transport fares and the increased cost of living.

In a statement, ZIMTA Matabeleland North chapter announced that its members will not report for duty when schools open for the first term next week.

“Salaries have been eroded averagely to US2.50 a day which is far below the bread basket needs for a family of six,” said Tafadzwa Munodawafa, the provincial secretary.

Munodawafa said transport fares have also increased, making it difficult for their members to reach their workstations.

“In Matabeleland North transport costs have quadrupled beyond the reach of members. Example transport from Bulawayo to Tshongogwe, Lupane rose from $13 to $50. From Bulawayo to Pelandaba, Tsholotsho rose from $10 to $40. To Binga from Bulawayo, members are forced to pay $80 from $20,” he said.

The union highlighted that the cost of living does not tally with their salaries.

“Commodities have now gone up. Medication has three tier pricing system. Building materials are beyond the reach of all,” said Munodawafa.

“The cost of sending our children to school is proving to be impossible as uniforms are no longer affordable to a simple teacher. Boarding schools for our children are beyond reach”.

The teachers’ strike, if a success would follow that of doctors who have withdrawn their services calling on government to improve their conditions of service.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa was this week forced to cut short his annual leave to try and end the impasse.

CITE

Correspondence|The Minister of Finance, Prof Mthuli Ncube has announced his new foreign currency allocation committee. He promised that he would do this when he presented the 2019 budget proposal in November last year.

He said: “Reference is made to the 2019 National Budget Statement which I presented to the Parliament of Zimbabwe on 22 November 2018:

Correspondent|A company owned by former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono has applied for a licence to operate a 36 megawatt (MW) solar plant.

According to the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority, TD Energy (Private) Limited wants to construct, own, operate and maintain the solar plant called Ecosoft Solar Plant at the corner of Mutoko and Shamva Roads in Harare East.

The licence application by TD Energy was done in terms of the provisions of sections 42 and 46 of the Electricity Act (Chapter 13: 19) of 2002.

Gono seems to be pursuing mega projects in the power sector. In 2016, his company received regulatory approvals from the Environmental Management Agency, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and the Zimbabwe National Water Authority to construct a 40.8 MW PV plant in Norton.

President Mnangagwa welcomes the incoming United Kingdom Ambassador to Zimbabwe Melanie Robinson while flanked by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo (left) and Ambassador James Manzou, Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Trade, at State House in Harare yesterday. (Picture by Tawanda Mudimu)
Checked Maodza, Harare Bureau
The improving relationship between Zimbabwe and European countries should now bear fruit by allowing the parties to forge synergies in various economic sectors, newly appointed envoys have said.

Speaking after presenting their credentials to President Mnangagwa at State House in Harare yesterday, Britain and Spain’s new envoys to Zimbabwe — Ms Melaine Robinson and Mr Santiago Gomez-Acebo, respectively, pledged to boost relations in all spheres.

New Rwandese ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr James Musoni also presented his credentials to President Mnangagwa and pledged to boost trade between the two countries.

Mr Gomez-Acebo said he hoped the renewed relationship between Zimbabwe and Spain would start bearing fruit.

“Our countries have had a long and good relationship that goes back to 1981 when we opened an embassy here,” he said.

“I hope that during my tour of duty we will be able to forge a closer relationship in different fields and that we will be seeing the fruits of our renewed relationship with the republic and people of Zimbabwe.”

He said the two countries should have closer relations in the areas of commerce, agriculture, energy and tourism.

Ms Robinson, who replaces Ms Catriona Laing, said Britain would stand by Zimbabwe as it works its way to prosperity.

Ms Laing was instrumental in the re-engagement process between Harare and London, a development which resulted in a major policy shift by the British government towards Zimbabwe and got her a lot of flak from the local opposition. “I am delighted to start work today,” Ms Robinson said.

“The United Kingdom is committed to the success of Zimbabwe. I can reiterate our commitment to everything we can do to help Zimbabwe along the pathway to a brighter and prosperous future in the interests of all the citizens of Zimbabwe based upon strong and sustainable fiscal and economic reforms and human rights. I look forward to working hard and continuing to reinforce the relationship between our two countries for the interests of our people,” added Ms Robinson.

She said in the coming few weeks she would hold meetings with various stakeholders.

“I will be talking to Zimbabweans from all walks of life to understand what kind of a future Zimbabwe they want and what else that the UK and the international community can do to help Zimbabwe fulfil its great potential,” she said.

Mr Musoni said he was delighted to be in Zimbabwe.

“There are so many areas of cooperation but to mention a few, we are looking at strengthening our relationship in trade and investment,” he said.

“There are a lot of opportunities in each country where the business community from here is in Rwanda and vice versa. We have common understanding and vision on regional and international politics. There will be enough cooperation in terms of political and governance issues in the region and internationally. We also have people-to-people relationships. We think that Zimbabweans and Rwandese people are going to have more interaction.”

On being the first resident envoy in Harare, he said: “It’s very significant. This is clear testimony of how our Presidents have decided to increase cooperation and strengthen the relationship. My President Paul Kagame has very strong belief that Zimbabwe and Rwanda can do much together and the President here has the same feeling. This is going to enhance the already existing cordial relationship.”

State Media

Media Statement|The Chairman of the University of Zimbabwe Council, Dr Anxious Jongwe Masuka is pleased to announce the re-appointment of Professor Charity Manyeruke and Dr Hodson Makurira as Executive Deans of the Faculties of Social Studies and Engineering respectively, while Dr Elijah Nyakudya has been appointed the new Executive Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture.

The appointments are with effect from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2022.

Professor Manyeruke was first appointed Executive Dean of the Faculty of Social Studies for a four year term ending 31 December 2018, while Dr Makurira’s first appointment to the Executive Deanship of the Faculty of Engineering took effect from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2018. Dr Nyakudya, the new Dean of Agriculture succeeds Professor Charles Mutisi who served as Executive Dean of Agriculture for the past 16 years.

The appointments bring a wealth of experience in higher education administration and management to the University of Zimbabwe.

The University of Zimbabwe Council, the Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Paul Mapfumo and indeed the University of Zimbabwe community, wish Professor Manyeruke, Dr Makurira and Dr Nyakudya great success in their academic leadership roles.

ZANU PF Youth League Press Statement|For Immediate Release

Friday 04 January 2019

The Youth League National Executive Management Committee met for its 2019 Strategic Planning Workshop at Manna Resort Safari Lodge in Harare on the 04th of January 2019.

Below are brief pointers on the outcomes of the meeting;

• ZANU PF Youth League will not allow anyone to interfere with a constitutionally elected government;

• All Cabinet Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Principal Directors and other civil servants who are not supporting the vision of His Excellency President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa should be relieved of their duties with immediate effect;

• The Youth League has lined up a plethora of programmes to support the vision of President Emmerson Mnangagwa for the year 2019.

To ensure that these programmes are fully implemented, we call upon the leadership to avail the necessary funding, failure of which will be interpreted as sabotaging of the President’s vision;

• The Government and Parliament as part of implementing austerity measures should buy locally assembled vehicles;

• As a way to cushion the public from greedy retailers, the Youth League calls for the establishment of people’s shops that will be stocked with locally and affordable goods;

• All traders who are trading in groceries and other goods without bank accounts should have their licences revoked;

• Calling for the representation of youth in all provincial and districts land committees;

• In the wake of unjustified and wanton price hikes by retailers, the Youth League calls upon the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to allow children whose parents cannot afford to buy school uniforms to attend school without uniforms; (No Child should be chased away from school for not wearing a school uniform)

• We note with concern that there are people who a planning to fan chaos and anarchy in the country, we encourage them to desist from such acts;

Statement Issued by Cde Tendai Chirau
Secretary for Administration ZANU PF Youth League.

Econet founder Strive Masiyiwa has urged his followers to respond to Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, Ken Roth.

This follows a response by Roth on Facebook that the local representative of the organisation,
Dewa Mavhinga, did not bully Strive Masiyiwa’s wife.

The comment follows a series of events in the past several days which saw both Strive Masiyiwa and his wife, Tsitsi Masiyiwa delete their Twitter accounts, after what Strive Masiyiwa said was bullying on the platform.

Masiyiwa pointed out that one of the people who bullied his wife works “for an international organization that is highly respected for its work on human rights.” and that “It’s founder, now 95 is a close family
friend.” The individual referred to has been speculated to be Dewa Mavhinga, the Southern Africa Director of Human Rights

However, Masiyiwa said Roth has admitted he is responsible for the imposition of sanctions against Zimbabwe and urged his followers to respond to the Human Rights Watch boss on social media using the
hashtag #MrRothPleaseStopSanctions.

Part of Masiyiwa’s response reads:”
No sir! Enough! Zvakwana, aisi nyika
yako! “Enough, it is not your country”.
Allow us Zimbabweans to choose what tools we apply to bring about peaceful democratic change. Your methods have failed us. Since you have admitted to being the one behind these sanctions, please remove them, and find other means that do not cause so much suffering for ordinary people. I hope my followers will now answer you going forward: Here is the hashtag: #MrRothPleaseStopSanctions. Children are dying, and so is our country.Please Sir! I will attach it to every post I make.”

STRIKE fatigue, going for a full month with no salary and differences over offers made by the Health Services Board have split the striking doctors’ camp right in the middle as some feel the need to go back to work while others insist the strike is still ongoing.

When the junior doctors embarked on the strike on 1 December, many of them never thought it would be a long haul, but with the government unwilling to give concessions it cannot meet, the strike has been one long “hell of a ride” for the medical officers.

The extent of divisions was exposed on Friday from messages on the status of a five-week-long strike which was said to have been called off at the behest of First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s wife Friday met leaders of over 500 junior doctors who downed tools early last month with claims by the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) president Elias Muzoremba soon after that they have resolved to call off the crippling job action.

This was however contradicted by ZHDA secretary general Mthabisi Bhebhe who said the union was yet to meet and agree as a collective on how to respond.

“Members of the executive met with First Lady but no agreement was reached,” Bhebhe said

“The strike has not been called off.

“We have seen the state media reports which are insinuating that the doctors will go back to work after meeting the First Lady. That is all lies.”

Bhebhe said the first lady, instead, promised to take striking doctors’ grievances to the “relevant authorities because information was being distorted”.

Earlier on, Muzoremba said the executive had agreed “in principle” to call off the strike following assurances by the first lady she was going to take their grievances to higher authority.

“Yes we had a meeting with the First Lady and we have agreed in principle to go back to work while our grievances are being looked into while she engages the authorities,” Muzoremba told journalists.

“We also requested that some issues be solved as a matter of urgency while others should be addressed in the long term.”

He said they were now going to convey the message to members on what had been agreed.

Also addressing journalists at State House soon after her meeting with doctors’ representatives, Mrs Mnangagwa said doctors had requested a meeting with her to air their grievances.

“…They said their reputation has been tarnished because they are now being labelled hypocrites,” said the First Lady.

“So we met and we discussed their grievances and issues they raised, some of them can be solved immediately, but some need time and they can be addressed in the long run because of the economic challenges the country is facing.

“But what has made me very happy is that they have agreed to go back to work, some of their issues will be dealt with while they are at work. The economy is in shambles and the government is working to revive it.”

Doctors embarked on the job action to press for US dollar wages, constant drug supplies and relevant medical kit at their different work stations.

Government insists it has no resources to pay its workforce in hard currency, something that has prolonged the impasse.

Zoom zim

ZIMBABWE’S top business people and human rights defenders have spoken strongly against the lack of tolerance of diversity of opinion by senior MDC figures as well as rank-and file supporters especially on social media.

Executive producer of TV cultural programme Identiies/Umhlobo/Zvatiri, Nyari Teurai Mashayamombe has come out guns blazing against bullies who hounded Tsitsi Masiyiwa and husband Strive out of Twitter for expressing their opinions.

In an interview with ZOOMZimbabwe, Mashayamombe said it was unfortunate that much of the social media vitriol against the Masiyiwas was coming from people who should be pushing for real democracy.

“Women leaders in Zimbabwe such as Tsitsi Masiyiwa have endured an astonishing amount of bullying, aggression and misogyny in the last year and its already spilling into the new year. And as we’ve said even during the elections, a lot of violence has unfortunately come from those who should be pushing for real democracy.

“Any divergence view against the the opposition has unfortunately resulted into aggression and violence. The said bullies who responded to Mrs Masiyiwa were fast to point out ‘her privilege’ and this has happened before.

“Zimbabweans need to remember that the Masiyiwas’ have worked for where they are, and just because they are wealthy through their hard work they shouldn’t be refused an opinion in this country, especially when we consider the amount of help they are providing our children’s education through HigherLife Foundation, the jobs they have created through Econet Wireless and its many subsidiaries, the orphans they look after and pastors through their other charitable initiatives.”

Nyari t. Mashayamombe
She added that much of the anger against the Masiyiwas can be construed to be stemming from polarisation around the results of the July 2018 elections as well as the outcome of the Commission of Inquiry into the August 1 post-election killings.

“Zimbabweans have mastered the art of aggression, abuse by targeting someone’s ‘seemingly weak point’. For the Masiyiwa’s it’s their wealth they are always thrown back in their faces, and for any female leader they are quickly titled ‘Hure’.

Nyaradzo Mashayamombe
“It’s even interesting that just this morning a certain young women joked about Tsitsi Masiyiwa and said ‘Tsitsi runs her mouth uyu, tichamutorera murume brain dzidzoke nxa’. I had a confrontation with the young woman who was adamant to say she’s joking and i challenged her to say why do jokes have to be about sexualising and objectifying other women rather than speaking good and protecting each other?

“I immediately became a target of other comments. So yes she’s bullying of her hard work, she’s bullied cause of her wealth and absolutely because the post she put on tweeter could be believed to have been about the polarisation on the results of August 1 Inquiry, she certainly was targeted anybody with a divergence view was targeted.”

Political and economic commentator Mr. Maxwell Saungweme told
ZOOMZimbabwe that what happened to the Masiyiwas was a microscosm of intolerance which has gripped Zimbabwe since the pre-Independence era.

“It (attack on Masiyiwa) is indeed cyber bullying. But it’s a microcosm of the growing scourge of intolerance in Zimbabwe that’s started way before Independence with race based intolerance then tribal intolerance soon after independence then political intolerance since 2000.”

Maxwell Saungweme
Mr. Saungweme further toldZOOMZimbabwe that it was high time Zimbabweans learned to respect and tolerate each other, and that we should all converge towards our common goal: Zimbabwe’s prosperity.

“The social media is just an additional platform where intolerance plays out in real time, live and wide.

“As a nation we need to respect the humanity in each other, we need empathy and compassion and understand that beyond those wrongs and rights there is a field we meet where we have common ground and that field is Zimbabwe and it’s prosperity. We all want that.”

maxwell saungweme
MDC-T national spokesperson Linda Masarira said: “Firstly, everyone has a right to freedom of expression. The moment we attack someone for their voice we have also become part of the problem.

“Whatever issue that may have been discussed, the mere fact that we as individuals have individual ways of expressing ourselves is enough,” she told ZOOMZimbabwe.

Masarira, who herself has been subjected to online attacks countless times, added: “I do view the attacks as cyber bullying and as evidence of a society that is so afraid of divergent thinking the only way we know how to deal with unique thought processes is by attack. Cyber bullying is in the forefront of these attacks on personal opinions.

“Social media like all forms of media preceding them are prone to manipulation. This is a fact we should not ignore, because once we understand that then we know not to be idealistic in proffering solutions to this social media crisis.”

linda masarira
Masarira also called for the tightening of laws that deal with online bullying.

“One of the ways we can make twitter and other social media platforms safe is by accepting the fact that trolls are a harmful pandemic to the psychology of other users. We must begin to look at cyber bullying as an offence. The evidence is the digital foot print on users accounts.”

Linda Masarira
She was quick to point out that tightening of laws should not mean silencing those having negative commentary on others.

“This is not to say that people are being silenced for having negative commentary on others, no. What I mean is that as humanity we must be able to give constructive criticism and argue with intelligence, not resort to demeaning comments that add no value.

“Tightening laws should not be taken to assume the general public. Tightening laws should mean putting into place measures to curb abusers of social media,” said Masarira.

Mashayamombe, who is also a human rights activists, called on political leadership to stop using people and riding on their frustrations for political mileage. She also called upon civil society leaders to desist from overstepping their bounds into politics.

“It is a long journey to freedom, for me it’s largely about change in political attitudes in Zimbabwe. People must be able to share divergence views without being targeted or without being victims of others. Leadership in these political parties must stop using people and riding on desperate and angry populations.

“Leaders also in civil society must not be politically affiliated but lead in tolerance. The problem in Zimbabwe right now in the civil society is that people are so invested in political parties they can hardly separate the lines hence the inability to accept different views.

“Is it appropriate to tighten laws and compromise on some ‘freedoms’? How do we strike a balance? There has to be a balance as you say between freedom of speech and protection of citizens from bullying, there has to be a carefully crafted bill of law that is careful to not be extremist in any way, and we can learn from other countries who have gone before us.”

MDC-T deputy president Obert Gutu has also come out saying cyber-bullying was real as he was a target on a daily basis especially in the past year when he chose not to work with MDC leader Nelson Chamisa.

Writing on Twitter, Gutu said:

“Cyber-bullying is real. I have been a victim of weird, vulgar, hateful & hurtful cyber attacks on social media but since my skin is as thick as an elephant’s, I have taken it in my stride. I have also used vitriol to respond to cyber bullies. This year, I will be a nice guy.”

obert gutu

Obert Gutu
@GutuObert
Cyber-bullying is real. I have been a victim of weird, vulgar, hateful & hurtful cyber attacks on social media but since my skin is as thick as an elephant’s, I have taken it in my stride.I have also used vitriol to respond to cyber bullies.
This year,I will be a nice guy.

124
11:47 PM – Jan 2, 2019
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The same tweet drew cyberbullies in huge numbers!

Media mogul and prominent publisher Trevor Ncube has also lamented the the existence of intolerance on the cyberspace, saying he had lent moral and financial support to the MDC for long but felt “disappointed.”

“I am 100% with Strive Masiyiwa on this. For decades some of us supported the opposition MDC financially and otherwise.

“The opposition has disappointed many times. We have democratic right to change our minds. Sanctions are hurting all Zimbabweans.

“I have personally funded MDC making it possible for you chaps to have an opposition. But we now refuse to continue supporting this type of MDC.”

trevor ncube
Businessmanan and former senior pastor of Faith Ministries, Dr. Shingi Munyeza concurred with Ncube. Munyeza said he stood with Masiyiwa and Trevor Ncube, and laughed off some attacks that followed immediately after his response.

Trevor Ncube
✔
@TrevorNcube
· Jan 3, 2019
I am 100% with @StriveMasiyiwa on this. For decades some of us supported the opposition MDC financially and otherwise. The opposition has disappointed many times. We have democratic right to change our minds. Sanctions are hurting all Zimbabweans @KenRoth

View image on TwitterView image on TwitterView image on TwitterView image on Twitter

Shingi Munyeza
@ShingiMunyeza
I stand with Struve Masiyiwa and @TrevorNcube on this issue.

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MDC leader Nelso Chamisa (left) and Trevor Ncube
MDC leader Nelson Chamisa’s supporter, Patson Dzamara said those “with lesser money” were also entitled to their views.

Said Dzamara: “Indeed you have every right to change your minds but that doesn’t mean everyone must follow you. You are entitled to your views and positions the same way every other person is including those with lesser money than you.”

Dzamara torched the storm in mid-December against Tsitsi Masiyiwa that led her to close down her page after trolls came in huge numbers attacking her.

Strive and Tsitsi Masiyiwa
Tsitsi Masiyiwa got a backlash which forced her to close her twitter account about two weeks ago when she tweeted: “Some outcries and actions in pursuit of justice seem and look so right until you discover the source of the outcry and sponsor of the cause. Take a step back and reflect on some of the things we consider good and just causes.”

Patson Dzamara, whose brother Itai disappeared three years ago, responded: “What is the bottom line? Justice is the bottom line. Whether any quest for justice emanates from a volcano or is sponsored by a storm, it remains noble and progressive. We will not tire neither shall we let injustice prevail in our midst, whatever it takes.”

Dewa Mavhinga of Human Rights Watch tweeted: “If you are implying that all and any outcry and pursuit of justice is sponsored then that really is sad. When your husband pursued his fight to be licensed it was a just cause. In such position of privilege, you should choose your words more carefully, lest you promote injustice.”

Trevor Ncube, who owns the NewsDay, Independent and The Standard newspapers, had this to say to Dzamara: “The same rich people that you are now abusing made it possible for MDC to be launched and fight elections. They poured millions into MDC. Try and find out why they have changed their minds instead of abusing them.” — ZOOMZimbabwe

Correspondent|ECONET Wireless founder and Executive Chairman Strive Masiyiwa has written down a full charge sheet of the crimes that exiled former G40 Kingpin Professor Jonathan Moyo did against him.

We publish below the unedited full charge sheet.

1. I owned Zimbabwe’s largest daily independent newspaper.It was bombed with explosives when he was Minister of Information. He had threatened me and boasted about it earlier

2. When I re-opened the newspaper he introduced the harshest media laws and shut it down permanently

3. Prior to the closure of the paper he arrested journalist almost every week.

4. He sent thugs to the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe to force the resignation of the entire bench. The thugs jumped on the benches and mocked judges.

5. He was part of a decision to lock up Senior Executives who were locked up in leg irons because I was accused of financing the opposition and free press in the country.

6. Jonathan Moyo organized farm invasions, theft of elections and violence against the opposition. He regularly called for my arrest and harm.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Moyo has mocked Masiyiwa saying the Econet boss needs “urgent help.”

“Strive Masiyiwa needs urgent help. He won’t succeed to create history through his hallucinations.

“Verifiable facts are not in his head but in the public domain. It’s revealing that to Strive Masiyiwa, only the gukurahundists who massacred over 20,000 Zimbabweans are “sincere”!”

The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) is contemplating introducing flow-limiter devices restricting households that fail to pay rates to a mere five kilolitres of water per day as opposed to water disconnections to avoid litigation.

Council has, on several occasions, come under attack from rights groups and residents’ associations after disconnecting water to households over outstanding rates, arguing water is a human right.

The High Court has ruled that water disconnections by councils, without a court order, contravened sections 77 and 44 of the Constitution guaranteeing the right to safe and clean water.

According to a latest council’s future water supplies and water action report, the local authority sees installing flow limiters as the only option to avoid litigation after cutting supplies over unpaid debts.

“The matter was considered and the director of engineering services [Simela Dube] explained that because of the current challenges, there was need to look at the proposal to use flow limiters instead of disconnections as a water management strategy.

“The device restricts one’s consumption to predetermined levels of supply, and it is most useful to those residents who cannot afford to pay their bills. The device will restrict them to an allocation of five kilolitres; specific water meters would need to be installed as the old water meters are not suitable for this exercise,” the report read.

“The chamber secretary [Sikhangele Zhou] advised that the proposed device would assist residents to manage their free allocation of five kilolitres without raising the ire of water as a human rights issue, as it would ensure every household still received the five kilolitre free allocation even in the cases of non-payment, which had previously resulted in complete cut-offs.”

Council, at one time frustrated by failure by ratepayers to pay bills, opted to name and shame worst defaulters in various suburbs in terms of payment of rates and rentals. The council compiled a list from all 29 wards, detailing payment patterns by residents.

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BCC is owed $178 352 755 by ratepayers, including industry and government departments.

Councils around the country are also considering the installation of pre-paid water meters which would serve as a revenue collection tool as well as a debt recovery mechanism, and at the same time discourage wastefulness.

NewsDay

Top medical practitioner Marilena Pesaresi, who was stationed at All Souls Mission Hospital (Luisa Guidotti Hospital), has died.

She was 85.

Pesaresi died on December 29 in Rome, Italy.

She is famed for helping patients at the Catholic-run All Souls Mission Hospital in Mutoko East and was one of the doctors who sent a number of heart patients to Italy for life-saving surgery.

Yesterday, Catholics and villagers held a mass in honour of the late doctor, whom they described as one of the best doctors as well as a community caregiver.

Former Mutoko East legislator Ricky Mawere Mubvumbi said Pesaresi’s death was a blow to the community.

“We are all devastated by the demise of the community queen. She respected all people regardless of their standing in society. Most beneficiaries were those who went for heart surgery to Italy and most of them are still surviving. She also sourced goods for orphans and other vulnerable members of the community,” he said.

In a condolence message, the Luisa Guidotti Hospital board said the Mutoko community had lost a dedicated caregiver.

“We have learnt of the death of Dr Pesaresi with a deep sense of loss, grief and pain. The death has come as a body blow to the community that Dr Pesaresi selflessly served and loved dearly in Mutoko during her God-given ministry. A light has gone out of our lives, but our happy memories of the lives she saved and people she cured will remain,” the message read.

Erita Kujeka, from Bwanya village, said: “She [Pesaresi] started a programme for heart patients and a lot of them were sent to Italy for surgery. She helped orphans and the less-privileged giving them food handouts and sending them to school.”

MDC deputy president Elias Mudzuri has implored Parliament to hold President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to account over the deteriorating economic situation in the country.

In his New Year message, Mudzuri said the prevailing situation, where people sleep in fuel queues, have no cash and the country having no currency, apart from the ever-rising cost of living, was not acceptable.

“Having no designated currency, sleeping in fuel queues, and a shortage of foreign currency is unacceptable. The government must be taken to task and Parliament must seek an agenda to hold the government to account,” he said.

“With schools opening against the high cost of living, how do you resource well to ensure that the education system delivers when parents have no viable income? The government must be held to account and as legislators, we have a collective role to play to make this country work again.”

The country is battling an economic crisis characterised by shortage of foreign currency, hyperinflation, and shortages of fuel, among other commodities.

The Nelson Chamisa-led MDC last year staged several protests over the deteriorating situation, yet the nation remained on a cliff edge.

Doctors have been on strike for over a month and rural teachers have threatened to go on strike next week when schools re-open.

Mudzuri said there was need for the country’s leadership to embrace change and model it to the collective aspirations as the people.

“That is the most viable route for this nation. Leadership is about delivering socio-economic and political goods to the people,” he said.

Mudzuri called for unity among Zimbabweans and urged the youth to take the lead in rebuilding the country.

“To the youths, Zimbabwe is for you. Lead it from the front, it’s your everyday job to do so. The country needs a people-driven leadership. We are the people,” he said.

“Let us come forth and rebuild our nation for a better future for all. The toxic politics of hate and violence will only takes us backwards as a country. Zimbabwe is for every Zimbabwean, regardless of race, tribe or social standing. Democracy derives all its strength from the rule of law and respect for other people’s rights.

“Race or tribe should have no space in 2019. We are Zimbabweans together. Differences in skin colour, language or ideology are only, but a bonus because they build us. Our differences must never come between us. Hate speech and violence do not build our country. They must, therefore, remain in 2018.”

NewsDay

Correspondent|BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) voted twice the best run local authority in the country, is technically insolvent, with town clerk Christopher Dube attributing the situation to the country’s unforgiving harsh economic climate.

This comes after Bulawayo mayor Solomon Mguni warned that council would have no choice, but to further increase rates to hedge against the rising cost of services and goods.

Mguni also warned that BCC would be forced to introduce a supplementary budget to ensure efficient services, arguing galloping inflation had already eroded the yet to the approved 2019 budget.

Dube said the local authority now had more creditors than debtors.

“We are technically insolvent. We now have more creditors than debtors. That is the situation we are in right now as the local authority. I do not have figures off-hand, but the last time I checked, we owe our creditors over $200 million against $188 million we are owed by debtors,” Dube said yesterday.

Government has maintained a 1:1 exchange rate parity between the local bond note and the United States dollar, but a fall in value of the former has triggered a jump in prices of goods and services, and Dube said the local authority had not been spared.

As a stop-gap measure to raise the much-needed capital, BCC has already started implementing a 50% debt cancellation policy targeting those settling outstanding debts in foreign currency.

The council is also selling housing stands in forex.

Dube said the BCC maintains the government 1:1 rate when dealing with the United States dollar and the bond note, EcoCash or real time gross settlement (RTGS) so as not to fault the government on the exchange rate.

Analysts have said government must re-dollarise the economy to deal with the unfolding currency crisis.

“Given what is happening in our economy, I think the administration needs to accept re-dollarisation and avoid a series of ligations over bond/RTGS balances that may lose their value. I think they must issue Treasury Bills (TB’s) or some other kind of mechanism,” commentator Liberty Bhebhe argued.

“These TBs or whatever facility should mature over different time periods. In order to protect ordinary citizens, TBs should be for balances over 10 000 for individual accounts and on a sliding scale for business. This will protect RTGS bank balances and ordinary people’s savings.”