Own Correspondent|A member of the Zimbabwe National Army attached to the Presidential Guard has been acquitted in court on allegations of stealing 119 laptops that belonged to former President Robert Mugabe.

Pepukai Zvakavapano was freed by Harare magistrate Josephine Sande after The State failed to prove how the soldier stole the computers.

“The is no evidence directly linking the accused to the offence of theft despite that he was caught in possession of some of the stolen property,” said the magistrate.

“The court is of the view that the state failed to prove its case and the accused is hereby found not guilty and acquitted on the theft charge,” ruled the magistrate.

Zvakavapano was also cleared on another charge of unlawful entry. He was however, fined $200 for possessing stolen property.

The soldier was acquitted after a full trial which saw Mugabe giving testimony from his private Blue Roof mansion.

The veteran leader testified after Zvakavapano had claimed Mugabe gave him the laptops as a token of appreciation for good service, a claim denied by former strongman.

The theft occurred after Mugabe’s property was moved to Harare’s Polo grounds as his house was being renovated.

ZIMBABWE Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) says it is carrying out investigations in collaboration with the police on fuel dealers accused of pushing the product to the black market, where it is then sold at exorbitant prices.

While government continues to insist that fuel is available, evident scarcity of the product has resulted in the parallel market thriving.

“We are investigating these issues, and we have increased our surveillance on suspected, corrupt fuel dealers. Those who are found disregarding the law will have their licences revoked immediately, and we will also not renew their trading licences for 2019,” Zera acting chief executive Eddington Mazambani said.

“We have our inspectors on the ground, but what we have resorted to doing now is to ensure that we increase our presence to weed out these unscrupulous activities. I am meeting the police today (yesterday), and we are going to create a committee comprising the police and our inspectors, which will be stationed in every province across the country.”

The practice, which has been reported in Harare, is also rampant in other parts of the country such as Chipinge district.

NewsDay gathered that fuel dealers operating in Kondo, Checheche and Chisumbanje were now switching off their pumps to motorists and feeding the black market, especially during the night.

The fuel is then sold by black market dealers at $6 per litre against the recommended prices of $1,38 per litre for petrol and $1,34 for diesel.

A motorist, Tapiwa Simango, who was stuck in the fuel queue, told this paper that fuel operators were only selling the commodity at stipulated prices to a few connected buyers before switching off their pumps.

“These operators are creating artificial shortages so that they pump the commodity to the black market. We were told that there was no fuel when, in actual fact, it was there. They just fill let’s say, 10 cars and from there, they shut down,” he said.

Public transport operators have doubled fares as a result of the scarcity of fuel.

According to the governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, John Mangudya, fuel gobbles 45% of total foreign currency receipts annually.

Mangudya blamed the spike in demand for fuel to the growing vehicle population in the country, which has jumped 50% to 1,8 million from last year.

Zimbabwe requires two million litres of petrol and three million litres diesel per day.

NewsDay

 

Errant and negligent motorists who
flagrantly disregard road rules will have to contend with hefty traffic penalties when the new standard scale of fines, which prescribe
a maximum penalty of $700 and
imprisonment, becomes operational on Tuesday.

Road traffic offences are currently classified under levels 1 to 3 of the standard scale of fines and attract a maximum fine of $30.However, under new revenue measures announced in the 2019 National Budget, most
of which become operational this week, the fines are now placed in levels eight to 10. Parliament approved the Finance Bill on 20
December. It now awaits approval by Senate when it resumes sitting next year.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said last week although the Budget has not been approved by the Upper House, the measures contained
therein will become operational on the prescribed dates since the Finance Bill was unique. Sunday News

Own Correspondent|GOVERNMENT is targeting to generate foreign currency through human capital exportation and has renewed negotiations with South Sudan over exporting unemployed graduates.

In an interview yesterday, Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Minister Professor Amon Murwira said Government in 2019 wants to finalise the exportation of labour programme with South Sudan.

“During innovation Africa, I had the privilege of meeting my counterpart, Minister of Higher Education from South Sudan in order to learn at which stage we were (in regards to exportation of labour).

“But I then learnt that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was not finalised. And we are going to finalise the MoU as we enter 2019,” said Prof Murwira.

He said Zimbabwe prides itself about being an educated nation and this should be reflected through earning foreign currency from education.

Prof Murwira said the country could earn more Diaspora remittances through exportation of graduates.

“We always say you kick with your best leg. If Zimbabwe’s best leg is education it means our export should be education. Australia’s fourth largest export is education. In Zimbabwe we pride ourselves of being very literate. We discovered that we have to up our skills but we know that we are better off in this area. It must be seen through foreign currency inflows using education,” he said.

“What that means is that we are going to work very hard to make sure agreements with South Sudan for example among others is finalised so that we can begin the exportation of our graduates.”

Prof Murwira said his Ministry is also aiming at mopping up foreign currency through attracting foreign students to learn at the country’s universities

He said to attract foreign students Government has standardised the qualification framework at higher and tertiary institutions while in the process of upgrading universities’ infrastructure.

Prof Murwira said his Ministry will embark on an aggressive marketing drive to promote local universities.

“We are compiling what we call our flagship programmes for every university. This flagship programme is the one that we advertise outside to attract people into Zimbabwe and it is also helping with the exportation of our expertise,” said Prof Murwira.

Own Correspondent|Former Mozambique finance minister Manuel Chang has appeared at the Kempton Park magistrates court on Monday.

Police say the 63-year-old was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport while en route to Dubai.

Chang is facing fraud charges after signing off secret loans worth $2 billion during his tenure as finance minister between 2005 and 2015.

Police spokesperson Vish Naidoo tell Eyewitness News that Chang made his first appearance in court on Monday but cannot confirm the outcome of proceedings.

“We arrested him on a warrant issued by the US authorities. He was flagged by a red notice on Interpol. The details on why he was actually arrested, only the US authorities can comment on that.”

Chang has been remanded in custody pending extradition to the US.

According to AFP, towards the end of his tenure in 2015 loans to the value of $2 billion were secretly negotiated and signed.

The hidden debt plunged Mozambique into its worst financial crisis since independence in 1975.

Mama ??????????Soko Rest In Peace . Bye Mum .

— Saviour Kasukuwere (@Hon_Kasukuwere) December 31, 2018

Government is embarking on the implementation of Space Science programmes under the 100 days priority projects approved by Cabinet for immediate implementation.

Speaking to journalists at the last the post-Cabinet briefing of the year Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said government is commencing implementation of Space Science programmes through the Higher and Tertiary Education Science and Technology Development ministry to foster scientific research the in the country.

“Higher and Tertiary Education Science and Technology Development ministry will embark on implementation of Geospatial Aeronautical and Space Science Capacity Programmes.

“The Zimbabwe National Geospatial Space Agency board is currently being established while associated research programmes are already in progress,” Mutsvangwa said.

Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency was established to contribute to areas including agriculture, disease surveillance and infrastructure management among others.

The programmes are said to rope in universities through innovation hubs and teachers will be capacitated to run science laboratories in the country.

Mutsvangwa also said both “A” and “O” Level students are set to be included in apprenticeship programmes which commence this month to reduce unemployment in the country.

“Conducting the cattle reproductive Technologies Research programme will see the production of 4 000 straws of semen per hour using the automated process at the Chinhoyi University of Technology.

“Teachers will also be capacitated in the teaching of science with the objective of starting with at least 1 000 science graduates and equipping of 10 science laboratories” she added.

Zoom zim

Own Correspondent|Fears of electoral fraud are rising in the Democratic Republic of the Congo after officials said a total block on internet connections and SMS services imposed after the chaotic presidential poll on Sunday could last for several weeks.

Both the opposition and ruling coalition have claimed victory in the elections – the third poll since 2002 and the end of a civil war in which millions died.

The election, which some observers hope may bring a measure of political stability to the vast central African country, was marred by widespread logistics problems, insecurity and an outbreak of Ebola. Millions were left unable to vote.

Barnabé Kikaya Bin Karubi, a senior adviser to the outgoing president, Joseph Kabila, said internet and SMS services were cut on Monday to preserve public order after “fictitious results” began circulating on social media. “That could lead us straight toward chaos,” Kikaya told Reuters, adding that the connections would remain cut until the publication of preliminary results on 6 January.

The signal to Radio France Internationale (RFI), one of the most popular news sources in the DRC, was also down, and the government withdrew the accreditation of RFI’s main DRC correspondent late on Monday for having aired unofficial results from the opposition.

Opposition activists said they believed the internet had been cut off to prevent people circulating information that could allow the official count to be challenged when it is announced.

“It is very straightforward. They don’t want us to compile our own totals of votes,” said one Kinshasa resident who requested anonymity.

Olivier Kamitatu, a spokesperson for opposition candidates, said the media crackdown was part of a “plan to obscure the truth of the ballot box”.

The measures drew a sharp response from several western powers. In a statement supported by the UK and France, the EU and the US called on authorities to restore the internet and to allow the country’s two main election monitors – the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) and Symocel, an alliance of citizens’ observer missions – access to the count.

The election, which passed off mostly peacefully, could bring about the central African country’s first ostensibly democratic transition of power in its troubled history and chart a road to a better future. Others fear renewed instability if the opposition rejects the results and calls for protests.

Already delayed by two years, the poll was postponed by a further week to allow more time to overcome logistical challenges in a country of 80 million inhabitants spread over an area the size of western Europe with almost no metalled roads.

Kabila’s second electoral mandate expired in 2016 and he only reluctantly called new elections under pressure from regional powers. The constitution forbade him from standing again and critics claim he hopes now to rule through the handpicked government candidate, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary.

The president congratulated “the Congolese people” for having “accomplished their civic duty in peace and dignity” in a new year address broadcast on national television on Tuesday. “There can be no doubt. The DRC is not only a republic but … a democracy too,” he said.

But analysts have long said the period after the elections would be more dangerous to the long-term stability of the DRC than the polls themselves. Opposition parties have pledged to oppose any result they see as fraudulent, promising to paralyse the country with a campaign of protests.

“If the results during the publication of the presidential results don’t reflect the truth … trouble will break out across the city,” said Fabrice Shweka, a resident of the eastern city of Goma.

In the poll on Sunday, Shadary, a hardline interior minister under EU sanctions for his role in a bloody crackdown on pro-democracy activists last year, faced off against two main opposition challengers, Félix Tshisekedi and Martin Fayulu.

A survey shortly before the vote put Fayulu, a former business executive, ahead by more than 20 points. Shadary came in third on 19%. In a statement late on Monday, Fayulu complained about irregularities but said he was encouraged by the determination of Congolese people to vote despite long queues and voting machines that broke down.

“I call for vigilance across the board and the general mobilisation of all Congolese so that the truth of the ballot box, the sole witness to the will of the Congolese people, can reward their efforts and sacrifices,” he said.

Congolese election rivals deploy musical powers of persuasion

Members of Fayulu’s campaign team have accused the government of ordering the shutdown to avoid broadcasting his “overwhelming victory”.

The DRC refused international offers of help to conduct the elections, claiming it would compromise its sovereignty.

Hundreds of polling places opened hours late because they did not have the needed lists of registered voters. Many voters could not find their names on the lists and there were problems with more than 500 of the electronic voting machines.

Many polls stayed open into the night to allow those waiting in line to cast ballots. At least one Kinshasa polling station did not open until after the official closing time.

The government’s last-minute decision to bar an estimated 1 million people in two opposition-stronghold cities from voting on Sunday, citing the deadly Ebola outbreak in the eastern part of the country, prompted protests.

The DRC suffers from widespread corruption, continuing conflict, endemic disease, and some of the world’s highest levels of sexual violence and malnutrition. It is also rich in minerals, including those crucial to the world’s smartphones and electric cars.

The country has not known a peaceful transfer of power since winning independence from Belgium in 1960.

Correspondent|In a very sad turn of events, two people died on the spot while 37 others were injured when a Blue Horizon bus they were travelling in lost control and veered off the road before it overturned near Cement Siding on the outskirts of Bulawayo yesterday afternoon.

It was all doom and gloom on the scene as the police and Fire Brigade crews removed trapped bodies of the two women who died on the spot after sustaining head injuries.

Bulawayo acting Chief Fire Officer Mr Linos Phiri confirmed the death of two people on the spot.

“Thirty seven people were injured while two died on the spot. The injured were rushed to UBH and Mpilo Central Hospital by ambulances and private cars.

There are two little girls whose parents are unknown who are in the custody of the police and we suspect they are children of the two dead women or one of them,” said Mr Phiri..

Meanwhile, the Chronicle reports that a young boy aged about nine years is said to have witnessed his mother breathe her last.

Still in shock and confusion, the young boy had to look around for his mother’s belongings and only managed to take her wallet from the scores of bags that had been put together by police for collection by the survivors.

He was later rushed to hospital in an ambulance with other injured passengers.

Correspondent|So a guy called Rutendo Matinyarare who resides in South Africa has been making a lot of videos on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube talking about many different things. Sounds like an average thing on social media right? Econet decided to respond though when Matinyarare accused them and their founder of a number serious things.

This is one of those stories that we were probably not going to pick up. Rants on social media happen every time and we can’t be chasing after those. However, Econet responded through their lawyers and suddenly the rant is more than a rant. Here’s the letter from Econet lawyers in full:

Note: We have linked to old articles related to some of the the names and references made

To: Mr Rutendo Benson Matinyarare

And to: Mr Jackson Muzivi

And to: Mr Mutumwa Mawere

And to: Mr Pardon Gambakwe

And to: Gambakwe Media

Dear Sirs

IN RE: ECONET GROUP OF COMPANIES & OTHERS // MATINYARARE AND OTHERS

1. We act on behalf of the Econet Group of Companies (“Econet”) which include, inter alia, Econet Wireless Zirnbabwe, Econet Wireless (Pty) Ltd, Econet Global (Mauritius) which are collectively “our clients- We are instructed as follows:

2 Econet is a diversified telecommunications group with operations and investments in Africa, Europe, South America, North America and the East Asia Pacific Rim, offering products and services in the core areas of mobile and fixed telephony services, broadband, internet, satellite and fibre optic networks. Econet also has investments beyond the traditional telecoms sector, which include financial services, insurance, e-commerce, renewable energy, education, Coca-Cola bottling, hospitality and payment gateway solutions.

3. Our clients have invested substantial amounts of money in building their branding and good reputation in the market. Our clients have a legally recognised right to protect both their brand and their reputations.

4. It has recently come to our clients attention that:

4.1 On 7 November 2018, a video, entitled “Did Strive Masiyiwa’s ECONET kill Whistle Blower Edward Matambanadzo?” was published and narated by Rutendo Benson Matinyarare, on www.YouTube.com (“the First YouTube video” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMCiXiHGFpU ).

4.2 Also on 7 November 2018 a video interview. entitled “Why Chiyangwa wanted Strive Masiyiwa Arrested” was published by Jackson Muzivi on YouTube (“the Second YouTube video” – https://ysetc.be/52a2Lo3SJncA).

5. Reference to “Strive” and/or “Masiyiwa” is to an Econet Group director and/or executive.

6. Our clients take the contents of the Youtube videos in serious light especially considering that the Videos have been intentionally published by you with the intent to harm our clients. Our clients deny the allegations contained in the YouTube videos and it is contended that the Videos are intentionally designed to defame and cause damage to our clients.

7. In addition, it has become clear that you are part of a group of persons engaged in a deliberate smear campaign using, inter alia, the publication of defamatory statements via YouTube, Twitter, the Internet and by way of the distribution and publication of audio recordings. The universal theme of these actions are directed at defaming our clients and causing them both reputational and financial harm.

8. The YouTube videos are intentionally false, defamatory and injurious. The content and/or innuendo of which includes, inter alia, allegations that:

8.1 Econet, and its executives are responsible for Edward Matambanadzo‘s death and was involved in causing his fatal motor collision by hacking into his vehicle’s “computer box”,

8.2 Econet and its executives are part of a “mafia”, thereby implying that they are a structured secret organization allegedly engaged in illegal and criminal conduct;

8.3 Econet and its executives have not only killed Edward Matambanadzo, but also other people. In addition, that people fear that they will also be killed by Econet and those involved therewith;

8.4 Econet is involved in massive and elaborate evasion of duties and taxes in Zimbabwe;

8.5 Econet, per implication, unlawfully avoids paying taxes or at least improperly sought to reduce the taxes that Econet has to pay;

8.6 Econet made fraudulent misrepresentations and are involved in major fraud and corruption;

8.7 Econet, its directors, its employees and its executives are inherent dishonest and criminal;

8.8 It is implied that Econet Owes $350 million from 2009-2013; and

8.9 The Zimbabwean Minister of Finance improperly intervened, based upon his relationship with one or more of our clients, to suppress a criminal investigation against them.

9. The defamatory statements appear to have been intentionally published to several thousands of persons in Zimbabwe, South Africa and internationally. The publication of the defamatory statements are wrongful and actionable. As a result of your conduct our clients have suffered considerable damages and continue to suffer damages as long as you continue to allow the publication of the defamatory statements, inter alia, by keeping the YouTube videos active.

10. In so far as our clients include trading companies, it is trite in South African Law that such entities are entitled to claim for both general and actual damages suffered caused by defamatory statements injuring their reputation as a business.

11. You reside in South Africa and the defamatory publications were also made in South Africa (as the publication could and have been viewed in South Africa) and therefore the South African Courts have jurisdiction to entertain the anticipated legal action against you Your conduct also adversely affects our clients business activities in South Africa.

12. We have been instructed to demand from you, as we hereby do, that provide on or before 7 January 2019:

12.1 An unqualified and complete retracting of the defamatory statements and the removal of all YouTube Videos or other publications making reference to any of our clients;

12.2 An apology, in writing, for the defamatory and false statements and innuendo published of and concerning our clients ,

12.3 An undertaking that you will cease and desist from:

12.3.1 making any further defamatory statements in relation to or in respect of our clients: and

12.3.2 publishing any further defamatory matter (including innuendo) and/or injurious falsehoods of and concerning our clients.

13. Should you fail to take the steps set out above our clients have instructed us to proceed with a damages claim against you for the amount of R20 000 000,00. In addition, you are called upon, under those circumstances, to provide the following undertaking by no later than 7 January 2019, namely that pending the finalisation of an action to be instituted by our clients before the end of January 2019 that:

13.1 you will remove all YouTube videos and any other publications making reference to any of our clients:

13.2 you will not make any defamatory and/or untrue statements in respect of our clients.

14 This letter is also not exhaustive. Failure to comply with the above requests will regrettably result in our clients taking such further steps against you as they may be advised and which will include an urgent application seeking to interdict your wrongful conduct. You are also advised that an appropriate punitive cost order will be sought against you.

Correspondent|Movement for Democratic Change leader Nelson Chamisa today said 2019 is the year to put our differences aside to move forward as a great people.

2019 A NEW DIRECTION FOR ZIMBABWE-A new year is time for a new you, a new all.2019 is the year we dare put our differences aside to move forward victoriously as a great people.There’s so much to cover,discover & recover.Something great is coming!God bless you this 2019.#Godisinit

— nelson chamisa (@nelsonchamisa) January 1, 2019

Chamisa who lost to Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front leader Emmerson Mnangagwa in the 30 July elections has disputed the result and insists Mnangagwa’s presidency is illegitimate.

He has, however, been calling for dialogue with Mnangagwa saying this is the only way to get the country out of its current economic crisis.

But one of his close subordinates, Chalton Hwende, has been arguing that 2019 is the year for the MDC to reclaim Chamisa’s presidency.

“2019 is the year of rolling mass action against the illegal regime of ED Mnangagwa. We voted for Nelson Chamisa and we must be prepared like the thousands of gallant Liberation struggle heroes to die defending our right to chose the President of our Choice #2019ChamisamuOffice,” he tweeted yesterday.

After some negative comments he tweeted: “Ma Zanu-PF trolls kwanai my job is make sure that you give @nelsonchamisa his presidency that you stole with @edmnangagwa. I am not here to please you but to dismantle that terrorist organization called Zanu PF.”

Chamisa today tweeted: “2019 A NEW DIRECTION FOR ZIMBABWE-A new year is time for a new you, a new all.2019 is the year we dare put our differences aside to move forward victoriously as a great people.There’s so much to cover, discover & recover. Something great is coming! God bless you this 2019.#Godisinit.”

It is not clear who will get the ball rolling because ZANU-PF insists Mnangagwa cannot talk to Chamisa until the opposition leader has recognised him as the country’s legitimate President.

On the other hand Chamisa’s persistence that Mnangagwa’s presidency is illegitimate, despite a ruling by the country’s highest court that he was the winner of the presidential elections, is putting off those who supported Chamisa before because they cannot be seen to be backing someone who has no respect for the law, especially since Chamisa is a lawyer.

Chamisa’s New Year tweet could, however, have been aimed at his own party and his lieutenants and not ZANU-PF because the party is facing a crucial congress this year at which it is expected to elect a new leader.

He is reportedly facing resistance from some of his colleagues in the former MDC-T such as Elias Mudzuri and Douglas Mwonzora who are reportedly planning to oppose his candidacy.

There is also disagreement over the congress date with some saying it must be held in February as Chamisa was given only a year’s tenure to steer the party through the elections while others say it should be held in October since the last congress was held in October 2014.

When the MDC celebrated its 19th anniversary at Gwanzura Stadium in Harare last year, Chamisa implored his colleagues not to challenge him claiming he had been left the mantle by founding president Morgan Tsvangirai and therefore has a mandate to fulfill before passing on the mantle.

Media Statement|The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition calls on the Government of Zimbabwe to apply a holistic approach in dealing with the ongoing impasse with medical doctors. The strike, which started with junior doctors downing their tools resulted in General Medical Doctors, District Medical Officers and Provincial Medical Officers also joining the job action.

As a coalition, we are worried that the impasse, if not dealt with, will likely trigger similar job actions by other health professionals such as nurses who work closely with doctors.

We believe that a holistic approach will address major concerns in the health sector which is currently faced with a major industrial action by doctors and also struggling to cope with the health demands of the citizens due to shortages in essential drugs and equipment.

We note that, a functional healthcare system that caters for the needs of all citizens is the cornerstone of a prosperous country. The impasse in the social services sector is therefore of great concern and has potentially grave consequences given the centrality of the services offered by medical sector employees and leaves the country and citizens vulnerable to diseases and medical conditions that can be averted.

The government should note that the right to health is protected by the Zimbabwean constitution, which states in Section 76 (1) that “Every citizen and permanent resident of Zimbabwe has the right to have access to basic health-care services, including reproductive health-care services”.

Provision of adequate resources to improve the working conditions of all health personnel to boost morale and bring back empathy and caring to the healthcare profession must be a priority. The rights of health workers must be respected including the right to collective bargaining and the freedom of association.

We therefore, implore the government to desist from employing commandist tactics in dealing with employee demands.

The state must invest in upgrading the country’s health infrastructure including the expansion of health facilities such as clinics and hospitals. This must also include the installation of state of the art health equipment and provision of essential drugs and medicines and an accelerated programme for training and retaining health personnel.

Health training facilities including university teaching hospitals must also be upgraded while grants should be provided for students undergoing training in critical health professions. The referral system needs to be vastly revamped by ensuring that district and provincial hospitals are adequately funded so that they are able to respond to most health cases.

A rights-based approach to healthcare financing has to be adopted to ensure that government allocates a minimum per capita budget to healthcare in line with international best practice, which will be equitably distributed across the country.

As a coalition, we continue to stand in solidarity with members of the health profession as we believe that their demands, if addressed, will ensure that Zimbabwe’s health delivery will improve.

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa is in a catch-22 situation over whether to implement recommendations of the commission of inquiry into the August 1 post-election violence, which urged him to engage opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa to move the country forward.

But going against his Zanu PF party, which has no interest of engaging in the talks seen as crucial to reviving the country’s faltering economy, is an elephant in the room.

Highly-placed sources in both government and Zanu PF told NewsDay that Mnangagwa was now in a fix after promising to implement recommendations of the commission, which was chaired by former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, which the Zimbabwean leader set up after members of the military and police killed six civilians during the protests, according to the commission’s report.

Zimbabwe held elections on July 30 last year to replace long-time ruler Robert Mugabe, seen as crucial to reopening the country to international re-engagement.

The poll, however, exposed deep polarisation that culminated in the post-election protests.

With the economy on a downward spiral characterised by shortages of cash, fuel, frequent price increases and rising inflation, the commission and the international community urged dialogue between Mnangagwa and his main rival, Chamisa.

A source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there were a number of sticky recommendations that Mnangagwa would find difficult to implement, chief among them
bringing to book soldiers who shot and killed the six civilians and sitting down for talks with Chamisa.

“During the December Zanu PF annual conference in Esigodini, it was made clear that the ruling party would not sit down with Chamisa for any talks because he had disrespected Vice-President Constatino Chiwenga,” the source said.

“Hardliners in the party want the President to respect that position. But remember, Mnangagwa promised to implement the Motlanthe commission recommendations and the international community will be watching.”

Part of the commission’s recommendations read: “The commission recommends the establishment of a multi-party reconciliation initiative, including youth representatives, with national and international mediation to address the root causes of the post-election violence and to identify and implement strategies for reducing tensions, promoting common understandings of political campaigning, combating criminality, and uplifting communities.”

Zanu PF secretary for legal affairs, Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana said his party was open for talks with the MDC, but would only do so if Chamisa came knocking.

“The big brother will not go to the younger brother. It’s the other way round. We have always been open. We will talk to Zimbabweans who think they have something to offer. We are open, but we will not accost them to talk,” Mangwana said.

Chamisa said he was also waiting on Mnangagwa after tabling five issues his MDC party wanted discussed, including his legitimacy as President.

“It’s a pity that my comrade and compatriot ED Mnangagwa is talking about international engagement,” Chamisa told NewsDay.

“But you can’t build a roof without a foundation. A foundation is the national engagement, the roof is international engagement. You can’t speak to the world and talk about re-engagement when you can’t re-engage in your own country and there is no national dialogue. It’s a pity and it’s actually getting things upside down. It would never work, what is required is to have a national alignment process. Let people discuss the issues affecting Zimbabwe first. Let’s close the chapter of a disputed election first and say what is the way forward under these circumstances.”

On the military, the commission said the soldiers responsible for gunning down civilians should be brought to book.

“Those particular members of the military and the police found to have been in breach of their professional duties and discipline on August 1, 2018 should be identified as soon as possible for internal investigations and appropriate sanction, which should include a hearing from the victims and their families for impact assessment and to provide the necessary compensation,” the report reads.

But sources said the Zanu PF leaders, who came into power on the back of a military coup in November 2017, would not want to disenfranchise their power base and bringing to book the military officials would send a wrong signal.

Just before the commission’s report and findings were made public, Mnangagwa promoted the commander of the National Reactional Force, Brigadier-General Anselem Nhamo Sanyatwe to Major General.

Our sister paper, the Zimbabwe Independent, last month reported that while Mnangagwa ruled out talks and a power-sharing arrangement with Chamisa’s MDC-Alliance on the basis that Zanu PF won a two-thirds majority in the July general elections, dialogue was unfolding behind-the-scenes, facilitated by prominent former Kenyan chief justice Willy Mutunga.

The paper said Mutunga arrived in the country before Christmas and met senior MDC officials, including Chamisa, and has been secretly coming to Zimbabwe for the talks since August.

Correspondent|The Zimbabwe Football Association’s new president Felton Kamambo says they are working on securing a reputable kit sponsor for the Warriors before the Afcon encounter against Congo in March.

The national team currently has no sponsor after parting ways with a Malaysian sportswear company, Mafro last year.

Kamambo also confirmed that they want to start selling the replica jerseys well before the last Group G encounter.

“We want to make sure that we make the best out of our last game for the Warriors.

“We want to have a reputable kit sponsor for the team, and we want to start the sale of the replica jerseys well before March. So we intend to start the sell of the replica jerseys soon as well,” said Kamambo.

Meanwhile, ZIFA will also start selling tickets for the game as early as in January.

Thousands of people got free entry during the most recent home tie against DRC due to poor planning and the association wants to avoid a repeat of such scenario.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa will be making changes to the cabinet in mid January. A source in the Office of the President and Cabinet has revealed to us that the discussions that took place at President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s farm during the festive season were likely to produce the following changes.

However it must be noted that only His Excellency President has the final prerogative to choose whom he wants.

Dr Sekai Irene Nzenza is likely to be reassigned to a new Ministry of Youth , Arts and culture , deputised by Yeukai Simbanegavi

Kirsty Coventry will be Minister Sports without a deputy .

Mangaliso Ndlovu has failed to reign in Retailers and industry his job is seriously on the line with Raj Modi likely to be promoted as an experienced business man.

Lovemore Matuke likely to be full minister at the Public Service as a retired major he will bring discipline ku public service.

Victor Matemadanda to be dropped and sent to a full-time post at party HQ.

Mangaliso Ndlovu to replace Monica Mutsvangwa who will be heading to the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

John Mangudya is on his way out and Mthuli will be asked to pick someone he can work with. The Gono errors and structures at RBZ will be demolished by Mthuli and his new ally.

Engineer Elias Mudzuri likely to be minister of state for Harare province.

Energy Mutodi will survive he is likely to lead a ministry of state that will be responsible for the fight against sanctions we are not sure how the Presidency will structure it but they are working on it.

Source – Byo24News

 

Following Strive Masiyiwa’s remarks on Facebook yesterday on the alleged “cyberbullying” that saw his wife shut down her Twitter account, Jonathan Moyo has reacted with fury to the businessman’s sentiments.

Moyo said Strive Masiyiwa’s accusations against Dewa
Mavhinga were shocking and outrageous.

“One needs not to hold a brief for
@dewamavhinga to realise how
shocking, outrageous & unacceptable it is for Strive Masiyiwa to accuse Dewa of cyberbullying his wife; & top that by peddling his crap accusation on the Internet while name dropping, in the hope of costing Dewa his job!
…who are the “some” & what gives
Strive the notion that Tsitsi has a right to condemn the “some” without any objection from anyone?

The apoplectic response by Strive
Masiyiwa is disproportionate. And it’s

particularly nauseating that Strive
drags Dewa’s employer into the
imbroglio!” Moyo argued.

 

Police have been unable to identify the three women who died during the stampede at Shepherd Bushiri’ s church and they have appealed for
assistance in finding their next of kin.

The attempted identification of the
three women started at 10:00.The church is situated at the Tshwane Events Centre in Pretoria.Police believe that a thunderstorm prompted members of the congregation to push each other as they panicked, leading to the stampede.

The service began around 20:00 on Friday. Meanwhile, Bushiri’s lawyer, Terrance Baloyi of Baloyi Ntsako Attorneys, earlier told News24 that those who were injured had been transported from hospital and were provided

with accommodation and catering. News24

Possible side effects  

Side effects of skin-lightening creams can include:

• skin irritation and inflammation (redness and swelling)
• a burning or stinging sensation
• itchy and flaky skin

What could go wrong

Possible risks of creams containing hydroquinone, corticosteroids or mercury include:

• skin turning dark or too light
• thinning of the skin
• visible blood vessels in the skin
• scarring
• kidney, liver or nerve damage
• abnormalities in a newborn baby (if used during pregnancy.

…………………..

Skin lightening, or skin bleaching, is a cosmetic procedure that aims to lighten dark areas of skin or achieve a generally paler skin tone. It’s usually used to improve the appearance of blemishes such as birthmarks and melasma (dark patches). Skin-lightening procedures work by reducing the concentration or production of melanin in the skin. Melanin is the pigment that gives skin its colour and helps protect it from the sun. The main techniques used to lighten the skin include:

• chemical peels
• skin-lightening creams
• laser treatment

Trying a skin-lightening procedure is a major decision. It can be expensive, time-consuming, and the results can’t be guaranteed. If you’re thinking of going ahead, be absolutely sure about your reasons for wanting to try it and don’t rush into it. It’s a good idea to discuss your plans with your GP first. They might want to chat about your reasons for wanting to lighten your skin, and there might be a medical reason why the procedure isn’t appropriate for you. Skin-lightening techniques can result in serious side effects and complications. People with darker skin tones are particularly at risk of these problems.

Skin-lightening creams

Powerful skin-lightening creams are available on prescription from a doctor. These usually contain one or both of the following medications:

• hydroquinone
• corticosteroids (steroid medication), such as hydrocortisone

Products containing these ingredients that haven’t been prescribed by a doctor are banned in the UK, as they can cause serious side effects if used incorrectly. Products containing other potentially harmful substances such as mercury are also banned. Make sure you check the ingredients of any product before you buy it. Avoid it if hydroquinone, corticosteroids or mercury are listed in the ingredients, or if it doesn’t come with a list of ingredients. Many alternative skin-lightening products containing natural ingredients are available online and in shops without prescription. These are legal and unlikely to be harmful, but there’s no guarantee they work.

How to use your skin-lightening cream

Your doctor will advise you how to use your skin-lightening cream. You’ll normally be advised to:

• use it sparingly once or twice a day on the darkened area of skin only
• avoid getting the cream on the surrounding skin or in your eyes, mouth and nose
• apply the cream with a cotton bud, or wash your hands thoroughly before and after applying the cream
• avoid touching the treated area against another person’s skin for at least a few hours after applying the cream
• use sun cream to protect your skin from the aggravating effects of sunlight

Most people will need to continue the treatment for around three or four months. Your doctor may recommend stopping treatment after this time, or only using it very occasionally.

Possible side effects

Side effects of skin-lightening creams can include:

• skin irritation and inflammation (redness and swelling)
• a burning or stinging sensation
• itchy and flaky skin

What could go wrong

Possible risks of creams containing hydroquinone, corticosteroids or mercury include:

• skin turning dark or too light
• thinning of the skin
• visible blood vessels in the skin
• scarring
• kidney, liver or nerve damage
• abnormalities in a newborn baby (if used during pregnancy

If you’re prescribed skin-lightening cream by a doctor, they should let you know about the potential risks and how common these are.

What to do if you have problems

If you experience side effects while using a prescribed skin-lightening cream, contact the prescriber for advice. If you have any alarming symptoms that require urgent medical attention, such as a nasty rash, swelling or increasing pain, go to your local accident and emergency (A&E) department.

Laser skin lightening

A laser can also be used to lighten blemishes or dark patches of skin. This works by either removing the outer layer of skin or damaging the cells that produce melanin. The results of laser skin lightening tend to be quite variable. It may work for some people, while for others it may not have any effect, or the skin lightening may only be temporary.

Cost

Laser skin lightening isn’t usually available on the NHS, so you’ll normally have to pay for it privately. The cost of each session may vary widely across practitioners and is dependent on the size of the skin area, the extent of the lightening, and the equipment used. Several sessions are often needed to increase the chances of the procedure being effective.

What it involves

Before the procedure starts, a test may be carried out on a small area of skin to see how it reacts. If you don’t experience any problems, you’ll usually have your first session a few weeks later. You may experience a stinging or pricking sensation during the procedure, so a local anaesthetic cream may be used to numb your skin beforehand. During a session:

• you’d be given special goggles to wear to protect your eyes from the laser
• a small handheld laser device would be held against your skin – this may feel like a rubber band snapping at the skin
• a jet of cold air may be blown onto your skin to keep it cool throughout

Each session will usually last around 30 minutes to an hour. You can go home when it’s finished.

Recovery

It can take a week or two for your skin to recover from laser skin lightening. You may want to take a few days off work until your skin’s appearance starts to improve. Your skin would normally be red and swollen for a few days, and may be bruised or crusty for a week or two. Over the next few weeks, your skin should start to fade to a lighter colour. It will be sensitive to the sun for up to six months. You can aid your recovery by:

• only washing the treated area gently with unperfumed soap and carefully dabbing it dry
• regularly applying aloe vera gel or petroleum jelly (such as Vaseline) to cool and soothe the treated area
• not picking at any scabs or crusts that develop
• taking painkillers such as paracetamol for any discomfort and holding an icepack to the skin to reduce any swelling
• applying sun cream to the treated area for at least six months to protect it from the aggravating effects of the sun

Side effects to expect

It’s common after laser skin lightening to have:

• redness and swelling
• bruising
• crusting
• blistering

These effects normally pass in a week or two.

What could go wrong

Serious complications of laser treatment are generally uncommon, but can include:

• scarring
• skin infection
• the skin turning darker or too light

You should be told how likely these complications are, and what could be done about them if they occurred.

What to do if you have problems

Cosmetic procedures can sometimes go wrong and the results may not be what you expected. If you have laser skin lightening and are not happy with the results, or think the procedure wasn’t carried out properly, you should take up the matter with the hospital or clinic where you were treated. It is best that you go back to the practitioner who treated you if you have any complications. If this is not possible, you can go to your GP or local A&E department. – NHS

Terrence Mawawa| Mr Elvis Mugari, a human rights and member of the Friends of Shabanie and Mashava Mines(SMM) has dismissed claims by Norton MP Temba Mliswa that Emmerson Mnangagwa assisted Mutumwa Mawere to acquire SMM shares.

This comes after Mliswa’s interview with ZimEye.com.In the interview Mliswa stated that Mnangagwa had assisted Mr. Mutumwa Mawere to acquire SMM Holdings Private Limited (SMM) in 1996 from T & N Plc.

This was followed by a tweet in which Mliswa stated that he looked forward to seeing ED empower his generation of business people because Shumba, Strive and Mawere were allegedly empowered by the Mugabe regime.

“It is true that it is not only Hon. Mliswa who believes that ED was instrumental or the driving force in Mawere’s business enterprises including the acquisition that is generally perceived as having been hatched by ED as part of a Karanga’s economic strategy to assume state power.

I find it in bad state that Hon Mliswa who has been in one of the Whats Up groups that I belong to until he left the group would take no cognizance of the information that was shared regarding as to how SMM was acquired and financed.

I have always said that Hon. Mliswa if he cares to listen at all would know that the issue of the existence and operation of the Reconstruction Act is not about Mawere losing his company or falling out it with anyone but is and ought to be about the constitution of Zimbabwe and the rule of law.

I have spoken at length on this matter and the importance of the background facts surrounding the introduction of this draconian legislation.

Having listened to Hon. Mliswa, I think the issue of continuity between the First and Second Republic of Zimbabwe needs to be put into consideration.

It is in this respect that Hon. Mliswa’s utterance was totally unacceptable, shocking, and appalling to say the least. I believe that playing a person like Mawere as seems to be the case in attitude displayed by Hon Mliswa.

I would rather that we engage in a fight that speaks to the fundamental issues rather than gossip.

It is my view that ED as the President has to be accountable and not be protected by a legislator who is and ought to be representative in government.  I believe that one of the laws that needs to be repealed is the Reconstruction Act as one of the laws that is part of the basket of laws that need urgently to be repealed.

It is encouraging that the government has now accepted the principle of repealing AIPPA and POSA which I believe to be laws that are meant to answer political questions.

It is instructive that our legislators are is eloquent in its silence on the constitutionality of such laws.

I am appalled that Hon Mliswa exposes his ignorance about the prescripts of the constitution and he often tries to divert our attention when facts expose his principals.

It is and should not be Mawere and his relationship with the Reconstruction Act and also Mawere’s relationship with Masiyiwa but about what direction are we going as a country.

I think it is important that we focus on solving the root problem.  The problem to me is the rule of law. We, in the civil society, are pushing for the repeal of this draconian Act whose effect is the same as AIPPA and POSA.

It must be accepted that Zimbabwe is indeed in a deep crisis when we hear our legislators praising this draconian laws yet we are very far from restoring the country to constitutionalism.

It is strange that Mliswa alleges that ED supported Mawere on the basis of tribe and not because there was merit in business in question.

This makes Zimbabwe a very dangerous and any attempt to import tribalism into the Reconstruction Act narrative is regrettable. I did not expect such utterances from an Honourable member of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe.”

Jane Mlambo| Unconfirmed reports indicate that Zanu PF Supporters In Mutawatawa, Mrehwa and Nhakiwa, Mashonaland East are now scared of putting on their party T-shirts due to the current economic hardships Zimbabwe is going through.

Posting on Twitter Open Space said Mashonaland East, one of Zanu PF strongholds has become an MDC territory with people bitter over Mnangagwa’s failure to steer the country out of the economic mess that has seen prices of basic commodities doubling up, doctors downing tools and teachers threatening industrial action demanding to be paid in United States dollars.

In Mutawatawa, Mrehwa & Nhakiwa in Mashonaland East it's now becoming difficult moving around wearing E.D or Zanu PF t-shirt. The grassroots rebellion is visibly seen. People nd to be tought about tolerance, nt politics of hate.@nelsonchamisa @edmnangagwa #Openspacezw

— Open Space (@OpenSpaceZW) January 1, 2019

 

 

TEACHERS yesterday warned that a strike was inevitable when schools open next week unless the government act fast to meet their demands to raise salaries from the current $500 to $3 000 per month among other demands.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general, Raymond Majongwe told NewsDay that they were still waiting for a positive response to their petition, which they presented to President Emmerson Mnangagwa at a meeting last month.

“Schools will not open if the demands we put forward to the government are not met. What they should understand is that I represent the teachers and this is what they are saying. They (teachers) don’t have the money to even report for duty,” Majongwe said.

“Prices of basic goods have gone up, bus fares have gone up and the salaries have not gone up. Government should act fast before schools open.”

In the petition presented to Mnangagwa, teachers also said they wanted payment for invigilating Grade Seven examinations as well as the introduction of special teacher allowances among many other demands.

According to Majongwe, Mnangagwa pledged to look into the issues before making a formal response.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Teachers Association chief executive Sifiso Ndlovu said the 3 000 teachers which government want to employ were too few considering that at least 20 000 new educators were needed to fill the existing gaps.

“Teachers must be employed as this is the right thing to do, but the figure is too low. There is very little excitement about this figure. We have a shortage of 19 000 teachers who need to be replaced according to the new curriculum. The pupil to teacher ratio is at 1:70 and sometimes goes up to 1: 101 in worst case scenarios. If we look at the budget it was not increased and is at a standstill,’’ Ndlovu said.

He said the teacher to pupil ratio must be reduced to 1:25 at infant, 1:30 at junior level.

The government on Monday announced that it will from tomorrow up to Thursday recruit 3 000 teachers in a bid to improve the teacher to pupil ratio as it moves to enhance the quality of education in schools.

-Newsday

Members of the House of Assembly have demanded that they be served three full-course meals a day, plus dessert while attending Parliamentary sittings.

They also want Parliament to provide gym facilities or to pay membership and subscription fees for them at sports clubs for recreational purposes, including enabling them to play golf.

The legislators said it was critical that they be served with sumptuous meals plus fruit salad and ice creams as dessert each time they attend sessions.

The lawmakers said this recently in the National Assembly while debating the 2019 National Budget that was presented by Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube.

The new demands are on top of requests the legislators have made such as demand for top-of-the-range Toyota Land Cruiser V8 vehicles, a raise in their allowances and pensions, among others.

Making his contribution, Norton legislator Mr Temba Mliswa (Independent) said the current provision of lunch meals alone by Parliament was not enough.

“You expect people to work yet they do not even get lunch when they are here. This budget must address our welfare. We are talking about having a world class Parliament, but we only have a one course meal and the dessert is an apple and a banana yet when we go out to other areas we get trifle, a nice fruit salad, custard, ice cream and all that. But, look at what we get here — a mere banana and apple! There is no soup.

“The diet for Members of Parliament is important. Nutrition is important because when Members do not eat well, they do not function well.

“So, it is important that the nutrition of the Members of Parliament is maintained for them to discharge their duties well,” said Mr Mliswa to wild applause from the floor across the political divide.

“Mr Chairman, the Hon. Minister (of Finance) must understand that there is a programme called wellness. Wellness is the well-being of the Members of Parliament. They do not even have a gym where they can go to. They do not even have a sports club where they can go to and recreation is important for the mind. They are stressed in here. We have Members of Parliament that have died because of high blood pressure and stress that you know. So, how many more have to die before we rescue the situation. We must have a recreation club where we play golf or choose any sport that we want to partake in. We must be able to have world class gyms where we are able to train because when you are strong physically, mentally, it equally helps you.”

Further, he said legislators should be given laptops or Ipads.

“I want to talk about the role of the Members of Parliament and ICTs. Today we are in the ICT world – but we do not have Ipads. MPs do not have computers yet we are expected to follow global trends. You can see even at times Parliament does not even give us this Order Paper on time but, if we all have Ipads, we are able to take notes. This is the world that we are faced with at the end of the day and it is important that Parliament is capacitated in that way,” he said.

In her contribution, Mashonaland West legislator Cde Goodluck Kwaramba (Zanu-PF) said Government should raise the amount of money for their vehicles so that they get better cars.

“Whatever assignment has to be done in the constituency, the electorate expect our cars to carry out those duties. I am pleading with you to increase our allowances for us to get better cars to maintain our integrity and status,” said Cde Kwaramba.

Hwedza North MP Cde David Musabayana (Zanu-PF) said legislators would end up moonlighting if Treasury did not pay them well.

“We have a challenge in this August House and time and again, the Speaker is complaining about members who come and sit in the House for a few minutes. It is not their fault, it is because they are moonlighting, and they are trying to eke out a living,” said Cde Musabayana.

Prof Ncube eventually agreed to increase the budget for Parliament before the National budget eventually sailed through.

-State Media

MAKING his recently in the National Assembly while debating the 2019 national budget that was presented by Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube, Norton legislator Mr Temba Mliswa (Independent) said the current provision of lunch meals alone by Parliament was not enough.

There was wild applause from the floor across the political divide when Mliswa said: “You expect people to work yet they do not even get lunch when they are here. This budget must address our welfare.

“We are talking about having a world class Parliament but we only have a one course meal and the dessert is an apple and a banana yet when we go out to other areas we get trifle, a nice fruit salad, custard, ice cream and all that.

“But, look at what we get here — a mere banana and apple! There is no soup. The diet for Members of Parliament is important.

“Nutrition is important because when Members do not eat well, they do not function well. So, it is important that the nutrition of the Members of Parliament is maintained for them to discharge their duties well.”

MPs also want Parliament to provide gym facilities or to pay membership and subscription fees for them at sports clubs for recreational purposes, including enabling them to play golf.

The legislators said it was critical that they be served with sumptuous meals plus fruit salad and ice creams as dessert each time they attend sessions.

The new demands are coming after the legislators recently demanded top of the range Toyota Land Cruiser V8 vehicles, a rise in their allowances and pensions, among others.

Mliswa further said: “Mr Chairman, the Hon. Minister (of Finance) must understand that there is a programme called wellness. Wellness is the wellbeing of the Members of Parliament. They do not even have a gym where they can go to. They do not even have a sports club where they can go to and recreation is important for the mind. They are stressed in here.

“We have Members of Parliament that have died because of high blood pressure and stress that you know. So, how many more have to die before we rescue the situation.

“We must have a recreation club where we play golf or choose any sport that we want to partake in. We must be able to have world class gyms where we are able to train because when you are strong physically, mentally, it equally helps you.”

Further, he said legislators should be given laptops or Ipads.

“I want to talk about the role of the Members of Parliament and ICTs. Today we are in the ICT world — but we do not have Ipads. MPs do not have computers yet we are expected to follow global trends. You can see even at times Parliament does not even give us this Order Paper on time but, if we all have Ipads, we are able to take notes. This is the world that we are faced with at the end of the day and it is important that Parliament is capacitated in that way,” he said.

In her contribution, Mashonaland West legislator Cde Goodluck Kwaramba (Zanu-PF) said Government should raise the amount of money for their vehicles so that they get better cars.

“Whatever assignment has to be done in the constituency, the electorate expect our cars to carry out those duties. I am pleading with you to increase our allowances for us to get better cars to maintain our integrity and status,” said Kwaramba.

Hwedza North MP David Musabayana (Zanu-PF) said legislators would end up moonlighting if Treasury did not pay them well.

“We have a challenge in this august House and time and again, the Speaker is complaining about members who come and sit in the House for a few minutes. It is not their fault, it is because they are moonlighting, and they are trying to eke out a living,” said Musabayana.

Prof Ncube eventually agreed to increase the budget for Parliament before the National budget eventually sailed through.

Correspondent|TEACHERS yesterday warned that a strike was inevitable when schools open next week unless the government act fast to meet their demands to raise salaries from the current $500 to $3 000 per month among other demands.

This comes as doctors yesterday rejected government pleas to go back to work, saying they will on the 4th of January carry out a massive demonstration in a bid to exert more pressure on Government to act on their grievances.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general, Raymond Majongwe said yesterday that they were still waiting for a positive response to their petition, which they presented to President Emmerson Mnangagwa at a meeting last month.

“Schools will not open if the demands we put forward to the government are not met. What they should understand is that I represent the teachers and this is what they are saying. They (teachers) don’t have the money to even report for duty,” Majongwe said.

“Prices of basic goods have gone up, bus fares have gone up and the salaries have not gone up. Government should act fast before schools open.”

In the petition presented to Mnangagwa, teachers also said they wanted payment for invigilating Grade Seven examinations as well as the introduction of special teacher allowances among many other demands.

According to Majongwe, Mnangagwa pledged to look into the issues before making a formal response.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Teachers Association chief executive Sifiso Ndlovu said the 3 000 teachers which government want to employ were too few considering that at least 20 000 new educators were needed to fill the existing gaps.

“Teachers must be employed as this is the right thing to do, but the figure is too low. There is very little excitement about this figure. We have a shortage of 19 000 teachers who need to be replaced according to the new curriculum. The pupil to teacher ratio is at 1:70 and sometimes goes up to 1: 101 in worst case scenarios. If we look at the budget it was not increased and is at a standstill,’’ Ndlovu said.

He said the teacher to pupil ratio must be reduced to 1:25 at infant, 1:30 at junior level.

The government on Monday announced that it will from tomorrow up to Thursday recruit 3 000 teachers in a bid to improve the teacher to pupil ratio as it moves to enhance the quality of education in schools.

Meanwhile, negotiations between health workers and Government yesterday failed to lure striking doctors back to work as they insisted on their demands despite the employer offering to review their allowances in the first quarter of the year.

Government had offered to review health workers’ allowances in April 2019 together with those of the rest of the other civil servants.

It also assured the health workers that the remaining $6 million vehicle loan scheme coupled with a duty- free facility would be availed by end of day yesterday.

However, the duty-free facility would only benefit those who accessed the loan facility.

“We are not happy at all with this arrangement. We had asked for a duty-free facility to cater for all our members. Government wants to provide itto those who will benefit from the vehicle loan scheme only,” said ZHDA in a statement released last night after the bipartite negotiating forum.

Government also promised to avail $10 million for the creation of 402 new posts for the entire health sector, committed to continue improving the drug and equipment situation in hospitals and said working hours were still under evaluation and standardisation.

It also said the proposed contracts for incoming junior resident medical officers would be done in consultation with all relevant stakeholders.

However, the doctors refused to take up the offer arguing that it was a bad one.

“For the whole month, the Health Services Board (HSB) has invested all its energy on dragging ZDHA to court and firing our members,” read part of the statement.

“They completely forgot to answer matters raised by doctors for the whole month. They have shown no sense of urgency at all in restoring normalcy in hospitals.”

According to ZHDA, Government assured them that $2,2 million worth of medicines were stored at the National Pharmaceutical Company and in the process of being distributed to different Government hospitals. It also said funds for hospital equipment had also been availed but the situation in hospitals would take time to improve.

On salaries, the ZHDA said Government reiterated that it was not feasible to pay them in United States dollars since 99 percent of its revenue was in RTGS.

“We have repeatedly asked the Ministry of Health and Child Care to honour the collective bargaining agreement by paying 100 percent of our salaries in foreign currency as agreed. The Government continues to ignore our call citing a litany of excuses,” said ZHDA.

Earlier on, the junior doctors’ bid to have their urgent application seeking leave to appeal against the Labour Court ruling declaring their strike illegal flopped.

The Labour Court ruled that the application was not urgent. “We went to the Labour Court today seeking leave to appeal in an application that was brought under a certificate of urgency. The court deemed our application not urgent enough and it will now be brought to court as a normal court application,” said their lawyer, Mr Munyaradzi Gwisai.

END OF YEAR ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT, CDE E.D. MNANGAGWA

My fellow Zimbabweans,

As the year draws to a close, I take this opportunity to thank you all for working hard for your families, for your communities, and of course for your country.

In doing so, I am confident that the year ahead holds promise of better fortunes for our Nation, all built on the strong foundation we have already laid for economic recovery and growth.

Quite often this year, the going has been tough and challenging, all the time testing our mettle and resilience to the fullest.

We have risen to the challenges, in every instance drawing from our inner inventiveness and broad, collective unity.

Already, we see strong signs of recovery and growth, which the transient challenges we came across this year, appeared to be dim.

Still we need to do more, and to remain singularly focused more than ever before.

Focused on getting the macroeconomic environment stable once more, in order to make it supportive of the sustainable recovery we all yearn for.

That means intensifying fiscal consolidation through a raft of measures and adjustments which we are determined to see through.

Focused on mustering greater support to our agriculture, so we remain a food-secure Nation, and so that our Industry continues to have enough raw materials for more activity.

We remain hopeful that the predicted El Nino-induced drought will not be as severe, or that if it is so, that our water reservoirs and growing irrigation capacity will offset it.

Focused on mobilising more and more resources and better technologies for modernising our Industries whose recovery is already underway.

We need to manufacture more and better, to export more and trade competitively, so we create more and better jobs for our youths.

Focused on stimulating higher production in our mines, as well as opening new mining projects, so our abundant mineral deposits become huge wealth that lift us all.

We have to increase output across a whole range of minerals we have in the country, while expanding both domestic and foreign investments for greater value addition and beneficiation to the mineral wealth we have.

That way we earn more from our depletable mineral resource.

Focused on rehabilitating, modernising and expanding all infrastructures, to support and anticipate greater economic activity in the country.

Already, work on our major highways has begun, with more projects on rail planned in the year about to begin.

Projects in the energy sector are steaming well ahead, all the time taking our Nation nearer and closer to the goal of energy self-sufficiency.

More housing projects and related infrastructures are planned for the coming year.

Budgetary provisions on decentralisation and devolution will see more and more dispersed yet nationally focused economic activity at the local level, as envisaged by our constitution.

Focused on doing more and better in our services sector, where tourism, among other service activities, continues to grow and increase our earnings.

This vital sub-sector will be stimulated through the rehabilitation of the Robert Mugabe International Airport; by new, far-reaching decisions we will take on operationalising our open skies policy, and of course through developing new tourism products for more markets.

We dare not slacken on this low-hanging fruit.

Focused on building an industrially usable knowledge and skills base from our legendary high literacy level.

The gap between high literacy and low skills level must narrow and eventually close, starting in the year about to commence.

This is a task for all our tertiary institutions and for our mentors in entrepreneurship.

Yes, focused on a broader and more aggressive engagement and re-engagement thrust, principally targeting countries, economies and regional blocs which are friendly and hospitable enough to become source markets for the vital capital, investments, technologies and skills we need to change our fortunes.

Fellow Zimbabweans, the year ahead must thus mark a turning point.

With elections now behind us, the time has now come to refocus on improving our economy in order to improve livelihoods and the general welfare for our citizens.

We must draw on our sense of unity and purpose, indeed on our political maturity, in order to move ahead.

I thus urge all of us to rally behind our Government so we realise our national goals.

As you return from the much-deserved break, please do so always mindful of the need to be careful and responsible on the roads.

We have lost many people in traffic accidents this year alone, lost many needlessly. We must close this tragic chapter as we begin the New Year.

This means thinking of our own fellowmen and fellow-women playing the same roads; indeed, thinking of the little precious souls aboard whose lives may be at risk because of our reckless driving.

I eagerly look forward to meeting and interacting with you more and more in the New Year, which I am confident will be better and more prosperous.

A Happy New Year Zimbabwe!

May the good Lord continue to favour our nation.

I thank you.

Iran, Sudan and Zimbabwe are among 23 embassies named and shamed by the UK Foreign Office for dodging UK tax bills worth £1.5 million.

A string of foreign embassies owe the taxman more than £1.5million of unpaid business rates, official figures reveal.

Diplomatic representatives from foreign countries are exempt from national, regional or municipal taxes.

But embassies are encouraged to pay a portion of their bill, equating to just 6 per cent of what a normal firm would fork out.

The Foreign Office has now named and shamed 23 foreign embassies and diplomatic organisations that each owe more than £10,000 in business rates which should have been paid 12 months ago.

Robert Hayton, head of UK business rates at property firm Altus Group, said: ‘Many of these embassies operate from prime central London real estate and are actively dodging their tiny tax contributions.’

He added that the revelation that foreign embassies are not paying up is likely to anger companies which have seen major hikes to their bills.

Business rates are based on the estimated rental value of a property.

Traditional retailers are often subject to sky-high bills due to the size of stores.

Struggling Debenhams paid out £80 million in business rates last year, while John Lewis paid £174 million.

The amount owed by foreign diplomatic missions and embassies has rocketed by 43 per cent compared with a year earlier.

The bills were due to be paid on December 31, 2017.More than £73,000 of the debt is owed by Syria, which the Government is unable to collect because the country is currently not represented in the UK.

The embassy run by Sudan was the biggest culprit for failing to pay its business rates bill, according to a written statement to Parliament by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon.

The embassy, which is situated between Green Park and St James’s Park in London, owes £137,122 in business rates to the Government.

Iran is next on the list with £123,570 in business rates debts, followed by Zimbabwe, which owes £101,694.

Embassies from Qatar, Ukraine and Egypt all have so far refused to pay their business rates, as have the High Commissions of Malaysia and Pakistan, despite demands from officials at the Foreign Office.

— Daily Mail

Correspondent|Several illegal gold panners are feared dead after the collapse of a mine shaft at Wanderer Mine in Shurugwi.

The number of people trapped inside is not known but police and experts are on the ground carrying out investigations.

It is a treasure trove of gold and at any given time they are thousands of fortune hunters who are underground looking for the precious mineral.

It is, however, not clear whether they were illegal miners underground when Wanderer Mine curved in engulfing a road and the foot of a nearby mountain.

Some illegal miners who were at the scene said the mine had given them a warning prior to its collapse and they had managed to vacate before the disaster struck.

Those who managed to escape did not rule out the possibility that some people could still be trapped underground.

Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Senator Larry Mavima expressed shock and regret over the incident saying a team of experts is on the ground to ascertain the cause of the mine collapse.

In a telephone interview with the ZBC a mining expert said the mine could have collapsed due to illegal miners who are destroying remnant pillars that give stability to the mine.

He said when German miners were still running the mine the same area popularly known as Wafa Wafa Massive collapsed and claimed more than 50 people whose remains were never retrieved.

He said illegal miners have no capacity to do proper mining and as a result they go for underground pillars creating instability that might have resulted in the mine curving in.

Meanwhile, efforts to get a comment from the provincial mines director were fruitless.

State Media

Correspondent|Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Ezra Chadzamira has said Zanu PF was closely monitoring the movements of members of the G40 cabal, whom he said used to torment their rivals in the Team Lacoste faction at the height of internal squabbles in the ruling party.

“A number of events have passed, so let’s forgive each other and let’s move in unity. But we don’t forget. We forgive, but we don’t forget. It was a phase of knowing each other. We now know each other, and we will be monitoring those whom we know are suspects,” he said.

Speaking at a Christmas party held at Malwate in Marondera that was organised by the Zanu PF Mashonaland East provincial leadership on Saturday, Chadzamira said the harassment and trauma they faced at the hands of G40, which was linked to former President Robert Mugabe and his wife, Grace, was still fresh in their minds.

A number of senior Zanu PF officials aligned to President Emmerson Mnangagwa were expelled from the party at the height of the fights pitting the two factions.

Chadzamira, who is also Zanu PF Masvingo provincial chairperson, took a swipe at a group of war veterans who recently stormed Mnangagwa’s office demanding an improvement of their welfare.

“They lifted placards at Munhumutapa Building saying ‘ED (Mnangagwa) are we still together?’ Together where? True war veterans know protocol if they want something to be addressed. They should engage in dialogue,” he said.

Zanu PF Mashonaland East chairperson Joel Biggie Matiza said it was time to concentrate on development rather than politicking.

“This coming year, we need to work hard. We need to move forward with our President’s vision of putting the economy ahead of politics. It is the time to embrace the issue of devolution to develop our province,” he said.

Notables who attended the Christmas party include Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs minister Apollonia Munzverengi, youth league provincial chairperson, Kelvin Mutsvairo, politburo members Mike Bimha and David Parirenyatwa, among others.

Harare Bureau Zimbabweans should train their focus on building the economy and achieving sustainable recovery in the New Year, President Mnangagwa has said.
The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, said following elections held

---

Gin the mid-year, attending to the economy and improving the livelihoods and general welfare of the people would be prioritised.
In his 2019 New Year message which was also aired on ZTV yesterday, President Mnangagwa acknowledged challenges faced
in 2018 but noted that Zimbabwe showed signs of economic recovery on which it would build on.
“We have risen to the challenges, in every instance drawing from our inner inventiveness and broad, collective unit,” said President Mnangagwa.

“Already, we see strong signs of recovery and growth, which the transient challenges we came across this year, appeared to bedim.
Still we need to do more, and to remain singularly focused more than ever before. With elections now behind us, the time has now come to refocus on improving our economy in order to improve livelihoods and
the general welfare for our citizens.

We must draw our sense of unity and purpose, indeed on our political maturity, in order to move ahead.” Chronicle

State Media– Members of the House of Assembly have demanded that they be served three full-course meals a day, plus dessert while attending Parliamentary sittings.

They also want Parliament to provide gym facilities or to pay membership and subscription fees for them at sports clubs for recreational purposes, including enabling them to play golf.

The legislators said it was critical that they be served with sumptuous meals plus fruit salad and ice creams as dessert each time they attend sessions.

The lawmakers said this recently in the National Assembly while debating the 2019 National Budget that was presented by Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube.

The new demands are on top of requests the legislators have made such as demand for top-of-the-range Toyota Land Cruiser V8 vehicles, a raise in their allowances and pensions, among others.

Making his contribution, Norton legislator Mr Temba Mliswa (Independent) said the current provision of lunch meals alone by Parliament was not enough.

“You expect people to work yet they do not even get lunch when they are here. This budget must address our welfare. We are talking about having a world class Parliament, but we only have a one course meal and the dessert is an apple and a banana yet when we go out to other areas we get trifle, a nice fruit salad, custard, ice cream and all that. But, look at what we get here — a mere banana and apple! There is no soup.

“The diet for Members of Parliament is important. Nutrition is important because when Members do not eat well, they do not function well.

“So, it is important that the nutrition of the Members of Parliament is maintained for them to discharge their duties well,” said Mr Mliswa to wild applause from the floor across the political divide.

“Mr Chairman, the Hon. Minister (of Finance) must understand that there is a programme called wellness. Wellness is the well-being of the Members of Parliament. They do not even have a gym where they can go to. They do not even have a sports club where they can go to and recreation is important for the mind. They are stressed in here. We have Members of Parliament that have died because of high blood pressure and stress that you know. So, how many more have to die before we rescue the situation. We must have a recreation club where we play golf or choose any sport that we want to partake in. We must be able to have world class gyms where we are able to train because when you are strong physically, mentally, it equally helps you.”

Further, he said legislators should be given laptops or Ipads.

“I want to talk about the role of the Members of Parliament and ICTs. Today we are in the ICT world – but we do not have Ipads. MPs do not have computers yet we are expected to follow global trends. You can see even at times Parliament does not even give us this Order Paper on time but, if we all have Ipads, we are able to take notes. This is the world that we are faced with at the end of the day and it is important that Parliament is capacitated in that way,” he said.

In her contribution, Mashonaland West legislator Goodluck Kwaramba (Zanu-PF) said Government should raise the amount of money for their vehicles so that they get better cars.

“Whatever assignment has to be done in the constituency, the electorate expect our cars to carry out those duties. I am pleading with you to increase our allowances for us to get better cars to maintain our integrity and status,” said Kwaramba.

Hwedza North MP David Musabayana (Zanu-PF) said legislators would end up moonlighting if Treasury did not pay them well.

“We have a challenge in this August House and time and again, the Speaker is complaining about members who come and sit in the House for a few minutes. It is not their fault, it is because they are moonlighting, and they are trying to eke out a living,” said Musabayana.

Prof Ncube eventually agreed to increase the budget for Parliament before the National budget eventually sailed through.

HARARE – Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) secretary- general Victor Matemadanda said there is no tiff
between him and his chairperson Christopher Mutsvangwa.
Matemadanda told Daily News that the much talked tiff between himself and Mutsvangwa doesn’t exist. “…We are not fighting with Mutsvangwa, those are fabricated stories, and
we are not at loggerheads with Mutsvangwa. I bam seeing this in the media.”
Last month, Mashonaland West war veterans
passed a vote of no confidence on Mutsvangwa
accusing him of being “self-centred and
disrespectful of Mnangagwa”.
While there was speculation that Matemadanda
wanted to take over the chairmanship, he flatly
denied it.
“The fact that I refused to comment on the
position taken by Mashonaland West is the
reason why they are saying it’s me who is
interested in the chairmanship post.
“The stupidity of whoever is saying that is, the
constitution is very clear that if Mutsvangwa
steps down today, his deputy is the one who
takes over until we elect a new chairman,” said
the ZNLWVA secretary-general.

 

TANGIBLE economic turnaround would be witnessed this year if Government remains steadfast in dealing with the twin terrors of
fiscal deficit and the failure to implement proper foreign currency management systems.

This was said by prominent academic Professor Ashok Chakravarti in an interview
yesterday. Already, Government has set in motion plans to address the fiscal deficit side following the
introduction of sweeping measures to curtail excessive Government expenditure.

Some of measures including sacking over 3 000 youth officers, effecting a 5 percent salary cut for top Government officials and a
moratorium on the importation of brand new service vehicles for Cabinet ministers and heads of parastatal.

Prof Chakravarti said the economy has great potential to recover this year if it solves its

“two major problems”.
“There were two major problems that the economy was facing recently and if those problems are addressed, the prospects for economic transformation in 2019) would
improve,” said Prof Chakravarti.State media

By Vivid Gwede| As Zimbabweans enter the gates of 2019 from a forgettable festive season, probably the worst in the past decade, uncertainty abounds about Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabweans are deeply concerned about the rapid deterioration in the economy since November 2017.

But what would have been the national reality had the 2018 presidential elections not been pilfered?

An Igbo proverb, popularised by Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe, goes: “A man who does not know when the rain started to beat him cannot know where he dried.”

As the Mnangagwa government blunders in the dark towards the cliff, what was MDC president Advocate Nelson Chamisa and the democratic movement’s alternative dream for Zimbabwe in the 2018 elections?

A tired Zanu-PF regime’s perennial theft of elections has robbed Zimbabwe of fresh-minted ideas and fresh hands to run the country.

The late Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Morgan Tsvangirai, died in February 2018 a wasted national asset and moment, whose transformative contribution to the country would have been much bigger, except autocrat Robert Mugabe and crew stayed at the helm through coercion, beyond their usefulness.

The repercussions of Tsvangirai’s stolen election victory and presidency in 2008, of failed SADC mediation, are that Zimbabwe has remained trapped in a vicious circle of political illegitimacy and dysfunctionality.

The 2017 coup and 2018 stolen elections are a sequel to that fraudulent legacy.

Under a different government, the investment climate would have been rather different and more bullish than the current stagnation caused by the illegitimacy question, the tired leadership, fossilised state institutions, and the August 1 massacre of civilians by soldiers.

Given the Chamisa and MDC’s SMART manifesto’s promise to scrap the bond note, there probably would not be price hikes, no forex black market and speculation, no fuel queues, and no doctors’ strike, which are symptoms of zero confidence in the government.

The poor would not be bleeding through the nose because of Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube’s “austerity for the poorest.”

To use the language of economics, the opportunity cost (roughly cost of choosing one product over another) of having a Mnangagwa government, instead of a Chamisa government, has been unfathomably huge.

The historical betrayal started by Mugabe continues.

Under Mnangagwa’s administration, the national independence, has further lost its democratic and economic promise for the ordinary people.

It has given place to a vacuous rant about ideologically bankrupt nationalist remnants ruling in perpetuity, a scandal fuelled by the “Chinhu chedu” mentality.

Whereas newly independent Zimbabwe had many years ago, the strong footing, chance and potential to do exceptionally well on many fronts, it has become just another failing country in violation of former Tanzanian president, Julius Nyerere’s sunlit praise of “a jewel” of Africa.

Mugabe proved a less enlightened statesman than his early years promised.

Over the past 38 years, Zimbabwe just like the next African country, especially those which lived through the 1960’s, the coup decade, has experienced state-led genocide, plunder of natural resources like diamonds, massive corruption, blood-cuddling dictatorship, record-breaking economic collapse, and a military coup.

The judiciary’s endorsement of the coup suggested two further dangers, either the country’s constitution fails to insulate against a coup or the judiciary has failed to protect the country against one, or both.

The coup has birthed a less popular and less enlightened leadership, an undemocratic election, a brutal crackdown on civil protest, militarised state institutions, and poor economic stewardship.

The confidence of the civilian leadership after the coup is doubtful and weak, hence the reality of a silent and absent presidency, a centre that cannot hold amidst the economic miasma.

So Zimbabwe is not exceptional after all, except all this old African political script of a post-colonial state in failure, is replaying in the post-Cold War period, well, into the 21st century.

Gifted with a good climate, intelligent and hardworking populace, natural tourist wonders, vast mineral resources, and the residues of colonial infrastructure like roads, industry and railway, Zimbabwe has been deficient of servant leadership.

It is the hope of better leadership that Zimbabweans yearn for, and the democratic movement holds for Zimbabweans going into the future, the hope the regime determines to extinguish using force.

As 2019 begins, it is this true new Zimbabwe vision which Zimbabweans must reflect on and doggedly pursue.

Vivid Gwede is a pro-democracy activist.

With a clenched fist punching the air in a marquee-filled to capacity with men and women dressed in colourful Zanu PF attire, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga declared that they would be no challengers to his principal, President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

One would have been forgiven to think that the country’s ruling party is going for an election anytime soon, but alas, elections are far off the horizon — almost five years away.

Regardless, the praise singing reminiscent of the old days when former president Robert Mugabe bestrode the country like a colossus is now the in thing.

Mnangagwa, who claimed after coming to power through a soft coup that he would end deifying songs and encourage the singing of war songs is almost a changed man just over a year after.

He dances his “crocodile dance” as his followers sing themselves hoarse.

Indeed old habits die hard, the songs that were sang for Mugabe have been rehashed, the printed shirts have a new face and the percussion of praise singers has reinvented itself.

Indeed there is a connection between the old and new.

By Mnangagwa’s own admission, Mugabe “remains a father, mentor, comrade-in-arms and my leader”.

The parallels between the two are almost infinite.

History has it that it was Mugabe who taught Mnangagwa the political ropes while in prison and that it was Mugabe who invited Mnangagwa to the front in the twilight days of the liberation struggle to make him his aide de camp.

While addressing over 60 000 people who filled the National Sports Stadium in a frenzied mood after the fall of Mugabe, Mnangagwa paid tribute to the man who now regards him as a traitor

At the height of his reign, Mugabe had songs composed in his name, children named after him and towns were given a facelift just to ensure that his passage was comfortable.

Mugabe might be long gone but Mnangagwa appears to be trapped in the same system that created his predecessor.

University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer Eldred Masunungure told the Daily News on Sunday that while there was a change of leadership last year there was no change of the system.

“We have to start from the premise of what happened last year. …there was change of leadership but there was no change of regime, the regime has continued, leadership change will not result in a change of systems and that explains what is happening. Mnangagwa is just continuing from where Mugabe left,” said Masunungure.

The respected professor said Zanu PF, instead of focusing on the bleeding economy is only concerned with power retention.

“The endorsements from provinces is something that happens where there is a preoccupation in the maintenance of power, they are doing so as if everything is in order when everything is actually collapsing, we have more of the same and this definitely looks like the old,” added Masunungure.

Just like in the past when towns were spruced-up ahead of Mugabe’s visit, the little township of Esigodini, where Zanu PF had its annual conference received a major facelift ahead of the ruling party’s annual jamboree, a fresh lick of paint here and resurfacing of roads there.

“We are happy that the roads are being paved, of course once they are done they will go and will not return again until maybe the next election,” an elderly man sipping local opaque ale said.

When there was no threat that anyone would challenge him, Zanu PF structures would fall on each other endorsing him and that is a script Mnangagwa’s praise-singers have copied.

Writing on his blog, United Kingdom-based academic Alex Magaisa said the changes that Mnangagwa brought were superficial and not a serious attempt to walk away from Mugabe’s shadow.

He said the removal of Mugabe, to the extent that this meant a transition from authoritarian rule to democracy, was terribly mistaken.

Magaisa noted that the new rulers were the same men who had propped up and operationalised Mugabe’s ruling machinery; they aren’t democrats by any stretch of imagination.

“They wanted power, yes, but democracy was not a priority. It had never been a priority during their many years with Mugabe at the helm.

“They might perform some gimmicks here and there, to win the favour of the international community, but beyond those token gestures the mean machinery with inherently authoritarian features would be maintained,” he said.

The constitutional lawyer said it soon became clear that despite the smiles and clichés of being ‘open for business’, there were more continuities than changes from the old regime.

He said it has become a truism that Mugabeism managed to survive the departure of Mugabe and unless there are fundamental changes, it may live much longer after him. According to Magaisa there has been no serious effort to disentangle the State from the grip of the party or to reduce the role and impact of the military in civilian affairs — both in the party and government.

Just like in the old when nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) were banned for allegedly dabbling in politics, ICT minister, acting as minister of Public Service Kazembe Kazembe has threatened to revoke licences of some NGOs that do not tow the line.

“The government has, however, noted with concern that some Private Voluntary Organisations and/ or NGOs have negated their objectives and are now meddling in politics.

“Should these organisations continue with this behaviour, the government will not hesitate to withdraw their registration certificates,” Kazembe threatened, repeating an old familiar statement many NGOs are all too aware of.

“Underneath the façade of tolerance and openness, the horns of authoritarianism are always threatening to emerge. And they do. They have already poked several holes into that façade,” said Magaisa.

— DailyNews

Whatsapp is the world’s most popular messaging service and boasts a user base of well over one billion people.

But a lot of people could soon be stopped from using the app because it’s no longer compatible with a large number of old phone models.

Starting from 1 January 2019 (tomorrow), WhatsApp will no longer allow owners of certain mobiles log on and use the app.

‘This was a tough decision for us to make, but the right one in order to give people better ways to keep in touch with friends, family, and loved ones using WhatsApp,’ it said in a blog post.

“We’ll no longer actively develop for these operating systems, some features might stop functioning at any time. If you currently use an older operating system, we recommend upgrading to a newer version…,” says the chat company on its support page. It suggests the users to upgrade to a newer Android version in case they are using an old one.

The chat company has shared a list of devices that will see the end of the support. Many of the devices in the list have already stopped supporting the app while some are going to lose the support after December 31. Last year, it snapped the support for Windows Phone 8.0, BlackBerry OS and BlackBerry 10 while this year Nokia S40 series phones will stop running WhatsApp after December 31. The company has also confirmed its plans to end drop support for Android Gingerbread and iPhones running iOS 7 or older in 2020.

Meanwhile, here is the list of all OS that have been or will be affected by the WhatsApp’s move. To start with, here are all the operating systems that have already stopped supporting WhatsApp:

— Android versions older than 2.3.3

— Windows Phone 8.0 and older

— iPhone 3GS/iOS 6

— Nokia Symbian S60

— BlackBerry OS and BlackBerry 10

The operating systems that will lose the support after December 31, 2018 are:

— Nokia S40 until December 31, 2018

— Android versions 2.3.7 and older until February 1, 2020

— iOS 7 and older until February 1, 2020

WhatsApp wants you to upgrade to a newer version or to one of these:

— Android running OS 4.0 and above

— iPhone running iOS 8 and above

–Windows Phone 8.1 and above

Last year, WhatsApp dropped its support for Nokia Symbian S60 phones. It then announced plants to do the same for Nokia S40 handsets on December 31, 2018/ Nokia S40 is an operating system which was phased out in 2014.

It was installed in more than 1.5 billion phones. Whatsapp plans to stop support for all iPhones running iOS 7 by February 1, 2020.

This means anyone who owns an iPhone 4 or earlier will have to buy a new phone. Anyone who owns iPhones produced after this will have to update their device if they want to use Whatsapp. A

Also, the app will no longer work on devices running Android 2.3.7 and older after February 1, 2020. Here are all the phones which can no longer use WhatsApp:

Nokia 208
Nokia 301 Single SIM and dual SIM Chat Edition
Nokia 515 Preinstalled WhatsApp New
Nokia Asha 201
Nokia Asha 205 Chat Edition
Nokia Asha 210
Nokia Asha 230 Single SIM and dual SIM models
Nokia Asha 300
Nokia Asha 302
Nokia Asha 303
Nokia Asha 305
Nokia Asha 306
Nokia Asha 308
Nokia Asha 309
Nokia Asha 310
Nokia Asha 311
Nokia Asha 500
Nokia Asha 501
Nokia Asha 502
Nokia Asha 503
Nokia C3-00
Nokia C3-01
Nokia X2-00
Nokia X2-01
Nokia X3-02
Nokia X3-02.5
Nokia 206 Single SIM and dual SIM models.

Source: Metro UK

A month-long impasse between government and doctors over pay and conditions has left Zimbabwe’s health care system in a critical state, after the government suspended more than 500 medical staff last week.

The government refuses to give in to the doctors’ demands and has ordered striking doctors to return to their posts.

Acting president, retired general Constantino Chiwenga fired more than 550 doctors and radiographers on Christmas Eve over the strike which the government ruled as unlawful.

Junior doctors in Zimbabwe earn just $329 a month, despite many years of training and study.

Doctors are calling for increased monthly salaries and on-call pay, and for the government to address the shortage of medical supplies and equipment in hospitals.

Since July, Zimbabwe has suffered an economic downturn, characterised by soaring inflation, a drop in standards of living and disposable income, worsening social services and an acute shortage of essential goods and services.

The situation was worsened by the 1 August shootings in Harare, where six civilians died, in circumstances largely condemned by the international community.

Under the rule of Robert Mugabe and his successor, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwean medical practitioners have faced harsh working conditions and stagnating pay.

The Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors’ Association (ZHDA) has vowed to continue with the strike until governmentmeets their demands.

Other junior doctors who have recently graduated from various medical schools have also vowed to refuse any employment offers from government, saying they cannot be employed under “duress”.

Junior doctors expressed dismay at what they feel is the government’s lack of concern.

Roseline Makaza said: “It is tough to be a doctor in Zimbabwe. You are forced to work inhumane hours. I’m on call every other day attending to patients, I’m a medical practitioner not a student. I graduated and I deserve to be treated with respect.

“All I want is to plan my life. I can’t even plan my next move because what I am earning is too little to even take care of my family.”

Due to the prolonged strike, junior doctors’ salaries have been frozen pending their return to work.

The ZHDA is worried that the strike would further cripple the country’s health system.

ZHDA spokesperson, Mthabisi Bhebhe said: “The demands that have been made by doctors have not been met and now the citizens and our patients are suffering the most.”

Zimbabwe last experienced a prolonged doctors strike, which almost crippled the country’s health delivery system, in 2008 at the height of the hyperinflationary period.

Another striking doctor, Wallace Hlambelo complained that he had nothing to show for the years of study, adding that he was still dependent on his parents.

“I feel like I am overburdening my parents. The money we earn is not enough to take [care] of them,” he said.

Chiwenga fired thousands of nurses in April after they too went on strike over poor pay and conditions. The nurses were later reinstated after mediation with nurses council.

— Guardian

Correspondent|Fifteen years after performing at what used to be the ‘hallowed” venue of musicians of yesteryear — veteran Chimurenga music maestro Thomas Mapfumo — returns to Mushandirapamwe Hotel in Highfield for an emotional homecoming show tomorrow evening.

The 73-year-old musician will hold an all-night show which he yesterday described as “returning to my roots”.

Mapfumo first returned from his United States base in April 2018 after the lengthy hiatus.

The veteran music maestro — without doubt one of Zimbabwe’s greatest-ever artists — held a hugely successful once-off gig at Harare’s Glamis Arena before a massive crowd.

The show in Highfield tomorrow comes as Mapfumo has just finished his eventful “whirlwind” tour of Zimbabwe which started in the run up to Christmas.

“It has been a while since I last performed in Highfield, especially at Mushandirapamwe Hotel. Ndiko kwazvakatangira…ndikokuma roots (This is where it started… this is where my roots are)

“Even as we progress in life and move to enjoy better lives and buying better homes, we can never forget our roots. If I were to die today, my coffin would make rounds in Highfield because that is my real home,” Mapfumo said yesterday.

A long time arch critic of the now-ousted former president Robert Mugabe, Mukanya, as Mapfumo is fondly known by his legion of fans, started his journey into musical stardom in Highfield during the liberation struggle.

He, together with prolific musicians like Marshal Munhumumwe, James Chimombe, John Chibadura, Simon Chimbetu, all late, and Oliver Mtukudzi, have their names permanently associated with Mushandirapamwe Hotel.

“Any musician of my time who performed either in Highfield will always have good memories. This was a township associated with the nationalism and music in the later stages of the armed struggle played its part in honouring the heroics of our brothers and sisters.

“It’s a pity that things have not really worked like we all had hoped since independence. Asi ndokupindana kwemazuvaka (These are changing times),” said Mapfumo.

Aggrey Tawengwa, show promoter and one of Mushandirapamwe Hotel directors, said Mapfumo’s “homecoming” was an honour of his supporters who live in high density suburbs.

“It’s an honour. He is a man who appreciates his humble beginnings. Having him here after nearly 15 years is great… but that serves to remind some of his colleagues who have turned their backs on performing in high density suburbs, that it’s always nice to be faithful to your roots,” Tawengwa said.

Mapfumo hastily departed from Zimbabwe in 2003, after police opened a probe into how he had acquired luxurious BMW vehicles.

Many political observers saw the probe as Mugabe’s tactic to hound one of his strident critics out of the country, particularly as Mapfumo’s departure coincided with the popularity of his well-received album, Chimurenga Rebel — which characterised the former president and his regime as murderers.

Chimurenga Rebel, released in 2002, contained songs which exposed the government’s chaotic agrarian reforms of the early 2000s, as well as the murders and violence which marred that year’s elections.

The album was eventually completely banned from being played on all ZBC radio and TV stations.

Mugabe’s 37 years of iron-fisted rule came to a crushing end on November 21, 2017 when he resigned moments after Parliament had started damaging proceedings to impeach
him.

This followed Operation Restore Legacy which saw the nonagenarian and his then influential wife Grace being placed under house arrest.

Several Cabinet ministers linked to the Generation 40 (G40) faction of Zanu PF, which had coalesced around Grace, were also targeted in the operation which ended just before Christmas of that year.

The annihilated G40 — with the visible help of Mugabe and Grace — was, before the military intervention, locked in a bitter war with President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his supporters for the control of both Zanu PF and the country.

Flamboyant preacher, founder and leader of Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries, Walter Magaya was recently pictured eating roasted corn (maputi) and frozen sugar juice (freezit).

Social media was stirred by the pictures and people gave their views. Below are some of the comments.

“Ukaona murume mukuru saMagaya avakuswerera maputi achiona bhora ziva kuti mubvumbi wekushaya mari wavanenguva yakareba,” posted one Tariro of Glen View on her Facebook page.

“No one will remain rich if he buys a football club considering the distances, accommodation and bonuses expected by players at the end of a season. Magaya apedzwa neYadah FC akukabira maputi.

“I want to believe that Prophet Magaya is not an angel he is as human as anyone else and loves maputi anetwunhu twake murume uya musanyeperane guys.

“Prophet Magaya has many unfinished projects that consume a lot of money that is why he is broke to take maputi for lunch.

When contacted for comment by H-metro, Magaya had this to say,

I was shocked by comments posted following the circulation of the pictures of me and Zhaimu.

I spent the better part of Saturday training with Yadah FC a. assessing some of the new players we are expecting to shake PSL teams beginning of the season.

We forgot to order food and we had to ask for maputi and freezits since it was hot. — iHarare

Acting President Constantino Chiwenga has reportedly reached an agreement with suspended doctors who are now expected to report to work immediately after it was agreed that 60% of their salaries willbbe paid in foreign currency.

More to follow…

Correspondent|Children as young as nine years of age are registering for maternity services, something that exposes how Zimbabwean communities continue to allow the abuse of the girl child to go unreported.

As young as they are, nurses at some of the health institutions — especially those in extremely remote areas — are registering the under-age girls as expecting mothers.

Sadly, when they come seeking medical assistance some of them won’t even be aware that they are pregnant.

One nurse who identified herself as Kudakwashe Dzapasi said they always encourage the expecting girls to bring their parents or guardians along after running some pregnancy tests.

In cases where they come to register knowing they are pregnant, the nurses assess their condition and take down their names.

After that, they are made to pay maternity fees, before referring them to a hospital to be monitored until they give birth.

Reports that girls as young as nine years are giving birth have baffled many with doubting Thomases wondering if it is possible for a girl of that age to conceive.

A woman can get pregnant and have a baby as soon as she begins ovulating, or producing eggs.

This typically occurs about a year after they first begin menstruating, which usually happens between the ages of 11 and 12.

Some girls start ovulating late, though, and others, extremely early.

The early onset of menstruation is called “precocious puberty.”

Lina Medina, a Peruvian girl born in 1933, began menstruating at the age of eight months, was tragically raped as a five-year-old and gave birth at six years-five months.

She is the youngest confirmed mother in medical history.

The question that begs for an answer is; why are the perpetrators not being arrested?

In cases where reports are made to the law enforcement agents and girl-child lobby groups, justice is allowed to take its course.

Unfortunately, in places that are in the back of beyond, such cases often go unreported with religious beliefs and other backward cultural practices still holding sway.

In such places, under-resourced health workers that would have been overly patronised by their communities often allow the perpetrators to get away with it.

Marrying an under-age child is a serious crime in Zimbabwe which attracts a lengthy jail term.

Until January 2016, girls could get married age 16, while boys could marry at 18.

But on January 20, 2016, the Constitutional Court (Con-Court) ruled that section 22 of the Marriages Act was unconstitutional and therefore “no person, girl or boy should be married before the age of 18”.

The ruling followed a year-long case from 2015, where two former young brides — Loveness Mudzuru and Ruvimbo Tsopodzi — filed an application asking the Con-Court to declare the Marriage Act and Customary Marriage Act a breach of the new Constitution.

While the judicial judgment is a step in the right direction, there is still an urgent call for government to amend laws that are still at odds with the supreme law to end child marriage.

Child marriage violates the fundamental human rights of girls and boys, but disproportionately affects girls. This damaging practice prohibits girls from reaching their full potential for years.

“Girls are denied their right to a consensual marriage, as well as their right to an education, protection, economic engagement and reproductive health care,” Plan International said at the time of the landmark Con-Court ruling.

“Through our 18+ Ending Child Marriages project, Plan International has worked hard to ensure social and policy change is put in place, so we can eradicate all forms of child marriage.”

Statistics from the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council show that Manicaland recently recorded the highest teenage pregnancy prevalence rates in the country.

The province’s prevalence rate stands at 27 percent which is above the national average of 22 percent.

Having nine-year-olds who are way below teenage-hood giving birth stunned Justice for Children Legal Education Programme (JCLEP) manager John Mhlanga who said impregnating such young people is a crime and should be reported to the police.

Mhlanga said it is news to him that nine-year-old children are registering for maternity services as the youngest case that his organisation came across was of a 14-year-old.

“I cannot confirm that nine-year-olds are getting married or pregnant but children surely are getting married. I have had opportunities to follow up on child marriage cases and the youngest so far was 14 years.

“As a matter of our reaction to these cases I can say for children who are nine years that is rape because they cannot consent to sexual intercourse in any way whatsoever,” he said.

The programme manager said government should ensure that those who take advantage of young girls are arrested as nine-year-old children are too young to indulge in sexual activities.

“If this is happening, the Health ministry ought to be responsible as well because they cannot register a nine-year-old child for maternity without notifying the police.

“They have a duty to eradicate child marriages hence such incidences must be reported to the police so that the culprits are charged with rape,” he added.

JCLEP is working on implementing a project aimed at ending child marriages, starting with Manicaland.

Already, the organisation is carrying out campaigns against child marriages in Mutare and Mutasa communities in Manicaland Province, as well as holding empowerment programmes in schools.

“To complement our efforts, we have also trained and strengthened community child protection mechanisms such as child protection committees that are campaigning against child marriages.

“We have strengthened empowerment programmes in schools to ensure that the campaign against child marriage is also done by children themselves in schools,” Mhlanga said.

Child marriages and pregnancies in rural area are usually fuelled by poverty.

Twenty-eight percent of the teenagers aged between 15 and 19 in Manicaland Province have reportedly begun child bearing.

Child president Innocent Chikwanda recently has called on government to work hand in hand with junior parliamentarians to sterm teenage pregnancies.

strong>Correspondent|TWO people died today on the spot while 37 others were injured when a Blue Horizon bus they were travelling lost control and veered off the road before it overturned near Cement siding near Bulawayo marking a tragic way of ending the year.

The bus which was travelling from Harare was about 15 kilometres away from the City Centre when the accident occurred.

Witnesses said the bus slipped, veered off the road before it overturned killing two people instantly.

More details to follow.

Correspondent| At least 45 percent of university students, especially girls will be HIV positive by the time they graduate, the National Aids Council monitoring and evaluation director Mr Amon Mpofu has said.

Speaking during a workshop for Parliamentarians in Kadoma recently, Mr Mpofu said there was need to address welfare issues for girls as they were at risk.

The development could reverse the gains made in the fight against the spread of HIV and Aids in Zimbabwe.

“There is a difference between boys and girls, which shows when they start tertiary education and begin their sexual life,” Mr Mpofu said.

“Positivity increases by that margin (45 percent) when they get into tertiary institutions. It is the girl who is more vulnerable which is why we are saying there is need to do more to protect them when they become sexually active.”

“What it means is that when girls enter into university there is a 45 percent chance that they are HIV positive when they finish college,” he said. Mr Mpofu said there was need to start educating girls from primary school level while families and churches should prioritise capacitation of girls so that they can stand up to abuse and being taken advantage of.

Girls, he said, were more vulnerable when they become sexually active owing to socio-cultural and economic factors including inter-generational encounters.

He said the burden of HIV was heavy for Southern African countries owing to cultural factors such as casual sex with multiple partners and stable relationships with commercial sex workers.

“There is what is called stable relationship and people in Southern Africa have stable relations with people into sex work. You find people who have intercourse with a sex worker and the longer they have these relationships the perception of risk is reduced. Risk perception is a big problem in Southern Africa,” he said. In the HIV and Aids matrix, he said, the number of people living with HIV has remained stable at 14 percent but the major challenge was the number of new infections which is mostly occurring among young girl.

The graph for boys picks at around 30 years when they become more sexually active and want to be in stable relationships where they then connect with the girls who would have been infected in their late teens.

Aids Healthcare Fund (AHF) Zimbabwe country programmes manager Dr Enerst Chikwati said there was need to come up with programmes targeting tertiary institutions in the country.

To that end, he said, AHF had introduced a new condom that was appealing to youths and distribution was mainly at tertiary institutions.

“We have distributed more than 1,2 million condoms since 2017 especially in our universities because of the factors that show increased sexual activity at our institutions,” he said.

A couple living with HIV said there was need to include churches in programming of HIV and Aids issues as they had structures that cover all age groups.

Acting President Constantino Chiwenga told a church gathering that Zimbabweans must put faith in President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.

Likening Zimbabweans to Israelites who grumbled when God led them out of Egypt, Chiwenga was adamant prospects would soon improve as Government knew people craved for better opportunities and was doing its best to bring about a turnaround.

Chiwenga was one of the masterminds of the military intervention that dislodged long time ruler Robert Mugabe from power in November 2017 before he was replaced by his erstwhile deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Addressing congregants at the second ‘National Thanksgiving and Dedication Service’ hosted by Family of God (FOG) church in Bulawayo Sunday, Chiwenga urged Zimbabweans to stop moaning but be grateful that they were taken out of hardships endured under the old dispensation.

“The great Book of Life tells us of the children of Israel who still grumbled even after receiving manna from Heaven. Instead of focusing on what God did for them – that is setting them free, giving them land and thus making them a nation – they instead chose to grumble,” he said.

“They hankered after the delicious Egyptian food they had left behind, they forgot the brutal whip lashes and slavery by which they had purchased the good food. Lest we judge the children of Israel to harshly, it helps to think a little about our own circumstances and what God has done for us. Are we grateful for what God has given and how do we express our thanksgiving in word, deed and attitude?”

Chiwenga lamented that there was a lot of hate in the country to the extent that some wished bad upon leaders yet people must come together to open a new page of forgiveness and love.

He said them – as leaders – knew people craved for better opportunities yet that was no easy feat but had to be worked for.

“God founds nations and freedoms for his people he blesses it with many gifts which make free life supportable. The gift of the earth –ivhu…we now have it as Zimbabweans. And as the story of Israel tells us, this gift does not come cheap. We struggle for it the same way the children of Israel struggled for it many of us cry over sanctions and all the difficulties these sanctions have wrought on our lives.

“As your leaders we fully understand your craving for all things good and easy and beautiful the god things of life but the scriptures plainly and loudly tell us finding our own corner of the earth is no walk in the park. You struggle you sweat, you bleed you suffer and you die even for that which is yours,” said the former army strongman.

Appealing to congregants, Chiwenga urged people to stop spreading hate, which had overtaken love and would not build a nation.
“We see much of this nowadays, hate and spite, hate speech and ill will even flowing from the pulpit. We cannot build god’s nation on negative sentiments, more so when it comes from those who must radiate love and show the path of virtue.”

He appealed to the church to help spread a spirit of love and tolerance.

“Help us Bishops help us fathers help us pastors please have we not hated enough, cursed enough, hurt enough, injured enough is it not about time we opened a new page of love and oneness, preached love and oneness,” said the acting president.

He admitted Zimbabwe was going through a difficult patch but it was a matter of time before the economic situation improved.

“Our children need jobs and better prospects, Government is doing its best to bring about a turnaround in the fortunes of our nation. We are confident that our economy is on the path to recovery. Things will start to look up in the coming months.

We have many resources all of them God given. We are hardworking people thanks to the discipline and the work ethic, which you have helped inculcate in our people before long our nation will prosper in spite of those who want to see us down,” Chiwenga concluded.

The church service led by FOG founder, Andrew Wutawunashe was attended by other local and regional church denominations, Zanu PF officials including Minister of State for Bulawayo Metropolitan Judith Ncube.

-State Media

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has arrested 478 illegal foreign currency dealers as the clampdown on currency trading intensifies. Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said in a statement yesterday that Bulawayo had the highest number of arrests at 209, followed by Harare with 65.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said the police force would continue carrying out operations targeting foreign currency dealers to restore sanity in the market.

“People should refrain from engaging in these illicit dealings.”

In October, about 170 illegal foreign currency dealers were arrested countrywide as police intensified a campaign against trading of cash on the black market which was causing volatility in the prices of basic commodities.
Police said they launched the operation against the illegal currency traders because they posed a serious economic threat to the country.

Police are conducting the operation together with other relevant stakeholders.

This comes after the police noted that the activities of illegal foreign currency dealers posed serious security and economic threat to the country. The operation is in line with Statutory Instrument 122A of 2017, Exchange Control (Amendment) Regulations, 2017 (No. 5), which criminalises trading in foreign currency.

The statutory instrument stipulates that illegal foreign currency dealers can be jailed for up to 10 years and their cash forfeited to the State.

The arrests also came as President Mnangagwa said he would invoke the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) Act to introduce tougher regulations to bring currency manipulators to book.

Writing in his weekly column in The Sunday Mail, the Head of State and Government also suggested bigwigs could be involved, saying it was inconceivable that black market activities could be so rampant without the complicity of high-ranking State officials.

Speculative activities, especially illegal foreign currency trading, have caused a marked depreciation of bond notes and RTGS balances against the United States dollar, triggering hikes in the prices of basic commodities, panic-buying and product shortages.

President Mnangagwa revealed he had tasked his top legal advisors to craft comprehensive legislation to plug loopholes that allowed black marketeers to operate with impunity.

Correspondent|The recent concerted efforts by veterans of Zimbabwe’s 1960s and 70s liberation struggle to raise the presidential age limit from the current 40 years to 52 years, raises very pertinent questions as to the reasoning behind this move.

The reason these war veterans – who are aligned to the ruling ZANU PF party – have proffered for the proposed constitutional amendment has been that, someone below the age of 52 years of age is not ‘mature enough to fully grasp the gravity of what it means to run a country’.

The first thing that immediately came to my mind, when I heard of this proposal, was what scientific means did these war veterans use to come up with such a precise age as 52 years?

How did they deduce that the age of 52 years was exactly when someone would be ‘mature enough to fully grasp the gravity of what it means to run a country’?

I tried my utmost to research this supposed hypothesis, but everytime hit a brick wall, as there has never been any credible scientific studies and conclusion – anywhere in the world – to that effect.

If we are to take these war veterans’ unscientific and gutter supposition that anyone below the age of 52 years is not mature enough to run a country, then we can also rightfully conclude that these same war veterans believed that their commander during the liberation struggle – the late General Josiah Magama Tongogara, who was 41 years when he was tragically killed in a dubious accident on 26 December 1979 – was also not ‘mature enough to fully grasp the gravity of what it means to run a country’.

Considering what we have learnt about this giant figure – both physically and in gallantry – it would be such an insult that these war veterans, who were under his command, would regard his age as an indication that he would not be fit for the highest office on the land.

As much as Tongogara himself never expressed an interest in the position – but, hypothetically, what does it mean when his former charges actually regard him as having been too immature to lead this country – yet, he was mature enough to lead a very successful military campaign against our erstwhile colonial masters.

What an insult!

Thus, my next question is: ‘why then would these war veterans push so much for the presidential age limit to be increased from 40 years – which is globally acceptable – to 52 years’, if there is no scientific justification?

To target a potential rival!

It is an open secret that the opposition MDC Alliance’s Nelson Chamisa – who is 40 years old – gave Zimbabwe president Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa a run for his money in the 31 July 2018 elections.

In fact, the paltry 50.6% win by Mnangagwa announced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), and subsequently endorsed by the Constitutional Court, is still being rigorously challenged by the MDC Alliance, as they still believe that their presidential candidate, Chamisa, won the presidential election.

Therefore, considering that there is no credible scientific reasoning behind the concerted push for the increase in the presidential age limit, the war veterans – and by extension ZANU PF – are seeking to prevent Chamisa from challenging their candidates in the forthcoming elections in 2023 and 2028 – when he would be 45 and 50 years old respectively.

The next question that demands an answer is: ‘should a country’s laws, especially the constitution, be tampered with just to serve selfish individual ambitions’?

A country’s constitution is its ‘spirit and soul’, and for any particular group or individual to manipulate it merely to achieve shallow myopic ends, is the lowest that a country can get.

No democracy can survive when its constitution becomes the plaything for those in power.

If ever there is any ‘safety harness’ for any country to prevent it from falling into complete chaos and mayhem, its constitution its that safeguard.

Thus, if we are to entertain the brazen abuse of this sacred law to settle political grudges, then we are doomed, not only as a democracy, but as a nation.

What is to happen, let us say, ZANU PF were to annoit a 25 year old to be its presidential candidate sometime in the future?

We amend the constitution today to raise the presidential age limit to 52 years – so as to prevent Chamisa from contesting, sighting immaturity – then, tommorow we again amend the constitution to lower the age limit to 20 years – so as to accommodate the anointee!

What would be the reasoning then?

In Shona they say, ‘ndiko kutamba nemadhaka pasina mvura’.

If the nation allows for this constitutional amendment to proceed, we would be setting a very bad and dangerous precedence for our country.

This would enable future tyrants to even amend the constitution to declare themselves ‘Life Presidents’, or the enacting of even more sinister laws.

Why is ZANU PF so scared of Chamisa as to make such a dangerous undertaking?

Did the Mnangagwa regime – soon after the November 2017 military coup – not tell the nation and the world that they were a ‘new dispensation’, and would ensure that the tenets of democracy were respected and upheld?

Abusing a two thirds majority in parliament to prevent an opponent from challenging the ruling party is far from being democratic.

One would have expected ZANU PF to use its two thirds majority to align the country’s laws to the current constitution – not bastardising it.

Over the past two months, Zimbabwe’s economy has been in a freefall – as such, would it not make more sense using that two thirds majority in enacting laws to improve the lives of ordinary people who have endured insufferable pain for the past two decades.

Surely, of all the problems facing Zimbabwe – such as, lack of foreign currency, shortage of medication, the tripling of prices of basic commodities, schools fees and uniforms, non-payment of salaries to most workers, amongst a host of issues – why would ZANU PF consider preventing Chamisa from contesting the next two presidential elections to be of such great significance, so as to amend the constitution?

Are these not the same people – soon after the 31 July elections – who announced that the nation now had to move ahead and put politics aside and prioritize the economy?

So why this push for the amendment of the constitution based on the fear of losing an election – in a country that supposedly upholds democratic tenets?

If ZANU PF truly believes that Chamisa is not ‘mature enough to fully grasp the gravity of what it means to run a country’, then that is a matter for the election campaign period – and, in no way, does it justify the manipulation of the country’s supreme law.

If ZANU PF is not confident enough that they can actually convince the electorate during the election campaign period that their opponent is unfit for office – but, resorts to the tampering of the country’s sacred constitution for protection – then, maybe it is ZANU PF itself that is not ‘mature enough to fully grasp the gravity of what it means to run a country’.

So now that the year 2018 is coming to a close,Google, in keeping with tradition has published this year’s searches including those from Zimbabwe.

Here are the top searches by category:

Top 10 Personalities searched for
Nelson Chamisa
Morgan Tsvangirai
Meghan Markle
Tendai Biti
Avicii
Edmund Kudzayi
Winnie Mandela
Mthuli Ncube
Alexis Sanchez
Emmerson Mnangagwa

Top searches
World Cup Fixtures
Nelson Chamisa
Morgan Tsvangirai
Zimbabwe elections
Black Panther
Jah Prayzah new album
Meghan Markle
Chiwenga dies
Avicii
Edmund Kudzayi

Top Question searches
How to make love
How to kiss
What is love
How to write an application letter
What is communication
How to lose weight
How to write a report
What is cholera?
What is a computer
How to gain weight

The other important lesson I learnt was that there are a lot Tim Bergling fans out there. I thought I was one of the few people that liked his music.

As always the details for Zimbabwe are not as detailed as those of other countries.