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.

VIDEOS LOADING BELOW…

 

Terrence Mawawa|A cholera outbreak is looming in Mpandawana Town following the failure by Zimbabwe National Water Authority(ZINWA) to supply the essential liquid to the sprawling town for the past two weeks.

In a statement Gutu Residents and Ratepayers Association urged the water governing authority to resolve the crisis as a matter of urgency.

“Gutu United Residents and Ratepayers Association (GURRA)- on behalf of local residents – is iniviting all stakeholders to a water crisis meeting.

Venue:Gutu RDC Council Board room Date: 02 January 2019

Time:0900 hours

Speakers: ZINWA and ZESA officials,”Gutu Residents and Ratepayers Association said in a statement.

The death toll in the Mashava commuter omnibus accident has risen to 5 after two more people died at Masvingo General Hospital where those injured were admitted.

Three people died on the spot while 16 were injured when the commuter omnibus burst a tyre resulting in the vehicle overturning along the Bulawayo-Masvingo highway in Mashava.

The accident occurred around 11am today.

When the ZBC News arrived at the scene, bodies of the deceased were still at the scene while the injured had been ferried to Masvingo General Hospital.

Villagers from Mashava who assisted in lifting the injured onto ambulances said the commuter omnibus was overloaded and appealed to drivers of public service vehicles to exercise extreme caution on the roads.

ZRP Officer Commanding Masvingo District Chief Superintendent Godwin Chikuma said the three who died on the spot were all female, revealing that one of them was an expecting mother.

Correspondent|AB InBev’s Zimbabwe unit Delta Corporation is set to acquire South African sorghum beer business United National Breweries after reaching an agreement with owners Diego South Africa Proprietary Limited.

UNB which is headquartered in Midrand produces a range of beer brands in South Africa such as Chibuku, Ijuba and Leo.

The deal is expected to be concluded in the second half of 2019 and will bring Delta’s regional acquisitions to two.

The Zimbabwean traditional beer brewer recently bought National Breweries in Zambia as it seeks to diversify its operations into the region.

In a statement Delta said it will leverage on its 60 years experience in traditional beer brewing.

“The transaction fits well with the company’s multi-beverage strategy and the ambition to consolidate the traditional beer category within the region,” said Delta.

The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to bring the much needed foreign currency to the Zimbabwean brewer which has had to close its soft drinks plant due to foreign currency shortages.

Delta corporate affairs executive Patricia Murambinda said the soft drinks bottling plants had been adversely affected by the challenges in securing raw materials, leading to extended periods of production stoppages and out of stock situations.

“Of late, the factories have been on shutdown since late November, as evidenced by the current limited market supply of soft drinks.

“The shortage of forex is well articulated, and is beyond the control of the company. In short we are unfortunately heading for a dry festive period. We can only apologise to our valued customers and consumers”.

 

Terrence Mawawa| Legendary MDC activist Dred Field Marshall Reckless of the Nharembozha fame has launched another sizzling album.

Dred Reckless, alongside Francis Chikunguru and Paul Madzore played a pivotal role in the struggle for democracy by producing several albums that set the mood for political emancipation.

Dred Reckless’ latrst six-track album is titled DZOKA NEMAGETSI.In a statement on Facebook Dread Reckless said: “The Album DZOKA NEMAGETSI is out…”

Correspondent|A 53-YEAR-OLD man from Bulawayo has appeared in court for allegedly raping his neighbour’s four-year-old daughter after he found her playing alone outside his house.

The man, a Pumula South suburb resident allegedly raped the minor twice in his bedroom.

The man who cannot be named to protect the identity of the minor allegedly grabbed the girl while she was playing outside his house and took her inside before raping her.

The accused person was not asked to plead to rape charges when he appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Lungile Ncube.

Mr Ncube remanded him in custody to January 4 and advised him to apply for bail at the High Court.

The State led by Mr Kenneth Shava alleges that on December 17 during the day, the girl was playing alone outside the man’s house.

“He lifted her and took her into his house. While inside his bedroom he removed her trousers and pant and molested her once. He then lifted the girl and put her on the bed and again sexually abused her once,” said Mr Shava.

The girl was medically examined and a medical report will be used as exhibit in court.

Late last month, police in Bulawayo said they were concerned by the increase in cases of minors being raped in the city.

“Police in Bulawayo have noted with concern the increase in rape cases involving juveniles. We are receiving about 14 cases of rape a week and most of them are of juveniles raped by relatives. Sadly parents are concealing most of the cases especially if they involve a relative or their lovers. In so doing they are violating a section of the Child Protection and Adoption Act,” Bulawayo acting police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said.

“As police we’re worried about cases of sexual abuse and we’re appealing to members of the public to help combat the crime. We’re disappointed that we’ve individuals who still believe that juvenile sex cures certain ailments. Juveniles are being raped by close relatives such as uncles, cousins, their mothers’ lovers and tenants.”

Insp Ncube urged parents and guardians to promptly report sexual abuse cases to the police even in cases where relatives are the culprits.

By Own Correspondent| The driver and conductor of a commuter omnibus which plies the Gokwe-Kwekwe route had to flee for dear life as an angry mob wanted to mete out instant justice on them after they discovered a sack which had a metre-long puff adder and about 10 small ones.

The mysterious package was discovered by loaders when the kombi stopped to pick up more passengers at Zhombe Joel’s growth point.

The kombi crew claimed that they had no idea what was in the sack and had been paid to deliver the package to a woman in Kwekwe by a man from Gokwe.

However, the passengers and the mob which had gathered did not buy the explanations and accused the crew of using the reptiles for juju money making charms.

The mob killed the snakes and burnt them. Fearing for their own safety the driver and the conductor also made good their escaped

Traditional leader for Zhombe, Chief Weight Gwesela said:

Yes, I can confirm that a snake was found in kombi that was coming from Gokwe on its way to Kwekwe. The loaders found the sack which contained the reptile which had other smaller ones in a sack in the boot as they packed luggage…

“There are a lot of unanswered questions as the crew sped off as more searches were being made on the kombi. We, however, learnt that the driver had been tasked with delivering the package to a certain woman in Kwekwe but he failed to do so as the person in question was no longer answering the phone.-StateMedia

Jane Mlambo| With the new year a few hours away, President Emmerson Mnangagwa dreams of a change in fortunes though he is ignorant that fundamentals needed to kick start the economy including his own legitimacy and dialogue are not in place,

 In his New Year address to the nation,  Mnangagwa said 2019 will have immense opportunities and if people are united nothing will be insurmountable.

According to ZBC, the country managed to accomplish significant milestones.

“The value of good governance and integrity are key pillars in the socio economic development agenda of the country, thus 2019 must mark a turning point and innovative approaches are called for,” said Mnangagwa.

Mnangagwa is spearheading the Vision 2030 that aims at transforming Zimbabwe into an upper middle economy by the year 2030 but is facing a legitimacy crisis that has soiled his reputation as a reformist.

This could throw all his economic revival plans in smoke as investors continue to shy away from putting their money in a country marred by political uncertainities.

 

A Chitungwiza based Glory Ministries church outing ended prematurely after three youths drowned in a dam, while swimming at a campsite just outside Marondera.

The police sub aqua unit yesterday morning retrieved the bodies of the youths — Kupakwashe Kanyerere (14), Makatendekaishe Saunyama (16) and Zvikomborero Rambanepasi (16), all of Chitungwiza — at Karimazondo Dam. The trio was part of the 215 members of the church led by Pride Sibiya of Zengeza in Chitungwiza.

Mashonaland East provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tendai Mwanza confirmed the death yesterday.

“I confirm death by drowning of three youths who were part of congregants from a religious sect from Chitungwiza. The five youths sneaked out and went to the dam to swim when tragedy struck,” he said.

According to police, on December 27, the church booked a conference at Karimazondo outdoor centre in Marondera.

On December 28, at around 4pm, five male youths allegedly sneaked out from the camp and proceeded to Karimazondo Dam without the knowledge of the elders. They reportedly started swimming in the dam and the three aged between 14 and 16 allegedly swam to the deep end.

The two surviving youths got out of the water and informed the elders of the incident. The elders rushed to the dam and managed to retrieve the body of one boy. A report was made at Marondera rural police station.

On December 29, the police Sub Aqua Unit was summoned, but failed to retrieve the bodies due to bad light.

However, the team went back to scene yesterday and retrieved the two remaining bodies.

-Newsday

A MASSIVE power outage lasting more than 50 hours hit southern Zimbabwe at the weekend after poorly maintained pylons near Chiredzi succumbed to heavy storms, cutting electricity trunk lines in the southern districts along the proposed path of Mozambique-Zimbabwe-South Africa transmission project involving the three countries.

It was the worst outage in the area in years.

Close to 500 000 consumers in parts of Chivi South, Chiredzi South, Beitbridge and Mwenezi districts were left without power.

Zesa Holdings spokesperson Fullard Gwasira said the outage was caused by collapsed pylons at Triangle near Chiredzi, and correctional measures were being hampered by the continuous rainstorms.

“The Tokwe-Triangle fault has been caused by landing span poles, which went down at Triangle. Replacement poles have been sourced at Sherwood for installation. Excavations for pole replacement are in progress,” he said.

Gwasira said challenges that hampered power restoration from an alternative source in South Africa included faulty capacity transformers at South Africa’s Eskom, which they could not load power onto.

“The operation challenge is that it is not possible to reticulate from Eskom, who have faulted our line CT’s (capacity transformers). There is limited supply from Orange Grove, where a one grid transformer is constraining load for Middle Sabi, Mkwasine and Triangle at 20 megawatts,” he said.

“Stringing cables was hampered by heavy rains and the cranes were getting stuck. We shifted power loads and were able to normalise supplies by midnight. The pylons fell due to heavy rains affecting the lines, but ordinarily, this shouldn’t be the case if there is proper line maintenance,” the Zesa Holdings spokesperson said.

Gwasira also regretted that no one had highlighted that such a large area was without power, adding, in which event, the public would have been informed as “is standard”.
Energy minister Joram Gumbo lashed out at Zesa Holdings for failing to apprise the public on the development.

“They should have informed the public. I am hearing it first from you that this is the magnitude of the problem. We cannot have organisations that fail to report to stakeholders, particularly the consumers. I am very disturbed,” Gumbo fumed.

 

“I am new in this ministry, but I am seeing we have some bad apples in this organisation [Zesa] and if they do not want to work, they must open the jobs for others who are willing to. We cannot be arrogant to consumers. We report to them.”

Power cut abruptly at around 4pm on Friday, inducing communication breakdown as storms ravaged sections of the affected areas, according to the Civil Protection Unit.
Power was only restored to all affected areas yesterday at 0018 hours.

The breakdown occurred near Triangle, along the 935 kilometre path of the proposed 450-500kV high voltage transmission system straddling the three countries Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Currently, a lower voltage line exists on that corridor.

National strategic points affected were the Beitbridge Border Post, currently at its peak, Rutenga town — home to a National Railways of Zimbabwe marshalling yard between Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe, Chikombedzi and several other service centres in the affected districts.

Zesa at the weekend introduced an interim plan to rotate the power from Orange Grove to Middle Sabi, Mkwasine and Triangle, but this could not be extended further south to cover Mwenezi and Beitbridge, which remained in total darkness.

The power utility, like all other government arms, reels from a shortage of resources, both material and human, blamed on the foreign currency crisis.

It has a depleted fleet and outdated equipment and struggles to meet electricity demand countrywide.

Mwenezi district administrator Rosemary Chingwe said scores of people were left homeless by the storms, and communication with outlying areas was difficult after the power outage affected mobile phone users.

“Several homes were destroyed. I am going out to assess. My car has gone for refuelling in Beitbridge so I can travel in the district, but the situation is bad. I have already informed the National Civil Protection office,” she said.

“Domestically, thousands of people were affected when their perishable food went bad. I was cut from rural outreach communication by lack of electricity power.”

In Beitbridge, several butcheries threw away beef carcases which had gone bad, while institutions like Beitbridge Prison, hospital and the border post had inadequate water supplies after pumps at the town’s supply works failed due to the power loss.

The entire border town had no water supplies and residents resorted to the bush system.

-Newsday

MYSTERY surrounds the drowning of a couple at Hillside Dams in Bulawayo, with their bodies being found a day apart.

Yesterday, it emerged that a woman who was reported in The Chronicle on Saturday to have drowned at the dam had in fact drowned together with her boyfriend.

The body of the man was found on Friday, a day after his girlfriend’s body was discovered.

The woman has been identified as Gillian Gombera (27) who lived in Bulawayo’s Central Business District while her boyfriend has been identified as Garikai Hatugari (31) of Paddonhurst suburb.

Garikai’s family spokesperson Mr Tawanda Hatugari yesterday said they were still unsure of what could have led to the two’s deaths.

Mr Hatugari said the family last spoke to Garikai on Wednesday as he was supposed to join his relatives at their rural home in Shurugwi for the memorial service of his brother, who died last month.

He said on Friday evening they were shaken when they received a phone call from the police instructing Garikai’s mother to urgently report at Hillside Police Station.

The woman travelled back from their rural home and went to the police station on Saturday morning.

“We received a phone call that his mother should report to Hillside Police Station. I decided to accompany her yesterday (Saturday) morning to the police station where they told us about the discovery of a body suspected to be his at Hillside Dams,” he said.

“After that we went to United Bulawayo Hospitals mortuary where the body had been taken, we positively identified it as his body.

“Unfortunately we don’t have details of what happened. What we know is that the woman’s body was discovered on Thursday and his on Friday evening.”

Mr Hatugari said the family is asking itself endless questions yet it does not have answers as Garikai was home alone as his mother had travelled.

“The last communication that we had with Gari was on Wednesday afternoon. But from then up to Thursday when the woman’s body was found there is a gap that we can’t account for. We don’t know whether they were alone or with someone else,” said Mr Hatugari.

“For the family it’s difficult. We were expecting him at our rural home on Wednesday. We were supposed to have a memorial service for his brother who passed on a month ago this past Saturday. For us it’s difficult, we just have too many questions but we do not have the answers. And we can’t speculate as well.”

He said although the family knew that Garikai was in a relationship with Gillian nothing had been formalised.

Mr Hatugari said a post mortem report was expected to be out today and his family is set to meet Gillian’s.

-State Media

FEAR gripped government yesterday forcing discussions with striking junior doctors as well as consultants and senior health practitioners, who on Friday issued a 48-hour-ultimatum, NewsDay can reveal.

The ultimatum expired last night.

It also emerged that the crisis meetings took place for the better part of yesterday between the Health Service Board (HSB) and a task force was set up by the Zimbabwe Medical Association (Zima) to mediate between the State and medical personnel.

HSB vice-chairperson Auxillia Chideme-Munodawafa and Zima president Francis Chawora, flanked by taskforce chairperson Christopher Samkange as well as other officials, addressed a presser on the new developments.

Following Acting President Constantino Chiwenga’s decision to fire over 550 junior doctors last week, it emerged that government had gone ahead and recruited final year students, some whose results were yet to be known, sources told NewsDay.

“It smacks of insincerity because on one hand, government has indicated it wants to talk, but on the other, it has gone ahead and recruited hordes of final year students, some of whom have actually failed. The results are yet to be known, but government already has a deployment list of the interns, who are supposed to replace the junior doctors whom the State reportedly fired last week,” one source said.

Another source said there were meetings throughout yesterday to try and find a solution to the impasse with a view to keeping especially senior doctors on the job and forestall a crisis.

“There have been meetings the whole of today (yesterday) and the Zimbabwe Medical Association leadership has been locked up with senior government officials in a bid to thrash
out a compromise.

“The 48-hour ultimatum expires today (yesterday) and it would be difficult for hospitals because, for example, nurses cannot certify deaths. We are reaching a crisis point,” NewsDay heard.

Documents shown to NewsDay suggested a list of students has already been made out from local universities such as the National University of Science and Technology (Nust), University of Zimbabwe (UZ), and other medical colleges from across the world like China and Ukraine to be placed across the country.

 

But a letter by students who wrote examinations in December 2016 and were awaiting their results to a Professor Masanganise of the Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences at UZ raised a red flag over the government’s move.

“We, the MDCHB V (2013 intake) students, recently wrote our exams in December 2016. We have been awaiting our results, as is the norm with the College of Health Sciences. Today, the 29th of December, a number of us received phone calls from human resources departments of various hospitals, mostly Parirenyatwa, indicating we had gotten internship placements and were asked to present ourselves immediately to sign preliminary contracts and assume internship duties,” the undated letter signed by the students representatives said.

“This goes against the contract we have with the University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences, which says that we receive results via the academics office of the university after a formal communication by the registrar of the university.”

The students added that they were worried about the changes being effected to their programme, amid reports that Chiwenga had indicated he wanted the medical degree, which normally runs for seven years, to be reduced to a four-year programme.

“We are concerned about the criteria used to place students into internship stations without formal disclosure of results. We are also concerned with the sudden change framework of our degree programme and internship programme that has been reported in the media and somehow highlighted in the contract that has been shown to some of our colleagues by the human resources departments,” the letter said.

Repeated efforts to get comment from government were unsuccessful yesterday.

Zima secretary-general Sacrifice Chirisa said the ultimatum would be addressed by today afternoon.

“The ultimatum will be addressed tomorrow (today) by 2pm. Please watch for the official statement tomorrow,” Chirisa said.

On Friday, senior doctors, consultants and registrars issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding that government resolves the concerns by junior medical staff or they would join the industrial action.

“We have noted with concern the way the protracted and on-going collective job action by the juniors and mid-level doctors has been handled and the impact this had on patients, the community and the profession.

“Therefore, we are urging the Health Services Board to resolve the impasse within the next 48 hours. Consultants have been working very hard under these very difficult circumstances and will not be able to continue beyond the stated time period,” the doctors said in a statement, adding dialogue was key.

Sources within the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors’ Association also said there were meetings slated for today as efforts to resolve the issue continued.

Yesterday, in a joint statement read by Chideme-Munodawafa, the parties to the dispute suggested a “truce” had been reached.

“Government, through the same communication, committed itself to allowing duty exempt importation of vehicles meant for doctors and other health workers under the vehicle loan scheme, further committing itself to disbursing the outstanding $6 million by December 31, 2018 (today).

“Government also through the National Pharmaceutical Company (NatPharm) has started receiving critical medicines and accessories needed for better health delivery in the country, with distribution being made to public hospitals,” the statement read in part.

While reports emerged that NatPharm was holding expired drugs, a claim government has rejected, the statement added: “The meeting further noted and was satisfied that NatPharm was mindful of and fulfilling its obligation to the public by ensuring safe medicines are availed to hospitals and clinics.”

The parties to the dispute also took note of a court judgment declaring the strike by junior doctors illegal.

“The meeting was concerned that the junior doctors had not complied with the court ruling, thus putting themselves on the wrong side of the law. Both parties agreed that it was important for the junior doctors to return to lawful conduct by promptly resuming work in order to break the current impasse,” the statement said.

Chideme-Munodawafa, while admitting government had issued suspension letters, said there was a possibility these could be set aside.

“If they return to work, as we have been urging them from day one, then this will be considered (in disciplinary processes). That is why you see the Zima taskforce here, it’s efforts from both sides to resolve the issue,” she said.

Asked about concerns being raised by UZ College of Health Sciences students, HSB board member Memory Nguwi said all procedures were being followed.

“The issue of recruitment is normal procedure and we are following procedure. No one has yet been recruited, it’s preparatory work. The contractual issues that are being talked about on social media are not yet official,” Nguwi said.

Chideme-Munodawafa added government does not respond to social media, but uses formal channels of communication.

-Newsday

Finance minister, Mthuli Ncube has succeeded in his bid to trim the civil service amid indications that he is set to reduce the police workforce from 50 000 to 35 000, according to a local online publication the Mail and Telegraph has heard.

Since his appointment, Mthuli Ncube has been pushing what he terms Transitional Stabilisation Plan (TSP) which among other things seeks to trim government expenditure.

According to Mail and Telegraph, a police source said plans were underway to retire all the officers who are 50 years and above beginning this month end.

*December 31 2018*
*09:00am*

Today as you gather with family and friends to celebrate, We want to wish you a happy, healthy and productive New Year, one filled with hope and optimism.

The year that is ending has been an extremely difficult one for all of us. Unemployment remained a menace, high cost of living was a disturbing and frightening reality.

Our economy experienced its worst performance in our history and everywhere there were signs of a country on a downhill slide.

The present regime has led us to a sharp economic decline, and its irresponsible policy particularly the burden of taxation and borrowing to fund recurrent expenditure is putting future generations in deep debt.

Added to all of this, are the government’s chronic lack of vision and the absence of any economic measure for growth and job creation.

As an opposition party we remain fearful for 2019 in every aspect of national life – the economy, national security, health care and social services. The forecast for 2019 is bleak and the stresses that so many of our citizens have felt for more than a 3 decades will no doubt increase.

Still, We ask you to be optimistic. Let us reflect on who we are and reaffirm our love and commitment to our country.

If we can do that, we will rise again and make Zimbabwe a better place for all of us.
We can do it if we all work together, putting country first.

The divisiveness and political partisanship that is the hallmark of this administration is a cancer and it will only go away when all of us decide this is our country and each of us has a responsibility to help make it the best it can be.

Every citizen deserves the protection of the state and as an opposition party we will continue to act in the best interest of everyone, not only those who support us and have voted for us in the July 30 harmonised elections.

President Joseph Makamba Busha will continue to work on your behalf as a government in waiting, and we assure you that 2019 will be very eventful as will will bravely challenge (litigate) several government policies that are causing untold suffering to several Zimbabweans.
Our position will remain constant in 2019

Today, citizens of this country are forced to carry the burden while those who govern treat you with contempt. The Government has not kept a single promise and there is every indication that they will continue this way in 2019 because they have no idea how to take us out of this crisis they manufactured to conceal their incompetence.

We are governed by an administration that is handicapped by its arrogance and lack of vision and guided by a small elite that has no concerns for the people.

As we begin a New Year we find, as we did in 2018, that unemployment is on the rise, the cost of living is pushing families to starvation, new taxes will erode your shrinking income and the elite they serve will continue to prosper.

So our message as we start 2019 is that while you must be aware of the new circumstances in which we must live, you must also take charge of your destiny and work together as one family to effect the change that is inevitable. You, the citizens of our nation must know your rights and stand up for them; indeed, you must demand that the government listen to your concerns.

The New Year is a new beginning and we must cherish what we have to keep the flame of hope burning. We will continue to lead on your behalf and to do the work we set for ourselves.

We resolve to work harder in 2019 to hold the government to account, and to try to push them to work towards enhancing your lives. Nothing is more important for us than the people of Zimbabwe.

Taking charge of the future means continuing constructive dialogue with you to understand your dreams for a better, more prosperous Zimbabwe.
The uncertainties you feel today are natural and the circumstances are real.
The darkest night ends with a new dawn that brings freshness and new hope.
So keep hope alive and continue to have faith in your dreams and in our country’s future.

President Joseph Makamba Busha and FreeZim Congress family, wish you a Happy New Year. May God continue to bless you and your families, and our nation.
*Upenyu Kuvanhu,* *Upfumi Munyika*
*Impilo Ebantwini,* *Inotho Elizweni*
FreeZim Communication Department

MYSTERY surrounds the drowning of a couple at Hillside Dams in Bulawayo, with their bodies being found a day apart.

Yesterday, it emerged that a woman who was reported in The Chronicle on Saturday to have drowned at the dam had in fact drowned together with her boyfriend.

The body of the man was found on Friday, a day after his girlfriend’s body was discovered.

The woman has been identified as Gillian Gombera (27) who lived in Bulawayo’s Central Business District while her boyfriend has been identified as Garikai Hatugari (31) of Paddonhurst suburb.

Garikai’s family spokesperson Mr Tawanda Hatugari yesterday said they were still unsure of what could have led to the two’s deaths.

Mr Hatugari said the family last spoke to Garikai on Wednesday as he was supposed to join his relatives at their rural home in Shurugwi for the memorial service of his brother, who died last month.

He said on Friday evening they were shaken when they received a phone call from the police instructing Garikai’s mother to urgently report at Hillside Police Station.

The woman travelled back from their rural home and went to the police station on Saturday morning.

“We received a phone call that his mother should report to Hillside Police Station. I decided to accompany her yesterday (Saturday) morning to the police station where they told us about the discovery of a body suspected to be his at Hillside Dams,” he said.

“After that we went to United Bulawayo Hospitals mortuary where the body had been taken, we positively identified it as his body.

“Unfortunately we don’t have details of what happened. What we know is that the woman’s body was discovered on Thursday and his on Friday evening.”

Mr Hatugari said the family is asking itself endless questions yet it does not have answers as Garikai was home alone as his mother had travelled.

“The last communication that we had with Gari was on Wednesday afternoon. But from then up to Thursday when the woman’s body was found there is a gap that we can’t account for. We don’t know whether they were alone or with someone else,” said Mr Hatugari.

“For the family it’s difficult. We were expecting him at our rural home on Wednesday. We were supposed to have a memorial service for his brother who passed on a month ago this past Saturday. For us it’s difficult, we just have too many questions but we do not have the answers. And we can’t speculate as well.”

He said although the family knew that Garikai was in a relationship with Gillian nothing had been formalised.

Mr Hatugari said a post mortem report was expected to be out today and his family is set to meet Gillian’s.

-State Media

 

Despite the economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the West and the legitimacy crisis surrounding President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s leadership following a disputed election, government is adamant its international re-engagement plans will bear fruits.

Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary, Nick Mangwana told the state owned Herald that diplomatic engagements were registering success.

He said this in light of the United States of America’s release of an updated set of sanctions regulations against Zimbabwe prohibiting transactions involving Zimbabweans individuals, businesses and Government interests. The transactions include electronic transfers, payments, exports and withdrawal of funds.

The new regulations, which became effective on December 20, also include penalties for persons or entities found guilty of violating the sanctions — including American citizens and other nationals.

The US first passed its sanctions law, the Zimbabwe Democracy and Recovery Act, in 2001 for alleged human rights abuses and the law was amended this year while successive US presidents have been issuing Executive Orders perpetuating the sanctions regime against Zimbabwe.

Section 541.201 of the new regulations states in part: “(a) All property and interests in property that are in the US, that come within the US, or that are or come within the possession or control of any US person including any foreign branch of the persons, are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn or otherwise dealt in.”

The US sanctions have prevented Zimbabwe from accessing international lines of credit including support from multilateral institutions.

Ordinary citizens and corporate have not been spared the effects of the sanctions with some having their funds frozen by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Critics have, however, argue that the sanctions on Zimbabwe were a reaction to the implementation of the fast track land reform programme in 2000 seeking to correct colonial land ownership imbalances that were skewed in favour of the white minority.

The regulations also prohibit transactions of any immediate family members or officials on the sanctions list or properties “owned or controlled by, directly or indirectly, the Government of Zimbabwe or an official or officials of the Government of Zimbabwe”.

Section 541.405 of the regulations also prohibits provision of services to Zimbabwe and the sanctioned officials.

Reads S541.405: “The prohibitions on transactions contained in S541.201 apply to services performed in the US or by US persons, wherever located, including by a foreign branch of an entity located in the US (1) On behalf of or for the benefit of a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to S541.201 9 (a) or (2) with respect to property interests of any person whose property are blocked pursuant to S541.201 (a).”

The regulations also bar US financial institutions from performing any “credit agreements, including but not to limited to, charge cards, debit cards or other credit facilities issued by a US financial institution to a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to S541.201(A).”

The regulations under S541.701 also state that: “Any person who wilfully commits, wilfully attempts to commit, or wilfully conspires to commit, or aids or abets in the commission of a violation of any licence, order, regulation or prohibition may, upon conviction, be fined not more than $1 million, or if a natural person, be imprisoned for not more than 20 years or both.”

Harare is studying the new development.

“Government will work closely with the RBZ to assess the impact of these regulations,” Mr Mangwana said.

“Government is also studying the regulations but will continue to engage with the US government as part of its engagement and re-engagement policy.

“Engagement represents a wide range of diplomatic interactions spanning many levels and activities. That is an ongoing process in the world of diplomacy and is never an event. In these circumstances, there is bound to be setbacks and bounces,” he explained.

Sanctions against Zimbabwe have been widely condemned for their hurtful impact on ordinary people and business, with a growing chorus of dissent against the unilateral measures.

Eminent businessman, billionaire and Econet Zimbabwe founder Mr Strive Masiyiwa last month added his voice arguing that sanctions on Zimbabwe should be removed because there was “no justification for them anymore” and that for the past 20 years Zimbabwe has been “operating with its hands tied behind its back” by the embargo.

-State Media

 

MYSTERY surrounds the drowning of a couple at Hillside Dams in Bulawayo, with their bodies being found a day apart.

Yesterday, it emerged that a woman who was reported in The Chronicle on Saturday to have drowned at the dam had in fact drowned together with her boyfriend.

The body of the man was found on Friday, a day after his girlfriend’s body was discovered.

The woman has been identified as Gillian Gombera (27) who lived in Bulawayo’s Central Business District while her boyfriend has been identified as Garikai Hatugari (31) of Paddonhurst suburb.

Garikai’s family spokesperson Mr Tawanda Hatugari yesterday said they were still unsure of what could have led to the two’s deaths.

Mr Hatugari said the family last spoke to Garikai on Wednesday as he was supposed to join his relatives at their rural home in Shurugwi for the memorial service of his brother, who died last month.

He said on Friday evening they were shaken when they received a phone call from the police instructing Garikai’s mother to urgently report at Hillside Police Station.

The woman travelled back from their rural home and went to the police station on Saturday morning.

“We received a phone call that his mother should report to Hillside Police Station. I decided to accompany her yesterday (Saturday) morning to the police station where they told us about the discovery of a body suspected to be his at Hillside Dams,” he said.

“After that we went to United Bulawayo Hospitals mortuary where the body had been taken, we positively identified it as his body.

“Unfortunately we don’t have details of what happened. What we know is that the woman’s body was discovered on Thursday and his on Friday evening.”

Mr Hatugari said the family is asking itself endless questions yet it does not have answers as Garikai was home alone as his mother had travelled.

“The last communication that we had with Gari was on Wednesday afternoon. But from then up to Thursday when the woman’s body was found there is a gap that we can’t account for. We don’t know whether they were alone or with someone else,” said Mr Hatugari.

“For the family it’s difficult. We were expecting him at our rural home on Wednesday. We were supposed to have a memorial service for his brother who passed on a month ago this past Saturday. For us it’s difficult, we just have too many questions but we do not have the answers. And we can’t speculate as well.”

He said although the family knew that Garikai was in a relationship with Gillian nothing had been formalised.

Mr Hatugari said a post mortem report was expected to be out today and his family is set to meet Gillian’s.

State Media

Correspondent|CHITUNGWIZA-BASED Glory Ministries church outing ended prematurely after three youths drowned in a dam, while swimming at a campsite just outside Marondera.

The police sub aqua unit yesterday morning retrieved the bodies of the youths — Kupakwashe Kanyerere (14), Makatendekaishe Saunyama (16) and Zvikomborero Rambanepasi (16), all of Chitungwiza — at Karimazondo Dam. The trio was part of the 215 members of the church led by Pride Sibiya of Zengeza in Chitungwiza.

Mashonaland East provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tendai Mwanza confirmed the death yesterday.

“I confirm death by drowning of three youths who were part of congregants from a religious sect from Chitungwiza. The five youths sneaked out and went to the dam to swim when tragedy struck,” he said.

According to police, on December 27, the church booked a conference at Karimazondo outdoor centre in Marondera.

On December 28, at around 4pm, five male youths allegedly sneaked out from the camp and proceeded to Karimazondo Dam without the knowledge of the elders. They reportedly started swimming in the dam and the three aged between 14 and 16 allegedly swam to the deep end.

The two surviving youths got out of the water and informed the elders of the incident. The elders rushed to the dam and managed to retrieve the body of one boy. A report was made at Marondera rural police station.

On December 29, the police Sub Aqua Unit was summoned, but failed to retrieve the bodies due to bad light.

However, the team went back to scene yesterday and retrieved the two remaining bodies.

MASSIVE power outage lasting more than 50 hours hit southern Zimbabwe at the weekend after poorly maintained pylons near Chiredzi succumbed to heavy storms, cutting electricity trunk lines in the southern districts along the proposed path of Mozambique-Zimbabwe-South Africa transmission project involving the three countries.

It was the worst outage in the area in years.

Close to 500 000 consumers in parts of Chivi South, Chiredzi South, Beitbridge and Mwenezi districts were left without power.

Zesa Holdings spokesperson Fullard Gwasira said the outage was caused by collapsed pylons at Triangle near Chiredzi, and correctional measures were being hampered by the continuous rainstorms.

“The Tokwe-Triangle fault has been caused by landing span poles, which went down at Triangle. Replacement poles have been sourced at Sherwood for installation. Excavations for pole replacement are in progress,” he said.

Gwasira said challenges that hampered power restoration from an alternative source in South Africa included faulty capacity transformers at South Africa’s Eskom, which they could not load power onto.

“The operation challenge is that it is not possible to reticulate from Eskom, who have faulted our line CT’s (capacity transformers). There is limited supply from Orange Grove, where a one grid transformer is constraining load for Middle Sabi, Mkwasine and Triangle at 20 megawatts,” he said.

“Stringing cables was hampered by heavy rains and the cranes were getting stuck. We shifted power loads and were able to normalise supplies by midnight. The pylons fell due to heavy rains affecting the lines, but ordinarily, this shouldn’t be the case if there is proper line maintenance,” the Zesa Holdings spokesperson said.

Gwasira also regretted that no one had highlighted that such a large area was without power, adding, in which event, the public would have been informed as “is standard”.

Energy minister Joram Gumbo lashed out at Zesa Holdings for failing to apprise the public on the development.

“They should have informed the public. I am hearing it first from you that this is the magnitude of the problem. We cannot have organisations that fail to report to stakeholders, particularly the consumers. I am very disturbed,” Gumbo fumed.

“I am new in this ministry, but I am seeing we have some bad apples in this organisation [Zesa] and if they do not want to work, they must open the jobs for others who are willing to. We cannot be arrogant to consumers. We report to them.”

Power cut abruptly at around 4pm on Friday, inducing communication breakdown as storms ravaged sections of the affected areas, according to the Civil Protection Unit.

Power was only restored to all affected areas yesterday at 0018 hours.

The breakdown occurred near Triangle, along the 935 kilometre path of the proposed 450-500kV high voltage transmission system straddling the three countries Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Currently, a lower voltage line exists on that corridor.

National strategic points affected were the Beitbridge Border Post, currently at its peak, Rutenga town — home to a National Railways of Zimbabwe marshalling yard between Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe, Chikombedzi and several other service centres in the affected districts.

Zesa at the weekend introduced an interim plan to rotate the power from Orange Grove to Middle Sabi, Mkwasine and Triangle, but this could not be extended further south to cover Mwenezi and Beitbridge, which remained in total darkness.

The power utility, like all other government arms, reels from a shortage of resources, both material and human, blamed on the foreign currency crisis.

It has a depleted fleet and outdated equipment and struggles to meet electricity demand countrywide.

Mwenezi district administrator Rosemary Chingwe said scores of people were left homeless by the storms, and communication with outlying areas was difficult after the power outage affected mobile phone users.

“Several homes were destroyed. I am going out to assess. My car has gone for refuelling in Beitbridge so I can travel in the district, but the situation is bad. I have already informed the National Civil Protection office,” she said.

“Domestically, thousands of people were affected when their perishable food went bad. I was cut from rural outreach communication by lack of electricity power.”

In Beitbridge, several butcheries threw away beef carcases which had gone bad, while institutions like Beitbridge Prison, hospital and the border post had inadequate water supplies after pumps at the town’s supply works failed due to the power loss.

The entire border town had no water supplies and residents resorted to the bush system.

NewsDay

 

The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) has started collecting taxes, especially Value Added Tax (VAT) and Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) in foreign currency from companies
that collect payments in that currency, but the informal sector continues to give the tax- man serious headaches.

Government directed Zimra to start
collecting VAT and PAYE in foreign currency from companies that collect revenue in foreign currency towards the end of November.

Zimra Commissioner General Ms Faith Mazani told The Herald Business in an exclusive interview that tax collections in foreign currency has begun.
“Yes, people have started paying taxes in foreign currency. I don’t have numbers as yet and would need to check with accounts, but we have started collecting and Ministry (of
Finance and Economic Development) has asked us to open a separate account for forex tax payments, which we have,” said Ms Mazani.The Herald

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Most locals attending the ongoing Victoria Falls Carnival are having a torrid time in the resort town as the bond notes as well as RTGS payments are proving very unpopular.

Those who are used to buying tickets to the event at the last hour learnt the hard way on Saturday – the first day of the event as organisers were no longer accepting the local currency or any other form of payment other than US dollar.

A three-day ticket was pegged
at US$90. As if that was not enough, the carnivalistas who had not carried US dollars with them were in for another rude awakening at the event’s bush party as the pricing was not friendly for the ordinary Zimbabwean.A new system of credits was introduced this year for the buying of drinks and food with
100Bond being equivalent to 400 credits and 100USD equivalent to 1 400 credits.

Burgers were pegged at about ($20
Bond/10USD) each with prices of beverages also on the steep side.
Other than the carnival, the rest of the town also increased its prices, likely due to the ongoing price madness in the country.
A plate of isitshwala and beef that usually costs between $3 and $5 at basic outlets in the town is now costing between $15 and $20.

Upmarket restaurants such as Three Monkeys whose prices at one point ranged between $15 and $30 now have most of their dishes ranging between $25 and $40.State media

 

The Executive Dean of the Faculty of Social Studies at the University of Zimbabwe, Charity Manyeruke had her term of office extended by
another four years.

Manyeruke became well-known when she was appointed a member of the Motlanthe Commission of Inquiry into the August 1 shootings. Some political pundits and the MDC
were vehemently opposed to the appointment as she was considered a ZANU PF activist.

The concern was that she will not apply her mind impartially to the task but rather absolve her party of any blame in the Agust 1 fiasco.

A ZANU PF social media

group revealed that Manyeruke was given another four-year term.

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HARARE – Senior doctors have given government a 48-hour deadline to address the striking junior and middle level doctors’ grievances, noting that their suspension has only crippled the health delivery system which was already struggling.

In a statement dated December 28, the consultants and senior registrars condemned the Health Services Board (HSB)’s suspending of the
striking doctors, noting that the situation at public health institutions was no longer manageable.

“As senior medical practitioners working in Public Health Institutions (consultants and senior registrars) we have noted with concern the way
the protracted and on-going collective job action by the junior and middle level doctors has been handled and the impact this has had on patients, community and the profession,” read the statement.

The senior doctors said juniors were key players in the health delivery system and cannot be side-lined.
“Health service units work as teams therefore the absence of junior and middle level doctors and any other members of the team critically
compromises all aspects of health service delivery to patients, their communities and the public at large,” said the senior doctors.

“Therefore we are urging the HSB to resolve this impasse in the next 48 hours. Consultants have been working very hard under these very difficult circumstances and we will not be able to continue beyond the stated time period.”Daily News

 

President of the Chief’s Council,
Fortune Charumbira, risks landing himself in deep trouble for violating the law because of his open support for the ruling Zanu PF party.

Ahead of the July 30, 2018 elections, the University of Zimbabwe-educated traditional leader landed himself in trouble after flaunting his Zanu PF colours in remarks made in full glare of the public.

After the High Court was approached to call Charumbira to order for rallying traditional leaders
behind Zanu PF presidential candidate, Emmerson Mnangagwa, Justice Clement Phiri obliged by directing him to withdraw his public
statement in a newspaper with a national circulation and endeavour to make a statement available to private and public media houses and
the national broadcaster within seven days of being served with the order.

In his judgment, Justice Phiri ruled that Charumbira’s statements made on October 28, 2017 were ultra-vires the Constitution. During the recently held Zanu PF conference in Esigodini, Charumbira was at it again.

He insisted Zanu PF was the party of chiefs and that anyone who was uncomfortable with that position was free to go to court. Charumbira said he was surprised that some
Zanu PF officials were now afraid to use traditional leaders in their party programmes despite assurances from the chiefs that nothing
would happen.

“The problem is that some in the audience are nervous. They were actually saying, ‘chiefs, why don’t you leave politics’ and I said ‘no, chiefs are doing their job.’

“Those in Zanu PF must not be more nervous than the chiefs themselves when we’re working

with you,” Charumbira said.Daily News

By Own Correspondent| The Zanu PF government never runs out of shockers, the expired drugs scandal is yet another bizzare episode of a cruel and uncaring leadership.

The issue of expired drugs is just but a manifestation of expired leadership. It boggles the mind to even imagine a government delighting in procurement of expired consignments of medicine placing the lives millions at risk.

Expired drugs may cause new infections, maybe be toxic and can cause death. No one must use such drugs.

It also raises a lot of governance questions. Is it a matter of someone using tax payers’ money to procure expired drugs? Or incompetency which has resulted in drugs expiring before they reach medical centres.

There is a possibility of embezzlement of funds then a display of an expired consignment as proof of delivery.

All these are answers that are due to the public in a delicate matter of this nature, the murky operations of government can no longer be the route to take. There must be clarity, transparency and accountability.

In any case the government should have communicated an impending drugs shortage, not play politics and not give citizens a window to create a buffer against this mediocrity.

Answers must be provided otherwise this episode remains scandalous and criminal.

Those involved in the whole scheme must face Justice, the issue of drugs is delicate, the mere reason why headlines were awash with the sale of an unregistered drug recently.

Now those who are supposed to be at the centre of regulation are the ones violating the rules. The lives of Zimbabweans are in jeopardy, it is clear that the desperation in government to prove some semblance of sanity is sky high. The attempt to sanitize this scandal is dangerous and contemptuous.

The citizen must be very angry, Zanu PF has reached the limits. Its mediocrity and lack of care cannot be allowed to continue.

Jacob Mafume
MDC National Spokesperson

The Government has threatened ‘unscrupulous’ retailers who are fuelling price distortions that they will face punitive action as stringent monitoring mechanisms are being put in place to deal with such indiscipline.

The past months have seen consumers being exposed to all sorts of price distortions as retailers continue to charge different prices for basic commodities despite getting them at fair prices from manufacturers.

Basic commodities like bread, maize meal, soft drinks and beer which are delivered at door step pegged at the same wholesale price are sold at different prices at the expense of desperate consumers.

“Why is it that companies like beverages and bread manufacturers deliver their products at shops at for example soft drinks 50 cents and 80 cents but retailers would triple the price to $1.50 to $3.50? This is not normal and unless something is done urgently consumers will continue to be ripped off,” complains an angry consumer.

“We used to know that bread is sold at a uniform price, drinks we know it should be one price across the board, the same as beer but this price madness is a clear sabotage by individual business who should be investigated and brought to book,” says another concerned citizen.

Responding to the price distortions, the Minister of Industry and Commerce Mangaliso Ndlovu reiterated that price controls is not an option, but added that days for those who continue to rip consumers are numbered as the government has been closely monitoring and will introduce new mechanisms.

“Government’s position is clear, we have engaged all stakeholders from manufacturers to retailers, but it appears the challenge is some individual businesses who continue to ride on uncertainty which rocked the economy, but I want to warn them that price controls will not be an option but room for engagement is always there.

“We have all instruments to deal with any businesses who continue to deliberately cause distortions and all those who are willy nilly operating outside the confines of the law; we are monitoring and the festive season will come and go and competition will soon catch up with them,” said Minister Ndlovu.

While the government, industry and retailers engagement process has failed to stabilise the prices, observers feel if other economic enablers such as fuel suppliers and wholesalers are not increasing prices, there is urgent need to institute a deliberate policy to deal with retailers who are shamelessly exploiting people.

-State Media

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