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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Terrence Mawawa| Ms Miriam Mutizwa, has accused Norton MP Temba Mliswa of deliberately misrepresenting facts during an interview last week.

Ms Mutizwa’s letter reads:
Dear Hon. T. Mliswa,
I am writing this letter in response to what you said as contained in the video above.

You may remember that I was one of the most active members in the Friends of SMM (FOSMM) whats up that you unceremoniously vacated from after it was revealed in the group that you had said the the Reconstruction of State-Indebted Insolvent Companies Act is a good law.

I felt it is important that I remind you of what was reported then on Bulawayo News 24 on 10 November 2018 as follows:

You said that: “whilst the Reconstruction Act is a good legislation, and this admission on your part caused a lot of controversy in the FOSMM group resulting in your departure.

Mr. Elvis Mugari, has also expressed concern about your allergy to criticism.

I joined the FOSMM group recently following the placement of Hwange Colliery Company Limited (Hwange) under the control of an Administrator pursuant to the operation of the Reconstruction Act.

I am sure by now you know my personal position on this law and why I believe that it is in the interests of justice that this law be repealed urgently.

I also belong to a number of whats up groups in which the existence and operation of this law is a key borne of concern about the integrity of this administration whose Attorney General, Mr. Machaya, who appeared before your Committee on 19 November 2018 telling your Committee that reconstruction is akin to a judicial management.

My concerns have been shared openly and transparently. I was disappointed like many in the FOSMM group that you chose to leave the group instead of defending your position that a law that deprives and divests shareholders of their rights and freedom without following the due process of the law can be considered to be constitutional.

You have sought to avoid defending your position in private groups like whats up choosing to make bombastic statements in the public media to the effect that these groups represent Mr. Mawere’s stratagem of creating groups to lobby for the return of his companies.

You have also sought to attack people like who have been vocal on the critical importance of repealing laws like the Reconstruction Act suggesting that we are part of Mr. Mawere’s public relations machinery.

You have also said that Mr. Mawere is putting words into a person like without caring to ask me directly whether the views expressed in my writings represent my own convictions or are borrowed from another person.

I found myself being attacked directly by Mrs. Tsitsi Masiyiwa who like you made the same allegations that I was a hired gun.

I find it disturbing that while people like you imply that Mr. Mawere is a desperate, failed and broke businessman, when it suits you, you then give him credit for causing people like me to be activists on matters where I believe justice has not been served.

As I was listening to your words this morning, I could not help but pause and reflect whether your claim that you know all that is to be known in relation to the facts surrounding the decision to introduce the Reconstruction Act and implement it in relation to SMM Holdings Limited (SMM) should not qualify you as a key witness to the Committee that you chair.

I was looking forward to Mr. Mawere appearing before the Committee but after listening to you, it seems that you ought to be a key witness for us to know under oath the basis on which you boldly stated that President Mugabe was the driving mind behind the acquisition of SMM.

I would have thought that the information that has been openly shared by Mr. Mawere in the whats up groups that you now condemn is and would have been sufficient to dispose of the allegations of the role President Mnangagwa is alleged to have played in the acquisition of a private company in which he had no direct or indirect pecuniary interests.

You have alleged that Mr. Mawere was part of a defined and discrete Karanga empowerment project that was presumably led by President Mnangagwa.

To date, it is instructive that President Mnangagwa has never said a word about his alleged role in the acquisition of SMM. It is for this reason, that I am writing this letter in the hope that Mr. Nick Mangwana can notice of your allegations which go a long way towards discrediting President Mnangagwa’s integrity and promises of real forms towards constitutionalism.

This letter was shared in all the whats up groups that Mr. Mawere belonged. You will note that the letter was addressed to the late Vice President Muzenda who you have suggested as one of Mawere’s state helpers in relation to the acquisition.

It is clear that Mr. Mawere was not at the meeting that was held by Mr. Carruthers with the late Vice President.

In this letter addressed to Mr. Mawere who was based in South Africa, the representative of the seller, T & N Plc, states categorically that he had informed the late Vice President that the T & N as the seller had entered into an arms’ length deal that they were anxious to complete yet you also state as fact that the deal was completed from inception by way of a government guarantee.

The above information including how Mr. Mawere approached the seller as an unsolicited suitor was shared in an open and transparent manner in the group that you have been a member of.

We were also privileged to receive a copy of the Sale and Purchase Agreement dated 7 March 1996 or a year before the late Vice President Muzenda met any representative of T & N. I had thought that having this information in our possession would have discouraged a person of your standing from advancing an alternative narrative.

If the late Vice President Muzenda was indeed a member of the ZANU-PF society of Mawere’s helpers then why did he not meet the sellers prior to the deal.  In addition, you have represented that President Mnangagwa was Mawere’s alter ego yet the facts of this matter show that at no stage did President Mnangagwa meet the sellers of the company before and after the deal was done.

The above information among many other documents that I will share with the public leads me to conclude that either you are disingenuous in your approach to the Reconstruction Act and how it was implemented in relation to SMM or you wish to assassinate the character of Mr. Mawere.

I was not sure why you left the group in a hurry but now I am beginning to understand that you could be part of a bigger plot to conceal the bad acts that characterised the Mugabe regime and the real driving forces behind these actions.

This is my Part 1 of what I believe will be a long conversation on matters that arise from your interview above.

The two percent transaction tax initiated in October 2018 has started bearing positive results towards addressing the budget deficit.

The budget deficit has been described by Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube as one of the twin economic evils bedevilling the country.

According to statistics from ZIMRA, from October to December the tax collector has been surpassing its revenue targets owing to the two percent tax.

In a sign of confidence and celebration, Professor Ncube recently tweeted that he was overwhelmed by revenue collections being done by ZIMRA since October when the 2 percent transaction tax was pronounced.

Zimbabwe’s economic problems in the past have been largely attributed to lack of capacity to finance its domestic debt due to budget deficit.

However, the country is charting a new path since October when the 2 percent transaction tax was introduced with revenue collection surpassing the targets month on month.

The US$332 million target for October was exceeded by 35 percent as US$449 million was collected.

In November, US$338 million was the target, but US$498 million was collected, representing a surplus of 47 percent.

In the first 28 days of December, US$632 million was collected exceeding the target of US$443 million by 43 percent.

This figure will rise as the last three days of December have not yet been included.

If this trend is sustained into the coming year, it means the formula to deal with the domestic debt would have been found and this will enable monetary authorities to put other economic fundamentals in place that might see the realisation of a middle income status sooner than later.

-State Media

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.

— Daily News

Press Release|The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition calls on the Government of Zimbabwe to immediately resolve the ongoing impasse with medical doctors by reviewing the working and living conditions of doctors. The resolution of the crisis is one step in the right direction as the country moves to arrest the political and economic crisis in the country.

The impasse in the social services sector is of great concern and has potentially grave consequences given the centrality of the services offered by medical sectors employees and leaves the country and citizens vulnerable to diseases and medical conditions that can be averted.

As CiZC we implore government to negotiate in good faith with its employees and always engage in mutual dialogue in resolving labour cases. We remind the state that citizens look towards the government in providing leadership and solving the country’s woes and reiterate that the civil service must be a mutually beneficial space for both the government and its employees.

We are worried that there is an emerging trend where the government is quick to “fire” or dismiss workers in the social services sector as happened when 6 000 nurses were fired earlier in 2018 for engaging in industrial action. It is our view that in dealing with civilian matters such commandist tactics can only worsen the already fragile medical services sector and the continued use of threats only proves government’s incapacity to handle the national crises.

We further urge the government to desist from employing military tactics and coercion to threaten its employees into submission without a review of their working and living conditions. At this hour, we stand in solidarity with other social services sector employees that include teachers, nurses, various ministries and government departments workers in demanding a review of wages and salaries given the erosion of the value of the bondnote.

We call on the government to immediately put in place and implement a short term stabilisation and recovery plan to arrest the economic downturn which has seen worsening levels of poverty among citizens and a total collapse of the social services sector.

We also note with concern spirited efforts and attempts to discredit various employees’ unions as pursuing a political and illegal agenda and warn that the new Zimbabwe that all aspire for has no place for smear campaigns.

We have also followed with keen interest accusations of CSOs plotting to effect an illegal regime change agenda. Attempts to discredit the work of the Coalition and other CSOs that are advocating for a democratic order in Zimbabwe as reported in the Herald and Chronicle remain mere fallacy and as a Coalition we are on record for calling for inclusive national dialogue to resolve the economic and political crisis in Zimbabwe.

Your input and suggestions are appreciated.

For and on Behalf of Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition

Tabani Moyo

Spokesperson

An Alouette III helicopter had to do a forced landing in the Mchakazi area in Gutu Central yesterday near Ranga school after it developed a fault while airborne.

The chopper was travelling to Gutu from Harare.

According to the Acting Provincial Administrator for Masvingo Mr Roy Hove, the helicopter developed a fault before arriving at its intended destination.

Mr Hove told ZBC News that the pilot eventually managed to control and land the chopper and in the process the wheels and propeller were damaged.

Among those on board the helicopter was the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence and War Veterans Mr Martin Rushwaya.

No injuries were sustained.

-State Media

Correspondent|The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has reiterated its earlier demand for a 50 percent upward review of wages and salaries across the board to compensate for the price increases of basic commodities.

ZCTU secretary-general Japhet Moyo said the union has started a process of consultation with all its structures on the way forward.

He said so far, the consensus-building up is that workers are prepared for peaceful protests early next year to vent out their frustration.
“This action is not for workers only, this is why we are organising the communities because they are also suffering.

“We are also calling on the other likeminded organisations and people to join us.

“This is a fight by Zimbabweans against suffering. The government must listen to its citizens and if not, the ZCTU is prepared to take leadership in the fight against poverty,” said Moyo.

The ZCTU secretary-general also lamented the poor pension pay-outs which, at about $60 per month, are insignificance when compared with the poverty datum Line (PDL) of almost $500.

“There is also the issue of non-payment of wages and salaries by some companies.

“Some employers sometimes deliberately ignore directives from the National Employment Councils,” said Moyo, while adding that government has a responsibility to protect the vulnerable when the market fails to regulate itself.

Television personality and Zimdancehall musician Oscar Pambuka has described his recent jail experience as an eye-opener.

Pambuka who was initially jailed for 30 months along with former Zanu PF Member of Parliament for Highfield, Psychology Maziwisa, for defrauding the Zimbabwe Power Company of $12 650 was released on bail after serving two weeks.

“I thank God for the release. The jail experience was both exciting and indeed an eye opener,” Pambuka told the Daily News on Sunday recently.

“That’s (jail) a rich ground full of lessons I tell you. That’s why most of the leaders pass through there. My future is certain.”

Pambuka said the jail experience boosted his faith.

“To be incarcerated does not mean that one is doomed in life. It is a correctional facility which does not select anyone. You also can be convicted. What is important especially to me was the fact that the experience renewed the inner man, brought me closer to the Creator, made me understand what happens at the various correctional services and above all created a stronger empathetic Pambuka.”

Pambuka, who is the managing director of Oscar Pambuka Productions, revealed that he missed his Zimdancehall network and family while in the penitentiary.

“Life in prison can be lonely as you will miss your loved ones. That’s why it’s important for friends and relatives to visit people incarcerated. It ignites the spirit and is also godly,” he said.

“I strongly urge everyone to stay away from crime and stay far from the prison gates. Once you are in prison, there is no television or radio and you cease to do what you want.”

Pambuka, who hails from Chipinge, described the general living conditions of inmates as good.

“The conditions of living are good though improvements can be made to include a number of recreational activities since it is a correctional facility. When some inmates saw me enter a lot of conclusions came into their minds,” he said.

“On a lighter note, my popularity assisted me to understand various issues affecting other inmates and it put to test my public relations skills which proved to be second to none.”

Inside the prison, Pambuka who has a passion for driving sports and big cars, learnt to stay away from crimes.

“The most important point is that it (prison) confirms that no one is above the law. Whether you are Oscar Pambuka or not when you wear the prison garb we become equal in the sense that you will all be prisoners,” he said.

“No matter that you are a teacher, accountant, politician, minister, prophet or elderly stay away from anything which brings you close to that place.”

Pambuka and Maziwisa were convicted early this month after going through a lengthy trail for allegedly swindling ZPC.

The duo owns a company called Fruitful Communications through which they allegedly claimed payments of up to $12 000 for public relations (PR) work.

Prosecutors successfully argued that no such activities were ever carried out by Maziwisa and Pambuka on behalf of ZPC although they got paid. Early this month, a Harare magistrate, Lazini Ncube, jailed Pambuka and Maziwisa for 30 months.

For the first count, Ncube caged Pambuka and Maziwisa to 54 months each.

On the second count, Ncube sentenced the duo to 24 months each.

Ncube suspended 12 months on the first count on condition that they restitute ZPC of $12 000 by January 2019.

A further 12 months were suspended for five years on condition that they do not commit a similar offence.

“On count two, the sentence will run concurrently with the first sentence,” Ncube said then.

Daily News

Congratulations Professor Manyeruke‼️

Congrats Professor @CharityManyeruk for being appointed Executive Dean of the Faculty of Social Studies at the University of Zimbabwe for another four year term. Toutes nos félicitations!

— ?? ZANU PF PATRIOTS ?? (@zanupf_patriots) December 30, 2018