FINANCE and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube yesterday said Government had done all it could for now to address the grievances of striking junior doctors as he appealed to them to return to work for the sake of patients. Minister Ncube said Government would continue the engagement process through the bipartite negotiating forum.

Addressing a press conference in Harare, Prof Ncube said Government valued the work of junior doctors and other health workers.

“We value our junior doctors and all our health workers and of course we sympathise with their plight like we do with the plight of every Zimbabwean in this transitional situation,” said Minister Ncube.

“Government has done a lot in meeting the demands of the junior doctors – fuel for transportation purposes, vehicle loans and other such demands that they placed upon us and we responded. We feel that we are really doing our part in responding to their demands,” he said.

Prof Ncube said the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development had put in place a facility for the procurement of drugs through the National Pharmaceutical Company (Natpharm).

The junior doctors have, among other grievances, cited drug shortages at Government hospitals as a major reason for the strike.

“We have got a good supply of drugs coming through and this again has been communicated to the junior doctors,” said Prof Ncube.

Government also promised to prioritise the doctors when it comes to fuel allocation.

The country is currently experiencing shortages of the commodity.

The Government further pledged to release the remaining $6 million for vehicle loans.

It has so far released $4 million.

“I think it would be unfair for them to continue staying out there. People are dying in hospitals and I think that it is important that ethics are put before everything else,” said Prof Ncube in his appeal to the doctors.

“They should go back to work while we do our part to meet their demands. They are valued employees of this country and the health sector,” he said.

He, however, said Government was unable to pay the doctors in foreign currency as per their request.

“Our job, through the central bank, is to allocate the little foreign currency that we earn to critical sectors. It is an allocation process and we are determined to make that process more efficient and we can prioritise but there is no question of salaries in hard currency. That cannot happen,” said Prof Ncube.

He said Government does not earn foreign currency.

“We are currently paying in RTGS and I would like to urge them to accept that. That is the mode of payment. We are unable to pay them in foreign currency. We do not earn foreign currency as a Government,” said Prof Ncube.

He refused to be drawn into promising a pay rise.

“There are structures through which they are engaging their line Ministry, that is the Ministry of Health. I would urge them to continue engaging through those structures and once there is a position, obviously with us as Treasury being involved. These things have budgetary implications. We will then take any proposals or any issues raised forward but I cannot respond to that specifically in this platform. It is wrong to do so,” he said.

Junior doctors went on strike at the beginning of the month demanding a review of their conditions of service.

Meanwhile, Government said it had also reversed deductions on junior doctors’ December salaries.

It attributed the deductions to a systems error.

“According to paymaster, Salary Service Bureau, this was due to PAYE final deduction system, which reconciles the payroll and ensures that correct tax is collected per employee by end of year,” said the Acting Secretary for Health and Child Care, Dr Robert Mudyiradima.

“At the end of year, the system makes final adjustments to PAYE calculations taking into account the total income, deductions and credits to which the employee is entitled,” he said.

“The deductions have since been reversed and the monies will be credited into the affected members’ accounts.”

The doctors said the deductions had undermined the spirit of negotiations.

“Even those who were not on strike have joined us, including our seniors, owing to the latest development,” said Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors’ Association Secretary General, Dr Mthabisi Bhebhe.

-State Media

A 37-YEAR-OLD man from Juru, who last week fatally struck his wife with a hoe over allegations of infidelity before fleeing to neighbouring South Africa, on Sunday handed himself over to police and was charged with murder.

Harare East MP Tendai Biti (MDC Alliance) yesterday tore into the 2019 National Budget presented by Finance minister Mthuli Ncube, saying it violated the Constitution for charging duty on vehicles in foreign currency and incorporating the military in the enforcement of traffic fines.

Contributing to debate on the Finance Bill in the National Assembly, Biti, a Finance minister during the government of national unity, which ran the country between 2009 and 2013, said Ncube’s budget statement failed to address the structural problems affecting the country.

He challenged Ncube to be courageous and declare that the bond note was not at par with the United States dollar and also to demonetise the surrogate currency.

“Firstly, the Finance minister suggested that duty for imported vehicles and other selected commodities must be paid in United States dollars, which is legal tender, but the bond note is also legal tender, and it is unfortunate for the budget to suggest that for certain commodities, duty should be in US dollars. It is illegal,” Biti said.

“Another illegality is that the budget statement says by-elections should be held after every one year or two years, but the Electoral Act is clear that by elections must be within 90 days of a vacancy.”

On traffic fines, Biti said it was illegal for the Executive to interfere with the Judiciary in terms of sentencing of traffic offenders.

Previously, the fines were a maximum $100, but Ncube imposed deterrent penalties of up to $700.

“For the Finance minister to also say that traffic fines must be enforced by the military is also unconstitutional and illegal because the law and order maintenance function is vested on the Zimbabwe Republic Police,” he said.

“He also suggested that many people were using their houses as business premises and that the Department of Customs and Excise and Zimra [Zimbabwe Revenue Authority] must be empowered to carry out searches. The Constitution is clear that there should be privacy of persons and, therefore, Zimra has no power to do the searches.”

Biti also said giving the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) power to retain foreign currency from exporters such as Zimplats was unlawful.

The former Finance minister said the RBZ could not take people’s money and then allocate it.

He said allocation of funds were the duties of Parliament and it was illegal for the RBZ to do so.

On the budget deficit projected at $1,56 billion, Biti said it was grossly understated, given that there were plans by government to increase civil servants’ salaries by 10%. He said the only solution was to pay salaries in US dollar and re-dollarise the economy.

-Newsday

Bulawayo magistrate Gladmore Mushove on Monday issued a warrant of arrest on Chief Felix Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni (54) of Ntabazinduna after he failed to appear in court to answer to allegations of extortion.

The court heard that sometime in June 2017, Fetti Mbele of Ntabazinduna and his wife had a misunderstanding.

Mbele reported the matter to Chief Ndiweni. The matter was heard before Chief Ndiweni’s traditional court where it was resolved that Mbele’s wife should vacate the family’s homestead.

The court heard that the couple later resolved their issue, leading to the wife remaining at Mbele’s homestead.

On July 4 last year, Chief Ndiweni and his subjects went to the Mbele’s homestead and allegedly ordered him to take his wife back to her parents.

The court heard that Chief Ndiweni told Mbele that he had disrespected him by keeping his wife after the ruling that he should send her packing.

The Chief allegedly took a cow and its calf as a fine from Mbele and forced his wife to go back to her parents homestead.

NewsDay

Actress Danai Gurira, Zimbabwe’s export to Hollywood has been unveiled as the face of a local anti-poaching campaign running under the theme “Poaching Steals From Us All”.

The Black Panther star who is in the country to raise awareness against poaching activities that are depleting Zimbabwe’s wildlife population, on Monday graced the campaign’s launch at ZimParks Gardens in Harare.

As a special guest, Danai who starred as Okoye in Black Panther – an American superhero film which was ranked the world’s ninth-highest-grossing film of all time, hogged the limelight at the Harare launch with her poise and down-to-earth personality.

Explaining the campaign, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) spokesperson, Tinashe Farawo said they had partnered Danai, among other local celebrities, to be an ambassador as she has done well on the international stage.

“Danai is one of our own who has done well for herself on the international platform. We partnered her for this campaign to assist us to attract goodwill as a country. She’s an international brand whom we’re confident can assist us to attract more people from America – one of our biggest markets,” said Farawo.

“Her role is to also assist with our fight against poaching which has been affecting us as a country over the years. I think the figures (poaching) are going down and with the coming on board of Danai, it’ll go a long way as we’ll likely have more partners in our quest to protect our animals.”

Farawo said Danai, together with their American partners for the campaign, are now in Hwange where they are having an appreciation of the tourist destination as well as filming videos that will be used for the campaign.

Thereafter, they will travel to Victoria Falls.

Other than Danai, Farawo said they wanted to partner the likes of Oliver Mtukudzi, Pathisa Nyathi and Albert Nyathi as well as community leaders for this anti-poaching campaign which will be spread nationwide.

“We’ll be rolling out this campaign throughout the country for our people to know that when tourists are coming to Zimbabwe, they’re coming to see wild animals.

That awareness must sink into our people and they should feel proud.

“We want to educate communities on the importance of the anti-poaching campaign and the importance of keeping our animals,” emphasised Farawo.

This campaign is the biggest recognition for the Black Panther star from her home country and it could open doors for the campaign outside the country as Danai has a huge following worldwide.

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) head of corporate affairs, Godfrey Koti, who attended the launch said it was exciting to have Danai being part of an innovative new communications campaign to protect Zimbabwe’s wildlife.

“Danai Gurira is the lead celebrity for the ‘Poaching Steals From Us’ campaign. These are tremendous efforts by the ZimParks, WildAid from America, Zambezi Society, ZTA and their various partners to accelerate the fight against poaching.

“Non sequitur: Danai is such a humble Zimbabwean who deeply loves her country,” said Koti.

-State Media

Government wants to abolish the death penalty with plans already afoot to push for debate on Constitutional amendments to end death by hanging in line with international trends to do away with capital punishment, a Cabinet Minister has said.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said President Mnangagwa wants the death penalty banned.

He said Zimbabwe had streamlined categories of people liable for the death penalty to underscore its resentment of capital punishment.

Minister Ziyambi said this on Monday while giving oral evidence before a Senate thematic committee which wanted to be updated on the human rights situation in the country.

Committee chairperson Sen Oliver Chidawu (Zanu-PF) asked Minister Ziyambi how far Government had gone towards abolishing the death penalty.

Minister Ziyambi said Zimbabwe had not executed convicts on the death row since 2005.

“From 2005 we have had no execution. The 2013 Constitution was an improvement from the previous one in that women can no longer be sentenced to death; those under the age of 21 are no longer sentenced to death, those over 70 are spared the death penalty,” said Minister Ziyambi.

“Only males over 21 and below 70 can be sentenced to death, which we believe is a great improvement from the previous position that we had. The status quo was as a result of the consultation that was done through Constitutional Parliamentary Committee (Copac). There was a vote that let us leave it there for now and this was captured in the Constitution,” he said.

“The President is desirous that we remove it but that will also entail us amending the Constitution to ensure that is taken care of. But over and above that, I think we have done a lot to ensure that we respect the right to life. We have not been executing (convicts) and we have limited the category of people who can be sentenced to death,” he said.

Minister Ziyambi said through debate in Parliament legislators should decide whether to remove the death penalty or not.

“I believe we are moving in line with what other countries are doing. Today (Monday) at the United Nations there is going to be a vote on a moratorium on the death penalty.

Countries are voting to say even those on the death row can you give them a moratorium. You will agree that even when His Excellency was inaugurated in November, one of the first things he did was to commute part of death penalty (verdicts) to life sentence,” said Minister Ziyambi.

-State Media

HARARE City Council has resolved to sell a prime piece of land in Mount Pleasant to a property developer to raise money for salaries.

The land is currently being used by the ruling Zanu PF party as its district offices.

Minutes of a joint council meeting of the finance and housing committees revealed councillors on Monday agreed to sell the 8 575 square metre-stand to Pebeny (Private) Limited for $650 000, with the developer promising to pay up within seven days.

“Currently, the stand is occupied by Zanu PF Mount Pleasant district, which is using it as an office. That has been the status since 1980. That state of the property is not good for council and abutting properties,” read the minutes approved by councillors.

Council claimed the actual land value for the property was $130 000, but the developer was prepared to pay a premium.

“Pebeny (Private) Limited has negotiated with the party at provincial level and agreed that the party district office would be relocated elsewhere in the district where Pebeny will construct a replacement office,” the minutes stated.

The company has six months to start and complete civil works after signing a memorandum of agreement with council. All works should be done within 24 months.

According to a letter from Zanu PF attached to the minutes, provincial secretary for Harare said the party was willing to vacate the property and allow the private firm to develop residential stands as long as an alternative was given to them.

The property developer intends to construct 21 three-bedroomed residential units for resale.

NewsDay

Jane Mlambo| National Aids Council (NAC) has torched a storm following their remarks that HIV testing should be compulsory and should be a key requirement from couples intending to get married.

Amon Mpofu, NAC Monitoring and Evaluation Director said;

"We want pastors & marriage officers to demand proof of HIV testing from couples intending to get married," National Aids Council Monitoring & Evaluation Director, Amon Mpofu.

What are your views over this proposal? pic.twitter.com/d2v637BOip

— Ministry of Information, Publicity & Broadcasting (@InfoMinZW) December 19, 2018

TWO suspected robbers were left nursing gunshot wounds following a shootout with police in Mvurwi after they allegedly broke into an electrical shop last week.

Tawanda Munyamba (34) and Casper Zhanje (36) were shot after they reportedly charged at the armed police officers with iron bars.

The two are admitted at Mvurwi District Hospital.

Their accomplice, Aluis Mudadai (22), surrendered himself to the police to avoid being shot.

Munyamba, Zhanje and Mudadai were not asked to plead when they appeared before Guruve resident magistrate Shingirai Mutiro, who remanded them in custody to December 28.

The State, represented by Spiwe Makarichi, alleges that on December 15 the three broke into Munyaradzi Mugwisi’s electrical shop armed with iron bars and bolt cutters.

They were intercepted by a security guard, who they allegedly threatened to kill.

The guard allegedly sent a text message to the shop owner, who immediately arrived in the company of armed police officers.

When Mugwisi and the police arrived at the scene, the robbers were allegedly arguing on whether to kill the guard or not.

Munyamba and Zhanje then charged at the police officers, who fired three warning shots before shooting at the pair.

NewsDay

The State yesterday conceded that it did not have some of the documented evidence needed to nail former Cabinet minister Supa Mandiwanzira, who is facing charges of contracting a company he had interest in to do consultancy work for State mobile operator, NetOne, without going to tender.

Mandiwanzira, who is also facing another charge of appointing his personal assistant Tawanda Chinembiri to the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe board, yesterday appeared before magistrate Francis Mapfumo for trial.

The defence, led by Advocate Thembinkosi Magwaliba, had asked the State for further particulars for the trial to resume.

Magwaliba had also requested the tender documents relating to Chinese company Huawei Technologies’ contract with NetOne for the supply of network expansion and modernisation equipment.

He also requested a State Procurement Board authorisation document on the renegotiation of the contract and minutes of a meeting in February 2016, which concluded that Huawei was overcharging for the equipment.

Magwaliba also wanted the State to furnish him with a copy of the title deeds of a property in South Africa, which is allegedly co-owned by Mandiwanzira’s company Blue Nightingale and Megawatt Energy owned by Lui Xiadong, a Chinese national, plus a police diary log and Chinembiri’s employment contract.

However, the prosecution, represented by Tapiwa Godzi, told the magistrate that the State did not have most of the evidence requested by the accused because they relied on verbal evidence.

Godzi said most of the documentary evidence was in the hands of the accused and that the State had already supplied him with the little documentation it had, arguing that some of the documents requested by the defence were either irrelevant to the State case or not part of the State case.

“Those documents are either not relevant to the State’s case or not part of the State’s case. Tender documents are not part of the State’s case. We merely mentioned it in the State outline as an undisputed fact, but we only want the dealings that led to the contract,” Godzi said.

“We also do not have minutes of the meetings. The accused knows for sure where the minutes are found because they were kept by him. Most of the correspondence we have are verbal. We do not have proof of the title deeds to show that the accused’s company shared a property with Megawatt owner.”

He said the documents were not necessary for the trial, but were being brought up to delay the trial proceedings.

“It is my view the requests are calculated to deliberately delay the proceedings to a date in January. The accused is seeking a postponement through the back door,” Godzi said.

But Magwaliba argued that the State could not refuse to provide further particulars to the accused so that he prepares for trial.

“Those documents not relied upon by the State are relevant to the accused’s defence and must be supplied. It is provided in terms of the law that the court can postpone the matter for the purpose of allowing the State to provide the documents,” he said.

“The State witness, Reward Kangai, alleged Mandiwanzira co-owned a property in Johannesburg, South Africa with Megawatt owner, but the State does not have the title deed of the property to show the court. If the document is not in the hands of the prosecutor, then its relevance in court is invalid.”

Mapfumo postponed the matter for ruling to December 21.

NewsDay

PUBLIC Service Commission chairperson Dr Vincent Hungwe has said servants who are set to benefit from the Government’s $60 million non-monetary incentive scheme should move into their new houses by April next year.

Dr Hungwe said this after touring the three sites for the housing units: Knockmalloch along Harare-Bulawayo Road in Norton; the second one is Glaudina, and the third is Dzivaresekwa, both in Harare.

The Knockmalloch site will have 260 houses out of 600 units, Dzivaresekwa (262) and Glaudina (270).

“This is where we are starting as the Public Service Commission and we expect that this will become a national programme, which continues to demonstrate Government’s commitment to ensuring its employees have access to accommodation,” said Dr Hungwe.

He said land had also been serviced in Norton for the same purpose.

“The land in Norton has been serviced and the beneficiaries have been identified. It is expected that come the end of the first quarter of 2019, the beneficiaries will be moving into their properties,” said Dr Hungwe.

The first 500 civil servants have so far been profiled by the National Building Society to benefit from the programme and have been given offer letters to access mortgage loans.

“The second project here in Harare is the Glaudina one. The units are being built and there are about 270 for civil servants. Here in Dzivarasekwa, we have been informed that there are 600 units and 220 of them will accommodate civil servants.”

Dr Hungwe said the programme would deliver affordable, low cost but decent housing for low-income earners.

He emphasised the project would also accommodate Zimbabweans who are not civil servants.

“In terms of affordability, it all depends on what you would want and what you can afford. I am told they are single bedroom units here that are $18 000; there are two-roomed units and three-bedroomed units. The units still leave room for someone to extend depending on their capacity,” he said.

“Although this project is open to civil servants, there are units that are available to non-civil servants. For example, out of the 600 units in Kuwadzana, only 220 will be allocated to civil servants.

“We are not trying to create an environment where civil servants live alone; they are part and parcel of a society so we are not going to cordon them off in their own camps where they do not interact with other members of society. However, wherever there is an estate, we are saying let us take action to ensure that civil servants are accommodated into those estates.”

— State Media

AN Airforce of Zimbabwe pilot, based at Josiah Tungamirai Airbase in Gweru, who allegedly murdered his girlfriend, but was given free bail by a Gweru magistrate, has been remanded in custody to January 28 next year.

Tashinga Musonza (29) on November 25 allegedly fatally assaulted Lucy Duve (32) — a Gweru-based lawyer— accusing her of cheating on him with his colleague.

However, when he was brought before the courts for initial remand, magistrate Thomas Gurajena did not ask him to apply for bail to the High Court, but instead freed him, citing the violation of his rights through over-detention.

Gurajena ruled that Musonza had been kept in custody for 53 hours, instead of the stipulated 48 hours.

The ruling sparked outrage among members of the public and his late girlfriend’s family, which reportedly sought audience of senior judicial officials in Harare.

Last week, the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe held a march in Gweru, demanding justice for the slain lawyer.

Musonza was subsequently arrested over the weekend and brought before regional magistrate Phathekile Msipa yesterday.

Representing the State, prosecutor Ndamukanei Chikuni read out the indictment application, and it was acceded to by Msipa, who remanded the pilot to January 28 for trial when the High Court opens its first session of 2019.

— NewsDay

Own Correspondent|MDC veteran politician David Coltart has questioned the Kgalema Montlante Commission’s recommendation that the army carries out internal disciplinary process on soldiers who killed people in Harare on the 1st of August 2018.

Coltart notes the futility of the process since the army commanders told the commission that their officers did not kill anyone.

“Aside from the serious breach of due process if the military are not prosecuted for murder what was the Motlanthe Commission thinking about recommending “internal investigations” when they heard army commanders denying their soldiers had killed people? I am profoundly shocked,” said Coltart.

Aside from the serious breach of due process if the military are not prosecuted for murder what was the Motlanthe Commission thinking about recommending “internal investigations” when they heard army commanders denying their soldiers had killed people? I am profoundly shocked.

— David Coltart (@DavidColtart) December 18, 2018

Harare East MP Tendai Biti (MDC Alliance) yesterday tore into the 2019 National Budget presented by Finance minister Mthuli Ncube, saying it violated the Constitution for charging duty on vehicles in foreign currency and incorporating the military in the enforcement of traffic fines.

Contributing to debate on the Finance Bill in the National Assembly, Biti, a Finance minister during the government of national unity, which ran the country between 2009 and 2013, said Ncube’s budget statement failed to address the structural problems affecting the country.

He challenged Ncube to be courageous and declare that the bond note was not at par with the United States dollar and also to demonetise the surrogate currency.

“Firstly, the Finance minister suggested that duty for imported vehicles and other selected commodities must be paid in United States dollars, which is legal tender, but the bond note is also legal tender, and it is unfortunate for the budget to suggest that for certain commodities, duty should be in US dollars. It is illegal,” Biti said.

“Another illegality is that the budget statement says by-elections should be held after every one year or two years, but the Electoral Act is clear that by elections must be within 90 days of a vacancy.”

On traffic fines, Biti said it was illegal for the Executive to interfere with the Judiciary in terms of sentencing of traffic offenders.

Previously, the fines were a maximum $100, but Ncube imposed deterrent penalties of up to $700.

“For the Finance minister to also say that traffic fines must be enforced by the military is also unconstitutional and illegal because the law and order maintenance function is vested on the Zimbabwe Republic Police,” he said.

“He also suggested that many people were using their houses as business premises and that the Department of Customs and Excise and Zimra [Zimbabwe Revenue Authority] must be empowered to carry out searches. The Constitution is clear that there should be privacy of persons and, therefore, Zimra has no power to do the searches.”

Biti also said giving the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) power to retain foreign currency from exporters such as Zimplats was unlawful.

The former Finance minister said the RBZ could not take people’s money and then allocate it.

He said allocation of funds were the duties of Parliament and it was illegal for the RBZ to do so.

On the budget deficit projected at $1,56 billion, Biti said it was grossly understated, given that there were plans by government to increase civil servants’ salaries by 10%. He said the only solution was to pay salaries in US dollar and re-dollarise the economy.

PARLIAMENT has been told that Zimbabwean diplomats in foreign missions are living in squalid conditions that have forced some of them to desert their houses as they are now health hazards.

The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Foreign Affairs has recommended that treasury allocates resources towards the purchase and construction of properties for use by Zimbabwean foreign missions across the globe.

The committee made the recommendation after noting that Zimbabwe does not own any properties in at least 20 countries in which it has foreign missions, a situation that has resulted in treasury running an unsustainable bill accruing from rentals and other services offered to the missions.

Also in parliament, the Portfolio Committee on Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement said the money allocated for the importation of maize to boost the strategic grain reserve must be channeled towards other capital projects because the country has enough stocks to feed the nation in 2019.

— ZBC

A-56-year-old woman and her nine-year-old grandson were found dead with multiple axe wounds all over their bodies at their homestead in Bubi District, Matabeleland North.
The murder weapons, an axe and a
knobkerrie, were found at the scene.
The bodies of Wesi Ncube and her grandson Lyodd Ndebele of Dulutsha village 3 in Siganda were discovered on Saturday a kilometre apart.
A neighbour’s eight-year-old granddaughter who had gone to the deceased’s homestead on Saturday morning to ask for cooking oil
found Ncube’s body and alerted her family. The body of Ncube’s grandson was found about a kilometre from their home by villagers.
Police suspect that the killings may have occurred between 7PM on Friday and 7AM on Saturday.
Matabeleland North police spokesperson Chief Inspector Siphiwe Makonese said reasons for the attack are not yet known and
investigations are underway.Chronicle

The Passenger Association of Zimbabwe (PAZ) has urged the Government to ban the use of
second-hand tyres on public service vehicles.
The proposal follows the death of 17 people in a road accident along the Harare-Nyamapanda highway on Sunday. PAZ president Mr Tafadzwa
Goliati called for the ban, while extending condolences to the bereaved families. Goliati said
Government should help resuscitate the tyremanufacturing industry.

Said Goliati: As PAZ we call upon Government to act decisively on the ban on second-hand tyres and they should also ensure that as a nation we are able to manufacture affordable tyres that suit our climate and road conditions.

Government must actively help resuscitate Apollo (formerly Dunlop) in Bulawayo. In this case the cause was a tyre burst. Commuter omnibus
owners must consistently ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy.
Commuter omnibus operators must
also desist from giving kombi crews
targets that are very difficult to meet,
which leads to overloading and speeding. Chronicle

The death toll in an accident involving two commuter omnibuses that occurred along the Harare-Nyamapanda highway on Sunday near Juru Growth Point has risen to 17 after three more people died at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals yesterday.

Twelve people died on spot when the vehicles collided head on. Two more people died same day on admission at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.

Yesterday police confirmed the death of three more people from injuries sustained in the accident. Out of the 17, police managed to release names of 14 victims.

In a statement, Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said bodies of a toddler, and two male and female adults were yet to be identified.

Those identified are Godknows Chitate (24) of Sunningdale 2 in Harare Febby Mugamanyadzi (55) of Murewa, Welldone Njerere (7) of Juru, Spencer Hwedenga (36) of Zengeza 5 in Chitungwiza, Medread Ruka (66) of Juru, Leeny Makusha (4)of Murewa and Violet Manuel (20) of Zengeza 2 also in Chitungwiza.

Others are Ellis Makaza (30) of Jonasi Village, Chief Chitsungo (Pfungwe), Edison Madziva (32) of Gokwe, Bianca Nadzo (18) of Murewa, Wiriranayi Kawerenga (37) of Murewa, Sara Makusha (13) of Goromonzi and Lisa Makusha (14) of Murewa.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said the three unidentified bodies were at Murewa Hospital mortuary. She urged people missing their relatives to visit Murewa Police Station.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police urges public service vehicle operators to ensure that their vehicles are checked regularly before embarking on journeys for fitness, which include tyres, brakes, lights and other essential components. “Drivers should not speed in order to safeguard lives this festive season and only carry passengers stipulated under the respective vehicles registration permits,” she said.

Civil servants who are set to benefit from the Government’s $60 million non-monetary incentive scheme should move into their new houses by April next year, the Public Service Commission has said.

The first 500 civil servants have so far been profiled by the National Building Society to benefit from the programme and have been given offer letters to access mortgage loans.

In an interview yesterday after touring the three sites for the housing units, Public Service Commission chairperson Dr Vincent Hungwe said Government’s commitment to provide decent and affordable housing to the people of Zimbabwe was unequivocal.

Dr Hungwe said the first housing site was at Knockmalloch along Harare-Bulawayo Road in Norton. There are two other sites in Glaudina and Dzivaresekwa in Harare.
The Knockmalloch site will have 260 houses out of 600 units, Dzivaresekwa (262) and Glaudina (270).

“This is where we are starting as the Public Service Commission and we expect that this will become a national programme, which continues to demonstrate Government’s commitment to ensuring its employees have access to accommodation,” said Dr Hungwe.

He said land had also been serviced in Norton for the same purpose.
“The land in Norton has been serviced and the beneficiaries have been identified. It is expected that come the end of the first quarter of 2019, the beneficiaries will be moving into their properties,” said Dr Hungwe.

“The second project here in Harare is the Glaudina one. The units are being built and there are about 270 for civil servants. Here in Dzivarasekwa, we have been informed that there are 600 units and 220 of them will accommodate civil servants.”

Dr Hungwe said the programme would deliver affordable, low cost but decent housing for low-income earners.

He emphasised the project would also accommodate Zimbabweans who are not civil servants.

“In terms of affordability, it all depends on what you would want and what you can afford. I am told they are single bedroom units here that are $18 000; there are two-roomed units and three-bedroomed units. The units still leave room for someone to extend depending on their capacity,” he said.

“Although this project is open to civil servants, there are units that are available to non-civil servants. For example, out of the 600 units in Kuwadzana, only 220 will be allocated to civil servants.
“We are not trying to create an environment where civil servants live alone; they are part and parcel of a society so we are not going to cordon them off in their own camps where they do not interact with other members of society. However, wherever there is an estate, we are saying let us take action to ensure that civil servants are accommodated into those estates.”

Government has over the years identified land in various cities and towns for residential stands and construction of high-rise apartment blocks for civil servants as part of non-monetary incentives for State employees.-state media

A-56-year-old woman and her nine-year-old grandson were found dead with multiple axe wounds all over their bodies at their homestead in Bubi District, Matabeleland North.

The murder weapons, an axe and a knobkerrie, were found at the scene. The bodies of Wesi Ncube and her grandson Lyodd Ndebele of Dulutsha village 3 in Siganda were discovered on Saturday a kilometre apart.

A neighbour’s eight-year-old granddaughter who had gone to the deceased’s homestead on Saturday morning to ask for cooking oil found Ncube’s body and alerted her family. The body of Ncube’s grandson was found about a kilometre from their home by villagers.

Police suspect that the killings may have occurred between 7PM on Friday and 7AM on Saturday.

Matabeleland North police spokesperson Chief Inspector Siphiwe Makonese said reasons for the attack are not yet known and investigations are underway.

The victims were allegedly last seen on Friday evening by their neighbour, Mrs Sibongile Ncube (48), while she was at her homestead.

“At around 7AM on Saturday, a juvenile aged 14 sent his sibling, aged eight to go and ask for cooking oil at Ncube’s home. Upon arrival in their yard, she stumbled on the body of Ncube, lying about three metres away from the kitchen hut.

“The minor rushed back home where she notified her grandmother (76) about the incident. The elderly woman informed other villagers and they searched for Ndebele’s body which they discovered about a kilometre away from their homestead,” Chief Insp Makonese said.

The matter was reported to the police.

Chief Insp Makonese said both victims had multiple head injuries and a bloody axe was found next to Ncube’s body while a bloody knobkerrie was found next to the boy’s body.

The bodies were taken to the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) for postmortem. Chief Insp Makonese appealed to members of the public to assist them solve the murder case by contacting their nearest police station.

Last month, an 88-year-old man was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds at his home in Plumtree.

His unknown attackers are still at large. Mr David Ndlovu of Dopote village, under Chief Masendu in Madlambuzi, was pronounced dead on arrival at a local clinic.

His 21-year-old son said he heard several gunshots at around 11PM but said he was too scared to check what was happening outside his bedroom.

He discovered his seriously injured father at around 5AM the following day and rushed him to Makhulela Clinic where he was declared dead.- state media

LOW-cost carrier Fastjet says it has $6.8 million in its accounts — which is just enough to fly to Tanzania, South Africa, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe up to the end of the week.

The airline said that if its cash position does not improve, it will formally hire insolvency advisers.

The airline, which began operations on the continent 16 years ago with the aim of becoming Africa’s leading low-cost carrier, said it faces closure because of delays in the completion of a Solenta Aviation Holdings Ltd subscription letter.

Through a disclosure statement at the London Stock Exchange, Fastjet Plc said that it had a balance of $6.8 million, of which $6.4 million was restricted cash held inside Zimbabwe.

Shareholding
Last month, South Africa-based Solenta had agreed to buy more than 316.7 million Fastjet shares for a total of $4.1 million, which was preconditioned on GE Capital Aviation Services (Gecas), an Irish-American commercial aviation financing and leasing company, amending two existing Embraer 190 leases to Fastjet Africa.

However, the sale is yet to happen, denying the firm close to $0.7 million through an open offer for its ordinary shares.

The sale would have seen Solenta increase its shareholding to a majority of 54.6 per cent, and raise voting shares to more than 60 per cent.

“The company is continuing to take action with a view to enabling the Gecas condition to be satisfied in the next seven days.

Accordingly, it has deferred application for the admission of the new ordinary shares to be issued pursuant to the equity refinancing and the open offer,” Fastjet directors said in a trading update.

Despite considerable effort, the Gecas condition has not yet been satisfied, although the airline hoped to have reached a settlement by last Friday.

The statement on reaching a new lease agreement with Gecas comes from Fastjet’s recent decision to exit its Dar unit entirely, selling its shareholding but remaining in the country through a branding agreement.

“While discussions to date with the relevant stakeholders have been positive, they are ongoing and there can be no guarantee of a successful outcome. The company is continuing to take action with a view to enabling the Gecas condition to be satisfied in the next seven days,” the airline said.

If Fastjet is unable to satisfy the Gecas condition, the equity refinancing and open offer will not be completed and the airline will be unable to continue trading.

“The directors would have no choice but to formally engage insolvency practitioners to explore restructuring options (including administration) and to commence discussions with interested parties for the sale of the business and assets of the company,” Fastjet said.

Meanwhile, Fastjet Tanzania chairman Lawrence Masha has upped his stake in the new outfit, from four per cent to 68 per cent after he bought 47 per cent of the company’s shares owned by local investors and 17 per cent owned by Fastjet Plc, becoming the majority shareholder and owner of the unit.

His partner is the South African Hein Kaiser.

In November, Fastjet Plc said it was disposing its 49 per cent stake in its loss-making Tanzanian subsidiary Fastjet Airlines Ltd due to a difficult operating environment.

The Dar operator will be left with little muscle to compete with the government-backed Air Tanzania.

“We are now an independent Tanzanian unit and are looking for strategic investors so as to continue to expand within the country,” said Lucy Mbogoro, the firm’s public relations and marketing executive.

The Tanzanian unit, which generated revenue worth $15.7 million in the six months to June this year, posted a loss of $8.9 million in the same period.

The parent firm, Fastjet Plc, has struggled to raise sufficient funding from its shareholders in the past year, having successfully raised $28 million in September last year out of the $44 million it had targeted in fresh capital, as its shareholders became increasingly reluctant to invest in the business.

It had previously raised $19.8 million in July 2016, and $28.8 million in January last year.

Financial instability:
The airline has gone through financial instability, having tapped shareholders for $10 million in July to fund working capital for the current operational period, against its operational costs that ran to $25.8 million in the first six months of this year.
By the end of September, its cash reserves stood at $4.2 million, with $2.8 million held inside Zimbabwe.

The remaining $1.4 million was external hard currency within the group, which it said would not be enough to continue operating the business into the fourth quarter of this year.

In the six months to June, Fastjet Plc saw its revenue increase 42 per cent to $30.1 million on the back of year-on-year capacity and flight increases.

However, its group operating losses increased by 13.4 per cent to $14.7 million.

— The East African

THE National AIDS Council (NAC) has invited parliamentarians to public HIV testing and cancer screening, among other diseases, tomorrow as part of efforts to raise awareness and demystify the stigma associated with HIV and AIDS.

The First Lady, Auxillia Mnangagwa will lead the proceedings to be held in the Africa Unity Square.

In early September, Norton legislator Temba Mliswa (INDEPENDENT) conducted a solo public HIV testing at News Start Centre in Harare. That was a woman went on Twitter accusing the talkative legislator of sleeping around with young girls and knowingly infecting them with HIV.

“I have tested negative but even if I had tested positive it means nothing. HIV is not a death sentence and I will be launching a foundation focusing on the stigmatisation issue,” Mliswa said after the test.

“HIV is not a death sentence and I will be launching a foundation focusing on the stigmatisation issue. Now that @TindoMai has had her 5s of “fame” I suggest that any “evidence” she has going forward can be submitted to the relevant authorities.

“Vanohukura vachazongo hukura I rest my case. Let’s however spare a thought for those infected with/affected by HIV/AIDS. God is in control.”

Mliswa fumed: “It’s unfortunate that in this age there are some poor souls who still stigmatise people due to their status. It’s a sign of mental depravity that should have no room in this age.”

— ZBC News on line

Correspondent|Self proclaimed Mthwakazi King Stanley Raphael Khumalo has upped his game by visiting controversial Nigerian Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua a move that has been viewed as a plot to acquire spiritual power to outrun his opponents.

Pictures that were circulated by Khumalos’s spokesman Greater Sibanda show the ‘King’ and his delegation at the Synagogue Church of All nations being prayed for.

Three Kings have so far claimed the throne which was declared unconstitutionally by the government of Zimbabwe.

Prince Bulelani Lobengula Khumalo was crowned by Matabeleland chiefs as the heir to Lobengula the last king of the Ndebele.

Peter Zwide Khumalo also crowned himself as king challenging the eligibility of both Bulelani Khimalo and Stanley Raphael Khimalo.

Correspondent|PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa will soon effect a Cabinet reshuffle that will see a number of ministers losing their posts barely four months after they were appointed, a senior government official has revealed.

Posting on Twitter on Tuesday, Deputy Minister of Media, Information and Broadcasting services Energy Mutodi said, “After all what has happened, it’s now clear that some ministries are being messed up and President Mnangagwa has to take action. A reshuffle is coming and those messing up your days are numbered.”

Mutodi’s outburst comes on the back of two unexpected events over the past 24 hours: an editorial shake-up that was effected at State newspapers Herald and Sunday Mail last night, and the demonstrations by war veterans infront of President Mnangagwa’s offices on Tuesday afternoon.

“So the changes at the Herald and Sunday Mail are a make-sure exercice by the Mnangagwa camp, headlined by the Mutsvangwas.

“So yes, a Cabinet reshuffle is imminent as President Mnangagwa is already surrounded by criminals,” the ZANU-PF chef explained.

The current dry spell affecting the South-western parts of the country mainly the Matabeleland provinces and Bulawayo is expected to continue, the Meteorological Services Department (MSD)
said in a statement.
The dry spell affecting southern and
western parts of the country which are Bulawayo Metropolitan, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands and Masvingo provinces is expected to last for about seven days.
… This lull in rainfall over much of the
country may prolong, thus farmers in
crop production areas are urged to
consult their local Agricultural
Extension Officers for advice on best
methods of moisture conservation.
The dry spell is expected to last for a whole week. The MSD earlier forecasted normal to

below normal rainfall for the 2018/19 season.State media

Correspondent|THE trial for former Minister of Information Communication Technology and Cyber Security Supa Mandiwanzira, who is facing charges of criminal abuse of office, has once more been postponed to this Friday after Mandiwanzira applied for further particulars to prove the state’s allegations.

Mandiwanzira through Advocate Brian Hungwe has requested proof that he has shares in Nightangle, a company which he is accused of owning and which was involved in fleecing NetOne for consultation services through Megawatt.

He additionally requested for State Procurement Board authorisation documents and correspondences between NetOne and RBZ and tender documents relating to the Huawei deal, among other documents.

THE country’s year-on-year inflation surged by 10,16 percentage points to 31,01 percent last month as the spiralling price increases continue driven by speculative parallel
market rates and persistent foreign currency shortages.
In October, Zimbabwe’s rate of inflation reached its record high since February 2009 when the country adopted a multicurrency
system to reach 20,85 percent.
The country adopted a multicurrency regime to harness hyperinflation that had reached unprecedented levels between 2007 and 2008.
In its monthly report for November, the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) said the year on year inflation rate (annual percentage change) for the month of November 2018 as measured by the all items
Consumer Price Index (CPI) stood at 31,01 percent, gaining 10,16 percentage points on the October 2018 rate of 20,85 percent.
This means that prices as measured by all the items CPI increased by an average of 31,01 percent between November 2017 and November 2018.”
During the period under review, year-on-year food and non alcoholic beverages inflation prone to transitory shocks stood at 42,71 percent while the non-food inflation
rate was 25,40 percent.The Consumer Council of Zimbabwe said the rise in prices has dampened spending in recent months with the cost of living rising by 4,6 percent to $697,76 for a food basket for a family of six in November compared to

$666,93 in October.Chronicle

ATTACHED IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE MOTLANTHE REPORT REFERENCED BY ZANU PF LEADER EMMERSON MNANGAGWATranscript-Consolidated-Commission-of-Inquiry-in-to-Post-violence-1-August-2018-Final

WATCH VIDEO BELOW…

WATCH VIDEO BELOW

WATCH VIDEO BELOW…

WATCH VIDEO BELOW…

WATCH VIDEO BELOW

WATCH VIDEO BELOW…

New research from WorldRemit reveals that the Zimbabwean diaspora could be losing up to $9 every time they send money home this festive season due to the high cost of sending money through traditional remittance channels.*

Last year, Zimbabweans living abroad sent home over $1.8 billion and the run up to Christmas is always one of the busiest times to send money. New data from WorldRemit reveals that, by switching from traditional offline money transfer services to lower cost digital channels, thousands of Zimbabweans could receive an extra Christmas present this year.

The savings were highest when sending from New Zealand to Zimbabwe, with an average saving of nearly $9* – enough to buy a hamper of groceries for Christmas in Zimbabwe.

Transaction costs are only part of the story and a significant challenge at this time of year is travelling to an agent during opening hours. With approximately one quarter of the Zimbabwean diaspora population living in Europe, the United States and Canada, before the advent of app and web-based money transfer services, thousands would be facing near freezing temperatures to travel to an agent to pay in money.

Equally, WorldRemit data suggests that their customers sending to Zimbabwe send money several times a month. When it costs around $3 to travel from somewhere like Bindura to Harare and takes over 2 hours to travel there and back, Zimbabweans can easily waste half a day of time each month just travelling to pick up money. Savings on travel alone during the festive season could be enough to buy several litres of cooking oil and a couple of chocolate bars.

Pardon Mujakachi, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at WorldRemit, said:

“Spending money just to collect money wastes precious time and money for families across Zimbabwe and creates added stress – particularly if you don’t know if you’ll receive the full amount in dollars. So, we have partnered with over 15 payment services to create the widest network of over 200 cash pickup points across the country, where money is paid out in full.”

A recent poll by WorldRemit revealed that eight out of ten people found that switching to digital channels has made money transfer simpler not just for senders, but also for their recipients. However, the majority of global remittance flows are still going through informal channels.

Companies like WorldRemit are working hard to help more people to move to more cost-effective and convenient money transfer methods. The incentives on offer for existing customers who refer a friend to WorldRemit could be enough to buy a scarf or a pair of shoes.

Pardon Mujakachi said: “Sending money is an important way for many people spending Christmas away from home to connect with their loved ones and play a part in the festivities back home even when they can’t be there in person. Yet, taking time out of work to travel to agents to send and receive money, can make Christmas a time of stress rather than joy.”

 By enabling our customers to send money for collection as US dollars in a few taps from their phones and to track their transfers so they know when it’s ready for collection, we can take the stress out of sending money home at Christmas.”

Jane Mlambo| Deputy Information Minister, Energy Mutodi has added to ongoing rumors that a cabinet reshuffle could be coming soon, accusing fellow ministers of messing work forcing President Emmerson Mnangagwa to act.

In a Twitter post, Mutodi said those messing up work have their days numbered as a reshuffle is on its way. He wrote:
“CABINET RESHUFFLE: After all what has happened, it’s now clear that some ministries are being messed up and President Mnangagwa has to take action. A reshuffle is coming and those messing up your days are numbered.”

CABINET RESHUFFLE: After all what has happened, it’s now clear that some ministries are being messed up and President Mnangagwa has to take action. A reshuffle is coming and those messing up your days are numbered.

— Dr Energy Mutodi (@energymutodi) December 18, 2018

Former Mines Minister, Walter Chidhakwa has exposed the corrupt nature of the Presidents’ special prosecuting unit which he said is in the business of demanding bribes from accused people.

Through his lawyer, Advocate Sylvester Hashit, Chidhakwa also questioned the impartiality of Prosecutor Michael Chakandida whom he said is not fit to handle his case as there is a Constitutional Court ruling to the effect that he is not fit to prosecute as he reports to the President.

Adv Hashit accused the prosecutors from Mnangagwa’s unit of corruption and impartiality, exposing one Zivanai Macharaga, the lead prosecutor in Kasukuwere’s matter for demanding $20 000 from an unnamed accused person.

Hashit said he believes the money was to be shared among all the prosecutors also implicating the magistrates in the shenanigans.

“I have come to know that one of the prosecutors Zivanai Macharaga demanded money from an accused person whom I am not going to mention in court for security reasons. This shows that the courts are not partial and they can rule from directives,” he said.

“What I am not sure of is if you are also involved in this but once I find out I will come and tell you,” said Adv Hashit.

Magistrate Nyasha Vitorini dismissed the application saying there is no reason in recusing Prosecutor Chakandida.

He also trashed the application to have him recused from the case insisting that magistrates cannot be changed once a trial begins.

Hashit also accused the Magistrates court of lacking independence in prosecuting and making rulings in special cases, giving examples of opposition leader Tendai Biti case and controversial businessman Genius Kadungure who were denied bail that a High court had to be approached for guidance.

-263Chat

ZANU-PF has passed a resolution recommending a constitutional amendment to exclude MPs from Bulawayo and Harare from provincial councils so that they are constituted by elected councillors.

Government is in the process of devolving power to provinces and has allocated $310 million to fund the programme.

The ruling party also resolved that all Government departments be decentralised for effective devolution to take place in all provinces.

Reading the consolidated resolutions adopted at the Zanu-PF’s National People’s Conference on Saturday in Esigodini, Politburo member and Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda said the party had made a resolution that provincial councils be constituted only by elected councillors, their chairpersons and mayors of urban councils.

“It is proposed to amend the Constitution to exclude all Members of Parliament from being members of provincial councils. Bulawayo and Harare metropolitan provinces should have elected councillors and should exclude all MPs from being members. There is therefore a need to amend the Constitution in that regard,” said Adv Mudenda.

He said the party had resolved that the role of the Provincial Affairs Ministers, as provincial representatives of the President must be to provide overall coordination of development programmes.

“That the role of provincial councils be to provide legislative framework on provincial economic development through the production of economic development plans. Establishment of a provincial database on provincial economies should reside with the Minister of State but be legislated by provincial councils,” he said.

Adv Mudenda said provincial councils and Provincial Affairs Ministers must be capacitated to enable them to effectively engage business entities, development partners and investors.

In his closing address at the Zanu-PF conference on Saturday, President Mnangagwa said he was happy that Zimbabweans had welcomed the concept of devolution and creation of provincial economies saying the days of lop-sided development must be a thing of the past.

President Mnangagwa said there was an urgent need to close the development gap between urban and rural communities to achieve prosperity for all the people by 2030.

He said:
“I have been happily surprised by the reception and quick understanding of the concept of devolution and creation of provincial economies, by our communities. We must work hard, with a renewed sense of urgency, to close the development gap between the urban and rural communities.

“The prosperity we seek to achieve by 2030 must be for all our people in every corner of the country. Our desire for better and more modern roads, schools, health facilities must be realised across the entire country. As we are determined to modernise, build and industrialise our beloved country, no one should be left behind.”
President Mnangagwa said the resolutions at the conference will help the Government to be more focused guided by the will of the people.

Correspondent|A HARARE man, James Chamisa, who allegedly suffered a severe battering at the hands of the municipal police during an operation to rid the city of vendors and touts, has petitioned the High Court, seeking $32 000 compensation after suffering a fractured arm and broken ribs.

Chamisa recently issued summons against the City of Harare, demanding a $31 830 payment together with interest and costs of the suit.

The complainant claims that he was assaulted by municipal police on October 14 this year while walking along First Street.

“The plaintiff (Chamisa) was wrongfully and unlawfully assaulted by municipal police all over his body, inter alia with baton sticks, fists, booted feet and open palms.

Further, the municipal police insulted the plaintiff and called him a political prostitute in full view of members of the public,” Chamisa said in his court papers.

“At all material times, the municipal policemen were acting within the course and scope of their employment during an operation to rid Harare of vendors and touts.”

Chamisa said as a result of the battering, he suffered severe physical bodily harm and had to be hospitalised.

“As a result of the assault, the plaintiff suffered the following injuries: physical bodily injury, multiple abraded and bruised parts of the body that include the posterior and front torso, front of thigh, areas above the ankles, the face, as well as upper extremities, associated tenderness of the soft tissues over all the mentioned parts of the body,” he said.

Chamisa further said he also suffered “a fractured right hand, two fractured ribs on the right side of the rib cage, a laceration of the lower lip”, among other internal and external injuries, adding he further suffered psychological disorders.

The matter is pending.

FORMER Harare mayor Bernard Manyenyeni has approached the city council requesting to buy one of the pool vehicles he used before leaving office.

Mayor Herbert Gomba told council yesterday that he held a meeting with his predecessor to discuss Manyenyeni’s proposal to buy one of the vehicles he was using.

“I have referred the matter to the human resources committee to discuss this matter,” Gomba said.

When he was in office, Manyenyeni refused to buy a mayoral vehicle and relied on pool cars available, and now, the ex-mayor wants to buy one from the fleet.

In the build-up to the 2018 elections, government issued a circular instructing all outgoing mayors countrywide to engage their cities and buy vehicles they were using.

However, since Manyenyeni had not procured a car during his tenure, he now has to buy from the pool which includes vehicles that are normally used by visitors and stand-in mayors.

The sale is normally done at book value.

Manyenyeni’s request comes as councillors early this year pleaded with government to allow their cities to give them vehicles as part of their conditions of service.

Manyenyeni was Harare mayor from 2013 to 2018.

— NewsDay

JUSTICE, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has revealed that the Government is considering disposing some of the country’s prisons and farms like Harare Central Prison to land developers and use the proceeds to construct new prisons with better facilities.

“Admittedly, some of our prisons are very old. If you look at Harare Central Prison, when it was built it was on the outskirts of Harare but it is now almost in the centre.

“We are having negotiations. Perhaps if we can have land developers who want that prime land, we sell it and develop a better prison in Marondera, for example,” said Minister Ziyambi.

Ziyambi said this while appearing before a Senate thematic committee on human rights where he was briefing senators on how Government was dealing with refugees, and addressing their living conditions in prisons.

The committee, led by Senator Oliver Chidawu (ZANU-PF), had expressed concern over the living conditions of inmates, asking why refugees were being lumped together with serving prisoners.

“We do not have refugees in prison, but prohibited immigrants. They are fined and an order for deportation is given. Some of them stay for over two years. It is a challenge really,” said Minister Ziyambi.

Harare Central Prison is a medium-security prison for both men and women. It is operated by the Zimbabwe Prison Services, previously the Rhodesia Prison Service. It opened in 1910 during the days when the British South Africa Company ruled the then Rhodesia.

Many nationalists who were fighting colonial rule have passed through the grim walls of the gaol, as have scores of other activists after independence, who were incarcerated when the new rulers became uncomfortable with them.

The prison has also seen its share of dramatic jailbreaks. It was built as part of the state security matrix in the colonial age, situated just outside the city centre, to the east, where it shares fences with the Morris Depot police training grounds, the army’s KG6 cantonment area, the Presidential Guard compound and Police General Headquarters.

All these were strategically located as symbols of national security around State House and Zimbabwe House – both a stone’s throw away from a block of flats housing Central Intelligence Organisation employees and the Commissioner of Police.

Harare Central Prison is divided into three major sections—the remand holding cells, prison cells and a workshop. It accommodates both men and women, some together with their children.

By design, it caters for 1,470 inmates, but it currently holds over 1,700 prisoners and often houses 2,000.

Cells meant for one person are taking three inmates due to overpopulation while some of our ablution facilities are broken down.

In most cases prisoners who get 10 years and above serve their sentences at maximum prisons like Chikurubi and Khami. When they are left with seven years and below they are referred to Harare, Mutare and Whawha in Gweru, while those with 30 months and less are transferred to smaller prisons like Plumtree and Bindura.

Harare Central Prison boasts a two ward hospital that accommodates 13 beds. One ward acts as a Tuberculosis Unit while the other is Multi-Disease Ward.

On the ground floor are an Opportunistic Infection Clinic, Outpatient Department and a Modern Dental Unit furnished with state of the art equipment and manned by a dental therapist.

The workshop is where most of the rehabilitation of the inmates takes place. They learn various skills such as motor mechanics, welding, moulding, carpentry, television-radio repairs, panel beating and book binding so that they can seek employment when they re-join society.

Most of the equipment and machinery at the workshop are as old as the institution itself, and some have broken down. Government’s limited financial resources have limited any progress. There is also an education wing with 10 government teachers, catering for primary, secondary and tertiary level.

The huge kitchen uses electric-pots but most are malfunctioning. On paper they prepare three main meals per day but only a few of the electric pots are functioning and some food is cooked outside using firewood, which makes it very difficult.

Only a few of the electric pots are functioning and some food is cooked outside using firewood
On the issue of meat, Minister Ziyambi said they had gone a long way in addressing the challenge.

“I think we have an improvement in that regard. I have spoken to the Commissioner General (Paradzai Zimondi) and for the first time they have been giving them meat. It is something that we are progressively addressing, it was very bad,” said Minister Ziyambi.

“The Commissioner General said they had problems at some point because their cold room had broken down. So they could not keep the meat. They had resorted to keeping it at the butcheries where they bought the meat but were encountering when they went to the butcheries because either it would have been sold or they would be told to pay $5 more because the price has gone up. You know what is happening with price distortions. Butcheries can opt to give you back the $5 (you paid) because it is no longer attractive.”

The Prison has a chaplain who baptises inmates and teaches them the gospel. Many embrace religion and become God-fearing people who then shun their former evil doings.

Over the years, Harare Central Prison has been dogged by a high mortality rate, prevalent communicable diseases and a severe shortage of food, clothing and medical drugs.

— ZOOMZim

By Farai D Hove| War veterans stormed party leader Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Munhumutapa offices in Harare Tuesday morning in a mass demo to declare that they did not receive anything in 1997 when former president Robert Mugabe dished out $50,000 mass payments to each one of them in a development that instantly destroyed Zimbabwe’s economy.

One of their leaders screamed out to him: “shall we die without anything in our hands? You promised us in 1997 in a statutory instrument but up to now there is nothing you have released.”

Another made a veiled attack at Mnangagwa in person saying, “the top shefs are the ones who are eating well while we wail in poverty.”

By 11am, the protest had ended with no arrests as seen in others such as the teachers’ foot march from Mutare to Harare which saw the police harass the teachers at the weekend. – THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY….

Jane Mlambo| President Emmerson Mnangagwa has set aside the first Friday of each calendar month as the National Clean Up day.

In a statement released today, Mnangagwa said the move has been necessitated by the need to create a clean, safe and healthy environment.

In the spirit of creating a clean, safe and healthy environment, it shall be the duty of every individual, corporate body, community and institution to clean up their surrounding areas, places of work, religion, education, recreational and residential premises, vending sites, car parks and road servitudes.

According to Mnangagwa, the clean-up exercise shall be undertaken from 0800hrs to 1000hrs on the first Friday of each month.

Jane Mlambo| President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to release the Commission of Inquiry into the 1st of August shootings after cabinet meeting today.

Last week, Mnangagwa told a Zanu PF Annual conference that he would release the report this week and unconfirmed reports have hinted that it could be today after cabinet meeting.

A local journalist, Clarkson Mambo has also confirmed that Mnangagwa will indeed release his much awaited report today.

A Source close to the commission confirmed that the report is likely to put the blame for the death of six civilians on the army and police while implicating the opposition MDC for inciting people and making inflammatory statements.

Unless there are last minute changes, the #August1Inquiry Report will be made public today after Cabinet meeting

— C.E Mambo ?? (@cemambo) December 18, 2018

THE late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s adopted son, Abdallha Moussa Mone Yousuf Mouammare Aboutminiyare Al Gaddafi, who is detained at Harare Remand Prison as an illegal immigrant, was at one time deported, but he refused to disembark from the connecting flight in Ethiopia to take him back to his country.

This was revealed by Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi when he appeared before the Parliamentary Thematic Committee on Human Rights chaired by Harare Metropolitan Senator Oliver Mandishona Chidawu (Zanu PF) to speak about prison conditions and refugees.

Gaddafi fled Libya in 2011 and sought refuge in Zimbabwe in April 2014, and since then he has been incarcerated in remand prison and wants asylum in Zimbabwe.

“In certain instances, refugees and illegal immigrants refuse to be deported, an example is that of Gaddafi who, when he came to Zimbabwe, was deported through Ethiopia.

But when he got there, he refused to go on a connecting flight to Libya and had to be brought back to Zimbabwe,” Ziyambi said.

Later, the minister told journalists: “He ran away from Libya because he says they were going to persecute him, but we could not offer him asylum instantly because his identity could not be verified since he says he is Gaddafi’s adopted son.

“He has made a court application challenging his continued detention in Zimbabwe’s prisons because he is a prohibited immigrant, but he wants to seek refugee status in Zimbabwe. We now await the court determination. Initially, his identity could not be ascertained and it was not prudent to grant an unidentified person asylum.”

Ziyambi said currently there were 190 prohibited immigrants in the country awaiting deportation. He said preferably they were not supposed to be housed in prisons, but Zimbabwe had no other safe facilities to house them as they awaited deportation.

“These are not refugees, they are prohibited immigrants awaiting deportation and we do not have anywhere to place them except in prisons. We have no budget for their upkeep. We even resorted to say that their relatives can pay for their flights back, but some of them do not even want to go back,” the minister said.

Harare Metropolitan Senator Kerina Gweshe (MDC Alliance) then asked the minister to explain plans to improve facilities at Chikurubi where she said there was only one cell with toilets, resulting in prisoners using empty plastic bags to relieve themselves. Gweshe claimed that there was hunger in prisons, resulting in prisoners eating rats because of lack of a meat diet.

Midlands Senator Tsitsi Muzenda (Zanu PF) also claimed that juvenile prisoners were mixed with older hardcore criminals.

Ziyambi said nowadays prison diet had improved such that prisoners were now eating meat. He said the problem was that prison cold rooms where meat should be stored were broken down, resulting in the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service buying meat in advance and storing it at butcheries, who later reneged and demanded more money as prices of meat increased.

He admitted that there was a serious problem of toilets since prison infrastructure was constructed during the colonial era in the 1940s, adding that government was considering selling prisons to land developers so that new open prisons are built in Marondera and Chikurubi.

“Before the old prisons are destroyed, we want new ones to be ready,” Ziyambi said.

-Newsday

UNITED States ambassador to Zimbabwe Brian Nichols yesterday insisted on implementation of political and economic reforms if the country is to come out of isolation.

Speaking during a courtesy call to Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda, Nichols said the government had done well in coming up with proposals that would bring about reform, but it was time to take action and implement recommendations given by foreign observer missions during the July 30 polls.

“The proposals from this government have been wonderful, but we need to see concrete action and Parliament is where those actions take place: repeal of [Public Order and Security Act] Posa and [Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act] Aippa, electoral reforms, implementation of some of the recommendations of the observer missions and improving the environment for doing business. That is all parliamentary business,” Nichols said.

Mudenda said Parliament has a bigger role to play in ensuring reforms that bring about a new Zimbabwe are implemented.

“Any electoral reforms that need to take place will come through Parliament like Posa. The Constitutional Court has already ruled that section 27 of Posa seems to offend the free assembly of people, so Parliament has no choice, but to amend that section of the Constitution,” Mudenda said.

“We have indicated to the ambassador [Nichols] that we have started the process through the administration of the Parliament to ensure that the pieces of legislation that were proposed by his Excellency the President [Emmerson Mnangagwa] during the State of the Nation Address are pursued with vigour to ensure that the legislative process is consummated in the next few months.”

US President Donald Trump signed the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Amendment Act of 2018 (S 2779) soon after the August 1 shootings, as government failed to meet the human rights conditions the US has demanded.

-Newsday

ONE of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s anti-corruption special unit prosecutors, Zivanai Macharaga, has allegedly been accused of demanding a $20 000 bribe from a former Cabinet minister, who is facing charges of criminal abuse of office, to throw out the case.

The court heard this yesterday when former Mines minister Walter Chidakwa and ex-permanent secretary Francis Gudyanga appeared in court on a criminal abuse of office charge.

While applying for postponement of the matter due to a pending Constitutional Court (ConCourt) determination on the appointment of special prosecutors, Chidakwa’s lawyer Advocate Sylvester Hashiti told the court that his client was not comfortable being prosecuted by Mnangagwa’s special prosecutors as they receives orders from the Executive.

He said his client views the matter as political persecution.

Hashiti told the court that Macharaga allegedly demanded a $20 000 bribe from a former Cabinet minister, which he alleged he would share with the magistrate to facilitate acquittal of the case.

“Your worship, we seek a postponement of this case pending determination of a ConCourt application filed by Levi Nyagura challenging the appointment of the special prosecutors. Nyagura had successfully applied for a temporary stay of trial proceedings at the High Court pending the ConCourt determination of State prosecutor Michael Chakandida’s authority to prosecute him,” Hashiti said.

Chakandida is also prosecuting Nyagura. Hashiti said the court order which stopped Chakandida from prosecuting Nyagura applies to their case since he is the same person who was barred from prosecuting corruption cases.

“Your worship, there are allegations that Zivanai Macharaga, one of the special prosecutors, demanded $20 000 from a former Cabinet minister whom I will not name in this court. It was alleged the money would be shared with the presiding magistrate,” Hashiti further said.

Hashiti said Macharaga is also conflicted in that he once appeared for the State prosecuting one of his clients, Gudyanga, who is being represented by Tafadzwa Muvhami from his law firm, Mugiya and Macharaga.

He further alleged at one time that Macharaga applied for the release of Gudyanga’s passport despite him being a State prosecutor, saying such actions raised eyebrows.

Hashiti said the Executive was interfering with the administration of corruption cases, saying one of the magistrates dealing with businessman Genius Kadungure’s fraud and money-laundering cases had received instructions to deny him bail despite initially consenting to it.

He also cited the (Tendai) Biti versus the State case, saying the MDC deputy chairperson’s trial magistrate Gloria Takundwa wrote to the High Court seeking review of her decision due to pressure from the Executive.

Chidakwa, who appeared before another magistrate Nyasha Vhitorini said it was not provided in law to assign the trial matter to another magistrate.

“Your worship, in the mind of the accused person, all Harare magistrates and prosecutors appointed to deal with these cases are influenced to deny him his rights.

Initially, this case was referred to the trial magistrate Estere Chivasa by magistrate Josephine Sande and it is not provided in law to transfer the same matter to another magistrate during the trial. The transfer can only be done upon death or retirement of the presiding magistrate or else they will be a trial de novo,” Hashiti further said.

Hashiti submitted a “mysterious” text message which was only shown to the court and prosecutor, saying it was a security threat.

The text messages forced the court to retreat into the magistrate’s chambers on two occasions.

Chidakwa, who was seen shaking his head and seemed reluctant to hand over his mobile phone to the court for review of the text message, only relaxed after his lawyer asked the court not to record the said text message as evidence.

In his ruling dismissing recusal application, Vhitorini said he would deal with the matter impartially and said changing of the magistrates is only administrative.
Vhitorini then postponed the matter to January 4 pending the High Court review of his decision to refuse recusal.

-Newsday