Jane Mlambo| Deputy Information Minister, Energy Mutodi has shockingly defended embattled former first lady, Grace Mugabe who was issued with a warranty of arrest by a South African court following her altercation with one of the ladies who was dating her children during their stay in the neighboring country.

Mutodi wrote on Twitter yesterday saying government will not support any attempts to embarrass or degrade former President Robert Mugabe and his immediate family.

We note a warrant of arrest on Grace Mugabe for a crime alledgedly committed while she was on a diplomatic visit in South Africa. We make it clear that Zim will not smile on any attempt to embarrass, harrass or degrade former President Mugabe or his immediate family members.

— Dr Energy Mutodi (@energymutodi) December 19, 2018

Own Correspondent|ZIMBABWE Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has petitioned the High Court seeking an order to restore occupation of land to more than 40 families and 136 children, who were forcibly evicted from a sacred heritage site last week by armed police officers.

46 adults and 136 children were left homeless on Friday after they were forcibly evicted without a court order from Nharira Hills located at Somerby just outside Harare by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) members in violation of provisions of Section 74 of the Constitution by armed ZRP members, who damaged their houses using crowbars, threw their possessions out in the open, and burnt a thatched house, which held traditional relics of the community and over $2 000 in cash which had been saved for traditional offerings.

This left the evictees to sleep out in the open subject to the elements in the rainy season, as they have nowhere else to go with their families’ health set to deteriorate as they continue to sleep out in the open.

In an urgent chamber application filed in the High Court, Fiona Iliff of ZLHR argued that the eviction of the Nharira community was illegal, unlawful and violated their right to freedom from arbitrary eviction enshrined in section 74 of the Constitution, their right to dignity and not to be subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment in terms of Sections 51 and 53 of the Constitution, their right to the property, which has been or is likely to be destroyed or damaged contrary to Section 71 of the Constitution and their rights to be consulted prior to the eviction in terms of Section 68 of the Constitution and the Administrative Justice Act.

The human rights lawyer argued that the evictees’ traditional rights in terms of sections 3(1)(d); 3(2)(i)(i), 16(1), 16(2)), 33; 56 and 63(b) of the Constitution, Articles 19, 20, 21 and 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (61/295) were violated.

Iliff argued that the evicted members of the Nharira community were not issued with an eviction order in their own names as ZRP members and the Deputy Sheriff purportedly carried out the eviction in terms of a writ of ejectment against four people only identified as Mr Jumbe, Mr Goredema, Mr Madzongo and Mr Chikoto, who are not known by evicted members of the Nharira community and they are not claiming occupation of Nharira Hills through the four people but in their own right.

Iliff wants the High Court to order HFM Marketing to allow the 46 adults and 136 children, who were evicted from Nharira Hils to return to peaceful occupation of the land forthwith and to stop the quarry mining company, its agents, employees and anyone working on HFM Marketing’s instructions to be interdicted from disturbing the peaceful enjoyment, possession and use of the land which they occupied prior to the eviction.

The matter is yet to be set down for hearing in the High Court.

Source: ZLHR

FOURTEEN leaders and members of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) have been set free after a Zimbabwean court threw out disorderly conduct charges brought against the labour unionists and ruled that they did not commit an offence by staging an anti-government demonstration against poor salaries and working conditions.

The ARTUZ leaders and members had been hauled before the courts after they were arrested on Tuesday 18 December 2018 and charged with disorderly conduct in contravention of Section 41(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for allegedly blocking a road in Ruwa while holding and waving placards during an anti-government protest against poor remuneration dubbed “Salary Caravan”.

But Harare Magistrate Victoria Mashamba on Wednesday 19 December 2018 set free the ARTUZ leaders and members after ruling that the unionists had not committed an offence in staging an anti-government protest gainst the country’s worsening economic crisis as they were simply exercising their constitutional rights as enshrined in the Constitution.

The unionists’ lawyers Tinotenda Shoko and Kossam Ncube of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights had challenged the placement on remand of their clients arguing that they had not committed any offence by waving placards and singing songs when they were arrested while protesting because they are a registered trade union which is exempted
from notifying the regulatory authority (ZRP) as provided under the punitive provisions of the Public Order and Security Act.

SEVERAL creatives who would be joining hands with other citizens to commemorate Unity Day this Saturday yesterday said there was need to appreciate the true essence of unity and its significance.

The Unity Day has been commemorated since 1987 following the signing of the Unity Accord between former President Robert Mugabe and the late former Vice-President Joshua Nkomo.

The inking of the deal followed years of conflict that saw thousands of people mainly from Matabeleland and the Midlands killed by the North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade as government ostensibly sought to flush out suspected Zipra dissidents.

Music promoter and Jibilika founder Plot Mhako told NewsDay Life & Style that the country needed to renew the true spirit and essence of unity.

“We are highly polarised on political grounds. The post-election tensions need to be diffused and it’s sad that music and the arts, which must play a key role to unify the nation, are also caught up in the disunity which hampers development. We need to promote and foster more unity through all our works,” he said.

Chimurenga music publicist Blessing Vava said Unity Day was very significant in the country’s history and was particularly important to his boss, Thomas “Mukanya” Mapfumo, who is currently on a national blitz dubbed The Peace Tour.

“It has always been the call by Mukanya for Zimbabweans to be united as one people. For us, this year’s Unity Day is significant as we are currently on a tour dubbed The Peace Tour, which is a call to promote peace and unity in our country through music, and on the day, Mukanya will be performing in Kadoma,” he said.

DreamStar Zimbabwe spokesperson Tinashe Kitchen said there was need to appreciate that unity was deeper than the unification of two political parties.

“National Unity Day does not only symbolise the unity of two political parties. It represents the unification of our people as one proud and united nation, bound by tradition, culture and music. DreamStar Zimbabwe will continue to provide platforms for young and talented Zimbabweans to make their dreams come true,” he said.

Award-winning songbird and entrepreneur Cindy Munyavi, said the day spoke to the equality of Zimbabweans.

“The day symbolises the fact that we are all equals as Zimbabweans, regardless of language, tribe, totem, dialect or geographical location, so we should love and celebrate each other,” she said.

NewsDay

THE Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has berated President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration over the surge in human rights violations experienced in the country this year, singling out the August 1 shooting of civilians by soldiers in Harare as the worst.

Speaking at a belated International Human Rights Day commemoration held in Gweru recently, ZCTU deputy president Florence Taruvinga said the country plunged into a worrying period of human rights violations this year, with workers being the worst affected.

“Today, as we gather locally, we cannot stand tall and claim that we are enjoying human rights as Zimbabweans and workers, in particular. As 2018 ends, we can reflect on serious injustices and flouting of human rights,” she said.

Taruvinga singled out the August 1 killings by the military which left six people dead and 35 injured as the height of human rights violations in the year 2018.

“Peak of the injustices was the 1st of August military killings of civilians who were exercising their right to demonstrate as enshrined in the Zimbabwean Constitution.

There is no injustice that surpasses summary executions as witnessed on 1 August,” the firebrand trade unionist said.

On October 11, ZCTU leaders who planned to demonstrate against the 2% transaction tax introduced by Finance minister Mthuli Ncube, were rounded up by police and locked up.

Taruvinga lamented the national operation and classified it as another glaring incident of human rights violations.

“The right to demonstrate has also been denied to us. On October 11, the police pounced on us, arrested and detained labour leaders countrywide to stop workers from exercising their right to demonstrate … Human rights cannot be separated from workers’ rights. On several occasions, our constitutional freedoms have been violated,” she said.

This week, Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe members who were marching from Mutare to Harare in protest over poor salaries and bonuses, also faced the wrath of the law enforcement agents as they were detained and arraigned before the courts. On Tuesday, they were again arrested in Ruwa and detained.

Human Rights Day is celebrated annually across the world on December 10.

NewsDay

Correspondent|ZANU PF councillor for Mberengwa ward 35 has been slapped with a $150 fine or an alternative three-month jail term for threatening to kill a local businessman.

Kufazvinei Mzezewa (37) of Honyobwe in Mberengwa, appearing before Zvishavane resident magistrate Shepherd Mjanja, pleaded guilty to issuing death threats against Justin Maposa of Juktz Mining Compound Honyobwe, Mberengwa, owner of Juktz Mining Syndicate Company.

Prosecutor Tinashe Maponde told the court that on June 30, 2016, Maposa saw a Pote borehole-drilling rig on his premises. He approached the crew who said Mzezewa had instructed that a borehole be sunk on his premises, but Maposa had ordered them to stop the drilling.

The court heard that on July 14, 2016, Mzezewa hired three unknown male adults who went to Maposa’s home and threatened his employees with a gun.

On July 22, 2016, Maposa reported the matter to the Zanu PF district chairperson for Kushinga ward 35, Tenson Maidza, who met the convict and complainant the following day, and Mzezewa confessed to having hired some thugs to kill Maposa.

A CHITUNGWIZA woman, who was shot by a police officer manning a roadblock along the Harare-Chitungwiza Road, is seeking over $17 000 compensation for injuries sustained.

Loveness Chiriseri recently issued summons against Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga, Home Affairs and Culture minister Cain Matema and the officer-in-charge at St Mary’s Police Station.

In her declaration through her lawyers from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Chiriseri said on August 19 this year, she boarded an unregistered private vehicle in Chitungwiza while on her way to Harare.

“At the intersection of Seke and Delport Road, there was a roadblock and a member of the ZRP from St Mary’s Police Station, Chitungwiza, whose particulars are unknown to the plaintiff (Chiriseri), waved down the vehicle to stop, but the driver proceeded without stopping,” Chiriseri said.

The woman said another member of the ZRP from the same police station, whose particulars are also unknown to her, “then fired indiscriminately at the vehicle, while standing in the middle of the road”.

“After the first shot, the driver held his head and the vehicle veered off the road. A second shot was then fired directly at the vehicle and the bullet pierced the plaintiff’s right buttock, causing her severe pain and bleeding,” Chiriseri said.

She was admitted at a local hospital for four days and since her discharge, she has been receiving daily treatment for the wound and going to hospital for the numerous reviews.

“Plaintiff suffered severe medical injuries and permanent disfigurement. She is also suffering from depression and anxiety … as a result of the reckless handling and indiscriminate discharge of a firearm by a police officer,” she said.

The matter is pending.

NewsDay

ZIMBABWE is staring at the prospect of an internet blackout in the near future as foreign service providers are increasingly getting disillusioned by TelOne’s continued failure to pay $22 million owed for services offered.

So dire is the situation that a Mauritius-based financier, Telecom Capital Finance, is threatening to seize TelOne’s shares in the West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC) over a $1,1 million debt.

WIOCC is a company that provides capacity to international and African telecommunications companies, over-the-top (OTT) services, content providers and internet service providers in and outside Africa.

Critically, TelOne is sitting on four letters of demand from Telecomicacoes de Mozambique (TDM), Duraline, WIOCC, and Telecom Capital.

Overall, TelOne owes 22 companies from Africa, Asia and Europe a combined $22 million.

Mrs Chipo Mtasa, the TelOne MD, launched a passionate appeal to members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on ICT after their tour of the Mazowe Earth Satellite Station on Tuesday, to help the company settle the obligations.

“TelOne is in receipt of demand letters from the following service providers; TDM of Mozambique — $5,7 million for backhaul services, Telecom Capital Finance — $1,1 million for loan repayment, Duraline — $845 000 for network material, WIOCC — $6,2 million for internet bandwidth,” said Mrs Mtasa.

“TelOne continues to be crippled by the escalating arrears on a monthly basis with no meaningful allocations received since July 2018.

Consequently, foreign payment arrears have accumulated to $22 million for services and other obligations.

“We continue to plead for the telecommunications sector to be prioritised for foreign currency allocations and this needs your urgent intervention as the situation is now out of control.”

Mrs Mtasa said TelOne is facing “threats of service disruption and foreign litigation”, which will be difficult to manage if they were implemented.

“Withdrawal of services will result in a standstill of our operations and a major internet blackout for the country.

“As reiterated in our past correspondences, Telecom Capital Finance secured a default judgment against TelOne in Mauritius.

“The continued delayed remittances will result in seizure of TelOne shares in WIOCC any moment from now (while) Telecom Capital will be reinstating $1,6 million that was written off when refinancing was negotiated in 2014, if TelOne fails to pay the balance of US$1,1 million by December 20, 2018 (today),” said Mrs Mtasa.

TelOne’s request for a bailout comes at a time when the 2019 Budget indicated that Government would not be dolling out money to stressed firms, unless they were involved in critical business.

Foreign currency shortages, which have resulted in shortages of fuel, bread and other basics, have also seen TelOne losing $7,2 million in revenue as at October 31, 2018 due to failure to fulfil customer requirements.

Mrs Mtasa said further revenues losses may amount to $20 million due to loss of customer reputation as a reliable service provider.

Currently, TelOne requires $3 million to pay for drop cable, drop wire, modems, fibres, routers, media converters and others.

State Media

Correspondent|BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) has approved the sale of housing stands in foreign currency, a move that is set to make them priced out of reach of many citizens, who have endured falling standards of life over the years.

In reaction to the move, Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association acting co-ordinator Emmanuel Ndlovu said the move was improper.

“Those in the Diaspora and with access to US dollars will mop up all the stands while the poor shall remain permanent tenants.

“Many residents cannot afford stands even using the bond note price,” Ndlovu said.

The city’s housing waiting list stands at over 120 000, but the council has only managed to service less than 20 000 stands in the last 15 years despite the growing number of those in need of houses.

The local authority is reportedly struggling to service housing stands, owing to the harsh economic climate that has been prevailing in the country.

The latest council report of the town lands and housing committee revealed a local authority that is battling to contain the hard economic situation.

“The Chamber Secretary, Sikhangele Zhou, advised that it was a challenge to award new contracts to service stands due to economic challenges. Servicing of stands in this environment would be costly and difficult to price the stands,” the minutes read in part.

“At the end of the day, the stands would be unaffordable because of the continued economic instability.

“Council had to re-strategies on how best to deliver this service within enforceable contracts that would deliver stands affordable to local residents,” added the minutes.

“She (Zhou) noted that council had already approved the sale of stands to the Diaspora and those with free funds in forex and modalities therefore are being worked on.”

Council housing stands have been ranging from around $4 000 to nearly $10 000 and above depending on the size, and location.

GOVERNMENT will suspend recruitment of trainee nurses with effect from May next year, Health and Child Care Secretary Dr Gerald Gwinji has said. In an interview with The Herald yesterday, Dr Gwinji said this was necessitated by the need to standardise recruitment processes and procedures.

He said while recruitment has temporarily been suspended, nurse training will continue with groups already recruited.

“This is a temporary measure that we have put in place to suspend pre-recruitment for candidates who are coming into nurse training for May and September 2019 going forward.

“We just want to fine tune our policy and recruitment processes so that they are standard and uniform across our institutions.

“Therefore, we will be communicating by end of January going into early February to all institutions with regards to this so that the processes can then commence and continue,” said Dr Gwinji.

He said the groups would be subjected to new regulations to be availed in due course.

“Nurse training per se is not suspended. We have a group that will be taken in May but it will then be taken under the revised training regulations,” said Dr Gwinji.

All the training institutions have since been advised of the development.

“Please be informed that the recruitment of student nurses from May 2019 and beyond has been suspended. You should be informed of the next steps via a circular in due course,” read a memo addressed to all training institutions.

Although Dr Gwinji could not be drawn into discussing the possible policy changes. A few months ago, the ministry announced it had tightened enrolment requirements for prospective students.

They are now required to be below 30 years of age with five Ordinary Levels all obtained in one sitting. A pass in Mathematics is now mandatory. Previous requirements did not have an age limit and Mathematics was not required.

Candidates with two sittings were also considered. Government used to produce about 1 000 nurses each year from its various training institutions. The majority of the institutions used to have three intakes a year.

Hospitals have been failing to absorb all the trained nurses following a recruitment freeze by Treasury. The development saw trained nurses failing to get jobs.

State Media

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 today, 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.

Meanwhile, 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.-state media

By Ephat Moyo| Members of Parliament have full rights to criticise the commission of inquiry into the 1 Aug violence report which was presented by Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa this week, Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has said.

Ziyambi said the report which was made public by Mnangagwa is a public document meaning it is open for public scrutiny.

Responding to Mbizo constituency legislator Settlement Chikwinya who had requested that MPs be allowed to bring the report into the house for debate, Ziyambi said, “Indeed the report is in the public domain and it is within the rights of Parliament to discuss any document that is in the public domain, so we will consider it.

By Farai D Hove| Journalist Violet Gonda has said she was robbed in South Africa.

Gonda commented saying Zimbabwe apepars better than South Africa on managing crimes on the street.

She said she the alleged robbers were in a “getaway car which stopped in the middle of crossroad.”

The “thug came from opposite side of road, snatched my phone, ran into car & sped off,Mugged in SA.Getaway car stopped in the middle of crossroad.Thug came from opposite side of road. Snatched my phone, ran into car & sped off,” she tweeted.

Mugged in SA.Getaway car stopped in the middle of crossroad.Thug came from opposite side of road. Snatched my phone, ran into car & sped off. #SAPS wanted my cell serial Nos, b4 opening case.Who moves with serial Nos?Zim appears to be doing better thn SA on managing street crimes

— Violet Gonda (@violetgonda) December 19, 2018

Own Correspondent|Zimbabwe’s government has indefinitely suspended the recruitment of nursing students.

This was announced in a circular to provincial medical directors and schools of nursing by the secretary for health Gerald Gwinji.

Gwinji did not provide reasons for the decision. In a circular dated December 18, Gwinji said:

Please be informed that the recruitment of student nurses from May 2019 and beyond has been suspended.

The freeze on recruitment comes as the government has been failing to offer employment to nursing graduates, citing financial pressure and an out-of-control wage bill.

Terrence Mawawa|The Reconstruction Act is a repressive and unconstitutional tool that has been crafted to seize properties from hapless citizens, Mutumwa Mawere has said.

Using the controversial Act the government seized Air Zimbabwe, Shabanie and Mashava Mines(SMM) and recently Hwange Colliery Limited.

Writing on Twitter yesterday Mawere emphasised the need to uphold constitutional principles in the country.

“Are you aware of the existence and operation of the Reconstruction Act? If so, then ask the people in whose hands the company’s control and management was vested,” argued Mawere.

He added: “Is theft a policy? Is it a farcical currency or a well orchestrated scheme to steal value that ordinarily should accrue to a self-determining economic actor? When the people who take oath to promote,protect and uphold the protection of property become the guardians of its diversion,

then what?”

Limpopo Public Transport Unit officers in South Africa on Wednesday morning stopped a 22-seater cross-border taxi with double the number of permitted passengers on board.

According to the spokesperson for the department of transport, Matome Moremi-Taueutsoala, the bus was stopped on the N1 next to Snake Park just outside Polokwane. The bus was en route to Zimbabwe from Johannesburg.

“We have called cross-border officials to authenticate cross-border papers but the driver doesn’t have a permit to drive this kind of vehicle,” he said.

There were 44 people on board, seven of them children.

Moremi-Taueutsoala said this was totally unacceptable and that traffic officers would continue to crack down on those who broke the law.

A REPORT claims that embattled MDC Alliance vice president Elias Mudzuri has the full backing of his home province, Masvingo, in his tussle for the soul of the party with president Nelson Chamisa.

The MDC Masvingo provincial structures are said to be filled with Mudzuri supporters who are from Zaka district, where Mudzuri hails from. The provincial chairperson, James Gumbi also comes from Zaka.

A Mail and Telegraph source familiar with the internal dynamics of the MDC said: “Last Sunday there was a meeting which was convened by Mudzuri’s personal assistant Silas Man’ono and it was attended by many people across the province who believe Mudzuri should be accorded a chance to contest Chamisa at the Congress as it is within his constitutional rights.

“These meetings are being done on regular basis at night and they are done by bitter people who think Chamisa is persecuting Mudzuri along factional grounds.

“Other members who attended the meeting were Mushonga of Zaka Central, Ndekere of Chivi South, Damba of Chivi North, Dumbu of Zaka West, Tichaona Chiminya, John Nyika and David Charirwe of Masvingo Urban who is being propped to be the faction’s provincial chairperson.”

Contacted for comment, Gumbi, however, denied involvement in the alleged plot. He said: “I do not know why people are saying bad things about vice president Mudzuri. He is our leader and is in good books with president Chamisa.

“We support that leadership and any meetings taking place are meant to unite the party and not tear it apart.”

Mudzuri is allegedly working with Mwonzora to upstage Chamisa at next year’s October Congress.

Mwonzora is a firm believer of constitutionalism and it has made him so unpopular within the internal struggles. He, however, holds the power because his office controls the lower structures.

As the secretary general, Mwonzora was supposed to write dismissal letters to all the members who stood as independent candidates during the July 30 polls but he has deliberately ignored that call.

Mwonzora and Mudzuri are protecting those people and are going to rely on their support at the Congress.

— Source: Mail & Telegraph

Correspondent|HARARE Mayor Councillor Herbert Gomba has announced that the Harare City Council has run out of water treatment chemicals.

The Mayor revealed the shocking details at a press conference on Wednesday.

The city has been going for long periods of the day with no water during the last few weeks.

The mayor revealed that The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has released only US$1.2 million towards the procurement of critical water treatment chemicals when the City requires between US$2.5 – US$2.8 million every month.

The city has run out of aluminium sulphate and HTH. Local authorities countrywide are battling to procure water purification chemicals as local suppliers are demanding payment in foreign currency, Urban Councils’ Association of Zimbabwe president Josiah Makombe revealed.

“Local authorities have been facing a challenge in sourcing water treatment chemicals because suppliers are charging in foreign currency, yet councils do not have that kind of money,” Makombe said.

“What it entails is that because local authorities do not have adequate supplies of foreign currency, they have reduced quantities they buy from local suppliers, but I still have to check with my secretary-general to get full details on the actual state of supplies (water treatment chemicals) in the market.”

Harare City Council’s acting director for water, Mabhena Moyo said the local authority had engaged the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) for forex to procure chemicals as all local suppliers had nothing in stock.

“We have reduced the water we are treating because we don’t have chemicals. We have engaged the RBZ but we are yet to get a favourable response. We checked with all our suppliers locally, we don’t have sulphuric acid and we hope that the central bank will help very fast,” Moyo said.

The situation is dire and exposes residents to waterborne diseases.

Already Harare is battling to meet water demand as it pumps 420 mega litres per day against the required 1 000 mega litres.

Last month, there were reports that Bulawayo had run out of the water treatment chemicals with fears that the local authority could be forced to stop the purification of the precious liquid due to foreign currency shortages.

Jane Mlambo| Following the release of the Commission of Inquiry report which implicated the army and police for the death of six civilians, Zimbabweans have stalked President Emmerson Mnangagwa to apologize to the nation and victims.

Former Sunday Mail Editor, Edmund Kudzayi said Mnangagwa should apologize for deploying soldiers who killed people on the streets of Harare.

He further demanded that those who lied about the third force should be disciplined.

Will President Emmerson Mnangagwa apologise to the nation for the unlawful killing of six civilians by soldiers that he deployed? Will the perpetrators be prosecuted? Will those who lied on behalf of the soldiers, blaming an armed third force, be disciplined? No. No. No.

— Edmund Kudzayi (@EdmundKudzayi) December 19, 2018

Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers on Wednesday 19 December 2018 charged 14 leaders and members of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) with contravening the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) and disorderly conduct after they were arrested for allegedly staging an anti-government protest over poor salaries and unfavourable working conditions.

Police have released names of 14 victims who died in an accident involving two commuter omnibuses which occurred along the Harare-Nyamapanda highway on Sunday near Juru Growth Point.

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.

Meanwhile, the Passenger Association of Zimbabwe is urging Government to ban use of second hand tyres by public service vehicles.

In a statement yesterday, PAZ president Mr Tafadzwa Goliati also extended his condolences to the bereaved families. President Mnangagwa on Monday extended his condolences to families who lost relatives in the accident.

He said Government would extend assistance towards meeting funeral expenses to the affected families.

— Chronicle

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

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

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

LIVE: A journalist tells Chamisa party spokesman, the type of guns used by the ZDF on 1 Aug are a matter of state security, members of the public are not supposed to know . https://t.co/G05gs1E7SN @JMafume @nelsonchamisa @ProfJNMoyo pic.twitter.com/B5K608XQMe

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) December 19, 2018

Parliament yesterday fast-tracked debate on the 2019 National Budget which was presented by Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube last month to ensure that it sails through before the august House adjourns for Christmas.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, who is also Leader of Government Business in the House, moved for the suspension of some procedural requirements that should ordinarily be followed during such proceedings.

Some of the requirements that Parliament adopted was the suspension of automatic adjournment at 6.55pm, the requirement of referral of a Bill to the Parliamentary Legal Committee and allowing for the sitting of the House on Friday should the need arise.

The motion by Minister Ziyambi to suspend some procedural requirements in respect of debate on the 2019 National Budget was made in terms of Parliament’s Standing Orders.

Soon after Parliament adopted Minister Ziyambi’s motion, debate on the National Budget resumed with chairpersons of different portfolio committees tabling their reports.

Most of the reports bemoaned inadequate allocation of financial resources to various Government ministries and departments.
Prof Ncube sat through the debate listening to contributions from legislators and was expected to respond once the backbenchers completed their debate.

Presenting the portfolio committee report on Primary and Secondary Education, Cde Josiah Sithole (zanu-pf) bemoaned the low budget allocation for the ministry saying Zimbabwe was the only country in the Sadc region that did not offer free education.

Harare East MP Mr Tendai Biti (MDC Alliance) said the Government’s move to levy import duty in foreign currency was unlawful.

He said in terms of the Reserve Bank Act all currencies in the multi-currency basket should be accepted.
“As long as the bond note is in circulation it is legal tender,” said Mr Biti.

He said Prof Ncube should be bold enough to acknowledge the bond note was not at par with the United States and implored Treasury to liberalise the exchange rate.

“The minister must have the courage to demonitise the bond note. Bad money tends to displace good money. He must have the courage to liberalise the exchange rate. If the exchange rate is allowed to settle it will do so at a much lower rate than the going rate

Mr Biti said the only solution was to re-dollarise the economy.
Mines and Mining Development Portfolio Committee chairperson Mr Temba Mliswa said there was need to support the sector given that it was projected to contribute about 40 percent to Gross Domestic Product.

-State Media

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.

Meanwhile, the Passenger Association of Zimbabwe is urging Government to ban use of second hand tyres by public service vehicles.

In a statement yesterday, PAZ president Mr Tafadzwa Goliati also extended his condolences to the bereaved families.

President Mnangagwa on Monday extended his condolences to families who lost relatives in the accident. He said Government would extend assistance towards meeting funeral expenses to the affected families.

— Chronicle

Lobby group Afriforum has announced that an arrest warrant has been issued against former Zimbabwean first lady Grace Mugabe for her alleged assault of SA model Gabriella Engels.

In July, AfriForum won a High Court application to review and set aside the government’s decision to grant Mugabe diplomatic immunity.

Mugabe allegedly assaulted Engels at a hotel in August last year. The former Zimbabwean first lady claimed that she was acting in self-defence,

-Eye Witness

Jane Mlambo| Gokwe Nembudziya parliamentarian, Justice Mayor Wadyajena has lashed at his party’s youth league which he said is now incompetent and totally corrupt.

Our Youth League as it is now is incompetent & totally corrupt. It wouldn’t be surprising if those middle-agers sold their souls to opposition as claimed. Did they campaign for H.E @edmnangagwa? We all know they’re team Torai Mari United!https://t.co/UhRlnaHo9X https://t.co/vU8X7GGsfs

— H⭕️N. JMW (@JusticeMayorW) December 19, 2018

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

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

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.