…ARTICLE BELOW…

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

“They have in the past asked why is this Chamisa being a problem, how much money does he want, so at that time I was very cautious of what was going on around me.”

“I have no capacity to tell the soldiers to kill people Chamisa tells”

“Let’s do justice to the role of the army. They must be in the barracks. Let’s restore full democracy. Lets demilitarise the villages and villagise the villages”

“We are not a thugocratic party but a Democratic party. The politics of this country is not about the bullet but the ballot.”

“I participated in the election because I thought there was a vacancy as the Head of the Defence Forces not Vanguard,”

WATCH VIDEO BELOW…

Opposition Movement for Democratic Change deputy chairperson, Tendai Biti has took a dig at President Emmerson Mnangagwa over his decision to set up a Commission of Inquiry into the 1^st of August shootings saying he is conflicted as he cannot appoint investigate himself.

Making his submissions before the Kgalema Motlante led commission, Biti said the terms of reference should have clearly sought to establish the person who ordered troops out of their barracks to kill innocent civilians.

“If you are to follow the dictates of natural justice, the appointing authority cannot appoint to inquire into his own cause. He is conflicted.”

The simple term of reference is who ordered the troops out of their barracks and who ordered them to kill unarmed civilians,” said Biti.

He also questioned the credibility of some of the commissioners, singling out Professor Charity Manyeruke whom he said is a member of Zanu PF.

He also laid into Commissioner Rodney Dixon whom he accused of speaking on behalf of military governments.

If justice is to be seen to be done, I would like to submit with great respect that some commissioners seated here fail to inspire confidence

“I have a problem with commissioner Manyeruke. It is not disputed fact that she is a member of Zanu PF. The decent thing for her is to resign. I have a problem with a barista from UK. I don’t know his name. Hi has a strong relations with military governments,” said Biti.

He distanced himself and the MDC from the 1^st of August violence saying they were confident that they had won the elections hence they could not spoil their own party.

“We genuinely believe that we won this election. We genuinely believe that Nelson Chamisa won this election. And this belief is very important in that you get to know the behaviour of winners and losers

“So there was no way we could have put our people into the streets. There was no reason for us to spoil our party,” added Biti.

I was advised that I was with one Jimu Kunaka driving a green Discovery, it’s a joke. I hardly know Jimu physically, I know him as a notorious leader of Chipangano who killed our people in Mbare – it’s a lot of rubbish

-263Chat

WATCH VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

WATCH VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

WATCH VIDEO LOADING BELOW….

WATCH VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Terrence Mawawa|Ms. Miriam Mutizwa, a Zimbabwean-born IT professional based in the UK and a corporate literacy enthusiast under the Banking on Africa’s Future (BOAF) initiative to deepen and widen the understanding of the centrality of the rule of law in delivering the promise of an inclusive and prosperous Africa; asks: “Can shareholders be lawfully divested of their rights outside the ambit of the Companies Act.”

Ms. Mutizwa asks this question because the Attorney General of Zimbabwe, Mr. Machaya, a qualified lawyer, did not see anything legally and constitutionally wrong with an Administrator appointed by the Minister of Justice pursuant to the operation of the Reconstruction of State Indebted Insolvent Companies Act (the Act) to substitute the combined role of directors and shareholders in relation to the affairs of a company that is duly incorporated and operating in terms of the prescripts of the law.

“I have chosen to be vocal on issues of the rule of law and constitutionalism because of the relationship between the law and companies.

I have realised that in the animal kingdom, there is life but no wealth because there is no rule of law in the kingdom.

Only human beings are capable of putting limitations on the animalistic and predatory nature of man. This necessarily means that anything that is done without the consent of an affected party, is deemed without any qualification to be illegal and unconstitutional.

This then means that a law that permits a shareholder to be substituted by an extra-judicially appointed Administrator is inherently illegal and should be invalid.” said Ms. Mutizwa.

“Who is this Mr. Machaya? How was he appointed? It makes me angry to know that the drive by President Mnangagwa to make Zimbabwe great is being undermined by people who are paid to protect the rights and freedoms of the people,” said Ms. Mutizwa.

Mr. Prince Machaya, was appointed by former President Mugabe in February 2015 as Attorney-General of Zimbabwe to replace Mr Johannes Tomana who was appointed Prosecutor General in 2014.

It is instructive that the ceremony was presided over by the then Vice President Mnangagwa and Minister of Justice at the time, after the VP had been duly authorised by the President to administer the oaths of loyalty and office to Mr Machaya.

In his preamble, the then VP Mnangagwa said, “…And whereas in terms of Section 114(2) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the Attorney-General assumes office upon taking before the President, or a person authorised by the President the oath of loyalty and office.”

It is significant that the reading of this constitutional provision was followed by Mr Machaya taking the oaths of loyalty and office.

In an affidavit below, Mr. Machaya said under oath that: “The effect of reconstruction is akin to the concept of judicial management as it is intended to preserve value for the various stakeholders of the state-indebted company.”

When one looks at s 25 of the Reconstruction Act, it is provided as follows:
It is clear from that subject to s 25 of the Reconstruction Act, the Administrator shall have unfettered powers to formulate a scheme of reconstruction of a company, that is neither owned and controlled by the government outside the provisions of this Act.

The AG must have known and ought to have known that reconstruction is not akin to any judicial management especially having regard to the provisions of s 23(a) of the Act which gives an Administrator appointed by the Minister and not a Court of law to issue to the state shares in a purportedly reconstructed company in satisfaction to any credit owed to the state by, or payment by the state of any guarantee on behalf of, the targeted company.

“Would I be correct in saying that the government in its capacity as a creditor proceeds to target a company that owes any government controlled entity any funds whether in form of loans, guarantees, and for services rendered can be a victim of this madness clothed as some form of reconstruction when it is really an attempt to expropriate? I am struggling to establish the legal basis on which a bona fide creditor can engage in a blatant self-help exercise without the involvement of the courts and get away with it,” asks Ms. Mutizwa.

What is even more scary is what is contained in s 25 of the Reconstruction Act which reads as follows:
It is clear from the above that once a company has been targeted for takeover, there is no going back. The shareholders and creditors cease to have any role or power over the company leaving the Minister and his cronies to do whatever they may wish to do.

Even the Court has no jurisdiction over such a company.

Ms. Mutizwa was lost after reading the above: “Just to imagine that the consequences of an orchestrated and manipulated purported reconstruction of a private company have predetermined outcomes makes me sick to the core.”

Former Legislator Engages Christian Community To Push For Return To Constitutionalism

Terrence Mawawa|Former MDC A MP for Gutu Central Constituency, Oliver Chirume, has stepped up efforts to work with the Christian community and pressure groups to push for a return to constitutionalism and democracy.

Speaking in an interview with ZimEye.com Chirume stressed the need to partner with the Christian community as part of frantic efforts to push for key constitutional reforms.

Chirume who is a member of the Friends of Shabanie and Mashava Mines(SMM), a pressure group formed by the stakeholders of the company, has emphasised the fact that Christians constitute the majority of the Zimbabwean population such that their voice will make an impact on constitutional matters and democracy.

“We have noted with the concern that while Christians form the majority of the country’s population, their sentiments on constitutional matters have remained in a cocoon,” said Chirume.

“We intend to gather Christians’ views on the controversial Reconstruction Act.The government seized SMM, Air Zimbabwe and recently Hwange Colliery under the same Act.

Biblically you cannot just grab someone’ s property without paying a cent.I strongly believe the Christian voice will enhance the fight for a return to democracy in Zimbabwe,” said Chirume.

Something is wrong because we have not had a Commission on Gukurahundi. The commanders are still sitting in the present day Gvnt, directed by cabinet ministers, still sitting in Gvnt, Says @BitiTendai pic.twitter.com/rJMYVKo5i2

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) November 26, 2018

WATCH VIDEO LOADING….

WATCH VIDEO BELOW…

This morning I responded to the invite that was extended to me by Senate President in my capacity as the leader of the House under the Parliamentary Standing Rules and Orders rule 11 that states:
“The President of the Senate and the Deputy President of the Senate, accompanied by their proposers and seconders and other Senators, shall as soon as may be after their election, present themselves to the President.”

This morning I responded to the invite that was extended to me by Senate President in my capacity as the leader of the House under the Parliamentary Standing Rules and Orders rule 11 that states:
“The President of the Senate and the Deputy President of the Senate, accompanied by their proposers and seconders and other Senators, shall as soon as may be after their election, present themselves to the President.”

It is with sadness and unfortunate circumstances that my fellow junior parliamentarians would want to play petty politics on something that is part of my terms of reference as Party deployee.

My confusion to all this stems from the fact that, if what I did was “ illegal” to my fellow parliamentarians, then I want to understand what we are still doing in parliament as a Party and wasting taxpayer’s money.
I went to State House not to appease President Munangagwa, but to respect the office of Parliament. If am wrong and they are right I would be proud to be fired from the Party because I represented the Party in Parliament business. It’s sad that my very colleagues, were fully engaged in parliament business at HICC on post budget consultations, a budget presentation that saw MPs under attack from police. What hypocrisy!
I believe that I went to State House not to betray anyone nor did I do it nicodemusly, but in the full knowledge of my colleagues who then faked theatrical accusations.

The nation is faced with acute economic challenges under a failed leadership of ZANU-PF. That must be our focus, but to abuse my person this way is very unfortunate.

Eng Elias Mudzuri MP

WATCH VIDEO BELOW…

Jane Mlambo| MDC Deputy President, Engineer Elias Mudzuri could be a dead man walking following his appearance at a meeting where Presiding officers from parliament were meeting President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House this morning.

Mudzuri who is the leader of the opposition in Senate cast a lone figure among Zanu PF parliamentarians at State House today and this has riled party supporters with Youth Assembly Secretary General, Lovemore Chinoputsa saying the former party Organizing Secretary had fired himself from the movement.

Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube will meet captains of industry and commerce in Bulawayo today to explain key points of the 2019 National Budget Statement as well as clarify issues around currency challenges.

Following his budget presentation on Thursday, Prof Ncube is expected to shed policy insight, particularly around strategies to rejuvenate industry in Bulawayo, which is facing serious challenges, and measures to harness wider investment opportunities within Matabeleland region and the country at large.

The Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) Matabeleland region is organising the “post budget review and currency indaba” that will be held at a city hotel from 9AM.

“The Honourable Minister of Finance, Professor Mthuli Ncube, will be in Bulawayo to engage corporate Matabeleland and discuss the recently announced budget, inform the business community on the currency conundrum as well as gather information regarding the challenges peculiar to our region for consideration in refining his fiscal regime henceforth,” said ZNCC in a notice to its members.

“Our desire is to intervene in the current economic challenges in a bid to proffer solutions as well as inform the business community on Government’s plans going forward and to be the conduit to progressive dialogue between Government and its stakeholders in the private sector.

“We believe that an informed person makes better decisions than his/her uninformed counterpart. We also want to curb speculative tendencies that result from lack of information.”

The 2019 budget exhibits a strong desire by Government to increase support for the productive sector, reforming the business environment and facilitating close investment partnerships and best practices in economic operations.

The $8,2 billion 2019 budget is anchored on the theme, “Austerity for Prosperity”, emphasising the need for the country to take painful but necessary measures to stabilise the economy and create a conducive environment for increased investment and job creation.

It draws inspiration from the Government’s Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP), a two-year medium term blue-print that targets medium-term macro and fiscal stabilisation and laying a solid foundation for attaining the overall goal of a strong, sustainable and shared growth.

-State Media

Correspondent|JOURNALIST Maynard Manyowa says he and his family were now living in fear for their lives after being subjected to threats by perceived opposition supporters not pleased with his Thursday comments exonerating the army from the August 1 killings.

Manyowa has filed a police report and a formal complaint with the Kgalema Motlanthe led Commission of Inquiry into the post-election disturbances.

In a statement, John Masuku, spokesperson of the probe team, urged law enforcement agents to investigate the alleged threats while also urging those attending the Harare hearings not to heckle witnesses giving their testimonies before the high profile inquiry team.

“The Commission implores the police and other enforcements agents to fully investigate urgently the allegations by Mr Manyowa and bring all perpetrators of verbal and physical violence or abuse who cause harm, despondency and discouragement to citizens who have freely testified before it,” read part of its statement.

Six civilians were shot and killed by what is widely believed to be members of the army who were deployed in central Harare on the fateful day to help quell wild protests by opposition supporters who were not happy with the slow pace of election results announcement by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.

Several witnesses, among them relatives of the deceased have since appeared before the inquiry team to say whatever they knew about the disturbances.

On his part, Manyowa, a South African based Zimbabwean scribe, distanced the army from the killings, something that has elicited a volley of social media threats.

He says he has been “viciously” attacked via social media and also “threatened in person including his two wives, children and employees right from the time he was testifying live on ZBC television and other online streaming media”.

Manyowa further claimed images of his property have also been exposed on various social media platforms with threats of causing physical harm and death to him, his family and employees.

Giving his testimony before the probe team, Manyowa said he never saw any soldiers within the vicinity of one shooting incident in which a civilian was shot and killed inside a crowd.

Since the commission began its inquiry weeks ago, some witnesses aligned to the opposition have gone all out to discredit some Zimbabwean members of the panel, in particular, Zanu PF activist Charity Manyeruke and Lovemore Madhuku of the opposition NCA.

Last week, former Zanu PF Harare provincial youth leader Jim Kunaka made sensational claims Manyeruke was among Zanu PF leaders who sent youths to beat up opposition supporters before.

Masuku urged witnesses to desist from any personal attacks on commissioners during the hearings.

“The Commission is also disturbed by people who attack and denigrate the integrity, professional ability and reputation of some Commissioners and the prerogative of the appointing authority who is the Head of State and Government,” he said.

“It should be borne in mind that His Excellency President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa saw it fit to appoint the current Commissioners to carry out this national task in terms of the laws of the land.

“Infact, the courts have since made a judgement in favour of their unperturbed continuation of duty with the right to ask questions without any threats or hindrance.

“Finally, the Commission urges all citizens who attend public hearings to give the opportunity to all those giving testimonies without interjections, heckling and demeaning.”

THE story of a Lupane man who was allegedly fatally bitten by a snake in a 49-metre deep well has taken a new twist amid claims that he fell to his death in the shaft after a rope he was using broke.

It appears the snake never existed and may have been created to cover up the fall.

The Bulawayo Fire brigade has since revealed that it took long to retrieve the body mainly because the victim’s family was refusing to have it hooked out of the narrow bottom of the well.

“They said they suspected foul play in their relative Sandile Mguni (25)’s death. They feared that if we used grappling hooks we might damage the body and destroy evidence of the actual cause of death,” said Bulawayo Chief Fire officer Mr Richard Peterson.

He said when the family finally gave permission on Friday; the body was retrieved within minutes.

“We hooked the clothes and the body was not damaged at all,” he said.

The owner of the well Mr Glen Moyo of Mkarabuli Village under Chief Mabhikwa had contracted Mr Jacob Ndlovu to rehabilitate it.

Mr Ndlovu popularly known as Ndosi sub-contracted the now deceased of Sikhwehle Village and Mr Bhekani Nyoni to do the job.

On Wednesday November 14, Mguni entered the well using a rope with the help of Mr Ndlovu and Mr Nyoni.

According to earlier reports, while Mguni, better known as Mgunyana in his village was inside the well, Mr Ndlovu and Mr Nyoni heard him screaming that he had been bitten by a snake.

Mguni’s body was fished out on Wednesday last week by rescuers from Hwange Colliery Company and Bulawayo Fire Brigade using grappling hooks, eight days after the fatal incident. They used floodlights at the bottom of the well whose diameter is less than one metre and hooked Mguni’s pair of jean shorts before pulling his body out.

The body was still intact with injuries on the head and shoulder, the Chronicle was told.

There are claims that Mr Ndlovu hatched a plan to conceal the accident and cooked up the snake story to avoid possible arrest for negligence.

Allegations are that Mr Ndlovu promised to give Mr Nyoni a cow to buy his silence.

A news crew visited the area on Friday a few hours after Mguni’s burial and spoke to the two families.

The burial site reportedly almost turned into a warzone because of a post-mortem report which has not been made public.

Efforts to speak to Mr Ndlovu and Mr Nyoni were fruitless as the two are now residing at Gomoza Police Base for security reasons because of the tense atmosphere in their home area.

The news crew also visited the police base and saw the duo busy with household chores.

Both the late Mguni’s and Moyo families said the snake story was a cover-up as no-one has seen it. “We started drilling the well in 1996 and finished in 2000. We hardly use it and wanted it cleaned. We drained all the water and paid Ndosi $30 to inspect the well to find out why the water level was low and he said there was cement at the bottom,” said Mr Moyo at his homestead.

Mr Moyo said Mr Ndlovu and crew earlier told him about a hissing sound of a snake in the well.

He said days before the tragedy the trio boiled a drum full of water and poured it in the well in an attempt to kill the snake.

“We had just had tea with the three when I went to check on my donkeys and my wife called me to rush back. Ndosi said there had been an accident. He said they heard Mguni groaning in the well and suddenly went quiet,” narrated Mr Moyo.

“No one else saw the snake around the well before and even after the incident. We’ve since filled up the well with rubble.”

His son Mr Sambulo Moyo said they were ready to engage the Mguni family which wants compensation.

The late Mguni’s uncle Mr Luka Mguni said the family wants compensation.

“They narrated to us the story of the snake which no one else has seen. The postmortem says that he had injuries on the collarbone and head which suggests that he fell and we’re unhappy because of the fabricated report they gave us. We didn’t bring the postmortem because police wanted it for investigations,” said Mr Mguni without stating how much the family wanted as compensation.

Mr Mguni said false claims of a snake in the well scared rescuers who could possibly have saved Sandile’s life.

State Media

ZIMBABWE is earning enough foreign currency to sustain the economy, but much of it is being misdirected to unproductive uses, and siphoned outside formal systems, Treasury bosses said on Friday.

Foreign currency shortage is among the top challenges blamed for much of the economic ills the country has faced over the last two decades. The challenges mounted after the adoption of multi-currencies in 2009, with the United States dollar being the anchor currency. But Finance and Economic Development Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, and his permanent secretary, Mr George Guvamatanga told captains of industry at a post 2019 national budget meeting in Harare that the country’s foreign currency earnings from exports and other sources were either being misused, or somehow disappearing into informal markets.

“Zimbabwe has no shortage of foreign currency, the foreign currency is being dissipated,” Professor Ncube said.

“If you really work out how much is coming into the country, there is a lot of foreign currency but it is being dis-intermediated, not being netted in by the financial sector.”

Mr Guvamatanga said between January and October this year, Zimbabwe had earned about $5,2 billion in foreign currency, including diaspora remittances.

“A country like Kenya, with maybe three times our population, if you check, you will note that they had merchandise exports of $4,7 billion (between January and October 2018) but, they do not have foreign currency shortages in Kenya,” he said.

“So we really need to re-examine and see what exactly is happening to our foreign currency.”

Observers have for years encouraged authorities to look at areas where the country was losing millions through leakages. In the 2019 budget, Prof Ncube imposed a raft of measures to curtail importation of unnecessary goods to save foreign currency. Meanwhile, Mr Guvamatanga said Government must come up with systems that allow the foreign currency market to operate efficiently without criminalising trade.

He said at least 25 percent of the country’s hard currency inflows, estimated at between US$70 million and $100 million, comes into the country through informal means.

“It is also very difficult to criminalise the trading of foreign currency because 25 percent of our foreign currency actually comes informally into the market because we do receive between US$70 million and $100 million from the diaspora,” he said.

“That money comes as $100, $200 so the people we are calling money changers, if you read economic books they are called aggregators. They are simply aggregating the small amounts so that it is moved to the formal system, so we need to understand exactly what our concern is as Government and as monetary authorities and try and come up with a system that allows the market to operate efficiently.”

Government recently announced plans to put in place regulations criminalising illegal trade in foreign currency with jail sentences of up to 10 years.

— New Ziana

A POLICE officer allegedly lost an AK 47 rifle during a drinking spree at a night spot with prostitutes and illegal gold panners while on duty.

The cop, identified only as Constable Tarwirei allegedly reported for duty at Chivi Tollgate, Chivi District in Masvingo Province on Friday at around 10PM.

Sources close to the investigations said that sometime during the night he sneaked from his post and went to a drinking spot near Chivi turn-off where he started drinking beer.

Cst Tarwirei, the source said, had an AK 47 rifle that was fully charged with a magazine of 30 rounds and was wearing a police uniform.

Sources said he drank beer with unknown illegal gold panners until the wee hours of the morning.

It is suspected the panners drugged him and made away with the gun.

“At about 3AM he approached a prostitute for a quickie but she turned him down. Cst Tarwirei was visibly drunk and some unknown people who are suspected to be amakorokoza continued to ply him with beer,” said the source.

The source said patrons at the night spot later told investigators that the unknown people bought beer which Cst Tarwirei guzzled but surprisingly, they were not drinking. “The prostitute that Cst Tarwirei had earlier tried to bed, said she joined the group. She said she had a couple of sips of the beer the constable was drinking and found it strange. She said she immediately felt dizzy and left the group,” said the source.

Another source said in the morning at around 5AM, Cst Tarwirei discovered that his rifle was missing and the men who were buying him alcohol were nowhere to be seen.

“He was dead drunk and had fallen asleep at the bar. He looked for his rifle. He asked people who were around but they knew nothing. The men who were buying him alcohol had disappeared,” said the source.

The source said when the gravity of the situation hit Cst Tarwirei, he seemed to sober up.

“He made a report at Chivi Turn-off Police Station. I suspect he started drinking again to drown his sorrows because when his superiors arrived hours later, he appeared dead drunk and could hardly speak,” said the source.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Mr Paul Nyathi yesterday declined to comment on the issue saying he was yet to receive a report.

“I’m not aware of such an issue, as it is I’m not at work. I can only get hold of this information once I reach office that is probably tomorrow. Now l can’t give out any comment,” he said.

State Media

Zimbabwe Amalgamated Churches Council (ZACC) patron Mr Jimayi Muduvuri criticised former Zanu-PF Harare Province Youth chair Mr
Jimu Kunaka’s testimony before a commission of inquiry led by former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe into the August 1, 2018 post-election violence.

Kunaka who is now a member of a breakaway faction of the National Patriotic Front said he used to be violent when he was a Zanu-PF
member. However, Muduvuri said Zanu-PF was right in expelling Kunaka because he is a violent
person. Said Muduvuri:
“As churches, we are left with no option except to say that Zanu-PF might have been right after all in expelling him since by his own admission he is a violent person.

But the bigger picture as a nation is that let us focus on the present challenges and how should we
achieve our national objectives.”

Terrence Mawawa|President Emmerson Mnangagwa has vowed to revoke the licences of pharmacies who get foreign currency from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) to import products but then sell the goods locally in foreign currency.

Most pharmacies reportedly reject the bond currency as well as mobile money insisting on selling
pharmaceuticals in foreign currency only. While addressing ZANU PF supporters in Murombedzi yesterday Mnangagwa had this to say:”
These pharmacies are charging in US
dollars but their employees are not
paid in US dollars. We sat down as
Cabinet and directed the Minister of
Health and Child Care, Dr Obadiah
Moyo, to tell them Government is not
happy with what they are doing.

The majority of you who were now
selling medical provisions, asking for
US dollars, it’s not proper because you go and queue at the RBZ asking for foreign currency to import these drugs.
There is no reason why you should,
therefore, ask the public to purchase
these drugs in foreign currency when
you yourselves get it from the Reserve Bank. Those of you who do not heed this caution: danger is coming, we will withdraw your licences.”

Terrence Mawawa|Zimbabwean businessman Mutumwa Mawere, who is now based in South Africa has urged Parliamentarians to push for a return to constitutionalism to ensure economic growth.

Mawere has also called on the Emmerson Mnangagwa government to walk the talk as far as restoring investor confidence is concerned.

Commenting on the loopholes in the controversial Reconstruction Act Mawere said:”The question is whose failure? I have talked to someone who said that is it not ironic that Hwange is alleged to be indebted to the state, yet the Act used does not define what the state is? Where are the voices on issues that unite and not divide people?”

“How can a mortal and fallible human actor be a dictator when the idea of dictatorship is based on compounding choices and actions? Has it occurred to you that even in small groups like family, the husband may foolishly think that he controls the wife when the reality may be
otherwise?”

“How can hidden interests be remotely managed.No settler came as a consequence of force but a conscious and aspirational decision to advance their personal safety and happiness.”

President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday revealed that his predecessor Robert Mugabe is now unable to walk, an indication that the 94-year-old’s health continues to deteriorate.

Mnangagwa told a Zanu PF rally in Zvimba’s Murombedzi area that Mugabe was receiving medical treatment in Singapore and would return home this week.
“He is now old. Of course, he now is unable to walk, but whatever he asks for we will provide,” he said.

Mnangagwa said Mugabe had been unwell in Singapore, but he was informed that he would return home on Friday.

Mugabe left Singapore almost two months ago.

“We are looking after him. He is the founding father of the nation of Zimbabwe. He is our founding father of a free Zimbabwe,” Mnangagwa said.

“For two months now, he has been in Singapore receiving treatment. He was supposed to come back home on October 25, but his health was not yet good.

“But I have received a message just now that he is now getting better and will come back on 30 November.”

Last week marked a year after Mugabe was forced to step down following a coup.

Mnangagwa became president on November 24 last year, ending Mugabe’s 37-year rule

-The Standard

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa seems to have taken a leaf from his mentor Robert Mugabe by signing investment deals worth billions of dollars — some opaque or dubious — that never see the light of day.

During Mugabe’s era, several deals were signed, especially with China raising hopes of a swift economic turnaround, only to disappear from the radar after the pomp and fanfare.

Since coming to power in November last year, Mnangagwa has been preaching the “Zimbabwe is open for business” mantra, promising to create an investor-friendly environment.

In the run-up to the July 30 elections, the president repeatedly claimed that Zimbabwe had attracted investment commitments amounting to over $16 billion since he took over power.

Some of the so-called mega deals that Mnangagwa signed were in mining, energy and tourism.

But as was during the Mugabe’s era, it is still so during the new dispensation.

Mega deals are signed with controversial companies or characters and are never implemented.

For instance, in May this year, government signed a $5,2 billion deal with a South Africa firm, Nkosikhona Holdings, for the production of over eight million litres of liquid fuels per day from coal in Hwange.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the plant was scheduled for June 1, 2018 while mining operations were expected to start in September, but none of that happened.

The deal was even granted national project status by Mnangagwa himself.

The deal raised eyebrows with analysts saying the South African company’s credentials were suspect.

Parliamentary portfolio committee on mines and mining development chairperson Temba Mliswa said it was a cause for concern that none of the deals had been implemented, almost a year after some of them were announced.

“It’s a cause for concern naturally because we expect those deals to be implemented,” he said. “Government also would not have done due diligence on those investors.”

Mliswa said failure to implement investment deals was common during the Mugabe era and the new administration seemed to be continuing with the tradition.

“These deals are critical in turning around the economy. They are a quick win,” he said. ‘The government should adopt a use it or lose it policy. We cannot continue like this.”

Mliswa also said government should review the indigenisation policy on platinum, saying it would be difficult for investors to put in their money in Zimbabwe.

Mnangagwa’s government amended the Mugabe-era Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act, which aimed to increase black Zimbabweans’ ownership of mines by preventing foreign entities from holding majority stakes.

The revised law exempts several sectors such as mining from the controversial 51% indigenisation threshold, but not diamond and platinum mines.

National Assembly speaker Jacob Mudenda said appropriate parliamentary committees would make follow-ups on progress in the implementation of the deals.

“What happens is that the appropriate committee will interface with the relevant minister or ministry to find out progress and that’s an ongoing exercise,” he said.

“It is the responsibility of the committee to interface with the relevant minister or ministry to find out progress.”

Bulawayo-based economic commentator Reginald Shoko said transition from commitment to implementation normally involved a lot of procedures and some of the deals would not sail through due to the prevailing economic challenges in Zimbabwe..

“There are also issues of too much red tape in government offices, which is affecting the ease of doing business,” he said.

“The delays have a serious impact on the confidence of investors in the economy, which has a negative impact on growth projections,” Shoko said.

“We are still lowly ranked in terms of competitiveness and ease of doing business.

“In short, we are still considered a risky investment destination. We will continue with high levels of unemployment and being a net importer of goods and services.”

The Southern and Eastern African Trade Information and Negotiations Institute (Seatini) recently raised a red flag over deals the government signed in the past few months, saying they were characterised by opaqueness and lack of public scrutiny.

“There are, however, discomforts emanating from the opaqueness of the processes leading to these major investment deals, as they are signed in boardrooms, with the public lacking key details to such deals,” Seatini said in a statement.

“There is no full disclosure of details and information on these deals, including full disclosure of the investors.

“Currently, there are limited forums for collective interrogation of these investment deals that are inclusive of communities and the civil society.”

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services deputy minister Energy Mutodi insisted the deals were work in progress.

-The Standard

DETAILS have emerged of a controversial meeting between MDC deputy president Elias Mudzuri and Secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora as well as Chief Justice (CJ) Luke Malaba, which has seen daggers being drawn against the two politicians.

Mudzuri and Mwonzora met Malaba and his deputy Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza at the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) in Harare where the two are accused by pro-party leader Nelson Chamisa supporters of tendering an apology to the chief justice.

This was after MDC Alliance MPs embarrassed Malaba during the swearing-in of new MPs in September.

Mwonzora and Mudzuri met Malaba soon after the ConCourt threw out Chamisa’s petition challenging President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s July 30 disputed election victory.

According to minutes of the meeting obtained by The Standard, the two wanted to mend relations between the opposition party and the judiciary following the acrimonious election dispute.

“The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the relationship between the judiciary as an arm of the state and political parties in view of recent developments and various statements on social media,” reads part of the minutes in our possession.

“It was emphasised that the purpose of the meeting was not to discuss any personalities or judgements made by the Constitutional Court.

“Hon Mudzuri thanked the Chief Justice for the meeting. He introduced the secretary-general Hon Mwonzora.

“He stated that the MDC has specific positions regarding the separation of powers, the judiciary, the Constitutional Court as well as the officers within the judiciary in particular the Chief Justice himself which it wanted to make clear to the CJ and his team. He called upon Hon Mwonzora to outline these.”

Mwonzora told the meeting that the MDC respected the doctrine of separation of powers between the executive, judiciary and the legislature, but was against the domination of one arm of the state over the others.

The two said their party had a right to criticise the behaviour of any arm of the state including the judiciary.

“That criticism should not be regarded as disrespect or contempt of that arm, but part of positive criticism, which is the cornerstone of any democratic system,” added the minutes.

Mwonzora and Mudzuri said their party stands for a truly independent judiciary, but for the judiciary to be truly independent it had to receive the necessary support from all the stakeholders.

They said the MDC would play its role both within Parliament and outside to make sure that the judiciary is not undermined and its independence preserved.

Mwonzora told the meeting that during the constitution-making process, the MDC was instrumental in the establishment of the ConCourt.

“The criticism of the Constitutional Court or any other court should be viewed as enhancing rather than diminishing its independence. Fair and objective criticism of the courts should be encouraged in Zimbabwe,” he is quoted as saying.

During the discussions, concern was raised over a number of articles on social media “maligning” the judiciary and the claims that the MDC was behind the messages.

In response, Mwonzora said the party only communicates through the office of the spokesperson and not social media.

“On the recent heckling of the Chief Justice by members of Parliament, Hon Mudzuri advised the meeting that this had not been planned by the party and appeared to have been a spontaneous reaction by the MPs to the Constitutional Court ruling in the presidential election petition,” the minutes added.

“However, the petition was clearly not a subject matter for discussion in the meeting as previously stated.

“The MDC assured the Chief Justice that the reaction of the MPs was not directed at him personally.

“He regretted it that an impression had been created in the state media that the reaction had been directed to him personally.

“He reiterated that the party and its president retained a lot of respect for the person of the Chief Justice and would maintain the distinction between the judicial officers, including the Chief Justice, and the decisions that they make.”

Malaba “thanked the MDC for the courtesy and respect that they had shown to the judiciary, the Constitutional Court as an institution and his person through this engagement”.

However, Mwonzora and Mudzuri’s opponents in the party are now using the meeting to push for their ouster.

The two, who have been linked to a group plotting to oust Chamisa, refused to comment on the matter.

-The Standard

Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga yesterday vowed that MDC leader Nelson Chamisa will never take over as president, saying no opposition leader will ever rule the country.

Addressing Zanu PF supporters in Zvimba yesterday at a “thank you rally” organised for President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Chiwenga — who led the military coup against former president Robert Mugabe in November last year — launched an unrestrained verbal attack on Chamisa.

He described the opposition leader, who is an Apostolic Faith Mission pastor, as a false prophet and a “little bishop”.

The VP — who resurfaced last week after a long absence from public events amid reports that he was seriously ill — declared that there was no vacancy at State House.

“We hear that this young preacher is going around telling people that he is on his way to State House. That is wishful thinking,” charged Chiwenga.
“There is no vacancy at State House now and forever for opposition parties.”

He described Chamisa’s supporters as blind.

“We are saying [this] to you blind ones who could not see and voted for this little bishop — the false prophet. He elects himself and the fire refuses to light up. He elects himself and the birds return to the podium,” the VP said.

Chiwenga was referring to the Gwanzura Stadium incident where Chamisa struggled to light what his party described as a “democracy flame” and released 19 doves.

“This is what Jehovah says, we do not want to play with the name of Jehovah to that extent,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mnangagwa also fired a broadside at Chamisa, saying he was abusing the democracy ushered in following former president Robert Mugabe’s ouster by the military.

“We are doing government programmes to feed the nation like command agriculture and when some people are full, they abuse the democratic space we created for them. . . they must be warned that we are not fools,” he said.

Mnangagwa went on to compare Chamisa with MDC founding leader, the late Morgan Tsvangirai, whom he described as better than the youthful politician.
“Tsvangirai was better because he had Zimbabwe at heart. We differed with him, but he would give you his thoughts in a more mature manner,” Mnangagwa said.

Tsvangirai succumbed to cancer in February this year.

Chamisa immediately took to Twitter to mock both Mnangagwa and Chiwenga following their statements. “I am praying for sekuru Chiwenga,” he tweeted.

“He really needs grace. I thank him for acknowledging my faith and ordaining me a prophet.”

He said the VP sounded like Ian Smith with his “not in a thousand years mantra”.

He said Mnangagwa seemed to “miss my old man, the iconic MT, the man who taught me to fight oppression and injustice.”

-The Standard

Jane Mlambo| Self exiled former cabinet minister has lashed at President Emmerson Mnangagwa for threatening to withdraw licenses of pharmacies selling in United States dollars saying economic problems need economic solutions not a clampdown on businesses.

Posting on Twitter today, Jonathan Moyo labelled Mnangagwa a stalinist who does not believe in free market economics which have been the new way of doing business accross the world.

"Mnangagwa clamps down on pharmacies"@SundayMailZim

Threatening to withdraw licenses & criminalising pharmacies in response to a crisis is evidence of ruthlessness to camouflage cluelessness.

It's Stalinist.

Economic problems need economic solutions!https://t.co/iiye9TPx3q pic.twitter.com/0irIzKnChe

— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) November 25, 2018

One of the Boeing aircraft recently bought by Zimbabwe for a new state airline has been sold to a US firm for spare parts, a newspaper has claimed.

Zimbabwe is reported to have acquired four Boeing 777s from Malaysia Airlines, though only two were paid for.

Kansas-based buyer

Now one of the planes has been sold to Kansas-based Jet Midwest, claims the private Daily News.

“Jet Midwest is in the business of buying used aircraft from airlines and selling them for spares, leasing them or selling them off to other players,” the paper said.

Former transport minister Joram Gumbo confirmed to the Daily News that one of Zimbabwe Airways’ planes was in the US, but would not say why.

Earlier this year one of the new Boeings landed at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, painted in fresh Zimbabwe colours, and bearing the name Zimbabwe Airways.

Looking for investor

It was unclear how the newly-named airline would operate alongside the old debt-saddled Air Zimbabwe, though both are said to be state-owned.

Since acquiring the new plane, Zimbabwe Airways has not conducted a single commercial flight, and the plane delivered to Harare was sent back to Malaysia.

Last week the government said it would float a tender for an investor to turn around the fortunes of Air Zimbabwe, the state-run Chronicle said.

-News24

Jane Mlambo| Jealousy Mawarire, the spokesperson of the Zimbabwe People First, a party backed by former President Robert Mugabe has lashed at President Emmerson Mnangagwa for what he said is harassing opposition members of parliament when they were violently ejected from the house for not standing up for him.

Posting on Twitter, Mawarire said…

Did I ever say MPs shld stand for ED? I said ED is an EDiot for harassing MPs who didnt stand for him. https://t.co/IPDqJJ8SeK

— mawarire mbizvo jealousy (@mawarirej) November 25, 2018

Jane Mlambo| Controversial whistleblower and former Zanu PF youth members, Acie Lumumba real name William Gerald Mutumanja has spoken hard against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Thank You rallies saying, he should be pre-occupied with improving the welfare of the country.

Posting on Twitter early today, Lumumba said ….

I don't think it's appropriate time for #ThankYouRally Mr President, nevertheless nice pictures and nice caps. It's my desire we may soon show pictures of new production plants, houses,hospitals & empowered youth. Also listened to the speeches, i honestly don't know hangu! pic.twitter.com/hBim1XK9us

— #ThePeoplesChampion???✊? (@acielumumba) November 25, 2018

THE Government has assured the nation of adequate fuel supplies during the farming and festive seasons.
Energy and Power Development Minister Dr Joram Gumbo said the ministry was fully aware of the country’s daily fuel consumption and various efforts have been put in place to ensure sufficient availability of the commodity.

According to statistics from the ministry about four million litres of diesel and 3,1 million litres of petrol are used in the country per day.

“According to the calculations of what we have in the country we have got enough fuel to cover those units of farming and to cover our needs during the festive season. So as far as we are concerned from the ministry’s point of view we have contingency plans to make sure that we have enough fuel to take us through the festive season and the farming season,” said Dr Gumbo.

The country tends to use more fuel during the farming season as farmers embark on land preparations while people tend to travel a lot during the festive seasons.

He said as part of the efforts to cushion the foreign currency allocation from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) for the procurement of fuel, the Government has entered into negotiations with the Independent Petroleum Group and one of the world’s largest independent commodity trading houses Trafigura.

“The contingency plan that we have put in place to augment or to complement what Government has put in place through RBZ with regards to the allocation of foreign currency, we have also been able to negotiate some facilities through IPG and Trafigura to provide us with some facilities that will actually see us getting through 18 months, which is about one-and-a- half years to supplement what Government does,” said Dr Gumbo.

RBZ is considering raising foreign currency allocation to petroleum companies from $20 million to around $30 to $35 million per week.

Dr Gumbo said at times fuel shortage was exacerbated by the delay by RBZ to allocate foreign currency to oil companies for the procurement of the commodity.

“What is affecting us at the moment is the provision of forex from the RBZ. While we have got the contingency plans, RBZ has to chip in on a weekly basis to make sure that they provide forex to the oil companies so that they are not disturbed by the lack of flow of uplifting fuel from Msasa to Mabvuku. If that is maintained we have no problem. I know it’s doing its best and at times they delay to allocate the foreign currency because of certain demands from other sectors of our economy who will also be lining up for the forex, which is not in good supply because our production is not really bringing enough foreign currency,” he said.

Last week some service stations in Harare, Bulawayo and some parts of the country ran out of fuel culminating in winding queues at most of the garages resurfacing after three weeks of normality.

The ministry attributed the recent shortages at some service stations to delays in foreign currency allocations.

Over the past two days, fuel stock-outs have been witnessed at some service stations, particularly in Harare.

“The stock-outs emanate from delays in foreign currency allocation. When foreign currency is eventually released, it takes some time to arrange the transport logistics to deliver fuel to the affected service stations,” read part of the statement.

The ministry, however, urged the public to refrain from acts of panic buying and hoarding.

“The country is still constrained in terms of foreign currency, while there are many competing demands on the available foreign currency. The Government notes that the demand for fuel remains high and once again appeals to members of the public to avoid panic buying and hoarding and to use fuel mainly for productive purposes,” reads part of the statement.

-State Media

The Washington Times – Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Most Democratic lawmakers, dressed in black, refused to stand to greet President Trump for his first State of the Union address Tuesday night, setting the tone for one of the most divisive receptions for a president in modern history.

Many sour-faced Democrats also declined to stand and applaud first lady Melania Trump, who countered their black outfits with a bright white pantsuit.

First ladies are usually warmly greeted no matter what the party. But Mr. Trump’s presidency has been different from the start, with the president pursuing a conservative agenda and Democrats vowing total resistance from the start — including attempting impeachment before his first year was done.

Democrats even sat on their hands when Mr. Trump celebrated historically low unemployment rates and vowed not to forget people suffering from natural disasters.

Most Democrats did, however, applaud the heroes sitting with first Lady Melania Trump who rescued Americans from natural disasters, or the police officer who along with his wife adopted the baby of a heroin addict. And nearly all Democrats gave a standing ovation to Rep. Steve Scalise, the Louisiana Republican shot by a deranged leftist at a baseball practice last year.

Democrats’ confusion over when to stand was on full display when Mr. Trump suggested Americans should stand for the National Anthem.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi stood and tapped her hands together, looking around at her colleagues still sitting and giving them a quick shrug. Rep. Steny H. Hoyer, her chief lieutenant, stayed seated.

Sen. Joe Manchin, West Virginia Democrat, was a glaring exception, regularly joining Republicans in standing ovations.

Despite the stone faces, some Democrats afterward said they found plenty of areas of agreement.

“If the president chooses to follow through on his prepared remarks tonight, he will find Democrats ready to work with him on lowering prescription drug prices, making massive new investments in America’s crumbling roads and bridges, passing meaningful paid family leave legislation, and protecting Dreamers,” said Sen. Richard Durbin, the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate.

Mr. Trump appeared to acknowledge the divisions in the room, asking for lawmakers to seek beyond the rancor.

“Tonight, I call upon all of us to set aside our differences, to seek out common ground, and to summon the unity we need to deliver for the people we were elected to serve,” he said.

Seven years ago, after the shooting of them-Rep. Gabby Giffords just ahead of a State of the Union address, lawmakers vowed to tone down the partisanship. Many of them vowed to cross the aisle to sit with friends or members of their state delegation from the other party.

That practice has all but petered out, though a few Republicans crossed the center aisle to sit on the Democratic side.

Two of them — Reps. John Culberson and Michael McCaul — sat with fellow Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar.

At one point the two Republicans leapt to applaud and, after giving them a few seconds, Mr. Cuellar grabbed their suit coat hems and began to pull them back into their seats.

August 23, 2018 EFF leader Julius Malema addressed media in Johannesburg about the latest development in the country.

Instead of merely proving her wrong, as she has requested, the EFF leader has continued merely to insult her and other detractors.

In an extraordinarily angry tweet on Saturday night, EFF leader Julius Malema hit out at investigative journalist Pauli van Wyk after she shared an editorial from the Mail & Guardian that was critical of him.

She wrote that Malema “has to take responsibility for violence meted out to journalists. He is stoking the flames of a campaign against journalists whose work he disputes … and ultimately endanger[s] the lives of journalists.

Malema responded: “You are sick, go to hell satan.”

Malema was taken on by many followers, some of whom said he was being immature.

He responded cheekily: “You think I care.”

When another person said one shouldn’t speak “to a woman like that”, he answered, “I just did, so what?”

It’s not the first time Malema has name-called Van Wyk. It’s also not even the first reference to Satan. In an apparent response to a recent damning news article about him and the EFF, Malema retweeted a screenshot highlighting that Van Wyk supposedly considers Satan her hero, which she had originally meant as a joke.

Much of Twitter was appalled this week by the information presented in Van Wyk’s investigation of how at least about R1.8 million reached Malema, his deputy Floyd Shivambu and the EFF from the now liquidated VBS Mutual Bank.

Van Wyk described this money as the “proceeds of crime” and that both men would have known this while participating in the alleged scheme involving Shivambu’s brother and Malema’s cousin through a network of front companies.

Malema had earlier denied to Van Wyk that there was any truth to her story, while the EFF itself continued to defend its leaders.

Many on Twitter on Wednesday expressed a desire to see a proper investigation from and prosecution by authorities, if indeed the EFF’s top leaders have enriched themselves criminally, as Van Wyk insists they have.

Van Wyk has said in interviews that she would encourage Malema to either show her evidence of where she is wrong, take her to the media ombudsman or even sue her, but the “online violence”, insults and threats against her were “totally unacceptable”.

EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi shared a clip of the late Winnie Madikizela-Mandela saying she became disillusioned with the media.

The South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) said on Saturday it would urgently seek a meeting with the leadership of the EFF following threats made mainly to women journalists by Malema and other EFF leaders on social media and at various political rallies.

“Earlier this week, Malema named several journalists and called on EFF supporters to ‘deal with them decisively’,”  Sanef said in a statement issued after its last council meeting for 2018 on Saturday.

“Following his [Malema’s] comments, we have seen some of the journalists physically accosted and abused on social media. One journalist was verbally threatened outside the venue of the Zondo commission, where Malema had made some of these threats. In another incident, a senior editor [Ranjeni Munusamy] was accosted by three men who shouted her surname and mocked her while she was out shopping,” Sanef said.

A series of steps would be urgently undertaken to stop unacceptable, inflammatory remarks by Malema and other EFF leaders. These incidents were just one example of a series of abusive comments and threats by politicians to journalists and could not be tolerated.

“There is a real danger as they filter beyond cyberspace and become physical threats. Criticism is part of democracy but hate speech and sexually abusive threats online and bullying are out of order and can endanger the lives of journalists. They also have a chilling effect in newsrooms, with specifically younger journalists feeling fearful and intimidated and thus withdrawing from critical reporting on politicians,” Sanef said.

-Citizen

Seven people have been killed and burnt beyond recognition after they were involved in a collision along the N1 between Kranskop and Mookgophong in Limpopo this morning.

It’s understood the victims died after the taxi they were travelling in crashed into a truck.

The incident happened in the same region where 40 people died in September after a bus was involved in an accident.

Authorities are combing through the scene to determine the cause of the crash.

Provincial transport and community safety department spokesperson Matome Moremi-Tauatsoala said, “Those travelling from Limpopo, rather use R101 to go to Johannesburg. Those coming from Johannesburg rather use Bela Bela offarmp.”

-EWN

Twelve people have been killed in a suspected Islamist attack in northern Mozambique, with thousands of villagers fleeing the area into neighbouring Tanzania, police sources said Sunday.

Early Friday, “there was an attack in Nangane district, where there are no security patrols. The attackers killed 12 people, mostly women and children,” a police source in Cabo Delgado province, who asked not to be named, told AFP.

The attack took place in the village of Chicuaia Velha, just a few kilometres (miles) from Tanzania, forcing several thousand people to cross the border to seek safety, police said.

A local journalist said the villagers were killed by machete or died when their houses were set on fire by the attackers.

It was the third such incident in the last month in Cabo Delgado, leaving 20 dead in all.

The authorities have responded with a crackdown, rounding up some 200 suspects.

-AFP

DETAILS have emerged of a controversial meeting between MDC deputy president Elias Mudzuri and Secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora as well as Chief Justice (CJ) Luke Malaba, which has seen daggers being drawn against the two politicians.

Mudzuri and Mwonzora met Malaba and his deputy Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza at the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) in Harare where the two are accused by pro-party leader Nelson Chamisa supporters of tendering an apology to the chief justice.

This was after MDC Alliance MPs embarrassed Malaba during the swearing-in of new MPs in September.

Mwonzora and Mudzuri met Malaba soon after the ConCourt threw out Chamisa’s petition challenging President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s July 30 disputed election victory.

According to minutes of the meeting obtained by The Standard, the two wanted to mend relations between the opposition party and the judiciary following the acrimonious election dispute.

“The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the relationship between the judiciary as an arm of the state and political parties in view of recent developments and various statements on social media,” reads part of the minutes in our possession.

“It was emphasised that the purpose of the meeting was not to discuss any personalities or judgements made by the Constitutional Court.

“Hon Mudzuri thanked the Chief Justice for the meeting. He introduced the secretary-general Hon Mwonzora.

“He stated that the MDC has specific positions regarding the separation of powers, the judiciary, the Constitutional Court as well as the officers within the judiciary in particular the Chief Justice himself which it wanted to make clear to the CJ and his team. He called upon Hon Mwonzora to outline these.”

Mwonzora told the meeting that the MDC respected the doctrine of separation of powers between the executive, judiciary and the legislature, but was against the domination of one arm of the state over the others.

The two said their party had a right to criticise the behaviour of any arm of the state including the judiciary.

“That criticism should not be regarded as disrespect or contempt of that arm, but part of positive criticism, which is the cornerstone of any democratic system,” added the minutes.

Mwonzora and Mudzuri said their party stands for a truly independent judiciary, but for the judiciary to be truly independent it had to receive the necessary support from all the stakeholders.

They said the MDC would play its role both within Parliament and outside to make sure that the judiciary is not undermined and its independence preserved.

Mwonzora told the meeting that during the constitution-making process, the MDC was instrumental in the establishment of the ConCourt.

“The criticism of the Constitutional Court or any other court should be viewed as enhancing rather than diminishing its independence. Fair and objective criticism of the courts should be encouraged in Zimbabwe,” he is quoted as saying.

During the discussions, concern was raised over a number of articles on social media “maligning” the judiciary and the claims that the MDC was behind the messages.

In response, Mwonzora said the party only communicates through the office of the spokesperson and not social media.

“On the recent heckling of the Chief Justice by members of Parliament, Hon Mudzuri advised the meeting that this had not been planned by the party and appeared to have been a spontaneous reaction by the MPs to the Constitutional Court ruling in the presidential election petition,” the minutes added.

“However, the petition was clearly not a subject matter for discussion in the meeting as previously stated.

“The MDC assured the Chief Justice that the reaction of the MPs was not directed at him personally.

“He regretted it that an impression had been created in the state media that the reaction had been directed to him personally.

“He reiterated that the party and its president retained a lot of respect for the person of the Chief Justice and would maintain the distinction between the judicial officers, including the Chief Justice, and the decisions that they make.”

Malaba “thanked the MDC for the courtesy and respect that they had shown to the judiciary, the Constitutional Court as an institution and his person through this engagement”.

However, Mwonzora and Mudzuri’s opponents in the party are now using the meeting to push for their ouster.

The two, who have been linked to a group plotting to oust Chamisa, refused to comment on the matter.

-The Standard

Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga yesterday vowed that MDC leader Nelson Chamisa will never take over as president, saying no opposition leader will ever rule the country.

Addressing Zanu PF supporters in Zvimba yesterday at a “thank you rally” organised for President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Chiwenga — who led the military coup against former president Robert Mugabe in November last year — launched an unrestrained verbal attack on Chamisa.

He described the opposition leader, who is an Apostolic Faith Mission pastor, as a false prophet and a “little bishop”.

The VP — who resurfaced last week after a long absence from public events amid reports that he was seriously ill — declared that there was no vacancy at State House.

“We hear that this young preacher is going around telling people that he is on his way to State House. That is wishful thinking,” charged Chiwenga.
“There is no vacancy at State House now and forever for opposition parties.”

He described Chamisa’s supporters as blind.

“We are saying [this] to you blind ones who could not see and voted for this little bishop — the false prophet. He elects himself and the fire refuses to light up. He elects himself and the birds return to the podium,” the VP said.

Chiwenga was referring to the Gwanzura Stadium incident where Chamisa struggled to light what his party described as a “democracy flame” and released 19 doves.

“This is what Jehovah says, we do not want to play with the name of Jehovah to that extent,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mnangagwa also fired a broadside at Chamisa, saying he was abusing the democracy ushered in following former president Robert Mugabe’s ouster by the military.

“We are doing government programmes to feed the nation like command agriculture and when some people are full, they abuse the democratic space we created for them. . . they must be warned that we are not fools,” he said.

Mnangagwa went on to compare Chamisa with MDC founding leader, the late Morgan Tsvangirai, whom he described as better than the youthful politician.
“Tsvangirai was better because he had Zimbabwe at heart. We differed with him, but he would give you his thoughts in a more mature manner,” Mnangagwa said.

Tsvangirai succumbed to cancer in February this year.

Chamisa immediately took to Twitter to mock both Mnangagwa and Chiwenga following their statements. “I am praying for sekuru Chiwenga,” he tweeted.

“He really needs grace. I thank him for acknowledging my faith and ordaining me a prophet.”

He said the VP sounded like Ian Smith with his “not in a thousand years mantra”.

He said Mnangagwa seemed to “miss my old man, the iconic MT, the man who taught me to fight oppression and injustice.”

-The Standard

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said pharmacies that demand foreign currency for medicine and medical provisions will lose their licenses.

The Head of State and Government said his administration would not stand by while the public was abused by greedy retailers who accessed foreign currency from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, but then still demanded greenbacks from ordinary people.

At the first of his Presidential Thank You Rally at Murombedzi growth point in Zvimba yesterday, Zimbabwe’s leader also said he was firmly focused on socio-economic transformation and would from this week go around the country to launch at least 11 major projects.

Addressing thousands of people who turned out for the rally, President Mnangagwa said Government was taking tough measures on businesses that promoted economic hardships while pursuing profits.

“These pharmacies are charging in US dollars but their employees are not paid in US dollars. We sat down as Cabinet and directed the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Obadiah Moyo, to tell them Government is not happy with what they are doing.

“The majority of you who were now selling medical provisions, asking for US dollars, it’s not proper because you go and queue at the RBZ asking for foreign currency to import these drugs.

“There is no reason why you should, therefore, ask the public to purchase these drugs in foreign currency when you yourselves get it from the Reserve Bank.

“Those of you who do not heed this caution: danger is coming, we will withdraw your licences,” he said, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.

President Mnangagwa said he had told Industry and Commerce Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu to regularly engage business over pricing.

“Prices were going up left right and centre, but I called business leaders to State House, and immediately some of them reduced the prices. Fertiliser was increased from $35 to more than $100, but when I engaged with them, they said they would reduce it to $45.

“Most of the manufacturers and wholesalers are charging acceptable prices, but it is the retailers who have the biggest problem.

“I asked my young minister, Ndlovu, to meet with them and I am waiting for further details. But if they refuse to reduce prices then they will also lose their licenses,” he said.

The President said in line with Government’s focus on the socioeconomic sphere, Zimbabwe’s food security had been guaranteed thanks to Command Agriculture which ensured the Strategic Grain Reserve was adequately stocked.

He said Command Agriculture beneficiaries who had not abided by contractual obligations would be blacklisted until they honoured their debts.

“We are in our third year with Command Agriculture and it has been a tremendous success because we have eradicated hunger.

“We now have more than one million tonnes in the Strategic Grain Reserve so that means there is no family that will go hungry because you will receive the grain for free. You should work with your councillors, headmen and chiefs and they will assist you

“Every week (Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare) Minister (Dr Sekai) Nzenza briefs us on the food security situation because we want to make sure that no one goes hungry and all those in need of food aid can easily get it.

“We have enough grain to feed the people until next year and there should be no family in the country that should go hungry.”

The ruling party’s First Secretary added that the Presidential Inputs Scheme was non-discriminatory.

“The Presidential Inputs Scheme is not selective, it is open to everyone regardless of political affiliation,” he said. “We have 1,8 million families that … should all benefit from this programme which gives fertiliser and maize seed to every household. This should enable you to provide enough to feed the family at household level.

“Those in the opposition, MDC, are also free to benefit from this scheme. This programme is open for all and sundry.”

President Mnangagwa said his administration had enhanced democracy, and now everyone should focus on economic development, saying “none but ourselves will take the country forward”.

“Starting (this week) we will have several ground breaking ceremonies. There is going to be the new executive headquarters for Parliament on the 30th of this month.

“From there, we will go to the lithium mine project that will bring us billions (of dollars). I have a long list, at least 11 projects, on my table.”

The President said the $300 million availed for devolution in the 2018 National Budget demonstrated his Government’s commitment to inclusive development across Zimbabwe.

Present at the rally were Vice-President Dr Constantino Chiwenga, Zanu-PF National Chair Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, and ruling party Politburo and Central Committee members among other officials.

-State Media

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa seems to have taken a leaf from his mentor Robert Mugabe by signing investment deals worth billions of dollars — some opaque or dubious — that never see the light of day.

During Mugabe’s era, several deals were signed, especially with China raising hopes of a swift economic turnaround, only to disappear from the radar after the pomp and fanfare.

Since coming to power in November last year, Mnangagwa has been preaching the “Zimbabwe is open for business” mantra, promising to create an investor-friendly environment.

In the run-up to the July 30 elections, the president repeatedly claimed that Zimbabwe had attracted investment commitments amounting to over $16 billion since he took over power.

Some of the so-called mega deals that Mnangagwa signed were in mining, energy and tourism.

But as was during the Mugabe’s era, it is still so during the new dispensation.

Mega deals are signed with controversial companies or characters and are never implemented.

For instance, in May this year, government signed a $5,2 billion deal with a South Africa firm, Nkosikhona Holdings, for the production of over eight million litres of liquid fuels per day from coal in Hwange.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the plant was scheduled for June 1, 2018 while mining operations were expected to start in September, but none of that happened.

The deal was even granted national project status by Mnangagwa himself.

The deal raised eyebrows with analysts saying the South African company’s credentials were suspect.

Parliamentary portfolio committee on mines and mining development chairperson Temba Mliswa said it was a cause for concern that none of the deals had been implemented, almost a year after some of them were announced.

“It’s a cause for concern naturally because we expect those deals to be implemented,” he said. “Government also would not have done due diligence on those investors.”

Mliswa said failure to implement investment deals was common during the Mugabe era and the new administration seemed to be continuing with the tradition.

“These deals are critical in turning around the economy. They are a quick win,” he said. ‘The government should adopt a use it or lose it policy. We cannot continue like this.”

Mliswa also said government should review the indigenisation policy on platinum, saying it would be difficult for investors to put in their money in Zimbabwe.

Mnangagwa’s government amended the Mugabe-era Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act, which aimed to increase black Zimbabweans’ ownership of mines by preventing foreign entities from holding majority stakes.

The revised law exempts several sectors such as mining from the controversial 51% indigenisation threshold, but not diamond and platinum mines.

National Assembly speaker Jacob Mudenda said appropriate parliamentary committees would make follow-ups on progress in the implementation of the deals.

“What happens is that the appropriate committee will interface with the relevant minister or ministry to find out progress and that’s an ongoing exercise,” he said.

“It is the responsibility of the committee to interface with the relevant minister or ministry to find out progress.”

Bulawayo-based economic commentator Reginald Shoko said transition from commitment to implementation normally involved a lot of procedures and some of the deals would not sail through due to the prevailing economic challenges in Zimbabwe..

“There are also issues of too much red tape in government offices, which is affecting the ease of doing business,” he said.

“The delays have a serious impact on the confidence of investors in the economy, which has a negative impact on growth projections,” Shoko said.

“We are still lowly ranked in terms of competitiveness and ease of doing business.

“In short, we are still considered a risky investment destination. We will continue with high levels of unemployment and being a net importer of goods and services.”

The Southern and Eastern African Trade Information and Negotiations Institute (Seatini) recently raised a red flag over deals the government signed in the past few months, saying they were characterised by opaqueness and lack of public scrutiny.

“There are, however, discomforts emanating from the opaqueness of the processes leading to these major investment deals, as they are signed in boardrooms, with the public lacking key details to such deals,” Seatini said in a statement.

“There is no full disclosure of details and information on these deals, including full disclosure of the investors.

“Currently, there are limited forums for collective interrogation of these investment deals that are inclusive of communities and the civil society.”

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services deputy minister Energy Mutodi insisted the deals were work in progress.

-The Standard

Jane Mlambo| A Binga bound bus has rammed into a stationary truck at Gwayi bridge, Binga road.

No injuries have been reported.

More details to follow….

TOP Finland listed firms confirmed Saturday evening that two top executives perished aboard the ill-fated Masvingo plane crash on Friday morning.

Among the passengers confirmed dead was 52-year-old Pekka Ojanpää, chief executive of the maintenance services and circular economy firm Lassila & Tikkanoja, Finnish media reported on Saturday.

Another of the crash victims was 51-year-old Heikki Vappula, director of forestry company UPM’s Biorefining business unit.

All of the Finns on board the ill-fated Cessna S206 aircraft were said to be men in their 50s. The pilot also died in the crash.

Reports indicate that the plane took off in cloudy conditions from an airfield near Chiredzi in the mountainous Masvingo province and was bound for Victoria Falls.

The victims’ bodies were transferred to the Masvingo hospital for forensic examinations.

Finland’s Safety Investigation Authority Otkes had not yet received any information from Zimbabwean officials about the crash, director Veli-Pekka Nurmi announced on Saturday.

“It seems that we will not get it, at least this weekend,” he added.

According to Nurmi, it does not seem likely that Otkes personnel will travel to the crash site, which is in rugged terrain, for an investigation. He noted that if the plane was manufactured in the US for example, investigators are likely to seek information in that direction.

The Otkes director said that it is quite typical for officials from different countries to cooperate on a flight crash investigation. He explained that the state in which the aircraft is registered and operated as well as the country where it was designed and manufactured all have a right to appoint a representative to take part in the investigation.

“And then there are participating states which get involved if their nationals are victims. This option only provides limited access to information. The right is restricted to information about the victims,” Nurmi pointed out.

“Typical of a light airplane crash”
Nurmi said that he had seen photos of the crash site in media reports and noted that they do not show anything unusual.

“Pretty typical traces of a light airplane crash. That’s what it looks like,” he said, adding that Cessna aircraft are reliable and widely used. He said that what can make a difference in aviation is how aircraft are maintained and serviced.

“Even good planes can malfunction if they are neglected and vice versa,” Nurmi declared.

— Yle Finland

President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday revealed that his predecessor Robert Mugabe is now unable to walk, an indication that the 94-year-old’s health continues to deteriorate.

Mnangagwa told a Zanu PF rally in Zvimba’s Murombedzi area that Mugabe was receiving medical treatment in Singapore and would return home this week.
“He is now old. Of course, he now is unable to walk, but whatever he asks for we will provide,” he said.

Mnangagwa said Mugabe had been unwell in Singapore, but he was informed that he would return home on Friday.

Mugabe left Singapore almost two months ago.

“We are looking after him. He is the founding father of the nation of Zimbabwe. He is our founding father of a free Zimbabwe,” Mnangagwa said.

“For two months now, he has been in Singapore receiving treatment. He was supposed to come back home on October 25, but his health was not yet good.

“But I have received a message just now that he is now getting better and will come back on 30 November.”

Last week marked a year after Mugabe was forced to step down following a coup.

Mnangagwa became president on November 24 last year, ending Mugabe’s 37-year rule

-The Standard

MDC Member of Parliament Lynette Karenyi, who was injured during last week’s chaos in Parliament, says the national assembly risks losing its integrity by allowing violence to be perpetrated against women.

Karenyi, who sustained injuries on her left arm and leg, said their treatment by the police was disrespectful and as women they felt violated.

“The speaker (Jacob Mudenda) failed us by allowing the police to come into parliament to forcibly remove us. There is no section of the law which says police should be called in if people refuse to stand up in the presence of the President,” she fumed.

The outspoken legislator said she was targeted because she had earlier raised an issue about alleged sexual harassment of female MPs by their male counterparts.

“The police were targeting specific people and I felt that it was because of the issue I had raised which exposed some male MPs,” she said, adding that the Zanu PF legislators were not happy that she had exposed the rot.

Karenyi said female MPs were constantly harassed by some male legislators.

“The young and new female members are now scared to even contribute because they will be harassed,” she said.

The legislator said at times they would shout obscenities and harangue the female legislators.

“I am one of the few who are not afraid to stand up and speak and that is why I raised the issue,” she said.

Karenyi said when President Emmerson Mnangagwa walked into the National Assembly for the budget presentation on Thursday, the MDC legislators remained seated.

“As usual, we did not stand up and the Speaker said because we had disobeyed orders to stand up, he was calling in the police,” she said.

Karenyi said there was no justification for Mudenda to call in the police because they were not making any noise and were calm.

“The police came in targeting people and I was also picked on,” she said. “They dragged me around and in the process my dress was drawn up exposing my legs. That is just plain disrespectful.

Karenyi claimed that she was stamped on and some people fell on top of her as she sat on the floor resisting being forced out.

She was taken to Avenues Clinic along with another female legislator, Tabitha Khumalo, who had collapsed during the melee.

A video which has since gone viral shows Khumalo losing her balance before collapsing on the ground.

Standard

THE battle for the control of supermarket chain, Choppies Zimbabwe, pitting former vice-president Phelekezela Mphoko’s family and its foreign business partners has taken a nasty turn after the Botswana investors barred workers from talking to the politician.

The Mphoko family is embroiled in an ownership wrangle with their Botswana-registered Choppies Distribution Centre (Proprietary) Limited business partners.

The boardroom war has spilled into the High Court with the Botswana-headquartered company seeking to bar the Mphoko family from interfering with operations of the business.

Botswana-based Choppies group CEO Ottapathu Ramachandran last week wrote a memo to local Choppies employees threatening them for dealing with the Mphokos.

The letter, dated November 19, came after Mphoko and his son Siqokoqela met Choppies employees at the company’s Bulawayo headquarters that morning to hear their grievances ranging from poor pay, sexual harassment, to unfair dismissal and racial attacks by their Indian managers.

“Kindly note that Mr P Mphoko and Mr S Mphoko do not have a financial or operational say in the business of Nanavac. We strongly request that all employees desist from dealing with the above-mentioned persons with immediate effect,” Ramachandran wrote in the memo.

“Any action taken as a result from the above-mentioned persons will be contrary to the company rules and procedures and disciplinary action will be taken against the responsible employee (s).”

Mphoko and his son insist they are the majority shareholders of Choppies Zimbabwe through their local investment vehicle, Nanavac, with 51%.

However, the Botswana investors say the Mphokos only own 7% shareholding. The foreign investors’ claim the Mphokos were only drafted into the business to by-pass the then 51% mandatory Indigenisation laws.

Mphoko argues his business partners want to take advantage of his political situation since he was fired from government and the ruling Zanu PF party.

The High Court is yet to make a ruling on the ownership dispute.

Mphoko’s lawyer, Welshman Ncube, told The Standard on Friday that the Botswana-based Choppies CEO was offside in saying the ex-VP had no financial or operational say in the running of the business.

“He has no right to write a letter like that as his claim that they have exclusive rights in managing the business is still pending at the High Court. They applied for exclusive rights and we opposed it,” Ncube said in a telephone interview adding: “he is trying to execute an order that has not been given.”

Choppies human resources manager Sipho Mpofu yesterday said he was on leave and could not comment while Ramachandran could not be reached for comment.

Meanwhile, Ramachandran’s memo has angered the Choppies national workers’ committee and their representative trade union, Commercial Workers’ Union of Zimbabwe (CWUZ).

This is amid workers’ claims of sexual harassment of female staff, unfair dismissals, low pay and racial attacks where some black employees are allegedly even called baboons by their managers of Indian origin.

“Your email does not address the bread and butter hostile issues that workers have been subjected to from unprofessional Indian managers. In our view, your email also threatens the workers just like the managers,” Zwelithini Malinga, the chairperson of the Choppies national workers’ committee, wrote in a letter dated November 20 addressed to Ramachandran that is also copied to the Choppies board of directors

“The Indian managers practice racism, sexual harassment of female staff, and vulgar language like Africans are baboons and monkeys, which is a violation of labour laws of Zimbabwe.”

Malinga on Friday said the workers’ committee wanted the directors to stop harassing employees in their boardroom war with the Mphokos, adding “as far as we are concerned, we know the Mphokos have 51% shareholding”.

The CWUZ weighed in with a statement: “We will not, as a trade union, tolerate that behaviour. The employees have a right to approach the Mphokos until the ownership dispute is resolved.

“The action by the workers’ committee to approach the Mphokos is correct since they are also the directors of the business as things stand.”

Standard

” Chamisa is a false prophet. He is daydreaming if he thinks that he will rule this country one day…there is no vacancy at state house now and forever for opposition parties ” – Chiwenga

The National Transitional Justice Working Group (NTJWG) held a three-day symposium in Bulawayo that ended on Friday to set the tone for transitional justice in the country. The symposium was attended by National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) chairperson Justice Sello Nare. Our chief reporter Everson Mushava (EM) had an exclusive interview with NTJWG chairman Alec Muchadehama (AM) on Zimbabwe’s transitional justice mechanisms and government’s commitment to the cause. Muchadehama said the symposium held, under the theme “Never Again — Setting the Transitional Justice Agenda in Zimbabwe”, was an invitation to the people of Zimbabwe to take some time, step back and reflect on how best to finally bring an end to violence and set the country on a genuinely new trajectory. Below are excerpts from the interview.

EM: What is the significance of the symposium being held in Bulawayo?

AM: It is that place of warmth, a place that is home to many Zimbabweans — the victims of many past and continuing atrocities — a place of untold suffering. With this richness, Bulawayo has become the birthplace of a national “Never Again” movement.

EM: Are you seeing any positive results from your 10 years of advocacy for transitional justice in Zimbabwe?

AM: We have to acknowledge that our context is very complex. This is a country where fear rules the day and the message of transitional justice is not so palatable for our government. There are temptations to tone down on principle to get government buy-in. This is because the government houses many perpetrators of human rights abuse and these are people with power. For them, they understand the message of transitional justice to mean prosecution, International Criminal Court and things like that, but transitional justice is not about individuals or witch-hunting.

EM: The government set up the NPRC to lay the foundation for transitional justice processes. What is your assessment of the commission’s commitment to transitional justice so far?

AM: There are a number of issues that we are worried about regarding the commission. The commission is still to assert its independence from the executive and this is proving to be difficult each day as the executive is visibly seen to be interfering with the work of the commission, especially through resource starvation. This is why it has been difficult for the commission to build its own capacity, infrastructure and independent secretariat.

We also see reluctance in the commission’s strategic plan to tackle hard transitional justice issues like justice and accountability, but rather preferring to pitch themselves as more of only a peace-building outfit.

We, however, acknowledge the vigilance of some commissioners who have, with minimum resources, gone out of their way to confront some merchants of violence in areas like Mount Darwin and others. We also note the goodwill of the commission in engaging civil society. When Zenzele Ndebele launched his (Gukurahundi) documentary here in Bulawayo, it was the NPRC that stood up and supported the initiative even when the state wanted to interfere with that process. There is great potential in the NPRC, if only the executive could get out of their way and let them have their own independent secretariat and independent offices to do what the constitution requires them to do.

EM: You started your campaign for transitional justice during Robert Mugabe’s administration and now we are under the new leadership of President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Is there any difference between the two in handling transitional justice?

AM: We were pleased that the new administration quickly signed into law the NPRC Act, which operationalised the NPRC. We were pleased when the president appointed a seasoned peace-builder, Clever Nyathi, as an advisor. These were good gestures. We were, however, deeply saddened with the August 1 killing of civilians by soldiers. We were saddened when the president evaded responsibility as this began to feel like the same old regime. We are very saddened with the way the [Kgalema] Motlanthe Commission has done its work, especially the failure to protect victims here in Bulawayo. We are not happy that government seems to be undermining independent commissions.

EM: Do you think a commission of inquiry is the best way of establishing the truth and achieving justice for the victims?

AM: There is no one way of establishing the truth and it is not up to us to choose for government. But we can, as a matter of principle, see problems with that step. As soon as that commission was established, we issued a guidance note. There were issues: the mandate of the commission was flawed. In principle, appointing a commission of inquiry to do the work which another constitutional commission is mandated to do is undermining such an institution. We would be happier with this investigation being done by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission or the NPRC.

EM: What do you think are the shortfalls of Mnangagwa’s approach considering the testimonies that have been given so far by civilians, doctors as well as the security establishment?

AM: The Motlanthe Commission appears more like a public relations job than a real investigation into human rights violations. Out of the more than 30 cases submitted by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, only three have been invited. In Gweru, witnesses were brought in from as far as Chiundura. The secretariat of the commission is from the Ministry of Justice. There is no criterion on how evidence is collected. These are serious shortfalls.

EM: What do you mean by saying the appointment of the commission is a mere public relations stunt?

AM: There is no science to this. There are domestic institutions that are mandated to carry out such investigations. Abandoning such institutions and opting for foreigners says a lot about building local capacity for accountability. International principles of institutional reform require that we invest in building local capacity before we reach out. It then appears like the government is more worried about its international image than care for its people. We had reservations about the commission from the start.

We did not agree that this is the way to go. Some people went to court and the court found otherwise. The commander-in-chief is the president who appointed the same commission. When you appoint such a commission, there should be no controversy around it and how it is supposed to carry out its work and how it is going to carry out its investigations. Right now, there is no criteria used to decide whom to invite for questioning.

Some of the people they are calling are not stating facts, but opinions and half-truths, some of them coming to comment and tell outright lies.

EM: So with the many shortfalls you have noted, do you think the outcome of the commission’s report would be credible?

AM: There are places where commissions operate under very difficult conditions and they still manage to defeat the forces of adversity. The credibility of the outcome is based on adherence to principles of victim-centredness. Issues of ensuring effective remedy for victims come in. However, the commission cannot run away from the credibility of the process because these are also outcomes. Like the fact that people were victimised in Bulawayo and the commission did nothing to protect them. In short, we need to look at the whole picture, not just the report. The commission’s work is clashing with what the police are doing.

I know police arrested over 40 people, mainly MDC activists, for alleged violence, but police have not arrested any police officer or army personnel who participated, especially the people who shot, they are known. The suspicion is there, the commission is there to cover up criminal acts done in broad daylight. There was no need for a commission; the police could have done the investigations with the help of commissions such as the NPRC.

The police have dealt with worse violence. The police have the capacity to trace the weapon to know where it came from, therefore who used it. There is an attempt to gloss over the events.

Standard