By Own Correspondent| Popular socialite Ginimbi whose real name is Genius Kadungure has been arrested for tax evasion.
Ginimbi, who was picked up by detectives at Harare magistrates court Thursday is accused of prejudicing the state of $22 million in unpaid taxes.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the development and said Kadungure is set to appear in court tomorrow.
This is a developing story. Refresh this page for details.
By Own Correspondent| Opposition MDC has implored the Kgalema Motlanthe led Commission of Inquiry into the August 1 shootings to get their answers from President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
In a press statement issued Thursday, MDC President Nelson Chamisa said while the Inquiry was largely unnecessary, the testimonies of some of the leaders’ of the State institutions exposed to the world the absolute disregard of the truth and leadership dearth.
Said Chamisa in a statement:
The Movement for Democratic Change has been following political and economic events in the country. Among other ills, we note with concern the unpalatable suffering of the masses, price hikes and currency shortages. Drugs are now either being sold in US dollars or are unavailable.
Shortages continue unabated and the government continues to intensify the suffering of people by imposing heavy, unjustified taxes.
Further to that, we have noted events at the commission of inquiry into the murder of innocent and unarmed civilians on the 1st of August 2018.
Given the clear constitutional provisions governing the deployment of armed forces in Zimbabwe, the Commission of Inquiry was largely unnecessary. The answers are clearly located in the President’s office.
The testimonies of some of the leaders’ of our State institutions have exposed to the world the absolute disregard of the truth on their part. This is, however, common in largely corrupt, irresponsible and unaccountable governance systems worldwide.
It appears to us that these leaders seem to have temporarily forgotten that these events took place in the full glare of the public and received comprehensive, fair, balanced and uncompromised reporting from the local and international media.
Various media organisations took and aired live footages of events as they unfolded on the 1st of August. The brazen lies and perjuristic testimonies by high ranking state security and government officials have vindicated what we have always said about the culture of our governance.
Historically, we have been at pains to explain how Zimbabweans are living under oppression and subjugation from a captured state. It is characterised by the following;-
i. There is no iota of accountability
ii. There is total disregard of constitutionalism and the rule of law
iii. There is blatant abuse of State institutions
iv. Absence of transparency
v. Total disregard of people’s rights and freedoms
The democratic movement and the People’s Party, we owe a responsibility to the people of Zimbabwe, the region and our international partners to set the record straight in view of the brazen lies being concocted at the Commission of Inquiry. The sole purpose of this concoction is covering up the heinous crime against humanity perpetrated against the people of Zimbabwe.
The MDC wishes to set the record straight regarding –
i. Why the MDC is not participating in the Commission of Inquiry
ii. The history of state sponsored, state sanctioned and state protected violence in Zimbabwe
iii. The founding and existential values of the MDC
iv. The publicly known events of the 1st of August
v. The Vanguard
vi. The internal procedures of the MDC for Party demonstrations
vii. Our rights as enshrined under s59 of the Constitution and the MDC’s commitment to peace
viii. The testimonies heard at the Commission of Inquiry
ix. Relationship between the MDC and state institutions
2) The Commission of Inquiry
The MDC was invited to make written, as opposed to oral submissions to the Commission of Inquiry. That was totally unacceptable to us as it amounted to giving evidence in private.
However, regardless of these preliminary misgivings, the Party leadership met in October to deliberate on the role and work of the Commission and took a well-considered and informed decision not to participate in the proceedings of the Commission for the following reasons.
– The MDC regards the Commission of Inquiry as a perpetuation of the fruitless and wasteful expenditure characteristic of the Zanu-PF government which has brought untold suffering to our people. In any case there is a constitutional commission in the form of the NPRC whose terms of references are dependent on the constitution not a conflicted individual.
– We concur with the common sentiment among our people that the shooting and killing of unarmed and innocent civilians by the military happened in the full view of everyone and therefore what happened is public knowledge which means the Commission is completely unwarranted.
– The Terms of Reference of the Commission of Inquiry suggest a compromised process deliberately calculated not to answer the key and only important question which is – Who ordered the killing of innocent unarmed civilians? The Terms of Reference are clearly calculated to achieve a sinister agenda of imputing the responsibility of the 1 August killings on leaders of the democratic movement.
– The appointment of the Commission appears to be a mere cover-up for government PR purposes rather than a truth and fact-finding process.
– The appointment of some compromised and conflicted members of the Commission casts doubts on the transparency, professionalism and integrity of the both the process and outcome thereof.
– The deployment of the military is clearly and deliberately the prerogative of the President in terms of the Constitution. President Mnangagwa cannot establish a Commission of inquiry to investigate himself. We have precedent from South Africa where the Constitutional Court ruled that where the President is conflicted, he cannot appoint a commission of Inquiry in the matter.
– If the military did not act in terms of the orders from the Commander-in-Chief therefore he was supposed to take action on those members of the armed forces without any need for a Commission of Inquiry.
– If President Mnagagwa did not deploy the military, he was simply supposed to take action on whoever did, thereby acting illegally and in violation the Constitution.
– The proper procedure for appointing of the Commission was not followed which casts doubt on the legitimacy of its work and the outcome thereof. In that the President ought to exercise his powers through Cabinet in terms of the Constitution of which no cabinet was in place at the time of appointment of the commission.
– The police had already pre-empted the Commission by vicariously imputing liability on the MDC for uninvestigated actions.
3) The History of Violence
To those in the know, there is nothing new or surprising about the killing of innocent unarmed civilians by the state. The only difference is that the 1st of August killings happened in front of international cameras.
Zimbabwe has a long and perilous history of state sponsored, state sanctioned and state protected violence against civilians. The MDC and other civic organisations have kept records of these footprints of torture and brutality that Zimbabweans have had to endure.
At each and every turn, the State comes up with flimsy and unfounded allegations to justify harassing and killing citizens for political reasons.
We have seen this established culture from – The mass murders of civilians in Matabeleland in the 80s in what is commonly known as the Gukurahundi
– The cold blooded murder of democracy activists such as Tonderai Ndira, Tichaona Chiminya, Gift Tandare, and others by state security agents who are known but protected by the state.
– The shooting of Former Gweru Mayor the late Patrick Kombayi by known perpetrators who were later pardoned by the head of state Robert Mugabe.
– The brutal daylight attacks of many democratic movement leaders including MDC President Nelson Chamisa.
– The mass and brutal killings of civilians following the MDC electoral victory in 2008 which closely resembles the 1 August killings.
– The forced disappearance of democracy activists such as Itai Dzamara at the hands of the state.
These are just examples of documented state brutality. The 2008 killings in particular, again show how the state behaves in the face of Zanu-PF electoral defeat. There is nothing new about what happened on 1 August.
History tells us that when Zanu-PF loses elections to the MDC, they employ brutal tactics by abusing state security agents to silence dissent and suppress the true expression of the people’s will.
4) The events on the 1st of August 2018
The people of Zimbabwe were quite expectant of a new bright era of transformation, opportunities and prosperity. That hope which culminated in a record voter turnout invariably caused anxiety when it became clear that results were not going to be announced in time to possibly allow for manipulation.
The demonstrations that took place on the 1st of August were clearly neither organised nor sanctioned by the MDC. Ordinary citizens were protesting on their own volition, it was normal for them to have been singing or chanting the name of the people’s movement.
Ironically and for reasons best known to themselves, the Police were permanently stationed at our Headquarters throughout the elections.
What is quite telling is that the police present at MRT House on the day enjoyed a very cordial relationship with the anticipating MDC members gathered at their headquarters. Pictures and videos taken on the day cause an estimation of scores of people including excited and hopeful passersby.
Only after the killings by the armed forces when the town had been cleared was there a raid on the MDC Headquarters primarily targeted at disrupting and collapsing the Party’s internal voter tabulation system.
The killing of civilians and demonstrations on the day in question happened in the full view of everyone.
The demonstrations took place under the watch of the police without any need for the use of force.
Of course the MDC associates itself with the victims and commiserates with those who lost their loved ones in this sad event.
5) The Vanguard
It is clear through the constitution that there is only one army in the country and one police service in the country. These are meant to serve everyone irrespective of party, gender, ethnicity, race or class.
The attempt to paint of a military wing within the MDC is a step towards the State responding militarily to the opposition.
A lot has been said about the MDC Vanguard and that it is responsible for the killing of innocent unarmed civilians on the 1st of August. These are blatant lies and part of a narrative to cover up the evil machinations of the regime.
History tells us that when the state wants to destroy the MDC and democracy activists, it creates stories and blames them for all kinds of ills before unleashing instruments of terror. The MDC Vanguard was a non-violent peaceful youth group that was disbanded in February 2018 following a party decision to that effect.
There is no relationship between the concept vanguard and violence and neither was there ever intention that the Vanguard should be involved in any violent activities.
We must state categorically that the MDC Vanguard was not an armed group. It had no capacity to procure any weapons and neither did it ever have any intentions of having any weapons. Any blame on the Vanguard for the violence that took place on the 1st of August is once again part of this shameless cover up. The Vanguard no longer exists.
The Vanguard could not therefore have brought people into the CBD only to shoot and kill the same.
6) The MDC founding Values
There is also an idea that is being peddled at the Commission that the MDC is some kind of a violent terrorist Party. Again, the MDC reiterates the point that when the Zanu-PF government wants to decimate the opposition with state sponsored violence, it peddles serious allegations.
Since the MDC was formed in 1999 its main objectives were and remain to promote and advance human rights, freedom and good governance in line with Party character as outlined in article 4 of constitution that –
– The MDC is a pro-poor, people-centred social democratic, non-racial and non-sexist movement.
– The MDC is against all forms of violence and does not believe in the use of violence as a way or means of attaining any political, social, economic or religious objective.
– The MDC considers democracy as a core value, to that extent, its policies are to be determined by its membership, and further, its leadership shall be accountable to the people.
– The MDC firmly believes in freedom of speech, freedom of expression and further, the free circulation of ideas and information within the movement.
Above all this the MDC believes in the smooth transfer of power through peaceful, democratic and constitutional means. That is why we have continued to participate in a series of blatantly manipulated elections as rightly reported by all credible observer missions.
We have sought legal recourse when in fact it was illogical to do so. We have sought dialogue with our erstwhile oppressors. That has been the life and character of the MDC in the face of brutality of suppression.
Internally, any of our members who have been fingered in any activity that violates the core values of the MDC has been disciplined by the Party. There are numerous examples of such cases.
Pretending that the MDC is a prohibited organisation that harbours terroristic ambitions is absolute nonsense and must be dismissed with the contempt it deserves.
– The MDC is by far the biggest political party in Zimbabwe.
– The MDC control 28 out of 32 Urban Councils.
– The MDC has 88 parliamentarians in the National House of Assembly alone
– The MDC President received more than 2 million votes across the country and that is more than any other candidate for that matter.
– The MDC was in Government from 2009 to 2013.
– Despite winning elections that were stolen, the MDC has never resorted to any violent take over.
We have struggled to maintain a democratic party in very difficult circumstances but we continue to do so.
7) The nature of MDC Demonstrations
There is an attempt by others at the Commission of Inquiry to try and attribute the demonstrations of the 1st of August to the MDC. For the avoidance of doubt, the MDC would like to make it clear that the Party did not organise any demonstrations for the 1st of August.
Equally so, it is undeniable that the young and urban people of this country see their future under an MDC government. Most importantly, it is common sentiment that Zanu-PF was working with ZEC to manipulate the election. Therefore the people who would demonstrate would invariably be those that are tired of poverty and oppression and therefore associating themselves with the MDC vote.
When the MDC organises demonstrations a certain process is followed –
– The organ that wants the party to demonstrate proposes the issue through the Secretary General’s office
– The Secretary General tables the matter before the standing committee
– In some cases the issue goes up to the NEC and the NC
– When a decision is taken by the Party it is referred to Party administrators to address the administrative issues which includes notifying the police
This is a rigorous internal process. No single individual gathers people for a demonstration in the MDC. That is why:
– Our demonstrations are always peaceful
– They are attended by hundreds of thousands yet not even one flowerbed is trampled on
– Party leadership always lead from the front
– No one is injured
– No property is destroyed
In this sense, it is mischievous and largely dishonest to ascribe the few hundred demonstrators of the 1st of August to the MDC. When the MDC demonstrates, it does so after following through a rigorous internal process. There is always public notification and meticulous organising.
In fact, the MDC through its Secretary-General, had warned of possible spontaneous reactions if ZEC would not urgently release results which were already in its possession.
It is therefore clear that the main cause of the demonstrations was the anxiety that was created by ZEC’s failure to manage the electoral process to the satisfaction of the electorate.
8) Section 59 Rights and the MDC’s commitment to peace
After all is said and done, it must not be forgotten that the people of Zimbabwe have rights enshrined under the constitution. Section 59 of the Constitution clearly states that “every person has the right to demonstrate and to present petitions …”
The MDC is committed to holding authorities accountable to the dictates of our Constitution and the law. In view of this, we are committed to exercising our democratic right to demonstrate in a peaceful manner as required by the constitution.
We are the agents of peace, we have always shown. We will continue to pursue our peaceful and democratic means to end the oppression and suffering of our people, regardless of the lies and mechanisations of this Commission of Inquiry.
9) Commission of Inquiry Testimonies
We have followed the testimonies presented at the Commission of Inquiry. Although the Party maintains its reservations about the legitimacy of this Commission of Inquiry, we have certainly been moved by witnessing the most untouchable State officials appearing before the Commission despite earlier signs of resistance.
One thing we must all learn going forward is that no one is above the law.
However, the wanton and shameless lies by full grown and respectable men and women we have witnessed shows that Zimbabwe has a serious dearth of leadership.
– The bare denials by the army Generals that soldiers did not shoot civilians is shocking.
– The lie that civilians had already died before the military arrived is sad.
– The fabrication that the MDC youths are armed is absolute nonsense.
– The narrative that the kneeling soldier who was slapped by his superior was shooting into the sky at 45 degrees is quite embarrassing.
– The further narrative that he was being slapped to shoot from a standing position assumes that Zimbabweans are stupid.
– The estimation that there were about 25 000 demonstrators betrays logic.
– The narrative that demonstrators shot civilians with rifles is nonsensical.
10) Relationship between the MDC and State institutions
The MDC wishes to clarify an important issue regarding its existence and the agenda thereof. The MDC is a democratic political party in terms of the laws and the constitution of Zimbabwe.
The Party participates in elections to occupy the democratic space and offer the people a new democratic order with transformation opportunities and prosperity.
The MDC was not formed to fight State institutions. In fact, we are always cooperative with all State institutions including institutions such as ZEC that have shown bias in total disregard of the law and the constitution. After all, we are already in government by virtue of our presence in Parliament and the fact that we control the majority of local authorities in the country.
We report all our cases to the police. We approach the courts of our land for legal recourse. No terrorist organisation holds rallies and campaigns.
When we participate in elections, we do not do so to fight state institutions such as the army, the police and others. We do so to compete against other political parties to sell an alternative agenda to the people. State institutions exist beyond political parties, therefore there is absolutely no ground for the cat and mouse relationship between the MDC and state institutions.
State institutions are there to serve the people not to work against the people. They must be prepared to accept the people’s will and not conflate themselves into political formations lest they become instruments of political repression.
Most importantly, the propaganda that the MDC seeks to negate the gains of our liberation struggle is an old and discredited story. We are the solution to the challenges facing this country. It is only the MDC which seeks to preserve the freedom and independence inherited from our forefathers.
We are not trying to fight the army or the police or the judiciary. We are competing for political space to provide the country with better political leadership.
11) Conclusion
The MDC would like to clearly state that it is a non violent party which wants to take power through peaceful and democratic means. It has always pursued dialogue in resolving key national issues. It has laid out its national programme through a five point plan. The MDC feels vindicated as the world gets a first-hand account of our crisis.
It is the people who are sovereign.
Behold the New. Change that Delivers!
By Own Correspondent| There was drama at Rotten Rown court (Thursday) as controversial businessperson and socialite Wicknell Chivayo and Genius Kadungure were arrested on their way out of court.
The duo were picked up by detectives soon after appearing in court to answer to a fraud case in which they allegedly swindled Chegutu West legislator, Dexter Nduna.
It was not clear on why the two were picked up by police.
However, Chivayo was last week implicated in a $10 000 bribery case that resulted in the arrest of a Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) employee Nyasha Kazhanje.
Independent legislator for Norton, Temba Mliswa said Kazhanje was supposed to be arrested together with Chivayo as they both committed a crime.
Said Mliswa:
“Whilst Kazhanje (former ZPC Chair) was arrested on allegations of receiving a $10k bribe from Chivayo, isn’t corruption two ways unless it’s a set up? What of the one who proffered the bribe?”
This is a developing story.
Refresh this page for updates.
Jane Mlambo| Barely a few hours after the arrest of his fellow colleague, Genius Kadungure outside the Harare Magistrates Court, Wicknell Chivayo has been arrested by police detectives
ZRP cops returned to pick the well known fraudster to whom a government parastatal, dished out more than $5 mln without a bank guarantee. Chivayo was nabbed in connection with a bribery case involving a Zimbabwe Power Company executive, Nyasha Kazhanje.
He was arrested soon after coming from court where he was answering to a fraud case involving his company Intratek Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, all this was after the Norton legislator, Temba Mliswa had called for his arrest.
Chivayo was implicated in a bribery case that resulted in the arrest of a Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) employee Nyasha Kazhanje.
Mliswa said Kazhanje was supposed to be arrested together with Chivayo as they both committed a crime.
Whilst Kazhanje (former ZPC Chair) was arrested on allegations of receiving a $10k bribe from Chivayo, isn’t corruption two ways unless it’s a set up? What of the one who proffered the bribe?
— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) November 15, 2018
Chivayo was arrested in connection with a Gwanda solar power station tender he got from ZPC and subsequent abuse of state resources after he received $5 million which he converted to his own use without developing the project that has not seen the light of day to date.
Terrence Mawawa|ABSA Premiership side Black Leopards want Warriors coach, Sunday Chidzambwa to be in charge of the team following the sacking of Joel Masutha.
The Limpopo based side parted ways with Masutha on Monday after the club’s 3-1 defeat to Cape Town City at the weekend. They have now identified former Free State Stars coach Luc Eymael and Chidzambwa as potential replacements, according to IOL, a South African news website.
Chidzambwa who coached Leopards between 2010 and 2012 is said to be very keen to return to the South African Premiership despite doing so well with the Warriors.
But his focus at the moment will be on the national team which is seeking to seal an Afcon qualification against Liberia this weekend. A draw is enough for them to reach the 2019 finals.
Terrence Mawawa|Mamelodi Sundowns forward Anthony Laffor believes there is still a big chance for Liberia to qualify for the 2019 Afcon finals to be held in Cameroon.
The West African country is currently in the 3rd position of the Group G and will face Zimbabwe on Sunday in a do or die encounter.
The Warriors, on the other hand, are currently on top of the group with eight points and they need just a draw to seal their qualification.
In an interview with KickOff.com, Laffor said: “There’s a big chance for us because we will play Zimbabwe at home and we just need to win and go to DRC in our last match and get a draw or a win.
“You never know, but for me, we need to keep our feet on the ground and see what happens in the end. I am not going to promise anything, but I believe in the guys because we have a new coach.”
The 33-year-old also believes having former footballer George Weah as Liberia’s president will motivate them to beat the Warriors.
“We will see because our new President was a footballer, so I think we are going to beat Zimbabwe because we are going to spend the money now. I am not saying we are going to cheat though, hahaha,” he added.
The match will be played at Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Monrovia.
Terrence Mawawa|Health and Child Minister, Obadiah Moyo has warned that pharmacies that are demanding US dollars for the purchasing of drugs risk losing their operating licences.
Speaking during a question and answer session in the Senate today Moyo has said the government will launch a headhunt for defiant pharmacies that continue to demand United States dollars for the purchasing of drugs despite the scarcity of the greenback.
“We have received reports about pharmacies that are demanding payment of drugs in US dollars. That is totally unacceptable.
Our message is very clear, we expect retail pharmacies to cooperate with us in our quest to ensure the affordability of drugs,” said Moyo.
Chronically ill patients are struggling to purchase essential drugs as a result of the biting shortage of foreign currency.
Terrence Mawawa|Health and Child Care Minister Obadiah Moyo has revealed that the government is making frantic efforts to expose unscrupulous pharmacies that that are selling drugs at exorbitant prices.
Speaking in the Senate today Moyo claimed pharmacies were allocated foreign currency by the Reserve of Zimbabwe to purchase drugs.
Moyo has said it is unfortunate to note that pharmacies are demanding US dollars yet they are supposed to embrace all the payment methods that have been approved by the Central Bank.
“Sadly pharmacies are misusing the foreign currency they have been allocated by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
Their claims do not hold water because they are abusing the foreign currency they were given by the Central Bank.
We are therefore in the process of compiling a list of such unscrupulous pharmacies and as I have already indicated, appreciate action shall be taken against them,” Moyo said.
Terrence Mawawa|MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa has dismissed claims that his party is in possession of arms of war.
Addressing a news conference at Morgan Tsvangirai House today Chamisa has said his party does not have arms of war but arms of love instead.
“Even if they arrest me, they will not arrest the will of the people. We don’t have any arms of war, we have arms of love,” said Chamisa.
“You are saying because I contested you, you want to punish me -we have deep seated divisions in this country, which cannot be addressed by this toomfoolery,” added Chamisa.
He also dismissed claims that the attempt to abduct him was a stage managed event.
Terrence Mawawa| MDC A leader Nelson has dismissed claims that his party is insinuating sinister motives meant to unseat Emmerson Mnangagwa’ s government.
Addressing a news conference at the party HQ today Chamisa said: ” Where have you seen a terrorist organisation which has its headquarters in the city centre ?We are not like Boko Haram, we don’t operate from the mountains. We operate from Parliament and local government. We are the government in local government. A terrorist organisation cannot hold rallies.”
He added:”If they call me they must call Mnangagwa, Chiwenga and Mohadi. Why must I go alone ? In fact , ED is very lucky that he has a democrat across the isle. Why, because he believes that our nation is more important.Our founding father Morgan Tsvangirai was arrested many times, even my role model Jesus Christ.”
The final 18-man Warriors squad for the game against Liberia has been named.
The encounter is part of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier and will be played on Sunday in the West African country.
Dynamos goalkeeper Simba Chinani has been dropped together with the injured duo of Terrence Dzvukamanja and Byron Madzokore.
Goalkeepers
01 CHIGOVA George (Polokwane City, S.A)
02 SIBANDA Edmore (Witbank Spurs, S.A)
Defenders
03 MUDIMU Alec (CEFN Druids, Wales)
04 PFUMBIDZAI Ronald (Bloemfontein Celtic, S.A)
05 HADEBE Teenage (Kaizer Chiefs, S.A)
06 MOYO Kevin (FC Platinum)
07 MUNETSI Marshall (Orlando Pirates, S.A)
Midfielders
08 KATSENDE Willard (Kaizer Chiefs, S.A)
09 KUTINYU Tafadzwa (Azam, Tanzania)
10 KARURU Ovidy (Amazulu, S.A)
11 CHAWAPIWA Talent (Baroka, S.A)
12 NAKAMBA Marvelous (Club Brugge, Belgium)
13 BILLIAT Khama (Kaizer Chiefs, S.A)
14 MUSONA Knowledge (Anderlecht, Belgium)
15 CHINYENGETERE Rodwell (FC Platinum)
Strikers
16 RUSIKE Evans (SuperSport United, S.A)
17 MUTIZWA Knox (Lamontville Golden Arrows, S.A)
18 KADEWERE Tinotenda (Le Havre AC, France)
Why Is Mnangagwa Rushing To Hold An Emergency Cabinet Meeting?
— ZimEye (@ZimEye) November 15, 2018
By A Correspondent| ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa has called for an urgent cabinet meeting.
This was revealed during the Senate session Thursday afternoon.
The Senate President announced while addressing Senators.
She said ” They (ministers) have just received messages that there is a cabinet meeting.”
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:
ZimEye could not obtain the exact time for the meeting. – THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY – REFRESH THIS PAGE FOR THE UPDATES
Why Is Mnangagwa Rushing To Hold An Emergency Cabinet Meeting?
— ZimEye (@ZimEye) November 15, 2018
By A Correspondent| ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa has called for an urgent cabinet meeting.
This was revealed during the Senate session Thursday afternoon.
The Senate President announced while addressing Senators.
She said ” They (ministers) have just received messages that there is a cabinet meeting.”
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:
ZimEye could not obtain the exact time for the meeting. – THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY – REFRESH THIS PAGE FOR THE UPDATES
Is this the late Vice President Simon Muzenda clad in his check-check fashion blast? – Not at all: it is none other than the Buhera South legislator Joseph Chinotimba pictures aside the UK based Ray Murov. – WHAT DO YOU THINK HE IS SAYING?
By A Correspondent| ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa has called for an urgent cabinet meeting.
This was revealed during the Senate session Thursday afternoon.
The Senate President announced while addressing Senators.
She said ” They (ministers) have just received messages that there is a cabinet meeting.”
As a result the Senate building was suddenly deserted Thursday afternoon. SEE PICTURE BELOW…
Cabinet in urgent crunch meeting, as Senate adjournes proceedings following the departure of ministers from the House pic.twitter.com/yiV3sZQAjO
— ZimEye (@ZimEye) November 15, 2018
WATCH VIDEO BELOW:
ZimEye could not obtain the exact time the meeting will end . – THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY – REFRESH THIS PAGE FOR THE UPDATES
VIDEO LOADING BELOW…
Matemadanda speaks on the welfare of war veterans. Says the finance ministry has limited resources but both houses of parliament should keep lobbying for improved welfare of war veterans. pic.twitter.com/wS4ee93uS9
— ZimEye (@ZimEye) November 15, 2018
https://youtu.be/ZKjc7K4UHcg
WATCH VIDEO BELOW
WATCH VIDEO BELOW…
https://www.facebook.com/story.ZimEye/vudeos/1997413717017942
Jane Mlambo| Former Dangamvura-Chikanga parliamentarian and opposition MDC Shadow Minister of Defence, Giles Mutsekwa has thrown his hat in the ring to become the party’s next president, charging that the current leader Nelson Chamisa had failed to rise to the occasion.
Posting on Facebook yesterday, Mutsekwa, a former co-minister of Home Affairs in the inclusive government, announced that he will be running to replace Morgan Tsvangirai who succumbed to cancer of the colon in February this year.
“I can confirm with authority that i will be running for the vacant office left by our nation icon Dr Richard Morgan Tsvangirai. We tried Chamisa on an interim basis but he failed and eventually turned out to be a film maker of Mukadota type,” said Mutsekwa.
Besides Mutsekwa, Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora and Vice President Elias Mudzuri are believed to be angling to challenge hot favourite Chamisa to the party’s top job.
MDC is due to hold its next elective congress in October next year
By A Correspondent| Below is a letter of a request made by the chairman of the 1 August violence Commission, Kgalema Motlanthe to MDC President Nelson Chamisa.
In the letter, Motlanthe says the “request” is due to the fact that Chamisa has been named as having incited violence. But Motlanthe has not made a similar request for his boss, Emmerson Mnangagwa and deputy Constantino Chiwenga who have been named for making clear declarations of intent to commit violence in order to reinstall Mnangagwa to state house.
POST ELECTION VIOLENCE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY 2018
to be addressed to the “SECRETARY”
14 November 2018
Dear Sir
RE: COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO POST ELECTION VIOLENCE WHICH OCCURRED IN ZIMBABWE ON THE 1ST OF AUGUST, 2018.
In the course of the proceedings of the Commission of Inquiry Into the 1. of August, 2018 Post Election Violence and hearing of testimony from witnesses, you name was mentioned among those who played a part in inciting the violence of 1st August 2018.
The Commission considers it fair and just that it should have the benefit of your comments and, accordingly, is inviting you to come at your convenience on 21 November, 2018 to share your views before concluding its proceedings.
Your cooperation in this regard would be highly appreciated.
Yours sincerely.
For: Honourable Kgalema Motlanthe
Chairman of the Commission
View pictures below…
The 1 August military massacre Motlanthe Commission has invited MDC President Nelson Chamisa to give testimony before it next week Wednesday.
Chamisa has been invited based on reports that he incited the violence which occurred on August 1.
The violence was quelled by the police and moments later the military descended into town and began shooting innocent civilians. They killed 7 unarmed civilians . The letter written to Chamisa reads “In the course of the proceedings of the Commission of Inquiry into the 1st of August, 2018 Post Election Violence and hearing of testimony from witnesses, your name was mentioned as among those who played a part in inciting the violence of 1st August, 2018.
“The Commission considers it fair and just that it should have the benefit of your comments, accordingly, is inviting you to come at your convenience on 21 November 2018 to share your views before concluding its proceedings. Your cooperation in this regard would be highly appreciated.”
Speaking on the development, Chamisa’s spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda said, “when a Commission of Inquiry, that is instituted by a potential player, sits and listens to demonstrably false claims by top army officers, subpoenas no documents or evidence from them, then threatens to subpoena President Chamisa then bad intentions are declared.”
By Own Correspondent| Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has encouraged President Emmerson Mnangagwa to engage opposition instead of persecuting its leaders as a way of promoting unity and building the nation.
Addressing a media briefing at Morgan Tsvangirai House Thursday morning, the MDC leader said Mnangagwa should focus on national engagement before extending an olive branch to the international community in order to unite the nation towards the development trajectory.
Said Chamisa:
“Our nation is deeply divided..the establishment of this Commission tells you that we have a crisis….there is deep seated division which cannot be solved by this kind of tomfoolery being undertaken by our colleagues. They must calm down. Sit down.
Infact, Mnangagwa should stop going cross countries talking about international re-engagement. He cannot be talking about international engagement when he cannot engage nationally? You cannot even talk to your brother Chamisa, …who wants to give you ideas through osmosis.”
VIDEO LOADING BELOW….
Own Correspondent|Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa and his lieutenants are living in fear of an imminent government crackdown, after army and police chiefs suggested this week that a militant wing in the MDC was responsible for the August 1 killings which left six people dead and dozens others injured, the Daily News can report.
This comes as a Commission of Inquiry appointed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to probe the deadly shootings — which followed ugly demonstrations in the capital city soon after the disputed July 30 national elections — begins to wind down its investigations.
Appearing before the commission on Monday, the commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Phillip Valerio Sibanda, and police commissioner-general Godwin Matanga, wholly absolved the army of the cold-blooded killings of innocent civilians.
Instead, they appeared to blame the MDC and Chamisa for the deaths, after suspected opposition supporters clashed with police two days after the polls — culminating in the deployment of soldiers in the Harare CBD to quell the violence.
In ominous remarks, Sibanda said the military would soon be availing evidence showing that the army did not kill people on the day — instead, fingering an outfit called the Vanguard, which is a militant group linked to the MDC youth wing.
“The possibility of the Vanguard, a militant group within the MDC Alliance youth league, having weapons and having used these weapons during the disturbances on that day cannot be overruled.
“There is no hard evidence that the army shot at the civilians, but it is also believed that members of the MDC’s Vanguard could have been armed,” the reclusive general told the commission which is chaired by former South African president Kgalema Motlanthe.
Matanga also told the commission that police had temporarily shelved plans to arrest Chamisa because of ongoing political talks which were aimed at giving the youthful politician a top post in Parliament.
“I still feel that it would be very improper to arrest the leader of the opposition party in the name of Nelson Chamisa because this is a position that was formed by the president.
“I still feel today that the president’s doors are open and (so) I cannot arrest Chamisa. But all the same, I can say crime does not rot like meat and anytime he can be arrested,” he said.
The revelations by both the military and police chiefs came as the opposition leader claimed at the weekend that his life was in danger.
Chamisa narrowly lost to Mnangagwa in the hotly-disputed July 30 election, and went on to accuse the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) of manipulating the results in favour of the Zanu PF leader.
However, Mnangagwa’s victory was upheld by the Constitutional Court which ruled that Chamisa had failed to provide evidence that he had won the election.
Yesterday, Chamisa moved to accuse Mnangagwa’s government of trying to engineer his arrest, as well as his lieutenants.
“I see the effort to nail the innocent, exonerating the guilty. A ploy to weaken and eliminate MDC faces in the democratic alternative. Was briefed of this strategy 3 months ago. Soon you will see vindictive arrests, hired ‘witnesses’ making stories to victimise.
“Yes, we are human and not entirely perfect but violence against citizens and spilling of blood are not some of our imperfections.
“We only carry open palms, not even clenched fists. We have our bare arms, not arms of terror,” Chamisa said on micro-blogging platform Twitter.
On its part, the MDC drew parallels between Sibanda and Matanga’s testimonies on Monday with what ousted former president Robert Mugabe’s government had done to Zapu and its leader late revered leader, Joshua Nkomo, soon after the country’s independence.
Then, arms caches were found on the farms that were owned by Zapu, even though the then opposition party denied ever hiding the weapons — in events that were followed by the Gukurahundi atrocities of the early 1980s, where an estimated 20 000 innocent civilians were killed by government forces.
“It is clear that the security forces intend to harm Chamisa. They have increased their rhetoric in the past few days, like what they did with PF Zapu.
“They are intent on clamping down on the leader and then his supporters. If we are not careful, the international community will start counting bodies very soon,” MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume warned.
At the same time, the MDC said yesterday that it had disbanded the Vanguard, which has previously been accused of unleashing terror on dissenting party members and the media.
“The MDC categorically states that there is no outfit called Vanguard, an otherwise peaceful and disciplined team of MDC youths which has since been disbanded on the orders of the national council — the party’s supreme decision-making body in between congresses,” Lovemore Chinoputsa, the secretary-general of the MDC Youth Assembly, said.
Meanwhile, the government said yesterday that Chamisa was overrating himself by fearing “an imaginary” crackdown on him and his lieutenants.
“Chamisa must not behave like a prophet of doom unto himself. Government does not see Chamisa as a threat in any way, as he lost in free and fair elections and has no chance of winning in any future elections.
“There is no one planning to arrest him. Only if he commits crime will he face the ugly side of the law and I know he won’t dare do that,” deputy Information minister Energy Mutodi told the Daily News.
On Monday, the MDC said it was fearing for its leader’s life following what it said were attempts to abduct Chamisa at the weekend, as he was coming from Marondera, where he had gone to address a rally at Rudhaka Stadium.
It alleged that suspected security agents had tried to block Chamisa’s motorcade and to seize him in Harare’s Mabvuku suburb.
However, the government robustly dismissed the allegations as “baseless”.
By Own Correspondent| Opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa is set to hold a press conference this morning at the party’s headquarters, Morgan Tsvangirai House.
The presser comes a day after the party’s highest decision making body the National Standing Committee yesterday met at the same venue.
ZimEye will be livestreaming the presser on our facebook page.
Refresh this page for latest updates
Norton legislator, Temba Mliswa has called for minimum qualifications for legislators saying without a set criteria, the national assembly will continue to be a circus.
Mliswa who is no stranger to provocative remarks especially on social media urged Zimbabweans to reflect on the people they chose to represent them charging that some of the behaviors of parliamentarians is indicative of lack of capacity.
2/We need to reflect on people we choose to represent us as such behaviour is indicative of a lack of capacity. Hence I reiterate that there must be a provision for minimum education levels for one to stand as a legislator. For as long as there’s no criteria it’ll be a circus
— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) November 15, 2018
The seventh and eighth parliament has quite a number of MPs who brags about being uneducated with Kwekwe Central legislator, Masango Matambanadzo who calls himself blackman and Buhera South MP Joseph Chinotimba standing out.
Correspondent|A number of international journalists who covered the July 30 harmonised elections have reacted with disbelief to claims by Zimbabwe generals that their soldiers shot and killed anyone on the 1st of August. At least six people died after soldiers used live bullets to quell a protest by opposition supporters which had turned violent.
However, appearing before the Commission Of Inquiry which is investigating the events of the day, Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces General Philip Valerio Sibanda and Commander Presidential Guard and National Reaction Force, Brigadier General Anselem Sanyatwe categorically denied that any soldier disobeyed orders and shot into the protestors. General Sanyatwe even claimed that a soldier who was captured on video kneeling was actually doing so to avoid missiles and that he fired into the air as his gun was at a 45-degree angle.
This astounded a number of journalists who covered the events first hand. Washington Post Africa Bureau chief Max Bearak wrote,
For Zim generals to claim the opposition is culpable in Aug 1 shootings is an extraordinary lie. Maybe not their faction — but in the moments after the video, I took below, the soldiers you see shot 2 men next to me, one in the arm, other’s penis blown off.
Jason Burke the Africa Correspondent of The Guardian, said
Zimbabwean generals deny troops shot and killed 6 protesters. Which is just extraordinary. I was there, and took cover as soldiers, yes, military servicemen with automatic weapons, opened fire, then cleared streets at gunpoint.
The Financial Times’ Southern Africa correspondent Joseph Cotterill also said,
I happened to see this soldier (from the well-known picture) from behind during that moment of the August 1st shootings in Harare. I didn’t see stones being thrown at him.
By Own Correspondent| The Zimbabwe Republic Police will be stepping up police highway patrols in a move aimed at reducing road carnage.
This was said by Minister Of Information and Publicity Monica Mutsvangwa.
Speaking during a news briefing after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Mutsvangwa said:
“Cabinet expressed grave concern over the recent road traffic accident which took place near Rusape and which claimed 46 lives. To minimise such painful occurrences and alleviate the plight of road traffic accident victims, Cabinet called for greater enforcement of the use of integrated traffic management systems and increased highway police patrols.
According to the law, drivers of public passenger vehicles are required to go for defensive driving examinations and re-testing after every two years.”
Police had in recent years, maintained a high presence on the country’s roads. However, the police were accused of demanding bribes from drivers at the numerous roadblocks which had become an eyesore and a hindrance to the free flow of traffic.
Police roadblocks were reduced after former President Robert Mugabe was overthrown in a military coup last year and replaced by the incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa.
By Own Correspondent| Civil society groups here have blasted the Zimbabwe Republic Police and Zimbabwe National Army top brass for presenting misleading testimonies to the Kgalema Motlanthe led 7 member Commision of Inquiry into the August 1 post election violence.
The police chief Godwin Matanga absolve the army from the accusation of shooting at fleeing civilians on August 1.
On the other hand, the military blamed the MDC for the heinous crime.
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, said in a statement:
“As CIZC, we maintain that truth-telling processes require sincerity and denialism perpetuates a fractured society. We have also noticed conflicting statements from the police and top army brass with a senior police officer seemingly blaming the army for the shootings.
We note an apparent attempt to blame the opposition, business and ordinary citizens for the shootings and this will likely lead to a witch-hunt that will see continued persecution of hundreds of activists that were arrested in the aftermath of the August 1 killings on false charges.”
Jane Mlambo| Norton legislator has called for the arrest of serial fraudster, Wicknell Chivayo over his involvement in a bribery case that resulted in the arrest of a Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) employee Nyasha Kazhanje.
Mliswa said Kazhanje was supposed to be arrested together with Chivayo as they both committed a crime.
Whilst Kazhanje (former ZPC Chair) was arrested on allegations of receiving a $10k bribe from Chivayo, isn’t corruption two ways unless it’s a set up? What of the one who proffered the bribe?
— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) November 15, 2018
Chivayo was arrested in connection with a Gwanda solar power station tender he got from ZPC and subsequent abuse of state resources after he received $5 million which he converted to his own use without developing the project that has not seen the light of day to date.
ACTING Prosecutor-General Kumbirai Hodzi has turned down a request by Tendai Biti, an opposition party legislator, seeking the temporary release of his passport to allow him to travel to Uganda to attend a crucial continental meeting convened by the African Organisation of Public Accounts Committees (AFROPAC).
Biti, the legislator for Harare East constituency had through his lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa written to Hodzi applying for the release of his passport to allow him to attend AFROPAC’s 3rd General Meeting and Conference in the Ugandan capital city of Kampala, running from Monday 19 November 2018 to Friday 23 November 2018.
The Clerk of Court at Harare Magistrates Court is currently holding Biti’s passport as part of his bail conditions in a matter in which he was arrested in August 2018 and charged with contravening the country’s electoral laws.
The request for the release of the passport came after AFROPAC invited Biti to attend the meeting and conference in his capacity as Chairperson of the Zimbabwean Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee to which Kennedy Chokuda, the Clerk of Parliament formally accepted the invitation and communicated the list of legislators who would be attending to the Secretary-General of AFROPAC.
As Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee, Biti will be the leader of the Zimbabwean delegation of legislators attending the AFROPAC meeting and conference.
Mtetwa said as a former Finance Minister during the coalition government, Biti’s attendance at such a crucial continental meeting would be valuable to the Public Accounts Committee that he chairs and would compliment government’s position to zero tolerance for corruption, lack of accountability by public officials and the profligacy that has generally afflicted public sector spending.
But in response to Biti’s request, Hodzi turned down the MDC-Alliance party legislator’s application for the temporary of his passport on the basis that he is facing criminal charges at Harare Magistrates Court, where on Monday 12 November 2018 he challenged the suitability of Michael Reza of the National Prosecuting Authority as the lead prosecutor. Harare Magistrate Gloria Takundwa will on Thursday 15 November 2018 hand down her ruling on Biti’s application.
Hodzi claimed that the NPA was keen to afford Biti a fair and public trial within a reasonable time as provided in section 69 of the Constitution and hence the temporary release of his passport would interrupt his trial and is likely to jeopardise the criminal proceedings in his case as he doesn’t know how long it would take to finalise it.
The resolution of the Mashonaland West provincial executive of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association (ZNLWVA) to recall national chairman Chris Mutsvangwa will only be ratified by a full national executive meeting, the national war veterans spokesperson said last night.
Responding to news of the Mashonaland West provincial executive decision to recall Mutsvangwa, ZNLWVA national spokesperson Douglas Mahiya said the resolution remains a wish until the national executive sits and ratifies it.
“If it is their desire to recall the national chairman Cde Chris Mutsvangwa, their decision can only be respected if all the other provinces agree. It would have been wiser if they had consulted other provinces. Their desire can only be ratified by a full national executive meeting which the national chairman (Cde Mutsvangwa), who is the only one mandated by our constitution to call for meetings, calls for such.
“It is the prerogative of the national chairman to call for national executive meetings other than those that are already scheduled. As it is now, the Mashonaland West resolution remains wishful thinking. Bear in mind, Cde Mutsvangwa has a High Court order declaring him the chairman of the ZNLWVA until our national congress in 2022 or 2023,” said Mahiya.
He said the war veterans association had learnt of a covert operation to destabilise it.
“There are forces yet to be identified that have gone on the rampage to destabilise and divide the war veterans led by Mutsvangwa. Do not forget it is Mutsvangwa who fought against the dynastic tendencies of former President Mugabe and the G0 cabal. The G40 has not rested. They are trying to destabilise the new dispensation and let me assure you, the war veterans are alert and alive to this,” he said.
Mahiya claimed that some G40 elements had gone a gear up and were using money to destabilise the association and ultimately the Government.
“We are aware of the G40 shenanigans. Something is brewing somewhere, but we will find out. This is a political attack on President Mnangagwa. This issue is meant to destabilise the country and will hurt everybody.”
The Mashonaland West war veterans’ provincial leadership comprising the executive, national members from the province and district chairpersons met in Chinhoyi on Tuesday where the resolution was passed.
ZNLWVA provincial chairperson for Mashonaland West Cornelius Muoni confirmed the resolution, accusing Mutsvangwa of sowing seeds of division.
Mutsvangwa also stands accused of alienating himself from the membership after being appointed President Mnangagwa’s Special Advisor, a position he no longer holds.
Residents have moved to dump commuter omnibuses for commuter trains as privately owned kombis continue to charge exorbitant fees citing increase in cost of living.
This comes as at least 5000 passengers boarded the recently re-introduced City-Cowdray Park commuter train in the first five days of its operation.
The National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) reintroduced the commuter train in response to appeals from the travelling public as kombis were hiking fares to as much as $2 at peak times for a trip into the city.
NRZ spokesperson Nyasha Maravanyika said since the re-introduction of the commuter train, the rail giant has been inundated with requests for the NRZ to offer similar services in other cities apart from their intercity passenger train services.
“We are pleased to note that the travelling public has responded positively to the re-introduction of commuter trains in Bulawayo,” Maravanyika said.
“The commuter train started operating on November 5 2018, running from Monday to Friday with two services daily in the morning and evening.”
The rail entity is charging $0, 50 for a single trip.
NRZ said on the first morning run on November 5, about 309 passengers boarded the train with the number increasing to 350 on the return trip in the evening.
“On Tuesday 532 boarded in the morning and 537 in the evening,” Maravanyika said, adding:
“Wednesday morning attracted the highest patronage of the week with 743 passengers boarding. In the evening the commuter train carried 486 passengers. Thursday saw the morning service recording 618 passengers while 489 were on the evening service. On Friday 607 passengers boarded the morning train compared to 334 on the evening train. The train also managed to maintain right time departures and arrivals, thus sticking to scheduled times.”
The commuter train has seven coaches with each coach having a capacity of 100 passengers.
With 5005 passengers having boarded the train in its first week, the capacity utilisation for the initial five days is 71 percent.
“NRZ is pleased and satisfied with how it has managed to service the route conveniently for its encouraging commuter train patronage,” Maravanyika said.
“It has also noted requests from passengers who work mainly in the industrial sites who would like the train to leave Cowdray Park earlier so that they have ample time to walk to their workplaces.
“However, it should be noted that in coming up with the departure times the NRZ is trying to balance the interests of passengers who start work early and those who start at traditional 0800 Hours as per many companies’ business hours.”
M&T
Own Correspondent|The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has apparently begun an investigation into various personal transactions carried out by the Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor John Mangudya.
Sources in the RBZ revealed that CID officers have been frequently visiting Mangudya at his office in search of information regarding transactions that go back over a decade.
“They are demanding all of Mangudya’s accounts and a couple of days ago they requested information regarding a transaction dating back to 2007,” one inside source said adding: “Mangudya has since handed over all of his personal accounts so that they can scrutinise them.”
The move comes at a time when the RBZ has flighted a tender inviting external auditors in the wake of recent corruption allegations.
As reported by this publication four senior RBZ officials were suspended indefinitely in October, after a Facebook Live video was posted by controversial political figure William Mutumanje (popularly known as Acie Lumumba).
Lumumba claimed the four were involved in shady foreign exchange deals and were part of a criminal cartel headed by an individual he called “Queen Bee.”
Mangudya went on to suspend the four senior managers as the Central bank instituted an internal audit.
Sources said last week Mangudya also flighted another tender inviting external auditors who are interested in carrying out a forensic audit.
Sources also said the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) has also seconded its own personnel to investigate RBZ especially on the allocation of foreign currency.
Police spokesperson assistant commissioner Paul Nyati said he currently had no knowledge of any investigation into the RBZ governor.
“I am not aware of any investigation on RBZ,” he said.
M&T
Illegal foreign currency traders have changed their tactics to ensure that they can continue doing business while at the same time avoiding arrest.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently used the President Powers to set new regulations which will see convicted money changers getting jailed for a maximum of 10 years in prison.
Soon after the new law was gazetted, the money changers have vanished from their usual haunts on the streets. However, most of them have not stopped trading arguing that they need to support their families. They have simply changed how they operate.
A money changer said: “We just have to do what we have to do to survive. We can’t just quit and say there is a new law targeting us.
“Some of us are now operating from our cars to avoid being spotted. Operating from a car allows us to monitor our surroundings and we don’t allow customers in our cars.
“I only deal in cash now. I can’t risk dealing in electronic transfers such as Ecocash transfers. I don’t want to risk having money in my bank account forfeited to the State.”
The police said that that it is aware of the change in tactics and is now working out new ways to go after the money changers.
Bulawayo deputy police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube told the Chronicle: “We are working out ways of dealing with this new challenge of money changers operating from cars and we suspect the upsurge in cases of theft from vehicles in the Central Business District could be as a result of this new development.”
— State Media
Own Correspondent|ZIMBABWE’S main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa insists that little has changed in the country a year after the start of an army takeover that eventually led to the resignation of long-serving Robert Mugabe.
Chamisa tweeted a video of the late opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, who speaking after the 2017 army takeover called for fundamental reforms to the governance structure.
Said Chamisa: “The governance culture is just replacing one individual with another individual. The same character, the same culture.
“So I think it is foolhardy to think that replacing Mugabe with Emmerson Mnangagwa without the fundamental reforms that are needed to transform the institution of governance, then you are wasting your time. You are just served the same perpetuation of the same culture.”
Tsvangirai who was a former Prime Minister in unity government led by Mugabe died on 14 February 2018. He was leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, MDC – Tsvangirai. He had met with then interim president Mnangagwa before his demise.
Mnangagwa at the time a fired vice-president exiled in South Africa returned to the country to takeover from Mugabe after the army took over and the parliament threatened to impeach Mugabe if he continued to hold on to power.
Mnangagwa has since won his first full term as president beating Chamisa in July 2018 elections. The MDC Alliance which garnered over 40% of votes allege that the elections body rigged the process.
A court action to overturn the outcome was dismissed. Chamisa has since launched a defiance campaign stating that the government lacked the legitimacy to run the country. Zimbabwe has been plunged into an economic crisis government is struggling with.
FORMER president of the of the Apostolic Faith Mission of Zimbabwe (AFM), Dr Aspher Madziyire, has been found guilty of causing the death of a pedestrian, Tymon Mangena, in 2014, due to negligence and driving at excessive speeds well outside the limits.
As a result of these finding Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Maxwell Takuva ordered Madziyire to pay the victim’s widow, Melody Mudzingwa more than $82 000 in compensation. Madziyire had been sued by Mudzingwa and her daughter Nomsa Vanessa.
In his ruling Justice Takuva said,
It is ordered that the first plaintiff’s (Ms Mudzingwa’s) claim is hereby granted as per summons against the defendants as follows: US$3 000 being funeral expenses incurred for the burial of the deceased Tymon Mangena, US$67 200 being damages for plaintiff’s loss of support and US$11 816 being damages for second plaintiff’s (Nomsa Vanessa’s) loss of support.
In her court papers, Mrs Mudzingwa had said,
On April 1, 2014, my husband was involved in an accident along the Bulawayo-Gweru road when the defendant negligently knocked him down. The accident was solely due to excessive speed, failure to be on proper lookout for other road users and failing to reduce speed.
She also told the court that Madziyire had only contributed to the funeral costs by buying a coffin and a beast while she spent more than $3 000 dollars. Madziyire unsuccessfully tried to defend himself by claiming that the victim had been negligent because he had not been looking out for cars.
Pastors of the troubled church, the Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe (AFM) led by AFM deputy president Rev. Cossum Chiangwa passed a vote of no confidence in AFM president Dr Aspher Madziyire, church elder and prominent lawyer Tawanda Nyambirai, general secretary Reverend Amon Madawo, and national administrator Pastor Munyaradzi Shumba. Madziyire, in turn, suspended the rebels.
MDC president Nelson Chamisa and the opposition party’s deputy chairman Tendai Biti, and other opposition leaders implicated in post-election violence will next week be subpoenaed to give evidence before the commission of inquiry into the August 1 shootings, which left six dead and 24 others nursing gunshot injuries.
Ballistic and forensic experts have also been summoned to appear before the Kgalema Motlanthe-led commission, but it was not yet clear if Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga would be asked to testify in view of the recent High Court ruling implicating him in the deployment of soldiers who turned on unarmed civilians on the fateful day.
Secretary to the commission, Virginia Mabiza, said as the inquiry enters its penultimate stages that include public hearings, it would subpoena all people fingered by witnesses as having incited violence, both in pre- and post-election times.
“The commission will be subpoenaing all those who were implicated in inciting violence, pre- and post-election. The law empowers the commission to use legal instruments to bring these people before it so that they can answer to the allegations made against them,” she said.
Chamisa, MDC deputy chairperson Biti and Jim Kunaka, Zanu PF’s Terrence Mukupe, Chiwenga and former Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Josaya Hungwe have all been accused of inciting violence ahead of the polls.
Chamisa, who faces arrest after Zanu PF, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba, the army and the police fingered him and his executive as the main instigators of the violence which unfolded on August 1, will be the main target, according to insiders.
The MDC has taken a decision not to be part to the proceedings of the commission, dismissing it as a farce, set up with predetermined outcomes.
After the army distanced itself from the shootings, the commission, which said it was armed with evidence that soldiers using AK-47 rifles fired live rounds of ammunition into fleeing unarmed civilians, would invite ballistic experts to give evidence.
Head of presidential guard,Brigadier-General Anselem Nhamo Sanyatwe, said the soldiers under his command only fired warning shots and never shot at anyone, leaving the commission grappling for answers on who fired at civilians.
A commissioner, who refused to be named, said the ballistic experts would give evidence on the damage an AK-47 could cause and would also review video footage of military activity on the day.
“The issues that were raised by army commanders, especially that they did not shoot anyone and that the soldier captured on video kneeling while shooting, was firing in the air at 45 degrees, the commission would want to get an expert opinion on the matter so that it arrives at a conclusion as to who shot and killed the six now-deceased,” the commissioner said.
The ballistic expert, according to Mabiza, would be provided by the police, who have openly told the commission that they were still clueless regarding who shot the victims.
“The ballistic expert will give evidence on November 21 before the commission, I don’t have a name now, but the expert will obviously be connected to the police,” the commissioner added.
Journalists who shot the video footage, including South African Thulasizwe Simelane of eNCA, John Ray of ITV News, and the SABC news crew, could also be asked to appear before the commission to give evidence.
Some foreign journalists were reportedly assaulted by soldiers deployed on the streets on August 1 and told of the horror they suffered at the hands of the military. But Sanyatwe insisted that the journalists were only able to do the video footage because they were guaranteed safety.
Mabiza confirmed that the commission had reached out to established media outlets to favour the commission with credible video footage and depending on how it is availed, the journalists who were part of gathering the news could be asked to give evidence.
During the public hearings, commissioner Lovemore Madhuku, who has taken lead in fielding most of the tough questions, said the commission had evidence that the army fired at people.
NewsDay
MDC leader Nelson Chamisa says he is unfazed by threats of arrest by the police and will continue to do his party work as usual.
This comes after the acting officer commanding (crime) Harare, Detective Chief Inspector Edmore Runganga early this week told the commission of inquiry into the August 1 shootings led by former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe that the police would soon arrest Chamisa for allegedly inciting his supporters and ordinary Zimbabweans to protest.
Runganga said police were still clueless on who was responsible for the shooting that claimed six lives when members of the Zimbabwe National Army fired live ammunition in a bid to quell post-election violence, but plan to arrest Chamisa for “causing” the demonstrations.
Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga also told the commission that the police planned to arrest Chamisa “soon”.
“He can be arrested any time soon. The evidence is there, the documents are there, crime does not rot like meat, he will be arrested,” he said on Monday.
But Chamisa retorted yesterday, telling NewsDay that his hands were clean.
“I have clean and harmless hands. I am, however, equally concerned that police want to link my statements at rallies and calls for electoral reforms to the violence that occurred on August 1,” Chamisa said.
“My statements are known and are in the public domain and they are not in any way related to the unfortunate development of August 1.”
Chamisa’s spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda also said his principal was not moved by the threats of arrest and would continue with his work as the leader of the party.
“He is not moved. He will continue to do what he knows best,” Sibanda said.
Earlier on while making a presentation at Hudderfield University in United Kingdom on the History and Outcomes of World Tyrants, Sibanda said Mnangagwa would have crossed the Rubicon if he arrests Chamisa.
He said Mnangagwa was one of the many world leaders who have resorted to use of violence, torture and harassment on opposition supporters.
Sibanda said threats to arrest Chamisa all but show that Mnangagwa wants to maintain his position in that “premier league”.
He said Chamisa was briefed three months ago that Mnangagwa was planning to nail innocent people for his political gains.
“Even by Mnangagwa’s own standards that he set throughout his life, of impunity, disrespect of the law, he will be crossing the Rubicon if he decided to arrest president Chamisa,” Sibanda said.
“He will be crossing the Rubicon. He will certainly be visiting no-man’s land to be so reckless as to arrest the leader of the largest opposition political party in the country.”
Sibanda said Chamisa had always committed to dialogue, not violence, and would not be deterred by threats, especially when he knows he hasn’t committed any crime.
— NewsDay
POLICE say they have instituted investigations into the killing of six civilians during the August 1 post-electoral violence in what could further rile the opposition which claims a government cover up plot of state excesses.
The civilians were killed by what is widely believed to be soldiers deployed on the streets of central Harare on the day to quell wild protests by alleged MDC supporters angered by the erratic announcement of the July 30 election results by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.
Both the military and police have distanced themselves from the killings after President Emmerson Mnangagwa opened an inquiry into the skirmishes.
Now over three months since the widely condemned killings, Zimbabwean police say they have opened their own investigations into the killings, with all the cases treated as murder.
Police investigations only started some three weeks ago, according to Detective Inspector Edmore Runganga of the CID Law and Order Section who was testifying before the Kgalema Motlanthe led Commission of Inquiry into the disturbances.
Runganga said initially, police were using first post-mortem results but second post-mortem results came and showed the victims were shot from a rifle.
“We now have final post-mortem results of the six and these show that victims died as a result of projectiles by fires. We are now investigating cases as murder,” he said.
“For now, we have suspects in connection with the violence but we will charge people in connection with the death of the six as we identify each individual’s case.
“It is part of the investigations on who shot them but there are no dates or time frames on investigations on the murder cases.
“We will try to speed up the investigations.”
The new twist into what has been widely believed to be army shootings on civilians could be a fresh source of worry to the opposition which fears a state backlash as authorities pull all the stops to distance the Zanu PF led regime from the killings while pinning the blame on MDC.
On Tuesday, former MDC legislator and now Zanu PF apologist, Gabriel Chaibva went to great lengths to tell the seven member probe team that his former MDC colleagues were responsible for two of the six deaths that occurred on the day.
Commander of the Presidential Guard, Brigadier General Anselem Sanyatwe also told the Commission that some of the deaths may have been caused by the militant MDC youth group commonly known as the Vanguard in which he claimed were some rogue army deserters.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa is keen to emerge from the investigations cleaner as he tries to convince a skeptical world he was the right man to pull the country out of its bitter past and back on to a peacefull and prosperous one.
Zoom zim
MDC leader Nelson Chamisa says he is unfazed by threats of arrest by the police and will continue to do his party work as usual.
This comes after the acting officer commanding (crime) Harare, Detective Chief Inspector Edmore Runganga early this week told the commission of inquiry into the August 1 shootings led by former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe that the police would soon arrest Chamisa for allegedly inciting his supporters and ordinary Zimbabweans to protest.
Runganga said police were still clueless on who was responsible for the shooting that claimed six lives when members of the Zimbabwe National Army fired live ammunition in a bid to quell post-election violence, but plan to arrest Chamisa for “causing” the demonstrations.
Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga also told the commission that the police planned to arrest Chamisa “soon”.
“He can be arrested any time soon. The evidence is there, the documents are there, crime does not rot like meat, he will be arrested,” he said on Monday.
But Chamisa retorted yesterday, telling NewsDay that his hands were clean.
“I have clean and harmless hands. I am, however, equally concerned that police want to link my statements at rallies and calls for electoral reforms to the violence that occurred on August 1,” Chamisa said.
“My statements are known and are in the public domain and they are not in any way related to the unfortunate development of August 1.”
Chamisa’s spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda also said his principal was not moved by the threats of arrest and would continue with his work as the leader of the party.
“He is not moved. He will continue to do what he knows best,” Sibanda said.
Earlier on while making a presentation at Hudderfield University in United Kingdom on the History and Outcomes of World Tyrants, Sibanda said Mnangagwa would have crossed the Rubicon if he arrests Chamisa.
He said Mnangagwa was one of the many world leaders who have resorted to use of violence, torture and harassment on opposition supporters.
Sibanda said threats to arrest Chamisa all but show that Mnangagwa wants to maintain his position in that “premier league”.
He said Chamisa was briefed three months ago that Mnangagwa was planning to nail innocent people for his political gains.
“Even by Mnangagwa’s own standards that he set throughout his life, of impunity, disrespect of the law, he will be crossing the Rubicon if he decided to arrest president Chamisa,” Sibanda said.
“He will be crossing the Rubicon. He will certainly be visiting no-man’s land to be so reckless as to arrest the leader of the largest opposition political party in the country.”
Sibanda said Chamisa had always committed to dialogue, not violence, and would not be deterred by threats, especially when he knows he hasn’t committed any crime.
-Newsday
Paul Nyathi|ACTING Prosecutor-General Kumbirai Hodzi has turned down a request by Tendai Biti, an opposition party legislator, seeking the temporary release of his passport to allow him to travel to Uganda to attend a crucial continental meeting convened by the African Organisation of Public Accounts Committees (AFROPAC).
Biti, the legislator for Harare East constituency had through his lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa written to Hodzi applying for the release of his passport to allow him to attend AFROPAC’s 3rd General Meeting and Conference in the Ugandan capital city of Kampala, running from 19 November to 23 November.
The Clerk of Court at Harare Magistrates Court is currently holding Biti’s passport as part of his bail conditions in a matter in which he was arrested in August 2018 and charged with contravening the country’s electoral laws.
The request for the release of the passport came after AFROPAC invited Biti to attend the meeting and conference in his capacity as Chairperson of the Zimbabwean Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee to which Kennedy Chokuda, the Clerk of Parliament formally accepted the invitation and communicated the list of legislators who would be attending to the Secretary-General of AFROPAC.
As Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee, Biti will be the leader of the Zimbabwean delegation of legislators attending the AFROPAC meeting and conference.
Mtetwa said as a former Finance Minister during the coalition government, Biti’s attendance at such a crucial continental meeting would be valuable to the Public Accounts Committee that he chairs and would compliment government’s position to zero tolerance for corruption, lack of accountability by public officials and the profligacy that has generally afflicted public sector spending.
But in response to Biti’s request, Hodzi turned down the MDC-Alliance party legislator’s application for the temporary release of his passport on the basis that he is facing criminal charges at Harare Magistrates Court, where on Monday he challenged the suitability of Michael Reza of the National Prosecuting Authority as the lead prosecutor. Harare Magistrate Gloria Takundwa will on Thursday hand down her ruling on Biti’s application.
Hodzi claimed that the NPA was keen to afford Biti a fair and public trial within a reasonable time as provided in section 69 of the Constitution and hence the temporary release of his passport would interrupt his trial and is likely to jeopardise the criminal proceedings in his case as he doesn’t know how long it would take to finalise it.
Correspondent|The government has amended the current Companies Act which was passed in 1951 and gazetted a new Companies and Other Business Entities Bill which seeks to replace and update the law relating to companies and private business corporations.
The present Companies Act was passed in 1951 and some of the new features in this Bill include the introduction of an Electronic Registry for the incorporation and registration of domestic and foreign companies and private business corporations and the substitution of criminal penalties by civil penalties wherever possible.
The bill also caters for the provision for the issuance of shares rather than shares with a fixed value, together with provisions for the valuation of no-par-value shares;
The amendment of the Companies Act is accompanied by two other bills that government has gazetted which includes the Tripartite Negotiating Forum Bill, Companies and the Finance (No. 2).
Two other bills namely Consumer Protection Bill and Forest Amendment Bill are awaiting to be gazetted.
In a statement released by Parliament, the Consumer Protection draft bill has been sent to Printflow while the Forest amendment draft bill has been sent to the Attorney General for proofreading.
According to Veritas, a watchdog of law in the Parliament of Zimbabwe, the Tripartite Negotiating Forum Bill “seeks to establish a Tripartite Negotiating Forum whose mandate is to ensure consultation, cooperation and negotiation on social and economic issues by Government, Organised Business and Organised Labour,”
Another Bill, Finance (No. 2) Bill, 2018 seeks “to confirm SI 205/2018 re Intermediated Money Transfer Tax, this Bill will amend the Finance Act [Chapter 23:04], and the Income Tax Act [Chapter 23:06], to give effect to the new rate of intermediated money transfer tax provisionally enacted (subject to endorsement by the Parliament) by Statutory Instrument 205 of 2018 pursuant to section 3(2) of the Finance Act [Chapter 24:04),” stated Veritas.
It further states that “Draft Consumer Protection Bill, seeks to promote a fair, efficient and transparent marketplace for consumers and business, to promote consumer rights to basic needs (food, shelter, health, education and clothing), to provide for improved standards of consumer information, to prohibit unfair competition, marketing and business practices, to promote responsible consumer behaviour, to provide relief to parties to consumer contracts where the contracts are unfair or contain unfair provisions or where the exercise or non-exercise of a power, right or discretion under such a contract is or would be unfair; to repeal the Consumer Contracts Act [Chapter 8:03], and to provide for matters incidental to or connected with the foregoing.”
Correspondent|The trial of the jailed former Energy and Power Development Minister Samuel Undenge in connection with a case in which Intratrek Zimbabwe was corruptly awarded the Gwanda solar power plant tender by Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) has been postponed.
The matter has been postponed to November 19 on the basis that the last State witness will be travelling and he will only be available on that date.
Undenge who is being represented by Alec Muchadehama, denied the charges indicating that he did not direct the former ZPC Managing Director Noah Gwariro to pay Intratek.
Gwariro already testified in court and submitted that he was directed by Undenge to make a pre-payment of over $5 million to Intratek even after they had failed to produce bank guarantees as per their agreement.
Undenge was released on $1 000 bail with instructions to continue residing at his given address until finalisation of the matter.
Allegations are that Undenge directed ZPC to grant controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo’s company, Intratrek Zimbabwe, a tender for the Gwanda solar power plant project.
It is alleged the company failed to execute the project despite getting $5 607 814,24 from Government.
Magistrate Barbara Chimboza is presiding over the matter.
M&T
Correspondent|A Harare businessman who shot his worker over $30 has been hauled before the court on charges of attempted murder.
Gladmore Musanhi (51) who has business interest in the Musanhi passenger buses allegedly shot a man he had sub-contracted to do some menial work for him after he paid him $50 instead of an agreed $80 payment.
Musanhi appeared before Harare Magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa and was released on $300 bail coupled with stringent bail conditions.
He was remanded to December 6.
Prosecuting, Sebastian Mutizirwa alleged that on November 12, Callisto Musariri was hired by Musanhi to carry out a menial job of pushing a vehicle engine from within Musanhi garage to the main gate so it would be lifted by a forklift crane into a lorry.
After finishing the job, Musanhi was charged $80.
Musarira and his colleagues finished the job and demanded their payment and Musanhi gave them $50 contrary to the agreed amount leading to a misunderstanding between them.
It is the State’s case that Musariri together with his colleagues blocked the path using drums, stopping the forklift from getting the engine.
It is alleged that Musanhi tried to remove the barricade on his own but was dragged away by the angry workers.
In a fit of rage, Musanhi allegedly left the place only to return moments later armed with a pistol.
He reportedly pointed the firearm at Musarira threatening to shoot him.
Musanhi shot Musarira on the left ear and fled from the scene.
It is alleged that he went and handed himself to the police afterwards.
Musarira was allegedly taken to Harare Central hospital where he was getting medical attention.
M&T
Matabeleland chiefs have written a petition to President Emmerson Mnangagwa bemoaning their alleged economic marginalisation which they said should be corrected under the new dispensation.
In the petition, Avoca Filabusi Communal lands chief, Vezi Maduna-Mafu, noted that locals in most Matabeleland regions including Hwange, Lupane, and Binga, among others, are excluded in developmental projects which are supposed to benefit them and their communities.
Mafu noted that the marginalisation dates back to as early as 1981 when the Gukurahundi genocide occurred but has now transformed into economic genocide.
He urged the president to create a commission that is not the National Peace and Reconciliation commission (NPRC) to look into the Gukurahundi genocide which he feels is the root cause of Matabeleland locals’ problems.
“Appoint a new commission which is separate from the NPRC to specifically handle the 1981 to
1987 Ndebeles’ genocide/Gukurahundi,” Mafu
said.
He pointed out that government has been turning a blind eye on the issue yet most people still have unhealed wounds.
The Filabusi leader added that as chiefs, they have been trying to have an interface with Mnangagwa to lodge their complaints but were
blocked.
“All these points, if taken into account, make it very difficult to directly engage in dialogue over
the 1981 to 1987 Ndebele massacre/
Gukurahundi as these points clearly indicate a sign of no sincerity over the past unhealed 
wounds.Daily News
Correspondent|OPPOSITION party MDC president Nelson Chamisa has claimed that state security agents gave his wife’s car a high-speed chase as she was driving home last Friday.
“Some eerie figures gave high-speed chase to my wife’s car last Friday,” Chamisa said in an interview with a Daily News journalist. “They play with people’s lives; I will reveal all this on Monday when I hold a press conference.”
However, when Monday came, no mention of Chamisa’s wife’s high-speed chase was done by party spokesperson Jacob Mafume.
At the press conference, Mafume made no mention of Chamisa’s wife ever being chased. Mafume only addressed the issue of Chamisa’s alleged kidnap which he said happened on Saturday evening while his convoy was entering Harare from a Marondera rally.
Chamisa claimed there was an attempt by military intelligence agents with the help of British secret service to kidnap him in Ruwa.
“A minimum of eight armed men follow me at any point in time,” Chamisa claimed on Monday in a Twitter post.
The government disputed Chamisa’s version of events, with the Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Monica Mutsvangwa dismissing the incident as pure road rage between Chamisa’s security detail and a private citizen who was merely driving behind the opposition leader’s convoy.
“Where have you seen a witch who acknowledges their act, or a thief who acknowledges his loot?” Chamisa asked the Daily News reporter.
He said the government was in the habit of denying everything, as they did with Gukurahundi and other human rights abuses.
“What do you want them to say” Chamisa asked rhetorically. “That’s the normal statement with them. You bewitch and deny.”
Manicaland provincial education director (PED), Mr Edward Shumba, confirmed to The Herald that five boarding schools in the province are seeking permission to either increase boarding fees or close early citing dwindling food supplies due to
shortages and high prices.
Two of the schools are Marange High and Mutare Girls’ High. He said schools can only increase tuition fees after agreeing with parents and then send their request to his office for approval. He said schools can only increase fees temporarily.
Said Shumba: “Schools should agree with parents first then write a request to my office for approval, but this must be just for the remaining days of the term and not a permanent feature.
Private schools such as Hillcrest, which have since requested parents to top up on school fees.”
The Herald
Zanu-PF has resolved to recall two Chiredzi Town Councillors for violating the party’s constitution.
The two were found guilty of voting MDC-Alliance councillor as council chair. Zanu-PF controls four wards in Chiredzi town to the MDC-Alliance’s
three, with one more ward under the control of an independent candidate. Zanu-PF candidate Blessing Mazinyane lost the Chiredzi town
council chairmanship to MDC Alliance’s Gibson Hwende by five votes to three.
Zanu-PF Masvingo Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) resolved to recall Councillors
Obert Ngwenya (Ward 2) and Josphat Nzombe (Ward 8) after they were found guilty of having violated the party’s constitution by working with the opposition in Chiredzi Town Council. The decision to recall the pair now awaits approval of the Zanu-PF National Disciplinary Committee. If the disciplinary committee upholds Masvingo
PCC’s decision, the party will inform the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, paving way for council by-elections in the two wards.
In an interview at the close of the 67th East, Central and Southern Africa (ECSA) Health Community (Ministers of Health conference) in Victoria Falls yesterday, Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr John Mangwiro said pharmacies must not demand foreign currency because they are buying from Government using swipe.
Said Mangwiro:”Drugs are still a problem but the situation is improving because we have moved to capacitate NatPharm to sell
to private pharmacies and also supply Government health facilities with drugs.
This will allow patients to get drugs at a much cheaper price and there is no need for pharmacies to demand foreign currency because they
are using Real Time Gross Settlement or swipe to pay for the drugs at NatPharm. We have said NatPharm should import and distribute.”
Responding to Government’s directive, Pharmaceutical Society of Zimbabwe spokesperson Mr Portifa Mwendera said they 
have not received adequate foreign currency
allocations.Chronicle
The African Medallion Group, owned by South Africa-based Zimbabwean businessman Frank Buyanga, has availed nearly $35 million to procure and deliver fuel, pharmaceuticals and other products that are in short supply. This came after Government granted AMG the approval to do so following its request to assist.
AMG chairman Ms Estee Mamman wrote to Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor Dr John Mangudya recently seeking to assist with the procurement. Dr Mangudya on Monday responded to the request and gave AMG the nod.
“The bank appreciates your desire to contribute to the solution to the challenges facing the country and wishes to advise that you directly approach the importers of the proposed commodities. This is due to the fact that the buyers will be using their free funds to pay for the imports,” read part of his letter.
In response, Ms Mamman said the group was now commissioning the process.
“African Medallion Group will immediately begin to engage Zimbabwean entities, including but not limited to African Medallion (Pvt) Ltd Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) and any other necessary bodies in an effort to assist the people of Zimbabwe together with the Government,” she said.
“African Medallion Group will proceed to contact the relevant authorities in Zimbabwe to obtain the necessary approval, import permits and other documentation deemed necessary for the procurement and delivery of fuel, pharmaceuticals, cement, cooking oil and other commodities through a bonded infrastructure.”
She added, “African Medallion Group will avail a ZAR500 million (US$34 800 000) facility to the African Medallion (Pvt) Ltd Zimbabwe entity for the inward procurement of all commodities. The facility will be redeemable in free funds.” Ms Mamman said in line with their transparency policy, they were inviting RBZ agents to supervise AMG in all its endeavours and practice.
“This is a non-profit making initiative. The benefit is mainly for the Government and people of Zimbabwe,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ms Mamman has since requested Zimra to provide them with the necessary import permits to enable them to help address the country’s economic challenges urgently.
“We urge you to assist African Medallion Group with processing of the necessary import documentation expediently so that we can address the needs of the people with the urgency this matter requires. Within seven days we will be commissioning the process,” read part of the letter addressed to Zimra Commissioner-General Ms Faith Mazani dated November 12, 2018.
Ms Mamman said they will be responsible for local logistics and distribution and also invited Zimra agents to supervise the entire process. – state media
https://twitter.com/BiologistDan/status/1062824884756197376?s=19
A British journalist who was present before, during and after the on 1 August massacre by the military in Harare explains that the so-called protesters who exchanged a stick and teargas battle with police officers dispersed way before soldiers had arrived, and when the military eventually traveled to the area, there was no need for intervention and no protesters in sight. Instead of some riot management work, solders suddenly unleashed automatic fire on innocent shopppers in the central business district.
The account family coincides with LIVE footage ZimEye.com presents.
The Guardian has its own footage from the cruel incident that sawat least 7 people killed.
Last night, another witness, Annah Mubaiwa speaking LIVE on ZimEye.com revealed she was physically inside TV Stores And Hire that afternoon. SEE VIDEO BELOW:
Meanwhile, Guardian journo, Jason Burke wrote of the ongoing commission which this week saw senior officers testifying.
But the senior officers’ testimony, made on Monday, contrasts markedly with the recollection of many witnesses to the violence, which followed scattered confrontations between police and protesters from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) angered by alleged electoral fraud.
The Guardian reveals it: was present before and during the shootings, which occurred as a small number of protesters carrying stones and sticks clashed with riot police armed with teargas and water cannon.
The protesters appeared to be dispersing when the police suddenly withdrew. After a short time, soldiers could be seen moving through the streets of the market area in central Harare pointing their weapons at shoppers, office workers and others. Volleys of automatic fire could also be heard. The Guardian saw patrols of soldiers clearing away panicked pedestrians at gunpoint. The pedestrians fled the area.
TV footage shows soldiers firing repeatedly in the direction of civilians.
Continual and intensive fire from automatic military grade weapons ceased when the streets were almost deserted. Armoured military vehicles appeared shortly afterwards.
Both Sibanda and Sanyatwe suggested that the violence was caused by armed supporters of the opposition.
They provided no evidence to back up the charge, which has been denied by the MDC.
David Coltart, a co-founder of the MDC, said the generals’ denials were “ridiculous”.
Zanu-PF has resolved to recall two Chiredzi Town councillors for violating the party’s constitution after they were found guilty of consorting with MDC-Alliance councillors to elect a council chair from the opposition, despite the ruling party enjoying numerical advantage in council.
The ruling party, which controls four wards in Chiredzi town to the MDC-Alliance’s three, with one more ward under the control of an independent candidate, surrendered the Chiredzi town council chairmanship after its candidate Clr Blessing Mazinyane lost to the MDC-Alliance’s Gibson Hwende by five votes to three.
Clr Hwende’s victory meant that some ruling party councillors voted for him instead of their party’s preferred candidate.
The Zanu PF Provincial Co-ordinating Committee (PCC) at the weekend resolved to recall Cllrs Obert Ngwenya (Ward 2) and Josphat Nzombe (Ward 8) after they were found guilty of having violated the party’s constitution by working with the opposition in Chiredzi Town Council. The decision to recall the pair now awaits approval of the zanu-pf National Disciplinary Committee.
If the committee upholds the Masvingo PCC’s decision, the party will inform the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, paving way for council by-elections in the two wards.
Zanu PF Masvingo provincial spokesperson Cde Ronald Ndava confirmed the decision to recall the two ruling party councillors from their positions.
“We resolved to recall the two councillors in Chiredzi town for violating the party’s constitution and we have since written to the National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) of Zanu PF which will undertake automatic review of our resolution before deciding what to do next,” he said.
“We will know whether there will be by-elections in wards 2 and 8 in Chiredzi town after the NDC has made its decision, so as of now are waiting.” – state media
At least five boarding schools in Manicaland are seeking permission to either increase boarding fees or close early citing dwindling food supplies due to shortages on the market and high prices on available stocks.
Two of the schools are Marange High and Mutare Girls’ High. Manicaland provincial education director (PED), Mr Edward Shumba, confirmed receiving the requests.
On increasing school fees, he said the schools would need to agree with parents and then send their request to his office for approval.
“Schools should agree with parents first then write a request to my office for approval, but this must be just for the remaining days of the term and not a permanent feature,” said Mr Shumba.
The situation has not spared trust and private schools including Hillcrest, which has since requested parents to top up on school fees.
Hillcrest school head, Mrs Annie Holman, said the increase in prices of food stuffs and other commodities had affected the school budget.
“We have asked for a top up of fees because prices have gone up by at least 60 percent, which has affected our budget and now we are not going to be able to complete the term if we are to maintain our standards, so we had to ask parents to top up fees,” Mrs Holman said.-state media
The ruling by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Maxwell Takuva follows summons filed by Ms Melody Mudzingwa and her daughter, Nomsa Vanessa, through their lawyers Mutendi and Shumba Legal Practitioners, citing Madziyire and Tristar Insurance Company as the defendants.
“It is ordered that the first plaintiff’s (Ms Mudzingwa’s) claim is hereby granted as per summons against the defendants as follows: US$3 000 being funeral expenses incurred for the burial of the deceased Tymon Mangena, US$67 200 being damages for plaintiff’s loss of support and US$11 816 being damages for second plaintiff’s (Nomsa Vanessa’s) loss of support,” ruled the judge.
Justice Takuva also ordered the defendants to pay the legal costs incurred by the plaintiffs.
In papers before the court, Ms Mudzingwa said Dr Madziyire caused the death of her husband, a pedestrian, through negligence and driving at an excessive speed.
The accident occurred in 2014 along the Bulawayo-Gweru road.
“On April 1, 2014, my husband was involved in an accident along the Bulawayo-Gweru road when the defendant negligently knocked him down. The accident was solely due to excessive speed, failure to be on proper lookout for other road users and failing to reduce speed,” said Ms Mudzingwa.
Mangena sustained head injuries and multiple fractures and died on the same day. He was buried at his rural home in Mberengwa.
Ms Mudzingwa said Dr Madziyire only bought a coffin and a beast while she spent US$3 000 on other funeral expenses.
She said she and her daughter were entitled to claim damages for the loss of financial support.
“I wasn’t employed at the time of my husband’s death and I entirely depended on his income for survival. As a result of his death my daughter and I suffered actual pecuniary loss in the form of a loss of support since Mangena was the sole breadwinner in the family,” said Ms Mudzingwa in her summons.
“The current socio-economic environment in the country has seen the closure of most industries leaving most prospective workers who’re employed informally working up to the age of 70. My husband died at the age 20 which effectively means that we’ve lost the expected 50 years of support due to his death.”
Ms Mudzingwa is seeking an order compelling Dr Madziyire or his insurance company to pay her a total of $82 016 compensation for loss of support.
In his defence through his lawyers Calderwood, Bryce Hendrie and Partners, Dr Madziyire said the accident was not solely his responsibility, arguing that the woman’s husband failed to keep a proper look out for vehicles.
“The defendant disputes that he was negligent as alleged by the plaintiffs and avers that the accident was caused solely by the negligence of the deceased in that he made, without any signal, a sudden right U-turn in front of the defendant when it was not safe to do so,” argued Dr Madziyire’s lawyers.- state media
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MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has claimed his wife Sithokozile was followed by state security agents in a high-speed chase in Harare. Daily News editor Gift Phiri talked to Chamisa. Find below excerpts of the interview.
Q: It seems you remain trapped in election mode almost four months after the election. What do you want?
A: We want political dialogue on the five issues we have emphasised.
Q: What are the issues?
A: Number one, return to legitimacy. Number two, comprehensive political reforms, electoral reforms and constitutional reforms. Number three, nation building and peace building.
Number four, international re-engagement to deal with the debt question and also to deal with multilateral support. Number five, an emergency rescue programme and a humanitarian agenda.
Q: Is there scope for a mediator?
A: Izvo zvinobuda (That will come) later, because there is a deadlock, a political deadlock. Whether they want to declare it or whether they don’t want to declare it, whether they want to acknowledge it or ignore it, it is there. So, the fundamental issue is how do we move forward because we control the majority.
Q: But President Emmerson Mnangagwa controls the majority, according to election results. What do you mean you control the majority?
A: We were voted by more people than Mnangagwa and we are the government at local government level because we control all the cities. So, de facto, we are in charge.
But you see vanaMnangagwa, by the fact that they have declared themselves, they are also in charge of central government.
So, for this country, in order for it to move, it must move on the basis of shared understanding of what the way forward is around the issue ye (of) legitimacy, around the presidential election, the issue ye the reform agenda, the issue ye national building and peace building, how do we heal the nation nema (of) wounds of the past, kwete zvavo zvekuita zvima (not the route they have taken to set up a) Commission of Inquiry. That will not heal the nation. Kwete zvavo zvekuti isu tisu tirikupa (Not what they are saying that they are ushering in a) new dispensation, that will not give a new dispensation.
A new dispensation will come when the entire population is working in unison for an issue. We can’t have people voting and their vote being ignored, people voting and their vote being bastardised, or just being disregarded.
Q: What exactly do you yourself want, is it a post for yourself? Is it only about the five issues you allude to?
A: No, this is about the people of Zimbabwe. The challenges we are facing are as a result of the elephant in the living room.
The elephant in the living room is absence of rule of law, democracy, good governance, free and fair elections.
We were able to dilute this elephant in the living room during the inclusive government. That’s why things started moving. But we went back to the default setting of the elephant in the living room after the 2013 election.
That’s why the problem has continued. So, we are in 2018, we are going to deal with the elephant in the living room because of the November (soft coup) incident.
We thought it was a journey towards dealing with the elephant in the living room.
We have realised now that the elephant in the living room has not been moved out. If anything, it has changed the colour.
Q: So, what, you want a reincarnation of the GNU?
A: Not a GNU, not a GNU, I am not interest in that. I want resolution yekuti chii chatirikuita ne (around what we are doing around) reform, political settlement.
Q: So, this is forward-looking?
A: No, it’s now.
Q: It’s now? But you are talking of electoral reforms, and the next election is in 2023?
A: No, no, no, but there are elections anoitwa (held) every time, the by-elections. There can be an election next week if we say we are dissolving this thing because taita (there is a) stalemate.
Q: You mean like another harmonised election?
A: There can be an election anytime depending on political developments.
Q: So, you are saying this can only happen after political dialogue. Who will be the stakeholders there?
A: No ka, but there are two major parties akaenda kuma (that went to) elections, vane (with a) presence in Parliament, in local government and central government.
Q: But Mnangagwa has ruled this out. So, what, you are bringing pressure to bear through this hwamanda (shofar or trumpet) which you say you will be sounding soon for the commencement of anti-government demos?
A: No, no, no, look. They have said it’s out but we are saying there has to be political dialogue. And as citizens, as a party iri (which is) democratic, we are not a rebel movement, we are not an underground movement, we are not a terrorist organisation, okay, we are a democratic party.
Therefore, there are democratic tools available to confront, one of which is demonstrations, the other one is petitions in terms of the Constitution, yah?
That one is democratic pressure through diplomatic engagement and international diplomacy, regional diplomacy, continental diplomacy, so there are many tools that are available to be able to resolve issues affecting us.
Q: You claim there was an attempt to abduct you. Why do you think the State would take such a route?
A: It is a pattern and a trend that has been taking place for the past three months.
It’s a phenomenon I have observed yekuti vanhu ivava ava vanenge vachinditeera (that they trail me), everywhere I go.
Q: You think it’s not for intelligence gathering, because if what you are saying is true, then this has now taken a dark turn, almost a morbid turn if you like?
A: No, there is no intelligence gathering. What intelligence do you gather by chasing after my vehicles and blocking them?
If you are intelligence gathering, you just want to know what I am doing, whether lawful or unlawful. But when you then block my car, you attempt to side-swipe my vehicle, is that intelligence gathering?
Q: Of course not. But you saw the Information minister disowning those thugs. She says they are not part of the system.
A: But where have you found a witch who acknowledges their act?
Where have you seen a thief own up to his own loot? So, is that new to you? Are they not saying they don’t know about the Gukurahundi, Mugabe said it was “a moment of madness?” What have they said about Dzamara? What did they say about Tonderai Ndira, what did they say about Patrick Nabanyama, what about Cain Nkala, and Rashiwe Guzha?
Q: A history of denials and subterfuge?
A: Yes. So, what do want them to say? It’s actually the normal statement from them. That is expected. You bewitch and you deny.
Q: Vari sei Mr Ashley namama vavo (How is your son Ashley and his mum?) How are they taking all this?
A: Ko ivo vakadzingirirwa ka. Some eerie figures gave high-speed chase to her car.
Q: Someone chased her vehicle?!
A: Yah.
Q: Where?
A: In the road on her way home.
Q: You don’t say?! When was this?
A: Last week, on Friday, yah.
Q: Ah!
A: Ndokutaurira ka (I’m telling you the gospel truth.) And I am going to reveal those things pa press conference (on Monday which was later addressed by MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume).
Q: This is serious stuff?
A: And then they are now lying that my kidnap attempt was “road rage!”
Q: Yes, minister Mutsvangwa has called it “road rage.”
A: Can you imagine? Unoziva (You know) they play games with people’s lives.
— DailyNews
By Own Correspondent| Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) provincial chairperson for Mashonaland West Cornelius Muwoni confirmed they resolved to recall the grouping’s national chairperson Christopher Mutsvangwa on allegations of sowing divisions within Zanu Pf.
The resolution was made at a provincial council meeting in Chinhoyi Tuesday.
However, Mashonaland West province is yet to write to Mutsvangwa advising him of the developments.
Mutsvangwa also stands accused of alienating himself from the membership after being appointed the Special Advisor to President Mnangagwa, a post he no longer holds.-StateMedia
WATCH LIVE: PM @Theresa_May provides an update following Cabinet https://t.co/LIgLrwCZaV
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) November 14, 2018
By Own Correspondent| Chairperson of the Women’s Assembly in the MDC, Lynette Karenyi has urged government to walk the talk on scrapping maternity user fees by ensuring the availability of drugs and other health consumables during delivery.
Karenyi said because pregnancy is a national duty, it was important for government to provide delivery tools in all government health facilities as a way of ensuring that women are cushioned from directly and indirectly paying maternity user fees.
Below is the full statement by Karenyi:
PREGNANCY IS A NATIONAL DUTY
When a woman gives birth she is on national duty. Government is not sincere with pregnant. Most pregnant women are being forced to pay delivery tools in all government health facilities.
This week in parliament I raised an issue of concern to a number of pregnant mothers who are making infomal payments to hospitals yet there is a policy that all pregnant mothers will not be paying maternity fees anymore.
Maternal health
It is government policy that all pregnant women are not supposed to pay user fees but when they visit the hospital they are asked to buy either cotton wool, spirit, razor and other drugs for those who would have delivered through ceasarian section. Pregnant woman also provide their own food and other requirements.
In his response, the minister of health Dr Obediah Moyo said the policy is that it is free to which i implored him to make random checks at any hospital of his choice in order for him to see for himself that women are being asked to pay.
During our recent public hearings as the committee on health, we received complaints at every hospital that we visited that pregnant mothers are asked to bring all the drugs and other health consumables including gloves.
While the Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda has since made a ruling that the health minister should carry a random check at hospitals, the bottom line is pregnant mothers are still paying maternity fees directly or indirectly. As long as the government is not providing the said apparatus needed for the successful delivery of babies at hospitals, then expected mothers are paying maternity fees.
This is a very bad practise by the Zanu PF led government and it must end. Our laws make it very clear that the state must take practical measures to ensure the provision of basic, accessible and adequate health services throughout Zimbabwe.
How much longer shall pregnant mothers continue to suffer?
Lynette Karenyi
Hon. MP and MDC Assembly of Women Chairperson.
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Battle lines have been drawn in the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) amid indications that party members sympathetic to party President Nelson Chamisa are orchestrating a plan to fire Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora before the next elective congress slated for October 2019.
Reliable sources within the opposition party described Nyanga senator as “an apple of discord allegedly funded by the ruling Zanu PF party to cause confusion in the movement.”
“He is in bed with Zanu PF. All is known and his agenda is to cause chaos within the party as he is aware that he will not make it at the congress next year.
“He is still bitter about how Chamisa rose to power which was anchored on popular support from party followers. So because of his unpopularity and how Chamisa performed in elections, Mwonzora has no chance at all,” the source said.
The sources alleged that Zanu PF is bank rolling Mwonzora’s project to cause confusion in the opposition top ranks a development intended to divert the 40 years old opposition leader Nelson Chamisa from focusing on national issues but on party issues.
“The intention is to divert Chamisa from focusing on national issues and concentrate on party business. Chamisa is mulling a national protest so the state is not happy with that. So they want to support Mwonzora to just cause confusion,” the source added.
Another senior party official fingered Mwonzora and Vice President Elias Mudzuri as part of a scheme revolting against Chamisa’s ascendancy to the leadership of the party following the death of founding President, Morgan Tsvangirai.
“He is waging a revolt. He wants to challenge Chamisa after going to Malaba to apologize for heckling him without the blessing of the party. He is doing this together with Mudzuri,” the source said.
According to the party source, Mwonzora is believed to have roped in Manicaland Provincial chairperson, David Chimhini and other unnamed senior part officials in his project to topple Chamisa.
263Chat could establish from Mwonzora’s side as his mobile went unanswered.
-263Chat
Matabeleland chiefs have written a petition to President Emmerson Mnangagwa bemoaning their alleged economic marginalisation which they said should be corrected under the new dispensation.
In the petition, Avoca Filabusi Communal lands chief, Vezi Maduna-Mafu, noted that locals in most Matabeleland regions including Hwange, Lupane, and Binga, among others, are excluded in developmental projects which are supposed to benefit them and their communities.
Mafu noted that the marginalisation dates back to as early as 1981 when the Gukurahundi genocide occurred but has now transformed into economic genocide. He urged the president to create a commission that is not the National Peace and Reconciliation commission (NPRC) to look into the Gukurahundi genocide which he feels is the root cause of Matabeleland locals’ problems.
“Appoint a new commission which is separate from the NPRC to specifically handle the 1981 to 1987 Ndebeles’ genocide/Gukurahundi,” Mafu said.
He pointed out that government has been turning a blind eye on the issue yet most people still have unhealed wounds.
The Filabusi leader added that as chiefs, they have been trying to have an interface with Mnangagwa to lodge their complaints but were blocked.
“All these points, if taken into account, make it very difficult to directly engage in dialogue over the 1981 to 1987 Ndebele massacre/Gukurahundi as these points clearly indicate a sign of no sincerity over the past unhealed wounds.
“These points in this petition show a continuation of Ndebeles genocide this time as economic genocide,” Mafu said.
“As an elderly chief in Matabeleland, I have tried three consecutive times to see you privately concerning the above reference, but I have been taken for granted by your inner personnel who blocked me. I was left with no option but to write this letter.”
He rubbished the president’s claims on devolution suggesting that they are not sincere and should be corrected.
The Filabusi chief pleaded with the president to attend to their concerns as doing otherwise is a sign of insincerity towards Matabeleland locals.
“How is the new dispensation treating Matabeleland people after years of suffering from 1981 to 1987 Ndebele genocide (Gukurahundi).
This has been a public talk in every Ndebele community, kindly find time to discuss with me and my delegation the issues raised in this letter,” he noted.
“To me it proves why you have been pushing for economic devolution knowingly that behind our back as chiefs you systematically and secretly took all strategic economic drivers, sites and minerals in Matabeleland.
“Mr President, my son may you please kindly correct immediately what I have raised in this letter for it is proving that you are not sincere in your regional economic devolution in Matabeleland.”
The aggrieved leader also highlighted that there is no one from Matabeleland in the ministries of Local Government, Information, Energy, and Agriculture and in the Public Service Commission to represent the people’s needs.
He called on the president to decentralise power through allowing the Matabeleland North minister and Provincial Administrator to come and occupy offices in Lupane to promote economic development.
-Daily News
WAR veterans in Mashonaland West province have resolved to recall Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association chairperson Cde Christopher Mutsvangwa on allegations of sowing divisions.
Cde Mutsvangwa also stands accused of alienating himself from the membership after being appointed the Special Advisor to President Mnangagwa.
ZNLWVA provincial chairperson for Mashonaland West Cde Cornelius Muwoni confirmed the resolution made at a provincial council meeting in Chinhoyi saying the province was yet to write to Cde Mutsvangwa advising him of the developments.
More to follow…..
-State Media
Terrence Mawawa| Senegalese officials will take charge of the Warriors game against Liberia set for this weekend.
The match will be played at Samuel Kayon Doe Sports Complex in Monrovia on Sunday and kick-off time is 6 pm.
Maguette Ndiaye will be the centre referee while Djibril Camara and El Hadji Malick Samba are the first and second assistant referees respectively.
Alioune Sow Sandigui was assigned as 4th official with Tadeo Nsue Onva of Equatorial Guinea as the match commissioner.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe currently lead Group G in the 2019 Afcon Qualifiers and will be hoping to book their place at the finals by managing at least a draw in the encounter.
The Beitbridge Bulawayo Railway Company (BBR) is still working on modalities to remove its crashed goods train and repair the damaged track at the rail-road crossing in the border town.
It is Day 4 since the accident.
The locomotives are still at the crash site as a rescue plan is being finalised.
SOS has been sent to experts from Harare and South Africa to come and assist with clearing the site.
According to information, the experts will bring in heavy equipment which includes cranes that have the required capacity for the task.
It is then expected that after the removal of the wreckage, engineers will start working on restoring the damaged rail track which was completely ripped off due to the magnitude of the crash.
This is expected to take a few more days although no fixed timeline has been put in terms of the deadline.
Personnel are, however, at the worksite in different capacities and part of the goods train which fell beyond the crash site has also been toured away.
In the process, a small portion of the rail towards the Bulawayo direction has also been repaired.
The BBR train crashed last Sunday evening after it hit a haulage truck at the road-rail intersection.
BBR is a Build Operate Transfer project that has shortened the distance between Bulawayo and South Africa to 317 kilometres.
Prior to its inauguration, rail service between South Africa and Bulawayo used a route through Botswana that is about 200 kilometres longer.
The shorter line has been used primarily for freight transportation and forms an important trade link between South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The task at hand now is to remove the locomotives which are said to weigh over 112 tonnes each.
The carriers are also estimated to weigh 70 tonnes including the cargo.
Zbc News online
By Discent Collins Bajila | So far there is only one security officer who is sticking with the truth (on this 1 August massacre)!
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“Officer Commanding Harare District Chief Superintendent Albert Ncube argued that the arrival of the army on August 1, 2018 violated provisions of subsections 1 and 2 of section 37 of POSA. The Section reads:
(1) If, upon a request made by the Commissioner of Police, the Minister is satisfied that any regulating authority requires the assistance of the defence forces for the purpose of suppressing any civil commotion or disturbance in any police district, he may request the Minister responsible for defence to authorise the defence forces to assist the police in the exercise of their functions under this Act in the police district concerned.
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(2) where authority is given under subsection (1) for the defence forces to assist the police-
(a) every member of the defence forces who has been detailed to assist the police in any police district in the exercise of their functions under this Act shall be under the command of the regulating authority concerned; and
(b) a member of the defence forces who is assisting a police officer in the exercise of his functions under this Act shall have the same powers, functions and authority, and be subject to the same responsibilities, discipline and penalties as a member of the police force, and liable in the same circumstances (as) if he were a member of the police force, and shall have the same benefit or any indemnity to which a member of the police force would in the same circumstances be entitled.
Ncube thus argues that while he requested for the military to assist him maintain public order, they didn’t notify him that they were coming and neither did they get any instruction from him. Ncube argues further that at Harare International Conference Center where there was public disorder but no military officers arrived, there was no single death recorded. All deaths were recorded in areas where the army intervened in procedural violation of section 37 of POSA.
Police Commissioner General Godwin Matanga recognises this piece of legislation but argues that “there was no time to comply” with it.
Leading human rights organisation, ZimRights has blasted top army and police officials for taking a defensive stance, denying their involvement in the 1st of August violence that left six people dead when soldiers fired live bullets on unarmed civilians.
In a statement released today, ZimRights expressed concern on the attitude of state officials saying their conduct is symptomatic of the long-standing contempt, impunity and refusal to be accountable for human rights violations.
“ZimRights is of the position that any process to find redress to these violations needs to be treated with the utmost seriousness, sincerity, transparency and accountability by all holders of public offices, including the security forces.
“It is concerning that government officials and leaders of the security forces have taken a defensive stance as they seek to completely deny basic facts of, involvement in and responsibility for, the unfortunate deaths and injuries.
“Such an attitude flies in the face of the stated purpose of the Commission of Inquiry which is to find the truth.”
Army and police bosses who made their submissions before the Commission of Inquiry on Monday denied shooting at civilians blaming the opposition MDC for inciting supporters to protest against the ruling Zanu PF party.
-Zimbabwe Times
Terrence Mawawa|The suffering people of Zimbabwe have described disgruntled former MDC official Gabriel Chaibva as a perilous element who must be arrested for his “dangerous” remarks.
Below are sentiments that have been expressed by Zimbabweans from different walks of life following Chaibva’ s testimony before the Commission of Inquiry that was appointed to probe the August 1 shootings that left at least six civilians dead.
“Chaibva must be arrested and questioned for attempting to overthrow the elected government of
President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF.He confessed.He was complicit in that he was a member of the MDC that he said was training militants or withheld information that could have
caused civil war and anarchy.Authorities must now arrest him so that he can show them all the alleged training camps that could be holding dangerous weaponry.Sophisticated interrogation techniques must be used until he reveals the truth,” commented Marian on Twitter.
Celia Laing wrote:” Mr Bennett is now late – we have a saying -never speak ill of the dead! Or else!”Elia Biggie Mutize wrote:”If you sum up the bitterness of Gabriel Chaibva, Obert Gutu and Linda T Masirira towards the MDC Alliance you can actually run a maize milling machine…”
Prosper Chibvura commented:”You are justifying soldiers for killing fellow Zimbabweans. Chaibva you are nothing…”
Godfrey Tarambiwa said: “This is just foolish man from my rural district of
Buhera.He can’t even talk any sense.”
Michael Kwangwa argued “He must be arrested and he should help police with 
evidence , stupid idiot.”
MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa says his wife Sithokozile’s car was chased at high speed by unknown people.
The incident is said to have happened on Friday last week. He said this while speaking to the Daily News.
This comes after Chamisa claims that he escaped abduction at the hands of state security agents on Saturday when he was returning from a rally in Marondera.
However, the government has since refuted those allegations that the CIO attempted to kidnap the youthful opposition leader, insisting that Chamisa was involved in a road rage incident after his convoy blocked a Toyota Harrier.
-Pindula
By Own Correspondent| Opposition MDC’s highest decision making body the National Standing Committee today met at the party’s headquarters, Morgan Tsvangirai House.
Details of the deliberations at this crunch meeting were however still sketchy by the time of writing.
Refresh this page for latest updates.
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By Own Correspondent| Secretary General in the opposition MDC youth wing Lovemore Chinoputsa has blasted those alleging that the party’s youth wing is violent hence responsible for the 6 deaths on August 1.
Lovemore Chinoputsa said there is no Vanguard in the MDC and because Harare is an MDC territory, it defies logic to say the MDC could have shot people in a zone that it controls.
Said Chinoputsa:
The MDC categorically states that there is no outfit called Vanguard, an otherwise peaceful and disciplined team of MDC youths, which has since been disbanded on the orders of the national council, the party’s Supreme decision-making body in between Congresses.
As the MDC Youth assembly we note with serious concern the attempt by the police and the military to arrogate responsibility of the August 1 shootings to a non-existent peaceful outfit which was disbanded soon after the unfortunate incidences in Buhera at the burial of our late iconic Leader Dr Morgan Tsvangirai.
The Vanguard was a team of youths that went about peaceful drills at party events but was misinterpreted by political detractors as a violent outfit.
On the orders of the party leadership, the Vanguard was disbanded. What is missed is that the Vanguard was not a terrorist or military term but rather it is leftist diction that refers to ideologically correct party cadres.
In any case, the Vanguard was not an armed outfit. Guns are not sold over the counter in this country. Harare is an MDC territory and it defies logic to say the MDC could have shot people in a zone that it controls. This does not make sense.
The MDC believes in the rule of law. If it were true that it was the MDC that had gunned down people, why would it wait for three months for senior police and military officers to soil the image of the MDC youths before a Commission of Inquiry without effecting any arrest.
The Commission of inquiry was set up on August 29 four weeks after the killings and no one has been arrested. Why would the law enforcement agencies not effect any arrest only to rant before a Commission three and half months later?
We are disturbed that yesterday’s rantings by the police and military leadership before the Commission may be a precursor to a hatchet job to plant guns or military arsenal at Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House or at the houses of some in the MDC leadership.
It has happened before and innocent party cadres were arrested and spent months in prison on trumped-up charges of banditry and terrorism only to be discharged by the courts.
The MDC Youth Assembly demands that the perpetrators of the heinous murders be identified and immediately be brought to book. We reiterate our position that those who were in charge of the military can assist the Commission and the nation on what really transpired.
The MDC is clean and demands that justice be done. No amount of propaganda will absolve the real culprits who are known and can be identified.
The MDC is not a terrorist organization. It is a legitimate political party that is in Parliament and that runs the majority of cities and towns in this country, including Harare where the needless blood was shed in broad daylight.
The MDC cannot be in the business of participating in elections and then engaging in terrorist activities. We are a legitimate political movement that carries out legitimate political business.
The MDC Youth Assembly wants justice to be done. We are concerned that government state agencies are blaming the shootings on an unarmed MDC youth outfit that has since been disbanded.
If anyone had committed the crime in the MDC, they should have been immediately arrested rather than to blame a non-existent outfit before a Commission of inquiry almost four months later.
It’s a shameful cover-up.
Lovemore Chinoputsa
Secretary General
MDC Youth Assembly
Own Correspondent|The local contingent of the Warriors squad is set to depart for Monrovia, Liberia via Johannesburg this evening.
The national team will play the West African country on Sunday in the 2019 Afcon Qualifiers, Group G encounter.
The technical team led by coach Sunday Chidzambwa and three players are still in Harare while the advance party left on Tuesday evening. All foreign-based players will fly direct from their bases in Europe and South Africa.
“Eight members of the technical team and FC Platinum duo of Kelvin Moyo and Rodwell Chinyengetere, as well as France-based Tino Kadewere who asked to come home with his family, will leave this evening,” Warriors’ team manager Wellington Mpandare confirmed to ZBC News.
“Travelling to West Africa is not easy as very few airlines fly to Liberia…all foreign-based players are flying from their bases in Belgium, England and SA. We expect everyone to be in Monrovia by Thursday evening.”
Zimbabwe currently lead the group and need at least a draw to book their place at the finals to be held in Cameroon.
Soccer24
Own Correspondent|Self-exiled former Higher and Tertiary Education , Science and Technology Development minister Jonathan Moyo who faced allegations of abuse of power by outright looting of Zimbabwe Manpower For Development (ZIMDEF) funds to the tune of $430 000, has also been accused of splashing $10 000 on high -end cellphones as gifts for his aides and drivers.
According to a report for the financial year ended December 31 2017 by the Auditor General (AG) Mildred Chiri, Moyo used his position as the then trustee of ZIMDEF to go on a cellphone shopping spree for his aides, spending $10 450 on 10 high end phones.
The AG further alleged that the ministry also may have paid an amount of $1 475 229 to several companies for services not rendered using ZIMDEF funds.
Chiri said the fund was for the development of skilled manpower in Zimbabwe.
“According to Section 47 paragraph 2 of the Manpower Planning and Development Act (Chapter 28: 02), the objective of the fund was for the development of skilled manpower in Zimbabwe.
“However, I noted that there were payments made from the fund through the line item contingencies for the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development which were outside the mandate of the fund.
“ZIMDEF purchased 10 Samsung Galaxy S7 edge cellphone handsets worth $10 450 as gifts for the minister’s aides and drivers.
“The procurement was done citing section 48 of the Manpower Planning and Development Act which says “Minister may, in his capacity as trustee of the fund, do any or all of the following, (d) pay to his employees such salary, wages or other remuneration as he may with the approval of the minister responsible for finance; (e) make his employees such gifts , bonuses or the like as he thinks.”
“The beneficiaries were not ZIMDEF employees and there was no approval from the ministry of finance,” the report revealed.
The purchase of these luxurious gifts was not in line with the mandate of the fund.
“Furthermore, the purchase was not inline with the mandate of the fund which is to finance the development of critical and highly skilled manpower in Zimbabwe.
“ZIMDEF paid a number of suppliers for services rendered for STEM. However, there was no evidence to support that the procurement procedures were followed since the directive to pay these suppliers was from the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education.
“An amount totalling $1,475,229 was paid to Troika Design, AB Communications, Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Mortake Management Services, Fuzzy Technologies, Seven Bridges and Tsholotsho RDC.
“Payments may have been made for services not rendered or for services which were not for the benefit of the fund.
“All stamped payments were directives to pay invoices without at least three competitive quotations and comparative schedules in line with procurement regulations,” the report revealed.
The report further revealed that the colleges were no longer getting funds for equipment.
“Visits to polytechnics revealed that the colleges were no longer getting funds for equipment (last received in 2015), consumables (2016) and the Bachelor of Technology allowances for three months were not yet received at Kwekwe Polytechnic by end of March 2017. The lectures were more of theory than practical due to non-availability of consumables,” noted Chiri.
Meanwhile, Moyo is on record for defending himself on the ZIMDEF funds looting allegations. He likened himself to fictional character Robin Hood who robbed the rich to give to the poor.
Ironically, as Chiri also noted, the funds were meant for the development of polytechnics and provide for research, planning and development of human resources as outlined in the Manpower Planning and Development Act (Chapter 28:02).
His former deputy Godfrey Gandawa is on the run and a warrant of arrest was issued for absconding court where he is facing charges of misuse of public funds.
His company Fuzzy Technologies was paid using ZIMDEF funds for ghost supplies of Information Technology equipment.
M&T
Terrence Mawawa|Concerned Zimbabweans have warned Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa against arresting MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa as the move will trigger mass protests.
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Yasin Banda argued:”The World is watching.Zanu PF one party state dream continues.”
Celia Laing commented:”Touch not God’s anointed!”Rudo Mary Makoni posted:”I will take this as a worst joke and my advice is do not try to do it even in your dreams.”
Tafadzwa Makuvazah said:”Nero is there, go and arrest him. But don’t forget what happened to Zambia when Biti was abducted.”
Tnr Viriri declared: “If you want to see the 4th Chimurenga just lay your dirty
hands on him…”
Logical Muzondo wrote:”Arrest chamisa and there will be unrest in Zimbabwe.”
Correspondent|EXILED former G40 Kingpin Professor Jonathan Moyo has alleged that President Emmerson Mnangagwa instructed former Minister of ICT Supa Mandiwanzira to transfer $1 million to Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) from the Potraz’s Universal Access Fund.
“A test case of the zero tolerance to corruption mantra as former Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa instructed Supa Mandiwanzira to get POTRAZ to pay $1m to ZIFA from the Universal Access Fund. I have V11s!” Professor Moyo has claimed.
The matter came to light after Newsday on Wednesday reported that Cabinet ministers Makhosini Hlongwane (Sport) and Supa Mandiwanzira (ICT) are both set to be summoned to appear before Parliament, where they will be quizzed over loans that were advanced to the country’s football governing body Zifa in 2016 and 2017, but were never repaid.
It is alleged that ZIFA CEO Jonathan Mashingaidze confirmed that they had received $225 000 out of the $1 million that was released by POTRAZ.
“A test case of the zero tolerance to corruption mantra as former Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa instructed Supa Mandiwanzira to get POTRAZ to pay $1m to ZIFA from the Universal Access Fund. I have V11s!” Prof Moyo excitedly said.
“This is one of the cases that exposes Mnangagwa s selective prosecution and could open a can of worms about Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission s double and corrupt standards. It is a minefield.”
Moyo claims that when he raised a red flag over the issue, Mnangagwa unleashed prosecuting Authorities to hound him.
“When I was in government I did my part and even this issue of 1$m Universal Access Fund from POTRAZ to ZIFA, I raised it in politburo as I did with command agriculture. The result WAS Mnangagwa responded by unleashing ZACC and the National Prosecuting Authority on me. The rest is history!”
@ProfJNMoyo
I did my part & even this issue of 1$m Universal Access Fund from Potraz to Zifa, I raised it in politburo as I did with command agriculture. The result is Mnangagwa responded by unleashing Zacc & NPA on me. The rest is history!
Moyo also said the Zimdef corruption scandal where he was in 2017 investigated and detained by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission was highly politicised and blown out of proportion.
“ZimDef is the only case investigated by a committee led by Advocate Jacob Mudenda. V11s are there. It’s also the only case that has been so politicised that you’d think I was Higher Education minister for 38 years. Was Oppah Muchinguri not a minister there 2014 to 2015? ZICOSU?”, said Moyo.
By Own Correspondent| First husband to the former first lady Dr Grace Mugabe Stanley Goreraza has implored army general Valerio Philip Sibanda and police boss Commissioner General Godwin Matanga to take responsibility and stop lying that the MDC killed 6 people on August 1.
Goreraza blasted General Sibanda and Commissioner Matanga for their “unprofessional lies which they submitted to the August 1 Commission” adding that such lies were reflective that they were Zanu Pf sympathisers.
Said Goreraza:
“It’s very concerning that the police and military can go before a Commission of inquiry and unashamedly lie to the Commission whilst serving their submissions on political plates.
Very very unprofessional of Phillip Valerio Sibanda and Godwin Matanga. They did not even try to hide their bias which was plain to see.
Sibanda and Matanga made political pronouncements which made them sound like Zanupf officials defending their party.
It was not for them to decide and determine which political party was responsible for the violence. That is not their job. Theirs was to explain what transpired on the 1st of August without going political like they did.
The Zec Chair, Priscilla Chigumba, blamed the Army for the deaths of those 6 unarmed civilians. The Army was not responsible for the outbreak of violence in the city but they are responsible for the deaths of those 6 poor souls whom they needlessly shot.
They could have and should have fired warning shots into the air that would have certainly dispersed the rioters without loss of life.
To say the Mdc shot those innocent civilians is being creative, taking the truth and creating something false out of it. People were shot and killed. That is the truth. And out of that truth Sibanda and Matanga create fiction to cover their own backs.
The ballistics report was clear. Unless the Mdc has the world’s first high velocity weapons holding holsters which conceal automatic rifles, they are no way responsible for those deaths.
The deaths of those 6 people were not caused by handguns which can be concealed on one’s person, No. They were as a result of automatic weapons fire which cannot be concealed on one’s person because of their size. The only party in possession of those weapons that day was the Army.
If indeed the Mdc had shot those people then the police, CIO and MID would have been mercilessly on them left right and center.
They would have made many arrests and hunted down the shooters fearing the Mdc had weapons of war. From the 2nd of August, the Mdc would have had sleepless nights as security agencies would have had their hands around their necks, squeezing the life out of them.”
Terrence Mawawa|Professor Jonathan Moyo has strongly condemned the harassment of MDC Alliance officials by state security agents.
Moyo said Emmerson Mnangagwa’s true colours were being revealed through the persecution of MDC A officials.
Moyo’s comments come after threats by the police to arrest MDC A president Nelson Chamisa.
“MDC MP arrested and prosecuted in Binga for allegedly ‘undermining the authority of the President’ by calling Mnangagwa a dog in Tonga” @ChronicleZim 14 Nov 2018. Shocking-this notorious old-older offense is still alive in 
the so-called new dispensation!” Moyo tweeted.
LEADER of the MDC-T, Thokozani Khupe, has called for unity of purpose among opposition parties and other stakeholders as part of the initiative to restore the country’s struggling economy as the bread basket of Africa.
While her counterpart, Nelson Chamisa the leader of a break-away faction of the MDC Alliance has continued to make noise on the political front, describing President Emmerson Mnangagwa as an illegitimate and failed leader, Khupe – on the other hand – sang from a different hymn book as she spoke of unity.
Khupe – one of the losing presidential candidates in the July 30 elections, has been largely quiet on the developments on the economic and political front.
“I have MPs, which means I have a voice in Parliament, I have had discussions with them to say go and raise issues, issues which are going to move this country forward,” Khupe told Southern News.
“As a party, we are going to continue engaging government and telling them exactly ideas on how to move this country forward,” Khupe said.
This comes as the country has in the past few weeks witnessed a spate of unprecedented price increases for most goods and services after parallel markets rates soared and business reacted to the unpopular two percent tax introduction by Finance minister Mthuli Ncube.
So bad has been the situation that the cost of living has suddenly shot up, leaving many wondering if the Mnangagwa government has what it takes to bring an end to Zimbabweans who have endured decades of suffering.
The former deputy prime minister in the inclusive government of 2009-13 said while there was need for opposition parties not to forget, their fight for electoral reforms, at the moment it was important to prioritise the bread and butter issues.
“But right now, let’s talk about moving the country forward at the same time let’s also talk about reforms. So that by the time we get to 2023, our electoral reforms will be in place.
“Like I said before, 2018 was a better election than all the elections we have had before. We are hoping that by 2023 there will be an improvement but our focus for now must be moving this country forward,” she said.
“People want food on their tables, jobs, hospitals that are functional. We want to get rid of all these negative things that are happening. We want a better Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe used to be the bread-basket of Africa. We want Zimbabwe to go back to where it was.”
She added: “Let us learn as Zimbabweans to put our interests aside and put the people first. Let us put the interest of Zimbabwe first.”
— Daily News
VIDEO LOADING BELOW
Terrence Mawawa|Renowned political commentator Dr Pedzisai Ruhanya has urged the people of Zimbabwe to disregard Gabriel Chaibva’s claims that the MDC is insinuating sinister motives meant to unseat “a democratically elected” government.
Yesterday Chaibva claimed the MDC rioters triggered the chaos that led to the death of at six people on August 1.
“ZANU PF is not short of pathetic followers; political flip floppers like Gabriel Chaibva within its ranks. Chaibva’s submissions on the 1 August 2018 military 
sanctioned extra-judicial murders of unarmed
civilians has exposed his gullibility,” argued Dr Ruhanya.
Terrence Mawawa|MDC Alliance Youth Assembly Secretary General Lovemore Chinoputsa has dismissed claims that the vanguard perpetrated acts of terror on August 1.
In his statement below Chinoputsa has demystified misconceptions about the Vanguard:” There is no Vanguard in the MDC
The MDC categorically states that there is no longer an outfit called the Vanguard. As a matter of fact the Vanguard was a peaceful and disciplined team of MDC youths- which has since been disbanded on the orders of the national council, the party’s Supreme decision-making body in between Congresses.
As the MDC Youth Assembly we note with serious concern the attempt by the police and the military to arrogate responsibility of the August 1 shootings to a non-existent peaceful outfit which was disbanded
soon after the unfortunate incidents in Buhera at the burial of our late iconic Leader Dr Morgan Tsvangirai.
The Vanguard was a team of youths that went about peaceful drills at party events but was misinterpreted
by political detractors as a violent outfit.
On the orders of the party leadership, the Vanguard was then disbanded. The Vanguard was not a terror gang.
In any case, the Vanguard was not an armed outfit.
Guns are not sold over the counter in this country.
By Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition| The Crisis is Zimbabwe Coalition is perturbed by the misleading evidence presented by top army and police officers (on November 11, 2018) before the Commission of Inquiry into the August 1, 2018 shootings.
For the army top officials to admit that they deployed soldiers but later on claim that opposition activists or business people in Harare’s Central Business District were responsible for the shooting of seven civilians is very much regrettable and confirms that Zimbabwe remains stuck in the dark past.
It is foolhardy to believe sentiments from top army officials that a video of a kneeling soldier firing into the crowds portrays him firing warning shots into the air.
As CIZC, we maintain that truth telling processes require sincerity and denialism perpetuates a fractured society. We have also noticed conflicting statements from the police and army top brass with a senior police officer seemingly blaming the army for the shootings.
We note an apparent attempt to blame the opposition, business and ordinary citizens for the shootings and this will likely lead to a witch-hunt that will see continued persecution of hundreds of activists that were arrested in the aftermath of the 01 August killings on false charges.
The stance by the army and police confirms why Zimbabwe has a lot of unresolved cases involving the murder of civilians dating back to the Gukurahundi massacres which resulted in the deaths of more than 20 000 civilians at the hands of the Fifth Brigade.
We have said before, and will say it again, our men and women in uniform should serve the country with honour and distinction. They should be loyal to the constitution and oath of service. This requires the upholding of ethics and discharging duties with dedication and distinction. The regrettable events of the 1st of August have shown the world how force, without measure and regulation can lead to lose of precious lives.
Based on the video evidence, any professional body, of integrity is suppose to take a stand and accept responsibility for the commission of such heinous deeds rather than opting for the easy option of scapegoating.
As CIZC we have already engaged SADC on the continued involvement of the army in politics which poses a security threat in the country. We shall continue to lobby regional, continental and international partners to intervene in resolving the Zimbabwean crisis.
Party spokesperson Jacob Mafume fingered Zanu PF for setting up MDC leadership against each other by planting false narratives.
In an interview with Newsday, Mafume said;
“We are aware of efforts by Zanu PF to use our congress to put Trojan horses of instability using dirty money. We want to assure our supporters that we are capable of emptying the Trojan horses’ way before they enter our gates at congress,” he said.
Chamisa, through his spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda, insisted that congress would be held and party members would be allowed to make their choices as they elect officers of congress.
“Our constitution is very clear. Our congress is held after every five years. Our last one was in November and since the upcoming election is not about electing a new leader of the party, it’s not a special congress, but a congress that will elect all officers of congress. It will be held in October,” he said.
Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo distanced his party from the MDC internal fights, saying they were not concerned about their squabbles.
“We are not interested in the fights by those boys. Talk to the people who are allegedly getting funding from us. We are not going to be drawn into their agenda,” he said.
-Newsday
Correspondent|SOME senior Zanu-PF officials are trying to find a successor to President Emmerson Mnangagwa just four months after he won elections, reports indicate.
Ruling party sources said some officials were worried Mnangagwa won’t see through more than one five-year term in office because of poisoning he suffered at a ruling party rally in 2017.
“This group is worried that Mnangagwa might not finish his current term due to the poisoning… and they are thus looking at having a successor in case that happens,” one unnamed source told the private Daily News.
Last year, at the height of ruling party power struggles, Mnangagwa became ill after eating contaminated food at a rally in southern Zimbabwe. His allies accused members from a faction linked to former first lady Grace Mugabe of trying to poison him.
Not supporting our president’
While president, Mugabe refused to name a successor and appeared keen to die in office, a situation that led to damaging factional wars that eventually saw him ousted.
The Daily News, quoting Zanu-PF insiders, said former loyalists of the president were “heavily involved” in a search for a potential successor. Other named officials confirmed there were some working against Mnangagwa.
“There are some people who are moving in their own direction, who are not supporting our president within the party,” senior official Ziyambi Ziyambi, who is also the justice minister, told the paper. “We are saying let the president serve his two terms.”
Victor Matemadanda, secretary general of the influential war veterans’ association, said: “There is no need to talk about succession now because the president is still serving his first term.”
In September Mnangagwa said that he would not cling to power. Under the constitution, he can stand for another five-year term in elections due in 2023.
“Even if the people would love me to the hilt, I will still go away because I believe constitutionalism is important,” local news website New Zimbabwe quoted him as telling US media on a visit to New York.
Jane Mlambo| Harare residents are living in fear following the murder of three women by unknown assailants in a space of one week in Harare.
The three women, one was an upcoming author Prudence Gold Madzadzavara, Zaleekhah Khan and another one only known as Samantha were killed under similar circumstances, something that points to targeted murders against women.
Posting on his Facebook page, renowned author and motivational speaker, Rabison Shumba appealed to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the police to assure the nation that people are safe from targeted murder cases against women.
“Zimbabwe Republic Police – ZRP – We need public statement on this. All within days. We are no longer feeling safe. If one of us dies that’s one too many. This is a call to action. This can’t continue. Who is next? Until when? Families grieving. Communities shaken and terrified. Life is being lost. All citizens are important. We need JUSTICE,” said Shumba.
By Talent Gondo| Two police detectives stationed at Binga Criminal Investigations Department were recently arrested at Cross Dete after being found with nearly four tonnes of fertiliser.
The fertiliser, which had been distributed in Matabeleland North under the Presidential inputs scheme was reportedly destined for Zambia.
According to a report in a local publication, the two detectives were identified as Constable Sasanhira and Constable Manyumbudzo stationed at CID Binga Post.
Sources privy to the developments further claimed that the fertiliser was set to be smuggled to Zambia.
Cross Dete is located in Matabeleland North Province and links Bulawayo, Binga and Hwange/ Victoria Falls.-Newsday
By Own Correspondent| MDC Alliance in the Midlands Province has failed to pay its polling agents, several months after the July 30 harmonised polls.
Most of the agents are unemployed and are therefore demanding that the party pay them their dues.
MDC Alliance deployed agents to monitor the polls in all wards in the province due to rigging fears.
MDC Alliance provincial treasurer, Josiah Makombe, who is also ward 2 councillor said:
“There is an outcry from the agents that we deployed in polling stations across the province. There had been an undertaking that they will be paid and they signed short contracts for the services they rendered… However, the money to pay them is yet to come from an organisation that had partnered us in ensuring free and fair elections that have no traits of rigging. We are, however, hopeful that the money will come and then all the agents can be (paid).- Newsday
By Own Correspondent| Former Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) chairperson Stanely Nyasha Kazhanje has been granted $100 bail after he appeared before a Harare magistrate on allegations of receiving a $10 000 bribe from Wicknell Chivayo.
Chivhayo is considered a controversial businessman who owns a firm called Intratrek Zimbabwe.
Kazhanje is alleged to have received the bribe so that he would not cancel the 100-megawatt Gwanda solar project which had been awarded to Intratrek Zimbabwe.
He is out on $100 bail and will appear in court again on November 27.
