Own Correspondent|Movement For Democratic Change (MDC) Alliance president Nelson Chamisa has labelled the two percent tax on every electronically-transacted dollar an unabashed robbery of the masses.

“I heard him saying we want to move forwad but there is no moving forwad unless we all face the reality of who won the elections. The economy is on its knees,” Chamisa said.

“The riches of the land are being helplessly squandered. You saw the money being forked out by the government, the two percent tax that you have been made to pay for every EcoCash transaction. It is daylight robbery because it is your personal money that is being taken from you by the very same people who keep embezzling government funds.

“What am I talking about? We saw a deficit of treasury bills worth nine billion dollars, $90 million of which went towards supporting Zanu-PF. Now they want to replace the money through deducting the two percent tax from every EcoCash transaction that you make.You try sending money to your relative who has passed away but your money is taken,” Chamisa fumed.

The Ministry of Finance implemented the new tax regime earlier this month ostensibly to widen the nationalfiscal space but critics have slammed the move as an illegal and unfair way of forcing the ordinary citizen pay for government profligacy.

Addressing thousands of supportes who gathered at Gwanzura Stadium for the 19th anniversary of the party’s formation on Saturday last week, Chamisa attacked President Emmerson Mnangagwa as an illegitimate leader who was now being rejected by the economy.

The charismatic leader said he was sure Mnangagwa will not survice the economic crisis and will soon be removed from power by popular revolts.

“We are dying of hunger. You are seeing how patients in hospitals are suffering, in pharmacies BP patients are expected to pay drugs in US dollars and tell me where one can get that forex from. We once told them that bond note is not money, give us real money. If we were in power like now, it could have been a walk in the park. Each one of you would practically be enjoying their money because an economy like this is a reflection of politics that is not in proper shape,” he said.

On the debilitating fuel shortages, Chamisa seemed to agree with the dominant narrative that a powerful cartel was directing the shortages for selfish gain.

“I heard that there is a queen bee but I don’t know that person. However, if there is a queen bee, then there is a king bee who happens to oversee how things are running in this country.These people should be brought to book with all the deals that they are doing with fuel, chrome, gold and diamonds as well as all that they are doing to rob the children of Zimbabwe of their wealth,” Chamisa said.

He told the people to be patient as he maps the way forward on how to take power form Mnangagwa.

“Be still people because we have the programme lined up to go and tell somebody to return what isn’t his and from next week, I will be travelling from place to place urging and strengthening the people that it is time to react. I will be taking over everyone to Canaan,” said Chamisa.

Dynamos has survived relegation after Nichrut who are occupying the last slot fell to Herentals at Ascot Stadium this afternoon.

Nichrut has 33 points and can only manage 39 points should they win their remaining two matches. Dynamos has 40 points.

Nichrut’s chances of surviving the chop suffered a tremendous blow when they lost 0 – 2 to Herentals.

The Students opened the scoring early in the 6th minute courtesy of William Kapumha’s effort. They doubled the advantage on the stroke of full-time after Brighton Majarira capitalised on a howler by the keeper.

The victory puts Herentals in the 5th place with 47 points while Nichrut is still occupying number 15.

Meanwhile, Chicken Inn and Black Rhinos have now gone for four games without a win after the two teams played to a 1-1 draw at Luveve Stadium on Saturday.

The Gamecocks dominated possession in the first half, creating many chances but they went to the break trailing by a goal to nil thanks to Honey Chimutimunzeve’s 32nd strike. The home team continued to command the pace in the second period and finally found their breakthrough in the 70th minute when Clement Matawu got the equaliser.

The game ended 1-1 as Chicken Inn remained in third place while Black Rhinos slumped to number 10.

Elsewhere, Yadah were held to a goalless draw by an already relegated side, Buluwayo City in a match played at Rufaro Stadium. ZPC Kariba moved two places up to 8th position following a 2-0 victory over Chapungu United.

Results:

Chicken Inn 1-1 Black Rhinos
Yadah 0-0 Bulawayo City
ZPC Kariba 2-0 Chapungu
Nichrut 0-2 Herentals

Soccer24

MDC Alliance President Nelson Chamisa has fired another salvo at Masvingo mayor Collen Maboke, saying the beleaguered city father was a product of some Zanu-PF arrangement and not the party’s choice for the coveted position.

Chamisa told TellZim News over the phone on Tuesday that Maboke was digging for himself a hole in which he would suffocate should he continue on his chosen path of defiance of the opposition alliance’s call to step down immediately.

Chamisa said the party had made itself clear on the kind of arrangement it wanted to see in Masvingo City Council, and would therefore not accept to continue being held to ransom by one man.

“This is a very straightforward one. The party through internal democratic processes, arrived at the candidate who should be mayor, and Maboke is not that candidate. Maboke is a product of some arrangement with Zanu, and we said look, we will not have arrangements that are made without the knowledge of the party. So he has to step aside, if he doesn’t, he faces the risk of being fired if he does not act to the dictates of the party.

“It is a simple one, he has to step aside and give way for a proper arrangement as required by the party. He will be expelled for sure. We can’t allow indiscipline that undermines the strength of the party. He has to step down right away or be expelled,” Chamisa said.

He drew comparisons with what happened in Chegutu and Victoria Falls where mayors were made to step down after landing the positions by contradicting the party’s preferred arrangements.

“It would be good if people are to pull together in one direction rather than remain stubborn while getting lost. We have serious work to do and we can’t be seen to be talking about the same issues every day. This has to come to an end sooner than later,” he said.

Maboke controversially landed the position of mayor at the expense of the party’s then preferred candidate Godfrey Kurauone after striking a secret trade off deal for the position of deputy mayor with Zanu-PF councillors in exchange for their votes for the mayoral position.

With three councillors out of 10, Zanu-PF stood no chance of taking the deputy mayoral position had it not been for the bargain.

In Chegutu, Hillary Muchatibaya was fired last week for defying party orders to step down, with six councillors suspended for voting for him against official orders to vote for Maphios Shumba.

In Victoria Falls, Somvelo Dhlamini was also forced to step down and pave way for Margaret Varley, the party’s chosen candidate.

Tell Zim

Mwonzora Ready For Battle Against Chamisa

MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora has flexed his political muscle and nullified all the mass expulsions announced by the party’s provincial executives as the Nelson Chamisa-led opposition outfit prepares for its elective congress early next year.

Several party members were axed for turning rebellious and standing as independent candidates in the run-up to the July 30 polls.

Several heads also rolled after the election with some MDC councillors defying party directives and contested mayoral elections against “anointed” party candidates.

The party is set to hold its elective congress next year following the elevation of Chamisa who succeeded the late MDC founder leader Morgan Tsvangirai in February this year.

According to reports, the purges have caused divisions with the growing disgruntlement seemingly getting out of hand. Mwonzora on Wednesday stepped in calling the suspensions null and void.

“Please take note that all suspensions of party members must be referred to the national organising committee through the secretary-general,” Mwonzora said in a letter dated October 31.

He said the national organising committee has powers to confirm or vary any suspension in terms of clause 3.5.5 and 3.6.5 of the party constitution.

“Further, please take note that the ward, district and provincial executives do not have powers of expulsion of any member of the party. The power to expel any member of the party lies with the national council in terms of clause 5.11 of the constitution or the national disciplinary committee headed by the national chairperson,” Mwonzora said.

“All the lower organs can do is to recommend an expulsion to the national chairperson. Please note that all the purported suspensions and expulsions not done in accordance with these constitutional requirements are null and void.”

However, in an interview yesterday party vice-president Morgen Komichi said their national council resolutions stood and all “rebels” remain expelled.

-Newsday

In Zimbabwe, where an economic meltdown grows worse, businesses increasingly want payments to be made in U.S. dollars. The government has printed its own currency, called bond notes, for the past two years. But Zimbabweans are quickly losing confidence in the bond notes.

Dr. Ahmed Bilal Shah operates a medical center in one of Harare’s poorest suburbs. He needs money to keep going, but cash is hard to find.

“Let’s face realities of the ground,” he said. “I am accepting transfer or bond notes, but the thing is I have to make some solution from that to buy some U.S. dollars to buy some medicine to replace my stock. If I do not replace my stock, after one month I have to close my surgery. Pharmacies do not accept medical aid (insurance) or bond notes. But they are asking for the U.S. dollar. They have their own problems. So this is a question we are stuck up in.”

Zimbabwe abandoned its own dollar in 2009, after years of hyperinflation. Since then the country has been without an official currency and relied on U.S. dollars, the British pound and South African rand to conduct transactions.

In the past three years, however, all three currencies have been hard to find, paralyzing the economy and forcing the country to rely on bond notes.

Shah says if he cannot get U.S. dollars from his patients who have them, he has to turn to the black market.

But that presents problems, too. Over the past few days, police have arrested nearly 200 black market currency dealers, as the government tries to shut down their thriving but illegal business.

But on the black market, a dollar is now worth more than three bond notes.

​Gift Mugano, an independent economist, says Zimbabwe’s economy will get worse unless the government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa takes action.

“The only thing to do in my view is to demonetize the bond notes,” he said. “I was one person who was against the bond note from the word go: I was very clear. This bond note will depreciate and will create havoc. The impact of the bond notes is beyond the size of how much bond notes we have. It is about perception. You take away confidence. We need to go back to full dollarization, where we have U.S. dollars, then attract investors because they gave certainty in your currency.”

Zimbabwe has struggled to attract investors for nearly 20 years, after a steep decline in the economy sparked by the policies of former president Robert Mugabe.

President Mnangagwa, who took office after Mugabe resigned under military pressure a year ago, has promised improvement. But so far, Zimbabwe remains struck in the crisis and is facing shortages of not only medicine, but nearly all essential goods.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has repealed Statutory Instrument 96 of 2018 which had been designed to award Vice President Constantino Chiwenga with powers to oversee the defense and war veterans, a move widely seen as calculated to elbow out the powerful former Army General.

According to SI 214 of 2018, “Assignment of Functions (Vice President and Minister responsible) for the Ministry of Defense and War Veterans Affairs) Notice 2018 published in Statutory Instrument 96 of 2018 is hereby repealed.”

Chiwenga who was the key player in a military coup that displaced former President, Mr Robert Mugabe last year had remained in charge of the military and war veterans.

The latest development could be revealing of the fissures within the ruling party and Mnangagwa’s insecurity- hence the decision to make sure his powerful deputy does not continue to handle military issues.

Writing on his Twitter yesterday, United Kingdom based lecturer Alex Magaisa described the SI 214/2018 as significant as it takes away Chiwenga’s control of the military.

“This statutory instrument is more significant than it looks. This is President Mnangagwa’s latest move to completely remove the principal author of the coup (VP Chiwenga) from any official role over the military. VP is down from overseeing the military to “research and procurement,” Magaisa said.

“First he took away the Ministry of Defense and gave it to Oppah. Now he has taken away the Ministry from the areas that Chiwenga oversees. Instead, the VP has been shunted to oversee “procurement and research”. The only sweetener is he will have oversight tenders authority,” he added.

Short lived Communications Taskforce Chair in the ministry of Finance Gerald Mutumanje added that the SI214/2018 reduced Chiwenga’s meaningful powers.

“Essentially President has stripped The VP of any meaningful powers. The President has stripped the Vice President of any meaningful powers! So the question is what power does the Vice President have? None Really. I’m not the one who did it, I just the one who said it,” he said.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has repealed Statutory Instrument 96 of 2018 which had been designed to award Vice President Constantino Chiwenga with powers to oversee the defense and war veterans, a move widely seen as calculated to elbow out the powerful former Army General.

According to SI 214 of 2018, “Assignment of Functions (Vice President and Minister responsible) for the Ministry of Defense and War Veterans Affairs) Notice 2018 published in Statutory Instrument 96 of 2018 is hereby repealed.”

Chiwenga who was the key player in a military coup that displaced former President, Mr Robert Mugabe last year had remained in charge of the military and war veterans.

The latest development could be revealing of the fissures within the ruling party and Mnangagwa’s insecurity- hence the decision to make sure his powerful deputy does not continue to handle military issues.

Writing on his Twitter yesterday, United Kingdom based lecturer Alex Magaisa described the SI 214/2018 as significant as it takes away Chiwenga’s control of the military.

“This statutory instrument is more significant than it looks. This is President Mnangagwa’s latest move to completely remove the principal author of the coup (VP Chiwenga) from any official role over the military. VP is down from overseeing the military to “research and procurement,” Magaisa said.

“First he took away the Ministry of Defense and gave it to Oppah. Now he has taken away the Ministry from the areas that Chiwenga oversees. Instead, the VP has been shunted to oversee “procurement and research”. The only sweetener is he will have oversight tenders authority,” he added.

Short lived Communications Taskforce Chair in the ministry of Finance Gerald Mutumanje added that the SI214/2018 reduced Chiwenga’s meaningful powers.

“Essentially President has stripped The VP of any meaningful powers. The President has stripped the Vice President of any meaningful powers! So the question is what power does the Vice President have? None Really. I’m not the one who did it, I just the one who said it,” he said.

CONFUSION swirled yesterday around claims that Zimbabwe had discovered crude oil a day after President Emmerson Mnangagwa addressed a Press briefing announcing exploration of the product would be done in Muzarabani.

MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora has flexed his political muscle and nullified all the mass expulsions announced by the party’s provincial executives as the Nelson Chamisa-led opposition outfit prepares for its elective congress early next year.

Several party members were axed for turning rebellious and standing as independent candidates in the run-up to the July 30 polls.

Several heads also rolled after the election with some MDC councillors defying party directives and contested mayoral elections against “anointed” party candidates.

The party is set to hold its elective congress next year following the elevation of Chamisa who succeeded the late MDC founder leader Morgan Tsvangirai in February this year.

According to reports, the purges have caused divisions with the growing disgruntlement seemingly getting out of hand. Mwonzora on Wednesday stepped in calling the suspensions null and void.

“Please take note that all suspensions of party members must be referred to the national organising committee through the secretary-general,” Mwonzora said in a letter dated October 31.

He said the national organising committee has powers to confirm or vary any suspension in terms of clause 3.5.5 and 3.6.5 of the party constitution.

“Further, please take note that the ward, district and provincial executives do not have powers of expulsion of any member of the party. The power to expel any member of the party lies with the national council in terms of clause 5.11 of the constitution or the national disciplinary committee headed by the national chairperson,” Mwonzora said.

“All the lower organs can do is to recommend an expulsion to the national chairperson. Please note that all the purported suspensions and expulsions not done in accordance with these constitutional requirements are null and void.”

However, in an interview yesterday party vice-president Morgen Komichi said their national council resolutions stood and all “rebels” remain expelled.

-Newsday

By Farai Maguwu| A major issue we must address together as Zimbabweans is the abuse of our Police force by corrupt, self serving politicians. Yesterday, a big portion of uniformed and plain clothes Police from Mutare Central and Mutare Rural Police, including very senior officers, were all deployed to Marange. There were scores of CIOs too. T

his was despite the overwhelming endorsement of the event by the community. But it was very clear some of the Police officers had no intention, whatsoever, to disrupt the event.

They were simply on duty. The senior officers present where on the phones most of the time, receiving instructions and giving feedback to their superiors who were also under instruction. It was as if the nation as under attack from an external enemy. Soldiers were roaming the community though they didnt come anywhere close to the tent. But it was clear, some people in Harare with direct cotrol of the Police and the military were dictating proceeds from behind the scenes. I personally felt betrayed. I just felt like we are under an occupation force.

At the boomgate one Police officer was heard telling his colleagues to let the people proceed to the venue, arguing ‘ndezve community izvi, let them pass, ko isu takambowana chii from these diamonds’.

I am aware Police in Marange have been instructed never to arrest ZCDC guards who have been instructed to murder artisanal miners. 2 months ago, Police in Marange quarrelled with ZCDC guards after the later had murdered an artisanal miner and now wanted the Police to carry the body. Police refused to carry the body and told the guards to complete what they had started. And yet the Police could not arrest the murderous guards, fearing to cross the path of vakuru.

I called Sugar Chagonda, ZCDC public relations officer who said he will get back to me, and am still waiting.
Our Police force has been instructed NOT to arrest the Chinese who are terrorising citizens throughout the country. Instead, our Police and army are deployed in Marange in their hundreds, if not thousands, using tax payers funds, to guard thieves robbing our country. All the looting taking place in Marange since 2008 is being done under the watch of our security forces who are also forced into illicit diamond deals because their salaries remain below the poverty datum line.

Leaders must change how they view our natural wealth. its not for leaders. The only role of leaders is to make patriotic decisions that maximize our collective benefits from these natural resources. They must lead to better schools, better road infrastructure, better hospitals and more jobs across all sectors. When that happens the number of artisanal miners will significantly go down- human rights violations in the extractive sector will decrease.

To get to that phase the first step is devolution of power and decision making. If the Manicaland people are allowed to make decisions over Marange diamonds the outcome will be different – and the whole nation will benefit. Its the same with Mutoko over its black granite, Mat North over Hwange, Victoria Falls, Lupane etc. We will develop faster and evenly. This doesn’t mean promoting tribalism. Its about improved governance of natural resources and to ensure people close to natural resources also benefit.

Government will, through the Asset Forfeiture Unit housed under the National Prosecution Authority (NPA), seize all assets accumulated through corruption proceeds in the event of a conviction as the fight to stem out corruption in both the public and private sectors gathers pace.

It is believed that there are huge amounts of corrupt wealth and tainted cash laundering through Zimbabwe’s banks and that much of it ends up in real estate and in other assets such as luxury cars.

The seizure of assets is in line with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s vow, since assuming office a year ago, to fight corruption in the country.

Mnangagwa has since set up a Special Anti-Corruption Task Force in his office to assist in the speedy prosecution of people suspected of involvement in corruption.

A well-placed source who requested anonymity told Business Times on Wednesday that efforts were underway to make sure government recovered stolen or embezzled money through the seizure of assets mainly accumulated through corruption proceeds. This will be done through the revival and equipping of the Assets Forfeiture Unit.

“Of late, there have been some convictions but nothing was done with regards to government recovering the stolen funds,” the source said.

“However, efforts are underway to fully equip and revive the Assets Forfeiture Unit, which is housed under the NPA. This move will make sure that the government recovers its funds by seizing the assets of people convicted of corruption and selling them in some instances,” the source added.

In his 2019 pre-Budget Strategy Paper, Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube said the fight against entrenched indiscipline and corruption would be dealt with through necessary disincentives and penalties.

“This will include the review of the penalty regime so that persons guilty of corruption are subject to effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties, including empowering the courts, on the application of the Prosecutor General, to grant Civil Forfeiture Orders in respect of property from proceeds of corruption,” Ncube said.

The Special Anti-Corruption Unit in the Office of the President and Cabinet is meant to improve efficiency in the fight against all forms of graft and to strengthen the effectiveness of national mechanisms for the prevention of corruption.

The unit’s terms of reference include collaborating with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) and the Zimbabwe Republic Police and other such institutions in the fight against corruption.

But according to a source at the NPA, efforts by the Special Corruption Unit have been hampered by the judicial system which has, in some instances, proven to be ineffective in handling corruption cases.

“The other underlying factor has been the lack of capacity to prosecute cases of a commercial nature hence the urgent need to make the Commercial Crimes Court come into motion,” the source said.

Corruption has been blamed for stalling economic development and a cost on business as high-level bureaucrats demand kickbacks before approving projects.

A 2016 report by Transparency International showed that Zimbabwe was losing at least US$1 billion annually due to corruption.

But the wheels of correction have been moving slowly in stemming the canker, with analysts saying the anti-corruption dragnet has so far targeted only small fish and political rivals.

BusinessTimes

WHY DID ED REDUCE HIMSELF LIKE THIS?

By Farai D Hove| In what was supposed to be a VP to VP convergence between the two nations India and Zimbabwe, ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa on Saturday usurped his deputy Constantino Chiwenga’s duties and went ahead to on his own meet India’s Vice, President Venkaiah Naidu.

The development comes against the backdrop of reports that the two coup beneficiaries are on each other throats barely a year after removing their former boss, Robert Mugabe.

Soon after the meeting, Mnangagwa celebrated the visit saying, “I had an excellent meeting with Indian Vice President Venkaiah Naidu this morning. This is the first high-level Indian visit to Zimbabwe in two decades, and a sign of our ever improving relations with one of the largest and most significant economies in the world.

“As part of his visit, Mr. Naidu will address the India-Zimbabwe Business Forum, which is being attended by a host of Indian business people who are interested in investing in Zimbabwe.

“Our improved relations with the global community will create significant benefits for the Zimbabwean people.”

Correspondent|Leading accounting firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PWC) has started inviting the suspended Zesa Holdings managers for interviews as the forensic audit as the ongoing investigations gather momentum.

Impeccable sources inside the power utility said PWC has been inviting suspended managers for interviews in regards to the allegations of misappropriation of funds.

15 managers from across the power utility company’s subsidiaries were put on 90 days mandatory leave.

This was shortly after Zesa Group Chief executive officer Josh Chifamba and two other senior managers were charged with criminal abuse of office in October.

This emanated from irregular deals to the tune of $35 million with Indian company, PME.

PWC’s forensic audit seeks to verify information on how tenders were issued, board minutes, procurement documentation, fraud incidents reports as well as all procurement documentation for the Intratek Gwanda solar project.

The auditors are also said to have asked for finance reports of the power utility company for the past three years .

Meanwhile, Zesa board chairman Herbert Murerwa is on record for saying the suspended managers will receive salaries and benefits while on ‘forced’ leave.

Zesa Holdings has been plagued for years by scandals involving corporate malpractice, questionable tender allocation and blatant cases of corruption that have bled the of company millions of dollars.

In 2015 Zesa executives unilaterally donated almost $1,2 million to politicians and various organisations instead of the officially approved $300 000.

In July this year, Former Energy Minister Samuel Undenge was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison after being found guilty of prejudicing Zesa Holdings subsidiary, ZPC of $12,650.

Apart from major scandals, lengthy projects and price escalations on tenders have resulted in the power company straining under $ 1 billion debt and owes its regional power suppliers close to $100 million.

M&T

Correspondent|MDC Alliance principal Tendai Biti has rubbished oil discovery claims announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday stating that it was another mega deal that would never materialise.

President Mnangagwa announced the discovery of oil and gas in the Muzarabani area by Australian Stock Exchange-listed company Invictus Energy.

President Mnangagwa said the findings by Invictus Energy, a company that has been licensed to explore the oil in Muzarabani were positive and point to oil and gas deposits in the area.

President Mnangagwa said government would work very closely with Invictus to ensure that the company realises its plans to sink an exploration well by mid-2020.

In an interview Biti said the country was miles away from discovering oil.

“Coming from Mnangagwa, The man just shoots his big mouth off. We have heard of mega deals and mega deals billions and billions of mega deals, nothing has materialised.

“That there is ample justification for exploration of gas and oil in Muzarabani, it does not translate to oil.

“So the contrary that has been given to Invictus to gas and oil exploration, we are miles away from any potential finding of oil,” he said.

Biti said he was concerned with the allocation of resources by government.

“Secondly I am seriously concerned with the allocation of resources, what is the criteria that that we give those contract, this contract that has been given to Invictus what did they pay.

“Where is the transparency, why wasn’t this confession subjected to conduct so I have a problem with the way we allocate national resources without tender, without parliament, without full knowledge of the public so more questions arise than answers,” Biti said.

Biti also went on to social media and tweeted saying the discovery of oil was rubbish.

“It is one thing being clueless and predatory but it is another thing for a Government to lie and to tamper with the truth daily we are inundated with claims of billion dollar mega deals & investments. What hog wash .Now someone says there is oil in Zimbabwe .What a load of rubbish,” Biti tweeted.

M&T

Correspondent|The magistrates court in Harare on Friday heard of a desperate scramble to destroy evidence before police swooped on PHD Ministries’ founder Walter Magaya’s office in Harare to seize unlicensed medicines he intended to sell as an HIV cure.

“Just before the search, accused persons destroyed some of the exhibits by flushing the Aguma in the office toilets and burning the containers which were however recovered half-burnt. Several Aguma sachets and other torn sachets were also recovered in an office bin next to the Call Centre office,” according to a document prepared by the Criminal Investigations Department’s Drugs Section submitted in court.

Police raided Magaya’s Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries property on Edinburg Road in Marlbrough suburb and found drug-making machines, packaging machines and what police listed as “prescription preparatory medicines”.

The “prescription preparatory medicines” are thought to be approved prescription anti-retroviral drugs, although a full description was not provided in court.

Magaya, who was released on $300 bail by magistrate Elisha Singano, was charged under Section 40(1) also read with Section 40(2a) of the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act Chapter 15:03 for “distributing or in any other manner whatsoever bringing to the notice of the public or causing or permitting to be published or distributed or to be brought to the notice of the public any false or misleading advertisement of a medicine.”

Prosecutor Sebastian Mutizirwa said Magaya had used his church’s Yadah TV and the website of Aretha Medical to advertise his purported HIV cure called ‘Aguma’.

Police had also recovered 20 travelling bags containing empty capsules, plastic containers and plastic container lids.

By Paul Nyathi|Mines and Mining development Minister Winston Chitando has also issued a statement indicating that no oil has been discovered in Muzarabani area.

Chitando reiterated Australian company Invictus Energy that there is need to drill an exploration well to confirm the presence of oil and gas in Muzarabani

Drilling the well is estimated to cost US$20 million.

Said Chitando in his statements;

“I refer to the statement made by Invictus on the Australian stock exchange and hereby comment as follows – Invictus will only now be releasing their resource statement on Monday morning Australian time, the statement by His Excellency and my technical analysis pointed to the need to drill an exploration well to confirm the indicated resources.”

“The statement further indicated that the current resource estimate to be released on Monday has been signed off by an International Oil Consultant.”

Kwese TV is shutting down their Satellite TV and instead of coming out clear to declare the shutdown, they opted to release a confusing press statement that doesn’t quit explain what is actually going on with the service.

Below is the statememt issued by the media funded by giant communications company Econet Wireless.

In order to maintain its position as a leader in broadcasting innovation in Africa, Econet Media has reviewed its business strategy and service offerings, to align them with the changes in the global digital and satellite broadcasting sector, and growth in access to mobile and fixed broadband on the continent.

The broadcaster’s new bouquet will carry FTA, religious, and free news channels which will be available to viewers for a minimal fee, as the broadcaster will waive monthly subscription fees. Kwesé subscribers who have already paid their subscriptions for the month of November, or in advance, will receive a full refund.

TWENTY people were injured when an AMBS bus developed a mechanical fault, veered off the road, hit a tree stump and landed on its side at the 125km peg along the Bulawayo-Nkayi Road.

The incident occurred at around 11AM on Wednesday at Gwampa Valley in Nkayi.

The injured were rushed to Nkayi District Hospital where they are receiving treatment.

Mr Joseph Magwenzi (41) of Emganwini suburb in Bulawayo was driving the bus with 31 passengers on board when the accident occurred.

The passengers sustained varying degrees of injuries.

Matabeleland North police spokesperson Chief Inspector Siphiwe Makonese confirmed the accident.

“I can confirm we received a report of a road accident that occurred at the 125km peg along the Bulawayo-Nkayi Road on Wednesday morning.

“The bus which was proceeding to Nkayi with 31 passengers on board developed a mechanical fault. The driver then lost control of the bus and it veered off the road to the right side, hit a tree stump and landed on its left side,” she said.

Nkayi District Administrator, Mrs Matildah Mlotshwa, urged drivers to always exercise caution especially when ferrying passengers and avoid overloading as they risk lives.

“Drivers are advised to always thoroughly inspect their vehicles or buses before setting off for a journey and to regularly service their vehicles,” she said.

State Media

Correspondent|The Centre for Natural Resource and Governance (CNRG) has claimed massive harassment of its staff by police and intelligence officials, but vowed to continue exposing gross human rights abuses of people living in the Chiadzwa diamond fields.

In a brief address during the fourth edition of Operation Hakudzokwi commemorations held at Betera Primary School in Marange, CNRG director Farai Maguwu blasted police for attempting to block villagers from attending the event.

He also claimed he had to sneak in and address the gathering after law enforcement agents had denied him entry to the venue.

In his short speech, Maguwu vowed his organisation would take the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company head-on over lack of development in the area.

“I think you are aware that Marange is the richest area in Zimbabwe, but we have some of the poorest people in the country. There is no development in this community,” he said.

“A big percentage should be used to develop the community, like paying school fees, constructing roads. Last year, we wrote a petition to Parliament over lack of development, but nothing has improved.”

Maguwu added: “Every time we want to organise such an event (Operation Hakudzokwi), we receive death threats or we are arrested by the police. Even now I might sleep in police cells because they said I should not be allowed to deliver the speech.”

He said the threats would not deter the organisation from speaking on behalf of the people.

Operation Hakudzokwi was violent crackdown launched in 2008 by security forces to clear the Chiadzwa diamond fields of illegal panners.

Human rights groups claimed that over 200 people were shot dead by police and soldiers manning the diamond fields, while thousands were reportedly maimed and tortured.

Pupils from Maranatha High School in Bulawayo were rushed to hospital after they suffered injuries when the school’s newly constructed double storey building roofing collapsed due to strong winds.

The pupils from the Nketa 7 suburb located Seventh Day Adventist church-run school were rushed to the United Bulawayo Hospitals on Wednesday.

Four were treated for minor injuries while three were treated for shock.

The incident occurred at about 3PM. It drew all the city’s emergency departments while parents also rushed to the scene to check if their children were safe.

In an interview on Wednesday, Bulawayo acting Provincial Education Director, Mrs Olicah Kaira, who visited the scene soon after learning about the incident, described it as a disaster.

She said it was fortunate that most of the pupils had gone home when disaster struck.

“I got a phone call from the District Schools Inspector just after 4PM advising me that the newly constructed science laboratory at Maranatha High School had been blown away by strong winds. The message from the DIS shocked me because I could tell from the tone of his voice that he was also in shock.

“I said to him have we managed to make sure that pupils are safe and he assured me that a number of them had left school but four were injured. Two ambulances rushed them to the United Bulawayo Hospitals. Three others were admitted for shock but the rest were discharged,” said Mrs Kaira.

She said upon her arrival, she found the Bulawayo Fire Brigade Department sifting the debris to ensure no one had been buried beneath.

Mrs Kaira said the roof collapse could have been a result of shoddy work but the Ministry would wait for expert advice as investigations into the matter had commenced.

“This is a new thing where we are encouraging schools to build high rise buildings so that we have adequate classroom space for our learners. We were yet to commission the building and give the school a certificate of occupancy so that the pupils could start using the science laboratory,” said Mrs Kaira.

“I’m not a building specialist myself but my assessment and observation points to poor workmanship. I’m yet to get proper advice and guidance on the way to go from experts but we are launching a full scale investigation with the aid of the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works, National Housing.”

She urged parents to remain calm adding that schools remain safe for their children.

Mrs Kaira said the classroom collapse seems to have traumatised some of the pupils who witnessed the incident and the Ministry would today deploy psychologists to attend to them.

She said due to preliminary investigations happening on site, the school was forced to close for business at 11:30AM with normal lessons on Thursday.

State Media

From A Correspondent|The Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission on Thursday arrested suspend University of Zimbabwe (UZ) Vice Chancellor, Levi Nyagura on twenty seven counts of fraud.

He appeared in court on Friday I the corruption charges which he allegedly committed while he was still the Vice Chancellor at the university.

The court released him on $500 bail.
Nyagura, who was not asked to plead, is being charged together with UZ top officials, Lazarus Mabvira and James Chipendo.

“Sometime between the period 2015 and 2018 at the UZ, the trio connived on various occasions to prejudice the university of substantial amounts of money by ‘dubiously’ awarding tenders for services needed by the university,” read state papers.

Court also heard UZ also received services of cutting down five trees from Tynwald Sawmills, a company that was awarded a tender outside due diligence requirements.

It is alleged that Tynwald Sawmills was paid $9 950 but there was neither security check nor storekeepers’ signature to confirm that the services were rendered.

On another occasion, the trio allegedly connived to split a tender of a single procurement into two purchases each below the competitive bidding threshold of $10 000.

They awarded the two contracts to Tynwald Sawmills without going to formal tender as required by the law.

On November 6, they awarded services to Tynwald Sawmills without solicitation for quotations from at least three competitive bidders as Tynwald and Frenzy were owned by the same people while Bright Tree Cutters was not a registered company.

Mabvira raised a purchase worth $49 950 in favour of Tynwald and he also made a goods received voucher on November 1 2015, acknowledging the services that had been rendered to the university.

On November 13, 2015 the university transferred the money into Tynwald Sawmills’s CBZ account.

Nyagura and Mabvira allegedly did the same thing with the cutting down of trees around the university in which they allegedly favoured Tynwald Sawmills and other companies without soliciting the required amount of quotations in total. They spent more than $200 000 on illegal contacting.

The under fire former UZ CEO also has another case before the court being that of criminal abuse of office after he allegedly awarded a “bogus” PhD to former first lady Grace Mugabe.

The trial has been stayed after he approached the Constitutional Court challenging the authority of special anti-corruption unit to prosecute him.

He will be back in court on December 12 pending trial.

President Mnangagwa yesterday capped 364 graduates at Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) who excelled in various entrepreneurial disciplines.
The President officiated at the graduation ceremony soon after his installation as the university’s second Chancellor.
After his installation, congratulatory
messages from various respected
personalities in the academia poured in.
HIT Vice Chancellor Engineer

Quinton Kanhukamwe said the institution was committed to nurture graduates responsive to industry demands.
“We are passionately committed to growing interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary expertise and creative thinking, together with practical application and problem
solving directly relevant and responsive to various sectors of our economy and the lives of the communities we serve,” said Eng
Kanhukamwe.State media

Former MDC legislator for Harare West Ms Jessie Majome on Thursday said she was no longer a political activist, having quit politics
on July 31 this year.
Responding to questions during a public interview to select the country’s new substantive Prosecutor-General, Ms Majome
said she was now an apolitical and
professional legal practitioner aspiring to hold the esteemed office.
Ms Majome was one of the 10 lawyers who participated in the selection process held at Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare to replace
Advocate Ray Goba, who resigned in August this year.
The other nine candidates were: Justice Maphios Cheda, Mr Tinomudaishe Chinyoka, Mrs Wendy Chingeya, Mrs Florence Ziyambi,
Mr Kumbirai Hodzi, Mr Misheck Hogwe, Mr Tichaona Mantsebo, Ms Noria Mashumba and

Mr Edmund Marondedze.The Herald

VIDEO LOADING BELOW

https://youtu.be/QsyitfueQDs

https://www.facebook.com/ZimEye/ videos/221712551853145

A man from Bulawayo yesterday appeared in court for attempting to burn his family in their house alleging that his grandmother bewitched his younger sister.

Tatenda Mutakura (21) of Mahatshula North appeared before Ms Adelaide Mbeure who remanded him in custody to November 14 for provision of a trial date. Mutakura pleaded not guilty to attempted murder.

Prosecuting, Mr Nkathazo Dlodlo, alleged that on October 14 this year at around 11:30PM, an inebriated Mutakura arrived home from a local bar.

He allegedly started insulting his parents accusing one of the pair’s mother of bewitching his sister.
“Mutakura became violent on his parents, pushing them. He went on to take a cushion from the sofa, lit it and placed it by one of the bedroom doors. The door caught fire while he was standing outside the door holding a garden fork threatening to kill anyone who would attempt escaping,” said Mr Dlodlo.

The court heard the family screamed for help and were rescued by a relative who came with a bucketful of water to put out the fire.

After the family was rescued, Mutakura fled from the house. Mutakura’s mother reported the matter to the police leading to his arrest. Total value damaged is $50 and nothing was recovered. -state media

Six illegal gold panners have each been sentenced to two years in jail for illegal mining.

Charles Sibanda (28), Mduduzi Moyo (28), Fortune Dlamini (35), Bekithemba Tshuma (20), Proud Ngwenya (25) and Justice Ndlovu (29) were convicted on their own plea of guilty to prospecting for any mineral without a licence by Gwanda magistrate, Miss Lerato Nyathi.

Prosecuting, Mr Takunda Mafudze said the gang was apprehended on October 30 at Old Sally Mine in Colleen Bawn.

“A report was made at Colleen Bawn police station about a group of people that were illegally panning for gold at Old Sally Mine. Police officers went to the mine to investigate and they found the six men still ]working in the mine shaft.

“The police approached them and asked them to produce documentation authorising them to work at the mine but they did not have any resulting in their arrest,” he said.

Police in Matabeleland South Province recently arrested 48 illegal gold panners and six illegal forex dealers during a seven day operation against illegal activities in the province.
Acting provincial police spokesperson, Sergeant Thandolwenkosi Moyo said most arrests had been recorded in Esigodini area.

The operation was mainly targeting Esigodini, Colleen Bawn, Filabusi, Matobo and Fort Rixon areas as these places are where a lot of illegal mining activities have been taking place.

Sgt Moyo said the police would continue conducting patrols in a bid to contain illegal activities in the province.

He urged miners to desist from illegal activities as they had to regularise their operations.

Sgt Moyo said illegal forex dealings had to end as people were expected to take their monies to the banks.

Police launched the operation following an increase in illegal mining activities in the province which have been mainly reported in Gwanda and Esigodini areas, which have resulted in bloodshed.-state media

Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube is trying to impose top economist Andrew Bvumbe (pictured) as the new Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor to replace the incumbent John Mangudya following the expiry of his employment contract with the World Bank (WB) where he worked as executive director for the Africa Group 1 Constituency (AFG1).

Government sources said although Ncube has had good working relations with Mangudya, he is closer to Bvumbe and likes the fact that he has been working at the WB and is connected to international financial institutions.

According to the sources, Bvumbe is supposed to return to his former position as head of the aid and debt management office at the Finance Ministry. The position is currently occupied by an official seconded to the ministry by the RBZ.

Sources said Ncube, who began courting Bvumbe soon after his appointment as Finance minister in September, is fighting to assert total control at the central bank by ensuring senior positions are occupied by people he is comfortable working with.

“Ncube has of late been in talks with Bvumbe and indicated that he would want to work with him once his contract at the WB expires. They first met on the sidelines of the United Nations general assembly meeting in New York in September. They also met in Bali, Indonesia, at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund meetings and held further talks,” a Finance Ministry official said.

“Although there is no bad blood between the two, Ncube appears to be frustrated by Mangudya’s cautious approach to the sweeping changes he sought to introduce when he became Finance minister.”
Senior RBZ officials also told the Zimbabwe Independent that when Ncube arrived at the ministry, he wanted to quickly remove bond notes, but Mangudya, who introduced the surrogate currency in 2016, warned that doing so would be catastrophic.

Ncube’s idea of introducing a local currency was also deemed too hasty by Mangudya, who subtly warned the ambitious minister in his monetary policy statement on October 1 that doing so would be akin to “putting the cart before the horse”.

“Ncube wants to control the RBZ, that’s one area where they are having differences. Mangudya is of the idea that Ncube’s big bang approach would cause mayhem and he favours gradual change.”

Sources said Ncube and Mangudya are currently not operating on the same wavelength as the minister was making decisions without consulting the governor.

“A case in point is that of the controversial communications taskforce which Ncube established. Mangudya knew nothing about the taskforce and, when he found out, he wasn’t comfortable with it at all. Actually, some RBZ officials believe that most of the allegations levelled against directors at the bank are either half-truths or total falsehoods,” another source said.

The short-lived taskforce, chaired by controversial former Zanu PF youth league official William Mutumanje, commonly known as Acie Lumumba, led to the suspension of RBZ directors on corruption allegations: Mirirayi Chiremba, Norman Mataruka, Gresham Muradzikwa and Azvinandawa Saburi.

Ncube was however later forced to disband the taskforce following a major outcry in government and in the ruling Zanu PF. George Charamba told the press yesterday Mangudya’s term of office would be extended once it expires.

‘‘The President is very clear on the Reserve Bank Governor’s tenure and his performance. Not only is he there to stay but the President is about to renew his contract for a second tenure,’’ Charamba said.

Efforts to get Ncube’s comment were unsuccessful.-Zimbabwe Independent

By Own Correspondent| Sport, Arts and Recreation minister, Kirsty Coventry has commended local artists for fighting corruption through their crafts.

Speaking at the press conference in Harare this week, the minister said she was impressed by the amount of talent in Zimbabwe and their works in fighting corruption.

“Through arts, another great passion of mine, there is so much talent being showcased and works being published and produced against corruption. Our artists sing about it and some create shows about it. These are all active and commendable ways we can fight corruption.

My ministry is implementing various programmes, policies and strategies to ensure that young people are given real opportunities to reach their full potential and contribute meaningfully to our economy.

I urge all young people of this nation to desist from all forms of corruption and to be a voice of positive change in our fight against corruption.”

Coventry was however on Thursday in a no show at Youth Day commemorations organised by the Zimbabwe Youth Council at Africa Unity Square in Harare.

The minister, who was expected to give a keynote address did not turn up for the commemorations where “Baba Harare”, a local musician whose real name is Braveman Chizvino ended up as the centre of attraction at the event whose theme was to encourage the fight against corruption.

The Movement for Democratic Change has blasted government’s decision to renew Dr John Mangudya’s term as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) saying its an insult to the suffering masses of Zimbabwe.

This comes after the Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet, George Charamba announced that President Emmerson Mnangagwa was about to renew Mangudya’s contract for a second dance at the helm of the central bank.

Responding to Charamba’s remarks, MDC National Spokesperson Jacob Mafume said Mangudya had already provided for himself a resignation clause in a contract he signed with the public when he introduced bond notes.

“In any case he has already provided for himself a resignation clause in a contract he signed with the public. Mangudya pledged to resign if his creature known as the bond note failed, the authorities must just remind him of this pledge as opposed to rewarding him for mediocrity, incompetence and the arrogance he displayed when he was warned against the bond notes.

“To date the bond notes has created distortions on the market sending signals in the financial sector that have driven the price of the US dollars sky rocketing, creating multiple exchange rates ultimately driving out good money and creating a multi-pricing  situation in Zimbabwe,” said Mafume.

He added that Charamba is praising a man whose ideas and conduct are at the centre of destruction of the Zimbabwean economy adding that as a party, they were against Mangudya’s continued stay in office even for a single extra day.

Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries founder and leader, Prophet Walter Magaya allegedly tried to destroy some of the Aguma medicine after sensing that an arrest was imminent.

According to state papers, the man of God destroyed some of the exhibits by flashing them in the office toilets and burning the containers which were however recovered half burnt.

Magaya was arrested yesterday after the joint press conference with the ministry of health where he apologized about his HIV cure claim.

He is being charged of contravening Section 41 Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act.

It is the state’s case that on 31 October 2018, Magaya made an advertisement on Yadah TV and on Aretha Medical website www.arethamedical.com of Aguma medicine which he claimed was a cure for HIV, AIDS cancer and other ailments.

The court heard that, Magaya further made claims on Aretha medical website and that Aretha medical and himself were manufacturers of the Aguma medicine which he claimed can cure HIV.

Police later searched Magaya’s Marlborough offices where they seized twenty travelling bags containing empty capsules, plastic containers and plastic container lids.

He was released on $300 bail.

GOVERNMENT has up to early December to process former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko’s full pension or risk a civil suit, his lawyer Welshman Ncube has said.

Mphoko is yet to receive his terminal benefits following his removal from office after the fall of former President Robert Mugabe in a November 15, 2017 coup.

He has been engaging government over his terminal benefits for months on end but has reached a deadlock over the matter, resulting in Mphoko’s lawyers giving notice to sue.

“The notice has not yet expired. I do not have the papers with me right now (to confirm the date of expiry of notice), but it expires in early December,” Ncube who is also MDC Alliance vice-president, told Southern Eye yesterday.

Government admits Mphoko is entitled to his pension but disputes he deserves full benefits such as security aides, an office, telephone, secretary and domestic workers in line with the Constitution.

Government argues Mphoko does not deserve full benefits as he did not serve a full term under Statutory Instrument 86 of 2015 that states only a VP who served at least one term in office can enjoy exit packages such as a security officer.

Section 102 of Zimbabwe’s constitution stipulates that “… A person who has ceased to be President or Vice-President is entitled to receive a pension equivalent to the salary of a sitting President or Vice-President, as the case may be; and such allowances and other benefits as may be prescribed under an Act of Parliament.”

-Newsday

Terrence Mawawa|There are indications that ndications that Kwese TV is closing down 18
months from its inception.

Impeccable sources have revealed that as of November 1, Kwese will only offer three services; Kwese Free
Sports, Kwese iflix and Kwese Play.

The sources said Kwese subscribers who had already paid their full
subscriptions for the month of November, or in advance would receive a refund.

Kwese TV is a Zimbabwean satellite and broadcasting network owned by Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, under Econet Media.

The Movement for Democratic Change has blasted government’s decision to renew Dr John Mangudya’s term as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) saying its an insult to the suffering masses of Zimbabwe.

This comes after the Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet, George Charamba announced that President Emmerson Mnangagwa was about to renew Mangudya’s contract for a second dance at the helm of the central bank.

Responding to Charamba’s remarks, MDC National Spokesperson Jacob Mafume said Mangudya had already provided for himself a resignation clause in a contract he signed with the public when he introduced bond notes.

“In any case he has already provided for himself a resignation clause in a contract he signed with the public. Mangudya pledged to resign if his creature known as the bond note failed, the authorities must just remind him of this pledge as opposed to rewarding him for mediocrity, incompetence and the arrogance he displayed when he was warned against the bond notes.

“To date the bond notes has created distortions on the market sending signals in the financial sector that have driven the price of the US dollars sky rocketing, creating multiple exchange rates ultimately driving out good money and creating a multi-pricing  situation in Zimbabwe,” said Mafume.

He added that Charamba is praising a man whose ideas and conduct are at the centre of destruction of the Zimbabwean economy adding that as a party, they were against Mangudya’s continued stay in office even for a single extra day.

Barely three months after the 2018 elections, Zanu-PF Youth league has begun canvassing for the endorsement of President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the ruling party candidate in the 2018 elections while shutting doors on possible challengers within the party.

The endorsement could be a killer hammer to an alleged faction aligned to Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, believed to be pushing for Mnangagwa to run just for one term.

This is despite the fact that Chiwenga was very instrumental in bringing Mnangagwa to power last year during a military takeover which deposed former president Robert Mugabe.

Speaker after speaker during yesterday’s National Convention at the party’s headquarters in Harare seemed to suggest that the door had been closed for other possible candidates who might want to contest against Mnangagwa as the youths took turns to chant the “ED Pfee 2023” slogan.

The youth league commissar, Godfrey Tsenengamu, a Mnangagwa loyalist, told the gathering that they expect the President to run his full two terms without hindrance.

“The president is entitled to run for two terms and as the youth league, you have our full support, we will support you in 2023,” he said.

Mnangagwa has previously been quoted saying he will run for a second term but will not seek a third term.

Deputy Youth Secretary, Lewis Matutu, who introduced the ‘ED Pfee 2023’ slogan said; “This is in defiance of those that may be whispering in the corridors that the President will serve for only one term.”

The slogan is a sequel to the “ED Pfee” used during the July 2018 elections.

-263Chat

By Business Reporter| The oil/gas exploration company which ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa contracted for the Mzarabani fields, does not have any assets at all other than what they hope to dig out of Zimbabwe, it has emerged.

Its shares are not even trading, ZimEye can reveal.

Invictus Energy’s entire business activity was solely dangling on Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Thursday press conference hoping it would “strike the magic” for a share value.

Their entire asset base is what they envisage to get from this Zimbabwean prospective contract, analysts revealed.

Mnangagwa on Thursday announced that the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) listed entity, Invictus Energy (IVZ), has discovered oil and gas deposits in the southern African country’s Mashonaland Central Province.

Invictus shares have however been swiftly suspended from trading on the ASX pending the release of the announcement regarding the Maiden Prospective Resource Estimate, ZimEye can reveal.

The main director, Scott Macmillan spoke to ZimEye in an interview that nothing will move until after next week, Monday. SEE INTERVIEW BELOW [TIMELINE 32:00]:

https://youtu.be/TYw0vEA_eGw

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

The company property was today found locked during working hours when the Australia based Zimbabwean, Mr Simba Mugadza arrived at Invictus Energy’s official address.

LIVE – Has Mnangagwa Another Queen Bee With Our Gas And Oil?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) November 2, 2018

The ASX said IVZ’s shares “will remain halted until the earlier of, either the release of relevant information, or the commencement of trading on Thursday 1 November 2018”.
https://youtu.be/TYw0vEA_eGw

In accordance with ASX’s Listing Rule 17.2, a trading halt was granted on Tuesday 30 October 2018, pending the completion and the subsequent announcement on Friday of the Invictus Maiden Prospective Resource Estimate.

Government has up to early December to process former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko’s full pension or risk a civil suit, his lawyer Welshman Ncube has said.

Mphoko is yet to receive his terminal benefits following his removal from office after the fall of former President Robert Mugabe in a November 15, 2017 coup.

He has been engaging government over his terminal benefits for months on end but has reached a deadlock over the matter, resulting in Mphoko’s lawyers giving notice to sue.

“The notice has not yet expired. I do not have the papers with me right now (to confirm the date of expiry of notice), but it expires in early December,” Ncube who is also MDC Alliance vice-president, told Southern Eye yesterday.

Government admits Mphoko is entitled to his pension but disputes he deserves full benefits such as security aides, an office, telephone, secretary and domestic workers in line with the Constitution.

Government argues Mphoko does not deserve full benefits as he did not serve a full term under Statutory Instrument 86 of 2015 that states only a VP who served at least one term in office can enjoy exit packages such as a security officer.

Section 102 of Zimbabwe’s constitution stipulates that “… A person who has ceased to be President or Vice-President is entitled to receive a pension equivalent to the salary of a sitting President or Vice-President, as the case may be; and such allowances and other benefits as may be prescribed under an Act of Parliament.”

-Newsday

Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries founder and leader, Prophet Walter Magaya is has been arrested and released on $300 bail following his arrest on three counts of advertising medicine without approval.

Magaya was arrested yesterday after the joint press conference with the ministry of health where he apologized about his HIV cure claim.

He is being charged of contravening Section 41 Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act.

It is the state’s case that on 31 October 2018, Magaya made an advertisement on Yadah TV and on Aretha Medical website www.arethamedical.com of Aguma medicine which he claimed was a cure for HIV, AIDS cancer and other ailments.

The court heard that, Magaya further made claims on Aretha medical website and that Aretha medical and himself were manufacturers of the Aguma medicine which he claimed can cure HIV.

Police later searched Magaya’s Marlborough offices where they seized twenty travelling bags containing empty capsules, plastic containers and plastic container lids.

Magaya allegedly destroyed some of the exhibits by flashing them in the office toilets and burning the containers which were however recovered half burnt.

FROM a distance, she is an ordinary vendor selling bottled water in the sweltering heat of Chirundu, but she is also a commercial sex worker.

Prudence (42) is one of many sex workers who operate at Chirundu Border Post and has been in the trade for over 20 years having bedded more 1 000 men from every tribe in the Sadc region.

“The water I sell is a disguise so that I can easily manoeuvre and do my business,” she said.

“It also helps me ensure that my children do not suspect me of anything like sex work. But I am a sex worker who has managed to build a house for my children and pay school fees for them.”

Her skin has aged, and so has her skill in her trade, which she says has improved due experience and exposure to a variety of clients.

Prudence is a member of the Centre for Sexual Health and HIV and Aids research in Zimbabwe, (CeSHHAR), a non-government organisation that helps sex workers avoid abuse and other forms of ill treatment.

She said with age, she is now able to negotiate for safe sex and tackle abuse.

“Before I joined CeSSHHAR, I was being abused by men who demanded unprotected sex. Some would forcefully remove the condom and others were refusing to pay after getting my service,” Prudence said.

She is one of the oldest sex workers in the area who now commands respect and has a permanent clientele base.

Despite the pain and abuse associated with the trade, Prudence is at least happy that she has put some of her earnings from prostitution to good use.
“I have done everything and met with different types of men. Some are abusive and others just want sex for no money.

“I think it is time I quit. I have bedded many, more than 1 000 and I have achieved a lot. I now have a seven-roomed house which I built from the proceeds of sex work,” Prudence said as she recounted her life story recently to journalists who visited the area under the banner of the National Aids Council (NAC).

With training from CeSHHAR, Prudence and her colleagues now know their HIV status and have been empowered to negotiate for safe sex-closing the tap for new HIV infections.

“This business of selling water provides me with extra revenue which if I don’t get a man to sleep with, I will not stress myself. I have lost appetite for man and I think it is now time I call it a day and find something else to do,” she said.

Before being empowered on safe sex and how to deal with abuse, Prudence like her counterparts, suffered on numerous occasions with sexually transmitted infections.

“Some men offer as much as $20 per night and demand that you have unprotected sex with them. Because of poverty and inability to negotiate for safe sex, I used to agree to that. This exposed me to STIs,” Prudence said.

Chirundu Border town in the last two months has recorded 129 cases of STIs among the 1 013 sex workers who are registered said Varaidzo Muchina, the representative for CeSHHAR based in the border town.

Through engagement with sex workers, at least 167 of them have been tested for HIV and Aids and those who turned out to be positive have been initiated on anti-retroviral drugs.

“The biggest challenge that we have is tracing most of our clients as a number of them are mobile. They travel across Sadc and in some cases some default,” she said.

CeSHHAR also has a strong commitment to strengthening research capacity among Zimbabwean graduates in HIV-related issues.

Statistics released by the NAC indicate that Zimbabwe’s border towns continue acting as breeding grounds to the pandemic and CeSHHAR had taken it upon themselves to fight new infectious in these areas.

The large numbers of people who pass through border towns as they trade or look for greener pastures in neighbouring countries has resulted in commercial sex becoming big business in the town.

As a result, border towns have been transformed from business hubs to breeding grounds of sexually transmitted diseases, especially HIV. Through its various projects that include educational programs, sex workers now can access condoms and get treatment to those who would have tested positive.

Muchina said most of the women had confirmed that they engage in unprotected sex which guarantees them more money.

“However, it is encouraging that we are getting a positive response in behavioural change from these communities as we continue to conscientise them about the dangers of indulging in unprotected sex,” she said.

Activists have been calling for behavioural change as the best way of effectively combating HIV and Aids.

Prevention remains the pillar of HIV interventions in Zimbabwe.

The behavioural change programme focuses on reducing key risk sexual behaviours, in particular multiple and concurrent sexual partners, low risk perception as well as other underlying vulnerability factors such as imbalanced gender relations, stigma and discrimination and risky cultural and religious practices.

The programme also seek to address the needs and vulnerabilities of workers in the informal economy who do not have access to coping mechanisms to mitigate the impact of the disease, such as lack of access to social protection and income.

In Zimbabwe, sex workers have been regarded as a key population with high risk of HIV infections.

According to latest statistics from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, new HIV cases were more prevalent among long distant truck drivers, sex workers, prisoners and adolescents.

“Our aim is to prevent the spread of HIV from a sex worker to their client or from the sex worker to the client,” Muchina said.

The truck drivers who ply the Beitbridge-Harare-Chirundu Highway have, for years been preying on under-age and vulnerable girls in the border towns of Beitbridge, Victoria Falls and Chirundu.

Recently, the NAC also estimated the number of children involved in sexual exploitation in Zimbabwe was about 160 000.

Besides empowering them with information on safe sex and sustainability, Ceshhar is also involved in fighting gender based violence.

-Newsday

By Own Correspondent| Air Zimbabwe has cancelled its flight UM462 JNB/HRE 1Nov 2018 and UM467 HRE/JNB 2 Nov 2018.

The airline advised its customers that the cancellation had to do with operational challenges beyond its control.

Tweeted the airline:

An update will be made available to all affected passengers at 0900, 2 Nov 2018.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused.

— Air Zimbabwe (@FlyAirZimbabwe) November 1, 2018

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday announced that Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) listed entity Invictus Energy (IVZ), has discovered oil and gas deposits in the southern African country’s Mashonaland Central Province.

Invictus shares are currently suspended from trading on the ASX pending the release of the announcement regarding the Maiden Prospective Resource Estimate.

The ASX said IVZ’s shares “will remain halted until the earlier of, either the release of relevant information, or the commencement of trading on Thursday 1 November 2018”.

In accordance with ASX’s Listing Rule 17.2, a trading halt was granted on Tuesday 30 October 2018, pending the completion and the subsequent announcement on Friday of the Invictus Maiden Prospective Resource Estimate.