Correspondent|Flip-flopping ZANU PF activist Gabriel Chaibva, who is also the Executive Director of Free and Fair Foundation has made startling revelations of MDC Alliance’s violent history which he says dates back to 2002.

He further revealed that the party’s youths received military training sponsored by the late former treasurer Roy Bennett who died recently.

Chaibva, a former MDC member, on Tuesday told the commission of inquiry of the August 1 shootings that the MDC Alliance is to blame for the August 1st post- election violence.

He said the opposition party has been marshalling for violence from as far back as 2002.

In his testimony before the Mothlante led commission, Chaibva said MDC youths received military training sponsored by the late Bennet .

He was providing military training to the party’s “vanguard.”, he claimed.

“Subsequently, in the newspapers it was awash with white commercial farmers were making available their pieces of land on the farms training the MDC youths.

“This training programme was led by Roy Bennett,” he said.

Chaibva said youths were being recruited into “democratic resistance commitees” with the ultimate goal of overthrowing the then government of former President Robert Mugabe.

He said despite various acts of violence especially those carried out during what he called “the final push” of 2004, the party still received “unflinching” support from Britain, Europe and the United States.

He said the MDC was trying to instigate “some sort of Arab Spring” contrary to their statements purporting peace and democracy.

“Whilst the MDC talks about peace they do the exact opposite,” Chaibva said.

Chaibva claimed the MDC was pushing a foreign agenda which was exemplified by David Coltart, who despite the violence within the MDC was “a fanatical supporter” of opposition leader Nelson Chamisa and had “crafted” The Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZIDERA).

Chaibva claims he heard Tendai Biti’s “utterly provocative statements” regarding President Emmerson Mnangagwa on July 31st which fuelled the MDC Alliance youths to react violently on August 1st.

At one point he alleges Biti referred to Mnangagwa as “a murderer.”

Chaibva said during the course of investigations carried out by his foundation, informants had said said some MDC youths had a pistol and were taking turns firing it and two demonstrators may have died from ricochet bullets.

He claims an unnamed businessman may have killed two more demonstrators as a result of “reckless discharge” of a firearm, as he feared for his life during the MDC’s demonstration.

Chaibva also claimed he saw soldiers who were firing shots in the air along Jason Moyo Avenue and one soldier kneeling was aiming upward at a 45 degree angle.

He claimed at that angle only an individual within “two or three metres” could have been shot.

The commission of inquiry is a seven-member probe team which was appointed by Mnangagwa and chaired by former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe. The commission’s mandate includes investigating events leading to the death of at least six people on August 1st and providing recommendations to prevent similar incidents.

In an earlier testimony, Detective Chief Inspector, Edmore Runganga who is also head of the Zimbabwe Republic Police’s investigative team into August 1st said a total of 48 shops had been vandalised and 41 arrests were made thus far.

Runganga who is also head of the Zimbabwe Republic Police’s investigative team into August 1st killings said they had been investigating for the past three months but had not found any firearm cartridges in the Central Business District except those recently acquired through the commission.

He said the report on the direction or angle of “projectiles” had not come back from the technical department.

Runganga said he would follow up on potential eyewitnesses mentioned by Molanthe, such as the late Sylvia Maphosa’s sister.

Maphosa is a victim of the August 1 melee.

The chief inspector said it was “unfortunate those people do not want to come to the police,” but he would “leave no stone unturned.”

M&T

Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) chairperson, Justice Priscilla Chigumba has complained over the abuse she suffered at the hands of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leaders and supporters in the run up to the July 30 harmonised elections.

Making her submissions before the Commission of Inquiry into the 1st of August violence today, Chigumba narrated how she and other female ZEC commissioners became punching bags of both emotional and sexist abuse at the hands of the Nelson Chamisa led MDC Alliance party, before, during after the elections.

Chigumba said on three separate occasions, she and other commissioners, felt that their lives were at risk as MDC Alliance supporters and leaders continuously threatened them both on social media and in person.

“On two separate attempts, this other political party threatened to invade our offices and they wanted to confront us on their demands which they wanted to be addressed a few days before the election,” she said.

“We had our department receive the political party and attend to their demands which we had heard previously. We had about 10 or 17 demands but they still continued to persist on us to hear them further,” said Chigumba.

“The political party would picket our offices and would come back with the same demands. On our side, we felt that there was nothing to discuss because the demands they wanted, were not in the electoral act. The law was clear, and our position was very clear too, there was nothing we could do to assist them with,” she added.

The former High Court judge said her persona was vilified in public and in most demonstrations by the MDC-A, had her pictures torn and labeled with unprintable words.

“On the third occasion, through social media they let it known that they would picket our office, and that is when we sought the services if the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP).

“You could see that in the lead up to the elections, for about 10 days, there was a heavy presence of police at our offices as we feared for our lives. We were unable to carry out our duties at the office as we did not come in,” said Chigumba.

She further admitted that Zimbabweans had little faith in her commission due to the previous running of elections.

“Zimbabweans don’t trust ZEC because of what happened in the past and what happened in the 2018 elections,” she said.

She accused the MDC-A of being ignorant to the law despite the party housing lawyers.

“We held engagements with these political parties and there was no consensus because they could not understand what the law said.

“We ended up compromising so that everyone would be catered for. What I would urge political parties is that they must take this time while in Parliament to change the laws that they are not happy with so that we do not have the same situation again in 2023,” said Chigumba.

She bemoaned the continued abuse she still faces at the MDC-A rallies together with other commissioners.

-263Chat

 

Terrence Mawawa|MDC deputy national chairperson Tendai Biti has said Prosecutor Michael Reza does not meet the legal requirements for
prosecuting him.

Biti wants Reza to be recused from the case. Biti has indicated that Reza’s objectivity is questionable because he accused him of causing
the death of civilians in the capital city on August 1.

Biti’s lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, has said Reza does not meet the constitutional requirements to
prosecute Biti.

Section 261 of the Constitution
requires that members of the National Prosecuting Authority must not act in a partisan manner or further the interests of any political
party or cause.

Speaking before magistrate Gloria
Takundwa yesterday, Mtetwa argued:”Your Worship, Reza, who in terms of the law, is supposed to be impartial, filed an affidavit and made averments that are a cause for concern and such averments cannot be made by an impartial prosecutor. Reza said Biti’s assassination attempt claim was only political grandstanding. He proceeded
to say the violence committed in
the CBD [central business district],
which claimed the lives of people, was perpetrated by MDC supporters.

Jane Mlambo| President Emmerson Mnangagwa has urged Zimbabweans to brace for tough times as his administration makes the necessary but painful changes towards building the economy.

Mnangagwa who published an opinion piece in the Financial Times borrowed from former United Kingdom Prime Minister on the need to take painful decisions in order to achieve long term successes.

“The process of change is not smooth. Some pain and discomfort along the way is inevitable. The arduousness of the path of reform can sometimes lead governments to stall or backtrack. But as a passionate reformer leading a reformist government, I know there is no other way. We cannot allow anything to slow us down,” said Mnangagwa.

Government has been battling to contain runaway inflation which has seen prices of basic commodities doubling in the process resulting in shortages.

Minister of Finance, Professor Mthuli Ncube has also introduced new measures including the 2 percent tax on all electronic transactions which many ordinary Zimbabweans feel is painful, but the Zanu PF leader said the policy will bear fruits later.

 

Terrence Mawawa|Prominent social media analyst Antony Taruvinga has said the deplorable state of the country’s roads is the main cause of the high incidence of fatal road accidents.

“The major cause of these deadly accidents, generally, is the bad state of our roads.

The Chirundu-Masvingo-Beitbridge Highway is an eyesore and a death trap. The government has failed
to cope with technological advancement where we have fast moving cars still travelling on ancient
roads(the likes of the times of Cecil John Rhodes that were designed for less than 80km/hr cars).

They can’t even copy from South Africa(neatly tarred highways and spaghetti roads). Botswana, a desert,
has better roads than Zimbabwe. Where is the revenue going? It’s all being consumed by Zanu PF fat cats,” argued Taruvinga in a statement yesterday.

Government has invited bids for the troubled national airline, Air Zimbabwe, as it pushes ahead with privatisation of its loss-making parastatals.

The airline owes creditors $341 million and was last month put under administration.

“Tenders are, hereby, invited from interested parties to invest in Air Zimbabwe. Parties interested in investing in the group are required to register their interest with Air Zimbabwe Administrator at Grant Thornton Chartered Accountants,” the administrator, Reggie Saruchera of Grant Thornton, said in a notice published in the Press yesterday.

“This invitation is not a prospectus and does not constitute or form part of any solicitation or invitation or any offer to the public to purchase the company or to subscribe to any ordinary shares or any other shares in Air Zimbabwe.”

Grant Thornton had been chosen to manage the airline on a caretaker basis when former Transport minister Joram Gumbo fired Air Zimbabwe’s board and management in August.

Air Zimbabwe is among several parastatals that will be sold off completely or partially privatised as President Emmerson Mnangagwa seeks to reduce dependence on the fiscus.

Its accounts have been in shambles for a while.

Auditor-General Mildred Chiri’s 2017 report on the airline was for 2010 accounts because she was not able “to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence to provide a basis for an audit opinion” for subsequent years.

However, according to an exit report from the former board chairperson Chipo Dyanda, government, which wholly owns the airline, was to blame for its troubles as it had failed to recapitalise it or deal with the legacy debt that crippled its operations.

Dyanda said morale has long been low among staffers as a result of government non-support despite a Strategic Turnaround Plan running from 2018 to 2020.

 

-Newsday

Zanu PF’s notorious succession demons have resurfaced, with the party’s senior officials locking horns over who should take over from President Emmerson Mnangagwa — a few months after the 76-year-old strongman won a hotly-disputed five-year mandate to lead the country.

The fresh fissures in the former liberation movement come as Mnangagwa has recently called his restless lieutenants to order, insisting that they focus on unity and rebuilding the country’s wobbly economy — rather than be fixated on politics, as they tend to be.

The new party cracks also come as Zanu PF has experienced a number of ugly factional, tribal and succession wars over the past few years — including a mini-split following its acrimonious 2014 congress, as well as the chilling poisoning of Mnangagwa by his internal rivals during a youth interface rally in Gwanda last year.

During this difficult period, ousted former president Robert Mugabe had, until last November’s military intervention ended his ruinous rule, studiously refused to name his successor — amid claims that he was preparing his erratic wife Grace to succeed him.

Mugabe eventually fell from power when the country’s increasingly disaffected military launched Operation Restore Legacy, which saw him being put under house arrest — before the nonagenarian resigned dramatically moments before Parliament started damaging impeachment proceedings against him.

Party insiders told the Daily News yesterday that things were again looking “ominous” in Zanu PF, with a group that included some of Mnangagwa’s long-time loyalists “already heavily involved in the search for ED’s successor” — to the chagrin of other party leaders.

“This group at one time put forward the name of this well-loved general … (name given but withheld — because the top military officer could not be reached yesterday), but has since changed its mind after he fell sick.

“It now wants one of its own instead, among those who have been with Mnangagwa from his time as a minister until he became president.

“This group is also using some of the war veterans to push out Obert Mpofu in particular, because it also wants one of its own to replace him as the party’s secretary for administration.

“Once their preferred choice steps into Mpofu’s shoes, they think it will be easier for them to revamp the party’s structures and to align them with their wishes,” one of the well-placed sources said.

“Mpofu has now even indicated to those close to him that he is prepared to step down, rather than continue being embarrassed and being accused of things that he has not done.

“Among their reasons, this group is worried that Mnangagwa might not finish his current term due to the poisoning that he suffered last year and they are thus looking at having a successor in case that happens.

“This partly explains the current determined attacks on Mpofu and other senior party officials at the Zanu PF headquarters in Harare,” the source added.

The old Zanu PF guard — which includes other former Cabinet ministers who were shunted to the party’s HQ after the July 30 elections —are under severe pressure to leave their positions. Mnangagwa re-assigned these “chefs” to the party’s headquarters — commonly referred to as Shake Shake Building in Harare street lingo — in a desperate bid to breathe new life in government and to strengthen the former liberation movement’s administration.

The Zanu PF leader’s idea was apparently to emulate the Chinese Communist Party’s model, which has also been adopted by South Africa’s African National Congress in South Africa.

Yesterday, war veterans and senior Zanu PF officials told the Daily News that they were aware of the plot to limit Mnangagwa to one term in office only.

“We are saying let the president serve his two terms. There are some people who are moving in their own direction, who are not supporting our president within the party.

“We also know that there are some people within the party who are causing price hikes in order to sabotage our president and we are not happy with this.

“Some of them rush to be party members, trying to cover up their ill-gotten wealth — and all these issues are going to be dealt with soon,” Mashonaland West provincial chairperson Ziyambi Ziyambi said.

War veterans’ secretary-general Victor Matemadanda also confirmed to the Daily News that some people within the party were aiming to dislodge Mnangagwa before the end of his current term.

“The country is not led by opinions of certain individuals but by the Constitution. We have a Constitution which says the president must serve two terms and … there is no need to talk about succession now because the president is still serving his first term.

“It is not about the opinion of certain drunken individuals, but the Constitution,” Matemadanda said without naming these supposed drunkards.

In September, Mnangagwa told foreign media that he would only serve the two terms permitted by the country’s Constitution, if Zimbabweans re-elect him into power in five years’ time.

Speaking to the American cable television network CNN, when he was in New York for the United Nations General Assembly meeting, Mnangagwa said he would not cling on to power like Mugabe had done, but would still want to serve his permitted two terms if re-elected in 2023.

“We have now limited the terms of the president just to two terms … I will abide by that without any iota of resistance at all. Even if the people love me to be there, I will go because I believe in constitutionalism.

“You must give your people a chance to have other leaders. In my view, 10 years is not a short period,” he asserted.

Zimbabwe replaced its old Lancaster House constitution in 2013 — which had been in use since the country gained its independence from Britain in 1980, and which did not prescribe presidential terms.

The country’s Constitution limits the president’s tenure in office to two five-year terms — with the old constitution partly blamed for having helped to entrench Mugabe’s ruinous rule which saw him lead Zimbabwe for nearly four decades.

The 94-year-old did not only rule with an iron fist, he also resolutely refused to facilitate his succession, with ruling Zanu PF insiders saying he wanted to die in office as a life president. All this ultimately led to his dramatic exit from power late last year, when he was replaced by Mnangagwa on the back of a military intervention.

-Daily News

By A Correspondent| The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission boss, Priscilla Chigumba who says she suffered emotional abuse at the hands of MDC activists today told the Commission of Inquiry into the August 1, 2018 Post-Election Violence political parties with legislators in parliament should use their tenure to change the laws which they feel impede on the electoral process.

Justice Chigumba said her vilification by the opposition MDC Alliance is well-documented, despite the electoral body discharging its duties in terms of the law, which was confirmed by various court orders.

The ZEC boss says the electoral body has done a postmortem of the elections and a draft report is ready containing recommendations on how to improve the conducting of polls in Zimbabwe in future.

She pledged to furnish the commission with the draft report.

Asked whether as ZEC they would be willing to recommend that presidential election results be announced as they come constituency by constituency or ward by ward, Justice Chigumba said the duty of ZEC is purely to administer the laws regarding elections.

Justice Chigumba said multi-liaison committees which ZEC tried to use in terms of the law to engage political parties were constantly disrupted and the electoral body ended up abandoning them.

“Attempts at dialogue with political parties were always hitting a brick wall…,” said Justice Chigumba.

Justice Chigumba said ZEC is also consulting the SADC Electoral Forum and other regional electoral bodies to see how they can deal with the lack of trust within elections’ stakeholders as well as to improve the conduct of elections in Zimbabwe.

She gave an example of how she has been in touch with the Zambian electoral commission, to share notes on how they run their polls.

Asked whether she thinks the army killed the civilians who died, Justice Chigumba said she only learnt of what was happening from the media.

“…I wasn’t there…yes the media said the army killed, people were shot from the back….,” she said.

The ZEC chair revealed that most of the results for Harare province came last, as there were a lot of verifications needed before their announcement.

Director Legal Services in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce Never Katiyo was next to testify. He spoke about the need for the safeguarding of peace so as not to derail re-engagement efforts by the government, adding that the country’s economic revival efforts were dented following the August 1 violence which claimed 6 lives.

Correspondent|THE Commission of Inquiry into the August 1, 2018 Post-Election Violence continued today with Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba testifying before the commission.

Justice Chigumba said political parties with legislators in parliament should use their tenure to change the laws which they feel impede on the electoral process.

Justice Chigumba said her vilification by the opposition MDC Alliance is well-documented, despite the electoral body discharging its duties in terms of the law, which was confirmed by various court orders.

The ZEC boss says the electoral body has done a postmortem of the elections and a draft report is ready containing recommendations on how to improve the conducting of polls in Zimbabwe in future.

She pledged to furnish the commission with the draft report.

Asked whether as ZEC they would be willing to recommend that presidential election results be announced as they come constituency by constituency or ward by ward, Justice Chigumba said the duty of ZEC is purely to administer the laws regarding elections.

Justice Chigumba said multi-liaison committees which ZEC tried to use in terms of the law to engage political parties were constantly disrupted and the electoral body ended up abandoning them.

“Attempts at dialogue with political parties were always hitting a brick wall…,” said Justice Chigumba.

Justice Chigumba said ZEC is also consulting the SADC Electoral Forum and other regional electoral bodies to see how they can deal with the lack of trust within elections’ stakeholders as well as to improve the conduct of elections in Zimbabwe.

She gave an example of how she has been in touch with the Zambian electoral commission, to share notes on how they run their polls.

Asked whether she thinks the army killed the civilians who died, Justice Chigumba said she only learnt of what was happening from the media.

“…I wasn’t there…yes the media said the army killed, people were shot from the back….,” she said.

The ZEC chair revealed that most of the results for Harare province came last, as there were a lot of verifications needed before their announcement.

Director Legal Services in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce Never Katiyo was next to testify. He spoke about the need for the safeguarding of peace so as not to derail re-engagement efforts by the government, adding that the country’s economic revival efforts were dented following the August 1 violence which claimed 6 lives.

Watch Video Below…

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Detective Edmore Runganga Acting Officer Commanding Crime in the ZRP Law and Order tells the August 1 Commission that 41 suspects were arrested for malicious damage to property but none has been arrested for the 6 deaths pic.twitter.com/HB4aCE6uXe

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) November 13, 2018

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Detective Edmore Runganga Acting Officer Commanding Crime in the ZRP Law and Order tells the August 1 Commission that 41 suspects were arrested for malicious damage to property but none has been arrested for the 6 deaths pic.twitter.com/HB4aCE6uXe

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) November 13, 2018

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Detective Edmore Runganga Acting Officer Commanding Crime in the ZRP Law and Order tells the August 1 Commission that 41 suspects were arrested for malicious damage to property but none has been arrested for the 6 deaths pic.twitter.com/HB4aCE6uXe

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) November 13, 2018

Watch video below….

Own Correspondent|Matabeleland’s oldest traditional leader, Chief Vezi Maduna has written to President Emmerson Mnangagwa demanding explaination and removal of the perceived Shona Grand Plan against the people of Matabeleland.

Matabeleland believes that there is a document which was written in 1979 by a collection of Shona speaking leaders prescribing the suppression of the Ndebele speaking people.

The document has been making rounds in Matabeleland since the period running up to the deployment of the Gukurahudi soldiers in 1983.

The people from the region believe that the Gukurahundi murders and the subsequent marginalization of the region are a direct result of the Grand Plan.

Below is the letter written by Chief Maduna.

Download File (3)

Jane Mlambo| MDC President Nelson Chamisa has dispelled the misconception that he caused the 1st of August violence that led to the death of six people when soldiers fired live bullets on innocent and unarmed civilians.

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VIDEO LOADING BELOW…….

In a response to a Twitter user who said the youthful politician was now afraid of facing the music as he is the one who incited people, Chamisa said he does not believe in the principle of violence and power at all costs.

Not afraid of anything https://t.co/bAaWPMJh5Y don’t incite.They give insight.Violence and power at all cost is not my type of politics.Before God and before men, I didn’t actually know about the August 1 demonstrators until I received a call alerting me about it!That is a fact!

— nelson chamisa (@nelsonchamisa) November 13, 2018

Chamisa had earlier hinted that he is aware state machinations to arrest and victimize the innocent while exonerating the guilty.

His post relates to shocking denial by Army commander Phillip Valerio Sibanda that he had gunshots well before the deployment of the army on the streets of Harare and that soldiers did not kill people.

ZRP Commissioner General Godwin Matanga says that police are ready to arrest opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa for allegedly inciting the August 1 post-election violence which left six peopled dead and several others injured.

Matanga said the only reason the police have not picked Chamisa up is because of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s mooted plan to constitutionally formalise the position of Leader of the Opposition.

The ZRP chief was testifying before the Commission of Inquiry into the deadly August violence at a heading in Harare this Monday.

“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,” said Matanga.

Mnangagwa has since confirmed plans to establish the office of Leader of the Opposition in line, he said, with other Commonwealth countries.

Zimbabwe has applied to re-join the grouping which largely comprises former British colonies.

Mnangagwa’s spokesman George Charamba clarified that the position was not necessarily intended for Chamisa after the opposition leader said he was not interested.

According to Matanga however, Mnangagwa intends to create the position for Chamisa.

“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,” said the ZRP chief.

Soldiers were deployed to help overwhelmed police quell violence during protests in central Harare against the results of the July 30 elections.

The opposition has blamed the military for the death of six people during the clashes.

Matanga however, told commissioners Monday that Chamisa had incited violence with the support of a Kenyan activist the ZRP boss identified as Silas Jakakimba.

“It is written in the Constitution that the Electoral Act does not allow people to incite violence,” said Matanga.

“It is on record that a lawyer of the main (Kenyan) opposition leader Raila Odinga by the name Silas Jakakimba was in the country to advise the leader of the opposition party on how to proceed with events which took place on 1 August.

“When I got that information, he (the Kenyan lawyer) had already left the country.”

Matanga denied opposition charges that police, and military units deployed to quell the violence shot dead the six protestors and also injured more than a dozen others.

He was backed by Zimbabwe Defence Forces chief General Philip Valerio Sibanda who was adamant that soldiers only fired warning shots into the air and never at what he described as “rioters”.

The commission is headed by former South Africa president Kgalema Motlanthe.

Jane Mlambo| Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) Chairperson, Priscilla Chigumba has blamed the gaps in the electoral law for the post election violence that resultantly led to the death of six people after soldiers opened fire on innocent civilians who were protesting over delays in the announcement of the Presidential results.

Chigumba said she has repeatedly advised political parties represented in parliament to change laws and the electoral field even.

Making her submissions before the Commission of Inquiry today, Chigumba said, “Political parties must take this time while in Parliament to change the laws that they are not happy with so that we do not have the same situation again in 2023.”

Chigumba said ZEC could not have announced presidential elections results earlier than it did because results transmission, as provided for in the law, was “slow” as it has to be done physically.

 

MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has warned officials eyeing his position against working with Zanu-PF to grab power from him saying he is firmly in charge of the country’s opposition party and would not tolerate dissent.

Chamisa controversially rose to the MDC presidency following the party’s founding president, Morgan Tsvangirai’s death in February this year.

Tsvangirai’s death created an acrimonious power struggle between Chamisa, Thokozani Khupe and Elias Mudzuri – who used to deputise the party’s founding father.

In the end Chamisa and Khupe went separate ways – both claiming to be legitimate heirs to the throne. Mudzuri backed off from the tiff, and opted to work with Chamisa.

But with Chamisa’s party headed for its first elective congress after Tsvangirai’s demise, jostling for the top post has reached fever-pitch with MDC secretary general Douglas Mwonzora and Mudzuri, who is one of the party’s deputy presidents, emerging as potential challengers for the top post.

In an ominous warning to his rivals, Chamisa who narrowly told party supporters at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera at the weekend that Zanu-PF was behind his rivals’ bid for power.

“It is surprising that Zanu-PF is more interested in our congress than in its own congress as they seek to determine who emerges as the leader of the MDC because they have their preferred candidates and there is dirty money changing hands hence you hear them say Chamisa must go and so and so should take over but we will not allow that,” he thundered.

The 40-year-old former ICT minister accused Zanu-PF of being behind Tsvangirai’s death purportedly in the hope that the MDC would die “but were surprised when I rose and proved to be even stronger hence their efforts at blocking me”.

“We are going to have our congress and elect our own leader, leaders that we want not those they want. We will put the one they fear most just to show them that they don’t determine what happens in the MDC. There are some in the leadership who think that because I took over from Tsvangirai I will allow them to do as they please in the party. No I am in charge until congress and will brook no nonsense, I want order and discipline,” he charged.

He insisted that congress was not his and the MDC’s priority at the moment as the party was focusing on “reclaiming our stolen victory”.

Several MDC officials have already taken turns to endorse him as the party’s president going into congress next year and beyond.

Leading the way was MDC secretary for elections, Murisi Zwizwai, organising secretary Amos Chibaya, youth secretary-general Lovemore Chinoputsa and national executive member Tracy Mutinhiri who all rephrased the party’s campaign slogan “2018 Chamisa chete chete to “2018, 2019, 2023 Chamisa chete chete”.

“We are going to congress soon and I want you to show by raising your hand if you believe Chamisa should continue until he says it’s enough. It’s not a crime to aspire to lead but we have made our choice that Chamisa will continue to lead beyond congress,” Zwizwai said.

On his part, Chinoputsa said “a vacancy only exists when someone has failed. Chamisa has won the elections so that means there can be no vacancy at the moment.

President, Mashonaland East has endorsed you so we are saying there is no vacancy,” Chinoputsa declared.

Chamisa has previously appealed to those seeking to challenge his position to eat the chill pill, saying it was too early for them to do so.

Addressing party supporters during MDC’s 19th anniversary celebrations at Gwanzura Stadium recently, Chamisa emphasised the need for unity in the party.

— Daily News

A FINAL year Local Government student at Midlands State University allegedly hanged himself from the roof truss at his lodgings in Nehosho area in Senga early yesterday morning for unknown reasons.

Speculation is, however, rife that Walter Temera killed himself in anger after allegedly finding one of his lecturers bedding his girlfriend. It is also said that he was in debt and possibly saw suicide as the only way out.

Midlands Provincial police spokesperson Inspector Joel Goko said reasons why he allegedly took his life were unknown adding that police investigations were underway.

“Yes I can confirm that an MSU student was allegedly found hanging from the roof truss of the toilet at a house where he was staying with other school mates. There are a lot of theories being thrown around but police investigations are underway,” he said.

MSU director of information Mrs Mirirai Mawere also confirmed the sudden death.

“Yes I can confirm the death of one of our students. It’s now a police case and under investigation, “she said.

Students close to the matter said that Temera had travelled to Victoria Falls with other students on an educational tour arriving back in Gweru around 2AM.

“Word is that he tried to jump off a moving bus when they were returning from Victoria Falls but was restrained by other students. The reasons for wanting to commit suicide by jumping off a moving bus are unknown,” said a student on condition of anonymity.

He said when the bus arrived at the Gweru Main Campus – it was suggested that Temera should spend the rest of the night under the watch of his best friend at the Main Campus.

“He allegedly sneaked out of his best friend’s room and went to his lodgings in Nehosho. This morning, he started apologising to his friends for all the wrongs he had done to them telling them that he lived a ‘fake’ life. Then around 7:30AM he was found hanging from a truss in a toilet,” said the student.

However, the student said his neighbour told the police that Temera owed some students money which he was failing to pay back.

Insp Goko appealed to members of the public especially students to consult elders or their lecturers when they face problems.

“It is unfortunate that members of the society resort to such extreme measures in the face of challenges. As police we urge members of the public especially these students to value the sanctity of live. In the face of problems they must consult school authorities, elders in the community, their guardians or the police,” he said.

State Media

MDC vice-chairperson Tendai Biti and State prosecutor Michael Reza nearly exchanged blows in court yesterday after Reza accused the former of playing a role in the post-election violence that saw seven civilians killed by members of the army on August 1 this year, while the presiding magistrate clashed with the opposition leader’s lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa over the use of mobile phones in court.

Biti, who appeared before magistrate Gloria Takundwa, is facing charges of violating the Electoral Act for allegedly announcing that MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa had won the presidential elections during the harmonised elections held in July this year. He is also facing another charge of border jumping.

“I am going to sue you for that! Did I shoot anyone? Why don’t you accuse the army?” Biti fumed.

Mtetwa asked the court for Reza to recuse himself from the matter, saying he was now conflicted after writing an affidavit accusing Biti of playing a hand in the killing of the people by the army.

“Your Worship, Reza, who in terms of the law, is supposed to be impartial, filed an affidavit and made averments that are a cause for concern and such averments cannot be made by an impartial prosecutor. Reza said Biti’s assassination attempt claim was only political grandstanding. He proceeded by saying the violence committed in the CBD [central business district], which claimed the lives of people, were carried out by MDC supporters. What independent prosecutor says that?”

But Reza told the court that Biti had raised political statements, which required a political response.

He further said Biti referred to a legitimate government as a “military junta government”, which is a derogatory expression.

Mtetwa urged Reza to recuse himself, accusing him of furthering the interests of his political masters and not of justice.

However, Takundwa postponed the matter to November 15 for ruling.

Takundwa then ordered everyone in the court gallery to stop using mobile phones during the proceedings, but Mtetwa objected, saying there was no law stopping people from using their phones in court.

“Surely, you cannot stop people from tweeting and sending messages unless you avail an Act that stops them from using their phones,” she said.

Takundwa then backed down and said the people in the gallery must not take pictures, to which Mtetwa concurred.

Biti, who is represented by Mtetwa, has filed an application at the High Court for a review challenging magistrate Francis Mapfumo’s jurisdiction and ruling after he alleged that he was abducted from Zambia, where (Biti) he had been seeking asylum after an “attempt” on his life.

But the State insisted on going to trial despite the pending High Court review.

Biti was denied asylum by the Zambian government after he tried to seek refuge in that country.

He claimed that he was abducted in Zambia by unidentified Zimbabwean men.

He said the abductors forced him to cross the border and arrested him. He told court that he was not running away from the police, but that his life was in danger.

NewsDay

Correspondent|ACCORDING to new regulations gazetted by President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday, police officers can randomly search or nab those that they suspect to be dealing in foreign currency from public places such as streets, roads, passages, parks or recreation grounds.

Cash barons who have been accused of fuelling parallel market currency rates and a raft of other economic ills will now face up to two years in prison if they fail to explain the source of their wealth, while street dealers also face arrest if they fail to explain their business at street corners to police officers.

“If any authorised officer or police officer, acting to enforce section 4, finds any person frequenting, loitering in or lingering about any public place in circumstances that give rise to a reasonable suspicion that he or she is dealing in currency in contravention of section 4(1)(a), such a person may be required by the officer to give an explanation of his or her presence in or about the public place, and of his or her conduct thereat, and to produce to the law enforcement agent any identity document, and to show to the agent any currency or property in his or her immediate possession or under his or immediate control and to account to the agent of his or her possession or control of the same,” the regulations read in part.

The government published similar regulations last September, but there were no major arrests.

The new legislation says the High Court may grant an order in respect of any property with a value of over $10 000 that might be deemed ill-gotten.

According to the extraordinary gazette, the wealth must be explained only in terms of known sources of income.

The unexplained wealth can be frozen until a court determines otherwise.

“At the same time and before the same court that an application for an unexplained wealth order is made under section 37B, the applicant enforcement authority may apply for an interim freezing order in respect of all or part of the property that is the subject of the unexplained wealth order applied for,” the gazette reads.

The new law seeks to punish those who may give false information on the unexplained wealth by imposing a fine of $65 000 or imprisonment not exceeding two years.

However, there is room for compensation for those that are illegally affected by the freeze.

The government is battling to control ballooning foreign currency dealings that have seen the rise of cash barons exchanging mainly United States dollars at premiums outside those set by government.

MT PLEASANT legislator Samuel Banda (MDC Alliance) yesterday appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts charged with contravening the Electoral Act after he allegedly falsified his home address during registration to enable him to represent the constituency.

Banda (43) was not asked to plead when he appeared before magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa, who remanded him out of custody to December 3, pending finalisation of the investigations.

The legislator, who resides in Mabvuku and is represented by Thoughts Deme, was ordered not to interfere with State witnesses and to reside at the given address as part of his bail conditions.

The State alleges that on December 28 last year, during the national biometric voter registration exercise, Banda misrepresented to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) that he resided at number 34 Waller Avenue, Mt Pleasant, Harare, in order for him to register as a voter in that constituency when, in actual fact, he did not reside there.

The State alleges Banda went on to depose an affidavit of residence for voter registration (Zec Form VR-9) to Zec commissioner of oath, purporting to be residing at that address.

It is alleged Banda was subsequently registered as a voter in Mt Pleasant constituency, where he contested for the House of Assembly seat and eventually won.

The State says Zec forms VR1 and VR9 will be produced in court as an exhibit.

Delight Mavuto appeared for the State.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…….

Correspondent|ZIMBABWE’S military and police have blamed each other for the August 1 shootings that killed at least six people during a protest in Harare.

The Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) and police initially tried to avoid appearing before a commission of inquiry led by former South African president Kgalema Motlanthe.

General Philip Valerio Sibanda, a ZDF commander, in a letter addressed to the commission, said: “The Zimbabwe Defence Forces will submit its views in writing.”

Police Commissioner General Godwin Matanga also wrote that they wanted to testify in camera because “the evidence to be disclosed would be inimical or prejudicial to public interest or operations of the State”.

Both were later to appear live on state television.

The police were the first to take to the stand. Chief Superintendent Albert Ncube, officer commanding of the Harare Central District, said he only had 167 police details under his command on August 1 because most were assigned countrywide for policing duties associated with the general elections. Therefore, he told his seniors that he needed reinforcements from the Police Protection Unit.

Ncube said, legally, all army personnel were supposed to follow his command in executing policing duties – but that was never the case because at no point was he told that the military would be part of the team to quell the civil unrest under way at the time.

He added that as part of policing duties on the day “an order was given that no firearms were to be used to safeguard the credibility of the election result as the country was in an election period”.

When Matanga took to the stand, he said President Emmerson Mnangagwa “supported and authorised” the deployment of the army and Matanga directed his military counterpart to act. Therefore, it was done above Ncube’s pay grade.

Matanga told the commission that the army had acted in earnest.

“If ever the soldiers fired their weapons, if ever they did, they did so in good faith,” said Matanga.

I don’t believe that any soldier opened fire on civilians. If that had happened, the death toll would have been higher, General Philip Valerio Sibanda.

Brigadier-General Anselem Sanyatwe, the Presidential Guard commander, said that a picture of a soldier kneeling down to take aim while another soldier tried to stop him – a picture that went viral – was interpreted incorrectly.

Sanyatwe claimed that the soldier had knelt down to avoid stones from rioters and that the soldier had only fired warning shots into the air. He said that any deaths registered took place before the military was deployed.

“All those were shot before we deployed and this is true because we never came across a dead body,” he said.

Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, General Philip Valerio Sibanda, told the commission that he heard gun shots before soldiers were deployed.

Sibanda’s testimony attempted to dispel the widely held view that the army had shot civilians. He said the only order given was to “advance and not take a kneeling position” and if soldiers had fired their AK47 rifles, one round of ammunition could have taken at least six lives.

“I don’t believe that any soldier opened fire on civilians. If that had happened, the death toll would have been higher,” he said.

Both Sibanda and Sanyatwe suggested that the violence was likely a result of the MDC’s “militant” wing – The Vanguard – which Sanyatwe said consisted of army deserters, and which Sibanda said had arms caches.

An opposition legislator has been charged with undermining authority of or insulting President Emmerson Mnangagwa after he allegedly accused the ZANU PF party leader of being devoid of solutions to fix Zimbabwe’s economic crisis.

Hon. Joel Gabbuza, the MDC-Alliance party legislator for Binga South constituency appeared in court on Monday 12 November 2018 facing charges of undermining the authority of or insulting the president as defined in section 33(2)(b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform).

Prosecutors claimed that Gabbuza, who was represented by Thulani Nkala of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, unlawfully and intentionally made an abusive, indecent or obscene statement about or concerning President Mnangagwa when he allegedly told mourners at a funeral on 23 October 2018 at John Bwansula’s homestead in Manzasiya village in Binga, Matabeleland North province that President Mnangagwa’s government is clueless in solving Zimbabwe’s economic crisis, which is marked by fuel and drug shortages.

Gabbuza, the prosecutors charged, told mourners that the fuel shortages in Zimbabwe had forced him to travel to neighbouring Zambia to source fuel for use during the funeral.

Jane Mlambo| Opposition, Movement for Democratic Change President, Advocate Nelson Chamisa has warned against plans by the state to incriminate his party for the post election disturbances that claimed six lives following the deployment of army personnel on unarmed rioters.

Chamisa was commenting on the submissions made by army and police bosses to the Commission of Inquiry into the 1st of August shootings.

The firebrand opposition leader said he was briefed three months ago that the state is planning to nail his party members while exonerating those who shot and killed innocent civilians.

I see the effort to nail the innocent exonerating the guilty. A ploy to weaken and eliminate MDC and faces in the democratic alternative.Was briefed of this strategy 3 months ago.Soon you will see vindictive arrests,hired ‘witnesses’ making stories to victimize.#changemusthappen

— nelson chamisa (@nelsonchamisa) November 13, 2018

Yesterday, army and police bosses said denied that soldiers shot civilians saying they did not them orders to gun people down.

GWERU police have launched a manhunt for a 25-year-old man who allegedly attacked a couple with a machete and killed his 89-year-old landlord at Roylands Farm in Gweru recently.

Provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende confirmed the death of Joseph Rodi of Plot 41 at the farm allegedly at the hands of his tenant, Vusimuzi Mkandla.

On the day, Mkandla allegedly approached Rodi who was at his homestead with his wife Ntombizodwa Bhebhe and accused them of spreading rumours about his life, and a misunderstanding arose.

Mkandla allegedly physically attacked struck both Rodi and his wife with a machete several times. The matter was reported to Gweru Rural Police Station.

Rodi died on admission at Gweru Provincial Hospital while his wife was said to be in a critical condition at the same hospital. Mkandla is still at large.

MANICALAND Provincial Affairs minister Ellen Gwaradzimba has alleged looting of diamonds by previous miners at Chiadzwa diamond fields and challenged the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC), which is now solely responsible for mining operations in the area, to be accountable and transparent.

“I am happy with what the ZCDC is doing at the moment, and I want to urge them to be accountable and transparent. There is nothing to hide about diamond mining. We want to see how our diamonds are being mined, and everyone in the province and the nation must benefit,” she said.

Gwaradzimba, who was speaking during a familiarisation tour at Chiadzwa recently, said it was her first time at the diamond mine and an eye-opener.

“I have been shown how the diamonds are being mined from scratch until they are a finished product,” she said.

Gwaradzimba, however, expressed concern over failure by Marange communities to benefit from the precious stones. “I have seen vast tracts of land here, and I was told that there were diamonds all over that huge land, but I am saddened that those diamonds mined did not commensurate with the development of Marange area. I understand there were previous miners here before ZCDC took over, and I am saddened that those diamonds should have brought change to the people in these communities.”

She urged the ZCDC not to neglect its corporate social responsibility programmes through which the community could benefit. ZCDC chairperson Killian Ukama said the non-availability of foreign currency, fuel shortages and incessant power cuts were hampering operations adding that the company would miss its three-million carats target for 2018.

“We have been facing economic challenges and they have affected our operations. We had set a yearly target of three million carats, but by end of October, we had achieved 2,4 million carats. We are now heading towards the stressed target of three million carats by year end,” he said.

The company’s chief executive officer, Morris Mpofu, also said the company had set aside $400 million to finance its expansion programme over the next five years.

“Of that $400 million, a total of $100 million will primarily target exploration. Resource exploitation will, however, not be confined to Chiadzwa diamond deposits, but will also target other deposits in Chimanimani as well as known kimberlite in Chihota and Mwenezi,” he said.

Mpofu added that the parastatal planned to reopen River Ranch Mine in Beitbridge but did not give details.

ZCDC currently contributes about 75% of the country’s diamond production.

NewsDay

BUSINESS magnate Ken Sharpe and his Augur Investment yesterday claimed that they were owed over $23 million by the Harare City Council.

This followed reports that the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) had launched investigations into Augur for allegedly fleecing the local authority of millions of dollars.

Zacc last week confirmed it was investigating Sharpe and his company over the murky Airport Road deal following a complaint by the city.

The Joshua Nkomo Express Way linking the city to the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport was later completed by the Zimbabwe National Road Administration, but Augur argues council illegally cancelled the deal.

Augur chairman Oleksandr Sheremet said his company’s name had been soiled for no reason and was ready to answer to any charges levelled against it.

“We take seriously the allegations levelled against us by councillors in the City of Harare, who appear to have nothing better to do than prove Zimbabwe is not open for business, to detract investment and create negative sensationalism to bring the country to a standstill,” he told NewsDay.

“We stand ready to answer any questions, both privately and publicly, from those who genuinely have an interest. Alternatively, we request that we are given the clean bill of health we deserve and left alone to get on with our business. We reserve our rights to take legal action against those who are purposely perpetrating this nonsense.”

Harare mayor Herbert Gomba could not comment yesterday, while a city official, who declined to be identified, said the issue would be discussed at a full council meeting in the next two weeks.

While reports, including an investigation by council in 2010, revealed Augur had been paid millions and the deal had not been above board, with claims that then Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo had been involved, Sheremet yesterday disputed his company was ever paid.

“The City of Harare never paid us millions as they have suggested. In fact, they were never able to even raise the 10% mobilisation deposit and we had to advance millions of dollars into the project to get it off the ground,” he said.

“Now, 11 years later, they are starting to point fingers because they don’t want to pay us what we are owed and not honest enough to admit it. They illegally cancelled the airport road contract, they defaulted and breached on all their contractual obligations which the courts, including the Constitutional Court, have ruled on several times and they continue to try to avoid paying by using technicalities and dirty political tactics.”

A PERUVIAN drug trafficker was on Saturday sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by a Harare magistrate after he was found in possession of a kilogramme of cocaine worth $91 520 hidden in his suitcase handles at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.

Wilmer Taruzona Aro (32), who initially pleaded not guilty before changing plea to guilty, was convicted by magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa.

In passing sentence, the court ruled that cases of people dealing in drugs using Zimbabwe as the gateway were now prevalent and a deterrent custodial sentence was fair to deter would-be offenders.

The court heard that Aro was an international criminal who traffics drugs from one country to another as evidenced by his passport, which carried stamps from Brazil, a source country of hard drugs.

The court heard that detectives from the Drugs and Narcotics section stationed at the airport received information that Aro was coming from Brazil aboard a United Arab Emirates flight number EK 713.

As the flight landed at around 5pm, Aro went through verification with immigration officials before picking his two suitcases and heading for the exit point, where he was intercepted by detectives.

A search led to the discovery of cocaine in the holes of Aro’s suitcases’ handle rails. The cocaine weighed 1,144kg, with a street value of $91 520.

Francisca Mukumbiri appeared for the State.

NewsDay

GOVERNMENT has invited bids for the troubled national airline, Air Zimbabwe, as it pushes ahead with privatisation of its loss-making parastatals.

The airline owes creditors $341 million and was last month put under administration.

“Tenders are, hereby, invited from interested parties to invest in Air Zimbabwe. Parties interested in investing in the group are required to register their interest with Air Zimbabwe Administrator at Grant Thornton Chartered Accountants,” the administrator, Reggie Saruchera of Grant Thornton, said in a notice published in the Press yesterday.

“This invitation is not a prospectus and does not constitute or form part of any solicitation or invitation or any offer to the public to purchase the company or to subscribe to any ordinary shares or any other shares in Air Zimbabwe.”

Grant Thornton had been chosen to manage the airline on a caretaker basis when former Transport minister Joram Gumbo fired Air Zimbabwe’s board and management in August.

Air Zimbabwe is among several parastatals that will be sold off completely or partially privatised as President Emmerson Mnangagwa seeks to reduce dependence on the fiscus.

Its accounts have been in shambles for a while.

Auditor-General Mildred Chiri’s 2017 report on the airline was for 2010 accounts because she was not able “to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence to provide a basis for an audit opinion” for subsequent years.

However, according to an exit report from the former board chairperson Chipo Dyanda, government, which wholly owns the airline, was to blame for its troubles as it had failed to recapitalise it or deal with the legacy debt that crippled its operations.

Dyanda said morale has long been low among staffers as a result of government non-support despite a Strategic Turnaround Plan running from 2018 to 2020.

NewsDay

Defence Forces Commander, Gen Phillip Valerio Sibanda yesterday soldiers deployed on August 1 used appropriate force and weapons to disperse demonstrators.

Gen Sibanda said although the soldiers were carrying AK47s the weaponry was appropriate in the sense that a solider cannot be deployed without his equipment. He said, “when we do an estimate of a situation, you look at how best you can deal with the situation in the shortest possible time and in this particular case with minimum force, damage and loss of life.

 

“We looked at that and we believed that the force that was eventually deployed by the commander of the National Reaction Force was appropriate and the weaponry was appropriate in the sense that you cannot deploy a solider without his equipment.

“It might not have been appropriate in the sense that they were carrying an AK47 as opposed to maybe a weapon that can take rubber bullets.

“But otherwise, the force that was used and so on was appropriate in my view because as you notice it was only one and half hours and the city was also back to normal except that there were no people because of what had happened.:

https://youtu.be/RbIjuVwcOzo

https://youtu.be/1i4hfl9ZiII

 

https://youtu.be/5Sf7xHmFCEE

Karo Resources yesterday said it will kick off activities on its $4,2 billion platinum investment project in Mhondoro-Ngezi in the next few weeks by carrying out geophysics, and flying over the area as part of the resource exploration and quantification programme.

The mining giant yesterday introduced to President Mnangagwa their financiers, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), who said they were ready to inject $2 billion into the platinum mining project that is set to create at least 90 000 jobs for locals. The mining firm’s representatives said the project was well on course and simply following its gestation period that comes with projects of that magnitude.

The high-powered delegation from Karo Resources mining group, led by chairman Mr Loucas Pouroulis, paid a courtesy call on President Mnangagwa at his Munhumutapa offices in Harare in the company of the AFC officials, where they revealed the details on the project.

AFC president and chief executive Mr Samaila Zubairu told a news conference after the meeting that his organisation stood ready to support the project with an initial capital injection of $2 billion.

Mr Zubairu explained that what happens with such projects was that they could then generate revenue from the initial capital investment to grow, but in the event of further capital being required from outside the project, AFC will still mobilise.

“We are here to introduce AFC to the President of Zimbabwe, to express our support to the Government of Zimbabwe on the industrial plan and infrastructure plan and to commit to them that we are working with Karo Resources to execute this project,” said Mr Zubairu.

“We are committed to supporting the project fully. The project is in phases – the first phase is $2 billion. The way projects work is that you start from a particular point and then you build on as you go.

“Typically, sometimes when you start with maybe $400 million you can get capital and retain it from the business and continue. You start the project, develop some revenue from the project, re-invest it and get all the partners to join you.

Mr Zubairu said they were going to work with Karo Resources to start the project.

“As the project continues to develop, we will continue to re-invest in the project and mobilise additional capital to invest in the project,” he said.

President Mnangagwa, who in March directed the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to see to it that Karo Resources was kept to its timelines, told the same news conference that the project was on course and dismissed media reports to the contrary.

“When I read what you (journalists) wrote, then I got worried,” he said. “Now, I am so clear that I must not go by what you write. I must go by what the people on the ground actually are doing. So, I now know that the project is on course, the media is not on course.”

Karo Resources country manager Dr Josephat Zimba said his company’s wish was to put together a world class project that will not have negative impact on future generations and this entails following Environmental Management Agency (EMA) regulations to the letter.

He said the firm would in the next few weeks start geophysics that will see them flying over the area as part of the resource exploration and quantification programme.

“What we came to do today is to appraise the President of the Republic of our country on the progress of the project,” said Dr Zimba. “Our group again reaffirmed its commitment to executing this world class project here in Zimbabwe and we are seized with doing the EMA approvals and I must highlight that EMA approvals are a regulatory requirement.

“In the next weeks ahead, you will start to see, we will be doing geophysics, we will be flying over the area as part of the resource exploration programme and quantification programme.”

In its first phase, the deal is envisaged to see the production of 3,6 million tonnes of ore and 350 000 ounces of platinum group of metals in 2020, which will improve to 14,4 million tonnes of ore and 1,4 million ounces of platinum group of metals in 2023.

A base metal refinery and precious metal refinery will also be constructed as part of the deal that will see 15 000 people being employed directly and a further 75 000 indirectly. – state media

The Health Service Board (HSB) and workers will next week meet to discuss a demand by civil servants to be paid in foreign currency following a nationwide outcry which propelled health workers to threaten a strike.

This was said by the HSB chairperson Dr Paulius Sikosana during a tour of Mpilo Central Hospital yesterday where nurses and doctors demanded to be paid in forex.

He said the board cannot promise them anything as the issue cuts across all ministries.
Dr Sikosana said the board had already written to treasury highlighting the challenges that health practitioners are facing.

“We will be meeting next week to deliberate on the issue at hand as we all know that this affects all civil servants. At the moment we cannot say or promise anything as we stand guided by relevant authorities to see if that is feasible,” said Dr Sikosana.
He said the meeting will be between health workers and the board.

“I think the Ministry is consulting on this issue which involves other civil servants so that we have a whole Government position on these demands,” he added.

According to Dr Sikosana the nationwide tour of all public hospitals is aimed at reinforcing confidence in the board which has been viewed in bad light.

“We decided to familiarise ourselves with the experiences of our workers as the recently appointed board. We do not want a situation where we are not in touch with the reality as such tends to lead to strikes and disgruntled workers,” he added.

Dr Sikosana encouraged doctors and nurses to continue availing quality health care as the board is aware of all the challenges they face.

Civil servants last week demanded salaries in United States dollars following the price increases and rejection of the bond note and electronic transfers by some shop owners and service providers.
The Zimbabwe Nurses Association (Zina) and the Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta) said their salaries were too low and no longer worth much in the face of galloping commodity prices.

Zina general secretary Mr Enock Dongo said the prevailing economic environment had taken a toll on nurses.

“We demand that our salaries be paid in United States dollars since some shops are not accepting any other form of payment. We also call on the government to adopt flexible duties for the nurses,” he said.-state media

 

A 15-YEAR-OLD Chiredzi juvenile allegedly killed his brother with a machete and the  parents tried to cover up the offence by secretly burying the body without notifying
the police.

The two allegedly fought over fetching cattle from pastures, police have said.Chronicle

By CHRA| A bar owned by self-proclaimed business mogul Genius Kadungure aka Ginimbi has become a menace to residents of Mt Pleasant through littering, noise pollution and open defacation.

The huge mountain of litter coupled by urine is enough recipe for cholera outbreak in Mt Pleasant.

It is alleged that the property rented by Genius Kadungure as a bar is owned by Croco Motors. Residents of Mt Pleasant have vowed to assert their constitution right to clean and health environment enshrined on Section 73 of the 2013 Constitution of Zimbabwe.

CHRA implore private sector and stakeholders to be part of solutions to the crisis of service delivery facing Zimbabwe and stop perpetuating the problem. Residents of Mt Pleasant also lamented on the failure of elected officials in particular councilors to act decisively on the matter and enforcement of by-laws.Last year former Mayor Ben Manyenyeni nicknamed Harare a “booze city” citing that liquor outlets were “becoming the only game in town at every shopping centre”.

 

Sugarcane and citrus farms have been lying idle for quite some time in Chiredzi where resettled farmers are failing to put them into use. The Land
Commission in Masvingo Province has reportedly given the farm owners three months to do something on the farms or risk repossession of
the land.

Speaking at an inter-district meeting in Chiredzi recently, ZANU PF deputy chairperson for Masvingo province Ailess Baloyi said :”The Land Commission is in Chiredzi and today we managed to tour farms in Sections 12, 13 and 14. It’s very sad to note that some farms have been occupied by cellphone farmers. These only appear when producing offer letters but are in the habit of hibernating during production periods.

You can’t be claiming ownership of a
farm, which you are failing to utilise.
The Ministry of Lands has given a
three months’ ultimatum to
underperformers to either venture into partnerships, revamp productivity or have their farms repossessed. If you go to Mkwasine you can see farms which are lying idle.State media

"From where I sit in my office, I heard gunshots way before the soldiers were deployed," SAYS GEN VALERIO SIBANDA pic.twitter.com/s4qSV5ecwY

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) November 12, 2018

 

A 15-YEAR-OLD Chiredzi juvenile allegedly killed his brother with a machete and their parents tried to cover up the offence by secretly burying the body without notifying the police.

The two allegedly fought over fetching cattle from pastures, police have said.

More to follow. . .

Jane Mlambo| Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Phillip Valerio Sibanda has laid the blame on the Harare central business district violence that led to the death of six people to the opposition MDC saying they threatened to unleash violence if they lose elections.

Sibanda said Zanu PF was preaching peace during its campaigns while the MDC was threatened violence through its military wing the Vanguard.

He added that the intervention of the police and army was meant to contain the situation that was spiraling out of control.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

GWERU mayor Josiah Makombe has revealed that the city will soon introduce water shedding that will see most suburbs, particularly those in the western areas, going for days without water as council grapples to normalise water supplies to all parts of the Midlands capital.

Makombe said council was failing to supply water to all suburbs because of low pumping capacity as a result of a shortage of pumps at the main dam supplier, Gwenoro.

“Our engineering department is working on modalities and very soon we will introduce water shedding to ensure that all suburbs receive water,” Makombe said during a Press briefing last week.

“Once we introduce this rationing scheme, it means suburbs will get water on different days until we normalise supplies to all parts of the city. We have some suburbs like Mkoba 15 and 19, which have gone for nine to 10 years without getting tap water, hence the need to share what is there.”

Meanwhile, Makombe said council would not set aside in the 2019 budget money specifically for the purchase of vehicles for its directors.

There have been reports that council put aside $660 000 in next year’s budget to buy top-of-the-range four-wheel drive cars for its six top executives.

“I want to put it on record that there is no council document that indicates we have budgeted $660 000 for the purchase of vehicles for our directors,” he said.

“Although contracts of our directors show that they are entitled to vehicles, it’s not our top priority for now. We want to ensure that as a city, we improve on service delivery and water reaches all our people. We will never buy four vehicles at one go, but maybe one per each budget year when our situation improves.”

Makombe said the issue could have been discussed in various thematic committees (that include all stakeholders like residents representatives, the business community and academics, among others) involved in the formulation of the 2019 budget, but that did not make it an official council resolution.

He reiterated that as a ceremonial mayor, he did not need any personal vehicle from council.

He urged residents to come up with payment plans for outstanding bills to expedite service provision.

NewsDay

One year ago the unthinkable happened in Zimbabwe: Robert Mugabe fell from power.

Tanks rolled in the streets of the capital, Harare, on Nov. 14, 2017, and the military put Mugabe under house arrest, in reaction to Mugabe’s firing of Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans danced in the streets to celebrate the end of Mugabe’s repressive rule that had brought ruin to the once prosperous economy. Mugabe, then 93, soon resigned, ending his 37-year rule.

A year later Zimbabwe’s economic problems have worsened and restrictions on basic freedoms remain, bringing some Zimbabweans to ask ‘What has changed?’ and ‘Are things better?’

The euphoria at Mugabe’s fall has evaporated. Mnangagwa promised Zimbabwe “a new dawn” but to many the country looks depressingly familiar with long lines at the banks to withdraw paltry amounts of cash and shortages of basic goods have led to the rationing of cooking oil, bottled water and beer.

“They played us, we marched for nothing,” Adrea Magoronye, a Harare resident said as she stood in a line for cooking oil at a supermarket.

Mnangagwa started well but his disputed election victory in July, followed by the military opening fire and shooting dead six civilians, a cholera outbreak and an economic implosion have cast a pall over the 76-year-old’s first year in power.

Mnangagwa promised to turn the collapsed economy into a middle-class one by 2030, underpinned by democratic reform and reengagement with the U.S. and other Western countries that placed sanctions during Mugabe’s time.

Those sanctions have not yet been lifted and the signs are not reassuring. In September, inflation climbed to its highest since 2010, according to Zimstat, the national statistics agency.

Drugs are in short supply in a country where the health system has long been on the brink of collapse. Private pharmacies with drugs in stock are charging in U.S dollars cash that are scarce and out of the reach of many.

“Our patients are relapsing, deteriorating, operations being cancelled. We urge the government to increase the allocation of forex (foreign exchange) as the gap is currently huge as a matter of urgency,” said the Zimbabwe Medical Association in a statement last week.

Zimbabwe is recovering from an outbreak of cholera, a disease described by the president as “medieval,” that killed at least 50 people in the capital, Harare.

Many fear the current crisis, induced by foreign currency shortages and a ballooning debt, could spiral into the kind of economic collapse seen a decade ago when Zimbabwe’s hyperinflation reached 500 billion percent, according to the International Monetary Fund, and cholera killed more than 4,000 people.

Plastic bags of 100-trillion Zimbabwe dollar banknotes were not enough to buy basic groceries. People fear a return to that hyperinflation.

The new currency shortage has forced the government to rely on the printing of bond notes, which are rapidly losing value. The government has also been paying civil servants through electronic funds that show up in bank accounts but cannot be turned into cash. There is also a system of mobile money. All of which are devaluing quickly against the U.S. dollar on the black market.

“The government hasn’t moved in the new direction any distance yet,” said Harare based economic consultant John Robertson.

“There is no improvement in liquidity, no improvement in foreign reserves either borrowed or earned and no improvement in investment inflows so it is becoming increasingly disappointing. People’s patience has worn really thin,” said Robertson.

Mnangagwa’s government asserts that some things have improved.

“A lot has changed. It has been a very active period for us. We hope to achieve the best for Zimbabweans in the nearest future,” deputy information minister Energy Mutodi told The Associated Press.

Mutodi admitted that “the economy is our biggest challenge” but pointed to more freedoms as a sign of a new direction.

“Freedom of expression, freedom of speech, freedom of association; things that were taboo in the past are now being entrenched and fortified in this era,” said Mutodi. Police roadblocks, where motorists were routinely hassled for bribes, have been eradicated, for instance.

Critics say Mnangagwa’s government remains repressive, citing arrests of people accused of criticizing the president, a characteristic of Mugabe’s regime. They also point to the killing of six people when the military fired into protesters on Aug. 2 and the banning of anti-government demonstrations.

“We are moving back to the pre-coup era,” said Lizwe Jamela, a human rights lawyer in Harare. “People are still being arrested for expressing themselves, people are being arrested for dissent and for organizing peaceful demonstrations,” he said.

He cited the case of a prison guard who was fired on Nov.5 for “traitorous” behavior after he allegedly posted a pro-opposition tweet as well as the arrest of trade unionists and other activists in recent months.

“That trend would indicate that we are not yet Uhuru,” said Jamela, using the popular Swahili word for freedom. “We have a long road ahead.”

Washington Post

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

THE Chief superintendent for Harare Central District‚ Albert Ncube said the army did not meet him to get orders before firing at the protestors. Ncube was giving evidence in front of the Commission of Inquiry led by South Africa’s Kgalema Motlanthe.

https://youtu.be/1i4hfl9ZiII

 

https://youtu.be/5Sf7xHmFCEE

“I did not have enough manpower as the majority of police officers were assisting the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. The instructions to the Police deployed was to disperse protestors, the police were not armed. The police and support unit managed to keep protestors at HICC under control, “said Chief Superintendent Ncube.

“I asked for assistance from the military and did not get a response but only heard gunshots. I should have met the army first and gave them directives, but this did not happen.”

Ncube however says the force used by the military was commensurate to the problem that was on the ground.

The Commission hearings resumed in Harare on Monday with members from the army and the police being part of the witness that took the witness stand.

1st witness: Simbarashe Chikandira (uncle of late Jealous Chikandira) bus driver. I was informed that my nephew was killed by soldiers. Autopsy was done but I was not given the report. I was just told by nurses he was shot in the CBD

2nd Witness Police officer Julius Mashonganyika: I had an AK 47 with 30 rounds. I then saw intoxicated MDC protesters along R. Mugabe/4th street removing President Mnangagwa’s campaign posters and assaulting members of the public. They then threw stones at Zanu PF Provincial Headquarters. I was in the company of two other constables. I fired warning shots to disperse the crowds but they regrouped.

3rd Witness Police Constable Timothy Chikwena : I was on guard duty at ZANU PF provincial headquarters with witness 2 Julias Mashonganyika who fired 25 warning shots in the air to disperse protestors.

4th Witness Dr Maxwell Hove Director pathology services in the Ministry of Health and Child Care: Initial examination of Sylvia Maphosa was mistaken to be from a bayonet rather than a projectile. Doctors were not part of a scheme to mislead family members on the cause of deaths as suggested.

Witness 5 Dr Christopher Pasi Harare Central clinical Director: 11 patients came in with gunshot wounds including one Challenge Tauro. Another patient Enos Mutangadura came in on 2 August and alleged that he was assaulted with a riffle butt by soldiers in Glenview.

Harare hospital did not provide Challenge Tauro with an ambulance when transferring him to Parirenyatwa hospital, because our ambulances are not equipped to handle critical patients.

Recently a High court Judge ruled that President Emmerson Mnangagwa was not involved in the deploying of the soldiers.

Jane Mlambo| Police Commisioner Godwin Matanga has told the Kgalema Motlante led Commission of Inquiry that Vice President Constantino Chiwenga sanctioned the deployment of the army on the streets of Harare.

Matanga was making his submissions before the commission in Harare today.

 

 

Jane Mlambo| Lillian Chigwedere, the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) Deputy chairperson has told the Commission of Inquiry into the August 1 shootings that Vice President Constantino Chiwenga was ready to dialogue with opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa soon after the July 30 harmonised elections.

Correspondent|polygamous man fainted during a marathon romp with a church mate in a lodge in Bulawayo.

Cephas Madziro, a popular pirate taxi driver passed out while having a great time with his lover-cum-church mate only identified as Mai Manyange.

Media reports that Madziro is suspected to have taken one too many Viagra pills and suddenly collapsed and fell off a bed.

Both Madziro and Mai Manyange are members of the Johanne Marange Apostolic Church and Madziro is married to four women while Manyange’s husband passed on five years ago.

“What happened is that on the near fateful day Madziro phoned Mai Manyange and they met in town before they proceeded to a lodge in Northend suburb. It is alleged that during the act Madziro started feeling dizzy before he suddenly collapsed and fell off a bed.

“Out of panic, Manyange alerted officials at the lodge who later phoned an ambulance that ferried Madziro to the hospital, where he spent about a month in the ICU. He came out of the ICT two days ago (Tuesday) and he is struggling to speak and as a result it’s still difficult to know what exactly transpired from his side,” said a relative who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The matter is now before the two’s church elders. Manyange confirmed the incident saying it was “very traumatic and disturbing”.

“What you heard is true. But I am not at liberty to share with you intimate details of what really transpired as the matter is being handled by my late husband’s family and that of Madziro. What I can only say is that it was a very traumatic and disturbing experience.”

She however, said it was not their first sexual encounter with Madziro when the near tragic incident occurred.

Correspondent|EXILED former Cabinet Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo has claimed that President Emmerson Mnangagwa threatened to decapitate his head in a heated politiburo meeting in the presence of former leader Robert Mugabe.

“Mnangagwa openly threatened to kill me after I presented a video on his and Chiwenga’s coup plot in the politburo in July 2017, by declaring to the politburo that the best way deal with people like me is to do what they used to do to “sellouts” in Maputo whose necks used to be separated from their shoulders,” Moyo said in an interview with Alex Magaisa, published on Saturday.

“Mnangagwa’s threat to me was also a confirmation of his murderous deeds in Maputo.

“I sat in the politburo looking at him and thinking of what happened to my father and I got very angry, leading to my angry outburst which was referenced by President Mugabe.

“All said, my considered judgment has always been that Mnangagwa is not presidential material.

“While he is clearly streetwise, he’s not a statesman by any stretch of the imagination.

“He is a very cruel person and his threat to separate my neck from my shoulders in the politburo and his boast that they used to separate necks from shoulders of comrades in Maputo is an example of extreme cruelty and barbarism.

“National and world leaders are well read people of letters. President Mugabe was and still is a man of letters. He is a well-read gentleman.

“I have always wondered whether Mnangagwa has ever read any book besides school and college textbooks he had to read as a student. You can tell whether a person reads books by their speech. People who read books are great speakers and great thinkers. Mnangagwa is not in this category.

“In any event, it cannot be right that a person who oversaw the CIO during the Gukurahundi days and the state of emergency when the CIO was a killing machine that used extreme torture methods can become a president of a constitutional democracy. It just cannot be.

“It is not surprising that it took a military coup for Mnangagwa to become president.He had no other path.It is also not a surprise that the same military stole the election for him. Again, he had no other path.”

Correspondent|Finance minister Mthuli Ncube has proposed the privatisation of at least sixteen State Enterprises and Parastatals (SEPs)and liquidate five others within the next twelve months.

Addressing delegates at the 2019 Parliament pre-budget seminar in Bulawayo last week, Ncube proposed the partial privatisation and joint ventures of the SEPs which include TEL-ONE, NETONE,PETROTRADE,POSB, ZIMPOST among others.

Some of the SEPs will be listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange(ZSE).
He also proposed the liquidation of five SEPs which include Kingstons., ZIMGLASS,Chitungwiza Garment Factory and National Glass Industries.

Ncube said the move was in line with cutting government expenditure as most SEPs were milking the fiscus through over dependence and poor perfomance.

“The 2019 National Budget first and foremost targets strengthening fiscal responsibility and management of government expenditures in order to create an appropriate environment for increased budget financing of developmental programmes that enable and enhance the economy’s overall productive activities,” noted Ncube.

Last week President Emmerson Mnangagwa blasted non performing State Enterprises and Parastatals (SEPs) for being a burden on the government as they stifle economic growth through dependence on the fiscus.“Non-performing public enterprises coupled with tax payment evasion and avoidance continue to be an albatross around the neck of government.

“I therefore challenge you to use platforms such as this one to collectively find feasible sustainable and lasting strategies to stop this worrisome culture,” he said.

Most SEPs have in the past recorded perrenial losses as a result of corruption and lack of proper corporate governance and Ncube’s proposal has been welcomed by economists and might be the panacea to this scourge.

M&T

Auditor-General Mildred Chiri’s report says Zimdef paid $1 million to various suppliers without going through tender processes while other payments went towards funding Zanu PF by election campaigns.

According to Chiri, Zimdef was instructed by Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education then under the authority of Professor Jonathan Moyo to donate $20 000 to Zanu PF and T-shirts for a ZanuPF by-election for $29 000.

Supa Mandiwanzira’s company AB Communications was also paid $563 945 while Jonathan Moyo’s deputy, Godfrey Gandawa got $185 840.

More details to follow…

Jane Mlambo| Smart Express bus driver Cosmas Munotyeyi Marembo (50) has been denied bail by Rusape magistrate Gift Manyika who said he is a flight risk and his safety is not guaranteed out of custody given the nature of the accident.

Marembo is facing one count of culpable homicide and two counts on Road Traffic act i.e failing to report an accident within 24 hours and failing to stop after a road traffic accident and render assistance

More to follow….