A CONSORTIUM believed to be a fronting for United Family International Church (UFIC) leader Emmanuel Makandiwa is bidding to take over the distressed Shamva Gold Mine in Mashonaland Central province.

According to available documents, Havillah Gold bought the Shamva Mine processing plant after it was auctioned by the High Court last week as the Mzi Khumalo-owned Metallon Gold empire continues to face challenges.

Makandiwa is said to have visited the mine twice last week before news filtered that he had acquired the entire milling plant for an undisclosed sum believed to be running into millions of dollars.

A letter written by one Zondi Kumwenda to the Shamva Mine management notifying them of the purchase is available.

The letter was also copied to Mines minister Winston Chitando.

“We would like to formally advise you that Havillah Gold recently acquired the gold processing plant at your Shamva Mine via auction. The acquisition excludes the resource, which we understand is in the hands of the existing shareholders,” the letter reads.

“After the sale by the Sheriff under High Court instruction, the buyer has the liberty to immediately remove the plant, but, however, the plant was bought with the Shamva community in mind.

Contacted for comment, Makandiwa’s spokesperson Prime Kufa denied the charismatic preacher’s involvement, but confirmed Havillah Gold was a company run by people receiving business mentorship from Makandiwa.

“The prophet is advising them to negotiate with Metallon for a takeover of the operations and the resource and not to remove the processing plant for the sake of the community, whose majority is employed by the mine,” Kufa said.

“Being a man of God and a father, I believe it is his desire not to see the mine shut down and leave thousands of people unemployed. That is as far as his involvement goes.”

Metallon Gold, which at its peak contributed over 35% of the country’s gold output per year, has of late been struggling to stay afloat and pay off its creditors, leading to the attachment of the company’s property.

The mining company recently retrenched the bulk of its workforce as part of cost-cutting measures.

Operations at the struggling company’s Jumbo Mine in Mazowe have also stopped due to litigation from various creditors.

An auction for the mine’s plant, machinery and other movable assets is taking place today.

United Refineries Limited (URL) manufacturers of Roil cooking oil, has accused retailers of creating an artificial shortage by hoarding the product.

The company has threatened to blacklist retailers who are engaging in such practice.

URL Chief Executive Officer Busisa Moyo alleged that some retailers were withholding or bundling the product at till points. Moyo took to twitter and registered his disgruntlement this week.

However, his claims were rubbished by Confederation of Retailers of Zimbabwe (CZIR) president Denford Mutashu who said Moyo’s product has not been visible on the market for a long time.

“If there are those that are hoarding, it’s unfortunate and the law will descend on them .

“But I think it would be prudent also for him (Moyo) to share the specific names of the retailers they gave products then failed to dispose of the products to the consumers, otherwise it remains just a tweet, we cannot be tweeting cooking oil onto the market,” said Mutashu.

“What we want is to see the product itself on the market and if we compare and share those notes, I think that would be great for us.

“It is also something that is worrisome, unfortunately their brand has not been visible on the market for a long time and the brand that has been quite visible throughout is the ZimGold brand.

“If those threats are accompanied by naming and shaming it will be acceptable.There is need for the names of those that got the cooking oil and did not take it to the people of Zimbabwe so that at least everyone will actually believe that this is something that transpired,” Mutashu said.

He urged manufactures to use foreign currency allocated to them for the intended purposes.

“The challenge that we have had with oil processors is that there is no openness in terms of their distribution. Sometimes we do not even know who gets and who does not.

“There are certain areas that have not received that brand for a long time so we would also want the manufactures to own the situation of them receiving foreign currency and directing it to the intended purposes because we understand that at some stage some were using the foreign currency they got from the RBZ to settle some other debts that they were owing,” Mutashu alleged.

Moyo hit back at Mutashu and said he dealt with a more experienced retailers’ body.

“Mr Mutashu is the president of the recently incorporated Confederation of Retailers of Zimbabwe (CZIR). In that regard, 90% of our products go through Retailers Association of Zimbabwe (RAZ) members which is led by Themba Ndebele of Truworths and has been around for over 20 years,” Moyo said.

Moyo said his company was no under obligation to disclose the names of his customers and quantities supplied.

“We delivered 300mt in Bulawayo last week and some product was sent to Harare. We are under no obligation to disclose what our customers are getting as we are a private business and we also protect our partners.

“That comment was directly attributable to Bulawayo players. 60-70% of our product goes to Bulawayo, Gweru, Masvingo, Zvishavane, Hwange, Chipinge, Chiredzi and Victoria Falls,” Moyo said.

There has been a shortage of cooking oil in the country triggering a price hike although manufacturers insist that they supply adequate product to the market.

M&T

Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has bemoaned the low number of convictions in corruption cases as a result of non protection of whistle-blowers.

Speaking at the National Conference for Human Rights and Access to Justice in Harare on Tuesday, ZACC chairperson Catherine Muchechetere said corruption had gone “viral” and although her commission had investigated 455 cases it had only 36 successful convictions.

She said many ordinary citizens were afraid to report corruption as they lacked legal protection.

“Corruption fights back and that is a fact, people are not willing to come forward.

“They make a report but when they go to court they are criminally liable in their individual capacity so someone will say is it worth my while to be criminally liable if, may be, some things are not factual is it worth my while? So they then will pull back. They will not give evidence in court and when there is no evidence the case will be thrown away and then you say ZACC is not doing its work. We need the citizens of this country to step up and come forward,” she said.

She urged government to enact a law which protects whistle-blowers.

“Yes we do protect our whistle-blowers but we have also advocated for a Whistle-blowers Protection Act which has not yet come into effect,” she said

Speaking at the same event, Zimbabwe Republic Police representative from the Anti-Corruption Unit, Josphat Mutipforo said his unit’s major challenge was that ordinary citizens were late to report cases involving high profile people.

“Corruption by influential people or people in authority is normally reported very late as the perpetrators will be wielding too much power.

“Potential witnesses are scared or afraid of exposing that corrupt individual by the time they report corruption it is only after that person has lost authority. Evidence will be destroyed,” he said.

Mutipforo also urged citizens to report cases before posting accusations online to avoid losing evidence and witness tampering.

“The perpetrator himself will find ways or avenues of destroying evidence, he can even influence witnesses before the police is aware of the issue,” he added.

The conference’s keynote speaker was Kenyan Member of Parliament Otiende Amollo.

In his final comments he said although judiciaries had their faults regarding convictions in cases of corruption it was risky to continue that perception as it could lead to “botched” cases by investigators or prosecutors.

“If the narrative of the fall guy being the judiciary is sold too much it will give the avenue for people to sabotage the process,” he said.

M&T

Jane Mlambo| Harare Magistrate, Nimrod Guvamombe has granted ex- Minister, Supa Mandiwanzira 2000 bail.

Mandiwanzira was arrested yesterday on allegations of abuse of office after awarding a tender to Megawatt without following due procedure.

Michael Chakandida from President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s anti-corruption special unit appeared on behalf of the state.

Mandiwanzira was asked to submit title deeds of a property worth $100 000 and continue to reside at the given address among others

Correspondent|health fund established to meet the medical expenses of inmates has for the fifth year running been misused by Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) staff to pay for their own medical expenses.

The revelations were made in a damning expose of the ZPCS accounts for the year ended December 31, 2017, by the the auditor general (AG) Mildred Chiri.

“For the fifth year in succession, in violation of section 5.4 of the Fund’s Constitution which requires the Fund to meet medical expenses just for inmates only, the fund incurred medical expenses for employees of the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service totalling $80 003 (2015: $68 778) without treasury authority,” Chiri said in the report tabled in the National Assembly on October 31.

“Further to the above, the fund’s budget for medical supplies and services was exceeded by an amount of $77 166 that was incurred without treasury authority.”

Chiri said the risk of misuse of the inmates Health Fund by ZPCS was tantamount to abuse of the resources and may affect the ability of the Fund to deliver its mandate.

In its defence ZPCS maintained using the Fund was a life and death scenario.
“The allocation for medical expenses from the main Appropriation Account is not adequate, even for staff alone, hence the use of the Fund to finance emergency cases to save lives,” ZPCS said in the report.

Observers maintain access to health and medical facilities is a basic human right that must be protected by government which is responsible for prisoners’ welfare.

This comes as government is failing to provide medication in prisons and correctional facilities threatening the lives of many prisoners who suffer from various ailments.

M&T

Paul Nyathi|Will Supa Mandiwanzira get a fair trial when the police and the courts prefer to refer to him as “Comrade Supa Mandiwanzira”?

Below is a press statement where the judicial system continuously refers to Mandiwanzira as comrade.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW

Jane Mlambo| Minister of Home Affairs, Cain Mathema has warned the opposition Movement for Democratic Change that they will face the full wrath of the law should they attempt to protest against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.

The warning follows MDC leader Nelson Chamisa’s plans to force President Emmerson Mnangagwa out of government through protests which he told Beitbridge residents will start when he gives a signal.

But Mathema reacted angrily warning Chamisa that any protests will be crushed.

“On behalf of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage and the Government of Zimbabwe, I want to appeal to all peace-loving Zimbabweans to continue observing peace and contribute towards the maintenance of law and order by shunning all forms of violence and demonstrations which are meant to cause disharmony in the country.

“We are aware that there are some political leaders and civil organisations that are agitating for the unseating of the constitutionally elected Government of Zimbabwe through demonstrations.

“The Government is also fully aware that some elements want to register their displeasure on the recently announced economic austerity measures and whip up public emotion to aid their selfish political expediency.”

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has once again ditched the struggling national flag carrier, Air Zimbabwe and opted to fly to Guinea aboard a luxurious jet operated by Comlux — headquartered in Switzerland.

The plane, according to sources, flew from its Swiss base to Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on Monday morning to fetch the President although the national airline had an aircraft which could have flown him to Guinea.

“Air Zimbabwe was all the years been depending on presidential trips but since the coming in of President Mnangagwa, it has become very difficult to secure those deals.

“He opts to fly with a more luxurious aircraft. But this comes with a cost as the Swiss airline is paid in foreign currency while Air Zimbabwe would have been paid using the real time gross settlement process without stressing the national purse,” said a source at the national airline.

Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet responsible for presidential communications, George Charamba could not be reached for comment as he was said to be travelling with Mnangagwa, while Transport minister Joel Biggie Matiza was not picking up his phone.

But senior staffers at the struggling Air Zimbabwe confirmed that Mnangagwa did not use their aircraft and opted for a foreign airline instead.

To show that Air Zimbabwe had the capacity, the airline flew to Tanzania although not at full capacity. It could have cashed in more had Mnangagwa chartered its plane.

In April, Mnangagwa reportedly blew $2,3 million to charter the same plane on his State visit to Beijing, China.

Attempts to get a quotation from Comlux were fruitless as their marketing department had not responded to e-mailed questions from NewsDay.

-Newsday

A WOMAN from Bulawayo who claimed that she lost almost $90 000 allegedly belonging to musician, Mrs Sandra Ndebele- Sibindi, to thieves has been arrested for making a false report after it emerged that she was trying to convert the money to personal use.

Lindiwe Ndlovu of Emganwini suburb was convicted on her own plea of guilty to deliberately supplying false information to a public official by Gwanda magistrate, Ms Nomagugu Ncube.

She was sentenced to six months imprisonment of which three months were suspended on condition that she does not commit a similar offence within the next three years. The remaining three months were further suspended on condition that she performs 105 hours of community service at Phakama Clinic in Gwanda.

In mitigation, Ndlovu said she made the false report in a bid to raise money for medication as she suffers from cancer.

“I admit that I made a false report by saying the money was stolen. The money wasn’t stolen but I wanted to use it so that I could cover my medical bills as I’m suffering from blood cancer,” she said.

Prosecuting, Miss Ethel Mahachi said Ndlovu made a false report on October 16 at Colleen Bawn Police Station that she had lost $88 330 to thieves.

“On 16 October at around 5PM, Ndlovu went to Colleen Bawn Police Station and filed a report to the effect that thieves had stolen cash amounting to $88 330 from her while she was in Colleen Bawn. Police carried out investigations which revealed that the report was false as Ndlovu diverted the money for her own use,” she said.

In the police report, Ndlovu said she lost the money to thieves while on her way from Beitbridge to Bulawayo after a vehicle she had boarded took off with her valuables leaving her behind.

She said the money, $80 000 in bond notes and US$ 8 330, was in a suitcase.

The vehicle which had three other people, two men and a woman, stopped for a recess in Colleen Bawn and they took off leaving her behind, she claimed.

The money in question reportedly belongs to Mrs Ndebele- Sibindi and she had offered it to an illegal money changer, Ms Simangani Gumede, who had “sub contracted” Ndlovu in their illegal money changing business.

After the false report was made, Ms Gumede accused Mrs Ndebele-Sibindi of demanding that she repays the money back. Ms Gumede said Mrs Ndebele-Sibindi had allegedly forced her to sign an affidavit saying she would pay US$1 000 every day until the debt is cleared. She said Mrs Ndebele- Sibindi had also accused her of stage-managing the theft.

When contacted for comment, Mrs Ndebele-Sibindi claimed that she did not know Ms Gumede and had nothing to do with the matter.

State Media

CIVIL servants have demanded salaries in United States dollars following the price increases and the 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 increasing 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,” he said. “We also call on the Government to adopt flexible duties for the nurses.

“For example, nurses can work from 7am to 7pm working shifts for three days a week instead of the current 7am to 4pm for five days a week to mitigate increased transport costs.”

Mr Dongo said the cost of basic commodities, transport, accommodation and the general cost of living had risen almost three-fold in local bond notes to meet the original $US value.

“This development has impacted negatively on our membership whose salaries are sadly still pegged in local bond notes and worse still in Real Time Gross Settlement format,” said Mr Dongo.

Zimta secretary-general Mr Tapson Nganunu Sibanda said the association was piling pressure on the Government to seriously consider paying them in foreign currency, so that they were in a position to meet their daily monetary commitments.

“Having observed that we have been hardest hit by the recent monetary pronouncements and measures, we’re no longer in a position to meet our daily monetary commitments and are therefore incapacitated,” he said.

“We’re, therefore, calling for an immediate cushioning of teachers through payment of salaries in foreign currency.”

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Dr Sekai Nzenza yesterday said Government was engaging unions and labour office to find a way forward.

“I fully understand the difficult situation of civil servants in the current economic climate,” she said. “We’re engaged with the unions and the labour office to find a way forward,” said Dr Nzenza.

State Media

A MAN from Bulawayo caused a stir in court when he brought a law textbook to “guide his defence” after he was found in possession of goods that are suspected to have been stolen.

Godknows Manduna (23) of Mzilikazi suburb, a self actor, appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Lesigo Ngwenya who remanded him in custody to today for continuation of trial.

A majority of people in the gallery believed he was a real lawyer as he quoted sections from the textbook.

Allegations are that sometime this year at around 12PM, the police received a tip off from the public that there were groceries believed to be stolen kept in Manduna’s house.

On the same day the police went to Manduna’s place of residence and found his wife. They introduced themselves to her and asked to search the house.

They broke a padlock to Manduna’s bedroom because he was not available to give them keys to the room.

The court heard Manduna is unemployed and the police recovered groceries worth $369.

While taking the wife to the station, they saw Manduna near St Columba’s High School and he immediately started running away. The police managed to apprehend him leading to his arrest.

In court, he was given an opportunity to cross examine the Investigating officer and cited several instances of case law as he tried to sway the officer.

“In the case of Philani C.A 59/2009, it was held that it is trite that suspicion does not prove a case. This officer did not see the goods being taken. If I may ask what qualification does one need to own a green bar soap?” asked Manduna.

“I bought these groceries at Renkini terminus from the streets thus I cannot produce any receipt but I can provide the name of the person who sold the groceries to me.”

Manduna asked the investigating officer to list the items they took from his house.

He demanded to know if the officer had made any effort to look for the person who sold the groceries to him at Renkini before concluding that he had stolen the groceries.

In response, the officer said Manduna had failed to give enough detail to enable the police to locate the person.

Manduna told the court that the investigating officer did not know anything because he was not there when he was arrested, adding he did not have any more questions to ask him.

He asked for the goods mentioned in the annexure to be brought to court and begged the court to open and prove that was what was listed.

“Your worship may l see the groceries in the sacks. I can’t be sure that it’s the groceries, what if it’s mud,” asked Manduna.

The magistrate postponed the matter to today to allow Manduna to have a look at the groceries that were brought before the court as an exhibit so they may continue with the trial.

Mr McLean Ndlovu represented the State.

State Media

A Kwekwe man has been slapped with a mandatory 10-year jail term for tampering with a Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) meter.

James Ngirazi of Star Mine outside Kwekwe was convicted by Kwekwe magistrate Mr Storey Rushambwa of opening a ZETDC meter and tampering its reading.

Mr Rushambwa said he was invoking the Electricity Act.

“I have no choice, but to invoke the law in your situation, in as much as I might have other thoughts, my hands remain tied by the law and therefore the law should take its course,” said Mr Rushambwa.

The Electricity Act states that, any person who without a lawful excuse damages, destroys or interferes with any apparatus for generating, transmission, distribution or supplying electricity, shall be found guilty of an offence and will be liable to imprisonment for a period not less than ten years.

The State, led by Mr Freddy Ndoro, stated that on October 18, Ngirazi unscrewed two units of the meter terminal cover plate before tampering with the readings.

On the same day, energy technician Reynold Mlambo tested the meter, which was showing signs of being tampered with and reported the matter to the police, leading to Ngirazi’s arrest.

Harare City Council’s decision to withdraw the services of six top executives before their age of retirement will see it forking out millions of dollars in compensation after the Supreme Court ruled that they were unlawfully laid off.

The six — treasurer Mr Misheck Mubvumbi, business development manager Mr Cosmas Zvikaramba, housing and community services manager Mr Justine Chivavaya, Urban planning services manager Mr Psychology Chiwanga, Mr Stanley Mungofa (health) and director amenities Mr Dombo Chibanda — were forced to leave employment before reaching their retirement age of 65.

Council laid off the six through retrenchment in 2014 arguing that it would save US$2 million monthly from the exercise.

However, the decision has come back to haunt council after the Supreme Court last week quashed the Labour Court ruling confirming council’s decision to retire Mr Mubvumbi, before he reached the age of 65.

Mr Mubvumbi was city treasurer until 2014 when council reduced the retirement age from 65 to 60 and he was among over 1 000 workers sent home.

In retiring the six, the city aligned the retirement age of the rest of its workers to the age fixed by the pension fund by way of Statutory Instrument (SI) 135 of 2012.

The superior court ruled that the statutory instrument applied by council to reduce the retirement age from 65 to 60 did not apply to senior managers from grade one to grade four, hence the retirement was illegal.

“It is not in dispute that SI 135-12 is inapplicable to the applicant by reason of his position,” said Rita Justice Makarau.

She said the statutory instrument applies to all employees in grades 16 to 5, but expressly excluded persons employed on grades 1 to 4.

Mr Mubvumbi was employed in a grade 2 position.

“In the result I make the following order . . . the appeal is allowed with costs,” said Justice Makarau.

“The judgment of the court a quo is hereby set aside and substituted with the following, (a) The application for review is granted with costs. (b) The decision of the respondent (Harare City Council) to summarily retire the applicant at 60 is hereby set aside.”

The appeal arose after the Labour Court in November 2-015 dismissed an application for review brought by Mr Mubvumbi against the decision by the council summarily retiring him from employment at the age of 60.

On appeal, Mr Mubvumbi, who was being represented by Advocates Regina Mabwe and Chido Mafongoya instructed by Mr Joel Mambara of Mambara and Partners, challenged council decision on the grounds that it was illegal as his contract, which he had signed with council in 1981 stated that he ought to be retired at 65, and not at 60.

In the lower court, Mr Mubvumbi argued that the actions of the council were unlawful and that he had a legitimate expectation to be retired at 65.

UNITED Nations (UN) agencies and other international organisations operating in Zimbabwe enjoy absolute immunity from every form of legal process and execution instituted in the local courts, including labour suits, Chief Justice Luke Malaba has ruled.

Their properties cannot be attached, neither can their bank accounts be garnished over litigation.

Chief Justice Malaba, with the concurrence of four other judges of the Supreme Court, last week unanimously quashed a High Court judgment of 2015 that exposed Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to labour suits.

The High Court three years ago, issued a garnishee order against FAO to enable the UN agency’s former employee Mr Michael Jenrich to recover outstanding benefits amounting to $623 400.

FAO is an international organisation responsible for food security and management on behalf of the UN globally and Mr Jenrich was responsible for the local emergency unit.

Justice Tendai Uchena, who then was a judge of the High Court, registered the arbitral award and ruled that international organisations, such as FAO, would not escape litigation in labour matters because they only enjoyed “restrictive (as opposed to absolute) immunity that does not apply to cases of a labour nature and does not cover immunity from suit and legal process and execution”.

However, in a bid to save international organisations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs appealed the High Court decision at the Supreme Court.

Chief Justice Malaba set aside the decision of the High Court and ruled that the principle of restrictive immunity that applies to sovereign States, was not applicable to international organisations.

Instead, the Chief Justice said international organisations enjoyed functional immunity.

“The ICRC case supra was wrongly decided to the extent that it held that the principle of restrictive immunity is applicable to international organisations,” he said.

“The decision is overruled. The judgment of the court a quo is wrong because it relied on the ICRC case supra,” the Chief Justice ruled.

The Supreme Court appeal filed by the Ministry of Home Affairs was allowed with costs.

“It is hereby declared that FAO enjoys absolute immunity from every form of legal process and execution in Zimbabwe,” said Chief Justice Malaba.

“The garnishee order issued on December 31 2014 be and is hereby declared invalid and set aside.

“Consequently, the writs of execution issued against FAO’s property be and are hereby declared invalid and set aside.”

Functional immunity enjoyed by international organisations is derived from treaties and conventions they signed with the host country.

Government in the appeal, argued that FAO, in terms of the agreements between UN and Zimbabwe, enjoys absolute immunity from every form of legal process and from execution.

Advocate Lewis Uriri, instructed by the Attorney-General’s Office, represented the Government in the case, while Venturas and Samukange law firm acted for former FAO employee Mr Jenrich.

Mr Jenrich, two years ago, obtained a court order to garnish FAO’s bank account to recover his outstanding salary of $623 400.

He was granted the garnishee order in 2014 by the Labour Court after he successfully took his former employers to court over outstanding salary payments.

Mr Jenrich was employed by FAO in 2004 as an emergency programme officer and his fixed term contracts were renewed for six consecutive years.

In 2012, FAO did not renew his contract following the abolition of his post, while allegations of misconduct had also been raised against him.

Unhappy with the decision, Mr Jenrich followed the labour procedure contesting the termination of contract.

Mr Jenrich won his case at the Labour Court before registering the judgment at the High Court.

State Media

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is increasingly behind the eight ball, amid disclosures that his presidency could be on the line, as the opposition and his closet internal ruling party foes intend to topple him from power Mugabe-style possibly this month, Spotlight Zimbabwe, can reveal.

Our top level government sources with close contact to the country’s dreaded Military Intelligence Unit (MIU), said the Nelson Chamisa led MDC Alliance backed by a new silent faction in Zanu PF are reportedly scheming to spring a Ukrainian Orange Revolution surprise against Mnangagwa’s contested rule, at a time the veteran politician is facing a worsening balance of payment crisis, with his administration unable to pay for essential imports and servicing Harare’s external debt repayments.

The Orange Revolution was a series of protests and political events that took place in Ukraine from late November 2004 to January 2005, in the immediate aftermath of the run-off vote of the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election, which was claimed to be marred by massive corruption, voter intimidation and direct electoral fraud.Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, was the focal point of the movement’s campaign of civil resistance, with thousands of protesters demonstrating daily. It was highlighted by a series of acts of civil disobedience, sit-ins, and general strikes organised by that country’s opposition outfit.

Spotlight Zimbabwe, can also report that the protagonists in the Mnangagwa ouster campaign, want to roll out their plan this month, to take advantage of the presence in the country of a Commission of Inquiry headed by former South African leader, Kgalema Motlanthe, appointed by Mnangagwa to look into the deadly August 1 shootings by the military during the tragic post-election protests, which resulted in about six people dying and dozens sustaining life-threatening injuries.

Motlanthe’s Commission findings are expected to be announced early December, after having completed a three month working mandate, our sources added.

The rude awakening comes at a time when Mnangagwa was yesterday off guard, announcing at an emergency press conference that oil and gas deposits have been discovered in the country in Muzarabani along the Cahora Bassa basin, and that exploration will commence in 2020.

“Military intelligence picked this up (planned protests and march) soon after the president’s inauguration,” said a senior official formerly with the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC).

“VP Chiwenga has put the military on high alert, and the army has been conducting drills for any eventuality. Chiwenga is still by technicality of chairing the Joint Operations Command on a rotational basis with vice president Mohadi, very much in charge of the security cluster.

“In a pre-emptive measure, you might see a curfew being put in place. People will be required to be indoors no later than 7pm. The central business district in Harare is going to be cordoned off, including important buildings such as the President’s Office and parliament. That way opposition marchers will have nowhere to go.”

It is thought Chamisa wants to rally his two million supporters, to Munhumutapa building, demanding Mnangagwa to either allow for a transitional authority or step down as president altogether, and fresh elections called.

Another source said Mnangagwa’s Zanu PF opponents from a new disgruntled faction realise that his impeachment is unlikely to go ahead, and are opting to assist Chamisa with recruiting numbers for the series of protests.

“There is a new disgruntled faction in the ruling party comprising of angry war veterans and new legislators opposed to Mnangagwa who have realised that their bid to impeach him is a far away and complicated process. This faction with the assistance of G40 remnants will partner the opposition in mobilising people to flood the streets countrywide, like we witnessed during the 2017 coup.

“Their argument is simple. They say the MDC then led by the late Morgan Tsvangirai was the key vehicle in spearheading the peaceful march to remove Mugabe, now they want to return the favour by raising a critical mass to march for the ousting of Mnangagwa, this time alongside MDC Alliance supporters.”

The sources said Chamisa’s MDC has calculated, that the army was unlikely to use live bullets on protesters, in the full glare of the Commission of Inquiry, thereby shielding his supporters from harm’s way, to the benefit of an expected International media coming in to report from inside Zimbabwe.

Chamisa himself seems to have let the cat out of the bag during his recent address at Gwanzura stadium during the party’s 19th Anniversary celebrations, saying he would soon announce the course of action to be taken against Mnangagwa.

“There is no moving forward without looking at the reality of who won the election. We will continue to move around, instead of moving forward,” Chamisa told a packed stadium.

“Ndichakuudzai way forward (I’m going to tell you about the way forward). Haatereri (Mnangagwa refuses to listen) he doesn’t know how powerful you are. Anotamba nevanhu, anotamba neyouth iri mukati umu. Ndikati youth simukai tinangane negwara, muno hamudyiwi rinopisa munyika muno. ( Mnangagwa is taking the masses for granted, he is taking the youth for granted and playing games. If I call upon the youth to stand up, there will be no peace in this country).

Mugabe fired Mnangagwa about this time around last year on 5 November, from the position of Vice President of the country for, among various reasons, disloyalty and conduct inconsistent with his official duties. The dismissal was announced by then information minister, Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo, at a press conference in the capital.

Mnangagwa has of late been skating on political ice. Last month hardline securocrats reportedly warned him to urgently put the country’s economic house in order, as they feared a possible popular uprising over his administration’s new extortionate taxes, uncontrollable price escalations, and growing shortages of fuel and food.

There were also reports in September, that Chiwenga, might be forced to seize power amid reported growing suspicion by his personal military advisor and confidant, exiled and fallen Ethiopian autarch, Mengistu Haile Mariam, of an alleged plot by unnamed foreign powers to have him sacked from the presidium, as a condition for unlocking foreign direct investment into the comatose economy.

– Report focus news

Own Correspondent|A protest is looming in as residents ponder the next move following perennial water woes that have hit the country’s oldest town of Masvingo as the city enters into a second week with no access to tap water.

This has seen health concerns being raised as the majority of residents are relying heavily on borehole water which does not conform to the World Health Organisation (WHO) standards according to the Service Level Benchmarking (SLB) peer review report released in June.

The water crisis has become a perennial problem in the city after the new pumps which were commissioned in 2015 by then Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa broke down barely three years into their 20 years lifespan.

Since the breakdown in August, water rationing has risen and areas on high grounds could only receive water for about one hour in the early morning hours.

The problem began a week ago after the interface control units were damaged due to over voltage.

Town Clerk Adolf Gusha said the pumping capacity has been reduced to below 70% and most areas will not receive tap water resulting in the town authorities dispatching water bowsers.

“The City of Masvingo wishes to advise its residents and the public that there was an over voltage incident that resulted in damage to all three interface control units at the Intake Tower Abstraction Pump Station at Bushmead.

“A replacement unit was found on another pump station and it was installed but the pumping capacity has been reduced to below 70 percent of the normal. As a result, the water supply will be reduced and shortages will be pronounced in areas on high ground.

“The city has mobilised water bowsers and storage tanks to supply water to the most affected areas until normal supply is restored,” said Gusha.

The Bushmead pumping station has three pumps and on a normal day, two pumps will be functioning around the clock while one will be on standby.

At the moment, one pump is functioning while the city council seeks the damaged interface control units which are said to be unavailable on the local market.

Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Alliance (MURRA) spokesperson Godfrey Mtimba said the council should put their house in order and deliver services to the paying residents.

MURRA once dragged the city council to the High Court in August when the pumps broke down and the city went for more than a week without water in the wake of the cholera outbreak.

“We have always told the council to buy new pumps but they do not listen. They choose to spend on their personal luxuries but negate their duties.

“They talk of installing storage tanks but we do not see any of them and people are suffering. We will mobilise people to protest if they do not come up with a workable solution soon,” said Mtimba

M&T

THE Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE) has suspended coal miner, Hwange Colliery Company Limited from the local bourse following its placement under administration.

The suspension is with effect from November 2, 2018. ZSE acting chief executive officer, Martin Matanda, in a statement said the suspension of Hwange would be for the duration of the administration.

“The Zimbabwe Stock Exchange hereby notifies the investing public of the suspension from trading in shares of Hwange Colliery Company Limited with effect from 2 November 2018, following its placement under administration in terms of the Reconstruction of State-indebted Insolvent Companies Act,” said Mr Matanda.

According to the Reconstruction Act, every disposition of the property, including rights of action, of the company and every transfer of shares or alteration in the status of its members, made after the commencement of the reconstruction, shall, unless the administrator otherwise orders, be void.

Meanwhile, Government yesterday justified its decision to place the ailing coal producer under reconstruction saying as a majority shareholder, it had noted that there was no sense in continuing with the business.

Presenting evidence before the parliamentary portfolio committee on Mines and Energy, which is chaired by Norton legislator, Themba Mliswa, Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando tabulated a coterie of reasons that he said led to opt for the reconstruction route. One of the major reasons was that the company was operating on a gross loss with cost of production alone, before factoring other overheads, outweighing sales revenue.

This was further compounded by a $150 million debt to Government. Despite promising its shareholders a net profit of $5,2 million in its own turnaround strategy document, the company, according to its 2018 half year financials posted a net loss of $23 million thus casting doubt on ability to meet set profit target.

Added to that, the company also owed its mining contractor Motor Engine $42 million and the contractor had to go to Government to get a guarantee to continue mining. On top of the Motor Engine debt, Hwange also went to Zesa, its main coal customer, and negotiated for an advance payment of $15 million thus the company already owed Zesa three months’ supply of coal when on another hand it is struggling to pay the entity that mines the product.

“(In its turnaround plan presented to Government) Hwange was supposed to achieve operating profit of $5,2 million for the 12 months to December 2018 . . . when the results of Hwange Colliery Company were announced in June, it posted a net loss of $23 million,” Minister Chitando told the portfolio committee on Mines and Energy.

“It’s also important to understand, if you look at the results of Hwange over the years, that the biggest problem which Hwange has had is it has made a gross loss over the years . . . that means by sending coal to the industrial customers, they are making a loss.

“That is why, fundamentally, there is no business anywhere in this world which can ever succeed if the money you are getting for this bottle of water (for example) is less than what it is costing you, you are not supposed to be in business.

“Who is paying for that cost?” queried the Minister.

Minister Chitando said Government then reached a position where it raised questions over how best could the situation be saved thus the decision to put the company under reconstruction.

State Media

A 27 YEAR-OLD Beitbridge woman who allegedly killed her 50-year-old husband by kicking him on his privates before finishing him off by stabbing him with a kitchen knife during a fight over money for rent, appeared in court yesterday.

Geraldine Nyoni is accused of killing her husband Majahana Mazibuko on March 4 during a fight at their rented home in Dulivhadzimu high density suburb.

Nyoni appeared before Bulawayo High Court Judge Justice Thompson Mabhikwa charged with murder in connection with the death of her husband.

Prosecuting, Chief Public Prosecutor, Mrs Tariro Rosa Takuva said the couple had a long history of domestic disputes relating to money issues.

She was remanded in custody to December 4 for judgment.

The court heard that on March 4 last year at about 8PM, the accused person and the deceased were at their place of residence when a misunderstanding ensued over money for rent.

An hour later, the couple received two visitors, Zwelibanzi Phakathi and Saidi Chisa who were related to Mazibuko.

“The two visitors had come to complain to the accused person over her alleged ill-treatment of the deceased. The accused person and the two visitors went on to exchange harsh words over the issue. After about 30 minutes, Phakathi and Chisa went to their car and drove off,” said Mrs Takuva.

Mazibuko remained behind trying to calm down his wife after their dispute had arisen over the issue of money. The court heard that Nyoni allegedly kicked her husband on the private parts before she picked a kitchen knife and stabbed him.

“A fight ensued between the two resulting in the woman picking a kitchen knife. She stabbed her husband on the right side of the neck and fled from the scene leaving him lying in a pool of blood,” said Mrs Takuva.

Soon after committing the alleged offence, Nyoni went to the police station where she made a report of domestic violence.

Neighbours rushed Mazibuko to Beitbridge District Hospital where he died upon admission. Nyoni was later arrested by police and the blood- stained knife was recovered from their house.

In her defence through her lawyer, Mr Tawanda Tavengwa of Mutuso, Taruvinga and Mhiribidi Legal Practitioners, she denied the charge, arguing that the deceased stabbed himself during the scuffle.

“I did not stab the deceased. In fact, it is the deceased who started attacking me and when he grabbed a knife and tried to stab me. That is when I managed to get hold of the hand which was carrying the weapon and twisted it during which he accidentally stabbed himself on the neck,” she said.

Nyoni said she was frightened and out of shock she stormed out of the house and went to the police station to report the matter.

State Media

By Paul Nyathi|TWO Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) members, former Attorney-General Johannes Tomana and the Home Affairs Ministry have apologised to Mordecai Mahlangu, a human rights lawyer and Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) Board Chairperson after conceding that they violated his fundamental rights when they arrested and detained him almost a decade ago.

The ZRP members namely Henry Sostein Dowa and Clever Ntini together with the Co-Home Affairs Ministers and Tomana, who served as Attorney-General then, tendered their apologies to Mahlangu last week after acknowledging that the ZLHR Board Chairperson’s arrest and detention in November 2009 was wrongful and unlawful.

In a Deed of Settlement signed on Wednesday 31 October, Dowa, Ntini and the Co-Ministers of Home Affairs, who served during the coalition government of former President Robert Mugabe and the late former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai agreed to pay Mahlangu a total of $13 500 to cover his legal costs before Friday 30 November 2018.

Mahlangu was placed under arrest and spent one night at Harare Central Police Station cells in November 2009 on a trumped up charge of attempting to obstruct the course of justice. He was apprehended after he sought to highlight to the State the difficulties the authorities would encounter in using Mutare arms dealer Michael Peter Hitschmann as a State witness during the trial of the late former MDC-T legislator Roy Bennett.

Through summons filed at the High Court by his lawyers Advocate Thabani Mpofu instructed by Raymond Moyo of ZLHR, Mahlangu argued that his arrest in 2009 was not warranted as he was acting purely as a legal practitioner giving advice in accordance with his professional requirements.

Source ZLHR

A HARARE businessman has appeared in a Bulawayo court and remanded in custody, for allegedly defrauding a local company of more than $2 million last year.

Onesimo Ndoro initially appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Miss Ratidzo Ringisayi last Saturday and was remanded in custody to Monday.

He was further remanded in custody to November 16, after his Monday appearance pending trial.

Also fingered in the scam is one Archibald Chiponda.

According to the State, Chiponda on November 10, 2017 misrepresented to Pump and Steel Company that they could facilitate a foreign currency allocation from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to assist the company in paying for imports.

Chiponda allegedly said he had made consultations with Ndoro who indicated that there was a US$80 million facility available to assist businesses with imports. He further told Pump and Steel Company that RBZ would create a file to enable the company to benefit from the facility.

“…He then supplied the complainant with an EcoBank account number that belonged to Onesimo Ndoro, who instructed the complainant to make the deposit into the account so that they could link him to RBZ for foreign currency to be availed, since his company East Glow Trading Private Limited had a file with RBZ,” read the State’s case.

Pump and Steel made an initial deposit of $676 945, equivalent to ZAR 9 748 008. Ndoro however is said to have only made a payment amounting to $300 523, 330 to the said SA supplier – KULKONI (ITS) – SKOK Machine tool. The amount was equivalent to ZAR4 327 535 95 and converted $376 421, 067 to his own use.

After the transaction Ndoro instructed Pump and Steel to pay transactional charges of $152 312, 064 split at $50 770 to three different accounts.

Among the accounts two of them belonged to Ndoro, one being a CABS account and International Business Support Services under CBZ. The other account belongs to Chiponda under an FBC account.

On December 4, 2017 Pump and Steel made a deposit of $1 982 913 to East Glow Trading, after Ndoro had convinced the company directors that there was a $2 million facility set aside for them.

Ndoro is however said to have made a payment of $197 414 to Euro Steel and Trident Steel the alleged South African suppliers and converted the remainder of the money amounting to $1 785 508, 60 to his own use.

Pump and Steel, as a result lost $2 161 930, 27 from the scam and nothing has been recovered.

Ndoro was denied bail as he is reported to have a previous conviction of a similar nature.

State Media

HARARE – Most boarding schools in the country are at the verge of shutting down early due to food shortages amid current price hikes.
This comes after price hikes disarmed the buying power that many schools had at the beginning of the school second term in August.
The more than 70 percent increase in prices of commodities such as bread, rice, meat and toiletries, has devalued school fees paid at the
beginning of the term.
Reports have shown that many schools in the country have resolved to demand US dollars shunning the devaluing bond notes.
The Daily News is reliably informed that others have started requesting for top ups in order to succour the situation.
In an interview, Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta) secretary-general, Tapson Sibanda confirmed the reports and said this is a simple
response to the coherent economic situation in the country.
“Schools are responding to economic detects and so we cannot say boarding schools are wrong. A school child needs to eat and government needs to respond accordingly.
“I know two or three schools that are now requesting US dollars and government cannot continue to say that the bond note and the US dollar are at par,” Sibanda said.
Fluctuations in the prices of basic commodities, amid foreign currency shortages, have marginally increased the cost of living, thus causing food to be unaffordable even for the boarding schools.
Parents who paid fees for children at the beginning of the term in August, in government and most private schools, are being requested to top up due to the devaluing of the bond note.
Ellis Robins School is among those reported to have sent circulars to parents requesting that $72 be paid to cover food shortages already looming due to the rise of the cost of living.
A survey by the Daily News showed that basic essentials needed by most boarding schools have increased by more than 100 percent, justifying boarding schools’ demand for fees top ups, although a disservice to parents.
Anglican schools’ representative, education secretary Anglican Diocese, Silas Mudzinganyama, in an interview told the Daily News that Anglican schools are on the contrary
still waiting for the ministry of Primary and Secondary Education’s directive in order to make any fees increments or top ups.
“We are waiting for the directive from the ministry because no school is allowed to hike prices without the ministry’s approval so none of our
schools has increased or requested school fees top up,” he said.Daily News

Nyanga South legislator and former Minister of Information Communication Technology and Cyber Security Supa Mandiwanzira was today arrested on allegations of criminal abuse of office.

Mandiwanzira handed himself to police soon after his return from an overseas trip. He is facing two counts of criminal abuse of office as a public officer during his tenure as a Cabinet minister.

National Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest. Mandiwanzira will spend the night at Matapi Police Station and is expected to appear in court tomorrow.

“The ZRP confirms the arrest of Nyanga South Member of Parliament and former Minister of Information Communication Technology and Cyber Security Supa Mandiwanzira in connection with two counts of contravening section 174 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, chapter 9:23 ‘criminal abuse of office’,” he said.

Mandiwanzira allegedly engaged Megawatt Company to do consultancy work for NetOne without going to tender, before directing NetOne to pay $5 million to the said company.

“This is in connection with audit an contract awarded to Megawatt Company without going to tender, an entity in which Mandiwanzira had interests and subsequent directive by him for NetOne to pay $4 million for the service and $1 million for consultancy,” he said. – state media

The Commission of Inquiry into the Sale of State Land in and around urban areas has accused Goddard Dunira, a nephew to former Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and his land development partner and MP for Chivi Central Ephraim Gwanongodza of hiding a bank account holding $1.25 million that the pair received from an international donor organisation.

Commissioners also expressed shock at the use of names of fictitious churches and companies by the two to allegedly hide ownership of commercial stands illegally obtained from Vashandi Housing Scheme in Victoria Range in Masvingo in which Dunira and Gwanongodza are chairman and treasurer respectively.

The Commission also fear possible massive tax evasion by land barons in Masvingo after they bumped into a letter in a Vashandi file in which the author plotted tax evasion.

The Commissioners also discovered that Dunira and Gwanongodza were allegedly transferring money from Vashandi Bank accounts into the account of Rajivic, a private land development company which the two jointly own as shareholders and directors.

The two are signatories in the Vashandi bank accounts.

Two weeks ago the Commission instructed Dunira and Gwanongodza to submit all financial and bank statements pertaining to Vashandi Housing Scheme. On perusing the books during a hearing on Friday, the commissioners discovered monthly payments of between $10 000 and $26 000 that the co-operative has been making to Rajivic and another company called Goddarm Investment.

“A lot of money is going out of the co-operative every month. I can see that you are transferring money from Vashandi into an account owned by Rajivic, your private company. There are even bigger payments into an an organisation called Rajivic. What is it for?” asked another Commissioner.

The duo said that the instalments were for repayment of a $1,25 million loan obtained from Rajivic for the construction of 250 core houses for members. Commissioners then looked for the loan entry in the financial books but could not find it. Dunira and Gwanongodza also failed to find the entry in any of the organisation’s submitted books and bank accounts.

Cornered and pressed, the visibly shaken pair told the Commission that the loan was deposited into an small scale enterprise account which had since been closed.

“So you have another account which you did not disclose? And you say that the account has ceased?” asked Commissioner Petronella Musarurwa.

Justice Uchena who chairs the Commission then proposed to Gwanongodza and Dunira that the session be adjourned so that the two could go and collect the statement from the Bank. The pair told the Commission that the statement could not be obtained from the Bank the same day.

“We cannot proceed without that statement on the loan, it is important and I propose that we adjourn and allow the two to go and collect it from the bank,” said Justice Uchena.

Justice Uchena then asked the pair for a date on which it will be ready with the bank statement. The two dithered until Justice Uchena proposed to give the pair a letter instructing the Bank to release the statement.

At that point, Dunira said he had a daughter who was ill and he would not be free to attend the hearing the following week. He proposed that he be replaced at the hearings by another member from Vashandi but commissioners felt that a new person would take them back in terms of progress.

Justice Uchena eventually declared that the hearing be continued in Harare since the Commission is winding up its business in Masvingo this Saturday. Dunira who seemed no longer interested in attending the hearings reluctantly accepted.

At some stage as commissioners perused through financial statements, they came across an internal letter in which one member of Vashandi was advising others against forming a private company as this would attract the attention of the taxman.

“We should avoid forming a company because this will attract tax,” read part of the letter.

A commissioner read out the letter and asked Gwanongodza and Dunira what they meant by the letter and the answer was barely audible. The Commission set aside the letter.

Correspondent|Kwekwe magistrate Mr Storey Rushambwa convicted Munyaradzi Chiweshe (30) of Chitiki Village, Chief Gobo in Silobela, on stocktheft charges.

Chiweshe was nabbed as he tried to sell the beast in Zhombe’s Chapewa Village after police received a tip-off from the prospective buyer.

In mitigation, Chiweshe told the court that he mistook the beast for his. He said he wanted to pay hospital bills for his wife who was not well.

“Your Worship, I took the wrong beast because it was dark. I wanted to take my own beast so that I could sell it and get money to get my wife hospitalised as she was not feeling well at the time,” said Chiweshe.

The State, led by Mr Freddy Ndoro, heard that on October 23 at around 11pm, Chiweshe proceeded to the grazing land in Mukhuhlane area under Chief Sigodo.

Upon arrival, he tied the ox using a rope before embarking on a journey to Zhombe overnight.

Chiweshe planned to sell the beast to Trust Sibanda at Chapewa Shopping Centre without clearance.

Sibanda became suspicious before alerting the police who arrested Chiweshe.

Own Correspondent|Embattled Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Leader Prophet Walter Magaya has claimed that he is a trillionaire. In a wide circulating interview, Magaya is asked how many cars he has.

In response He says, “Just a few; right now I have got 3. I had four but I gave away the latest one that I had just last week to charity. It was not expensive it was just worth about US$ 65 000 and I gave it away.”

When the interviewer interjected and said, “one would assume that you are a millionaire.” Magaya responds, “I am a trillionaire actually.”

However a scroll over the internet revealed that there is no trillionaire who is alive yet on earth with speculations that the Amazon Leader Jeff Bezos who is the richest man in the world might be the first person to reach a trillion as his Amazon entity is now a trillion worth.

Magaya is embroiled in a messy court case after being accused of unlawful distributing immune boosters which he tried to crush and flush when police were investigating him.

“Circumstances are that on 31 October 2018, the accused known as a prophet the Prophetic Healing and Healing Deliverance Ministries (PHD) made an advertisement on Yadah Television of Aguma Medicine which he claimed to be a cure for HIV/AIDS, cancer and other ailments.

“He further made claims that Aretha Medical and himself were the manufacturers of the Aguma medicine which he claimed can cure the abovementioned diseases.

“Verifications were made through the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe and it was established that Aguma is not a registered medicine or drug in Zimbabwe. It was also established that neither Magaya nor Aretha Medical Company were authorised by the Health Professions Authority to carry out clinical tests on nay human being to prove that Aguma can cure the aforementioned diseases thereby the accused committed an offence.

“The charge sheet further reveals that on 31 October, a search was conducted at Magaya’s Marlborough premises where unregistered prescription medicines, drug manufacturing, packaging machines and drug manufacturing raw materials were recovered.

“Just before the search, the accused persons destroyed some of the exhibits by flashing them in the office toilets and burning containers which were however, recovered half-burnt. Several Aguma sachets and other torn sachets were also recovered in an office bin next to the office call centre,” the charge sheet further states.

By Own Correspondent| Exactly on this day, November 6 2017, Zanu-PF Secretary for Information and Publicity Simon Khaya Moyo announced the expulsion from the ruling party Zanu Pf, the then Vice President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.

Khaya Moyo’s announcement followed former VP Mnangagwa’s expulsion from government by the former President Robert Mugabe.

Said Khaya Moyo:

“It had become evident that his conduct in the discharge of his duties, had become inconsistance with his official responsibilities. He had also demonstration little probity in his execution of duties.”

Correspondent|The Registrar General’s office will have to answer to findings from an inquiry set to be launched by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) this month.

ZHRC chairperson Elasto Mugwadi revealed that a National Documentation Inquiry will begin later this month and will focus on issues regarding access to national identification.

In an interview on the sidelines of the National Conference on Human Rights and Access to Justice in the capital on Monday, Mugwadi said the inquiry was vital as many people in the country were currently considered stateless.

“This inquiry is very necessary because we have been receiving complaints or questions on why people are not able to access birth certificates, national IDs some of whom are now majors (adult age), they do not have IDs they do not have birth certificates because of the requirements of the RG’s office.

“So we are saying we need to get to the bottom of it, what exactly is impeding on the issuance of these documents? I mean you are only identifiable as a national or Zimbabwean citizen if you have an ID [or] a birth certificate for this country, if not then you are rendered stateless in your own country of birth so we are concerned about this,” he said.

Mugwadi said the inquiry was fully funded and would begin later this month.

“We will probably be starting soon after the 15th because we have been trying to put all the necessary logistics in place advising the people we are going to be meeting out there regarding our intended visits to their provinces, so it is likely to start around the 20th of November and we believe we may be able to finish by around mid January if not the end of January at the latest,” he added.

Mugwadi said the inquiry would look at various cases where the requirements for national documents were too difficult to attain, giving an example of those born during the Gukurahundi era.

“Can you imagine people who were born in the early 80s? They are now majors in their thirties and some of them have got no birth certificates or IDs because they cannot present to the registry office witnesses to confirm that they were born in that locality or area, so we are saying they should be better means of screening a local from a non-local,” he said.

Mugwadi called on the government to align the ZHRC Act with the 2013 constitution, in order to empower his commission and its mandate.

He said the commission currently had only two offices (Harare and Bulawayo) which limited its capacity as a national body

Mugwadi said the commission needed more than “resource empowerment” or it would risk falling behind other human rights bodies around the world.

“The commission for now can only make recommendations, if it carries out an investigation where human rights have been reported as violated or infringed upon the commission can only make a recommendation but in other jurisdictions national human rights institutions can actually issue orders,” he said.

Meanwhile, in a speech read on his behalf the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi said the government had initiated an “inclusive bottom- up approach” in order to achieve its goal of “making justice accessible to everyone by 2020.”

The conference entitled ‘Enhancing human rights and access to justice in Zimbabwe’ was hosted by the Legal Resources Foundation, and was attended by various civil society organisations (CSOs) and other stakeholders.

The minister said the government’s involvement in the conference would be for the greater good of ordinary citizens.

“I believe that this conference is an ice breaker and a first step in the right direction in cultivating trust between government and CSOs.

“Working together benefits neither CSOs nor the government but our citizens especially the marginalised and the vulnerable” Ziyambi said.

The conference ends on Tuesday.

M&T

Own Correspondent|Lawyers representing arrested former minister Supa Mandiwanzira have officially advised media on the charges laid against their client.

Below is the statememt by the lawyers:

Correspondent|RURAL and urban councillors in the Midlands province are demanding motor vehicles and an upward review of their allowances when they travel away from their stations on business to align their working conditions with those of legislators.

The demands were presented to Local Government minister July Moyo during a councillors’ induction workshop yesterday.

Gokwe ward 2 councillor Machinda Mutembedzi said there was no reason why councillors and MPs should have different working conditions when they were all elected public office bearers.

“An MP is elected in the same manner as a councillor. So why would their conditions of service be different? If an MP is provided with a car for his work, so must be a councillor,” he said.

Wilbert Rambanapasi, ward 12 councillor for Tongogara Rural District Council in Shurugwi, echoed the same sentiments.

“In the rural areas, a councillor can walk for a long distance to attend council business. Some actually live as far as 40km from council offices and have to sometimes walk for such distances due to transport problems in remote areas. So I think it is better to just review their conditions of service and provide cars for them,” Rambanapasi said.

He said their monthly allowances were too meagre and exposed them to mockery by management staff who should be subordinate to councillors.

Former Gweru mayor Hamutendi Kombayi (ward 1 councillor) said councillors’ out-of-pocket allowances should also be reviewed from the current $10 a day.

In response, Moyo said the councillors must first improve their revenue collections before they talk of any improvements in their welfare.

“If councils make revenue that leave them within the 30:70 ratio of salaries and service delivery after all their demands have been effected, there will be no problem at all. So my advice is that expand your revenue bases then we can approve your demands. MPs also cover bigger areas than just a single ward, and so that is why they are given cars, but if your revenues improve, we can relook into that,” he said.

“A person ends up using their own cash while conducting business of council. $10 is not fair at all. We need the allowance to be reviewed,” he said.

Meanwhile, Harare City Council last month pledged to buy iPads for councillors who had demanded the gadgets ostensibly to avoid wasting of paper on documents as well as equip them with the latest information technology devices.

By Own Correspondent| A warrant of arrest has been issued for the former Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Godfrey Gandawa after he failed to appear at court (Monday).

Gandawa is facing 14 counts of fraud and criminal abuse of office after he allegedly embezzled $400 000 from the Zimbabwe Manpower Development (Zimdef) together with exiled former cabinet minister Professor Jonathan Moyo.

The warrant of arrest was issued by High Court judge, Justice Tawanda Chitapi after Gandawa’s lawyer told the court that he did not know his client’s whereabouts as the two had not communicated at all.

Gandawa was out on $500 bail until the warrant of arrest was issued.

TWO Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) members, former Attorney-General Johannes Tomana and the Home Affairs Ministry have apologised to Mordecai Mahlangu, a human rights lawyer and Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) Board Chairperson after conceding that they violated his fundamental rights when they arrested and detained him almost a decade ago.

The ZRP members namely Henry Sostein Dowa and Clever Ntini together with the Co-Home Affairs Ministers and Tomana, who served as Attorney-General then, tendered their apologies to Mahlangu last week after acknowledging that the ZLHR Board Chairperson’s arrest and detention in November 2009 was wrongful and unlawful.

In a Deed of Settlement signed on Wednesday 31 October 2018, Dowa, Ntini and the Co-Ministers of Home Affairs, who served during the coalition government of former President Robert Mugabe and the late former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai agreed to pay Mahlangu a total of $13 500 to cover his legal costs before Friday 30 November 2018.

Mahlangu was placed under arrest and spent one night at Harare Central Police Station cells in November 2009 on a trumped up charge of attempting to obstruct the course of justice. He was apprehended after he sought to highlight to the State the difficulties the authorities would encounter in using Mutare arms dealer Michael Peter Hitschmann as a State witness during the trial of the late former MDC-T legislator Roy Bennett.

Through summons filed at the High Court by his lawyers Advocate Thabani Mpofu instructed by Raymond Moyo of ZLHR, Mahlangu argued that his arrest in 2009 was not warranted as he was acting purely as a legal practitioner giving advice in accordance with his professional requirements.

Terrence Mawawa| MDC Alliance Parliamentary candidate for Gutu South Constituency, Eriam Musendekwa has declared that the party will continue to fight for total political emancipation in the country.

Speaking to ZimEye.com at the weekend Musendekwa said he convened a fact finding meeting in the constituency last week.

“Issues that came out of the meeting were as follows : elections were rigged through vote buying by the ruling party.Zanu PF also distributed inputs on partisan lines. In addition Zanu PF activists and traditional leaders intimidated local villagers.

However the shortage of regalia and lack of adequate training programmes for our polling agents also dented our chances of winning the polls,” said Musendekwa.

“Our members still have faith in their leadership from the branches to the president. I also managed to pay each agent $5 plus nine roving agents.

We had 17 800 registered voters in the whole constituency and

I got 6 055 against Pupurai Togarepi’s 7 900,” added Musendekwa.

By Paul Nyathi|Social media critic Dr Charlton Tsodzo has revealed how a local supermarket is selling chicken bones meant to be pet food for domestic consumption.

“This for me folks is the heart and soul of indignity….this in my books is pet food…..hanzi vana veZimbabwe ngavadye….this is what our people have been rduced to? Ndinobuda misodzi nenyika yakadai….” said Tsodzo.

Jane Mlambo| The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has fired defiant Councillor Tinashe Kambarami accusing him of failing to recuse himself from the Mayoral elections held yesterday where he re-emerged the winner despite resigning a day before.

In a letter to Kambarami, MDC Chief of Staff, Sessel Zvidzai said “Following your continued defiance of the President’s directive that you recuse yourself from the Bulawayo Deputy Mayoral elections, this letter serves to inform you that you are hereby expelled from the party with immediate effect, in accordance with Section 89 of the MDC constitution.

“You are advised to immediately surrender all party properties in your possession and stop representing the party at any forum,” said Zvidzai.

Terrence Mawawa|Youthful MDC Alliance MP for Masvingo Urban Jacob Nyokanhete has forked out $ 2000 to pay election agents in a goodwill gesture that has been hailed by senior members of the opposition party.

Nyokanhete used his personal resources to pay 220 election agents, according to the MDC Alliance Masvingo Provincial Executive.

Speaking in an interview with ZimEye.com Nyokanhete said:
“I am humbled by the sincerity and honesty of our election agents.They protected our votes and Zanu PF failed to steal Masvingo Urban votes.”

He said he would continue to work closely with councillors to make sure the city continues to improve service delivery.

“We won in Masvingo Urban and we must therefore deliver. We thank the previous council for being named the best-run municipality at our party’s 19thanniversary at Gwanzura,” said Nyokanhete.

Chicken Inn head coach Joey Antipas says their veteran midfielder Clemence Matawu will not be joining FC Platinum in the near future.

The platinum miners officially showed their interest in the services of the old horse, wanting him on a six months loan deal that will see the Gamecocks receive $500 after every single match that the midfielder would have featured in.

“Matawu will remain with us. He is a great asset that we will not release to any club,” said Antipas.

Matawu (36), is one the six players that FC Platinum included in their provisional squad for the Champions League season that gets underway in November.

Other players being targeted by the Zvishavane side include Dynamos defender Peace Makaha, John Zhuwawu of Caps United, Ngezi Platinum captain Liberty Chakoroma, Triangle striker Lameck Nhamo. Prince Dube was also on the wish-list but retraced to Highlanders.

Soccer24

Jailed former Bikita West legislator Munyaradzi Kereke has petitioned parliament to censure Norton legislator Temba Mliswa for allegedly maliciously slandering him by accusing him of impregnating his wife while in prison.

Prison authorities refused to be dragged into the civil matter.

In a petition addressed to the Speaker of Parliament, through his lawyers Mutandiro, Chitsanga and Chitima Attorneys, Kereke says Mliswa “sensationally alleged: (a) That Dr Munyaradzi Kereke allegedly made his wife pregnant whilst in prison; (b) That Dr Munyaradzi Kereke is allegedly being treated preferentially in prison on the back of corrupt activities.”

Kereke, is refuting the allegations which he says are “categorically false, malicious and unwarranted”.

The former legislator has demanded that the Speaker of Parliament strongly reprimands Mliswa, while also directing the Norton MP to publicly apologise to Kereke.

On the 31st of October, Mliswa posted on his twitter account @TembaMliswa, saying: “In a conversation overheard by a prison guard between Kereke and his younger wife’s sister, word has it that whilst in prison Kereke has impregnated his younger wife. One’s left wondering where the act took place and why he’s being given preferential treatment, why not let others too?”

Zbc News online

ZIMBABWE Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) security officials have been implicated in cases of diamond looting in Chiadzwa after they allegedly formed syndicates with illegal miners.

This was revealed at a ZCDC all-stakeholders’ meeting held in Mutare last Friday.

Bocha Community Development Trust director Moses Mukwada said the country was losing millions of dollars through pilferage of diamonds in Marange.

He said there were well-organised syndicates in Chiadzwa, some involving ZCDC officials.

“Illegal miners are being promoted by the security forces, we are seeing illegal miners. They are working with ZCDC security guards and I have the primary evidence on that,” he said.

“For the last two weeks, the situation was worse. The security officials also involve members of the uniformed forces. They form syndicates with well-known diamond buyers and we know some of them and there is need to stop the rot,” he said

“There is deep corruption in Marange. Of course, you are saying that there is development going on in Marange, but I don’t see the development. I need answers please from the officials, diamonds are being stolen daily.”

Centre for Research and Development director James Mupfumi said the issue of security needed to be addressed urgently.

He said ZCDC should provide statistics on how much money the company was spending on corporate social responsibility programmes.

“I think we need to know how much the company is generating from diamond mining. We need to know how much you are channelling, we need statistics on how much is going to government and how much is going to corporate social responsibility,” he said.

“Probably you don’t have much money. We need statistics showing this (much) is going where, the issue of security needs to be addressed, human rights violations need to be addressed as well if we are to move forward.”

ZCDC chief executive officer Morris Mpofu admitted that there was rampant looting of the precious stones in Chiadzwa.

He said they had already planted investigators within the company.

“I want to thank you for raising such issues. We are not in denial about corruption which could be happening internally or externally, but there are measures being taken,” he said.

“We have already planted our own investigators and we are committed to fighting corruption at all costs.”

Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister Ellen Gwaradzimba said anyone found involved in diamond looting should be arrested.

“I am saddened with what I hear about corruption. We can’t afford to ignore that, we cannot. I am keen to know who is doing that and the time is up for those who are doing that. We don’t tolerate corruption in this new dispensation,” she said.

NewsDay

By Own Correspondent| A 31 year old Gokwe man from Siyamuzula Village under Chief Siyamuchembo has been arrested in connection with the murder of a Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officer.

The man, identified as Pardon Nzanga (31) was arrested after he was found in possession of the deceased’s vehicle who was based in Tsholotsho. The accused was using the car for pirating purposes.

According to facts of the matter glimpsed by ZimEye, the deceased, one Constable Edmond Sibanda of ZRP Tsholotsho’s body was found at Bochkloof farm, Hunters, Gweru in a state of decomposition.

This was after his brother had reported him missing since 11 October 2018 after he was last seen while on his way to Bulawayo.

On the 29th of October 2018, the deceased’s brother Edmon Sibanda found the deceased’s vehicle a Toyota Corrola, at Gokwe business centre being used by the accused person for pirating purposes and alerted CID Gokwe.

CID Gokwe arrested the accused and recovered the deceased’s vehicle and driver’s licence. Upon interogation,the accused reportedly revealed that he had stabbed the deceased once on the neck using an okapi knife in Bochkloof farm Hunters Gweru.

The accused is yet to appear in court.

Advocates Thembinkosi Magwaliba and Brian Hungwe on the instructions of Selby Hwacha of Dube Manikai & Hwacha have issued the following statement: – 

Hon. Supa Collins Mandiwanzira, immediately on his return from an overseas business trip, presented himself to the police at their request this morning. The police interviewed him in connection with allegations of abuse of office on two issues: –

1. That he allegedly engaged Megawatt company to do consultancy work for NetOne without going to tender.
2. That he allegedly appointed his Personal Assistant, a government employee at deputy director level, to the Potraz Board in violation of corporate governance principles and a Cabinet circular. 

Hon. Mandiwanzira denied the allegations and advised the police that Megawatt offered consultancy services at no cost to the government. That consultancy led to the recovery of tens of million dollars for NetOne. He explained that no corporate governance principles or any circular, were violated in the appointment of the PA as a Potraz board member.

6 November 2018

THE Zimbabwe Republic Police has accepted liability over the unlawful arrest and detention of senior Harare lawyer, Mordecai Mahlangu, who was a key witness in the trial of the late former MDC treasurer Roy Bennett, who was facing charges of terrorism in 2009.

Mahlangu’s lawyers, Gill, Godlonton and Gerrans and the Home Affairs ministry’s lawyers from the Attorney-General’s Office signed a deed of settlement on October 31, 2018, in which the police regretted their actions, which led to the top lawyer’s arrest and detention and, as a result, offered to financially compensate him.

“The first, second and fifth defendants (Detectives Henry Dowa, Clever Ntini and Home Affairs ministry) acknowledge and accept that the plaintiff (Mahlangu)’s arrest and detention was wrongful and unlawful … First, second and fifth defendants apologise to the plaintiff unreservedly for the wrongful and unlawful arrest. Their apology has been recorded in their statements referred to above,” part of the deed of settlement read.

“… the first, second and fifth defendants jointly and severally the one paying the others to be absolved will pay the plaintiff’s wasted costs in the agreed amount of $8 500 plus VAT (value-added tax) and the fee payable to plaintiff’s counsel in the sum of $5 000 plus VAT before end of day on Friday November 30, 2018.”

Mahlangu was arrested in November 2009 and spent a night in police cells after he had sought to highlight to the State the difficulties they would face in using Mutare arms dealer Michael Peter Hitschmann as a State witness in Bennett’s trial.

The State then accused Mahlangu of having authored Hitschmann’s affidavit and caused him to sign it when he approached him for advice and, as a result, he (Mahlangu) was charged for trying to obstruct the course of justice.

However, Mahlangu was later acquitted on the charges, prompting him to file a litigation against the then Prosecutor-General Johannes Tomana and former Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri, alongside his subordinates, Dowa and Ntini.

A week ago, as the matter was set to be heard at the High Court, the two detectives and the Home Affairs ministry acknowledged that Mahlangu’s arrest and detention was unlawful and that they were liable for compensation.

“We acknowledge that a legal practitioner discharging his mandate in terms of the law, such as was the plaintiff in this matter, should never be hindered in the exercise of his duties and, indeed, should not suffer the same fate as the plaintiff in this instance,” both detectives and the Home Affairs ministry said.

“First, second and fifth defendants acknowledge as follows: the plaintiff’s arrest on the 2nd and 3rd of November 2009 was wrongful, unlawful and contrary to the provisions of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. We regret our individual and collective roles in the said arrest and detention of the plaintiff.”

-Newsday

Jane Mlambo| Former Information and Communication Technology minister Supa Mandiwanzira has been arrested and is currently at CID Serious Fraud where he had been invited for an interview. VIDEO:

More to follow….

Norton Member of Parliament Mr Temba Mliswa has disowned a Twitter account using his name and challenged his Chivi South counterpart Cde Killer Zivhu to prove that he indeed authored defamatory statements against him.

Cde Zivhu is suing Mliswa at the High Court for $1 million over alleged defamation of character emanating from tweets which he attributed to the Norton legislator.

In his request for further particulars to the case, Mr Mliswa — through his lawyers Kadzere, Hungwe and Mandevere — challenged Cde Zivhu to prove that he indeed owned the Twitter handle Hon. Temba P Mliswa.

“To enable the defendant to plead to the plaintiff’s summons and declaration, the following further particulars are requested: how is it being alleged that it is the defendant who actually wrote the said tweets?

“How is it being alleged that the Twitter account Hon Temba P Mliswa belongs to the defendant? Is there any proof that shows that it is the defendant who authored such tweets?

“We request that we be furnished with MAC address that identifies the actual device that was used to send the said tweets.

“We request that we be furnished with an IP address which identifies the location and the Internet that was used. Is there any confirmation from service provider that indeed the account belongs to the defendant? How is the defendant responsible for the articles he did not author?”

In his plaintiff’s declaration, Cde Zivhu indicated that the Twitter handle belonged to Mliswa and that he was using the same handle to update his constituency and other stakeholders about his programmes.

Cde Zivhu said Mliswa used the same twitter account to allege that he had corruptly acquired land in Norton’s Galloway area.

“Print outs of the mentioned tweets and published articles are hereby attached as annexures,” he said.

“Moreover, several articles have been published on several news websites including Zimeye, The Sunday Mail and TheZimbabwe.co, who all quoted the defendant as the source.”

-State Media

Jane Mlambo| Firebrand Norton legislator, Temba Mliswa has rallied his counterparts in the National Assembly to reject the 2019 budget until government curtail unnecessary spending.

Mliswa who has been unequivocal in his stance against corruption said government of Zimbabwe was over the years exceeding budgets without consulting or getting authority from parliament which in an ideal situation should provide checks and balances on the executive.

Parly needs to stamp its authority&not pass Govt budgets until Govt can curtail expenditure. 2017 Govt unlawfully exceeded budgets without consultation or authorisation. Why should they get more money when they’ve not addressed their situation&comply? We must stand for the people

— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) November 6, 2018

Finance Minister, Mthuli Ncube is due to present the 2019 budget before the end of the year and it remains to be seen if Mliswa will succeed in rallying other parliamentarians from both Zanu PF and MDC to push through his idea.

AFTER weeks of chaos, fuel prices in the country fell by at most four cents, with Energy minister Joram Gumbo attributing this to a dip in international crude oil margins.

A survey around Harare showed that most service stations had reduced petrol prices from $1,43 to $1,39 per litre, with availability seemingly having stabilised and queues that had become an eyesore no longer visible.

“We only have a problem with diesel. Petrol supplies have stabilised. We have enough stocks and that is why maybe the price has fallen. No retailer wants to hold it for long. The more we sell, the better the margins. We have been asked to push volumes,” a fuel attendant in Harare said.

Following the announcement of a new monetary regime that included a 2% transactional tax, Zimbabwe spiralled into fresh economic turmoil last month, with basic goods disappearing from supermarket shelves.

Shortages of fuel, one of the most important industrial inputs, also re-appeared, with motorists being forced to queue for the commodity for long hours on end as government scrambled to deal with the desperate situation.

Gumbo yesterday said prices would continue to fluctuate in the coming days and weeks.

“We are monitoring international oil prices and when they fall, our retail prices will follow suit. We will also allow the local market to determine the prices, but under strict monitoring. If international oil prices rise, you will see a similar movement here,” he said.

The shortages, which Gumbo last month attributed to panic-buying, triggered black market trade in the commodity in Harare and other cities, with illegal fuel dealers cashing in on the crisis, charging as high as $2 per litre against a pump price of $1,40.

The spiralling United States dollar parallel market went into meltdown after Finance minister Mthuli Ncube announced a 2% tax on all electronic transactions, triggering a fresh wave of price increases and consequently shortages.

In response, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government capitulated to public demands and indefinitely suspended sections of Statutory Instrument 122 of 2017 to increase the flow of basic goods into the market, mainly from neighbouring South Africa, ahead of the festive season and ease pressure on foreign currency demand on the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

-Newsday

INGUTSHENI Central Hospital claims it now has adequate drug stocks and food supply for its patients following a 200 percent budgetary increase from government.

The institution – the largest referral center for mental patients in Zimbabwe, was also one of the first beneficiaries of the Health Levy Fund, which acts as insurance for hospitals.

So far, Ingutsheni Hospital has used USS$650 000 from the Health Levy Fund to procure Central Nervous System (CNS) drugs, which are critical in psychosis therapy.

Recent reports had said the institution was facing a critical shortage of essential drugs, with some supplies having completely run out.

In a fact finding mission, CITE spoke to Ingutsheni Hospital Chief Executive Officer, Ernest Manyawu, who revealed government had increased its 2018 budget by 200 percent, which had boosted the institution’s stocks.

“As of 2017, our recurrent budget was $450 000 and for 2018 our recurrent budget is now $1.55 million. That’s effectively a 200 percent increase because of that we have been able to buy food and stock up on necessary drug supplies. What I have noticed is when you tell people you have drugs people don’t want to believe you, we don’t know why,” he said.

In addition, Manyawu said the health levy account introduced by the Ministry of Health and Child Care had topped up to the $1.5 million budgetary allocation,

“We used this money to buy CNS drugs, which are psychiatry medicines. We have a list of what we need to buy and if you say Ingutsheni doesn’t have drugs, it means we don’t have those in supply but we actually have them,” he claimed.

Ingutsheni Hospital sources its drugs from the National Pharmaceutical Company (NatPharm) and has a supply of 76 percent in stock.

“We are not going into the private market to buy drugs. I’ve been asked that question and people were actually assuming that because the private market is asking for US dollars that situation is applicable to us but no, we acquire our drugs from Natpharm. Senior management from NatPharm was here last week and we actually communicate with them.

“We produced a graph of our consignment and this year our drug supply is exceeds last year’s 70 percent. The drug availability is around 76 percent for CNS drugs that means we have enough for drugs for patients. When we don’t have a specific drug for a patient we have an alternative so we in terms of drugs we are ok,” he claimed.

Manyawu said in its planning model presented to the health ministry, some types of CNS drugs were lower as they had increased the dominator list.

“We had a list of 14 types of drugs required then it went up to 18 and then to 23. Initially last year we had 14 drugs on the list and we achieved 100 percent stock but when we moved to 18 drugs we were hitting 80 percent. Now that we have moved to 23 lists, we have 76 percent availability which for our purposes is good and everyone who comes in will have something,” he explained.

“For as long as the health levy fund is available, our medicines will be covered. From the day the health levy account came on board, Ingutsheni because of our peculiarity was actually among the first to utilise it. To date the ministry of health calculated and gave us a report that we have used USD$650 000 for those 23 drugs. That is why in the national health sector we talk about national health insurance because it makes a difference”.

As for food supply the situation is stable said Manyawu.

“We don’t have cases of pellagra and our children are actually well fed. Our worry now is the price instability on the market it will begin to affect as from January early next year that’s if the prices on the market don’t stabilise. Not just Ingutsheni but everyone will have a problem because you will still need to go to the shops to buy cooking oil and a lot of things.

For now, we have enough stocks. I remember we have cooking oil to last us six months, sugar for four months. Our meat situation is actually stable as we are able to procure meat. Our protein level is good, we have beans, soya mince and beef itself. We are ok but we need the donations. The Anglican Church just donated 250kg of beef,” he noted.

The CEO said what Ingutsheni needed was more detergents to sanitise the hospital and patients surroundings.

“This is because the type of patients we are dealing with. Some of them may not really be conscious of what is happening and if you have a dirty environment patients may touch then put hands into their mouth. Until they grow conscious about their environment we need it to be clean. We also need linen in the forms of uniforms, blankets and bedding. Then you need infrastructure that is very important. You need boilers to supply hot water, need a kitchen, need wards, roofs with no leaks. This is what you need in a hospital like Ingutsheni right now,” Manyawu summed.

CITE

Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando yesterday defended Government’s decision to place Hwange Colliery Company under the control of an administrator as there were no prospects of a turnaround amid rising debt.

He said Hwange Colliery Company had continued to suffer losses, despite coming up with a strategic plan which envisaged huge margins of profits.

Minister Chitando said this while giving oral evidence before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy chaired by Norton MP, Mr Temba Mliswa.

Last week, the Government placed Hwange Colliery Company under the control of an administrator in terms of the Reconstruction of State Indebted Companies and Insolvency Act to avert further worsening of fortunes.

“The story of Hwange Colliery Company is a sad one. If you look at the results of Hwange, the biggest problem is that it has made a gross loss. The revenue you are getting is less than what it is costing to produce,” said Minister Chitando.

He said Hwange Colliery had incurred a net loss of $23 million in its half-year in 2018 despite promising to be working on a $5 million profit in its strategic plan.

Minister Chitando said Hwange had made successive losses over the years.

“That is why fundamentally there is no business in this world which can ever succeed if it is costing you more than your revenue. Who is paying you for that cost? In January to December 2017, Hwange for the first time made a profit of $1,3 million, but posted a net loss because that time there were a number of intervention measures.

“January to June 2018 things went berserk; it was now losses, we had a fundamental problem.

“That gave Government warning shots that as a shareholder we have a problem. You now have a deterioration,” said Minister Chitando.

Legislators asked why there were no adequate consultations with other stakeholder such as fellow shareholders before a decision was made.

Questions were also raised on whether the decision to place the coal miner under reconstruction would not scuttle a forensic audit the outgoing board had initiated.

Minister Chitando said the forensic audit would continue and that the results would be made public.

The Minister said the decision to place Hwange under an administrator was meant to arrest a further deterioration. He said the Government wanted Hwange Colliery Company to return to profitability.

-State Media

President Mnangagwa arrived here yesterday on a two-day State visit at the invitation of President Alpha Condé and will use the occasion to appeal for African support in Zimbabwe’s efforts to re-engage the West and end economic sanctions on the country.

Zimbabwe is under illegal Western sanctions which have hurt its economy for nearly 20 years.

President Mnangagwa landed at the Airport Conakry Gbessia in the afternoon and was welcomed by his host, President Condé, who is past President of the African Union (AU).

The President received a 21-gun salute and inspected a guard of honour.

He had a brief meeting with President Condé and the two leaders were set for a closed-door dialogue last night.

Briefing journalists, Presidential spokesperson and Deputy Chief Secretary (Presidential Communications) Mr George Charamba said the trip here was critical for Zimbabwe’s cause for the removal of sanctions.

“We are consolidating African support towards our re-engagement with the Western world where we must make sure that all the sub-regions of Africa are solidly behind Zimbabwe in its efforts to break sanctions as well as achieve some rapport with the West,” said Mr Charamba.

“Generally, you are more effective when your neighbour adopts your own cause so that it becomes an African position. That is precisely what we are trying to do by consolidating our support in Sadc, which we have already done. You notice that the last Sadc summit (held in Namibia) passed a resolution against sanctions. Now, we are trying to bring that same consensus continentally and in the case of French West Africa, we also expect that countries like Guinea Conakry will help put in a word for Zimbabwe to the French, who by the way, are critical especially after the exit of Britain,” he said.

He added: “We are also aware that the French Bank Lazard is working with Afreximbank to put up a financial package for Zimbabwe as well as help the country reconnect with international financial institutions. France is a key member of international financial institutions and it is important that we consolidate our interests and our message to Francophone Africa. We have been to Mali. We are now in Guinea Conakry and Guinea Conakry is critical to us because this is the past President of the AU. He (Mr Condé) also has clout in this sub-region.”

Mr Charamba said it was important to seek African support in the removal of sanctions.

“He is the past President of AU. We want to consolidate our viewpoint and our own interests so that it helps us to persuade West Africa to complete the agitation for the removal of sanctions as well as re-engagement with the west but more critically, we think that Guinea is in a good position to consolidate our relations with the French who, by the way, are very forthcoming now as evidenced by Bank Lagard which is working with Afreximbank to create a facility for Zimbabwe,” said Mr Charamba.

President Mnangagwa’s administration has been pushing for engagement and re-engagement in an effort to end Zimbabwe’s isolation from the West since 2000 as a result of the land reclamation programme.

-State Media

Government has issued a stern warning to schools after it emerged that some were demanding tuition fees in United States dollars.

Some top private schools have already sent out circulars to parents advising them to pay next term’s tuition in US dollars.

Parents fear more schools might follow the bandwagon.

Responding to questions from journalists after a media briefing, Primary and Secondary Education Secretary Dr Sylvia Utete-Masango warned schools to desist from making such demands saying it was a violation of Government policy.

“If there are schools asking for US dollars they will be brought to book because we have not received any policy to the contrary. We know that fees are being paid in local currency because people are getting their salaries in local currency.

“We have not been advised of any changes so far,” said Dr Masango.

Her remarks come after Government, through the Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube, urged businesses to observe the multi-currency system prevailing in the country.

The move by some schools to ask for a single currency is clear contempt of the Government’s position.

Dr Masango assured parents that this year the Electronic Ministry Application Platform (EMAP) for Form One boarding pupils will be seamless unlike last year when it was marred by technical glitches.

“We took in suggestions that came from stakeholders when we were making improvements on the EMAP system, as a result we do not expect it to crush especially with the measures we have put in place,” said Dr Masango.

Parents were also urged to apply early on the platform as there are just 24 320 boarding places yet 350 810 candidates sat for their Grade 7 examinations in 2018.

“Parents who wish to send their children to boarding schools are advised to start applying through the platform (www.emap.co.zw). This year’s platform will run from November 5, 2018 to December 21, 2018.

“Successful applicants will be notified through short message service (sms) by the respective school heads. Details about individual school enrolment patterns, school fees and levies are available on this platform,” Dr Masango said.

-State Media

ZIMBABWE Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) chairperson Elasto Mugwadi yesterday said the majority of citizens are having their socio-economic rights violated as government is failing to provide safety nets to cushion the poor in light of the economic turmoil inflicting the country.

Speaking to media on the sidelines of a national conference on human rights and access to justice organised by the Legal Resources Foundation (LRF), Mugwadi said enjoyment of rights could not be separated from the economic situation in the country.

“When we are talking of enjoyment of human rights, you cannot separate that from economic development, especially with our current situation and the economic challenges that we are facing,” he said.

“There are so many rights, especially socio-economic rights, that are being violated in this country and the approach of the State in terms of the Constitution is progressive realisation of such rights. A right that may need to be addressed now will have to wait because there are no resources for up to 20 years and the damage would have already been done.”

He urged people to put the just-ended elections behind them and focus on working together for economic development.

Addressing the conference, the president of the Commonwealth Judges and Magistrate Association, Justice Charles Mkandawire said there was need to make justice accessible to all.

“Access to justice has largely been affected by corruption and people now neglect courts because of corruption. Most people who are in need of judicial services come from marginalised communities continue to be sidelined when they are the ones who most need it. There is need for a set of guidelines that enhance human rights and promote access to justice in Africa,” Mkandawire, who is also a Malawi High Court judge, said.

He noted that access to justice in Africa was being stifled by a raft of issues, including corruption.

The two-day conference is focused mainly on key human rights issues confronting Zimbabwe and strategies to address these issues in the next five years.

Running under the theme Enhancing Human Rights and Access to Justice in Zimbabwe, the conference saw civil society organisations and State institutions exploring opportunities for collaboration in advancing human rights and access to justice in the country and shaping advocacy strategies.

NewsDay

SHORT VIDEO OF MINISTER ADMITTING WALTER MAGAYA HAS NO DOCUMENTATION AT ALL ON TESTS FROM INDIA:

COMMENT: That Walter Magaya who government has declared intention to assist in testing/ developing an HIV cure, is a serial conman is without question: There are numerous cases of victims he has stolen money from under the guise of financial products he advertised. One of those victims is a Zimbabwean assisted by ZimEye in July this year after she was conned 20,000 British pounds. There are numerous other victims within and outside Zimbabwe and all this is public knowledge.

Secondly – that Walter Magaya is a serial rapist is without question. Although he does not have a conviction as yet, there are several cases he has paid out of court settlements for. He is currently battling prosecution for his latest case, another which he doled out an out-of-court lump sum for.

What has irked Zimbabweans is the fact that government entertained Magaya despite the fact that he lied that his Aguma medication was tested and approved in India. To this date, there is not a single record of the said tests in India. Last week the ministry of health conducted a whole press conference with Magaya inside as they declared that they are going to assist him on his HIV concoction. The minister of Health’s side of the story is that an African science innovator must be given equal access to state resources so they can test their products. It however appears that, apart from Walter Magaya, no other citizen has ever been granted a press conference to speak about their innovation.

YOUR VIEWS?  

Mnangagwa Govt Announces It's To Assist A Serial Rapist Develop An HIV AIDS Cure, What Special Message Is Govt Sending To Investors?

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) November 6, 2018

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa used his Executive powers to refuse Hwange Colliery a renewal licence for the Western area concession, Mines minister Winston Chitando told Parliament yesterday, a claim which businessman Billy Rautenbach last week said was not his.

The concession, which measures more than 10 000 hectares, was among the three that the Colliery was granted by government in 2015, along with Lubimbi East and West, with an estimated resource of 750 million tonnes of mainly coking and thermal coal.

The resources are expected to prolong its lifespan by 50 to 70 years.

“There were four grants whose licences were to be renewed and clearly Hwange did not qualify for renewal of any of these licences,” Chitando told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines.

“A company called Localise Mining was then successful and given the Western area grant and they paid $100 000 to secure it and subsequently the letters of authority were signed by the former Mines minister Walter Chidakwa.

“Section 301 of the Mines and Minerals Act says all mining renewals are taken to the President, who does the renewals, and for the Western area, the President declined to sanction the grant to Hwange Colliery.”

The chairperson of the Hwange Scheme, Andrew Lawson, last week told the same committee that businessman Rautenbach had claimed ownership of the concession.

“You are giving the same Rautenbach another concession when he sold one concession, Tidal, to a Kazakhstan businessman for $4 billion and never mined there? Billy now owns everything in Zimbabwe when blacks are suffering,” committee chair Temba Mliswa said.

On Shepherd Tundiya, who was said to be calling the shots at Hwange and giving orders to the board, Chitando denied any relationship with him.

“I only met Tundiya once at a rally in Hwange and he did come to my office with Juliana Muskwe (acting Hwange Colliery board chairperson) to speak about issues of Hwange Colliery as a stakeholder. So, Tundiya has no mandate to give instructions to the Hwange board on behalf of anyone,” Chitando said.

He said he placed the Colliery under administration because the miner owed government $150 million and had made a loss of $23 million in the first six months of the year.

Chitando said Hwange also owed $42 million to Portuguese conglomerate Mota-Engil, which was contracted to mine coal on a five-year contract in 2014.

Hwange Colliery company secretary Allen Masiya then told the committee that the $6,4 million, which was ring-fenced for developing the Western area concession had been misused by management without board approval, adding that when they were about to report the case to the police, they were then harassed by Tundiya.

A forensic audit on the $6,4 million is currently underway.

Masiya also told the committee that the manner in which Chitando placed Hwange under administration was unlawful.

The Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE) acting chief executive Martin Matanda told the committee that Chitando was supposed to meet other shareholders before putting it under reconstruction since it is a listed company on the ZSE, Johannesburg and London stock exchanges.

He said government’s illegal move will drastically affect investment into the country.

NewsDay

Own Correspondent|The government of Zimbabwe through the Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality has signed a Memorandum Of Uunderstanding (MOU) with AlJazeera Media Network to promote Zimbabwe on the global network.

“This is an opportunity to showcase the beauty of our country to the world!” said Hon. Prisca Mupfumira, the Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Minister who signed on behalf of Zimbabwe.

Minister Mupfumira also adressed the 109th session of UNWTO executive council, in Manama Bahrain. She acknowledged the UNWTO program of works on poverty alleviation in Tsholotsho, Zimbabwe and called for continued cooperation to support biodiversity.

“All our hands are on the deck in promoting Zimbabwe as a destination of choice,” she added.

This comes as the government is mulling plans to set up a State-run and fully-fledged university of wildlife management at Mushandike College in Mashava, as part of efforts to boost the country’s tourism and hospitality sector and up its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product.

The move is also aimed at priming the tourism and hospitality sector to be a major pillar of Zimbabwe’s economy in line with President Mnangagwa’s vision to make the country an upper middle income economy by 2030.

In a speech read on her behalf by the permanent secretary in her ministry, Mr Munesu Munodawafa, at Mushandike College’s eighth graduation ceremony last Friday, Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira said opening a wildlife management university would help Zimbabwe accrue more benefits from its rich wildlife resource base.

At least 245 graduates were awarded diplomas and certificates in wildlife management.