By Own Correspondent| Industry and Commerce minister Mangaliso Ndlovu has revealed that government will re- introduce the import control measures once the situation normalises.

Ndlovu said this at a breakfast meeting with captains of industry in Mutare (Friday).

Government recently amended Statutory Instrument (SI) 122 of 2017 to allow companies and individuals with free funds to import commodities that include animal oils and fats, baked beans, body creams, bottled water, cement, cereals, cheese, coffee creamers, cooking oil, crude soyabean oil, fertiliser, finished steel roofing sheets, wheat flour and ice cream.

Said Ndlovu:

“When we are satisfied that the country is able to supply again, is able to meet demand that is obtaining, there is nothing that will stop us from revisiting the measures that we took.”-StateMedia

The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation has been summoned to appear before Parliament next week to explain corporate governance failure at the national broadcaster after it turned out that one of its top executives, Tazzen Mandizvidza, allegedly owed the company over $1 million.

ZBC chief executive officer Patrick Mavhura had appeared before the Prince Dubeko Sibanda-led Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Media, together with Information ministry permanent secretary Ndavaningi “Nick” Mangwana when the committee raised concern over corporate governance issues at the State broadcaster.

“My intention is to call ZBC and their board to appear before Parliament next week, because it is worrying that we hear reports of a manager who is said to have swindled the broadcaster of over $1 million,” Sibanda said.

“We hear that in 2014, he (Mandizvidza) was suspended, but he was rehired, and will he demand his pay for 2018? He has now been suspended again, and there are very serious issues of corporate governance and it is with a heavy heart that the committee says so as ZBC wants public funds yet it is a very dirty institution.”

Sibanda also expressed Parliament’s dismay over the reshuffling of staff at parastatals and media houses whenever a new minister or secretary of the Information ministry is appointed.

“Boards are hired and fired whenever there is a new minister or permanent secretary in order for ministers to get a feeding trough,” he said.

“We are not happy as a committee that some of your parastatals, like the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe, do not have a board yet they want $35 million. When those board members are appointed, we (Parliament) would want to see their curriculum vitaes and criteria used to appoint them.”

Bulilima West MP Dingumuzi Phuti (Zanu PF) said ZBC had a myriad of problems and owed money to individuals and organisations, including artists who were struggling to get their royalty fees.

“They have many labour disputes and they are perfunctory to issues of property rights, which have resulted in them owing artists to the tune of more than $1 million,” Phuti said.
“This is tantamount to pulling the State into the mud because ZBC is the flagship of artists and they must work well with them.”

Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya (MDC Alliance) also demanded that the State broadcaster should do live transmission of Parliament and committee sittings.

Other issues that the committee wants to grill ZBC on include how much they made through live broadcasting, especially of political parties.

-Newsday

Companies and individuals seeking to import basic commodities following the lifting of the import ban will have to use free funds, freeing the central bank from having to raise funds for the imports, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya has said.

With most basic commodities in short supply, while the prices of those available are shooting up daily, government sought to mitigate the scarcities by lifting the suspension of imports by suspending Statutory Instrument (SI) 122 of 2017, which regulated the importation of certain basic goods.

“Those people with their own money, including those people from the diaspora or anyone with his own money, can bring in products into Zimbabwe,” Mangudya told NewsDay.

-Newsday

GOVERNMENT’s budget deficit — which scaled about US$1,4 billion by June — is seen ballooning to US$2,3 billion this year, more than three times the projected figure as authorities fail to rein in spiralling expenditure set to top US$8 billion by year-end, a pre-budget strategy paper by Treasury has revealed.

The document informs the 2019 National Budget scheduled to be announced next month.

This comes at a time the country is burdened by a total national debt of US$16,9 million. Domestic debt accounts for US$9,5 billion, up from US$275,8 million in 2012, with external debt standing at US$7,4 billion. Inflation has shot up officially from 4,9% to 5,39%, although developments on the ground are painting a more precarious picture as prices of basic commodities have more than doubled in recent weeks.

This year’s total expenditure had been set at US$5,7 billion, with US$4,58 billion for current expenditures and US$1,16 billion for capital outlays. This was premised on projected revenues of US$5,07 billion, to give a fiscal deficit of US$672,2 million, which is 3,5% of the country’s gross domestic product.

According to the Treasury paper, revenues are projected to be US$5,7 billion, in line with the first-half performance. This entails US$4,7 billion tax revenues, US$466 million non-tax revenues, US$434 million retained revenues and US$100 million grants.

Revenue collections for the first half of the year amounted to US$2,51 billion against a target of US$2,21 billion, resulting in a positive variance of US$300 million, representing a variance of 13% of budgeted revenue.

Total expenditures during the same period stood at US$3,72 billion against targeted expenditure of US$2,6 billion as President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government went into overdrive on a spending spree ahead of the July general elections.

Support towards the agriculture input support schemes (US$616 million) and grain procurement, (US$81 million); and capital expenditure towards roads of (US$225 million), and dam construction of (US$87,2 million), as well as capitalisation of public institutions of (US$212 million).

“The huge deficit for the period to June, 2018 is as a result of mainly unbudgeted expenditures and this calls for urgent reforms in order to contain the expenditures achieve the fiscal consolidation objective and create fiscal space for developmental budget and social services expenditure,” the paper says.

“The fiscal deficit, a major cause of macro-economic instability and financial sector vulnerability, is targeted at US$1,5 billion (5,2% of GDP) in 2019. This is achievable upon adoption and implementation of measures to begin regaining control and management of budget expenditures over the period January 2019 to December 2021”.

Financing of the deficit was through Treasury Bill issuances by the Reserve Bank amounting to US$548,3 million, while non-bank amounted to US$736,7 million.

Furthermore, lending to government by the central bank through the RBZ overdraft facility increased by US$478,2 million for the period January to June 2018. Government also financed itself through accumulation of arrears, which stood at US$115,8 million as at June 2018.

The runaway central bank lending to government is projected to reach US$2,5 billion, which is 64,6% of the previous year’s revenues.
“Pressure will also come from Treasury Bill maturities in the short term (2018 to 2020) of US$4,1 billion, which is 55% of the total TBs maturities of US$7,5 billion to year 2033.

The above position has far-reaching consequences in the economy in terms of government crowding out private sector lending. Additionally, continued payment of Government obligations through an overdraft will also worsen the liquidity challenges in the economy,” reads the Treasury paper.

The economy, reeling from a fiscal crisis, is currently in turmoil due to foreign currency market volatility and a wave of price increases, reflecting rising inflationary pressures and chaos.

-Zimbabwe Independent

TREASURY has proposed to drastically reduce the National Budget deficit in 2019 through interventions such as limiting Government borrowing from the central bank, tightening of Treasury Bills issuances and cutting travel and wage bills.

Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube, in a Pre-Budget Strategy Paper approved by Cabinet on Tuesday, said re-orientation of expenditures from consumptive spending to developmental priorities would be key in the 2019 Budget.

He said he will right-size public employment; rationalise posts in the public service, strengthen wage bill management, reduce travel expenditures and review expenditures on fuel benefit levels from January 2019.

Treasury will also curtail acquisition and provision of vehicles by the State, including replacement of condition of service vehicles, enforce measures on the use of Government Operational Vehicles by public officers, rationalise foreign service missions, review of parliamentary sitting allowances and limit expenditures on by-elections.

“The 2019 Budget Strategy Paper proposes drastic reduction of the budget deficit to 5,2 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2019, and subsequently to 3,5 percent in 2020 and 3,1 percent of GDP by 2021, making us comply with the SADC threshold of below 3 percent of GDP,” said Prof Ncube.

Turning to the debt to GDP ratio, Prof Ncube said urgency was needed to contain the fiscal deficit as international best practice and SADC adopted thresholds for sustainable public indebtedness are pegged at 60 percent of the GDP.

The Public Debt Management Act requires that total outstanding Public and Publicly Guaranteed Debt as a ratio of GDP should not exceed 70 percent at the end of any fiscal year.

“By end of 2018, it is estimated that the statutory limit of 70 percent is likely to be exceeded in view of the current borrowing trends from the domestic market,” said Prof Ncube. “This underpins the urgency for containing the fiscal deficit.

“Hence, it is prudent that this threshold be observed, a situation which will also contain our budget deficits.”

Prof Ncube said among the measures to contain the budget deficit was limiting Government borrowing from the central bank which surpassed 27 percent in 2017 against the stipulated 20 percent.

He said there would be a new Treasury Bill Issuance Framework in order to ensure that Treasury Bills are issued guided by adequate analysis and proper validation.

Issuances will be governed by a framework that goes beyond generation of correspondence to the Reserve Bank.

“Issuances of Treasury Bills will, therefore, be strictly aligned to the parliamentary approved borrowing requirements, and votes under an Appropriation Act,” he said. “This will ensure that no expenditure of public monies is incurred on any service where provision has not been made by or in terms of the Public Finance Management Act or any other enactment.”

Prof Ncube said the Reserve Bank, as a banker to Government, would only issue Treasury Bills via a Treasury Bill issuance note by the Accountant-General.

-State Media

Jane Mlambo| President Mnangagwa and his Deputy Constantino Chiwenga have assigned to themselves the administration of powerful acts to perpetuate looting of public funds and exonerate their allies from facing arrest for corruption, Zimeye can reveal.

According to an Extraordinary Government Gazette published last Friday, Mnangagwa reserved to himself (a) the administration of the Anti-Corruption Act, Commissions of Inquiry Act, Emergency Powers Act, Frederick Clayton Trust Act, Honours and Awards Act, Interception of Communication Act, Prevention of Corruption Act, Presidential Pension and Retirement Benefits Act, Presidential Salary and Allowances Act, Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) Act, Sovereign Wealth Fund of Zimbabwe Act and the Zimbabwe National Security Council Act.

Several allies of both Mnangagwa and Chiwenga have been fingered in corruption scandals and it remains to be seen if they will be arraigned before the courts with the two powerful men presiding over the acts that are expected to lay out a framework to combat the vice.

Chiwenga will be in charge of the Procurement Act, Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act and the Research Act.

Government Procurement has been another area where the state has been found wanting as undeserving companies have often been rewarded with tenders worthy millions of dollars, a case in point Wicknell Chivhayo’s Gwanda Solar Project which to this day has not been completed.

Now with Chiwenga in charge of the Procurement Act, will this not be a way of awarding his cronies government tenders.

Government has previously awarded a travel tenders to Chiwenga’s wife under dubious circumstances and with the powerful Vice President now handling the administration of the Procurement Act, more looting for the second couple.

Meanwhile, Vice President Kembo Mohadi will administer the less important District Development Fund Act and the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission Act.

By Farai D Hove| MDC President Nelson Chamisa who is today celebrating the party’s 19th anniversary has published the below message as he prepares to head to his Gwanzura stadium meeting. Wrote Chamisa:

“Leadership is simply about others. Your voice is our voice.

“Today, at our 19th anniversary rally, I will be giving the nation and the world our vision, views, direction and solutions to move Zimbabwe forward.

“What do you suggest we focus upon as the way forward? What would you wish to hear? What must we focus on?”

Prominent businessman and cleric Dr Shingi Munyeza’s has attacked former Minister of Finance Tendai Biti’s policies during his tenure in government.

Munyeza who was responding to Biti’s criticism of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s cabinet went on to say that Mthuli Ncube is the best Minister of Finance since the year 2000 because Biti allowed the Treasury to be looted.

According to Munyeza, Biti should apologise for the alleged missing $15 billion because he was an accomplice to the crime since he did not resign. Writing on Twitter, Munyeza said, “The truth is Mthuli Ncube is a better Finance Minister by far since 2000. Save this tweet…He (Biti) allowed us to eat the seed instead of dealing with economic fundamentals. He allowed corruption to be entrenched especially in local authorities that he controlled. He was busy dining with Mugabe whilst diamond money was being looted.

“The point I have been making is that he should have resigned if he felt powerless, otherwise he (be)comes an accomplice…He should have resigned in protest.”

Munyeza also criticised Tendai Biti for paying civil servants in United States Dollars and for allowing people to import whatever they wanted. Said Munyeza,

“He still paid them (civil servants) in USD when they were not exporting. Which Finance Minister does that?… He made people happy by importing toothpicks and water when we should have been producing them…He still paid them (civil servants) in USD when they were not exporting. Which Finance Minister does that?”

Correspondent|PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has left former Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi in the “cold” after snubbing him when he named a list of Zanu PF stalwarts assigned to fulltime positions at the party’s headquarters.

Addressing the Zanu PF central committee on Thursday, Mnangagwa redeployed a cast of bigwigs, most of them former Cabinet ministers, to the party after they failed to secure government positions.

These included former Home Affairs minister Obert Mpofu (secretary of administration), former ministers David Parirenyatwa, Simon Khaya Moyo, Chris Mushohwe and former Senate President Edna Madzongwe.

Khaya-Moyo, the former Energy minister, will remain party spokesperson, while Mushohwe (former minister of Presidential Scholarships) was named party secretary for economic affairs.

Zimbabwe National War Veterans Association spokesperson Douglas Mahiya was named new secretary for war veterans, a position formerly held by Sekeramayi.

Madzongwe was named deputy secretary of transport, former Industry minister Mike Bimha (secretary for economic empowerment), former Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Josaya Hungwe (secretary for labour) and Lewis Matutu (deputy secretary for youth affairs), while Cleveria Chizema becomes secretary for health. She will be deputised by Parirenyatwa.

Sekeramayi, whom former President Robert Mugabe reportedly wanted to succeed him as party leader and President, has failed to secure a government position following the ex-President’s ousting in a military-backed operation last November.

The former Defence minister was linked to the party’s vanquished G40 faction after one of the faction’s kingpins self-exiled former Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo, launched a campaign to sell him as Mugabe’s successor, claiming he was more senior to Mnangagwa in Zanu PF.

In an interview on the eve of the July 30 elections, Mugabe let the cat out of the bag, disclosing he had settled for Sekeramayi as his replacement before Mnangagwa used the army to usurp power.

The grey-haired Sekeramayi, who held several portfolios in government since independence in 1980, will now only be a central committee member.

By Paul Nyathi|The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has issued a statement warning against the sell of disused Zimbabwean currency notes.

We publish the full statememt by the bank below:

It has come to the attention of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (the “Bank”) that there are certain persons who are purportedly buying or selling, or trading in, demonetised Zimbabwe Dollar Notes in and outside the country. There are also reports and videos circulating on social media concerning such sale or trade.

The Bank completely dissociates itself from such purported sale and trade of the demonetised Zimbabwe Dollar notes. The Bank is not aware of the source of the notes being sold and cannot vouch for the genuineness or otherwise of the said notes.

The Bank also advises the public that any demonetised Zimbabwe dollar notes that the Bank may have in stock are not for sale. The Bank will therefore not be responsible for any consequences arising from the buying or selling of, or trading in, demonetised Zimbabwe Dollar notes.

Harare City councillors have given town clerk Hosiah Chisango until October 31 to provide them with iPads in a move set to raise the ire of residents receiving poor service delivery from the local authority.

Minutes of the finance and development committee, tabled at a recent council meeting, show that councillors said the iPads were needed to avoid consumption of paper on documents as well as equip them with the latest information technology gadgets.

“It is resolved that the town clerk be tasked to ensure that councillors and relevant officials are provided with I-pads by October 31, 2018,” part of the minutes read.

This is not the first time that councillors have made such demands, with some who were in the previous council having threatened to boycott meetings if they were not given iPads as promised.

Normally, council communications are printed and distributed, but the move has been seen as going against green economy that advocates for a paperless society and the preservation of waste.

In January this year, government ordered that Bulawayo councillors pay for the free iPads they had received from council, with authorities stating that the municipality had no right to purchase the gadgets for the city fathers.

Meanwhile, council has resolved to commercialise part of its health service units in a bid to improve service delivery. Among services set to be commercialised with an initial capital injection of between $100 000 to $200 000 includes, the department of pest control service, the department of radiological services and the city’s pharmaceuticals.

Council also resolved to project an initial capital injection of$5 million for its hospitality ventures, which are, Cleveland and Harava dams where hotels and chalets are set to be constructed.

At the Harava Dam, council plans to construct a three-star hotel, upmarket ethnic lodges with camping sites and a golf course, among other recreational facilities.

In the city centre, council wants to refurbish the two old bus termini, Market Square and Charge Office, with a view to expand them.

Newsday

GOVERNMENT yesterday ordered bakeries to revert to the old price of $1,10 for a loaf of bread after they sought to unilaterally increased it to $2,20 with effect from today. Industry and Commerce Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu yesterday confirmed the attempt by bakeries to increase the price of bread.

The bakers, the minister said, had not followed due process after he was only notified of the increase after they had already sent out memos on the increases to retailers.

“The bakeries called me during the day today (yesterday) to advise me of the development. I told them to hold on until we meet on Monday, that is my position. I want to believe they will adhere to the position l communicated to them,” he said.

“I do not know how they are going to proceed.”

Social media was awash with a memo from Lobels regional sales manager Mr Zenzo Malunga to OK Zimbabwe operations manager-bakeries advising him of the increase in the wholesale price of a loaf to $2 and of the retail price to $2,20.

Mr Malunga said the price increase had been necessitated by rising inputs costs.

“Please be advised that the price of Lobels bread is going up with effect from 27th October 2018. This has been necessitated by the constant rise in inputs costs. May you please effect the necessary adjustments within your stores. Your usual cooperation will be greatly appreciated,” read the memo.

National Bakers Association of Zimbabwe president Mr Ngoni Mazango refused to comment on the issue.

He, however, told our sister paper The Sunday Mail recently that a hike in bread prices was imminent.

“As an industry, we have a challenge of foreign currency like other industries as well. We are not getting enough (foreign currency) allocations from the Reserve Bank,” he said.

“As a result, the cost of raw materials has gone up. People are asking in either US dollars or some are multiplying using current exchange rates, which have shot up. That poses serious viability challenges to the industry. The price of flour might have moved slightly from about $31,50 to around $36,50 per 50kg bag, but bread is not made by flour alone. We do not manufacture bread fat here in Zimbabwe. There are also enzymes, spare parts for our plants and even for service vehicles, which are also imported or bought with foreign currency.

“We require between US$4 million and US$7 million each month and we are getting 20 to 30 percent of that. We are still consulting (on the price of bread), the problem is we have to cost our bread in US dollars and it is costing us in the range of US$1 to US$1, 10 (to produce a loaf).

“If we don’t get the forex and you apply the current prevailing parallel market rates, a loaf should be around $4 to $5. But we are saying if the Government can allocate the same money to us the price should come down.”

President Mnangagwa on Thursday said Government will not allow business to unjustifiably increase prices, neither will it tolerate saboteurs manipulating the market to create artificial shortages of goods.

Addressing the Zanu-PF Central Committee at the party headquarters in Harare, the President said he was alive to the machinations of detractors.

The increase in bread price comes after most basic commodities have started appearing in the supermarkets after Government on Monday amended indefinitely Statutory Instrument (SI) 122 of 2017 to allow companies and individuals with offshore and free funds to import specified basic commodities that are in short supply due to the speculative behaviour of local retailers and panic-buying by consumers.

-State Media

The MDC Alliance deputy president Morgen Komichi has said party leader Nelson Chamisa will be challenged at the party’s congress slated for February next year, paving the way for a potential bruising battle between Chamisa and his long-time nemesis, Douglas Mwonzora.

This comes as there have been vehement voices raised against Chamisa being challenged for the leadership position at the congress because he is alleged to have been “anointed” by the party’s former leader, the late Morgan Tsvangirai before he died in February this year.

The current manoeuvrings follow attempts by Chamisa’s allies to ringfence his position ahead of the congress. But this has been met by fierce criticism, especially from Pedzisai Ruhanya, director of the Zimbabwe Democracy Institute, who is at the forefront in shooting down the idea.

“Nelson Chamisa should not listen to misguided bootlickers who suggest that he should not be contested at the party congress. It’s nonsense. The MDC is not a monarchy!” Ruhanya tweeted after the developments in the opposition alliance came to light.

However, Komichi suggested this week that Chamisa was open to a challenge. Other sources told Business Times that Mwonzora was eyeing the top post at the congress, buoyed by his landslide victory at the 2014 congress where he trounced Chamisa for the secretary-general position.

Komichi said: “We are a democratic party that follows democratic principles and any party member can be challenged for his or her post in the elections. The party leadership position is open for an election challenge at the congress which will be held in October next year.”

“All posts will be contested, including the position of President Nelson Chamisa. In fact, Chamisa is looking forward to be challenged at the congress by anyone who dares.”

Businesstimes

The war of words between rival MDC leaders — Thokozani Khupe and Nelson Chamisa — is intensifying.

Khupe’s party tore into the MDC’s 19th anniversary celebrations planned for today describing the commemorations as a façade.

“I am not sure what they are celebrating when they specialise in bigotry, violence, insults, propaganda and blatant lies like Zanu PF,” Khaliphani Phugeni, who is Khupe’s spokesperson, said.

Khaliphani also said Chamisa and those he leads have deviated from the values and principles of the original MDC — founded by Morgan Tsvangirai in 1999.

“The real MDC was started as a response to the then prevailing conditions in the country such as tribalism, marginalisation, unaccountability and non-democratic space by the Zanu PF government but through his party, Chamisa has displayed all those things”.

The original MDC was formed in 1999, as a labour-backed party.

Khupe crossed swords with the youthful Chamisa during a contest to succeed Tsvangirai, who succumbed to cancer of the colon in February this year.

Tsvangirai had three deputies namely Khupe, Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri, who were all gunning for the top office in the MDC.

Before the former trade unionist could be buried, Chamisa pulled a fast one on Khupe and Mudzuri by hastily convening a meeting at the party’s headquarters where he was appointed acting MDC president.

In days that followed, he was made the substantive MDC leader.

Regardless, Khupe also declared herself as the legitimate MDC leader, resulting in a long-drawn dispute which is now before the courts.

Khupe insists her party is the real MDC and would soon announce a date for their 19th anniversary celebrations, which had to be put on ice due to the outbreak of cholera.

Chamisa’s party had also postponed its anniversary celebrations, now scheduled for tomorrow at Gwanzura Stadium after a long struggle to get police clearance.

Khupe’s party accused Chamisa of abusing the mantra of democracy when in reality he is just pushing a personal project.

“It is obvious that we are leading in MDC and we are recognised in the courts as the remnant of a party that was led by the late Tsvangirai,” Phugeni said.

“Everyone knows how Chamisa violently created his own faction and we won’t attend the cabal’s celebrations, we will have our own celebrations as the real MDC”.

Phungeni said Khupe’s party will never make peace with Chamisa, alleging the 40-year-old was tribal and sexist.

“We cannot be part of a man who sings democracy during the day and at night is busy working out a plan on how to persecute genuine democrats, women and the minorities in our country,” Phugeni said.

“He may fool those that he is fooling but I think the whole world knows that he is a violent young man who is no different from Zanu PF, if not worse,” she said.

Contacted for comment yesterday, Nkululeko Sibanda, Chamisa’s spokesperson, said Khupe must realise that they have since moved on.

Sibanda said everything his boss has done has been about integration, transformation, prosperity, progress, and that remains his focus.

Adding that Chamisa intends to save Zimbabwe from government’s catastrophic rule and unprecedented breakneck speed economic decline.

DailyNews

The MDC led by Nelson Chamisa has accused President Emmerson Mnangagwa of employing dirty tactics to silence the opposition after police gave strict guidelines for the party’s 19th anniversary celebrations set for today.

“If you read the conditions set for us you would be forgiven for thinking that they were set by Adolf Hitler because it is clear that Zanu PF does not tolerate opposition and would rather have a one-party State,” said Chamisa’s deputy Morgen Komichi while alleging that the law enforcement agents and other State institutions were captured by Mnangagwa’s government.

When Hitler came to power as the Chancellor of Germany in the 1930s, on July 14, 1933, his Nazi party officially declared itself the only political party in the country and outlawed the formation of any other parties.

This was after the Reichstag building that housed the German Parliament was set on fire which was blamed on the communists who were allegedly plotting to overthrow the Nazi government.

The following day, Hitler issued a decree “for the Protection of the People and the State,” commonly known as the Reichstag Fire Decree that stripped citizens of their constitutional liberties and allowed the Nazi government to arrest communist leaders.

Komichi said the conditions set by the police were meant to dampen the MDC’s spirits in a manner that violated its supporters’ rights.

“We are dealing with a regime that is illegitimate and is a perpetuation of (former president Robert) Mugabe’s rule if it is not worse.

“Zimbabweans have not known freedom under Zanu PF’s rule and we have always been fighting that and will continue to do so no matter how hard they try to frustrate us. We have developed thick skin,” Komichi said.

The country’s law enforcement agents bowed to opposition pressure on Wednesday and gave the party the greenlight to proceed with its long-awaited 19th anniversary celebration.

The celebrations had been put on hold following a cholera outbreak that saw authorities banning public gatherings last month.

But following a recent Constitutional Court ruling that struck off provisions of the Public Order and Security Act that empowered the police to block public gatherings, the MDC took the decision to proceed with its commemorations.

At the ceremony, the party hopes to anoint Chamisa as the “real people’s president”.

In a letter to the MDC, the police directed party officials to control the behaviour of their members, before, during and after the celebrations.

“Your political party shall not intimidate passers-by and those who have nothing to do with your celebrations.

“Your members should not be involved in toy-toying, convoying of vehicles of people chanting, singing and disseminating hateful and defaming speeches,” the letter reads in part.

The police also directed that MDC marshals must be dressed in a uniform ostensibly to “make it easier to be identified by the police”.

“A list of the marshals shall be presented to the officer who will be responsible for police security at your celebrations…any deviation from the above will result in police dispersing your gathering.”

Police further said organisers of the event, Rhino Mashaya and party organising secretary Amos Chibaya will be held accountable for any troublesome behaviour by MDC supporters.

DailyNews

Correspondent|ZANU-PF factionalism has reached melting point, with war veterans signing a petition demanding that Obert Mpofu and others leave the party headquarters immediately until they are cleared of corruption.

In a petition entitled “ZANU-PF Party HQ Clean-Up Petition”, signed by the chairpersons of the war veterans from the country’s ten provinces, the former liberation war fighters have also demanded that the entire ZANU-PF Commissariat Department be overhauled for what they called bhora musango during the July 30 elections as well as alllegations that the department worked against President Mnangagwa during the elections.

“Cde Obert Mpofu needs to clear his corruption allegations levelled against him before resuming his duties,” the war veterans demand.

They demand that the named party leaders, who include Ocert Mpofu, Patrick Chinamasa, David parirenyatwa and several others – vacate the party headquarters immediately.

“Failure to do so, we as veterans of the liberation struggle, shall force them out of the party offices for the good of the people’s revolution.”

“The entire commissariat department needs a complete overhaul for their involvement in the primary elections fiasco ad the general elections bhora musango which negatively affected the President’s performance in the harmonized elections,” the war veterans says.

Bhora musango refers to phenomenon where members unhappy with the party leadership urge the voters to not vote for the party leader, including to even vote for the opposition candidate.

The war vets continue: “It leaves us with more questions where the President gets 50.6% while MPs could get more than 73%. We need an uncompromised team of dedicated cadres to take us to the 2023 elections,” the war veterans demand.

The war veterans further accuse party leaders Patrick Chinamasa, David Parirenyatwa, and Sydney Sekeramayi of “unrepentant behaviour towards the new dispensation. … They are known for factionalism and cannot be entrusted with such responsibility of permanent positions at the party headquarters.”

The war vets also want one Gamuchirai and another Chauruka, who is in charge of protocol, as being former ZANU-PF politburo member Ignatius Chombo’s people “who still take instructions from Chombo.”

“We are warning all the provincial leaders with G40 tendencies to shape up or ship out,” the war vets charged.

“Failure to do so, the war veterans shall descend on those wayward provinces.”

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday told restive Zanu PF chefs, who he said were using political positions to achieve selfish and corrupt ends to sabotage the economy, that he was coming for them.

Addressing the Zanu PF central committee, where Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga was conspicuous by his absence, Mnangagwa said there was too much indiscipline in the ruling party and that he would show no leniency to those caught on the wrong side of the law.

“In the wake of extremely wicked activities by gluttonous persons and business in our country, I challenge you as the party to be highly disciplined and upright in all your dealings,” he said.

“Shun all forms of corruption and be exemplary. Political positions should never be a licence to loot or abuse the offices you hold. In the Second Republic, there will be no leniency to the corrupt and those who cause suffering to our people.”

Having won the disputed July 30 election, Mnangagwa is facing the biggest challenge to his leadership as long-running currency shortages have worsened and the economy continues to deteriorate.

The increase of the tax on electronic transactions in an economy hard up on cash caused prices to spike, while the separation of accounts into United States dollar-backed accounts and local accounts caused panic and prompted shoppers to stockpile goods.

Mnangagwa also appeared irked by utterances by senior members of his party over the crisis, who demanded that government be accountable to the party.

“I exhort party members to desist from indulging in showcase utterances which prop up personal glory or image. Let us be wary of putting the party into disrepute or discord. There is one spokesperson for the party and one spokesperson for government. We must preach hope and unity of purpose for the good of our people and the economy at large,” he said.

“Government is fully aware of the machinations by some detractors and economic opportunists who are bent on creating despondency in the country through the manipulation of the foreign currency market and creation of artificial shortages.

“This has caused untold suffering to our people. As a listening President, I have heard their cries and my government is determined to provide solutions to these perennial challenges.”

He added that the lifting of the imports ban was one such move meant to provide interim relief to the people.

“My government will neither let the people go without basic commodities nor allow the willy-nilly depletion of incomes by a few rogue businesses and persons,” Mnangagwa said.

“Just yesterday (Wednesday), we concluded (the) purchase of fuel three times more than we used to buy, to make sure that we flood the market.”

Mnangagwa blamed the shortages on social media, which he said was influencing panic-buying and vowed his government would work to put an end to the shortages.

He challenged his party to be bold in the face of political and economic reforms, urging central committee members to focus on proffering solutions to the country’s economic challenges rather than engaging in counter-productive behaviour on social media.

Mnangagwa also promised to flash out all ghost workers from government as part of some austerity measures to solve the economic crisis, and insisted the country’s surrogate currency, the bond note that has fallen drastically in the past weeks to the US dollar, will continue to trade at par with the greenback.

“People may trade at whatever rate, but the official position still remains that the US dollar and bond note trade at 1:1,’” he said in a subtle admission that the surrogate currency did not carry the same value with the US dollar.

The Zanu PF leader ruled out forming a coalition government with the opposition MDC Alliance.

Meanwhile, Zanu PF has shut out former youth leader Kudzanai Chipanga and Innocent Hamandishe, who had applied to re-join the party.

Party spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said they were still monitoring Chipanga, who read a strong-worded statement against the military days before the military intervention last year, while Hamandishe remains expelled.

Anastacia Ndlovu was readmitted into the party.

Moyo said the party was pleased with preparations for its upcoming national conference to be held in Gwanda in December.

By A Correspondent| A flaming rumour tore into community discussions last night claiming that Zanu PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa has restored the humiliated publicist for the Finance Ministry, Acie Lumumba.

All this happened when however there was no announcement whatsoever by Mnangagwa’s office on the said development. Efforts by this reporter to obtain a comment from either the Information Ministry or the Office Of The President, were fruitless at the time of writing.

Lumumba, real name Gerald Mutumanje, was fired within 3 days of being appointed the head of a communications taskforce for the Ministry Of Finance. He was relieved of his job after streaming a live video in which he exposed an alleged scam involving directors of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

Discussions went ablaze Friday night under the rumor that the Zanu PF leader has since restored him to his job.

All this came at a time when ZANU PF youths hailed Gerald Mutumanje for exposing what they termed corruption.

At the close of day, the report appeared more of a rumour than anything else. –

1/3.

At least a week before Lumumba named and “shamed” the suspended RBZ officials , Cde Tirimusango Wenje had changed his facebook name from Tirimusango Wenje to Fight Corruption as part of action to give more impetus and prominence to the need to fight corruption. pic.twitter.com/3La2FCQXTi

— Jones Musara (@JonesMusara) October 27, 2018

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY

The trial of former Health and Child Care Minister David Parirenyatwa for criminal abuse of office is scheduled to start on November 20.

Parirenyatwa (68) was arrested last month for the offence as defined in Section 174 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.

He appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Elisha Singano and was granted $500 bail.
Parirenyatwa was required, as part of his bail conditions, to surrender his passport to the Clerk of Court and to report twice a week — on Mondays and Fridays — at the Criminal Investigations Department, Anti-Corruption Unit at Morris Depot.

Prosecuting, Mr Michael Reza alleged that Parirenyatwa abused his position as a public officer and directed NatPharm board chairperson Dr George Washaya to terminate the contract of Ms Flora Sifeku as managing director, allegedly showing favour for Mr Newman Madzikwa, who had once been sacked from the pharmaceutical company for reportedly selling donated drugs.

At the time he was fired in September 2009, Mr Madzikwa was NatPharm’s Masvingo branch manager.

The indictment also revealed that Parirenyatwa had indicated that he required Ms Sifeku’s services at the ministry’s head office for an indefinite period.

The board, it is alleged, complied with the former minister’s directive and gave Ms Sifeku and Mr Madzikwa six months contracts each as managing directors effective June 1 to November 30 this year.

It is alleged that Parirenyatwa’s conduct created double dipping on NatPharm funds as the company was paying two salaries towards the managing director’s position, thereby prejudicing it of a total of
$30 006.

The State further alleges that Parirenyatwa’s actions were prejudicial to the good administration of NatPharm and the Ministry of Health and Child Care.- state media

 

Terrence Mawawa| Health and Child Care Minister Obadiah Moyo has ordered  pharmaceutical manufacturers and retailers to
accept all forms of payments including the bond notes and RTGS.

Moyo said he was concerned that some pharmacies were demanding United States dollars yet the Reserve
Bank of Zimbabwe was supplying foreign currency to the pharmaceutical industry. Speaking to
263Chat, Moyo said “:RBZ has been extremely useful and helpful in releasing cash to wholesalers and manufacturers and we expect them to accept other forms of payment such as Bond Notes and RTGS, as a result of the injection of foreign currency.

We have heard a lot of people crying because they are being asked to make payments in USD.

Retailers and wholesalers should not to sell drugs in USD as the currency is not easily available in Zimbabwe, they should rethink positively for the sake of the chronic patients who are in dire need of medication.”

Terrence Mawawa|Commercial farmers and research experts in Chiredzi have vowed to resist attempts by the government to introduce a programme dubbed Command Sugarcane.

Commercial farmers in the Lowveld have described the scheme as totally useless arguing it will severely affect production.

“This is a direct attempt to politicise sugar production and we will not tolerate such disastrous manoeuvres,” said a Chiredzi based commercial farmer.

Sugarcane expert, Mutubani Nzima last week said the so called Command Sugarcane Scheme would grossly affect production of sugar in the country.

“The Command Sugarcane Scheme will spell disaster and production of sugar will be grossly affected,” said Nzima.

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By A Correspondent| scores of people in Bulawayo today told former South African president Motlanthe, ZANU PF leader Emerson Mnangagwa is responsible for shooting people dead on the 1st of August 2018. Below were the LIVE scenes:

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THE Supreme Court has ordered employers in the timber sector to pay the minimum wage of US$150 to workers.

In its application, the Timber Sector Employers’ Association had initially wanted the court to reduce the minimum wage from US$150 to US$105. This was to challenge a ruling at arbitration which had upheld that the minimum wage in the sector remain at US$150. The employers had wanted to continue paying US$105 which they had paid when they were exempted from paying the agreed minimum wage of US$150 for a six-month period. However, Gapwuz contested the position, resulting in the two parties going to arbitration.

However, in their heads of argument, the employers changed position and argued that since the award was borne out of compulsory arbitration and not voluntary arbitration, the award by the arbitrator was null and void. The collective bargaining agreement between the two parties of US$150 is constituted in Statutory Instrument 55 of 2013.

In the judgment, Justices Rita Makarau, Benjamin Gowero and Francis Bere ruled that the appeal succeeds and set aside the arbitral award of October 2015.

According to the interpretation by Gapwuz lawyers, Mabundu & Ndlovu Law Chambers, the judgement only set aside the arbitration award but did not reduce the minimum wage as the court does not have the power to do so.

“All employers who are paying below the minimum wage without being exempted are guilty of underpaying employees and the union (Gapwuz) can sue the employers on behalf of their members for underpayments,” the lawyers said.

Gapwuz acting general secretary Golden Magwaza told businessdigest when they won the wage dispute at arbitration that the ruling was a vindication of their fight for workers in the timber sector.

“We are very happy with this ruling because we have fighting for workers to get this minimum wage since 2012,” Magwaza said.

-Zimbabwe Independent

Harare City councillors have given town clerk Hosiah Chisango until October 31 to provide them with iPads in a move set to raise the ire of residents receiving poor service delivery from the local authority.

Minutes of the finance and development committee, tabled at a recent council meeting, show that councillors said the iPads were needed to avoid consumption of paper on documents as well as equip them with the latest information technology gadgets.

“It is resolved that the town clerk be tasked to ensure that councillors and relevant officials are provided with I-pads by October 31, 2018,” part of the minutes read.

This is not the first time that councillors have made such demands, with some who were in the previous council having threatened to boycott meetings if they were not given iPads as promised.

Normally, council communications are printed and distributed, but the move has been seen as going against green economy that advocates for a paperless society and the preservation of waste.

In January this year, government ordered that Bulawayo councillors pay for the free iPads they had received from council, with authorities stating that the municipality had no right to purchase the gadgets for the city fathers.

Meanwhile, council has resolved to commercialise part of its health service units in a bid to improve service delivery. Among services set to be commercialised with an initial capital injection of between $100 000 to $200 000 includes, the department of pest control service, the department of radiological services and the city’s pharmaceuticals.

Council also resolved to project an initial capital injection of$5 million for its hospitality ventures, which are, Cleveland and Harava dams where hotels and chalets are set to be constructed.

At the Harava Dam, council plans to construct a three-star hotel, upmarket ethnic lodges with camping sites and a golf course, among other recreational facilities.
In the city centre, council wants to refurbish the two old bus termini, Market Square and Charge Office, with a view to expand them.

-Newsday

ZANU-PF has no plans for a Government of National Unity (GNU) with the opposition and is focused on implementing policies beneficial to Zimbabweans, the President has said. MDC-Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa has been clamouring for a GNU since he lost the July 30 harmonised elections.

President Mnangagwa dismissed as dreamers those thinking of a GNU, saying Zanu-PF had no time for such people. He made the remarks while addressing the ruling party’s Central Committee.

“May I warn you not to take heed of utterances from various opposition quarters,” said President Mnangagwa, to wild applause.

“Let us focus our energies towards growing the economy. Let those who engage in dreams continue to dream and you must continue to be practical and move forward in the development of our country.

“We have no agenda, nothing is on our agenda about Government of National Unity. Hatina agenda iyoyo. Mr Chamisa has of late been pushing for what he terms “a transitional Government”.

He lost to President Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF in the July 30 harmonised elections and is still to come to terms with the defeat after raising false hopes among his supporters that he was winning.

This week, Mr Chamisa convened a Press conference at Harvest House where he pleaded for a coalition Government with President Mnangagwa.

“In fact, we will ultimately discuss and resolve our national issues as a country, but there has been no appetite from Mr Mnangagwa to discuss,” Mr Chamisa told reporters during the Press conference.

“He seems to want to discuss with the international community, not realising that the local community is more important to discuss with, as much as international community is also important.”

-State Media

The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation has been summoned to appear before Parliament next week to explain corporate governance failure at the national broadcaster after it turned out that one of its top executives, Tazzen Mandizvidza, allegedly owed the company over $1 million.

ZBC chief executive officer Patrick Mavhura had appeared before the Prince Dubeko Sibanda-led Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Media, together with Information ministry permanent secretary Ndavaningi “Nick” Mangwana when the committee raised concern over corporate governance issues at the State broadcaster.

“My intention is to call ZBC and their board to appear before Parliament next week, because it is worrying that we hear reports of a manager who is said to have swindled the broadcaster of over $1 million,” Sibanda said.

“We hear that in 2014, he (Mandizvidza) was suspended, but he was rehired, and will he demand his pay for 2018? He has now been suspended again, and there are very serious issues of corporate governance and it is with a heavy heart that the committee says so as ZBC wants public funds yet it is a very dirty institution.”

Sibanda also expressed Parliament’s dismay over the reshuffling of staff at parastatals and media houses whenever a new minister or secretary of the Information ministry is appointed.

“Boards are hired and fired whenever there is a new minister or permanent secretary in order for ministers to get a feeding trough,” he said.

“We are not happy as a committee that some of your parastatals, like the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe, do not have a board yet they want $35 million.

When those board members are appointed, we (Parliament) would want to see their curriculum vitaes and criteria used to appoint them.”

Bulilima West MP Dingumuzi Phuti (Zanu PF) said ZBC had a myriad of problems and owed money to individuals and organisations, including artists who were struggling to get their royalty fees.

“They have many labour disputes and they are perfunctory to issues of property rights, which have resulted in them owing artists to the tune of more than $1 million,” Phuti said.
“This is tantamount to pulling the State into the mud because ZBC is the flagship of artists and they must work well with them.”

Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya (MDC Alliance) also demanded that the State broadcaster should do live transmission of Parliament and committee sittings.

Other issues that the committee wants to grill ZBC on include how much they made through live broadcasting, especially of political parties.

-Newsday

Companies and individuals seeking to import basic commodities following the lifting of the import ban will have to use free funds, freeing the central bank from having to raise funds for the imports, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya has said.

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With most basic commodities in short supply, while the prices of those available are shooting up daily, government sought to mitigate the scarcities by lifting the suspension of imports by suspending Statutory Instrument (SI) 122 of 2017, which regulated the importation of certain basic goods.

“Those people with their own money, including those people from the diaspora or anyone with his own money, can bring in products into Zimbabwe,” Mangudya said.

-Newsday

GOVERNMENT’s budget deficit — which scaled about US$1,4 billion by June — is seen ballooning to US$2,3 billion this year, more than three times the projected figure as authorities fail to rein in spiralling expenditure set to top US$8 billion by year-end, a pre-budget strategy paper by Treasury has revealed.

The document informs the 2019 National Budget scheduled to be announced next month.

This comes at a time the country is burdened by a total national debt of US$16,9 million. Domestic debt accounts for US$9,5 billion, up from US$275,8 million in 2012, with external debt standing at US$7,4 billion. Inflation has shot up officially from 4,9% to 5,39%, although developments on the ground are painting a more precarious picture as prices of basic commodities have more than doubled in recent weeks.

This year’s total expenditure had been set at US$5,7 billion, with US$4,58 billion for current expenditures and US$1,16 billion for capital outlays. This was premised on projected revenues of US$5,07 billion, to give a fiscal deficit of US$672,2 million, which is 3,5% of the country’s gross domestic product.

According to the Treasury paper, revenues are projected to be US$5,7 billion, in line with the first-half performance. This entails US$4,7 billion tax revenues, US$466 million non-tax revenues, US$434 million retained revenues and US$100 million grants.

Revenue collections for the first half of the year amounted to US$2,51 billion against a target of US$2,21 billion, resulting in a positive variance of US$300 million, representing a variance of 13% of budgeted revenue.

Total expenditures during the same period stood at US$3,72 billion against targeted expenditure of US$2,6 billion as President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government went into overdrive on a spending spree ahead of the July general elections.

Support towards the agriculture input support schemes (US$616 million) and grain procurement, (US$81 million); and capital expenditure towards roads of (US$225 million), and dam construction of (US$87,2 million), as well as capitalisation of public institutions of (US$212 million).

“The huge deficit for the period to June, 2018 is as a result of mainly unbudgeted expenditures and this calls for urgent reforms in order to contain the expenditures achieve the fiscal consolidation objective and create fiscal space for developmental budget and social services expenditure,” the paper says.

“The fiscal deficit, a major cause of macro-economic instability and financial sector vulnerability, is targeted at US$1,5 billion (5,2% of GDP) in 2019. This is achievable upon adoption and implementation of measures to begin regaining control and management of budget expenditures over the period January 2019 to December 2021”.

Financing of the deficit was through Treasury Bill issuances by the Reserve Bank amounting to US$548,3 million, while non-bank amounted to US$736,7 million.

Furthermore, lending to government by the central bank through the RBZ overdraft facility increased by US$478,2 million for the period January to June 2018. Government also financed itself through accumulation of arrears, which stood at US$115,8 million as at June 2018.

The runaway central bank lending to government is projected to reach US$2,5 billion, which is 64,6% of the previous year’s revenues.

“Pressure will also come from Treasury Bill maturities in the short term (2018 to 2020) of US$4,1 billion, which is 55% of the total TBs maturities of US$7,5 billion to year 2033.

The above position has far-reaching consequences in the economy in terms of government crowding out private sector lending. Additionally, continued payment of Government obligations through an overdraft will also worsen the liquidity challenges in the economy,” reads the Treasury paper.

The economy, reeling from a fiscal crisis, is currently in turmoil due to foreign currency market volatility and a wave of price increases, reflecting rising inflationary pressures and chaos.

-Zimbabwe Independent

THE Supreme Court has ordered employers in the timber sector to pay the minimum wage of US$150 to workers.

In its application, the Timber Sector Employers’ Association had initially wanted the court to reduce the minimum wage from US$150 to US$105.

This was to challenge a ruling at arbitration which had upheld that the minimum wage in the sector remain at US$150.

The employers had wanted to continue paying US$105 which they had paid when they were exempted from paying the agreed minimum wage of US$150 for a six-month period. However, Gapwuz contested the position, resulting in the two parties going to arbitration.

However, in their heads of argument, the employers changed position and argued that since the award was borne out of compulsory arbitration and not voluntary arbitration, the award by the arbitrator was null and void. The collective bargaining agreement between the two parties of US$150 is constituted in Statutory Instrument 55 of 2013.

In the judgment, Justices Rita Makarau, Benjamin Gowero and Francis Bere ruled that the appeal succeeds and set aside the arbitral award of October 2015.

According to the interpretation by Gapwuz lawyers, Mabundu & Ndlovu Law Chambers, the judgement only set aside the arbitration award but did not reduce the minimum wage as the court does not have the power to do so.

“All employers who are paying below the minimum wage without being exempted are guilty of underpaying employees and the union (Gapwuz) can sue the employers on behalf of their members for underpayments,” the lawyers said.

Gapwuz acting general secretary Golden Magwaza told businessdigest when they won the wage dispute at arbitration that the ruling was a vindication of their fight for workers in the timber sector.

“We are very happy with this ruling because we have fighting for workers to get this minimum wage since 2012,” Magwaza said.

-Zimbabwe Independent

 

A MAN from Gweru suffered 35 percent burns after he was scalded with hot water and cooking oil by his girlfriend because he had received a phone call from his ex-wife.
This was heard yesterday during the
sentencing of Tendai Wasara (28) of Athlone Suburb who appeared before Gweru Regional Magistrate, Mrs Phathekile Msipa, facing one
count of attempted murder.
Wasara, who pleaded not guilty to the charge, was convicted after trial and sentenced to three years in prison.
Mrs Msipa said crimes of passion should come to an end and a custodial sentence would send a message to would be offenders.
“You pre-planned this crime by asking the complainant to remove his clothes while you boiled 10 litres of water and cooking oil which you used to scald him and he suffered
35 percent burns. Such violent behaviour is not expected from a woman and the courts will not sit back and watch crimes of passion
go up. You are sentenced to three years in prison of which six months are suspended on condition of good behaviour,” she said.
It was the State case that on February 13 at around 6PM, Wasara went to her boyfriend, Mr Cedrick Govere’s workplace and found him communicating with his ex-wife over the phone.
An argument arose until the two lovers went home, slept and woke up on the following morning.
At around 9AM, Wasara asked Mr Govere to remove his clothes saying she wanted to wash them and he complied.
Wasara then asked Mr Govere what he thought about their relationship and why he was still communicating with his ex-wife considering that she was looking after him and paying maintenance for his children.
Wasara, the court heard, was not happy with her lover’s response and left the bedroom.
She returned carrying a pot with boiling water and cooking oil and poured it on her lover.
Mr Govere was rushed to Gweru Provincial Hospital where he refused to disclose how he got the burns only telling the hospital staff that he had burnt himself accidentally with
cooking oil he uses to fry chips at home. On February 24, his friend went and reported the matter to the police leading to Wasara’s arrest- Chronicle.

 

Buhera South legislator Joseph Chinotimba (Zanu PF) has sued Chinese firm Sunny Zimbabwe
International together with its directors Mai Tao-Ming, Luo Su Yuan, Lin Qianlong and Lin Shuen at the High Court over a $65 755 debt.
Chiinotimba alleges that he supplied the firm with macadamia nuts worth $220 000 but only received a payment of $154 000. He alleges that the firm and its directors have failed and/or neglected to settle the balance of $65 755 despite repeated demands.The Chinese firm is yet to respond.NewsDay

Correspondent|THE commission of inquiry set up to investigate the post poll violence that took place in Harare on August 1,is likely to receive a frosty welcome in Bulawayo, Friday, when they conduct the second round of public hearings.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa established the seven member commission led by former South Africa president Kgalema Motlanthe to investigate the post-election violence that left six civilians dead.

The commission has already conducted public hearings in Harare and will also visit Gweru this Saturday.

Activists and political parties in the city told CITE that it was insensitive for the commission to hold hearings in Bulawayo for people killed in Harare when such action had not been taken to look into the 1980s Gukurahundi killings that claimed more than 20 000 in Matabeleland and Midlands.

ZAPU spokesperson, Ipithule Maphosa said the commission’s visit was unnecessary, especially if it omitted Gukurahundi.

“We do commiserate with the rest of the country over the killings that took place in Harare but we also wonder why the Montlante commission is coming to Bulawayo when the shootings they are investigating only happened in Harare,” he said.

“We are, however, not surprised because we know their reasons for coming here is to make more money from allowances. The commission has quickly learnt from Zanu PF and mastered the art of abusing and looting Zimbabweans funds. There is no other reason for them to undertake such a costly trip”.

Maphosa claimed the commission’s visit to Bulawayo was an insult to the people of Matabeleland as well as the victims of Gukurahundi.

“Thirty years have passed while people in Matabeleland and Midlands are still waiting for closure after the genocide. No step has been taken by the government. How the government ignores tens of thousands deaths at the hands of the army, only to spring to action for six people speaks volumes about a government whose only preoccupation is power amassing and retention,” he added.

His view was echoed by Alliance for National Salvation (ANSA) secretary general, Nketha Mangoye Dlamini, who claimed the commission inquiry would serve no relevance to Bulawayo.

“As ANSA, we belief the Monlanthe commission should have confined its investigations in Harare where the killings happened. If they felt that someone in Bulawayo or Gweru might have information concerning the shootings, the best thing was to place an advert and ask those people with evidence to come to Harare. Since most people in Bulawayo are a bit divorced from what happened Harare, they will certainly raise Gukurahundi issues, which directly affects them,” Dlamini said.

The ANSA secretary general predicted that the commission would likely face hostile reception from people in Matabeleland particularly relatives and survivors of Gukurahundi.

Former cabinet minister and now Public Policy Research Institute of Zimbabwe (PPRIZ) director, Dr Gorden Moyo, expressed a different view and said the commission was well in its mandate to come to Bulawayo.

But, he did say the 1980s atrocities would also prop up in the hearings as thousands of people in the country’s southern region were killed by the military as well.

“The hearings on callous, criminal and cruel murder of innocent citizens are welcome in any part of the country including Bulawayo. For Bulawayo, these hearings should serve as a precursor to the much awaited hearings on the atrocious activities of the 1980s,” he noted.

Dr Moyo noted he was sure people in Bulawayo and Gweru would speak less about the Harare events of 5 August, which they did not experience but more about the Gukurahundi genocide, which they have to contend with its recurring impact everyday.

“The people of Bulawayo, Matabeleland and Midlands provinces and indeed all Zimbabweans of conscience have a legitimate expectation that the current hearings will act as a launch pad for the bigger, broader and comprehensive programme of unearthing the hidden truths about the fate of the 20 000 victims of the 5th brigade,” he said.

The government says it will prioritise the alignment of all media laws with the constitution during the coming year, Nick Mangwana, the secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting has said.

Mangwana made the pledge when he appeared before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Media and Broadcasting on 25 October 2018. He was giving testimony on his ministry’s budget proposals for the 2019 fiscal year.Mangwana said one of his ministry’s focus areas for 2019 was the complete alignment of all media laws with the Zimbabwean constitution. He said this required a multi-stakeholder approach, stating that organisations such as MISA Zimbabwe have a role to play in assisting his ministry in its media law and policy reform mandate.

He said his ministry would distil the findings and recommendations of the Information and Media Panel of Inquiry (IMPI), to influence and shape local media policy.
Mangwana’s submissions to the Committee provided insight on other areas of media and broadcasting that his ministry will also focus on in
2019 and beyond.Update on the national digitisation project In 2015, Zimbabwe embarked on its project to
digitise local broadcasting services. This drive to transition from analogue to digital broadcasting was
part of a greater initiative led by the International Telecommunications Union. The project has for the
past three years, progressed at a slow pace and Mangwana indicated that his ministry required $100 million to complete digitisation in Zimbabwe.
Mangwana said the Minister of Finance advised the Ministry of Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting

Services to cap their estimated budget to $45 million. This would cater for the ministry’s project costs and operational costs. Mangwana indicated that at this rate of financing, the digitisation project
would only be completed sometime in the year 2021.
Licensing of additional channels
The fact that Zimbabwe still has one national television channel was a cause of concern to Mangwana. He, however, said his ministry is of the
view that additional broadcasting television channels be licensed after the completion of the ongoing digitisation programme.
This means the prolonged delay in the completion of the digitisation programme is a delay in the realisation of media diversity and plurality in Zimbabwe.
In his submissions, Mangwana also referred to the need to license community radio stations. He said
his ministry currently does not have the funds to license community radio stations. This is not the first time that a government official has spoken about the need to license community radio stations, unfortunately, none of those past declarations was followed up in any practical way.
MISA Zimbabwe takes these revelations with mixed feelings as various government officials and
representatives have in the past made similar pronouncements, with little or no action taken thereafter.
We, therefore, urge the government to take concrete steps towards fulfilment of these long overdue
media reforms.

The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Information, Media and Broadcasting Services has instructed parastatals under the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services to submit financial statements for the period from January to September this year before it deliberates on the requirements for 2019.

Chairperson of the committee Honourable Prince Sibanda and several parliamentarians expressed concern at the bad corporate governance practices evident in most parastatals to the Permanent Secretary Mr Nick Mangwana and called on all the heads of the parastatals to submit financial records on Monday and avail themselves next Thursday for intensive interrogation.

The committee was not impressed with the erroneous financial statement provided by the Finance Director in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services.

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