Jane Mlambo| High Court has today set aside the conviction of Patson Dzamara and Makomborero Haruzivishe who were sentenced to 12 months in prison for defeating the course of justice.

Represented by Obey Shava a member of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, the two activists had appealed against a decision of a Harare magistrate sitting at Harare Magistrates Courts on 29 June 2017.

Dzamara and Haruzivishe had been convicted of defeating or obstructing the course of justice as defined in section 184(1)(g) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment of which 3 months were suspended for 5 years on condition of good behaviour and remaining 9 months imprisonment were suspended on condition that Dzamara and Haruzivishe perform 315 hours of community service.

Dzamara and Haruziviishe had completed 1 month of community service with the remaining 8 being suspended after the appeal was filed.

In setting aside the conviction and quashing the sentence, the High Court judges said the police had not been civil in its approach of the matter adding that the context of the whole case pointed towards a political motive.
The court also noted that this was not a bonafide arrest as the police wanted Dzamara and crew out of the Africa Unity Square at all costs or by hook or crook and this was not a bona fide arrest.

It is in light of the above that the High Court allowed the appeal, set aside the conviction and quashed the sentence.

Jane Mlambo| Self exiled former cabinet minister, Professor Jonathan Moyo has hit out at government over its move to seperate retail time gross settlement (RTGS) from foreign currency accounts saying its a sign of cluelessness.

Moyo said the introduction of bond notes was on the back of the success of coins introduced earlier, charging that the surrogate currency became a disaster due to government spending indiscipline.

In a tweet, a few minutes ago, Moyo wrote that;

Bondnotes were good when they were launched on the back of the successful spell of bond coins. But they later became a big disaster due to their poor management arising from the government's spending indiscipline. Now to replace bondnotes with RTGS FCA is a mark of cluelessness!

— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) October 2, 2018

By A Correspondent| The High Court has overturned the conviction of activists Makomborero Haruzivishe and the brother of abducted activist Itai Dzamra, Patson.

A conviction of obstruction of justice hung on the two’s heads over allegations of stealing a policeman’s hat and baton stick.

The conviction was passed by Harare magistrate Ms Josephine Sande.

As he set aside the conviction, the High Court judges said:

• the police had not been civil in its approach of the matter;
• the context of the whole case pointed towards a political motive behind the arrest of Dzamara and Haruziviishe and that the court could not turn a blind eye to that aspect;
• the police wanted Dzamara and crew out of the Africa Unity Square at all costs or by hook or crook and this was not a bona fide arrest;
• when this incident occurred, the police was trying to arrest Dzamara and crew for an alleged robbery of two ladies but the state never proceeded to charge them with the said robbery. The two ladies (victims of robbery) disappeared from the scene immediately after the arrest of Dzamara and Haruziviishe. Therefore, the High Court could not ignore Dzamara’s version that these were trumped up and politically motivated charges.

Representing Dzamara and Haruvishe was by Obey Shava a member of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR).

Former Finance Minister and Deputy National Chairperson of the MDC, Tendai Biti, has mounted pressure on the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) to sat his trial date.

Biti, through his lawyer Aleck Muchadehama, insist that the state is taking long to provide him with a trial date.

The former Finance Minister is facing charges of inciting public violence.
Biti demanded to be freed or called if the state is ready.

Muchadehama queried with state, represented by Michael Reza, who had suggested a long remand, 5 November to furnish a trial date.

“The state must give a reason why it is giving such a long remand without giving a trial date.

“On the last remand it was said that the investigations are complete therefore I do not see any reason why it is taking long for the state to provide a trial date,” said Muchadehama.

However, Prosecutor Reza promised that on the next remand date, 17 October a trial date will be provided.

He also said that prosecution is the prerogative of Prosecutor General, who will give a trial date if satisfied.

Magistrate Elisha Singano, however, ruled that on the next remand the court should be ready with trial date.

“The state should make sure it is ready on the next remand date, arresting a person it means you ready for the case, if he was arrested he should be tried,” he said adding that if the state fails Biti will be freed and called back when state is ready.

-263Chat

Jane Mlambo| Teenage whizz-kid, Maud Chifamba has told Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor, Dr John Mangudya to resign for fooling the country that bond notes will be at par with the US dollars.

Posting on Twitter, Chifamba said;

If 1USD is equal to 1 rtgs dollar; why then are banks creating different accounts, if they're all USDs? Sounds like an admission that its not the same to me, and I strongly believe someone must do the honorable thing which is 6 letters, RESIGN.

— King Moe (@maud_chifamba) October 2, 2018

Jane Mlambo| Members of Parliament have been given until Friday (5 October 2018) to declare their assets and income, as part of government drive to boost transparency and reinforce its commitment to fighting corruption in the country.

During the State of the Nation Address (SONA), Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda told MPs that those who fail to declare will be in contempt of parliament.

A tourist who was left for dead by an elephant bull in Victoria Falls on Saturday has been identified as Frank Sternhardt, a 56-year-old German national and has since been airlifted to South Africa for further treatment.

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) spokesperson Tinashe Farawo confirmed the development.

“He was seriously injured and his condition kept worsening until he had to be airlifted to South Africa the same night. He sustained left arm and left leg fracture and other multiple body injuries,” Farawo said.

“Elephants are breeding this time and we would like to urge our tourists not to draw closer to them and start filming. When they have calves, they become very sensitive and protective and must be avoided at all costs.”

Sternhardt had visited the resort town with his wife and the two were walking to Kingdom Hotel where they were staying when he was attacked.

He was saved by souvenir vendors who said they were alerted to the danger by a woman’s screams.

Anele Mpofu and Nqobile Nkomazana said they used catapults to scare away one of the feeding cows to save the tourist’s life.

“We hit it hard on its left ear and maybe it thought it was a gun and it moved away along with three calves and the rest of the herd that was nearby. That is how he was able to be rescued,” Mpofu said.

“The wife had apparently ran away during the attack and came back to find out if her husband was still alive. She was in shock and tears but we managed to render first aid until the hospital ambulance came to pick him up.”

Mpofu and Nkomazana said they always carried catapults for protection as they work in an area full of dangerous animals.

Last Wednesday, another German tourist was trampled to death by an elephant in Mana Pools after she went close to the animal to take selfies.

Correspondent|A businessman who has been on the run since December last year accused of hijacking the daughter of former Vice President Joice Mujuru at gunpoint has been arrested.

Tatenda Answerlin Tsvuura, 24, the director of Exceptional Energy Limited, appeared in court last Saturday charged with vehicle theft.

He was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody to October 11 pending his trial.

His accomplice Longman Maridadi, who worked as a chauffeur in South Africa, is already on remand.

The court heard that on December 17 last year, Kumbirai Rungano Mujuru, in the company of her friend Tamuka Kelvin Keche, was driving in Harare and later parked her Mercedes Benz at the corner of Third Street and Josiah Chinamano Avenue.

Tsvuura and Maridadi, the court heard, had been following the pair in their vehicle with a plan to steal the Mercedes valued at $42,000.

When Kumbirai parked her vehicle, the two men pounced on her armed with pistol and threatened to shoot her, said Peter Kachirika, prosecuting.

The pair took control of the vehicle and drove to Kuwadzana where they topped up fuel worth $70 using Keche’s credit card.

Still holding Kumbirai and Keche captive, they drove to Lake Chivero where they tied the pair to a tree and left them stranded at around midnight.

Kumbirai and her friend later managed to untie themselves and filed a police report.

Mujuru’s car was found parked at one Rosemary Svosve’s place of residence and upon being interviewed, she told police that Tsvuura and Maridadi had left the car.

Maridadi was arrested after the police received a tip off that he was going to move the car from Svosve’s place to South Africa. A trap was set and he was arrested.

MEMBERS of the infamous National Youth Service (NYS) have defended their involvement in Zanu PF politics, saying their recent move to thwart demonstrations by party activists in Mutare and Chipinge last week was justified.

The NYS members were roped in after disgruntled ruling party activists stormed Zanu PF offices in Mutare and Chipinge, pushing for the ouster of provincial chairperson Mike Madiro and his deputy, Dorothy Mabika for allegedly fanning divisions.

The pair also stands accused of contributing to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s poor showing against opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa in the province in the July 30 poll.

NYS Manicaland chapter deputy commando Terrence Mukodza told NewsDay yesterday that they were ready to quash rebellion in the province.

“We are here to defend the revolutionary party and not individuals. We are here to defend the legacy of the party,” he said.

“As members of the national youth service, we are happy with the leadership that we were given by our President Emmerson Mnangagwa in our province, including our party structures,” he said.

“We were told that there were people who wanted to demonstrate at the party office in Mutare last week. We were waiting for them (protesters), we camped at the Manicaland Zanu PF headquarters, waiting for the protesters,” Mukodza added.

Last week, party activists petitioned Zanu PF national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri, political commissar Engelbert Rugeje and secretary for legal affairs Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana, seeking the ouster of Madiro and Mabika.

NYS graduates have previously been used as Zanu PF paratroopers alongside war veterans and State security agents to intimidate and beat up opposition supporters, especially during elections.

NewsDay

Jane Mlambo| Newly appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Ndavaningi (Nick) Mangwana has promised to reform media laws with both Access to Information and Protrection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and Broadcasting Services Act (BSA) high on the government agenda.

In a Twitter post this morning, Mangwana confirmed that media reforms were on the government agenda in what could breathe a sigh of relief to media practitioners who have always campaigned against repealing of laws deemed to infringe on freedom of expression and access to information.

A good friend mentioned something to do with AIPPA. I can confirm that it is on GoZ agenda to reform the Media Laws in the 2nd Republic. Both AIPPA & the BSA(Broadcasting Services Act) are on the agenda pic.twitter.com/Mpx7TZs96X

— Nick Mangwana (@nickmangwana) October 2, 2018

GOVERNMENT has gazetted Statutory Instrument (SI 178/2018) to facilitate amendment of the Dangerous Drugs (Production of Cannabis for Medicinal and Scientific Use) SI 62/2018 by cutting the application fee for production of cannabis from the previous $50 000 to $10 000.

The SI, gazetted on September 14, allows government to introduce a licence fee of $40 000 charged for production of cannabis.

The first SI 62/2018, which was promulgated for production of cannabis, stipulated that the application fee for a licence to produce cannabis was at $50 000, and the application fee for a licence to conduct research on cannabis was $5 000, application fee for renewal of licence to produce cannabis $20 000, and annual return fees of $15 000.

The amended SI 178/2018 also makes Robert Mugabe International Airport the only permitted port of entry for cannabis and cannabis products.

“For the purposes of these regulations, the designated port of entry or exit for fresh or dried cannabis, cannabis plants, cannabis seeds, or cannabis oil shall be Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, Harare,” the new amendment in SI 178/2018 read.

The cannabis growing regulations also stipulate that the producer’s licence is valid for five years and may be renewed thereafter before its expiry.

The regulations give powers to the Health minister to cancel a producer’s licence in circumstances such as when the minister has reasonable grounds to believe that the licence was issued on the basis of false or misleading information in the submitted documents for application of licence.

Other reasons where the minister could cancel the licence were when they received information from an inspector, a competent authority or the United Nations raising reasonable grounds to believe that the licensed producer had been involved in the diversion of a controlled substance or precursor to an illicit market or use, among other reasons.

The regulations also restrict access to areas within a site where cannabis is present, with the areas restricted to persons whose presence in those areas is required by their work responsibilities.

NewsDay

Government has technically de-dollarised the economy by reintroducing local currency bank accounts, which will be traded in electronic transfers and bond notes only, and piled more taxes on the transacting public.

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor John Mangudya, in a monetary policy statement presented yesterday, directed banks to create nostro accounts for foreign currency transactions (nostro FCAs), which will run separately from existing bank accounts, now limited to RTGS (real time gross settlement) transactions and bond notes only.

The measures, which will technically de-dollarise the economy and reduce existing FCAs to local currency accounts, take effect on October 15.

Mangudya said the Africa Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has agreed to provide a $500 million guarantee to the new nostro FCAs, which have been created to cater for exporters and other foreign currency earners.

It means non-foreign currency earners, who wish to open nostro FCAs, would have to fully fund their accounts with foreign currency.

It also means government has indirectly admitted that bond notes and RTGS balances cannot trade at par with the US dollar due to a growing mismatch between cash dollars and bond note/RTGS balances.

“With immediate effect, all banks are directed to effectively operationalise the ring-fencing policy on nostro foreign currency accounts by separating FCAs into two categories, namely nostro FCAs and RTGS FCAs,” Mangudya said.

“Accordingly, all banks are directed to use their know-your-client principles to comply with this directive to separate the accounts without requiring their clients to complete any other documentation other than for new bank accounts.”

Zimbabwe is reeling under a harsh currency crisis, characterised by a persistent shortage of cash and foreign currency, which has given rise to an active parallel market where foreign currency, bond notes, RTGS balances and mobile money are traded.

RBZ announced the currency measures, purportedly to strengthen the multi-currency regime, currently in circulation, under a broader framework of 13 measures introduced to stabilise prices; boost the amount of foreign currency in circulation and support the productive sectors of the economy.

The catalogue of interim measures include the provision of lines of credit for strategic imports; use of letters of credit for high-value foreign transactions and the introduction of a statutory reserve requirement to mop up excess liquidity.

-Newsday

GOVERNMENT has technically de-dollarised the economy by reintroducing local currency bank accounts, which will be traded in electronic transfers and bond notes only, and piled more taxes on the transacting public.

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor John Mangudya, in a monetary policy statement presented yesterday, directed banks to create nostro accounts for foreign currency transactions (nostro FCAs), which will run separately from existing bank accounts, now limited to RTGS (real time gross settlement) transactions and bond notes only.

The measures, which will technically de-dollarise the economy and reduce existing FCAs to local currency accounts, take effect on October 15.

Mangudya said the Africa Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has agreed to provide a $500 million guarantee to the new nostro FCAs, which have been created to cater for exporters and other foreign currency earners.

It means non-foreign currency earners, who wish to open nostro FCAs, would have to fully fund their accounts with foreign currency.

It also means government has indirectly admitted that bond notes and RTGS balances cannot trade at par with the US dollar due to a growing mismatch between cash dollars and bond note/RTGS balances.

“With immediate effect, all banks are directed to effectively operationalise the ring-fencing policy on nostro foreign currency accounts by separating FCAs into two categories, namely nostro FCAs and RTGS FCAs,” Mangudya said.

“Accordingly, all banks are directed to use their know-your-client principles to comply with this directive to separate the accounts without requiring their clients to complete any other documentation other than for new bank accounts.”

Zimbabwe is reeling under a harsh currency crisis, characterised by a persistent shortage of cash and foreign currency, which has given rise to an active parallel market where foreign currency, bond notes, RTGS balances and mobile money are traded.

RBZ announced the currency measures, purportedly to strengthen the multi-currency regime, currently in circulation, under a broader framework of 13 measures introduced to stabilise prices; boost the amount of foreign currency in circulation and support the productive sectors of the economy.

The catalogue of interim measures include the provision of lines of credit for strategic imports; use of letters of credit for high-value foreign transactions and the introduction of a statutory reserve requirement to mop up excess liquidity.

Foreign truckers will now be required to purchase fuel in foreign currency.

Finance minister Mthuli Ncube, who issued fiscal measures to support the monetary policy, also announced an increase in mobile money transfer tax to two cents per dollar from five cents per transaction with effect from yesterday.

The tax applies to transactions conducted via RTGS, mobile phones and the internet.

“Treasury introduced the intermediated money transfer tax with effect from January 1, 2003 through the Finance Act 15 of 2002. The tax was set at five cents per transaction, which was a specific tax,” Ncube said.

“However, due to the increase in informalisation of the economy and huge increase in electronic and mobile phone-based financial transactions and RTGS transactions, there is need to expand the tax collection base and ensure that the tax collection points are aligned with electronic mobile payment transactions and RTGS system.

“The information that we have so far is that in 2018, 1,7 billion transactions went through as compared to 50 million four years ago. I, hereby, review the intermediated money transfer tax from five cents per transaction to two cents per dollar transacted, effective October 1, 2018 (yesterday).

“I am, therefore, directing financial institutions, banks and Zimra [Zimbabwe Revenue Authority], working together with telecommunication companies, to extend the collection to all electronic financial transactions.”

Government is currently working on a statutory instrument, which will give legal effect to the tax adjustment and provide more details about the measures.

Units less than a dollar will be excluded from the tax.

For example, only the first two dollars of a money transfer transaction of $2,20 will be taxed.

Ncube said the tax review has been prompted by revenue considerations following the mobile money explosion that has taken place since 2016 when the RBZ launched a campaign for a cashless economy.

“It’s a fairer tax, we’re moving in line with financial innovation that we’ve seen,” Ncube said.

In the first eight months to August 31, a total of 1,7 billion transactions were recorded, according to Ncube.

Mobile money constituted the largest share of transactions.

Newsday

TWO cholera cases have been confirmed in Bulawayo, both imported from one of the cholera epicentres — Budiriro suburb in Harare.

One of the confirmed cases is that of the popular apostolic sect leader who died last week and a city man who was admitted to Thorngrove Infectious Hospital on Saturday.

Bishop Enock Mhambare from the Paul Mwazha-led church died at Thorngrove Hospital last Monday after he fell ill on his way back from Botswana.

He suffered from stomach aches, watery diarrhoea and was vomiting.

Bulawayo City Council Health Services director Dr Edwin Sibanda said only two cases out of 36 suspected cases had tested positive for cholera.

“We had an elderly man who was admitted and treated as a cholera patient but the results were not yet out when he died and at burial. The final result confirmed it was cholera,” said Dr Sibanda.

He said the new case was reported on Saturday.

“On Saturday we got another one who tested positive for cholera through the Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) .This is a 24-year-old man based here in Bulawayo who had gone to Budiriro in Harare for seven days from September 21 to 28. He was admitted at Thorngrove and was treated for cholera and has responded well. I think he was discharged today (yesterday),” Dr Sibanda said.

He said there were two patients at Thorngrove Hospital who are under surveillance.

“We have two patients now. The two patients are local but they have a history of travel to Harare. But you must know that if someone presents with a bit of diarrhoea in any of our institutions within the city they are taken to Thorngrove to clear if its cholera or not. In some cases it turns out to be false alarms.

The total so far has been 36 that were assessed through the health institution and of those only two have turned out to be positive for cholera,” Dr Sibanda said.

He said the local authority was prepared for any outbreak with 200 beds.

“We have 200 cholera beds in our storerooms so that in the case that we need to set up a cholera treatment centre in Pumula or Cowdray Park, the beds are already there. What is left are the tents and other ancillaries.

“We have the cholera beds, brick stands and buckets to go with. So we are doing capacity assessment that in case we have a major outbreak in the city, we can set up centres, so those 200 beds can be deployed,” Dr Sibanda said.

He said the most advisable thing is that when an outbreak occurs, a centre can be set up other than sending everyone to Thorngrove.

The Ministry of Health and Child Care has said there has been no increase in the deaths from cholera in the last six days, with the death toll remaining at 49 recorded on Wednesday last week, a sign that the disease is being contained and is no longer a big threat.

Meanwhile, health officials in Matabeleland South have treated three cholera cases that were reported in Beitbridge and also activated the epidemic disaster response plans in all the province’s districts, an official has said.

The Provincial Medical Director, Dr Chipo Chikodzore, said they had mobilised enough resources including medication to deal with further outbreaks.

“Cholera is a preventable disease that is used as a barometer of inadequate access to safe clean water and sanitation,” she said.

Speaking during provincial commemorations of the World Habitat day at Dulivhadzimo Stadium yesterday, Dr Chikodzore said Beitbridge has the lowest rate of access to safe and water and sanitation facilities and the risky situation is worsened by the high movement of traffic in the area.

She said there was a need to revamp ageing water and sanitation infrastructure at most health institutions in the province, especially at Beitbridge, Gwanda and Maphisa hospitals.

A WOMAN from Bulawayo whose married neighbour was killed when they were allegedly having sex in the bush has professed undying love for the man from her hospital bed.

A panic-stricken Ms Fadzai Mativenga (33), the girlfriend to the late Jameson Mwembe (39), ran to inform his wife about the attack at around 10PM on Saturday.

With tears streaming down her cheeks, Ms Mativenga yesterday denied having sex with her late lover in a bushy area between Mabutweni and Njube suburbs where they were attacked by unknown assailants.

“He is my boyfriend and we had been dating for 10 months. We were attacked while in a bushy area between Njube and Mabutweni .We were not having sex but we were just standing discussing some issues. People assume that when people go out in the night they will be having sex,’’ she said.

Ms Mativenga said she knew her late lover was a married man but their relationship had grown so strong that they could not separate.

“I knew he was a married man with children but l loved him so much and l enjoyed his company. We usually went out and we never experienced any misfortune. His death struck me and l do not know how to live without him,’’ she said, massaging the left side of her head that was bandaged.

Forcing back tears, Ms Mativenga said already misses her lover and if he had died a natural death, she would have bid him farewell.

She said the attackers also stabbed her on the throat.

“The way he died is mysterious and l am afraid of attending his funeral lest the family may attack me but it was my desire to say good bye. I wish I could talk to his wife and tell her how much I loved her husband. I want her to know I did not plot his death and I don’t know the people who attacked us,’’ Ms Mativenga said.

She said she knew Mwembe’s wife but the woman didn’t know her that’s why it was easy for her to rush to Mrs Mwembe’s house and alert her about the attack.

“She once stayed at a house behind where my sister stayed so l know her in and out. She didn’t know me until the night l went to her house to alert her of Mwembe’s death’’ Ms Mativenga said.

“I am really sorry about the Mwembe family’s sudden loss. It was my desire that he lives long but the death was beyond my control. If only l could save him, that is the first thing l would do’’.

Ms Mativenga said she received a call from Mwembe at around 8PM asking her to meet him.

“We went to a rocky place where we sat. When electricity went out I saw two men putting on black clothes advancing to where we were standing. I tried to alert Mwembe but it was too late because they struck him once on his head with an unknown object and he fell unconscious.

“I tried to flee to the houses southwards but the attackers caught me. They hit me on the left side of my head and l fell to the ground. When l saw that Mwembe was unconscious, I ran to his wife and alerted her. We took him to West Commonage Police where we were advised to go to Mpilo Hospital and upon arrival, he died,’’ she said.

Ms Mativenga said she is unmarried, unemployed and has three children with different fathers.

“I’m afraid of getting out of the hospital as I don’t know what the future holds for me,” she said.

Former cabinet minister, Professor Jonathan Moyo has lashed out at the Zanu PF led government insisting it is clueless saying the reason why they want to probe price increases is because of pressure from their supporters.

The economy continue to sink beyond the reach of the new administration with commodity prices skyrocketing, fuel shortages making own feet while the bond note value depreciates further to sell at more than 100 percent against the US Dollar.

Posting on his micro blogging twitter today, Moyo, a fierce critic of President Emmerson Mnangagwa said Zanu PF has become clueless as pressure mounts from its structures to rescue the country from an economic collapse.

“Veduwe. When you hear news that ZanuPF is probing shortages of basic commodities, you know government has become clueless and the even more clueless ruling party is responding to mounting pressure from its structures that see that the wheels are falling off!,” he said.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been on an offensive global re-engagement campaign centered on ‘Zimbabwe Is Open for Business’ mantra in a bid to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) with the incumbent’s party saying foreign investment prospects had clocked at 16 billion on the eve of the July 30 elections.

Moyo fled the country in November during the military inspired protest that ultimately saw former president Mugabe resigning with the latter claiming his resignation was tendered to avoid bloodshed.

President Mnangagwa appointed Professor Mthuli Ncube as new finance minister, who is believed to have expertise in economic matters as the ruling party looks to him to save the nation from entering another 2008 era of hyper inflationary economy.

THE MDC President, Nelson Chamisa, Monday morning came out guns blazing demanding the State House keys insisting the people of Zimbabwe voted for him ahead of President Emmerson Mnangagwa on the just ended July 30 polls.

Speaking at the party Head Quarters in Harare at a welcome ceremony of the National People’s Party executive members who have resigned from the Joice Mujuru’s led party, Chamisa said he is not accepting President Mnangagwa’s bid to console him with a post in parliament.

Chamisa said the people of Zimbabwe’s presidential choice must be respected.

“I was not voted to go to parliament, those who were voted to go into parliament we have them. When I came to the people of Zimbabwe I asked for an opportunity to go to state house. People of Zimbabwe gave me the keys and the keys were stolen. We want our keys. But to reclaim our keys, there is need of a thoughtful program of action which we shall unleash in a peaceful manner.”

He said he has no problem with President Mnangagwa creating an official opposition office in Zimbabwe, but has a problem of overturning the choice of the Zimbabwean people who voted him to be the leader of the country not to be in parliament as opposition leader.

He added that Mnangagwa can pick from any of his parliamentarians to occupy the office not him because that is not what people voted for.

“We have said Mnangagwa should come and discuss on stolen election, we have to agree first who won the elections, and then we can dialogue from that position.

“I cannot be consoled by a minor position when I know that I’m the one who won the elections, how do I go back to the people of Zimbabwe who gave me victory to tell them that I have accepted the opposition leader in parliament, yet they know they gave me the mandate to lead the country.

“Takataura tikati haivhiyiwi, it takes two to tango,” retorted Chamisa.

Chamisa said the party is finalizing program of action to be executed peacefully in the near future in an attempt to reclaim the 2018 election victory.

“We are busy organising a collective program of action that we are going to enrol peacefully. [The program] seeks to call for respect to what we voted for. What have been announced does not resonate with the people’s choice,” he said.

President Mnangagwa recently revealed at the United Nations General Assembly in New York that he is working on a frame work that bids to award the opposition leader a post, a template reported to have been crafted by Britain to save the 76 year old leader from legitimacy crisis.

Meanwhile, speaking at the same occasion, former NPP chairman and former Zanu PF central committee member, Dzikamai Mavhaire heaped praise on Chamisa saying their decision to join the MDC is not driven by the desire to occupy top posts in the opposition party urging his compatriots to work hard.

-263Chat

“I hereby review the Intermediated Money Transfer Tax from 5 cents per transaction to 2 cents per dollar transacted, effective 1 October 2018,” said Minister Ncube.

He said due to the increase in the informalisation of the economy and huge spikes in electronic and mobile phone-based financial transactions and real-time gross settlement transactions (RTGS), “there is [the] need to expand the tax collection base and ensure that the tax collection points are aligned with electronic mobile payment transactions and the RTGS system”.

While the new tax seems like a downward review, it isn’t as consumer will now be charged on every dollar transacted, whereas in the past it was 5 cents for every transaction, including those above $1.

The new 2c per dollar tax effectively means most Zimbabweans will have to fork out more in tax for every dollar transacted as more than 96% of the transactions currently conducted in the southern African country are electronic.

Analysts have described the hikes as catastrophic for consumers who are already forking out more on value added tax and other bank charges related to electronic transactions.

READ: Zim surpasses 2017 tax collection target

“It’s catastrophic for most Zimbabweans, as most of our transactions are now conducted electronically. It’s an increase in costs on all transactions and the consumer will be hurt,” said Walter Mandeya, an analyst with Trigrams Investment.

In 2018, 1.7 billion transactions were conducted electronically.

The latest Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe figures for the half year to June show electronic transactions done in the country amounted to $64.7bn.

This means if 2 cents is charged on every dollar transacted, government coffers would have swelled by $1.3bn.

If similar transactions were to be conducted in the second half of the year, the country’s treasury can expect to collect at least $2.5bn for the year from transaction charges alone.

At least $4bn worth of transactions went through Point of Sales machines in retail outlets, which means on top of the 15% value added tax that is charged at POS, most transactions will add another 2% tax charge for every dollar spent at the till.-state media

https://twitter.com/hwende/status/1046833811902930946

Staff Reporter|Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya announced a plan to separate local and foreign currency bank accounts which he ordered banks to implement by 15 October 2018 latest.

Mangudya made the announcement when he presented his monetary policy statement in Harare on Monday.

“In February 2018, the Bank introduced a policy that requires banks to ring-fence foreign currency for foreign exchange earners that include international organizations, diaspora remittances, free funds, export retention proceeds and loan proceeds,” said Mangudya.

“Numerous enquiries received by the Bank point to the fact that this policy has not been implemented by some banks on a transparent basis that promotes confidence within the economy. With immediate effect, all banks are therefore directed to effectively
operationalise the ring-fencing policy on Nostro foreign currency accounts by
separating foreign currency accounts (FCAs) into two categories, namely Nostro FCAs and RTGS FCAs.”

Accordingly all banks are directed to use their know-your-client (KYC) principles to comply with this directive to separate the accounts without requiring their clients to complete any other documentation other than for new bank accounts. Banks have been provided with a period of up to 15 October 2018 to fully comply with this policy measure.”

“Banks are also expected to provide reasonable deposit rates on the Nostro
FCAs in line with international best practice on such accounts.

This policy measure is expected to encourage exports, diaspora remittances, banking of foreign currency into the Nostro FCAs and to eliminate the commingling or dilution effect of RTGS balances on Nostro foreign currency accounts.

The relationship between the two categories of the FCAs shall continue to be at parity. This is essential in order to preserve value for money for the banking public and investors during the
transition to a more market based foreign currency allocation system that shall be implemented once the economic fundamentals are appropriate to do so.”

Press Statement|Our demand, as MLO made to the Government of Zimbabwe through the Office of The President of Z imbabwe, was that Matabeleland be paid a compensation sum of US$100 billion for the multiple level damages suffered under successive Zimbabwe administrations since 18 April, 1980 and the rapacious exploitation of her resources to benefit of shona people at the exclusion of Matabeles.

The US$100 billion compensation covers the Matabeleland Genocide committed between 1980 and 1988 by the Zanu PF led government the loss of property, the needless subjection of Matabele people to economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the West for Zimbabwe’s political indiscretions, the marginalisation of our citizens and their loss of dignity which has caused them to be displaced, dehumanized, traumatised and dispersed across the globe as economic refugees.

We urge all the people of Matebeleland to reject the pending apology without compensation from the government of Zimbabwe..Lets all stand together and enforce this demand for US$100Billion compensation as failure would be a betrayal of our of departed relatives.

By Paul Siwela
Mthwakazi Liberation Organisation
President

Jane Mlambo| Newly appointed Deputy Chairperson of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, Tendai Biti has scoffed at the ruling ZANU PF saying the party has no capacity to pursue a transformation agenda as they have blood on their hands.

In a Twitter post this afternoon, who posed in a picture with his bosses,  Nelson Chamisa and Thabitha Khumalo said the MDC remained the only legitimate movement to deliver on the aspirations of the people of Zimbabwe.

https://twitter.com/BitiTendai/status/1046794084457893888

Staff Reporter|Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube has dissolved the entire ZIMRA Board with immediate effect.

The minister made the announcement at the presentation of the mid-term monetary policy statement on Monday.

A new board will be appointed in due course and until the new board is appointed Zimra management will be run by the Treasury.

Zimra has also been ordered to stop the appointment of key personnel. The hiring of all vacant senior positions has also been frozen.

The Minister said the decision was taken to enhance governance at ZIMRA.

Said Mthuli Ncube.

“In order to enhance governance at ZIMRA, I hereby terminate the term of the current Board with immediate effect. I have proposed names of new Board members which are currently being cleared.

The new Board will be announced in due course. In the meantime, ZIMRA senior management will be reporting directly to Treasury. I take this opportunity to thank the outgoing Board members for the services rendered. ZIMRA senior management is hereby directed to cease all recruitment of new personnel within ZIMRA until a new Board is in place. This is to allow the new board to have input into critical appointments.”

Jane Mlambo| With fuel in Zimbabwe now on high demand from international truck drivers due to the depreciating value of bond notes and retail time gross settlement (RTGS), enterprising locals have begun buying in bulk in anticipation of harvesting from future shortages.

In one of the pictures making rounds on social media, a Toyota Fun Cargo driver is seen filling a drum with diesel for an unknown purpose though speculation is high that it could be hoarding for re-sell once shortages hit the market.

Today, RBZ Governor has announced his mid term monetary policy which restrict vehicles with foreign number plates to buying fuel using foreign currency only.

Notorious carjackers recently pounced on an unsuspecting Zvishavane motorist and stabbed him several times before leaving him naked along the Zvishavane-Gweru Highway.

The victim has been identified as Rangarirai Chipunza (30) from the asbestos town’s densely-populated suburb of Makusha.

In his report to police, Chipunza said on the day of the mishap, he was driving from Zvishavane in a blue Nissan Sulphy and the three assailants asked for a lift to Gweru around 7pm. Along the way and near the Flamingo tollgate in Gweru, one of the three suspects asked for recess and the unsuspecting Chipunza parked his car on the roadside.

It was at that point that one of the suspects, who was seated in the front passenger seat, grabbed Chipunza by the neck and forced him out of the car.

When Chipunza tried to fight back into his car, one of the suspects stabbed him under the left eye with a sharp knife.

The three then ordered Chipunza to hand over the car keys and surrender all his possessions, including two mobile phones, US$40 and $70 bond notes.

He also surrendered his identity and bank cards. At that point, the suspects stripped Chipunza naked and sped off.
Nothing has been recovered so far.

Central Investigations Department national spokesperson Detective Inspector Portia Chinho has since advised motorists to be cautious when driving at night and to be wary of robbers.

“Police would like to urge motorists to exercise due diligence and ensure their vehicles are well secure. They must install alarm systems on their vehicles, tracking devices and anti-hijack systems as these act as preventive measures as well as assist in tracking down stolen motor vehicles,” she said.
-Newsday

THE MDC President, Nelson Chamisa, Monday morning came out guns blazing demanding the State House keys insisting the people of Zimbabwe voted for him ahead of President Emmerson Mnangagwa on the just ended July 30 polls.

Chamisa said that the 30 July polls were stolen adding that the keys to state house are not given on court pronouncement, but by the electorate who he said gave him the mandate to run the country and must be respected.

Speaking at the party Head Quarters in Harare at a welcome ceremony of the National People’s Party executive members who have resigned from the Joice Mujuru’s led party, Chamisa said he is not accepting President Mnangagwa’s bid to console him with a post in parliament.

Chamisa said the people of Zimbabwe’s presidential choice must be respected.
“I was not voted to go to parliament, those who were voted to go into parliament we have them. When I came to the people of Zimbabwe I asked for an opportunity to go to state house. People of Zimbabwe gave me the keys and the keys were stolen. We want our keys. But to reclaim our keys, there is need of a thoughtful program of action which we shall unleash in a peaceful manner.”

He said he has no problem with President Mnangagwa creating an official opposition office in Zimbabwe, but has a problem of overturning the choice of the Zimbabwean people who voted him to be the leader of the country not to be in parliament as opposition leader.

He added that Mnangagwa can pick from any of his parliamentarians to occupy the office not him because that is not what people voted for.

“We have said Mnangagwa should come and discuss on stolen election, we have to agree first who won the elections, and then we can dialogue from that position.

“I cannot be consoled by a minor position when I know that I’m the one who won the elections, how do I go back to the people of Zimbabwe who gave me victory to tell them that I have accepted the opposition leader in parliament, yet they know they gave me the mandate to lead the country.

“Takataura tikati haivhiyiwi, it takes two to tango,” retorted Chamisa.

Chamisa said the party is finalizing program of action to be executed peacefully in the near future in an attempt to reclaim the 2018 election victory.

“We are busy organising a collective program of action that we are going to enrol peacefully. [The program] seeks to call for respect to what we voted for. What have been announced does not resonate with the people’s choice,” he said.

President Mnangagwa recently revealed at the United Nations General Assembly in New York that he is working on a frame work that bids to award the opposition leader a post, a template reported to have been crafted by Britain to save the 76 year old leader from legitimacy crisis.

Meanwhile, speaking at the same occasion, former NPP chairman and former Zanu PF central committee member, Dzikamai Mavhaire heaped praise on Chamisa saying their decision to join the MDC is not driven by the desire to occupy top posts in the opposition party urging his compatriots to work hard saying the reward will be forth come in due course.
-263Chat

Jane Mlambo| Finance Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube appears not to be in control of his Twitter account following a shocking tweet in which he used third person narrative to report about his dismissal of ZIMRA board earlier today.

Zimbabwe Finance Minister Prof Mthuli Ncube has dissolved the board of
Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA).ZIMRA will be run by the
Treasury until new management is appointed.The dismissals mark the
start of reforms the government is implementing to get its finances
under control.

— Prof. Mthuli Ncube (@MthuliNcube) October 1, 2018

One Twitter user @a_monomotapa mockingly suggested that Ncube’s account was being run by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.

https://twitter.com/a_monomutapa/status/1046781900004741120

Staff Reporter|South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has indicated that his country has gone out of its way to get a R33 million loan from China in order to be able to continue supplying electricity to Zimbabwe.

After an hour and a half of answering questions in parliament,Ramaphosa assured the house that his ruling African National Congress will not have any corrupt activity on the loans sort to increase power production for the region.

Ramaphosa said it would go towards developing the new Kusile power plant and increasing the capacity of South Africa’s electricity grid. This would allow the country to keep supplying nearby countries with electricity.

“Zimbabwe continues to import electricity from us,” Ramaphosa said.

Eskom’s media department told media in that country that it had a “firm power supply agreement” with Zimbabwe under which the country got 50 megawatts (MW) of electricity a day. Zimbabwe could also ask for more than that, as long as the electricity was available and the request made a day before.

This arrangement started on 1 April 2017 and will run to 31 March 2022. In Eskom’s 2017/18 financial year, exports to Zimbabwe added up to 2,250 gigawatt hours (GWh).

The deal runs from 2017 to 2022. But if Eskom has difficulty in getting all the coal it needs for its power plants, it may struggle to generate enough electricity. This could cause problems in the arrangement with Zimbabwe.

A Harare man was dragged to court on Saturday after reportedly shouting unprintable words to the effect that President Emmerson Mnangagwa was incapable of running Zimbabwe.

Norman Machipisa, 29, appeared before Harare magistrate Learnmore Mapiye charged with contravening section 41(b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform Act) for disorderly conduct.

He was released on $20 bail and ordered not to interfere with witnesses and continue residing at his current address until the case is finalised. He was remanded to October 11.

The informant in this case is Donaldson Chikotera of Mabelreign in Harare.
Machipisa is a vendor who operates from Corner Second Street and Kwame Nkrumah Avenue in Harare.

Prosecutor Peter Kachirika alleged that on September 28 Chikotera was at Central Vehicle Registry when he heard the accused person shouting on top of his voice saying: “Mnangagwa im***a haagone kutonga nyika”, loosely translated to mean Mnangagwa has no capacity to rule the country.

This annoyed Chikotera who felt that Machipisa had behaved in disorderly conduct.
Chikotera apprehended Machipisa and dragged him to Harare Central Police Station and handed him over to police.

Machipisa was formally charged. Previously, people who insulted the president and his office were charged under section 33 (2) (b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform Act).

But this was contested on the basis that the section infringed on the right to freedom of expression.

As a result, the prosecution never managed to sustain a conviction for any of those cases which were normally dismissed by the Constitutional Court.- Daily News

Jane Mlambo| Nick Mangwana who is famous for defending Zanu PF on both mainstream and social media has finally been rewarded with a government post by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

In a statement released today, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda announced that Mangwana whose real name is Ndavaningi Mangwana is now the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services.

He replaces George Charamba who was demoted and assigned to an inferior position of working under Misheck Sibanda in the office of the President.

Mangwana who has been in the country since the July 30 elections, is known for for defending Zanu PF on the international media and his appointment will not surprise those who have been following him as he and his brother Paul became the voice of Zanu PF even at ZEC meetings.

By Dorrothy Moyo| The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry Of Information, George Charamba has been replaced by the UK returnee, Nick Mangwana.

Mangwana, real first name, Ndabaningi, was the ZANU PF’s UK Chairman until recently. Below was the government announcement:

Nick Mangwana takes over George Charamba's job pic.twitter.com/EJn4MFodR0

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) October 1, 2018

Staff Reporter|MDC leader Nelson Chamisa received scores of former National People’s Party supporters at Harvest House on Monday.

Chamisa told the gathering that his party did not lose the July 30 elections and was not going to sit back and relax waiting for 2023.

Watch full address below:

By Farai D Hove| Scores of Joice Mujuru party members today moved to join the MDC party.

Speaking aside MDC President Nelson Chamisa at Harvest House, NPP leader, Dzikamai Mavhaire announced the moving of party members from Joice Mujuru to join Chamisa.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Said Mavhaire, “so all these people who have come they have come not representing npp, they have come representing themselves. There has been no split in NPP. Will have come on their own… president these people made a resolution to go and United with you to unite with the people.

“The people who have come here these are the few they are only a few; there are many others who are on their way to join you. There are so many years in the leadership who want to come… there is no one who wants to be associated with failure.

“I said to all of them let us go your night with success. There are those who say the past is the past the future is the future.

“If you say Chamisa is the present, and the future, will you be wrong? President all these people who have come there is not one of them all has come seeking for a position. All these people they are here to serve you deploy them for serving you…”

A Harare man was dragged to court on Saturday after reportedly shouting unprintable words to the effect that President Emmerson Mnangagwa was incapable of running Zimbabwe.

Norman Machipisa, 29, appeared before Harare magistrate Learnmore Mapiye charged with contravening section 41(b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform Act) for disorderly conduct.

He was released on $20 bail and ordered not to interfere with witnesses and continue residing at his current address until the case is finalised.

He was remanded to October 11.

The informant in this case is Donaldson Chikotera of Mabelreign in Harare.

Machipisa is a vendor who operates from Corner Second Street and Kwame Nkrumah Avenue in Harare.

Prosecutor Peter Kachirika alleged that on September 28 Chikotera was at Central Vehicle Registry when he heard the accused person shouting on top of his voice saying: “Mnangagwa im***a haagone kutonga nyika”, loosely translated to mean Mnangagwa has no capacity to rule the country.

This annoyed Chikotera who felt that Machipisa had behaved in disorderly conduct.

Chikotera apprehended Machipisa and dragged him to Harare Central Police Station and handed him over to police.

Machipisa was formally charged.

Previously, people who insulted the president and his office were charged under section 33 (2) (b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform Act).

But this was contested on the basis that the section infringed on the right to freedom of expression.

As a result, the prosecution never managed to sustain a conviction for any of those cases which were normally dismissed by the Constitutional Court.

DailyNews

Terrence Mawawa |THE price of bread is likely to revert to $1 from
$1,10 per loaf in the next two weeks, it has emerged.

Addressing journalists in Bulawayo
last week, Grain Millers Association
of Zimbabwe chairperson, Tafadzwa
Musarara, said there may be changes in the price of bread in the next two weeks.
“We would like to assure the public that the wheat situation is improving and that we have since procured 30 tonnes of wheat which we are expecting from Mozambique,”
he said.

“The shipment is due to arrive in the
next 14 days.We have paid for the current crop of wheat in advance and it will be harvested very soon and we hope this will help to cushion our
stocks.
We are currently trying to engage
Government on subsidising our purchase of wheat and this will likely see the price of bread coming down again”.

Musarara said bread production was at 50 percent, with most shops in rural areas not getting deliveries.

Former cabinet minister, Professor Jonathan Moyo has lashed out at the Zanu PF led government insisting it is clueless.

The economy continue to sink beyond the reach of the new administration with commodity prices skyrocketing, fuel shortages making own feet while the bond note value depreciates further to sell at more than 100 percent against the US Dollar.

Posting on his micro blogging twitter today, Moyo, a fierce critic of President Emmerson Mnangagwa said Zanu PF has become clueless as pressure mounts from its structures to rescue the country from an economic collapse.

“Veduwe. When you hear news that ZanuPF is probing shortages of basic commodities, you know government has become clueless and the even more clueless ruling party is responding to mounting pressure from its structures that see that the wheels are falling off!,” he said.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been on an offensive global re-engagement campaign centered on ‘Zimbabwe Is Open for Business’ mantra in a bid to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) with the incumbent’s party saying foreign investment prospects had clocked at 16 billion on the eve of the July 30 elections.

Moyo fled the country in November during the military inspired protest that ultimately saw former president Mugabe resigning with the latter claiming his resignation was tendered to avoid bloodshed.

President Mnangagwa appointed Professor Mthuli Ncube as new finance minister, who is believed to have expertise in economic matters as the ruling party looks to him to save the nation from entering another 2008 era of hyper inflationary economy.

A 31-YEAR-OLD man from Bulawayo has appeared in court for allegedly bashing his wife after he found her sleeping in his neighbour’s bed.

A court heard that Thembinkosi Mpofu of Pumula suburb went to his neighbour’s house looking for his wife Tricia Zulu (25) and found her snoring in the neighbour’s bed.

The court heard that Mpofu had always suspected a relationship was brewing between the two.

Mpofu pleaded guilty to assault before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Lungile Ncube.

“I went to my neighbour’s house looking for my wife as I have always suspected a relationship between the two. I knocked, opened the door and found her sleeping on his bed while he was at work. We have been married for three years but she is no longer my wife as we separated yesterday,” he said.

Mpofu was fined $100 or 90 days in prison.

Zulu told the court that she wanted Mpofu to be sentenced to three months in prison.

“He always neglected my children and failed to give us money for food just because he doesn’t have children. He should be jailed for three months,” she said.

Prosecuting, Mr Kenneth Shava said last Thursday at 7AM, Mpofu confronted Zulu on why she was having an affair with one Proud Ngwenya.

“He assaulted her, slapping and punching her all over the body,” he said.

The court heard that Zulu did not sustain any injuries and no medication was sought.

The matter was reported to the police leading to Mpofu’s arrest.

— State Media

Robert Mugabe deployed troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe got nothing out of it save for international punishment.

However, several of his acolytes
lined their pockets with the Congo mineral loot.Zimbabwe’s former President, Robert Mugabe, in
the August of 1998 sent about 11,000 troops, armoured vehicles and combat aircraft to the Democratic Republic of Congo. There was much discontent back home with one opposition Parliamentarian saying, “The government of Kabila is worth no single Zimbabwean fly or mosquito to die for.” News24 reported that even within the ruling party, there was no consensus. People wanted to know what the country was benefitting from the DRC. What they did not realise was that the answer was right before their eyes.
Zimbabwe and the DRC’s armies had formed joint mining operations in the Congo, one of which was Sengamines operating in the Senga Senga and Mbuji Mayi rivers in Kasai. In Katanga, Zimbabwe was into copper mining. Further, Zimbabwe was now paying for electricity from the DRC in Zimbabwean dollars. Zimbabwe was facing an acute shortage of foreign currency which was a consequence of the Mugabe decision to deploy troops to the Congo. The deployment’s heavy cost
was more than $25 million per month and soon, Zimbabwe defaulted on its IMF loans. The IMF reacted by blacklisting Zimbabwe and terminating its $193 million funding package to which Mugabe retorted, “The IMF should shut up its mouth. Yes, we have spent money in DRC, but we have not died because of that. We continue to be productive.”
According to IOL , Zimbabwe lost the air force’s Cassa 212 transport planes, Alouette-3 helicopter gunships, MiG fighter jets along with armoured personal carriers and several Brazilian- manufactured Cascavel tanks containing heavy
ammunition and radio communication systems.
These had to be replaced. It was a wrong turn. All the promises of potential economic benefits to
Zimbabwe did not materialise as the country’s economy went on a tailspin. What had seemed to be unwarranted criticism by the University of Zimbabwe’s John Makumbe proved to be the
truth. He had said, “It won’t be Zimbabwe as a nation that benefits. Instead, a number of individuals in the political elite will enrich themselves.”
Ken Yamamoto, writing for The Zimbabwean Independent was motivated into investigating
Zimbabwe’s involvement in the Congo after a tour of Harare’s leafy suburbs where military officials
resided sparked his interest. His account of the operation is probably one of the most extensive but the bottom line is Mugabe and his close
lieutenants plundered two countries and lined up their pockets. A UN Panel Report on the Congo revealed that companies controlled through secret contracts and off-shore private companies were being used as instruments of looting by some 30
businessmen, politicians, and military officers.
These 30 were the main beneficiaries of the arrangements. Robert Mugabe, true to his nature, dismissed the allegations in 2002 saying, “At no time was our motive anywhere near the malicious, puerile or even libellous allegations that have been made against us by our detractors. At no time did we…seek the plunder of that country’s resources or the unfair exploitation of a war situation to steal from a sister country.”- The African Exponent

Press Satement|Mthwakazi Republic Party would like to congratulate King Bulelani Lobhengula Khumalo on the occasion of his inauguration as the 3rd King of Mthwakazi people, after his great grand father King Lobhengula Khumalo. The announcement of the official coronation of the King which took place on the 28th of September 2018 at a private ceremony, brought joy and exuberance from those who had attended the commemoration of King Mzilikazi at his grave site.

Chief Nhanhlayamangwe Khayisa Ndiweni, who broke the unexpected news, challenged all those who were present to announce the great news to the entire world.

As the People’s Revolutionary party we say, Bayede! Bayede! Wena wendlovu! Wena wendlovu!
This is the dawn of a new era for the people of Mthwakazi. Never again shall they remain fatherless.

We are grateful to izinduna zakithi for the patience and diligence that they exercised in the hunt for the heir to the thrown of King Lobhengula that was distroyed 125 years ago by the white colonial settlers accompanied by 652 batsmen from Mashonaland.

Siyalibonga Mantungwa amahle, however we wish to emphasise that King Bulelani Lobhengula Khumalo must not be a king of the Khumalo people but rather a king of Mthwakazi people.

It has consistently been our position as a party that we are receptive to a constitutional monarch as opposed to an absolute one.

Once more, sithi Halala! Halala! Amhlophe!

Sisonke sibambene singuMthwakazi Sizokulungisa.

Mthwakazi Republic Party Secretary for Information and Publicity Cde Mbonisi Solomon Gumbo

Staff Reporter|The royal Khumalo Family descendents of last Ndebele King, Lobengula Khumalo declared on Saturday that they had crowned Prince Bulelani Lobengula Khumalo as the new King of the Ndebele people.

The family announced Bulelani’s coronation to the thrown at a low key annual Mzilikazi Commemoration event held at the Mzilikazi Memorial Centre in Matopos on Saturday.

According to the royal family, spokesperson, Khumalo was crowned the king at a ceremony held in Bulawayo after government cancelled a much publicised coronation event which was set for March 4 this year.

It is not yet clear what the new king’s functions will be under the laws of the country that do not provide for the existence of a king.

Correspondent|Newly-elected Zanu-PF Bikita East Member of Parliament and former long-serving Pamushana High School head, Johnson Madhuku, has stepped down as president of the National Association of Secondary School Heads (NASH).

Madhuku recently resigned following his victory in the July 30 harmonised polls where he was voted legislator for Bikita East.

His entry into full-time politics brought the curtain down on an illustrious career in the education sector spanning 34 years.

It was at the helm of NASH where he earned both national and international acclaim when he was re-elected to lead the organisation for five consecutive terms until his resignation to concentrate on politics.

Former NASH vice president and Gwanda High School head Mr Arthur Maphosa is now the organisation’s acting president.

Madhuku said that his focus was now on his work as a parliamentarian.

“I tendered my resignation at a NASH national executive meeting held at a Gweru hotel recently,” he said.

“My focus now is on spearheading development in Bikita East constituency where I was resoundingly voted Member of Parliament.”

THE High Court has dismissed an appeal against conviction and sentence by a jailed Bulawayo landlord’s son who raped their tenant’s two daughters on six different occasions 10 years ago.

Shawn Mpofu (29) of North End suburb raped the two victims, aged 10 and 11 years at the time, on different occasions in September 2008.

Mpofu was in 2008 convicted of six counts of rape. He was sentenced to 33 years in jail of which 13 years were conditionally suspended for five years.

Mpofu, through his lawyers, Shenje and Company Legal Practitioners, filed an appeal at the Bulawayo High Court challenging his conviction and sentence, citing the State as the respondent.

He said there was misdirection on the part of the trial magistrate, arguing that he convicted him without properly investigating the reasons for the delay by the two complainants in making a police report.

Mpofu, who was aged 19 years at the time of conviction, said the sentence imposed by the lower court induces a sense of shock on a juvenile offender.

“The court a quo erred in imposing a heavy sentence on a young offender without taking into account the fact that the appellant had committed the offence while below the age of 18 years. Wherefore, the appellant prays that his conviction be quashed and sentence set aside or in the event that the court of appeal upholds his conviction, it reduces his sentence by blending it with mercy,” argued Mpofu’s lawyers.

Mpofu, in his grounds of appeal, said the regional magistrate, Mr Collen Ncube, largely relied on a medical report which was irrelevant in the circumstances.

“All the counts of rape surfaced when one of the complainants had sexually abused a seven –year-old boy. A medical examination was then conducted on the complainant to establish that sexual abuse,” he argued. In her ruling, Justice Nokuthula Moyo said the issues raised by Mpofu were non-existent.

“The appellant lured the young girls into having consensual sex with them. The girls were young and vulnerable and the appellant abused his position of being the landlord’s son where these two girls lived. The appellant was not falsely incriminated and therefore the conviction is unassailable and it is confirmed. The appeal against sentence fails,” ruled the judge.

The State, which was represented by Mr Thompson Hove, opposed the appeal, arguing that the complainants’ testimonies were credible.

“It is submitted that the sentence imposed by the trial court is proper in the circumstances. An effective 20-year imprisonment for six counts of rape cannot be said to be excessive so as to induce a sense of shock and the respondent prays for the appeal to be dismissed in its entirety,” he said

According to the court papers, sometime in September 2008, Mpofu asked one of the complainants to open the door for him during which she broke the door handle.

The court heard that Mpofu then demanded to have sex with the girl failure of which he would report her to his father for destroying the door handle. Out of fear, the girl complied with Mpofu’s orders. He took the girl to the lounge where he engaged in sex with her.

On a different day during the same month, Mpofu invited the girl to his room where he raped her at knifepoint. He repeated the act on two other different occasions.

During the same month, Mpofu spotted the other complainant’s sister at the house and he invited her to his room on the pretext that he wanted to give her a mealie cob. The girl complied and on entering the room, Mpofu ordered her to lie on the carpet before he raped her.

On September 27, one of the complainants sexually abused a seven-year-old boy who stays at the same house. The girl’s grandmother quizzed her during which the complainant revealed that she had also been sexually abused by Mpofu. A report was made to the police leading to Mpofu’s arrest.

State Media

AN 80-year-old man from Gokwe burned to death after accidentally starting a veldfire while burning weeds in his field.

Michael Mazambuko of Marandu Village in Gokwe North reportedly failed to control the fire, which burnt down about 5 hectares of grazing land on Tuesday last week.

Midlands Provincial Spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Ethel Mkwende could not be drawn into commenting saying she was yet to receive details of the incident.

Environmental Management Agency (EMA) Midlands Provincial Spokesperson Mr Simon Musasiwa however, confirmed the unfortunate incident.

“There was a veld fire in Ward 4 in Gokwe North under Chief Chireya. The person responsible for the fire died after he tried to put it out possibly due to suffocation,” said Mr Musasiwa.

He said Mazambuko was working in his field when the fire went out of control.

“We gathered that on the day in question, Mazambuko went to his field around 8AM to burn weeds. Around 11AM, the family members noticed lots of smoke coming from the direction of the field prompting his son and grandson to rush to the field,” said Mr Musasiwa.

He said the two tried to locate Mazambuko while fighting the fire from spreading further.

“They however, failed to locate him but continued fighting the fire which narrowly missed burning a nearby homestead,” Mr Musasiwa said.

Mazambuko’s charred body was only discovered around 3PM.

Mr Musasiwa urged members of the public to desist from starting fires out of their homesteads.

“EMA has previously and continues to advise people against the practice of starting open fires outside residential properties as the risk of these fires spreading and causing veld fires is quite high during the fire season which runs between July 31 and October 31 each year.”

“The high temperatures prevailing in the country are also contributing to the veld fire risk thus farmers are encouraged to desist from starting fires outside their residential properties,” he said.

Midlands has lost over 90 000 hectares of land to veld fires so far.

State Media