Terrence Mawawa| Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Minister retired Air Chief Marshal Perrance Shiri has allegedly grabbed part of  the farm belonging to the widow of the late national hero General Vitalis Gava Zvinavashe and allocated the land to the Chinese.

A huge chunk of Margaret Zvinavashe’s farm in Norton was allocated to Chinese firm Sunny Yi Feng Tiles so that it can set up a
ceramic tiles factory.
Shiri told The Standard that the ministry of lands was reducing farm
sizes.
“She was adequately consulted and
everything is being done in agreement.The Chinese hold an offer letter on the piece of land after there was an agreement to withdraw it from her…
We have given them the land and
whatever they do should be in
compliance with the demands of other

government agencies,” said Shiri.

Terrence Mawawa|A married Victoria Falls woman was forced to skip the border to South Africa after her long suffering husband discovered that she was cheating on him with two
men.

The woman, Duduzile Ngwenya (30),
reportedly had a long history of cheating on her husband, Mthulisi Ncube (40).

According to sources Duduzile’s two-timing escapades came to light after her “official” boyfriend found her in the arms of another man around midnight on 11 August.

The boyfriend allegedly assaulted her before confiscating an iPhone that he had bought her as a gift.
The vengeful boyfriend did not stop there as he proceeded to leak a number of lewd pictures of Duduzile to her friends and relatives.

Left alone with no friends to turn to or a shoulder to cry on, Duduzile
packed her bags and fled to South Africa on 27 August.
According to a close friend, Duduzile was in the habit of sending nude photos to men that she desired.
“Dudu was something else. You will not believe me if I tell you that she is a baptised church member.
She was always drinking and half the time she was as high as a kite.
“But she used to be a good girl, I don’t know what happened to her. She was now neglecting her children. It’s like the maid was now their mother because the children spent more time with the maid than with the mother,” said the friend who
requested anonymity.

Jane Mlambo| Opposition MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa has poured cold water on the proposed plan by government to make him leader of the opposition in parliament saying Zimbabweans elected him to go to State house and not the house of assembly.

Chamisa who addressed bumper crowds in Glen View and Budiriro yesterday after conducting a clean up exercise told his supporters that he is still determined to prove that he won the July 30 Presidential elections ahead of Zanu PF’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

“They are saying they want me to go to Parliament and I said: ‘Are you sick?’ I was elected to go to State House and not Parliament,” he said.

“Hold forth because we are not easily convinced. I have no fear because I know you are solidly behind me,” said Chamisa.

Jane Mlambo| A Twitter character by the name Matigari, known for releasing classified government information while frequently attacking the opposition has finally been exposed following an in-depth study by a group of researchers operating under the banner of Teampachedu.

According to Teampachedu, @matigary’s Twitter account is linked to an IT expert Taurai Chinyamakobvu.

Chinyamakobvu’s profile posted on IREX, an American organization that runs the Mandela Washington fellowship programme reveals that he is a partner and investor in Flocash Zimbabwe, a joint venture with a UK payment gateway services company.

He is also the founder of Pazimba, an e-commerce start-up business focusing on providing multiple retailers with a convenient platform to sell their goods online.

Below are leads which points to Chinyamakobvu:

#MatigaryUnmasked

Evidence 9: Powertel@matigary's claim to have once helped Powertel to solve a problem is confirmed by @tchinyamakobvu's CV which shows that Taurai was also contracted by Powertel back in 2009 for four months.
@matigary @tchinyamakobvu @Wamagaisa pic.twitter.com/fU8nLcok1b

— Team Pachedu (@PacheduZW) September 29, 2018

#MatigaryUnmasked

Evidence 14: Follower Sequence

Twitter sorts handles followed by date followed – the first at the bottom.

Below, is evidence that @matigary followed @tchinyamakobvu within a very short period after creating the @matigary account.

Now, do the math.@matigary pic.twitter.com/dM2Pcw0Jua

— Team Pachedu (@PacheduZW) September 30, 2018

Aquilinia Kayidza Pamberi, the woman who in 2011 was suspected to have been in an affair with the late MDC founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai, has fallen on hard times.

Pamberi, who is based in Bulawayo, is set to lose two luxury vehicles after they were attached by the Sheriff of the Court over a $5 000 debt.

An advertisement advising of the sale was placed in the Press last week indicating that Pamberi’s two cars, a Mercedes Benz and Nissan Hardbody will go under the hammer. In addition, Pamberi might be arrested as she is facing a criminal case where she allegedly conned her friend – Ms Irene Chinyanda of $5 000.

According to court papers gleaned by Sunday News, sometime in January this year, Ms Chinyanda met Pamberi in the CBD, where she told the latter that she was seeking to raise $575 to pay the Deputy Sheriff for a writ of execution for a case that was ruled in her favour at the High Court.

It was then stated that on 16 July, Ms Chinyanda met Pamberi outside a boutique in the CBD, where Pamberi asked about her issue that was in the courts. Ms Chinyanda reportedly told Pamberi that the defendant in the issue had paid part of the money owed to her and also made an urgent chamber application at the High Court.

Pamberi is then reported to have told Ms Chinyanda that she had a connection at the High Court, who was able to make a follow up on the case. Pamberi is said to have later phoned Ms Chinyanda, saying that her contact had checked on the file at the court. On 18 July, Pamberi again phoned Ms Chinyanda requesting for a meeting over the issue.

When they met Pamberi told Ms Chinyanda that the said connection had requested
$10 000 in cash, so that he could assist her with the matter. Ms Chinyanda is reported to have told Pamberi that she did not have $10 000 but had $5 000, which she transferred to her bank account.

Pamberi is then alleged to have phoned Ms Chinyanda telling her that she should instruct her lawyer to go to the High Court and apply for a set down over the matter. Ms Chinyanda then requested to meet the alleged contact but Pamberi declined, saying the contact was not at liberty to meet her, assuring her that “all was in order”.

On a later date Pamberi phoned Ms Chinyanda telling her that her contact had not seen any opposing affidavits in the said case. That is when Ms Chinyanda’s suspicions were raised and she demanded her money back, saying that she should write an affidavit acknowledging that she owed her $5 000, which Pamberi refused to do.

On 7 August, Pamberi is alleged to have sent a picture of an RTGs, where she purported to have transferred $2 900 to Ms Chinyanda’s account. However, upon investigations it was revealed that Pamberi had actually not done any transaction of that sort but allegedly forged the document.

Pamberi initially appeared in court on 13 September, with the matter being remanded to 15 October this year. Bulawayo magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya presided over the matter. Pamberi and Tsvangirai were linked after Pamberi’s late husband Jacob Mandeya made an impassioned plea to the MDC leader to stay away from his wife.

Mr Mandeya suspected that Tsvangirai was dating his wife behind his back. Before he died, Mandeya alleged that he suspected that Tsvangirai was having an affair with his wife and had caused untold suffering at his home and traumatised his two daughters.

State Media

Staff Reporter|Chiefs from Masvingo Province have demanded that Government builds new and bigger houses to match the trendy Isuzu Twin Cabs they got from government recently.

The chiefs made the demands to the new Minister of State for Masvingo Province Ezra Chanzamira at a meeting held in the city to familiarise with the chiefs.

The chiefs claimed that it was embarrassing to park the big vehicles at their homes as the two would not match. They also demanded WiFi routers, mobile phone boosters near their homes and an upward review of their salaries.

The chiefs who stepped on each other’s toes with personal demands were Nemauzhe, Chief Murinye, Chief Chitanga and Chief Tshovani.

“We need better houses, we cannot continue dwelling in these ancient structures. When our cars are parked outside neighbours ask if we have rich visitors around because our houses and cars do not complement each other. We need houses that befit our stature and cars,” said Chief Nemauzhe.

“Our allowances do not allow us to fully support our families; the Government promised us a salary increase, we are still waiting for that promise to be fulfilled,” said Chief Tshovani of Chiredzi.

The plea for better allowances was also shared by Chief Nemauzhe, Chief Murinye from Masvingo, Chief Ndanga from Zaka and Chief Negavi from Mwenezi who spoke on behalf of their counterparts from their respective districts.

Chief Murinye bragged about being a lawyer in Harare hence he needed a WiFi at home.”We are in a technological age. Network is a serious issue in some of our areas, we receive messages after climbing up a rock. Network boosters and Wi-Fi routers are a necessity for chiefs in this age, we need to stay up to date and in communication,” said Chief Murinye.

KING DAVID INSPIRES ME..David sang psalms & hymns from the PALACE.He even wrote: “Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works! Glory in His holy name..”
Psalm 105:1-3

— nelson chamisa (@nelsonchamisa) September 30, 2018

MASVINGO – In a wave of new self-centered demands, chiefs from Masvingo Province have demanded that Government builds new and bigger houses to match the trendy Isuzu Twin Cabs they got from tax-payer’s money just before this year’s national elections.

Ironically Government failed to provide the chiefs with fuel to return to their homes after a meeting they held on Friday last week. They were promised that money would be sent in their ecocash accounts later.

The chiefs said it embarrassed them to park the Twin Cabs at their homes because the two don’t match. They also demanded WiFi routers (efficient WiFi routers cost $500 per month), boosters near their homes and an upward review of their salaries.

The chiefs who already have many other benefits including farms and sugarcane plots demanded fresh sugarcane plots at Tugwi-Mukosi Irrigation scheme in Chivi.

The chiefs had been called to a meeting at Benjamin Urombo House in Masvingo to welcome Ezra Chadzamira, the new Minister of State for Masvingo.

While there are some concerns that were raised that could help the people, it was the demands for personal benefits for chiefs that dominated the meeting.

The chiefs who stepped on each other’s toes with personal demands were Nemauzhe, Chief Murinye, Chief Chitanga and Chief Tshovani.

Chief Nemauzhe, real name Nelson Murandu of Chivi pleaded with Chadzamira to refurbish the chief’s houses to complement the latest Isuzu Twin Cabs.

“We need better houses, we cannot continue dwelling in these ancient structures. When our cars are parked outside neighbours ask if we have rich visitors around because our houses and cars do not complement each other. We need houses that befit our stature and cars,” said Chief Nemauzhe.

“Our allowances do not allow us to fully support our families; the Government promised us a salary increase, we are still waiting for that promise to be fulfilled,” said Chief Tshovani of Chiredzi.

The plea for better allowances was also shared by Chief Nemauzhe, Chief Murinye from Masvingo, Chief Ndanga from Zaka and Chief Negavi from Mwenezi who spoke on behalf of their counterparts from their respective districts.

Chief Murinye bragged about being a lawyer in Harare hence he needed a WiFi at home.

“We are in a technological age. Network is a serious issue in some of our areas, we receive messages after climbing up a rock. Network boosters and Wi-Fi routers are a necessity for chiefs in this age, we need to stay up to date and in communication,” said Chief Murinye.

-Masvingo Mirror

RENOWNED United States economist Steve Hanke says Zimbabwe’s annual inflation rate is 69,9%, much higher than the official figure of 4,83%.

“At present, Zimbabwe’s annual inflation rate, by my measure, is 69,9%. I measure the inflation rate daily by using high-frequency data.

“At elevated inflation rates, the method I use, which is based on purchasing power parity (PPP), is very accurate.

“It measures the rate of overall inflation for all goods, services, and assets in Zimbabwe,” Hanke said in emailed responses to Standardbusiness.

“In short, my ‘basket’ includes everything. The PPP methodology, with the application that I use, is recognised in scholarly literature as the most accurate way to measure inflation in ‘high’ inflation countries.”

A paper titled, On the Measurement of Zimbabwe’s Hyperinflation covering the 2008 hyperinflationary period, prepared by Hanke and fellow economist Alex K F Kwok, states the reason this method is preferred is because of lack of inflation data.

Until that data void is closed, a huge mismatch between Zimstat data and changes in the prices of goods will continue to remain.

Addressing Zimbabweans living in the United States at an investment conference meant to lure American investors recently, Finance minister Mthuli Ncube said annual inflation was 6%.

“Inflation has been well behaved hovering between 2% and 6%, currently at about 4%, but we think it may creep up, “he said.

“I was watching the prices last week and I must say we have just hit that 6% mark, but I must say it is reasonable in my view and I do not think we should be able to go above that.”

EDWARD Masendeke, who has been on the run since 2013 in connection with a murder case committed at a bar in Mbizo in Kwekwe has been arrested.

Masendeke (40) was arrested by police detectives after he resurfaced at his elder brother, Elson’s funeral last week. He allegedly assaulted Jonathan Mpofu together with brothers Ernest and the late Elson as well as two other accomplices Walter Mahofa and Justice Mukarati following a misunderstanding in the bar in 2013.

Mpofu died on the spot from the assault. Masendeke appeared before Kwekwe magistrate Mr Storey Rushambwa last week and was remanded in custody to 15 October. He was advised to apply to the High Court for bail.

Allegations are that on 27 March 2013 at about 3am, Masendeke was playing snooker in the company of his two brothers and two other accomplices at Cold Spring Bar at Mbizo 4 Shopping Centre. A misunderstanding ensued between Mpofu and one of the accused leading to a brawl.

The gang then pulled Mpofu outside the bar where they assaulted him with wooden sticks all over the body.

Mpofu died on the spot from the attack. Ernst, Elson, Mahofa and Mukarati were arrested and appeared before the courts where they were released on bail. Edward reportedly fled to South Africa where he had been in hiding until he resurfaced recently, leading to his arrest.

Mr Vincent Chimwenje represented the State while Archibold Madzima of Mutatu and Partners represented Masendeke.

Edward is related to Edmund Masendeke, one of the notorious robbers and murderer to ever live in Zimbabwe during the 1990s.

Meanwhile, a man linked to the gruesome machete attack at the long distance bus terminus in Kwekwe on Saturday appeared before a Kwekwe magistrate facing murder charges last week. Jefta Matambo (43) of Mutsanyamate, Village under Chief Sayi in Gokwe appeared before Mr Rushambwa facing murder charges for attacking Clement Moyo with machetes at the bus terminus. Moyo, who was waiting to board a bus at the terminus, died on the spot after Matambo and his six friends launched an attack on him following a misunderstanding in the terminus toilet. Matambo was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody to 15 October. He was advised to apply for bail at the High Court.

Staff Correspondent|THE Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe’s (AFM) leadership woes continue to mount as top church leaders have been suspended.

The battle to control one of Zimbabwe’s biggest churches rages on, threatening to further split the group.

The church’s general secretary Reverend Amos Madawu communicated that seven top church leaders have since been suspended for violating the church constitution.

The church’s president, Reverend Aspher Madziyire on Wednesday suspended vice-president Reverend Cossum Chiangwa and his allies without salary and benefits.

“AFM Council resolved to suspend without pay and benefits, the church’s deputy president and Harare West province Overseer Rev Chiyangwa, Harare North Overseer Rev Arthur Nhamburo, Harare East Overseer Rev Amon Chinyemba and Ruwa province Overseer Rev Maron Mashumba,” said an internal circular.

Rev Donald Ndoni and Rev Nathan Nhira , we also supsended in terms of SI of 2006 for “conduct inconsistent with the express or implied conditions of their employment”.

Reverends Madziyire, Join Mdlongwa, Rabson Mbedzi, Innocent Murefu, Knowledge Munjeri, Enos Manyika and Munyaradzi Shumba were lifted to be in the committee to fill the vacant posts.

A new documentary film on the Matabeleland and Midlands atrocities soon after Zimbabwe’s independence claims the mass killings were probably plannedplanned before independence.

The film by Bulawayo-based journalist Zenzele Ndebele, titled Gukurahundi Genocide 36 Years Later, was launched in the city last night.

Ndebele interviewed Zapu and Zipra stalwarts, including Dumiso Dabengwa, former dissidents, a former 5th Brigade soldier, victims of rape and a villager who was detained at the Bhalagwe “concentration” camp in Matabeleland South.

Dabengwa said he believed the military campaign targeting the late vice-president Joshua Nkomo’s Zapu supporters was planned by “both Zanu and I want to think the British were involved”.

Dabengwa and other prominent Matabeleland leaders attended the launch of the documentary.

In the film, former Zipra fighter Vincent Hillary Ndlovu, now living in exile, explains how he was hounded out of the national army and ended up as a “dissident”.

He said he operated in Tsholotsho, but was arrested and spent 15 years in jail after he was arrested in Botswana.

Misheck Velaphi, an administrator of the Zipra-owned Nitram Farm, said the alleged arms caches were used as an excuse to deploy the North Korean-trained 5th Brigade by former president Robert Mugabe.

He said both Mugabe and President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was State Security minister at the time, knew the arms belonged to the ANC’s military wing Umkhonto weSizwe.

Velaphi was arrested with Dabengwa and late Zipra commander Lookout Masuku in connection with the arms.

He was the only one who was convicted and sentenced to three years for possession of arms of war.

Velaphi claims Mnangagwa and Mugabe were used by apartheid South Africa to weaken the ANC, which operated side by side with Zapu.

He claimed that there were mass graves in Bulawayo’s Luveve area of ex-Zipra combatants that were killed when the clashes began at Entumbane.

Prior to the launch, Ndebele claimed that he had been harassed by the police who demanded that he must first be cleared by the Censorship Board.

He received support from the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC).

Mnangagwa last week said he would accept any recommendations by the NPRC on how to deal with the Gukurahundi issue after he was asked whether he would apologise by CNN.

Standard

By Paul Nyathi|Residents of Bulawayo went on the rampage in the early hours of Sunday morning damaging several shops and vehicles following a power failure I the middle of a hugely attended South African music group, The Soul Brothers.

Thousands of people of the Mbaqanga music outfit filled up the Large City Hall Car Park to watch the legendary music group perform in the country for the first time since the passing on of lead vocalist David Masondo in 2015.

The group treated the huge number of fans with a thrilling performance that did not show the absence of Masondo.

Trouble started when there was a sudden power failure in the Bulawayo Central Business. Police have not confirmed any arrests.

Jane Mlambo| Deputy Minister of Transport, Advocate FOrtune Chasi has urged the national airline, Air Zimbabwe to optimally use its assets to sustain its operations and stop seeking Government bail-out all the time.

Air Zimbabwe, which is choking in a debt amounting to over $300 million has struggled to remain operational with some of its planes grounded at foreign airports but Chasi said the days of over-reliance on Government are over.

“We are completely unhappy with a situation where the planes are grounded and they are not earning income. We don’t believe that Government must perpetually be putting in money into parastatals when they have assets they must sweat,” he said.

Chasi told state media last week that it is unacceptable for parastatals to struggle for funds when they have grounded aircraft.

Jane Mlambo| Harare Mayor, Councilor Herbert Gomba has hinted that he is mooting opening Morton Jeffray water works to Harare residents so that they can appreciate the work done with the $72 million received from a Chinese loan to refurbish the city’s water infrastructure.

Gomba said contrary to reports that the money was abused by the local authority, the Chinese funder stopped disbursements after a dispute arose over repayment terms.

“I will engage with the director of water to allow residents to visit the treatment works so that they can see for themselves how we put to use the $72 million council received from China,” he said.

Residents’ groups have accused council of supplying contaminated water and in some areas not being able to supply at all.

The election dispute between President Emmerson Mnangagwa, and MDC leader Nelson Chamisa will derail the country’s chances of moving forward, outgoing British ambassador to Zimbabwe Catriona Laing has said.

Speaking to journalists at Munhumutapa Offices soon after meeting acting President Kembo Mohadi, Laing beseeched the presidium to work towards ensuring that all stakeholders’ voices are heard.
This comes at a time when Mnangagwa is under pressure to accommodate Chamisa — his rival in the July 30 elections — who has insisted that he is the legitimately-elected president despite losing his electoral challenge at the Constitutional Court (Con-Court).

“There have been many positive changes but there are still some huge changes ahead. We talked about the elections and the positive steps around peaceful elections and the high turnout but also some concerns that the playing field is not completely even and the fact that the opposition has not accepted the results creates some challenges for Zimbabwe in terms of coming together as a country and moving forward,” said Laing.

Chamisa, who polled 44, 3 percent of the vote, losing to Mnangagwa who garnered 50, 6 percent, challenged the victory in the Con-Court, claiming the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission rigged the elections.

Although the Con-Court threw out his challenge and upheld Mnangagwa’s win, observers insist the Zanu PF frontman still suffers a legitimacy crisis.
To get the country’s economy to work again, there have been calls for the two leaders to find common ground.

While Mnangagwa, who is currently in the United States – attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York –has revealed that he is ready to accept Chamisa as the official opposition leader, his rival has rejected the arrangement, throwing the whole plan into disarray.

The European Union and Britain have particularly been linked to behind-the-scenes manoeuvres to get Mnangagwa to recognise Chamisa as the official opposition leader in order to placate the youthful politician who is refusing to accept the poll outcome.

Currently, the country is experiencing serious problems that include foreign currency and cash shortages.

Prices of basics are shooting through the roof and the bond note is fast losing value, owing to inflated exchange rates on the black market.
The unemployment rate, believed to be over 85 percent, continues to increase, as companies are facing serious viability problems.

“I urged the acting president to try and ensure that everybody’s voice is heard in Zimbabwe. He, of course, has an important role to play as the person responsible for National Peace and Reconciliation Commission. He updated me on the work that is planned and we are very supportive and encouraging that process,” Laing told journalists on Thursday.

Zimbabwe has been facing serious problems, owing to divisions based on political and tribal lines.
From the Gukurahundi massacres, where at least 20 000 civilians were killed, observers say nothing meaningful has been done to bridge the political and tribal gaps, which aspects have been militating against unity and the general growth of the country.

Since then, there have been allegations of political violence by the ruling party against the opposition, especially after the formation of the MDC in 1999.
Only recently, at least six people were shot dead by the army, following protests that took place in Harare on August 1, 2018.

Mnangagwa has since sworn in a seven-member commission of inquiry to look into events that led to the deaths.

It is headed by former South African president Kgalema Motlanthe.
“We will also be following very closely the work of the commission of inquiry into the tragic events of August 1. We are encouraged that the commission of inquiry has been sworn in and there are very eminent people on that commission and we will be watching closely and look forward to seeing the results published and recommendations acted upon,” Laing said.

Meanwhile, Chamisa – through his spokesperson – has called for national dialogue with Zanu PF and other stakeholders to repair the current economic and political mayhem.

Nkululeko Sibanda, the spokesperson for the MDC leader, said his boss has a five-point plan capable of improving the country’s fortunes if implemented.

“We have a five-point plan for a national dialogue that would help boost confidence in our political processes and in our economy; the problem is if Mnangagwa does not listen,” said Sibanda.

“The five-point plan is well thought and aimed at easing the economy and I think Mnangagwa will be well advised to think about that because what is coming and what is happening right now is a total disaster”.

He said in order to move the country forward elections should produce a legitimate result that cannot be disputed, adding that independent commissions must be reviewed to make sure that they are entirely autonomous.

Sibanda said the capture of State institutions by sections of the military and government is contributing to the economic meltdown because it scares away investors.

Chamisa’s spokesperson spoke as Zanu PF’s secretary for legal affairs Paul Mangwana has highlighted that Mnangagwa is open for dialogue.

“Mnangagwa wants to speak to every Zimbabwean who means well for this country. If Chamisa means well for this country, the door is open for him to have dialogue with the president.

“Zimbabwe is not owned by one political party or by one individual, anyone who can add value to the well-being of our country is welcome to the table,” said Mangwana this week.

He said Chamisa should follow the proper channels for dialogue.

“I do not know how the approach will be, he has indicated that he wants dialogue, I’m sure he knows the channels used to reach out.

“The attitude of president Mnangagwa is very simple, every Zimbabwean who means well for this country should come to the table, the time for politicking and campaignis over we are now running a country,” he said. – Daily News

Staff Reporter|Local football giants Dynamos hold very high chances of finding themselves relegated from the country’s elite soccer league.

The now glamourless Glamour Boys lost a crucial encounter against FC Platinum on Saturday by two goals to nil in Zvishavane pushing the former champions to just one point above the relegation zone.

Staff Correspondent|A high school principal allegedly told her female students that the length of their skirt and shorts made male teachers ‘uncomfortable’.

Furious students from Francis Greenway High in northern New South Wales, were told to change into longer shorts because their current shorts or skirts could put males in an ‘awkward situation’, the Newcastle Herald reported.

Female students from years eight to 11 were called into a meeting with the school’s principal, Jo Edwards, who allegedly said their length of skirt could attract unwanted attention.

After the meeting, 20 students were sent home from school, while other students spent the day feeling victimised after the conversation.

The parents of the public school are now calling for a change in leadership after female students felt ‘ashamed’, ‘targeted’ and ‘worthless’.

Mrs Edwards allegedly told female students the length of their shorts and skirt could lead to the girls being categorised as provocative and may put them at risk of being sexually assaulted.

Parents have now bound together to broach the topic with claims the principal was ‘victim blaming’ and should be kicked from the job.

Kerri Field was shocked when her daughter Alexis came home from the school assembly.

‘The principal proceeded to have a talk about the uniform which then turned to how the male teachers feel uncomfortable with girls in such short shorts and the boys are distracted,’ Mrs Field told Daily Mail Australia.

‘Alexis wore trackie pants to avoid anyone wanting to measure her. I’m happy with the sports shorts she normally wears, they are not too short and have the modesty lining inside them so nothing is ever visible,’ Mrs Field said.

‘I feel disgusted, because we are trying to empower those girls,’ Mrs Field added.

Another concerned mother said the tone of the assembly was ‘not appropriate for impressionable young teenagers’.

‘We don’t have a problem with the school wanting to enforce the uniform policy. But the whole way they’ve gone about it was wrong – making these children feel like every male is looking at them like they want to do something to them.

‘It sexualises them,’ she told the Newcastle Herald.

Since the meeting, students have said they want the principal to apologise for the comments.

Sufiya Walks, who is a student at the school said the comments were derogative.

‘We feel anger, frustration – girls are worried what our male teachers and students are thinking. We should be feeling safe in school, not threatened. We’ve been treated like objects, not people,’ Miss Walks said.

In a statement to the Daily Mail Australia, Francis Greenway High said, ‘The principal has reiterated the importance of students wearing the correct uniform to school according to the policy endorsed by the school community.

‘It was not her intention to reflect on the character of students addressed earlier, and she has apologised if her choice of words caused offence. The Principal did not refer to rape in connection with the issue.

‘The school takes great pride in its uniform and recognises that the school community sees it as important to the school.’

HARARE mayor Herbert Gomba has challenged government to avail funds towards decongesting Harare roads, saying the situation was unattainable, with traffic accidents now rampant.

Speaking after touring road rehabilitation programmes in the city, Gomba said government should help the local authority deal with potholes and decongest traffic through the construction of traffic circles and flyovers.

“We have projects that ought to be financed by government. We are appealing to the Ministry of Transport to assist,” he said.

“I am talking about the project to decongest the Mbudzi roundabout, government should play ball and ensure that we have a flyover so that traffic, be it commercial or private that would be in transit, does not mix with the local vehicles. We are losing business because of this congestion.”

The mayor visited road constructions works in Budiriro, Gaydon and at Mbudzi roundabout, and was accompanied by senior council officials and various contractors.

Since end of last year, council has embarked on road rehabilitation programmes with a target budget of $13 million mainly within the central business district.

Now the programme has been moved to residential areas, where roads have become impassable due to potholes.

“This project is part of our 100-day plan. These projects we are funding them from our own resources and we have opened talks with Zinara [Zimbabwe National Roads Administration], banks and other capital developers so that we could give our city life. Harare should be Harare again and we are committed to that,” Gomba said.

“We are saying government should also come to the party and help us. This is our city.”

Council wants to spend at least $5 million and hopes that Zinara would bring in more funds to ensure that roads in residential areas are usable, while street lighting and other amenities are in place.

“We are not going to be cry-babies, but we shall start to do something while we lobby for more funds from government because it is the people who should enjoy the money they pay to Zinara,” Gomba said.

At least 800 000 vehicles drive through Harare City Council’s 4 000km road network daily, with 80% of the road network said to be in a bad state.

Council has been lamenting that of the 800 000 licensed motor vehicles that move around Harare, the city could raise $10 million per quarter or $40 million per year, if it was allowed to collect vehicle licence fees directly.

Harare is among several cities and towns lobbying central government to allow them to collect vehicle licence fees.

Newsday

An explosion which rocked Gweru Rural Police Station last week, sending tremors across the central business district, was caused by a suspected war time anti-tank mine planted inside the station.

According to a memorandum from the police, the explosion, which occurred at the police station at the corner of Leopold Takawira Road and Eighth Street uprooted a huge tree and left several vehicles’ windscreens shattered.

It also affected surrounding buildings.

It is suspected that the anti-tank mine could either have been buried or planted during the liberation struggle.

“This memorandum serves to put on record circumstances surrounding the explosion,” reads part of the memorandum. “Circumstances are that on September 27 at around 1000hrs, Master Ndirwo (46), a general hand at ZRP Gweru Rural Police station was burning litter which was in a rubbish pit near the perimeter fence of the police station.

“The pit is about 25 metres from the charge office. At around 1445hrs, Ndirwo went to put out the fire that had spread out of the pit towards the fence. When he was about four meters towards the pit, an explosion occurred in the direction of the pit.

“He managed to flee from the scene unhurt.”

Zimbabwe National Army engineers attended the scene and suspected that the explosion was a result of an anti-tank mine because of the magnitude of the explosion’s impact which uprooted a big jacaranda tree stump and shook nearby buildings.

“There were no fragments of the anti-tank at the blast scene,” reads part of the memorandum. “The explosion could have been a result of the heat generated by fire and sun. They also stated that the anti-tank mine has no life span, that is, it remains armed as long as it has not exploded.

“Seven cars, which were parked along 8th Street closer to the scene had their windscreens and door glasses shattered by fragments from the uprooted tree stump. Ceiling paint of the charge office peeled off as a result of the tremor. Five roofing tiles at Lutheran Church situated about 120 meters from the scene were hit by fragments from the blast and fell inside the church.

“Heritage Housing Project building situated along 8th Street, about 30 metres from the scene had some of its windows shattered,”

Acting Midlands police provincial spokesperson Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende said she was still to receive details of the explosion.

Correspondent|$2 million Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermès edition landed at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare on Friday – the second inside two months.

The supercar, whose owner is as unknown yet, arrived shortly after 3.30PM aboard a KLM cargo flight from the Netherlands.

Bugatti says on its website that this particular Bugatti, first released in 2008, is “highly exclusive”. Just 40 were manufactured.

In August, a Bugatti Veyron by Mansory Vivere Diamond Edition was delivered to Harare – then said to be the only one in Southern Africa.

The $3,5 million car, owned by Zunaid Moti, the controversial chrome miner and associate of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, was registered in Zimbabwe before being flown to South Africa.

The delivery drew condemnation from Zimbabweans who accused the businessman, currently in jail in Germany awaiting extradition to Russia on fraud charges, of flaunting obscene wealth in a sea of poverty.

Zimbabweans will be urgently seeking the identity of the owner of the latest Bugatti to land in Harare, a city currently in the grips of a cholera outbreak and a developing economic crisis marked by rising prices and foreign currency shortages.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2JxaaHqOYU

A suspected anti-tank mine exploded at Gweru Rural Police Station on Thursday, shattering windows of buildings and wind shields of several vehicles parked nearby.

According to a leaked police internal memo gleaned by Southern Eye, at around 10am, Master Ndirwo (46), a general hand at ZRP Gweru Rural Police Station, was burning litter in a rubbish pit near the perimeter fence of the station.

At around 2:45pm, Ndirwo went to put out the fire that had spread out off the pit towards the fence.

“When he was about four metres towards the pit, an explosion occurred in the direction of the pit. He managed to flee from the scene unhurt,” the memo read.

“The scene was attended to by both DUB [duty uniform branch] and Police Criminal Investigations Department details. The Zimbabwe national engineers for Midlands province were summoned. The army engineers suspected that the explosion was a result of an anti-tank mine owing to the following observations: a big jacaranda tree stump was uprooted, the magnitude of the explosion which shook nearby buildings, the fact that there were no fragments of the anti-tank at the blast scene and the explosion could have been a result of the heat generated by fire and sun.”

The memo said an anti-tank mine remains lethal as long as it has not exploded.

“Seven cars which were parked along 8th Street closer to the scene had their windscreens and door glasses shattered by fragments from the uprooted tree stump,” the memo said.

“During the time of scene attendance, the following vehicles were still present: A Toyota Corolla — rear windscreen was shattered and a Ford Bantum — front windscreen was shattered and a Nissan Elgrand had a shattered front windscreen.”

The memo said some nearby buildings were affected by the tremor caused by the explosion, including the charge office.

“Five roofing tiles of Lutheran Church situated about 120 metres from the scene were hit by fragments from the blast and fell inside the church. Heritage Housing Project building situated along 8th Street about 30 metres from the scene had some of its windows shattered and the value of the damage is yet to be established. No one was injured following the blast,” the police said.

“It is suspected that the anti-tank mine could either have been buried or planted during the liberation struggle. The explosion could have been ignited by the heat emanating from the rubbish pit, which is about four metres from the point of blast.”

Midlands police spokesperson Inspector Ethel Mukwende referred questions to her superiors in Harare.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday confirmed the blast, but said they were still carrying out investigations.

“What I can confirm is that a general hand was burning litter at a rubbish pit and in the process, there was an explosion, which the police are still conducting investigations with a view to establishing what transpired. Once we get to the bottom of the matter, we will apprise members of the public,” he said. –

PRICES of basic commodities, among other crucial daily requirements like fuel, have continued to skyrocket, with the Grain Millers’ Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) warning that the cost of bread is likely to go up again from the current $1,10 if government does not urgently respond positively to their wheat import subsidy request.

Following President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s re-election on July 30, which the opposition MDC Alliance is challenging, prices of basic commodities have continued to skyrocket amid indications that the hikes are in response to the instability on the parallel foreign currency market.

While government insists that the bond note, which was introduced as a stop-gap measure following the disappearance of United States dollars on the formal market, has the same value with the greenback, on the streets, it is pegged at between $180 and $190 against US$100 on the informal market.

GMAZ this week warned of another bread price hike owing to the low wheat supply, with chairperson Tafadzwa Musarara on Thursday saying this could only be averted if government accedes to their request for a subsidy.

“We have requested for a subsidy of $50 per tonne from government and for the bakers to get $7 million per month for them to buy other ingredients other than flour so that the bread price comes down to $1. We are still waiting for a response. We submitted our request just before the new Cabinet was appointed,” Musarara said.

The price of bread recently went up to $1,10 due to the low supply of wheat, a situation further compounded by high operational costs and foreign currency shortages to purchase other raw materials.

Bakers argue the cost of production of bread keeps going up, leaving them with no choice, but to increase its price.

Reports say the price of wheat has in the past 90 days increased by about 10% from $375 per metric tonne to $415.

Wheat and fuel are products that are on the priority list of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe in terms of allocation of foreign currency.

Musarara said the $1,10 bread price was untenable and would result in the product disappearing from shop shelves unless the price is further increased or government intervenes.

“And while we are waiting for that intervention to happen, we are now facing two tough choices: one, if we maintain the prices, bread will not be available, and two, if we increase the prices, the product will be available and we felt that increasing prices is a better devil (because) at least the product is available while other interventions happen,” Musarara said.

Nearly the prices of all basic commodities such as mealie-meal, meat, soap, toiletries, rice, sugar and vegetables are spiralling out of control due to a currency crisis fuelled by foreign currency shortages.

NewsDay

Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo is failing to cope with the high number of maternity patients resulting in some of the expecting and new mothers sleeping on the floor, a situation described as deplorable by Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo.

Hospital authorities say this is a result of the scrapping of maternity fees by Government at public hospitals which has seen all patients flocking to Mpilo without referral from council clinics which continue to charge maternity fees.

Patients on the other hand, say the situation may escalate maternal mortality in the country.
An average of seven women die while giving birth in Zimbabwe weekly.
The country’s maternal mortality rate stands at 614 deaths per every 100 000 live births and remains one of the highest in the region.

The World Health Organisation defines maternal mortality as the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes.

Speaking at the Mpilo Hospital 60th anniversary celebrations yesterday, the hospital’s chief executive officer, Mr Leornard Mabandi, said the institution was overwhelmed with the high number of expectant mothers turning up.

“The hospital is complying with the policy of removal of user fees for pregnant women who present themselves to our institution. The numbers are overwhelming and we are failing to cope. Now there are over 1 000 pregnant women on the waiting list to book for Ante Natal Care (ANC) services,” said Mr Mabandi.

He said deliveries had moved from an average of 25 to close to 40 per day since the scrapping of the fees. “Infection control is now a challenge to manage as we now experience floor beds. There is no longer space to waste. We are not advocating for the removal of the policy but strengthening of the referral system” said Mr Mabandi.

Dr Moyo, who attended the Mpilo celebrations, said the situation was unacceptable and had to be collectively rectified.

“I was shocked today when we visited the ward, we had patients who were sleeping on the floor, mothers who had delivered, on the floors. We have floor beds all over the place, we have congestion and that is unacceptable. We have to improve that and ensure that we look after our patients properly,” he said.

Dr Moyo said the new dispensation was working on improving the health care system in the country, hence his visit to Mpilo Central Hospital.

“The situation there is deplorable. I don’t blame the staff but it’s something which we all have to work towards improving,” he said.

Turning to developments at the hospital, Mr Mabandi said the institution requires high level diagnostic and treatment equipment and the 10 theatres that have been renovated lack equipment like anaesthetic machines and other relevant gadgets which have affected their performance.

“Our suppliers fail to deliver when we engage them and cite foreign currency as their biggest hurdle. We are hoping this area will improve in the new dispensation and our patients will smile all the way to the theatres and radiology services,” he said.

Mr Mabandi said Mpilo Central Hospital faces a critical shortage of specialists as there are no cardiologists, dermatologists, among others and patients have to be referred to Harare.

In terms of infrastructure, he said, efforts have continued to be made to renovate wards.

Mr Mabandi said the hospital’s management was grateful for the support they receive from Government, the community, corporate world, religious organisations and individuals in their endeavours to have a meaningful health delivery system.- state media

THOUSANDS of people are expected to gather at Phelandaba Stadium in Gwanda for the fourth edition of the Gwanda International Gospel Music Festival (GIGMF) taking place next week.

Takesure Zamar, Mathias Mhere, Vocal Ex and Indosakusa are among the local artistes expected to perform.

The GIGMF organised by Big Time Strategic Group will be held from October 5 to 7 under the theme, “The Walls of Jericho Did Fall”.
Entrance is free.

South Africa Spirit of Praise duo of Pastor Neyi Zimu and Omega, as well as Thinah Zungu will take turns to minister to the people of God at the festival.

The festival is the brainchild of Big Time Strategic Group CEO Justice Maphosa who grew up in Gwanda before moving to South Africa to build his empire.

Addressing members of the media in Bulawayo yesterday, Alson Darikayi, Big Time group corporate affairs director, said this year’s festival was meant to celebrate that the walls of limitation on Zimbabwe have fallen.

“Our theme this year is quite foretelling especially as we work towards rebuilding the economy of our beautiful nation, Zimbabwe. We believe the walls of limitation that have kept the nation of Zimbabwe stagnant are tumbling as we lift our praise to the Mighty Man of War – Jehovah. Zimbabwe shall rise again,” said Darikayi.

He said the GIGMF was the place to be for gospel music lovers who prefer to “experience” live music while ‘reclining’ in the sweet presence of the living God.

“Once again, we’ll gather in Gwanda to give praise to the living God because He is absolutely deserving. We consider this as a calling and our desire has always been that Gwanda becomes an altar for the nation of Zimbabwe where people from all parts of the country converge to call on God free of charge.”

This year’s line-up, Darikayi said, features a diverse range of gospel music heavyweights from either side of the Limpopo River.

“We’re excited to have this year’s line-up of gospel artistes with a genuine hunger for God and a deep inclination to worship Him. Our desire is to see the banner of God lifted high as we passionately praise and worship Him.”

“As a way of empowering young people in Zimbabwe, we have roped in three youthful groups — Hybrid Psalmz from Gwanda and Vocal Ex co-founded by Eric Moyo of Joyous Celebration. For Iscathamiya fans, we have Indosakusa, who recently released their sizzling 13-track album.

“Such is the diversity of this year’s festival,” said Darikayi.

Since the country is on high alert in terms of cholera, when asked about measures they are putting in place to curb an outbreak, Darikayi said: “We’re fully aware that there’s a cholera outbreak in the country. We’ve been working in consultation with the relevant health authorities to monitor the situation.

“Also, we’ve put points around the stadium with sanitizers and more than adequate ablution facilities in terms of mobile toilets.”

The festival attracts nearly 40 000 people annually.

Compared to previous editions where tonnes of equipment were imported into the country for the staging of the festival locally, Darikayi said they had contracted Harare’s Event Solutions to provide sound, lighting and stage equipment.

“This is part of our drive to empower the local service providers. Our technical team was meticulous in choosing Event Solutions as they came to Zimbabwe from South Africa and canvased for the best here.

“So from six service providers who were shortlisted, they chose Event Solutions. They have the capacity to bring the best sound and experience for the size of Phelandaba Stadium,” said Darikayi.

SA gospel queen Rebecca Malope was turned away from the border twice because her papers were not in order, but this time, Darikayi said all artistes had been cleared.

“Everyone has been cleared by the relevant authorities. We learnt from our mistakes and we’ll do better this year as we’ve done our homework.”

Manicaland has so far recorded 4 cholera deaths.

Three of the four people who died are from Buhera and one is from Makoni district.

The province has recorded 170 suspected cases of cholera and 17 cases have been confirmed.

All the cases are suspected to have been caused by people who recently visited areas in Harare where the epidemic started.

Speaking during a Manicaland Provincial Development Committee meeting held in Mutare, Manicaland Provincial Administrator Mr Edgar Seenza raised concern over the alarming rate of the increased cholera cases in the province.

“Cholera cases are on the rise in the province with Buhera recording the highest number of cases. We are trying to make sure that cholera does not spread throughout the province. We have banned all public gatherings and we are urging people to practice good hygiene. We also want council to provide safe drinking water to places that do not have access to clean water. We also call upon our development partners to assist with safe drinking water,” said Mr Seenza.

Mr Seenza also raised concern over the high numbers of school drop outs in the province indicating that Manicaland has the highest number of school drop outs and highlighted that it was due to mostly early child marriages amongst other factors like poverty.

He also implored for stiffer penalties to perpetrators of environmental degradation after pointing out the increased cases of veld fires in the province.

“We cannot continue complaining about veld fires without acting on it. Drastic measures should be put in place to deter people from committing the same offences,” Mr Seenza added.

The provincial development meeting was aimed at reviewing the progress that different stakeholders in the province have made during the 2018 3rd quarter.

Zbc News online

Own Correspondent|ZANU PF youths have hauled over the coals, party legislator and lawyer Jonathan Samukange for offering his legal services to former party rival Saviour Kasukuwere who is being accused of corruption.

“We have been inaudited with questions about Mr Samkange’s political standing and we will continue to seek answers to those questions,” said the party’s Youth League in a statement Thursday.

Kasukuwere is a former Zanu PF political commissar who was among a handful top officials who were elbowed out of the party when then Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa orchestrated a coup against the now former President Robert Mugabe and his G40 backers November last year.

He has since been dragged to court on four counts of abuse of office charges.

However, Mudzi South MP, Samukange has infuriated the party’s youth wing through offering his services to the former Local Government Minister.

Said the youth league, “It is morally and politically irreprehensible for him (Samukange) to stand up and associate himself with our President and First Secretary while at the same time fighting to release those, we as a party led by HE are fighting to end corruption.”

Kasukuwere appeared in court early this week and is out on $3 000 bail.

But Zanu PF youths find everything wrong with Samukange over alleged attempts to throw spanners in the wake of a party bid to fight corruption as enunciated in its 2018 election manifesto.

They insist they will not sit idle and watch an MP who was elected on the same principles turning around to defend someone accused of corruption, even so, a party enemy.

“Fighting corruption is one of the stated objectives of the party as stated by our campaign manifesto and he, Cde Samkange ran with that manifesto too or perhaps he didn’t,” said the youths.

“Now that we have a person arrested under same charges, for him to actually represent and defend corrupt people or people arrested on corruption does bring into question not only his personal credibility but his political and moral standing.

“We castigated opposition members such as Job Sikhala for representing former Zanu PF members arrested on graft charges, not because we wanted to see them in jail but because we argued it doesn’t not make sense to stand in Parliament and in public and accuse one of being corrupt and then go to court and represent him against same charges.

“So now, as we hereby do, we demand that Mr Samukange state where he stands politically, what his principles and allegiance are.

“It now looks like we arrest people with our left hand and release them with our right hand, and that does not look good at all.

“He must come out in the open and say if he isn’t for Zanu PF and certainly not for our fight against corruption. It’s morally and politically irreprehensible for him to be representing such people and how does it look to the world?

Samukange has insisted his controversial client was “innocent until proven guilty” hence he had the right to be represented by anyone, including himself.

Former Zanu PF Highfield West MP Psychology Maziwisa has approached the High Court seeking to sell one of his properties registered in his son’s name to foot school fees for the minor child.

In the application, Maziwisa, who cited the Master of the High Court as the respondent, also said that he wants to dispose of the Tynwald property in order to buy a smaller one.

According to court papers, Maziwisa is seeking the appointment of Pamellah Musimwa as a legal representative for the 12-year-old boy, born on June 19, 2006.

“I am the biological father of the minor child (name withheld) … The minor’s mother is Thandeka Zimu, a South African citizen, whose supporting affidavit is accompanying this application. In 2006, I purchased a piece of land being stand number 14063 Tynwald Township of stand number 12 891 Tynwald Township for our minor child, which property is registered in the said minor’s name…

“I now seek to sell and dispose of this property in order to purchase a smaller and cheaper property for the minor as I require the extra funds…to contribute towards (the child)’s education and other expenses,” he said.

He added that he approached the Justice for Children and requested for the appointment of a legal representative, who will ensure that the sale of the property will be in the best interest of the minor child.

“It is just, desirable and in the best interests of my child that the appointment of Pamellah Musimwa as curator ad litem in respect of (the child) be confirmed to enable the matter to proceed,” he said.

Musimwa, who is a legal officer at Justice for Children, also filed a supporting affidavit, accepting her appointment as the minor child’s legal representative.

“I confirm and verify that I am prepared to accept such appointment as curator ad litem on such terms and conditions as this honourable court may deem fit and appropriate and I will make myself available for attendance before this honourable court if for any reason the court wishes to inquire as to my suitability as curator ad litem,” she said.

The Master of the High Court has not yet responded to the application filed on Wednesday.

DailyNews

Correspondent|Harare City Council (HCC) is mulling setting up a tollgate along Harare Drive to generate revenue that would be channelled towards road maintenance.

Council engineer Gilbert Munyonga said the city fathers are not anticipating any resistance, saying residents appreciate high quality products considering how they will benefit from e-tolling.

“Knowing Harare residents, they do not go for cheap things or for poor quality. Once you put something of poor quality, even for a stop gap measure, you will see they will talk about it,” he said.

“When they want something of high quality, by virtue of being high quality people, I think they should be in a position to sustain that kind of lifestyle, and the only way to do that in the roads sector is to pay road user charges,” added Munyonga.

Mayor Herbert Gomba said residents will be engaged to make them realise the importance of road rehabilitation and to dissuade them from dodging the tollgate.

“It’s only a question of talking to our people, engaging them and making them aware of the importance of financing the road rehabilitation programme. It’s going to be citizen participation in the governance of the city,” said Gomba.

HCC has already completed the construction of a roundabout at the Gaydon and Harare Drive intersection.

Council has also partnered with Bitumen World in refurbishing more roads and roundabouts around Harare to control traffic within the next five years.

DailyNews

CHINA has downplayed and rejected the oft-repeated charge that it is building a colonial empire in Africa in the same way European powers did in the 19th century, blaming Western countries for lying to the world that it was stripping poor countries of their national assets when they fail to clear debts owed to the Asian economic powerhouse.

China — Africa’s biggest trading partner — has frequently been accused of pursuing a predatory, unethical resource-driven colonialism which included extracting the continent’s mineral wealth at knockdown prices to propel its economic growth.

Criticism grew in the aftermath of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (Focac) summit which saw African heads of state trooping to Beijing early this month, where they were promised US$60 billion worth of loans to support development projects in their countries for the next three years.

This is despite the fact that many countries, including Zimbabwe, have failed to repay loans and rrears extended to them under a previous facility of the same value.

Reports that China was seizing a national airport in Zambia and claiming a 60% stake in the Zambian state broadcaster as a way of recovering the loans have triggered global outrage. Zambian information minister Dora Siliya later denied the reports.

Zimbabweans have similar concerns after it emerged that Harare owes Beijing upwards of US$300 million in arrears from previous loans.

The news of China taking over Sri Lanka’s strategic port and 15 000 hectares of land on a 99-year lease recently also raised questions and debate on the African continent about the kind of agreements African presidents are signing with China.

Fearing the worst, the South African parliament, led by the minority leader from the Democratic Alliance (DA) Mmusi Maimane, demanded to know from President Cyril Ramaphosa terms of Eskom’s US$2,4 billion loan with the Chinese Development Bank. Maimane gave President Ramaphosa 14 days to table the terms in parliament “in the interest of openness and transparency.” Eskom is South Africa’s electricity public utility.

Amid raging tempers, a senior diplomat from the Chinese Embassy in Harare this week dismissed reports of Beijing’s new conolial agenda as propaganda peddled by Western countries rattled by the Asian giant’s dominance on the African market.

In a detailed briefing, the diplomat told the Zimbabwe Independent in an interview on Wednesday China has no plans to seize any Zimbabwean assets despite the country failing to settle arears. He also said the loan deals did not involve host countries mortgaging their resources to China.

“In the case of Zimbabwe, there is no mortgage of resources for now between China and Zimbabwe, and we never force any conditions on any country. We are equal, we are brothers and sisters,” he said.

“Zimbabwe has debts and arrears to China, have we seized any assets? We have never done that. I can tell you, we will never seize assets from Zimbabwe, although there are arrears to China. We provided loans to Zimbabwe and many other African countries. I admit the debt burden is increasing, but we never seize assets. What should be done is that if you borrow loans, you put them to good use such as invest in infrastructure and you develop the economy. If you get loans and you squander the money on consumption, and you have no projects and the economy does not develop, that is terrible. Good investments will mean that you are able to repay the loans. We have full confidence that if you wisely invest and come up with good policies and bankable projects, in two or three years, you will be able to clear the loans,” he added.

Western powers, the diplomat said, were spreading false information to tarnish China’s image.

“We never seized the port in Sri Lanka, how can we do that? We never do that. That information came from the opposition parties in Sri Lanka and some Western countries that do not want to see us developing very close relations with our neighbouring countries because, if we go there, our influence will be expanding to the Indian Ocean and they feel threatened. So they always try to create stories. Here in Africa, it is the same thing. Since 2015, we have provided US$120 billion to finance operations in African countries.

Africa and China have become closer; they (Westerners) are afraid of us. They can not sleep and therefore they create all kinds of stories.

“Zambian leaders and South African president have both refuted the allegations, saying China has never had any such debt-trap diplomacy. They are jealous of our co-operation and they always want to create a sense of fear between China and Africa. We have to take care of our relations jealously.

“They say that we want to use the loans to colonise Africa. They came here with guns and clerics and their companies. I know what they did in Zimbabwe; they occupied the land; they cheated King Lobengula into signing concessions and they killed a lot of people.

Then they say the Chinese are colonialists. I am a little bit curious; do Chinese come here with guns, do Chinese kill a lot of Zimbabweans, many Africans, do Chinese ship a lot of Africans to South America, North America, to work as slaves? I raise these questions. Have we launched attacks against one North African country and seized a head of state and killed him? Do we send any fighter planes to any African country, have we launched any missiles? In Sudan, they launched a missile at one pharmaceutical company. We have never done that, so who are the colonialists here? I think it is very clear that they always want to create trouble between us.

“They are scared, that is why they are creating fake news. We will never give up. We will never accept being bullied. We are not afraid of anyone. Success is in our hands and even some of their intellectuals have agreed that China is advancing. We call upon them to lift sanctions and provide more loans to Zimbabwe without any conditions or political strings attached and help the Zimbabwean people to develop,” he said.

In his address to Zimbabweans based in the United States where he is attending the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting this week, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said there was no risk that the country would fall into a Chinese debt trap since it was attracting self-financing investments.

Independent

The opposition MDC Alliance has alleged that President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s trip to the 73rd United Nations General Assembly was full of lies and misrepresentations.

Full statement by MDC National Deputy Spokesperson Bekhithemba Mpofu on the trip reads as follows:

The MDC is irked by Mnangagwa’s misrepresentation of the Zimbabwean situation in front of the whole world in a shameless attempt to sugar coat his limited capacity.

MDC Information Department

Jane Mlambo| The opposition MDC has described President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s trip to the United Nations General Assembly as ‘shameless and full of lies’ accusing the newly sworn in leader of embarrassing himself and the country over his remarks that Zimbabwe’s Gross Domestic Product per capita rose to $1500 in the first 7 months of his reign.

In a statement released this afternoon, MDC National Deputy Spokesperson Bekhithemba Mpofu, accused Mnangagwa and Finance Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube of using unofficial figures to score cheap political gains.

“In New York Mnangagwa lied with a straight face that GDP per capita in Zimbabwe rose to $1500 in the first 7 months of his reign of shame. Zimbabwe’s per capital income is $890 according to the United Nations’ country statistics.

“The African Development Bank places it at $840 while the World Bank using the Atlas method places per capita income at $840,” said Mpofu.

He added that Mnangagwa could have saved himself embarrassment by using official figures from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

“In May of 2017 while he was still the vice president, he claimed that Zimbabwean banks were seating on US$9 billion with no viable projects to fund.

“In its latest report on the banking sector at the time, the RBZ had released information to the effect that only US$6 billion was in the banking sector,” added Mpofu.

He also blasted Prof Mthuli Ncube of mismatching figures in his address to the Zimbabwe Investor Forum on the side-lines of the General Council.

“His Finance Minister Prof Mthuli Ncube seems to be learning fast, he also lied and mismatched figures while addressing the Zimbabwe Investor Forum on the sidelines of the General Council.

“He overstated statistics on the ZSE’s cumulative return since March 2009 to 2000% whose variance to the actual 600% return is just too much of an irreconcilable gap.

“Then in a clear sign of selling his soul and committing integrity suicide, Ncube supported Mnangagwa’s claim to create a medium income economy of $3500 GDP per Capita by 2030. This cannot be reconciled with Mthuli’s projections of 6% annual growth rates.

“Achieving the above per capita income by 2030 will require an average growth rate of 11% considering population growth does not go beyond 16 Million,” added Mpofu.