THE Kgalema Motlanthe-led commission of inquiry into the August 1 post-election violence has found its home at a Harare hotel, with permanent secretary in the Ministry of Justice Virginia Mabiza serving as its secretary.

Through a notice, Mabiza invited members of the public with relevant information relating to the August 1 violence that left at least seven dead, to contact the commission at its offices or submit emails through a Gmail account.

“In order to assist the commission to make fair and appropriate findings, we hereby call upon members of the public with relevant information which may be of assistance to the Commission of Inquiry to submit written submissions with contact details to the secretariat at office number 136 Cresta Lodge, Samora Machel Avenue, Harare or email [email protected],” the notice read.

Mabiza said the submissions transmitted to the commission through her, would be protected and that the safety of witnesses would be guaranteed.

“The submissions to the commission will be protected by law and will be received on a ‘without prejudice’ basis. Necessary measures have been put in place to guarantee the safety and protection of potential witnesses,” she said.

A member of the commission, Lovemore Madhuku defended the location of the secretariat, saying this was the trend worldwide to operate from hotels as this was not a permanent commission.

He said Mabiza was appointed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in line with the law to run the secretariat.

“She was not appointed by the commission, but by the President in line with the law. It should be someone who can be able to provide secretariat services since this is being funded by the government,” Madhuku said.

Not sure if l should call you Captains of Industry because l am not sure if there is something to captain at the moment – Dairibord CEO Anthony Mandiwanza to other CEOs at #CZICongress18

— C.E Mambo ?? (@cemambo) September 27, 2018

MJane Mlambo| Movement for Democratic Change President Nelson Chamisa has called for the removal of bond notes, a move he said is important in restoring confidence in the economy.

Newly appointed Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube recently said bond notes were still a legal tender in Zimbabwe, urging the business community to accept the surrogate currency introduced in 2016 to alleviate cash crisis in the country.

Ncube said bond notes would only be scrapped after broader economic reforms have been put in place.

Posting on twitter, Chamisa said the rise in parallel foreign currency rates to 110% was indicative of the absence of confidence in bond notes.

CONCERNED by the dramatic drop of the RTGS & Bond Note against the USD in Zimbabwe.The fall to 110% as experienced earlier today points to serious trouble in the economy. Being the alternative, we insist, confidence must be restored by urgently removing the Bond .#smarteconomics

— nelson chamisa (@nelsonchamisa) September 26, 2018

Jane Mlambo| President Emmerson Mnangagwa Wednesday took the occasion of his inaugural address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York to regurgitate his predecessor Robert Mugabe’s anti-sanctions call.

“We call for their (sanctions) immediate and conditional removal…” Mnangagwa said in an address which ended moments before midnight, Zimbabwe time.

Washington in 2001 enacted the controversial Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act which blocks American firms and those with American interests from engaging in any form of trade with Zimbabwe while slapping a US travel ban and asset freeze on Mugabe and his inner circle.

The sanctions were imposed in an ostensible attempt by the super power to force the Zanu PF led regime to restore the country back to the observance of human rights and democracy following what critics alleged were stolen elections by Mugabe.

In his many appearances at the global event, Mugabe ranted about sanctions being illegal. His calls went largely ignored.
However, Mnangagwa Wednesday chose to walk in the all familiar path as he described the US sanctions as illegal and hence, should be removed unconditionally.

-Newzimbabwe.com

Jane Mlambo| Harare Magistrate Francis Mapfumo will today hand down a ruling on MDC deputy national chair and ex-cabinet minister, Tendai Biti application for temporary passport release to allow him to seek mental health services in South Africa.

Biti, who is being tried for allegedly violating the Electoral Act, appeared before Mapfumo applying for release of the travel document saying he required counselling services for the trauma he suffered during his foiled bid to skip the country last month.

According to a letter he tendered in court, Biti is supposed to go to a private counselling institution for therapy following the rough experiences he went through when he attempted to flee to Zambia to seek asylum soon after the 2018 presidential elections.

The institution is called The Center for the Study for Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR), a non-profit organisation that offers mental health and psycho-social support to victims of violence.

“We have been following your situation since 8 August 2018. We hereby invite you to receive mental health services at our clinic,” read part of the letter.

The letter was written on September 14 this year and the organisation intends to take him through therapy sessions from September 18 until the 22nd of September.

The organisation also said, “It is not clinically indicated to have such a short period of treatment. Therefore, follow-up sessions will be scheduled.”

Prosecuting, Michael Reza challenged the application saying Biti’s claims were false.
“There is something fishy with the chronology of documents tendered by the defence counsel.

“The letter was written ‘organisation’, but the accused did not indicate he has a mental health problem. His application was triggered by the invitation he received from the South African organisation which an unusual way of doing business,” Reza added.

He also argued that Biti was determined to escape from the Zimbabwean court’s jurisdiction as he did when he tried to escape to Zambia in August when he was being sought by police.

In his application, Biti also said he intended to travel to Tunisia for a lawyer’s conference which will be held from September 26 to 30.
But Reza also challenged the request saying Biti’s bail conditions do not allow him to address any public gathering.
-Newzimbabwe.com

Jane Mlambo| Eminent persons observer mission under the Electoral Support Network of Southern Africa, have called on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to clean up the biometric voters’ roll (BVR) and improve the way it transmits results to improve transparency and credibility of elections.

ZEC was found wanting after releasing results that did not tally and in some instances, had glaring discrepancies, forcing the poll management body to change official results three times, one of the central complaints in MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa’s failed poll petition challenging President Emerson Mnangagwa’s victory in the July 30 elections.

On the BVR, the report noted that while it was an improvement from previous elections, it was not clean and caused some problems during the elections.

“Through briefings, the mission learnt that the 2018 voters’ roll is an improvement from the 2013 register, however there are anomalies and errors that require further cleaning up. The voters’ roll which was availed by the Zec after nomination was not the final one,” reads the final report on the July 30 harmonised elections by the eminent persons, who were drawn from nine Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) countries.

“The mode of transmission of results from the polling station to the national results centre should also be reviewed to speed up the release of election results to maintain credibility. The commission should consider establishing an electronic results transmission system to promote accuracy in the results announced and transparency.”

The group led by former secretary-general of the regional body, Tomaz Salomão, raised matters that needed to be attended to by Zec, especially the transmission of results which are now the centre of the July 30 disputed polls.

“Stakeholders continued to raise concerns with Zec concerning the quality of the voters’ roll and availing of a biometric voters’ roll. The Zec availed the final voters’ roll on July 25, 2018, a few days before the elections, making it difficult for any analysis and any cleaning. In the future, the voters’ roll should be availed in time to allow for analysis and further cleaning.”

The Sadc observers also noted that urban voters were supplied with fewer BVR kits when compared to their rural counterparts.
“During the BVR exercise, lesser kits were allocated to Harare and Bulawayo, and this could have had an impact on the number of registered voters. Other issues witnessed during BVR include intimidation of registrants through recording serial numbers on the voter registration slip, collection of slips,” the report reads.

The group noted that while the country passed an Electoral Amendment Act just before the elections, a number of gaps still needed to be addressed to ensure that the polls are smooth.

“Despite these (legal) improvements, the legal framework contains several gaps and has not been fully aligned to the Constitution, for example the right to vote, especially for Zimbabweans in the diaspora, and a framework to guide the operations and accreditation of long term observers,” the observers said.

“There is need to clarify the scope of the Electoral Court’s subject matter jurisdiction, whether the court will deal only with election petitions or any other election related matters whenever they arise at any period in the electoral cycle.”
-Newsday

HOME Affairs minister Cain Mathema has been sucked into the row about sexual abuse at the Department of Immigration which is now at the centre of investigations by the Zimbabwe Gender Commission.

The commission announced early this month that it was investigating reports of sexual abuse, with new Registrar-General Clemence Masango, who was in charge of the department before his latest appointment, also coming under the microscope.

One of the complainants, Fortunate Nyamuremba, told NewsDay that she had requested a meeting with Mathema over the issue but the minister’s response had left her stunned.

“The minister (Mathema) agreed to my request, but just dismissed me off-hand, arguing I should not have resigned because of ‘mere sexual abuse’. It seems the minister wanted me to suffer in silence. This is why women are suffering because we have leaders who are not empathetic to their cause,” Nyamuremba said accusing permanent secretary in the ministry, Melusi Matshiya, of protecting those accused of misdemeanours.

But Mathema claimed he had not met the woman or anyone from the Department of Immigration.

“I did not meet anyone from the Department of Immigration. I don’t know what you are talking about my brother,” Mathema said by telephone.

Nyamuremba resigned her job in June 2014 citing sexual harassment that she says threatened her marriage.

“At some point I was told in my face that I would not be promoted if I do not succumb to a manager’s (name withheld) sexual advances,” she said.

Matshiya said the public service has a grievance procedure that should be followed, which Nyamuremba had not complied with.

“She did not follow due procedure,” said Matshiya adding the issue was now under investigation by the gender commission. “We have made representations and the investigations continue.”

The victimised workers said they had approached Parliament, former First Lady Grace Mugabe and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) without success.

A dossier sent to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Labour and Social Welfare as well as Zacc, a copy of which NewsDay has in its possession, details allegations of favouritism, nepotism, sexual harassment including targeted abuse of workers that the department was internally referred as “Connemara” named after an open prison in Gweru the Midlands province.

Newsday

WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW…

The opposition MDC Alliance’s United States branch is planning a demonstration against President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Saturday at the United Nations headquarters in New York to press him to commit to key electoral reforms.

Mnangagwa is in the US for the UN General Assembly meeting.

In an interview yesterday, party organising secretary Murozvi Mada said they would seek to make the international community understand the situation in Zimbabwe.

“We are planning to stage a demonstration on September 29 and this is for the reason that we tell the international community that we had rigged elections in Zimbabwe. Our main objective is to show the people at home that we are together and that we make the international community aware of events back home,” Mada said.

The demonstration will be held well after Mnangagwa’s address, which was scheduled to begin at 9pm last night, but Mada said their target audience would still receive their message.

Mnangagwa has already met Zimbabweans in that country and asked that they contribute meaningfully to the rebirth of the country.

Mada said Mnangagwa’s meeting with Zimbabweans in the US would not pacify them.

Mnangagwa says he is trying to change from the governance style of his predecessor Robert Mugabe, who was also met with demonstrations in the US during his annual UN visits.

Tawanda Dzvokora, the acting chairperson for North Dakota and Minnesota, said their dates could not be moved as it was tradition that they demonstrate on Saturday to allow for Zimbabweans from all over the US to converge.

“All roads will be leading to New York, where the MDC is holding a demonstration against Mnangagwa. The purpose of the demonstration is to reiterate what the MDC president Nelson Chamisa has said before what other leaders have said that Mnangagwa didn’t win the 2018 elections and that he is not the legitimate President of Zimbabwe,” Dzvokora said.

“We will be telling the world that the person they are meeting in New York did not win the elections and that he will be faced with the legitimacy problems that faced Mugabe and the same problems that brought Zimbabwe to a halt. The issue of legitimacy has to be resolved.”

But Zanu PF’s secretary for legal affairs Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana described the planned demonstrations as “nonsensical”.

“I am not sure what they want to achieve. That is hell lot of nonsense and they just want to show off for nothing and that demonstration is meaningless as far as we are concerned,” Mangwana said.

“They know very well that these elections were endorsed by the courts. They can go and climb a tree, the Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe ruled in the victory of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

“No matter how much noise they make in the USA, Zimbabwe is not in the USA and we are not a colony of any country. They can try to show off, but that doesn’t change anything on the ground.”

Last year, MDC activists protesting against Mugabe’s continued rule and his plans to run in the 2018 elections at the UN clashed with pro-Zanu PF group — the December 12 Movement — which organised its own demos in solidarity with the ageing former leader.

Mugabe was forced to resign in a de facto coup in November last year, which catapulted Mnangagwa to power.

Newsday

A 37-YEAR-OLD Gweru miner has been slapped with an effective 30-year jail term for breaking into his estranged wife’s home and stabbing her multiple times with an Okapi knife leading to her death.

Teneyi Tshuma (37) of 625 Woodlands in Gweru appeared before Bulawayo High Court Judge Justice Martin Makonese facing charges of unlawful entry and murder.

Mr Makonese convicted Tshuma despite his plea of not guilty and sentenced him to an effective 30 years in prison.

The judge said the sentence would serve as a deterrent to abusive men.

Justice Makonese said: “l cannot give you a capital sentence but we are going to give you a custodial sentence of 30 years imprisonment which will serve as a warning to all members of society not to resort to violence as a way to solve their marital problems as this may result in the death of a spouse”.

It is the State case that on 24 August 2018, Tshuma, who was having marital dispute with his wife Nester Dube, unlawfully broke into her homestead in Mberengwa at midnight.

According to the prosecutor, Mr Samuel Pedzisai, Tshuma allegedly entered Dube’s room and stabbed her several times on the chest.

Dube’s niece, Trinity, who was in the same room, screamed for help, thinking a thief was attacking his aunt.

Joseph, Dube’s brother, rushed to his sister’s aid and recognised Tshuma who fled from the scene.

It is alleged that Tshuma sought refuge at his brother’s friend’s house in Mberengwa.

State Media

THE Government will soon rectify the anomaly that saw President Mnangagwa appointing six non-constituency parliamentarians as ministers instead of the constitutionally stipulated five.

This was said by Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi in the National Assembly while responding to concerns raised by Mutare Central legislator Mr Innocent Gonese that the President had breached the Constitution by appointing more than five non-constituency MPs as ministers.

Mr Gonese also said while Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration Cde Obert Mpofu had made way for Home Affairs Minister Cain Mathema in the Senate the development had not been gazetted as required by law.

In his response Minister Ziyambi acknowledged Mr Gonese’s concerns.

“I want to thank honourable Gonese for his concerns which are well acknowledged,” he said.

“The current administration is committed to constitutionalism and in no way will it wilfully violate the Constitution. His concerns have been noted and will be rectified.”

Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda also said Parliament would remind the President to expedite resolution of the matter. “The matter will be brought to the attention of His Excellency to expedite the process. The leader of Government business has noted and in this instance the member affected is honourable Mathema,” said Advocate Mudenda.

The other non-constituency MPs that were appointed into Cabinet include Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo, Higher and Tertiary Education Minister Amon Murwira, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo, Finance and Economic Development Minister Dr Mthuli Ncube and Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister Kirsty Coventry.

State Media

A 29-YEAR-OLD woman was trampled to death by an elephant along the Zambezi River near Kariba while walking from a nightclub with her boyfriend.

The identity of the deceased is being withheld as her next of kin has not been advised.

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) Public Relations Manager Mr Tinashe Farawo confirmed the incident which occurred last Friday at about 3AM.

He said a search team had been dispatched to hunt down the jumbo.

“We are currently looking for the problem animal with a view to putting it down,” Mr Farawo said.

He said the woman was walking with her partner from a local nightclub at around 3AM when they encountered the wild animal.

The man managed to escape but the woman was attacked. Sources said she called out to her partner for help but he continued running away.

In another incident, a six-year-old boy from Buhera was killed and devoured by a hyena when he hid in the animal’s den during a game of hide and seek with friends.

The boy, according to sources, allegedly hid in a hyena’s cave and was attacked by the carnivorous animal. Friends are said to have gone back home after they could not find him.

Mr Farawo said the boy was laid to rest yesterday.

“It is unfortunate that we encountered another sad incident in Buhera, Manicaland Province, where a boy was mauled by a hyena last Saturday while playing hide and seek with friends. We send our deepest condolences to the family and Zimparks officials attended the funeral yesterday.

The boy went missing for two days, with friends telling conflicting stories about his whereabouts. His father saw two hyenas near the homestead and a village search party went searching in the forest. It found the remains of the boy whose body had been dismembered by the animal.

Mr Farawo said Zimparks was looking for the animal with the aim of translocating it to a conservancy.

“Our rangers are tracking down the animal and it will be placed in a conservancy,” he said.

Mr Farawo urged villagers to stay away from wild animals and to alert Zimparks if wild animals are spotted near communal areas.

He said Zimparks was carrying out educational campaigns across the country on how communities can co-exist with wild animals.

“People must stay indoors at night when visibility is low and animals are most active. They must put black plastics around kraals so that wild animals such as lions cannot see what is inside, thereby protecting livestock,” said Mr Farawo.

“Villagers must also not provoke wild animals and must report to us if a dangerous wild animal is in their midst without trying to deal with it”.

State Media

Gokwe-Nembudziya Member of Parliament (MP) Justice Mayor Wadyajena has paid a moving tribute to Foreign Affairs and International Trade minister — Sibusiso Busi (SB) Moyo — who is currently recovering after undergoing surgery for a yet-to-be disclosed kidney ailment.

Moyo missed the on-going United Nations General Assembly meeting in the United States, where Zimbabwe is represented by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The retired lieutenant general became an instant celebrity when he announced live on State television last November’s military intervention which led to the popular ouster of long-ruling leader, Robert Mugabe.

This saw the affable and articulate former senior military officer earning the moniker “General Bae” among his admirers.

On Tuesday, the youthful Wadyajena used micro blogging site twitter to pay tribute to one of Mnangagwa’s highly-regarded ministers whom he said was sorely missed as he recuperated from his ailment.

“Sending prayers to Gen @MinisterSBMoyo. One of the sharpest minds we have & best Foreign minister to ever represent us.

“In Nembudziya this year I saw that he works with laser focus and is truly principled.

“He has no time for gossip & dubious intel from shady Cdes! Good morning Zimbabwe,” Wadyajena wrote on twitter.

Moyo was a guest of honour at Wadyajena’s rally in Nembudziya in the run up to the July 30 harmonised national elections.

The Foreign Affairs minister was taken ill last week at Avenues Clinic with a kidney complaint although other sources told the Daily News that Moyo — who apparently had been on dialysis for some time — had undergone emergency surgery which was likely to keep him at the Avenues Clinic for at least a week.

The deputy minister of Information Energy Mutodi later confirmed to the Daily News that Moyo was admitted at the hospital — adding that he was “recovering well from a minor illness.”

It was not clear whether Moyo had gone through a transplant, with insiders at Avenues Clinic saying the hospital had both the skills and the capacity to carry out such procedures.

Moyo, who retired from the military following his appointment as a minister by Mnangagwa, in the aftermath of last November’s military intervention, was born at Mnene Mission Hospital, in Mberengwa, in 1960.

He joined the liberation struggle as a teenager in 1977 — abandoning his Form 3 studies at the time.

Moyo announced on live television on November 15 last year the military’s intervention in the governance of the country.

The curtain later fell on Mugabe on November 21, when the nonagenarian resigned from his office moments after Parliament had started damaging proceedings to impeach him.

Daily News

Ethiopian authorities are in Zimbabwe to learn how best to conduct an election, according to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, which faced criticism over July’s disputed vote.

Like Zimbabwe, Ethiopia has a new leader promising reforms including a “free and fair election” in 2020.

Zimbabwe’s electoral commission says on Twitter the visit by National Electoral Board of Ethiopia members is “confirmation that ZEC’s conduct of the last general elections was impressive.”

Said ZEC in a statement: “A four member National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) delegation led by the Chairperson Samia Zekaria Gutu is visiting ZEC to learn about BVR and sound elections management practices – Confirmation that ZEC’s conduct of the last general elections was impressive.”

Zimbabwe’s main opposition unsuccessfully challenged the election in court, alleging manipulation. Some Western observer missions criticized the largely peaceful process.

Ethiopia’s former Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn chaired the African Union’s election observer mission to Zimbabwe. The state-run Zimbabwe Herald quotes the chairwoman of Ethiopia’s elections body as saying he suggested this visit: “We really got a good impression about it.”

Full Speech of Mnangagwa’s address to the UN General Council:

Your Excellency, Ms María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the 73rd Session of the General Assembly; Your Majesties, Your Excellencies, Heads of State and Government; Your Excellency, Mr António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen.

It is my honour and pleasure to deliver my maiden statement in this august Assembly.

Allow me to congratulate you Madam President, on your election to preside over this 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

As only the fourth woman to hold this important position in the history of the United Nations, your election is indeed most appropriate in terms of addressing gender equality in our organisation.

The theme which you have chosen, “Making the UN relevant to all people: Global leadership and shared responsibilities for peaceful, equitable and sustainable societies,” resonates well with the mantra of Agenda 2030, namely to leave no one behind.

The theme is a timely reminder for us to keep the momentum going three years after the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Madam President, Also at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is a promise to end all forms of poverty.

This shared vision and common destiny requires us to put all our hands on deck in order to meet the ambitious targets and create a better world.

For us, in the developing world, the eradication of poverty is at the top of our agenda priorities. Development must equally be placed at the centre of the work of the United Nations, as it plays an important role in preventing hunger, deprivation, food insecurity, disease and ultimately conflict.

The inclusion of the interests and views of women, the youth, children and vulnerable members of our societies should be integral and essential components in all our programmes.

Madam President, Distinguished Guests, I am pleased to report that Zimbabwe has made substantial progress in the implementation of some of the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular with regards to ensuring food security.

Through our people-centred policies and planned programmes, complemented by private sector financing and investments; farmers receive inputs, equipment and technical support.

In a bid to improve nutrition and broaden income opportunities, we have also extended support to grow the livestock, fisheries and wildlife sectors. We are confident that these multi-pronged programmes will accelerate Zimbabwe’s re-entry into the global economy and associated value chains.

This is one example of innovation, creativity and home-grown solutions in addressing key developmental and economic challenges in spite of the continued illegal sanctions imposed on our country.

We call for their immediate and unconditional removal.

Meanwhile, we look forward to the first overall review of implementation of the SDGs to be held under the auspices of the General Assembly in 2019.

Madam President, Peace, security, stability, democracy and good governance are essential ingredients for sustainable development. In view of the fact that elections as an integral element of democracy, my country held the much anticipated Harmonised General Elections on the 30th July, 2018.

Following my deliberate and conscious decision to open up the democratic space and emphatic call for peace, unity and tolerance of divergent views amongst our people; political contestations, election campaigning, voting and counting processes were conducted freely, peacefully and transparently.

In the spirit of transparency and openness, a broader spectrum of international observers and global media houses were accredited to observe our elections.

The exceptionally peaceful pre and post electoral environment represented the maturing and entrenchment of democracy in Zimbabwe.

We are grateful to the UN and other Member States for sending Election Observer Missions and for the Technical Assistance received by our election management body.

The recommendations will be taken into account as we deepen our democratic and electoral processes.

We shall continue to entrench constitutionalism, democratic traditions and norms, peace unity and harmony; for it is indeed under such conditions that sustainable development, inclusive economic growth and prosperity can occur.

The isolated and unfortunate incident of the post-election violence that occurred on 1 August, 2018 is regrettable and most unacceptable.

The Commission of Inquiry comprising eminent persons of national, regional and international repute has now begun its work in earnest.

Their ultimate report and recommendations shall help us bring closure to the matter and assist in the improvement of our institutional governance.

Madam President, Distinguished Guests, Now that the elections are behind us, my country is now focusing on economic development as we seek to leapfrog the modernisation and industrialisation of our country.

The Land Reform Programme is behind us and is irreversible.

Emboldened by the dreams, hopes and aspirations of our people, and in tandem with the United Nations Agenda 2030 and the African Union Agenda 2063, we have outlined our vision to become a middle income economy with a per capita income of about US$3 500.

This will bring on board increased investment, decent jobs, broad-based empowerment and a society free from poverty and corruption by 2030.

Zimbabwe is open for business.

We are presently undertaking a raft of economic and political reforms to ensure an environment that facilitates inclusive and sustained economic growth.

We have put in place institutions and instruments that maximise land utilisation and increase agriculture productivity.

Equally, strategies are in place in the various sectors of our economy, to enable my country to enter the global value chains. The development and modernisation of our roads, railways, airports, energy and ICT infrastructure is being accelerated in line with our regional and continental quest for enhanced connectivity and integrated infrastructure.

Madam President, Zimbabwe looks forward to playing a positive and constructive role as a free, democratic, transparent, prosperous and responsible member of the family of nations.

We are committed to strengthening dialogue, co-operation and partnerships, underpinned by mutual respect, common values and shared principles.

The prevention of conflict must be a frontline strategy. My country remains committed to strengthening multilateralism and peaceful resolution of differences. In this regard, we should address the root causes of conflict which includes poverty, inequality, deprivation, disputes over land and resources, as well as struggles for self-determination.

Peace-making and peacekeeping must be complimented by peace-building efforts to prevent recurrence and relapse into conflict.

Zimbabwe continues to make its modest contributions through the deployment of its personnel to various United Nations peacekeeping and peace-building missions.

Madam President, Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, the United Nations and its organs require to be democratised. We join the call for Africa to be represented in the permanent category and to have increased representation in the non-permanent category.

This position is indeed justified, in view of the need to correct the historical injustice which has left the African continent on the periphery of all major global decision-making processes.

We emphatically call for the review and reform of the Bretton Woods institutions and other international financial institutions.

Trade is an engine for development if conducted fairly and in accordance with agreed rules.

We therefore call for negotiations under the World Trade Organisation which foster inclusive and shared economic growth and further advances the global development agenda.

Madam President, In the spirit of leaving no one behind, our efforts to promote global partnership for peace and development would never be complete unless we address the plight of people living under occupation.

It is most saddening that some of us continue to turn a blind eye to the suffering of the people of Palestine.

It is high time the Security Council fulfilled its Charter obligations and duties by implementing all its Resolutions; including Resolution 181, 242, 338 and 2 334.

On the African continent, it is equally disheartening that the people of Western Sahara are yet to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination.

We call on the Security Council to insist on the holding of an independent referendum for the Sahrawi people without delay, in compliance to the relevant decisions of the African Union and the resolutions of the United Nations.

Furthermore, it is imperative and urgent for the Council to work tirelessly to strengthen its cooperation with the African Union Peace and Security Council in the search for a just and fair solution to the issue of Western Sahara.

Madam President, Climate change presents a threat to all of humanity and its impact respects no borders. We therefore call for collective action and responsibility on the matter.

As a developing country, we seek support in the areas of adaptation, mitigation, technology, finance and capacity building as envisaged in the Paris Agreement.

In conclusion, I wish to reaffirm Zimbabwe’s commitment to the principles of the United Nations Charter and pledge to continue to work with other nations in promoting and strengthening multilateralism for the good of humanity.

Now more than ever before, the United Nations must stamp its authority and work harder for peace in a world where mighty is increasingly being regarded as right.

Let us work together in harmony to ensure that the United Nations and all its organs, truly serve the collective interests of all Member States.

As global leaders, we have a shared and onerous obligation to transform our societies and create a more peaceful and inclusive world, for present and future generations.

I thank you.

Correspondent|FORMER EU ambassador to Zimbabwe Phillipe Van Damme has waded into the ongoing uproar over a St John’s College deputy headmaster who last week torched a storm by revealing he was gay.

Posting on Twitter, Van Damme argued that some Zimbabweans’ argument that their culture did not allow them to accept homosexuals did not hold water as “culture is banal”.

“1. Homosexuality exists everywhere; not result of personal choice but fact 2. How society responds = culturally determined, but culture = dynamic &evolves 3. Non-discrimination = not cultural issue but #HumanRights principle 4.

He added, “Culture has2 evolve &recognize universal #HumanRights.”

The school official, Neal Hovelmeier is in the eye of the storm after most parents whose children attend the elite school have demanded his stepping down for fear he may try to impose his beliefs on their children.

Similarly, the school board is unhappy with its senior employee for unnecessarily putting the learning institution’s brand in the spotlight all for the wrong reasons through the controversial disclosure.

The under-fire school head has a few backers in a largely conservative country which has failed to tolerate gays and lesbians.

National Patriotic Front spokesperson Jealousy Mawarire was blunt in his detest for gays.

“I call upon every gay person following my TL (time line) to declare their homosexuality so I block them now; I am prepared to do it all day or better still just unfollow me, you are welcome.

“I don’t need any homosexual on my TL, to hell! Anyone who believes in some stupid, liberal nonsense about gay ‘rights’ njani njani should as well unfollow me, I don’t care,” said Mawarire.

However, Hovelmeier found one backer in the outspoken diplomat who is now EU senior advisor on EU-Africa relations.

While former President Robert Mugabe is a known critic for gays, current President Emmerson Mngangagwa has not publicly said anything on gays and lesbians.

FORMER Cabinet Minister, Dr Obert Mpofu, has resigned as Matabeleland North Senator and has notified the august House of his decision to leave the seat, Senate President Mabel Chinomona, has said.

Chinomona told Senate on Tuesday that she had received a resignation letter from Dr Mpofu and a vacancy had arisen in that province.

“I have to inform the House that I have received a resignation letter from Hon. Sen. Mpofu, Senator for Matabeleland North Province. Section 129 (1b) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides as follows;

‘The seat of a Member of Parliament becomes vacant upon the member resigning his or her seat by written notice to the President of the Senate or to the Speaker as the case may be.’

Pursuant to the above, I do hereby inform this House that a vacancy has arisen by the operation of the law. The necessary administrative measures will be taken to inform His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) of the existence of the vacancy in line with Section 39 (1) of the Electoral Act, Chapter 2:13 as amended,” said Chinomona.

Last week, Dr Mpofu told the media that he volunteered to relinquish his Senatorial position to pave way for Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Cain Mathema to take his Parliamentary seat after it was noted that there were more than the constitutionally prescribed five Cabinet Ministers that President Mnangagwa had appointed outside Parliament.

Meanwhile, Matabeleland South Senator Simon Khaya-Moyo (Zanu-PF) has criticised the recent increase in prices of goods and services saying it was not justified.

Sen Khaya-Moyo said this in Senate on Tuesday while moving a motion to debate a speech delivered by President Mnangagwa when he officially opened the First Session of the Ninth Parliament last week.

“The recent increase in prices of goods and services including bread by retailers is cause for great concern. The appetite to profiteer at every turn, in unexplained circumstances has no justification whatsoever and the consumer deserves urgent protection. The Minister responsible has urged the retailers to reverse their prices. Let this happen with urgency or the law must take its full course,” said Khaya-Moyo, who is also Zanu-PF Secretary for Information and Publicity.

“The same applies to the shortage of fuel and the unwarranted pump price hikes in some areas leading to unacceptable queues and depressing inconvenience to the travelling public. Urgent solution is needed to avoid speculative conduct and illegal actors must face the full wrath of law.”

In seconding the motion, Midlands Senator Maybe Mbohwa (Zanu-PF) implored legislators to focus on nation building as the time for politics had gone as intimated by President Mnangagwa in his speech.

“It is pleasing because this is exactly what our country needs. We want to see our children enjoy a Zimbabwe of many opportunities. As he said, the election is behind us and we have to get out of election mode and start working. He mentioned that we have to be ‘servant leaders’, and we must work for the people that we represent. With this new dawn, Zimbabweans expect to see change in the Second Republic so we must do our part,” said Senator Mbohwa.

By Dr Nkululeko Sibanda​​​​| President Nelson Chamisa is very concerned and shocked to discover that the illegitimate President Mnangagwa’s unsophisticated, amateurish PR inspired and on-the-fly policyapproach is costing Zimbabwe’s economy at the worst time imaginable. The con-artist styled illegitimate President’s care free and mafia style approach to governance is proving to be dangerously costly.

The offer of land and space for the US President Donald Trump to try and sway US national policy is illegal under US and even Zimbabwean laws. Since the US is a law-abiding country, what the offer now means is that the US Presidentwill, as a result of Mr Mnangagwa’s ill-advised move, have to be extremely careful when making policy on Zimbabwe to prevent being construed as reacting positively because of a private business offer.

Unlike the targeted sanctions, this imposition by Mr Mnangagwa, places a hurdle on President Trump’s policy making processes where Zimbabwe is concerned, whereas targeted sanctions are limited to individuals.

We encourage the illegitimate President to note that, while he runs government business mafia-style, the rest of the world operates legally. Very few Presidents come to power through the capture of state and political institutions. All are inaugurated as a matter of votes received not as a matter of court facts.

Zimbabweans must be ashamed to have a self-imposed President who travels halfway across the globe to try and transport his corruption. What must further concern the people is that Mr Mnangagwa so believes in corruption, he actually has become blind to it, he goes and announces it on foreign television screens.

While Zimbabweans may have expected better, unfortunately, the illegitimate President’s first UN trip has turned out to be aregrettable frenzied announcement bonanza of one bribe attempt after the other. All these in desperate attempts to buy legitimacy on the parallel political market.

Zimbabwe must rid itself of this kind of leadership by returning to legitimacy and allowing the elected President, Advocate Chamisa to run a SMART government.

Jane Mlambo| Women’s rights groups and the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) have expressed reservations over the appointment of Clemence Masango to the position of Registrar General calling on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to reverse his re-assignment until he is cleared of sexual abuse cases.

Former immigration department head Masango recently took over from long-serving registrar general Tobaiwa Mudede who was retired as part of a shake-up of the civil service by Mnangagwa.

ZCTU president Peter Mutasa, described the ex-police officer’s appointment to RG as unfair since sexual harassment allegations raised in his previous role as immigration head have yet to be resolved.

“We regard the appointment or reassignment as lack of judgment by the appointing authority,” said Mutasa.

“While we respect the fact that every accused person is innocent until proven guilty, the elevation is actually a direct interference with the Gender Commission’s investigation.”

Mutasa said Mnangagwa’s promotion of individual who headed an organisation under investigation undermines the Constitutional Commission’s work and trivialises the serious complaints raised by workers.

This risks frustrating efforts to deal with workplace sexual harassment driven by unions and other social movements.

“… as a result we are going to demand that the appointment be rescinded until investigations are concluded. We will also look at the legal options,” he added

Women’s rights activist Nokhlo Mhluzini said the appointment raises serious concerns.

“Chisango’s appointment as Registrar General raises many concerns and we cannot, with a clear conscience, welcome it as there are serious allegations that have been levelled against him and he has not been cleared by a court of law.

“The appointment is an insult to victims of sexual harassment as it reverses the strides made by women and other campaigners in fighting against all forms of abuse at the workplace,” she said.

Chisango is embroiled in a nasty fight with former Immigration Department employees who allege that he dismissed them from employment after they rebuffed his sexual advances.
-Newzimbabwe.com

By Dr Nkululeko Sibanda​​​​| President Nelson Chamisa is very concerned and shocked to discover that the illegitimate President Mnangagwa’s unsophisticated, amateurish PR inspired and on-the-fly policy approach is costing Zimbabwe’s economy at the worst time imaginable. The con-artist styled illegitimate President’s care free and mafia style approach to governance is proving to be dangerously costly.

The offer of land and space for the US President Donald Trump to try and sway US national policy is illegal under US and even Zimbabwean laws. Since the US is a law-abiding country, what the offer now means is that the US Presidentwill, as a result of Mr Mnangagwa’s ill-advised move, have to be extremely careful when making policy on Zimbabwe to prevent being construed as reacting positively because of a private business offer.

Unlike the targeted sanctions, this imposition by Mr Mnangagwa, places a hurdle on President Trump’s policy making processes where Zimbabwe is concerned, whereas targeted sanctions are limited to individuals.

We encourage the illegitimate President to note that, while he runs government business mafia-style, the rest of the world operates legally. Very few Presidents come to power through the capture of state and political institutions. All are inaugurated as a matter of votes received not as a matter of court facts.

Zimbabweans must be ashamed to have a self-imposed President who travels halfway across the globe to try and transport his corruption. What must further concern the people is that Mr Mnangagwa so believes in corruption, he actually has become blind to it, he goes and announces it on foreign television screens.

While Zimbabweans may have expected better, unfortunately, the illegitimate President’s first UN trip has turned out to be aregrettable frenzied announcement bonanza of one bribe attempt after the other. All these in desperate attempts to buy legitimacy on the parallel political market.

Zimbabwe must rid itself of this kind of leadership by returning to legitimacy and allowing the elected President, Advocate Chamisa to run a SMART government.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

The … also at the heart of the 2030 agenda of this agenda.. this shared Vision and common agenda for us in the developing world the eradication of poverty is at the top of our agenda of priorities. The development must be at the centre of the United Nations as it plays in the role of preventing hunger… videos the youth children and vulnerable members of our community should be included in all our programs

Madam president I am pleased to inform you that Zimbabwe has made substantial progress in attaining some developmental goals in regard to food security. …

This is one example of innovation activity and hope in Solutions in addressing developmental and challenges despite the continued illegal sanctions imposed on our country we call for the immediate and unconditional removal meanwhile will look forward to the review…

Madam president peace and security stability democracy and good governance are essential ingredients to sustainable growth in view of elections are Integra my country held elections on the 30th of July 2018 following my deliberate and conscious decision decision to open democratic space, call for peace …

the exceptionally peaceful pre and post election environment…

We shall continue to entrance constitutionalism democratic norms for it is indeed under such conditions that sustainable development inclusive….

The isolated and unfortunate Incident of the Post election environment that occurred on August second is deeply regrettable…

Madam president distinguished guests, now that elections are behind us, my country is now focusing on economic development as we seek to the modernisation and development of a country the land reform programme is irreversibly behind us…

Red Flags Over Security Sector Reforms
Jane Mlambo| Legislative watchdog, Veritas and the opposition have raised a red flag over President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s lack of political will to institute security sector reforms after he failed to include them on the legislative agenda of the Ninth Parliament.

Mnangagwa, however, said re-alignment of some of the country’s laws to the Constitution “remains work in progress”.
Mnangagwa mentioned a number of Bills to be tabled in Parliament as he outlined the legislative agenda of the august House last week.

A number of Bills such as the Provincial and Metropolitan Council Bill are up for re-alignment.

The opposition has for years been calling for security sector reforms. A unity government agreement — which was brokered by Southern African Development Community (Sadc) after the violent 2008 elections — included proposals for security sector reforms, but there has been no movement in that direction.

The Global Political Agreement in Article XIII (13.10) states that organisations and institutions of which the army, police, prisons and the Central Intelligence Organisation are part of, do not belong to any political party and should be impartial in the discharge of their duties.

“Security legislation: No mention is made of the need to align the Defence Act, the Police Act and the Prisons and Correctional Services Act, all of which need further alignment.

The purely token changes that were made in by the General Laws Amendment Act passed by the last Parliament were not good enough,” Veritas said in a commentary.

“Freedom of speech, Press and assembly: There is no indication of an intention to change the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the Censorship and Entertainment Control Act, the Official Secrets Act, the Public Order and Security Act or the repressive provisions of the Criminal Law Code.”

Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri, however, last week told NewsDay that she would be looking at the reforms.

“I am looking forward also to conferring with the President looking at all these other challenges which you are raising and also if it means that the reforms that you are talking about will be necessary, because this has been an issue raised over and over again, but I am really looking forward to working with my colleagues who are still within the defence sector, and I am willing to learn as much as possible.

“You also need to know that our force is recognised the world over, you know they have served at United Nations level, at African Union level and with the challenges that you are raising I am sure to these agencies they don’t see any problems, but they see excellency in the work performed by our own forces,” she said.

MDC Alliance spokesperson Jacob Mafume and his Zapu counterpart Iphithule Maphosa said the opposition remains worried over lack of political will to institute security sector reforms.

“One of the reasons why we had a coup in 2017 is because of lack of security sector reforms.

We need to put a stop to that kind of military meddling in civilian affairs through security laws that stipulate the proper operations of the army,” Maphosa said.
“We are concerned by the lack of mention of critical reforms to the security sector in the legislative agenda.

The problems we faced in the recently held elections emanated from the lack of security sector reforms where everything is seen in security lenses and lack of accountability in the security sector.”
-Newsday

Was Sally Mugabe Assassinated And The Criminal Is Now A Cabinet Minister? LIVE SCENES IN PARLIAMENT https://t.co/35S9GZOise

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) September 26, 2018

Terrence Mawawa|Local Government Minister July Moyo has been grilled in Parliament over the cholera outbreak in Harare.

Moyo was heckled by opposition Parliamentarians after Norton MP Temba Mliswa had asked him to explain the measures being taken by the government to combat the deadly disease.

Mliswa challenged Moyo to explain the government’s master plan on fighting the cholera epidemic.

“Can you tell us the government’s master plan on fighting the cholera epidemic? Are you aware of the implications of the deadly disease? We need to know the measures you have put in place as part of efforts to combat the epidemic,” said Mliswa.

Jane Mlambo| Police have blocked the launch of Zenzele Ndebele’s documentary on Gukurahundi saying the film has not been cleared by th Censorship Board.

This was revealed by Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) who tweeted that:

The police have stopped the launch of @zenzele's documentary which looks at the Matebeleland killings of the 1980s. The police say the documentary has not been cleared by the Censorship Board cc @TabaniMoyo @fojo_int @forfreemedia @kubatana @MAZ_Zim @intwasa

— MISA Zimbabwe (@misazimbabwe) September 26, 2018

 

Terrence Mawawa|A 23-year-old Mbizi Game Park patrol officer has appeared in court for allegedly killing a man he had found stealing firewood from the park.

Trymore Bhimoni (23) appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Rumbidzai Mugwagwa yesterday and was denied bail.

Prosecutor Sebastian Mutizirwa alleged that on September 20, Wellington Chihwai and Timothy
Bota — both now deceased — went to look for firewood in Mbizi Game Park in Hatfield, Harare, with Peter Chikono and Edmore Kutinu.

Bhimoni, who was on night patrol with his colleagues, met Chihwai and his colleagues carrying firewood on their bicycles.
One of the patrol officers informed the four that they were under arrest for illegally cutting down trees.

Bhimoni and his colleagues then tried to apprehend the trespassers who then resisted.One of the officers identified as Lovemore was overpowered and he fled the scene.
Bhimoni who was armed with a rifle, fired a warning shot in the air. Bota got hold of Bhimoni’s rifle and
tried to wrestle it away.
When Bhimoni realised that he was being overpowered, he fled the scene leaving the rifle in Bota’s hands.
Chihwai, Bota and their friends assaulted another officer and left on their bicycles. On their way, they
met three men who had also cut down trees and they left the scene together.

Bhimoni then called for backup. He teamed up with other officers and followed Chihwai and his colleagues in a vehicle.
They caught up with them near the dam wall within the park and a fight broke out again.

Bhimoni managed to retrieve his rifle from Bota. Chihwai and his colleagues then mobbed Bhimoni
and tried to disarm him again. Bhimoni opened fire and hit Chihwai and Bota in the stomach.
He also shot at one of his colleagues Tawanda in the stomach.
Chihwai and Bota were both pronounced dead on arrival at Chitungwiza Central Hospital.

 

Jane Mlambo| Police have for the second time refused to sanction the opposition MDC’s 19th anniversary celebrations slated for Gwanzura Stadium this Saturday citing threats of cholera outbreak.

In a letter to MDC dated 25 September 2018, Officer commanding Police, Harare South District, W Muza urged MDC to postpone the celebrations until the cholera outbreak is declared over.

“Reference is made to your notification to hold MDC 19th anniversary celebrations at Gwanzura Stadium, Harare on 29 September 2018 time from 1000 hrs to 1600hrs
“May I take this opportunity to advice you that the government ban on public gatherings following the outbreak of cholera in Harare is still standing.

“In the interest of public safety and total containment of the cholera epidemic, we direct that the intended celebrations be postponed until the epidemic is declared over.

“Meamwhile, the intended celebration is not sanctioned,” noted Muza.

MDC leader has previously announced that he will use the anniversary celebrations to crown himself the people’s president with government threatening to arrest him should he proceed with his plan.

Jane Mlambo| Government continues to spend money on unnecessary costs following the setting up of offices for the Commission of Inquiry looking into August 1 shootings at Cresta Lodge in Msasa.

According to a press release flighted by the commission soliciting for information from the people, submissions were directed to office number 136 Cresta Lodge, Samora Machel Avenue in Harare.

This is against a background that the commission will operate for three months which could result in a huge bill considering that hotel rates are higher than ordinary offices.

The setting up of offices at Cresta Lodge also raises questions on government priorities at a time the chorus has been to cut unnecessary expenditures as a measure to boost economic confidence.

In 2016, there was so much noise over Former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko’s continued stay at Rainbow Towers after his appointment.w

Mphoko gobbled in excess of $620 000 in hotel bill during more than a year stay at Rainbow Towers.

A judge in Pennsylvania has jailed US comedian Bill Cosby for three to 10 years for sexual assault.

Cosby, 81, was also categorised as a sexually violent predator, meaning he must undergo counselling for life and be listed on the sex offender registry.

The actor declined to make a statement when offered the opportunity.

At a retrial in April, Cosby was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault for drugging and molesting Andrea Constand in 2004.

Cosby’s request for bail pending appeal was denied. He was also fined $25,000 (£19,000) plus the prosecution costs.

After the sentencing, he was led away in handcuffs from the courtroom. He was then driven to Montgomery County Correctional Facility.

Cosby’s attorney had asked for his sentence to be restricted to house arrest, saying he was too frail for prison.

The actor had been under house arrest since April.

The comedian became a household name in 1980s America when he starred in the Cosby Show TV sitcom, playing the father in a well-to-do African-American family living in Brooklyn, New York.

Such was his popularity that he was dubbed “America’s Dad”.

“This was a serious crime,” Judge Steven O’Neill was quoted as saying by CNN after pronouncing the sentence in the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown.

“Mr Cosby, this has all circled back to you. The day has come, the time has come.”

In June 2017, the former Temple University basketball administrator described how Cosby, whom she had viewed as a “mentor”, had given her pills that left her “frozen” and unable to stop his assault.

In her impact statement , as carried by the National Post, she said: “To truly understand the impact that the sexual assault has had on my life, you have to understand the person that I was before it happened.”

“I was at the top of my game, certain that the groundwork provided by my education and athletic training would stand me in good stead whatever challenges lay ahead…” she said.

“After the assault, I wasn’t sure what had actually happened but the pain spoke volumes. The shame was overwhelming. Self-doubt and confusion kept me from turning to my family or friends as I normally did. I felt completely alone, unable to trust anyone, including myself.”

She wrote that she had stopped eating, sleeping and socialising. Tormented by nightmares, she finally told her mother the truth about what had happened.

“Bill Cosby took my beautiful, healthy young spirit and crushed it,” she said. “He robbed me of my health and vitality, my open nature, and my trust in myself and others.”

“Instead of looking back, I am looking forward to looking forward,” she added. “I want to get to the place where the person I was meant to be gets a second chance.”

Bill Cosby showed little emotion and no remorse during his sentencing. At this defining moment in his life, there were no family members or former cast mates with him for moral support.

The court was filled, though, with several of his accusers who sat in the rows behind Andrea Constand.

Model Janice Dickenson clapped her hands in anticipation and joy, others quietly held hands. Their relief was evident when his sentence was finally read out. This was a moment they never thought possible. And they had front seats to witness it.

BBC

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Jane Mlambo| The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to reverse the appointment of Registrar General (RG) Clemence Masango.

Former immigration department head Masango recently took over from long-serving registrar general Tobaiwa Mudede who was retired as part of a shake-up of the civil service by Mnangagwa.

ZCTU president Peter Mutasa, described the ex-police officer’s appointment to RG as unfair since sexual harassment allegations raised in his previous role as immigration head have yet to be resolved.

“We regard the appointment or reassignment as lack of judgment by the appointing authority,” said Mutasa.

“While we respect the fact that every accused person is innocent until proven guilty, the elevation is actually a direct interference with the Gender Commission’s investigation.”

Mutasa said Mnangagwa’s promotion of individual who headed an organisation under investigation undermines the Constitutional Commission’s work and trivialises the serious
complaints raised by workers.

This risks frustrating efforts to deal with workplace sexual harassment driven by unions and other social movements.

“… as a result we are going to demand that the appointment be rescinded until investigations are concluded. We will also look at the legal options,” he added

Women’s rights activist Nokhlo Mhluzini said the appointment raises serious concerns.

“Chisango’s appointment as Registrar General raises many concerns and we cannot, with a clear conscience, welcome it as there are serious allegations that have been levelled against him and he has not been cleared by a court of law.

“The appointment is an insult to victims of sexual harassment as it reverses the strides made by women and other campaigners in fighting against all forms of abuse at the workplace,”
she said.

Chisango is embroiled in a nasty fight with former Immigration Department employees who allege that he dismissed them from employment after they rebuffed his sexual advances.
-Newzimbabwe.com

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa says Harare water is contaminated with raw sewerage owing to dilapidated and obsolete infrastructure, resulting in the frequent outbreaks of waterborne diseases. The President was speaking in New York where he is attending the UN 73rd General Assembly.

“We have an issue of water and sanitation management in the country.

In the area of sanitation which has caused cholera in Zimbabwe, we now understand that the system (water and sewer reticulation) is over 60 years old.

Sewage and water pipes leak and inter exchange quantities resulting in cholera,” Mnangagwa told Zimbabweans living in the United States.

He said his government was ready to roll out a $63 million programme to replace the obsolete sewer reticulation system which he said is failing to cope due to massive population growth in the capital.

“The first front in the fight against cholera is to contain it and the second is to make sure that the entire system is taken out and a new one is put on.

We understand that $63 million is required and I have no doubt we have the capacity to provide that,” he said.

Harare mayor Herbert Gomba has, however, said the city needs between $180 million to $200 million for pipe replacement alone and an additional $1 billion for dam construction so that there is adequate water supply.

Mnangagwa said the country was investing massive capital in infrastructure development to create opportunities for Zimbabweans living in the diaspora who have money, skill and expertise.

“In infrastructure development there are opportunities in the area of roads, rail, ICT. There is vast potential for business in that area because we want to deal with over 4 000km of roads which require either widening or dualisation.

We are opening bids for both domestic and international investment in infrastructure development,” he said.

He said there was need to upgrade the railway infrastructure to avoid derailments which have affected the National Railways of Zimbabwe in the past years.

Mnangagwa is in New York for the United Nations General Assembly.

NewsDay

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Jane Mlambo| Legislative watchdog, Veritas and the opposition have raised a red flag over President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s lack of political will to institute security sector reforms after he failed to include them on the legislative agenda of the Ninth Parliament.

Mnangagwa, however, said re-alignment of some of the country’s laws to the Constitution “remains work in progress”.

Mnangagwa mentioned a number of Bills to be tabled in Parliament as he outlined the legislative agenda of the august House last week.

A number of Bills such as the Provincial and Metropolitan Council Bill are up for re-alignment.

The opposition has for years been calling for security sector reforms. A unity government agreement — which was brokered by Southern African Development Community (Sadc) after the violent 2008 elections — included proposals for security sector reforms, but there has been no movement in that direction.

The Global Political Agreement in Article XIII (13.10) states that organisations and institutions of which the army, police, prisons and the Central Intelligence Organisation are part of, do not belong to any political party and should be impartial in the discharge of their duties.

“Security legislation: No mention is made of the need to align the Defence Act, the Police Act and the Prisons and Correctional Services Act, all of which need further alignment.

The purely token changes that were made in by the General Laws Amendment Act passed by the last Parliament were not good enough,” Veritas said in a commentary.

“Freedom of speech, Press and assembly: There is no indication of an intention to change the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the Censorship and Entertainment Control Act, the Official Secrets Act, the Public Order and Security Act or the repressive provisions of the Criminal Law Code.”

Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri, however, last week told NewsDay that she would be looking at the reforms.

“I am looking forward also to conferring with the President looking at all these other challenges which you are raising and also if it means that the reforms that you are talking about will be necessary, because this has been an issue raised over and over again, but I am really looking forward to working with my colleagues who are still within the defence sector, and I am willing to learn as much as possible.

“You also need to know that our force is recognised the world over, you know they have served at United Nations level, at African Union level and with the challenges that you are raising I am sure to these agencies they don’t see any problems, but they see excellency in the work performed by our own forces,” she said.

MDC Alliance spokesperson Jacob Mafume and his Zapu counterpart Iphithule Maphosa said the opposition remains worried over lack of political will to institute security sector reforms.

“One of the reasons why we had a coup in 2017 is because of lack of security sector reforms.

We need to put a stop to that kind of military meddling in civilian affairs through security laws that stipulate the proper operations of the army,” Maphosa said.

“We are concerned by the lack of mention of critical reforms to the security sector in the legislative agenda.

The problems we faced in the recently held elections emanated from the lack of security sector reforms where everything is seen in security lenses and lack of accountability in the security sector.”
-Newsday

A South Sudanese doctor who runs an overcrowded hospital with a dimly-lit surgical theatre and no regular supply of general anaesthetics on Tuesday won the UN refugee agency’s prestigious Nansen award.

Evan Atar Adaha’s Maban hospital in the South Sudanese town of Bunj serves more than 144,000 refugees from Blue Nile state in neighbouring Sudan, UNHCR said.

The hospital’s X-ray machine is broken, but Atar and his team perform nearly 60 surgeries per week in a room with just one light, with staff using “ketamine injections and spinal epidurals” instead of general anaesthesia, the agency said.

UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi said Atar’s “profound humanity and selflessness” had saved thousands of lives.

Atar had previously run a hospital in Blue Nile but was forced to relocate when a conflict erupted there in 2011 between the Khartoum government and rebel fighters.

Khartoum unilaterally announced a ceasefire in the area in March.

The Nansen prize, awarded annually, is named for Norwegian polar explorer Fridtjof Nansen, who served as the first high commissioner for refugees during the failed League of Nations.

Last year’s winner was Nigerian Zannah Mustapha, who helped negotiate the release of some of the girls kidnapped by Boko Haram Islamists from their school in Chibok in 2014.

UNHCR said actor and goodwill ambassador Cate Blanchett will deliver the keynote address at the ceremony in Geneva next week. – AFP

Staff Correspondent|The driver involved in a tragic bus accident on the N1 in Limpopo‚ which claimed the lives of nine passengers‚ will remain behind bars‚ police said on Wednesday.

He appeared in court on Tuesday after he was caught trying to flee the country over the long weekend. Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe named the man as George Themba – aged 41. He is from Zimbabwe. Ngoepe said Themba appeared before the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court‚ where he was charged with nine counts of culpable homicide and another charge of reckless driving.

“He was denied bail and his cases were postponed to 2 October 2018 for further police investigations‚” Ngoepe said.

The deadly accident happened last Friday.

“It is alleged that the bus was travelling from the direction of Polokwane towards Gauteng province when the driver lost control and it overturned. The bus was carrying 61 occupants‚ including the driver and the crew. Nine out of 61 were certified dead at the scene. The 52 other injured people including Themba were taken to different hospitals for medical treatment‚” Ngoepe said.

“As the process of intensive investigations by the police was unfolding‚ especially on the possible cause of that accident‚ he disappeared following his discharge from hospital and fled towards the Beit Bridge port of entry. The police were then tipped off‚ they swiftly responded and subsequently‚ the driver was caught hidden inside the goods trailer‚ trying to illegally cross the border to Zimbabwe‚” he added.

Jane Mlambo| The Commission of Inquiry tasked with looking into the 1st of August disturbances in which soldiers fired live ammunitions and killed six people, has flighted a call for information from members of the public on the event that has dented Zimbabwe’ s re-engagement efforts while painting a picture of a country trapped in its past.

In a press release flighted in local newspapers, the commission said the information will assist them to make fair and appropriate findings promising that the submissions will be protected by law and received on a ‘without prejudice’ basis.

The Kgalema Mothlante led commission added that after receiving written submissions, they will proceed to conduct public hearings.

The commission is composed of Mothlante who is the Chairperson, United Kingdom international law expert, Rodney Dixon, former Commonwealth Secretary General Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Chief of Defence Forces of Tanzania Davis Mwamunyange, Professor Lovemore Madhuku, Professor Charity Manyeruke and former Law Society of Zimbabwe President, Vimbai Nyemba.

Jane Mlambo| President Mnangagwa’s creation of a formal “Office of the Leader of the Opposition” is not a personal accommodation for any particular individual, but rather about long-term institution-building in line with the Second Republic’s ethos of strengthening democracy in Zimbabwe.

The Head of State and Government wants to establish an Office of the Leader of the Opposition, which is in line with Commonwealth practices as Zimbabwe edges closer to rejoining that international organisation.

Beyond that, creation of the office is geared towards fostering greater political inclusivity in the country’s governance and enhancing Government’s operations by presenting it with robust checks-and-balances administrative infrastructure.

This was said by Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet (Presidential Communications) Mr George Charamba in an interview here yesterday, where President Mnangagwa is attending the 73rd Ordinary Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Mr Charamba said President Mnangagwa had raised the matter of an Office of the Leader of the Opposition in a meeting with United Kingdom Minister of State for Africa Harriett Baldwin at the UN Headquarters on Monday.

Zimbabwe’s leader met the British official for the second time this year as relations between the two countries continue to thaw after nearly two decades of acrimony.

Minister Baldwin congratulated President Mnangagwa on his July 30 Presidential election victory, before the pair proceeded to discuss enhancement of bilateral ties, public and private sector support for Zimbabwe’s economic turnaround, the Lima debt clearance process and security co-operation.

Mr Charamba said, “Another key matter that arose in the meeting between the President and Madam Baldwin was that of Zimbabwe rejoining the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth has already sent an assessment team to check our readiness in terms of political parameters for readmission into the organisation.

“The latest indications are that the team seems positive that Zimbabwe qualifies for resumption of membership.

“The President briefed the minister in terms of efforts aimed at enhancing political inclusion to harmonise our systems with the Commonwealth, including to have the Office of the Leader of the Opposition recognised and incorporated in the governance architecture.

“Let me emphasise this: the President is focused on institution building rather than accommodating an individual. A clear distinction must be made between institution-building for inclusive, sustainable democracy and accommodating an individual, who happens at this point in time to be Nelson Chamisa (MDC-Alliance leader).”

-State Media

The new Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare one Sekesai Nzenza dared to fire the first shot against the working class since the consummation of the so called new dispensation. In an interview with the Zbc the political new comer declared that employers should have the right to hire and fire employees willy nilly. The rookie politician appeared serious and sure as she spewed such dross.

It is obvious that Nzenza was not conveying a personal message but sharing an official government position. This is the position that has been adopted by the militaristic comprador bourgeoisie running the affairs of our country. This is in line with the Zimbabwe is open for business mantra propagated by Mining tycoon now President Emmerson Mnangagwa. It goes without saying that if such a wicked position is adopted we will be violating our own laws and International Labour Organisation regulations.

The working class should urgently convene a national labour forum, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, ZCTU can organize the event. The forum should bring together all labour representatives across all sectors, big and small. The forum should lay out a concrete strategy of fighting back against the impending neo liberal onslaught against the working class. We should not allow the casualization of labour. Unity is key at this juncture otherwise history will judge us harshly as a generation which presided over the erosion of the little gains that had been realized on the labour justice front.

Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe, ARTUZ calls upon Nzenza to urgently come up with a Conditions of Living Adjustment, COLA package for workers in the public service. Our salaries have been eroded by the wave of inflation that hit our country post the November coup and the political stalemate of the 2018 plebiscite.

ARTUZ will be handing an ultimatum to government by week end demanding a COLA or face backlash from the angry Civil Servants.

Victory is certain!

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ARTUZ INFORMATION DEPARTMENT.
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The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) has recorded a 40,9 percent increase in imports of pre-owned vehicles at Beitbridge border post in the last eight months, it has emerged.

Officials statistics from Zimra indicate that the parastatals is collecting $8,5 million from vehicle imports at the country’s and Sadc’s busiest inland port of entry monthly.

Zimra’s acting head of communications Mr Taungana Ndoro said yesterday they were processing an average of 205 imports of second-hand vehicles at Beitbridge alone daily.

These, he said included those cleared under the returning residents rebate facility (Immigrant Rebate).

Second-hand vehicle imports mainly from Japan, UK, Singapore and South Africa are handled at Malindi and Manica Transit shades respectively while new and those which fall under the immigrant rebate are done at the border post.

“We have recorded an increase in vehicle imports at Beitbridge between January and August this year in comparison to the same period in 2017. This year we processed 45 368 import documents for vehicles coming in through South Africa against a total of 26 781 handled last year during the period under review.

According to Statutory Instrument 154 of 2001 — Customs and Excise (General) Regulations, 2001 an Immigrant Rebate is granted to any person who enters the country to take permanent residence or a visitor but remains to take up employment or permanent residence or a diplomat but remains to take up employment or permanent residence or to attend any educational institution; or for the purpose of attending any educational institution.

They are allowed to import household property and vehicles duty free on condition that they satisfy the Zimra Commissioner General that they owned the goods and the same (goods) were fully paid for before or on the first occasion of entry into the country and declaration as an immigrant.

Mr Ndoro said under normal circumstance one motor vehicle should be cleared within five and six hours from the time of submission of the requisite and correct documents.

The Herald is also reliably informed that Government is losing thousands of dollars in potential revenue to syndicates who are abusing the immigrants’ rebate facility (Returning Resident) to clandestinely import vehicles duty free across most ports of entries.

It is understood that the racket is well pronounced at Beitbridge Border Post where most vehicle imports from South Africa are processed.

Statistics from Zimra show that 17 immigrant abuse cases were intercepted between December 2017 and April this year.

Further, a total of 3 256 cars were imported under the Immigrant Rebate facility via Beitbridge border post in 2017. On average a modest vehicle attracts import duty of between $2 500 and $5 000.

Newly sworn in Kwekwe City councillors have declared their individual assets to their party with a pledge to do the same to council.

The council is largely dominated by MDC Alliance councillors who garnered thirteen out of fourteen seats with Zanu-PF claiming the remaining seat.

Speaking to journalists during a MISA-Zimbabwe organised meeting with the city fathers, Kwekwe Mayor Councillor Angeline Kasipo said the move was necessitated by the need to curb corruption at the civic centre.

“As a way of promoting transparency and curb corruption, we have decided to conduct a lifestyle audit led by the declaration of assets by individual councillors,” said Cllr Kasipo.

State Media

Correspondent|THE Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to reverse the appointment of Registrar General (RG) Clemence Masango until he is cleared of sexual harassment charges raised against him.

Former immigration department head Clemence Masango (pictured) recently took over from long-serving registrar general Tobaiwa Mudede who was retired as part of a shake-up of the civil service by Mnangagwa.

Masango is embroiled in a nasty fight with former Immigration Department employees who allege that he dismissed them from employment after they rebuffed his sexual advances.

The disgruntled women have since appeared before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Service, where they told MPs they had resorted to reporting their case to Parliament after then Home Affairs ministers, Kembo Mohadi (now Vice-President), Ignatius Chombo and now Obert Mpofu failed to address it.

The matter is also being investigated by the Zimbabwe Gender Commission.

ZCTU president Peter Mutasa, described the ex-police officer’s appointment to RG as unfair since sexual harassment allegations raised in his previous role as immigration head have yet to be resolved.

“We regard the appointment or reassignment as lack of judgment by the appointing authority,” said Mutasa.

“While we respect the fact that every accused person is innocent until proven guilty, the elevation is actually a direct interference with the Gender Commission’s investigation.”

Mutasa said Mnangagwa’s promotion of individual who headed an organisation under investigation undermines the Constitutional Commission’s work and trivialises the serious
complaints raised by workers.

This risks frustrating efforts to deal with workplace sexual harassment driven by unions and other social movements.

“… as a result we are going to demand that the appointment be rescinded until investigations are concluded. We will also look at the legal options,” he added

Women’s rights activist Nokhlo Mhluzini said the appointment raises serious concerns.

“Masango’s appointment as Registrar General raises many concerns and we cannot, with a clear conscience, welcome it as there are serious allegations that have been levelled against him and he has not been cleared by a court of law.

“The appointment is an insult to victims of sexual harassment as it reverses the strides made by women and other campaigners in fighting against all forms of abuse at the workplace,”
she said.

Source New Zim

Staff Reporter|Zimbabwe’s Head of State and Government Emmerson Mnangagwa will on Wednesday addresses the UN today for the first time since winning the 2018 Presidential elections.

Mnangagwa joined more than 100 fellow world leaders and/or their representatives for the opening of the 73rd Ordinary Session of the United Nations General Assembly, whose theme dovetails with his quest to foster sustainable peace and economic equity at home.

The theme for this year’s General Debate is; “Making the United Nations relevant to all people: Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Peaceful, Equitable and Sustainable Societies”.

President Mnangagwa heads a delegation that comprises Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr John Mangudya, Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Mr George Charamba and other senior Government officials.

TEN National University of Science and Technology (Nust) students in Bulawayo were arrested after their protest over buses threatened to turn ugly.

Students have, for a long time, been at loggerheads with the institution’s administration accusing them of mismanagement of buses.

The university buses ferry staff members to and from the city centre and students are not allowed on them.

The protestors said the buses were bought using students’ funds.

More than 60 students staged a demonstration on Monday, chanting and holding placards that articulated why they want the bus.

Some of the students jumped into one the buses and tried to prevent staff members from using it, a student said. “After failing to dislodge the students, the driver drove the bus to Central Police Station and 10 students who failed to get off were arrested,” said a student.

They were kept in the holding cells for about three hours.

The Zimbabwe National Students Association Nust president Denis Mwashita said they staged the demonstration because they were tired of watching students’ resources being abused by the administration.

“The reason why we decided to demonstrate is because we want our buses to be used appropriately. We can’t be using public transport whilst the university buys buses using our money, to ferry its staff members,” he said. “We pay the bus levy every semester but we are not allowed to use it. The library is located in the city centre but the students pay for public transport to go there. Why can’t they schedule the trips so that we can also use the bus, to and from the campus?”

Mwashita said the student representative committees have sought redress for this issue but the university never responded. He said it was time for student activists to unite and demand appropriate use of resources that are meant for students.

Mwashita said the protest was peaceful but they were taken to a police station without a proper reason.

“To our surprise, the institution decided to get us arrested. We were detained at Bulawayo’s Central Police station for more than two hours. Our lawyer, Advocate Tinashe Runganga negotiated for our release since the police had not yet charged us with anything.”

Contacted for comment, Nust Information and Public Relations officer Mrs Lindiwe Nyoni said the matter had been resolved. “Internal processes are underway and the administration is looking into the matter. It is not only the bus problem being taken care of but other students’ welfare issues,’’ she said.

“The vice chancellor called for a meeting with the students two weeks ago and addressed the students’ welfare issues, promising to prioritise them.”

This is not the first time Nust students have been arrested for staging a demonstration this year.

In February more than fifty were arrested for shutting down the main campus in protest over the administration’s failure to resolve their lecturers’ month-long strike over poor working conditions. Efforts to get police comment were fruitless.

State Media

A POPULAR bishop from the African Apostolic Church died in Bulawayo on Monday in a suspected cholera case.

Bishop Enock Mhambare from the Paul Mwazha-led church also known as Vapositori ve Africa, who was the church’s chairman died at Thorngrove Infectious Diseases Hospital.

The church’s General Secretary Bishop Richard Juru confirmed Bishop Mhambare’s death but declined to give further details.

“Yes we received news of his death but we can’t confirm it’s cholera. We are driving from Harare. We will only confirm it’s cholera when we get the post mortem results,” said Bishop Juru.

Bishop Mhambare ministered at a massive three-day Annual Holy Communion gathering at Irisvale Farm in Umzingwane District which drew an estimated 10 000 congregants from Matabeleland South Province at the beginning of this month.

It is said that Bishop Mhambare had travelled to Botswana and fell ill on his way back as he started to have stomach aches, watery diarrhoea and was vomiting.

“He returned to Bulawayo where he was admitted and the case treated as cholera before he passed on last night (Monday),” said a church member.

Bulawayo City Council director of Health Services, Dr Edwin Sibanda said Bishop Mhambare was admitted to Thorngrove Hospital in a suspected cholera case and died before laboratory results were out.

“The history and clinical presentation including everything was saying cholera but we are yet to receive results from the lab to say definitely it was cholera. But we are treating it as a cholera case until the lab says it’s not cholera,” said Dr Sibanda.

He said Bishop Mhambare who was ordinarily a resident of Budiriro suburb in Harare, fell sick on his way back from Botswana.

“They travelled to Botswana and on their way back on Sunday around border area, he started having diarrhoea and they drove and came here to Bulawayo where he was attended to at one of the medical facilities where he was immediately moved to Thorngrove. He was treated as a cholera patient at Thorngrove and unfortunately passed on before we had conclusive results, “said Dr Sibanda.

He said the burial of Bishop Mhambare would be under supervision of Ministry of Health officials because it is being handled as a cholera case.

“We are preparing to transport and bury the body as a case of cholera.

“The relatives were planning to move the body to Chivhu in Mashonaland East and we have communicated with both the Ministry of Health people in Harare as well as Mashonaland East to tell them that there is a body of that nature coming and they do the right thing. These people are supposed to have a supervised burial,” he said.

Statistics indicate that at least 45 people have been killed by cholera in the past three weeks.
All suspected cases in Bulawayo have so far tested negative.

State Media

THE Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs, Judith Ncube, has challenged event organisers to recognise the cosmopolitan nature of the province while conducting national programmes in the city.

She made the remarks during her keynote address at the Miss Tourism Zimbabwe finals held at the Rainbow Hotel car park last Saturday in Bulawayo.

This was after a local DJ had played the national anthem in Shona only, something she said did not represent the cosmopolitan nature of the province.

In most cases, the national anthem is sung or played in the three main languages – Shona, Ndebele and English. Ncube said singing or playing the national anthem in local languages evokes national pride.

“DJ, next time have a national anthem that is in isiNdebele so that people enjoy singing the anthem in their language. Or in actual fact, have the one that has Shona as the first verse, isiNdebele as the second verse and English as the third verse.

“Bulawayo is a rainbow city and that represents its cosmopolitan nature,” said Minister Ncube.

She said singing the national anthem in one’s own tongue gives it more meaning.

“When you sing ‘abakhokheli babe lobuqotho (May leaders be exemplary)’, it sounds better in your own language. When you travel to Harare or other provinces and you see people sing the anthem in their own language, you can see how they’re enjoying every moment of it.

“I wish for such to happen in Bulawayo so that people enjoy singing the national anthem in their language.”

The Minister also said it was high time that people start appreciating the girl child than looking down on her.

“The girl child is looked down upon as a secondary citizen. If you’ve been looking down on the girl child, then you’re doing something wrong.

“Appreciate and admire what the models will be doing on stage, let’s not be bitter,” said Minister Ncube.

She also encouraged newly crowned Miss Tourism Zimbabwe, Tafadzwa Jaricha, from Manicaland to raise the Zimbabwean flag high when she goes to participate at the Miss World contest later this year.

State Media

THE Bulawayo High Court reserved judgement Tuesday in a poll challenge filed by losing MDC Alliance candidate for Kwekwe Central Blessing Chebundo.

Opposition National Patriotic Front (NPF) candidate Masango Matambanadzo’s narrowly won the constituency in the July 30 elections.

Chebundo polled 7,122 votes against 7,578 for the NPF candidate.

Amongst other allegations, Matambanadzo accused of vote buying and using MDC Alliance logo while campaigning for the elections.

Chebundo’s lawyer Tonderai Chitere confirmed the reserved judgement.

“Both parties presented their arguments then the court reserved judgment. It means that the court has postponed the matter to allow it to write judgement,” said the attorney.

Matambanadzo has however said he is not surprised with Chebundo’s petition.

“Of importance to note is the fact that I defeated Chebundo in 2013 both in the election and in court.

“Come the 30th of July 2018, I defeated him again,” Matambanadzo said through his lawyer Liberty Mashanyare.

He added that MDC big wig is notorious for rejecting poll results.

“It is known from history that the petitioner does not accept an election result other than the one in which he is the winner.

“This is not the first time I have won the Kwekwe Central parliamentary seat against the petitioner.

“In 2013 after losing on similar elections the petitioner approached this court in similar allegations but still lost in court.”

On the allegation of using an ambulance for campaigning, Matambanadzo said he did not see how an ambulance with political insignia could influence people’s political choices.

He also added that Kwekwe town clerk Emmanuel Musara had refused to take delivery of the ambulance which he had donated to the local authority.

NewZimbabwe

Ncube had a day to forget in front of the podium at a New York investors conference, getting several details wrong on key economic indicators in an address that has left many puzzled about his grasp of the economy he is superintending.

In a presentation that lasted just over 14 minutes, the minister said the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange’s cumulative return since March 2009 ZSE was 2,000 percent, much higher that the actual 600 percent.

Even for a renowned financial engineer, the variance cannot be easily reconciled.

According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency data released last week Monday, the year-on-year inflation rate rose to 4,83 percent in August after gaining 0,54 percentage points from the July rate of 4,29 percent. Ncube said he was happy with Zimbabwe’s inflation which he said had just gone up to six percent, from 4 percent.

Its difficult to assume that the minister does not know that Zimbabwe this year achieved an all time high tobacco output of 250 million kg, because he told his audience that the production, at 25 million kg was a 40-year high.

According to the Chamber of Mines, Zimbabwe’s mineral revenue is projected to reach $2,5 billion this year up from $2,3 billion last year, about 85 percent of total export earnings, not 60 percent as the minister insinuated.

The Zimbabwe Investor Forum was held at last Friday and according to Ncube, was attended by government officials and select US investors which included Morgan Stanley; Merrill Lynch; Bank of America, and JP Morgan executives. It was organized and hosted by investment group, Exotix Capital on the sidelines of the ongoing UN General Assembly.

There are also question marks about how Ncube could confidently say Zimbabwe will be one of the fastest growing economies from 2019 onwards, averaging a growth rate of six percent per annum. This projection is seen as overly ambitious given the challenges the country is facing.

But then, Ncube glossed over the crises at hand — cash shortages; foreign currency shortages along with the attendant black market and pricing shocks it induces; poor infrastructure and a less competitive local industry.
Or maybe he knows more than he is letting on.

The Source

Staff Reporter|At least 45 people have been killed by cholera in Zimbabwe in the past three weeks, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday, describing the strain as “multi-drug resistant”.

It said that an oral vaccine campaign was due to begin shortly with 450,000 people targeted in the worst-affected suburbs of the capital Harare.

About 500,000 doses were due to arrive in the country on Wednesday for Zimbabwe’s first oral vaccine campaign to combat the disease.

“A cumulative total of 6,428 suspected cases, 45 deaths, and 96 confirmed cases have been reported,” a report by WHO and the health ministry said.

Almost all of the deaths have been in Harare, with one other in the eastern district of Makoni and another in the central city of Masvingo.

The report said Harare city council was fixing broken sewers after blocked and damaged pipes left sewage flowing on open ground in all affected areas.

Safe water is being trucked to residents, and police have banned the sale of street food, arresting vendors to try to prevent the epidemic from spreading.

Cholera outbreaks have occurred frequently in Zimbabwe’s cities where safe drinking water and sanitation facilities are scarce.

In Harare, public gatherings have been banned and people discouraged from shaking hands.

Zimbabwe, which was ruled by Robert Mugabe from independence in 1980 until his ousting last year, suffered its worst cholera outbreak in 2008.

A total of 4,000 people died and at least 100,000 people fell ill.

DailyMail

A Grade 7 pupil at a Bulawayo school has been arrested for eight counts of unlawful entry and theft and has blamed a romp with a 64 year old woman for his actions.

The pupil who cannot be named for ethical reasons resides in Mzilikazi suburb and was allegedly stealing groceries and money to give Gladys Sibanda who is his neighbour.
Although sources alleged there was a sexual relationship between the two, the police are yet to get evidence to prove it.

The boy is alleged to have stolen R9 500, P1 050, $249, $31 in bond notes and coins and some groceries with only $68 being recovered.

The boy is accused of systematically committing the crimes between July and September this year. The case was brought to light when Ms Fadzai Makanyangi (31) who was one of the boy’s victims reported a case of theft to the police.

Acting Bulawayo police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele confirmed the case saying both the boy and the old woman will appear in court soon.
The Chronicle yesterday caught up with the teen’s mother who expressed shock that Sibanda used her son to commit crimes.

“I grew up living with Ms Sibanda, I respected her as mother figure. I least expected that she would do this to me. I remember she said my son was adorable not knowing that her intentions were to use him like this,” said the boy’s mother who seemed traumatised by the case.

“I suspect she even used him for rituals as my son went on to give another neighbour some herbs as medication for stomach aches. When l asked him where he got the herbs he indicated that ugogo MaSibanda gave him when he had a stomach ache and he was healed.”

The boy is alleged to have implicated Sibanda after his mother bashed him for stealing.
Sibanda denied sending the child to steal but claimed she only received a few gifts from the boy.

“I only received R10 and mealie-meal as a present from the boy,” she told The Chronicle yesterday.
She declined to give further details on why she accepted gifts from a child who normally should be incapable of even providing for himself.

Asst Insp Msebele said the case had been taken to court but prosecutors argued that it should be brought before a magistrate with Sibanda as an accomplice.

“Between July and September the boy had been stealing groceries and money from his neighbours. It appears he did so after knocking off from school. He would give or sell the goods to the old woman whose docket is being opened and is being charged for theft charges as an accomplice to the crime,” she said.

Asst Insp Msebele said police have not established if Sibanda had physically abused the teenager.
“What we know is that the two claimed that their links were caused by their political interactions. We are told that he boy claimed that he was the Child President,” said Asst Insp Msebele.

She said police are finalising investigations but urged residents to increase security in their homes.
“They should lock their doors and if ever they will be leaving their keys, they should leave them with trustworthy people. Parents should also closely monitor the activities of their children as this can protect them from being involved in criminal activities that will land them in trouble,” she said.-state media

Hon Chinotimba: Corruption Mr. Speaker, everyone is involved in corruption.  Most of us are engaged in corruption in one way or the other.  Some people just want to talk about individuals engaging in corruption but they do not look at themselves.  Corruption is not only defrauding but corruption is also evident if someone says that the vendors or informal traders should continue to sell their wares from the streets.

That is corruption because we are saying it is not healthy but we want them to stay there, that is corruption.  We want to stress that such corruption should end.  Corruption again comes in the sense that when someone is speaking very sensibly and doing good work, you will hear people making noise, like I am doing, that is corruption.

Corruption is not only involved where there is money but also where one is saying a lot of sense and people are booing him.  There is corruption that is evident in demonstration, there is corruption that comes through fraudulent activities.  Even the demonstrations that happened when the President was delivering his Speech and MPs walked out, that in itself is corruption.

Jane Mlambo|Harare magistrate Hosea Mujaya has granted a $3000 bail to former cabinet minister, Savior Kasukuwere.

Kasukuwere has also been ordered to surrender title deeds of a Nyanga property and report twice a day to police among other conditions.

The former Zanu PF Secretary for Administration was arrested yesterday on charges abuse of office during his time as a cabinet minister.

The State represented by Michael Reza and Zivanai Macharaga had argued against Kasukuwere being given bail saying he only  handed himself over to the police following the issuing of a warranty of arrest.

Macharaga argued that the state’s case against Kasukuwere is very strong adding that if he is granted bail, he is likely to abscond court hearings.

However Kasukuwere’s lawyer, Jonathan Samkange argues that charges against his client have been flying since 2017 adding that the accused is not on the run.

“The State is saying the allegations are serious but the seriousness of an offense on its own is not a ground to deny an accused person bail,” argued Samukange.

He added that his client is a man who respects the law further highlighting that denying his client bail will be punishment because the state’s is weak and will not get a conviction.

More details to follow…

Jane Mlambo| Newly appointed Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Professor Mthuli Ncube could have escaped arrest by a mere two weeks following his resignation from Quantum Global where he was Managing Director to take up a cabinet post in Zimbabwe.

Quantum Global, the company behind President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s luncheon with investors in Switzerland early this year had its founder Jean Bastos de Morais and his friend Jose Filomeno dos Santos (son of former Angolan President, Jose Eduardo dos Santos) arrested today over fraudulent transfer of $500 million from Angolan state coffers to an HSBC account.

According to Bloomberg, Angola’s state prosecutor arrested the son of former President Jose Eduardo dos Santos over the alleged illegal transfer of $500 million from state coffers to an HSBC Holdings Plc account in the U.K.

Replying to a Pachedu post on Twitter, Nick Brandson, a journalist with the Economist said Ncube who was the Managing Director and Head of Research Lab at Quantum Global had just left on time to survive an arrest.

https://twitter.com/NHBranson/status/1044566529705226241

Jane Mlambo| Newly appointed United States Ambassador to Zimbabwe Brian Nichols has urged government to fully implement the 2013 constitution if sanctions are to be removed.

Speaking during a question and answer session in Harare today, Nichols said, “If Zimbabwe as a nation fully implements the 2013 constitution, then sanctions issue will be resolved and the Zimbabwe has made a commitment to that,” said Nichols.

USA has recently renewed sanctions against Zimbabwe with President Emmerson Mnangagwa scoffing at the Trump administration decision saying his government remain focused on developing the country and safeguarding peace.

 

Terrence Mawawa|Respected political analyst Dr Pedzisai Ruhanya has said there is need for a binding social contract between the governors and the governed to enhance democratic processes.

“If there are going to be talks and amendment of laws to accommodate the opposition, the dialogue should be on governance, electoral reforms and a solid SOCIAL CONTRACT between the governors and the governed- it’s not about giving @nelsonchamisa a post,” argued Ruhanya as he responded to a Newsday article on the proposal by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to offer Nelson Chamisa a post in his government.

According to Newsday, Mnangagwa is intending to offer Chamisa a post in his government in a move analysts perceive is meant to wheedle out the youthful opposition leader.