By Own Correspondent| Apostolic Faith Mission is at war ahead of elections to choose the vast church’s leadership this year amid indications that one of the major reasons behind the leadership wrangle includes the church’s finances.

Below is the document in full:

INTRODUCTION

This paper sets out to enunciate the reasons why we believe our church AFM in Zimbabwe has lost compass and has been overtaken by individuals whose motives and objectives are self-serving.

It is a clarion call to the Elders of this great Pentecostal movement to take their rightful place and bring the Church back on course. For too long the Elders of this church have been quiet while watching God fearing saints being coerced and manipulated out of their wealth, by scheming preachers with sweet tongues.

he greatest concern is that gone are the days of evangelism in the church, we last heard of AFM crusades during the days of the late Rev Masiyambiri and the late great general of God Rev Chiweshe, since then the repentance of sinners is no longer a priority of the church but rather the welfare of the Pastor. All we now hear of is the gospel of “Bata Mota Yako”. What happened to the four square gospel preached by John G Lake. Sin is no longer being rebuked in the church.

The Apostolic Faith Mission has lost its missional focus and slowly degenerated into multiple mini ministries within the church.

The Spirit of the Living God is agonisingly calling us out to stop this worldly focus on material things which will perish together with the world itself.

We believe the church has lost its focus due to loose and poor governance systems that have allowed all and sundry to do as they please with impunity.

The church has out grown its systems and is holding on to out-dated systems that have been taken advantage of by selfish individuals instead of jealously guarding the mandate of the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ which made this church into what it is today.

We can’t entirely blame those self-serving individuals that have taken advantage of our poor systems but we should rather take part of the blame as Elders because we never erected the fence in the first place.

We ask the question of whether this is the heritage you would like to leave to your children

In these last days God has stirred up a revolution which is going to start with the AFM and sweep across a number of denominations.

If you are a leader of this church we ask you to pray and hear from God for yourself.

Let it not be said the Church perished in our time and in our hands of leadership.

We will highlight here only three areas that are crying out loudly as we explain why the AFM in Zimbabwe church must reform. These being

Conflict resolution

Resource Allocation

Corporate Governance in the church

REFORM IMPERATIVES – WHY SHOULD AFM REFORM

CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND JUSTICE DELIVERY

The Executive Cannot Deliver Credible and Impartial Judgements

The current scenario where the Apostolic Council members are expected to preside over cases of dispute or discipline is in vain. The Overseers who preside over cases are generally compromised since the next case might be from his Province and another Overseer will have to preside, such an Overseer is compromised from the beginning.

Overseers can choose to ignore determinations made with impunity and currently there is on social media an Overseer claiming on the pulpit that he is not subject to National authorities.

The infamous audio clip of our President and one of Pastors reflected that there are many disciplinary cases that were not seeing the light of day including the overseas escapades of the said pastor. This highlights the injustice within our system as some cases of discipline are tried and judged while others are swept under the carpet. Those whose cases are tried and judged feel unjustly treated as they would be aware of other cases that were never tried at the discretion of the Executive

Those that have gone to court in the secular world will always contend that they did not get justice within the church system. While the majority of church members are never happy when the church disputes are put in the public domain like the High Court or Labour Court. There have been many labour cases in which the Church has been taken to task by disgruntled Pastors whereas justice could have been delivered from within the church.

Our constitution needs to create a judiciary system which is not staffed by the Executive but is filled with Born Again, Competent (skilled and trained in conflict resolution, legal, labour and discipline matters and counselling) and God fearing members from within our church. Paul admonishes the church to have an internal dispute resolution mechanism in 1 Corinthians 6:1-6.

The church is fraught with grievances, labour cases and in some cases High Court cases because we are failing to deliver justice in conflict and disciplinary matters internally. Why? Our system entrusted this to the Executive which is highly conflicted and not independent. What we need is an impartial and independent body to deliver justice and be seen to deliver justice and AFM WON’T BE IN THE NEWSPAPERS again.

RESOURCE ALLOCATION

Allocation between Assemblies:

The settlement patterns that our colonial masters established within the country mean that our communities were divided into economic strata based on income levels.

The rural areas whose incomes are based on subsistence agro economics which is seasonal are in a category of their own, while the urban communities with more consistent monthly salary incomes are in another category.

Within the urban communities there is further segregation based on the level of income into low income, medium income and high income communities.

Our assemblies being community based reflect the income patterns of their communities and can be easily and equally classified into rural, low income, medium income and high income churches.

This is because the current decentralised financial system obtaining in the AFM today, requires that Assemblies remit only 20% of their tithes to the Province (other income streams excluded) and whatever levy that might be charged by the Province or National while retaining the rest implying that Assemblies are retaining more than 70% of the tithe income generated at an assembly plus other incomes as well.

This means that those assemblies that generate much also get to retain much, thus the high income assemblies will have high retention levels. By definition the disadvantaged or low income areas will remain as such while the affluent will continue to blossom.

The church buildings we are constructing and the vehicles we buy at the different assemblies bear witness to this and this means while some worship in air conditioned buildings others are relegated to grass thatch churches.

The church’s financial system currently entrenches and amplifies the segregation and differences of our assemblies by income categories and location.

When you compare our rural assembly church buildings to those of our contemporaries like ZAOGA it leaves a lot to be desired.

Allocation between functions or priorities

It is important to then appreciate that the current financial system that is operating in the church is a loose financial system based on the Constitution which principally requires the payment:

of the Provincial Return (20%), (Section 8.6.1)

any Provincial or National Levy (Section 8.6.2),

of the Pastor’s Pension (Section 8.7.1) and it leaves the rest of the resources (Section 8.8.1) to be used at the discretion of the Local Administration Committee. This constitutes in excess of 70% of the tithe income.

It is therefore a fact that the bulk of the church’s resources >70% are left to discretional spending. This constitution should have given better direction to the use of its resources than leave to committees that can be manipulated.

It is Section 8.8.1 that has led to skewed priorities in terms of resource allocation. Mature assemblies that have already constructed their church buildings and have acquired assets necessary for the running of the assembly are literally at liberty to spend the church’s resources on frivolous expenditure.

The sad reality is that if expenditure analysis is undertaken it will be noted that the church’s resources have not been applied to the purpose of the organisation i.e. the Great Commission. Crusades are no longer being conducted having been replaced with revivals in which the focus is to preach to the saved. The priorities of the church are definitely misplaced because we are spending our monies on non-core activities while the core responsibility is totally ignored.

Pastor’s Remuneration

It is important to see how the financial system envisaged the use of the >70%. In the current constitution the pastor’s remuneration is meant to come from within this. This means for a low income urban assembly generating $500-00 per month in tithes, the pastor’s remuneration and local expenses will be limited to around $350-00 per month while high income urban assembly generating $5,000-00 and there are many such, the pastor’s remuneration and local expenses will be within the $3,500-00 per month. THIS SYSTEM CLEARLY CREATES CLASSES WITHIN OUR PASTORATE.

The remuneration of our pastors has been the source of much anguish to many of our rural assembly pastors. The rural assembly pastor has to live with a promise and hope that one day he will migrate to an urban assembly but this is equivalent to playing the lottery and is a function of the pastor’s relationship with the Overseer, giving serious overtones to corruption and nepotism.

The 2016 Stipend policy then solidified this position that the Pastor took centre stage of expenses at 48% of all tithes collected (60% of the 80% remaining after provincial return).

Those Provinces that refused to implement the stipend policy mainly refused because the stipend policy actually reduced the proportion of the pastor’s costs. There is empirical evidence that there are assemblies were the cost of the Pastor is exceeding 70% and thus wipes out the discretional fund of the assembly and encroaches into the offerings and other sources.

Our financial system has thus created Pastors who are able to send their kids to school in private schools while others can’t even afford the local government or council school in the neighbourhood.

Many of these pastors’ kids are only going to school courtesy of well-wishers like Capernaum Trust, otherwise they were not going to go to school at all.

Such disparities in income has created classes within our pastorate with the rural assembly pastors being viewed as second class citizens to their elite urban counter parts much like Lazarus and the King Luke 16: 19-21. HANA DZEDU HADZIROVI HERE?

Some Provinces have gone the route of centralising (paying remuneration from the Province) these assemblies particularly the rural areas upon realising that the rural income would not be able to sustain a family. Unfortunately skewed priorities in the provincial office have meant these pastors are not being paid either and if they do it is not regular. It is a matter of fact and record that most of our provinces owe rural assembly pastors’ remuneration with no hope of redemption.

Being posted to a rural assembly is viewed as PUNISHMENT within the church and has been used as a disciplinary tool by Provincial leaderships, though there are souls requiring salvation in the rural areas. A rural posting implies starving with no food on the table and kids attending inferior schools.

There is no deliberate attempt to recruit Pastors with various callings but the rural constituency has become a dumping ground for those under punishment or victimisation.

Local Expenses

The current constitution envisages that local expenses of the church will be met from the discretionary >70% that is left to the local leadership.

The tragedy of the system has been that there is an elephant in the shop in the form of the Pastor who crowds out other expenses.

The pastor being a signatory to all payments ensures that his costs are given priority over all other costs.

The evidence on hand is that all 5 Harare provinces of the AFM owe the City of Harare over $800,000-00 for rates and property costs and this was published in the press. There is famous case of an old assembly in Bulawayo that was nearly auctioned off due to debt in 2017 and was only saved by saints pouring in their resources.

One might wonder how the church end up owing so much, but the answer is very simple; it is because of the crowding out effect occasioned by our signatories and the skewed priorities of our financial system.

Other Incomes – Offerings and Fund Raisings

Tithes are not the only source of income in the church because offerings are a significant income stream. The current constitution is silent on the generation of these and more on how it is to be used. This silence has opened floodgates for the crafty to abuse the system

The church has witnessed a plethora of offering names besides love offerings as we have traditionally known. The different labels have been crafted to psychologically coerce the saints into contributing. These fund raising gimmicks have led to the widespread preaching of the Prosperity gospel in the church. The gospel of salvation has been replaced with the prosperity gospel.

The main driver of this offering gospel is the realisation that the offerings funds are not regulated in our Constitution and thus is an easy channel of getting money without accountability. There is even now the development of what we can call off-the-book fund raising where money is raised without going through the church’s official records. Schemes like Pastors’ Partners and Armour Bearers are all designed to beat the official records.

Another abuse due to poor regulation is the commercialisation of the Holy Communion which in some cases is purely used as a fund raising mechanism and is a monthly ordeal so that the Pastor can pocket the offering. INOTO NANGANA NEMONTH END WHEN PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PAID.

The 2018 year opening Ten Days of prayer was greeted with shocking social media notification of a Houghton Park Assembly Prayer Offerings wherein prayers were to be accompanied with significant offerings to guarantee your breakthroughs and these breakthroughs were graded. This being merely an ungodly fund raising scheme.

Appreciation

The introduction of the Appreciation was designed to buttress the incomes of our pastors and the motive was good and honourable unfortunately the beneficiaries have abused the system to a point that it is now a pain to the saints.

Appreciation is a love based gift but we are witnessing outright scheming designed to maximise the collections on the day. Targets are given to Provinces, Assemblies, Cell groups and departments; surely this is coercion and not love. This has simply become a money making scheme without the love of God in it. Some insist on the gifts being made public, so as to create embarrassment for those who contribute little. Other further claim that their intensity of prayers for you is directly proportional to the level of your giving. This is coercion of the saints where they are not allowed to express their free will but give under fear and duress.

These appreciations have taken the pattern of the income stratum of the assembly. It is thus not surprising to hear of Pastors receiving $40,000 per appreciation in an urban high income Harare Assembly while another Pastor in a rural assembly at best received $23 and a few hens within the same church and same Province.

There is open and blatant coercion for people to contribute towards appreciation. Pastors invite their friends to preach during such occasions often twisting scriptures to fleece congregants out of their monies and are generally manipulative in their preaching to induce money from congregants.

Church development programmes are often suspended during the build up to the Appreciation day.

The problem is not with the Appreciation but the lack of a system to regulate this once noble idea. AFM has lagged behind in the development of sound financial systems that ensure proper accountability within biblical principles.

AFM generates a lot of resources and God has surely blessed his saints so that they are able to support the work of God. However as a church we have not done our part to ensure that these resources are properly allocated and in some areas we have left huge, open and uncontrolled spaces only for us to blame those that take advantage of these openings. WHAT IS REQUIRED IS A NEW PARADIGM IN HOW THE CHURCH APPLIES THE RESOURCES THAT GOD HAS ENDOWED IT WITH. WE NEED CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

The Church has paid very little attention to corporate governance matters and yet they are at the heart of the issues affecting the church.

Corporate governance arises from the fact that the church is a separate and independent persona from its members and officers who act on its behalf.

Arguments around who owns the church always sound misplaced as the ownership clearly vests in the Lord Jesus Christ who established it. It is a matter of fact that the owner of the church is not present in the flesh and he has appointed Agents (legally speaking) to act on his behalf whom he called stewards in the scriptures.

The corporate governance issue arises not from the ownership of the church but from the relationship between the agents (stewards) who act on behalf of the church and consequently on behalf of Christ who is not present in the flesh.

Board and the Pastor

Our current constitution empowers the Local Board of Elders to call a Pastor to become their pastor in what we term the call system.

The Board has the power to call a Pastor and determine his remuneration particularly for those not operating under the Stipend system. This suggests that the Pastor is answerable or accountable to the Board for it is the Board that invited him to be the Pastor and pays his remuneration. (NB the meeting to call him and decide on remuneration is chaired by an Elder).

The irony and contradiction is that the Pastor when he assumes his position as a pastor becomes the chairman of the board to which he is answerable. He is the principal signatory to all expenses and has a say on who should be paid first and what should not be paid. In essence our constitution creates pastors who are accountable to themselves.

This lack of accountability has allowed pastors to create their ministries within the church and some eventually leave after using AFM as a launch pad.

Furthermore the church runs a decentralised system such that the pastor determines his theme for the year and runs his own programmes and is totally independent to a point that some will boycott Provincial and National functions. It is our Constitution that has created these mini ministries within the church.

Our constitution has created “unmovable” pastors in that once he lands a lucrative urban assembly with a value of retentions (>70% of tithes) he will resist any attempts to move him. It is not surprising of pastors having been at one assembly for 17 years. The Constitution has thus created the “UNTOUCHABLES” in almost all our provinces.

Provincial Accountability

Pastors are functionally responsible to Overseers and Provincial Committee but these are ill equipped to enforce compliance to delinquent or errant pastors save to transfer them to a rural posting.

To say Pastors are accountable to the Overseers is a myth which has no substance. Evidence is there that pastors can leave their duty station and go to Tanzania for shopping without the Overseers’ knowledge and or approval.

Cases of pastors mobilising youths against the Provincial Committee are not strange and these have generally come together with newspaper publications.

Overseers are generally incapacitated in enforcing vision implementation as there is always a threat of being de-campaigned at the next elections. This has made the office of the Overseer very weak.

Vision Implementation

We often hear the pastor being called the visionary of the Assembly and this has created challenges because the vision belongs to an individual and not the Board. When a Pastor leaves the Assembly, he leaves with his vision and the next one will come with his new vision.

The vision being implemented at each Assembly has no relation to the overall National goals and objectives. ANGOVA MAZVAKE ZVAKE. This has created AFM assemblies that are so vastly different that a service in another Assembly feels like you have attended or visited another Pentecostal church.

The church cultural issues that have given identity to our church like singing of hymns is so different that we are like different denominations

This visionary disjointing is more prominent in elected offices like that of the Overseer. The infamous “Simbi Dzamira Dzoga” at LWTS is testimony of our poor governance system.

The vision must never belong to an individual but be corporate and since our church uses presbytery it must belong to the Board.

It has become trendy in the AFM right now that church billboard including electronic ones is littered with the Pastor and his wife’s faces. This makes the pastor the centre of attention and not Christ. This shift of focus makes the Assembly look like it belongs to an individual and not to the organisation. The Church logo and emblem is always relegated to some corner and prominence given to the Man of God.

The governance system of our church is responsible for creating ungovernable Pastors and has been the cause of ministries that have come within the AFM. What is required is to have a governance system that ensures accountability and carries checks and balances to ensure fairness and remove victimisation. WE NEED A CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM TO OUR GOVERNANCE SYSTEM

CORRECTING THE CURRENT CONSTITUTION
Highlights of some of the key amendments to the Constitution

CURRENT CONSTITUTION NEW DRAFT
Deacons excluded from the Local Board of Elders, Provincial Workers Council and National Workers Councils A quota is provided for deacons at all levels, Assembly, Provincial and National level

Non accountability of Pastors who execute the vision as the visionary and chairs the Board that has oversight of the vision. Pastor now accountable to the Assembly Board, Overseers to the Provincial Board and President to the National Executive Board

Resource Allocation favouring those on urban assemblies while rural based pastors wallow in poverty Equitable remuneration that doesn’t discriminate against rural assembly pastors

Pastors are creating ministries at assemblies and abandoning their missional mandate Restoring focus on the Great Commission as the purpose of the church

Porous electoral process which disenfranchises other legitimate voters Transparent electoral process

Creation of illegitimate assemblies (mushika shika) to curry favour and manipulate elections. Fair recruitment done at national level with clear processes

Conflicted Executive presiding over conflict and disciplinary cases. Some are tried others swept under the carpet Creation of an Independent arm of the church to deal with conflicts and disciplinary cases

Bulk of the church resources >70% allocated to discretionary non-core activities. Revenues to be centrally controlled and expenditures approved by the National Council.

Relegation of critical departments to untrained personnel like YPU, Ladies and CMD. Trained Pastor to be in charge of all church departments

DISPELLING MYTHS AND LIES ABOUT THE DRAFT

Nyambirai Document

The Constitutional Reform Committee that has drawn this draft was made up of twelve saints who God chose through our Apostolic Council. In terms of the technical competence of the team consisted of five (5) theologians, three (3) human resource experts, three (3) lawyers and two (2) financial experts. Just like when God commanded Moses to build the ark of God, he directed him to bring together competent skilled people. In terms of their roles in the church they are five pastors, five elders, one deacon and one lay person.
It is a myth and a falsehood that this document is the work of one individual but is the composite work of the twelve individuals.

While some members resigned it was after the document was completed and submitted on 21st December 2017, with the first resignation on record being 4th January 2018.

Elders Fighting Pastors

There are those that are peddling falsehoods that Elders are fighting Pastors and we would like to categorically state that Elders are not fighting pastors but would like to remove and change the SYSTEM.

Our problem is with the system and not any individual. The system is loose, porous and prone to abuse and we believe it should be replaced with a more robust SYSTEM.

As Elders we are saying lets go back to the original AFM missional work where outreach programmes were a priority.
We also say let us respect and implement council resolutions that we will have agreed on.

Elders are further saying let us have an equitable resource distribution structure in cognisance being had to the economically marginalised assemblies.

Electioneering

Elders are not campaigning for any Presidential candidate as anti-reformists are claiming. All our conversations and chats have never targeted any individual and in fact it is one of the rules of conduct in our conversation. We believe leaders are chosen and appointed by God and when the time of elections comes God will choose his leadership.
We believe more in prayer for leadership than campaigning unlike what we are currently witnessing.

CRC Creating Positions

While the draft constitution is creating certain new positions these have not been created for the benefit of Reform Committee members. Salaries that shall be paid to anyone employed or elected to a position shall be available for all councillors to see as the draft has a requirement for budgeted expenditure to be tabled before the National Workers Council. Figures being circulated on social media are no less than blatant lies from hell.

Secularising the Church

This has been an argument raised by anti-reformists but it is far from the truth. It must be borne in mind that the Constitutional Reform Committee had in its midst 5 pastors of which one was a former Deputy President and one of the most senior and experienced pastors in the church. Two members were current Overseers and members of the Apostolic Council and then two other pastors. Their role was to ensure that the committee were within the dictates of the scriptures. To assert that the draft is secular is a malicious indictment of their contribution in the committee.

The separation of power between the Executive and the judiciary has been called secular whereas this is the most scriptural aspect of the new draft. In Exodus 18:13–27, Moses is advised by his father in law Jethro to set up a judiciary order which is separate from the Executive represented by Moses.

In fact the Old Testament had the Order of Priest, the Order of Executive represented by Kings, the Order of Prophets, the Order of Judges and the Order of Israel. Of these orders it is the order of kings that was ordained last as God had intended Israel to be a Theocracy rather than a monarchy.

Equating the Pastor to the Aaronic Priest

This doctrine has been responsible for turning the church into a cult. This doctrine denies the universal priesthood of the saints through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all saints.

It seeks to set the Pastor on a pedestal that is higher than all the other saints. The writer of the book of Hebrews in Chapter 4 highlights that Jesus is the High Priest and he put an end to the priesthood of Aaron.

Any doctrine that equates the Pastor to a Priest moreover the only priest is heresy. Peter further states in 1 Peter 2:9 that we are all a royal priesthood.

The doctrine has been has been buttressed by the doctrine of Fatherhood. This doctrine makes Pastors to be fathers to their congregants.

The principle of the doctrine is that the Pastor is superior and the congregants are subjective to the Pastor the same manner a son is not at the same level with his father. It is this superiority complex that is making it difficult for them to visualise an Elder as a co-worker but rather a subordinate and thus can’t chair a board. Brethren scripture says we are now the sons of God and not of pastors John 1:12.”- H-Metro.

President Mnangagwa agrees with the principle of Zimbabweans living outside the country being allowed to vote and his administration is looking into the logistical issues between now and the next elections in 2023.

The President made this revelation while interacting with Zimbabweans living in the United States in New York on Sunday.

President Mnangagwa indicated a vote for Diasporans may well have been implemented for the recent 2018 elections — which he and his zanu-pf party swept — but his Government had not had enough time to thrash out all the attendant logistical issues.

President Mnangagwa only assumed the helm of Zimbabwean politics in November 2017 when zanu-pf, as the majority in Parliament, nominated him to complete Mr Robert Mugabe’s term of office after the latter resigned following pressure from his own party and from legislators who wanted to impeach him.

Zimbabweans living outside the country have for decades called for the right to vote, which is not captured in existing electoral laws and on Sunday President Mnangagwa said he agreed with them.

“As you are fully aware, every five years we have to submit ourselves to seek a new mandate to govern. So I did proclaim a general election on the 30th of July this year.

“As I went around (different) countries I met . . . our Zimbabweans in the Diaspora who insisted on wanting to have an opportunity to vote.

“I agree with that request, but we were not able, in the time available, to have the logistics put into place to implement that objective. We now have five years where we can work on that objective where we can see whether we can implement it,” President Mnangagwa said.

Zimbabwe’s voting system is polling station-based, meaning people cast ballots at specific centres in their areas of residence in the country.

However, people on Government service abroad can cast postal ballots.

On Sunday, President Mnangagwa also updated the Zimbabwean Diaspora in the US about the recent electoral process.

“Our elections were premised on a platform of non-violence peace unity, love for our country,” he said.

“For the very first time we had a very peaceful campaign and every single political party had the opportunity to exercise their democratic right to campaign and seek support from our people.”

State Media

Jane Mlambo| President Emmerson Mnangagwa plans to amend Zimbabwe’s Constitution to recognise “official opposition” in a move critics say is meant to soothe MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa, NewsDay can reveal.

Chamisa, who lost a petition challenging the results of the July 30 election at the Constitutional Court (ConCourt), has maintained that he won the poll and that he has a legitimate claim to lead the southern African nation.

He frequently describes Mnangagwa as an “illegitimate” President after rejecting the court ruling that confirmed the Mnangagwa victory although last week he said he was open to talks “to resolve the question of legitimacy”.

Mnangagwa, currently attending the United Nations General Assembly, said during an interview with the US’s Bloomberg TV at the weekend that he was considering officially recognising his political nemeses as an opposition leader.

Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi yesterday said there would be need for a constitutional amendment to accommodate Chamisa once Mnangagwa and his arch-rival reach an agreement.

“It will need that (constitutional amendment) if there is a political agreement given the fact that he (Chamisa) is not an elected MP as things stand. The amendment will need to reflect the agreement, but that is up to the parties,” he said.

“The parties would need to negotiate and agree. Once that is in place, we will then have a look at the Constitution and see what needs to be done to accommodate the new set-up.”

While speaking during the interview in the US, Mnangagwa was quoted as having said: “Under our Commonwealth parliamentary democracy, the opposition is recognised; we recognise the leader of the opposition in Parliament. This is what we are going to do ourselves.”

The Zanu PF leader is seeking to rid the country of its long-held international pariah status gained under former President Robert Mugabe over alleged human rights abuses.

He is also trying to woo investors to kick-start an ailing economy that has been navigating turbulences since the turn of the century characterised by cash shortages and high unemployment.

Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said the ruling party was now awaiting Mnangagwa’s return for the process to begin.

“The President has made a pronouncement, but he is away. We need to give it time so that on his return, he will need to consult his counterpart in the MDC (Chamisa). Once the consultations are done, the process might then begin in earnest,” Moyo said.

It is understood that no formal communication has taken place between Chamisa and Mnangagwa.

Yesterday, Chamisa’s spokesperson, Nkululeko Sibanda, however, said his boss despised the “mafia-coloured politics, where the gang leader thinks that all problems are solved by the parcelling of perks and positions,” adding Zimbabwe was “bigger than people who believe that they can abuse State coffers to corruptly buy the presidency they lost in an election”.

“Zimbabwe has a crisis of governance and legitimacy,” Sibanda said.

“The current frenzy about an offer from the illegitimate President is misplaced. There is no offer from the illegitimate President Mnangagwa and no dialogue or contact with him. However, with the assumed offer in mind, president Chamisa believes that the struggle is by and for the people of Zimbabwe.”

Mnangagwa won the presidential election by a slim 50,67%, beating Chamisa, who garnered 44,3%, but the opposition party has refused to recognise his victory, saying the ConCourt had foiled his bid to subpoena the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to provide critical proof to bolster his case.

Opposition legislators last week snubbed Mnangagwa’s State of the Nation Address, shouting “thief!” during the official opening of the first session of the Ninth Parliament.
The move by Mnangagwa was important to remove the toxic nature of local politics, an analyst told NewsDay.

Constitutional expert and human rights lawyer, Sharon Hofisi, who is a lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe, said Mnangagwa’s gesture was important in bringing political stability in the country.
He said although Zimbabwe was largely a constitutional democracy, it doesn’t mean it does not appeal to other forms of democracy.

He said there has been a shift even in the West towards progressive democracy and appointing an opposition leader as an official opposition demonstrates an understanding of the influence of domestic policies on the international arena.

“Chamisa is an opposition leader and he should be able to co-exist peacefully with the Zanu PF under the arrangement, but it is subject to his approval,” Hofisi said.

He said that there was nothing wrong about recognising that Chamisa, who as an official opposition leader, serves a constituency.
Such recognition can be enshrined in the Constitution if it serves the greater good of the country.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW –

Delays in the appointment of Harare’s Provincial Affairs minister has led to serious jostling for the top job in the province.

Several names are being bandied around as possible candidates with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s nephew, Tongai, being a hot favourite for the position.

Tongai, the Member of Parliament for Harare South, is the only elected Zanu PF official in the province.

Several other candidates are also being tipped to land the post, among them businessman Oliver Chidawu, Omega Hungwe, Susan Madziwa and Miriam Chikukwa, who was the Provincial Affairs minister for the province between September 2013 and last month.

Tongai was reluctant to discuss speculation linking him to the position yesterday.

He said: “I cannot comment on those issues. Right now, I am focusing on delivering what I promised my constituency because it’s now time to work for the people.”

Mnangagwa’s nephew is likely to face stiff competition from Chidawu who is believed to be Mnangagwa’s long-time friend.

Efforts to get comment from Chidawu were fruitless as his mobile phone was not available.

Hungwe, Chikukwa and Madziwa could also not be reached for comment at the time of going to print.

Zanu PF insiders said Mnangagwa is facing headaches in choosing the Provincial Affairs minister for Harare because he has already appointed five ministers who are not parliamentarians.

The Constitution does not allow him to appoint more than five ministers who are not MPs.

In terms of section 104 (3) of the Constitution, the president can only appoint a maximum of five Cabinet ministers outside Parliament, based on their special skill.

Out of the country’s 10 political provinces, Mnangagwa has already appointed provincial affairs ministers for Bulawayo (Judith Ncube); Mashonaland West (Mary Mliswa); Mashonaland East (Apollonia Muneverengi); Mashonaland Central (Monica Mavhunga); Manicaland (Ellen Gwaradzimba); Midlands (Larry Mavima); Masvingo (Ezra Chadzamira); Matabeleland South (Abednico Ncube) and Matabeleland North (Richard Moyo).

DailyNews

From A Correspondent|A contingent of 54 officers drawn from the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF), Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade will take part in the SADC peace support operations command post exercise code named: ‘Umodzi,’ which will be held at the Malawi Armed Forces College in Salima.

This comes as SADC is taking over the African Union (AU) standby force roster from ECOWAS beginning January to June 2019 and it is against this background that the formation of SADC standby force to maintain peace in the region is born.

Addressing the contingent at a send off ceremony held at One Commando Regiment in Harare today, ZDF Commander, General Philip Valerio Sibanda urged the participants to go and show high standards of discipline, self motivation, hard work, initiative and commitment, saying Zimbabwean peace keeping personnel have a track record of excelling in the peace keeping mission.

“You are going to participate at the SADC regional level, hence it calls for high standards of discipline, self motivation, hard work, initiative and full individual commitment as your performance will reflect our nation’s level of skills, knowledge and preparedness to preserve peace,” he said.

General Sibanda added that the exercise is unique in that it comprises members from the civilian component.

General Sibanda also challenged the participants to gain as much knowledge as possible by exchanging ideas and learning from other participants from other countries.

The contingent will take part in the exercise which will commence from the 1 st to 16 thoctober this year.

Several churches in Harare yesterday defied a government ban on public gatherings and continued worshiping in the face of a stepped-up campaign to prevent the spread of cholera.

This comes after police issued a ban on all public gatherings and illegal food vending to control the spread of cholera, which has killed over 30 people in the capital, Harare.

Police spokesperson assistant commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday declined to comment why the ban was not being enforced on churches, referring the matter to Harare City Council (HCC), saying ZRP had concluded the issue already.

HCC corporate communications manager Michael Chideme also declined to comment.

“If you know that the police banned public gatherings, contact the police and not council,” Chideme told the Daily News.

This comes as police have been brutally bashing street vendors in the Harare CBD as a way of enforcing the ban.

Nyathi last week advised that churches were also included in the ban, but those wishing to hold public meetings should get clearance from health inspectors or police.

Various churches, however, without police clearance, proceeded with their Sunday services.

A snap survey conducted by the Daily News crew showed that churches which proceeded with their normal Sunday services include Walter Magaya’s Prophetic, Healing and Deliverance Ministries (PHD), Emmanuel Makandiwa’s United Family International Church and Johanne Masowe Yechishanu among others.

Speaking to the Daily News crew yesterday, Johanne Masowe Yechishanhu elder Philip Makasu said his sect adheres to laws and regulations formulated by authorities but when it comes to conducting their services, they only take orders from the Holy Spirit.

“Our services are structured in such a way that we only listen to the command of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word. If God doesn’t tell us to stop our services, then we do not,” Makasu told the Daily News.

He claimed that amid this cholera outbreak, their church members prayed and received blessings against diseases from the Holy ghost, and were religiously immunised from cholera.

Cholera itself causes diarrhoea and vomiting, leading to severe dehydration.

It can kill quickly but is treated easily through rehydration and antibiotics.

It is an intestinal infection caused by bacteria transmitted through contaminated water or food.

The source of contamination is usually faeces of infected people.

Daily News

Jane Mlambo|The Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial leadership has suspended four recently-elected councillors at Chiredzi Town Council from the party, accusing them of letting down the party by allowing the opposition MDC-Alliance to bag the council chairmanship in the sugar-growing town.

Zanu-PF, which has four councillors in the town, failed to land the chairmanship, which was won by councillor Gibson Hwende (MDC-Alliance).

This sparked outrage as Zanu-PF controls four wards in the town to the MDC-Alliance’s three while the eighth ward is under an independent candidate.

Councillor Hwende bagged five votes to prevail over councillor Blessing Mazinyani of Zanu-PF, who got three votes in the chairmanship race. This means one of the Zanu-PF councillors did not vote for councillor Mazinyani.

The Zanu-PF provincial co-ordinating committee has since issued the four ruling party councillors with prohibition orders after the Chiredzi Town Council chairmanship gaffe.

Party provincial secretary for Information and Publicity, Ronald Ndava, said the ruling party leadership was disturbed by what happened in Chiredzi Town last week.

“The province was briefed about shameful events which saw us (Zanu-PF) lose the chairmanship of Chiredzi Town where we enjoyed a numerical advantage and just wanted our councillors to unite and win the post,” said Ndava.

“We thus resolved to serve the councillors with prohibition orders and they will be called for disciplinary hearings in due course after which we will take the necessary steps going forward.

Prrsident Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday disclosed that he dangled an offer of land in the picturesque Victoria Falls to United States President Donald Trump to build a golf course.

Mnangagwa, who is in the US for the United Nations General Assembly, revealed his offer to Trump at the Zimbabwe’s Investors Forum held in New York yesterday.

Mnangagwa urged the American business community to support Zimbabwe’s rebirth in areas such as agriculture, mining, infrastructural development, tourism, ICT among others.

Zimbabwe and the US have frosty relations dating back to the early 2000s where the latter slapped the Southern African nation with sanctions under Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001 (Zidera) for human rights abuses under former President Robert Mugabe. Mugabe denies the allegations.

The US renewed the sanctions soon after the July 30 elections this year, saying that Zimbabwe had no ‘culture of democracy.’
Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe wanted an new era of relations with the US and pursue economic co-operation between the two countries, adding that he had wanted to meet Trump at the Davos conference held in Switzerland in January.

“When I was in Davos I met staffers from the Trump administration,” Mnangagwa said.

“I had hoped to meet President Trump but I had to leave before he arrived, but I told his people that if President Trump wishes, I will offer him ground in Victoria Falls in the national park.

“We have wildlife national park in Victoria Falls, but I had offered President Trump ground to build a state-of-the-art golf course so that as he plays, he can be able to see the big five,” he said amid cheers from delegates.

Mnangagwa said his government was keen for investments in the form of joint ventures or infrastructure based on the build operate and transfer (BOT) model.

-Newsday

By Own Correspondent| Zimbabwe requires an additional 2 000 schools in order to service its ever increasing population, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Professor Paul Mavhima has said.

In an interview with a local publication, Prof Mavima said there were 1 500 satellite schools in resettlement areas that needed to be formalised into functional schools.

He also revealed that in urban areas, there are about 600 schools that needed to be established in order to decongest the existing schools, some that have resorted to hot seating to accommodate more pupils.

“I was in Chegutu recently and our learners are learning in tobacco grading sheds at a former commercial farm and the sheds are used as classrooms.

Fortunately the private sector came in to help the local authority to build a good school. So we are going through all those schools to formalise them and make them modern.

We estimated in 2015 that we needed 2 056 schools but we realised that we have been building schools as central Government but also communities have done the same.

Looking at what we have done and the continuous growth of population we still need about 2 000 schools.”

Jane Mlambo| Zanu PF in Chipinge district yesterday organized a meeting at Chisumbanje primary where the party leadership urged women to form groups and approach the Women’s Bank for loans.

According to one Zanu PF who attended the meeting, women were told to take advantage of the Women’s Bank to start income generating projects.

“Nezuro paChisumbanje pakaitwa musangano weZanu Pf nemadzimai vaikurudzira madzimai kuti apinde mumagroup azokwanisa kukwereta kuZimbabwe Women’s Bank uye vaiyeuchidzawo vanhu nezveCholera kuti pakaita arwara mukafungira kuti ingangova cholera gadziraiSalt and Sugar Solution muchienda kuchipatara,” said the party member on condition of anonymity.

Staff Reporter|A total of 57 magistrates have been sworn into office at the Harare Magistrates’ court today.

Chief MagistrateMishrod Guvamombe presided over the ceremony.

Of the 57 magistrates being sworn in, 37 are females and 20 are males.

Details to follow……..

FINANCE and Economic Development Minister Prof Mthuli Ncube has said that Zimbabwe will join Africa’s top six fastest growing economies in the next 24 months.

He was addressing delegates at Zimbabwe Investors Forum held on the side-lines of the ongoing United Nations 73rd General Assembly in New York.

“Zimbabwe will be joining the group of six countries which have the fastest growing economies with a growth rate of six percent per annum which comprise Rwanda, Ghana, Tanzania and Ivory Coast,” said Prof Ncube.

“We have a policy direction in terms of our visions. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has launched vision 2030 which will drive the country to a middle-income economy with an income per capita of $3,500 by year 2030 through the pillars of stronger governance transparency, macro stability, inclusive growth infrastructure investment and social development.”

Minister Ncube also revealed that president Mnangagwa will launch the Transitional Stabilisation Program within the next four weeks which will drill down the work plan.

He underscored that the programme’s key pillars are macro policy, institutional arrangement, growth of the services sector and developing human capital.

“Let me remind those of you who may not know anything much about Zimbabwe, the country has an excellent human capital base with a high literacy rate, abundance of natural resources, minerals, good infrastructure, access to power water and sanitation and is favourably located in Southern Africa,” Ncube said.

He noted that government was working on reforms by pursuing a debt relief strategy so that “we catch up with our arrears which will allow us to unlock the flow of capital from the rest of the world”.

However, Labour and Economic Development Research Institute of Zimbabwe director, Dr Godfrey Kanyenze expressed doubt over Ncube’s time frame.

“There are a host hurdles that lie ahead of the nation’s economic reform process,” he said.

Government needs to come up with a debt clearance strategy, deal with emerging issues of Gukurahundi, cut down expenditure, instil expenditure discipline and all this cannot be achieved in twenty-four months.

“Back home, the incumbent president was immersed in a disputed election which saw his party’s winning parliamentarians garnering higher votes and all these issues need resolve to establish a proper foundation for economic growth.

“Even countries like Rwanda did not achieve such rankings in a space of 24 months.”

He noted that basic rules of economics are clear that one does not reap on the same day of sowing while the political economy of the real world has potential to force some delays.

“… how is it possible to save money for debt clearance, implement cut across changes, save towards economic and then join the continent’s group of six in 24 months?” queried Kanyenze.

Another economist, Aeneas Chuma also said that even when fast-tracked, Zimbabwe cannot be a part of the great six in 24 months.

“The country’s economy used to be the second best on the continent and that can certainly be achieved if proper remedies are taken but certainly not in 24 months as there still is need to amend wrong thinking.

“In most cases it is the same government which is holding up the process of economic recovery due to unnecessary procedures and additional costs through licensing fees and taxation and these require time to be phased out.”

New Zim

Jane Mlambo| Zanu PF supporters in Chipinge district have demanded the ouster of party provincial vice-chairperson Dorothy Mabika accusing her of creating parallel structures as political infighting rages on in Manicaland province.

The demand was made in a petition dated September 17, addressed to the Zanu PF national leadership including the party’s national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri, national political commissar, Engelbert Rugeje and secretary for legal affairs Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana, among others.

Former provincial youth chairperson, Tondhlana Sikumbuzo, confirmed handing over the petition to the national party leadership.

“We handed over the petition to the party’s national leadership last week in Harare. We were accompanied by some members from the central committee, women and youth league and the petition was signed by officials from all the five constituencies in Chipinge district,” Sikhumbuzo said.

Part of the petition reads: “A delegation from Chipinge district wishes to bring the following to your attention viewed as a growing crisis in Chipinge district. Institutional harassment, recent mass suspensions and prohibition orders aimed at silencing, harassing and eliminating party supporters who are viewed as having placed unwanted candidates at 2018 party primary elections.”

-State Media

Correspondent|Alliance official Chalton Hwende has sensationally claimed that Vice President Constantino Chiwenga ordered soldiers to be on the street and killed seven suspected opposition supporters.

“Chiwenga is clearly the one who ordered the army to be in the streets on the 1st of August. We all know this but most are afraid to say it. We must fight for justice for Zimbabweans who were killed; The attempt to frame the MDC Leadership will not work. The World is watching,” said Hwende in a tweet.

The fatal shooting killed seven and left dozens injured when the soldiers open fire in Harare on 1 August 2018.

However, President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed seven member panel to probe the fatal shooting by one of the soldiers.

FORMER President Robert Mugabe was duped by a local potato seed supplier who lied that the seed was imported from neighbouring South Africa and charged him an exorbitant price when in fact, it was locally sourced.

Due to the misrepresentation, Mugabe’s family business, Gushungo Holdings suffered a loss of income in the sum of $428 385, a minimum they expected to earn if they had been supplied with the best quality potato seed.

Mugabe’s company, according to court papers, is now suing Seed Potato Co-op, claiming $712 530 as compensation from the company for the deal that went sour way back in 2015. The company is alleging it was duped into buying substandard seed on the guise that it was quality seed from South Africa.

The overpriced seed, the company said, did not produce the desired yields, leaving Gushungo Holdings facing losses that it is demanding compensation for.

Seed Potato Co-op had earlier sued Gushungo Holdings demanding $174 183 for potato seed supplied in 2015 to the company and not paid for.

A default judgment was entered on July 2 by Justice Joseph Musakwa after Gushungo Holdings failed to defend the litigation filed by the seed company sometime this year.

But last Friday, through its lawyers Messrs Chivore Dzingirai Group of Lawyers, Gushungo Holdings issued summons against Seed Potato which is yet to enter appearance to defend.

In its declaration, Gushungo Holdings said sometime in July 2015, it entered into an oral agreement with the Seed Potato whereby the latter allegedly agreed to supply the former Head of State’s business with quality seed imported from South Africa.

In terms of the said agreement, the seed company was supposed to deliver potato seed worth $752 000 between July 6, 2015 and August 22, 2015.

It was also agreed that the seed company was to deliver “high quality seeds” which were to be imported from South Africa and that the same firm would produce certification or approval of the quality of seed upon delivery to Gushungo Holdings.

“The parties agreed that the seeds to be supplied by the defendant (Seed Potato) were expected to produce a harvest of a minimum of 70 tonnes per hectare. Defendant delivered potato seeds for the value of $382 830 between the period from July 21, 2015 to September 24, 2015,” Gushungo Holdings said.

“The defendant further charged the plaintiff (Gushungo Holdings) the price for imported potato seed and yet it had delivered locally obtained seed. Defendant further breached the contract by failing to produce to the plaintiff any documentation for certification or approval of the seed.”

As a result of the breach, the seed supplied did not produce the expected yield, despite having planted the potato seed with the entire necessary husbandry and consequently suffered huge losses.

“Plaintiff ought to have realised a minimum profit of $428 385 if the defendant had delivered the imported quality seeds as agreed to by the parties. Plaintiff has thus suffered loss of income in the sum of $428 385 due to defendant’s breach,” Gushungo Holdings said.

“Wherefore plaintiff claims for an order for payment of the sum of $284 145 being the loss suffered by the plaintiff after the defendant and in breach of the oral agreement between the parties, delivered defective and substandard quality potato seed …”

The matter is pending.

NewsDay

Jane Mlambo| With rumors of Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor John Mangudya reportedly facing the boot, President Emmerson Mnangagwa May opt for his homeboy, John Mushayavanhu who is th current FBC Chief Executive Officer.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa visited the RBZ unannounced last week, sparking further speculation regarding Mangudya’s future.

The Zimbabwean leader has signalled a fresh thrust at Treasury after removing long-serving permanent secretary Willard Manungo and bringing in former Barclays CEO George Guvamatanga.

Top Zanu PF politician Patrick Chinamasa was also axed as finance minister to be replaced by internationally renowned economist and public policy expert Prof Mthuli Ncube.

And sources said RBZ boss Mangudya would be shown the door too as Mnangagwa looks for new thinking in dealing with the country’s intractable economic problems.

“Mangudya’s days are numbered. It’s highly unlikely he will keep his job and if he does it will only be until his term ends in February next year,” NewZimbabwe.com heard.

Mangudya took over as RBZ chief in March 2014, replacing Gideon Gono who is blamed for the hyperinflationary mayhem of the period up to 2008.

Meanwhile, another career banker and Mnangagwa protégé Mushayavanhu has been tipped to take over should Mangudya be shown the door.

“Mushayavanhu is Mnangagwa’s homeboy and has headed First Banking Corporation in which Mnangagwa is reported to have interests.

“Mushayavanhu has also been linked with Zuva Petroleum where the President is reportedly a shareholder,” another source said.

To complicate matters for Mangudya, sources say he does not see eye-to-eye with Guvamatanga.

“Guvamatanga wanted to be chief executive officer of CBZ Bank when Mangudya left but the RBZ boss blocked the move,” said a source familiar with the developments’

“There is bad blood between the two and it is difficult to see how they are going to work together given Guvamatanga is now effectively Mangudya’s boss.”

Before his appointment as RBZ chief Mangudya, was chief executive at CBZ Holdings.

-Newzimbabwe.com

Jane Mlambo| A Zanu PF Matabeleland South senator, Alma Mkhwebu has sued miner, Ntaten Amon Ndou seeking an order compelling him to vacate a mining claim that she says legally belongs to her.

Mkhwebu filed an application at the Bulawayo High Court last week citing Ndou as the first respondent, provincial mines director Matabeleland South, Tichaona Makuza, assistant sheriff of the High Court, Gwanda, and the officer in charge Collen Bawn police as second to fourth respondents, respectively.

In her founding affidavit, Mkhwebu said she was seeking an order to evict Ndou and his workers from her mining claim known as Sally II (GA 2033) on which Ndou is unlawfully extracting minerals.

“The eviction is sought in pursuance to an extant determination of encroachment made by the second respondent (Makuza)’s predecessor in office,” Mkhwebu submitted.

“I am the registered claim holder of the mining claim known as Sally II (GA 2033) which was registered in my name in September 1999 and is current. The first respondent on the other hand is the claim holder of a Sally 22 registered in October 2013 and is approximately 800m adjacent to my mining claim.”

Mkhwebu said in 2013, Ndou started mining on her claim without her consent, leading her to lodging a complaint with the Mines office.

Mkhwebu said a Ministry of Mines committee was set to investigate the boundary dispute.

“On February 3, 2017 a hearing was duly conceived in which both myself and the first respondent were called upon to make representations. The hearing was not conclusive due to divergent positions of the parties and it was recommended that a site visit with survey department be arranged for the location of the exact positions,” she submitted.

“On January 20, I and first respondent attended the site visit. The field visit was led by the regional mine surveyor and Geologist who were to… determine whether the mining shaft from which first respondent was working on fell within my mining claim. The surveyor carried out a Global Positioning System (GPS) to find the exact co-ordinates from which the disputed shaft was being worked.”

She said the surveyor indicated that Ndou had encroached into her mining claim. She said Makuza’s office then made determination on April 16, 2018 that Ndou was carrying out his mining activities on her claim and ordered him to stick to the confines of his claim. She said instead Ndou sought a court interdict against the determination which was later withdrawn due to lack of merit.

Mkhwebu said on July 11 Ndou was advised by the police to effect the Ministry of Mines determination, but he defied them.

Mkhwebu said the only solution was for Ndou to be evicted.

The respondents are yet to respond to the application.

-Newsday

Jane Mlambo| The controversial Zimbabwe Airways has been merged with the troubled Air Zimbabwe, transport minister Joel Biggie Matiza confirmed Monday.

Simba Chikore, son-in-law to former president Robert Mugabe, took a lead last year in the establishment – using State funds – of Zimbabwe Airways in a murky deal with left many believing the former first family owned the airline.

Plans to establish the airline however, hit headwinds after Mugabe was toppled last November by the military.

Addressing reporters in the capital Monday, minister Matiza confirmed at the two airlines had been merged, adding that Zimbabwe Airways aircraft would service regional and international routes.

“I would like to inform the nation that Zimbabwe Airways is a government entity,” the minister said.

“It is important to know that Air Zimbabwe does not have the adequate aircraft mix, an issue which has forced the airline to operate at a deficit.

“With the new aircraft in place government intends to merge Air Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe Airways to complement one another on local and international routes.”

Asked on why government had set up Zimbabwe Airways in the first place, considering the administration’s failure to capitalise Air Zimbabwe, Matiza said there was nothing wrong with having a second national airline.

“There is nothing wrong with having two national airlines; it (Zimbabwe Airways) was set-up for strategic business but our main purpose right now is to have Air Zimbabwe in the sky,” he said.

Air Zimbabwe is currently reeling under a legacy debt amounting to $341 million.
Meanwhile, Matiza revealed that government is working on setting up provincial airports and aerodromes across the country to stimulate growth of the tourism and related sectors.

-Newzimbabwe.com

Jane Mlambo| Cabinet minister Saviour Kasukuwere was yesterday arrested after he handed himself over to police for questioning on allegations of criminal abuse of office when he allegedly dished state land to former first lady’s sister Shuvai Gumbochuma without following due course.

Kasukuwere, who is being represented by Jonathan Samkange, was last night detained at Rhodesville Police Station and is expected to appear in court today.

The former Zanu PF national political commissar is facing three counts of criminal abuse of office during his tenure as Local Government minister and another count as Indigenisation minister.

Kasukuwere is linked to various fraudulent land deals, among them dishing out vast tracts of land worth over $2 million to former First Lady Grace Mugabe’s sister, Shuvai Gumbochuma, without following due process.

Gumbochuma was arrested over the same matter last week and released on $500 bail coupled with stringent conditions.
-Newsday

By Paul Nyathi|ZimEye.com is reliably informed that the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority, Zimparks has increased charges to view the majestic Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River in Victoria Falls town.

Sources reveal that the authorities started charging the new fares last week. Zimparks have set the gate charges at $40 and $20 for adult and child international tourists. Previously, international visitors paid $20 to visit the Rainforest, whose main attraction is the world-famous waterfall.

Local adults will part with $10 per entry into the Rainforest while kids pay $5, up from $7 and $4 respectively, which is charged on day tourists.

The increases come at a time when the residents of the town have a pending petition with Parliament demanding to retain a percent of revenue generated from the Rainforest and related parks fees charged at various tour activities to develop local schools, clinics and libraries.

The residents also want minors below the age of 15 and the elderly above 65 years to be allowed free entry into the rainforest. Residents of the town allege that 75 percent of children in the resort town have never visited the Rainforest as they cannot afford entrance fees.

Tourists visiting Victoria Falls now have an option for night activities after authorities resolved to open the Rainforest and Zambezi National Park beyond 6PM.

All along game drives, boat cruises, rafting, tour of the Rainforest and other activities were done during the day closing at 6PM.

Now the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks), who are the custodians of natural attractions, have with effect from Friday, September 21, extended closing time to 10PM.

Zimparks said four new activities have been introduced to “improve the visitors’ experience.”

“In its effort to provide diversity, Zimparks has introduced four new tourism products in the Victoria Falls and Zambezi National Parks. These include Rainforest night viewing, Livingstone Statue night bush dinners, Zambezi National Park night game drive and Zambezi River drive picnic,” Zimparks said in a statement.

“In bid to improve the visitors’ experience, we are pleased to inform you that the authority had adjusted the Rainforest opening and closing times with effect from September 21, 2018,” read the statement.

The new development means extra costs for tour operators as they have to acquire a separate operating licence.

During summer, the Rainforest will be opening at 6AM for the day session and closing at 6PM while during winter opening time will be 6.30AM with closing at 6PM.

Bush dinner functions at David Livingstone’s Statue in the Rainforest will be provided to clients on request, added the wildlife authority.

Night game drives will be done in the Zambezi National Park, Chamabondo area.

Operators will have to apply for a separate game drive and guiding permit for the night activities.

It remains to be seen if the new development will entice visitors to spend more time in the resort town.

Victoria Falls residents last year petitioned the government advocating for retention of at least five percent of Rainforest gate charges.

Zoom Zim.

Below is ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa’s response to online presenter, Chiwoneso Mpofu’s question concerning Zimbabwe’s debt trap to China.

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Mnangagwa said Chinese loans are not dangerous. “I don’t see the danger there,” he said.

Mnangagwa, in full, said most of the money coming from China was going towards revenue-generating infrastructure projects that would pay themselves off.

He said, “During (Zimbabwe’s) period of isolation, very few countries outside the West assisted us. Some of the notable countries which came to our assistance are China, India, Brazil, Russia and Malaysia.

“And when things are good you then do not forget your friend who stood with you during bad times, but you do not sell your country because somebody stood with you during bad times.

“What is necessary when you get loans or investment, it must be structured. (There is need for) investment in projects which can re-finance themselves to pay the loan.”

Mnangagwa cited the two massive capital projects of the expansion of Kariba South and Hwange power stations, which are financed with Chinese capital.

“I do not see any danger where you have a project which becomes productive in terms of revenue streams to pay for itself,” he said.

“When you finish paying the loan, the asset remains with us and we will continue to have electricity so I do not see the danger there.”

Weighing in on the issue, Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube, who is part of the President’s delegation on the visit to New York, said China was “where the money is”.

Prof Ncube also said African countries should negotiate sustainable terms when seeking loans.

“We have a very strong debt sustainability analysis framework which allows us to understand whether we are over indebted or not, (whether) we can pay or not.

“The Chinese also do that analysis themselves and if they find out that you cannot pay they do not lend you the money, this is not free money,” he said.

By A Correspondent| ZANU PF leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday addressed the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit where he bragged claiming he is imitating the late hero.

Mnangagwa’s claims come at a time when he is back home daily offloading violent riot-police officers onto his country’s 5 million plus vendors.

Mnangagwa made a claim to upholding the importance of global leadership as a tool towards realising the late South African icon’s vision of peace, equality, human dignity and justice.

A day before the start of the General Debate of the 73rd session of the General Assembly, the UN convened the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit whose focus is on Global Peace in honour of the centenary of the birth of Nelson Mandela.

This Peace Summit offered the opportunity for world leaders to renew their commitment to global peace, conflict prevention, conflict resolution, peacebuilding, promotion and protection of human rights and long-term development initiatives as called for by the Secretary-General.

The Peace Summit also aimed at adopting a political declaration to reaffirm the values of Nelson Mandela.

Said Mnangagwa:

“Today at the UN, I addressed the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit, emphasising the importance of providing global leadership to realise his vision of peace, equality, human dignity and justice.

At home and abroad, we will continue to honour his memory through these ideals! #Mandela100.”

Bitumen World, Civil Engineering Contractors based in Harare, Zimbabwe wish to address the confusion relating to the traffic circle recently built at the Harare Drive, Gaydon Road, Rolf Avenue intersection.

The Traffic Circle is a product of the contract between client, City of Harare and contractor, Bitumen World (Pvt) Ltd, funded by Zimbabwe National Roads Association (Zinara), agreed to in February of this year. The scope of the initial project was to rehabilitate Harare Drive between Borrowdale and Drew Roads, a total of 4.5km, by strengthening and widening the road to a full 10 metres.

Towards the end of the twelve-week project, Bitumen World was awarded the additional works to construct a traffic circle at the Harare Drive, Gaydon Road, Rolf Avenue intersection.

Further to the general construction of the Traffic Circle, Bitumen World were granted the rights by City of Harare to carry out horticultural services in and around the Circle.

Over and above any commitments Bitumen World took financial responsibility for the landscaping of the traffic circle and surrounding quadrants, implemented an irrigation system, erected solar powered street lights, manufactured elephant tusk furnishings and topped it off with blue lighting effects at no additional cost to client or rate payers. “It’s there for the community to enjoy,” says Bitumen World Managing Director, Andre Zietsman.

“This was a joint commitment from all three parties of which everyone fulfilled their role resulting in the beautification of Harare for the benefit of its road users.”

Bitumen World prides themselves in guiding their clients through the intricacies of the construction process, delivering outstanding results on time, within budget, to an international standard and will continue to do so.

Issued on behalf of Bitumen World (Pvt) Ltd

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) have intercepted 250 bales of cloth, shoes and other items following an ambush in Chipinge along the border with Mozambique.

Smuggling is rife along the Zimbabwe Mozambican border in Chipinge as people take advantage of the porous border area to sneak their goods into the country.

ZRP Officer Commanding Chipinge District, Chief Superintendent Amon Ndou said they received following a tip off on the rampant smuggling activities along the Chipinge boarder area with Mozambique and decided to lay an ambush.

Chief Superintendent Ndou warned smugglers to stop the illegal activities or risk being arrested.

“We laid an ambush after a realisation that smuggling is rife along the Mozambican border with Chipinge. We are taking measures to reduce cases of smuggling that is bleeding the economy,” he said.

Meanwhile, police have arrested three smugglers while the driver of one of the trucks is still at large after running away with the case being investigated under Chipinge Urban C.R 83/09/18.

The accused will appear in court for contravening Section 182(1) of the Customs and Exercise Duty Act Chapter 20:03 on failure to declare goods or smuggling.

ZBC News

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has allayed fears that Zimbabwean authorities are auctioning the country’s resources and surrendering its sovereignty to China in exchange of loans running into billions of dollars being sourced from the Asian nation.

Responding to a question from a Zimbabwean concerned by what is happening in Zambia where citizens claim that the nation is being colonized by China through loans amounting to billions of dollars, Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe is focusing on capital projects that generate funds for repaying Chinese loans.

Mnangagwa, who is in USA for the United Nations General Assembly and was addressing a gathering attended by Zimbabweans, said there is no need to abandon friends in good times.

“You have some fear emanating from our relations with the People’s Republic of China and fear is on what has happened to Zambia. Assuming that we do know the same and you know more than I do, I would reply relating to relations between Zimbabwe and China without mentioning Zambia. During the period of isolation very few nations outside the West assisted us. Some of the notable countries which came to our assistance were China, India, Brazil, Russia … And when things are good you don’t then forget your friends who stood with you during bad times. But you don’t sell your country because someone stood with you during bad times.

“All what is necessary when you get any loans for investment is that it must be structured. There are capital loans for investing in projects which can refinance themselves to pay the loans not based on the fiscus.”

He said Chinese loans are being effectively used to cater for Zimbabwe while generating funds for repaying loans.

“I went to the Republic of China in April and requested for support for (revamping) Hwange seven and eight plants costing about $1,2 billion. And the funds have come and we have starred drawing down on that amount. But the 600 megawatts we are going to get in 24 months’ time off the national grid it’s going to pay for itself for the next 15 years. Nothing is going to come from (state) finance. So, I don’t see any danger where you have a project which becomes productive in terms of revenue streams to pay for itself.”

He also cited another income-generating project in Kariba financed through Chinese loans as beneficial to Zimbabweans in the long run.

“We have also the Kariba South Extension where I think in January we commissioned it. It has put 300 megawatts into the (national energy) grid and we are paying because we are using electricity. The difference is that if we did not have that we would have been importing the 300 megawatts from South Africa and paying South Africa. But now we have the assets in Zimbabwe and even when we finish paying the loan … the assets will remain with us and we will continue using it. I don’t see the danger there but because you are younger you may see more than I do. Come and advise me where I do wrong. I’m a listening president …”

Zambians are fuming over the ballooning national debt, largely dominated by Chinese loans, saying their country is being colonized by the Asian nation, which is now the largest investor in the nation.

They claim that most public tenders are awarded to Chinese bidders and in Lusaka and other parts of the country China is busy constructing airports, roads, factories and police stations.

These projects are being implemented through Chinese loans amounting to billions of dollars.

According to the Associated Press, Zambian president Edgar Lunga has hit back at critics saying such “misleading headlines … seek to malign our relationship with China by mischaracterizing our economic cooperation to mean colonialism.”

The opposition United Party for National Development has described the replacement of Zambian workers with Chinese labourers as “a time bomb”.

Local people are also unhappy over being allegedly beaten up a work by the Chinese for failing to follow simple instructions, noting that their country is being slowly colonized by the Asian nation.

VOA

Two police officers and a nurse from Plumtree’s Tokwana village allegedly fatally assaulted a villager before throwing his body into a nearby dam.

The incident which took place on September 9, started off when the deceased, identified as Gift Dumani, was drinking beer at Makhekhe Bottle Store and he approached one Ellen Mudakuvaka, a nurse, and tapped her buttocks.

An argument ensued between the two before an irate Mudakuvaka reportedly left the bottle store to look for backup.

A source close to the incident who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Mudakuvaka later came back in the company of two police officers.

“Mudakuvaka later showed up at Dumani’s homestead in the company of two cops,” the source said.

“The cops handcuffed Dumani and put him in Mudakuvaka`s car’s boot, they drove off and went to Makhekhe bottle store where they drank for several hours while Dumani was in the boot of their car”.

The source added that the trio was later that evening spotted at Godo dam, claiming that they were trying to locate Dumani who had escaped.

“The trio was spotted at Godo dam that same evening claiming to be looking for Dumani who had escaped. Six days later Dumani’s body was found floating in the dam,” said the source.

According to information received by CITE, Dumani`s body was found with stones in his jack pockets.

“According to the post-mortem results, Dumani’s cause of death was Asphyxia,” said the source.

Contacted for a comment, Mudakuvaka denied any involvement in Dumani`s death.

“I don’t have a comment pertaining to that issue,” she charged.

“You can contact Plumtree district Hospital or the police, besides who gave you my details? Stop calling and bothering me”.

Matabeleland south police spokesperson, Inspector Philisani Ndebele said he could not give a comment on the matter as he was out of office.

CITE

Correspondent|Rejected asylum seekers have accused Home Affairs officials at the Desmond Tutu Refugee Centre at Marabastad, Pretoria, of refusing to return their passports unless they show a Zimbabwe-bound bus ticket first.

According to Spiwe (name changed), who applied for asylum in 2016, hundreds of rejected refugee claimants have been ordered by Home Affairs to purchase bus tickets as a condition to obtain their passports.

“Our passports are held as bondage,” says Spiwe. “We only get them back if we purchase an international bus ticket to Zimbabwe and show proof of the itinerary to Home Affairs officers … They gave us receipts to show our passports are held and demanded we return with bus tickets in hand.”

Spiwe, who is from Harare and works as a dishwasher in a Johannesburg restaurant, says she is frightened to return to her home country. “It is against my will. There is a cholera disease outbreak. People have died, I fear to go back there,” she says.

Her friend Jane (name changed) was also refused asylum and instructed to buy a deportation bus ticket. Jane suspects that the election win of President Emmerson Mnangagwa has motivated Home Affairs officials to declare Zimbabwe safe for refugees to return.

“I was a member of the opposition. I fled to South Africa when ZANU PF militias put my name on a list. I dread returning. I will be arrested in Zimbabwe for ‘border jumping’ and sit in prison.”

Jane says she lives with two children who attend school in Johannesburg. “I applied for asylum five years ago. Imagine what will happen to my kids if forced to return to Zimbabwe.

She says that on the final verdict of her asylum claim is written: “fraudulent and abusive”.

There is a catch: Zimbabwe-bound bus coach operators normally refuse to accept money and print travel tickets for immigrants who do not show a passport first. Police on the N1 route from Johannesburg to Zimbabwe fine cross-border busses that ferry passengers who don’t hold valid passports.

“No bus operator will issue me a ticket till I produce a passport. They won’t even sympathise with me till I show a passport. And Home Affairs has confiscated my passport. How do I obtain the bus ticket?” asked Jane.

Nevertheless, by Thursday morning, Spiwe had managed to buy a ticket and informed GroundUp she would be returning to Zimbabwe on Friday. She was on her way to get her passport back from Home Affairs.

However, Thabo Mokgola, spokesperson for Home Affairs, rejected the allegations. “Home Affairs does not keep passports of failed asylum seekers. Failed asylum seeker passports are used to facilitate deportation,” he said in an email.

Mokgola said that rejected asylum seekers must self-deport or face forced removal by the state. “Bus ticket is the option exercised by clients who do not wish to be detained for deportation … If they cannot demonstrate that they are buying a ticket to return to their country, deportation, which was always the intent of the state, continues.”

Source Groundup Media

Terrence Mawawa|Former MDC Youth Wing Secretary General Promise Mkwananzi has described President Emmerson Mnangagwa’ s attempt to claim credit for the rehabilitation of roads in Harare as a desperate bid to attain legitimacy.

Mkwananzi who was arrested last week took a swipe at Mnangagwa for attempting to cajole the nation.

“You know the country is in trouble when a whole illegal President fights to get cedit over the rehabilitation of a roundabout. Ibasa racouncillor iro mhani # Ediot!” Mkwananzi posted on Facebook.

By Terrence Mawawa| Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda on Friday sent a plethora of derogatory messages to Roan PF Member of Parliament Chishimba Kambwili for criticising the way he “oversteps his mandate as Presidential spokesperson”.

Last week, Chanda featured on a special Sunday Interview in which he responded to the American State department and explained why government decided to deny Zimbabwe’s opposition leader Tandai Biti political asylum.

But Kambwili, after appearing for a court session the following day, told journalists that Chanda was overstepping his mandate, adding that his arrogance while on TV was
unnecessary.

This agitated Chanda who, after watching Kambwili’s reaction, could not resist but throw a bucket of insults at the former chief government spokesperson.

Below are the text messages, which Chanda and Kambwili exchanged on August 17: Chanda: I saw your despicable interview you gave after one of your many court sessions.

In that interview, you admit that when you were in government, you used to give slow poison to opposition leaders and, therefore, you are sure “Zimbabwe government poisoned Hon. Tendai Biti and he would die in ten years.

Now, that’s the reasoning of a buffoon like you that you see others through your dirty eyes. In my six years in government, I have never heard [or] seen anything like that, but I cannot argue with self-confessed killers like you.

In any case, killing is not new to you. In Chingola and Luanshya, you maimed and killed people who stood in your way of stealing copper and scrap metal and those who resisted your car-jacking.

Some of the victims of your crimes are still alive and can be presented anytime. With your forged degrees, what do you know about sophisticated diplomacy and international relationship’s that I don’t know! Keep your dirty vengeance-filled mouth shut and
focus on your health challenges that now seem to have migrated to your big, but empty head.

You rabid dog, can you find any other way of dying than dragging me (sic) to your self- inflicted problems?

Chanda: Don’t just read and keep quite (sic) and when you get in front on a camera again you get excited and make false allegations
against innocent people.

I am properly educated and understand my role and the President who appointed me is equally more educated than you are, so what is your beef about how I do my work; have [you] seen my contract and terms of reference for you to make it your business to bark at how I do my work. If you think you can go ahead and malign me each time you see a camera or microphone, this time you will see that it does not pay to use the media to bark at innocent people Kambwili: Thanks a lot boss Amos, most
educated man.

Kambwili: The hour of reckoning is near, very near.
Chanda: I am definitely more educated thanbaseless idiot like you. Respond your crimes
instead of sending empty threats.

Staff Reporter|Following reports last week that former ZANU PF heavyweight and local governmemt Minister Saviour Kasukuwere was wanted for questioning by police, reports coming through indicate that he has handed himself over to police in Harare in the company of his lawyer Jonathan Samukange on Monday morning.

Details are still sketchy but indications are that police are interviewing Kasukuwere on suspected involvement in the July 23 White City Stadium bombing of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Efforts to get hold of Kasukuwere by ZimEye.com have not been successful at this moment.

By Own Correspondent| The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga has downgraded the traffic branch into a section, in a move which made the top posts in the department redundant.

The creation of the traffic, minerals and anti-stock theft branches is alleged to have created problems by promoting corruption and introducing multiple chains of command.

A senior police officer who spoke to a local publication said:

“There were a lot of bosses doing nothing and most of these presided over massive corruption, especially at the minerals and traffic branches.

These had become cash lords in the force and collapsing the branches makes command structure easy and manageable.”

Announcing the disbanding of the Traffic Branch, Matanga said:

“Addressees are hereby advised that the restructuring exercise agreed on by the central planning committee (CPC) through CPC minute 8/2018 in respect of the Traffic branch is now underway, with immediate effect all traffic stations are to report both administratively and operationally to officers commanding district in which they are currently operating.”-Newsday

By Own Correspondent| ZEC boss Justice Priscilla Chigumba has hit back at MDC legislators who booed and labelled her “thief” when she briefly appeared in parliament recently for the swearing in of the Speaker of Parliament describing them as sore losers.

Chigumba attended parliament in the company of Chief Justice Luke Malaba and opposition legislators booed her in a development which saw parliamentary proceedings temporarily ground to a halt.

Chigumba, told a local weekly that those who accuse her of rigging the 2018 election on behalf of Zanu PF were sore losers as she scorned the behaviour of opposition MPs.

“Their behaviour can best be explained as political posturing meant to ingratiate themselves with their supporters for reasons best known to them,” she said.

The High Court judge denies opposition claims she manipulated the poll adding that the poll management authority’s “conscience is clear”.

She said she did not fault the MDC MPs for exercising their right to express their opinions but found everything wrong with them doing so on the basis of unproven claims.

“…Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and expression. However, I think it is grossly unfair to hurl unsubstantiated accusations at someone under the guise of exercising freedom of expression.”

During the period leading up to the polls, social media went abuzz with accusations the ZEC boss was out to steal the vote on Zanu PF’s behalf. Some comments bordered on bare insults on her person.

In her comments, Chigumba was evidently peeved by the abuse insisting her accusers, among them, individuals of repute, went beyond the normal to malign her for doing her work.

“…I hold the considered view that there is an invisible line which must never be crossed.

“Unfortunately, it was crossed not for purposes of achieving any positive outcome, but purely to feed misogynistic prejudices and to maliciously distort a well-managed process and its outcome by sore losers.

“The social media was used to peddle falsehoods, hatred and threats on a fellow commissioner and on my person. However, I was not physically harmed by anyone.”

Chigumba challenged elected opposition MPs to use their terms in the house to change electoral laws that they were unhappy with so that they could be better served in 2023.

“Those who are unhappy with the current law are encouraged to work towards changing it now so that it accurately reflects the will of the Zimbabwean people and so that the electoral law will never again be the root cause of polarisation in our electoral processes,” she said.

BULAWAYO Vendors Trust activist, Michael Mdladla Ndiweni, has claimed that people agitating for the ban of vendors from various urban areas were misinformed and had stable sources of income.

Ndiweni’s remarks came in the wake of forced eviction of vendors from most urban centres following a cholera outbreak in most parts of the country.

“Vendors are not to blame for litter in cities. I will start by saying that if there is a person who is advocating for banning of informal trading, they are doing so because they have alternative sources of income or they have formal jobs, although I can bet they have a relative or friend who is in informal trading,” he said.

Ndiweni said designated sites such as Highlanders market (Masotsha Avenue and Fife Street), have no high human and vehicular traffic which vendors depend on.

In Harare the designated vending sites on the outskirts of the city pose a health threat as they do not have vending stalls and adequate ablution facilities, exposing the vendors and their customers to communicable diseases.

Ndiweni said failure to settle rates impacted negatively on service provision. He also urged residents not to dump garbage on undesignated sites and slammed the practice of open defecation in sanitary lanes.

Local authorities, which are owed over $2 billion by ratepayers, are failing to meet their mandate including garbage collection, provision of potable water and sewer reticulation infrastructure, due to lack of resources.

Ndiweni said government has failed to support local authorities with grants to provide clean water and to refurbish sewer systems, but is shifting blame to unemployed ordinary citizens who are trying to eke out a living on the streets.

“We have failed to educate our children at elementary level to know that littering is wrong and that cleanliness should be our culture. We see grown up men and women in designer suits and make-up eating and throwing banana peels and take-away packs out of moving cars, but you blame vendors,” Ndiweni fumed.

“Let us stop blaming a section of our community and be all responsible and make suggestions on what we can collectively do to keep our cities clean. We are all guilty. Let us play our role in making sure that our city is clean.”

Meanwhile, Gweru Vendors’ Association chairperson Lovemore Reketayi has slammed the council for allocating the informal traders vending stalls on National Railways of Zimbabwe premises, resulting in the traders being evicted by the parastatal without compensation.

The vendors had been allocated trading bays at the Swift vending site which is along a railway line.

“The affected vendors are the ones who bowed down to the operation to flush them out of the central business district. They went to register at council and were given trading stalls near the NRZ line. They paid the required amounts of money to council in order to regularise their operations, but now they are stranded after NRZ came to evict them, with the city council doing nothing to help them because the land has turned out to be not theirs,” he said.

Reketayi said the vendors are now being forced back into the CBD.

Council spokesperson, Manford Gambiza admitted that the local authority erred, but insisted the stand-off between council and NRZ over the land had been resolved.

“There is no clash between GCC and NRZ. Instead, there is a very cordial relationship between the two entities. NRZ has come and showed us where to put the fence, which we successfully accomplished and our traders’ wares are now safe,” he said.

He said the situation will remain as it is until “council finds another alternative trading place” for the affected vendors.

Newsday

A 34-YEAR-OLD Shurugwi man last Friday appeared before Shurugwi magistrate Sangster Tavengwa facing allegations of stealing sofas from a sex worker after he was left alone at her house following a misunderstanding over payment.

Grace Ngwenya (32) allegedly went with Rashid Mdala to her house, but allegedly left him at her house after he had failed to pay for services rendered.

Mdala pleaded not guilty to theft charges and was remanded out of custody to today for trial.

The accused alleged that the complainant’s sofas were taken as collateral by a certain hospital employee, who was owed money by her (complainant).

The court heard that on September 7 at around 11pm, Ngwenya and Mdala left a local drinking spot and went to the former’s house.

While at the house, the complainant demanded cash from the accused.

Mdala refused to give the complainant the money and a misunderstanding ensued, resulting in Ngwenya storming out of her house to a nearby night club.

The court further heard that when she returned home at around 12:55am, she discovered that her sofas had been stolen and the accused had disappeared from the scene.

Bertha Bore prosecuted.

Newsday

UNITED Family International Church (Ufic) leader Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa and his wife, Ruth, who are embroiled in a $6,5 million litigation over an alleged “false prophecy”, will now have to defend themselves in an open court following the setting down of the matter by the registrar of the High Court.

The litigation, which was filed sometime last year by former Ufic congregants, Upenyu Mashangwa and his wife, Blessing, after the latter allegedly fell prey to a prophecy which promised them a “debt cancellation miracle”.

The matter will now be heard on November 5, 2018.

“Take notice that this matter (Upenyu Mashangwa versus Emmanuel Makandiwa) has been set down for hearing on the opposed roll before Honourable (Owen) Tagu J on November 5, 2018 in Court L as Number 2 at 10am,” the notice of set-down signed by M Sithole for the registrar read.

After receiving the summons, Makandiwa and his wife, through their lawyer Advocate Lewis Uriri, filed an exception application in September 2017, urging the court to decline entertaining the matter on the basis that secular courts could not deal with matters of faith, church practice and doctrine.

But High Court judge Justice David Mangota dismissed the Makandiwas’ application, saying Mashangwas’ claims were centred on alleged fraudulent activities.

The impasse between the two couples came about when Makandiwa and his wife were last year slapped with a multi-million litigation after the Mashangwas allegedly realised the so-called debt cancellation miracle had failed to come to fruition, but, instead, their business had started nosediving.

However, the Makandiwas filed a court application early this year, challenging the business couples’ litigation, saying the lawsuit against them was a “grandstanding to harass, vex and injure their reputation and good standing”.

In his affidavit filed through his lawyers Manase and Manase, Makandiwa denied ever making the couple’s “debt cancellation prophecy”, adding the business couple lost their house, if any, to a third party, which matter had nothing to do with the church.

Apparently, some correspondences between the business couple and the Ufic leader will show that at some point, the Makandiwas admitted their intention to refund the business couple after setting out some conditions, but later made a U-turn, claiming the couple’s tithes were non-refundable.

On February 13, 2017, Ufic’s finance director, one E Hwenga, after receiving a letter from the Mashangwas demanding their tithes back, responded acknowledging receipt of the same, but went on to set down some conditions under which the monies would be refunded.

“We, refer to the above captioned reference and to your letter of February 4 (2017) addressed to the Prophet (Makandiwa). Your letter has been referred to us for a response. We wish to categorically state from the onset, that any tithe from congregants in our flock is a free will offering which for all intents and purposes is non-refundable …

however, the prophet has instructed us to pay you back as you demand to ensure that you are satisfied and feel fully recompensed. He has, however, instructed us to pay you under the following conditions only,” Hwenga wrote outlining the conditions among them requesting that the Mashangwas produce receipts as proof of payment which they later did.

On March 6, 2017, Makandiwa’s lawyers again wrote to Mashangwa’s lawyers then, Messrs Mutamangira and Associates, emphasising and reiterating their client’s position regarding the demanded refund.

“As your client (Mashangwa) might be well aware, our client (Ufic) has no legal obligation to refund a free will offering and is well within its rights to do so. However, for purposes of peace, our client insists on all the conditions set out in its letter,” Manase and Manase Legal Practitioners said.

On March 14, 2017, Mashangwa’s lawyers hit back, insisting that the Ufic leaders had an obligation to pay, particularly considering their client’s basis for the claim.

“Your client (Makandiwa) specifically undertook to refund any person who claims all that he or she has given to the church. Your client being a person of integrity cannot surely deny what he publicly stated. We appreciate that this undertaking might have been made without anticipation that someone bold as our client would step up and out and claim all that she has given to the ministry which from the look of things is no means significant,” Mashangwa’s lawyers said, giving reference to receipts amounting to $700 000.

“For a sum of more than $700 000 to have been given by our client to your client during a period of harsh economic times, is shocking to anyone, more shocking will be how your client who claims to be a man of peace and understanding will want to fight, given the genuine reasons our client has raised.”

The lawyers further said: “… For the record, our clients has no intention of fighting Prophet Makandiwa and Prophetess Makandiwa. There might have been disagreements, but it is not within their nature to pick up unnecessary fights”.

Newsday

Staff Reporter|President Emmerson Mnangagwa has expressed excitement at meeting with Zimbabweans  living in the United States  of America.

Wrote Mnangagwa on his Facebook page on Monday morning.

“Great to meet with members of the Zimbabwean diaspora in New York. The spirit in the room was both positive and proud. We truly are one nation, united in our hopes and dreams.

We are embarking on a new journey of growth and development for Zimbabwe. It won’t be easy, but we must traverse it together.

Together we are stronger.”

Newly-appointed Registrar- General Mr Clement Masango yesterday vowed to end perennial queues for various documents, fight corruption and instill a new work ethic to ramp up service delivery in line with the demands of the Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa.

In an interview, Mr Masango said he would widen computerisation of the department to ensure efficiency by minimising personal contact between officers and clients, as part of efforts to combat corruption as well as making services affordable.

Mr Masango, who was Immigration Department principal director, replaced long-time civil servant Mr Tobaiwa Mudede, who was among several senior Government employees who were retired last week.

“Part of my vision is to improve computerisation in order to modernise our operations and improve efficiency. There is no reason why one should queue just to pick up an application form, say for a passport, that should be easily available online where they download, submit; only to be called for interviews,” said Mr Masango.

He said computerisation would also address the challenge of touts who have been a menace at the RG’s Office, fleecing unsuspecting members of the public of their cash.

Asked what he would do to end the challenge of passports being limited to a few applicants per day, Mr Masango said he would get to the bottom of the matter to understand the reasons.

“I need to know where the problem lies. Is it staff shortages or resources?

Once I establish that, I will ensure that the root cause is addressed. There are long queues of people seeking to get a passport and I understand a limited number of the travelling documents are issued per day. Some have to sleep in queues or get there early. These are some of the issues that ought to be addressed,” said Mr Masango.

“My word for those in the diaspora or all Zimbabweans is that I will respect one’s right to citizenship and everyone who is entitled to a passport will get it as long as he satisfies the provisions of the law. If unavailability of passports has to do with a problem of financial resources, authorities will be approached and have the situation addressed.”

Mr Masango said he would also accelerate decentralisation of the department’s services to the remotest parts of the country.

“There must be certainty that one’s application will be processed expeditiously; dispatched without delay. Another way of assuring clients is to give feedback at every stage of their application either through e-mail or mobile service’s short service message to say your passport application is now being considered, it is now going for printing or to say it is now ready for collection. I intend to introduce a hotline so that we get feedback,” said Mr Masango.

Asked how he feels about his new role, Mr Masango said he excited.

“I appreciate the trust my principal has demonstrated in me. I will discharge my duties to the best of my ability. I am not new to this kind of responsibilities because I have been head of immigration for 11 years and public offices are never made to be permanent. It is up to the appointing authority. For me, the 11 years that I served are enough time for someone to move and allow for rejuvenation of the organisation,” he said.

State Media

Correspondent|A TEAM of human rights defenders, data and science experts, Team Pachedu, has upped the tempo in the inquiry of the post-elections fatal shootings of August 1 which left seven people dead, by opening its own inquiry which will run parallel to the independent commission of inquiry appointed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Team Pachedu said it would be using modern science and investigative tools which would see the team recreate events that unfolded from the morning of August 1 until armed soldiers came in to quell opposition supporters’ demonstrations using lethal force.

Team Pachedu said it had a forensic sub-team which would be using geo-tagging, facial and pattern recognition to recreate a three-dimensional space-time model of the events and has since launched a crowd-sourcing platform to allow for the collection of pictorial and video evidence.

“Investigative crowd-sourcing will help us know who did what, when and where. There’s a lot of footage out there. Our hope is to be able to survey it to get an overall view and if we manage to get all the data, we will put it in the public domain so that fellow Zimbabweans can appreciate what really happened,” the internet-based team said.

Team Pachedu has indicated that it is worried that the commission of inquiry, led by former South Africa President Kgalema Motlanthe, could gloss over what happened, given that two of the three local members of the commission had alleged Zanu PF links. In a detailed graph, the team listed the close links that the three commissioners allegedly had with Zanu PF.

The MDC Alliance, which has been blamed by Zanu PF for instigating the violence, has already raised concern about the commissioners, particularly losing presidential candidate Lovemore Madhuku and Zanu PF member Charity Manyeruke, whom they want removed from the probe team.

Other members of the team are Rodney Dickson (Queen’s Counsel, United Kingdom), Davis Mwamunyange (former Chief of Defence Forces, Tanzania), Nigerian Emeka Anyaoku (former Commonwealth secretary-general) as well as Law Society of Zimbabwe former president Vimbai Nyemba.

Madhuku said there was nothing wrong with any interested parties conducting their own investigations into what happened on August 1.

“We understand the terms of reference are to investigate what happened and find facts relating to the violence of August 1. That is all that has to be investigated. The commission does not stop any person or Zimbabwean from still looking at other issues related to the violence. This is one attempt to say what happened and is coming from the commission and we will see what comes out, but others can still do their own investigations in their own frameworks and still publish their own results, this is not stopping anyone,” he said.

Information deputy minister Energy Mutodi said Team Pachedu could go ahead with its own investigation, but it is not official and will not guide the government’s response.

“It has nothing to do with government. Maybe they have their own audience, one which we cannot envisage, but government has appointed a commission whose findings will be official and will guide government response,” he said.

Source:NewsDay

CHINESE diamond miner Anjin Investment is set to resume mining operations in Chiadzwa after President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government allegedly bowed to pressure from Beijing.

Anjin and other diamond companies were barred from mining in the once rich diamond fields by former President Robert Mugabe’s government in 2016 following allegations of looting.

Other companies were forced into a merger to create the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC), but Anjin resisted the move.

According to government sources, Anjin’s licence was restored following intense pressure from Beijing, and operations at the miner’s Chiadzwa site will resume soon.

The revelations were first made at a human rights workshop organised by the Centre for Natural Resources Governance (CNG) and Bocha Diamond Community Trust (BDCT) last week amid protests by locals.

Moses Makwanda, a BDCT official, told the workshop that he had received a call from an unnamed ZCDC official who disclosed the developments.

CNG director Farai Maguwu said he was aware of Anjin’s return, describing it as a sad development.

“Yes, I am aware and they were seen loitering in Marange barely two weeks after (President Emmerson) Mnangagwa took over the reins of power (in November last year),” he said.

“It is sad that a company that was accused by former Finance minister Tendai Biti for not remitting anything to Treasury has been re-engaged to continue looting.”

Maguwu said the Marange community was not happy about the return of Anjin.

“Mnangagwa must tell us something good that Anjin did which we all don’t know,” he said.

Anjin is jointly owned by Chinese companies Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Company Limited and Matt Bronze —an investment arm of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.

Mines and Mining Development minister Winston Chitando last week demanded questions in writing but had not responded to them by the time of going to print.

Besides allegations of looting, the diamond companies were accused of polluting water sources and causing environmental degradation.

NewsDay

Staff Reporter|In a somewhat surprising stance recently elected Kwekwe mayor, Angeline Kasipo has opened up her heart to ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa and his erstwhile partner Local Government Minister July Moyo, sentiments which are contrary to her MDC Alliance boss Nelson Chamisa.

Kasipo who broke headlines as the only officially elected female mayor from the opposition party told weekend media that she recognised President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s leadership and would work with him in pushing for the development of the City.

On the other hand, the MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa, who made sure that she was elected as the Mayor, has adamantly refused to recognise Mnangagwa as the elected President of the country claiming that Mnangagwa worked in cohorts with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to rig the July 30 election.

Kasipo did not only end at showing her adoration at Mnangagwa as she extended her affection to July Moyo who she said she will also work with closely since he is a resident of Kwekwe.

“The Minister of Local Government stays here in Kwekwe and we are going to be working with him,” she said.

“It doesn’t matter which party he belongs to. What is important is that he is the minister.

“He was appointed to that position by the president to implement government policies.

It doesn’t matter the party where the President comes from. What is important is that he is the President.”

“What is important is for us to deliver services to the people regardless of our political affiliations. The moment we get to be professional, then we will not have problems.”

Kasipo further defended Town Clerk Emmanuel Musara who lost the ZANU PF primary elections to contest the Kwekwe Central Constituency claiming that he got the council top job on merit.

POLICE Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga has disbanded the traffic section, rendering top posts in that department redundant, as he moves to create a lean structure at the top following indications the top brass has been milking the fiscus and burdening his budget.

In a memo dated September 13 and addressed to all stations, Matanga announced the restructuring of the traffic branch, which had become the cash cow, funding police operations and flashy lives of top officers in the force before the November military coup last year.

“Addressees are hereby advised that the restructuring exercise agreed on by the central planning committee (CPC) through CPC minute 8/2018 in respect of the Traffic branch is now underway, with immediate effect all traffic stations are to report both administratively and operationally to officers commanding district in which they are currently operating,” the memo read.

Previously, the Traffic branch had its own reporting structure with its own officer commanding at district, provincial and a national traffic co-ordinator, who was stationed at Morris Depot, but these posts have now been made redundant.

Former national traffic co-ordinator Assistant Commissioner Elliot Muswita has been transferred to Mutare.

Matanga opened a process to identify new leaders for the traffic sections under their command, saying names should be forwarded to him for consideration.

“As a preliminary step in the exercise, all officers commanding provinces are, therefore, directed to identify suitable members of the rank of inspector capable of heading traffic sections in their respective provinces, the list of nominees should be immediately submitted to this office,” he wrote in the memo.

The Minerals and Border Control branch together with Anti-Stock Theft have also suffered a similar fate after being reduced to sections as opposed to branches.

The creation of branches in traffic, minerals and anti-stock theft had created fat cats in the police and multiple reporting structures were creating problems and fanning corruption within the police, insiders said.

“There were a lot of bosses doing nothing and most of these presided over massive corruption, especially at the minerals and traffic branches. These had become cash lords in the force and collapsing the branches makes command structure easy and manageable,” a senior police officer said.

National Traffic, which operated the national highway patrol, drew massive allowances for accommodation, meals and did not respect the authority of officers commanding districts, according to insiders.

NewsDay

OPPOSITION MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa yesterday said he was ready to weigh any offers tabled by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to enable them to work together for the good of the country, but cautioned that dialogue would be centred around five key issues his party wants addressed first.

This follows Mnangagwa’s claim in New York, the United States, on Friday that he was proposing to officially recognise his nemesis as leader of the opposition leader and extend financial and material benefits due to him.

Mnangagwa told Bloomberg TV in an interview in the US that: “Under our Commonwealth parliamentary democracy, the opposition is recognised; we recognise the leader of the opposition in Parliament. This is what we are going to do ourselves.

“But under the former administration, there was no formal recognition of the opposition leader, but now under my administration, we are embracing the Commonwealth approach to parliamentary democracy, where we recognise the leader of the opposition, who is given certain conditions and perks in Parliament.”

Chamisa, however, yesterday said no formal offer to that effect had been tabled.

Through his spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda, Chamisa said the MDC’s national council had already given the greenlight for negotiations to unlock the current political and economic logjam.

“President Chamisa got authority from his national council to enter into negotiations around five key issues, which we consider important to help move the country forward. He has publicly made an announcement that he is open to national dialogue and since then, nobody has knocked on the door,” Sibanda said.

“If a formal move is made, it means that there will be material office with facts and what is being offered, only then can we respond. Right now, it’s speculation, nobody knows what ED is saying and what he is talking about, the only reasonable thing we can do is we are sending back to him the reality on the ground, that there are five key issues which need to be addressed first.”

The five key issues Chamisa wants to discuss with Mnangagwa include ensuring that future elections are safeguarded so that they are held in a transparent manner and can never be disputed again, that there are moves to ensure the country returns to legitimacy and normalcy following what the opposition claims was a stolen July 30 election.

The opposition leader also wants to have dialogue centred around the economy to avert a complete meltdown.

The fourth issue is around national healing, starting from the Gukurahundi massacres to the August 1 shootings.

The MDC Alliance leader also wants measures put in place to allow constitutional Chapter 12 and 13 institutions — the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, among others, — to have complete independence without undue influence from political players.

On this point, he includes implementation of devolution in full.

Mnangagwa’s climbdown has generated heated debate in the MDC Alliance, with some party hardliners saying Chamisa should not accept any such offer since the party has refused to recognise Mnangagwa’s electoral victory.

“He cannot accept that offer. It’s a kiss of death for the opposition. Remember, we walked out of Parliament when Mnangagwa was presenting his State of the Nation Address because we don’t accept his victory, so taking a salary and that recognition from Mnangagwa would be endorsing his presidency through a bribe. That should not happen,” a parliamentarian and senior official in the MDC Alliance said.

Other senior officials said it was not Mnangagwa speaking during that interview, but his public relations handlers, who asked him to act like a statesmen so that he secures the much-needed economic rescue package for his administration.

“Why would he make such pronouncements for the first time in New York? That line is not official. ED is known for lying. He just said that for the media and we are not yet sure what trick he wants to play. But his PR handlers have told him to appear as a statesman who is building the country, yet in reality, he is a repressive junta leader,” a highly-placed source said.

Other opposition sources, however, indicated that Chamisa was willing to recognise Mnangagwa as legitimate leader of Zimbabwe “in the interest of the nation”.

The sources said Chamisa wants Mnangagwa to approach him to end the current political stalemate.

“There are internal discussions between Chamisa and his inner circle. He is willing to compromise, never mind the public posturing. Chamisa is willing to put the country first.

The talk about dialogue is real, but, unfortunately, this seems to be coming a bit late because while Mnangagwa might have considered this just after the election, Chamisa squandered his chance with not only the Constitutional Court petition, but also his pronouncements against the legitimacy of the elections,” another insider said.

MDC Alliance spokesperson Jacob Mafume said Chamisa’s call for talks was meant to provide Mnangagwa with the legitimacy the Zanu PF leader “badly needs”.

“The position of the president (Chamisa) is that there should be dialogue to deal with the legitimacy issue. That dialogue is not premised on us being in some governing arrangement with Zanu PF or that we should recognise Mnangagwa, but on the need to have a truly democratic nation. A need to have a clear road-map for reforms and the restoration of a normal economy,” he said.

“Anything else is mere speculation without basis. We note that Mnangagwa has been all over the world looking for legitimacy and still has none. We should remind him that legitimacy is acquired from the governed. We are the people he wants to govern, so he must sit down with us.”

NewsDay has been told that, in fact, the opposition has three options it would want to agree with Mnangagwa.

“There are three options that are being considered and that the MDC would be agreeable to. First, we can have a transitional authority with Mnangagwa as leader, but with a limited time frame of at least three years. There must be clear signposts that must be followed,” another source said.

“(Former President Robert) Mugabe imposed an election on the country in 2013 without reforms, which is where (late MDC leader Morgan) Tsvangirai had wanted to go when Mnangagwa visited him last year. We can then have concrete reforms. We raised the 10-point plan for reforms that was never agreed to by Zanu PF.”

Mnangagwa visited an ailing Tsvangirai early this year amid speculation the two had cobbled an agreement for a transitional government that would have deferred elections.

As fate would have it, Tsvangirai lost a two-year battle with cancer of the colon in February, paving the way for Chamisa to take over after an acrimonious battle with co-deputy president Thokozani Khupe, leading to another split.

The MDC-T, then under Tsvangirai, agreed to a Government of National Unity with Mugabe in 2009, but was waylaid into an election in 2013 in which it lost heavily.

While Chamisa is reportedly also considering this as an option, he, according to his lieutenants, is aware of the pitfalls of working with Zanu PF.

Reports have also claimed that former colonial master Britain is involved in behind-the-scenes talks to bring Mnangagwa and Chamisa into a working arrangement. It has emerged that other Western countries seem to be nudging Chamisa in the same direction.

“This is what the British have been pushing for, a scenario in which Chamisa would assume a position as leader of the opposition in a Westminster style arrangement,” another source said.

By Paul Nyathi|THE Gays and Lesbians Association of Zimbabwe (GALZ) has come out in full support of a school teacher who on Friday made a bold disclosure to students and staff at school assembly that he was gay.

Neal Hovelmeier a 6th form teacher at St John’s College, said the decision to come clean on his sexual orientation was aimed at helping curb homophobia at the school.

GALZ director Chester Samba at the weekend came out in full support of the teacher’s disclosure claiming that his action would go a long way in helping those who feared coming out in the open about their sexual orientation do so.

“I think coming out will undoubtedly assist teachers in managing some of the challenges associated with learners such as dealing with student assumptions around heteronormativity,” Samba said.

“It will help in developing a classroom culture of inclusivity for other LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, intersex people) learners and how other students can be supportive of LGBTI students in ways that embrace diversity in the classroom.”

The GALZ director said the revelation will also help school teachers in addressing similar topics within the learning environment.

“Normally, teachers choose to skip topics in class that they find embarrassing to talk about,” he said.

“Coming out will help end social isolation within the school as he will now begin to feel a sense of community with the reported support and cheers he received from learners.”