Here is the transcript of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s interview with Cable News Network (CNN) anchor Christine Amanpour. Mnangagwa was interviewed on Friday and is currently in New York to attend the 73rd Ordinary Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

CA: President Mnangagwa, welcome to the show. Thanks for joining me.

ED: Thank you, thank you.

CA: So here you are in the United States at the UN General Assembly. It’s your maiden speech. And it’s no secret that the world had a very, very negative impression of Zimbabwe for many, many years. President Mugabe seemed to stay in power forever and now here you are. What is it that you want to tell the world from the pulpit of the UN?

ED: Well, the first point is that there is a new administration of the Second Republic of Zimbabwe, which I lead. We have just completed harmonised general elections in July this year. So this time around, after many years of Independence and several elections, this is the only time we as Zimbabweans had democratic space for everyone, to exercise their rights. This is the only time in our history since Independence in 1980 that we had more – we usually had about five political parties contesting elections, this time around, because of the democratic political space which we created, we had 133 political parties; and of those 133 political parties, 56 contested the elections.

CA: So you’re talking about a much more pluralistic Zimbabwe. You say that it’s a new day, a new team, and a new democracy. What do you say to the people of Zimbabwe and the people who are observing around the world about whether you can be a unifier? Obviously, your election victory was very, very narrow, it was less than one percent and people have complained about it; people have said, you know, they hope you won’t be divisive, and be just for the Zanu-PF voters. Let me tell you what the United States has said about the post-election situation. The State Department in August said, “The United States government is greatly concerned by credible reports of numerous detentions, beatings and other abuses of Zimbabweans over the past week, particularly targeting opposition activists.” That is the new Zimbabwe?

ED: I can assure you that this time around we had a very peaceful, free, fair election, which we have never experienced before. I am happy that that culture is taking root. I believe that we should do everything possible under this administration to cultivate that culture, to make sure our people develop a culture of accepting opposing views within the community. And I am happy that during the entire process, the electoral process, we didn’t have any disturbances. All the political parties accessed voters whom they thought would support them. The only event which is regrettable is the one which happened two days after the elections. We regret that event and we are doing everything possible… Just before I came here I appointed a commission of inquiry to deal with that. I felt that it would not be proper for ourselves to investigate ourselves, which is why we have an outside inquiry. But besides, my message from the day I took over on the 24th of November last year is peace, peace, unity, unity and love among our people. Yes, indeed, in terms of our constitution and the terms of Commonwealth parliamentary democracy, it is first-past-the-post. I had 50,6 percent. My nearest contender had 44, I think. In terms of our Constitution, I won the elections, although the victory is very narrow as you say (chuckles). I hope that as we go forward and as we open up Zimbabwe … people can understand that we can do better. But if the opposition are going to have a better message than us, then the next election someone else (will win).

CA: The opposition, you say, they have a better message…?

ED: If the people think the other political parties have a better message than my political party they will obviously vote for the party that has the better message.

CA: So, Mr President, you have a pretty big task because you say all these things and you also were part of the old regime, right, the Mugabe regime, for all those years from the liberation struggle until you took over. And many people are asking, I think legitimately, is this really a new Government? Is it really a new dawn? Or is it a lot of the old guard now taking on a new role? Some people will describe is as old wine in new bottles.

ED: If you look at me, then you would say I belong to the old guard, and that is a fact. But look at my Cabinet, look at the new Cabinet which I have. How many people are new in that Cabinet? You can see the direction which we are going. And I said this before the conclusion of the elections: that I’m going to bring in new people with expertise in various areas, women and youth. And I have done so. So I believe that people should examine what I am doing and not live on perceptions. I believe that the past should be left behind and we do our best for the future and work for the betterment of our people. To do so, in my view, I need the best brains the country can produce across the board.

CA: So in that case are you asking for many expatriates to come back, whether they are black or white? Because you know it was a very difficult situation for many in Zimbabwe, but especially for whites. President Mugabe said many things about them and they were, you know, burnt out or run out of their farms and homes and country. You have appointed a commission to try and attract them back. Is it going to be a friendly place for white Zimbabweans?

ED: I can assure you that under my administration, the issue of colour has no place. It is the issue of expertise which we want. We want to grow our economy, we want to modernise our economy, we want to industrialise our economy. Expertise can reside in whatever colour. And fortunately, our people in Zimbabwe, they reason above that. We have a huge white population; Indian, white, other groups, they’re there. We are a family. So we have no problem with that at all.

CA: You may not think it is about colour but it is about reconciliation, and I’m interested – you did just say you want to forget about the past and move forward. I guess I just want to ask you, President Mugabe was accused of many violations of human rights, of corruption, of all sorts of violations and abuses. Would a Mnangagwa administration hold the former President accountable in any kind of way, in a court, in a truth and reconciliation kind of way? Is that on the agenda?

ED: We cannot put an agenda on a person. We put an agenda to make sure all those involved in corruption account for (the) corruption they committed. We have a Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission. I have strengthened that one, which is indicative of my desire to deal with corruption. And so many cases are being prosecuted, if you are following, of prominent persons who have been affected by the drive we are having now against corruption. But, indeed, we will not, as the new administration, focus on the past. We need to focus, because we are going to live in the future, we will never live in the past again. Yes, we regret whatever happened in the past. And I have a National Peace and Reconciliation Commission dealing with things that happened in the past. My administration, our focus is to make Zimbabwe a better place; is to make Zimbabwe acceptable again in the international community. We must embrace. We are re-engaging and engaging nations and international organisations to be accepted. And we must remove any pieces of legislation which will be constraints in the areas of political reform. We are determined to move forward and be a member of the international community again, embraced by all societies in the family of nations.

CA: So President Mugabe has been one of the longest serving presidents on the African continent. He just wouldn’t leave. Elections or no elections, he just wouldn’t go. And I asked him in my interview with him …

ED: Oh you did? (Laughing)

CA: … and he said I will never leave at the hand of imperialists, and he was furious at the idea of leaving. I’m going to play a sound bite, and he was saying I will not leave power, this is about regime change, we will dig in, we will remain in our trenches. So in retrospect, Mr President, now that you are the President, was it regrettable that President Mugabe didn’t leave legitimately and under elections a long, long time ago?

ED: The issue is that under Commonwealth parliamentary democracy, the political party which has the majority in Parliament chooses its leader, and my predecessor was generally being accepted by his party. But now under the new Constitution, which came into effect on the 22nd of May 2013, we have now limited the terms of presidency to two terms – if you are able to have two terms. But beyond that, the Constitution forbids …

CA: (Interjecting) you have pledged that you will abide by that…

ED: I’d like to entrench constitutionalism in Zimbabwe…

CA: (Interjecting) Will you abide by the …

ED: I will abide by that without any iota of resistance at all. Even if the people love me, I will still go away because I believe constitutionalism is important. In fact, we must give people the chance to have other leaders. Ten years is not a short period. In my view, it’s quite a long period; and if you have a vision, a period long enough to implement your vision.

CA: Clearly you have a vision, a desire, to move Zimbabwe away from the past. But let’s face it, you are part of the old regime, you were President Mugabe’s intelligence chief, you did take part in the suppression of the elections in 2008, when Morgan Tsvangirai actually won the parliamentary vote and actually they believe they won the first round of the Presidential election. Again, do you regret that? And I ask you this because upon Morgan Tsvangirai’s death not so long ago, you said something very important about it. You said, both in and after the Government of National Unity, he remained a national figure who obdurately insisted on free, fair and credible non-violent elections as a way of strengthening our democracy. Those were your words.

ED: That is true, that is what I said. But the point is, during that election, former Prime Minister Tsvangirai had 47 percent of the vote and my predecessor had 43, I think, percent of the vote, which meant that the former Prime Minister had a better vote than my predecessor. But the Constitution demanded that for one to become President he must have 50 percent-plus-one, which the former Prime Minister did not achieve. That was the basis of that run-off. But again, as I said…

CA: (Interjecting) It was considered a bit of a stitch up. Do you regret it?

ED: The voters themselves did not make Tsvangirai get 50 percent-plus-one. I regret that (the President at that) time did not achieve 50 percent-plus-one in that election. But, again, I do not feel it is necessary anymore for people to dwell on the past. Let us look into the future. Let us – all of us – collectively as a people under one flag, under one national anthem, under the guidance of our new Constitution, move forward and improve the economic environment so that we attract global capital to our country. For the past two decades we have been an isolated island (inaudible) … Let us have this change.

CA: You have constantly said “my predecessor, my predecessor”, you never mentioned his name …

ED: (laughing) You have mentioned it.

CA: …Mugabe. And I wanted to ask, does he call you “Mr President”? Do you hear from him? What is his …

ED: (laughing) He calls me ED.

CA: ED?

ED: Yes.

CA: And what is “ED”?

ED: I’m Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa. E for Emmerson, D for Dambudzo … And he calls me, when I phone him, he says, “ED, how are you?” And I say…

CA: (Interjecting) And he doesn’t say Mr President to you?

ED: Officially, when he writes letters, he addresses me as “President”. He calls me that, formally.

CA: Because I read that you tried to restrain some of his excesses, some of his impulses. He wanted to go with a big plane, with a 38-person entourage, for his medical check in Singapore. And you had to try to clip those wings. Was that difficult for you? What did you say to him?

ED: No. I followed the Statutory Instrument which provides for the issues of a former President. It states how many security (personnel), how many staff, and how many times he will be able to go out per year. So it indeed is correct that initially he wanted the same level as before, then I informed him that this is not the correct (position) anymore. My predecessor is a lawyer, like myself … And he accepted it.

CA: His wife, Grace, is …

ED: That is something …

CA: What did you say?

ED: That is something else. (laughs)

CA: (laughing) I mean she wanted to be the leader, she didn’t want you to be the leader. There are suspicions that she and her gang even tried to poison you with a poisoned ice cream cone…

ED: Well, I was poisoned. And up to today I don’t know what was happening for (the first) two days. My Vice President, one of my current Vice Presidents, was quick enough to fly me to South Africa where I was saved. I …

CA: How did they save you? What was the process?

ED: After two days of being unconscious…

CA: Unconscious?

ED; Yes. So they said the level of poisoning was very high, something like 31 percent. It was reduced in six days down to 11 percent. And I had something like three to four hours of life (had I not been rushed to South Africa). I would have died of cardiac failure. The research which was done by various doctors in South Africa, in Australia and some other places, Europe, I think, where the tests were done, called it metal poisoning, arsenic metal poisoning. And they narrowed it as to where it could have come from … Well, the speculation as to who administered it … Well, I’m back now. The level of poisoning, my last review says the level of poisoning in my system now is under three percent.

CA: Well that’s good news for you, but do you think you still face a threat from, they call her Gucci Grace, Mrs Mugabe?

ED: Well, on the 23rd of June I escaped another assassination attempt. But, again, I don’t say it is from Mrs Mugabe. That’s the duty of security services and the intelligence services.

CA: Have you said anything to your predecessor, Robert Mugabe, about this, to keep his wife under control?

ED: If I did that it would mean I have something against her, or some evidence against her. I don’t have evidence against her, the former First Lady. I like the legal process to take place, let the security handle it… Whatever the outcome (of the investigations). At the end of the day, I’m alive.

CA: You’re alive. And my last question is, you’re also known as The Crocodile. (ED laughs) Snapping jaws, vicious…

ED: Well, if you have the time I can explain how it comes about.

CA: Are you The Crocodile?

ED: No, I’m human. (Laughter). In 1964, when we had come from Nanking, China, where I had done my military training, our leader then, the late Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole, deployed us. And he named my group “Crocodile”. None of my colleagues are around, they passed on. So during the entire process of the liberation struggle in Zimbabwe, my colleagues referred to me as Crocodile. But my totem is Lion. So this is how it is. Let me assure you, I’m as soft as wool. But I have the traits of being patient like a crocodile.

CA: What about the traits of the lion?

ED: That depends, being calculative, and also hunting.

CA: So I want to ask you, you mentioned the liberation struggle, in the spirit of truth and reconciliation. Obviously, there was a massacre in Matabeleland during the 1980s, and you know, there were descriptions of what was being described as North Korean-trained Zimbabwean forces killing some 20 000 people. Again, is that something that you would consider a formal, national apology for?

ED: At the time that happened, my predecessor said it was a moment of madness, that’s what he said, which is a result of what was happening internally. But when I took over, I felt that we needed to have finality on this issue. So I appointed a Peace and National Reconciliation Commission, which is now eight months into investigations and gathering evidence. And whatever report they are going to make, I’ve promised the nation that I will make it public.

CA: And if it’s the worst of the worst, will you apologise?

ED: Exactly. It will be on the basis of that report and the recommendations of that report. We should be man enough as a Government to accept whatever recommendations are made and see how, as a Government, we comply with the recommendations of the report. What I will not want to do is, in advance, say I will do this, I will do that. We will act according to the report.

CA: President Emmerson Mnangagwa, thank you very much.

ED: Thank you

BULAWAYO has set sights at establishing the first Municipal Bank in the country as it seeks to attract more investors while unravelling new revenue streams for the local authority.

The bank, which will be a first of its kind in the country and continent, is expected to boost investor confidence and ensure that resources meant for infrastructure development are not diverted for other purposes.

In an interview with Sunday Business the City’s deputy mayor, Councillor Tinashe Kambarami said the setting up of the financial institution was one of their major priorities as they forge ahead to uplift the City’s infrastructure and economic status.

He said working together with the mayor, Clr Solomon Mguni and the rest of the councillors their vision was to establish a bank, which was not only going to boost investor confidence but was to also create employment in the city.

“We want to set up a Municipal Bank that will help us build trust among our investors. This will be one of our biggest projects as I think we will be one of the only cities in the world to have such a bank.

“In this bank we will be managing our investors’ money, we won’t have any stories that the money has been diverted for other projects, we are going to manage our resources within this bank,” said Clr Kambarami.

He said not only will the bank be entrusted with investors’ funds but will also have other income generating schemes meant to create revenue inflows to the local authority which will then be directed to service delivery.

“The bank will have facilities like pension schemes for our employees, medical aid facilities, insurance schemes both for vehicles and in the long term for houses and buildings, which is one of the core functions of the local authority.

“We will employ professional people to run this bank and this will be an upside because we will be creating employment to our people, which is also critical considering the state of unemployment in our city,” said the deputy mayor.

On other key projects, Clr Kambarami also noted the importance of improving the city’s internet connectivity by establishing a facility termed City Data.

“We will also have city data, as an IT person I want to see the entire city having data. I have seen this happening in Dubai, where the second you disembark at the airport you immediately have data connection. If one is able to give people data at a very cheap rate it improves connectivity and will see us achieve our goals of turning Bulawayo into a Smart City.

“Further these internet service providers operating in the country, who have been digging our roads to install their cables, we now want to build a subway for them where all their cables will now pass through and they will be paying rentals for the use of this subway,” he said.

He revealed that they will be prioritising Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) projects as these do not just benefit an organisation or individual but the local authority will also benefit as they will be in a position to operate these facilities after a specified time.

“As we go forward as a local authority we want to partner with people that are determined, people who are ready to work and take our city to the next level. We want to partner with organisations that have the capacity to build our city, more in the line of Build Operate and Transfer (BOT).

“An example of such a project which we are hoping to partner organisations in is an ambitious solar project. We want to get an investor to build the solar project, operate it for a number of years after which they will then transfer to the local authority, leaving us with the infrastructure for us to operate and get an additional revenue stream, said Clr Kambarami.

State Media

Jane Mlambo| President Emmerson Mnangagwa has finally promised to apologise on behalf of the Zanu PF led government’s 1980s atrocities 20 000 civilians in the western parts of the country.

The so-called Gukurahundi atrocities were committed under then President Robert Mugabe’s rule.

Mnangagwa, in past interviews with international media, has refused to apologise for the atrocities, insisting dwelling on the past was not going to help his cause of refocussing his troubled country on the future.

However, speaking in an interview with US cable television CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Mnangagwa said he was prepared to issue an apology based on the recommendations of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC).

Asked if he would accept the findings even if the report implicated him, Mnangagwa said, “Exactly. It would be on the basis and recommendations of that report.

“We should be man enough as a government to accept whatever recommendations which are made and see how we can comply with them.”

The Zimbabwean leader however said he would be running ahead of himself if he were to make presumptions now.

“I would not want in advance to say this is what I will do. This is the first time in our history we are having such things done in the open,” he said.

Numerous investigations into the atrocities including one by the respected Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace as well as one led by former Chief Justiceand late Enoch Dumbutshena.

But Mugabe refused to publicise the Dumbutshena Commission report and dismissed the one by the Jesuits.

Mnangagwa was the country’s Intelligence Minister during what has often been regarded as darkest period of Zimbabwe’s post liberation period.

His name features prominantly among those who masterminded the killings.

-NewZimbabwe.com

Jane Mlambo| President Emmerson Mnangagwa has revealed that Zimbabwe relations with the western world have been good each time those countries are led by women, citing the 1979 and 2018 periods when Britain were led by Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May.

Speaking during his trip to the United Nations General Council, Mnangagwa said United States has been left in the cold as other western giants had embraced Zimbabwe.

“But I’m happy now they have a lady. You know when we got our Independence in 1980, in 1979 there was a very serious war in Zimbabwe against Ian Smith. But there was a change of government in the United Kingdom and Margaret Thatcher came to power. She was the person who ended our war.

“So each time there is a lady in Britain, things change. This time around, on the 24th of November (2017) when I was inaugurated, within 35 minutes I had a minister from (UK Prime Minister) Theresa May calling on me. Our relations with Britain have improved tremendously and we are now talking.

“So America is left out in the cold by the British and the EU. But I’m happy that also the German (leader) is a lady. She has sent a minister to come and resuscitate relations between Zimbabwe and Germany. And we are so happy with Germany. The same with France, though he is a man but again, he’s very good.”

Grain Marketing Board official Mr Basilio Sandamu has been arrested for allegedly defrauding the parastatal of over $1 million in a State land deal. Mr Sandamu recently appeared in court and is out of custody on $500 bail.
It is alleged that in April 2013, the non-executive director connived with GMB Pension Fund CEO Mr Taona Munzvadi to enter a fraudulent agreement of sale of Romany Farm for $2,5 million. The 197-hectare Romany Farm was acquired by the State in terms of the Land Acquisition Act (Chapter 20:10) and through Extraordinary Government Gazette General Notice 591 of 2001 under deed of transfer 5421/99.

In July 2002, Mr Korbs Mutandiro, who is jointly charged with Mr Sandamu, allegedly fraudulently acquired 51 percent of the shares of Romany Farm from the previous farm owner, Mr David John Sheehanm, for a purported value of ZW$5 million.

Messrs Sandamu, Munzvadi and Mutandiro reportedly hatched a plan to sell the State land to GMB Pension Fund for $2,5 million, of which $1 million was transferred to Organs Resources Private Limited, where Mr Mutandiro is a director.

“When the accused person (Sandamu) connived to sell the farm, he knew that the farm was State land acquired in terms of the Land Acquisition Act (Chapter 2010) through Extraordinary Government Gazette General Notice 591 of 2001 dated 16 November 2001 and that he had no certificate of no present interest which is issued by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement and is a statutory requirement in the disposal of land in terms of the Land Acquisition Act as read with Section (2) and (3) of Statutory Instrument 287/1999, Land Acquisition (Disposal of Rural Land) Regulations, 1999,” reads part of court papers.

“As a result of accused person’s action, GMB Pension Fund suffered a potential prejudice of $2 500 000 and actual prejudice of $1 040 000 and nothing was recovered.”

In a separate case, the Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has launched an investigation into Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe acting general manager Ms Nomsa Moyo for allegedly overpaying ex-company boss Mr Onesimo Moyo.
According to a legal opinion by lawyers at Mutamangira and Associates, Ms Moyo paid $240 633,17 and fuel valued at $3 903, 05 to Mr Moyo without authority after the latter’s contract had been terminated by MMCZ in 2011.
“She also gave to Mr O M Moyo property belonging to the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe Management Services (Private) Limited without authority. That is clear misappropriation,” wrote Mutamangira and Associates.

“This is the nub of the charges against Ms N Moyo. There is a strong basis for finding her guilty of misconduct on the basis that: (a) the items that she paid out were not part of the agreement signed by the parties.

“(b) The agreement had been signed by six persons, including the parties involved and their legal practitioners and thus it is strange for Ms Moyo to purport to be more meticulous and attentive than everyone else.”

Zacc investigators recently told The Sunday Mail that they were keen on interviewing Ms Moyo over the allegation. – state media

Nelson Chamisa’s MDC is strengthening measures to enforce gender parity in the party’s leadership rings, as evidenced recently in Victoria Falls where the elected mayor stepped down to pave way for a female contestant.

Chamisa ordered Victoria Falls mayor Somvelo Dlamini to step down and make way for Margaret Varley, whose nomination had been rejected by both councillors and residents.

Dlamini, who had won 8 votes against Varley’s 3, was then made the deputy mayor of the resort town.

In an interview with the Daily News yesterday, Chamisa confirmed he ordered Dlamini to step down but referred all questions to his spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda.

Sibanda said the party is on an affirmative action drive and what happened in Victoria Falls is directed towards fulfilling this agenda.

“Yes, what happened in Victoria Falls is true. It is the party’s tradition. The mayors are selected by the whip guided by the president, to ensure that the promises made during the elections are fulfilled,” he said.

“We are taking very strong measures to ensure that we achieve gender equality. We want to ensure that our appointments support affirmative action.”

Sibanda said society continues to perpetuate the idea that women should take the back row in leadership and that has been a major problem.

“Society is still very inequitable. We find that when we go for primary elections, people tend to vote for the male candidate instead of female candidates who will be available. At the moment, our party has 39 percent female representation in both lower and upper houses,” he said.

“President Chamisa has insisted that we have a female mayor in Victoria Falls and Kwekwe, not only because they are the only women available but because they have the capacity to deliver.”

Recently, Chamisa has been under fire for his denigrating remarks on women.

Chamisa caused an outcry when he made seemingly reckless comments after the appointment of Kirsty Coventry as Sports, Youth and Culture minister.

He has also been viewed as gender insensitive, following his appointment of a bloated male-dominated presidium with Elias Mudzuri, Welshman Ncube and Morgen Komichi as his three deputies.

Women generally failed to cover much ground in the July elections, attaining only 26 of the 210 parliamentary seats.

A gender analysis carried out by Harare Residents Trust indicated that out of 86 women who contested in the 46 wards in Harare, only 12 succeeded.

DailyNews

Legislators from both Zanu PF and the MDC have expressed anger at the government’s decision to suspend the purchase of new vehicles for them — with the money budgeted for that now earmarked to fight the deadly cholera outbreak which has claimed dozens of lives and left thousands of people requiring treatment.

This comes after President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration recently declared the cholera epidemic a national emergency, as it struggles to raise about $60 million needed to contain the highly infectious disease — which by end of this week had killed at least 32 people.

MPs from both the ruling party and the opposition who spoke to the Daily News yesterday said government’s decision to suspend the purchasing of the vehicles and channel that money to fighting cholera was a “travesty” of justice as they were entitled to all their benefits.

Outspoken and independent legislator for Norton Temba Mliswa led the chorus of disapproval over the decision saying it was wrong for the government to suspend the MPs’ entitlements simply because there was a disease outbreak.

“You cannot suspend people’s salaries because there is a cholera outbreak. The problem is that councils are mismanaged. This is an issue of mismanagement.

“The issue is also about land barons taking over and there is no master plan anymore. The city (of Harare) has lost order. Town councils are so corrupt and at times people are building on wetlands using septic tanks that will get into water sources … and all this has nothing to do with people’s benefits,” Mliswa said.

“There are new MPs who don’t have what we have. You cannot say we are building a nation by destroying the other arm. I have told them (the government) to source cars locally but they have not listened. What is not in doubt is that Parliament is under-funded already. What we need are reserves for such emergencies,” he added.

Although Mliswa is fighting for his colleagues, he is renowned for having consistently refused to accept a parliamentary vehicle ever since he became an MP.

“Whilst it may seem a good move to suspend MPs & Ministers vehicles, in general, parliamentarians are underpaid and for as long as this remains the status quo, the checks and balances in terms of oversight will be compromised. Kenyan parliamentarians are paid plus or minus $10k a month. I’m the last person to be extravagant. I’ve never taken a car and believe that government should use locally assembled cars.

“Besides meagre salaries & fuel & accommodation allowances, local MPs don’t get much else in the way of benefits.

“Yes, I’m very well aware that the economy is struggling & I’m in no way saying that MPs must be over-catered for whilst the majority is struggling, but I’m saying there are other areas that will make a bigger impact if targeted,” Mliswa said further on microblogging site Twitter.

Before the cholera epidemic hit the country, the government had set aside $20 million for the purchase of vehicles for MPs and Senators.

“We have had to suspend certain things to make sure that we deal with this endemic immediately. That is exactly what we have done,” new Finance minister Mthuli Ncube told journalists early this week as he mobilised funds to channel towards fighting the disease.

Cholera — a treatable, poor man’s disease which causes severe vomiting and diarrhoea and which is lethal if not attended to promptly — has struck Zimbabwe for the fourth time in 15 years.

DailyNews

Cllr. Herbert Gomba, Harare Mayor
Speaks to ZTN media about : the 100 day Transformation plan for Harare.

The church says the public announcement made by a deputy headmaster from a local private high school where he divulged his sexual orientation is unfortunate and overboard.

The deputy headmaster of St. John’s College in Harare yesterday announced at a school assembly that he was gay.

The pastors concurred that Zimbabwe has bigger issues like the cholera outbreak to worry about, than issues of sexual orientation.

Many people agree that sexuality and its expression are private issues that have no place in a school environment and should be explored and dealt with outside of the school environment.

Dr Neal Novelmeier (pictured above) said he had made the decision to declare his sexuality in the hope that it would “curb homophobic behaviour” at the boys school located in the plush neighbourhood of Borrowdale.

“I simply feel and believe that as an educator I will be able to better address and advance this issue if I am prepared to be fully open and transparent about it myself,” he said in a letter to parents.

The announcement was irresponsible and places numerous burdens on the school community especially since the deputy head is claiming that he has the support of the school head, the other deputy head and the chairman of the board of governors.

Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) president Pastor Shingi Munyeza said people must not be diverted.

President and co-founder of Zoe Life Changing Ministries and Grace Unlimited Ministries Apostle Florence Kanyati weighed in saying Zimbabwe has laws against gay sex and openly expressing his sexuality to students at a school was irresponsible on the part of the deputy head.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is on record saying that he will not give gays and lesbians any special treatment, but will follow the Zimbabwean Constitution, which bans same-sex marriages.

ZBC News

Statement By Promise Mkhwananzi|Friends I have finally been granted bail in what was a totally unnecessary arrest, not to mention the overnight detention and the ridiculous charge.

We are not going to stop to fight for social justice, economic freedom and political emancipation using peaceful and non-violent methods. I know that ZANU PF will use the same old tactics to try to criminalize and delegitize our struggle and our cause.

They will say we are looking for money, we are looking for relevance, we are looking for western allies, we are inciting public violence, we are committing treason etc. All of this will not deter us now, or ever.

It’s a standing resolve to fight and achieve the objectives we have set. We cannot sit as citizens and allow ZANU PF to behave in the way it is behaving. We have to mobilise, organise and establish standing structures of agitation in every corner of country. We have to work with all groups (unemployed, vendors, students, youths, business, churches, rural, peri urban etc) and be democratic, consultative and inclusive in our approach, always driven and guided by our unbending loyalty and commitment to the democratic values and principles.

I personally believe that the illegal and illegitimate government of Emmerson Mnangagwa cannot and should be allowed to stand for more than two years. But this requires a solid, dedicated, selfless, servant and grassroots-driven leadership. Our citizens must not allow themselves to be divided or intimidated by the minority. We have to be steadfast, vigilant and forward moving.

Thank you once again for your love, support and solidarity #Tajamuka.

Jane Mlambo| Harare Magistrates court has granted $50 bail to Tajamuka Leader, Promise Mkwananzi who was arrested yesterday and charged with committing public violence during a demonstration held on 01 August 2018 against the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s management of the 2018 harmonised elections.

Mkwananzi, who was represented by Kossam Ncube of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, was ordered to report once a week at Criminal Investigations Department Law and Order Section at Harare Central Police Station and not to interfere with witnesses and to continue residing at his given residential address until the matter is finalised.

More details to follow…

Jane Mlambo| Zanu PF Masvingo provincial chairman, Ezra Chadzamira recently told supporters that his party won resoundingly in Chiredzi in the July 30, 2018 elections because people there are not exposed to social media.

Speaking at an inter-district party meeting in Chiredzi three weeks ago, Chadzamira mocked colleagues in the opposition MDC Alliance and said that they should have realised that in rural areas people need to be met with and not receive messages through social media.

He said the rural populace does not have access to social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp and added that these facilities are for people in the diaspora who don’t vote

“MDC thought the elecetions were going to be won through the social media platforms, Facebook, Twitter and WhatsAzzzztpp. Elections are not won by such but by meeting the people.

“Such social media platforms are used by those in diaspora and unfortunately they do not vote,” said Chadzamira.

Zanu PF won the elections by a two-thirds majority in Parliament and its leader Emmerson Mnangagwa won the presidential race by 50,1 percent.

“In Ecclesiastes 10:16  the Bible says Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child and when your [incompetent] officials.

“You then pulled Zimbabwe from being dragged to economic woes by voting out Chamisa who is very young. You chose a focused Mnagagwa to rule and revive this country,” added Chadzamira.

Jane Mlambo| Zanu PF Masvingo provincial chairman, Ezra Chadzamira recently told supporters that his party won resoundingly in Chiredzi in the July 30, 2018 elections because people there are not exposed to social media.

Speaking at an inter-district party meeting in Chiredzi three weeks ago, Chadzamira mocked colleagues in the opposition MDC Alliance and said that they should have realised that in rural areas people need to be met with and not receive messages through social media.

He said the rural populace does not have access to social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp and added that these facilities are for people in the diaspora who don’t vote

“MDC thought the elecetions were going to be won through the social media platforms, Facebook, Twitter and WhatsAzzzztpp. Elections are not won by such but by meeting the people.

“Such social media platforms are used by those in diaspora and unfortunately they do not vote,” said Chadzamira.

Zanu PF won the elections by a two-thirds majority in Parliament and its leader Emmerson Mnangagwa won the presidential race by 50,1 percent.

“In Ecclesiastes 10:16  the Bible says Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child and when your [incompetent] officials.

“You then pulled Zimbabwe from being dragged to economic woes by voting out Chamisa who is very young. You chose a focused Mnagagwa to rule and revive this country,” added Chadzamira.

Jane Mlambo| Zimbabwe will soon establish the position of leader of opposition in Parliament in accordance with Commonwealth tradition, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.

Mnangagwa confirmed the plans in an interview with US television Bloomberg TV.

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

“We are going to introduce the office of the leader of the opposition in Parliament,” said the Zimbabwean leader Friday.

“This is what we are going to do ourselves but under the former administration (Robert Mugabe’s) there was no formal recognition of the leader of the opposition.

“Under my administration we are embracing the Commonwealth approach where we recognise the leader of the opposition.”

The MDC Alliance is Zimbabwe’s main opposition and it is led by Nelson Chamisa who has refused to recognise Mnangagwa’s July 30 victory which was rubber stamped by the Constitutional Court.

In the aftermath of the elections, Chamisa approached the Constitutional Court challenging the result and arguing that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) had connived with Zanu PF to rig the poll in Mnangagwa’s favour.

Despite the apex court’s ruling, Chamisa maintains he won the elections and scoffed at Mnangagwa latest overtures.

The opposition leader’s spokesman Nkululeko Sibanda said Chamisa wants Mnangagwa to return the country to “legitimacy”, meaning recognising the MDC Alliance leader as winner.

“Our president is worried about the people’s welfare. The party and president Chamisa are not worried about creating new position but a return to legitimacy because the people voted for their leader but were cheated.

“We want the implementation of the people’s five point plan that includes a return to legitimacy, a clear economic rescue plan among others,” said Sibanda.

MDC Alliance national chairperson Tabita Khumalo is the party’s leader in Parliament.

-NewZimbabwe.com

MDC Alliance Victoria Falls Councillor Clr Ephias Mambume has been dragged to the Maintenance Court after bedding and impregnating a married woman.

The councillor is one of the town’s councillors who are already under the MDC Alliance leadership probe for defying the party directives in the election of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

The woman, Ms Pretty Mutakela, of Chinotimba suburb turned to the courts when Clr Mambume of Ward 6 denied paternity and blocked her phone number.

Clr Mambume, who works at a local lodge appeared before Victoria Falls magistrate Ms Rangarirai Gakanje on Thursday where he denied impregnating the woman whom he accused of being a gold digger.

The councillor, who is married with four children, told the court that the woman had slept with three other men including his close friend and only sued him because he is financially stable.

The two started dating in December last year and had sex on several occasions in March and April whereupon Ms Mutakela discovered she was pregnant. She applied for lying-in expenses, which is a form of maintenance granted in respect of a yet to be born child, claiming that Clr Mambume blocked her on the phone and refused to buy preparation after she told him about the pregnancy.

“I started dating him on the 31st of December 2017 when I was still married. My husband found out about the affair in January this year and threw me out. The respondent would visit me time after time at my new place of residence and we slept together in March and also three times in April,” said Ms Mutakela.

She said she discovered that she was pregnant in April and phoned Clr Mambume who then blocked her phone.

“There was no-one I was sleeping with besides him. He is responsible for the pregnancy and does not want to buy preparation,” insisted the woman after Clr Mambume said she had slept with several other men. Clr Mambume said he was surprised why Ms Mutakela had chosen to sue him instead of the other boyfriends.

“She is a legally married woman who is staying with her husband and it’s a surprise that she chooses me. I’m the second person that she is attempting to sue over the case. I last slept with her in March and from there until April 4 I was away at school,” said Clr Mambume.

“On April 6 she slept with Mike my friend and she then ran away from her home and started staying with him. I only got to know about this in June when she told me about it, so my submission is that there are three men involved with this lady and for economic reasons she is choosing me.”

Clr Mambume who was one of MDC Alliance leadership’s preferred candidates for the mayoral post but opted out when residents protested, offered to give the woman $80 saying the $240 demanded by Ms Mutakela was beyond his means since he earns $400. The magistrate ordered him to pay lying-in expenses of $150 which he should deposit into the applicant’s bank account before October 31.

State Media

Paul Nyathi|Government has set up a modern type traffic circle at the busy Harare Drive and Gaydon road in Chisipite which commentators have called the Mnangagwa spaghetti roads.

The intersection used to be an accident dark spot and the circle comes as a relief to motorists in the area.

Correspondent|Foreign Affairs and International Trade minister Sibusiso Moyo on Thursday underwent what sources said had been a “successful” emergency surgery at a Harare hospital for a kidney-related ailment.

The serious medical condition forced Moyo to miss the crucial United Nations General Assembly meeting in the United States, where Zimbabwe is represented by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

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

This saw the affable and articulate former senior military officer earning the monicker “General Bae” or “the people’s soldier” among his admirers.

Well-placed sources said Moyo had been rushed to the Avenues Clinic earlier this week with a kidney-related complaint which had necessitated emergency surgery.

Mnangagwa and members of his Cabinet visited him at the hospital midweek, creating a buzz at the health centre, as well as wild speculation on social media.

Deputy Information minister Energy Mutodi later confirmed that Moyo was admitted at the hospital – adding that he was “recovering well from a minor illness”.

“He is stable but sick and is currently surrounded by close members of his family … only a few people have access to him. Hopefully, he will be out of hospital by the end of the week. He was operated on early today (yesterday) and the operation is related to his kidneys,” one source said.

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

Jane Mlambo| Leader of the opposition MDC, Nelson Chamisa has refused to budge to pressure to accept the Zanu PF victory in the just ended 30 July polls saying as a winner, he will not quit.

In a Twitter post this morning, the youthful opposition leader said he remains focused on transforming Zimbabwe to leave a legacy.

He called for a revolution of morals and resetting values in order to lead differently.

WiNNERS QUIT NOT. We remain focused on the goal to transform our beloved country, revamping its politics and leadership standards to leave a legacy and make a mark.We need a revolution of morals , resetting of values and reformation of character.We lead differently!!#Godisinit

— nelson chamisa (@nelsonchamisa) September 22, 2018

Chamisa has openly declared himself the winner of the July 30 Presidential elections though ZEC announced Zanu PF’s Emmerson Mnangagwa as the winner.

Chamisa sought to reverse the rigged electoral outcome through the Constitutional Court who also went to bed with Zanu PF and declared Mnangagwa the winner.

This was despite glaring evidence of manipulation of outcome including identical results in almost 16 polling stations as well as ZEC’s continued change of the electoral outcome which proved that there were irregularities in how the electoral mother body handled the elections.

Jane Mlambo| The opposition MDC has accused police of stealing from vendors under the guise of removing the informal traders from the streets to contain cholera.

In a statement released yesterday, party spokesperson Jacob Mafume said the apparatus deployed to enforce the “Zanu PF decision” were confiscating clothes and electronic gadgets from vendors despite such wares not being linked to the spread of cholera.

”These are clear acts of theft,” said Mafume.

The party added called for an inclusive and coordinated approach to tackling the cholera issue saying the whole issue of creating war between local authorities and the parent ministry are aimed at furthering Zanu PF interests at the expense of the nation.

Mafume called on individuals and state agencies that owe local authorities huge sums of money to pay what they owe as this has crippled operations of municipalities.

SOUTH Africa has advised Zimbabweans intending to seek permits to ensure their documents are in order and file their applications before the deadline on October 31.

The neighbouring country’s Department of Home Affairs says it will not accept late applications.

In an interview yesterday, Zimbabwe Consul General to South Africa Mr Batiraishe Mukonoweshuro said Zimbabweans based in the neighbouring country should ensure their passports are valid so that they are eligible to apply for work permits.

He said the biggest challenge for some Zimbabweans living in South Africa was that they are undocumented and do not have work permits.

Mr Mukonoweshuro said those who qualify under the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits should ensure that their papers are in order prior to the October 31submission deadline.

“It’s a known rule that there is no permit that is given on an expired passport. All those whose passports have expired or are about to expire should endeavour to apply for the emergency passport so that they give them to Home Affairs,” he said.

“This is because the process is to be done before October 31 this year and they have to make sure that those passports are with Home Affairs before that time if they want to be considered under the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits”.

Mr Mukonoweshuro advised Zimbabweans against waiting for the last minute to sort out their documentation as they risked congestion, delays and consequently failure to access services.

The Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) replaced the Zimbabwe Special Permit (ZSP) which expired at the end of last year.

The application process is facilitated online. More than 169 000 Zimbabweans had applied to regularise their stay in South Africa through the ZEP.

ZEP runs from January 2018 to 2021 and will replace the Zimbabwe Special Permit which accommodated close to 200 000 people and expires at the end of this year. 197 941 Zimbabweans held the special permits which expired in December 2018.

State Media

Jane Mlambo| Movement for Democratic Change has warned government against evicting vendors from th streets of Harare saying it is not the solution to th multiplicity of problems bedeviling the city and the nation at large.

In a statement released yesterday, party spokesperson, Jacob Mafume said government is only using cholera to victimize people in an attempt to achieve ill-conceived goals.

Read below statement from the MDC;

The Zanu PF government’s obsession and decision to evict vendors from the city centre is barbaric contemptuous and disrespectful. It is not the solution to the problems bedeviling the city and the nation at large.

Government is simply using cholera as an excuse to victimize people in an attempt to achieve ill-conceived goals.

The MDC is against the idea of blaming the victims for every calamity that befalls the motherland.

To make matters worse the apparatus deployed to enforce the Zanu PF decision are confiscating clothes and electronic gadgets from vendors, merchandise that cannot in any scientific way transmit cholera.

These are clear acts of theft.

In an attempt to curb the spread of cholera emphasis must never be on the blame game apportioned to the vendors. Burst sewer pipes in Glen View are the source of the current outbreak which therefore must follow that the whole infrastructure of water and sanitation be overhauled and renewed.

We make this point in the Sustainable Modernization Agenda for Real Transformation (SMART).

Surveys have been done and commissioned to this effect including one by UNICEF which made it clear that government ought to have replaced the infrastructure in the 1990s. However the Zanu PF government never prioritized and is against resourcing local authorities for purposes of capital formation as a result of their fear of an MDC success.

Under the new constitution, the central government must finance provincial tiers of government to the tune of 5% of the total national budget.

Since 2013 this provision has been ignored, in fact the government continues to undermine the implementation of devolution through illegal appointment of Provincial Ministers and a deliberate reluctance to pass enabling legislation. This as well is disrespectful.

Central government therefore owes lower tiers of government in excess of 1,2 billion dollars since the enactment of the new constitution in 2013.

To make matters worse, government related individuals including the Zanu PF provincial offices owe the City of Harare more than 11 million dollars in unpaid rates.

To then have a Minister of Finance who collects tax payer’s money and directs it to ill-conceived priorities and then ask the tax payers to fund themselves out of a disaster is an insult of the highest order. An attempt to donate by people who are guilty of habitual dereliction of duty is also an insult to the intelligence of the people of Zimbabwe.

We find the state’s habit of creating a turf war between the Ministry of Local Government and the local authorities to be suspicious. A responsible government must never issue central directives with no prior conversations with stakeholders in lower tiers of government.

We therefore suggest that the following be done:

1. The arbitrary eviction of vendors be stopped forthwith.
2. An inclusive and coordinated all stakeholders approach be adopted in combating the spread of cholera.
3. Vendors must be engaged and assisted to practise hygienic methods of conducting their business.
4. The state, its agencies and linked individuals must pay what they owe to the local authorities in the form of bills and rates.
5. State interference in local authorities disguised as intervention must stop forthwith.
6. Positive steps must be taken by central government to resource local authorities for purposes of capital formation especially regarding water and sanitation infrastructure.
7. The government must implement devolution of power as provided in chapter 14 of the constitution to ensure equitable distribution of resources and ensure accurate prioritization of projects.
8. Formal and decent jobs must be created to allow vendors to go back and pursue their dreams through provision of alternative careers and sources of income.

It must be accepted that the water and sanitation crisis in Zimbabwe is the sole source of diseases like typhoid and cholera.

We offer holistic solutions to the water crisis in Harare in the SMART policy document.
We make the point that failure to act on these and other issues now will result in infinite outbreaks, loss of life and unpalatable suffering of the Zimbabwean people.

Jacob Mafume
MDC National Spokesperson

Staff Reporter|President Emmerson Mnangagwa has committed that he will create a parliamentary position for the leader of the biggest opposition party as is the norm with the commonwealth countries.

Mnangagwa made the commitment which he has previously hinted on while speaking in a wide ranging interview with United States television network Bloomberg on Friday evening.

“We are going to introduce the office of the leader of the opposition in Parliament,” said Mnangagwa.

“This is what we are going to do ourselves but under the former administration (Robert Mugabe’s) there was no formal recognition of the leader of the opposition.

“Under my administration we are embracing the Commonwealth approach where we recognise the leader of the opposition.”

However, early indications from leader of the country’s biggest opposition the MDC Alliance coalition Nelson Chamisa, are that the opposition party is not going to accept the offer as they insist that Mnangagwa cheated himself into power in the July 30 elections.

Chamisa approached the Constitutional Court challenging the result and arguing that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) had connived with Zanu PF to rig the poll in Mnangagwa’s favour against him.

The opposition leader’s spokesman Nkululeko Sibanda said Chamisa wants Mnangagwa to return the country to “legitimacy”, meaning recognising the MDC Alliance leader as winner.

“Our president is worried about the people’s welfare. The party and president Chamisa are not worried about creating new position but a return to legitimacy because the people voted for their leader but were cheated.

“We want the implementation of the people’s five point plan that includes a return to legitimacy, a clear economic rescue plan among others,” said Sibanda.

President Mnangagwa is in New York for the United Nations General Assembly where he has been holding high profile interviews with media houses on the sidelines of the general assembly.

THE Nelson Chamisa-led MDC Alliance has vowed to approach the seven-member commission probing the fatal shooting of seven civilians by the military on August 1, demanding that two of the commissioners Lovemore Madhuku and Charity Manyeruke recuse themselves as they were “compromised” and unlikely to produce a balanced report.

Party spokesperson Jacob Mafume said that they would soon approach commission chair, former South African President Kalema Motlanthe, to express their reservations over Madhuku and Manyeruke’s involvement in the investigations, labelling them as “government apologists”.

He claimed that Madhuku could not be expected to act independently as he had contested the July 30 election as one of the presidential candidates, while Manyeruke was a known Zanu PF activist.

The commission, sworn-in by President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week, was tasked to inquire into the violence which left at least seven people dead after soldiers opened fire in the capital’s central business district to quell a demonstration by MDC Alliance supporters protesting the delay in the announcement of the presidential poll.

Several MDC Alliance activists have been arrested over the protests, with top government officials accusing opposition leaders of fomenting the deadly clashes to dent Mnangagwa’s global image.

“Charity Manyeruke has shown over the years that she is a Zanu PF member and praise singer, while Madhuku has recently turned into a government apologist,” Mafume said.

“He (Madhuku) is ready to hail government at any given opportunity using complex reasons. He was a political player in the elections which are being investigated and for all we know he could have been one of the protestors. We are therefore unsure why political players out of a population of over 13 million could be chosen to be in this commission.”

MDC Alliance leaders face the prospects of being summoned to give evidence before the commission, following allegations that they incited protestors to take to the streets.

Mafume said the party had not yet taken a positon on whether to testify before the commission.

In an interview just after the August 1 incident, Madhuku blamed both Chamisa and the soldiers for the violence.

“Soldiers are at fault because they ran and shot people, but also the people who had incited the protestors by saying they will not accept the result we will reverse it and pushed people to the streets, also erred,” Madhuku said then.

“Chamisa and MDC are trying to carry their voters to 2023. It’s a method they use at the MDC, when the election ends they say they have been robbed. Your voters then carry that message with them until 2023. They campaign on that.”

Madhuku told journalists at the swearing-in ceremony this week that if there was need for him to recuse himself, he would gladly do so although he insisted that he could handle his duties without the burden of his political office.

NewsDay

ACTING PRESIDENT Kembo Mohadi on Friday claimed that he cheated death twice when an aircraft in which he was a passenger failed to negotiate a stormy weather on his way to Beitbridge.

Mohadi did not disclose the exact location of the mishap, but indicated that he was later picked up by an Air Force of Zimbabwe helicopter to complete his journey.

The Acting President said pilots managed to land the initial aircraft and they were stuck for two hours before another futile attempt to fly.

He could not disclose the details of the aircraft he was using.

“That is why I am late and I want to apologise for coming to meet you late. It is our culture to ask for forgiveness and I am sorry I made you wait,” Mohadi said to senior government officials, chiefs and headmen and Zanu PF Matabeleland South leaders at a briefing before he officially launched the Presidential Agricultural Inputs Scheme.

Mohadi later repeated his claims when he addressed about 1 500 mostly Zanu PF supporters people gathered to meet him at Lutumba Grain Marketing Board Depot, where the scheme was launched.

“Another aircraft was dispatched to pick me, but now I am here,” he said.

He said the free seed handouts, a brainchild of former President Robert Mugabe, were expected to benefit 1,8 million households nationwide and should be distributed across the political divide.

Beitbridge, once a stronghold of Zanu PF, has been invaded by MDC Alliance, which swept all urban local government seats and went on to beat President Emmerson Mnangagwa in Beitbridge East.

The revised distribution will now be done according to the agro-ecological regions following rainfall patterns of particular areas, with those in semi-dry areas getting drought-resistant grains.

Mohadi challenged farmers in low-rainfall areas to embrace short-season and drought-resistant grain crops, mostly small grains.

He said traditional farmers should lead the process.

“For farmers from this part of Zimbabwe, who for too many years have toiled under the brutal sun without much success, this day brings new hope,” he said.

“Let’s agree with what our situation demands. Let us accept that we are in a low rainfall area, where small grains do well. We must not be stuck in the past and hope maize will one day be successful under natural rains.”

Farmers must change their mind-set, he said.

Mohadi said the agricultural inputs were meant to improve food security in the homes and to ensure Zimbabweans were well fed.

He said the government was this year better prepared than before in terms of inputs.

Speaking at the same occasion, Lands, Agriculture, Resettlement and Water Affairs minister Perrance Shiri said several branches of command agriculture would be extended to all rural areas.

He urged farmers to repay loans extended to them under the scheme to avoid straining government coffers.

Newsday

Staff Correspondent|Police in Harare have reinforced their security, with some police details getting onto the streets armed with AK-47 rifles, as the law enforcement agency upped its effort to evict defiant vendors from Harare streets.

The situation was tense, as police and the vendors continued with their cat-and-mouse chases, with the illegal merchants defying the heavily armed police, forming pockets around the city, where they rebelliously continued selling their wares.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police and the Harare municipal police launched a blitz against vendors at the weekend in a bid to control the spread of cholera that has so far claimed 32 lives out of the over 7 000 reported cases around the country, with the majority of cases in Harare’s high-density suburbs of Glen View and Budiriro.

But following the defiance by vendors resisting eviction from the streets, who also attacked the police vehicles on Thursday, the law enforcement agency buttressed their security.

This, however, did not scare away the vendors, who continued to mount their makeshift vending stalls around the city, while commuter omnibus crews continued invading their usual illegal pick-up points.

Police were scattered in the CBD, walking in big groups and making occasional raids on the vendors, who were not complying with the Harare City Council directive to vacate undesignated selling points.

Some unfortunate vendors rounded by the police were bundled into police trucks and detained at Harare Central Police Station.

One vendor, who plies her trade under the Julius Nyerere foot bridge, said she would not leave the streets even if the police were to come armed to the teeth.

“Even if they bring guns, we will not be afraid. We will also find ways to fight back, we are not afraid. This is the only place where we get money to feed our families,” she said.

“If industries are opened and our husbands get jobs, you will not see us here in town. We don’t even want to be here in the CBD. We also want to be at home with our children. If they think we are going to leave the streets, they are joking.”

Another vendor said they would not leave the streets and condemn themselves to death by hunger.

“We were asked to leave for Four Ways (bus rank by Coca-Cola along Seke Road), but when we got there on Monday, only women with Zanu PF cards were allocated stalls. Some of them were not even vendors previously, but coming to take over the stalls at the expense of people with stock who have been in the streets for the past couple of years,” she said.

“I am a qualified person. I lost my job in 2016 and had nothing to do other than join vending. There are some families, fathers, mothers and children who are all on the streets and if they are evicted, where will they get the money to buy food? We are not going anywhere.”

Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba, however, told the NewsDay that she was not aware that some police officers were armed with guns.

“I am not aware of the issue of police having guns, but I will get information on it,” she said.

In Mutare, vendors yesterday defied an order by the local municipality to vacate the streets.

The Mutare City Council yesterday followed other major cities in banning vendors from operating at undesignated vending sites following the cholera outbreak that has hit the country.

However, in a survey carried by NewsDay Weekender, vendors said they were not going anywhere.

Taurai Manjenje, a vegetables vendor, said council was failing to give them enough space.

“All the designated places are full and we have no option and we are not going anywhere. They can go ahead and arrest us. We might vacate the streets, but it doesn’t take us a day and we will be back,” he said.

Enock Majoni, a tomatoes vendor, was singing from the same hymn book.

“We are not going anywhere. How do they expect us to survive? This decision is not good,” he said.

By Paul Nyathi|It appears the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company is in the business of distributing electricity for free to ministers and ZANU PF bigwigs while heavily harassing ordinary citizens on their electricity bills.

The power utility company has in the last few weeks been taking former ministers and ZANU PF bosses to court to recover outstanding electricity bills hitting tens of thousands of dollars raising questions why the bills were ever allowed to go up that high in the first place.

Former Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development minister, Nyasha Chikwinya is the latest bigwig to be taken to court over an outstanding $31 765 energy bill owing to the Zetdc.

Through its lawyers Chihambakwe, Mutizwa and Partners, the power utility petitioned the High Court on Thursday, claiming payment of the outstanding amount. The former Mutare South legislator (Zanu PF) is yet to respond to the litigation and the matter is pending.

According to the court papers, Chikwinya allegedly failed, neglected and or refused to settle the amount despite numerous demands.

“The defendant (Chikwinya) is indebted/liable to the plaintiff (Zetdc) as at August 31, 2018 in the sum of $31 765, being charges in respect of power/electricity supplied by the plaintiff to the defendant at the latter’s special request and instance in terms of the running electricity supply contract between the two, for account number 2249447,” the power utility said in its declaration.

“The defendant has failed, neglected or refused to pay the above sum/amount despite written demand. By reason of the said failure, neglect or refusal to pay the above sum/amount, the defendant is obliged to pay the same with interest thereon at the prescribed rate which is currently 5% per annum.”

Some ordinary poor citizens go for long periods without electricity after being disconnected or put on prepaid meters for defaulting payments by just a month while the rich ministers are let loose to use the imported power for free with no recourse.

The power company owes South Africa huge amounts for electricity imported from that country while the “chefs” enjoy use of the power without paying for it.

The Nelson Chamisa-led MDC Alliance says it will soon announce its shadow cabinet and that it will maintain pressure on President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF party to dialogue over the problems faced by the country.

The opposition party has refused to recognise Mnangagwa as President despite Chamisa losing a challenge to his victory at the Constitutional Court.

After initially refusing to engage Mnangagwa, Chamisa now says he wants dialogue and claims that the ruling party has snubbed his overtures.

“The party is going to roll provincial assemblies to give direction to make sure that it keeps the State on its toes.

We want everyone to know how the election was rigged and that they know the sitting President is an illegitimate one,” MDC Alliance vice-president Morgen Komichi told journalists yesterday.

“The party is going to have various programmes and activities to make sure that the pressure continues to mount.

The party also resolved to increase its activism, especially in Parliament.

This is an arena that we must pursue in view of the stolen election.”

He added: “We are not going to rest until we bring this to order.

We will be pursing various means and our president is going to announce his [shadow] cabinet very soon.

We will embark on an international offensive and to make sure that political activism will be rolled out, we will be connecting the entire networks so that they understand our position.”

Komichi said contrary to speculation, the party was not planning a mock inauguration for Chamisa.

The party’s spokesperson Jacob Mafume said Chamisa highlighted the need for dialogue to resolve the issue of legitimacy, reforms, international engagement and resolving the economic crisis.

Newsday

A BULAWAYO man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing 6 000 metres of copper cables worth $18 750 from Esigodini.

His five alleged accomplices were acquitted after the court failed to find incriminating evidence against them.

Tinashe Mujakachi (30), who had pleaded not guilty to charges of cutting, damaging, destroying or interfering with copper cables when he appeared before Gwanda regional magistrate, Mr Mark Dzira, was convicted due to overwhelming evidence.

Talent Kamupaundi (27), Loicy Sibanda (44), Emmanuel Noko (58), Freddie Kasema (23) and Brendon Dube (23), also from Bulawayo, were found not guilty and acquitted.

Prosecuting, Mr Mncedisi Dube had said the five men, who were working with a woman, stole the copper cables on three separate occasions.

They were arrested on the third day as they were collecting their loot.

He said Mujakachi and Kamupaundi were responsible for cutting the copper cables; Noko and his girlfriend Sibanda sold the cables while Kasema and Dube were responsible for transporting the loot.

“The accused persons connived to steal Zesa copper cables from Esigodini area. On 17 July Mujakachi, Kamupaundi, Kasema and Dube went to Endongeni Farm in Esigodini area where they cut and stole 2 400 metres of copper wires valued at $7 500. They transported the loot to Noko and Sibanda who sold the cables.

“On 21 July the accused persons drove to Savikida Farm in Esigodini area where they cut off 1 200 metres of overhead copper wires valued at $3 750. Noko and Sibanda sold the copper cables,” he said.

Mr Dube had said on July 24, Mujakachi, Kamupaundi, Kasema and Dube went to Komani Farm where they cut off 2 400 metres of copper cables valued at $7 500 and left the wires there as they were set to collect them later.

He said three security guards who were patrolling the area at night saw the copper cables lying on the ground and laid an ambush to apprehend the culprits.

“Mujakachi and Kamupaundi arrived at the scene around 3AM to collect the copper cables. The security guards apprehended them while they were rolling the copper cables. Mujakachi and Kamupaundi implicated their other accomplices leading to their arrest as well.

“Police carried out a search at Noko’s place of residence where they found a sack of about 15kg of scrap copper,” he said.

Mr Dube said a bolt cutter that the accused persons used to commit the offence was also recovered.

State Media

ACTING President Kembo Mohadi yesterday, for the first time, poured his heart out about “painful permanent mental scars’’ that he sustained during the evil and cruel White City Stadium bombing attack in Bulawayo on June 23.

The cowardly attack that was aimed at the Presidium left at least 49 people, among them Acting President Mohadi, Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga’s wife, Mrs Marry Chiwenga and Zanu-PF Political Commissar Lieutenant General Engelbert Rugeje (Retired), injured while two lost their lives.

Overcome with emotion, Acting President Mohadi recounted the pain of losing one of his trusted aides, Nelson Dube, in the blast.

Dube, who was a chief security aide working in the office of VP Mohadi, was in the line of duty when the explosive went off.

The main target, President Mnangagwa escaped unhurt.

Dube, he said, took the brunt of the explosion while shielding him.

“He was dedicated to me and his job. The pain of losing him will stay with me forever,” he said, the apparent sting of the memory etching wrinkles on his brow.

Speaking on the sidelines of the launch of the Presidential Agricultural Inputs Programme at Lutumba village in Beitbridge District yesterday, VP Mohadi said the attack left him emotionally wounded.

He said the death of Dube, the sheer brutality and ruthlessness of someone carrying out such an attack where thousands of citizens could have been maimed or killed, had a devastating effect on him.

“It was actually a missile targeted at the Presidium and certainly uncalled for. However, sadly what doesn’t leave my mind is that my aide Nelson Dube who was on my left took the whole blow from me and he died,” he said.

Acting President Mohadi said if the despicable attack had been targeted specifically at him without injuring others, he would be unfazed.

“The White City incident is actually part of occupational hazards that we face at work. In fact, when you are at work you have got to be prepared to get hurt and even in the case of a builder, a brick may fall on his or her toe, so to me I equally treat it as it as one of those, an occupational hazard,” he said.

Acting President Mohadi condemned the attack, saying it was a barbaric act driven by cowardice.

“Who did it? I don’t know. But one must understand that we come across such things because we normally don’t have friends all over. In fact, some people are friends and even among those, some of them would not even be my friends,” he said, a hint of sadness creeping into his voice.

He said after the bomb attack he was rushed to Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo and later whisked to Manyame Military Hospital in Harare for security reasons before he was flown to South Africa.

“After the incident I was rushed to Mater Dei Hospital and from there I was taken to Manyame Military Hospital in Harare because of the security nature of the bombardment. However, because of certain complications that they discovered I had to go to South Africa for further management. I am now feeling better such that I can even kick you,” he said, his mood lifting momentarily.

It was clear that joking is part of the methods the Acting President is employing in trying to deal with the tragedy.

He said it was by the grace of God that he survived the attack, which will forever linger in his mind.

International bodies such as the African Union, UN and Sadc roundly condemned the attack.

Security forces and the police are working around the clock to bring the perpetrators of the attack to book.

State media

A 32-year old man, who was arraigned for allegedly removing his cellmate’s pants and fondling his buttocks when they were detained at Pumula Police Station in Bulawayo, has been sentenced to three months in prison.

Godknows Simbarashe Pfumbi requested to sleep next to the 40-year-old cell mate, whose name was not mentioned in court, with whom he was detained saying he was young and later demanded sex from him.

Pfumbi appeared before Western Commonage Magistrate Mr Stephen Ndlovu facing charges of indecent assault.

Mr Ndlovu sentenced him to a wholly suspended three months in prison on condition that he performs 105 hours of community service at Pumula Police Station.
Pfumbi denied the allegations saying that he might have accidentally touched the complainant since he was drunk.

“When I was arrested I was drunk and the police had assaulted me. I might have touched him accidentally since I was under the influence of alcohol and I was angry with the police for assaulting me. He is lying, I never demanded sex from him,” he said.

The prosecutor, Mr Mufaro Mageza said on September 7, Pfumbi was detained at Pumula Police Station.

“He demanded to sleep next to his victim and as soon as the other inmates fell asleep, Pfumbi removed his pants and demanded sex from the victim.
“After removing his pants, Pfumbi started fondling the victim’s buttocks demanding sex from him,” he said.

“The victim refused to have sex with Pfumbi and started insulting him. Other inmates woke up as they heard the two exchanging insults.”

A few minutes later, Mr Mageza said, police arrived at the cell and after hearing what had happened, removed the victim from the cell. – state media

A 41-year old Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) official stationed at Beitbridge Border Post has been dragged to court for stealing goods which had been confiscated by the revenue authority from a suspected smuggler.

Owen Chiparausha of 2704 Dulivhadzimo in the border town is no stranger to crime as he was recently released from prison on bail pending appeal after he had been jailed for an effective 15 years on charges of raping a 23-year-old customs clearing agent from Beitbridge in January last year.

He was not asked to plead to theft charges when he appeared before Mr Trevor Nyatsanza.
Chiparausha was remanded to 10 October on $150 bail pending trial. Prosecuting, Miss Nomathemba Sayi told the court that Chiparausha was deployed to the State warehouse within the border. She said his duties among others included accounting for confiscated goods.

The court heard that on September 15 at around 9AM, Chiparausha was charged with conveying intercepted goods to the State warehouse for safe keeping. Miss Sayi said Chiparausha connived with a work mate, Dumisani Dube, who is still at large and stole an assortment of goods comprising mainly bathing soap and washing powder.

The goods were laden in a Zimra T-35 truck and moved to a State warehouse near the Southgate (departures). Miss Sayi said instead of taking the contraband to the warehouse, the duo offloaded part of the goods worth $508 into another vehicle.

The court heard they took the loot to a local lodge for safe keeping.
The anomaly was discovered by one of their superiors when he made a follow up.

He reported to the police leading to the recovery of the goods and Chiparausha’s arrest. – state media

Twelve Zimbabweans – one man and 11 women – face the death sentence in China, unless President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government moves with speed to operationalise a prisoners’ exchange programme with the Asian economic giant, the Daily News has been told.

China has a mandatory death penalty for drug trafficking cases and has executed several foreigners under the country’s tough anti-drug laws.

Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) Commissioner-General, Paradzayi Zimondi, told the Daily News in an exclusive interview yesterday that he had learnt of the distressing news of the 12 Zimbabweans after visiting China last week.

He said prisoners’ exchange programmes – such as the one agreed with China – involved the movement of imprisoned nationals to their countries of origin.

“We have operational regional prisoners’ exchange programmes with countries like Mozambique and Zambia.

“But with the Chinese exchange programme, it will take the ministers of Justice of the two countries to come up with the requisite legislation that will facilitate the exchange of prisoners from Zimbabwe to China and vice versa,” Zimondi said.

It was his hope that the Zimbabweans incarcerated in China would be deported in time – provided the Justice ministry moved quickly to finalise the legal framework to operationalise the prisoners’ exchange programme.

Zimondi also said that there were currently no Chinese nationals in local prisons.

“We have no Chinese in our prisons. I was in China last week. They told us that they have 12 Zimbabweans – 11 women and one man. All of them are drug-related offenders.

“It (Zimondi’s visit) was a study tour meant to facilitate the exchange of notes and to learn from their (China’s) prisons practices. This was not my first such visit, as I have also been to England and to Denmark,” Zimondi said.

Many Zimbabweans have in recent years been busted overseas while trying to smuggle drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy pills.

In 2017, a woman was also arrested at Harare International Airport with 3,8 kilogrammes of cocaine with a street value of $304 000.

The woman, Beauty Mutashu, was later sentenced to 10 years in prison after she was convicted of the offence.

Daily News

Statement on the International Day of Peace
– via Heal Zimbabwe Trust

Heal Zimbabwe joins the rest of the world in commemorating International Day of Peace. The commemorations this year are running under the theme, “The Right to Peace-The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 70”. The theme for this year celebrates the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides among many rights, the right to freedom from torture and access to justice. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is an elaborate document that was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on the 10th December 1948 in Paris.

In his message on this an historic day, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, underscored the need for all nations to uphold the provisions enunciated in the UDHR.”“It is time all nations and all people live up to the words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognizes the inherent dignity and equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human race. This year marks the 70th anniversary of that landmark document.” he said.

Article 5 of the African (Banjul) Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights highlights that, “Every individual shall have the right to the respect of the dignity inherent in a human being and to the recognition of his legal status. All forms of exploitation and degradation of man particularly slavery, slave trade, torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment and treatment shall be prohibited”. Such a provision compels member states like Zimbabwe to cultivate a culture of upholding the fundamental human rights and freedoms such as freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Chapter 232 of the constitution of Zimbabwe establishes Independent Commissions particularly the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) whose mandate as enunciated in Section 252 (b) is to “develop and implement programmes to promote national healing, unity and cohesion in Zimbabwe and the peaceful resolution of disputes”.

Heal Zimbabwe commends the NPRC for embarking on national consultative meetings that sought to engage stakeholders on issues of national healing and reconciliation in the past, in fact, the critical need for a comprehensive healing and reconciliation process remains urgent.The snail’s pace with which the NPRC is carrying out its constitutional mandate such as ensuring post -conflict justice, healing and reconciliation is not only worrying but frustrating given that the nation is in dire need of healing and reconciliation. It is Heal Zimbabwe’s view that by now, NPRC would have commenced in earnest tackling key reconciliation issues such as Gukurahundi and the 2008 violence among others.

On the occasion of the International Day of Peace, Heal Zimbabwe implores the NPRC to urgently address reconciliation issues that were raised by stakeholders during consultative meetings earlier this year. Added to this, the NPRC must swiftly move in to tackle contentious reconciliation issues such as Gukurahundi in compliance with Section 252 (c) of the constitution that stipulates that the NPRC must “bring about national reconciliation by encouraging people to tell the truth about the past and facilitating the making of amends and the provision of justice.”

Source: Heal Zimbabwe

A Zimbabwean national, who robbed and murdered his 53-year-old Pringle Bay employer to fulfil his dreams of becoming a Cape Town rapper with an album, has been sentenced to 37 years imprisonment.

Martin Ncube 22, last month pleaded guilty to killing Farah Thompson in her Hangklip Road home by smashing her head with a blunt object and strangling and suffocating her by covering her mouth and nose with 10 scarves.

He further robbed her of her bank cards, laptop, tablet and BMW X3 vehicle with the car’s registration papers.

The incident occurred on August 13 last year.

Western Cape High Court Judge Monde Samela handed down the sentencing yesterday.

“You didn’t appreciate the good gesture the deceased showed you, taking you in as family, not knowing she was harbouring an aggressive evil person.

“You tied her with 10 scarves around her face and neck and a wrapped a transparent packaging tape around her body. She surely had a painful death,” said judge Samela.

Judge Samela said Thompson wasn’t armed and the cause of death was a result of a combination of her head injuries, strangulation and or smothering.

“The court has to take into consideration the seriousness of the crime, interest of society and victim as well as the accused’s personal circumstances.

“The accused’s personal circumstances are outweighed by the aggravating circumstances,” said Judge Samela.

Thompson’s husband, Roger Thompson, said he was disappointed with the sentence. He said the family had hoped Ncube would get life imprisonment.

In his plea explanation, Ncube said on the day of the murder he had only planned to rob Thompson.

He dragged her to the toilet and took out sellotape from his work backpack which had his tools. He brought a chain and chair and tied her to the chair before he proceeded to rob her.

“The reason why I decided to rob the deceased is because I had dreams of becoming a rap artist in Cape Town and have my own album,” he concluded.

IOL

NEWLY-MINTED Finance minister Mthuli Ncube this week set sail for the United States, together with President Emmerson Mnangagwa, for the United Nations General Assembly in New York where he will engage potential funders and investors on the sidelines of the gathering, but in his race for a rescue package he faces steeplechase-like hurdles.

From New York, Ncube will come back to Harare before travelling to London for a business conference where he will use the opportunity to meet British authorities, investors and likely funders.

Ncube has one mission uppermost in his mind: to get fresh funding for Zimbabwe.

This comes as he and his fellow ministers have been given cabinet-stipulated key performance indicators contained in a confidential government document exclusively obtained by the Zimbabwe Independent this week.

Ncube has been mandated by Mnangagwa’s government to come up with a repayment plan for an US$18 billion debt as well as arrears and to secure offshore lines of credit or fresh funding for the liquidity-starved economy.

He has also been tasked with ending the liquidity crunch and cash shortages which have paralysed the economy, finding a lasting monetary solution to the bond note challenge with the aim of restoring business confidence and ending speculative hoarding of cash. He also has to stop the multi-tier pricing system.

Ncube is further assigned to stabilise the country’s inflation, attract foreign direct investment to ensure economic growth and job creation.

He also has to cut runaway government spending and the resultant fiscal deficit. Government ran a massive US$1,4 billion budget deficit in the half of 2018.

The minister’s other tasks include improving exports to generate foreign currency and building reserves as well as incentivising producers and investors by reducing the cost of doing business.

Zimbabwe’s reconstruction hope lies in getting fresh funding from international lenders, but most of them remain reluctant to resume funding in the absence of substantive political and economic reforms.

As a result, Zimbabwe, which historically relied on international institutions and traditional bilateral creditors, is now relying more heavily on non-traditional lenders — from bond investors, foreign commercial banks, commodity traders, to creditor countries outside the Paris Club.

Source: The Independent

From A Correspondent|A teacher at St John’s College, a private high school for boys in Harare on Friday morning shocked school authorities and students when he declared at the school assembly that he is gay.

Neal Novelmeier said he had made the decision to declare his sexuality in the hope that it would “curb homophobic behaviour” at the school.

“I simply feel and believe that as an educator I will be able to better address and advance this issue if I am prepared to be fully open and transparent about it myself,” he said in a letter to parents.

Novelmeier, who teaches the Upper Sixth class, said a number of former students who “gain the confidence after school to pursue their chosen orientation” had told him that during their time at the school they had experienced “intolerance, intimidation and homophobia.”

He added: “I felt increasingly troubled by the fact that we as an institution have never openly dealt with trying to curb homophobic behaviour and, equally, failed to provide a safe learning environment for students who may identify as being gay or bisexual to truly flourish and feel accepted.

Both the headmaster, Cavaliere Corrado Trinci, and his deputy Andrew Sakala and Charles N. Msipa, the chairman of the school’s board of governors gave unprecedented support to the teacher.

“It suffices for Mr Sakala and I to say that this college campus is a place where diversity is embraced and a safe and caring environmewnt is provided for all persons regardless of race, religious beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, abilities or disabilities or any other real or perceived ‘difference’,” Trinci said in a letter to the parents.

Hovelmeier said he had received “overwhelming levels of support” from the students and staff after his disclosure”, for which he was “heartened and grateful”.

By Paul Nyathi|Long fuel queues have emerged in the second capital city of Bulawayo amid reports that most fuel stations have run out of the commodity.

Reports further indicate that public transport operators have doubled their fairs from 50c per trip to $1 per trip as fuel is now being sourced from black market dealers who are selling at almost double the regulated price.

The few fuel stations that have fuel are also demanding only cash with Bond Notes charging higher than US Dollar payments.

Reserve Bank governor John Mangudya this week dispelled information that the country is destined for a major fuel shortage to unavailability of foreign currency.

By Paul Nyathi|Reports from the capital indicate that #tajamuka social movement leader Promise Mkhwananzi was arrested late Friday afternoon by a heavily armed combination of police and army details.

ZimEye.com sources who witnessed the abduction or arrest, said Mkhwananzi was picked up at the media centre in Harare shortly after giving a press statement on the harassment of vendors by the police and the soldiers in Harare that led to violent clashes between the two parties on Thursday.

On the same day Mkhwananzi reported on his social media platforms that he had been summoned by police after the clashes between security forces and the vendors.

Speaking at the press conference, Mkhwananzi told reporters that he was going to be handing himself to the police in the company of his lawyers on Monday not aware that the police were actually minutes away from taking him away.

It is not yet clear what he is being charged with nor where the police took him too. ZimEye.com is keeping watch on the matter.

Violence has reportedly broken out at preacher Talent Chiwenga’s meeting in the capital city, Harare.

ZimEye is bringing the LIVE coverage at 7.15pm – REFRESH THIS PAGE TO WATCH BELOW:

Violence has reportedly broken out at preacher Talent Chiwenga’s meeting in the capital city, Harare.

ZimEye is bringing the LIVE coverage at 7.15pm – REFRESH THIS PAGE TO WATCH BELOW:

Jane Mlambo| The National Patriotic Front (NPF) has issued a strongly worded statement lashing out at Ambrose Mutinhiri who appeared in the media today claiming the movement had disbanded and retraced roots back to Zanu PF.

According to Jealousy Mawarire who signed the NPF statement, Mutinhiri had no jurisdiction nor powers to convene a meeting and pass resolution on behalf of the party since he was recalled from his position as President.

“The NPF founding Executive Committee on June 07 2018, net in Harare and resolved to recall Mr Mutinhiri from his position as interim president of the party and that decision was communicated at a press conference attended by the party Chairperson Hon Eunice Sandi Moyo, Secretary General Shadreck Mashayamombe, National Political Commissar, Jeppy Jaboon …

“On 13 July 2018, the party formally communicated its position to recall Mr Mutinhiri in a letter copied to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Chief Election Officer, Utoile Silaigwana,” said Mawarire.

He added that they are not surprised that Mutinhiri after meeting President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced the disbanding of the party saying NPF takes his rumblings as coming from a clueless individual induced to make such claims by a few pieces of silver he was promised by Zanu PF.

Jane Mlambo| A Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officer has been dragged before the Harare Magistrate’s court for assaulting his wife after she served him matemba for dinner.

Pension Nyahanda who is a senior ZRP officer appeared before Magistrate Tilda Mazhande and was remanded out of custody on $50 bail.

According to the state, represented by Devoted Nyagano and Talkmore Muganhiri, the crime took place on the 15th of September 2018 when the accused came back from work and was served sadza with matemba by the complainant, his wife.

This did not go down well with the accused who started to shout at the complainant accusing her of eating meat in his absence.
He started assaulting her with an electric cable until she sought refuge outside the house.

The accused will be back in court on the 4th of October for routine remand.

-263Chat

Vendors in Kwekwe have come up with new tactics, selling their wares from bags while others throng street pavements holding banners advertising their products as the local authority intensifies its blitz on vending.

Kwekwe City Council launched a blitz on street vendors and backyard food outlets last week, confiscating wares in an effort to fight the cholera and typhoid outbreak that has rocked some parts of the country killing over 30 people.

Kwekwe is yet to record a single case of typhoid and cholera and the city fathers are working towards moving the vendors out of the streets.

A snap survey by state media in Kwekwe’s central business district established that vendors had moved away from traditional way of spreading out their wares in the open for prospective customers to see but were now hiding their goods in shops and cars while they stand on pavements soliciting for clients using advertising banners. The same cases, as witnessed in the city’s heavily congested long distance bus terminus, food vendors play hide and seek with municipal police moving around soliciting for clients before collecting the food items from their hiding points.

Vendors interviewed said they have been losing their wares to the municipal police and were now using new methods to do business.

They said the local authority should create modern vending stalls and relocate them before they try to move them out of the streets.

“I have been eking out a living from the streets, selling my stuff here for years but the city council bosses just wake up and decided to chase me away from my source of income. It’s ridiculous, we will not be moved but continue to play the cat and mouse game with them.

“They should instead provide us with vending stalls than just trying to drive us away,” said one of the vendors, Mrs Gloria Madziva.

State Media

ZimEye will be livestreaming a press conference by Tajamuka/Sesjikile campaign.

Below is the notice to the presser:

*Dear All*

You are cordially invited to a Press Conference today, *Friday 21 September 2018*, to be addressed by #Tajamuka Sisjikile campaign. Details of the press conference are as follows:

*Agenda:* Issuing a statement on current skirmishes between the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and vendors in Harare CBD

*Date & Time*: Friday, 21 September 2018 at 1400hrs

*Venue*: Media Centre, 2nd Floor Bothwell House, 66 Jason Moyo Avenue, cnr. First Street/Jason Moyo Avenue.

Refresh this page for updates.