The High Court has dismissed as not urgent an application by a group of small scale miners who are accusing former Zifa chief executive officer, Ms Henrietta Rushwaya, of defying a court order by allegedly masquerading as the president of the Zimbabwe Miners’ Federation (ZMF).

The ruling by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Thompson James Mabhikwa followed an urgent chamber application filed by the group of miners under the banner Zvishavane-Mberengwa Miners’ Association (ZMMA) citing Ms Rushwaya, Mr Wellington Takavarasha, the ZMF chief executive officer and ZMF, as respondents.

Justice Mabhikwa ruled that there was no urgent in the matter. The matter will, however, be heard as an ordinary court application.

“Whereupon, after reading documents filed of record and hearing, it is ordered that the matter be and is hereby removed from the roll of urgent matters,” ruled the judge.

ZMMA filed an urgent chamber application at the Bulawayo High Court last week, accusing Ms Rushwaya of taking over the leadership of ZMF through unorthodox means.

ZMMA is being represented by Mr Tawanda Tavengwa of Mutuso, Taruvinga and Mhiribidi Attorneys while Professor Welshman Ncube of Mathonsi Ncube Law Chambers is the respondents’ lawyer.

Ms Rushwaya contested in the ZMF elections which were conducted in July and was duly elected president of the organisation.

ZMF was formed in 2003, mainly to champion the interests of small scale and artisanal miners.

In June, the High Court under case number HC1652/18 blocked the ZMF from holding its elections for a new leadership in which Ms Rushwaya intended to contest as a presidential candidate.

The ruling was made by Justice Nicholas Mathonsi following an urgent chamber application filed at the Bulawayo High Court by ZMMA citing ZMF as the respondent.

ZMMA accused Ms Rushwaya of attempting to take over the leadership of ZMF through unorthodox means. The miners argued that the process was fraught with irregularities and vote- buying by Ms Rushwaya and wanted the elections for a new ZMF national executive postponed indefinitely citing interference by members of the federation’s general council.
In the latest urgent chamber application, which was dismissed by Justice Mabhikwa, ZMMA wanted an order interdicting Ms Rushwaya from misrepresenting or portraying herself to the public or any institution as the ZMF president.

They also wanted the court to nullify all contracts entered into and signed by Ms Rushwaya purportedly on behalf of ZMF.

In his founding affidavit, ZMMA chairperson, Mr Thembinkosi Sibanda, said Ms Rushwaya is violating a court order by continuing to masquerade as the president of ZMF and signing agreements on its behalf.

“The first respondent (Ms Rushwaya) and second respondent (Mr Takavarasha) are seemingly masquerading to the public as the duly elected officials of the third respondent (ZMF) in direct contempt of the provisional order granted on 14 June 2018. Ms Rushwaya is misleading the public by stating and behaving as if she is an elected president of ZMF,” he said.

Mr Sibanda said Ms Rushwaya recently entered into an agreement with Metbank Limited in her purported capacity as president of ZMF. “The first respondent must be held in contempt of court. She is wilfully and intentionally contravening the provisional order, and thus circumventing the integrity of this honourable court and undermining its authority,” said Mr Sibanda.

He said in light of the upcoming 2018 edition of the Mine Entra in Bulawayo, there are fears that Ms Rushwaya and Mr Takavarasha could enter into lucrative deals purportedly on behalf of ZMF.

“There is no doubt that if Ms Rushwaya is not sanctioned she will mislead foreign investors and lure them into signing void contracts purportedly binding ZMF hence suffering irreparable prejudice,” he said.

Mr Sibanda said in his papers that Ms Rushwaya has been accused of corruption before and fears were that if allowed to masquerade as president of ZMF, she was likely to defraud the public.

ZMMA said ZMF unproceduraly admitted 13 new associations to join the federation.
The organisation also queried Ms Rushwaya’s intention to run for the ZMF presidency yet she is not affiliated to the organisation.

Ms Rushwaya is alleged to have paid $6 500 affiliation fees for the 13 new associations whose admission was irregular and a violation of the ZMF constitution.

Mr Sibanda said the circumstances under which Ms Rushwaya joined the ZMF were questionable and shrouded in controversy and called for an investigation.- state media

Media enquiries have drawn my attention to a front-page story in today’s Standard newspaper in which the former first lady, Mrs Grace Mugabe, is said to have called on her alleged followers, presumed to be associated with the so-called G40, to forgive Mnangagwa, recognise him as President, pray for him and move on, as she and former President Mugabe have apparently done; after Mnangagwa hired a fancy private plane to fly Mrs Mugabe from Singapore for her mother’s funeral whose cost was fully covered by the government.

I’m told that the verbatim report which has prompted some sections of the media to seek my comment is that Mrs Mugabe said:

“Yes, what happened indeed happened. We must move on. We must learn to forgive each other. I have forgiven them. If the person who was affected the most can forgive, how about you? I’m talking to those who are busy attacking Mnangagwa, let us move on and support him”.

I extend my condolences to Mrs Mugabe on the sad loss of her mother, Ambuya Idah Marufu. May her soul rest in eternal peace and the good God be with the Marufu and Mugabe families.

Otherwise I wish I had been able to convey my condolences privately and directly to Mrs Mugabe; but, alas, I was not able to do so after she blocked me from all communication contacts with her on 10 June 2018. She did this in an angry response to advice I had respectfully and privately offered to her in writing, against her toxic and polarising wishes to lead the National Patriotic Front (NPF) in general and, in particular, against her then active but divisive push to be seconded by the NPF as a vice president in what had been proposed as a Grand National Union (GNU) of opposition forces ahead of the 30 July election. My contact with Mrs Mugabe was slim prior to 10 June, and none since then.

The fact that the Standard article in question mentions my name, and that the media enquiries I have received have sought my comments on Mrs Mugabe’s focus on those she said, “are busy attacking Mnangagwa”, has necessitated my statement. This is because some in the media have interpreted her comments to include me, if not targeted at me. For the avoidance of doubt, and for the umpteenth time, I place on record my respect for former President Mugabe as our country’s founding leader and an iconic and respected nationalist and pan Africanist. As a proud African, I have understood that my respect for President Mugabe does not mean I have no disagreements with him. Also, as an African, I have understood that my respect for him extends to my respect for his family; especially his spouse, Mrs Mugabe. I remain clear about this.

Reasonable people, more so among Africans, understand only too well that when we extend our respect for our national leaders to their spouses; that does not mean we are extending leadership qualities or responsibilities to the spouses. In this connection, while I know and respect the fact that President Mugabe has legions of followers and admirers, not only in Zimbabwe but also across and beyond the
African continent, it is news to me that Mrs Mugabe has followers. I consider it an insult that some circles, especially in the media, refer to some leaders who worked with and supported President Mugabe as followers of Mrs Mugabe. That’s not only false but it is also nonsensical. Mrs Mugabe cannot be a leader simply because she’s the spouse of our iconic founding leader. President Mugabe himself has said on many occasions, including during the funeral of Ambuya Marufu, that Mrs Mugabe could not have been his chosen successor because she lacks political experience to be a national leader.

Mrs Mugabe’s lack of political experience has always been self-evident and is known by everyone who has interacted with her. The remarks attributed to her in the Standard story are significant only in so far as they betray her lack of political experience, and the toxic, polarising and damaging consequences thereof.

According to the Standard Mrs Mugabe says her so-called followers should forgive and support Mnangagwa, pray for him and move on because of two things: one that Mnangagwa hired for her a state of the art private plane to fly her from Singapore and paid the cost of her mother’s funeral; the other is that Mrs Mugabe claims to have suffered the most from the November military coup; and that if she forgives those behind the coup, then all the other victims should also do like her because she claims to have suffered the most.

Mrs Mugabe’s sentiments as reported by Standard are most unfortunate. They are unfortunate because they are false and insensitive. People who are national leaders or who aspire for national leadership must, above everything else, be truthful and sensitive. This is a fundamental human quality that has eluded politics in Zanu PF which remains dominated by the old-guard and stockholder mentality of entitlement for selected individuals and their families. Not only Zanu PF but the country is then supposed to be synonymous with these individuals and their personal and family interests. If these individuals and their families are fine, Zimbabwe must also be fine. It is an absurd corruption of public morality, values and ethos for Mrs Mugabe to claim that Mnangagwa’s gesture to hire a fancy private plane to fly her from Singapore and to pay for her mother’s funeral constitutes a political paradigm for the country to move on. Narcissism cannot be the basis for politics. Mrs Mugabe was indeed well within her rights to thank Mnangagwa for assisting her family at a time of need, but she had no rhyme or reason or right to turn that into a national cause.

Even worse, it is shocking to hear that Mrs Mugabe claims to be the one person who was affected the most by the November military coup. Honestly? On what basis does she make this insensitive claim? Is she aware what happened to Dr Ignatius Chombo and his wife? Is she aware what happened to Kudzai Chipanga? Is she aware what happened to thousands and thousands of Zimbabweans who were internally and externally displaced? Is she aware of Zimbabweans whose homes and sources of livelihood were destroyed? How about Zimbabweans who were tortured and killed? Has she heard of Peter Munetsi and how he lost his life? Has she heard of the ordeal that Mrs Munetsi and her family went through? Does she care about how these victims of the coup have fared since that fateful November day? What does she think moving on means for these people? Does she think it just means hearing that she has been flown in a fancy private plane by Mnangagwa who also
ordered the government to foot the bill of her mother’s funeral? Is that what it is all about? Has Mrs Mugabe thought about how Mrs Munetsi and her family struggled to bury her husband?

On 29 July 2018, Mrs Mugabe was urging Zimbabweans to vote for Nelson Chamisa. Two days later, on 1 August 2018, soldiers whose commander-in-chief was Mnangagwa killed in cold blood at least 10 unarmed civilians, most of whom were fleeing, by shooting them in the back. Many more were injured, some of them critically. The demonstrators were protesting the election theft that was underway on that day on Mnangagwa’s behalf. Does Mrs Mugabe know the names of these victims? Does she know how the massacred victims were buried? Did Mnangagwa provide transport to these victims? Did he pay for the funerals? Did he pay the medical bills for the hospitalised victims? Does Mrs Mugabe care about all this, or she just wants everyone to move on, simply and only because she has moved on after receiving Mnangagwa’s largesse?

It is important for those who claim to be national leaders to show some empathy with, and understanding of, the plight of the ordinary person. It is important to be truthful; to be honest. It is important to be sensitive. It is important to have a sense of proportionality. It is important to be humble. It is important to be grounded. It is important to have principles. It is important to be with the people and for the people.

Mrs Mugabe can move on with Mnangagwa. But the people are not going to be part of that movement. The people are moving in a different direction. Their vote was stolen. Their compatriots were murdered in cold blood and some were maimed; and their livelihoods were destroyed. This happened last month. The victims are still crying for justice. Decent Zimbabweans want to see justice done; and they want to see the people’s vote respected.

If Mrs Mugabe’s association with the so-called G40 was genuine and grounded in the real world, she would have been aware that young people are sick and tired of the self-indulgent, self-centred, and self-serving politics of individuals who think only they are entitled to Zimbabwe’s political power and resources because of who they are in history, marriage, parentage or relationally. The time has gone for Zanu PF’s old-guard and stockholder politics of entitlement for individuals and their families who claim to have fought the liberation struggle alone, died in it alone, and who must enjoy the fruits of independence alone. That time is gone.

Mrs Mugabe will be well advised to understand that, going forward, there’s need for mutual respect to enable mutual understanding. And the basis for that is respect for the country’s new Constitution enacted in 2013. As a citizen, Mrs Mugabe is free to associate and support Mnangagwa or whomever she chooses as her constitutional right, other Zimbabweans will exercise the same right—using the same freedom— without reference to her.

Prof Jonathan N Moyo

By Paul Nyathi|After being huge accolades for taking drastic moves to retire some old ZANU PF political heavyweights from cabinet, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has announced that he had re-assigned some of the former ministers who were retired from government to full time heads of departments at Zanu PF party headquarters.

This was revealed by Zanu PF spokesperson Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo soon after the extraordinary Politburo meeting.

Top on the agenda of the extraordinary Politburo meeting was the issue of rebuilding and transforming the party following its victory in the July 30 harmonised elections and the appointment of a new cabinet.

The extraordinary Politburo session resolved that 11 departments will now be manned on full time basis by most of the former ministers who were retired from government recently.

Dr Obert Mpofu, Patrick Chinamasa, Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and Dr Chris Mushohwe are some of the former ministers who have been re-assigned.

Other cadres who have been assigned to conduct party business on full time basis are Paul Mangwana to head legal affairs, Lewis Matutu full time youth affairs, Douglas Mahiya war veterans, while head of security and one for women affairs will be named in due course.

Jane Mlambo|Caps United president Farai Jere yesterday landed the Premier Soccer League (PSL) top post after he was elected chairman for the organisation, narrowly beating Triangle’s Lovemore Matikinye in an election conducted in Harare.

It was a closely-contested race where Jere claimed nine votes while Matikinye got seven after 16 clubs participated with Herentals and ZPC Kariba representatives failing to make it on time.

Jere will be deputised by Chicken Inn’s Lifa Ncube, who got the position uncontested.
The elections were conducted by a seven-member Zifa electoral committee led by Vusi Vuma.
Jere could not contain his joy just after the votes had been counted and even before Vuma had made the announcement; it was clear who had won.

The Harare businessman later expressed his delight at landing the post, at a Press conference after he addressed the PSL governors in a closed-door meeting.

“Naturally, I am happy, the governors went through what we were offering them and this is an endorsement to our manifesto,” he said.

“It was a good race and we had gone through a good campaign. We are coming into office at a time there is renewed hope for the economy with a new government coming in. But I think going forward now our mission is to see how we can bring back the people to the stadiums to watch the teams that they love. I hope ours will be a successful tenure.”

He said that they will immediately look into ways in which they can have their own buildings that will house the PSL offices other than the current situation where they are renting office buildings.

Jere added that he has already discussed with Zifa president Philip Chiyangwa about the need to acquire land to build their own office.
-Newsday

Seven-time Olympic medalist and now Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, Honourable Kirsty Coventry is unfazed by the prospects of being in a sporting jungle dominated by big and egocentric personalities.

Coventry who is one of the five non-elected cabinet ministers who form part of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s cabinet which has been taunted as “rational” said she is ready to transform the arts, sports and creation.

Speaking to 263Chat at State House on the side-lines of the swearing ceremony, Coventry said she is ready to transform the arts, sport and recreation of the country but she will need time to get the grasp of the terrain she is about to walk.

She relishes the challenge of working in the male dominated ministry.

263Chat’s Lovejoy Mutongwiza (LM) spoke to Kirsty Coventry (KC) and below are excerpts of the interview.

LM: You are coming in at a time when there is the new dispensation and there is a lot of expectation from the country, what are the first things you are going to do to ensure that you take sports and arts back to its former glory

KC: This is a big portfolio and I’m excited about the links that the youth, sports , arts and recreation can make…For the next few weeks, it will be trying to get a better understanding of who is working in my ministry and we prioritize where we want to start. We want to prioritize our national goals and focus on getting back to our glory days.

LM: As a sports person, where do you think our sports need to improve?

KC: That could be a long answer there (chuckles). But we a really good sporting base and now the task is to figuring out we can get it supported. We also need to look at which sport we can focus on as a country. If you look at your top countries, in Jamaica, they are known as sprinters. They focus on the 100 and 200 meters and not the 400 ones. So I think we have to do a research into what we want to focus on and what we are most talented for and we use that as a starting point.

Minister of Youth, Sport, Art and Culture Hon. Kirsty Coventry
LM: There is talk that you are coming into a male dominated environment. You look at football, cricket, they are all managed by males, how are you going to deal and manage that?

KC: I think that is a challenge that I believe the president believes I can deal with and I’m excited to take that up. However, I would want to see the promotion of equality for women in sports. Sport is male dominated but I love those challenges and I hope that we can work together and complement each other.

LM: We look at the arts; there is an issue of piracy and then lack of funding. What changes are you likely to advocate for and how do you plan on doing that?

KC: I love art, my brother-in-law is an artist and I know it’s very hard especially if you are passionate. Income is always up and down. So what I’m going to do is to bring in advisors who can look into the challenges faced in the industry and figure out from there how we can take away those challenges.

LM: And that includes Zimdancehall? (Chuckles)

KC: (Laughs) yes that includes that too, it includes everyone and all forms of artistry. We have so many talented people, artists and sportsmen and I hope we can, one, be so proud to show off our talent.

LM: You mentioned something about youths, what’s in store in as far as youth empowerment is concerned?

KC: You know that is a big portfolio and I expect to see a little bit more (of changes) and I have already talked to other ministers who have, at some point, been involved in youth throughput their career.

So I’m looking forward to catching up with them and hear their guidance. So again, all these work together so youths can be empowered sports and arts. Its really about creating the right platforms for them so that we work together.

LM: Ok! Thank you Honourable Minister and best of luck in your tenure

KC: Thank You so much!

263Chat

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s new Cabinet has raised fresh hopes among long-suffering Zimbabweans that his administration could finally end the misery and despondency that characterised life under former leader Robert Mugabe’s decades of ruinous rule.

At the same time, business leaders and political analysts alike yesterday urged Mnangagwa to give his warmly-received new Finance minister, Mthuli Ncube, both the space and the requisite support to spearhead the much-needed turnaround of the country’s battered economy.

Mnangagwa – who turns 76 years old next Saturday – on Friday swung the axe on much of the deadwood that had been part of the team of “permanent members” in Mugabe’s Cabinets. And in yet more pleasant surprises, a bold Mnangagwa also significantly reduced the size of the previously bloated Cabinet – while also taking the key Defence portfolio away from his influential deputy Constantino Chiwenga.

His new-look Cabinet includes former swimming sensation Kirsty Coventry, as well as the highly-regarded Ncube – a 55-year-old former African Development Bank (AfDB) deputy president – as Mnangagwa signalled clearly that his main focus will be to revive the country’s ailing economy.

A large cross-section of Zimbabweans, including some of Mnangagwa’s most strident critics, told the Daily News on Sunday yesterday the new Cabinet was one of the best since 1980 – and particularly so since Zimbabwe’s political and economic problems took a turn for the worst two decades ago.

University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer, Eldred Masunungure, said most of the ministers who had been picked by Mnangagwa “fully deserved” the appointments and had the potential to do well in their respective roles. “It is a lean team and most of the new ministers are deserving appointments … ED seems to have listened to the people and has tried his best within the political dynamics at play. On the whole, he has done well. Some of his new players are hard hitters like Ncube. I think this Cabinet will do well with him, although he has to learn to navigate Zanu PF’s politics,” he said.

Constitutional law expert, Alex Magaisa, also said he could pick several bright spots in Mnangagwa’s Cabinet – adding that it had the potential to perform well “as long as ministers were given the freedom to do their job without interference. Overall, Mnangagwa has rid himself of the old faces that had become an embarrassment … There are important new names, notably Ncube, Coventry and (Sekai) Nzenza. More important … this is a transformation in the culture of Cabinet. Gone should be the days of sycophancy and the wasting of time on inane political events.

If Mnangagwa gives freedom and resources to Ncube, perhaps Zimbabwe might just turn the corner. The question though is whether Zanu PF is ready to change and embrace the ideas of the newly-recruited technocrats,” Magaisa said.

Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers president, Denford Mutashu, said business was expecting the new Cabinet – particularly Ncube and his Industry and Commerce colleague – Mangaliso Ndlovu, to urgently deal with all the issues affecting industry.

“Now is the time that the new ministers of Finance and Industry seriously look into the issue of liquidity.

The business community cannot continue to rely on the parallel market for foreign currency while we have a central bank. The black market should be destroyed in its entirety and cash should be available in banks forthwith.  We need real tangible change in the economy if the country is to succeed,” Mutashu said.

Political analyst Maxwell Saungweme also said the new Cabinet had the right people who could deliver if they got the necessary support from Mnangagwa and Zimbabweans at large. “The taste of the pudding is now in the eating. Let’s give the team a chance as there is no one with real keys to the economy in and outside Cabinet,” he said.

MDC-T deputy president, Obert Gutu, said Mnangagwa’s new Cabinet team had brought “a breath of fresh air to the executive arm of the State. Zimbabwe is certainly entering very exciting political and socio-economic times … Ncube is going to shine provided he is given the necessary political support and leverage. This is thus the time for all right-thinking and patriotic Zimbabweans to put their hands on the deck, roll up their sleeves and get to do some really serious and honest hard work. Let those who are still in denial remain locked up in their miserable, myopic and diminishing world of idiotic self-delusion. The train has moved on and they may not catch up if they’re not careful and smart enough,” the tough-talking Gutu said.

Mnangagwa, apart from sending several bigwigs packing, also trimmed the number of ministries to 20 – as he sought to cement the image of a new political dispensation in the country with his first major decision as Zimbabwe’s substantive new leader. “I appointed a diverse, dynamic, youthful and streamlined Cabinet, with the skills and experience required to achieve our goals. Now it is time to get to work. We would want to grow, modernise and mechanise our economy. We believe that in the next five years we will be able to transform our people into middle income citizens,” he said on Friday.

Mnangagwa and his Cabinet are under pressure to stop the economy from sliding back into the throes of an economic crisis similar to the 2008 hyperinflation era. Over the past few weeks, the prices of basic commodities went up sharply, while some goods disappeared completely from supermarket shelves due to the country’s acute foreign currency shortages. This came at the same time that industry warned that the deepening foreign currency crisis was making it difficult for manufacturers to import critical raw materials on time.

Industry, as a result, warned of further price hikes and shortages of basic consumer goods. Already the country is experiencing shortages of basic goods, hospital drugs and construction materials such as cement. Last week, millers also confirmed that a bread crisis was looming as wheat stocks in the country had now reached critical levels.

Millions of Zimbabweans cast their vote in the historic July 30 elections, to choose both a new Parliament and president – following the dramatic fall from power of Mugabe in November last year. The elections were the first since 1980 to be held in the country without Mugabe’s participation, whose 37-year iron-fisted rule was stunningly ended by a military operation which triggered events that ended with his resignation.

The elections also marked the first time that the main opposition MDC was not represented by its founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who lost his brave battle with cancer of the colon on Valentine’s Day this year.

Zanu PF retained its two thirds parliamentary majority in the elections, with Mnangagwa winning a tightly-contested race by a revised 50,6 percent.

Daily News

By Kirsty Coventry|I am honoured to be appointed by President Mnangagwa as Zimbabwe’s Minister of Youth, Sports, Art and Recreation.

I would like to thank President Mnangagwa for entrusting me with this responsibility and look forward to working with my fellow Ministers for the benefit of our Country.

God bless you and God bless Zimbabwe.

By Paul Nyathi|The new Minister Of Finance Dr Mthuli Ncube says that his ultimate wish is to make sure that the country returns to a strong Zimbabwean dollar within the shortest possible time.

Speaking to journalists in an interview after the swearing in of cabinet ministers at State House today, Ncube said the country has three immediate options to return the country to normalcy with the ultimate being to have the country return to using the Zimbabwean dollar.

“Ultimately, I want to be very clear, I want to see the Zimbabwe dollar come back, the sovereign currency,” Professor Ncube said.

Dr Ncube said indicated that the starting point of the economy recovery process was to get rid of the surrogate bond notes currency and replace them with the US Dollar or the South African Rand.

Ncube said they have already set up a fiscal policy that will turn around the country.

“But currency reform alone is not adequate, it needs a second leg. It works with fiscal policy,” added Mthuli Ncube, brimming with confidence.

“There is a plan that we have put in place that I’m going to be accelerating to make sure that this debt issue is dealt with,” Ncube said. “It’s one building block towards creating confidence in terms of investors.”

Jane Mlambo|Zimbabwe’s new finance minister said on Monday he would accelerate plans to pay arrears to the World Bank and the African Development Bank and would work on a three-year programme to cut government spending.

Zimbabwean Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube looks on before the swearing in of new cabinet ministers at State House in Harare, Zimbabwe, September 10, 2018.

Mthuli Ncube did not spell out how he would speed the clearance of $1.8 billion in arrears – but said it would be a vital step in rebuilding investors’ confidence.

“It’s one building block,” he told reporters after being sworn in as finance minister to watch over an economy struggling with a severe shortages of dollars, and with unemployment above 80 percent.

Economist have said the repayments would be a vital step towards Zimbabwe qualifying for an International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.

But such a programme could come with politically painful conditions, including a reduction of the huge civil service and a cut in the budget deficit from 16 percent to single-digit levels, say analysts.

Ncube said he would discuss the size of the civil service wage bill with new President Emmerson Mnangagwa, but did not go into further detail.

Previous efforts to cut public sector wages – responsible for 93 percent of the national budget – and civil service jobs were blocked by former president Robert Mugabe.

“Internally we need fiscal consolidation and making sure that on the expenditure side, we live within our means or move towards that. That is always a process, always need a kind of three year process, fiscal consolidation is not a big bang approach,” the minister said.

Ncube confirmed media reports he would look into removing the quasi currency bond note in a package of currency reforms due to be announced at the end of September, and said he eventually wanted to bring back Zimbabwe’s own currency.

The southern African nation dumped its currency in favour of the U.S. dollar in 2009 following years of hyperinflation, and introduced bond notes in November 2016 in a bid to ease acute shortages of cash.

The shortages have however worsened while a black market continues to thrive.

“Ultimately we would like to have a Zimbabwe dollar that is stable, that we have confidence in and we will start working towards that and you will hear in the monetary policy statement the first steps towards that,” Ncube said.

The 55-year-old Cambridge University graduate is a former chief economist and vice president at the African Development Bank and is a visiting professor at Oxford University.
-Reuters

Jane Mlambo|President Emmerson Mnangagwa called for a snap meeting of his Zanu PF party’s politburo reportedly to make a decision on who will be Speaker of the National Assembly as well as Senate President.

Sources within the ruling party that got a two-thirds majority in general elections two months ago said while current Speaker Jacob Mudenda still has a chance, outgoing Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa is in with a shout.

“Mudenda is hanging in there but it’s not cut and dry for him. Chinamasa could be appointed Speaker,” a source privy to the internal manoeuvres said.

“There is however no chance of survival for (Senate President) Edna Madzongwe given her age (75) and relationship with (former President Robert) Mugabe.

“She will definitely be relieved of her duties. There is talk that Mudenda could be moved to fill in Madzongwe’s current position (as Senate President).”

Party secretary for legal affairs Paul Mangwana confirmed the meeting was on.
“Yes, there is a meeting of the politburo tomorrow (Monday). I however, cannot discuss the agenda thereof,” Mangwana said last night.

The Zanu PF politburo is also expected to rubber-stamp a proposal by Mnangagwa to allow some senior officials such as secretary for administration Obert Mpofu and Simon Khaya Moyo to work full-time at the party, joining national commissar Engelbert Rugeje with full ministerial benefits.

Madzongwe is a close relative of Mugabe who was forced out of power in a bloodless military coup last November that propelled his half a century lieutenant Mnangagwa to power.

Mnangagwa and Mugabe seem to have made up after frosty relations that saw the 94 year-old throwing his weight behind opposition leader Nelson Chamisa who went on to controversially lose the presidential election in July.

Mnangagwa set the dates for the election of the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Senate President and their deputies for Tuesday this week following the swearing in of all parliamentarians elected on July 30 last week.

The opposition MDC Alliance will, according to secretary general Douglas Mwonzora, field candidates which, given the margins Zanu PF has, will only be a token challenge for the snap polls.
-Newzimbabwe.com

Human rights organisations have accused the Home Office of breaking international law after it decided to deport a Zimbabwean member of the opposition party whose life would be in danger if he returned home partly because his brother fought in the British army.

A senior British politician has written to the home secretary to say that if the deportation leads to Blessing Goronga’s arrest or persecution, it would be “intolerable … an eternal blot on Britain’s record”.

Goronga, a human rights activist and youth leader at the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)’s branch in Leicester, will be deported on 13 September despite evidence from Amnesty, the Crisis Group and the Zimbabwe Restoration of Human Rights organisation (ROHR) that his life could be at risk if he returns.

“The decision of the Home Office must be challenged and information placed before the courts to show that sending back Blessing to be subjected to political persecution is in violation of international law,” said Lloyd Kuveya, Amnesty’s Zimbabwe researcher and campaigner.

Lib Dem peer Dick Taverne has written to Sajid Javid, to ask him to postpone Goronga’s deportation. “One of Goronga’s fellow activists in the MDC was killed. Others have been kidnapped,” he wrote. “Surely it is intolerable that when there are substantial grounds for believing that his return will endanger his life, he will be sent back. If he is arrested or worse, it will be an eternal blot on Britain’s record.”

Six people were killed in violent protests in Harare after the election on 30 July, when the Zimbabwe National Army indiscriminately shot and assaulted civilians. According to a report by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum covering the period from 1 to 9 August 2018, there were a total of 199 violations by the military or suspected security personnel, including torture, including sexual torture, injuries, assaults, arbitrary arrests and 16 abductions – five of whom were later found having been tortured.

On 3 September, Zimbabwean authorities intensified their crackdown on opposition MDC Alliance party members by arresting leaders of the party’s youth assembly and charged them with committing public violence.

Emmerson Mnangagwa vowed a “brighter tomorrow” for Zimbabwe after being sworn in as president on Sunday. He also announced an inquiry into the violence following his election. But Kuveya said: “The situation in Zimbabwe at the moment appears calm but underneath there is deceptive political persecution. We are currently handling four cases of opposition party and civil society activists who have fled Zimbabwe in fear of the political persecution.”

“A list of people most wanted has been drafted by the military intelligence who are going round intimidating and beating up people suspected of having rejected the results of the election and incited protests, so this is no the time for someone like Blessing to be going back to Zimbabwe.

“The risks for Zimbabweans are still there,” he added. “The military is essentially in charge of the country and the reprisals for activists opposition supporters are quite dire.”

Blessing, who is training to be a mental health nurse in the UK and lives with his two brothers in Swindon, both registered nurses, has been in the UK since 2015 but has been held in detention since 13 August.

“I fear for my life mainly because of the ongoing crackdown on opposition activists like me,” he said from the detention centre. “I fear that if I am returned to Zimbabwe, I will be arrested, tortured or killed because I have campaigned vigorously for free, fair credible elections.

“I am one of the human rights activists who campaigned and held interviews at the Parliament House about stopping the removals of failed asylum seekers. I criticised the unfair political playing field in favour of Zanu PF. My name is all over the internet criticising the ruling party. MDC supporters and activists like me have been abducted and persecuted in Zimbabwe since the election. I am scared that if l am deported back home with my profile which is all over the internet, l will be persecuted.”

In a letter to the Home Office, the MDC confirmed that Goronga played a key part in their campaign and would be in danger if he returned to Zimbabwe.

“Blessing has been an active member in Zimbabwe and the UK. He migrated to the UK and applied for asylum fearing persecution from the state agents. MDC Alliance leaders, supporters and activists are being abducted, arrested and some have gone into hiding fearing for their lives all over the provinces,” wrote Gift Siziba, from the MDC president’s office.

“If Blessing is to be returned to Zimbabwe with his high MDC Alliance profile, his life will be in danger,” he added.

Ronald Mureverwi, chair of the ROHR said. “Ever since Blessing left the country to seek refuge in the UK, due to forced circumstances threatening his security and welfare, there have been persistent visits by unknown people seeking his whereabouts at his family home.

“We have received reports that Blessing is on the list of wanted persons in connection with contravening the constitution. His family have expressed fears about his safety if he finds himself within the Zimbabwean borders,” he added.

Piers Pigou, Crisis Group’s senior consultant for southern Africa, said:“In light of post-election reports of violations that have come from very credible sources that the UK government have previously relied on, it would be prudent to take a wait and see approach [to deportations of those claiming political asylum],” he said.

Dr Frances Lovemore, director of a local Zimbabwean NGO, the Counselling Services Unit, also advocated a pause before any decision.

“I think in the current climate the UK should delay the return for a month or two until we can evaluate the scale of the clampdown and if they are going to persist with this agenda,” she said. “No one is monitoring the returnees; this hasn’t happened for the last few years.”

The Home Office said: “All applications are considered on their individual merits and in accordance with the immigration rules.”

Guardian

Jane Mlambo| Leader of the MDC-T splinter group Thokozani Khupe has rallied Zimbabweans to collectively work together as a nation and hold the newly sworn ministers to account.

In a statement released this evening, Khupe’s group congratulated the newly sworn in ministers applauding Mnangagwa’s efforts to include women, youths and minority groups in the country.

“Our greatest concern as a party is the adherence and compliance of the constitution as Supreme law of this land and for the newly sworn in ministers to be transparent, accountable, responsive and to be diligent as they execute their duties.

“We expect the new ministers to engage with all stakeholders as they carry out their mandate and to ensure that they uproot corruption in their relevant ministries and professionally manage their portfolios with a people centered and transformative approach,” said Linda Mawarire, MDT-T Khupe National Spokesperson.

By Paul Nyathi|The ruling ZANU PF parliamentarians have held a caucus meeting where they have selected Gutu South Member of Parliament Pupurai Togarepi as their Chief Whip for the 9th Parliament.

Togarepi who is also the leader of the Zanu-PF Youth League takes over from Lovemore Matuke who was the party chief whip for the last parliament.

ZimEye.com is reliably informed that the party will vote for Jacob Mudenda to continue as the Speaker of the National Assembly and will be deputised by Tsitsi Gezi. Previous Deputy Speaker Mabel Chinomona who was elected into senate will be the Senate President.

The elections will be held on Tuesday at the parliament’s first seating.

The Chief Whip is an official whose task is to ensure that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.

Opposition MDC Alliance who have inferior numbers to ZANU PF in both houses have not yet revealed if they will be presenting candidates to contest the speaker and senate president positions.

From President Emmerson Mnangagwa|”This morning at State House, I swore in a new cabinet for the new Zimbabwe.

Though the task before us is a great one, I am confident that we have the team in place to turn our economy around and build a more prosperous and secure future for all.

Blessed be the Land of Zimbabwe!”

Jane Mlambo|MDC Alliance national youth leader Happymore ‘Bvondo’ Chidziva has warned the ruling Zanu PF leadership that arrests will not stop the opposition from demanding its “stolen vote”.
The Highfield West MP is out of custody on $100 bail for allegedly inciting public violence at a Gweru rally in the run-up to the July 30 elections.
The opposition is still rejecting the outcome of the July 30 elections despite its legal challenge being dismissed by the Constitutional Court.
Addressing an Alliance rally in Chitungwiza on Saturday, Chidziva said; “Recently, they arrested me.
“They were making announcements on radio, holding guns hunting Bvondo. What crime did I commit? My crime is that I am simply asking for our (opposition) stolen vote.”
The opposition youth leader rejected government charges that Alliance activists were behind the August 1 post-election violence that resulted in six people being shot dead while several others were injured.
“We have never had any demonstration at Zanu PF Headquarters to burn vehicles and destroy property,” he said.
“We have never seen Zanu PF members demonstrating at Harvest House to destroy our property. But we are aware that on 1 August, Zanu PF sent its members to demonstrate in the streets to silence the voice of reason.”
He added; “We will not be silenced. We are not the ones who went to Zanu PF. We are waiting for our leader Nelson Chamisa to be installed as President of Zimbabwe.
-Newzimbabwe.com

MDC leadership instructs Collin Maboke to step down as mayor of Masvingo
The MDC leadership has resolved that the newly elected mayor of Masvingo, Collin Maboke steps down, as party procedures were not followed.

Speaking to Hevoi FM News, MDC provincial chairperson, James Gumbi says the party leadership including party president, Nelson Chamisa, resolved at a meeting held in Harare last week, that some seven MDC councilors in Masvingo, voted along faction lines and therefore Maboke should step down as mayor.
MDC chairperson Morgan Komichi told Hevoi FM News that the party resolved that ward 5 councillor,Daniel Mberikunashe should take up the position of mayor of the city.

Maboke declined to comment on the matter.

The seven MDC councilors in the city caused an uproar among party supporters, after electing Zanu PF councilor, Welington Mahwende as the deputy mayor.
There are seven MDC councilors and three Zanu councilors in the city.

HEVOI FM NEWS

Jane Mlambo|Professor Jonathan Moyo and Spokesperson of the National Patriotic Front, Jealousy Mawarire have been fighting on Twitter.

The two who used to work together in the National Patriotic Front have openly  clashed with Mawarire calling Moyo an extornist who fleeced Zimbabweans of their money under the guise of raising resources for paying MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa’s Constitutional Court application.

Below is a series of tweets between Moyo and Mawarire.

It's also shocking that those that believed gukurahundists wanted to kill them & their chln wanted same gukurahundists 2b presidents of the country & organised the Tsholotsho declaration at Dinyane.If those guys bought the same chln a Borrowdale Hse what's special about sch fees? https://t.co/AMpU37JAVs

— mawarire mbizvo jealousy (@mawarirej) September 10, 2018

I also hope @ProfJNMoyo doesn't think his #LetsKwekweHim nonsense was a national cry. Sometimes pple are better off quiet than expose their duplicitous selves,who paid his chln's school fees when he moved to Kenya, wasn't it ED? https://t.co/TT0SckHqfa

— mawarire mbizvo jealousy (@mawarirej) September 10, 2018

While @ProfJNMoyo is within his right to criticise anyone whom chooses to, it's his pass time, he has to be truthful throughout. One day, his reason for the fallout with Mai Mugabe will be told, and it's never about Mai Mugabe wanting to be NPF president, she never wanted. https://t.co/yN5idzeZQf

— mawarire mbizvo jealousy (@mawarirej) September 10, 2018

Jane Mlambo|The opposition, MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa on Saturday called for the disbanding of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) saying the electoral mother body failed in its mandate to be an impartial referee.

The 40 year old opposition leader tried in vain to challenge President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s victory with the Constitutional Court upholding the ZEC pronouncements ruling that the applicant lacked primary evidence to prove his case that the election were stolen from him.

Addressing his supporters on Saturday at a ‘Thank You’ rally in Chitungwiza at Huruyadzo stadium, Chamisa said what transpired in July elections showed that ZEC is incompetent to conduct elections in Zimbabwe.

“In fact going forward, we believe that Chigumba is incapable together with her commissioners to run an effective and credible election in this country.

Chamisa said all parties should agree on the referee as the basis of neutrality.

“Chigumba has clearly shown that she is biased, and we are going to ask for the disbandment of ZEC and have a properly constituted independent ZEC going forward,” said Chamisa.

Chamisa has since refused to accept the court ruling and is taking the matter to the African Commission for redress while insisting that he will also employ the political route to restore what he described as the stolen will of the majority charging that he won the popular vote by at least 2.6 million votes.

“Zec rigged the alphabetical order on the ballot paper in favor of Mnangagwa. Zec rigged by registering Khupe’s party with same features of another party which is against the law and the total number of printed ballot papers by ZEC is unknown,” he added.

The MDC Alliance lost to Zanu PF in parliamentary elections by two thirds with the ruling party garnering at least 145 seats to the former’s 64.

Prior to the July 30 elections, the MDC Alliance tried in vain to petition ZEC and its chairperson Justice Priscilla Makanyara Chigumba on a litany of electoral reforms with the commission boss saying even an earthquake will not stop elections after Chamisa had threatened to stop the polls.

Meanwhile, MDC Alliance national women affairs boss Lynnete Karenyi lashed into President Mnangagwa’s Commission of Inquiry intended to investigate the violence of the 1st of August to establish the causes and perpetrators of violence saying it is compromised.

“We demand to know who killed that woman who did not know anything about the protest.”

“We don’t want to see that commission that features Madhuku, because that commission will not bring forward the truth. It will give us wrong information; we want true information on what transpired,” said Karenyi.

-263Chat

National Spokesperson of the National Patriotic Front, Jealousy Mawarire has torn into Professor Jonathan Moyo saying he is swindling people of their hard earned money in the name of mobilizing resources to fund MDC Alliance’s Constitutional Court case.

Posting on Twitter, Mawarire threatened to expose a cartel that he says is extorting money despite Chamisa’s lawyers clearly stating that they worked pro bono (working without charge).

For @ProfJNMoyo & his lapdogs,it's abt money, currently he is extorting pple on pretext of raising money 2 pay lawyers who represented Chamisa in his Concourt appl when same lawyers said they worked pro bono.He is using local lawyer & law firm,say nywe, I will expose the cartel

— mawarire mbizvo jealousy (@mawarirej) September 10, 2018

VICE-PRESIDENT Constantino Chiwenga has claimed that if the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo was still alive last November, he would have endorsed the military’s Operation Restore Legacy which facilitated the removal of former President Robert Mugabe from power.

Chiwenga made the remarks in Bulawayo on Thursday as he launched the Joshua Nkomo Legacy Foundation.

“I am convinced that Dr Nkomo would have been proud of what we have achieved from November last year to date,” he said.

“We stand at the dawn of a new era, the Second Republic. The election season has come and is also behind us. It is time to heal the electoral wounds and seek a true binding of hearts aimed towards the common goal of a better country, greater service delivery, uplifted peoples, social harmony and national peace.”

Chiwenga was the Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander during Operation Restore Legacy which ushered in the new leadership of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Meanwhile, Chiwenga said the Joshua Nkomo Legacy Foundation would be an integral part of delivering all the dreams and aspirations of the late nationalist who was also known as Father Zimbabwe.

“We have never stopped thinking on how to play a part to honour our great leader Dr Nkomo. Therefore, we set out a path to participate and contribute to his Legacy Restoration Programme,” he said.

“Mqabuko’s legacy is building a better life for all and this foundation will certainly bring that to the people of Zimbabwe. Even in death, Dr Nkomo continues to have an enormous impact on the lives of many. The Joshua Nkomo Legacy Foundation should make a visible impact in the lives of our people.”

He said Nkomo’s story was still largely untold and people should continue to learn from his life and cement peace, unity, love and tolerance.

“As leadership, we have cautioned that peace will not come until together as a people we recognise fully and acknowledge the role played by Father Zimbabwe and other heroes and heroines in liberating and developing this country,” Chiwenga said.

“Throughout his life, he (Nkomo) committed himself to building society that promotes all our cultures in their diversity and he knew no tribe, race nor creed, but the children of the soil, abantwana benhlabathi, vana vevhu. Hence the need to continuously cultivate those key values of peace, unity, love and tolerance as we build our country going forward.”

Meanwhile, Chiwenga said government is set to introduce a national tourism facilitation committee as a commitment to visitor facilitation at the country’s ports of entry and exit.

Officially opening this year’s edition of the annual Sanganai-Hlanganani World Tourism Expo at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair grounds, Chiwenga said government was aware of the delays that tourists have to endure at some of the country’s ports of entry.

“Coupled with this, port infrastructure, upgrading and development, especially at Beitbridge and Kazungula Border Posts will also be given priority and attention,” he said.

“We can make our destination competitive or uncompetitive, depending on the efficiency and effectiveness of our facilitation at the ports of entry and exit. While we acknowledge the efforts being made to address this problem, I urge the relevant authorities to come up with lasting solutions to these challenges.”

Chiwenga said government was confident that it can increase tourist arrivals three-fold from the current 2,4 million to well over seven million in the next five years.

Newsday

By Paul Nyathi|Contrary to social media indications that Kirsty Coventry was not consulted before she was appointed Minister of Sports and that she was going to decline the offer, the multi awards winning swimmer arrived at state house with her family members for the swearing in ceremony this morning.

Coventry is one of the twenty ministers to be sworn in today with thirteen deputies and nine ministers of state for provinces.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa will today swear-in his newly appointed Cabinet of 20 members, 13 deputy ministers and nine provincial ministers, to come up with policies that can steer the nation out of its prolonged doldrums.

In the new Cabinet line-up, President Mnangagwa dropped several big names from previous administrations, while blending new talent with experience.

President Mnangagwa’s “Dream Team” is expected to address a host of challenges, from persistent fiscal and balance of payments deficits to infrastructural and social decay accruing from the previous administration.

Analysts believe the new Cabinet has the right calibre of men and women to turn around the fortunes of the country. President Mnangagwa has made economic recovery his priority task and on Friday he appointed renowned economist Dr Mthuli Ncube Minister of Finance and Economic Development.

State Media

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

MTHWAKAZI Republic Party (MRP) president Mqondisi Moyo has hit back at “clumsy and childish” MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa, after the latter last week accused secessionist party activists of protesting over election of Shona-speaking councillors in the predominantly-Ndebele Bulawayo City Council.

Moyo said it was a blessing in disguise that Chamisa lost the presidential race as the youthful opposition allegedly lacked political maturity and appeared to have low regard for people from Matabeleland and Bulawayo in particular.

“Chamisa’s statement to the residents of Bulawayo is very unfortunate. He has confirmed himself as a clumsy politician and not a leader. It is surely a blessing in disguise that he is not a president of this country,” Moyo said.

“With his level of childishness, he would have turned this country into a political circus. He perceives the residents of Bulawayo as having some cognitive or physical inadequacy and as incomplete human beings. This is a repeat of the moment of madness that led to a genocide. This is insult to the residents of this great city.”

Chamisa last week chided Bulawayo residents for allegedly lampooning at ward 24 councillor Arnold Batirai who took oath of office in Shona instead of Ndebele or English.

“It is a pity that people want to introduce tribe on account of trying to cure their inadequacies or their incompleteness, but their people have spoken. The people didn’t vote for a tribe, but for representatives who are Zimbabweans, who are residents of Bulawayo to represent them,” Chamisa said.

Moyo said though tribalism should not be tolerated, Chamisa’s choice of words were at variance with a mature leader.

“Honestly he is showing no regard to the people of Bulawayo who voted him. Chamisa owes gratitude to the people of Bulawayo because in the process of voting him personally, with the hope of removing Zanu PF, his party managed to secure council seats in Bulawayo,” he said.

“It is sad to hear Chamisa referring to Bulawayo residents as ‘their people’, and we wonder, whose people? Chamisa insinuates that Bulawayo residents are not part of his people and that he identifies exclusively with those councillors that the residents have issues with. This young man must rein in his tongue and stop insulting the residents of Bulawayo. Bulawayo people don’t forget, his words will come to haunt him,” Moyo said.

He accused Chamisa and his party of imposing candidates for both mayoral and parliamentary elections.

NewsDay

The death toll from the cholera outbreak in Harare’s high-density suburbs of Glen View and Budiriro has risen to 16, with health officials yesterday quarantining and decommissioning all possible sources of the disease.

Harare City Council health director Dr Clemence Duri said in an interview that authorities were continuing to monitor the affected areas through response teams deployed since last week.

“The death toll has risen to 16 after more people died of suspected cholera today (yesterday) morning,” he said.

“Although we are not yet sure of the cause of death, we are suspecting it is cholera because of the symptoms presented.

“As of today (yesterday) 106 people were admitted at Beatrice Infectious Diseases Hospital. Some of the patients were being treated and discharged. We have also decommissioned all boreholes in Tichagarika area (Glen View), after they were exposed to bacteria which causes cholera and typhoid.”

Dr Duri advised residents of the affected residential areas to present themselves early to health officials as they were being treated for free.

Dr Duri said people should treat water regardless of the source and desist from the notion that borehole water was safe.

The disease has spread to the Midlands Province after four cases linked to Harare were reported in Gokwe North.

Midlands Provincial Medical Director Dr Simon Nyadundu confirmed four suspected cases of cholera which the ministry attended to.

He said the province, by virtue of being central, was on high cholera alert.

“We have four cases of cholera that have been reported in Gokwe,” said Dr Nyadundu.

“There was one at Nembudziya and three at Gumunyu. All these cases are linked to Harare. These people travelled to Harare and it is suspected that they contracted cholera there.

“The province has those four cases only, but since Midlands is at the centre of the country geographically, there is high risk of the disease spreading to the province, so we are on high alert.

“We want to urge people experiencing diarrhoea or suffering from any abdominal disorder to seek medical treatment quickly.”

Dr Nyadundu said the Ministry of Health and Child Care had already set a cholera treatment camp in Gokwe North as part of its rapid response.

He said the ministry had also managed to contain typhoid in Gweru, after eight people died from the disease recently.

“We are happy to announce that the number of typhoid cases has significantly gone down,” said Dr Nyadundu.

State Media

FORMER ZANU-PF Makokoba legislator Tshinga Dube, who on Saturday held a farewell rally for this constituency, has thrown in the towel, saying he has had enough of active party politics after being let down in the July 30 elections.

Dube, a former minister of war veterans, lost the Makokoba constituency in 2008, 2013 and the July 30 elections despite a heavy election campaign that saw him hosting a music gala at Stanley Square at one point.

At one time, the former Makokoba legislator contemplated quitting after losing the 2013 elections to MDC-T only to bounce back through a 2015 by-election after the opposition boycotted the process.

Dube was one of the five Zanu PF members who were elected legislators for the country’s second city in 2016. Zanu PF had not won a seat in Bulawayo since the formation of the opposition MDC in 1999.

On Saturday, Tshinga held a “thank you” rally at MacDonald Hall in Makokoba where he revealed plans not to contest the seat again.

“I think I have done enough, I have Makokoba at heart, but there comes a time when one has to say enough is enough.

“I have done a lot for the constituency, I will forever remain indebted to those that stood with me during this election and previous elections, but for now I have taken a decision not to contest again,” Dube said. He also donated tonnes of rice and mealie meal to those who attended the rally.

Bulawayo commentators have equated Dube to the late Information minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, who despite initiating several developmental projects in Mpopoma-Pelandaba constituency, kept losing elections. The late Pelandaba-Mpopoma legislator was at one point told to join the MDC-T if he entertained any hope of being re-elected as MP despite the several developmental projects he had implemented in the constituency.

And Dube on Saturday bemoaned Zanu PF’s failure, particularly in Bulawayo, to woo youths to the ruling party, arguing that was one of the reasons the party lost elections in the city.

“Our youths tend to get excited by the opposition and not Zanu PF. Every time an opposition party is formed, our youths tend to join those and not the ruling party.

“We don’t have youths, and also that is one reason why you always see the same old folks getting this and that position, contesting this and that city because we do not have the youths. The party needs programmes that also excite the youths in much the same way the opposition does,” Dube added.

Makokoba was this time won by MDC Alliance candidate James Sithole.

NewsDay

By Paul Nyathi|Former President Robert Mugabe’s controversial son Chatunga Bellarmine has scoffed at President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s new cabinet describing it as bound to fail to deliver.

Commenting in a post on Twitter, Chatunga equated Mnangagwa’s cabinet to a faltering England soccer club Manchester United which carries big football names but fails to win when it matters.

“Zim Cabinet= Manchester United line up before the kick Off, good night to you all,” said Chatunga.

President Mnangagwa on Friday announced a some what fresh cabinet that excluded most of the former long serving ministers and attracted a lot of praise from critics around the country.

Parliament will tomorrow elect the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Senate President and their deputies, a development that will pave way for the First Session of the Ninth Parliament.

This comes after President Mnangagwa proclaimed September 25 as the day for the official opening of the First Session of the Ninth Parliament of Zimbabwe.

The President is expected to set the legislative agenda for the new session.

In an interview with The Herald, Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda said the event would be preceded by the swearing-in of legislators who were not available on Wednesday last week.

At least 341 of the 350 parliamentarians elected in the July 30 harmonised elections took their oath of office at Parliament Building.

“Parliament of Zimbabwe is geared for the election of presiding officers on Tuesday, the 11th of September. The elections will be preceded by the swearing-in of the few MPs who were not present last Wednesday,” he said.

“Elections will only be necessary if there is more than one nomination. Once the elections are done the presiding officers will be sworn in by the Chief Justice or the next most senior judge.

“We will begin with elections in the National Assembly in the morning and end the programme with the Senate at 2.30pm.”

Chokuda said the Head of State and Government had pronounced tomorrow’s date in a notice published by Parliament.

“The President of the Republic of Zimbabwe has fixed Tuesday, 11th September, 2018 at 0900 hours at Parliament Building as the date, time and place for the first sitting of Parliament in terms of Section 145 (1) of the Constitution, mainly to elect presiding officers,” reads the notice from Parliament.

Section 145 of the Constitution reads: “First sitting of Parliament following general election, (1) The first sitting of Parliament after a general election must take place at a time and date determined by the President, but the date must not be later than 30 days after the President-elect assumes office in terms of Section 94.

“(2) Until the election of a President of the Senate or a Speaker, as the case may be, the first meeting of a House of Parliament must be presided over by the Clerk of Parliament.”

Zanu-PF is, however, expected to determine who is elected in both Houses given that it has a comfortable majority, which it should use to its advantage.

In an interview yesterday, Zanu-PF Chief Whip Lovemore Matuke sai:, “I stand guided and sanctioned by the party.

“Any developments on the candidature of the Speaker of Parliament or the Senate President will be guided after the holding of the Politburo meeting.”

Asked recently if they would field a candidate given that they were in the minority, MDC-Alliance national chairperson, Morgan Komichi, said they would soon hold a caucus to decide.

“We will soon convene our own caucus where we will deliberate whether to field a candidate or not,” he said.

Advocate Jacob Mudenda was the Speaker of the National Assembly during the Eighth Parliament and was deputised by Mabel Chinomona, while Edna Madzongwe was President of the Senate, with Chen Chimutengwende as her deputy.

State Media

As it emerged that ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa has hired another expensive private jet, the death toll from the cholera outbreak in Harare’s high-density suburbs of Glen View and Budiriro has risen to 16.

An analyst yesterday criticised Mnangagwa saying he chartered a plane for Grace Mugabe but cannot charter an ambulance for those who are dying of cholera and typhoid.

Health officials yesterday quarantining and decommissioning all possible sources of the disease.

The disease has since spread to the Midlands province in Gokwe North where four cases linked to the Harare outbreak have since been isolated.

A visit to Glen View in Harare by the state media yesterday witnessed residents of the area queueing to be tested and treated, while others were receiving two bars of washing soap each, water treatment tablets and two 20-litre containers.

Residents interviewed said the outbreak was as a result of the local authority’s failure to consistently supply running water, as well as failure to collect garbage.

Harare City Council health director Dr Clemence Duri said in an interview that authorities were continuing to monitor the affected areas through response teams deployed since last week.
“The death toll has risen to 16 after more people died of suspected cholera today (yesterday) morning,” he said.

“Although we are not yet sure of the cause of death, we are suspecting it is cholera because of the symptoms presented.

“As of today (yesterday) 106 people were admitted at Beatrice Infectious Diseases Hospital. Some of the patients were being treated and discharged. We have also decommissioned all boreholes in Tichagarika area (Glen View), after they were exposed to bacteria which causes cholera and typhoid.”

Dr Duri advised residents of the affected residential areas to present themselves early to health officials as they were being treated for free.

He urged communities to practise good personal hygiene like washing hands after visiting ablution facilities, buying food from licensed premises and using aqua tablets and Water Guard to treat their water.

Dr Duri said people should treat water regardless of the source and desist from the notion that borehole water was safe.

The disease has spread to the Midlands Province after four cases linked to Harare were reported in Gokwe North.

Midlands Provincial Medical Director Dr Simon Nyadundu confirmed four suspected cases of cholera which the ministry attended to.

He said the province, by virtue of being central, was on high cholera alert.

“We have four cases of cholera that have been reported in Gokwe,” said Dr Nyadundu.

“There was one at Nembudziya and three at Gumunyu. All these cases are linked to Harare. These people travelled to Harare and it is suspected that they contracted cholera there.

“The province has those four cases only, but since Midlands is at the centre of the country geographically, there is high risk of the disease spreading to the province, so we are on high alert.
“We want to urge people experiencing diarrhoea or suffering from any abdominal disorder to seek medical treatment quickly.”

Dr Nyadundu said the Ministry of Health and Child Care had already set a cholera treatment camp in Gokwe North as part of its rapid response.

He said the ministry had also managed to contain typhoid in Gweru, after eight people died from the disease recently.

“We are happy to announce that the number of typhoid cases has significantly gone down,” said Dr Nyadundu.  –  state media/ additional reporting

State Media – Former Minister of State for Government Scholarships in the Office of the President and Cabinet Dr Christopher Mushohwe yesterday bade farewell to 124 students going to study in Russia, China and India under the Presidential and National Scholarships programme.

He met the students at a local hotel in Harare and relayed a message from President Mnangagwa, encouraging them to go and acquire the much needed knowledge and facilitate in economic development on their return. Dr Mushohwe said the students were drawn from across the country.

“These students here and those we have sent in the past come from every district of Zimbabwe,” he said.
“Every single district of Zimbabwe is represented by the students who are here and that is how President Mnangagwa wants to spread the opportunities to every district, every village if possible.”

In Russia, the students are going to undertake studies in various fields, including Medical Care, Biotechnology, Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Applied Information Science; and some in the engineering disciplines like Electronics and Nano Electronics, Aeronautical Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Agriculture Engineering.
Those going to study in India will focus on programmes like Fashion and Design, Business Administration, Accounting Science and Financial Intelligence.

Students heading to China will study programmes like Business Management, Environmental Management and Ecology.
Dr Mushohwe said the programmes were important to Zimbabwe.

“You can see that the areas we are assigning these students to go and undertake are areas of greater need to Zimbabwe,” he said.

“The audit report that was produced by the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development on skills gap analysis was quite revealing and these are the areas that we had got wide yawning gaps and we want to fill those gaps.
Indian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Rungsung Masakui pledged more support.
“Education I think is a passion of Zimbabweans,” he said. “I always admire and appreciate the thirst and zeal to pursue knowledge.”

An official from the Chinese embassy Ms Guo Jing, who represented the Chinese envoy to Zimbabwe Mr Huang Ping, also pledged more support.

“Zimbabwe is at a dawn of a new chapter of its development, which gives you great opportunity to tap your potential,” she said.

“The knowledge acquired in China will serve as guidance for your work in Zimbabwe towards the target of making Zimbabwe a middle-income country by 2030.

“I hope everyone can apply what you have learnt to practise and devolve yourself in the course of development of Zimbabwe.”

An official from the Russian embassy Mr Dmitry Korepanov congratulated the students and urged them to bring back to Zimbabwe the knowledge gained from their study. -state media

Government has started hunting for a substantive Prosecutor-General following the publication of the resgination of Prosecutor-General Advocate Ray Goba in the Government Gazette on Friday, a senior Government official has said.

The publication of Mr Goba’s resignation paves way for the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to start advertising the vacancy ahead of public interviews.

In an interview, Secretary for Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Mrs Virginia Mabiza said the JSC was now expected to advertise the vacancy in the media and conduct public interviews to select the new PG.

“The resignation has been confirmed and in terms of the law, the procedure of selecting a new PG must now commence,” she said. “The ball is now in JSC’s court and it must now advertise the vacancy, inviting nominations.

“The candidates will be subjected to public interviews from where the best candidates will be selected and the names forwarded to the Presidium for appointment.”

The office of the PG has of late become a hot seat, with two previous Prosecutors- General having been fired for misconduct.

Adv Goba, who chose to resign pending an investigation into his conduct, becomes the third PG to leave office over the past years.

The first to be removed from office was former Attorney-General Mr Sobusa Gula-Ndebele in May 2008, who doubled as head of criminal prosecution and civil litigation.
He was fired for conducting himself in a manner inconsistent with public office.

The dismissal followed recommendations by a tribunal which investigated him.

Mr Gula-Ndebele was suceeded by Mr Johannes Tomana, who was also removed from office last year after a tribunal found him to be grossly incompetent in the execution of his duties.

Mr Kumbirai Hodzi is Acting PG with effect from July 24 this year.

He was appointed when Adv Goba was suspended from office on a raft of misconduct allegations.

Adv Goba was suspended on allegations of failing to prosecute high-profile cases, travelling without Cabinet authority and use of abusive language, among other charges.

Mr Hodzi had been Deputy Attorney-General in charge of the Legal Advice Section since 2012. – state media

A GWANDA regional magistrate, Mr Mark Dira, has told pupils to focus on their studies and not engage in sexual activities that will destroy their lives.

He said this after a teenager appeared before him for bedding his 14-year-old cousin several times.

The 17-year-old, a pupil at a local secondary school was facing a rape charge but his charge was altered to having sexual intercourse with a young person after the minor revealed that she had consented to sex as they were in a relationship.
The teenager was convicted on his own plea of guilty.

He walked away with a warning and caution after Mr Dzira took into consideration that he was a pupil.

“I took into consideration that you are a first offender and that you are still in school. However you can’t pursue sexual activities and school at the same time. The probation officer’s report is really disturbing because it revealed that you had sexual intercourse with the complainant who happens to be your cousin on several occasions whenever you could get the chance.

“It’s alarming that you are in Form Two but are engaging in sexual activities so much as if you are married. What you are doing is dangerous, leave women for now and focus on your studies because you will end up in prison. I will give you an opportunity to go home and mend your ways but the next time you commit a similar offence you will be imprisoned,” said Mr Dzira.

Prosecuting, Mr Pearson Chekeya said the teenager had sex with his cousin on April 10.
He said the juvenile was sent by her mother to her grandmother’s house at around 2PM. Upon arrival she found the accused person and he invited her into his bedroom hut to watch a video on his cell phone.

“The juvenile refused and her cousin grabbed her and dragged her into his bedroom where he raped her once while her grandmother wasn’t around.

“The juvenile went on to reveal what had transpired to his mother who then reported the matter to the police resulting in the teenager’s arrest,” he said.

In his defence the teenager said his cousin was his girlfriend as he proposed love to her and she agreed. He said they slept together with her consent.-state media

A-12-year old pupil from Nkayi committed suicide by hanging himself from the roof trusses in a bedroom at the family home.

Bright Sibanda of Mbatshaza village, under Chief Sikhobokhobo did not leave behind a suicide note so reasons leading to his death are not yet known.

His grandmother, Ms Margret Moyo (60) discovered the body and no visible injuries or marks were noticed on the body which was taken to Mpilo Central Hospital for post-mortem.
In an interview, Ms Moyo said prior to taking his life, Bright did not shown any signs of depression and they never suspected that he was suicidal only for her to discover his body on Thursday.

“On Wednesday night he refused to sleep in the same bedroom with me. I, however, didn’t suspect anything as it is something he has sometimes done. I discovered the body on the following morning when I checked on him so that he would prepare for school. I found him hanging on a rope on the roof truss in the spare bedroom,” said Ms Moyo.

She said she informed her neighbours and a report was made to the police who attended the scene.

The woman could not say what grade the boy was in saying she could not comment further.
Matabeleland North police spokesperson Chief Inspector Siphiwe Makonese confirmed the incident.

“The reasons why the boy decided to take his life are not known, but we encourage people to seek counselling when having problems. Engagement of third parties such as family, church elders, police, community leaders or even school authorities is the only possible best solution,” she said.

Matabeleland North provincial education director, Mr Jabulani Mpofu, said suicide was becoming a disturbing trend among school going children. “This is already the first suicide case, happening on the first week of schools opening in the province. We’re worried about this growing trend of children resorting to ending their lives when facing various challenges in life. We wish they could learn and be advised better,” he said.He advised pupils and parents to make use of guidance and counselling officers that are available in every school.Mr Mpofu said young children are more likely to have relationship problems with family members or friends.

“Parents or guardians, school personnel, and healthcare professionals need to know the warning signs of suicide like sudden withdrawal from friends or activities, extended unhappiness or increasing aggressiveness or irritability and what steps to take when these signs are present,” he said. – state media

Emmerson Mnangagwa will today swear in his newly appointed Cabinet of 20 members, 13 deputy ministers and nine provincial ministers, to come up with policies that can steer the nation out of its prolonged doldrums.

The swearing-in ceremony takes place at 8AM at State House.

In the new Cabinet line-up, President Mnangagwa dropped several big names from previous administrations, while blending new talent with experience.

Mnangagwa’s dream team is expected to address a host of challenges, from persistent fiscal and balance of payments deficits to infrastructural and social decay accruing from the previous administration.

Analysts believe the new Cabinet has the right calibre of men and women to turn around the fortunes of the country. Mnangagwa has made economic recovery his priority task and on Friday he appointed renowned economist Dr Mthuli Ncube Minister of Finance and Economic Development.

Ethical Leaf Tobacco chief executive, Mr David Machingaidze, said the new Cabinet comprised a refreshing blend of proven champions and new faces who were leaders in their respective disciplines.

He said the team brought the confidence Zimbabwe requires to chart a positive socio-economic and political trajectory.

Mr Machingaidze said for the new team to tackle the challenges facing the economy, there was need for a candid, pragmatic and unbiased assessment of the economic situation, as well as the root causes of poor production, low investor confidence and macro-economic failure.

“This root cause analysis will enable the formulation of effective solutions that will drive sustainable socio-economic transformation,” said Mr Machingaidze, a Massachussets Institute of Technology-trained business executive.

“This transformation will invariably come with a lot of pain in the short-term and will require resilience and total political commitment for effective solutions to be formulated and implemented, irrespective of their lack of unpopularity.

“An effective culture change is also premised on removing the key symbols of the previous regime and embracing innovative thought from broad-based stakeholder consultations.”

Mr Machingaidze called on the new Cabinet team to be bold to do away with ineffective policy prescriptions.

Zimbabwe, he said, stood to learn a lot from a myriad examples of rapid economic development from Asian tiger economies.

“It is, therefore, key for us to deepen global economic, academic and technical alliances from which the nation can craft relevant home grown solutions,” said Mr Machingaidze.

“The new administration should come in and drive policy, not as economic players, with their fundamental mandate being to gain an understanding of the needs of entrepreneurship and the capital that comes with it.

“Policy clarity and consistent application remain paramount in the creation of an enabling environment for both domestic and external investment.”

Mr Machingaidze said the spectre of corruption continued to loom large as the proverbial elephant in the room, hence the need for a total culture change in doing business in both the public and private sectors.

“This calls for a rigorous enforcement of a zero tolerance policy by top policy-makers. The business community should also play its part in ensuring that the new Cabinet team is driven by national and not personal agendas in the discharge of their onerous duties.”

Former president of Law Society of Zimbabwe, Mr Lloyd Mhishi, was impressed with the appointment of known winners to form a winning team, citing examples of Prof Ncube (Finance and Economic Development), Winston Chitando (Mines and Mining Development), July Moyo (Local Government, Public Works and National Housing), Perrance Shiri (Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement), Sibusiso B Moyo (Foreign Affairs and International Trade) and Kirsty Coventry (Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture).

“I only hope these ministers will also be listening functionaries as espoused by the President,” he said. “For them to know where the people ought to go (a hallmark of great leaders) they must first be clear on where they want to go.”

Mr Mhishi said Minister Shiri as the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement had shown over the past nine months that he was a focused and hands-on person.

“My only wish is that he moves further to institute a land tenure framework that enhances productivity and the contribution of land towards achieving HE’s vision of a middle income economy by 2030,” he said.

“Such land tenure, which does not reverse the gains of land reform, entails making agricultural land live capital by re-establishing a land market in our economy.

“This is achieved by granting conditional freehold title through gradual titling of land occupied by new farmers.”

Mr Mhishi said the lesser alternative was to deal with the glaring shortcomings of the proposed 99-year leases to make them tradable on the market and readily accepted as collateral for lending.

“Unless the leases afford lenders the ability to foreclose in the event of default, the rhetoric by financial institutions that they are unacceptable will remain, to the detriment of the economy,” he said.

Meikles Group Company secretary Mr Tabani Mpofu said: “The composition of the Cabinet is a clear and unambiguous signal of intent by President Mnangagwa to transform the economy. The Cabinet is a demonstration of political will to set the country on the path of economic recovery and all right thinking Zimbabweans, regardless of their political affiliation, will undoubtedly recognise it as such.”

Legal and political analyst Mr Tendai Toto said the new Cabinet was a good blend of both the competent and seasoned would-be public servants.

“I believe the appointing authority conducted due diligence on the competences and capabilities of the appointed,” he said.

“The appointed bear the responsibility to ensure that the hopes and aspirations of the nation are realised within a reasonable amount of time.”

Mr Toto said it was the general expectation of citizens and stakeholders that the new Cabinet would focus on efficient service delivery and economic recovery.

“As the nation watches, hopes and expects, the clear message is that there is no time to snooze and slumber,” he said. – state media

By Paul Nyathi|Highlanders will host Dynamos this afternoon in a rescheduled Battle of Zimbabwe set for Barbourfields Stadium.

The league encounter was postponed twice but the two teams clashed against each other two weeks ago in the President’s cup where Dembare won 2-0.

Both sides have not been performing at their best in recent games, and as for Bosso, they have gone for three matches without a win and are currently sitting in the 6th place. Dembare, on the other hand, are in 12th place.

The Bulawayo side have only lost once to Dynamos in the league since 2015 and a win for them today will see them complete a double, a rare feat in recent years they have only achieved in 2016 under Dutch coach Erol Akbay.

Meanwhile, the Harare Giants will be without coach Lloyd Mutasa, who is on national duty but new signing Kingston Nkhatha is available for selection and could make his debut today.

Vice-captain Marshal Machazani is serving a red card suspension while defender Godfrey Mukambi makes a return to the squad after missing the previous round due to suspension.

Highlanders will be missing the likes of Tafadzwa Sibanda, Tinashe Makanda, and Thabo Lunga, among others on the injury list.

Kick-off time is at 3 pm.

After the match the two teams will meet with their fans at the Highlanders Club House in a gesture that the two teams want to use to promote the end to violence at soccer matches campaign.

ZANU-PF Secretary for Administration and former Home Affairs and Culture Minister Dr Obert Mpofu has hailed President Mnangagwa for appointing a youthful Cabinet.

Dr Mpofu was among a number of ministers that were dropped when President Mnangagwa announced a 20-member cabinet on Friday.

Some of the ministers that were dropped include Cde Patrick Chinamasa (Finance and Economic Development), Cde Simon Khaya-Moyo (Energy and Power Development), Cde Supa Mandiwanzira (Information Communication Technology and Cyber Security), Cde Simbarashe Mumbengegwi (State for Presidential Affairs and Monitoring of Government Programmes), Dr Mike Bimha (Industry and Commerce) and Dr David Parirenyatwa (Health and Child Care) and a number of Provincial State Ministers.

Speaking during a victory celebration rally held at Massland farm in Umguza by the newly appointed Minister of State for Matabeleland North province Cde Richard Moyo, Cde Mpofu said beefing the Cabinet by young people was a way of empowering the youth.

“Ubaba uPresident Mnangagwa did a very wonderful job in nominating a youthful Cabinet. This is a very good example towards youth empowerment, he is not just preaching it, rather he is walking the talk,” he said.

He said appointing young people in Government guarantees the country a better future.

“We need to teach amajongosi and amathokazi on how to lead the country, that way we will know that even if we die the country is in safe hands. If you are a good teacher you need to teach students and make sure they become successful instead of competing with them,” said Dr Mpofu.

He added that even the party its self has to go under such a renewal process of power.

“It is also upon the party to go under such a renewal process making sure that people do not hold on to positions but rather give way for new and future leaders,” Cde Mpofu said.

Speaking on the sideline of the celebrations, Cde Moyo, who also won the MP contest, said the celebrations were meant to thank Umguza people for voting him and to assure them that he is going to fulfil his promises

“It is very common that when people have been voted in they disappear from the face of the earth and re-appear when they want to be voted in again, so the main purpose of this gathering is to thank the people of Umguza for the votes and to assure them that I will deliver my promises.”

Zanu-PF supports from as far as Tsholothso and Nkayi also attended the celebrations.

State Media

Zimbabwe should not heed any dictation by foreign institutions on how best to address outstanding issues to the land question, but should deal with the matter in terms of its Constitution, an outgoing Cabinet Minister has advised.

Former Finance and Economic Planning Minister Patrick Chinamasa has said that Government should fairly compensate for all acquired resettlement land in terms of Zimbabwe’s Constitutional provisions.

He also said while Zimbabwe was already instituting economic reforms, as demanded by the US through its latest sanctions, reforms should be a process rather than an event aimed at solely benefiting Zimbabweans.

The US has demanded, as part of conditions to lift sanctions, economic reforms to promote growth, address unemployment and underdevelopment, restore livelihoods and make progress on monetary reforms.

He said Zimbabwe should engage the US Government to highlight issues that needs to be ironed out.

This include conditions set by ZIDERA such as that the US would consider lifting the two decades long economic embargo, among other conditions, if Zimbabwe and Sadc enforces the Sadc Tribunal rulings on land.

These include disputes involving employment, commercial and human rights cases surrounding disposed Zimbabwean white former commercial farmers and agricultural companies that operated in the country.

On the land question, the outgoing minister said evaluation of farms compulsorily acquired for redistribution to the landless majority is underway and should be followed by quantification and mobilization of compensation funding.

He said the land compensation for both BIPPA and non-BIPPA acquired farms should be paid over a period of time.

Mr Chinamasa said besides compensating white former commercial farmers whose land Government acquired for resettlement, Government should also give title to beneficiaries of the land reform.

However, he said Government should deal with all the issues regarding the land reform programme in terms of the country’s laws, as provided for in Zimbabwe’s Constitution and not any other external authority.

The land reform was designed to redress skewed land ownership, which had seen just 4 000 white farmers owning most of the productive land in the country while the black majority toiled on barren unproductive land.

“As far as the Zimbabwe Government is concerned, we should abide by our Constitutional provisions in dealing with the land question in terms of payment of compensation. Zimbabwe should not recognize any other institution outside its judiciary with respect to any dispute that may arise over the issue of land acquisition or compensation.

“To the extent possible, Zimbabwe must engage the United States authority and convey the correct legal position to them,” Mr Chinamasa said.

He stressed that as provided for in the Constitution, Government should pay for land and improvements on the farms protected under Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (BIPPAs).

In terms of land compulsorily acquired by Government for resettlement, but not covered by BIPPAs, Government should only pay for improvements given the Constitutional position that all land belongs to the State.

“Zimbabwe must address the issue according to Constitutional provisions which require us to pay compensation. In appropriate cases, land protected under BIPPA, we have a Constitutional obligation to pay for both land improvements, but any land outside BIPPA, we only pay compensation for improvements,” he said.

The outgoing minister also said most of the conditions raised by the US regarding pre-election conditions had been satisfied, among them the conduct of ZEC in administering the polls, its independence in electoral processes, army’s detachment in participating in election campaigns and the need to respect human rights.

Washington also demanded that Harare must allow international observers from the US, AU, SADC, EU to observe electoral processes and analyse vote tallying, tabulation, transmission and content of voting results. It also demanded that candidates in the elections be allowed access to all forms of the public media.

All these conditions were met.

Through ZIDERA, the US introduced new and expanded certification requirements for Zimbabwe to receive funding assistance from multi-lateral lenders such as the Bretton Woods institutions and the Paris Club.

But Mr Chinamasa does not agree to certain aspects of the US demands, including demands that Government must acknowledge alleged past human rights abuses and order inquiries into the disappearance of human rights activists.

“We cannot acknowledge something that we are not responsible for and in this regard, the Zimbabwean Government must engage the US authorities,” he said.

Meanwhile, the outgoing minister acknowledged the commitment made by the US to support Zimbabwe’s debt arrears clearance, which Harare kicked off by paying its dues to the International Monetary Fund.

Zimbabwe mail

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) will from Monday launch a massive crackdown targeting unlicensed drivers and unregistered vehicles in a nationwide blitz that will signal the return of roadblocks, Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga has said.

Matanga made the announcement on Saturday at this year’s World First Aid Day commemorations held at Morris Depot, Harare.

He said the days for those driving without licences and those driving unregistered vehicles were now over.

“By the powers vested in me by the President [Emmerson Mnangagwa], I would like to warn members of the public that starting Monday, police will launch a massive operation to get rid of unlicensed drivers and unregistered vehicles,” Matanga said.

“Those caught on the wrong side of the law will have their cars impounded, while the law will take its course on unlicensed drivers.”

Traffic police disappeared from the roads during the military takeover of government institutions that resulted in former president Robert Mugabe’s ouster in November last year.

In recent months, the police have been slowly returning to man roadblocks, but their visibility has remained very low resulting in serious traffic jams in cities such as Harare.

Meanwhile, Matanga said first aid was a necessary tool for law enforcement agents as they were the first responders during emergencies and disasters.

“Barely a day passes without police being called to protect human life during a road accident and other emergencies and national disasters,” he said.

“We deeply cherish and value the priceless first aid training services which from time immemorial have been extended to us by the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society [ZRCS] and has no doubt enabled the ZRP to save lives.”

Matanga said this year’s commemorations had come against the backdrop of the high number of deaths and injuries due to road traffic accidents worldwide.

According to the police boss, a total of 38 620 accidents were recorded in 2016 in Zimbabwe, with 1 291 being fatal, while last year 42 430 accidents occurred and 1 838 people lost their lives from the accidents.

ZRCS president Edson Mlambo said his organisation valued the importance of first aid, hence the need for locals to prepare for emergencies and disasters through sound first aid training.

“Our national statistics indicate a surge in the number of people trained from the mining sector, private companies, schools and as well as the uniformed forces as represented by the ZRP,” he said.

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