By A Correspondent|TWO Guruve teachers appeared before resident magistrate Shingirai Mutiro yesterday for allegedly drinking illicit beer (kachasu) in class.

The State alleges that on August 3, Hardlife Ziuchi (41) and Letmore Dambajena (38) drank the illicit brew while conducting lessons.

The teachers allegedly sent a student to buy the illicit brew at a nearby village.

One of the students alerted the school head, who found the bottle of kachasu hidden in a cardboard box.

The head ordered the teachers to write a report, confirming that they were drinking while on duty.

In their defence, the pair told the court that their headmaster was fixing them on political grounds since they supported different political parties.

“Your worship, this case has turned to be political.

Our school head does not want us there, hence he is fabricating all sorts of stories,” they said.

By Paul Nyathi|While the nation was celebrating President Mnangagwa’s reduced twenty men cabinet, the President is on fact gradually growing the cabinet.

Mnangagwa appointed the Zimbabwe Diabetic Association President Dr. John Chamunorwa Mangwiro as the new deputy minister of Health and Child Care on Tuesday to take the number of deputy ministers to 14.

Dr. Mangwiro is the Member of Parliament for Chikomba West Constituency where he won in the 2018 elections as a Zanu-PF candidate.

Mangwiro Will deputise Obadiah Moyo who was appointed together with nineteen other cabinet ministers and nine provincial ministers on Friday.

Mangwiro could be coming as a consideration to back up Moyo who alleged to have fabricated his medical qualifications.

The president is yet to name the Minister of State for Harare Province.

At 35 Doubt Ncube is the youngest councillor at Gweru City Council sworn in on Tuesday. However, his feat is not his age but the fact that he is just a garden boy although he vehemently refutes it.

The City is abuzz with talk that Ncube is a garden boy at former MP Sesil Zvidzai’s residence in Daylesford and he rose from that position one of Gweru’s City father. For the next five year he will be sitting in the chambers and making decisions that affect over 200 000 people in the town.

Ncube was elected councillor Ward 3 after trouncing Lovemore Gono who was Zanu PF’s candidate. Ward 3 is an elite area covering Delsford and Kopje area which are in essence low density suburbs.

“Many people think that I am Zvidzai’s garden boy. The fact is that I only stay with him and for that matter I do domestic chores at the house. That does not make me his garden boy.

“I actually work at Water Glass as a general hand and this company is owned by Zvidzayi. I don’t want to be called garden boy because some people are trying to denigrade me,” said Ncube.

He said he joined the party in 2002 and rose through the structures until he became portfolio member in the main wing, a position he holds today.
Ncube said he is raring to go and ready to serve the people of Gweru.

Gweru Times

In a shock move that serves to show that Zanu PF will never change, the party’s chairman for Masvingo Province Ezra Chadzamira has told supporters that 10 000 of the 29 000 hectares of irrigable land at the recently opened Tugwi-Mukosi Dam have been reserved for party leaders.

He said 2 000 Zanu PF leaders, all from Masvingo including councilors, chairpersons, district and provincial executives are earmarked to get 5 hectares each.

Most of these leaders already own several farms each, sugarcane plots and are land barons with swathes of urban stands from earlier Government empowerment projects.

Chadzamira’s utterances come as a surprise to many Zimbabweans who had hoped that the new dispensation under President Emmerson Mnangagwa would usher in a new era of fairness, economic prudence and justice.

Chadzamira’s populist stance is contrary to earlier sentiments that land at the US$260m Tugwi-Mukorsi Dam would largely be allocated on commercial lines in order for the country to optimize benefits from exports and foreign currency earnings.

Experts also hoped that priority would be given to thousands of unemployed degreed agricultural graduates.
Chadzamira was speaking at a party inter-district meeting at Chitsanga Hall in Chiredzi on Wednesday last week.
Chadzamira himself recently pushed a 70 year old white woman Yvone Goddard out of her $500 000 farm house of 45 years and he is now staying there as the new owner. Goddard has since been living close to destitution.

Politburo member, Lovemore Matuke who was at the meeting emphasised that Zanu PF was going to get the land.
Chadzamira said the new Zanu PF programme at Tugwi – Mukosi is taking place as part of the devolution of power from Harare to Provinces.

An economic expert who declined to be named told The Mirror that it is such populist stances that are bringing down the economy.

“We want to see all our leaders having something to do in life. They must benefit from their party. I sat down with the Minister of State and will sit with all council executives over that issue.

“Tugwi Mukosi master plan is now out and there are 29 000 hectares of irrigable land. Our party leaders in Masvingo are less than 2 000 in number so what is wrong if all the leaders are given 5 hectares each at Tugwi Mukosi and that will only translate to 10 000 hectares of the 29 000 hectares. We are working on achieving that as a province,” said Chadzamira.

The Mirror is informed that Masvingo Development Trust (MDT) which is wholly owned by Zanu PF is also looking at getting 15 000 hectares from the same scheme and this will leave just 4 000 hectares for anyone else who may want to come in outside the party ticket.
Tugwi –Mukosi is Zimbabwe’s biggest inland dam built on tax payers’ money. It holds 1.8 billion cubic metre of water when it is full and there are several other activities that are planned for the Dam including hotels, water games, fishing and a wildlife park.

The irrigable land is mainly targeted for sugarcane.

Masvingo Mirror

Jane Mlambo|The opposition MDC Alliance has appointed party spokesperson Tabitha Khumalo and Vice President Elias Mudzuri to lead the opposition in National Assembly and senate respectively.

In a statement released after a joint caucus of MDC parliamentarians today, the party said appointed Khumalo who will be deputized by Paurina Mupariwa.

In the senate, Mudzuri will be deputized by Morgan Komichi while Lilian Timveos was appointed chief whip.

In the National Assembly, firebrand Dangamvura Chikanga MP will be the chief whip.

Chamisa warned his legislators against corruption saying if members follow Zanu PF corrupt tendencies, they will be punished by the people in the next polls.

He also reiterated the need for outstanding behavior from leaders which he said will be a conscious demonstration of the desire by the party to address the nation’s problems.

*COMMUNITY WATER ALLIANCE ALERT*

11/09/2018

Glen View 5 Primary has been temporarily closed after the death of 2 kids.

20 kids at the school have been affected by cholera.

Harare has been declared state of emergency. We advised government to declare Harare a health disaster during our press conference held at the Media Centre on 07/09/2018.

The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights to which Zimbabwe is a signatory provide for access to safe, clean and adequate water for children.

It is pathetic that the Government of Zimbabwe has not learnt anything from the 2008/9 cholera epidemic. *THE PALTRY BUDGET ALLOCATION TO WATER AND SANITATION DEMONSTRATES THAT THERE IS NEGLIGENCE TO FULFIL, PROTECT AND RESPECT THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE, RIGHTS TO HEALTH AND CLEAN SAFE POTABLE WATER*.

#HumanRightsCitiesCampaign

HILDABERTA RWAMBIWA
NATIONAL CHAIRPERSON
COMMUNITY WATER ALLIANCE

A soldier from the Air Force of Zimbabwe was yesterday dragged before the Harare Magistrate’s court on charges of murdering his colleague over paternal dispute.

Taguma Chakanyuka (36) who resides at Manyame Air Base is accused of killing a man (name with-held) following an altercation over the paternity of a child.

It is the court case that on 7 September this year, the accused was having fun and drinking beer in the company of his friends when an argument over the paternity of one of his children ensued.

The court further heard that the now deceased told Chakanyuka that the baby he was keeping was his.

This did not go down well with the accused who assaulted the now deceased until he fell unconscious and was declared dead upon admission at a local health institution.

The Magistrates court also heard that surveillance cameras in the beer-hall where the fracas happened, which is now being used as evidence assisted in the arrest Chakanyuka.

Chakanyuka was denied bail with the Magistrate urging him to appeal at the High Court.

The matter was deferred to 24 September for routine remand.

Jane Mlambo| Norton legislator who promised to do a public HIV test has displayed his test results as proof against his alleged infection of a school girl with Sexually transmitted infections.

Mliswa who said he doesn’t date young girls but prefers older women most single mothers posted his picture holding results in a twitter post shortly after undergoing an HIV test at New Start Centre.

I have tested negative but even if I had tested positive it means nothing. HIV is not a death sentence and I will be launching a foundation focusing on the stigmatisation issue. pic.twitter.com/7fRK2QW2wD

— Sabhuku Temba P. Mliswa (@TembaMliswa) September 11, 2018

Jane Mlambo| It’s reaching boiling in the feud between Professor Jonathan Moyo and National Patriotic Front (NPF) Spokesperson Jealousy Mawarire with the latter calling his former colleague a snake.

The fight that started following remarks by former First Lady Grace Mugabe during her mother’s funeral that President Emmerson Mnangagwa should be forgiven with the former Higher education minister labeling Mrs Mugabe an inexperienced politician, has now escalated to new levels.

Mawarire and Moyo were once colleagues but it appears they have lost each other and battle lines have been drawn.

After being asked by a Twitter user on what had gone wrong between him and Moyo, Mawarire laughed a vitriolic attack on the former Tsholotsho North legislator calling him a snake.

“I stopped talking to that snake in April. I had nothing to do with him until today when he started lying about NPF and Mai Mugabe,” tweeted Mawarire in response.

Twitter is exploding since yesterday when the two started fighting and pointing fingers at each other.

Jane Mlambo| Newly appointed Minister of Health and Child Care, Obadiah Moyo has told journalists that government is declaring the current cholera outbreak that has resulted in the death of 20 people while thousands of cases have been reported, a state of emergence.

Speaking during a tour of Beatrice Infectious Disease hospital today, Moyo said, “We are declaring it an emergency for Harare so to enable us to contain Cholera and other diarrheal diseases.”

He added that the outbreak could have been caused by someone who would have slept on the job, though he insisted that they are still looking into the causes of the problem.

Zimbabwe is currently battling to contain a cholera outbreak that has been reported in Gweru, Kwekwe, Harare and other cities.

SCORES of patients in need of minor surgeries in the southern region have been left stranded as theatres in the two referral hospitals in Bulawayo have not been operational.

The southern region covers Bulawayo, Midlands, Masvingo, Matabeleland North and South provinces.

The chief executive officer of the United Bulawayo Hospitals, Mrs Nonhlanhla Ndlovu, yesterday said the institution has only been doing emergency surgery and caesarean operations since April because they are renovating.

She said they have been sending patients to Mpilo Central Hospital for serious surgery.

Dr Solwayo Ngwenya, the clinical director at Mpilo Central Hospital, on the other hand, said they are only attending to emergency cases as some of the theatres last worked six years ago.

Patients have had to seek services from private health institutions whose prices are very high for most members of the public.

Mrs Ndlovu said the theatres are undergoing renovations which are likely to end by the end of September this year.

“Our theatre air conditioning systems were dilapidated and had become so inefficient we decided to repair them. People should note that this kind of air conditioning is quite complex as it should ensure that those who enter theatre rooms do not get infections hence we need time to complete the repairs,” she said.

Mrs Ndlovu said members of the public who needed theatre services were being referred to Mpilo Central Hospital, UBH’s sister hospital.

“Mpilo is as good as UBH and we advice members of the public to go there since it is also a Government-run institution. We have not referred anyone to private hospitals as we know that Mpilo can offer the services while we work on repairing our air conditioners,” she said.

Dr Ngwenya, however, said theatres at the institution were also down as they have no anaesthetic machines.

“Our A theatres have been down for about six years and it is a struggle as we have no anaesthetic machines. We have a serious challenge when it comes to theatres as the functional B ones are reserved for major and emergency surgeries,” he said.

Dr Ngwenya said the hospital had a back log of people who are in need of surgeries which the hospital cannot offer at the moment.

One affected resident Mr Noel Magutshwa said he went to UBH last week and was told that theatres had been down for the past six months.

“I suffered a dislocated shoulder and doctors had recommended that I go for an operation. I was surprised when officials at UBH said theatres were down and I am stranded because I cannot afford to pay $5 000 for the same procedure at Mater Dei Hospital,” he said.

Mr Magutshwa added that they put a plaster on his arm and advised him to come back after six weeks for consultation.

The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Retired Major General Dr Gerald Gwinji, could not be reached for comment.

State Media

In less than 15 minutes from now, the world will discover Norton MP, Temba Mliswa’s HIV status. Watch LIVE below –

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

Jane Mlambo|The trial of MDC Alliance chairperson Morgen Komichi, who stands accused of attempting to disrupt the announcement of presidential election results by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) has been set for October 3.

Komichi (54), who is represented by Obey Shava and charged under Section 186 of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2.13), appeared before magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa.
The State alleges that on August 2, Komichi was at a Harare Hotel where Zec was announcing the July 30 presidential election results.

After a break, Komichi went to the podium reserved for commissioners, grabbed the microphone and announced that the MDC Alliance rejected the results.
Komichi said ZEC had not followed due process when announcing the results. Zec, the complainant in the matter, was represented by its security officer Concree Chivinda.
-Newsday

MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa’s Spokesperson, Dr. Nkululeko Sibanda will address journalists at 11:30hrs today.

Follow ZimEye to watch the presser LIVE

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. It has become a trend for women to blast their spouses on social media to let the world know about their haggling.

Barely a year ago, Wicknell Chivayo’s wife Sonja Madzikanda was enjoying the flashy life, taking trips and shopping sprees outside the country, something that comes along with being married to a wealthy tycoon.

But it seems the marriage is no longer rosy. In a series of videos, Madzikanda blasted Chivayo and has accused him of infidelity and mistreating her.

She narrated her story explaining how she had an encounter with one of Chivayo’s alleged mistresses hours before the recently held Miss World Zimbabwe pageant.

“Whoever told you that this life and lifestyle was gold and glittery lied to you. I am telling you my pre-Miss Zimbabwe drama.

“Marrying a crazy psychopath who thinks this is cute. I know I will have people that will be coming at me like (saying) ‘no do not talk about your marital wars online’. Listen, this stuff is real.

“Women are out here being oppressed in this thing called marriage,” she ranted.

Madzikanda added that Chivayo’s sisters were advising her to take the high road and forgive her husband, something that did not go well with her.

“On top of that his sisters are here sending me voice notes about how I need to seek forgiveness and be a better person.

I catch all types of feelings because I have been through enough. I have been through social humiliation. I have been through the problems in this relationship,” said Madzikanda.

Upon hearing this, Chivayo’s sister, Moe, who has publicly confirmed that she was against the marriage from the beginning added salt to the wound.

“You do not love that man. You wanted the lifestyle and it kills you that he did not live up to what you expected. At the end of the day, dust yourself up and go to parties because you are not heartbroken.

“You are financially disappointed but be glad he bought you that Land Rover and sends petty EcoCash to your phone,’’ said Moe.

Whilst playing Jah Signal’s current hit “Shinga Muroora” in the background, Moe continued to bash her sister in-law and accused her of making things up.

“Every time you try to go to your parents’ house, they send you back and when you get home, he is driving off. I will be mad too if I were you. I will be posting things on social media making things up.”

Contacted for comment, Chivayo professed ignorance on the matter. “I don’t know what you are talking about,” he retorted and hung up.

State Media

Jane Mlambo| Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has re-appeared in parliament where she is conducting elections for the speaker of the National Assembly.

Chigumba who in July oversaw the harmonised elections which were marred by irregularities leading to a Constitutional Court challenge by the opposition MDC Alliance, was booed by legislators from the opposition who shouted her saying “mbavha yema elections.”

The elections for the speaker of parliament are pitting Jacob Mudenda while the opposition nominated Paurina Mupariwa.

Zanu PF is expected to use its two thirds majority to retain Jacob Mudenda to the speaker’s position while the MDC’s nomination of Mupariwa is more of a protest against having the former being elected unopposed.

We will soon give you the results of the elections keep refreshing.

A CHOLERA outbreak has hit Manicaland province with three cases confirmed by the Health ministry.

Manicaland provincial medical director, Patron Mafaune confirmed the new development yesterday, but said the situation was under control.

She said that there was no reason to panic, but urged people in the province to exercise caution.

“We have recorded three cases of cholera in Manicaland, we recorded two cases at Murambinda Hospital and one at Rusape Mission Hospital, but they are now in stable condition and they are managed well,” he said.

“There is no need to panic, but I am urging members of the public to exercise caution and should wash their hands using running water,” she said.

Mafaune said they had embarked on awareness campaigns in all districts.

“We are urging members of the public that if they have signs and symptoms of cholera they should report at their nearest hospital or clinic,” she said.

The cholera outbreak that began in Harare last week and has claimed about 16 lives has also spread to the Midlands province.

The Health ministry is also battling to contain a typhoid outbreak in Masvingo and Midlands provinces.

Newsday

By A Correspondent|Newly sworn in Defence Minister, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri says she is not afraid of her new role and will not allow her gender to deter her zeal to work in the defence and security ministry.

Speaking to reporters at State House today, Muchinguri-Kashiri, who became the first female Minister to hold the post, said she is not scared of taking up one of the critical portfolios- held by men since the country attained independence 38 years ago.

“I’m not afraid of this task. How can I be afraid when I was in the war with the army commanders who are there now? I was also a commander together with them.

Hon. Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri with Hon. Victor Matemadanda at State House today
“This appointment was long overdue. This is despite the fact that I did not serve in the army because I took a different route. It’s not a new post but I still need to learn more and catching up. I understand all the army dynamics because I got the skills during the war…” she said.

Muchinguri-Kashiri, who prior to this appointment was Minister of Environment, Water and Climate Ministry, noted that economic development hinges on the security of the nation.

Zimbabwe has largely enjoyed a peaceful environment since 1980 despite the gukurahundi atrocities in Matebeleland in the early 1980s with the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) has been deployed in several peacekeeping missions in and around the continent as well as under the United Nations (UN) banner.

At the Ministry of Defence, she is deputised by Hon. Victor Matemadanda.

The plane that was used to fly former First Lady Mrs Grace Mugabe from Singapore to attend the funeral of her mother, Ambuya Idah Marufu, was paid for by well-wishers and not by Government, it has been said.

In the past few days, social media was awash with unverified reports claiming that Government splashed money on chartering the plane for Mrs Mugabe.

In an interview with State Media yesterday, Presidential spokesperson George Charamba clarified the issue, saying Government did not pay a single cent towards the chartering of the plane.

He said the plane was chartered by a group of business people who were approached by President Mnangagwa to fly former president, Robert Mugabe, who was scheduled to travel to Singapore for urgent medical attention. On the day when Mugabe was scheduled to depart for Singapore, the condition of Ambuya Marufu deteriorated, forcing him to cancel his travel arrangements because Mrs Mugabe was also out of the country.

Charamba said it had to be noted that Government had a statutory obligation to take care of the welfare of a former president, including health care.

“The former First Family could not attend the inauguration of the President because both the former President and the former First Lady were unwell,” he said.

“The former First Lady had in fact left the country for Singapore for medical attention.

“That is precisely why they had to send their daughter (Bona) and son-in-law (Simba Chikore) to represent them at the inauguration ceremony. In terms of the plans (that were there), the former President was due to leave the country for urgent medical attention in Singapore that week (of inauguration).

“But as fate would have it, the mother-in-law’s condition took a turn for the worse initially and as we now know for the worst. Meanwhile, Government mindful of its obligation in terms of the conditions of service of a former Head of State, and those conditions include medical care and expenses associated with that care, including travel.

“Except, Government did not have a plane to fly the former President or the means for chartering such a plane.

“Aware of the Government obligations and realising the urgency of the whole matter, President Mnangagwa approached a group of business people and pleaded with them to assist with the movement of the former President.

“Consequently, the group of business people committed resources for chartering a private jet to fly the former President to Singapore and back. As fate would have it, on the eve of the former President’s departure, the condition of Ambuya Marufu deteriorated leading to her sad passing on.

“That forced the former President to cancel his travel arrangement given that Amai Grace Mugabe was also not just unwell, but out of the country.

“The President then pleaded with the same business people to allow the private jet, which had been paid for anyway, to still proceed to Singapore as per the original schedule, but this time with a view to collecting Amai Mugabe back home in the light of the bereavement.

“Again, the business people were charitable enough to accede to the request which is how the jet was then availed to Amai Mugabe.” Mr Charamba said President Mnangagwa was grateful to the business people who extended the helping hand to Government.

“The President wishes to express his profound gratitude to those well-wishers who rose to the occasion when the need arose,” he said.

“As it turned out, the need became even more urgent in view of the tragic passing on of Ambuya Marufu, which is what doubles the gratitude.”

State Media

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

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.

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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

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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