Japan has been hit by its strongest typhoon in 25 years, causing at least seven deaths and 200 injuries.
Typhoon Jebi made landfall in western areas, bringing heavy rain and reports of winds up to 172km/h (107mph).
In Osaka Bay it swept a tanker into a bridge and in Kyoto parts of a railway station roof came down.
Officials ordered more than a million people in affected areas to evacuate their homes amid warnings of high waves, flooding and mudslides.
It has already left tens of thousands without power and authorities have urged people to move to safety.
The storm made landfall on Shikoku island around noon on Tuesday local time and then moved across Japan’s largest main island of Honshu.
It is expected to weaken as it moves north.
Jebi is the first typhoon classed as “very strong” by the country’s weather agency to make landfall on Japan’s main islands since a typhoon left 48 people dead or missing in 1993, Kyodo reports.
Hundreds of flights, trains and ferries have had to be cancelled.
Flooding covered the runways at Kansai International Airport in Osaka, which is built on a man-made island in a bay. Universal Studios Japan, a popular amusement park near Osaka, was closed.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe convened an emergency meeting and called on people “to take action to protect your lives, including preparing and evacuating early”.
Footage from the storm making landfall showed giant waves crashing against the coastline, and flying debris.
Japan’s weather agency has warned of possible landslides, flooding and violent winds, as well as high tides, lightning and tornadoes in the areas affected.
The country is regularly struck by major storms and this summer has been one of extreme weather. In July landslides and massive floods – the worst in decades – killed more than 200 people. That was followed by a record deadly heatwave.
Imagine Ruvheneko joining Diaspora Job Seekers because of Chiwenga&Mnangagwa, can these gun crazy soldiers be trusted with a single dollar of our money?
WARD 10 Councillor, Angeline Kasipo, yesterday became the first female Mayor of Kwekwe.
She was elected unopposed while Shadreck Tobaiwa was unanimously elected deputy mayor after the swearing in of councillors at Kwekwe Civic Centre.
A total of 14 councillors were sworn in yesterday.
In her acceptance speech, the mayoress promised to be a servant of the Kwekwe rate payers.
“I feel humbled by the gesture and the confidence that people of Kwekwe have shown in me. I promise to repay them through servant leadership. I will be there for the people,” she vowed.
Clr Kasipo said water reticulation was on top of her list.
“I feel people in Kwekwe should have uninterrupted water supply. I promise to ensure that the water supply system is working right round the clock,” said the mayoress.
On vendors, Clr Kasipo said she would not force them off the streets before an alternative site is created for them.
“I feel it is a bit unfair for us to say vendors should be removed from the streets when we have no alternative for them. I think it is prudent to create space for them then we move them there,” she said.
Clr Kasipo said she did not feel any pressure on becoming the first female mayor for the town.
“I respect my predecessor (Clr Matenda Madzoke), a hardworking man, a man of integrity. But that should not exert any pressure on me as the first female mayor of the town,” she said.
Clr Kasipo takes over from C lr Madzoke who caused a stir for rejecting an official council vehicle and riding a bicycle to work.
Cllr Kasipo said she was not under pressure to force council to purchase a vehicle for her.
“I will have to liaise with the council first. I am not saying a vehicle is not important but if necessary and if it makes service delivery easy, then a vehicle should be purchased,” she said.
ZimEye brings our valued readers and viewers the latest updates on the Lomagundi road (off Harare) Mercedes benz accident. [ THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY]
ZimEye is reliably told the accident 6.7 km from Westgate Shopping Centre, Harare. (SEE THE SATELLITE MAP BELOW)
The culprit at the centre of the accident is a garden boy working for a BluffHill family who stole the vehicle while the owner had travelled to Victoria Falls. LIVE SATELLITE MAP:
The suspect has worked for the Harare family for over 3 years.
On Sunday morning at around 4 am, the suspect, Zviito Katsveya (42) seized the vehicle after noticing that the owner (name withheld) had travelled to Victoria Falls on Friday.
Impeccable sources described Mr Katsveya as an on the face of it, usually reliable worker who they did not at all expect to do such a thing.
“He was a hard worker, who you would not think can do such a thing,” said one source.
In the wee hours of the morning, Katsveya allegedly stole the car keys, and drove the car out of his boss’s property – drove it over to the nearby Tom Farm, and took with him two unidentified passengers. He then drove the car away towards Chinhoyi. It is believed that he went to a place called Stapleford. Luck however ran out on him when while driving back to Harare, he lost control of the vehicle.
Evidence at the scene which ZimEye reveals suggests that Katsveya rammed into three trees before crashing onto the last one severely ripping the car’s bonnet off. Due to the impact, the petrol instantly crept out leading to also the fuel spreading all over the grass. As a result a fire broke out.
One of the passengers died at the spot while Mr Katsveya was taken to Parirenyatwa Hospital. ZimEye could not at the time of publishing establish the whereabouts of the other passenger who is believed to be at large.
THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY – REFRESH THIS PAGE FOR THE UPDATES.
Zimbabwe’s supplies of drugs have been affected by the lack of foreign currency since the country imports about 90 percent of its medicines.
Speaking on the sidelines of a donation at Mpilo Central Hospital yesterday, Ministry of Health and Child Care acting permanent secretary Dr Gibson Mhlanga said 90 percent of the country’s drugs were dependant on foreign currency.
“Unfortunately, we have to buy about 90 percent of our medicines outside the country and with the ongoing forex shortages, we have not been spared from suffering,” he said. “All sectors are scrambling for the limited resources and we are most affected as local production is low and we rely on medication from outside Zimbabwe.”
Dr Mhlanga said following a critical shortage of a TB drug, the country has since secured six months supply of medication.
“We are relieved because we never ran completely out of the drug and we recently received new stock which will last us for six months,” he said. According to Dr Mhlanga, donors and private organisations have been chipping in to alleviate the situation.
“We are hopeful that things will normalise as time goes on, but we are in dire need of forex and the Reserve Bank has been trying to share the money among all sectors,” he said.
Community Working Group on Health director Mr Itai Rusike said health organisations were still lobbying Government to prioritise the sector in forex allocation. “The major constraint to procurement in 2018 has been the unavailability of foreign currency to procure drugs,” he said.
“Foreign currency supplies from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe can lag behind for as much as four to six months.
“We have been proposing that foreign currency be prioritised for essential drug access or drugs would have to be purchased from private sector suppliers at very high prices. Treatment of chronic diseases is threatened when drugs are not available, undermining treatment compliance.”
A week ago, doctors at Mpilo complained that the public institution had run out of Oxytocin, 50 percent Dextrose and Lignocaine, drugs which are essential during emergencies.
Oxytocin is used to induce labour or strengthen labour contractions during childbirth, and to control bleeding after childbirth.- state media
State Media – POLICE in Bulawayo yesterday urged schools to deposit their money in banks, saying keeping it on their premises could result in the institutions being targeted by robbers.
Schools opened for the third term yesterday and many parents will be paying school fees. Some payments are made in cash at schools.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Chief Inspector Precious Simango yesterday said law enforcement agents have noticed a trend pointing to schools becoming targets for robbers at the beginning of each term.
“We therefore call for school authorities to bank the funds they receive as they are at risk of being robbed. We are aware that as schools open there is a lot of payment of fees and criminals would want to take advantage of that as well,” she said. Chief Insp Simango said if necessary, after depositing their money at the bank, schools should leave their safe boxes open as a sign that no money is kept in their offices.
She also said parents should desist from letting their children use unregistered vehicles which cannot be traced.
“We’ve noticed that most parents allow their children to board illegal pirate taxis. We’ve observed that most of these pirate taxis overload the children. You will find close to 12 children in a vehicle which is supposed to carry six people. Moreover, these pirate taxis do not have passenger insurance in case of accidents,” Chief Insp Simango said.
“We appeal to parents to engage registered commuters to transport their children instead of risking their children in the pirate taxis. Most of these pirate taxis are driven by people who are not suited to drive public transport while most of the vehicles have been linked to dangerous crimes in the city.”
She said pupils should also follow road rules and avoid crossing roads at undesignated points.
“We are worried about the number of children being knocked down by vehicles on their way to school. We urge school children to cross roads at pedestrian crossings. In the same vein, motorists should also be on the lookout for school children as they drive on the city’s roads,” said Chief Insp Simango.
Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday pledged a cocktail of economic reforms set to improve the investment climate and enhance policy clarity, consistency and predictability.
In his address at the 2018 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, the President said his administration was on a mission to accelerate industrialisation, modernisation and mechanisation of the economy.
He said would help ensure Zimbabwe becomes a middle income economy with a per-capita income of $3 500, increased investment, decent jobs, broad-based empowerment, free from poverty and corruption by 2030.
Mnangagwa said China remained Africa’s number one investment and trade partner and welcomed the continued funding of FOCAC projects, noting it amplifies the rise of a diversified African economy in line with the African Continental Free Trade Area.
“Zimbabwe remains determined to play its part in the realisation of enhanced connectivity, integration and inclusive development,” he said. “My Government is also undertaking comprehensive economic reforms set to improve our investment climate and enhance policy clarity, consistency and predictability.”
Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe was ready to cooperate with other countries.
“We have set out an ambitious and yet achievable programme of modernising our infrastructure and ensuring that our roads, railway network, air connectivity, ICTs and Special Economic Zones talk to the region, the continent and the world at large,” he said.
“We are open to cooperate with other countries within FOCAC framework and the Belt and Road Initiative.”
Mnangagwa applauded FOCAC for prioritising economic dialogue hinged on mutual respect.
“It is commendable that FOCAC continues to prioritise economic dialogue, founded on peaceful development, mutual respect, friendship, common prosperity and inclusive international development,” he said.
“I am delighted to join China and my colleagues as we deliberate on ways to scale up cooperation under the Summit theme, “China and Africa: Towards an even stronger community with a shared future through win-win cooperation”.
“As Zimbabwe, we attach great value to strengthening FOCAC mechanisms to leapfrog the collective development of nations on the African continent.”
Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe’s economy was agro-based and susceptible to climate change, but opportunities existed in other sectors.
“As an agro-based economy, we remain gravely concerned about the impact of climate change,” he said. “We are ready to expand cooperation on environmental conservation and sustainable resource utilisation.
“With one of the largest lithium and coal bed methane reserves in Africa, my country offers enormous opportunities to become a centre for research, development, exploitation and manufacturing of green energy solutions.”
Mnangagwa said capacity building was a key building block in the growth of developing economies and the fight against poverty.
He took the opportunity to apprise the summit on the July 30 harmonised elections, which he won.
“Zimbabwe conducted its much anticipated harmonised general elections on 30th July 2018,” said President Mnangagwa. “These were commended by international observers for being peaceful, free, fair and transparent. We thank the People’s Republic of China for sending an observer mission as well as Sadc, AU and EU.
“My inauguration on 26 August 2018 marked the beginning of the Second Republic in our country. I was pleased to receive a special envoy from Your Excellency, President Xi Jinping.”
Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe attached great value to strengthening FOCAC mechanisms to leapfrog the collective development of nations on the African continent.
“China remains Africa’s number one investment and trade partner,” he said. “I, therefore, welcome the continued funding of FOCAC projects as this amplifies the rise of a diversified African economy in line with the African Continental Free Trade Area.
“Let us, therefore, take this opportunity to re-direct ourselves, as we seek to catapult economic growth within our countries and further facilitate Africa’s integration into global value chain.”
State Media – Zimbabwe is looking to secure at least $2,5 billion in lines of credit from major Chinese banks for on-lending to the private sector, Finance and Economic Planning Minister Patrick Chinamasa has said.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation (FOCAC), Minister Chimanasa, who is part of the Presidential delegation attending the conference, said the lines of credit are for on-lending to critical sectors of the economy.
“We are looking for lines of credit, and we have been having those discussions on the sidelines of 2018 FOCAC, but there is nothing that we can tell until they have come to fruition.
“We are looking at $2, 5 billion lines of credit to support the entirety of the productive sectors, tourism, mining, industry, agriculture and manufacturing among others.
“We (Minister Chinamasa and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Dr John Mangudya) did not go to FOCAC today, we have spent the day engaging a number of Chinese financial institutions. For instance, we have met ICBC and others, which we would not want to mention at the moment,” said Minister Chinamasa.
“We have also met Afrixembank officials who are here.” Notwithstanding the move to secure new lines of credit, Minister Chinamasa said Zimbabwe was looking to take advantage of the $60 billion facility for African countries announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping during the official opening of FOCAC 2018 on Monday.
The $60 billion facility will be provided in the form of Government assistance as well as investment and financing by financial institutions and companies.
He said the concessionary loans will help grow the economy as they do not increase the country’s level of indebtness.
“We have to come up with bankable plans (to access the $60 billion facility). The lines of credit will build our capacity to honour our obligations, so yes, temporarily it will have an effect on our indebtedness but what our economy is looking for right now is foreign currency to retool our manufacturing sector, to supply raw materials, to re-equip our mines, to modernise our agriculture through mechanisation.
“Once that is done then you have more production and with more production, these problems fall by the wayside,” said Minister Chinamasa.
Meanwhile, FOCAC 2018 closed yesterday (Tuesday).
Today, President Mnangagwa is set to have bilateral meetings, first with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, to be followed by meetings with some African Heads of State. – state media
Zimbabweans have expressed outrage over the government’s donation of 10 white rhinos to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and have since launched an online petition for the reversal of the decision.
According to the online petition started by the Zimbabwe Tourism Centre, Zimbabwe needs to protect the country’s resources.
“The government of Zimbabwe is exporting 10 endangered White Rhinos to war-torn DRC from Matobo which already has dwindled number of Rhinos. The Rhino population in DRC was wiped out of existence by poaching.
“…We need the government of Zimbabwe to respect the Zimbabwean people’s resources…To protect instead of plundering the wildlife resources by stopping these exports now and in the future,” the organisation said.
The rhinos, according to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), are being sourced from Lake Chivero, Kyle Recreational Parks and Matopo National Park.
In a statement, ZimParks, said rhinos at Lake Chivero and Kyle Recreational Parks have reached near ecological carrying capacity and the translocation is part of destocking in line with approved national rhino conservation and management strategy.
According to the organisation, the donation is part of a programme to enhance regional rhino conservation.
“According to IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Rhino Specialist Group, 98 percent of the world’s white rhino population occurs in just four countries worldwide and that is South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Kenya.
“Thus, Zimbabwe is one of the major white rhino range States hence a source country for rhino range expansion to other countries or private stakeholders.
“The translocation is being done adhering to local and international wildlife translocation protocols particularly IUCN rhino pre-translocation guidelines and the African Rhino Range States’ African Rhino Conservation Plan,” ZimParks said.
Politician and former Cabinet minister David Coltart said Zimbabweans need to challenge the government’s decision to donate the rhinos.
“If Zimbabweans remain mute and inactive over the outrageous export of one our best tourist assets — our Rhinos — to the DRC then we deserve the government we have.
“They will know they can literally rape us all and nothing will happen. Speak out #Zimbabwe or else you’ll regret,” he wrote on his Twitter account.
DRC lost its Northern white rhino population to extinction largely due to poaching, according to ZimParks, which has resulted in many people questioning the safety of the animals once in that country.
Prominent lawyer Alex Magaisa also questioned the generosity of the donation.
“Grew up being told rhinos were endangered species, in particular the white rhino.
“Did we grow our stock to the level that we can afford to be this generous? Just a donation?” he queried on Twitter.
Another Twitter user by the name Dr Nelson Ruwa had reservations for the move which was done without the consensus of the Zimbabwean people.
“Such donations which include animals owned by every Zimbabwean and the future generations should have some sort of consensus, such as Parliamentary endorsement.
“Since inauguration, there is no Cabinet and Parliament, who donated the white rhinos in the name of Zimbabwe?” he asked. Daily News
The Clerk of Parliament, Mr Kennedy Chokuda, has given notice in the Government Gazette [General Notice [GN] 685/2018, published on 31st August in a Gazette Extraordinary] that members of Parliament will be sworn in on Wednesday 5th September:
Members of the National Assembly at 10 a.m.
Senators at 2.30 p.m.
The Clerk presides over the proceedings and it is the Clerk who administers the oath of office, which is set out in the Third Schedule to the Constitution in the following terms:
“Oath or Affirmation of Member of Parliament
I, ……………………………………………. swear [or solemnly affirm] that I will be faithful to Zimbabwe, that I will uphold the Constitution and all other laws of Zimbabwe, and that I will perform my duties as a Senator/Member of the National Assembly [whichever is appropriate] faithfully and to the best of my ability.
So help me God.” [To be omitted in affirmation]
The taking of this oath of office is necessary before any member of Parliament takes his or her seat in Parliament [Constitution, section 128(1)].
First Sitting of the New Parliament
The first sitting of Parliament after an election must take place at a time and date determined by the President, which must not be later than 30 days after his assumption of office [Constitution, section 145(1)]. President Mnangagwa assumed office on 26th August, making 25th September the deadline for Parliament’s first sitting.
President Mnangagwa has kept within this time-limit. He has determined that the first sitting of Parliament will take place at 9 a.m. on Tuesday next week, 11th September [see Presidential Proclamation 4/2018, published in Statutory Instrument [SI] 159A/2018 of 29th August as corrected by SI 168/2018 of 31st August].
Election of Presiding Officers
The Senate and the National Assembly must, at their first sittings after a general election, before proceeding to any other business, elect their presiding officers – the President and Deputy President of the Senate and the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly [Constitution, sections 122 and 123, and sections 126 and 127, respectively].
These elections must be conducted by the Clerk of Parliament under the supervision of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission [ZEC] and by secret ballot and in accordance with rules set by the Clerk in consultation with ZEC. These rule will be announced in the House before the elections take place. The results must be announced forthwith.
Qualifications for election as Speaker
To be nominated for election as Speaker of the National Assembly a person must be:
a member or former member of the National Assembly
or be qualified for election to the National Assembly, i.e., a registered voter and at least 21 years of age.
Qualifications for President of the Senate
To be nominated for election as President of the Senate a person must be
a Senator or former Senator
or be qualified for election to the Senate, i.e., be a registered voter and at least 40 years of age.
If a sitting member of the Senate is elected as Senate President, or a sitting member of the National Assembly as Speaker, that member immediately ceases to be a member of Parliament and the vacancy must be filled by a by-election or by the procedure for filling vacant proportional representation seats, as appropriate.
In the last Parliament, Mr Speaker Jacob Mudenda was not a sitting member of the National Assembly, so no by-election was necessary. Madam President of the Senate Ednah Madzongwe, however, was a sitting proportional representation Senator and her election caused a vacancy that was filled in terms of the Constitution and the Electoral Act by a nominee of the same sex put forward by the ZANU-PF.
Qualifications for election as deputy presiding officer
· To be elected as the Deputy Speaker, a person must be a member of the National Assembly.
· To be elected as Deputy President of the Senate, a person must be a Senator.
The persons elected do not lose their seats.
Oaths to be taken by persons elected
Before commencing their duties the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and the President and Deputy President of the Senate, must take the appropriate oaths of loyalty and office before the Chief Justice or the next most senior judge available.
Elections Followed by Immediate Adjournment
On 11th September business In both Houses will be confined to these elections. Both Houses will then adjourn for a period still to be announced, but probably for at least one or two weeks. This will allow time for induction of the large number of first-time members, who constitute approximately 60% of the total membership. Induction includes explaining of Parliamentary procedures and rules.
No announcement has yet been made of the date on which the President will open Parliament and reveal the Government’s legislative agenda.
Life of the New Parliament
Section 143(1) of the Constitution provides that: “Parliament is elected for a five-year term which runs from the date on which the President-elect is sworn in and assumes office.” President Mnangagwa assumed office on 26th August.
In the ordinary course of events, therefore:
· the new Parliament will run until midnight on the 25th August 2023; and
· the next general election will be held during the 30-day period starting on 27th July 2023 and ending on the 25th August 2023.
Apologies and Correction of Error in Bill Watch 17
This is dedicated to all the useless soldiers and generals in office and in barracks fronting themselves as if they have monopoly over mother nature’s oxygen while suppressing the great people of this country from speaking out against corruption and electoral fraud – the great singer Phil Collins tells you all in both Shona and English, “Kumagumo Kune Nyaya!, Nyangwe makuva enyu achasvipirwa chete tarirai muone zvamavakuzvipinza mazviri” WATCH VIDEO – MUIMBI COLLINS ACHIZVITAURA EGA:
She calls out to the man on the street
‘Sir, can you help me?
It’s cold and I’ve nowhere to sleep,
Is there somewhere you can tell me?’
He walks on, doesn’t look back
He pretends he can’t hear her
Starts to whistle as he crosses the street
Seems embarrassed to be there
Oh think twice, it’s another day for you and me in paradise
Oh think twice, ’cause it’s just another day for you,
You and me in paradise, think about it
She calls out to the man on the street
He can see she’s been crying
She’s got blisters on the soles of her feet
She can’t walk but she’s trying
Oh think twice, ’cause it’s another day for you and me in paradise
Oh think twice, it’s just another day for you,
You and me in paradise, think about it
PART 1 – ZimEye brings our valued readers and viewers the latest updates on the Lomagundi road (off Harare) Mercedes benz accident. [ THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY]
ZimEye is reliably told the accident 6.7 km from Westgate Shopping Centre, Harare. (SEE THE SATELLITE MAP BELOW)
The culprit at the centre of the accident is a garden boy working for a BluffHill family who stole the vehicle while the owner had travelled to Victoria Falls. LIVE SATELLITE MAP:
The suspect has worked for the Harare family for over 3 years.
On Sunday morning at around 4 am, the suspect, Zviito Katsveya (42) seized the vehicle after noticing that the owner (name withheld) had travelled to Victoria Falls on Friday.
Impeccable sources described Mr Katsveya as an on the face of it, usually reliable worker who they did not at all expect to do such a thing.
“He was a hard worker, who you would not think can do such a thing,” said one source.
In the wee hours of the morning, Katsveya allegedly stole the car keys, and drove the car out of his boss’s property – drove it over to the nearby Tom Farm, and took with him two unidentified passengers. He then drove the car away towards Chinhoyi. It is believed that he went to a place called Stapleford. Luck however ran out on him when while driving back to Harare, he lost control of the vehicle.
Evidence at the scene which ZimEye reveals suggests that Katsveya rammed into three trees before crashing onto the last one severely ripping the car’s bonnet off. Due to the impact, the petrol instantly crept out leading to also the fuel spreading all over the grass. As a result a fire broke out.
One of the passengers died at the spot while Mr Katsveya was taken to Parirenyatwa Hospital. ZimEye could not at the time of publishing establish the whereabouts of the other passenger who is believed to be at large.
THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY – REFRESH THIS PAGE FOR THE UPDATES.
– But Zimbabwe’s been allocated just $1,09 billion
– Of this amount, 800 million has already been allocated to the notorious convicted fraudster, Wicknell Chivayo.
CASH DHOLOLO…Mnangagwa with President Xi Jinping
By Simba Chikanza| ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa embarrassed himself in China when he celebrated a virtually cashless disbursement by the Chinese government.
Mnangagwa went on overdrive to celebrate Chinese President Xi Jinping’s pledge of $60 billion in so called “financing” for Africa.
VIDEO LOADING BELOW…
The state media published celebratory accolades saying, the financing includes $15 billion of grants, interest-free loans and concessionary loans, $20 billion of credit lines, the setting up of a $10 billion special fund for development financing and a $5 billion special fund for financing imports from Africa.
But it is totally empty – it is just a pledge, nothing more than that.
And assuming it was real cash – of this $60 billion pledged by China, Zimbabwe is going to get an allocation of just $1,09 billion (pro rata -55 countries in Africa).
Of this $1,09 billion, 800 million has already been allocated to the notorious convicted fraudster, Wicknell Chivayo for his “tender business.” This leaves Mnangagwa with just $200,09 million.
The Chinese president has revealed that this $200,09 million is for Chinese investments in Africa in the next three years. “The financing will be provided in the form of government assistance as well as investment and financing by (Chinese) financial institutions and companies,” President Xi said in his keynote address.
Meanwhile, learned analysts said all Mnangagwa needs to do to restore the Zim economy is re-establish investment trust. Top Canada based Credit Risk Manager, Dr. Wilson Muzorewa in a post last week said “as I am concerned before announcing billions in FDI dollars the cash crisis is the low hanging fruit.
Terrence Mawawa|The Warriors have received a huge boost as Nyasha Mushekwi is set to join camp today ahead of the 2019 AFCON Qualifier match against Congo.
The match will be played on September 9, in Brazzaville.
ZIFA had announced last week that the Chinese based striker was not available for the encounter after picking an injury.
However, Mushekwi is now in line to play his first international game since February 2017.
Alec Mudimu, Eric Chipeta and Luckymore Mkosana are also set to join others today.
Meanwhile, a training session will be conducted at 3 pm at National Sports Stadium’s B Arena.
Terrence Mawawa|CAPS United coach Lloyd Chitembwe has conceded that the Harare Giants are out of contention for the league title.
The Harare Giants are nineteen points behind log leaders FC Platinum.
Caps United are on fifth position with 39 points with ten games left.
“The league title talk is now a bit more far-fetched, we have fallen way too far behind the leading pack,” Chitembwe told The Herald.
“What we have to do now is to concentrate on collecting points. We are CAPS United, a very big institution and we ought to be competitive.”
Chitembwe also believes his charges must fight and finish the season in a good position.
“We must finish the season in a decent position, and we have to keep pushing, scoring and getting those points as we have to finish the season strongly.
“ The second half of the season is always difficult as teams will be fighting for survival, strong finishes and the title,” he added.
Terrence Mawawa| MDC Alliance deputy treasurer Charlton Hwende has urged the government to address the acute shortage of drugs as a matter of urgency.
Hwende bemoaned the fact that the poor would be most affected by the shortage of drugs.
“The acute shortage of drugs in Hospitals must be addressed urgently before we start losing lives. The poor are most affected as they don’t have access to
Chalton Hwende
money that is required to purchase these drugs at pharmacies,” tweeted Hwende.
Terrence Mawawa|MDC T deputy president Obert Gutu has castigated”those who celebrate the demise of the country’ s economy saying they are unpatriotic.
In a tweet Gutu urged Zimbabweans to be patriotic.”The South African economy is now officially in recession.As a proud and patriotic Zimbabwean,I find it totally and absolutely revolting for any
Zimbabwean to celebrate the implosion of the Zimbabwean economy. Who does
THE country’s largest cement manufacturer, PPC Zimbabwe, has said the market has no reason to engage in panic buying of cement and advised retailers to act responsibly in pricing the commodity to avoid distorting the market.
Managing director, Mr Kelibone Masiyane, said the perceived shortage was temporary and attributed this to annual maintenance works at its plants.
Responding to widespread public panic that gripped the construction industry in the past two weeks and resulted in a sharp increase in cement prices as dealers capitalised on speculation, PPC said the country had sufficient capacity to meet all domestic needs.
Mr Masiyane further noted that as the major cement producer, the firm had not increased its prices and urged dealers to exercise restraint on pricing.
“PPC wishes to inform customers and other stakeholders that the current cement shortage is temporary. The cement industry in the country has the capacity to produce over two million tonnes of cement per annum, adequate to satisfy the current market demand estimated at 1,3 million tonnes,” he said.
“With regards to escalated cement prices in the market, PPC Zimbabwe can assure customers and other stakeholders that our factory prices have not increased since April 2012 in support of the country’s developmental objectives.”
-Herald
President Emmerson Mnangagwa is set to retire long-serving Cabinet ministers and deploy them at Zanu PF headquarters — as he comes under growing pressure to dump the deadwood that worked for decades with ousted former leader Robert Mugabe.
At the same time, the ruling party also plans to adopt a modus operandi which gives it more power than the government — akin to the Chinese model.
Well-placed Zanu PF insiders told the Daily News newspaper yesterday that Mnangagwa was “definitely going to re-assign many bigwigs” to the party’s headquarters — commonly referred to as Shake Shake House in Harare street lingo — in a bid both to strengthen its administration and to also breathe new life in government.
The Chinese Community Party (CCP) has a similar model, which seems to have been lately adopted by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa.
“The changes are coming. What we are going to have is a situation whereby the old guard will go to the party and enjoy the same perks as ministers.
“What we are saying is that the party is supreme to the government and the party must therefore have the power to recall some of the ministers from government,” a senior member of the party told the Daily News.
Zanu PF secretary for legal affairs Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana said the move would in practice make the party bigger than the government.
“It is the party that seconds people to the government, and so the party is superior.
“If we were following the South African model, it would have been clearer … any political party should be superior to the government, but we must improve the conditions at the party first,” he said.
Mnangagwa began his new term as president last month following the July 30 plebiscite whose outcome was hotly-contested by opposition leader Nelson Chamisa.
The elections were the first that Zimbabwe had held without the deposed Mugabe — who resigned from office in November last year on the back of a military intervention.
They 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 earlier this year.
However, the peaceful campaigns and a camaraderie spirit that had characterised the run-up to the elections were sullied in the aftermath of the polls when deadly violence broke out in Harare’s central business district (CBD), following clashes between opposition supporters and security agents.
At least six people subsequently died when the army used live ammunition to break the ugly protests.
Following the protests, the opposition also asserted that suspected security agents had been involved in retributive exercises in which they targeted senior MDC Alliance officials and polling agents — following the insistence by Chamisa that he had in fact won the presidential election.
All this was seen by observers as harming Mnangagwa’s quest to mend years of Zimbabwe’s broken relations with key Western governments.
Against this background, political analysts told the Daily News yesterday that the country’s 75 year-old leader needed to come up with “a convincing” Cabinet to demonstrate that he was breaking with Mugabe’s ruinous past.
Piers Pigou, a senior consultant with the International Crisis Group, said Mnangagwa needed to retire the old guard and replace it with “competent individuals” who shared his vision of transforming the country.
“This would certainly address anxieties that have been percolating about the retention of deadwood, which would not inspire confidence in the implementation of Mnangagwa’s proposed reforms.
“As to whether the country will move forward with a raft of new Cabinet appointments, this depends on an array of external and internal variables, and not least, the competencies of those brought into the Executive and the teams they have supporting them,” Pigou told the Daily News.
Political analyst Maxwell Saungweme said Mnangagwa had a golden opportunity to prove that he was serious about transforming the country.
“Having young people on the driving seat of governance and development is not only the right thing to do, but also a democratic opportunity given the surging young population in Zimbabwe and other neighbouring African countries.
“The appointment of new, younger people will be a good indicator that the country is moving forward. It will inspire confidence … not only among locals, but also external investors and other countries.
“Retiring the old guard to the party is also a good move, even though it might cause rumblings and discohesion in Zanu PF. But it is the way to go,” Saungweme said.
Namibia-based scholar Admire Mare said Mnangagwa would need to overhaul the whole system and put Zimbabwe on the recovery path again if he was to perform better than Mugabe.
“Whilst change of personnel in the Cabinet is something everyone is looking forward to seeing, there is also need to look beyond faces and interrogate the system of government — including permanent secretaries, directors and ministers.
“The whole system requires significant cleansing in order to introduce confidence and trust in the public that this is indeed a “new” dispensation.
“New personnel will ultimately bring the much needed confidence and trust from the general public, which can also cascade to regional and international publics.
“Some of the old guard is so discredited to the point that they lack the political standing needed to drive the country forward. News brooms will ultimately sweep cleaner than the old guard,” Mare said.
Analysts have also said previously that while Mnangagwa was credited with presiding over arguably the most peaceful election process in post-independent Zimbabwe — he needed to extend an invitation to the opposition to join his government, a move which they said would unite the deeply-divided country.
While Zanu PF has ruled out reaching to the opposition, Mnangagwa has said he would use his “constitutional” prerogative in deciding who would form part of his next government.
Zimbabwe is in the grip of a huge economic crisis which has seen prices of basic consumer goods skyrocketing, weeks after the July 30 national elections.
Apart from price hikes, most public hospitals have run out of basic essential drugs, which government is struggling to import due to acute shortages of foreign currency.
Independent Norton legislator, Temba Mliswa has pleaded with President Emmerson Mnangagwa to reconcile people and end selective application of prosecution.
Mliswa said people who are not in politics are taking advantage of factionalism in Zanu PF, something that he says calls on Mnangagwa to extend an olive branch to all Zimbabweans.
There’s so much bitterness in Zim that my prayer is that @edmnangagwa reconciles people. People that aren’t politicians have taken advantage of factionalism in ZANUPF&an olive branch needs to be extended to all. Selective application of prosecution must stop.
By Staff Correspondent|The British government has appointed Melanie Robinson as Ambassador to the Republic of Zimbabwe starting in January 2019.
Robinson will take over from Catriona Laing who has been reassigned to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. At the moment Robinson is the executive director for the United Kingdom at the World Bank Group Washington.
She has extensive experience working for the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID).
The U.K says it would strongly support Zimbabwe’s re-entry into the Commonwealth, a 53-nation bloc of former British colonies that could bring economic benefit to the once-pariah African state.
“The U.K. would strongly support Zimbabwe’s re-entry” into the Commonwealth, a press release from the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office, former British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said at a roundtable at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London.
“The historic meeting ushers in a new era in U.K.-Zimbabwe relations and symbolizes Zimbabwe’s commitment to engaging meaningfully with the international community.”
The meeting signified the step in Zimbabwe’s attempt to reinstate its relationships with other countries, after decades of international isolation under former President Robert Mugabe.
Mugabe, who ruled the former British colony for nearly four decades, was ousted in November as part of a military coup. He was succeeded by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, formerly Mugabe’s deputy.
Mnangagwa has been trumpeting a “Zimbabwe is open for business” mantra in an attempt to resurrect the nation’s economy, which has been crippled by hyperinflation and sanctions.
Mugabe withdrew Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth in 2003 in a row over sanctions.
Staff Correspondence|The body of the late Zimbabwean Ambassador to Senegal Mrs Trudy Stevenson who died in Dakar Senegal on 24 August has been repatriated.
The body arrived at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport aboard a South African Airways flight.
It was accompanied by Mrs Stevenson’s son Dr Alex Graham Stevenson and embassy counsellor Louis Chitima.
Director Human Resources, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Mrs Petronella Nyagura and deputy director protocol and conferencing services Shepherd Gwenzi received the body.
Her son Alexander described his late mother as an exceptional person and mother.
He said she died alone watching TV and had been well until the time she died adding that news of his mother’s death came as a shock to him, her diplomatic colleagues, family and associates.
Alexander said his mother had a vast network of friends in the diplomatic corps, at the embassy and all.
He said the Minister of Health and Child Care Dr David Parirenyatwa who was in Senegal said Mrs Stevenson was a great ambassador for Zimbabwe and wanted to ensure the ties would benefit her country.
Charge d’ Affairs in the embassy said she was a hard worker and patriot of her country who always wanted to do the best in her work.
Ruling ZANU PF supporters and councillors in Chitungwiza today threatened journalists against taking pictures of protests that broke out during the dormitory town’s mayoral elections.
According to an eye witness Philemon Jambaya, trouble started when one of the four ZANU PF councillors for Chitungwiza moved a motion seeking postponement of Chitungwiza’s mayoral elections.
During the motion, the ZANU PF councillor also sought the expulsion of journalists from council chambers where the election was scheduled to take place.
The motion did not sail through as MDC Alliance councillors who make up the majority, voted against it, resulting in protests from ruling party supporters who were sitting in the council chambers.
“When journalists started taking pictures and filming the protests, a ZANU PF councillor threatened the reporters against doing so.
“ZANU PF supporters reportedly then echoed similar threats against the journalists as they shoved them in an attempt to remove them from council chambers,” said Jambaya.
He added that a pregnant journalist was also shoved and pushed during the ensuing commotion.
Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) has condemned the censorship, banning, or expulsion of journalists from public events which they said is against the letter and spirit of media freedoms as espoused in Zimbabwe’s constitution.
“MISA Zimbabwe reiterates that journalism is not a crime. Furthermore, citizens have a right to access information on government processes such as the election of mayors and other public officers,” noted MISA.
Terrence Mawawa| The MDC Alliance Youth Assembly has strongly condemned the harassment and arbitrary arrests of the main opposition party’ s leaders.
Below is the MDC Youth Assembly’ s statement:MDC Alliance Youth Assembly condemns the illegal
arrest and detention of our Youth Assembly president Happymore Chidziva .
The arrest comes at a time the ZANU PF Government led by Emmerson Mnangangwa has robbed the people of their victory.
As the youth assembly we call upon the ZRP and this unelected regime to respect the fundamental rights of citizens of Zimbabwe as enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe. We are not afraid of the ruthless
regime – which claims to have replaced Robert Mugabe.
Our rights can’t be taken away even by the barrel of the gun. We will continue to mobilize citizens for peaceful resistance.
Our youth leader is innocent!
Arnold Batirai Dube
MDC ALLIANCE YOUTH ASSEMBLY
By Paul Nyathi|The much awaited City of Bulawayo mayoral elections public meeting has failed to take place as set out.
A packed Large City Hall waited patiently for the 4pm meeting to take place only for the Town Clerk Christopher Dube to emerge an hour later declaring that the public meeting can no longer take place as the councillors refused to have the meeting in public view.
Chaotic scenes immediately erupted in the city as residents failed to understand why the meeting would not go ahead.
Meanwhile yet to be confirmed reports indicate that the councillors met in isolation and elected the mayor the results of which are still to be made public.
The mayoral election is clouded in huge tribal fights with the council divided into two camps on who the mayor will be.
Terrence Mawawa|The Ministry of Health and Child Care has dismissed claims that typhoid cases have been recorded in the city of Masvingo.
Unconfirmed reports had earlier indicated two typhoid cases were reported in Masvingo’ s populous Mucheke Suburb.
In a statement released today Provincial Medical Director (PMD) Masvingo, Dr Amadeus Shamu said:”The suspected typhoid case at Masvingo Provincial Hospital is negative so at present we don’t have typhoid cases in Masvingo.
We are still trying to verify the Chiredzi case – which the head office instructed us to ascertain.”
Terrence Mawawa| One million Zimbabweans require food aid ahead of the next harvest season, it has emerged.
The World Food Programme(WFP) has reported that there is need to put measures in place to alleviate the impending shortage of food.
The WFP’s warning follows a report by the Famine Early Warning Systems Network which has also indicated that poor families in arid areas of Zimbabwe are running out of food.
The WFP also said that $71.2 million would be needed for the planned response, with $22 million already
raised – largely from USAID.
Gweru Magistrate Charity Maphosa has set free an opposition legislator who had been arrested for allegedly inciting his MDC Alliance party supporters to commit public violence ahead of the harmonised elections held in July.
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers arrested Happymore Chidziva, the MDC Alliance party Youth Assembly leader, who is the Highfield West constituency MP-Elect, on Monday 03 September 2018 and charged him with incitement as defined in section 187 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
Prosecutors alleged that Chidziva, who is represented by Jeremiah Bamu and Brian Dube of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), encouraged his MDC Alliance party supporters during a political rally held in July 2018 in Gweru in Midlands province to protest against an unfavourable election outcome and to defend their vote if Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) rigs the election in favour of ZANU PF party.
But Chidziva was set free and granted $100 bail and ordered him to report once a fortnight at Machipisa Police Station in Harare’s Highfield suburb.
In Harare, another MDC Alliance party youth leader, Chamunorwa Madya, the Deputy Secretary-General for the MDC Alliance party Youth Assembly and Mafaiti Mubaiwa, who is employed as a security personnel at the opposition party headquarters were set to appear at Harare Magistrates Court, answering to charges of contravening section 36(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
ZRP officers, who arrested Madya and Mubaiwa on Monday 03 September 2018, accused the duo of committing public violence after they allegedly participated in a demonstration held in Harare early in August to protest ZEC’s management of the July 30 harmonised elections.
Madya and Mubaiwa, who were represented by Nontokozo Dube-Tachiona and Gugulethu Mahlangu-Simango of ZLHR, were expected to be set free on bail too.
By Terrence Mawawa| Prominent social media analyst Antony Taruvinga believes the consummation of an inclusive government can only yield results if MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa leads the whole process.
Taruvinga castigated President Emmerson Mnangagwa for attempting to use Chamisa’ s name to mend his tattered relations with the international community.
“Mnangagwa must first accept defeat and Chamisa should
be declared the outright winner as contained in the ZEC server before any engagements efforts are made.
Kana usingadi rega, tonga but we will make sure you fail dismally. The power is in the hands of the true
winner of the July election and it’s proving difficult to rig the economy. The economy is different from
producing new VR11 forms and tampering with figures.
The economy is different from manipulating ZEC and the
judges of the Concourt,” argued Taruvinga in a hard- hitting social media excerpt.
By Own Correspondent| Fire gutted a house in Mabelreign, Harare early this morning destroying property worth thousands of dollars.
Although no casualties were recorded, the fire which is suspected to have been caused by an electrical fault razed the house down and nothing was recovered from the raging inferno.
The newly appointed Mayor for Harare, His Worship Herbert Gomba visited the affected family this afternoon.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa who is currently in China attending the Forum for China-Africa Conference has sensationally claimed that his visit in the eastern economic giant will definitely bring exciting times to the people of Zimbabwe.
Mnangagwa who took to Twitter to share the news appeared in a picture with the Chinese President Xi Jinping while in other images he poses for pictures with other African head of states during the FOCAC meeting.
Representing the new Zimbabwe with pride and honour.
By Own Correspondent| Zimbabwe’s coup government is composed of stone age people whose aim is to stay in power, do nothing but squander resources and watch Zimbabwe return to barter trade, opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa has said.
Chamisa said unlike fellow African countries who are investing in modern technology and reaping benefits from the ease of doing business, Zimbabwe is lagging behind because of a leadership who want to see the country return to barter trade.
Said Chamisa:
“This is the President of Botswana, Mr. Mogwetsi Masisi enjoying the bullet train in China. The train travels at 350 km/h. Very fast.
The dream of fast modern transportation must be transformed into reality. At least for now, our neighbours are advocating for the same. We should be able to connect nation to ease movement and doing business.
Our impediment to recovery and transformation is Mnangagwa and Zanu pf who continue to cling to power despite losing the popular vote to the people of Zimbabwe.
The coup government is comprised of stone age people whose aim is to stay in power, do nothing but squander resources and watch Zimbabwe return to barter trade.
We are pursuing our stolen mandate. We will change lives and transform Zimbabwe.”
Zimbabwe’s current foreign currency crisis that has seen the United States dollar trading at 60 percent against the local bond notes on the parallel market has delivered a final blow to cement production with major suppliers PPC, Lafarge and SinoZim admitting to shortages.
“The sharp rise in demand requires that all cement manufacturers operate their plants at 100 percent capacity utilisation to satisfy the market. This is, however, not possible due to incessant plant breakdowns caused by spares shortages,” cement producers said in a joint statement released today.
“Under the current economic conditions, the industry has been facing significant challenges in procuring spare parts from foreign suppliers as access to foreign currency remains difficult.
“This has, therefore, caused delays in the turnaround time for attending to breakdowns, limiting our capacity utilisation significantly. We are appealing to relevant arms of government to assist in facilitating priority allocation of foreign currency so as to expedite procurement of the required spares and equipment,” the companies added.
“From our research, this increase in demand has been influenced by a number of factors which include the increase in capital for mortgage financing on the market as well as the need by many clients to lock financial value in property following lucrative maize and tobacco marketing season boosted by the command agriculture programme,” the cement companies say.
By Own Correspondent| President Emmerson Mnangagwa reportedly chartered a private plane from Singapore to Harare for former first lady Dr Grace Mugabe following the death of her mother Ambuya Marufu.
Grace’s mother died from an undisclosed ailment last week while her daughter was in Singapore.
Mnangagwa charted the plane to spare the former first lady the inconvenience of travelling on commercial flights.
A senior official told a local online publication that the President decided to spare the former first lady the inconvenience of scheduled flights at this difficult moment so a chartered plane was arranged for so she could return home as quickly as possible.
Jealousy Mawarire, the spokesperson for the National Patriotic Front (NPF), former President Robert Mugabe’s top ally confirmed the development on Twitter thanking President Mnangagwa for his kind gesture.
Said Mawarire on twitter:
“I want to thank President Mnangagwa and his Presidium for facilitating for the travel of former First Lady Dr Mugabe back home for the funeral of Ambuya Marufu.
Such a gesture is very much invaluable and much appreciated. May the Lord keep you, lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”
MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa has reportedly demanded the axing of Vice Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi in a list of demands he has reportedly placed before President Emmerson Mnangagwa before he could accept the latter as President.
His spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda said weekend that the opposition leader will not negotiate in public although he could not be drawn into revealing if there was any engagement between the political rivals.
However, Chamisa continues to confide in his close allies and advisers on what he wanted attended to before he could agree on a working relationship with Mnangagwa.
The new state leader has earned his mandate in a national election but is aware of the potential ruin the opposition chief and his party could cause to his rule.
Mnangagwa has publicly declared he has enough personnel within his Zanu PF party to deploy to cabinet positions but is rumoured to be keen on co-opting some opposition politicians as pressure mounts on the Zanu PF administration to finally put the country’s protracted political question to bed and allow the crisis-weary country to chat a new path.
According to one of his confidantes, Chamisa is reportedly driving a hard bargain – some bordering on the ridiculous.
“Nelson Chamisa has now set conditions after Mnangagwa proposed a GNU inclusive cabinet, which among them, is for Mnangagwa to accept defeat and declare him outright winner,” said the source, adding, “…Mnangagwa to collapse his recently set up Presidium structure which includes Vice Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi.”
The VPs took oath of office this past week following Mnangagwa’s own inauguration days before.
The source also said that Chamisa wants the country’s security structure which includes a partisan police and military top brass collapsed with fresh appointments done after consultation with the main opposition.
The opposition chief is reportedly demanding that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission be dismantled with an inquiry into the latter’s conduct in the recent elections instituted.
He wants the realignment of all electoral laws based on the country’s constitution.
“Chamisa wants all government structures to be demilitarised and retire all services chiefs who are over and above 60 years of age.
“They must also be a return to the rule of law by respecting the values of the constitution, military and police must not be biased towards a one party.
“They must be a difference between Zanu PF and the state,” said the source while referring to Chamisa’s demands.
Reached for comment Monday, Sibanda scoffed at the rumours, insisting “the president will not make demands from a loser”.
“He won the elections. So, there is no way he can do such. “He is the legitimate president,” he said.
-New Zimbabwe
Economist Gift Mugano said President Emmerson Mnangagwa can only turn around the economy if he has a lean and robust Cabinet of not more that 18 ministers, mostly technocrats.
Speaking during a Mass Public Opinion Institute discussion last Thursday, Mugano, who is the executive director of African Economic Development Strategies, said Mnangagwa must avoid appointing lawyers as Finance ministers as they were not good for the job.
“For 38 years, there was no stability in the economy because of politics, and we experienced an economic meltdown when war veterans were paid hefty packages, when Zimbabwe took part in the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the land reform and the MDC formation in 2000 which brought a lot of fighting with government.”
Mugano said Mnangagwa’s success will depend largely on the calibre of ministers that he will appoint.
“We should have a Minister of Finance who is an economist, not a lawyer because they will not understand what I am talking about.
Newsday
By Own Correspondent| MDC Alliance principal Tendai Biti has revealed that the military coup which saw the ascendancy of President elect Emmerson Mnangagwa into power has plunged the country into a militarized state.
Biti said state capture by the military coupled with a rigged election has deepened the legitimacy crisis in the country.
Said Biti:
An election which was meant to pave the return to legitimacy after the Nov coup has acutely deepened the crises of legitimacy & illegality Weighed down further by the twin challenges of militarization and state capture,the Zimbabwean State tethers on the brink.#RiggingDoesNotPay
By Own Correspondent| President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been urged to appoint an economist as Finance minister and resist the temptation of appointing a lawyer for this very important portfolio.
Economist and executive director of African Economic Development Strategies, Dr Gift Mugano said appointing lawyers as Ministers of Finance is not good for the country because they do not understand the fundamentals of economics.
Speaking at a Mass Public Opinion Institute discussion, Mugano urged President Mnangagwa to pick a finance minister from the pool of economists within Zanu Pf.
Said Mugano:
“We should have a Minister of Finance who is an economist, not a lawyer because they will not understand what I am talking about…
We were importing maize through corruption because the price of maize is $390 (a tonne) and politicians were bringing maize from Zambia without doing any farming and selling it at $390….
If you see them putting a lawyer as Finance minister, you must know that we are in trouble. There are many economists in Zanu PF and technocrats.
There is nothing magical that can be done by someone who is Finance minister, yet he did not study economics.”
Outgoing Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Patrick Chinamasa, as well as his predecessor Tendai Biti, are both lawyers.
Temba Mliswa Defends Mnangagwa’s Use
Independent Norton Member of Parliament, Temba Mliswa has dashed to the defence of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s use of a chartered flight to China’s Forum for China-Africa Co-operation (FOCAC) saying it was not prudent to send a huge plane with a few people.
Posting on his microblogging Twitter platform, Mliswa said Mnangagwa’s trip to China did not comprise of a bloated number of delegates though he was quick to,” said Mliswa.
The former Zanu PF Mashonaland West chairperson urged government to procure a Presidential jet for Mnangagwa saying it is cheaper and would not disrupt national airline schedules.
“A Presidential jet would cover the aspect of security, not be a disruption to airline schedules & be cheaper in the long term. It’s not an unnatural asset
“It’s good to note that H.E.’s trip to China didn’t comprise of an over bloated number of delegates. However we need to consider the cost benefit of sending such a huge plane with small delegations. It would be more prudent to purchase a Presidential jet for such trips,” said Mliswa.
Mnangagwa’s predecessor, Robert Mugabe was often accused of attending international conferences with a bloated delegation made up of not less than 100 people gobbling a budget of around $6 million per trip.
The new President has previously chartered a Swiss flight on his international trips, a move that has been widely criticized due to the high costs involved.
Former Dynamos president, Keni Mubaiwa’s firm, KM Auctions (Pvt) Ltd, has petitioned the High Court seeking an order to compel Dynamos Football Club (Pvt) Ltd to pay him $247 503 plus costs of suit after the football club allegedly failed to settle the debt despite signing an acknowledgement of debt agreement.
Mubaiwa’s firm issued the summons against the football club on August 30, 2018, claiming it lent Dynamos some money, supplied it with vehicles and rendered services, but the latter had failed to make good its debt, prompting the firm to approach the court for recourse.
Dynamos is yet to enter appearance to defend.
“The defendant (Dynamos) was lent monies and supplied with vehicles and rendered services by the plaintiff (KM Auctions) and its subsidiary companies. The total amount owed to the plaintiff was in the sum of $255 503, the defendant managed to pay $8 000 and the balance that now remains is $247 503,” KM Auctions said in its declaration.
“The defendant signed an acknowledged of debt dated June 7, 2018. On that basis, the defendant admits liability to the plaintiff.
“Despite demand, and the fact that the amount is now due and owing, the defendant is refusing, failing or neglecting to pay the said amount. Wherefore, the plaintiff claims from defendant payment of a sum of $247 503 being outstanding balance of money owed to the plaintiff, interest at the prescribed rate per annum from June 7, 2018 to date of payment in full and cost of suit on the level of legal practitioner and client scale.”
Mubaiwa was forced to step down as the club’s president in June this year amid pressure from supporters who called for his resignation following the team’s under-performance in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League campaign.
Staff Correspomdent|Senzeni Klassen, a sister-in-charge at Beitbridge District Hospital was recently suspend from work for allegedly making remarks on an audio that are deemed to cause negative tribal sentiments.
Klassen allegedly denigrated the Venda people of Beitbridge for voting a Zanu PF MP into power in the July 30, 2018 elections. She is said to have put Venda in low regard as compared to the Shona people.
The audio went viral on social media and some Venda people were already calling for her blood.
Media has established that Klassen was suspended on August 3 in the presence of her lawyers, Tinomuda Shoko and Obey Shava from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.
Part of the suspension letter, which was signed by the District Medical Officer Dr L. Samhere reads;
“Following allegation of an abusive audio circulating on social media, please be informed that you have been suspended from service and attendance at work or continued performance of your duties at Beitbridge District Hospital.”
By Mthuli Ncube|THERE is a lot of work to do on the economic front but what is important is to draft a very clear economic vision and strategy for the country, to create an economy that exhibits strong GDP growth over a period of 10 years which should be sustained and shared.
The real evidence in growth that is shared is in job creation and opportunities in business among other opportunities. To achieve that vision of growth which is shared and sustained and inclusive there are some steps the country would need to embark on.
The first one is to restore international credibility and image of the country in terms of its creditworthiness.
The debt problem
So, what one would do is to deal with Zimbabwe’s external debt. There’s two parts to that, firstly there is the debt that is owed to multilateral institutions such as the African Development Bank, World Bank and that needs to be dealt with first before any credit or monies can flow from these institutions.
Then after that we move to the 2nd stage, the Paris Club debt which is about $4.5 billion at least, so the bilateral institutions need to be renegotiated and restructured. We need a mechanism like what Myanmar or Yugoslavia did. That will enable credit to begin to flow into our banking sector, to our companies, to our manufacturing sector. Once this is done and the country begins to build results through these inflows, you can then be able to reintroduce a Zimbabwean dollar or whatever we call it in future.
One needs to be careful about the timeline and how it is arrived at. And then we can restore the monetary policy because there is no monetary policy. We have banking supervision as one leg of the central bank but there is no monetary policy in terms of feeding into the system so that the economy grows.
What’s also urgent, as part of the package, is to deal with the fiscus in terms of government expenditure because a budget deficit of over 10% is never a good thing, it does not look good for investors. Driving it down to at least 5% of GDP should be the target, 3% is even better and then you also correct things on the current account side. Zimbabwe has always been a deficit current account country, it’ll remain there but it shouldn’t be too large. So you change the entire macro picture and restore credibility.
The currency question
I was one of the people who were of the idea that Zimbabwe should adopt the Rand and join the Rand Monetary Union for a 7 to 10-year period. This is because South Africa accounts for 80 percent of Zimbabwe’s trade. So clearly you want a currency that is linked to your largest trading partner. But I don’t think I want to argue that now because things have moved on and we are at a new juncture.
What I would argue now is that we remove the bond notes currency because it is becoming a surrogate currency to the Zimbabwean dollar without the macroeconomic credibility to support it. The bond note currency is bad money and we know that in economics, bad money drives out good money.
It’s not surprising that the US dollar is now in short supply because people are not banking them. So the immediate course of action is to remove the bond notes and then let the US dollar become the core currency but over time we have to bring back the Zimbabwe domestic currency. That’s what will deal with liquidity issues in a big way.
The issue of domestic debt needs to be dealt with through government expenditure patterns. We have 80% of government expenditure going to wages, which is not productive. That picture needs to change to where we begin to see a bigger share going to the more productive and more investing side of government activity.
There are people who lost monies during the dollarization, that issue has not been completely resolved. We need to go back and look at it and see how best we can resolve it and restore what people lost.
Jobs, jobs, jobs
But the ultimate confidence for everyone in the streets in Zimbabwe is jobs. Once credit lines are flowing, once the financial sector is strong enough to start lending again to the manufacturing sector and the productive sector starts creating jobs, then people start to feel confidence is back. Jobs are the silver bullet in any economy.
But going forward there is also a need to look at the long-term skills development because you need to create youths who are job ready. This can be done by making some reforms in the education sector and bring in a stronger element of vocational training. There is no reason why a child who has finished ‘A’ Levels in Zimbabwe shouldn’t walk away with an artisanal skill.
Or we do a bifurcation that used to happen in the past and Switzerland still practices it.
There are also other issues like infrastructure investment. In Zimbabwe, poor investment in infrastructure and maintenance is dampening growth by as much as 3%. But also we have to innovate because we need smart infrastructure. We have to be creative about our infrastructure; more solar energy, less coal although we have to balance that with job creation, so we have to be smart about that.
The health sector as well needs attention. Why don’t we have specialist hospitals? Every other middle-class person flies to a different country for treatment for eyes or for diabetes. Those are institutions that could be built in Zimbabwe. There’s a lot of work to do at the sectoral level to support the vision of strong, sustained and shared growth.
Zimbabwean government must invite all those skilled Zimbabweans out there to come back and contribute. Some of them don’t have to come back physically: they could stay where they are and contribute through certain structures. I think that Zimbabwe can establish an international economic advisory council where you bring Zimbabweans who are out there who may not want to come back but can advise government or government institutions as to the environment out there and best practices. The different skills can help government in crafting policies and creating an environment that is good and that is really open for business by improving the cost and ease of doing business.
Promoting domestic investment
There is no reason why Zimbabwe cannot catch up with it’s compatriots like Rwanda, in terms of doing business. There is also domestic investors. Sometimes we forget about the role of direct domestic investment as opposed to FDI. DDI is also important. For example we need to create a national venture fund, funded by the banking sector and pension funds to support new and current industries and take equity right across the economic spectrum.
There was a time where there was a very successful instrument like that in the Zimbabwe market and it needs to be restored. Because at times without the counterpart domestic investors, foreign investors cannot come in because they don’t see who else is there and who has something to lose they could partner with in order to protect everyone’s interests.
There is the issue of getting strong, sustained growth on the right trajectory and move Zim to middle income status; that should be the aim and that should generate collectable and taxable revenues from across the economy.
Revenue collection systems vastly improved but the informal sector has not been part of the equation. For that I advocate that we look at technology, but I don’t think we should spend time doing that. I think the important thing to do with the informal sector is to provide the infrastructure that allows them to do what they do. If it is about electricity provision, or stores where they sell their wares make sure those are provided, special spaces are provided then we find clever ways to collect revenue from them.
I think the attitude for Zimbabwe should be to invest in understanding innovations and often central banks are too slow in investing in these technologies. But there are other countries which are moving faster. If you look at the Swiss central bank they are investing in and understanding bitcoin. One can pay for travel using bitcoin in Switzerland. So if these countries can see value in this and where it’s headed, we should also pay attention. We have innovative youngsters so the idea shouldn’t be to stop it and say don’t do this but rather the regulators should invest in catching up with them and find ways to understand it, then you regulate it because you now understand it. I would actually encourage the central bank to create a unit to try and understand cryptocurrency.
Trade with everyone!
In terms of trade deals, we should look everywhere; not East, not West. Secondly, because the relationship with the West has not been very good maybe more emphasis should be placed there now so that we restore that relationship.
For example with Brexit in the UK, I think if UK people ask me what they really need now is friends within the Commonwealth and my view is Zim must join the family of the Commonwealth and let’s have trade agreements with the UK because they also need that because of their own fractures in terms of the Brexit process.
So let’s look everywhere but again don’t ignore China because that’s where the money is. Everyone is looking to China, it’s not just us even the whole of Europe, this idea of the Chinese, of the global silk road is real and we have to make sure we don’t lose out and we should benefit as much as we can. But let’s negotiate well and fairer deals and maybe there is something to learn about the Chinese.
Why is it you go into the middle of some country in Africa where maybe you and I are not even comfortable but you find Chinese people there, they can’t even speak the local language but you find they are doing business and trading. Maybe they understand risk differently, maybe there’s something to learn.
Source: Mthuli Ncube
Professor Mthuli Ncube is a financial, economics, investment, and public policy expert. He has vast experience and worked in the private sector, public sector, academia, and international financial institutions. He is a citizen of Zimbabwe. He currently divides his time between the private sector in Switzerland and academia in the United Kingdom. He was speaking to Zhou Media.
By Own Correspondent| The Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers Association has assured consumers that the recent price increases on selected goods and services are only temporary urging the public not to panic.
Speaking to a local publication, the Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers Association president Denford Mutashu, attributed this increase to the shortage of foreign currency.
Said Mutashu:
“The public should not panic about the temporary price increases being experienced on the market on selected products.
Most manufacturers have cited shortage of foreign currency and the obtaining parallel market premiums. It will be folly to continue to think that the cash parallel market would subsist.
However, it is also worrying that while RBZ has so far done so well to allocate the 30% of the forex they retain, 70% retained by banks remains a mystery. This could go a long way in dealing with these issues.”
BULAWAYO’s newly-elected ward three councillor, Tinashe Kambarami (MDC Alliance) has been taken to court over an $11 000 debt owed to the National Railways of Zimbabwe Contributory Fund (NRZCPF).
Sometime in August 2016, the pension fund filed summons against Kambarami and Rosemary Kambarami demanding payment of an $11 300,64 debt, and the court granted the order, but the duo failed to pay up.
On August 27 this year, NRZCPF applied for Kambarami’s civil imprisonment for defying the court order.
“The Sheriff of the High Court require and direct Tinashe Kambarami and Rosemary Kambarami that you the defendants are called upon to pay the plaintiff the sum of $11 300,64 and taxed costs of $3 421,06. You are required to pay this sum by virtue of a judgment obtained against you at the High Court at Bulawayo on August 2, 2016 under which you were ordered to pay the sum of $11 300,64 interest thereon and were also ordered to pay $3 421,06 taxed costs of the case. The deputy Sheriff has attached and received $20 leaving a balance of $11 300,44,” the summons read.
NRZCPF submitted that the two should be brought before the High Court in Bulawayo to show cause why an order for their imprisonment should not be made.
“You should bring your evidence of your financial position and it will in your interest give the court evidence of your income from wages, salary or other earnings and any other income you may receive from any other sources,” the summons read.
“You are at liberty to approach the judgment creditor before the date of the hearing and make an offer of settlement of the sum due.
“Unless you pay the plaintiff the sum specified or unless the plaintiff accept the offer of settlement which you make, you must appear before the magistrate court on the date and at the time specified. If you do not do so, a writ of personal attachment may be issued against you and you may be committed to prison.”
The latest lawsuit came a few weeks after Kambarami was issued with another summons for civil imprisonment over a debt of nearly $40 000 in unpaid rentals and legal costs by the same pension fund.
Kambarami and NRZCPF entered into a lease agreement in September 2015, but he defaulted in payment of rentals resulting in his eviction and the culmination of a series of lawsuits.
In December last year, Kambarami lost some of his properties after they were attached by the Sheriff of the High Court and auctioned for failing to pay the debt.
By Own Correspondent| Secretary for Legal Affairs in Zanu Pf Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana has said that the ruling party was not happy with the recent price increases adding that government would take action to rectify the situation.
In an interview with a local daily, Mangwana said government was in the process of engaging industrialists to understand why the prices of most goods are going up.
Said Mangwana:
“We obviously are not happy if the prices are going up, we are not happy at all … it doesn’t mean that when there is no Cabinet, there is no government.
Permanent secretaries are there, ministries are there…The President appoints ministers from Members of Parliament and no single Member of Parliament has been sworn-in and they are all parliamentary-elect right now …
Zimbabweans should be patient…Obviously, government will act, but the first stance is persuasion, talk to industrialists and find out why prices are going up. We would like the process to be stable.”-Newsday.
By Own Correspondent| Self exiled former minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Professor Jonathan Moyo has described Acting President Constantino Chiwenga’s utterances that the President cannot appoint ministers until parliamentarians have been sworn in as utter nonsense.
Professor Moyo also said Chiwenga’s claims that outgoing ministers still have the mandate to hold their previous portfolios and execute ministerial duties is contempt of the law.
By Paul Nyathi|Former police officer Tafadzwa Gambiza who in the 2005 elections arrested now State President Emmerson Mnangagwa for electoral misconduct continues to make headlines after he got a reprieve over his unfair dismissal from the police force.
Emerging details from within the police indicate that Gambiza has been paid his terminal benefits dating back to 2008 when he was dismissed from the police after he refused to cast his vote in front of his superiors.
The highly controversial Gambiza rose to prominence when he arrested then Zanu PF Kwekwe parliamentary candidate, Mnangagwa together with his then election agent and now Local Government Minister July Moyo.
Gambiza arrested Moyo for allegedly contravening the Electoral Act after he had turned up at a polling station during voting putting on a ZANU PF campaign t-shirt with Mnangagwa’s face.
When Mnangagwa tried to interfere on Moyo’s arrest, Gambiza turned his handcuffs and arrested him too for obstructing the course of justice.
In the 2008 elections Gambiza refused to cast his vote in front of his superiors which led to his immediate dismissal from the police without benefits.
Since the time, Gambiza has been fighting unfair dismissal through his lawyers, Mhaka Attorneys.
Senior Assistant Commissioner Angeline Guvamombe Chief Staff Officer (Human Resource Administration) has advised Gambiza’s lawyers that their client has been accorded his terminal benefits and pay dating back to the time he was dismissed from the force after winning his case at the labour court.
“Your client is at liberty to approach the Office of his former Commanding Police Province who will issue him with a Certificate of Service as provided for in the relevant Police Standing orders,” wrote Assistant Commissioner Guvamombe.
“Copies of your client’s pay slips were issued to him during the period he was reinstated.
“After his discharge, your client may claim his terminal benefits to Pensions Office, Mukwati Building upon completing the appropriate Pension Refund Form.”
Gambiza is also remembered for raising a fraud and corruption case against former police commissioner August Chihuri.
The case, which was reported at Kwekwe Central Police Station was made before Chihuri was fired from his position.
Gambiza who himself had already been dismissed from the police at the time accused Chihuri of illegally printing fake spot fine books which were not prescribed at law and converting the money to his own use, paying his top officers and abusing his position for self-enrichment.
In his papers against Chihuri, Gambiza said he was aware that the matter had Cabinet approval and was debated in Parliament, but this did not make it law and Chihuri, as a law enforcer, was supposed to be competent enough not to implement illegal decisions.
ZANU PF has effectively dashed people’s hopes on the possibility of forming an inclusive government by shutting its doors on any negotiations in the face of a crippling economy, dilapidated public infrastructure and low investor confidence among other factors that have negatively affected the country.
The majority of Zimbabweans and interested stakeholders have been calling for a government of national unity (GNU), describing it as the best foot forward to rebuild the economy.
Although Zanu PF has the majority in Parliament and won the disputed presidency, most people thought it would be ideal to join forces and rescue the country from the doldrums.
But like in November last year during the fall of former President Robert Mugabe when the majority marched on the streets of Harare and other towns in solidarity with the military intervention that deposed Mugabe, Zanu PF unexpectedly dashed people’s hopes by claiming the transition had nothing to do with anyone outside Zanu PF.
In an interview yesterday, the party’s secretary for administration Obert Mpofu said from his point of view, no such an arrangement was in place.
“I don’t think there is such an arrangement and I am not aware of any such arrangement, perhaps it’s still coming to our attention, but I am not aware of such,” Mpofu said.
“There has never been such a discussion unless if it is beyond my level, but as far as I am concerned, there is not such an arrangement. As far as the party is concerned, there is no such an arrangement.”
Asked if there was any possibility of Zanu PF entertaining such in future, Mpofu said in the slightest chances the negotiations would be done in a manner that was systematic and procedural, and not through speculation.
This came as foreign currency parallel market rates were galloping by the day and prices of basic commodities have shot up.
SEVENTY-EIGHT Victoria Falls female protesters were yesterday arrested after they defied a police ban and stormed council offices demanding accountability for the money they contributed over the past 18 years towards purchase of residential stands.
The residents claimed they paid the money through their various housing co-operatives. The stands were serviced by CBZ, before council last week gave them until end of last month to pay between $2 000 and $3 000 or risk forfeiture of their stands.
One of the co-operatives comprising of 408 members, mainly widows, said they had decided to picket council offices for fear of losing their stands.
The land in dispute is under BC847 Scheme.
Widows Sithembikosi Tshuma (50) and Pretty Mhlanga (49) said they had been paying $10 monthly since 2000.
“We formed a co-operative in 2000 where we were 206 since we had been on the waiting list and with council; we agreed to pay $10 per month. In 2008, we were called for vetting and what brings us here is that since that year, council has never come back to us.
“We were told to pay $410 each in 2014 and they went quiet again until this year when they suddenly told us that we need to pay 30% for the land under CBZ. Right now we are only left with 24 members as many have died, while some relocated and their funds have not been reimbursed. My husband died while we were still trying to acquire land and raising $3 000 on top for 200 square metres is too much for me,” Tshuma said.
Mhlanga added: “After government ordered that our houses be destroyed at Kinshasa [during operation Murambatsvina], we also formed a cooperative where we paid $10 to service BC847 land and put sewer and water pipes and they went quiet until few months ago when we were instructed that we now fell under CBZ and we needed to top up 30% for us to qualify.
“They [council] called us on Friday to tell us that they are repossessing the stands and they could not listen to our pleas. We did not aim to demonstrate, we had gone there to plead as widows, but instead they sent police and dogs to march us out.
“Police officers stormed the place in an open vehicle and harshly instructed us to leave the place. We politely asked them where to go and they said to police and they followed us with their three dogs and all armed with batons and made us to sit in the sun and up to now, no one has addressed us.”
Vice-chairperson of the housing consortium Charles Ncube said council was refusing to release the figures.
“They don’t want to tell us how much has been paid for all those years. On the table, they want $725 000, that is 30% from us. The town treasurer said they needed to consult their lawyer who would advise whether to release figures or not, but now that is a problem because when we go to the table, we don’t know how much we have paid against that 30%. They are demanding that each individual produces receipts beginning 2000,” Ncube said.
Ncube claimed that he had been threatened with arrest over the issue.
“We are Zimbabweans and we are treated differently. They decided for us and put a poster to say they are repossessing stands of every beneficiary. The money is too much because the scheme comprises of ordinary vegetable and curio vendors, mainly widows. We applied for a meeting at police on Sunday to be addressed by town clerk and housing director and they did not grant us, but instead they have been calling us all night, demanding that we surrender ourselves to police on allegations of inciting violence. We did not sleep home because they were threatening us, I have all the proof,” Ncube said.
Efforts to get a comment from council officials were fruitless as they were said to be in a closed-door meeting with police officials.
The consortium chair, Dimus Chimhunda, advised residents that council had proposed to meet with individual residents to have them present their grievances.
Council in 2016 entered into a $12 million deal with CBZ to fully service 1300 stands and only a few residents have managed to pay the deposit for the stands, which cost up to $32 000.
South Africa-based political analyst Philani Zamchiya has warned President Emmerson Mnangagwa to guard against manipulation by Zanu PF hardliners bent on derailing his economic recovery plans.
Speaking during a post-election discussion organised by Mass Public Opinion Institute in Harare last Thursday, Zamchiya said, “There are contradictions within the ruling party – not everything is rosy, and, therefore, hardliners within Zanu PF must not dictate the way forward if there is to be economic recovery.”
“If they do so, the financial sustainability of Zanu PF will be difficult and demonstrations will derail economic recovery,” he said.
Zamchiya said the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) cannot be trusted with running the country’s elections as there were many discrepancies that happened during the July 30 elections.
“The integrity of Zec as a post-mortem comes under spotlight because it has difficult to say, if Mnangagwa won, then by how many votes? Chief Justice Luke Malaba said what was important was to get 50 plus one vote, which means that Zec must be thorough because you need that one vote to win and you might miss it.”
Zamchiya said what baffled him most about the Mnangagwa win was that whenever Zec made an error in their figures, it was always in favour of Mnangagwa.
“If there was an error, why not give another candidate some votes, why always favour one candidate with votes?” he queried.
MDC Alliance’s Goromonzi South youth chairperson Davison Chamisa yesterday appeared before Marondera magistrate Arnold Maburo answering to two counts of political violence after he allegedly threatened to destroy a Zanu PF official’s homestead before forcing another person to chant the opposition party’s slogan.
Chamisa (37), a Ruwa Local Board municipal cop denied the charge of threatening to burn Zanu PF Rusike district chairperson Norest Maziya’s homestead during campaigns.
He also denied allegations of forcing villager Peter Madakudya to chant an MDC slogan. The matter will be finalised tomorrow.
According to court papers, on June 23, Maziya was allegedly seated at his homestead in Rusike village when the accused person who was leading a group of MDC Alliance youths approached singing and chanting party slogans.
As they passed the homestead, Chamisa allegedly threatened to burn Maziya’s homestead.
On the same day, the group allegedly stormed Madakudya’s home and forced the complainant to chant the MDC slogan. Lee Gada represented the State.
By Paul Nyathi|President Emmerson Mnangagwa has set Tuesday next week as the day on which the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Senate President and their deputies will be elected.
In a statement yesterday, Parliament said the Head of State and Government had set Tuesday next week as the day on which presiding officers would be elected.
“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 thirty 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.”
The election of presiding officers will be preceded by swearing-in of Members of Parliament to take place on Wednesday. Both events will be presided over by the Clerk of Parliament, Kennedy Chokuda.
Advocate Jacob Mudenda has been Speaker of the National Assembly in the Eighth Parliament, deputised by Marble Chinomona, while Edna Madzongwe was President of the Senate, with Chen Chimutengwende as her deputy.
its time for @nelsonchamisa to come out. A good rally to tell the country what the junta has accomplished so far i.e fuel shortage, chicken shortage, cement shortage, currency shortage, new robot in Chi town. In the voice of @Welshman_Ncube "Chamisa chiuya uzotaura nevanhu…."
— 'President' – Nelson Chamisa Documentary (@DirectorCamilla) September 4, 2018
By Paul Nyathi|The Confederation Of Zimbabwe Industries CZI, claims that coincidental technical faults at the country’s largest cement makers PPC Zimbabwe and Larfarge are behind the on going shortage of the commodity on the market.
In a real desperate effort to cover up for the shortage which manufactures blamed on the lack of foreign currency to purchase other raw materials from outside the country, Sifelani Jabangwe, president of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI), an umbrella body for the manufacturing sector in the country, claimed that technical failures were the reason behind the shortage of the cement.
“The shortage of cement could be due to the fact that coincidentally there has been a technical fault at both PPC Ltd and Lafarge,” he told state media.
While PPC Zimbabwe managing director Kelibone Masiyane could not immediately substantiate Jabangwe’s claims, Gweru-based Sino-Zimbabwe Cement said their operations were normal. Its sales and marketing manager, Mr Ibiam Sengwe, said they were producing at 100 percent capacity, which translates to 1 000 tonnes per day.
“We are doing exceptionally well. We are offering unhindered service to our customers. Every type of our cement is available on the market and our production is good,” he said.
The temporary shortage of cement has greatly upset the construction sector and shocked the market at large. The few outlets that have the product are reportedly selling it at double the original price. Most hardware stores that normally sell cement have run out of stock, while prices had increased to between $15 and $20 a bag compared to the recommended retail prices averaging $11.50 for PC and $10 for masonry.
The country has a demand of about 1,3 million tonnes of cement annually and local producers have a combined capacity of producing around 1,6 million tonnes per year.
She calls out to the man on the street
‘Sir, can you help me?
It’s cold and I’ve nowhere to sleep,
Is there somewhere you can tell me?’
He walks on, doesn’t look back
He pretends he can’t hear her
Starts to whistle as he crosses the street
Seems embarrassed to be there
Oh think twice, it’s another day for you and me in paradise
Oh think twice, ’cause it’s just another day for you,
You and me in paradise, think about it
She calls out to the man on the street
He can see she’s been crying
She’s got blisters on the soles of her feet
She can’t walk but she’s trying
Oh think twice, ’cause it’s another day for you and me in paradise
Oh think twice, it’s just another day for you,
You and me in paradise, think about it
By Ndaba Nhuku| Over the years l have met and become friends to many people from all over the world via social media esp Facebook. My political analysis, and commentary in various subjects has made me engage with people of various backgrounds and nationalities. I remember one day getting a message from someone writing a thesis about African land repossession. I was surprised as l am not expert on the subject. He had to tell me about coming across long forgotten article l had written about land being sold to foreigners by our govts. At some point l wrote about that beautiful and world renowned Cecil the Lion. There began a long journey of friendship with a fellow Zimababwean sister, Dr Nobuhle Ndlovu who got capped yesterday at the University of UN in Japan. She loves environmental issues the way some of us love our food and politics. Her PhD thesis was entitled, ” Vulnerability to climate and socioeconomic changes to small scale fisheries in Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe.”
Dr Nobuhle is now one of the numerous educated professional Zimbabweans abroad who graduated from renowned universities, but may feel there is no room for personal and professional improvement in their country because of the current suffocating system run on political basis. These Zimbabweans remain committed to serving their nation in a positively conducive environment.
Anyway back to Dr Nobuhle. Prior to her PhD studies in Japan Dr Nobuhle completed her first degree in Biological Sciences at the Midlands State University. She joined National Parks as an Ecologist. She took a study leave to pursue a Masters in Integrated Water Resources Management under the WaterNet SADC Programme at the University of Zimbabwe and Harry Openiener Okavango Research Centre of the University of Botswana. Also before taking up her PhD in Japan, she worked with World Vision Zimbabwe and FAO Southern Africa on Govt Secondment
Dr Ndlovu’s story is indeed inspirational to many young people. Her journey was not easy and certainly arduous for a lady applying for a PhD program to a global university that takes a very limited number of students per year. She got a scholarship, and emphasises that “Access to Internet is important when applying for scholarships.” Working at Zim national parks, she was looking for a PhD scholarship in a relevant area of her career till she came across the UN program. She applied to United Nations University and successfully beat thousands othere applicants.
The university only takes about 10 students per year, 7 Masters, 3 PhD students. She got the Japan Foundation for the United Nations University Scholarship which supports students from developing countries. She was in the in the SDG era (2015-2030), offering the Sustainability Science Programme which focuses on Global changes and resilience, sustainable societies and ecosystem services. There are other UNU institutions in other countries that focus on other global issues, but the headquarters is in Tokyo, Japan
The UNU subjects or courses mainly focus on the UN activities, because the university is the the think-tank of the UN.
So those of you interested must use internet for good results and not only abusing us when we discuss socioeconomic issues!! Go on the Internet and apply, bearing in mind it’s highly competitive and you need all the best help you can get to make your application stand out.
As Dr Ndlovu leaves her university, she is happy that a fellow Zimbabwean has taken her place in the PhD program!! So young people, it’s not beyond you, it can be done! Her achievement fits well into our national and continental needs as we daily read about environmental and ecological problems. And also remember that 2000-2015 was the millennium development goals era. Now 2015-2030 is the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) era, so a PhD in Sustainability will help Zim and Africa in implementing SDGs
By Paul Nyathi|A huge tribal storm is brewing in Bulawayo as the city prepares for the election of the mayor and his deputy on Tuesday afternoon.
The all opposition MDC Alliance councillors have been guided by the party to elect Ward 12 councillor Solomon Mguni as city mayor but councillors are set to defy the arrangement alleging the party leadership has no say in the choosing of the city’s first resident, it has been learnt.
In a party caucus held last week with the councillors, the party also ordered the councillors to elect ward 1 councillor Mlandu Ncube as the Deputy Mayor.
Party source close to the councillors told ZimEye.com that the decision by the party has divided the council on tribal grounds as some councillors claim that the two are being imposed on them to avoid having a person of Shona orientation as the mayor or deputy mayor in Bulawayo.
The 29 member council is divided into two factions with 17 of the councillors being of Shona orientation while 12 are of Ndebele orientation.
Besides the party efforts to have an only Ndebele people at the helm of the city, the other 11 Ndebele councillors are against councillor Mguni being elected as the Mayor preferring instead Ward 26 councillor, Norman Hlabano and Mguni as his deputy.
According to the highly placed sources, the councillors said to be of Shona orientation are moving to accept the party arrangement to have Mguni elected as mayor but on condition that one of their own, that is Ward 3 Councillor Tinashe Kambarami, is elected as Deputy Mayor.
The stand off has apparently been leaked to the residents of the city and has attracted huge interest from members of the radical pressure group turned political party, Mthwakazi Republic Party who have vowed to make sure that Kambarami is not elected as the Deputy Mayor of the city.
The group has mobilised residents of the city to attend the council meeting which has since been moved from the council committee room to the Large City Hall to accommodate the huge number of residents expected to attend the meeting.
Bulawayo Town Clerk Christopher Dube confirmed that the local authority will conduct the process at the Large City Hall deviating from the norm where it’s done privately at the Committee Room.
“Bulawayo residents want to know what is happening and in promoting transparency, we have resolved to have the meeting at the Large City Hall.
“Normally this should be a Special Full Council meeting which is held not even at the Council Chambers but at the Committee Room in closed doors. But because we want this to be transparent we will allow everyone to come in,” said Mr Dube.
He said the municipality considered that the Council Chambers will be too small to accommodate residents as evidenced by the scores who turned out last Friday at the swearing in ceremony of the councillors.
“We considered that if we hold it at the Council Chambers other people will not be accommodated like what happened during the swearing in ceremony. So we’re going to be conducting the ceremony at the Large City Hall.”
Dube said police will be there to maintain peace during the process.
“And police have confirmed their presence. We want to barricade some areas to ensure that residents do not access a certain area so that they will not interfere with proceedings,” he said.
“We want the process to be done without any disturbance so councillors should be in a position to elect the mayor and deputy mayor of their choice.”
Bulawayo police spokesperson Chief Inspector Precious Simango urged residents to abide by the law during the election process.
“We are appealing to Bulawayo residents to follow the proceedings without any interference. Police will be out to maintain peace.
“However, they will arrest anyone who will breach the law. They should also respect police officers who will be deployed on duty,” said Insp Simango.
By Paul Nyathi|The newly elected members of the National Assembly and Senate will be sworn in on Wednesday to kick start work of the ninth parliament of Zimbabwe.
Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda has indicated that all necessary logistics for the swearing in ceremony have been made and a notice of the swearing in given in accordance with Section 128(1) of the Constitution.
“Parliament is geared for the swearing in of Members of the Ninth Parliament on Wednesday September 5 as required by Section 128 (1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
The swearing in will done starting with the National Assembly at 10:00am and the Senate at 1430,” he said.
“Seeing that we have 270 members in the National Assembly the swearing in will done in batches of 10 MPs to expedite the process. Accommodation for members from outside Harare will be at the usual hotels that we have an arrangement with.”
Twelve villagers from Mangwe District have been arrested for allegedly beating up a man to death after accusing him of stealing from a homestead within their community.
Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the incident which occurred on Saturday in Mayobodo area.
He said the gang detained Misheck Ncube for about four hours and during the process severely assaulted him with whips.
“I can confirm that we are investigating a case of murder where 12 people from Mayobodo area ganged up and beat up Misheck Ncube after accusing him of stealing. They detained him for about four hours and beat him up with whips until he bled from the mouth and head.
“They then took him to the village head who ordered them to rush him to the clinic as he was seriously injured. Ncube was taken to Mambale Clinic for treatment where he died two hours later from injuries sustained during the assault. We have arrested 12 suspects and they are assisting police with investigations. They are expected to appear in court facing a murder charge,” he said.
Chief Insp Ndebele urged members of the public to desist from taking the law into their own hands. He said community members must surrender suspects to the police upon apprehending them.
A source who preferred anonymity said Ncube was beaten up after being accused of stealing property that belonged to a villager who works in South Africa.
“ Joshua Dube was assigned by his nephew to watch over his property and homestead as he works in South Africa. When Dube went to check on the house on Saturday morning he realised that some property namely clothes and some appliances were missing,” said the source.
“He noticed some shoe prints around the homestead and he notified 11 other villagers. They teamed up and followed the shoe prints which led them to Ncube’s homestead. They confronted Ncube and accused him of stealing the property which resulted in the assault.” – state media
A shortage of chicken caused the closure of Chicken Inn outlets in Bulawayo yesterday afternoon.
Scores of customers at the popular fast food outlet were left stranded by the shutdown.
A snap survey by The Chronicle showed that Chicken Inn outlets in the central business district closed as early as 3PM.
Mr Warren Meares, a senior official at Chicken Inn, said there was a countrywide shortage of chicken that had affected their supplier.
“We need about 20 000 chickens a day, therefore there is a shortage of chickens countrywide which has affected all Chicken Inn outlets in Bulawayo, forcing them to temporarily shut down. This has also affected Chicken Inn outlets nationwide,’’ said Mr Meares.
Many people in Bulawayo were shocked when they were told there was no chicken in stock.
According to Mr Meares, a truck is enroute to Bulawayo to bring chickens and everything will be back to normal today.
“A truck is on its way to the city carrying the stock and as of tomorrow things will be back to normal,’’ said Mr Meares.
“So far we had only one supplier and we are currently engaging new suppliers who will also provide us with chickens,’’ he added.
Chicken Inn is popular in the country with their “Munchie Mondays” specials where if one buys two pieces of chicken and chips, they will get an extra piece of chicken for free.
Disappointed Chicken Inn customers said they were “shattered” to miss out on their Munchie Mondays special yesterday .
“I can’t see myself buying chicken from other outlets. I just hope they will fix the situation soon,’’ said Mr Lulekani Mzaca, one of the customers.
“I love Munchie Mondays. Today I was disappointed to find Chicken Inn closed, I hope things will be okay soon,” said Ms Natasha Moyo.
John MangudyaTHE RESERVE Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor Dr John Mangudya has assured the nation that there is no fuel crisis, as the central bank allocated enough foreign currency to suppliers.
Dr Mangudya, who is in China on State business, told Chronicle in an interview that queues that characterised filling stations in most parts of the country yesterday could have been a result of logistical challenges.
“There cannot be a crisis because we allocated enough fuel for the week,” he said. “Since I am not around, I can only assume that suppliers may have had logistical challenges collecting fuel from Msasa Depot (in Harare) for them to distribute countrywide.”
Dr Mangudya promised to check on the situation. He said RBZ allocates $20 million foreign currency for fuel per week on Mondays or Tuesdays.
Government doubled foreign currency allocation to fuel suppliers from $10 million to $20 million per week in May this year, to ensure constant supplies.
However, yesterday morning motorists in some parts of the country woke up to long winding queues at fuel garages, while some outlets had no supplies at all.
A survey by our Bulawayo Bureau showed that only diesel was available at some outlets, while unscrupulous black market dealers had hiked prices, taking advantage of shortages at the pump.
In Binga, diesel was delivered to some garages on Sunday, while fuel attendants said they were expecting petrol on Thursday.
In Victoria Falls, motorists were caught unawares and queued at CMED garage in the morning as other outlets were yet to receive supplies.
Total garage was only selling to those with their pre-paid cards and cash, resulting in motorists flocking to the CMED garage.
At Petrotrade, motorists were being told to check by end of day yesterday.
Parallel market dealers who sell fuel in containers at street corners were selling 5-litres for as high as $10, about $3 more than the pump price.
“I’m left with less than a quarter tank of fuel and I can’t continue carrying clients,” said a taxi driver Mr Oliver Mungezi in Victoria Falls.
“I will have to join the queue until I get some fuel because I might get stuck with clients. What it means is that we have lost business this morning.”
In Hwange, some of the garages were also without fuel, while in Bulawayo long queues were also witnessed in the morning.-state media
The majority of more than 2300 Zimbabweans have declared that the environment and tourism minister Oppah Muchinguri is stealing endangered white rhinos and selling them off to foreign Nations. The below were the results from the poll whose accuracy was maintained by a strict IP filter that ensures that only distinct human beings vote:
Oppah Muchinguri
DOES THIS MAKE SENSE? – Zim Has Less Than 50 White-Rhinos And Muchinguri Says She's Donating 10 Beasts To DRC
Ten armed robbers pounced on an ice-cream distribution company in Bulawayo and got away with more than $8 300 in the early hours of yesterday after tying up two security guards and three other employees at the premises.
The machete and iron bar-wielding robbers raided Great Flavours Enterprises in Kelvin North and assaulted two security guards and some employees before breaking a locker containing the cash.
The suspects disappeared into the darkness soon after committing the crime and they are still at large.
Bulawayo police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Precious Simango, confirmed the incident saying investigations were underway.
She said the armed robbers made off with more than $8 300 and six cellphones all valued at about $600.
“We’re investigating a robbery case which occurred just after midnight. 10 unidentified robbers wielding machetes and iron bars, pounced on employees at an ice-cream company and robbed them of more than $8 200 and six cellphones.
“They assaulted them with iron bars while they searched them, demanding cash and valuables. In the process, they took away their cellphones worth $600 and a total of $120 cash that was in their pockets. They tied up the five men, proceeded to ransack the place and broke a locker that contained cash amounting to $8 228,” she said.
Chief Insp Simango appealed to members of the public who may have information that may lead to the arrest of the 10 suspects to notify the police.
“We are appealing to anyone who may have information leading to the arrest of the suspects to contact their nearest police station,” she said.
Chief Insp Simango also warned members of the public to desist from keeping large sums of money as this may attract thieves who may injure or kill them.
“People should learn to bank their money to avoid unnecessary cases of robberies. Sometimes such incidents result in loss of lives and injuries,” she said.
Two weeks ago, four masked armed robbers allegedly stormed a house in Bulawayo’s Gwabalanda suburb and got away with more than $18 000 raised from selling a house.
The assailants, armed with hammers, knives and an iron bar, allegedly raided the couple at their home, torturing the husband as they demanded cash from him while the others ransacked the house.
The man allegedly gave them information about where he had stashed the money after the gang stabbed him multiple times and hit him with a hammer on both hands.
Sources said the suspects broke an iron padlock and forced open a security door at the kitchen to gain entry into the house.
During that same week, two people were attacked with bricks before they were robbed of P800, US$200, $11 bond and a cellphone by unidentified robbers in Bulawayo.
The two were attacked as they walked to board kombis to Pumula South suburb from Old Lobengula suburb along Old Mazwi Road towards Masiyephambili Drive.
No arrests have been made.
– state mediq
State Media – Emmerson Mnangagwa has not delayed the appointing of new ministers as the law requires that those who make it in the new Cabinet should first take oath as Members of Parliament, his deputy Constantino Chiwenga said yesterday.
Chiwenga said this in Kanyemba during a briefing before holding a development strategic meeting.
He said he was compelled to make the clarification following a litany of falsehoods regarding the appointment of the new Cabinet.
Some faceless social media characters last week went into overdrive, fabricating stories insinuating that there had been tussles on the appointment of new ministers between President Mnangagwa and his deputy Chiwenga.
“The Government is being set up and I was hearing even from some who do not know the law saying it has been delayed,” said Acting President Chiwenga.
“The President cannot set a new Cabinet before MPs are sworn in.
“It is so simple, but you see some writing useless things and we say just leave them like that. Kuda kungotsvaga nyaya yekutaura chete.
“Kana dare ragadzwa neParliament ndomunozosarudzwa maMinisters. Asi iko zvino tinavo nekuti vachiripo. Ndangoti ndingotsanangura ipapo vamwe vanoti zvino zvanonokerei. (The people who are writing those things have nothing important to say. It is only after MPs are sworn in that the President can appoint a Cabinet. But for now we still have ministers. I felt I had to explain that).
“Government has three arms that is the Executive, Judiciary and Legislature.Hapana anoita basa risiri rake. Umwe neumwe ane basa rake. (There is separation of powers).”
The newly elected National Assembly members and senators will take their oath of office tomorrow.
Last week, the two Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi took oaths of office at State House before Chief Justice Luke Malaba.
Chiwenga, who was accompanied by several Cabinet Ministers most of whom are serving Zanu-PF Politburo members, said his visit to Kanyemba was aimed at steering development in the area.
He said his visit to the area followed similar trips by the First Lady Auxilia Mnangagwa, who was also undertaking developmental projects.
Acting President Chiwenga said Government was augmenting Mnangagwa’s work in Kanyemba at a larger scale.
“The reason why we have come here is to see how we can develop this area. The development that we want to do here should also benefit the country at large.
“Let us unite as a community and work together to develop our country. There are lot of things that we want to do here.
“Once we have finished some of the projects we want here, there will be quite a lot of development, especially in agriculture.
“ The people here are going to benefit a lot. At least 200 hectares of land should be under irrigation using centre pivots.”
Chiwenga later addressed Zanu-PF supporters at Kanyemba Business Centre.
In his address, he said time for politicking was over. “Campaigning can take time, but voting is just one day,” he said.
“All that is now behind us and we should now focus on delivering what we promised during the campaign period.”
Chiwenga donated 60 tonnes of maize to the Kanyemba community.
He said he had been sent by President Mnangagwa to deliver the grain.-state media
NOMAZULU-THATA-FIREBy Nomazulu Thata | This is the strong message that President Ramaphosa of South Africa gave to the women of South Africa who demonstrated at the Union buildings on the 2nd of August 2018, commemorating the past event of thousands of women who protested on the 9th of August 1956 protesting against the extension of Pass Laws to women. This was a historic match, a turning point in the role of women in the struggle for freedom and independence of South Africa. A “no” is a “no” he said. “Your bodies are your own; no man is entitled to your bodies even if you are married and not! This causes me to hang my head in absolute shame, because this is not the way South African men should behave.” Do some Zimbabwean men know this wisdom? Do some men in the Sub-Sahara continent know this wisdom?
A “NO” is a “NO” Some Zimbabwean men do not know this simple sentence to this date: it’s not the South African men only who are illiterate in knowing that to demand sex on a woman without her consent is criminal: it is rape per se. They think and feel they are entitled to the bodies of women to do whatever they want with it. Women and girls are beaten sometimes severely; in some causing death. These are such barbarities on a woman’s life in our societies: the man will claim that he has the right to do so: to rape and to beat to kill female dependents.
There are situations where small children and babies are raped in South Africa and in Zimbabwe too: they are raped to cure HIV/AIDS. When we are told Zimbabwe has the highest literacy in Africa, men would know that it is a myth to cure HIV/AIDS by sexual intercourse with virgins!
“We should behave with respect‚ with honour‚ and should appreciate and celebrate you as women and mothers. You bring life into this world. I was brought into this world by the women of our country and it is important for us as men to give that respect to you. And this is the message that I as president will be spreading over and over, said Ramaphosa.
Bonnie Sebele from Botswana said: “Women in many African countries still suffer a lot of discrimination and much still a lot has to be done. If it were possible I would say educate all the men and teach them that whilst men and women are physiologically distinct, mentally and otherwise women are just as capable as men and should be entitled to the same privileges .I am happy at least that in my country girls have equal access to education, health and many other aspects of life. Things are not perfect yet, but life could be far worse.”
The focus of my treatise is about men at home and in the Diaspora: men we see and interact within political conferences and social media. I have known men who are extraordinary sensitive in their approach to women, kind, respectful, welcoming and very much accommodating towards their spouses’ and girl-children. I have seen men who think a woman is just the last pieces of dirt, to be use and abuse as they wish, curiously some women tolerate this for some reason I really do not comprehend: is it twisted our upbringing?
Men, especially from home Zimbabwe and in the Diaspora portray some godlike images of themselves. A Zimbabwean man has an exaggerated sense of entitlement towards his wife, girl-children and women in his surroundings. Some friend of mine in Namibia said: they sincerely believe in their own world, therefore, they think they rule the world. These men make war and make peace; they build and destroy without shame: she said.
The expectations of women are hilarious, to say the least; I am talking about men/woman relationship at home and in the Diaspora: Women are expected to work full time in their respective workplaces, when they come home they clean homes, cook, raise babies and after all this hard work, and above all: they provide sex on demand from their husbands and partners. If the man wanted sex that moment he has to get it and will get it. Instead of being thankful for all this gesture of feminine attribute, the men will make yet another home elsewhere with single- women “mvhana” (mvhana is a woman who got a child out of wedlock) who will not demand much financially because she will be working equally. (“Small- houses,” they call them in Zimbabwe: is a woman who allows herself to cushion a married man for sexual purposes)
The world of a man at home and in the Diaspora is a world full of contradictions: much as these men want good functional homes, it is not enough for them: his African gene make-up will tell him to even seek more than he has, yet another sex-partner where he will steal out for a good time without the knowledge of the home set-up. Small houses are the “hot-spots” for cruel and insensitive men, be it in at home or in the Diaspora. Small houses are clandestine set-ups to quench African men’s overly desire for sexual intercourse. It is those places where sexual intercourse is done differently from their wife: crude and unconventional-sex shop kind of sexual intercourse.
It is common knowledge that in the UK especially, men have three to six small houses, he will not be employed but s somehow from the many “small houses” he has: oh yes these twisted women do give them money and fuel for the car expenses he will be traveling with, a car that will have been be purchased by his wife. So many men in the Diaspora live in a bubble and therefore adamantly self-centered in their approach to women generally. The sun, the entire universe revolves around some twisted Zimbabwean men.
African men: I will limit myself to the men I know, Zimbabwean men, are quick to lie and cheat and bamboozle their spouses. It is in their gene make-up to cheat on their wives and equally cheating too to their “small houses” literally reducing women to sex mules. The entire upbringing is to be the better gender of overly demanding to prove sexual might than a woman, they respect no women, (and curiously it is those women: their mothers who brought them up that way. Men do not bring up children but women.) A Zimbabwean man does not have respect for a woman and they do not recognize the fact women are equal to men. Even in the Diaspora itself, and with all the trappings of civilization around them, they still want to score what is in their gene make-up, to have more than one woman: then life becomes exiting!!
What do men do, they financially are dependent on women; depend on the dignity of the home, with several “small house” connections, doted around the UK. A woman who can endure this is a “good woman,” a well brought up woman indeed, pun intended. It’s those family values imparted in her from childhood, to uphold the family values, which is not bad values at all. It is when women do not question this primordial narrative in men that is disturbing. This indeed sounds nasty, feministic and even hideous but it is a fact of life at home and in the Diaspora. To encounter such a man in your life can easily drive one to a mental state of despair that is if you are normal in your mental faculties.
Ramaphosa said: “As the president of our country I do have deep respect for the women of our country and take my time to listen to the issues that are raised by the women of our country‚,” he said” We feel the pain that you feel. I feel it very deeply. I also feel the hurt and the anger that you feel.”
Day-in-day-out men have for years been abusive and disrespecting women in situations beyond comprehensions: lording on women and crushing their rights and dignity in the process. From London to New Castle back to Birmingham, turn around to South-end-on-Sea and Luton, Zimbabwean men have “small houses” raising illegitimate children: In their convenience, they come and go as they wish, that is life for a “true” Zimbabwean man in the Diaspora: it is beyond anybody’s wit how wives cope with deceit of that magnitude: what a mockery of life!
The #ME Too movement will spark in Zimbabwe in as much as it has manifested itself in different corners of the globe. I am coming back to my own encounters with men at home and in the Diaspora. I am a single woman, “mvhana yeku Diaspora” they will want to call me, wholly involved in the political developments of my dearly loved country: Zimbabwe. Indeed Zimbabwe’s moral values are a mockery of decency because I am deeply concerned about married men who seek to make me some “small house” in Germany. It would appear as if it was not enough bitter experience with some twisted professor of NUST in Bulawayo, my hometown: something that I highlighted in my previous articles in January this year, surely that experience was fun, pun intended
We as single women always encounter men that lack moral sensibility when it comes to single women. These are the men who think a single woman, it does not matter what age, is for take. Excessive personal greed and complete disregard for a woman is now the order of the day. It is just inconceivable to be repelling young BOYS in the Diaspora for their sex advances at us women at our age. To say NO is to invite insults, scorn, and ridicule that are unprintable. To say yes you have proven beyond doubt you are cheap, frustrated and you indeed missing “something.”
Just by being in the Diaspora for so long a time makes Zimbabwean men think we are loose women: Why are we not married? Diaspora life has confined us women into a box where men think we are desperate for a man in a home even if means single weekend sex escapades with him. This is how low we have been reduced by men without resources in their name. In this rejoinder: I can sincerely say we women have values and principles to protect our dignity even if we are not married.
Most women of my age know exactly what they want in their lives in a relationship. We do not want to put our lives on the line. There are serious diseases nowadays to content with. How do you possibly accommodate a man-stranger, a cold-caller in your home: to be precise in your bedroom and be intimate with him? It is in the psyche of men to think we single women: mvhana dze ku Diaspora “lack something” whatever that means!! Men should know that there is decency of life in some women-headed homes! A home of woman-headed should never be turned into a sophisticated brothel by whomever! We should never be driven into mental penury by whomever!
Single women are put into the realms of mythic narratives: you must be “kind” all the time. You must be some “nice” religious woman with the good family background. You must “laugh and smile” all the time. You must never say “NO” to men’s sexual advances because it is not black-like, black women do not say no. These twisted men will deceitfully make you think you are “precious” you are a Queen for that moment they want their “john” to play. You say no: the goal-post shifts instantly: you are a cheap woman anyway, will mobilize everybody including your family to rule you out as an “outcast,” let alone talking loud, and assertively challenging him of his indecent behaviour, you invite insults of unprintable nature. I am challenging this narrative out rightly and it simply means, according to African standards, I am being supercilious. If indeed it is the case, and then I think men will have learned something from me as a person.
I am a woman who is always complaining about men who think they are entitled to share our lives and our private lives. I have no cultural considerations to make on men who are abusive to women. I am very sensitive to abuse of women and girl-children and equally abrasive if I am confronted with men with misogynistic outfits. I fight against the misuse and abuse of women in my home country of Zimbabwe.
This practice of abuse of men against women lacks moral sensitivity is now endemic and entrenched in our societies must be challenged forthwith: notwithstanding the fact that our fathers were providers at homes. But this indecency and dependency we see in our generation of men is a disturbing artifice and new form of men dependency. This excessive greed to loot on single-women and completely disregarding the painful lives of single women they have gone through singlehandedly, developing far up the mobility ladder: is now the cultural norm at home and in the Diaspora.
It is easy for a man to relegate a woman to an inferior position in any social discourse to prove he is better than you- woman and to conceal his embarrassment if the woman shows signs of intellectual challenge. Having spent upward of 41 years in Germany, it will not be easy for any man to ever cheat my intelligence by any stretch of their imagination. Insults are expressed to inflict guilt in us so that we “think otherwise:” and “behave ourselves” well, but a “no is a no,” said Ramaphosa.
The culture of Ubuntu is humanistic and benevolent, but at the same breath, the African culture can be oppressive; African traditions relegate women to subhuman entities. How do you comprehend an abusive man with chauvinist utterances, statements that subjects a woman to conformity all the time? We should imbue ourselves in fear of retribution “today, tomorrow and in the future.” This is the weapon that men use to reduce women: we are reminded of the future consequences regarding our unequivocal attitude to abuse and discrimination by misogynistic men in our societies; home and in the Diaspora. I am an avid, fervid defender of women’s rights, starting with me.
Misogynistic men will always think that they are the sole judges of women-morals. By allowing them this privilege, they dominate our every existence and the very essence that defines a woman and girl-child. We should never allow men to have such whips on us knowing full well that they are duplicitous themselves; devoid of ethics, morality, good sense and some level common sense: common sense is no longer common in the African sense.
We are very happy single-women and women-headed families as we overcame difficult circumstances unimaginable by common sense. We don’t stunt our growth because we said “no” to cold-callers and strangers, twisted married men seeking from us some extra-sexual pleasures, the pleasures he gets from several other women in the small-houses and of course his dear, the poor wife. We have cultivated our own gardens long back, planted our own rose-garden flowers. We have the self-esteem that we boost at every angle, and we are powerful without measure. This is what twisted men envy in us and curiously want to be part of our success. They will come in as “advisors” of your family: find faults in the home, one wonders what is there to advice in such a solid single family unit!
Ramaphosa urged the women to continue making demands until things change for women’s rights and dignity. “Please do not let up. Remain the activists as you are. Remain noisy‚ as you are. Remain radical as you are. And remain vocal as you are. The message that you are imprinting here needs to be heard in the corridors of power‚ in the halls of influence and all of the country. And we will make sure that‚ yes‚ even the police‚ yes‚ even our Parliament‚ yes‚ even our judiciary‚ yes‚ even our traditional leaders‚ yes‚ even our religious leaders‚ must hear your message loud and clear‚” he said.
Ramaphosa’s message is my inspiration. Indeed we shall continue to fight for our rights in Zimbabwe until the men recognize women as their equals and with respect. Women are not objects of sex. We shall demand respect from men. Women are not the conveniences of men immoralities and barbarities. Women must put up a big fight for their rights and dignity. It shall never be given to us on a silver plate indeed we shall put up a good fight. We say no to rape, we say no to the self-entitlement of men, a woman’s body is her and not his! A no is a no. we say no to abuse of women by men. We shall inform our girl-children to say no to abuse. We shall teach our growing up girl-children to identify abuse and gender-based violence on women by twisted men.
By Business Correspondent| The Zimnat Group, which exhibited this year at the Harare Agricultural Show for the first time, won the Best First Commercial Exhibit in Any Sector Award for its stand.
Its stand was judged the best from among more than 100 new entrants in this category. The entire Zimnat group, including its general insurance, life assurance and microfinance companies and the Funeral Services Group, was represented at the stand.
The stand was designed to be similar in its ambience and customer service to any Zimnat branch. Visitors to the stand were able to make general enquiries, sign up for an insurance policy or alter an existing policy, in the same way as they could at any Zimnat branch.
There were branded gifts for those who signed up for any Zimnat policy and for those who referred them to Zimnat. There were also instant pop-a-balloon prizes. There was a daily quiz at the stand, with prizes for correct answers.
Visitors to the stand also had an opportunity to discuss with Zimnat financial advisors investment options and plans for their financial future.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa presented Zimnat with a trophy and certificate at the prize giving ceremony in Glamis Arena.
“We are delighted that on the first occasion we exhibited at the Harare Agricultural Show our stand should be judged the best first time commercial exhibit in any sector,” commented Zimnat Group Marketing Executive Angela Mpala.
She said the show provided Zimnat with an opportunity to increase awareness of the various products and services it offered.
“The interest shown in our policies and in the financial services we offer was gratifying. It enabled us to demonstrate how we can make people’s lives better,” she said.
Police in Goromonzi have arrested three suspects in connection with the shooting of illegal gold panners at Acturus Mine that occurred on Sunday morning.
This comes as investigations into the shooting incident by security guards at the company.
The three suspects have been identified as Learnmore Matangira (29), Enerst Kavhu (39) and George Mahufa (57).
10 spent cartridges have also been found at the scene of the crime.
The shooting incident occurred around 8.am when five armed security guards belonging to Braising Security, the company contracted to provide security at Acturus Mine, approached about 30 gold panners at Goromonzi RDC offices compound and opened fire, seriously injuring four.
The injured are currently at Parirenyatwa Hospital receiving treatment.
It is not clear what exactly happened that led to the guards opening fire on the panners.
Residents say the mine authorities should find more amicable ways of resolving such conflicts.
“It is not good to see our children having running battles with the mine security guards. A solution which does not involve use of firearms need to be found urgently,” said one, Erica Kamarori.
ZRP Mashonaland East Provincial Spokesperson, Inspector Tendai Mwanza confirmed the arrests and said the suspects are expected to appear in court on Tuesday facing attempted murder charges. – state media
SPEECH BY THE INCOMING MAYOR, CLLR HERBERT GOMBA ON THE SWEARING IN OF THE COUNCILLORS FOR HARARE CITY COUNCIL ON MONDAY, 3RD SEPTEMBER 2018
Salutations:
The Provincial Administrator, Mrs Caroline Kampila
Honourable Zwizwai and Honourable Hwende representing our President Advocate Nelson Chamisa
Honourable Members of Parliament
My fellow Councillors
The Deputy Mayor
Harare City Council management and staff, led by Engineer Chisango
Party Members here present
Representatives of the various Residents Associations
Members of the media fraternity
Ladies and Gentlemen
First of all, let me thank my fellow Councillors for the nomination and subsequent election to the post of Mayor of Harare. On behalf of my fellow Councillors, I say thank you, the people of Harare, I say thank you for voting for us during the just ended harmonised elections. I humbly accept that responsibility with the intention of being a servant and listening mayor.
Allow me to itemise problems being faced by the City of Harare. These are water shortages, roads in need of resealing/ reconstructions, debts ballooning due to unemployment, mushika-shika, congestion, uncontrolled vending, illegal occupation of Council land, lack of financial support from Central Government. Just to mention a few.
Transformation Agenda
Our transformation agenda will be hinged on the need to increase revenue and contain costs. It’s high time we engage various private players in meeting the various needs of our residents. This is through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) on waste-to-energy project, sewer system rehabilitation and road rehabilitation.
Our transformation agenda will also be anchored on the need to review the Harare Combination Master Plan and the Strategic Plan document and work towards attaining the 2025 goal. This will be done collectively, working together with all relevant stakeholders.
The current review of the Harare Combination Master Plan should take into consideration the need to decongest the City and prepare a roadmap for the future construction of ring and spaghetti roads or overhead highways. Due to the economy, we may not be able to construct them, however, in our time, we simply want to set the agenda for future implementation.
I implore on Government to pay through the National Budget, the 5% Constitutional allocation to local authorities. Councils should be allowed the latitude to reconnect with the outside world through exchanges, visits and bilateral relations. This can only be achieved if we are allowed to travel for the purposes of engagement and mobilisation of financial support and resources.
Government has emphasised re-engagement but we feel at our level we should be allowed full room to engage and source partnerships with the international community. We are the arm of Government closest to the people. I also call upon all Council workers to recommit themselves to the Transformation Agenda so that we realise the intended benefits.
Finally, I want to conclude by quoting Isaiah 40 verse 31 which says, Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they will soar high on wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary. And as we are faced with the difficult task of turning around the City, I too ask that the Lord renews our strength so that we won’t be weary and we shall prevail.
Terrence Mawawa| Inconsistent Harare Giants Caps United laboured to a hard fought 2- 1 win over Nichrut FC in a crunch league tie yesterday.
Wisdom Mutasa who was making his first appearance in the second half of the season opened the scoring in the first minute, connecting Milton Ncube’s cross.
The away side soon regrouped and dominated play with the hope of getting an equaliser but this did not happen in the first half. Nonetheless, they continued putting pressure as play resumed.
A red card to their striker, Rodrick Mutuma, in the 68th minute unsettled them and they conceded another goal ten minutes later when CAPS United captain Hardlife Zvirekwi tapped home another Ncube cross.
Makepekepe could have made it three in the 85th minute, but Michelle Katsvairo missed from close range.
Farai Vimisayi squeezed a late consolation for Nichrut as they lost the match 2-1.
A local constitutional and legal think tank Organisation VERITAS has described the Commission of Inquiry into the post election shooting of innocent civilians by the army, illegal saying it was appointed without cabinet to advice him.
According to VERITAS, Section 110(6) of the constitution states that President must exercise his duties on the advice of the cabinet which was not in place at point in time.
“Section 110(6) of the Constitution states:“In the exercise of his or her functions, the President must act on the advice of the Cabinet,
“When the President purportedly appointed the Commission there was no Cabinet to advise him,” said VERITAS.
The Organisation added that the proclamation establishing the commission has not been published which legally means it is not yet in existence, “because commissions of inquiry are established by proclamation.”
VERITAS emphasized the importance of having the commission legally established to enable it to exercise its powers which includes investigating as well as summoning witnesses and compelling them to give evidence on oath.
Terrence Mawawa|Dynamos have found a unique way of rewarding their outstanding players during every Castle Lager Premier Soccer League game.
Outstanding players are rewarded through what has been dubbed ‘Sunday offering’ by the club’ s supporters.
Saturday was not an exception though for the first time this year the fans could not decide who the best player in blue was between Phakamani Dube and the Denver
Mukamba following Dembare’ s win against Bulawayo City.
Dynamos fans agreed to call both players to the Mpilo Stand and gave them both the ‘Sunday Offering’ although the match was played on Saturday.
Terrence Mawawa| Two Zanu PF bigwigs are involved in a fierce wrangle over the control of an invaded farm they both claim ownership.
Prominent Masvingo war veteran Isaiah Muzenda has dragged Deputy Lands, Agriculture and Rural Development Minister, Davis Mapapira to court claiming the latter forcibly occupied Lamotie Farm.
However Marapira is disputing the claims.
“Marapira abused his power to occupy Lamotie Farm,” claimed Muzenda.
In response Marapira said: “I was legally allocated the farm in 2003 and I used my resources to develop the plot.”
MDC national chairperson Morgan Komichi has said Thokozani Khupe is welcome to return to the party if she is interested in working with the biggest opposition party in the country.
Khupe is fronting a breakaway MDC T party and she insists she is the bona fide leader of the opposition party.
In an interview with a weekly paper Komichi said:”To be honest, everyone in the party did not want Khupe to go. We wanted to be as united as we could and we did all we could do to ensure she remained with us but we could not.
If you recall very well, we sent emissaries to her and we did all we could to bring her to the table
but she just wanted to go.
On the issue of the impact, I think it was not very much because she failed to win a seat directly although she tried by all means to thwart the people’ s project.
I think she did not do herself a favour…We are open and she is a valuable person within the MDC family. As long as she is willing to be part and parcel of the people’s project, she is welcome. If the
party decides that she should come
back, that decision is open. Remember, we once had Welshman Ncube on the other side of the MDC and now we are working together with a view to integrate all our alliance partners, so even Khupe is free to come back.”
Terrence Mawawa| Barely a week after President Emmerson Mnangagwa’ s inauguration, the nation has begun to experience a critical shortage of cement and business experts have warned of a looming economic crisis.
According to a state run daily paper, PPC and Lafarge brands were out of stock in most retail outlets and building material warehouses in most towns and cities.
The two companies control more than 70 percent of the country’s cement market.
Sino-Zimbabwe sales and marketing
manager Mr Ibiam Sengwe claimed he was unaware of the shortages.
An official from the Concrete and Cement Institute of Zimbabwe, Monday Moyo professed ignorance of the shortage of cement.
“I am not aware of the shortage
of cement in the country. As a
company, our distributors are well
stocked. If there is a shortage maybe
they are referring to other brands. As
far as we are concerned, we are
moving the product into the market and there is no shortage,” he said.
Mazowe South legislator Advocate Fortune Chasi has urged the incoming Minister of Finance to do away with bond notes which he described as an anathema to investor confidence.
Posting on the microblogging site Twitter, Chasi- a Zanu PF legislator said reliance on bond notes is uncanny as it has send the United States currency into hiding.
The former Justice Deputy Minister urged the incoming minister of finance to whip it out.
“Reliance on the Bond note is uncanny. This note has sent the greenback into hiding. It feeds gvt profligacy ( it has encouraged public borrowing). It’s anathema to investor confidence. It simply just go & the incoming finance minister must whip it out!” reads Chasi’s tweet.
Zimbabwe is currently battling cash crisis which has manifested in long and winding bank queues, inflation and parallel trading of US dollars on the streets.
Terrence Mawawa|Former MDC-T national chairperson Lovemore Ndodana Moyo has welcomed the appointment of a 7 member commission of inquiry by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Moyo believes the commission comprises experienced individuals who will get to the bottom of the matter.
Moyo also believes the appointment of the commission is a positive move considering that it compromises human rights experts and respected
international individuals.
“The UMD would like to commend the President for the appointment of the Commission of Inquiry into the recent post election protests that resulted in deaths.
We hope and trust that the move will open the door for further investigations into numerous past
human rights violations that went
unrecognised and unresolved,” said Moyo.
“The appointment of the Commission is yet another positive move in that it comprises not only human rights protagonists, but also respected international figures such as former President of South Africa Kgalema Motlanthe and former Commonwealth secretary-general Chief Emeka Anyaoku. We are optimistic that the involvement of foreign persons will steer the commission away from
The much awaited big “Battle Of Zimbabwe” soocer encounter between the country’s top two teams Highlanders and Dynamos which has been postponed twice is finally set for this weekend at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo.
The match which, is characterised by sopradic incidents of violence was originally set to take place a day after the national elections but was suspended by the PSL to allow for elections to proceed smoothly. The match was again called off a week later due to volatile post-election reactions that were gripping the country.
Following disturbances that rocked Harare on Wednesday August 1 and left six people injured in the aftermath of the presidential vote, the PSL feared that the political violence could spill into the big football match.
The match is expected to be sold out as usual and heavy police presence has already been set up for the match.
By Own Correspondent| In a move aimed at boosting the support for President Emmerson Mnangagwa during his address at the just ended agricultural show, Zanu Pf supporters were given an entrance free waiver and allowed free entry at the show grounds.
Mnangagwa, who is not so popular with the masses in Harare garnered less votes than rival MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa in the just ended harmonised polls officially opened the Harare Agricultural Show on Friday.
Party supporters donning party regalia entered the show grounds free while every one else paid $5 for adults and a $1 for children.
Ecstatic Zanu Pf supporters broke into loud cheers when Mnangagwa arrived breaking into song and dance of their national anthem “Kutonga Kwaro”.
The supporters bragged about being in the “right basket” adding that it paid to be aligned to a ruling candidate.
Contrary to previous years where former president Robert Mugabe’s companies including Alpha and Omega dairies were so popular, this year, there was not much hype at these stands.
By Own Correspondent| More MDC Alliance members have been taken into custody over the August 1 violence where soldiers opened live ammunition on civilians killing 7 injuring dozens others.
According to a statement issued by the ZLHR, Zimbabwean authorities on Monday 03 September 2018 intensified their crackdown on opposition MDC Alliance party members after arresting leaders of the opposition party’s Youth Assembly Happymore Chidziva and charged him together with other party stalwarts of committing public violence.
Below is the full text by the ZLHR:
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers arrested Happymore Chidziva, the MDC Alliance party Youth Assembly leader, who is the Highfield West constituency MP Elect, Chamunorwa Madya, the Deputy Secretary-General for the MDC Alliance party Youth Assembly and Mafaiti Mubaiwa, who is employed as a security personnel at the opposition party headquarters.
ZRP officers accused Chidziva, who is represented by Jeremiah Bamu of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) of contravening section 36 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) after he allegedly incited his MDC Alliance party supporters at a political rally held in July 2018 in Gweru in Midlands province to protest against an unfavourable election outcome and that they should defend their vote if Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) rigs the election in favour of ZANU PF party.
ZRP officers also charged Mubaiwa and Madya, who were represented by Nontokozo Dube-Tachiona and Gugulethu Mahlangu-Simango of ZLHR, with committing public violence as defined in section 36 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
The police officers claimed that Mubaiwa and Madya committed public violence when they participated in a demonstration held in early August to protest ZEC’s management of the July 30 harmonised elections. Chidziva, Mubaiwa and Madya, who are detailed at Harare Central Police Station, are expected to appear in court on Tuesday 04 September 2018.
MDC Alliance Youth Assembly Chairperson, Happymore Chidziva who is currently in police custody at Harare Central police on charges of committing public violence will appear in court tomorrow.
According to Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Chidziva reported at Harare Central Police law and order section in the morning today.
Chidziva was arrested together with the party’s Deputy Secretary-General for the Youth Assembly Chamunorwa Madya and Mafaiti Mubaiwa, a security personnel at the MDC headquarters.
Chidziva, who is represented by Jeremiah Bamu of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) is accused of contravening section 36 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) after he allegedly incited his MDC Alliance party supporters at a political rally held in July 2018 in Gweru in Midlands province to protest against an unfavourable election outcome and that they should defend their vote if Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) rigs the election in favour of ZANU PF party.
Mubaiwa and Madya have been charged with committing public violence when they participated at an MDC Alliance organized protest against delayed announcement of results by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.
Correspondent|The Movement for Democratic Change Alliance which is contesting the results in 19 national assembly constituencies needs to win only one case to deny the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front a two-thirds majority which allows it to, among other things, change the national constitution.
Although ZANU-PF won five more seats above the two-thirds majority in the 210 elected seats, it only won 35 in the proportional representation seats to give it 180 seats in the 270 member lower house, exactly a two-thirds majority without any single seat to spare.
A single victory by the MDC could therefore reduce the number of seats to 179 which is below the two-thirds majority.
Some ZANU-PF legislators and officials have been talking about amending the constitution to raise the minimum age for one to qualify to contest for president.
Right now the age is 40 which Chamisa attained this year 12 days before the death of Morgan Tsvangirai on Valentine’s Day.
Chamisa went on to wrestle leadership of the party and contested as president losing narrowly to Emmerson Mnangagwa.
He has, however, rejected the result despite losing at the Constitutional Court.
This has led some of his critics to argue that Chamisa is insisting that he won because of immaturity. He cannot handle defeat because of his young age.
ZANU-PF youths have, however, vowed to contest any such proposal saying some of the party leaders like former Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) boss Josiah Tongogara were accomplished statesmen by the age of 40.
“When Gen Tongo died, he was 41. An accomplished war strategist and statesman. He was the leading beacon at Lancaster Negotiations. He unlocked impasses with his mature approach,” Nick Mangwana, the ZANU-PF chairman for the UK said.
“We cannot change our rules because of 1 self-destructive immature 40 year old. Let’s be progressive.”
By Own Correspondent| Parliamentary, legal and civil rights watchdog, Veritas, has raised the flag on the legality of the appointment of the Kgalema Motlanthe led Commission of Inquiry on the August 1 post election violence arguing that the appointment should have been done in consultation with the cabinet.
Veritas however says that President Emmerson Mnangagwa can still rectify the situation when a new cabinet is appointed.
Below is the full text by the watchdog in its latest bulletin:
“Elections alone are not giving the Zimbabwe government the legitimacy we all so badly need. This is illustrated by the following statement: “When not shooting civilians in the back, Zimbabwe’s ruling élite seems to be shooting itself in the foot.” Those words appeared in The Economist on 11th August, in an article commenting on post-election violence. The Economist is a highly respected magazine read by influential people in government and business throughout the world, and its comments on Zimbabwe are likely to colour the attitudes of potential investors and many western governments towards this country.
In view of this, the President’s announcement that he has appointed a commission of inquiry to look into post-election violence is to be given a cautious welcome. Cautious because there are several problems with the commission, as will be explained in this bulletin.
The President’s Announcement
The announcement was given in a statement issued by the President on 29th August. In it he said that he had appointed a seven-member commission consisting of local, regional and international members “who have been appointed in terms of the Commission [sic] of Inquiry Act [Chapter 10:07].” The commission’s terms of reference, he went on, were as follows:
a)to inquire into the circumstances leading to the 1st of August 2018, post-election violence;
b)to identify the actors and their leaders, their motive and strategies employed in the protests;
c)to inquire into the intervention by the Zimbabwe Republic Police in the maintenance of law and order;
d)to investigate the circumstances which necessitated the involvement of the military in assisting in the maintenance of law and order;
e)to consider whether the degree of force used was appropriate to the ensuing threat to public safety, law and order;
f)to assess extent of damage/injury caused thereof [sic];
g)to investigate any other matters which the Commission of Inquiry may deem appropriate and relevant to the inquiry;
h)to make suitable recommendations; and
i)to report to the President in writing, the result of the inquiry within a period of three months from the date of swearing-in of the Commissioners.
The President’s statement ended by saying “A notice to the above effect, will be gazetted in accordance with the law.”
Problems Regarding Appointment of Commission
There are several problems:
The appointment of the Commission was not legal
Section 110(6) of the Constitution states: “In the exercise of his or her functions, the President must act on the advice of the Cabinet, except when he or she is acting in terms of subsection (2) above.” [Appointing a Commission of Inquiry does not come under subsection (2) see below.]
When the President purportedly appointed the Commission there was no Cabinet to advise him. Only on the 30th August, shortly before he left for China, did he appoint two Vice-Presidents and by doing so formed a Cabinet of three – himself and the Vice-Presidents. Whatever advice the now Vice-Presidents may have given him before then they could have given only as informal advisers, not as Cabinet members, because when they gave it they were not Vice-Presidents.
Although section 110(6) of the Constitution, quoted above, allows the President to act without Cabinet advice when exercising functions under subsection (2) of the section, appointing commissions of inquiry is not one of those functions. Subsection (2)(d) mentions “making appointments which the Constitution or legislation requires the President to make”, but under the Commissions of Inquiry Act the appointment of a commission is discretionary: the President is never required to appoint one. Hence, if he does he must act on the advice of the Cabinet.
It should be pointed out that the proclamation establishing the commission has not been published. So legally the commission is not yet in existence, because commissions of inquiry are established “by proclamation” [section 2 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act]. If before the proclamation is published the President gets the approval of his Cabinet – and it is to be hoped that by then he will have appointed a real Cabinet, not a token one – then the commission will be properly appointed.
The importance of establishing the commission in accordance with the law cannot be over-emphasised. Under the Commissions of Inquiry Act a commission has extensive powers of investigation:
it can summon witnesses and compel them to give evidence on oath, and witnesses who fail to attend or refuse to give evidence can be punished by up to six months’ imprisonment
anyone who tries to disrupt the commission’s proceedings can likewise be punished
anyone who lies when giving evidence to the commission can be punished by up to two years’ imprisonment.
If the commission is not legally established, however, it will not be able to exercise any of those powers.
If the President had consulted his lawyers, they might have prevented him from giving the impression that he had already established the commission when legally he could not have done so.
Terms of reference
The commission’s stated terms of reference appear to assume that the soldiers who shot dead six protesters were entitled to be on the streets of Harare fully armed with live ammunition, and that their actions were justified. Thus paragraph (d) of the terms calls on the commission “to investigate the circumstances which necessitated the involvement of the military” in maintaining law and order. The questions in many people’s minds are: who called out the military, and was it necessary to do so? The answers to those questions are pertinent: only the President could legally have called out the military in terms of section 213 of the Constitution, but he has suggested he did not do so. If he didn’t, then who did? As to whether it was necessary to call out the military, that question cannot be answered by a commission whose terms of reference tell it that it was indeed necessary.
A further problem with the terms of reference is that they relate only to the events of the 1st August, not to incidents of politically-motivated violence that allegedly occurred after that date, perpetrated mainly against opposition supporters. These alleged incidents have been reported and commented on both inside and outside the country, yet the commission will have no mandate to investigate them.
Yet another problem is that the terms of reference do not state specifically that the commission should recommend measures to prevent similar tragic incidents occurring in the future. That, surely, is one of the most important reasons for establishing the commission.
These difficulties could have been avoided if the President had consulted more widely. Consultation with civil society and opposition parties would have given him better insight into the concerns of Zimbabweans outside his own party and, perhaps, of foreign observers.
The membership of the commission
Veritas does not wish to comment on the suitability of the persons appointed to the Commission, except to say that some of the local appointments have been criticised for not being impartial. The criticisms would have been fewer, or would have had less validity, if the President had consulted more widely before making the appointments.
Conclusion
There are several points that should be made in conclusion:
Due attention must be paid to the laws of Zimbabwe
Once it is legally established, whatever its precise terms of reference, the commission will have to pay proper attention to our constitution and laws. In particular:
All killing is unlawful in Zimbabwe. Under section 86(3) of the Constitution, the right to life is sacrosanct and no law can limit or violate it [the only exception is that a court of law can impose the death penalty on people convicted of aggravated murder]. Some foreign commissioners may come from countries where it is legal for the police and security forces to kill rioters; they must be disabused of the notion that the same applies in this country.
Only the President can authorise the deployment of the Defence Forces. Under section 213 of the Constitution, only the President can authorise the deployment of the Defence Forces in support of the police in the maintenance of law and order. Although section 37 of the Public Order and Security Act suggests that the Minister of Defence can authorise their deployment if requested by the Minister of Home Affairs, the section is contrary to the Constitution and therefore invalid.
Need for transparency
The commission, once it is established, must conduct its proceedings with the utmost transparency to avoid any suspicion of cover-up. All witnesses should have to give their evidence in public as is the general rule for commissions of inquiry [section 9 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act]. The purpose of the commission is not just to appease foreigners so that we can get their support and investment: its main object should be to satisfy the people of Zimbabwe that the tragic events of the 1st August have been thoroughly probed and that the commission’s conclusions represent the real truth of what happened. This can only be achieved if it conducts itself transparently.
The transparency moreover should not be confined to the commission’s proceedings. Once the commission has submitted its report to the President, he must have it presented to Parliament, complete and unaltered.
Safety of Witnesses
Witnesses should give their evidence in public for the sake of transparency, as we have said, but measures should be put in place to prevent victims being threatened or subjected to retribution for testifying before the commission. A commission of inquiry has no power to take such measures or even to order them to be taken, so the government will have to give cast-iron guarantees that witnesses will not be harmed on account of their evidence. If those guarantees are not given, witnesses may be reluctant to fully cooperate before the commission.
A final point is: it is hoped that the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission and the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission will both conduct their own inquiries. Both these Constitutional Commissions have power to investigate incidents such as occurred on the 1st August and both Commissions have power to provide victims with some redress [which a Commission of Inquiry does not have]. Both Commissions send their reports to Parliament and both can make recommendations and ensure follow-up.
By Paul Nyathi|The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, ZLHR, has deployed three lawyers to offer emergency legal support services to three opposition MDC Alliance party members arrested in Harare on Monday
The MDC members including Highfield West constituency MP-Elect Happymore Chidziva, Chamunorwa Madya, the Deputy Secretary-General for the MDC Alliance Youth Assembly and Mafaiti Mubaiwa, were arrested on Monday by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers when they handed themselves over to the police after a national search for them.
The police officers accuse Chidziva of inciting public violence after he told MDC Alliance party supporters at a political rally held in July 2018 in Gweru in Midlands province that his party supporters will protest against an unfavourable election outcome and will defend their vote if Zimbabwe Electoral Commission rigs the election in favour of ZANU PF party.
According to the police, hundreds of MDC Alliance took to the streets on August 1 protesting the delayed release of presidential results allegedly on the strength of Chidziva’s inferences.
Six people were killed at the protests when members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces fired live bullets to quell the protests.
A local elections lobby group the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has released its long term observer report which fingers the military and Zanu PF supporters as perpetrators of post election violence.
According to the ZESN report, its observation of political environment in the country, post elections pointed to human rights violations that were perpetrated by the military and Zanu PF supporters.
”in most cases, long term observers could not identify the perpetrators of the violations. Where it could be established, Zanu PF and the military were identified as the main perpetrators. Where unofficial curfews were reported, long term observers reported that there was general apprehension in their respective constituencies as soldiers were indiscriminately beating up people. For instance in Dzivarasekwa, Chitungwiza and Kuwadzana constituencies in Harare province, there were reports of soldiers going into nightclubs asking patrons to leave and randomly beating up people found on the streets on the nights of 1 and 2 August,” noted ZESN.
citizens for peaceful resistance.
the planned response, with $22 million already
different from manipulating ZEC and the
A shortage of chicken caused the closure of Chicken Inn outlets in Bulawayo yesterday afternoon.
Stand and gave them both the ‘Sunday Offering’ although the match was played on Saturday.
even Khupe is free to come back.”
