PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa’s lead lawyer Advocate Lewis Uriri has said his team’s appearance at the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) to file papers to oppose MDC Alliance electoral petition on a holiday was stage-managed to prove a point.

Advocate Uriri said going to ConCourt on a holiday was a side-show which later served its purpose.

“We went to ConCourt on a holiday to emphasise a point, though I did not myself attend. Those two small bags could not contain the mass of papers that was brought by a truck in three massive bags when filed. We are not stupid. We don’t film and photograph ourselves at a closed court and ‘leak’ the evidence! The side show served its purpose,” he said.

Uriri said the ruling by the ConCourt on the issue of the days had vindicated him, after he differed with his team on the interpretation of the law.

“The ruling confirms that you include the weekends and holidays, unless the time runs out on a weekend in which case the thing to be done is done the next working day,” he said.

In a brief to Mnangagwa, Uriri differed with his instructing lawyers, Mutumbwa, Mugabe and Partners on the interpretation of the law.

This was noted in a 17-page document prepared for Mnangagwa, by Uriri titled Ex Parte: Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, in which he urged his client to disregard the findings by instructing lawyers.

“Whether my instructing attorneys are correct in their interpretation that in view of rule 3 if the ConCourt Rules (2016) the last day of filing of a petition challenges my consultant’s election as President of the Republic of Zimbabwe is the 16th August 2018,” Uriri wrote.

“Whether my instructing attorneys are correct in their view that no election petition is filed, inauguration day would be Monday the 20th August 2018.”

NewsDay

A VICIOUS article penned by a South African freelance white cricket writer, describing Zimbabwe as a “fascist’’ country whose national team should not be allowed to compete against their international counterparts, has sparked outrage in this country.

The article was written by Telford Vice, part of a cabal of unrepentant racist white cricket writers, who have been using the sport to further their crusade to soil the good name of this country.

Vice, who is based in Cape Town, has been a vicious critic of this country and its leadership and at the weekend used his weekly column in the Sunday Times of South Africa to describe Zimbabwe as a “fascist’’ nation, equating it to Hitler’s Germany and Benito Mussolini’s Italy.

The journalist’s article was based on a campaign in which he tried to argue, “why no one should play against Zimbabwe,’’ and said the Chevrons, who are set to visit South Africa next month, should not have been allowed to come into that country.

Ironically, the journalist’s article was published on the very same day that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was one of the presidents who attended the inauguration of President Mnangagwa at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday.
Yesterday, Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani was forced to issue a statement to respond to the article.

“We have noted with serious concern an opinion article written by South African cricket journalist Telford Vice and published under the headline, “Should we allow Zimbabwe’s cricket team to tour SA?” in the latest edition of the Sunday Times newspaper,’’ Mukuhlani said in a statement.

“Our only response is to echo the words of Nelson Mandela in 1995, when he said: “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire, it has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.”

“Similarly, Zimbabwe Cricket’s vision is to enable individuals and communities to be empowered and inspired by cricket. We stand by that and we believe cricket can be used as a vehicle for emboldening the youth to reach their full potential in any field they choose.

“Cricket has that power and we are committed to the game and its ability to provide an environment that is positive and energetic as well as expands the horizons and dreams of those that play and are involved. That is our purpose.’’
Vice claimed in his vicious article that the Chevrons represented the triumph of oppression and were sporting ambassadors of fascism.

“Zimbabwe’s team represent the triumph of oppression over the dreams of millions who dared harbour hopes for nothing more nor less than a decent life. They fly the flag of fascism,” he wrote on Sunday.

“Should they be detained as co-conspirators in crimes against their compatriots, turned away at the border, or asked what the hell they think they’re doing trying to pretend all is well enough where they come from to indulge in a spot of mere cricket?

“What should not happen, under any circumstances, is that they are let in to smear the second country with their lie of normality.

“Such an act would be a dereliction of the duty all of us have to the natural law of standing up for right in the face of wrong. It would be unconscionable.

“But when Zimbabwe touch down at OR Tambo International late next month to play South Africa in three games in each of the white-ball formats, not only will they be let in, no questions asked, they will be treated as if they are just another cricket team from just another country.

“They aren’t. They represent the triumph of oppression over the dreams of millions who dared harbour hopes for nothing more nor less than a decent life. They fly the flag of fascism.

“Try telling the suits that they should demand Zimbabwe’s expulsion from the International Cricket Council.
All of the above should happen. It won’t because too many people no longer think; neither about principles nor politics nor indeed what’s right and wrong about how other people are treated.”

Vice also praised former Zimbabwe cricketers, Andy Flower and Henry Olonga, for their black armband protest during the 2003 Cricket World Cup.

Flower has since revealed, in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Sport’s Alison Mitchell, that David Coltart, a fierce critic of the Government and an opposition politician, was a big part of that protest.

“The meeting I remember most clearly was in David Coltart’s study, at his home and we sat down and wrote the statement,” Flower said.

“When I say we sat down and wrote the statement, obviously, David Coltart was more eloquent that either Henry or I, and it was important that the language we used in the statement was the right sort of language to get our message across.

“So David, with the input from Henry and I, sort of wrote and edited the statement and I do believe it was David who came up with the idea of having a symbol.”

England subsequently forfeited their World Cup match against Zimbabwe scheduled for Harare Sports Club in what, according to former Zimbabwe captain, Duncan Fletcher, who was coach of the English team during that World Cup adventure, was part of the politics of the day.

“Before a decision (to either travel to Harare or not) was to be made, we welcomed two incredibly brave visitors, who came to speak to me and (Nasser) Hussan (then England captain),” wrote Fletcher, in his autobiography, “Behind The Shades”.

“They were Zimbabwean players, Andy Flower and Henry Olonga, smuggled in by a member of Zimbabwe’s opposition party, the MDC, who had spoken to the whole team before taking me and Hussain into an adjacent room, where we met Flower and Olonga.

“They told us then of their plan to wear black armbands during their games in the tournament to mourn that (democracy). They even suggested that we might consider wearing black armbands if we decide to play in Harare.”

Coltart confirms that he went to Cape Town during that time, and spoke to the England team, but said he never persuaded them to boycott their World Cup tie against Zimbabwe, but instead, urged them to come and fulfil the match.
They didn’t and have never played a match against Zimbabwe since.

ZC officials say the absence of box-office home series, like a contest against England, has cost them more than $7 million in projected earnings every year and has played a big part in pushing their financial books into the red zone.

State Media

By Paul Nyathi|The Zimbabwe Republic Police has outrightly declined claims that there is sporadic incidents of post election political violence in the country.

Police chief spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba told state run media on Tuesday that investigations by the Zimbabwe Republic Police had revealed that all the cases of political violence alleged in private media were false.

“Investigations carried out so far have revealed that there are no threats and intimidation on anyone,” she said.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said victims of political violence, if ever it happens, know where to report – the police.

“As police we would also want to reiterate that the people should report to the police if they are intimidated,” she said.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said investigations carried out in Mashonaland Central revealed that the province was enjoying peace although there had been false reports circulating on social media alleging that some top Zanu-PF officials in Muzarabani South allegedly threatened MDC Alliance poll agents.

“Police made investigations into these reports and interviewed the MDC Alliance Muzarabani Constituency chairperson Jaface Mufira who resides in ward 20. He stated that he was unaware of that information and that there were no threats of violence in the area. Police also interviewed the MDC Alliance ward 20 councillor contestant Steven Sado, who said he had not been intimidated or threatened by anyone up to date,” said Snr Asst Comm Charamba.

She said claims that 30 MDC Alliance supporters had been displaced by political violence and were housed at Msasa Project in Harare were false.

“Investigations were carried out and the police interviewed Msasa Projects administrator Prisca Fereti and it was established that it was a false report,” added Snr Asst Comm Charamba.

At least four workers were killed, while three others were seriously injured after a massive explosion, whose cause is still unknown, rocked the Grain Marketing Board’s Lions Den depot in Mashonaland West province yesterday afternoon.

The blast was so powerful that it ripped through reinforced concrete structures, and caused a fire.

Government yesterday activated specialised investigations State agencies, including the police forensic department and the bomb disposal unit, to comb through the debris of the massive blast for clues as to its cause.

The impact of the blast could be felt some metres away from the depot, with some people reporting cracked walls on their buildings, while pieces of the reinforced silo concrete structure flung several metres away from the blast epicentre.

Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri, who visited the scene of the tragic incident yesterday afternoon, confirmed security arms of Government had been called in to investigate the blast.

“We had a very unfortunate incident whereby some explosion took place in the silo complex,” he said. “We are not very sure what caused it. There are many theories as to what could have caused the explosion.

“We have now summoned forensic experts from the Zimbabwe Republic Police and other experts from various specialist departments to come and examine the site and possibly find out what could have caused the explosion.”

Minister Shiri said it was too early to speculate on what could have caused the explosion.

He said an assessment on the state of the silos would be carried out while grain that was stored in the silos would have to be put in bags and stored outside.

“We have got open silos where we use tarpaulins, but it now entails maize being put in bags for effective storage,” said Minister Shiri. “As it is, the silos will be temporarily unserviceable until the necessary repair work has been carried out.”

Some workers at the depot said the fire and resultant explosion could have been caused by an electrical fault.

Others questioned the magnitude of the blast, saying it could have been an explosive device, while gas build up in the storage infrastructure has also been cited as another potential cause.

The affected workers were part of the morning shift that was cleaning the silos.

They tried to escape through the underground chamber outlet, but were caught up in the blast.

Others affected by the blast were on the top of the silos when it occurred.

Lions Den resident and local councillor Misheck Nyarubero said he rushed to the scene after hearing the massive blast that shook his house.

“I was at home about two kilometres away when the explosion happened,” he said. “It shook the house and I thought it was an earthquake, so I went outside. People said the loud blast was coming from GMB and I went to investigate.”

“Workers there told me there were people trapped in the silo tunnel after a fire broke out from the fifth floor, causing extensive damage.”

Two of the workers were rescued alive with serious burns, while the bodies of those who died were yet to be retrieved by yesterday evening.

Briefing Government officials at the scene, depot manager Mr Obert Zhoya said they managed to put out the resultant fire which started from the silo control plant initially using a bowser provided by a local farmer.

The effort was boosted by the arrival of a fire tender from Chegutu Municipality about 120 kilometres away and another one from Zimplats in Ngezi, as those from nearby Chinhoyi Municipality were said to be down.

“There was a loud sound of an explosion and we called the police,” said Mr Zhoya.

“According to the shift manager, all the workers on the shift could be accounted for except for six who have not yet been located. We are also waiting to hear from experts as to what could have caused the fire and explosion.”

The latest development has led to the temporary closure of the silos, while grain delivered would be stacked on tarpaulin tents as a contingency measure.

Farmers delivering grain to one of the largest storage facilities in the country and in Africa were yesterday being redirected to nearby Banket and Chinhoyi silos.

The Lions’ Den silos have 29 silo bins, making them the second largest in Africa after those in Egypt and third in the world after those in Australia.

The local silos have a storage capacity of around 104 000 metric tonnes of grain.

Last year, Government invested in the refurbishment of the silos, which were built in the 1970s.

State Media

POLICE officers manning a roadblock along Seke Road near St Mary’s in Chitungwiza allegedly shot and injured a 30-year-old woman after the driver of the vehicle in which she was travelling in reportedly refused to stop at a roadblock.

Loveness Chiriseri, who had hitched a lift to town in a blue Honda Fit on August 19, ended up being admitted to Chitungwiza General Hospital nursing a bullet wound after being shot.

Chiriseri said the police officer fired at the car after the driver failed to stop at the roadblock and one of the bullets hit her.

“I left home around 10am and got into a blue Honda Fit which had no number plates and was written ‘for sale’ as I was going for a lesson” she said.

“Upon approaching the roadblock, the driver slowed down, but then proceeded past the roadblock. I think he then changed his mind and stopped within a distance of less than 100 metres. That is when the officer with a gun fired two shots. I don’t know where the other shot went, but the second hit the car seat and my right buttock.”

Her medical records signed by a Doctor Garapo showed that she was nursing a gunshot wound.

“Patient who sustained above injury after a bullet ricocheted from a car and hit patient who was a passenger,” her medical record read.

Chiriseri said the police have been mum over the incident and she was being forced to pay for her medical bills, which have gone over $500.

“The police are behaving like nothing happened. I am paying for my medical bills and they have not even made an effort to find out what happened to me. I am suffering emotionally and financially owing to actions of a trigger-happy police officer,” she said.

The driver of the Honda Fit, Lloyd Sibanda, was arrested for failure to comply with police instructions and is currently out on bail.

He refused to speak on the matter, saying he was in shock.

Chiriseri, who is currently bed-ridden, said Sibanda was also helping her with medical bills.

Police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi promised to make enquiries about the case, but his phone was no longer being answered later during the day.

NewsDay

Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), a subsidiary of Zesa Holdings, has been ordered to pay $23 805 to a Harare widow who lost her husband due to electrocution.

ZETDC negligently left a live cable on the ground and Ms Scholastica Muranda’s husband accidentally stepped on it.

The man died from the injury. Ms Muranda argued that her husband was the breadwinner in the family which looked up to him for support.
High Court judge Justice Edith Mushore granted Ms Muranda an order for payment of $23 805.

“The defendant be and is hereby ordered to pay the plaintiff the following:

a) Damages for loss of support for plaintiff and her child in the amount of US$23 805 together with interest thereon at the prescribed rate calculated from December 23 2016 to the date of payment in full.
b) Costs of suit.”

The Legal Resources Foundation (LRF) represented Ms Muranda while Muza & Nyapadi Legal Practitioners acted for ZETDC. The live wire that electrocuted the man was left exposed by ZETDC, posing a danger to people who used the path.

Zesa initially denied liability, but later made a U-turn during trial and admitted to causing the man’s death.
When the case started, Ms Muranda claimed $90 297 but the court reduced the figure to $23 805

In a related matter, the High Court recently held ZETDC liable for the death of an eight-year-old boy who fell on naked power cables in Harare in 2012 before ordering the firm to pay $15 000 in damages. ZETDC paid damages to the deceased boy’s mother, Ms Constance Sinachinga, as compensation for the psychological trauma and emotional shock occasioned by the company’s gross negligence at No. 284 Herbert Chitepo Avenue.

The successful lawsuit serves as an eye-opener to some residents that ZETDC can successfully be sued for deaths occasioned by the company’s negligence.

Justice Jester Charewa granted the default judgment after the power company failed to defend its case.

“It is ordered that the judgment be and is hereby entered for the applicant in the sum of US$15 000 together with interest at the prescribed rate from the date of summons to date of final and full payment,” ruled Justice Charewa.

“Respondent shall pay costs of the suit.”

Ms Belinda Chinowawa of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights represented Ms Sinachinga.

The now late Takudzwa Nyandoro was a victim of ZETDC cables left unsecured by the power utility’s employees after maintenance work.

The incident occurred on March 29, 2012 when the unsuspecting boy was playing outside the house with his friends.

The children were picking guavas from a tree in the yard. “While doing so, Takudzwa lost grip, fell into a pit which had been dug by the respondent’s employees and was immediately electrocuted,” reads Ms Sinachinga’s affidavit.

Ms Sinachinga said ZETDC could have at least placed warning signs near the pit.

The live wires in question, according to Ms Sinachinga, were exposed for a period stretching from January to March 2012.

Below is a state media (ZBC) article celebrating the visiting German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Dr Gerd Muller. FULL TEXT:

Germany has congratulated President Emmerson Mnangagwa on his resounding election victory in the July 30, 2018 election and praised the people of Zimbabwe for waiting patiently for the Constitutional Court outcome.

This was the message from the visiting German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Dr Gerd Muller after meeting the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Retired Lietenant General Dr. Sibusiso Moyo this Tuesday afternoon.

Dr. Muller spoke through an interpreter

“Zimbabwe just held elections, and it elected a new President and a new parliament and this was extremely important that the elections take place and that the country waited for the result of the court ruling and that this court ruling was recognised. Now I will congratulate the new President on his election and we are very hopeful that the reforms that have been announced will be launched and brought on the way that we want to build-on,” he said.

Minister Muller was accompanied by several high-ranking Germany government and embassy officials.

The Federal Republic of Germany is a member of the European Union (EU) targeted by Zimbabwe’s re-engagement exercise as the country re-joins the international family of nations.

South African Senior Advocate Dali Mpofu has teared the Zimbabwean government apart calling it a continuation of the old order which stifles democracy and continues to implement laws that were used to protect the Mugabe regime. Adv. Mpofu was commenting on the recent high profile constitutional case in Zimbabwe where Opposition MDC- Alliance leader Adv. Nelson Chamisa was challenging the Presidential victory of Emmerson Mnangagwa.

In an exclusive Interview with The 1873 FM, Adv. Mpofu said, “The decision to deny Ad. Nelson Chamisa his right to a representation of Choice was a political decision and not a legal one. We had got all the clearance from the relevant institutions and we were told that the only thing now remaining was a letter of authorisation from the Minister of Justice. And be mindful that the Minister was the Chief Election Agent of Mr. Emmerson Mnangagwa and was an interested part in this case. we found it absurd that one of the potential litigants has the power to choose the representation of the applicant.

“When I confronted Former Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa outside court he boasted that he is the one who created this law that stopped us from properly representing Chamisa. To me it reveals the hypocrisy of this government which is preaching that Zimbabwe is open for business. It reveals that this mantra is nothing but nonsense. All this talk about a new dawn is just lies.

“How can you be open for business when professionals are not allowed to practice in your country? We are busy in South Africa preaching Pan-African-ism, fighting xenophobia and teaching people about regional integration and yet you have an African government that behaves contrary to these beliefs that the whole of Africa is preaching. ”

Adv. Mpofu said the government of Zimbabwe has not had the last of him. He is going to escalate the fight for jusrtice, equality and democracy.

“They have touched the wrong person, I m not going to let this go just like that. if we want to fix this continent We must speak out and against such issues and this is the case that I am going to push to the end.” Said Adv. Mpofu.

1873 FM News.

Community Water Alliance today launched a High Court application, case number HC 7858/18 against the appointment of Caretaker Commissions by the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Hon July Moyo.

The urgent chamber application in which Community Water Alliance (CWA) is the first applicant, Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) and Chitungwiza & Manyame Residents Association (CAMERA) as second and third applicants respectively, seeks to nullify the illegal appointments which chew money generated from rates payments. The applicants saw it grossly unreasonable for the Minister of Local Government to saddle ratepayers with an unjustifiable and unnecessary expense in circumstances where Councils are already experiencing financial constrains.

This is a follow-up action from Community Water Alliance’s letter dated 17 August 2018, where the water movement sought an explanation from Town Clerks of Local Authorities on complacency to ensure councilors take oath of office as defined on Section 47(3) of the Urban Councils Act.

Section 277(3) of the 2013 Constitution of Zimbabwe states that ” except as otherwise provided in subsection (2) or an Act of Parliament, mayors, chairpersons and councilors of local authorities assume office on the ninth day after the announcement of the results of the general election in which councillors were elected”. On 02 August 2018 announcement of the results of election of councilors was made by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. Since then the ninth day expired on 11 August 2018.

We implore the Minister of Local Government to respect constitutional provisions and act in a manner that promote rule of law. Rule by law will not improve service delivery at Local Authority level.

Hildaberta Rwambiwa
National Chairperson
Community Water Alliance

Where were they and what was happening?

Noting that the Elections have come and gone, the court challenge has come and gone and the inauguration of the new President of Zimbabwe has also come and gone;

Realising that the people of Zimbabwe are looking forward to the betterment of their lives after long years of suffering and neglect;

Acknowledging the difficulty task of reviving the depressed economy characterised by dilapidated infrastructure, closed industries, liquidity
crunch, poverty, inequality and joblessness among other ills;

Believing that we all want the best for Zimbabwe

I, as the Presidential candidate of PRC, and on behalf of the entire PRC family, while noting that the Elections were
generally free though not necessarily fair, hereby pass my congratulatory message to His Excellency President ED Mnangagwa.

It is unfortunate that due to circumstances beyond my control i couldnt join him on his inauguration. However, congratulations, Amhlophe, Makorokoto to him, his family and his team.

We wish him well in his endeavors to rebuild the economy and bring about the much needed jobs for the young generation.

We expect him to heal the emotional wounds of the generality of our people whose lives have been battered by long years of impunity, poverty and joblessness.

We call upon all our stakeholders from the business establishment, international development partners, international and domestic investors, civil society and all political formations to put aside all differences and focus on rebuilding our country.

It is now time for all compatriots to show their patriotism.

Above all we pray for peace, stability and prosperity for our mother-fatherland.

God bless Zimbabwe

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

A delegation of 30 accredited and more than 50 unaccredited young women and men comprising of IYWD members, staff and networking organisation from Liberia observed the 30 July Harmonised Election.

A total of 69 polling stations were observed, 65 in Bindura, Mazowe, Shamva, Guruver, Mt.Darwin and Rushinga Districts of Mashonaland Central Province. 4 of the polling stations were in Goromonzi and Seke Ditsricts of Mashonaland East Provinces. Guruve, This report provides highlights of the Institute for Young Women’s Development‘s (IYWD’s) findings regarding the environment and conduct of electoral officers administering the election, voters, candidates, political parties, security forces and the generality of communities on the election day.

Download full report here:

Zimbabwe-Election-Day-Observation-Report-IYWD

By Paul Nyathi|The Zimpapers run CapiTalk FM radio who were previously rumoured to have dismissed highly acclaimed radio personality Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa, have received her resignation letter.

According to impeccable sources within the radio station, Ruvheneko is one of the victims of the on going restructuring exercise at the state run radio.

ZimEye.com was told she has handed in her resignation letter. Ruvheneko told ZimEye, “I handed in my resignation letter …last week.”

When asked concerning the floating rumours, she replied dismissing them saying her exit was “amicable”.

MORE TO FOLLOW…

Preparations for the repatriation of the remains of late Zimbabwean ambassador to Senegal and The Gambia Mrs Trudy Stevenson are underway in the north western African country.

In a telephone interview with the ZBC News, Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Joey Bimha said a post-mortem carried out on the late Ambassador Stevenson revealed that she succumbed to inflation of the pancreas.

He said the mission is now working with the Senegalese government departments in processing documents for the repatriation of her body to Zimbabwe.

According to reports, Mrs Stevenson was found dead at her residence in Dakar on Saturday morning.

She was a founding member of the MDC and was appointed ambassador to Senegal and The Gambia in 2009 during the Government of National Unity and was deployed representing the MDC led by Professor Welshman Ncube.

A former member of parliament for Harare North (2000-2008), she continued to serve as ambassador after the collapse of the inclusive government in 2013 to date.

At the time of her death, Mrs Stevenson, who served as MDC’s National Secretary for Policy and Research — had quit politics to focus on her diplomatic career.

She was born in the United States and attended school in England from 1955 to 1962.

She obtained a BA degree from the University of Reading and a Graduate Certificate in Education from the University of Zimbabwe.

She lived in Uganda during the 1970s before coming to Zimbabwe in 1980 where she became a citizen in 1990.

Zbc News

Below is the Canadian government’s statement concerning Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Court verdict on MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa’s lawsuit against the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and ZANU PF leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa:

‘Embassy of Canada Statement following the Zimbabwe Constitutional Court’s decision on the July 30 presidential election

“Zimbabwe’s Constitutional Court has rendered its decision on the merits of a challenge to the conduct and results of the July 30 election decision confirming Emmerson Mnangagwa as the winner of the Presidential election.

“We commend all actors for their decision to put forward their differing positions in a peaceful manner, respecting the Zimbabwean Constitution and the rule of law. We hope they promote calm and restraint in responding to the verdict. We also take note of calls for dialogue to promote peace such as from the Zimbabwe Council of Churches.

“All political parties campaigned on platforms which acknowledged the need for a process of ongoing reform including political, electoral, human rights and economic. Indeed, at observer missions, domestic and international, have pointed to the need to rectify a number of systemic challenges to the electoral process. We call on the new government to move quickly to formulate a plan to identify and enact reforms based on discussions with all Zimbabweans.”

By Paul Nyathi|Uncompromising MDC Alliance Member of Parliament for Zengeza Job Sikhala has issued a sensational warning against efforts to arrest his party leader Nelson Chamisa.

Posting on his Facebook page without elaborating, Sikhala warned that there will be no peace if Chamisa is put under house arrest for disputing the July 30 elections.

“Any attempt to put our President Adv Nelson Chamisa under house arrest because he refused to recognise stolen elections will be suicidal. Be warned,” he wrote.

ZimEye.com efforts to get further explanations from Sikhala on his post were not successful at the time of writing.

By Paul Nyathi|ZANU PF supporters have taken to the social media to castigate the state run Herald Newspaper on the paper’s continous negative coverage of opposition leader Nelson Chamisa.

In a highly sensational trend on Twitter, the ZANU PF supporters blame the Herald Editor Caeser Zvayi for continuously giving Chamisa media coverage albeit with the paper thinking that they are destroying Chamisa.

“The guys at Herald need to know that the election is over. @caesarzvayi please let’s move on to more substantive issues than this pointless Chamisa-bashing. What’s the relevance now? wrote the ruling party supporters on a Twitter page @EDNews.

The Herald Newspaper editor Zvayi was however not amused nor shakeable on the call by the ZANU PF supporters.

“Don’t tell me how to do my job. As long as Chamisa behaves like a spoilt brat, he has to be told so. You expect us to look aside while he urinates in the communal well? Come on,” responded Zvayi.

The ZANU PF supporters responded:
“We respectfully disagree. Your brand of shrill propaganda in fact helps Chamisa. It doesn’t help ED, at all. That you don’t realise this fact, recognised by even those in support of the President, is quite revealing.

By Paul Nyathi|Reports have emerged that President Emmerson Mnangagwa has heavily clashed with his deputy Constantino Chiwenga over who should be in the new cabinet.

Highly placed sources around the presidency indicated that Mnangagwa rejected a cabinet list proposed by Chiwenga which was made up mostly of senior army officials.

The sources further indicated that the two could also not agree over the inclusion of Obert Mpofu in the cabinet.

Chiwenga is reported to haven been strongly against Mpofu being included in the cabinet a proposal which Mnangagwa threw away.

Meanwhile, reports also yet to be confirmed indicate that Mnangagwa is highly interested in including opposition MDC-T leader Nelson Chamisa on his administration.

The sources claim that Mnangagwa has already presented his proposal to Chamisa who has not yet responded.

A BULAWAYO man who fondled his wife’s younger sister and undressed in her presence, has been sentenced to three months in prison.

Onias Moyo, however, breathed a sigh of relief when Western Magistrate Mr Lungile Ncube wholly suspended the sentence on condition that he does not commit a similar offence.

In passing the sentence Mr Ncube said Moyo’s conduct was shameful and he could not be trusted.

On August 13, Moyo was sent by his wife to collect the sister-in-law so they could go to a church camp meeting.

On arrival at home his wife had already left.

Prosecuting Mr Kenneth Shava told the court Moyo took his sister-in-law to the shops where they bought some meat for supper.

When they got back home Moyo locked the door and placed the keys on the table before fondling his sister-in-law’s breast.

She tried pushing him but Moyo threatened her saying he would get her deported back to South Africa where she was attending school.

Moyo stripped naked before his sister-in-law and dragged her to the bedroom.

She managed to escape to her aunt’s place at Entumbane.

A family meeting was held before the matter was reported to the police.

State Media

Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) June 2018 Ordinary Level results are out and centre heads can start collecting them from Zimsec regional offices tomorrow.

Zimsec board chairman Professor Eddie Mwenje made the announcement in a statement yesterday.

“The Zimbabwe School Examinations Council board and management would like to advise the nation of the release of the June 2018 Zimsec Ordinary Level results,” he said.

“Heads of examination centres will be able to collect the results for their respective schools or centres from our regional offices on Wednesday, 29 August 2018.”

Prof Mwenje said there was an increase in candidature this year as compared to last year.

“A total number of 141 246 candidates registered and sat for a range of subjects from one to 10 compared to 78 655 in June 2017,” he said.

“Of the 141 246 registered candidates, 136 were special needs candidates. The total candidature increased by 75 866, a percentage increase of 79,58.”

According to Zimsec, 17 232 school candidates and 124 014 private candidates sat for the June 2018 examination.

Prof Mwenje also highlighted the increase in candidates who sat for five or more subjects.

“The total number of candidates who sat for five or more subjects was 10 974 which is 7, 77 percent of the total candidature while 130 272, (92,23 percent) sat for four or less subjects,” he said.

“In the June 2017 examinations, the number of candidates who sat for five or more subjects was 3 045 constituting 3,89 percent of the total candidature of 78 655.

Prof Mwenje did not indicate the pass rate.

State Media

ZANU PF secretary for legal affairs Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana (pictured) yesterday said they were in no hurry to sever ties with former President Robert Mugabe and to rename the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport as requested by the war veterans.

The developments came in the wake of Mugabe’s decision to send representatives to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s inauguration on Sunday.

Mugabe, who has previously snubbed national gatherings, sent his daughter Bona and son-in-law Simba Chikore to represent him at his successor’s installation.

Mangwana said there was need for maturity and wisdom in dealing with the war veterans’ demands given that Mugabe appeared to be softening towards the new administration by “showing statesmanship”.

“It is gratifying. That is the kind of message Zimbabwe has been expecting. You heard the applause, we expect that as our founding President, he must occupy that respectable place and today, he behaved just exactly as we expected,” Mangwana said.

“There has been a request to change the Robert [Gabriel] Mugabe International Airport, but government has not taken a decision and so has the party not taken a position. It is a request which has come from some sections within the party, but that request would be considered in light of behaviour and conduct made today (Sunday) and going forward.”

The development was likely to put Zanu PF and the war veterans association on a collision path, with the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association secretary-general Victor Matemadanda insisting that Mugabe should be banished even after his endorsement of Mnangagwa’s administration as he was a “sellout”.

“We are not convinced with that. I am not sure if he is sincere. I think he is doing that to avoid the name change that we are undertaking at the airport. I don’t see any good reason why he should congratulate ED when, in actual fact, he said he would not vote for him,” he said.

Matemadanda said Mugabe should do more before his former allies rethink their relationship with him, otherwise they would stop at nothing to have him excommunicated and his name removed from the international airport.

Mugabe has previously expressed dislike for his successor’s administration since his ouster in November last year.

On the eve of the July 30 polls, the former head of State announced that he would not vote for Zanu PF, but would throw in his lot with MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa.

News Day

A 30-YEAR-OLD unlicensed commuter omnibus driver was on Monday remanded in custody for cutting off Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga’s motorcade in Borrowdale, Harare, causing serious damage to the vehicles.

Silent Hungwe was not asked to plead when he appeared before magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa, who remanded him in custody to September 4 pending finalisation of investigations.

Allegations are that on August 24 along Borrowdale Road at the intersection of Kingsmead, Hungwe was driving due south and, in his bid to avoid vehicles that had blocked the road, hit Chiwenga’s vehicle on the rear side.

Although no injuries were recorded, both vehicles sustained serious damages.

Linda Gadzikwa appeared for the State.

NewsDay

A 29-YEAR-OLD man from Mvuma who had been on the run for seven years after raping and robbing a passenger in his vehicle, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Patrick Chakuwamba of Mucheri village, Chaka in Mvuma appeared before Gweru Regional Magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa facing rape and robbery charges

Chakuwamba had been on the run since 2011 when he committed the offence.

He denied the charges claiming that he had consensual sex with the complainant (name withheld to protect her identity) accusing her of being a lady of the night.

Mrs Msipa convicted Chakuwamba after a full trial and sentenced him to 20 years for rape and 5 years for robbery.

Chakuwamba will, however serve an effective 18 and half years in prison after six and half years were suspended on condition of good behaviour.

During trial, a friend of the complainant said she was the target of the rape but Chakuwamba turned to the first complainant after learning that she was on her menstrual period.

“I was seated in front when he said he wanted to sleep with me. I told him that I was on my menstrual period and because he doubted me, he forced his fingers down my private parts,” she said.

Chakuwamba, the complainant said, then tied her friend with a cable before raping her twice.

It is the State’s case that on May 19, 2011 Chakuwamba met the first complainant at Chicken Slice Complex in Mvuma where she was looking for transport to Beitbridge.

Chakuwamba offered to transport the complainant and her friend who boarded his vehicle before he drove off towards Masvingo.

On approaching the 223km peg along Harare-Masvingo road, Chakuwamba pulled off the road and disembarked.

He armed himself with an iron bar and took an electrical cable from the bonnet of his car.

The court heard that Chakuwamba initially wanted to rape the complainant’s friend but she was saved by being on her menstrual periods.

Chakuwamba tied the friend up with an electrical cable and ordered the complainant to lie down on the back seat of the car and raped her once using a condom. After 30 minutes of rest, he raped her once more but without using a condom.

The accused person robbed the complainant and her friend of $25, two pairs of trousers, two Samsung cell phones and a bottle of perfume.

Chakuwamba forced them off his vehicle and drove off. Total value stolen was $120 and nothing was recovered.

A report was made to the police but Chakuwamba fled before he could be arrested.

He was however, arrested this year following a tip off. Mr Kelvin Guveya appeared for the State.

State Media

By Paul Nyathi| One of the two Zimbabwean awaiting trial prisoners, who escaped while being transported in a State vehicle in Limpopo South Africa, was rearrested on Friday.

South African Police spokesman Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said Petrus “Small” Moyo was rearrested at Ga-Mushi village, outside Lephalale on Friday evening.

Moyo and fellow Zimbabwean Witness Simango were arrested for murder and house robberies. They cut open the roof of the moving police truck, jumped off and vanished in the bushes earlier on Friday. Police were transporting the prisoners from Lephalale to Polokwane when the incident happened.

Moyo faces charges of murder, house-breaking, and theft. He was confirmed to have entered South Africa illegally. Simango was linked to a series of house robberies and burglary in Lephalale and surrounding areas.

Simango was linked to a series of house burglaries in Lephalale and surrounding areas. The search for him continued.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) yesterday said it was relishing the ruling of the Constitutional Court and reports from observer missions that it superintended over a credible election.

The Constitutional Court on Friday ruled against MDC Alliance presidential candidate Advocate Nelson Chamisa who had filed an application challenging President Mnangagwa’s victory, alleging electoral malpractice.

He however, failed to produce evidence to support his case resulting in the Chief Justice Luke Malaba sitting with eight other ConCourt judges dismissing his case with costs.

The court upheld President Mnangagwa’s electoral victory declaring him the President of Zimbabwe and he was sworn into office on Sunday.

In an interview yesterday, Zec Acting Chief Elections Officer Mr Utoile Silaigwana said the apex court’s ruling dispelled unfounded claims that the commission rigs elections.

“ZEC has been vindicated by the Constitutional Court which shows that Zec conducted this election in terms of the Electoral Law. The election was credible hence it was also proved through the petition which went through the Constitutional Court,” said Mr Silaigwana.

He said inviting international observers was a plus for the commission as preliminary reports by most observer missions have credited Zec for running the election in a professional manner.

Government invited international observers to watch as the country’s citizens chose their political leaders.
The pre-election environment was peaceful serve for post election violence sparked by the MDC Alliance that was refusing to accept results, before most of them had been announced. The incident in Harare claimed six lives.

“The lessons we are learning through inviting observers is that it is important to have observers as most of them have given us the thumbs up on the electoral process. It’s a lesson that we need to stick to the Electoral Law as was done,” Mr Silaigwana said.

“We are still to get the full reports. But from the preliminary reports we have received, the observers are saying the elections were conducted professionally.”

The Acting Chief Elections Officer said Zec was also impressed with the upsurge in the number of people who voted.

He said more than 85 percent of registered voters voted on July 30 compared to past elections which attracted just over 50 percent of the registered voters.

Mr Silaigwana said the electorate should accept the poll outcomes as the country’s democracy was enhanced.

“I think it’s important for our citizens to accept the outcomes of the elections, particularly an election like this one which was observed by the whole world. It was confirmed by the observer missions that the election was credible. So it is important for us to accept the outcomes of a credible election,” he said.

Dr Khupe’s party claims it is the legitimate MDC-T and that Mr Chamisa illegitimately received the funds because he contested the poll using a different name.
Under the Political Parties Finance Act, only serious political parties who would have garnered at least five percent of the total vote were eligible for the funding.

MDC-T, which was led by Mr Tsvangirai, in terms of the Act, is the one entitled to the funding.

However, after the demise of the former party leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai in February, a leadership wrangle ensued between Mr Chamisa and Dr Khupe.

Ultimately, Dr Khupe registered to contest in this year’s election under MDC-T while Mr Chamisa chickened out and opted to participate as leader of the MDC Alliance.
Under unclear circumstances, Mr Chamisa’s MDC received $1,8 million funding from Government despite the fact that it was no longer part of the MDC-T.

In an interview, MDC-T deputy president Mr Obert Gutu said that his party had since instructed Professor Lovemore Madhuku to sue the MDC over the $1,8 million fraud.
“We have since instructed our lawyer Professor Madhuku to file a claim for the $1,8 million.
“The money was wrongly disbursed to Mr Chamisa’s MDC when it was meant for the MDC-T which participated in the 2013 election.

“I am yet to meet Prof Madhuku and we map the way forward,” he said.
Meanwhile, Zanu-PF lawyers said they also intend to sue Mr Chamisa’s party over legal costs in the hyped presidential petition which was dismissed by the Constitutional Court on Friday with costs.
Mr Chamisa sought to overturn President-elect Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa’s July 30 election victory, but the ConCourt unanimously dismissed his challenge.

Speaking to our Harare Bureau on Saturday, Zanu-PF Secretary for Legal Affairs Cde Paul Mangwana said the ruling party’s lawyers were quantifying the exact amount due to them, but they had indicated an approximate bill of $3 million.

That figure excludes the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s legal bill.
Cde Mangwana said the final bill required approval of the Registrar of the Court.
He said in the event Mr Chamisa failed to pay, the opposition leader risked losing his personal property.

Meanwhile, the cash-strapped opposition MDC Alliance has once again sent begging bowls to raise $3 million to foot the legal costs for their Constitutional Court electoral petition and is seeking more money to fund its case at the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR).

The judgement handed by the Constitutional Court carried a punitive condition requiring Mr Chamisa to pay the legal costs of everyone involved.

In bid to raise this money, the party launched an ‘I donate to protect our vote’ campaign on the Gofundme website on Sunday, appealing to both Diaspora and local supporters to donate for a “good cause.”

The Alliance, which has hit hard times, survived the election period from hand-outs from well-wishers who funded its campaign.

The MDC’s situation has been worsened by donor fatigue and a series of blunders over the years, its poor performance in the inclusive government that ran between 2009 and 2013 key among them.

In a Facebook post, MDC National Deputy Treasurer Mr Chalton Hwende said people can send their donations via EcoCash or make their donations online at gofundme.com .

He has also appealed to well wishers across the world to support it with the costs of suit at the Constitutional Court and African Union appeal, whose bill is not yet known.

MDC Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa has taken his fight to overturn President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s recent electoral victory to the African Commission for Human and People’s Rights following the dismissal of his petition last Friday.

After the declaration of Cde Mnangagwa’s victory by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission on August 3, Mr Chamisa filed a ConCourt application challenging the victory, arguing that the whole electoral process had been marred by irregularities and massive poll fraud.

But his petition was dismissed with costs by the full bench of the ConCourt led by Chief Justice Luke Malaba on grounds that he failed to provide sufficient primary evidence to prove the alleged irregularities.

But in a statement that goes against the $3 million appeal, the Alliance has said the estimated figure is too high and the legal costs “can’t exceed $20 000”.

“The costs are taxed and allowed by the Registrar of the court, taking into account the exact hours spent. It can’t even go up to $20 000. Besides, the costs awarded are not on a higher scale. It’s just costs on an ordinary scale. People like Paul Mangwana must stop inciting our people,” said Mr Hwende on social media.

The MDC Alliance said they will meet tomorrow (Wednesday) to plot a way forward. The party has rejected the call by President Mnangagwa to put differences aside and move forward together as a nation.- state media

By Paul Nyathi|The City of Bulawayo continues to dominate as the best council I the country addreess after scooping the award yet again.

The City won the following prizes at the 2018 Local Government Megafest Awards held recently.

Winners in the following categories

• Fire, Rescue and Ambulances of the year Category
• Best Urban Local Authority Category
• Public Lighting of the year Category
• Outstanding Local Authority Urban

Other Awards

• Water Production and Management Category, 1st Runner Up
• Social Amenities, Sports Facilities and Community Spaces Category, 1st Runner Up
• Sewerage Removal and Treatment Category, 2nd Runner Up

Leadership Awards

• Town Clerk of the Year, Mr Christopher Dube
• Head of Treasury, Finance Director, Mr Kimpton Ndimande
• Head of Housing and Community Services, Director of Housing and Community Services, Mr Dictor Khumalo
• Head of Town Planning and Development Control, Acting Deputy Director of Engineering Services (Town Planning) , Mr Wisdom Siziba
• Head of Fire and Ambulances, Chief Fire Officer Mr Richard Peterson
• Communication and Public Relations Category, 1st Runner Up, Senior Public Relations Officer, Mrs Nesisa Mpofu

By Paul Nyathi|The City of Bulawayo has sent a warning to citizens of the second capital that it will be resuming stringent water rationing programme in some of the areas in the city.

The City blamed the water rationing on pumping challenges on the popular Magwegwe water reservoir.

“The City of Bulawayo would like to advise members of the public and stakeholders that there is an ongoing exercise to normalise the Magwegwe Reservoir level. The level has been critical for the past two weeks, due to erratic pumping from Nyamandlovu Aquifer,” said the Town Clerk Christopher Dube in a statement.

The statement further reads:

“The boreholes have been affected mainly by power failure. ZETDC is working to restore the power supply and therefore increase the boreholes pumping to the City.

In a bid to manage water supply from the Reservoir. Council would like to advise that there will be an emergency interruption of water supplies to the following areas fed directly from the Criterion and Magwegwe Reservoirs and some surrounding areas.

• Nketa
• Nkulumane
• Cowdray Park
• Mganwini

Residents are advised that the programme is subject to change should the Reservoir level improve or deteriorate beyond the critical level.

All high areas that are likely to be affected for more than 24 hours will be supplied by water Bowsers.
Consumers are urged to conserve water.

The City of Bulawayo apologises to its valued customers for the inconvenience caused.

Advert No.6770 ​​ C. DUBE
TOWN CLERK”

Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Officer: GALZ
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MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa’s plans to roll out protests in the wake of Friday’s decision by the Constitutional Court (Con-Court) to uphold President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s hotly-disputed victory in last month’s polls might spectacularly backfire, social and political analysts content.

They also believe this action is misdirected and a wrong strategy because whipping up emotions will not get him to State House, at least for now.

On Saturday, Chamisa told a media briefing: “It is a constitutional option (demonstrations) and very viable. We have demonstrated two or three times successfully without any problems. We just want to put mechanisms to make sure that we don’t have people who come and disrupt our programme. I can tell you we have the right to demonstrate. This is going to be one of the routes which we are going to take among others.

“Victory can’t be certain twice, victory was certain before election and secured during the Election Day. We won, what we are doing now is protecting that victory; we will continue to pursue democratic means to make sure that result is respected. We cannot afford five more years in this kind of hardships, people want answers.”

Chamisa said they are ready to sacrifice their lives in defending people’s votes.

“They think that perhaps they will intimidate people like myself but I am dead already, by merely challenging dictatorship you have signed a death warrant so they can’t kill me twice. We are very clear and we are not going to be intimidated that’s why we are ready for any eventuality they can’t run the country by terror.

“The legal door is not the only door to happiness and democracy, there are many other doors, and the political doors are going to be opened very soon using our Constitution. We have the right to peaceful demonstrations and protests that is going to be done in the shortest period of time.”

Political analyst MacDonald Lewanika said if Chamisa wants to fight on, it is well in his rights to do so, but the consequences of such actions must find him prepared.

“Politics is also the art of the possible, and at the moment the cake he says he won’t share with Mnangagwa is actually a cake that he doesn’t have — he has nothing to share.

“A real danger is that this need for continued resistance will not be matched by a similar appetite from his supporters and Zimbabweans in general, who see this presidential fight as lost and would like to move on to focusing on how to survive under the Zanu PF regime and continuing economic challenges.

“Zanu PF will push the narrative that he is petty and a sour loser, while others will see him as an unrepentant fighter for his just desserts.

“At the end of the day it is about Chamisa staying in touch with the pulse of a people, who are generally not known to be persuaded to the kind of radical positioning he is pitching.

“Zimbabweans have been known to be risk averse and the likelihood is that the onward march to challenging the presidential results through mass action, which has already proved to be not just futile but also fatal, will be a march that he will make with less and less people.

“History has recorded that Chamisa believes he won the election but was cheated out of victory, the legal process denied this claim but the court of public opinion largely agrees with him.

“If I were Chamisa, I would bank the public sympathy and turn it into future political capital — attempting to spend it now through mass action will prove to be a waste, and come across as lacking the political maturity to roll with the punches, taking your hits and living to fight another day,” said Lewanika.

He added that Zanu PF and its “varakashi” will portray this as intolerance and a total disrespect of political and democratic processes that Chamisa entered into willingly and knowing the odds against him.

“It will feed into a bad narrative that Chamisa cannot lose, and believes that everything but a win for Chamisa is a wrong outcome — such traits are not attractive and will begin to undermine the formidable political capital that he had built over the last six months.”

Media and political analyst Rashweat Mukundu said the right to protest is constitutionally-guaranteed and protected.

“As a political strategy the MDC Alliance must however, consider its effectiveness in achieving the desired end. In my view Chamisa must keep his power base energised through mobilisation and political awareness.

“The Con-Court case is sufficient basis to seek electoral reforms that could make the 2023 election far better. Age is on Chamisa’s side and all he needs are equally capable lieutenants to prepare for the next election.

“The MDC Alliance must use its presence in Parliament to monitor Zanu PF actions and use its dominance in urban councils to address residents’ issues. Political mobilisation is more sustainable than protests.

Political analyst Piers Pigou said protests are not unexpected tactics in the circumstances, but they must be tied to a clear strategy that pushes a reform programme tied to constitutional deficits, realignment, institutional reform and that holds Mnangagwa to his reform commitments as laid out in GoZ presentation in DC in April.

“Peaceful protest is important expression, but can Zimbabwe’s security forces be trusted to act professionally. This is a major worry after post-election events.

“Mnangagwa says his door is open to Chamisa. He is now president and must proactively reach out, not sit his hands.

Political analyst Maxwell Saungweme said after running a successful campaign on a shoe-string budget and “you garner over two million out of five million votes and for some reason your victory is stolen, and you go to the nation’s apex court you knew was captured and lost, the logical thing to do is not mobilising people to oppose a court decision. That will border on illegality.

“What I would advise Chamisa if I was in his inner-circle is to use whatever resources and popularity he has now to do the following: quickly call all party leadership at all levels to a strategic retreat and genuinely reflect on what happened, where the party did well and areas in need of improvement, including 2013 lessons not learnt from. Then do a party elective congress, have a proper leadership structure, formalise a party name, go to rural and urban areas to set and strengthen structures. Then start selling your message of alternative policies and approaches to your supporters first so that they know exactly how different you will be from the current regime.”

Saungweme said let the mobilisation for an action be bottom-up and not top-down. “Top-down protests tend to be urban-based and negate the views and wishes of where the bulk of the voters are — rural areas. “With the level of organisation shown by the MDC Alliance during polls where they could not field council and MP candidates in all constituencies and polling agents at all polling stations, unorganised demonstrations will not be sustained and will fizzle within a few weeks, if not days, with blood of the innocent people potentially lost from heavy-handed State responses.

“Zimbabwe is our home and leaders should be acting in manners that build national cohesion than dividing us. Look at the November 2017 coup; it was a Harare thing that did not get buy-in from people in the rural areas, hence contributed to Mnangagwa’s poor showing in the presidential poll.”

Human rights lawyer Dewa Mavhinga said: “As human rights activists we do not prescribe what political strategies political leaders should take save to note that the route to approach the Con-Court is enshrined in the Constitution, just like the right to peacefully demonstrate which is protected by section 59 of the Zimbabwe Constitution.

“Whichever political strategy one pursues, it is important that the rule of law and human rights are protected in the process. The violence and use of excessive force by the security forces on August 1 should not happen again.”

Elections Resource Centre director Tawanda Chimhini said demonstrations are a constitutional expression of political rights.

“The decision by the opposition to use such an option in the aftermath of the decision of the Con-Court is an opportunity for the new administration to exhibit the respect for the rule of law and protect the Constitution. The option to demonstrate must also be approached with the necessary responsibility to abstain from any action that may be deemed as illegal. Regardless of what options political stakeholders take, Zimbabwe must definitely find a sustainable way to extricate itself from a cycle of failed electoral and democratic processes. “All options adopted must put Zimbabwe first,” said Chimhini.

Political analyst Vivid Gwede said without a doubt it is within Chamisa’s democratic rights to express himself on both the outcome of the election and the court.

“This is important in highlighting the reality of captured public institutions in Zimbabwe and the need for the continuation of the democratic agenda. Everyone gave the Zec and the courts the benefit of doubt but these institutions do not seem to have lived up to their duties satisfactorily. In light of this reality, the Constitution affords citizens, including the aggrieved MDC Alliance leadership, political rights to campaign for a cause which their conscience justifies.

“As you can see, the MDC Alliance has taken varied post-election strategies to put its grievances on the table, including that they will approach the African Commission for Human and People’s rights to protest the outcome of the Constitutional Court. Chamisa is right that in all this struggle, there is need to mobilise and explain to the people how he thinks they have been shortchanged because in the final calculation the people matter going forward.”

Daily News

Paul Nyathi|Former Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe says he and his wife Grace are unwell.

The 94-year-old revealed this in a surprise congratulatory message sent to President Emmerson Mnangagwa at his inauguration ceremony on Sunday. Mugabe apologised that he and his wife couldn’t be at the inauguration ceremony.

In a letter read out by Mnangagwa, the former president said his wife is unwell and in Singapore. He also said he wasn’t well, which is why he sent his daughter Bona and her husband Simba Chikore to stand in for them.

Mugabe gave no details on what he and his wife were suffering from. But his congratulatory note took many by surprise.

The late Chief Mapanzure who died on Wednesday evening has been laid to rest at his homestead in the Mapanzure area near Zvishavane.

Mourners who include top government officials joined the Mapanzure community at the burial of Chief Mapanzure.

In his address at the burial, President of the Chief’ S Council Chief Fortune Charumbira said the Mapanzure family should remain united and celebrate the legacy left behind by a hero in traditional leadership.

“The death of Chief Mapanzure should not bring sorry instead it should bring jubilation for the people of this area who voted for ED,” said Chief Charumbira.

Chief mourner Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Cde July Moyo said the death of Chief Mapanzure is a blow as he was a fountain of knowledge.

Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda paid tribute to all individuals and corporates who stood with the Mapanzure family during trying times.

“As a family we are humbled by the gesture shown by the people in taking responsibility of the funeral,” said Dr Sibanda.

Addressing mourners on Friday, President-elect Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa who hails from the Mapanzure clan said they is no rush to talk of the replacement to the chief as Collen Shonhayi will hold fort for two years.

Chief Mapanzure died at the age of 96.

He is survived by 10 children and 61 great grandchildren.

ZBC News

VIDEO LOADING BELOW…

In the latest most ironic of ironic developments, a top ZANU PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa family member has telephoned ZimEye revealing they do not at all support Mnangagwa. The elderly male (name withheld) also said he is preparing to put in over $20,000 into Nelson Chamisa’s account for the 40 year old politician’s legal expenses. He asked on advice on how to make the donation without being detected. For his protection, ZimEye has had to redact and obfuscate his details.  WATCH THE BELOW VIDEO FOR MORE… 

By Paul Nyathi|The ruling ZANU PF says that it has learnt a lesson from the recent Constitutional Court on the outcome of the Presidential election appeal by opposition leader Nelson Chamisa.

The party Deputy Secretary for Legal Affairs Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana told weekend media that the party learnt a lesson that it must never leave elections to chance.

Mangwana said that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is the one that has got to be worried on issues raised by the court not themselves as a party.

“For Zanu PF, the whole test was useless because it had no basis. The lessons learnt are not for Zanu PF, but probably to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec),” he said.

“The only lesson we should draw from that is that we should campaign harder and win resoundingly next time because the MDC Alliance was taking advantage of the slender margin we had to think that they should have been victorious.”

Mangwana expressed concerns at the ZANU PF “bhora musango” tactic which saw members of parliament get far much more votes than their presidential candidate Emmerson Mnangagwa.

“We now need to sell our presidential candidate in a stronger way and ensure that in the future he wins by the same margin like in the parliamentary elections.”

Mangwana disputed on-going speculations that ZANU PF are involved in any talks for a unity governmemt with the MDC or Chamisa indicating that the opposition party could “go and hang.”

“We do not need to talk to them because we have the mandate to rule from the people of Zimbabwe. They can go to hang.

People elected Mnangagwa as president. He is the father of the nation, and he wants his children to live in peace.

The president did not offer the MDC Alliance a coalition government,” he added.

By Paul Nyathi|The South African High Court has sentenced Gugulethu Thwala and Koketso Moyo were today sentenced for burning to dearth 19 year old Boitumelo Dlamini in 2015.

The two ladies in the company of two others who are yet to meet their fate burnt Dlamini to death while recording a video of her screaming while they laughed for dating one of their ex boyfriends Tokelo Makhelepho.

They were sentenced to 18 and 14 years respectively for murder and both got a added 5 years for kidnapping.

Mosopi, Koketso Moyo, Gugulethu “Sharon” Thwala, and Victor Pilane have been charged with kidnapping and murdering Boitumelo Dlamini.

The four allegedly kidnapped Dlamini at Eletsa High School in Letlhabile near Brits on June 18, after Mosopi accused her of dating her boyfriend.

Dlamini was allegedly doused with petrol and set alight. Thwala, 26, told the court that Mosopi poured petrol from a five-litre container over Dlamini in the bushes near Klipgat.

“She [Cynthia] pulled Boitumelo out of the car and slapped her, she asked her whether she was in love with Tokelo [Cynthia’s former boyfriend]. She apologised, but Cynthia asked her for what reason she was apologising,” Thwalwa told the court.

She went on to say that when she saw Cynthia pour petrol over Dlamini, she pulled Dlamini and she too was sprinkled with petrol.

“At that moment I saw Victor Pilane [Cynthia’s then boyfriend] recording the incident [on a cellphone video]. I screamed to him to help free Boitumelo from Cynthia…I then heard flames and when I turned, I saw Boitumelo burning.”

She said Mosopi’s feet was burning and she ran to her boyfriend (Pilane) for help, while Dlamini ran in the opposite direction.

By Farai D Hove| Nelson Chamisa’s former spokesman, Luke Tamborinyoka caused a stir Monday morning when he posted the above tweet, with many casting eyebrows on what on earth he is trying to say. IS HE ABOUT TO BETRAY CHAMISA?

“It was Lenin who believed that it may be necessary sometimes to embrace enemies and throw friends under the bus, ” Tamboronyoka wrote.

At the time of writing, he had not explained himself, it at least as yet.

WHAT DO YOU THINK HE IS SAYING?